Podcasts about old globe

"Directors are authors of a production," is the vision held by Trip Cullman, director of the play, We Had a World. This beautiful play explores intergenerational relationships in a family with complicated dynamics. Starring Joanna Gleason, Andrew Barth Feldman, and Jeanine Serralles and written by Joshua Harmon. Sarah and Trip discuss the play, queer representation on stage, the importances of live theatre, and more! Trip Cullman (Director). Broadway: Cult Of Love, The Rose Tattoo, Choir Boy, Lobby Hero (Tony nom., Best Revival), Six Degrees of Separation (Tony nom., Best Revival), Significant Other. Select Off Broadway: I Can Get It For You Wholesale (Best Revival, Drama Desk and Outer Critics) (CSC); The Lonely Few, Moscow Moscow…, YEN, Punk Rock (Obie), A Funny Thing Happened… (MCC); Days Of Rage, The Layover, The Substance of Fire, Lonely I'm Not, Bachelorette, Some Men, Swimming In The Shallows (Second Stage); Unknown Soldier, The Pain Of My Belligerence, Assistance, A Small Fire (Drama Desk nom.), The Drunken City (Playwrights Horizons); Significant Other (Roundabout); Choir Boy (MTC); Murder Ballad (MTC and Union Square); The Mother, I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard (Atlantic); Roulette (EST); The Hallway Trilogy: Nursing (Rattlestick); The Last Sunday In June (Rattlestick and Century Center); Dog Sees God (Century Center); US Drag (stageFARM); several productions with The Play Company. Select regional: Berkeley Rep, McCarter, Geffen, Arena, Alliance, Old Globe, La Jolla, South Coast Rep, Bay Street, Williamstown. Connect with GOOD SHOW! Instagram: ⁠@goodshowpodcast⁠  Tik Tok: ⁠@goodshowpodcast ⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with two-time Tony-nominated lyricist Amanda Green. Known for her shows like “High Fidelity,” “Bring It On,” “Hands on a Hardbody,” and “Mr. Saturday Night,” Green’s latest musical is “Regency Girls,” currently enjoying a critically acclaimed world premiere run at The Old Globe read more The post Special Episode: Amanda Green on ‘Regency Girls’ world premiere appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

A week before the High Holidays, three rabbis find themselves in a room fighting to save a family by building a bridge between orthodoxy and modernity. One of these rabbis is Chava, the child of a dynastic Hasidic rabbinical family and destined to become a leader of the next generation before the revelation of her trans identity clashed explosively with the strictly gendered world in which she was raised. As we jump through memory—and wrestle with theology—truths and secrets emerge that ensure no one will read the old stories the same way again. Sarah chats with playwright, Emil Weinstein about this exciting new play, Becoming Eve. EMIL WEINSTEIN (Playwright) is a writer and director whose work spans theater, television, and filmmaking. He graduated from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, where he directed the first workshop production of Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris. His productions as a theater director include Twelfth Night and Romeo & Juliet at Two River Theater, Comedy of Errors and As You Like It (upcoming) at the Old Globe, and developmental work with EnGarde Arts, Rattlestick Theater, Shakespeare and Company, and New York Theatre Workshop. For television, Emil worked as a staff writer on Amazon's “A League of Their Own,” and directed four episodes for the final season of “The L Word Generation Q” for Showtime. His short films “Candace” and “In France Michelle is a Man's Name” played at festivals around the world, winning multiple awards including two Academy Award Qualifying Grand Jury Prizes. Becoming Eve is Emil's Off-Broadway playwriting debut. Emil is a transgender man and uses he/him pronouns. Connect with GOOD SHOW! Instagram: @goodshowpodcast  Tik Tok: @goodshowpodcast   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Diego's wastewater surveillance program was shut down and that has scientists worried. Plus, we talk to a San Diego business about President Trump's decision to pause reciprocal tariffs. And, a musical premiering at the Old Globe is using humor to tackle serious issues.

Initially an actress ('Les Miserables', 'Aspects of Love', et al.), Merri found herself out West some years back where she quickly made a name for herself at Liberman/Hirschfeld Casting, then Liberman/Patton Casting, working on such shows as Seinfeld, Party of Five, HBO's Band of Brothers, the feature film My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the Miramax feature film "Playing By Heart", starring Sean Connery and Angelina Jolie.  In 2000, Merri moved to Dreamworks Studios as the Casting Executive in charge of TV Pilots and Series- including "Spin City", “Freaks and Geeks” and the critically acclaimed "The Job", starring Denis Leary. She was then offered a position as the Director of Casting for Dramas and Movies at ABC Television, overseeing the casting of the series "Alias", "NYPD Blue", "The Practice" and the made for television movies "Gilda Radner - It's Always Something" and "The Music Man", starring Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth, to name just a few.  Merri then returned to the East Coast to teach and coach actors – something she still does (and loves) as time permits, when Tara Rubin offered her a Senior Casting Director position where she's been happily ensconced ever since, working on, among many others - the Broadway, touring and international companies of THE WHO'S TOMMY, COMPANY, AIN'T TOO PROUD, JERSEY BOYS,THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LES MISERABLES, SCHOOL OF ROCK, MISS SAIGON, A BRONX TALE, CLUELESS the Musical, TREVOR the Musical (2023 Artios Award) and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2024 Artios Award) The TRC office is also responsible for the casting of Billy Crystal's series “Before” for Apple TV and the Broadway productions of The Outsiders, SIX and Death Becomes Her, just to name a few  Merri also casts for many theaters regionally – including The Papermill Playhouse, Lyric Opera of Chicago,  The Old Globe, Seattle Rep, The Goodman and The La Jolla Playhouse.  She is the very proud Casting Director of the critically acclaimed web series SUBMISSIONS ONLY and also boasts having cast many other independent TV & film projects, workshops and readings. In 2024, Merri took on some passion projects on the side, as well. These include the highly acclaimed and starry concert production of “FOLLIES” at Carnegie Hall for Transport Group's annual benefit gala, and a reading of a new play at The Actors Studio written by Lyle Kessler (“Orphans”) and directed by Academy Award winner Bobby Moresco – starring Chazz Palminteri, Tim Blake Nelson and Gina Gershon. In addition, Merri is now also the Casting Director at The South Carolina New Play Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The luminous Kate Baldwin joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul this Women's History Month to discuss acts of kindness throughout her career on Broadway, Maestra Music and more. Kate Baldwin is a two-time Tony Award and four-time Drama Desk Award nominee who has delighted audiences across the country with performances on Broadway, in concert and on television. Kate starred as Irene Molloy opposite Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce and Gavin Creel in the hit Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, for which she was nominated for the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. She originated the role of Sandra Bloom in Big Fish on Broadway and earned accolades and a Drama Desk Award nomination for her work as Leslie Lynnton Benedict in Michael John LaChiusa's Giant at The Public Theatre. She received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role as Jen in Keen Company's 20th Anniversary revival of Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald's John & Jen. She garnered critical acclaim and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Tom Kitt and John Logan's Superhero at Second Stage. But it was her starring role in the 2009 Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow, which drew Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations and put her on the map as “a real musical theatre star.” (New York Post) Kate has appeared in the Broadway casts of The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Wonderful Town. Other New York theatre productions include Songbird at 59e59 and in The Dead, 1904 for Irish Rep, Fiorello! and Love Life for City Center Encores! She starred in The King and I at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Irving Berlin's White Christmas (San Francisco, Detroit, Toronto), The Women at The Old Globe, Henry V at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, She Loves Me at the Willliamstown Theatre Festival, and The Music Man and South Pacific at Arena Stage, earning a Helen Hayes Award nomination. She drew raves for her portrayal of Francesca Johnson in The Bridges of Madison County directed by original cast member Hunter Foster and for her turn as Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street at Goodspeed Opera House directed by original creator Randy Skinner. She has performed in concert with the American Pops Orchestra, New York Pops, Boston Pops, National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Portland Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Chicago Symphony, American Songbook series at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and at the legendary New York nightclubs Feinstein's, Birdland and 54 Below. Her concert work also includes several appearances with Stephen Sondheim as a featured performer in his critically acclaimed evening, “A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim.”  On television, her work includes appearances on “The Gilded Age” (HBO),  “Law &Order: SVU” (NBC) “Just Beyond” (Disney Plus) “Live from Lincoln Center: Stephen Sondheim's Passion” (PBS) and “First You Dream: the Songs of Kander and Ebb” (PBS) Kate is a 2023 Chicago/Midwest Emmy nominee, alongside partners at HMS Media for creating and producing “Broadway Comes Home,” a love letter to her hometown of Milwaukee. She is a proud advisory board member for Maestra Music, which provides support, visibility and community for the women and non-binary people who make the music in musical theatre. Kate's debut album on PS Classics, “Let's See What Happens” features Lane and Harburg songs from both stage and film. Her second album celebrates the work of lyricist Sheldon Harnick and is titled, “She Loves Him.”   She is a graduate of Shorewood High School in Shorewood, WI and Northwestern University. She lives with her husband and son in Maplewood, NJ. Visit: maestramusic.org Follow Kate: @realkatebaldwin Follow us: @artofkindnesspod / @robpeterpaul youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast Support the show! (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok) Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us: artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump's 25 percent tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports are concerning local brewers. Plus, two San Diegans are doing what they can to help people heal from the LA fires with the help of some feline friends. And, a new play premiering at The Old Globe explores loss and the supernatural.

Check out this podcast replay of the SDCF Panel: Art of Collaboration with Shana Carroll, Jesse Robb, and Jessica Stone that we hosted at the Museum of Broadway. They discuss the ins and outs of their creative processes as they collaborated on Water for Elephants, both the finer details as well as overarching ideas about what goes into a productive collaboration on a show. This was a moderated panel with dedicated time for a Q & A. We hosted this panel in August 2024. This video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Shana Carroll is Co-Founding Artistic Director of the Montreal based circus company The 7 Fingers. Since its founding in 2002, Carroll has written, directed and choreographed 12 of their touring and/or resident shows, 3 of which (Passengers, Duel Reality, Dear San Francisco) are currently running, and which also includes Sequence 8 at NY City Center and Traces off- Broadway run at Union Square Theatre. Carroll received a Drama Desk Nomination for Choreography and Best Theatrical Experience for their show Traces. Outside The 7 Fingers, Carroll directed Cirque du Soleil's first- ever ice show Crystal, in addition to their performance at the Academy Awards in 2012. Also, for Cirque du Soleil, Carroll was circus choreographer and designer for their shows Iris (Los Angeles) and Paramour (Broadway). Other credits include: Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Recipient); Soul of the Ocean (Moment Factory); Cité Mémoire (Lemieux-Pilon); and the Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies (medieval segment). Prior to directing and choreography, Carroll was herself a trapeze artist, performing for over 20 years in the air with circuses and dance companies around the world, most notably as the original solo trapeze artist for Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. She also appeared in Cirque du Soleil produced television and film. Now based in Montreal, where she relocated in 1991 to attend l'École Nationale de Cirque, Carroll is originally from Berkeley, California. In 2023, Carroll was inducted into the Ordre of Arts and Letters of Quebec, a distinction honoring those who have contributed to artistic and cultural development in the province of Quebec. Most recently, Carroll was Circus Designer and Co-choreographer of the musical Water For Elephants, first at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and now in its Broadway run at the Imperial Theatre, for which she received a Suzi Bass Award and the Chita Rivera Award for Best Choreography, as well as Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics' Circle nominations in the same category. Jesse Robb's work spans Broadway, Cirque Du Soleil, Momix, Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal, Mirvish Productions, Disney, Cameron Mackintosh, Prime Video, Opera Philadelphia, and more. He is the co-choreographer (alongside Shana Carroll) for the Broadway production of Water For Elephants, which was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jesse and Shana were nominated for Tony, Drama Desk, and OCC Awards and received the 2024 Chita Rivera award for Outstanding Choreography. Jesse is the Movement Director for the North American Touring, South Korean, and Japanese productions of the international hit Les Misérables. He was also the Associate Choreographer for the Broadway, North American Touring, and Austrian companies of the 2017 Revival of Miss Saigon. Regionally, Jesse has choreographed at The MUNY, The Alliance Theater (Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Choreography), The Stratford Festival of Canada, Theatre Calgary, and Ogunquit Playhouse among others. Jessica Stone: Most recently, Stone was nominated for a Tony Award for directing the original Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, which won 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Stone worked as an actress on and off-Broadway, in television and in film for decades before transitioning to directing. Broadway credits included Anything Goes, Butley, The Odd Couple, The Smell of the Kill, Design for Living, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Grease. Her directing career began in earnest with her all-male 2010 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She has since been directing all over the country at such theaters as The Old Globe, A.C.T, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company,  Two River Theatre Company, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival among others. Productions include As You Like It, Kate Hamill's Vanity Fair, Barefoot in the Park, Dancing at Lughnasa, Bad Dates, Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood! (World premiere), Ripcord, Bad Jews, Arms and the Man, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Charlotte's Web, June Moon, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Absurd Person Singular, and Kimberly Akimbo (off-Broadway premiere at the Atlantic). She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.

Check out this podcast replay of the SDCF Virtual Panel: Demystifying Pre-Production with Knud Adams, Maija García, and Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. This conversation focuses on the pre-production process, giving insights and a better understanding of all the things that happen between when a director signs a contract and first rehearsal. The panelists talked about what they have discovered over the years makes for the strongest pre-production process for them before rehearsals begin. Transcript available upon request. We hosted this panel in June 2024. Knud Adams is an Obie-winning director of artful new plays, based in New York. This season, he's directing English on Broadway. His work has been featured on "Best of the Year" lists by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post. An avid developer of new work, his world-premiere productions include: Primary Trust (Roundabout), English (Atlantic/Roundabout), Bodies They Ritual (Clubbed Thumb), Private (Mosaic), The Headlands (LCT3), Paris (Atlantic), and The Workshop (Soft Focus). Knud also directed the radio play Vapor Trail, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Maija García is a theater director, cultural innovator and advocate for equity in the arts. She recently directed I am Betty, a world premiere hit new musical at History Theater by Cristina Luzarrága and Denise Prosek; VALOR, a Spanish golden-age play by Ana Caro; and OUR HOOD, a bi-lingual cineplay by John Leguizamo. Director of Movement for Spike Lee's Oscar award-winning Blackkklansman, CHI-RAQ and She's Gotta Have It on Netflix, and Executive Producer of Art of Dance, a documentary film, García's Theater Directing credits include Bill T. Jones' FELA! World Tour; CRANE: on earth in sky by Heather Henson and Ty Defoe and Salsa Mambo Cha Cha Cha in La Habana Cuba. Regional Theater credits include original choreography for West Side Story at the Guthrie Theater; Kiss My Aztec by John Leguizamo and Tony Toccone at Berkeley Rep, and La Jolla Playhouse; Snow in Midsummer by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Cuba Libre by Carlos Lacámara at Artists Repertory Theater (PAMTA Award); and Fats Waller Dance Party with Jason Moran and Meshell N'degeocello at Harlem Stage, SF Jazz and the Kennedy Center. Garcia founded Organic Magnetics to generate urban folklore for the future. She wrote, produced and directed Ghosts of Manhattan: 1512-2012, an interactive history and I am New York: Juan Rodriguez. Director of Education and Professional Training at Guthrie Theater, Maija served on the Tony Award Nominating Committee and is a proud member of SDC since 2008.  Delicia Turner Sonnenberg is a director, artistic leader, teacher, and mother. She is a founder and the former Artistic Director of MOXIE Theatre, which she helmed for twelve acclaimed seasons. Delicia has directed plays for the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego REP, La Jolla Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Cygnet Theatre, New Village Arts, and Diversionary Theatre, among others. Delicia has directed countless workshops and staged readings of new plays for National New Play Network, Old Globe, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, San Diego REP, and Arena Stage. Delicia was twice a recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship through Second Stage Theatre in New York and is an alumna of the New York Drama League's Directors Program, as well as Theatre Communication Group's New Generations Program.

Check out this podcast replay of our SDCF Panel: The Journey from Dancer to Choreographer with Mayte Natalio, Adesola Osakalumi, and Ellenore Scott. This conversation focuses on career transitions or expansions, specifically for dancers who have shifted or added choreography to their artistic practice. We hosted this panel at Sunlight Studios in February 2024. This video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Ellenore Scott (she/her) is a BIPOC, New York based choreographer and director. Through her work, Scott values lifting diverse voices in her community while creating a joyous space where the creative process can bring as many people in as possible. Her Broadway credits include Grey House, Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night. Her Off-Broadway credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Titanique (Lucille Loretel Nomination), I Can Get It For You Wholesale. Other choreography credits include: So You Think You Can Dance?, Single All the Way (Netflix). In 2023, Scott co-directed The Lonely Few, a world premiere rock musical at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, CA that will transfer to Off-Broadway's MCC Theatre in Spring of 2024. Scott's work has also been seen at The Bushwick Starr, The Old Globe, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre. In 2020, Scott was a finalist for the SDC Breakout Award for the first ever TikTok Music Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical which raised over $2 million for The Entertainment Fund. As a performer, Scott appeared in numerous television shows (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Smash, The Blacklist, Glee! to name a few) and was a finalist and All-Star on So You Think You Can Dance? Scott is the Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a contemporary-fusion dance company. Mayte Natalio: Broadway: Suffs (spring 2024), For Colored Girls… (Associate Choreographer). Off-Broadway: Measure for Measure (The Public Theater, Mobile Unit). Regional: The Winter's Tale (DTC, Public Works), Into the Woods (Barrington Stage Company), Love in Hate Nation (Two River Theater), Hair (The Old Globe), Kiss My Aztec (Hartford Stage), How to Dance in Ohio (Syracuse Stage). Adesola Osakalumi: is a Bronx native, Bessie Award-winning, Drama Desk-nominated Choreographer and Actor. Inspired by his family's dance company Africa 1 Dance Theater, he began performing at an early age and was immediately captivated by popping, locking, and all diasporic hip-hop dance styles. He began training seriously at every opportunity possible while maintaining a strong presence in the New York club scene where these styles flourished. Selected Choreographic credits include: Fall For Dance/Jam On The Groove 3 For 30 (City Center),Skeleton Crew (Broadway MTC), Cullud Wattah, Coal Country, Othello (Public Theater), runboyrun, Eyewitness Blues (NYTW), Good Grief (Vineyard), Jam on the Groove (Minetta Lane) and the film School Of Rock. Upcoming: The Hippest Trip (Soul Train Musical) Associate Choreographer & Dance Consultant and Syncing Ink (Victoria Theater) Spring 2025.  As an Actor: Skeleton Crew, Fela!, Equus (Broadway), runboyrun (NYTW), Syncing Ink (Flea/Alley Theater) and the films Red Pill, IBRAHIM, Enchanted, Across the Universe, and Sex and the City 2. TV: "Endgame", “Ice”, Blue Bloods. Awards: Bessie Award Recipient, Drama Desk Recipient. I give thanks to my Ori, Ancestors, and Family for their constant support and love. adesola.com IG @adesolaosakalumi.

Karma Jenkins⁠ is a multi-hyphenate artist whose work on screen includes The Time Traveler's Wife (HBO), Ghost: PowerBook II (Starz) and The Last O.G (TBS). She's appeared in commercials for Amazon Prime & William Hill Winery and is a member of SAG/AFTRA & Actors Equity. Karma has worked across the United States at reputable regional stages such as The Old Globe, 5th Ave Theatre & The MUNY, and has recently joined the production side of upcoming new stage works. Karma believes that the change we want to happen starts in our own backyards and she is dedicated to the idea that art and activism go hand in hand.  In today's episode, Karma discusses using one's voice for change, the lack of diversity and representation behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, and the need for more diverse voices and perspectives in decision-making roles. She also discusses taking care of one's mental health, finding outlets for self-expression and joy outside of the industry, and the power of being true to oneself in auditions. Learn more about Karma Jenkins & The Story Project.   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/storyproject/support

KPBS' Midday Movies critics share their top picks for films set on Halloween. Plus, a new play at the Old Globe commemorates Día de Muertos. And finally, one exhibit reimagines a series of high-rise projects abandoned along the Baja coast.

One of our favorite human beings and most beloved guests Drew Droege takes a break from Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors to talk about working with Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig in the upcoming Queer, plus: flake culture in San Diego, important vampires and villains in The Lost Boys, Dark Shadows, and Sleepaway Camp, relating to the Final Girl, our collective lack of interest in the Terrifier franchise, Lady Gaga's pen, paper, and process, the significance of Desiree Gould, a paranormal experience at Casita del Campo, why Saturday Night is worth seeing, and the long-overdue streaming debut of Kate & Allie. Do not flake: See Drew as Lady Van Helsing and many more demented characters in Dracula at the Old Globe in San Diego: visit theoldglobe.org for tix!

Veteran theater and film actor James Sutorius has performed for the most prestigious regional and repertory theater companies including The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, and Pasadena Playhouse. He's also performed at Lincoln Center, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf Theatre, Seattle Repertory, and many more. In 2007, he won two San Diego Theatre Critics Awards for his performance as George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and for his multiple supporting roles in John Strand's play "Lincolnesque." James made his Broadway debut in 1973 in "The Changing Room." In his very first entrance as a member of a rugby team, he had to walk downstage and strip off all his clothes! Instead of finding the experience terrifying, he actually found it liberating. And he played Laertes opposite Sam Waterston's Hamlet at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, alongside a cast of rising stars including Jane Alexander, Mandy Patinkin, George Hearn and John Heard. Most recently James was seen on Broadway in Aaron Sorkin's play "The Farnsworth Invention" that was directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Steven Spielberg. James was the voice for Ragu Spaghetti Sauce for 17 years, spawning the national catchphrase "Now, THAT'S Italian!" He continues to pitch other products for Coca Cola and Wrangler Jeans. He also lends his distinctive voice to audio books and short story anthologies on tape.On TV, James' break came when he starred as investigative reporter Mike Andros in The Andros Targets. He's also appeared on such well-known TV series as Dynasty, Cannon, Kojak, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, 21 Jump Street, Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, The X Files, Judging Amy, and many others. And he was a regular on Bob Crane's short-lived sitcom, The Bob Crane Show. Additionally, he's appeared in such notable TV movies as: A Death in Canaan, A Question of Love, Skokie, Space, and On Wings of Eagles. In feature films, James can be seen in Dancing as Fast as I Can starring Jill Clayburgh and Windy City with John Shea and Kate Capshaw.

We would spend a LOT of time on a train to see this show. On the Annie-to-Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as a BBC Mystery Theatre episode. Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig Directed by Peter Amster Get ready for a glamorous and enthralling journey in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's masterpiece. On a train traveling through Europe, a wealthy American tycoon is found dead in his compartment, the door locked from the inside. Enter world-famous detective Hercule Poirot, who must navigate a train full of suspects and solve the murder before the killer strikes again. With humor and romance, Tony Award–nominated playwright Ken Ludwig takes audiences on a thrill ride in a spectacular production whose gorgeous designs and innovative staging are a true knockout. This production includes mild language and violence. Total running time: Two hours and 15 minutes (two acts with one intermission).

We would ride hobby horses around Balboa Park a couple times to see this show. In the Annie-to-Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). West Coast premiere By Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen Directed by Gordon Greenberg Celebrate Halloween with a new side-splitting adventure based on Bram Stoker's classic tale that's sure to induce blood-curdling screams—of laughter! Famed vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and her motley crew chase Count Dracula around the English countryside in a madcap race to save his innocent victims. Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen return to The Old Globe following their wildly popular Ebenezer Scrooge's BIG San Diego Christmas Show! and Crime and Punishment, A Comedy. Filled with their signature imaginative staging, irreverent farce, and special effects, this hilarious scarefest is the perfect way to get spooky this season!

This week Erin is joined by star of stage and screen Drew Droege, who is currently starring in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors at The Old Globe in San Diego! We discuss the differences in San Diego and LA culture, make modern movie references to Backdraft and Terminator, and figure out who the hell Hailey Bieber is. Plus, Erin discusses the $1.5 million dollar settlement Kansas City, Missouri made to Rebecca Reynolds - a lesbian paramedic and firefighter who endured decades of harassment and abuse from her coworkers. For tickets to Drew's show, click here! For this week's bonus 20/20 Recap visit www.patreon.com/attitudes Join us on Discord for episode discussions and Watch Parties! https://discord.gg/gK2eZHCSM7See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chilina Kennedy is known for playing Carole King in the musical Beautiful on Broadway for over 1,200 performances. She also recently originated the Tony-award winning role of Dina on the First Broadway National Tour of The Band's Visit. Chilina's first appearance on Broadway was in 2012 when she played Mary Magdalene in Des McAnuff's Jesus Christ Superstar, which also had successful runs at the Stratford Festival of Canada and the La Jolla Playhouse. Other US credits include the world premiere of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which she originated the role of Phoebe at Hartford Stage and The Old Globe in San Diego (San Diego and Connecticut Outer Critics nominations), the world premiere of A Sign Of The Times as Cindy (Delaware Theatre Company), Binky in the Off-Broadway world premiere of This Ain't No Disco (Dir. Darko Tresnjak/Chor. Camille A. Brown) and Sophie in the 1st US National Tour of Mamma Mia!. Selected Canadian credits include the title role in Ted Dykstra's Evangeline (Charlottetown Festival and original recording), the title role in Ross Petty's Pantomime The Little Mermaid (Toronto Critic's Award), three seasons at the Stratford Festival (three Broadways World Awards) including Maria in Gary Griffin's West Side Story, Eva Peròn in Evita, Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate, three seasons at the Shaw Festival, the World Premiere of The Lord of the Rings (Mirvish), Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Stratford/Toronto), Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Neptune), and the title role in Mary Poppins (Theatre Aquarius). Chilina is also a singer/songwriter with a debut album What You Find in a Bottle, released in 2015. Chilina has written a new musical Call It Love with Eric Holmes, who is known for being a writer for “The Good Fight” on CBS. Featuring music and lyrics by Chilina, book co-written by Eric and Chilina, and musical arrangements by Rick Fox, Call It Love has been developed in the New York City area by Eclipse Theatre Company (http://eclipsetheatre.ca/). Chilina has worked with Burt Bacharach, guest starred in concert with the TSO, Colm Wilkinson and Jason Robert Brown. You can hear Chilina's voice on CBC's “Celebrate the Seasons” and “Carols for a Cure.” Chilina is a graduate of Sheridan College and the Birmingham Conservatory for classical theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode we are joined by actor Shereen Ahmed!  Shereen made her Broadway debut in My Fair Lady where she became the first woman of color to play the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway!  She later would tour with My Fair Lady across the country as Eliza.  She was most recently seen in Nine at The Kennedy Center and her other credits include A Man of No Importance at Class Stage Company, The Light in the Piazza New York City Center Encores! and The Age of Innocence at The Old Globe.We chat with Shereen about her journey to making her Broadway debut, her "master classes" in watching her fellow performers work, finding new ways to use her voice and much more!

This week on the blog, a podcast interview with playwright and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher on Columbo, Sherlock Holmes, favorite mysteries and more!LINKSA Free Film Book for You: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cq23xyyt12Another Free Film Book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/x3jn3emga6Fast, Cheap Film Website: https://www.fastcheapfilm.com/Jeffrey Hatcher Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.hatcher.3/The Good Liar (Trailer): https://youtu.be/ljKzFGpPHhwMr. Holmes (Trailer): https://youtu.be/0G1lIBgk4PAStage Beauty (Trailer): https://youtu.be/-uc6xEBfdD0Columbo Clips from “Ashes to Ashes”Clip One: https://youtu.be/OCKECiaFsMQClip Two: https://youtu.be/BbO9SDz9FEcClip Three: https://youtu.be/GlNDAVAwMCIEli Marks Website: https://www.elimarksmysteries.com/Albert's Bridge Books Website: https://www.albertsbridgebooks.com/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BehindthePageTheEliMarksPodcastTRANSCRIPTJohn: Can you remember your very first mystery, a movie, book, TV show, play, a mystery that really captured your imagination? Jeffrey: You know, I was thinking about this, and what came to mind was a Disney movie called Emile and the Detectives from 1964. So, I would have been six or seven years old. It's based on a series of German books by Eric Kastner about a young man named Emile and his group of friends who think of themselves as detectives. So, I remember that—I know that might've been the first film. And obviously it's not a play because, you know, little kids don't tend to go to stage thrillers or mysteries and, “Daddy, please take me to Sleuth.But there was a show called Burke's Law that I really loved. Gene Barry played Captain Amos Burke of the Homicide Division in Los Angeles, and he was very rich. That was the bit. The bit was that Captain Burke drove around in a gorgeous Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, and he had a chauffeur. And every mystery was structured classically as a whodunit.In fact, I think every title of every episode was “Who Killed Cock Robin?” “Who Killed Johnny Friendly?” that kind of thing. And they would have a cast of well-known Hollywood actors, so they were all of equal status. Because I always think that's one of the easiest ways to guess the killer is if it's like: Unknown Guy, Unknown Guy, Derek Jacobi, Unknown Guy, Unknown Guy. It's always going to be Derek Jacobi. John: Yeah, it's true. I remember that show. He was really cool. Jim: Well, now I'm going to have to look that up.Jeffrey: It had a great score, and he would gather all of the suspects, you know, at the end of the thing. I think my favorite was when he caught Paul Lynde as a murderer. And, of course, Paul Lynde, you know, kept it very low key when he was dragged off. He did his Alice Ghostly impersonation as he was taken away.John: They did have very similar vocal patterns, those two.Jeffrey: Yep. They're kind of the exact same person. Jim: I never saw them together. John: You might have on Bewitched. Jim: You're probably right.Jeffrey: Well, I might be wrong about this, either Alice Ghostly or Charlotte Ray went to school with Paul Lynde. And Charlotte Ray has that same sound too. You know, kind of warbly thing. Yes. I think they all went to Northwestern in the late 40s and early 50s. So maybe that was a way that they taught actors back then. John: They learned it all from Marion Horne, who had the very same warble in her voice. So, as you got a little older, were there other mysteries that you were attracted to?Jeffrey: Yeah. Luckily, my parents were very liberal about letting me see things that other people probably shouldn't have. I remember late in elementary school, fifth grade or so, I was reading Casino Royale. And one of the teachers said, “Well, you know, most kids, we wouldn't want to have read this, but it's okay if you do.”And I thought, what's that? And I'm so not dangerous; other kids are, well they would be affected oddly by James Bond? But yeah, I, I love spy stuff. You know, The Man from Uncle and The Wild Wild West, all those kind of things. I love James Bond. And very quickly I started reading the major mysteries. I think probably the first big book that I remember, the first novel, was The Hound of the Baskervilles. That's probably an entrance point for a lot of kids. So that's what comes in mind immediately. Jim: I certainly revisit that on—if not yearly basis, at least every few years I will reread The Hound of the Baskervilles. Love that story. That's good. Do you have, Jeffrey, favorite mystery fiction writers?Jeffrey: Oh, sure. But none of them are, you know, bizarre Japanese, Santa Domingo kind of writers that people always pull out of their back pockets to prove how cool they are. I mean, they're the usual suspects. Conan Doyle and Christie and Chandler and Hammett, you know, all of those. John Dickson Carr, all the locked room mysteries, that kind of thing. I can't say that I go very far off in one direction or another to pick up somebody who's completely bizarre. But if you go all the way back, I love reading Wilkie Collins.I've adapted at least one Wilkie Collins, and they read beautifully. You know, terrifically put together, and they've got a lot of blood and thunder to them. I think he called them sensation novels as opposed to mysteries, but they always have some mystery element. And he was, you know, a close friend of Charles Dickens and Dickens said that there were some things that Collins taught him about construction. In those days, they would write their novels in installments for magazines. So, you know, the desire or the need, frankly, to create a cliffhanger at the end of every episode or every chapter seems to have been born then from a capitalist instinct. John: Jeff, I know you studied acting. What inspired the move into playwriting?Jeffrey: I don't think I was a very good actor. I was the kind of actor who always played older, middle aged or older characters in college and high school, like Judge Brack in Hedda Gabler, those kind of people. My dream back in those days was to play Dr. Dysart in Equus and Andrew Wyke in Sleuth. So, I mean, that was my target. And then I moved to New York, and I auditioned for things and casting directors would say, “Well, you know, we actually do have 50 year old actors in New York and we don't need to put white gunk in their hair or anything like that. So, why don't you play your own age, 22 or 23?” And I was not very good at playing 22 or 23. But I'd always done some writing, and a friend of mine, Graham Slayton, who was out at the Playwrights Center here, and we'd gone to college together. He encouraged me to write a play, you know, write one act, and then write a full length. So, I always say this, I think most people go into the theater to be an actor, you know, probably 98%, and then bit by bit, we, you know, we peel off. We either leave the profession completely or we become directors, designers, writers, what have you. So, I don't think it's unnatural what I did. It's very rare to be like a Tom Stoppard who never wanted to act. It's a lot more normal to find the Harold Pinter who, you know, acted a lot in regional theaters in England before he wrote The Caretaker.Jim: Fascinating. Can we talk about Columbo?Jeffrey: Oh, yes, please. Jim: This is where I am so tickled pink for this conversation, because I was a huge and am a huge Peter Falk Columbo fan. I went back and watched the episode Ashes To Ashes, with Patrick McGowan that you created. Tell us how that came about. Jeffrey: I too was a huge fan of Columbo in the 70s. I remember for most of its run, it was on Sunday nights. It was part of that murder mystery wheel with things like Hec Ramsey and McCloud, right? But Columbo was the best of those, obviously. Everything, from the structure—the inverted mystery—to thw guest star of the week. Sometimes it was somebody very big and exciting, like Donald Pleasence or Ruth Gordon, but often it was slightly TV stars on the skids.John: Jack Cassidy, Jim: I was just going to say Jack Cassidy.Jeffrey: But at any rate, yeah, I loved it. I loved it. I remembered in high school, a friend and I doing a parody of Columbo where he played Columbo and I played the murderer of the week. And so many years later, when they rebooted the show in the nineties, my father died and I spent a lot of time at the funeral home with the funeral director. And having nothing to say to the funeral director one day, I said, “Have you got the good stories?”And he told me all these great stories about, you know, bodies that weren't really in the casket and what you can't cremate, et cetera. So, I suddenly had this idea of a Hollywood funeral director to the stars. And, via my agent, I knew Dan Luria, the actor. He's a close friend or was a close friend of Peter's. And so, he was able to take this one-page idea and show it to Peter. And then, one day, I get a phone call and it's, “Uh, hello Jeff, this is Peter Falk calling. I want to talk to you about your idea.” And they flew me out there. It was great fun, because Falk really ran the show. He was the executive producer at that point. He always kind of ran the show. I think he only wrote one episode, the one with Faye Dunaway, but he liked the idea.I spent a lot of time with him, I'd go to his house where he would do his drawings back in the studio and all that. But what he said he liked about it was he liked a new setting, they always liked a murderer and a setting that was special, with clues that are connected to, say, the murderer's profession. So, the Donald Pleasant one about the wine connoisseur and all the clues are about wine. Or the Dick Van Dyke one, where he's a photographer and most of the clues are about photography. So, he really liked that. And he said, “You gotta have that first clue and you gotta have the pop at the end.”So, and we worked on the treatment and then I wrote the screenplay. And then he asked McGoohan if he would do it, and McGoohan said, “Well, if I can direct it too.” And, you know, I've adored McGoohan from, you know, Secret Agent and The Prisoner. I mean, I'd say The Prisoner is like one of my favorite television shows ever. So, the idea that the two of them were going to work together on that script was just, you know, it was incredible. John: Were you able to be there during production at all? Jeffrey: No, I went out there about four times to write, because it took like a year or so. It was a kind of laborious process with ABC and all that, but I didn't go out during the shooting.Occasionally, this was, you know, the days of faxes, I'd get a phone call: “Can you redo something here?” And then I'd fax it out. So, I never met McGoohan. I would only fax with him. But they built this whole Hollywood crematorium thing on the set. And Falk was saying at one point, “I'm getting pushback from Universal that we've got to do all this stuff. We've got to build everything.” And I was saying, “Well, you know, 60 percent of the script takes place there. If you're going to try to find a funeral home like it, you're going to have all that hassle.” And eventually they made the point that, yeah, to build this is going to cost less than searching around Hollywood for the right crematorium, And it had a great cast, you know, it had Richard Libertini and Sally Kellerman, and Rue McClanahan was our murder victim.Jim: I'll tell you every scene that Peter Falk and Mr. McGoohan had together. They looked to me as an actor, like they were having a blast being on together. Jeffrey: They really loved each other. They first met when McGoohan did that episode, By Dawn's Early Light, where he played the head of the military school. It's a terrific episode. It was a great performance. And although their acting styles are completely different, You know, Falk much more, you know, fifties, methody, shambolic. And McGoohan very, you know, his voice cracking, you know, and very affected and brittle. But they really loved each other and they liked to throw each other curveballs.There are things in the, in the show that are ad libs that they throw. There's one bit, I think it's hilarious. It's when Columbo tells the murderer that basically knows he did it, but he doesn't have a way to nail him. And, McGoohan is saying, “So then I suppose you have no case, do you?” And Falk says, “Ah, no, sir, I don't.” And he walks right off camera, you know, like down a hallway. And McGoohan stares off and says, “Have you gone?” And none of that was scripted. Peter just walks off set. And if you watch the episode, they had to dub in McGoohan saying, “Have you gone,” because the crew was laughing at the fact that Peter just strolled away. So McGoohan adlibs that and then they had to cover it later to make sure the sound wasn't screwed up. Jim: Fantastic. John: Kudos to you for that script, because every piece is there. Every clue is there. Everything pays off. It's just it is so tight, and it has that pop at the end that he wanted. It's really an excellent, excellent mystery.Jim: And a terrific closing line. Terrific closing line. Jeffrey: Yeah, that I did right. That was not an ad lib. Jim: It's a fantastic moment. And he, Peter Falk, looks just almost right at the camera and delivers that line as if it's, Hey, check this line out. It was great. Enjoyed every minute of it. Can we, um, can I ask some questions about Sherlock Holmes now?Jeffrey: Oh, yes. Jim: So, I enjoyed immensely Holmes and Watson that I saw a couple summers ago at Park Square. I was completely riveted and had no, absolutely no idea how it was going to pay off or who was who or what. And when it became clear, it was so much fun for me as an audience member. So I know that you have done a number of Holmes adaptations.There's Larry Millet, a St. Paul writer here and I know you adapted him, but as far as I can tell this one, pillar to post was all you. This wasn't an adaptation. You created this out of whole cloth. Am I right on that? Jeffrey: Yes. The, the idea came from doing the Larry Millet one, actually, because Steve Hendrickson was playing Holmes. And on opening night—the day of opening night—he had an aortic aneurysm, which they had to repair. And so, he wasn't able to do the show. And Peter Moore, the director, he went in and played Holmes for a couple of performances. And then I played Holmes for like three performances until Steve could get back. But in the interim, we've sat around saying, “All right, who can we get to play the role for like a week?” And we thought about all of the usual suspects, by which I mean, tall, ascetic looking actors. And everybody was booked, everybody was busy. Nobody could do it. So that's why Peter did it, and then I did it.But it struck me in thinking about casting Holmes, that there are a bunch of actors that you would say, you are a Holmes type. You are Sherlock Holmes. And it suddenly struck me, okay, back in the day, if Holmes were real, if he died—if he'd gone over to the falls of Reichenbach—people probably showed up and say, “Well, I'm Sherlock Holmes.”So, I thought, well, let's take that idea of casting Holmes to its logical conclusion: That a couple of people would come forward and say, “I'm Sherlock Holmes,” and then we'd wrap it together into another mystery. And we're sitting around—Bob Davis was playing Watson. And I said, “So, maybe, they're all in a hospital and Watson has to come to figure out which is which. And Bob said, “Oh, of course, Watson's gonna know which one is Holmes.”And that's what immediately gave me the idea for the twist at the end, why Watson wouldn't know which one was Holmes. So, I'm very grateful whenever an idea comes quickly like that, but it depends on Steve getting sick usually. Jim: Well, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If it's ever staged again anywhere, I will go. There was so much lovely about that show, just in terms of it being a mystery. And I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. I don't want to give too much away in case people are seeing this at some point, but when it starts to be revealed—when Pierce's character starts talking about the reviews that he got in, in the West End—I I almost wet myself with laughter. It was so perfectly delivered and well written. I had just a great time at the theater that night. Jeffrey: It's one of those things where, well, you know how it is. You get an idea for something, and you pray to God that nobody else has done it. And I couldn't think of anybody having done this bit. I mean, some people have joked and said, it's kind of To Tell the Truth, isn't it? Because you have three people who come on and say, “I'm Sherlock Holmes.” “I'm Sherlock Holmes.” “I'm Sherlock Holmes.” Now surely somebody has done this before, but Nobody had. Jim: Well, it's wonderful. John: It's all in the timing. So, what is the, what's the hardest part about adapting Holmes to this stage?Jeffrey: Well, I suppose from a purist point of view‑by which I mean people like the Baker Street Irregulars and other organizations like that, the Norwegian Explorers here in Minnesota‑is can you fit your own‑they always call them pastiches, even if they're not comic‑can you fit your own Holmes pastiche into the canon?People spend a lot of time working out exactly where Holmes and Watson were on any given day between 1878 and 1930. So, one of the nice things about Holmes and Watson was, okay, so we're going to make it take place during the three-year interregnum when Holmes is pretending to be dead. And it works if you fit Holmes and Watson in between The Final Problem and The Adventure of the Empty House, it works. And that's hard to do. I would say, I mean, I really love Larry Millett's book and all that, but I'm sure it doesn't fit, so to speak. But that's up to you to care. If you're not a purist, you can fiddle around any old way you like. But I think it's kind of great to, to, to have the, the BSI types, the Baker Street Irregular types say, “Yes, this clicked into place.”Jim: So that's the most difficult thing. What's the easiest part?Jeffrey: Well, I think it's frankly the language, the dialogue. Somebody pointed out that Holmes is the most dramatically depicted character in history. More than Robin Hood, more than Jesus Christ. There are more actor versions of Holmes than any other fictional character.We've been surrounded by Holmes speak. Either if we've read the books or seen the movies or seen any of the plays for over 140 years. Right. So, in a way, if you're like me, you kind of absorb that language by osmosis. So, for some reason, it's very easy for me to click into the way I think Holmes talks. That very cerebral, very fast, sometimes complicated syntax. That I find probably the easiest part. Working out the plots, you want them to be Holmesian. You don't want them to be plots from, you know, don't want the case to be solved in a way that Sam Spade would, or Philip Marlowe would. And that takes a little bit of work. But for whatever reason, it's the actor in you, it's saying, all right, if you have to ad lib or improv your way of Sherlock Holmes this afternoon, you know, you'd be able to do it, right? I mean, he really has permeated our culture, no matter who the actor is.Jim: Speaking of great actors that have played Sherlock Holmes, you adapted a movie that Ian McKellen played, and I just watched it recently in preparation for this interview.Having not seen it before, I was riveted by it. His performance is terrific and heartbreaking at the same time. Can we talk about that? How did you come to that project? And just give us everything.Jeffrey: Well, it's based on a book called A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullen, and it's about a very old Sherlock Holmes in Surrey, tending to his bees, as people in Holmesland know that he retired to do. And it involves a couple of cases, one in Japan and one about 20 years earlier in his life that he's trying to remember. And it also has to do with his relationship with his housekeeper and the housekeeper's son. The book was given to me by Anne Carey, the producer, and I worked on it probably off and on for about five years.A lot of time was spent talking about casting, because you had to have somebody play very old. I remember I went to meet with Ralph Fiennes once because we thought, well, Ralph Fiennes could play him at his own age,‑then probably his forties‑and with makeup in the nineties.And Ralph said‑Ralph was in another film that I'd done‑and he said, “Oh, I don't wear all that makeup. That's just far too much.” And I said, “Well, you did in Harry Potter and The English Patient, you kind of looked like a melted candle.” And he said, “Yes, and I don't want to do that again.” So, we always had a very short list of actors, probably like six actors in the whole world And McKellen was one of them and we waited for him to become available And yeah, he was terrific. I'll tell you one funny story: One day, he had a lot of prosthetics, not a lot, but enough. He wanted to build up his cheekbones and his nose a bit. He wanted a bit, he thought his own nose was a bit too potatoish. So, he wanted a more Roman nose. So, he was taking a nap one day between takes. And they brought him in, said, “Ian, it's time for you to do the, this scene,” and he'd been sleeping, I guess, on one side, and his fake cheek and his nose had moved up his face. But he hadn't looked in the mirror, and he didn't know. So he came on and said, “Very well, I'm all ready to go.” And it was like Quasimodo.It's like 5:52 and they're supposed to stop shooting at six. And there was a mad panic of, Fix Ian's face! Get that cheekbone back where it's supposed to be! Knock that nose into place! A six o'clock, we go into overtime!” But it was very funny that he hadn't noticed it. You kind of think you'd feel if your own nose or cheekbone had been crushed, but of course it was a makeup. So, he didn't feel anything. Jim: This is just the, uh, the actor fan boy in me. I'm an enormous fan of his work straight across the board. Did you have much interaction with him and what kind of fella is he just in general?Jeffrey: He's a hoot. Bill Condon, the director, said, “Ian is kind of methody. So, when you see him on set, he'll be very decorous, you know, he'll be kind of like Sherlock Holmes.” And it was true, he goes, “Oh, Jeffrey Hatcher, it's very good to meet you.” And he was kind of slow talking, all that. Ian was like 72 then, so he wasn't that old. But then when it was all over, they were doing all those--remember those ice Dumps, where people dump a tub of ice on you? You have these challenges? A the end of shooting, they had this challenge, and Ian comes out in short shorts, and a bunch of ballet dancers surrounds him. And he's like, “Alright, everyone, let's do the ice challenge.” And, he turned into this bright dancer. He's kind of a gay poster boy, you know, ever since he was one of the most famous coming out of the last 20 some years. So, you know, he was suddenly bright and splashy and, you know, all that old stuff dropped away. He has all of his headgear at his house and his townhouse. He had a party for us at the end of shooting. And so, there's a Gandalf's weird hat and there's Magneto's helmet, you know, along with top hats and things like that. And they're all kind of lined up there. And then people in the crew would say, can I take a picture of you as Gandalf? “Well, why, of course,” and he does all that stuff. So no, he's wonderful. Jim: You do a very good impression as well. That was great. Now, how did you come to the project, The Good Liar, which again, I watched in preparation for this and was mesmerized by the whole thing, especially the mystery part of it, the ending, it was brilliant.How did you come to that project?Jeffrey: Well, again, it was a book and Warner Brothers had the rights to it. And because Bill and I had worked on Mr. Holmes--Bill Condon--Bill was attached to direct. And so I went in to talk about how to adapt it.This is kind of odd. It's again based in McKellen. In the meeting room at Warner Brothers, there was a life size version of Ian as Gandalf done in Legos. So, it was always, it'll be Ian McKellen and somebody in The Good Liar. Ian as the con man. And that one kind of moved very quickly, because something changed in Bill Condon's schedule. Then they asked Helen Mirren, and she said yes very quickly.And it's a very interesting book, but it had to be condensed rather a lot. There's a lot of flashbacks and going back and forth in time. And we all decided that the main story had to be about this one con that had a weird connection to the past. So, a lot of that kind of adaptation work is deciding what not to include, so you can't really be completely faithful to a book that way. But I do take the point with certain books. When my son was young, he'd go to a Harry Potter movie, and he'd get all pissed off. Pissed off because he'd say Dobby the Elf did a lot more in the book.But if it's a book that's not quite so well-known—The Good Liar isn't a terribly well-known book, nor was A Slight Trick of the Mind--you're able to have a lot more room to play. Jim: It's a very twisty story. Now that you're talking about the book, I'll probably have to go get the book and read it just for comparison. But what I saw on the screen, how did you keep it--because it was very clear at the end--it hits you like a freight train when it all sort of unravels and you start seeing all of these things. How did you keep that so clear for an audience? Because I'll admit, I'm not a huge mystery guy, and I'm not the brightest human, and yet I was able to follow that story completely.Jeffrey: Well, again, I think it's mostly about cutting things, I'm sure. And there are various versions of the script where there are a lot of other details. There's probably too much of one thing or another. And then of course, you know, you get in the editing room and you lose a couple of scenes too. These kinds of things are very tricky. I'm not sure that we were entirely successful in doing it, because you say, which is more important, surprise or suspense? Hitchcock used to have that line about, suspense is knowing there's a bomb under the table. And you watch the characters gather at the table. As opposed to simply having a bomb blow up and you didn't know about it.So, we often went back and forth about Should we reveal that the Helen Mirren character knows that Ian's character is doing something bad? Or do we try to keep it a secret until the end? But do you risk the audience getting ahead of you? I don't mind if the audience is slightly ahead. You know, it's that feeling you get in the theater where there's a reveal and you hear a couple of people say, “Oh, I knew it and they guessed it may be a minute before. But you don't want to get to the point where the audience is, you know, 20 minutes or a half an hour ahead of you.Jim: I certainly was not, I was not in any way. It unfolded perfectly for me in terms of it being a mystery and how it paid off. And Helen Mirren was brilliant. In fact, for a long time during it, I thought they were dueling con men, the way it was set up in the beginning where they were both entering their information and altering facts about themselves.I thought, “Oh, well, they're both con men and, and now we're going to see who is the better con man in the end.” And so. when it paid off. In a way different sort of way, it was terrific for me. Absolutely. Jeffrey: Well, and I thank you. But in a way, they were both con men. Jim: Yes, yes. But she wasn't a professional con man.Jeffrey: She wasn't just out to steal the money from him. She was out for something else. She was out for vengeance. Jim: Yes. Very good. Very, if you haven't seen it, The Good Liar folks, don't wait. I got it on Amazon prime and so can you.Jeffrey: I watched them do a scene, I was over there for about five days during the shooting.And watching the two of them work together was just unbelievable. The textures, the tones, the little lifts of the eyebrow, the shading on one word versus another. Just wonderful, wonderful stuff. Jim: Yeah. I will say I am a huge Marvel Cinematic Universe fan along with my son. We came to those together and I'm a big fan of that sort of movie. So I was delighted by this, because it was such a taut story. And I was involved in every second of what was going on and couldn't quite tell who the good guys were and who the bad guys were and how is this going to work and who's working with who?And it was great. And in my head, I was comparing my love for that sort of big blow it up with rayguns story to this very cerebral, internal. And I loved it, I guess is what I'm saying. And, I am, I think, as close to middle America as you're going to find in terms of a moviegoer. And I thought it was just dynamite. Jeffrey: It was very successful during the pandemic--so many things were when people were streaming--but it was weirdly successful when it hit Amazon or Netflix or whatever it was. And, I think you don't have to be British to understand two elderly people trying to find a relationship. And then it turns out that they both have reasons to hate and kill each other. But nonetheless, there is still a relationship there. So, I pictured a lot of lonely people watching The Good Liar and saying, “Yeah, I'd hang out with Ian McKellen, even if he did steal all my money.” John: Well, speaking of movies, I am occasionally handed notes here while we're live on the air from my wife. And she wants you to just say something about the adaptation you did of your play, Stage Beauty, and what that process was like and how, how that process went.Jeffrey: That was terrific because, primarily Richard Eyre--the director who used to run the National Theater and all that--because he's a theater man and the play's about theater. I love working with Bill Condon and I've loved working with Lassa Hallstrom and other people, but Richard was the first person to direct a film of any of my stuff. And he would call me up and say, “Well, we're thinking of offering it to Claire Danes.” or we're thinking…And usually you just hear later, Oh, somebody else got this role. But the relationship was more like a theater director and a playwright. I was there on set for rehearsals and all that.Which I haven't in the others. No, it was a wonderful experience, but I think primarily because the, the culture of theater saturated the process of making it and the process of rehearsing it and—again--his level of respect. It's different in Hollywood, everybody's very polite, they know they can fire you and you know, they can fire you and they're going to have somebody else write the dialogue if you're not going to do it, or if you don't do it well enough. In the theater, we just don't do that. It's a different world, a different culture, different kind of contracts too. But Richard really made that wonderful. And again, the cast that he put together: Billy Crudup and Claire and Rupert Everett and Edward Fox and Richard Griffiths. I remember one day when I was about to fly home, I told Richard Griffiths what a fan Evan-- my son, Evan--was of him in the Harry Potter movie. And he made his wife drive an hour to come to Shepperton with a photograph of him as Mr. Dursley that he could autograph for my son. John: Well, speaking of stage and adaptations, before we go into our lightning round here, you did two recent adaptations of existing thrillers--not necessarily mysteries, but thrillers--one of which Hitchcock made into a movie, which are Dial M for Murder and Wait Until Dark. And I'm just wondering what was that process for you? Why changes need to be made? And what kind of changes did you make?Jeffrey: Well, in both cases, I think you could argue that no, changes don't need to be made. They're wildly successful plays by Frederick Knott, and they've been successful for, you know, alternately 70 or 60 years.But in both cases, I got a call from a director or an artistic director saying, “We'd like to do it, but we'd like to change this or that.” And I'm a huge fan of Frederick Knott. He put things together beautifully. The intricacies of Dial M for Murder, you don't want to screw around with. And there are things in Wait Until Dark having to do just with the way he describes the set, you don't want to change anything or else the rather famous ending won't work. But in both cases, the women are probably not the most well drawn characters that he ever came up with. And Wait Until Dark, oddly, they're in a Greenwich Village apartment, but it always feels like they're really in Westchester or in Terre Haute, Indiana. It doesn't feel like you're in Greenwich Village in the 60s, especially not in the movie version with Audrey Hepburn. So, the director, Matt Shackman, said, why don't we throw it back into the 40s and see if we can have fun with that. And so it played out: The whole war and noir setting allowed me to play around with who the main character was. And I know this is a cliche to say, well, you know, can we find more agency for female characters in old plays or old films? But in a sense, it's true, because if you're going to ask an actress to play blind for two hours a night for a couple of months, it can't just be, I'm a blind victim. And I got lucky and killed the guy. You've got a somewhat better dialogue and maybe some other twists and turns. nSo that's what we did with Wait Until Dark. And then at The Old Globe, Barry Edelstein said, “well, you did Wait Until Dark. What about Dial? And I said, “Well, I don't think we can update it, because nothing will work. You know, the phones, the keys. And he said, “No, I'll keep it, keep it in the fifties. But what else could you What else could you do with the lover?”And he suggested--so I credit Barry on this--why don't you turn the lover played by Robert Cummings in the movie into a woman and make it a lesbian relationship? And that really opened all sorts of doors. It made the relationship scarier, something that you really want to keep a secret, 1953. And I was luckily able to find a couple of other plot twists that didn't interfere with any of Knott's original plot.So, in both cases, I think it's like you go into a watch. And the watch works great, but you want the watch to have a different appearance and a different feel when you put it on and tick a little differently. John: We've kept you for a way long time. So, let's do this as a speed round. And I know that these questions are the sorts that will change from day to day for some people, but I thought each of us could talk about our favorite mysteries in four different mediums. So, Jeff, your favorite mystery novel”Jeffrey: And Then There Were None. That's an easy one for me. John: That is. Jim, do you have one?Jim: Yeah, yeah, I don't read a lot of mysteries. I really enjoyed a Stephen King book called Mr. Mercedes, which was a cat and mouse game, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. That's only top of mind because I finished it recently.John: That counts. Jim: Does it? John: Yeah. That'll count. Jim: You're going to find that I am so middle America in my answers. John: That's okay. Mine is--I'm going to cheat a little bit and do a short story--which the original Don't Look Now that Daphne du Murier wrote, because as a mystery, it ties itself up. Like I said earlier, I like stuff that ties up right at the end. And it literally is in the last two or three sentences of that short story where everything falls into place. Jeff, your favorite mystery play? I can be one of yours if you want. Jeffrey: It's a battle between Sleuth or Dial M for Murder. Maybe Sleuth because I always wanted to be in it, but it's probably Dial M. But it's also followed up very quickly by Death Trap, which is a great comedy-mystery-thriller. It's kind of a post-modern, Meta play, but it's a play about the play you're watching. John: Excellent choices. My choice is Sleuth. You did have a chance to be in Sleuth because when I directed it, you're the first person I asked. But your schedule wouldn't let you do it. But you would have been a fantastic Andrew Wyke. I'm sorry our timing didn't work on that. Jeffrey: And you got a terrific Andrew in Julian Bailey, but if you wanted to do it again, I'm available. John: Jim, you hear that? Jim: I did hear that. Yes, I did hear that. John: Jim, do you have a favorite mystery play?Jim: You know, it's gonna sound like I'm sucking up, but I don't see a lot of mystery plays. There was a version of Gaslight that I saw with Jim Stoll as the lead. And he was terrific.But I so thoroughly enjoyed Holmes and Watson and would love the opportunity to see that a second time. I saw it so late in the run and it was so sold out that there was no coming back at that point to see it again. But I would love to see it a second time and think to myself, well, now that you know what you know, is it all there? Because my belief is it is all there. John: Yeah. Okay. Jeff, your favorite TV mystery?Jeffrey: Oh, Columbo. That's easy. Columbo.John: I'm gonna go with Poker Face, just because the pace on Poker Face is so much faster than Columbo, even though it's clearly based on Columbo. Jim, a favorite TV mystery?Jim: The Rockford Files, hands down. John: Fair enough. Fair enough. All right. Last question all around. Jeff, your favorite mystery movie? Jeffrey: Laura. Jim: Ah, good one. John: I'm going to go with The Last of Sheila. If you haven't seen The Last of Sheila, it's a terrific mystery directed by Herbert Ross, written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins. Fun little Stephen Sondheim trivia. The character of Andrew Wyke and his house were based on Stephen Sondheim. Jeffrey: Sondheim's townhouse has been for sale recently. I don't know if somebody bought it, but for a cool seven point something million, you're going to get it. John: All right. Let's maybe pool our money. Jim, your favorite mystery movie.Jim: I'm walking into the lion's den here with this one. Jeffrey, I hope this is okay, but I really enjoyed the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes movies. And I revisit the second one in that series on a fairly regular basis, The Game of Shadows. I thought I enjoyed that a lot. Your thoughts on those movies quickly? Jeffrey: My only feeling about those is that I felt they were trying a little too hard not to do some of the traditional stuff. I got it, you know, like no deer stalker, that kind of thing. But I thought it was just trying a tad too hard to be You know, everybody's very good at Kung Fu, that kind of thing.Jim: Yes. And it's Sherlock Holmes as a superhero, which, uh, appeals to me. Jeffrey: I know the producer of those, and I know Guy Ritchie a little bit. And, I know they're still trying to get out a third one. Jim: Well, I hope they do. I really hope they do. Cause I enjoyed that version of Sherlock Holmes quite a bit. I thought it was funny and all of the clues were there and it paid off in the end as a mystery, but fun all along the road.Jeffrey: And the main thing they got right was the Holmes and Watson relationship, which, you know, as anybody will tell you, you can get a lot of things wrong, but get that right and you're more than two thirds there.

You would have to bring this show to us. In the Annie to Endgame Scale, this show is a theatre history lecture with pretty slides. World premiere adaptation By William Shakespeare Adapted and directed by Barry Edelstein A once-in-a-generation event comes to San Diego in 2024: The Old Globe becomes one of only a small handful of theatres in the country's history to complete Shakespeare's canon with Henry 6, the largest Shakespeare production the Globe has ever presented. Acclaimed Shakespeare director and the Globe's Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein turns the rarely produced Henry VI, Parts I, II, and III into a thrilling two-part event, running simultaneously through the summer in our beautiful outdoor theatre. Two ruling families of England, the Yorks and the Lancasters, fight each other in a high-stakes civil war for power known as the Wars of the Roses. These adaptations include everything people love about the Bard—ingenious language, vibrant characters, breathtaking battles, and sweeping crowd scenes—as they explore the impact of national politics on individual lives. And the action is framed by a design team working at the very top of their craft, and a sprawling cast of professional actors and local community members.

We would sail across the English Channel once to see this show. On the Annie to Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as a mediocre Shakespearean history. World premiere adaptation By William Shakespeare Adapted and directed by Barry Edelstein A once-in-a-generation event comes to San Diego in 2024: The Old Globe becomes one of only a small handful of theatres in the country's history to complete Shakespeare's canon with the two-part Henry 6, the largest Shakespeare production the Globe has ever presented. In One: Flowers and France, King Henry VI inherits the crown of England as a child. Absent the strong leadership of his father, who conquered France in a surprise victory, the English court is reduced to petty squabbles. The French take up arms to regain their lost territory and rally behind Joan of Arc, who claims she was sent from God to fight the English. And when King Henry marries Queen Margaret, she inflames the political disputes that roil the throne. Can the English stop arguing among themselves and unite to hold on to France? Or will their in-fighting cost them the hard-won French territory and lead to chaos at home?

This summer San Diego's Old Globe became one of only 10 theaters in America who have produced all of Shakespeare's plays (or 11, depending on how you count it) with their production of Henry VI, parts 1, 2, and 3. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein shares the details of how they tackled staging three rarely seen works with more than 150 characters, and condensed it into two exciting nights of theater. The epic production includes contributions from nearly a thousand San Diegans, many of whom have participated in the Globe's community programs. Edelstein, the Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director of The Old Globe, is one of America's most experienced Shakespeare directors and has staged more than half the canon himself. Before joining the Globe in 2012, he directed the Public Theatre's Shakespeare Initiative and was the artistic director for Classic Stage Company in New York City. He is the author of Thinking Shakespeare about American Shakespearean acting and Bardisms: Shakespeare for All Occasions. Henry 6 runs through September 14 and 15, 2024 at the Globe in San Diego, California. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.theoldglobe.org. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published August 13, 2024. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc.

We would rather keep searching for clues than see this show. On the Annie to Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as a Hallmark movie. By Kate Hamill Directed by James Vásquez A fast-paced and wildly entertaining new play that reimagines the most iconic detective team of all time. In present-day Baker Street, steampunk hipster Shirley Holmes and her spunky new roommate Joan Watson become entangled in a series of cases all related to the same supervillain, who always seems to be one step ahead of them. From the witty imagination of Kate Hamill, one of the most popular playwrights in America, this irreverent take on the beloved characters packs nonstop laughs into a rollicking murder mystery with a bold and modern lens. BroadwayWorld proclaimed, “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B is delightful and entertaining.”

This week, in our annual summer bonus episode, we're joined once again by Mr. Hale "Satan" Appleman, of stage, screen, "The Magicians," "American Horror Story," Teeth, and more. Our assignment: Longlegs, Osgood Perkins' insidiously stylish brain-twister featuring off-the-hook performances by Maika Monroe, Alicia Witt, and a barely recognizable Nicolas Cage. Also along for the fun, in the next installment of our "Campus Radio" segment, is Mr. Marcus Dunstan, director of the new film #AMFAD All My Friends Are Dead. Intro, Math Club & Debate Society, Campus Radio, To Sir With Love (spoiler-free): 00:00-29:04Honor Roll and Detention (spoiler-heavy): 29:05-1:06:40Superlatives (spoiler-heavier): 1:06:41-1:21:39 Screenplay/Direction Osgood PerkinsFeaturing Nicolas Cage, Michelle Choi-Lee, Maika Monroe, Kiernan Shipka, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt Hale Appleman is perhaps best known for playing Eliot in “The Magicians,” currently streaming on Netflix, and Tobey in the Sundance horror comedy Teeth.  Genre fans have seen him in the eleventh season of “American Horror Story,” and he's appeared in the NBC series “Smash,” AppleTV's “Truth Be Told,” and in the films Beautiful Ohio, Pedro, and Private Romeo. He is also an accomplished stage actor whose credits include the Roundabout Theatre Company, ART, the Berkshire Theater Festival, and The Old Globe.  Hale can be heard on the L.A. Theatre Works recording of Sam Shepard's Buried Child.  Marcus Dunstan's screenwriting with his partner, Patrick Melton, include such horror films as Feast 1-3, Saw IV-V-VI and Saw 3D The Final Chapter, Pirahna, Pacific Rim, God Of War, Final Destination 6, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. #AMFAD All My Friends Are Dead marks Dunstan's sixth feature as a director. Dunstan's previous directing credits include The Collector, The Collection, The Neighbor, Blumhouse's Pilgrim, and 2022's Blumhouse Presents: Unhuman. He is a producer of The Candidate, and executive producer of 2022's horror-thriller Take Back the Night. Fall 2023 saw the release of the Dunstan-directed, Clio Award-winning Jack In The Box horror short film Feeding Time. Currently, Dunstan and Melton are collaborating on Saw XI for Director Kevin Greutert and Lionsgate, an animated take on Gris Grimley's Frankenstein, as well as the horror film Escape: Halloween with Live Nation and Insomniac. This fall, Dunstan returns behind the camera for production of the horror-thriller film Death Valley, co-written by Melton and Dunstan. Our theme music is by Edward Elgar and Sir Cubworth. Music from Longlegs by Elvis Perkins. For more information on this film, writing by your hosts (on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), and other assorted bric-a-brac, visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠scareupod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe to this podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get yours. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating. Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The first part of Backstage Babble's 200th episode celebration is here, and it is an honor to be talking theater legend Jack O'Brien, who recently received the lifetime achievement award at the 2024 Tonys. Tune in to hear some of the stories of his expansive career, including the genesis of his newest show THE ROOMMATE, his advice for young directors, his friendship an collaboration with Stephen Sondheim, figuring out the sensitive timing of SHUCKED, learning from Ellis Rabb about how to give notes to actors, the show of his that launched more careers than any other, his unique relationship with the cast of PORGY AND BESS, how he decided to leave his position as artistic director of The Old Globe, the intriguing critical response to IMAGINARY FRIENDS and CAROUSEL, how his revival of ST. LOUIS WOMAN almost came to Broadway, revising DAMN YANKEES with George Abbott, his criteria for choosing shows to direct, how INTO THE WOODS changed the regional theater landscape, and so much more. This episode is a masterclass in directing from one of the greatest theatrical minds of all time. I can't think of a more perfect way to celebrate 200 episodes.

We hang upside from a trapeze for 5 minutes to see this show. On the Annie to Endgame Theatre Difficulty scale, this show is as challenging as Mystere. West Coast premiere A production by The 7 Fingers Directed by Shana Carroll Originally produced and created in collaboration with Virgin Voyages The triumphant return of the company that brought Globe audiences last summer's smash hit Passengers. Love, honor, and betrayal come to life through a blend of acrobatics, theatre, and music in this one-act romp perfect for all ages. Two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last. While the two groups face off, cheered on by their side of the audience, a pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. The exhilaration and danger of competition provide the thrilling backdrop to The 7 Fingers's one-of-a-kind daredevil theatrical extravaganza.

Playwright, philanthropist and theater icon Dea Hurston died on July 7. On Thursday we discuss Hurston's legacy. Also, a look at how the Old Globe is engaging the community. Then, a preview of weekend arts events ahead.

Meet veteran stagehand Brandon Resenbeck on the Union or Bust podcast Today's labor history: 5,000 rally for the "Charleston Five" Today's labor quote: Helen Marot @UnionOrBustPod @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

"Henry the Sixth" marks the largest Shakespeare production at the Old Globe. Plus, one graphic novel tells a queer coming-of-age story through diary entries. And finally, your weekend arts preview.

We would walk a few miles carrying a styrofoam cooler with ice and beers to see this show. On the Annie-to-Endgame scale, this show is as challenging as Cabaret. By James Ijames Original direction by Saheem Ali Directed by Sideeq Heard The 2022 Pulitzer-winning, Tony-nominated sensation Fat Ham is a fresh and funny take on Shakespeare's Hamlet that The New York Times called “a flat-out hilarious comedy.” During a Southern family cookout, Juicy is confronted by the ghost of his father, who demands revenge for his murder. But Juicy, a young, queer, Black man, has enough on his plate. James Ijames's remarkable play uses uproarious humor and profound insight to explore the conflict between what you owe your family and what you owe yourself. “Smart, fearless, and wildly entertaining” (The Chicago Tribune). This production includes strong language, mature themes, sexual content, and mild violence.

IT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR: Deutero-Fung, a mold spore with big ideas, attempts to rally his fellow mold spores into blooming immediately and take over the apartment-verse, but Hyphae-Fung, a mold spore with even bigger ideas, warns the community that blooming early will be a mistake. Look out! Cuz it's Happening in your Refrigerator! Written by Greg Kotis Directed by Jonathan Cook Performed by Sol Baird as "Deutero-Fung"; Brad King as "Hyphae-Fung"; and the cast of Urinetown the Musical at Le Chat Noir Theatre as the mold spore community. Intro/Outro music: JK/47 About the writer: GREG KOTIS is a two time Tony™ Award winning author of many plays and musicals including Urinetown (Book/Lyrics), The End of All Flesh, I Am Nobody, The Truth About Santa, The Sting (Lyrics), Lunchtime, Give the People What They Want, Michael von Siebenburg Melts Through the Floorboards, Yeast Nation (Book/Lyrics), Pig Farm, Eat the Taste, and Jobey and Katherine. His work has been produced and developed in theaters across the country and around the world, including Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theater, American Theater Company, The Apollo (West End), The Brick, the Eugene O'Neill National Theater Conference, The Geva Center, Goodspeed, Musicals, Henry Miller's Theatre (Broadway), Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Stage and Film, New Line Theatre, The Old Globe, Perseverance Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, Soho Rep, South Coast Rep, The Saint James (Off West End), The Tank, and Village Theatre, among others. Future projects include ZM, an original musical about teenaged fast-food workers trying to survive a zombie plague. Greg co-founded Theater of The Apes with his wife Ayun Halliday (www.theater-of-the-apes.com), and is a member of the Neo-Futurists, the Cardiff Giant Theater Company, ASCAP, and the Dramatists Guild. He grew up in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, lives in New York City, and is the proud father of India and Milo. You can watch the full video of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@GatherbytheGhostLight Gather by the Ghost Light merch is available at www.ghostlightpubs.com (Ghost Light Publications) If you would like to further support this podcast, please visit Gather by the Ghost Light is increasing public knowledge of emerging writers and actors (buymeacoffee.com) If you enjoy this podcast, please please please leave a rating on your preferred podcast app! For more info or if you wish to contact us, please visit www.gatherbytheghostlight.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Naian González Norvind es una multi-premiada actriz de cine, teatro y televisión, así como escritora, guionista, ¡y poeta! Protagonizó “Nuevo Orden,” drama distópico del director Michel Franco. La película se estrenó en el Festival Internacional de Cine de Venecia en 2020 y ganó el León de Plata. Naian también interpretó a Ariela en “Leona”, una joven judía de la Ciudad de México dividida entre la expectativa de su familia y su amor por un hombre no-judío. Co-escrita por González Norvind y el director Isaac Cherem, “Leona” estuvo en competencia en el Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia en 2018 y Naian ganó el premio a Mejor Actriz. En 2012 ganó Mejor Actriz en el Festival de Cine de Guanajuato por su papel de María en la cinta “Todo Mundo Tiene A Alguien Menos Yo.” Sus proyectos de cine y televisión incluyen “Gotham”, “Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas, 20 Años Después”, “South Mountain” y el piloto de HBO “The Devil You Know”, creado por Jenji Kohan y dirigido por Gus Van Sant. En 2022 protagonizó la serie “Amsterdam” de HBO dirigida por Gustavo Taretto y en 2023 salió de personaje recurrente en “Invasion” de Apple TV. En teatro ha agraciado los escenarios más prestigiosos de Estados Unidos como Lincoln Center, Public Theater, Berkeley Rep y The Old Globe con obras nuevas de Richard Nelson, Greg Pierce, y Sarah Ruhl. En México trabajó con Diego del Río co-protagonizando “Blue Room” de David Hare y en 2022 interpretó a Ofelia en Hamlet para el teatro Milan de la Ciudad de México. En Octubre de 2023 debutó como directora de teatro con “Oleanna” de David Mamet, para el Foro Lucerna. Durante la pandemia crea POETRY BAR y de todo eso y más platicamos en Cable a Tierra.Síguenos en Instagramhttp://instagram.com/cableatierrapodhttp://instagram.com/tanialicious Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have details on San Diego County's budget for the next fiscal year. It will be bigger than this year's spending plan. In other news, UC San Diego students continue their encampment in support of Palestinians caught in the Israel-Hamas War. Plus, an original play about family, food and love is making its in-person debut at the Old Globe this weekend.

Gordon Greenberg has directed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in London's West End, written for television and stage, and developed, directed and produced new works for arts institutions across America. Current Directing/Writing projects include The Heart of Rock and Roll , which opens on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre in April, 2024, following its record breaking run at The Old Globe, the hit Off-Broadway show Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors (Director & Co-Writer, with Steve Rosen, New World Stages & podcast starring John Stamos, Laura Benanti, & Annaleigh Ashford), a new musical about Picasso (directing & co-writing with Stephen Schwartz & Caridad Svich), the NBC television series Most Talkative (Co-Executive Producer/Writer, NBC, Blumhouse, Andy Cohen), Crime and Punishment, A Comedy (directing & co-writing with Steve Rosen) for the Old Globe, a London revival of The Baker's Wife (Menier Choclate Factory, 2024), Single White Female (A.T.G.), The Wedding Banquet (Ang Lee, Hua Musicals, Taiwan), Ghost Tour, The Play, and the new comedy podcast series Rolling Calls starring Julie Halston & Richard Kind (co-writer, Steve Rosen). His acclaimed revival of Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf starring Calista Flockhart and Zachary Quinto at the Geffen Playhouse won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Revival. Variety called it “Inspired”, the L.A. Times called it “Unerringly good…Qunto & Flockhart expose something infinitely fragile in Edward Albee's shatterproof play”, Entertainment Weekly called it “A riveting production…brilliantly staged by Gordon Greenberg”, and the Wall Street Journal called it “Intriguing…Here, unusually, there is the suggestion that the oncoming dawn may truly presage a fragile new beginning.”  Other directing work includes the revisal of Working (Drama Desk Award, adapted with Stephen Schwartz and Lin-Manuel Miranda), Jacques Brel…(Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Award noms), Terms of Endearment with Alfred Molina & Calista Flockhart (Geffen Playhouse for Greg Berlanti), the stage adaptation of Tangled (Disney), Johnny Baseball (Williamstown), Stars of David by Jeanine Tesori, Tom Kitt, Tony Kushner (Daryl Roth), Pirates! (created with Nell Benjamin, Huntington, Paper Mill, Goodspeed, MUNY), Band Geeks! (also co-writer, Goodspeed, NEA grant), The Baker's Wife (Paper Mill, Goodspeed), 1776 (Paper Mill), Floyd Collins (Signature), the Klezmer-Rock reimagining of Isaac Bashevis Singer's Yentl (Asolo Rep), Blue Sky Boys by Deborah Breevort (Capital Rep.), the professional premiere of Edges The Musical (Capital Rep.), the acclaimed reimagining of Jesus Christ, Superstar starring Billy Porter (Helen Hayes, St. Louis MUNY), the U.S. national tour of Guys & Dolls, Disney's Believe, the Disney Fantasy Christening (with Neil Patrick Harris & Jerry Seinfeld), West Side Story (MUNY, Circle Award nom), Happy Days, A New Musical (Paper Mill, Goodspeed, U.S. National Tour), Vanities, A New Musical (Theatreworks Palo Alto - San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Award), We The People (Lucille Lortel Theatre & Paper Mill Playhouse), Rags (Roundabout, workshop), and the all-female workshop of Man of La Mancha (Mirvish, Toronto), Other writing work includes, for television, Herbie Rebooted for Disney, Emerald City Music Hall, an original movie musical for Nickelodeon Television and Scramble Band, an original movie musical for the Disney Channel, The Single Girls Guide (co-writer Tommy Newman) for Dallas Theatre Center, Ars Nova, Capital Rep, the podcast Theatre Camp (with Jonathan Marc Sherman) for Sirius XM, Killing Time (with Steve Rosen), an At Home Play Commission from The Old Globe, and the new book of Meet Me In St. Louis for the St. Louis MUNY's 100th Anniversary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stephen Flaherty is a composer who writes for theatre, film and the concert hall. With longtime collaborator Lynn Ahrens, he won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for the Broadway musical Ragtime and was nominated for two Academy awards and two Golden Globes for the animated feature film Anastasia, which they also adapted for Broadway. Additional Broadway credits include Once on This Island (Tony Award, Best Revival), Seussical, Rocky, My Favourite Year, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (original songs), and Neil Simon's Proposals (incidental music).  Off-Broadway and Regional credits include The Glorious Ones, Dessa Rose, A Man of No Importance (all three at Lincoln Centre Theatre), Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein (About Face), Little Dancer (Kennedy Centre and Seattle 5th Avenue), In Your Arms (Old Globe) and Lucky Stiff (Playwrights Horizons). Future productions include Little Dancer and Knoxville. Stephen Flaherty's work in film includes the animated feature Anastasia, the original score for the documentary After the Storm, Lucky Stiff and Nasrin. His concert commissions include American River Suite and With Voices Raised. Additional awards include London's Olivier (Best Musical), Chicago's Joseph Jefferson (Best Musical) and four Grammy nominations. He serves on Council for the Dramatists Guild of America and co-founded the DGF Fellows Program for Emerging Writers with Lynn Ahrens. In 2014 Ahrens and Flaherty received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement and in 2015 they were inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. For more information please visit AhrensAndFlaherty.com. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

Eric Stern recalls how Paul Gemignani mapped out their sharing of musical director duties as well as his own contributions to the underscoring. Join host Ben Rimalower for this candid conversation exploring how Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get your DEMYSTICON 2024 tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/demysticon-2024-tickets-727054969987 The true identity of the person who wrote Shakespeare's plays has long been debated. At least 87 potential authors - from Daniel Defoe to Sir Francis Drake to Anne Hathaway to Sheikh Zubar - have been proposed as candidates, but all of these proposals suffer from the same problem - they don't quite fit the historical facts and so have to be stretched, ill fitting, to even be considered. Only one of the theories seems to make sense in context of history and biography, and it is that the true author of the plays was Sir Thomas North, soldier, lawyer, and translator. Returning guest Dennis McCarthy is joined by journalist Michael Blanding and author Derek Hunter for a conversation about uncovering the true identity of Shakespeare, the life and times of Thomas North, and the tangled thread of politics, philosophy, and liberty that stretches from the printing press to ChatGPT by way of the Old Globe. Tell us what you think in the comments or on our Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub Support the podcast by buying Michael Blanding, Dennis McCarthy, and Dennis Hunter's books: North by Shakespeare: https://amzn.to/4a3xp4n Thomas North, the Original Author of Shakespeare's Plays: https://amzn.to/3wF1nNx Anonymous Agnostic Antichrist: https://amzn.to/3v17rj7 Sign up for a yearly Patreon membership for discounted conference tickets: https://bit.ly/3lcAasB (00:00) Go! (00:03:22) The man & the myth (00:16:08) Repurposing of ancient tales (00:29:27) Conventional Shakespeare Story (00:49:11) Lost Plays of Other Authors (01:04:39) Ressurection of ancient mythology (01:10:25) Theory without a home (01:19:41) Thowing out the good with the bad (01:23:33) Cycles of secular idealism (01:42:42) Telling theory in fiction (01:49:46) Essex rebellion (02:04:20) How to move the needle? (02:16:48) Modern renaissance in the future? (02:28:22) Pendulum of history (02:30:46) Where to find more #Shakespeare #authorshipdebate #SirThomasNorth #DennisMcCarthy #MichaelBlanding #DerekHunter #history #biography #literature #myths Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss - Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD - Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

David Warren was in the room where it happened and remembers everything from the moment he first heard No One Is Alone to leaving Sondheim lost in the middle of San Diego. Join host Ben Rimalower for this candid conversation exploring how Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From cults and documentaries to their deeply thought out character motivations, actors John Lavelle and Haskell King look back on their theatre journey. The two share their background, doing productions when they were younger, and what eventually made them pursue acting as a career. Currently starring in "Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy", they talk about how they got involved with the show, hitting it off on the first meeting, and the allure of cults and how people get drawn into them. With the show being as relatable as ever today, they reflect on how it changed their relationship with social media, how they interact with it, and the complexity of playing as bad guys. John and Haskell also impart some advice to aspiring actors and their motivations, including the desire to be seen and connect with others and become a better person for one's family. Haskell King has performed all over the Off-Broadway and regional stages such as the Irish Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the Abingdon Theatre. His TV and film credits include “Dear Edward”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”, “As the World Turns”, “The Fly Room”, and “Shadow & Lies”. John Lavelle has been on Broadway in “The Graduate”, and off-Broadway stages including La Jolla Playhouse, The Shakespeare Center LA, and The Old Globe. His TV and film credits include “Selma”, “Frozen”, “Wreck-It Ralph”, “Zootopia”, “The Taking of Pelham 123”, “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts”, and “Grace and Frankie” among many others. They are both part of the stellar cast of the off-Broadway production of “Russian Troll Farm”, an office comedy, at the Vineyard Theater in New York City. More info and tix here: https://vineyardtheatre.org/shows/russian-troll-farm/ Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast YouTube: YouTube.com/TheTheatrePodcast Threads, Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com My personal Instagram: @alanseales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Ann Daniels explores her dual roles at the Folger Shakespeare Library as the Director of Programming and Artistic Director at the Folger Theatre, and her innovative approach to programming and audience engagement in the evolving landscape of theater post-pandemic. Daniels discusses her arrival at the Folger during a period of significant change, including the pandemic, racial reckoning, and major renovations, and how these challenges presented unique opportunities for outreach and community engagement. We talk about her experiences with New York City's Public Theatre and her initiatives with San Diego's The Old Globe, her philosophy of reaching out to diverse communities and bringing theater to them  and her creation of innovative programming at the Folger like The Reading Room Festival and Works in Progress, focusing on community participation and engaging audiences with Shakespeare's work in contemporary contexts.  We discuss the recent production of  “The Winter's Tale” and how it aligns with the Folger's vision of transformation and accessibility, how Shakespeare's works can be adapted to reflect diverse cultures and generations, and the importance of expanding perspectives on Shakespeare. And Daniels shares her vision for the future of the Folger, including continued programming diversification, virtual engagements, and community-focused events.

One might call Gordon Greenberg the driving force behind this sucker (pun intended). He sits down with Andrew for what very well might be the final episode of the podcastula for awhile (what is a podcastula, anyway?). Sharing some of his own reasons for even wanted to create Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors in the first place, this episode is one that you won't soon forget. Gordon is the Co-Author & Director of the production. Additional resume stuffs include: Picasso starring Antonio Banderas (directing and co-writing with Stephen Schwartz and Caridad Svich for Trafalgar Entertainment); “Most Talkative” (co-creator, NBC/Universal TV, Andy Cohen,Blumhouse); Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Geffen Playhouse, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, Best Revival); Crime and Punishment, A Comedy (directed and cowritten with Steve Rosen, The Old Globe); Guys and Dolls starring Rebel Wilson (Savoy Theatre London, six Olivier Award noms); Barnum (Menier Chocolate Factory,London); Piaf/Dietrich (Mirvish Toronto, Dora Award, Best Production); Holiday Inn (director/co-writer, Broadway, PBS “Great Performances”); Working (Drama Desk Award); Jacques Brel… (Zipper Theatre, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics noms); Ebenezer Scrooge's BIG San Diego Christmas Show (The Old Globe); The Secret of My Success (Universal Stage Productions,TUTS, Paramount); new works at Ars Nova, Williamstown, Huntington, Paper Mill, Signature, Goodspeed, Chicago Shakes, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Asolo, NY Stage and Film. Education: Stanford, NYU Film, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you get when you cross a grown up with a love for comedy with someone who wouldn't quit their night job? Why, Steve Rosen of course! This long-time writer and actor spills the beans on what it was like bringing Dracula A Comedy of Terrors to life (no pun intended), why he's haunted by children, and why he can't stand horror movies. Steve is the Co-Author of the show and has previously collaborated with Gordon Greenberg on The Secret of My Success (co-book, Jefferson Award nomination), the plays Crime and Punishment - a Comedy, Ebenezer Scrooge's BIG San Diego Christmas Show (both at The Old Globe, San Diego) and podcasts “Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors” and “Rolling Calls” (Broadway Podcast Network). He has also co-written/composed (with David Rossmer) the musicals The Other Josh Cohen (Westside Theatre) and Griswolds' Broadway Vacation (Seattle's 5th Ave). With Dan Lipton, Rossmer and Sarah Saltzberg he also co-created the improv-variety show Don't Quit Your Night Job. For his work Off-Broadway he's been nominated for (and lost) five Drama Desks and two Lucille Lortel awards. Education: NYU/Tisch. Associate artist: The Civilians. He is also an actor. @stevierosen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Dolginoff "played" Jack at the Westbeth Theater so James Lapine could experiment with staging ideas before starting rehearsals for the Old Globe premiere and he remembers every moment of this seminal experience from his time studying theater at NYU. Join host Ben Rimalower for this candid conversation exploring how Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Sondheim's intern at the Old Globe, John Bell has fascinating insights into the lesbian subtext between the Witch and Rapunzel, why Ellen Foley was really replaced, and when Bernadette Peters first saw the show. Join host Ben Rimalower for this candid conversation exploring how Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Musical ‘Ride’ to Premiere at Old Globe, ‘Dicks: The Musical’ Film Reviews, Playbill Crowns $10,000 Contest Winner “Today on Broadway” is a daily, Monday through Friday, podcast hitting the top theatre headlines of the day. Any and all feedback is appreciated: Grace Aki: grace@broadwayradio.com | @ItsGraceAkiMatt Tamanini: matt@broadwayradio.com | read more The post Today on Broadway: Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

Liana Hunt is a New York City based actor, singer and dancer who has appeared on Broadway, National Tours, regionally, on television and in films.  Originally from Vermont, Liana received her BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated with honors a semester early to star as Sophie on the National Tour of Mamma Mia!. After touring the country with the show, Liana was brought to Broadway, making her Broadway debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia! at the age of 23. Liana also starred on Broadway as Katherine Plumber in Disney's Newsies. She has returned to Broadway this summer in Back to the Future Musical that is adapted for the stage by the movie's creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and is directed by the Tony Award-winning John Rando. She stars in the production as ‘Lorraine McFly'. Liana has performed on stages all across the country. Some of her favorite National Tour credits include the role of Nessarose in Wicked and Margo in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's Bright Star. Favorite regional credits include creating the role of Jessie Randolph in Clint Black's new musical, Looking for Christmas, at The Old Globe, the St. Louis MUNY's centennial production of Meet Me in St. Louis (Rose), and Noel Coward's Private Lives at the Riverside Theatre (Sybil).  Liana has studied Improv with UCB and is a part of the sketch comedy show SHIZ: Broadway Meets Sketch Comedy, which has had runs at UCB in Hell's Kitchen and Improv Asylum, produced by National Lampoon.  Liana also teaches musical theatre masterclasses to kids of all ages and coaches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mahira Kakkar: Off-Broadway: 7 Minutes, Waterwell; Here We Are, Theater for One; Addressless, Rattlestick; Opus, Primary Stages; Harper Regan, Atlantic; Romeo and Juliet, Public Theater; The Winter's Tale, TFANA; When January Feels Like Summer, EST; Henry VI, NAATCO; Arturo Ui, Classic Stage Company; Ms. Witherspoon, Playwrights Horizons; Clive, The New Group. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Skylight, McCarter Theatre; Rafta Rafta, Old Globe; Our Town, OSF; Monsoon Wedding, Berkeley Rep; Bedroom Farce, Huntington Theater Company; Inana, Denver Center; The Crucible, Cleveland Playhouse; Five Mile Lake, McCarter Theatre; Comedy of Errors, Hartford Stage, Jesus in India, Magic Theater. Film/TV: “A Suitable Boy” (series lead), “Manifest” (recurring), “New Amsterdam,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” “Louie,” “Odd Mom Out,” “Sweet Refuge,” “Bite Me,” Hank and Asha (Napa Valley Film Festival Best Actress, Wild Rose Festival Best Actress, Slamdance Audience winner, Bronze Lens winner), “Law & Order,” “Orange Is the New Black.” Training: Juilliard, SITI, Harold Guskin; B.A. Jadavpur University. mahirakakkar.com Salma Qarnain is a versatile Pakistani American actor, thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in the adaptation of one of her favorite books. She is a two-time Helen Hayes Award recipient, an AUDELCO nominee, and an award-winning theater and film producer. She has performed across major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime), regionally, Off-Broadway, and Off-West End. Most recently, she produced the 2023 Oscar-qualified short film, Silent Partner (19 festivals / 4 Oscar qualifiers; 8 awards / nominations) and Speak Up Brotha!, which is premiering at the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Selected credits: Bars and Measures (Off-Broadway); Acquittal (Off-Broadway); Rain + Zoe Save the World (Off-West End); “That Damn Michael Che” (RECUR, HBO Max); “FBI” (CBS); “The Blacklist” (NBC); “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC); “For Life” (ABC). Graduate of Stanford, MIT, Harvard Business School. Proud member of SAG•AFTRA, AEA, Equity. Thank you to Roderick, Gary, Lolita, Max, Finn, Duncan, Benton, Patrick, A.R.T, and Annette for getting me here. Love you, X! For my sisters Ayesha, Sonia, and Zehra and my parents Qarnain and Rashida in the stars. IG: @salma.qarnain; salmaqarnain.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ellen Foley opens up about why she thinks she was replaced as the Witch when Into the Woods opened on Broadway and how the show had changed by the time she joined its final company. Join host Ben Rimalower for this candid conversation exploring how Sondheim and Lapine went Into the Woods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Stone worked as an actress on and off-Broadway, in television and in film for decades before transitioning to directing. Broadway credits included Anything Goes, Butley, The Odd Couple, The Smell of the Kill, Design for Living, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Grease. Her directing career began in earnest with her all-male 2010 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She has since been directing all over the country at such theaters as The Old Globe, A.C.T, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company, Two River Theatre Company, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival among others. Productions include As You Like It, Kate Hamill's Vanity Fair, Barefoot in the Park, Dancing at Lughnasa, Bad Dates, Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood! (world premiere), Ripcord, Bad Jews, Arms and the Man, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Charlotte's Web, June Moon, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Absurd Person Singular, Kimberly Akimbo (off-Broadway premiere at the Atlantic). Most recently, Stone directed the original Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, which opened in November 2022. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons. Jessica Stone went from working actress to one of the most in-demand Broadway directors. Listen as she describes how she manages a thriving career, marriage and motherhood and… who were the directors in her life that helped shape how she runs a rehearsal room and why now that she has found directing she really doesn't miss being an actress - plus a deep deep dive Into the journey of Kimberly Akimbo how it went from workshop to Broadway - all that and more this week on the Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices