Podcasts about playscripts

Join Sophie in welcoming Doug Rand, a visionary in the realm of innovation and immigration policy, to explore the unique journey that led him from the world of evolutionary biology to the corridors of the White House. Doug shares his fascinating transition from scientific research to entrepreneurship and policy-making, shedding light on the pivotal role of his work under the Obama administration in modernizing employment-based immigration, especially the H-1B program. His story underscores the significance of civil servants and their behind-the-scenes efforts in shaping global talent mobility. Co-Director of the Talent Mobility Fund, Doug Rand is a startup founder, immigration expert, and policymaker who trained as an evolutionary biologist. He served as Senior Advisor to the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2021–2025 and as Assistant Director for Entrepreneurship in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2010–2017. As an entrepreneur, he was the co-founder and president of Boundless, and the co-founder and CEO of Playscripts, Inc In this episode, you'll hear about: Doug Rand's transition from evolutionary biology to a key role in U.S. immigration policy Modernization of the H-1B program and its impact on global talent mobility Biden administration's changes allowing startup founders to qualify for H-1B visas Extension of employment authorization documents to address backlog issues Challenges and opportunities for immigrant entrepreneurs in the U.S. Importance of issuing more green cards to retain top AI talent in the U.S. Collaborative potential between government and startups to support innovation and immigration policy Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-rand/ Website - https://welcomingthefuture.substack.com/ https://www.talentmobility.fund/ https://welcomingthefuture.substack.com/p/a-modern-melting-pot-for-scientists USCIS Impact: 2021–2025 Options for Noncitizen STEM Professionals to Work in the United States Options for Noncitizen Entrepreneurs to Work in the United States https://archivemacropolo.org/interactive/digital-projects/the-global-ai-talent-tracker/  https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/outreach-tools/local-governments  https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/most-of-americas-most-promising-ai-startups-have-immigrant-founders/  https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/information-for-employers-and-employees/options-for-nonimmigrant-workers-following-termination-of-employment  Alcorn Immigration Law: Subscribe to the monthly Alcorn newsletter Sophie Alcorn Podcast: Episode 16: E-2 Visa for Founders and Employees Episode 19: Australian Visas Including E-3 Episode 20: TN Visas and Status for Canadian and Mexican Citizens Immigration Options for Talent, Investors, and Founders Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook

Daniel SeidmanComposer & Co-LyricistDr. Daniel Seidman is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in New York City. Dan started playing in a band at the age of 12 at the Cafe Wha in Greenwich Village. At the age of 15, he toured the U.S. and Canada playing Hammond organ for Chubby Checker. He completed a year as a composition major at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1972-1973, and a B.A. in History from SUNY Binghamton. He received a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1988, and subsequently joined the faculty at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) where he taught, practiced psychology, and did research for 30 years. He retired from Columbia in June of 2018. Fifth Avenue the musical originally grew out of Dan's combined interest in jazz and history. Discussions with a history professor Albert Fried about the immigrant experiences of the Irish, Jews, Italians and in more contemporary times, Blacks, Hispanics and the Chinese provided insight into the “dark side” of the American dream and its “underworld culture”. This is the story Fried tells in his book “The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America” (Columbia University Press). After college, Dan began composing the music for "Fifth Avenue" while employed by the Shubert Organization in New York City. He met Susan Crawford, who wrote the book and co-wrote the lyrics for Fifth Avenue, in 1979. They were married in 1984 and are now the proud parents of two grown sons. Susan CrawfordBook Writer and Co-LyricistMy theater life began at 13 in my hometown's Shakespeare Festival. It evolved into much acting from then into my 30's. It soon overlapped with an interest in playwriting, and I finished my first play at 24. Eventually writing overcame acting for me. For that I studied with Arthur Kopit and John Guare; lyric writing at the ASCAP workshop, and with Sheila Davis, and Dorothy Fields. Around that time I co-developed the continuity for Ned Sherrin for “Only In America” songs by Leiber and Stoller. It ran at the Roundhouse in London, and was a distant antecedent to what became “Smoky Joe's Cafe.” “Dollars to Doughnuts, a Comedy for the 99%” was my master's thesis in the CCNY Graduate Writing Program where I studied with Arthur Kopit. It was a finalist in the O'Neill Playwriting Conference the year it was finished (under the title "Lotto"). For the summer 2022 season, it was selected by Theatre for the New City's “Dream Up” Festival where it was workshopped and is now being submitted for production. My one-act "Place Settings" was selected for the Chain Theatre's 2023 Winter One-Act Festival, and is also available for production.R.K. GreeneProducer and Executive Director of The StoryLine Project, LLC, a theatrical production company developing new shows. Shows include: * "Beau The Musical" by Lyons & Pakchar now an award-winning feature-length motion picture; * "Fifth Avenue" in development by Susan Crawford & Daniel Seidman* "Harmony" by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman on Broadway; * "Farinelli and the King" with Mark Rylance on Broadway;* "Terms of Endearment" with Molly Ringwald Off-Broadway and licensing thru Playscripts;* "A Time to Kill" with Patrick Page, Tonya Pinkins, Tom Skerritt, Fred Thompson and John Douglas Thompson on Broadway; * "Peter and the Starcatcher" winner of five Tony awards and now an Australian Tour in 2024-25; * "Cougar The Musical" Off-Broadway and licensing thru Concord Theatricals;* "Love Child" with Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton Off-Broadway and licensing thru Playscripts;* "Room Service" Off-Broadway. See https://www.storylineproject.com/Fifth AvenueWhat happens when your American Dream keeps getting caught up in other peoples' schemes?  Max and Willy borrow money to go legit and open a nightclub during prohibition offering ‘Fifth Avenue' class in NYC's Hell's Kitchen.  Meanwhile the younger generation chase their own versions of the ‘American Dream.'

R.K. GreeneProducer and Executive Director of The StoryLine Project, LLC, a theatrical production company developing new shows. Shows include: * "Beau The Musical" by Lyons & Pakchar now an award-winning feature-length motion picture; * "Fifth Avenue" in development by Susan Crawford & Daniel Seidman* "Harmony" by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman on Broadway; * "Farinelli and the King" with Mark Rylance on Broadway;* "Terms of Endearment" with Molly Ringwald Off-Broadway and licensing thru Playscripts;* "A Time to Kill" with Patrick Page, Tonya Pinkins, Tom Skerritt, Fred Thompson and John Douglas Thompson on Broadway; * "Peter and the Starcatcher" winner of five Tony awards and now an Australian Tour in 2024-25; * "Cougar The Musical" Off-Broadway and licensing thru Concord Theatricals;* "Love Child" with Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton Off-Broadway and licensing thru Playscripts;* "Room Service" Off-Broadway. Works with The Directors Company developing new work in the non-profit arena, https://www.directorscompany.org/Specialties: Theatrical product development and production on Broadway, Off-Broadway and on tour. Skills include dramaturgy, marketing, financial and market analyses, budgeting and projections, fundraising, contracts and business plan development.The Storyline ProjectA commercial theatrical production company based in New York City. Our focus is on stories that capture the imagination of an audience. Our mission is to identify and develop these stories and bring them to life on stage. Founded in January 1996 by four associates, SLP has analyzed hundreds of plays and musicals. Recommended plays have gone on to public readings at established theatre companies including Ensemble Studio Theatre, Theater Resources Unlimited and The Directors Company in New York City. SLP productions have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway and on tour across the U.S. and Canada

Your Creative Mind Table Read: What if Odysseus had to answer for his choices? A playwright dares to ask. What if the women of The Odyssey had the final say? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, we bring you Odysseus's Women by Luke Krueger—a powerful reimagining of the Greek epic where the legendary hero faces judgment from the women he left behind. You'll hear this gripping story come to life in our table read, followed by an insightful conversation with Luke and the actors about writing, performance, and the power of retelling myths through a modern lens. Whether you're a writer, performer, or someone who loves bold storytelling, this episode offers inspiration, fresh perspectives, and a front-row seat to a play that challenges everything we thought we knew about Odysseus. Luke Krueger, Playwright, as Odysseus Luke Krueger lives in Vermont with his two young daughters, who help him make maple syrup from their trees. Luke's plays have been performed around the US and Canada. In 2006, he was the first playwright to be named the Emerging Writer-in-Residence at Penn State-Altoona. His plays are published by Playscripts, Inc.; Next Stage Press; and Original Works Publishing. His short play, "The Sad Funeral" (which debuted at the Source theatre) will be published in the upcoming edition of the Long River Review (University of Connecticut). As an actor he performed in the Arizona Premiers of The Laramie Project and This Is Our Youth; he last played Rev. Hale in The Crucible. Luke holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Arizona State University and a BA in English from Miami University (Ohio). He is a member of the Dramatists Guild    Luke has been on the English and/or Theatre faculty at Arizona State University, Lake Forest College, Loyola University, and Northern Illinois University. Currently he works for a local school supervisory union as an investigator for hazing, harassment, bullying, and title nine complaints; and he is a restorative programs coordinator. Outside of work, Luke is a member of his town's volunteer firefighting department.   Luke's Plays: https://www.playscripts.com/play/2450?srsltid=AfmBOorWd0XyG8ouhLtlH4WW3D0i3ghIvBDtaIjaQy-hcnAvarhCyYqz   Other plays and the U-Haul book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Luke-Krueger/author/B001JRVAOS?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Canterbury Tales adaptation: https://next-stage-press.myshopify.com/products/canterbury-tales-the-digital-version     Izolda Trakhtenberg as Kalypso, Circe, Penelope, and the Women Izolda Trakhtenberg is a playwright, scriptwriter, author, and voice actor who brings stories to life across stage, screen, and sound. Her plays Expiration Date (Off Broad Street Play Festival semifinalist) and A Slice of Democracy (produced by Nomad Theatre) challenge and engage audiences. She narrates corporate and educational projects like NASA's Breathable: A Story About Air Quality, animations, and commercials, with audiobook credits including The Ghost Next Door and Ocean City Lowdown. As host of The Your Creative Mind Podcast, she explores creativity's power to transform lives. A published author of fiction and non-fiction, her works include Die By The Sword, book one in the Cassie Belmont Tarot Card Thrillers. Izolda blends storytelling and communication expertise to create work that resonates long after the final word. Connect with Izolda Website: https://IzoldaT.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social. Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series One Minute Movies A Close Shave Career Suicide Diz Wit   This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link) URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset It's also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**   Flip Your Inner Script to Stop Negative Thoughts From Ruining Your Day. Are you getting anything out of the show? I'd love it if you would buy me a coffee.   Listen on These Channels Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Podbean | MyTuner | iHeart Radio | TuneIn | Deezer | Overcast | PodChaser | Listen Notes | Player FM | Podcast Addict | Podcast Republic |  

Hey guys! Some sad news, Erika and Justin are taking a short hiatus from the show. Projects are catching up with them, living in New York is ALOT, and they both need to get their bearings before hoping back into their research and work they put into each episode. Thank you SO much for listening through all these epsidoes and hopefully we won't be gone too long! In the meantime, give us a follow at our insatgrams below and we will keep you updated on the status of the show!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

In this week's episode, Erika looks into the theatre scene in Idaho! Some great colleges, awesome oppurtunities for new playwrights, and a playwright who has become the voice of the state. Get ready to learn all about the potato state!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Idaho:Seven Devils New Play FoundrySun Valley Playwright's ResidencySamuel D. Hunter Univeristy of IdahoPlaywright Horizons Interview with Samuel D. Hunter and Adam GreenfieldIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

What's up everyone! This week, Justin and Erika look into Hawaii's theatre scene! Awesome regional theatre, University of Hawaii research and a deep dive on the man who has been the voice of Hawaii playwriting for years and the woman who is taking the baton.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Hawaii:Perscription: Murder with PAT SAJAKManoa Valley TheatreEdward SakamotoLee CatalunaIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Let's head to Georgia for this week's epsiode! Erika tells us about the state with maybe the most oppurtunity for playwrights we have come across. Erika tells us about all of the playwrights from Georgia, the upcoming season at Emory featuring one of our favorite people, and the millions of broadway shows that have come out of the Alliance Theatre. If you're a theatre person in GA, congrats... you win.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Georgia:Out of Hand TheatreEmory University Season (Static Head by Ryan Stevens)Essential TheatreWorking Title PlaywrightsAlliance TheatreIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Happy New Year, let's talk about theatre in Flordia! This week, Justin and Erika are welcomed back to NYC by a recording session about al;l of the different theatres, colleges, and playwriting oppurtunities in Flordia! They chat about Terrance McNally's Legacy, the wonderful MFA programs in the state, and the fact that Flordia has a STATE PLAY?! Crazy! Also, they chat about their favorite shows of 2024! Enjoy the show!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Flordia:Cross and Sword by Paul GreenDog Act by Liz Duffy AdamsAsolo Rep Career Development ProgramOrlando Shakes New Play DevelopmentFST's Recovery Project and Terrance McNallyIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Happy New Year! Here is a playdough not at all because we are out of town or anything so RELAX! Basically, what if there was a classic 90s romcom movie but like a witch was in it...PRETTY CRAZY! Also, we start back out on normal episodes next week (with Flordia)!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Happy holidays! Here is a holiday playdough that we hope you enjoy!  Also, Justin added jingle bells to the edit so YOU ARE WELCOME.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Send us a textThis week I had the pleasure of having a fascinating conversation with Allison Gregory on this recent episode of Playwright's Spotlight and her approach of writing about historical and mythological characters and exploring outside their known stories. We delved into the philosophy of "when we are", letting the story find us, the power of the #2 pencil and writing longhand, stealing from the best, obtaining the rights to other's works and public domain. We also discuss commissioning adaptations, tried and true material, embracing constructs, and knowing the audience of children's theatre. It's a wonderful chat I hope everyone feels motivated and inspired by. Enjoy!Allison Gregory's work has been produced nationally and internationally for multigenerational audiences by a fusion of professional theaters, academic stages, and nontraditional spaces. She has received commissions and development from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Kennedy Center, South Coast Repertory, Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Playwrights' Center, the Skirball Foundation, Geva Theatre, Seattle Rep, ACT Theater, Orlando Shakes, the National New Play Network (NNPN), Hedgebrook, the New Harmony Project, and Banff Playwrights Lab. Her plays range from satires centering on underrepresented historical figures to contemporary interpretations of mythology, intimate dramas, and exuberant, innovative theatre for young people. Her plays are published by Dramatic Publishing, Playscripts, Concord Theatricals, Smith & Krauss, and Rain City Press and include – Not Medea, Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, and Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt.To watch the video format of this episode, visit -https://youtu.be/B9pW5OH7L14Links to resources mentioned in this episode -Child's Play -https://www.childsplayaz.orgSeattle's Children's Theare -www.sct.orgWebsite and Socials for Allison Gregory - Website-www.allisongregoryplays.comFacebook-https://www.facebook.com/allison.gregory.71Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -Punk Monkey Productions - www.punkmonkeyproductions.comPLAY Noir -www.playnoir.comPLAY Noir Anthology –www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.htmlJames Elden -Twitter - @jameseldensauerIG - @alakardrakeFB - fb.com/jameseldensauerPunk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                  - @playnoirla IG - @punkmonkeyprods       - @playnoir_la FB - fb.com/playnoir        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductionsPlaywright's Spotlight -Twitter - @wrightlightpod IG - @playwrights_spotlightPlaywriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festivalwww.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.htmlSupport the show

Let's stay on the east coast becuase this week Erika is talking about Delaware! Besides giving us a history lesson on Punkin Chunkin and getting a quick appearance from the Korak Interns, we get to talk about some wonderful niche theatre programs. Delaware Theatre Center's Young Playwrights Festival, Wilmington Drama Leauge and Aubrey Plaza's start, and some wonderufl dinner theatres! Join us this week to chat about a wonderful and tightknit theatre scene!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Delaware:Delaware Theatre CenterPunkin ChunkinCandlelight TheaterDelaware Young Playwrights FestivalWilmington Drama League If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Welcome to Connecticut! This week Justin gets to focus on some of the greatest theatre places for new work in the country, who knew Connecticut went so hard on new work?! The Eugene O'Neil Theatre Center, Yale Rep, and Goodspeed are brought up and discussed and Erika spends most of the peiosde plotting her evil Two Truths and a Lie streak! Enjoy the episode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Connecticut:Yale Drama PrizeGoodspeed MusicalsThe Eugene O'Neil Theatre CenterPSYCHOPSYCHOTIC, or, Everyone at Yale is a Goddamn Sociopath!!Theatreworks HartfordIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Let's hike in the mountains and smoke a bunch cause we are going to COLORADO! That's right, Erika breaks down all of the coolest playwrights and theatres based, from, or working in Colorado and there are some shocking names! Learn about one of the coolest New Play festivals in the country and find out what playwright is refered to as "A Denver Boy at Heart". Enjoy the epsiode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Colorado:Phamaly TheatreCreede Repertory TheatreTheatre AspenThe Colorado New Play SummitSteven Dietz"A Denver Boy at Heart"Sandy RustinThe Suffragette's Murder at DPACIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

WEE-WOO! WEE-WOO! IT'S THE 100TH EPISODE! JUSTIN ACCEPTS A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, ERIKA WALKS ON THE MOON, AND THEY BOTH MAKE THEIR BROADWAY DEBUTS AS TIMONE AND PUMBAA IN THE LION KING (to which critics responded with, "why"). But really, thank you for all of the support over the years and in return, we made an episode where we did 100 play doughs. HAVE A FUN TWO HOURS!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Guess what, it's our first PLAYdough of the season! What happens when scene kids try to save a local Lochness monster? We don't know BUT we try to figure it out on today's episode! Listen in as we make up a play about alt kids in high school, cryptids hiding in the local lake, and moshing!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

We are heading to the west coast to talk about sunny California! Justin takes us on a journey through the famous theatres that reside there, the wonderful plays that are set there and the playwrights that have been from there! We talk about oppurtunities, free theatre, and Justin and Erika argue a bit more about the CRITICAL RULES of Two truths and a Lie!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from California:Chloe XtinaThe Hills of CaliforniaThe Iama TheatreThe Writer's Room at The Geffen PlayhouseDiana BurbanoIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

It's the end of A's and Erika is taking on ARKANSAS! Fun fact: Arkansas has an AWESOME theatre scene! Hear Erika chat about one of the hottest playwrights in the world and how his most recent Broadway show took place in Arkansas, one of the best up-n-coming playwrights is FROM Arkansas and one of the best regional theatres in the country is IN Arkansas! All around, one of the coolest states we have researched so far!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Arkansas:TheatreSquaredCandrice JonesRachel LynettQui NguyenAppropriteThe Romance of Magno RubioIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Take a drive in the desert becuase we are spening this week with Justin in Arizona! Join us as we talk about site-specific Shakespeare, the playwrights that run the Univeristy of Arizona, and very cool contemporary theatre at Arizona Theatre Company and The Phoenix Theatre Company. Put on your sunglasses cause it's about to get HOT!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Arizona:Arizona Theatre CompanySouthwest Shakespeare CompanyHarry ClarkMilta OrtizElaine RomeroIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Take a drive through Canada or make a really long jump from Washington State, cause we are heading to Alaska! Listen in as Erika takes on a history-filled and theatre-flowing journey through the industry in Alaska. Learn about the awesome theatres here in Alaska and the wild playwright mentors they have, and get excited to hear Justin absolutey SLAM EK in two truths and a lie!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Alaska:Perseverance TheatreTheatre AlaskaJuneau Ghost Light TheatreJessica GoldenIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Allright, it's the first episode of Season 3! Alabama! Join us as Justin deep dives into the history of Alabama theatre. Learn about one of the oldest collegiate theatre troupes, one of the best shakespeare festivals in the country, and some wonderful new Alabamian playwrights with STACKED new play exchanges!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Some Links from Alabama:Alabama ShakesTheatre HuntsvilleQuinton CockrellLaDarrion WilliamsIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

IT'S THE FIFTY NIFTY UNITED PLAYS! Welcome to Season 3! This time around, we are going state-by-state and looking into each one theatrically! Playwrights from the state, different theatres of all kinds, looking into college programs, and egven deep-diving into plays set in the state of the week! It's gonna be a long season (50 states with a PLAYdough every 5 episodes) so get ready some amazing episodes and content coming your way on a weekly basis starting on 10/18! See you guys in a couple weeks and let's get excited for SEASON 3!SOME BUSINESS: If you want us to shout out something specific from your state this season, let us know through our email: playtozpodcast@gmail.com. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

It's the end of the summer season of 2024 and we have a very fun (and very sentimental) playdough for you! Hear the story of two raccoons in a dump in New York City. When one of them discovers the concept of time, they try to find the makers of the watch he found to ask him to stop time so they could just play in the trash forever. It's really sweet. We hope you enjoy this episode and we will see you in SEASON 3!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

The final episode of our Summer Season Selection Series Spectacular is here! Erika got the word SLAP and goes all in on slapstick comedy. We get appearances from silent movie stars, famous farces that you'll lose your mind at, and a new origial Borak/Kuhn co-written play about Slap Fighting Championships. It's a great one.*No iterns were hurt in the making of this episode*SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

This episode of the Summer Season Selection Series we get to see see Justin nerd out about TV! Hear him find paralells in different plays, bring back an famous and beautiful production of his favorite Shakespeare play, and we even creat an adaptation of a very cool recent horror film! Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

What up! It's a PLAYdough day! This week, Justin and Erika create one of their silliest plays yet! Think Cocaine Bear meets Outer Banks meets National Treasure meets West Side Story. It's a wild one and we really hope you laugh, we sure did! Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Happy summer! Here is our second episode of the Summer Season Selection Series, Constraint, choosen by Erika! Playing with the phrase "Breaking Free" Erika finds a bunch of shows that all deal with breaking the constraints the world has put on them. We get plays in rep, cool contemporary titles, and even a MUSICAL?! Enjoy the episode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Welcome to the first episode of the Summer Season Selection! This week, Justin took the lead and had the word "RESTRAINT" to build a season around. Playing with the concepts of "Loving, Longing, and Losing your People", Justin put together a season featuring classics, contemporary plays and one of his favorite musicals ever written. Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Oooooooh it's Summer! This week, Justin and Erika unveil what the summer at Play to Z will look like! Other than a few playdoughs, Justin and Erika will be doing something we like to call the Summer Season Selection (or the SSS)! We take a word off a random word generator and use that word to insoiure a theatre season that we will chat about this summer! We are going to talk about plays, musicals, and what we think goes into making a great theatre season! We can not wait for this awesome summer!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

ZEEKS! It's the "Z" episode! This week, Erika and Justin chat about some of their fvorite playwrights and what it felt like to walk across the stage as they graduated with their MFA in Acting from West Virginia University! Erika talks about an actor who is a secret playwright, Justin preps you for an upcoming interview he is recording, and the two of them get nostaligic as they end season 2! Enjoy the show!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to our playwrights:Zoe Kazan's DramatistZoe Kazan's PlayscriptsAnna Ziegler's DramatistAna Zielger's WebsiteIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Yes! whY You ask? It's the "Y" episode! This week, Justin and Erika break down two very different but absolutley wonderful playwrights. Erika looks at one of the biggest names in the industry right now, Justin finds an underground treasure trove of femal comedic monolouges, and the two of them chat about oats. FINALLY.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to our playwrights:Emily Yuko Walborn's WebsiteEmily Yuko Walborn's NPXLauren Yee's WebsiteLauren Yee's ConcordIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Xtra Xtra! It's the "X" episode! This week, Justin and Erika talk about two very cool and very new playwrights that are killing it. Erika talks about one of the coolest "hot girl" playwrights that was shown to us by Liz, Justin finds a brilliant playwright on NPX, and the two of them finally figure out what plays need to be made into movies. Enjoy the episode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to our playwrights:Chloe Xtina's WebsiteChloe Xtina's NPXXavier Clark's NPXLiz Gutridge's TikTokIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Well, Wash up! It's time for "W"! This week, Justin and Erika chat about some of their favorite playwrights around! Erika talks about a living legend of research-based theatre, Justin goes in on one of his favorite young playwrights and reveals a VERY exciting project she has upcoming, and the two of them decide what to call someomne who fixes the water in a hot tub. We settled on "Hot Tub Doctor". Enjoy the show!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Leah Nanako Winkler's WebsiteLeah Nanako Winkler's DramatistAnne Washburn's PlayscriptsAnne Washburn's ConcordMr. Burns: The Tenth Anniversary Concert ReadingIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Get excited! It's a PLAYdough day! This week, Justin and Erika make up a play on the spot set at the time of the biggest YA movie, Twilight! A five-act play that follows the PAs of the five-film saga as they figure out their love triangle, how to get through the day while being tortured by a certain actor on set, and discover if the guy at the editing bay is a werewolf. Very goofy, very funny, please enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Very Valid and Vulumptious Vocals! It's "V" today! This week, Justin and Erika chat about two very different but very cool playwrights! Erika discovers a beautiful story co-edited by her playwright and ALAN RICKMAN, Justin finds a new up-and-coming playwright you need to read, and the two of them begin the "Let's Record in an Ohio Living Room" Chronicles! Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Katharine Viner and The GuardianKatharine Viner's XCaroline V. McGraw's WebsiteCaroline V. McGraw's DramatistIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

U! Yeah, I'm talking to U! It's the "U" episode! This week, Justin and Erika record literally moments after they finsihed their last reguirment of grad school and they're beat but have an amazing time! Erika fins you an amazing ten-minute play treasure trove, Justin deep dives on an epic and intense playwright with a huge interwoven canon of plays, and the two of them come up with musicals that start with "U" because there is basically only Urinetown. Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Mfoniso Udofia's WebsiteMfoniso Udofia's DramatistUma Incrocci's WebsiteUma Incrocci's New Play ExchangeIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

TUNE IN! It's "T"! This week, Justin and Erika chat about two wonderful contemporary playwrights that are blowing up in the theatre industry! Justin talks about a recent pulitizer winner, Erika breaks down a wonderful playwright who just had some work go up at Playwrights Horizons, and the two of them give you guys some closure on their thesis journey! Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Tori Sampson's WebsiteTori Sampson's ConcordSanaz Toossi's ConcordIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

This week is a big one folks. Justin and Erika met in grad school, this podcast came from grad school, and we are officially getting to the end of grad school, so let's talk about what started it all! Our hosts dive into what acting grad school is like, how it chnaged them as theatre-makers and people, and what the heck a thesis is! Don't worry, this isn't a goodbye to the show in anyway, but we orally defend our papers tomoorow and we are emotional so get ready for a sweet one!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Get your goofy hats on, it's time for a PLAYdough! Welcome to the world of The Marching Fleshman, the story of recently dumped Joey who takes on the task of building a marching band in his home town out of nothing! It's a silly one, oh, and Justin and Erika get beat up and robbed by Broadway. Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Seriously, Shoot that Sound Sky high! It's "S"! Justin and Erika spend this week talking about two very different but very funny and wonderful writers. Erika dives deep into one of the most interesting and unique playwrights, Justin tells the history of one of the best joke writers in theatre history, and the two vent about their thesis... sorry, it's like all we think about. So enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Crystal Skillman's WebsiteCrystal Skillman's ConcordCrystal Skillman's DramatistNeil Simon's ConcordNeil Simon's DramatistIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Really radical reccomendations right here! It's "R"! Justin and Erika get into it this week talking about some of their favorites. Erika goes into research mode on Sarah Ruhl's career, Justin talks about one of the king's of satire and experimental musical theatre, and the two of them discover the hottest musical in history...Radio Gals.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Sarah Ruhl's WebsiteSarah Ruhl's ConcordMichael R. Jackson's WebsiteTeeth at Playwright HorizonsIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Quick! Quiet down and Q (cue) up this episode! It's Q! This week Justin and Erika bring full opposite playwrights to the table. Justin talks about a playwright everyone knows and dives deeper then anyone before, Erika finds a new playwright with AMAZING plays, and the two of them dig into every musical you can imagine with the word "Quilt" in it. It's very exciting.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Qui Nguyen's WebsiteQui Nguyen's ConcordKari Bentley-Quinn's WebsiteKari Bentley-Quinn's New Play ExchangeIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

It's Justin and Erika's spring break so we decided to do something different! Today Justin and Erika talk about Justin's new adaptation of The Misanthrope by Molière, haters gonna hate. They also talk about Justin's recent workshop with James Ijames, what to do when you have burn out in the industry, and how to take on a theatre project when it scares you... a lot. It's honestly a great episode and we really hope you enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Use our promo code "PLAYTOZ" on Center Stage Designs Etsy Shop for 15% off your purchase and check out all of their very cool theatre merch!Links to out playwrights:HATERS GONNA HATE on New Play Exchange!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

It's that time again! Time for as PlayDough! This week, Justin and Erika tell the story of a cover cover cover band set ina. garage! Follow along as they tell a very funny story of a cover band and their internal struggles. Think if Fleetwood Mac wrote a very goofy play. It's a freaking blast! Enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Pardon me, it's "P"! This week, Justin and Erika chat about two brilliant young playwrights! Erika finds a new playwright who wrote an amazing satire of HGTV shows, Justin chats about a Yale Drama Prize winner, and the two of them try to figure out if Pal Joey matters! We hope you enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Eliana Pipe's WebsiteEliana Pipe's ConcordThe Yale Drama Series's How To Defend YourselfLiliana Padilla's Playwrights CenterIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Oh boy! OutrageOus episOde fOr yOu! It's "O"! This week, Justin and Erika hop into some of their favorite contemporary theatre makers to chat about. Erika talks about the amazing arc of Jeremy O. Harris, Justin gets nostaligic (and historical?!) while chatting about Alexander Sage Oyen, and the two break down Justin's recent reading of hjis new play, haters gonna hate. Oh, what a fun time!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justin's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Jeremy O. Harris's ConcordYell: A Documentary of My Time Here (condensed for n+1)Alexander Sage Oyen's WebsiteDiva: Live From HellIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

NEW NEW NEW EPISODE! It's "N"! Justin and Erika both talk about playwrights very new to them! Justin finds a great Irish-American playwright who does something new with updating a script, Erika looks into one of her favoirte plays as of recent, and the two of them talk about the greatest musical in history... No, No, Nanette!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Ronán Noone's New Play ExchangeRonán Noone's WebsiteNgozi Anyanwu's DramatistNgozi Anyanwu's TRWIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

You know it's gonna be a good Friday when it's a PLAYdough day! This week Justin and Erika get whimsical with their concept and create a fun adventure story about a young girl who who finds a rain cloud over her head according to her emotions. It's cute, fun, and all about a young Drew Barrymore! Also, Justin cries in the end so... enjoy!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Merry Morning to Many! It's "M"! Justin and Erika have the longest eisode in Play to Z history while they gush about some of their favorite art. Erika blows up her spot and jumps into a classic EK deep dive, Justin gives a peak into his tea-filled thesis, and the two nerd out about the release of a very exciting new play!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's plays, Community Garden and Cabin Chronicles, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Michael Cristofer's ConcordMichael Cristofer's DramatistRichard Wilbur's Dramatist (Infmaous Molière Translator)If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Love listing lovely theatre! It's "L"! Justin and Erika would by LYING if they said they weren't excited for 2024 of Play to Z, and this episode is no different! Justin talks about one of the most important realism playwirghts in the last twenty years (Tracy Letts), Erika finds one of the coolest underground playwrights you might have never heard of (M Sloth Levine), and the two of them talk about the dangers of axe throwing. It's a lavicious time with your favorite theatre libraians! SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Levine's WebsiteLevine's New Play ExchangeTracy Lett's ConcordShaunaturgy's InstagramIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

WE'RE BACK! After a holiday break full of interviews and grab-bags, Justin and Erika return to their roots with the letter, "K"! And it Kicks butt! Justin tells a heart-warming story, Erika tells a college story about her relationship with a certain tony award-winning play, and the two of them talk about how important the art is and the difficulty with sticking with it sometimes! It's KILLER to be back!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to out playwrights:Greg Kotis's WebsiteGreg Kotis's UrinetownStephen Karam's DramatistStephen Karam's WebsiteIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

IMMERSION THERAPY: The best husband in the world gives his wife the ultimate birthday present. Written by David MacGregor Directed by Jonathan Cook Performed by Devon McSherry as "Melissa", Jonathan Cook as "Doug", and Tommy Cooper as "Droppo the Clown" Intro/Outro music: JK/47 About the writer: David's plays have been performed from California to New York to London and Hobart, Tasmania. He is a resident artist at The Purple Rose Theatre (Chelsea, MI), which was founded in 1991 by actor and playwright Jeff Daniels. He has had nine plays produced there, and a revival of his 2008 dark comedy, "Vino Veritas," appeared in 2017 as The Purple Rose Theatre's 100th production. His trilogy of Sherlock Holmes plays, "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear" (2018), "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé" (2019), and "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Ghost Machine" (2022) all premiered at the Purple Rose, and are available for licensing through Theatrical Works Worldwide (TRW). His work has been published by Dramatic Publishing, Playscripts, Smith & Kraus, Applause, Heuer Publishing, and TRW. The film based on "Vino Veritas," which stars Carrie Preston (of "True Blood" and Emmy-winner for "The Good Wife"), won numerous festival accolades and is now available on various on-line platforms, as well as DVD and Blu-ray. His Icelandic romance "In the Land of Fire and Ice" was a 2016 Athena List winner, and is now in pre-production, with Emmy-winner and Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo attached. He teaches writing at Wayne State University in Detroit and is inordinately fond of cheese and terriers. His newest full-length play, the dark comedy "The Antichrist Cometh," will premiere at The Purple Rose Theatre in March 2024. Gather by the Ghost Light merch available at Home | Gather by the Ghost Light (bigcartel.com) 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 are associated with a theatre and would like to perform this play, please send an email to info@gatherbytheghostlight.com to get connected with the playwright. If you enjoy this podcast, please please please leave a rating on your preferred podcast app! Gather by the Ghost Light

Hello friends! This week, Erika and Justin chat about Justin's upcoming new play through his publisher Playscripts, Cabin Chronicles! Erika talks about the different styles of writing for a TYA audience, Justin talks about his horror inspirations, and both are super excited to see the play come out on shelves in the next few weeks!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!THE PLAY:Cabin Chronicles by Justin BorakIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Happy new year! This week, Erika and Justin do their first mailbag epsiode! They curated a bunch of questions from fans and friends on Instagram and answer them on the show! They talk abou their dream roles, their hopes for the future of theatre and their lives, and they, of course, make freaking goofs. Enjoy and we will see you next week for a fun episode before hopping back to the alphabet! SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Driving instructor Rose Dooley lives alone in rural Ireland, but in fact she's hardly ever alone.  The local residents call Rose any time they have a, shall we say, ghost problem. Which happens more often than you'd think. You see, Rose's father, the late ghost hunter Vincent Dooley, has imbued Rose with certain ‘talents' to divine and chat up ghosts that are giving people a hard time. That's when she's approached by one Martin Martin, a woodworker whose late wife has been making his life hell for the past several years, constantly berating him and his choices from beyond the grave. Martin's daughter Sarah is growing up and has ideas of her own.  At the same time, determined to sell his soul for a revived career, washed up American pop star Christian and his wife Claudia have been picking out virgins to sacrifice, and soon set their sights on Sarah Martin. It's up to Rose and Martin to foil the Winters' nefarious schemes, and to make sure it's "curtains for Christian." Intro, Math Club, Debate Society, Hot for Teacher (spoiler-free): 00:00-25:32Honor Roll and Detention (spoiler-heavy): 25:33-56:00Superlatives (spoiler-heavier): 56:01-1:14:13 Directors Mike Ahearn & Enda LoughmanScreenplay Mike Ahearn & Enda Loughman and Maeve Higgins & Demian Fox Featuring Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Emma Coleman, Risteard Cooper, Will Forte, Maeve Higgins, Claudia O'Doherty, Barry Ward Wendy MacLeod's play The House of Yes became an award-winning Miramax film starring Parker Posey, and was produced by many theaters including The Magic Theater, Soho Rep, The Washington Shakespeare Company, The Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin, and The Gate Theater in London. Her other works for the stage include Sin and Schoolgirl Figure, both of which premiered at The Goodman, Juvenilia and The Water Children, both of which premiered at Playwrights Horizons, and Things Being What They Are, which premiered at Seattle Repertory Theatre, had an extended run at Steppenwolf in Chicago, and was produced by The Road Theatre in LA. She was the first writer selected for The Writer's Room residency at the Arden Theater in Philadelphia, where she wrote Women in Jeopardy! which was selected for The Kilroys' List and premiered at GEVA. The Ballad of Bonnie Prince Chucky was commissioned by and produced at ACT's Young Conservatory in San Francisco. Her prose has appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney's, Salon, POETRY magazine, and on NPR's All Things Considered. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, she is the James E. Michael Playwright-in-Residence at Kenyon College. Her plays are available through Dramatists Play Service and at Playscripts.com. Our theme music is by Sir Cubworth, with embellishments by Edward Elgar.  Music from Extra Ordinary: “A Woman's Heart” by Eleanor McAvoy, performed by McAvoy and Mary Black. For more information on this film (including why the Professor chose it, on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), the pod, essays from your hosts, and other assorted bric-a-brac, visit our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠scareupod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe to this podcast via Apple or Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star rating. Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ group. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Happy Holiday's from Play to Z! We talk about cannibalism! Today, Justin and Erika wanted to give you a festive holiday playdough, but...you know...Justin and Erika can get distracted sometimes and yeah, they talked about a hyper-realstic family reunion the year after a canniballstic journey out west. A weird one but... HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Have a great 2023 and we will see you when we are back on January 5th! SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

SANTA DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE: Mom and Dad have never gotten around to telling Jeffrey that there's no Santa. He's 30, and he still believes. This Christmas the truth comes out about Santa, as well as a few other family secrets. Written by Patrick Gabridge Directed by Jonathan Cook Performed by Marian Thibodeau as "Mom", Krys Bailey as "Dad", and Michael Silvio Fortino as "Jeffrey". Intro/Outro music: JK/47 About the writer: Patrick Gabridge has been a Playwriting Fellow with the Huntington Theatre Company and with New Rep and have received fellowships from the Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. His short plays are published by Playscripts, Brooklyn Publishers, Heuer, Smith & Kraus, Stage Rights, and YouthPlays, and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world. He helped start Boston's Rhombus Playwrights writers' group, the Chameleon Stage theatre company in Denver, the Bare Bones Theatre company in New York, the publication Market InSight… for Playwrights, the on-line Playwrights' Submission Binge, and the New England New Play Alliance. He's currently the Eastern New England Regional Rep for the Dramatists Guild, a member of StageSource, and a past board member of the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund. He's the producing artistic director of Plays in Place, a company focused on creating new site-specific plays in partnership with cultural institutions and historic sites. Gather by the Ghost Light merch available at Home | Gather by the Ghost Light (bigcartel.com) 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 are associated with a theatre and would like to perform this play, please send an email to licensing@gatherbytheghostlight.com to get connected with the playwright. If you enjoy this podcast, please please please leave a rating on your preferred podcast app! Gather by the Ghost Light  

Just Justin here with Jumpin' Joints! It's "J"! And, also, Erika is here too but her name doesn't start with a "J" like Justin's so she didn't make it in the opening line of the description. Erika talks about one of her favorite playwrights of all time, Justin finds maybe the most Erika-coded playwright in exsistence, and Jen SIlverman fixes Erika's migraine. It's magical.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content! For any more information, check out Justin's website and Erika's website for more cool stuff!Links to our playwrights:Jen Silverman's ConcordJen Silverman's WebsiteJulia Izumi's ConcordJulia Izumi's WebsiteIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Time. To. Goof. SUPE STYLE. This week, Justin and Erika do a playdough in the world of THE BOYS! Justin creates some of the sillest heros, Erika brings some political satire to it, and both of them are two tired goofy little playwrights! Enjoy! Also, Justin is sick so... sorry if he sounds broken this week. SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Dipika Guha's dramedy is highlighted in this week's Shows You Should Know. Plus, Justin shares a quick history lesson in William Shakespeare as well as a few of his favorite Broadway pro shots.

Incoming information! It's "I"! This week, Justin and Erika have their longest episode ever full of theatre, art, and emotional chats! Justin chats about a playwright we have heard so very much about, Erika does the oppoisute and finds a brilliant new gem, and the two of them have a long banter session about Jonathan Larson and how they would measure their year. Enjoy the extra long episode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. You can also check out Justijn's new podcast, The Scene: Podcast, which features Erika on the pilot! Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:James Ijames's DramatistJames Ijames's WebsiteBread and Roses TheatrePussy Liberty - She's Diverse If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

BOOM! SURPRISE EPISODE! This week, Justin and Erika talk about Justin's new project, The Scene: Podcast! Erika is a guest on it sometimes, Justin talks about it's shorter length and it's quippy segments and two give you a taste for the upcoming segment on the new show, Playdate with Play to Z! Make sure you listen to the show anywhere you listen to podcasts! All the links are below! Also, HUGE SHOUTOUT to the team at The Scene and KJ! Can't wait to build this showSOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to The Scene: Podcast:Spotify Link!Apple Link!Youtube Link!The Scene's New Website!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Hey! Holy heck! It's "H"! This week, Justin and Erika dive face first into theatre nerdom (what's new)! Justin talks about one his favorite and one of the greatest contemporary jewish playwrights right now, Erika digs deep into one of the most important season two figures yet, and Erika and Justin pitch each other one-person show ideas! A helluva episode! HEAR it is (get it? "HEAR" instead of "HERE"? Cause its like a podcast- nevermind).SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Joshua Harmon's ConcordHeidi Schreck's ConcordWhat the Constitution Means to Me streaming on Amazon PrimeIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Get a Grip, Goobers! It's G! This week, Justin and Erika chat about some of their favorite playwrights that both happen to have a DOUBLE G name! Erika raves about the brilliant writer behind Becky Shaw, Justin chats about his favorite playwright he has found this year, and the two tired friends come up with the GREATEST ADAPTATION IDEA EVER. Seriously, someone tell us if you have seen Goblin Market. WE NEED TO KNOW.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Gracie Gardner's ConcordGracie Gardner's Methuen (Bloomsbury)Gina Gionfriddo's DramatistNYT Article on Gina and her Wendy Wasserstien InfluenceIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

It's time for a PLAYdough! Justin and Erika put their brains together for a spooky play idea on this week of halloween! Both of our co-host have adaptations on the brain, and end up getting PERFECT suggestions for a HIT of an adaptation. Enjoy our new play, nite nite potion coffin. SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

FRICK YOUR FREAKIN' FACES, FRIENDS! It's F! This week, Justin and Erika chat about some of their favorite playwrights of the contemporary time. Justin nerds out about one of the greatest playwrights for monolouge pulls (if your female presenting and within the ages of 20-40), Erika gives us a bio on a record-breaking playwright, and the two of them nerd out ofver a DANCE STYLE?! The EKR is really goofy this week. Freaking have fun! SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Larissa FastHorse's ConcordFor The People by Larissa FastHorse and Ty Defoe currently running at the Guthrie Theatre til 11/12.Halley Feiffer's ConcordHalley Feiffer's DramatistIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Explode your ears on this epsiode! It's E! Justin and Erika have a wonderful time talking about their favorite playwrights and theatre festivals! Justin gushes about one of his favorite weirdo playwrights, Erika finds a massive loophole in our structure, and the two talk about an infamous playwrights sad boy times (in seriousness, Eugene O'Neill's life was tragic but he is an absolutley brillant writer - read his stuff). Enjoy the episode!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Eugene O'Neill's ConcordEugene O'Neill's DramatistWill Eno's ConcordWill Eno's DramatistIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Dear, dear dawgos! It's D! Today, Justin and Erika read some of their favorite "D" playwrights! Justin cross-referncing Marvel, The Walking Dead, and a brilliant playwright, Erika makes the deepest of dives on Mr. Dietz, and the two of them goof hard for upwards of an hour! CLASSIC PLAY TO Z. Enjoy, our Darlings!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Steven Dietz's DramatistSteven Dietz's ConcordDanai Gurira's DramatistDanai Gurira's ConcordIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Welcome to the first PLAYdough of the season! This week, Justin and Erika come up with a play that involves corporate america, building buildingd, and large scissors. Justin makes the monolouge of his life, Erika takes a turn for horror, and the two have a blast making, The Science of Building Buildings.SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Acclaimed writer of stage and screen Jeffrey Hatcher stops by to discuss his adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Melissa recounts the spooky experience she had after seeing the show. In this episode, we discuss:How he was commissioned to adapt one of the most-adapted stories of all timeWhy he thinks adaptors should bring something new to the storyWhy Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde still intrigues and thrills us todayThe various times he was on set when A-list stars acted in the films he wrote!And more!Resources MentionedRead Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or see it in October 2023 Commonweal TheatreRead Dial M for Murder or see it at the Guthrie in 2024 About Our GuestJeffrey Hatcher's plays have been produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theaters in the United States and around the world.  His original plays and adaptations include Three Viewings, Scotland Road, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, A Picasso, The Government Inspector, The Alchemist, Scotland Road, The Turn of the Screw, Tuesdays with Morrie (with Mitch Albom), Mrs. Mannerly, Murderers, Cousin Bette, Smash, Dial M for Murder, Key Largo (with Andy Garcia), Holmes and Watson, A Confederacy of Dunces and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His film and television work include Stage Beauty, Casanova, The Duchess, Mr. Holmes, The Good Liar and episodes of Columbo and The Mentalist. He has won numerous grants, awards and fellowships.Jeffrey's Wikipedia PagePurchase Jeffrey's plays at Playscripts and Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Cheers, chums! It's C! This week, Erika and Justin talk about some of their favorite playwrights and have a BLAST doing it! Erika finally reads a reccomendation that mad eher heart sore, Justin nerds out about Chekhov like always, and Erika makes some insane musical theatre claims in the EKR! It's a great one!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Julia Cho's DramatistAnnie Baker's Uncle VanyaTracy Lett's Three SistersAaron Posner's Stupid F**king BirdIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

BOY OH BOY, WE BACK WITH A BANGER! It's B! This week Justin and Erika talk about some of their faovrite plays on a rare morning recoridng! Justin goes into one of his favorites, Erika reads a ton of Clare Barron writing and realizes they're kinda twins, and the two of them get excited for their upcoming trip to see Dobama Theatre's production of Bess Wohl's Make Believe! SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Clare Barron's ConcordBess Wohl's DramatistDobama Theatre's Production of Bess Wohl's Make Believe (running October 6-29, 2023)If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Playwright and parodist, Dean O'Carroll, sat in the Playwright's Spotlight this week. We discuss his origins as a playwright and the knowledge gained from a Bachelor's Degree in theatre to an MFA in playwriting and the differences from learning from lecture opposed to the practicalities of writing and the challenges he overcame including pushing through doubt. We touch on the process of writing farce and parody and the benefits of drawing from popular works, the risks of publishing before production, and whether or not it's possible to write a fool (actor) proof play. We also discuss publishers requesting changes, especially without permission, juggling and compartmentalizing multiple works, writing and collaborating for and with younger playwrights and opening doors, and how writing in other mediums benefits playwriting. Another wonderful and insightful learning experience. I hope you take something away from this episode.Dean O'Carroll is a playwright and parodist originally from Amherst, Massachusetts. His parody plays Back to the 80s: A Risky, Goonie, Breakfasty Tale of Totally Tubular Time Travel; Star Stars: The Franchise Awakens; Marvelous Squad: A Super-Heroic Tale with Avengeance; The Humor Games, and the Sally Cotter trilogy are published by Playscripts and have been staged by schools and theatres around the world. His online play Greek Gods Under Quarantine is published by YouthPLAYS. He has also written material for “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live and several children's books about DC Comics superheroes. He holds a BA in Drama from Vassar College and an MFA in Playwriting from Brandeis University. He was taught writing at Quinnipiac University, Simmons College, CUNY, Occidental College, and Widener University.To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below -https://youtu.be/yZ-7U65sy70Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Playscripts -https://www.playscripts.comYouthPLAYS -https://www.youthplays.comHeuer Publishing -https://www.hitplays.com/default.aspxPioneer Drama -https://www.pioneerdrama.comBrooklyn Publishing -https://www.brookpub.comEldridge Publishing -https://histage.com/Socials for Dean O'Carroll -IG - @deanocarrollplaysTwitter/X - @deanocarrollDB - fb.com/deanocarrollplaysWebsites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's SpotlightPunk Monkey Productions - www.punkmonkeyproductions.comPLAY Noir -www.playnoir.comPLAY Noir Anthology –www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.htmlJames Elden -Twitter - @jameseldensauerIG - @alakardrakeFB - fb.com/jameseldensauerPunk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                  - @playnoirla IG - @punkmonkeyprods       - @playnoir_la FB - fb.com/playnoir        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductionsPlaywright's Spotlight -Twitter - @wrightlightpod IG - @playwrights_spotlightPlaywriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festivalwww.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.htmlSupport the show

ALL Y'ALL, WE BACK! That's right, season two has begun and we're so happy you're here! And it's the letter - A! Justin gets to talk about Annie Baker, Erika dives into her thesis role with Alice Birch, and the two recount a recent wonderful trip to NYC to see Annie Baker's Infinite Life at Atlantic Theatre Company! Get ready, get set, SEASON TWO!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to the two playwrights we featured in this episode! You can find some of their plays in the links below. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Finally, you can check out Justin's YouTube channel for more longform theatre content!Links to our playwrights:Annie Baker's ConcordAnnie Baker's DramatistAnnie Baker's Infinite Life at Atlantic Theatre Company (now running to October 14th)Alice Birch's ConcordIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Methuen, NHB, Oberon, OH MY! It's the final Summer Stock(pile) of the summer and we are heading over the pond because Justin and Erika are talking about The Brits! Erika reads one of the best author note's in theatre history, Justin finds his new theatre obsession, and both of them conceptualize... what if a squirrel was an antiqueer? Put some sunscreen on and we close out this summer with a bang!SOME BUSINESS: Thank you to our friends at Publishing Companies that we spoke about today! If you wanna check some of them out, some will be linked in the descritipon below. If you want to support us, there are a few things you should know. Erika's play, Kill The Bird, can be found on her New Play Exchange and you can purchase and produce Justin's play, Community Garden, through his publisher, Playscripts. Also, we are so excited to say that Play to Z: Season 2 will release on September 15th! See ya then, playbees (playbes? Idk, but I like it)!Some British Publishers:MethuenNHBOberonIf you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn and Justin on TikTok for any news and notes on upcoming episodes and more theatre reccomendations!

Tom Dudzick is one of the few playwrights who makes a living at it. His first play, a Christmas tale called Greetings!, opened at New York's John Houseman Theatre and starred Darren McGavin and Greg Edelman. It is now a holiday favorite across the country and has had well over one hundred productions. His next play, Over the Tavern, the first in a semi- autobiographical trilogy, has over three hundred productions under its belt, with many box office records broken throughout the U.S. Tavern has recently spawned a holiday musical as well, entitled Christmas Over the Tavern. The Irish adaptation, Over the Pub, also broke the box office record at Cork Arts Theatre in Ireland. Tom has written eight plays to date, most published by Playscripts, Inc. He was recently honored with a memorial plaque embedded in front of his boyhood home in Buffalo. And an even greater honor – he was once a question on Jeopardy! 

http://lizduffyadams.com/Liz Duffy Adams' play Born With Teeth, recipient of a 2021 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and Best Play/Production, 2022 Houston Press Awards, had its world premiere at the Alley Theater in 2022, and moved to the Guthrie Theatre in March–April 2023.Her Or, premiered Off Broadway at WP Theater and has been produced some 80 times since, including at the Magic Theater, Seattle Rep, and Roundhouse Theatre. Her work has also premiered or been developed at Contemporary American Theater Festival, Humana Festival, Bay Area Theater Festival, Portland Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Greater Boston Theater Company, New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, Crowded Fire, Shotgun Players, and Cutting Ball, and includes Dog Act; The Salonnières; Dear Alien; A Discourse on Wonders of the Invisible World; Buccaneers; Wet or, Isabella the Pirate Queen Enters the Horse Latitude; The Listener; The Reckless Ruthless Brutal Charge of It or, The Train Play; and One Big Lie.She's a New Dramatists alumna and has received a Women of Achievement Award, Lillian Hellman Award, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Weston Playhouse Music-Theater Award, Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship, and the Will Glickman Award for Best New Play. Her Artistic Stamp virtual play in letters, Wild Thyme, was nominated for a 2021 Drama League Award for Outstanding Interactive or Socially-Distanced Theater.Publications include Or, in Smith & Kraus' “Best Plays Of 2010;” Dog Act in “Geek Theater,” Underwords Press 2014; Poodle With Guitar And Dark Glasses in Applause's “Best American Short Plays 2000-2001;” and acting editions by TRW Plays, Playscripts, Inc. and Dramatists Play Service. Adams' portrait appears in Sally Davies' collection, New Yorkers (Ammonite Press 2021).  Adams has an MFA from Yale School of Drama and a BFA from New York University, and was the 2012–2013 Briggs-Copeland Visiting Lecturer in Playwriting at Harvard University. She has dual Irish and American citizenship, and lives in New York City on land that once belonged to the Lanape, and in Western Massachusetts on unceded Pocumtuc and Nipmuc land.Now is a great time to act on your dreams! If this episode helped you, please share to a friend!https://www.instagram.com/HyphensHaven/http://www.dreamofdrea.com/Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/DreamofDréa

Melissa reconnects with playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer. They first met when Melissa interviewed her about her play, Be Here Now. Now we be here again to talk about one of Deb's (apparently many) stage adaptations, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, based of course on Chekhov's Three Sisters. In this episode, we discuss:Why Deborah set her adaptation in New JerseyWhich of Chekhov's 3 sisters we areWhat message Chekhov's plays have for us today How writers groups influence her writing processAnd more!Resources MentionedThe Three Sisters of Weehawken by Deborah Zoe LauferMelissa's first interviews with Deborah : The Be Here Now Interview, On Playwriting Pt. 1 & Pt. 2About Our GuestDeborah Zoe Laufer's plays have been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, Geva, The Humana Festival, Everyman, Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and hundreds of other theaters around the world. Plays include Be Here Now, End Days, Rooted, Informed Consent which was a NYTimes critic's pick, Leveling Up, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Sirens, Meta, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, Fortune, dozens of short plays, and the musicals, Window Treatment, and By Any Other Name, written with composer, Daniel Green. Deb is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the Lilly Award, The ATCA Steinberg citation, and grants and commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, The Edgerton Foundation, The National New Play Network, and the Lincoln Center Foundation. Her work has been developed by The Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Theatre Lab, PlayPenn, The Cherry Lane Alternative, The Missoula Colony, LOCAL Theatre, Asolo Rep, The Baltic Playwrights Conference, and more. Her plays are published or recorded by Concord/Samuel French, Smith and Kraus, Playscripts, LA Theatreworks, and Premieres. She is a graduate of Juilliard, an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical TConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

About This Episode Welcome to Stories Found Micro Monday -- take a super quick break with us to kickstart your week with a laugh. Today, we've got the one-minute play, Lying in a Pine Forest by Greg Romero About the Playwright / Storyteller Greg Romero is originally from Louisiana, Cajun blood on both sides. His plays, site-specific projects, and sound-art collaborations have been presented in performance spaces, found spaces, and through the airwaves of the United States as well as Switzerland, Canada, The United Kingdom, and Jamaica. Romero was selected as the first-ever ArtsEdge Resident, was one of three playwrights to inaugurate the Philadelphia Dramatists Center/Plays & Players Playwriting Residency, and was a pilot member of Hyde Park Theatre's Playwright's Group. He may be the only playwright to have presented a play in the bathrooms of Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Humana Festival of New Plays. He is an alum of the WordBRIDGE Playwrights Laboratory, The Last Frontier/Valdez Theater Conference, The William Inge Theater Festival, The Midwest Dramatists Conference, and his works are published by Heinemann Press, Next Stage Press, YouthPLAYS, and Playscripts. Romero received a BA in Liberal Arts from the Louisiana Scholars' College and an MFA in Playwriting from The University of Texas at Austin where he held the James A. Michener Fellowship. He is a member of ScriptWorks, The Dramatists Guild of America, and teaches at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, where he visits the alligators. He loves being outside. He would love for you to find more of his work at the New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/5432/greg-romero About the Cast Voice: Ellie McBride About the Crew Engineer: Lowell Bartholomee Featured Organization Lying in a Pine Forest  was originally written for a ScriptWorks fundraiser. ScriptWorks is an Austin based playwriting organization that offers programs to help playwrights in Austin and beyond. Visit them at ScriptWorks.org Let's be BFFs! Subscribe to our newsletter! storiesfound.substack.com Thanks for listening to Stories Found! We heart you. Want to chat about this episode? We're here for it! Email: hello@storiesfound.com Find us on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube! Want to be a featured guest in a future episode? Let's do it. Email: submissions@storiesfound.com Stories Found was recorded at ELA Studios, deep in the heart of Austin, Texas.

Get going on gaining the grasp of today's episode! We are doing "G"! Justin talks all about Playscripts and theatre for high schoolers, the two chat about one of their current favorite musicals, and then Erika decides to destroy Justin's brain. Oh gosh, this one is gory. Our small theatre shout out is Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN! Follow them on instagram @gevatheatre and @guthrietheatre!Special thanks to Broadway Licensing for being a script supplier of the show and U92 for being our recording headquarters!If you like the show, feel free to subscribe and give us a five star review! Also, follow us on instagram @justinborak and @actualerikakuhn for any news and notes on upcoming episodes!

Jason Pizzarello is a Connecticut-based playwright and co-founder of Stage Partners, a digital licensing house for new plays (yourstagepartners.com). He is currently developing his plays Lost Near Daytona, Found (Semi-finalist, Arts in the Armed Forces Bridge Award) with The Tank /dir. Meghan Finn, and his outdoor immersive children's play Off the Trail (grant recipient, Frances R. Dewing Foundation) with CT's Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Other plays include: Bethel Park Falls (Everyday Inferno Theatre Company/NYC Central Park, published with Playscripts); After People Like You (Blue Riders at Classic Stage; Finalist, AITAF). He has also developed his writing with Soho Rep Writer/ Director Lab, Irondale Ensemble, Fordham Alumni Theatre Company, HERE Arts Center, The Flea Theater's Pataphysics, New Group's Playwriting Workshop, and the Veterans Writing Workshop. Over thirty of his plays for young actors are published and have been performed over 3,000 times in all 50 states and in over 25 countries, including a Norwegian and Bengali translation. When he's not writing, he proudly serves as a logistics officer with the New York Army National Guard, and is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan/ Operation Enduring Freedom. Jason's military-themed drama BRAT won VetRep's inaugural full-length playwriting competition. BRAT is the story of a mother and son - both veterans of the forever war in Afghanistan - as they struggle to reintegrate into the civilian world and mend their broken relationship. Jake signed up to follow in his mother's footsteps, but doesn't get what he expected when he returns home to confront everything, and everyone, that's been waiting for him. Our judges said the following about BRAT: "Mysterious, emotionally sound, haunting — it's also clearly a very personal piece. The language is lean and spare, the opening is terrific, and the last scene is gripping." Follow Jason https://www.instagram.com/jasonpizz/ (here) https://www.yourstagepartners.com/ (Stage Partners website)

 Manil Mishra is an actor, known for Dreamz: The Movie (2013), Rasbhari (2019) and Fukrey Returns (2017)https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5843161/Support the show

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/a8lqwXTrY6g JOHN PIELMEIER began his career as an actor, working at Actors Theater of Louisville, the Guthrie Theater, Milwaukee Rep, Alaska Rep, Baltimore's Center Stage, and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights' Conference. It was at the O'Neill that his play Agnes of God was first staged. A co-winner of the Great American Play contest, Agnes premiered professionally at Actors Theater of Louisville, which production was followed by several regional productions and a seventeen month run on Broadway. His other plays include Voices in the Dark, produced on Broadway and winner of the 1999 Edgar Award for Best Play (published by Broadway Play Publishing); Haunted Lives, a collection of one-acts published by Dramatists Play Service; Courage, a one-man show about J.M. Barrie, produced at the Lambs' Theatre off-Broadway, published by Playscripts, Inc. and filmed for public television; The Boys of Winter, produced on Broadway and published by Playscripts, Inc.; Sleight of Hand, produced on Broadway; Jass, presented at the O'Neill Playwrights' Conference and workshopped at the New Harmony Project; Impassioned Embraces, a collection of short plays and monologues, published by Dramatists Play Service; Steeplechase the Funny Place, a musical (with music and lyrics by Matty Selman) workshopped at the New Harmony Project; Young Rube, a musical (also with Mr. Selman), workshopped at the Gathering at Bigfork in Bigfork, Montana and first produced at the Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis; Willi, a one-man show based on the speeches of mountaineer Willi Unsoeld, which premiered (and was performed by the author) at A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle (breaking box office records); The Classics Professor, workshopped at The Gathering at Bigfork and at CAP21, New York City.

Playwright Sarah Tuft is the author of “110 STORIES”, a moment-by-moment journey through 9/11 as told by eyewitnesses, survivors, and recovery workers. Sarah shares heartbreaking and inspiring accounts from her play and explains why the show's message of compassion still resonates 20 years later. The play is published by Playscripts and can be found at http://www.playscripts.com/play/2487

Kevin Connors has been a professional musical theatre composer and director for more than 40 years. Off-Broadway: PLAY LIKE A WINNER (NYMF award-winner 2016 and 2017), PRIME TIME PROPHET, JUKEBOX SATURDAY NIGHT, THE ABANDONED LOVES OF FREDERICK R., LIFE ANONYMOUS, LOVER: THE VALENTINO MUSICAL, BABES OFF BROADWAY, SALOON AND SUZY Q. Selected regional productions: THE FANTASTICKS, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY, BABES IN TOYLAND, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, BABY; with such stars as Joan Rivers, Joanna Gleason, James Naughton, Skitch Henderson, and Johnny Mathis. Co-founder Music Theatre of Connecticut in 1987 where he still serves as Executive Artistic Director. He has directed over 100 MTC Equity MainStage productions including NEXT TO NORMAL, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, JEKYLL & HYDE, CABARET, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, EVITA, DOUBT, MASTER CLASS, GYPSY, (all Connecticut Critics' Circle Award Nominations/Winners), and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY (Moss Hart Award Winner). 2019 BroadwayWorld Award Winner as Best Director for MTC's CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and 2020 Connecticut Critics' Circle Award Winner Best Director for MTC's RAGTIME. As a composer he has penned the score for numerous musicals including IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY and A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A LIVE RADIO PLAY (both published by Playscripts, Inc.). He is a ten-time Connecticut Critics' Circle Best Director nominee/winner, the recipient of the Tom Killen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Connecticut Professional Theatre, and served on the faculties of The Hartt School of Music/University of Hartford, Sacred Heart University, the University of Bridgeport and Musical Theatre Works in NYC.

In episode 20 host Luisa Lyons chats with Broadway on Demand CEO and President Sean Cercone. Topics include theatre on public TV being a gateway to live theatre, how being a good son-in-law led to the creation of Broadway on Demand, how streaming can help authors and help shows build their brand, sport as a model for live-streaming, the importance of a theatre archive, and much more!Sean Cercone is the CEO and President of Broadway Licensing and its family of companies, which includes Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, Stageworks Productions, and Broadway on Demand. Together, these companies represent the world’s first 360º theatrical development, producing, publishing, and digital and traditional distribution outfit.Between Broadway Licensing (musicals), Dramatists Play Service (non-musical plays), and Playscripts (educational productions), Cercone oversees the licensing of nearly 24,000 productions each year, working with more than 2,800 authors and managing over 6,725 titles. Stageworks Productions is dedicated to the development, production, and distribution of innovative live theatrical properties, focusing on cultivating stories that speak to the universal truths of humanity. Broadway On Demand, launched in 2020, is the industry’s premiere entertainment streaming platform offering exclusive livestream theatrical events, a wide-ranging library of video on demand content, interactive engagements, and educational programming.  In addition, Cercone created a unique licensing interface, ShowShareTM, which provides student, amateur, and professional productions the opportunity to stream their productions for global audiences. ShowShareTM proved instrumental in ensuring thousands of shows could go on even when the pandemic forced the cancellation of live performances around the world. Broadway On Demand has been honored with the 2021 Corporate Award by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT).https://www.broadwayondemand.com/ https://broadwaylicensing.com/https://www.dramatists.com/https://www.playscripts.com/https://stageworksproduction.com/Filmed Live Musicals is the most comprehensive online searchable database for musicals that have been filmed live on stage. Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to content, no matter how much you pledge. Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons. Luisa is an Australian actor, writer, and musician. She holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

RUTH MARGRAFF has been called a leader in the American avant garde for her “audaciously original" (Moscow Times) writing that provides “layer after layer of richly textured emotion...and imminent danger” (Dallas Morning News). Critically acclaimed for martial arts operas DEADLY SHE-WOLF and a VOICE OF THE DRAGON trilogy with the late composer Fred Ho for the Apollo, Guggenheim Museum, LaMama, Brooklyn Academy of Music and a commercial tour with Columbia Arts Management, Inc. Ruth’s "Night Wind from Afghanistan" for the play SEVEN, began touring the world in 2008 introduced by designer Diane von Furstenberg, and in 2010 by Hillary Clinton with Meryl Streep at the Broadway Hudson Theater, translated into more than 20 languages and performed in 32 countries. Ruth has received awards from Rockefeller, McKnight, Jerome, NEA, TCG, TMUNY, NYSCA, IAC, Fulbright foundations, and is also published by Innova Records, Dramatists Play Service, American Theatre, Theater Forum, Performing Arts Journal, Playscripts, Inc., Backstage Books, Autonomedia, New Village Press, NoPassport Press, Lexington Books/Roman & Littlefield. She is a member of Theater Without Borders, Red Tape Theater, a New Dramatist and Playwrights’ Center alumna, Chicago Dramatist playwright emeritus, and Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. www.RuthMargraff.com +++++ Learn more about our sponsor, PTSD911 Documentary at www.ptsd911movie.com Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast to not miss an episode. Music for today's show was provided by Drew Davidsen. Download all his music on iTunes or on Spotify, or visit www.drewdavidsen.com The My Story Podcast is a production of ConjoStudios, LLC. Copyright ©2021 ConjoStudios, LLC - All Rights Reserved.  

Adam Szymkowicz, playwright, stopped by to talk with Padraic at the SETC. Adam's work has been presented or developed at such places as Portland Center Stage, MCC Theater, Ars Nova, South Coast Rep, Playwrights Horizons, LCT3, LAByrinth Theater Company, The Lark, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Primary Stages and The New Group, among others. Published plays include Deflowering Waldo, Pretty Theft, Food For Fish, Hearts Like Fists, Incendiary, Clown Bar, The Why Overhead, Adventures of Super Margaret, 7 Ways To Say I Love You, Rare Birds, Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Kodachrome, Mercy and Nerve. His plays are published by Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Playscripts, Broadway Play Publishing, Original Works Publishing, and featured in New York Theatre Review, the Dionysian, NYTE's Cino Nights, Geek Theater, and numerous Smith and Kraus books. He's the Playwrights Program Manager at The Juilliard School. Adam has interviewed over 1000 playwrights on his blog.