Podcast appearances and mentions of Raymond O Caldwell

Imagine a place that dares to speak truths many are afraid to say. A place that celebrates communities too often forgotten and tells the stories rarely heard.  Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director, and Johannah Maynard Edwards, Managing Director, of The Fountain Theatre — a nonprofit performing arts organization in Hollywood, California, that has been producing bold, socially conscious theater for 35 years. Raymond and Johannah share how they found each other through what Johannah calls a "cosmic poof," how they're navigating the transition from the theater's founding leadership into a new generation, and why they believe cultural institutions must serve as places to practice humanity in a post-pandemic world. From the Living Ticket model that removes price barriers to community dramaturgy that develops new plays inside faith communities and neighborhoods across Los Angeles, this conversation is a masterclass in mission-driven, human-centered arts leadership. Founded in 1990 by Deborah Culver and Stephen Sachs, The Fountain Theatre was created as a creative home for artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. Its mission is to develop and present bold new plays and unique interpretations of established works that reflect the cultural richness and social issues of contemporary Los Angeles and the nation. The Fountain Theatre has built a reputation over more than three decades for producing thought-provoking performances and supporting voices that may not always be heard on traditional stages. The organization is also known for presenting flamenco performances and running educational outreach programs that connect young people and communities to the arts. Johannah Maynard Edwards, Managing Director Prior to joining The Fountain, Johannah served as Executive Artistic Director of the National Women's Theater Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she produced, directed, and championed hundreds of productions by artists of underrepresented genders. A nationally recognized leader in arts accessibility, Johannah received the Kennedy Center's LEAD Award for Emerging Leaders and is Chief Ambassador for PAAL, the Parent Artist Advocacy League. She is passionate about developing new sociopolitical work and fostering equitable, inclusive spaces for artists and audiences alike. Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director Prior to The Fountain, Raymond was the Artistic Director at Washington DC's Theater Alliance for six seasons, where he directed, developed, and produced socially conscious, thought-provoking programming that transformed the region and had a global impact. Under his leadership, Theater Alliance was chosen to lead an American Arts Envoy with the U.S. Department of State. He devised and directed new work with 23 artists and activists from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and the United States exploring what inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility mean on the global stage. Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Harvard University's Department of Theater Arts, holds an MFA in Acting and New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida. Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff is the host of Small and Gutsy, a podcast spotlighting nonprofits and social enterprises with budgets under $10 million. Small and Gutsy has been ranked number 8 on Feedspot's Top 30 Social Impact Podcasts and number 3 and number 9 by Million Podcasts for the Top 30 Volunteer Podcasts and Youth Empowerment episodes, respectively. - The founding mission of The Fountain Theatre and its 35-year history of producing socially conscious work - How Raymond and Johannah found each other and transitioned into leadership from the theater's founders - Raymond's personal journey from Germany to the U.S., from actor to artistic director, and the mentor who told him "Don't wait for someone to give you a story — go make your own" - Johannah founded her first nonprofit at age 19 at NYU and her philosophy of not waiting for gatekeepers to open the gate - The creation of "Poetry for the People," a play about poet and activist June Jordan, developed over three years and three iterations with playwright Adrienne Torf - How The Fountain Theatre responds to the cultural moment with every production — from the LA fires to ICE enforcement to the situation in Iran - The pandemic of loneliness and the role of cultural institutions as places to practice humanity - Audience cultivation and the challenge of building new, multigenerational audiences in a distracted digital age - Community dramaturgy — developing new plays inside faith communities and neighborhoods across Los Angeles - The Living Ticket model — transparent pricing that trusts audiences to name what they can pay - The Fountain Voices summer education program connects young people with volunteerism, civic engagement, and playwriting - The expansion into flamenco and classical Indian dance programming - Storytelling as a tool for community building - Emergent strategy and the philosophy of critical connection over critical mass - Moving at the pace of humanity as a leadership philosophy - The reveal that The Fountain Theatre operates with a staff of five HOW TO FIND THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE Website: FountainTheatre.com Follow The Fountain Theatre on social media for upcoming productions, events, and community programming. HOW TO CONNECT WITH SMALL & GUTSY Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way.

On the latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper, we welcomed on the co-devisor/director Raymond O. Caldwell and the co-devisor Adrienne Torf, to talk about their latest production of Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience. This was a lovely conversation about a beautiful show that should not be missed. So make sure you tune in and turn up for this fabulous work!Poetry for the People: The June Jordan ExperienceNow- March 29thThe Fountain Theatre (Los Angeles, CA) Tickets and more information are available at fountaintheatre.com Streaming Live on February 24th. To purchase tickets visit thefreight.com And be sure to follow our guests to stay up to date on all their upcoming projects and productions: fountaintheatre.com@fountaintheatreraymondocaldwell.comadriennetorf.com @raymondocaldwell@adriennetorf

Raymond O. Caldwell is the Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. Now living in Los Angeles, Caldwell has spent the last 16 years in Washington, DC as a director, writer, producer, and educator. Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts. He was part of the National Arts Strategy Executive Leadership group at Harvard, holds an MFA in Acting/New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida. On this podcast he speaks on the intersection of art and social justice and his latest production: Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experiencehttps://www.fountaintheatre.com/ https://www.instagram.com/diprimaradio/?hl=enkbla1580

Raymond O. Caldwell is the Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. Now living in Los Angeles, Caldwell has spent the last 16 years in Washington, DC as a director, writer, producer, and educator. Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts. He was part of the National Arts Strategy Executive Leadership group at Harvard, holds an MFA in Acting/New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida. On this podcast he speaks on the intersection of art and social justice and his latest production: Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience https://www.fountaintheatre.com/ https://www.instagram.com/diprimaradio/?hl=enkbla1580

This Monday February 9th on KPFA Radio's Women's Magazine Kate Raphael talks with Arlene Eisen about her new memoir In the Worldwide Family of Militant Women. Arlene has been a militant in the struggle against imperialism and white supremacy since the 1960s—first as a protester facing tear gas and later as a teacher and writer. She edited the newspaper called The Movement, and was a leading voice in the anti-imperialist women's movement of the 1970s. At various times as she raised her two sons mostly as a single parent, she was a lecturer in sociology and women's studies, a machinist, a journalist and public health expert. During the first ten years of her children's lives, she was on welfare. In 2012 Arlene Eisen authored the groundbreaking study, Operation Ghetto Storm, published by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, which revealed that an unarmed Black person is killed by an agent of the state every 28 hours in the united states. In the Worldwide Family of Militant Women traces Arlene's journey from New York to Berkeley to Vietnam, China, Cuba, and back to San Francisco. She narrates her deep involvement in the Black Freedom struggle, the sixties counterculture, the movements to stop the Vietnam War, to support anti-imperialist struggles from Iran to Puerto Rico people, and the growing importance of feminism in helping her make sense of her own life. In the Worldwide Family of Militant Women is available from Iskra Books. And in the second half of the show Lisa Dettmer talks to composer and Musician Adrienne Torf. Adrienne Torf and her collaborator Raymond O Caldwell have produced an intimate portrait of well known local legendary black feminist and activist scholar, teacher and poet June Jordan by combining her words of fierce commitment to justice and self determination for all people with music and movement. The show, “Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience” is being performed in Berkeley for one night only on February 24th at the Freight and Salvage. This show is performed by six actors from the Fountain Theatre, Los Angeles production and Jordan's collaborator and partner, composer/pianist Adrienne Torf. the show features Jordan's poetry, interviews, and other writing, along with her work set to music by Torf, John Adams, and Bernice Johnson Reagon. “Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience” was honored with the Theater Washington Helen Hayes Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play in 2023. This performance on Tuesday February 24th at the Freight and Salvage will be the only one outside of Los Angeles this year. *Premium tickets include admission to a post-show reception with the cast and sponsors. The post Arlene Eisen memoir on Militant Women and Adrienne Torf on June Jordan show appeared first on KPFA.

Send us a textPlaywright, pianist, and composer along with her collaborator Raymond O. Caldwell who is a director, producer, and artistic director of The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, stopped by the studio to discuss their latest project - Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience. While our conversation did have a few technical setbacks, we were able to get back on track about their budding relationship, Adrienne's personal and collaborative relationship with June, building the team that would encapsulate the life and poetry of June as well as her importance to society and her concept of the "rings of connection." We unpack the process of combining conflicting visions in collaboration, the importance of trust and sharing a vision, and centering on the work. We also discuss introducing new elements durning the last few weeks of rehearsal, the evolution of different iterations, surprise revelations, unconventional storytelling, creating a through line from unconnected sources, and the secret to smooth transitions. It's wonderful back-and-forth that becomes a little silly at the end, but the whole conversation is insightful and entertaining. Enjoy!For tickets to Poetry for the People at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles from January 27th through March 29th, visit - https://www.fountaintheatre.com/events/poetry-for-the-peopleAdrienne Torf, is a playwright, pianist, and composer. In 2022, Adrienne co-devised the theater piece Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience with Raymond O. Caldwell at Theater Alliance in Washington DC. The show was awarded the 2023 Helen Hayes Theater Washington Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical Adaptation and enjoyed a second run in 2024. It is slated to run at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles in early 2026.Also set for production in 2026 is For Women Serving Time, an extended poem/opera for which she composed the score, with text by Fatemeh Keshavarz, produced by IN Series Opera in Washington, DC. Her community-collaboration performance piece The Awesome Difficult Work of Love, which was produced in Madison WI (2008), San Francisco (2012) and Sedona, AZ (2022), and will be produced in Flint, MI in Spring, 2026.Raymond O. Caldwell has written and adapted new works for Theater Alliance and the Kennedy Center, including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks from the book by 2024 MacArthur recipient Jason Reynolds. Prior to joining the Fountain Theatre he was the artistic director at Theater Alliance for six seasons where he directed, developed, and produced. He expanded the company's digital footprint during the pandemic, developing, directing, and producing new works from emerging local artists.Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -www.fountaintheatre.comSocials for Adrienne Torf and Raymond O. Caldwell -www.adriennetorf.comIG - @adriennetorf FB - https://www.facebook.com/adriennetorfwww.raymondocaldwell.comIG - @raymondocaldwellFB -  https://www.facebook.com/raymondocaldwellWebsites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Production,s 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 Playwright's Spotlight -Twitter - @wrightlightpod IG - @playwrights_spotlightSupport the show

Raymond O. Caldwell (director)(he/him) (POST SEPTEMBER 16TH) *** STILL TO DOGerardo Navarro (actor) (he/him)Noe (HO-AY) Cervantes (actor) (he/him)The Fountain Theatre PresentsFly Me To The SunNow- October 12th@ The Fountain Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)Tickets and more information are available at fountaintheatre.com fountaintheatre.com@fountaintheatreraymondocaldwell.com@raymondocaldwell@gerardojrnavarro@no_eh.saul.cervantesFor the latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper, we welcomed on the director Raymond O. Caldwell, and actors Gerardo Navarro and Noe Cervantes, to talk about their latest show, Fly Me To The Sun. This brilliant work is another wonderful production from the amazing Fountain Theatre, and this is no exception to the high level of work they are doing. So make sure that you tune in and get your tickets today!The Fountain Theatre PresentsFly Me To The SunNow- October 12th@ The Fountain Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)Tickets and more information are available at fountaintheatre.com And be sure to follow our guests to stay up to date on all their upcoming projects and productions: Fountain Theatre: fountaintheatre.com and @fountaintheatreRaymond: raymondocaldwell.com and @raymondocaldwellGerardo: @gerardojrnavarroNoe: @no_eh.saul.cervantes

We close our Midday on the Arts program today with our weekly visit from Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck. She joins Tom with her review of The Thanksgiving Play,a new production of Native American playwright and MacArthur fellow Larissa Fasthorse's popular seasonal satire about cultural myths and "white wokeness," now at the Olney Theatre Center. Raymond O. Caldwell directs the wickedly funny play — the most-produced comedy of 2019 — with a cast that includes Parker Drown, Megan Graves, David Schlumpf and Dani Stoller. The Thanksgiving Play continues as a live and streaming performance at Olney Theatre Centre through October 31st. For ticketing information, click here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raymond O. Caldwell recently stepped into the role of Producing Artistic Director at Theater Alliance-the resident company of the Anacostia Playhouse. Theater Alliance is a small company that produces socially-conscious and thought-provoking work that aims to lead its audience toward positive constructive dialogue. It also happens to be terrific theater—nominated for five Helen Hayes Awards in this season alone. In today's podcast, Raymond Caldwell talks about what it takes to create good, meaningful theater that speaks both to the neighborhood and the larger DC community. He also takes us on a journey through his own experiences as an actor and director who has worked in locations from India to Kiev to Berlin...and how those experiences inform his work at Theater Alliance.

Raymond O. Caldwell recently stepped into the role of Producing Artistic Director at Theater Alliance-the resident company of the Anacostia Playhouse. Theater Alliance is a small company that produces socially-conscious and thought-provoking work that aims to lead its audience toward positive constructive dialogue. It also happens to be terrific theater—nominated for five Helen Hayes Awards in this season alone. In today’s podcast, Raymond Caldwell talks about what it takes to create good, meaningful theater that speaks both to the neighborhood and the larger DC community. He also takes us on a journey through his own experiences as an actor and director who has worked in locations from India to Kiev to Berlin...and how those experiences inform his work at Theater Alliance.

Raymond O. Caldwell recently stepped into the role of Producing Artistic Director at Theater Alliance-the resident company of the Anacostia Playhouse. Theater Alliance is a small company that produces socially-conscious and thought-provoking work that aims to lead its audience toward positive constructive dialogue. It also happens to be terrific theater—nominated for five Helen Hayes Awards in this season alone. In today’s podcast, Raymond Caldwell talks about what it takes to create good, meaningful theater that speaks both to the neighborhood and the larger DC community. He also takes us on a journey through his own experiences as an actor and director who has worked in locations from India to Kiev to Berlin...and how those experiences inform his work at Theater Alliance.