Podcasts about theatricum botanicum

Send us a textAfter high praise from Ellen Geer a few episodes, we were able to get Jennie Webb to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight and share her experiences as a playwright, dramaturg, and overseer of workshops. We explored her transition from acting into playwriting, her assistance in developing new works from "living voices", the benefits of asking questions, knowing the origin of a moment and earning it as pushing boundaries and whether or not there is a formula for playwriting. We also touch on her love of language, her process, submitting to outside markets especially oversees, defining success and accepting rejection, giving oneself parameters, and the benefits of going for a walk. Another episode chock of great advice and insight. We had a lot of fun. Enjoy.Jennie Webb is an LA-based playwright and dramaturg having created and ran the new play development program, Seedlings, at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum and co-creating EST/LA's Ignite Project. Her work includes “Yard Sale Signs,” “Smiling Cat Candy Heart,” "On Tuesday," "It's Not About Race," “Rebecca on the Bus,” “Brand New Script” and "Buying a House". National recognition include Finalist for O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Gulfshore Playhouse, and City Theatre Short Play Festival as well as Semi-Finalist for the O'Neill Playwrights Conference, PlayPenn, Athena Project,  and Trustus Theatre Festival. She is the recipient of Max K. Lerner Playwriting Fellowships and a Women in Theatre Red Carpet Award and is a member of the Playwrights Union, EST/LA, Honor Roll!, Dramatists Guild. She is also co-founder of LA Female Playwrights Initiative.For information for Jennie's reading of Wound Care on October 18th, visit -https://www.companyofangels.org/new-works-fest-rsvp-1To watch the video format of this episode, visit -https://youtu.be/l0z5Yj3qqDgLinks to resources mentioned in this episode -O'Neill Playwrights Conference -https://www.theoneill.org/npcPlay Penn -https://www.playpenn.orgWill Geer Theatricum Botanicum -https://theatricum.comEST/LA -https://www.estlosangeles.orgLA Female Playwrights Initiative -https://lafpi.comPlaywrights Union -https://playwrightsunion.comActors Gang -https://theactorsgang.comHollywood Fringe -https://www.hollywoodfringe.orgWebsite and Socials for Jennie Webb -www.jenniewebbsite.comIG - @jenniewebbsiteFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/jenniewebbsiteX/Twitter - @jenniewebbsiteWebsites 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

Send us a Text Message.Actor, director, producer, playwright, and artistic director since 1978 of the famous Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, Ellen Geer stopped by to talk about the history of the Theatricum, growing up in a blacklisted family, and how playwriting helps heal societal wounds. Ellen shares her transition into playwriting, her approach to revising Shakespeare to the female characters' point of view and how it changes the story, the learning curve of a self-taught playwright, and the importance of ending a days work of writing on a high note. She also delves into the important lessons of playwriting, the use of technology, struggles and confidence, and her view of "gatekeepers" and staging your own work, especially when it could be considered a controversial piece. It's a charming conversation and the second episode where my camera shut down in the middle of the interview, so I apologize for the brief interruption. In the end, it was a pleasure to sit and share with an important and prominent influence in the Los Angeles theatrical community. Enjoy!For tickets to the current running production of Wendy's Peter Pan at the Theatricum Botanicum, visit - https://www.todaytix.com/los-angeles/shows/41175-wendys-peter-panEllen Geer is a playwright, actress, producer, and director and has been the artistic director of Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum since 1978, where she helped the theater develop from a Sunday afternoon workshop performing Shakespeare to a professional repertory theater company with a negotiated Actors Equity Contract. She has produced and directed well over 100 Theatricum productions, including plays by Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Chekhov and Thornton Wilder and many of her own plays and adaptations have been performed at Theatricum as well, including this season's Wendy's Peter Pan and last season's Queen Margaret's Version of Shakespeare's War of the Roses; Trouble the Water; An Enemy of the People; TOM (adapted from the novel “Uncle Tom's Cabin”); Merlin: The Untold Story; Dracula; A Dark Cloud Came; and Dory, A Musical Portrait. To watch the video format of this episode, visit -https://youtu.be/F5nDOG__jr4Website and Socials for Ellen Geer and Theatricum Botanicum -Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum -https://theatricum.comTheatricum's Socials -Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheatricumIG - https://www.instagram.com/theatricum_botanicum/X - @theatricumEllen Geer Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ellen.geer.3Websites 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.

Michael Shaw Fisher is an actor, producer and writer of musicals, films, and novels in Los Angeles. His original musical DOCTOR NYMPHO VS THE SEX ZOMBIES won Best Musical at the Hollywood Fringe in 2018. His show SKULLDUGGERY: THE MUSICAL PREQUEL TO HAMLET premiered at Sacred Fools Theatre Company in 2016 and earned him an Ovation Award for Best Lyrics and Music. His solo show, SHAKESPEARE'S LAST NIGHT OUT won an Ovation Award for “Best Book of an Original Musical” after winning “Top of Fringe” at the Hollywood Fringe 2015 and "Best Solo Show.” As Artistic Director of Orgasmico Theatre Company, Michael penned and performed in the Ovation-nominated DOOMSDAY CABARET (2012), Best Fringe Musical-winning EXORCISTIC: THE ROCK MUSICAL PARODY EXPERIMENT (2013) and THE WEREWOLVES OF HOLLYWOOD BLVD. (2014). As an actor he has appeared in the Ovation nominated and Top of Fringe-winning SHAKESLESQUE with Cherry Poppins. He's also appeared in Ben Moroski's TILT also appeared in Theatricum Botanicum's RICHARD III and ROSE COTTAGES in 2011. Michael has performed a variety of other plays as well as written, produced and directed others. He has a passion for storytelling in all forms and can't wait to bring more exciting and original theatre projects to life in Hollywood. He is in love with his wife and son.  Exorcistic: The Unauthorized Rock Musical Parody of The Exorcist is the must-see rock musical experience of 2023. Come celebrate "the scariest film of all time" with a demon-themed drink, clutch your crucifixes tight and say your prayers. Your Salvation may depend on it!

Karen Bass's plan to get unhoused Angelenos into housing has made little progress with in its first six months. An O.C. judge says Fullerton can't enforce an RV parking ban on city streets. The Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon turns 50. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating now at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.Support the show: https://laist.com

A once-blacklisted Hollywood star created a magical theater in Topanga Canyon, California, that still endures and inspires today.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/theatricum-botanicum

   This week's Song To Chew, 'HOME WHERE THE HEART IS', opens the musical stage play I wrote with Ellen Geer, “Pie In The Sky", which  ran as part of our 1987 theater season at the Theatricum Botanicum. It takes place in a small American town that has its own nuclear reactor. The kids of the town want to get rid of it because it's creating health problems, but the grown-ups are slow to respond.  It's based on the fable of the Pied Piper who rid Hamlin Town of it's plague of rats by playing his magical flute. When the townspeople refuse to pay him, he charms their children and leads them away dancing and singing out of town never to be seen again.  The lesson that 'it doesn't pay to be greedy and dishonest', and that 'owning lots of things cannot bring happiness or love', seems to be one we need to learn over and over again.  In today's American culture, our capitalism requires constant, unsustainable growth, and sustainable-indigenous models of 'having enough' is something that most of us do not foster.  We need homes that are safe places for us to explore options, make mistakes and re-group, and where we give and receive support because we value each other more than we value our belongings. ~ Listen & subscribe to Songs To Chew anywhere you get podcasts, or https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peter-alsop-s-songs-to-chew/id1446179156 ~ CAMPING WITH DADS = https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Dads-Peter-Alsop/dp/B08CS871QW/ref=sr_1_1 ~ www.FaceBook.com/WeLikePeterAlsop ~ www.Youtube.com/peteralsop  = videos ~ www.Patreon.com/peteralsop  = support my music & other artistic endeavors ~ www.peteralsop.com/music  = CDs & downloads

TVC 600.6: Via remote from The Hollywood Museum: More highlights of our coverage of the special event, held last month at the Hollywood Museum, that celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of The Waltons (CBS, 1972-1981) and the launch of the new Waltons event. This segment includes Ed's exclusive interview with actress Ellen Geer, the daughter of Will Geer (“Grandpa Walton”) and the artistic director of Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum, plus a clip from the special roundtable discussion, moderated by Leonard Maltin, in which cast members Michael Learned and Richard Thomas reminisce about Will Geer. The Waltons Exhibit is now on display at The Hollywood Museum and features original costumes from the series, props from the set, landmark scripts, cast-loaned collectables (including the Emmy Awards that Michael Learned won for her performance as Olivia Walton and the dress that Mary McDonough wore in the episode in which Erin Walton got married), the typewriter that Waltons creator Earl Hamner used when he wrote scripts for the series, and more. For tickets and more information, TheHollywoodMuseum.com Want to advertise/sponsor our show? TV Confidential has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle advertising/sponsorship requests for the podcast edition of our program. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started: https://www.advertisecast.com/TVConfidentialAradiotalkshowabout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back with another episode of Nilsson Talks Nilsson. For this installment, we're getting to The Point with Harry's son, the talented singer, bassist and bandleader Kiefo Nilsson. A charming fairy tale about nonconformity delivered with a dose of Nilsson charisma and a touch of psychedelic inspiration, it's a classic and a longtime favorite of the WASTOIDS crew, which is why we were excited to learn about Kiefo's live Point performances, which have found him joined by a 14-piece band and guest narrators like John C. Reilly and Pamela Adlon who help bring The Point to life. On December 10th, he's back at it with guest narrator Kate Micicci, an actor and comedian who you've seen or heard with Garfunkel and Oates and in shows like Bob's Burgers, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, and many more. They're performing as part of the holiday celebration at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, California. Get your tickets for the show here. Nilsson Talks Nilsson is written and produced by Jason Woodbury. Sam Means is our executive producer. Thanks to Kiefo Nilsson for his assistance in recording this episode and rrrstevens on YouTube for sharing the great Pamela Adlon performance that opens this episode.  Our art is by Madalyn Stefanak. Wanna share your favorite Nilsson song or album? Anything related to Harry? If so, call us at 1-877-WASTOIDS and leave a message. 

Pastiche Queen (They/Them) is a non-binary, Latindigenous, interdisciplinary performance artist from Denver, CO currently based in Hollywood. Their work as an actor and slam poet has been featured on AppleTV's “Dear: Viola Davis”, Facebook's “Queer Community Leaders of Color Initiative”, and The REDCAT Theater Artist-In-Residency Program. Pastiche's most recent one-person show at the Hollywood Fringe Festival won Theatricum Botanicum's Wordsmith Award for advancing the artform of storytelling, and the Fringe 2022 LGBTQ+ Scholarship. They are currently seeking commercial representation. You can follow them on Instagram: @PasticheQueen.

See Also is a weekly dispatch that connects the dots of pop culture, with plenty of further reading and ideas to Add To Cart – or at least Open in New Tab.This week, Kate and Brodie are opening the door to a world of architectural excess, decor nightmares and the interiors we go positively gaga for. Also: Alsos!See AlsosBL's article on nightmare celebrity interiors on The FaceThat piece on the fake booksFrom Grandmillennial to CluttercoreThat piece on The Cut about Millennial Interiors… which led us to Gen Z's "revolt against millennial minimalism"Emily Gould's apartment huntPaige Wassel on YouTubeEvil People in Modernist Homes in Popular FilmsSee visuals of the homes we're chatting about on our Instagram :)DONATE ALSO: Pay the RentANTICIPATORY WATCH ALSO: Angel Olsen live stream from the Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga CanyonREAD & FOLLOW ALSO: Read Susan Orlean's profile on Steve Greig in The New Yorker + follow him @wolfgang2242 on InstagramLISTEN ALSO: Michael Showalter on HBO Max Movie Club podcastLISTEN ALSO: Jackie Shane 'Any Other Way'FLOSS ALSO: Dr Tung's Smart FlossFind us on Instagram @seealsopodcast Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Overall Grand Prize Winner of 2020, Trouble the Water, is now showing at the Theatricum Botanicum from July 9 - Oct 2. Learn more about that and the unforgettable life of Robert Smalls.

 The Whole You: Exploring Action, Voice & Inspiration with Robin RicePlaywright Robin Rice joins me today to talk about current projects, shares early influences on her writing, and the importance of action, structure, and "doing" in the creative process. Connect with Story and Horsewww.storyandhorse.comFacebook: @storyandhorseInstagram: @storyandhorseHost Hilary Adams is an award-winning theatre director and coach. She is all about supporting people's creative expression and sharing stories with the world.  You can reach her at hello@storyandhorse.com.Guest Bio: ROBIN RICE is the author of almost 100 plays (22 full-length) with productions from New York to Mongolia, South Africa to London, South Korea to Australia. Recent productions include: ALICE IN BLACK AND WHITE and PLAY NICE! on Off-Broadway. Publishers include Samuel French, Original Works, Smith & Kraus, Blue Moon and Next Stage Press. Residencies, honors, producers include Finborough (London), Phoenix, Theatricum Botanicum, O'Neill (finalist), StageWrite, Shiner, Karamu, Perishable, Kernodle, Goshen, Drury, Smith, Reverie, Chambers, Mazumdar. Member: Dramatists Guild, League of Professional Theatre Women, International Centre for Women Playwrights, The Playwrights Circle, Women in the Arts and Media Coalition, Manhattan Oracles, 29th Street Collective, Honor Roll!. www.RobinRicePlaywright.com  Robin's designs are available on fabric and wallpaper from Spoonflower.com. Books Mentioned in this Episode:The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-ExuperyThe Thurber Carnival by James ThurberThe Earth for Sam by W. Maxwell ReedThe Playwrights Guidebook by Stuart SpencerConnect with RobinWebsite: https://robinriceplaywright.com/Email: robinricenyc@gmail.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RobinRiceLichtig/ and  https://www.facebook.com/RobinRicePlaywrightNew Play Exchange (NPX): https://newplayexchange.org/users/707/robin-riceSpoonflower: https://www.spoonflower.com/en/shop?on=&availability=ForSale&sort=bestSelling&q=Robin+Rice&commit=SearchSome of Robin's Published PlaysWhen Silence is Not Golden: three activist one-acts - Next Stage Press Alice in Black and White:  Original Works PublishingHoney's Smile:  YouthPLAYSHumans Remain:  Blue Moon Plays Play Nice!: Original Works Publishing Adapt or Die: In "Weirdest Plays of 2020." At Amazon Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/storyandhorse)

In this episode Rick and Wes have an in depth conversation with speech and dialect coach, Linda Brennan. Linda has extensive experience working with actors of all types. Linda Brennan, PhD, is on the faculty of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts Los Angeles, (Voice and Speech Department Chair), South Coast Repertory, and Theatricum Botanicum, where she teaches voice, speech and dialects, script analysis, and directs. Her Film and TV credits include American Pie, The Scorpion King, Sonny, That's Life (CBS), The Hughleys (UPN), For the People (Lifetime). Her book, “Stage Fright in the Actor” is essential reading for actors of all types. Yea…she's a big deal! Check out this engaging episode!

TVC 552.6: Beau Bridges and his daughter, actress/director Emily Bridges, talk to Ed about the important role that Theatricum Botanicum has played in both of their performing lives. Beau also answers a few questions about some of his other film, TV, and stage roles, including working with David Janssen on The Fugitive early in his career and his approach to playing such historical figures as Benjamin Franklin and legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. Beau Bridges and Emily Bridges will perform a staged reading of their play, Acting: The First Six Lessons, at Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, California on Friday, Sept. 17 beginning at 8pm. Seating will be socially distanced; masks will be required as recommended by the CDC and L.A. County on the day of the performance. See Theatricum.com for tickets and more information. Emily Bridges also directed the film version of Acting: The First Six Lessons, which features Beau, her, and other members of the Bridges family. A screening of Acting: The First Six Lessons will take place on Sunday, Sept. 12 as part of the Burbank Film Festival. Beau and Emily will take part in a Q & A session after the screening. See BurbankFilmFest.org for more information on that event. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? TV Confidential has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle advertising/sponsorship requests for the podcast edition of our program. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started: https://www.advertisecast.com/TVConfidentialAradiotalkshowabout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TVC 552.5: Ed welcomes three-time Emmy Award winner Beau Bridges and his daughter, actress/director Emily Bridges. Beau and Emily are the co-playwrights of Acting: The First Six Lessons, an adaptation of a book by Richard Boleslawski about a dedicated acting teacher who not only teaches an aspiring young actress the craft of acting, but dispels invaluable life lessons to her as well. Originally published in 1933, Acting: The First Six Lessons has held a special place in the Bridges family for three generations. Topics this segment include how Beau and Emily approached adapting the source material into a play (and, later, into a film). For our listeners in Southern California, Beau Bridges and Emily Bridges will perform a staged reading of Acting: The First Six Lessons at Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, California on Friday, Sept. 17 beginning at 8pm. Seating will be socially distanced; masks will be required as recommended by the CDC and L.A. County on the day of the performance. See Theatricum.com for tickets and more information. Emily Bridges also directed the film version of Acting: The First Six Lessons, which features Beau, her, and other members of the Bridges family discussing the importance of Boleslawski's book. A screening of Acting: The First Six Lessons will take place on Sunday, Sept. 12 as part of the Burbank Film Festival. Beau and Emily will take part in a Q & A session after the screening. See BurbankFilmFest.org for more information on that event. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? TV Confidential has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle advertising/sponsorship requests for the podcast edition of our program. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started: https://www.advertisecast.com/TVConfidentialAradiotalkshowabout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TVC 551.6: Ellen Geer, artistic director of Theatricum Botanicum, talks to Ed about playing Sunshine Doré in Harold and Maude (and, years later, Maude in a stage production for Theatricum); working with Patrick Stewart in the “Silicon Avatar” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation; and playing Sue Ellen's doctor in the famous two-parter on Dallas that culminated in the birth of John Ross Ewing III. The 2021 summer season of Theatricum Botanicum is under way right now and includes productions of two Shakespeare plays, Julius Caesar and A Midsummer's Night Dream, and a new play, The Last, Best Small Town by John Guerra, every weekend through Sunday, Nov. 7. Under the Oaks, Theatricum's annual Friday night salon series, runs from Sept. 3 through Sept. 24 and includes Beau Bridges and his daughter, Emily Bridges, in a staged reading of their play, Acting: The First Six Lessons; an evening of Beatles songs performed by the Theatricum players; and more. Seating for all performances will remain socially distanced, while masks will be required as recommended by the CDC and L.A. County on the day of each performance. See Theatricum.com for tickets and more information. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? TV Confidential has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle advertising/sponsorship requests for the podcast edition of our program. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started: https://www.advertisecast.com/TVConfidentialAradiotalkshowabout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TVC 551.5: Ed welcomes actress and director Ellen Geer, daughter of legendary actor Will Geer, and the artistic director of Theatricum Botanicum, the outdoor amphitheatre that Buzz magazine named one of the coolest places in Los Angeles. Founded by Will Geer in 1973, and located in the rustic woods of Topanga Canyon, Theatricum recently resumed outdoor performances after being shuttered last year because of COVID-19, offering a full schedule of theatre, music, and family entertainment every weekend through Sunday, Nov. 7 (including productions of two Shakespeare plays, Julius Caesar and A Midsummer's Night Dream, and a new play, The Last, Best Small Town by John Guerra), plus a special Friday night salon series, Under the Oaks, every week in September. Seating for all performances will remain socially distanced; masks will be required as recommended by the CDC and L.A. County on the day of each performance. See Theatricum.com for tickets and more information. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? TV Confidential has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle advertising/sponsorship requests for the podcast edition of our program. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started: https://www.advertisecast.com/TVConfidentialAradiotalkshowabout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LA theaters are offering new performances — online and in-person. Culver City's The Actors' Gang is out with a new virtual play called “We Live On,” about life during the Great Depression and lessons for COVID recovery. Topanga Canyon's Theatricum Botanicum is premiering an outdoor show this Saturday called “The Last, Best Town,” about two families from different cultures, and what the American dream means to them. KCRW also looks at the legislative challenges facing theaters as they reopen.

    Our 'Song To Chew' this week is called "Dyin' To Be Thin".  I wrote it as the title song for a 1986 NOVA documentary on anorexia and bulimia that won an Iris Award for excellence.  In the US, an estimated 8 million people suffer from anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorders and that includes at least three out of every 100 adolescent girls.  "Dyin' To Be Thin" was used in a musical version of Aristophane's play "Lysistrata", presented at the Theatricum Botanicum in the summer of 2003.  It fit so well with the play's theme, where the Greek woman agreed to withhold sex from any soldiers who wouldn't stop fighting in the wars.  It's staged at a modern-day gymnasium with the women working out to look their most attractive!  (check the YouTube link below!) My sister-in-law, actress Melora Marshall sings this one, along with the other actors in the cast.  Like Lysistrata, we're all concerned about wars and countries taking over other countries, and racial injustice, patriarchy and the systems and conditions that we live in.  Our economic and social systems create stories for our youth, who in order to feel good about themselves, have to constantly diet and exercise to lose weight and look more attractive, rather than simply eat a healthy diet and exercise to stay fit.  I'd love to change those stories!  Help spread the word!  See you next week with another Song To Chew. * Subscribe to Songs To Chew podcast ~ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peter-alsops-songs-to-chew/id1446179156  * CAMPING WITH DADS - my newest album! ~ https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Dads-Peter-Alsop/dp/B08CS871QW/ref=sr_1_1  * E-mail/ Website ~ peter@peteralsop.com  ~ https://www.peteralsop.com  * www.FaceBook.com/WeLikePeterAlsop  * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHmsgbZ8UOQ&t=19s  ~ "Dyin' To Be Thin" video * Patreon.com/peteralsop ~ support my music, podcast & other artistic endeavors * CDs & downloads ~ http://www.peteralsop.com/music 

It's a double feature in this week's Off the Shelf with ISC! In today's episode of Off the Shelf, ISC Ensemble Member, Sam Breen, reads to you the humorous tales of Mark Twain's "The Wary Prayer," and "A Dog's Tale." Sam Breen is a Swiss/American actor, writer and educator and ISC company member. He has performed at The La Jolla Playhouse, The American Repertory Theater, PACT Zolverein (Germany), The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His Los Angeles credits include: Macbeth at Antaeus, The Three Musketeers at Theatricum Botanicum, Flesh Eating Tiger at Highways. His Independent Shakespeare Company credits include: Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Good Angel in Faustus, and the title role in the upcoming production of Macbeth. When asked why he chose these stories to read for Off the Shelf, Sam responded, “I’ve always loved Mark Twain's writing, but recording these narration pieces gave me the opportunity to discover his beautiful short stories for the first time. His writing is layered yet wonderfully accessible, idiosyncratic but with broad implications. The War Prayer is a snarky commentary about the fanfare. A Dog’s Tale is a touching story told from the point of view of a St-Bernard/Collie mix.” Enjoy this week's whimsical, waggish Art Break. Follow us! Website: www.iscla.org Instagram & Twitter: @indyshakes Facebook: Independent Shakespeare Co.

Bailey sits down with TV and Stage Actor Kila Packett for another Artist Spotlight!Kila has an extensive background in classical theatre ranging from Shakespeare (As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night) to Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire). Off-Broadway and regional theatres include: Mark Taper Forum, The Wallis, BAM, Classic Stage Company, Pearl Theatre Company, Crossroads Theatre Company, and Theatricum Botanicum. He has created roles by established playwrights: James Baldwin, Harrison Rivers, Sibusiso Mamba, Lynn Manning, and Blaire Baron. He has worked with acclaimed directors: Sir Peter Hall, Liv Ullmann, Debbie Allen, Diane Paulus, Anne Bogart, and Andrei Serban. He is the co-author of Unnatural Acts (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortell, GLAAD nominations). Television credits include: "Grey’s Anatomy," "Hawaii Five-0," "This Is Us," "S.W.A.T.," "Shooter," "Counterpart," and "Wisdom of the Crowd."  Kila is a head mentor with Young Storytellers, Associate Director of Shakespeare Youth Festival LA & Kenya, and co-producer of the LA-based concert series, A Little New Music. He is a Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center fellow and holds a MFA from Columbia University's School of the Arts. For more information on Kila's work with Shakespeare in Kenya please read: AMERICAN THEATRE ARTICLE

Writer: Gareth WilliamsCast:Sue Gisser as CherylSue Gisser is trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Steppenwolf West, the Groundlings, iOWest, Second City, Antaeus Academy, Theatricum Botanicum, and holds a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers. In her professional career, Sue is blessed to seldom work with a director, show, or theatre company only once. She's recurred on "Shameless," "Strangers with Candy," and "Solved;" did multiple spots in campaigns for 'Burlington Coat Factory,' 'Mercury Insurance,' and 'Cedar Fair;' completed 20 tours between the Shoestring Players, Open Window Entertainment, and the George Street Playhouse; her films include "The Activist" and "In the Air"- both by French Director Cyril Morin. This is her first podcast, and she's totally hooked. Playing Char has been an honor. Sue is grateful to Bernadette for opening up this new world to her, and for the opportunity to work on this beautiful play, with such strong, talented women! @suegisserBarry Papick as the Wood ManMr. Papick is an accomplished actor. He has been in many films and episodic television shows including "Swans Crossing," where he was a series regular and recently, "Shameless." Barry has recently been seen in "Labor Pains" with Lindsey Lohan, "Lake Effects" on The Hallmark Channel and has guest-starred on the CBS show "Without A Trace." He is can be seen in Howard Stern's "Private Parts." and Andrew Nicol's "Simone." He has wrapped the feature film "Rejourer" and the Television show "The Mason Twins" for NBC. He is presently the voice of GNC's Advertising campaign "Beat Average." One of the top Acting Coaches in the world, Mr. Papick has been teaching and coaching Actors for 23 years. He has recently worked as the On-set Acting Coach for Dan Pritzker's soon to be released "Bolden," where he worked with the icon, Dick Gregory. He is also known for coaching Universal's hit "The Express", where he worked with Director Gary Fleder (Kiss the Girls, Runaway Jury, October Road.)Director: Bernadette ArmstrongBernadette moved to Los Angeles to work in film in the late 1990’s and after her first two films went to festivals she took a short hiatus from writing until she fell in love with small theater. Since 2008 she has had several successful theater projects produced in No Hollywood. Her play The Reading Group was named Pick of the Week by LA Weekly Magazine and in 2017 her play Simple Lives was nominated for Outstanding Writing of an Original Play or Musical by the Valley Theater Awards (the only woman nominated)Sound Production: Recorded at ES Audio Services in Glendale, CA. Recorded and Mixed by Hall CantrellSound Editor: Hall CantrellHelp us to keep the plays coming:Become a Patreon of Open-Door PlayhouseCheck out the fun perks you get as a monthly Patreon! Support the show (https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/open-door-playhouse)

Story:For some, Christmas can bring up a lot of issues and when you add children to it, you might have to re-think the whole holiday.Writer: Faith de SavigneFaith de Savigne has worked as a theatre critic, arts writer, and columnist. As well as having poems and poetry reviews published in various literary journals, she has completed two Masters Degrees in English Literature (UNSW) and Creative Writing (UWS).Director: Bernadette ArmstrongBernadette moved to Los Angeles to work in film in the late 1990s and after her first two films went to festivals she took a short hiatus from writing until she fell in love with small theater. Since 2008 she has had several successful theater projects produced in No Hollywood. Her play The Reading Group was named Pick of the Week by LA Weekly Magazine and in 2017 her play Simple Lives was nominated for Outstanding Writing of an Original Play or Musical by the Valley Theater Awards (the only woman nominated).CASTSue Gisser - as YvonneSue Gisser is trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Steppenwolf West, the Groundlings, iOWest, Second City, Antaeus Academy, Theatricum Botanicum, and holds a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers. In her professional career, Sue is blessed to seldom work with a director, show, or theatre company only once. She's recurred on "Shameless," "Strangers with Candy," and "Solved;" did multiple spots in campaigns for 'Burlington Coat Factory,' 'Mercury Insurance,' and 'Cedar Fair;' completed 20 tours between the Shoestring Players, Open Window Entertainment, and the George Street Playhouse; her films include "The Activist" and "In the Air"- both by French Director Cyril Morin. This is her first podcast, and she's totally hooked. Playing Char has been an honor. Sue is grateful to Bernadette for opening up this new world to her, and for the opportunity to work on this beautiful play, with such strong, talented women! @suegisserWhitton Frank - as MarshaWhitton Frank is a voice, film, television, and theater actor living in Los Angeles. Recent work includes the award-winning horror short Seeing Green as well as immersive vo work in the VR world of The Under Presents and The Tempest and as Kate in season 1 of RomCom Pods. Her theater credits include Florence Boorman in Her Naked Skin/Greenwood Theater, Andrea in Cat’s Eye/Pleasance Theater, King Arthur and Mordred in Clarissant/Little Candle Productions, Grumio in Taming of the Shrew/The Porters of Hellsgate, and Flaming Girl in What the Moon Saw/Son of Semele Ensemble. She can also be seen as Jenna Laffy in season 3 of the TNT show Murder in the First. She is a popular audiobook narrator and can be found on Audible and other sites. And in her copious free time, she moonlights as a DJ and specializes in vintage jazz, blues, and soul.Brandon Lamberty - as RyanBrandon Lamberty has been acting for five years and also is a stand-up comic. You can see his work in comedic commercial spots all throughout the country. You can see him in the film "Chinese Speaking Vampires" which comes out this month! Lastly, "I, he, or whoever is narrating; I love animals, I rescue dogs and have a rescue pitbull named Annie." Sound Production: Recorded at ES Audio Services in Glendale, CA. Recorded and Mixed by Hall CantrellSound Editor: Hall CantrellSound Effects: Ryan MarshSupport the show (https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/open-doSupport the show (https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/open-door-playhouse)

ABOUT: Dizzy is a seventy-year-old woman hell-bent on getting her tattoo removed. She and her friends end up in a Tattoo Parlor where she meets the much younger Char, a non-binary tattoo artist. Dizzy and Char spend some time in verbal sparring but end up finding common ground as they recognize the pain that formed each other's SCARS.WRITER: Pamela KingsleyPamela Kingsley is an actress and director with more than 200 productions to her credit. A playwright, Pamela's work has been selected by theatres in cities across the U.S. including Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New Haven, N. ... She is a member of The Dramatists Guild.DIRECTOR: Jan SwankJan Swank has produced and directed over 300 theatre productions and appeared in over 100 in his professional career. He was Managing Artistic Director of three different theatres over 35 years. His production of The Diviners won four awards, including Best Producer (Director) and the Audience Award at the International Festival in Dundalk, Ireland. He attended Indiana-Purdue Ft. Wayne, Southern Oregon University, and the University of South Dakota. He holds a BFA in Classical Theatre, an MA in Theatre, and an MFA in Theatre Directing. He is a South Dakota Arts Fellow, a member of Actors' Equity Association, and a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army. He and his wife Jill live in Rapid City, South Dakota.ACTORS:Noelle Evangelisti - As Lindy Noelle received her MFA in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts. She was cast in the following major motion pictures: Terminator Two, LA Confidential, and Pacific Heights. Noelle has performed in numerous theaters in Los Angeles and one of her favorite and most memorable roles as Liz in The Philadelphia Story. She loves working on commercials and voice-overs and had a great time doing a radio play pre-Covid with the Screen Actors Guild. Enjoy and stay safe and healthy everyone!Joanne McGee - As BabsJoanne McGee has been a professional actor since 1977 and has work in Union and Non-Union theaters around the country includingThe Florida Rep., Utah Shakespeare Festival, Nevada Shakespeare in the Park, Detroit Rep., and Sonora Rep. To name a few. She’s been seen in Jag, General Hospital, America’s Most Wanted, West Wing, and others. She finally had a dream come true and performed at the Mark Taper Forum as, Sladjana, in the world premiere of, Archduke, with Center Theater Group. She has done voice-over and commercials but this is her very first PodCast. Bonnie Bailey-Reed - As DizzyBONNIE BAILEY-REED Bonnie’s career began in NYC with touring with two Musical Theatre First National Tours. In L.A., she has appeared in award-winning roles including Mags in the World Premiere of THE SUPER VARIETY MATCH BONUS ROUND at The Rogue Machine Theatre, Mrs. Brummett in the World Premiere of Arlene Hutton's GULF VIEW DRIVE (LA Weekly Award, Supporting Actress). Sue Gisser - As CharSue trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Steppenwolf West, the Groundlings, iOWest, Second City, Antaeus Academy, Theatricum Botanicum, and holds a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers. In her professional career, Sue is blessed to seldom work with a director, show, or theatre company only once. SOUND PRODUCTIONRecorded at Clear Lake Studios in North Hollywood and mixed at Avant Sound Recorded and Mixed by Hall CantrellSound Editor: Hall CantrellSound Effects: Ryan MarshSupport the show (https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/open-door-playhouse)

Booth One welcomes Mary Jo DuPrey, who recently visited Chicago from Los Angeles for some meetings about possible directing projects. Mary Jo trained as an actress at Vassar. She then worked with her sister Katie Agresta, a legendary vocal coach, managing her "rock & roll vocal studio" on the upper west side, where she also learned how to teach singing with Katie's amazingly effective approach and exercises. Check out this list of notable students! Mary Jo then moved to L.A. where she had a successful acting career. She also taught acting and singing in UCLA's musical theatre program, and tells us about how she came to be such a sought-after vocal coach for spoken and singing voices. She tells great stories about working with her clients, including how she got connected with Daveed Diggs through their mutual friend and collaborator, composer and sound designer Jonathan Snipes.  Mary Jo worked closely with Daveed while Hamilton was being developed. Read his description of working with her here. Don't miss her spellbinding story about being invited by Alex Lacamoire to Hamilton's  first music stand read! She made two bold predictions that day that came true. Mary Jo gives Gary a short voice lesson and offers to work with him via Skype! She is a master at her craft and approaches the voice in a totally holistic manner. Interested in scheduling some lessons? Contact her here. Mary Jo is the only certified West Coast teacher of the Katie Agresta Vocal Technique. She cites Patsy Rodenberg, Head of Voice for the Royal National Theatre as another major influence. Mary Jo recently got an MFA in Directing at UCLA and is loving directing there and at professional theaters in L.A., such as the beautiful outdoor repertory theater in Topanga Canyon, the Theatricum Botanicum. She directed our friend and recurring guest co-host Paul Stroili in August: Osage County and he thinks the world of her. We are looking forward to her first Chicago-based project and will let you know when that happens. Other topics of interest in this week's episode: Elephant Rescue at Sea off the coast of Sri Lanka 36 Questions - The Musical Podcast The Fair Maid of the West in Oak Park directed and adapated by Kevin Theis Kiss of Death: Barbara Cook - Legendary actress, cabaret and concert star receives a final musical tribute on her deathbed from some of the great entertainers she worked with during a 7-decade career. Read about Ms. Cook's final days.  

PK and JR interview Ellen Geer, Willow Geer, and Melora Marshall of Theatricum Botanicum regarding their production of Measure for Measure.

From the Best of State of the Arts (Originally broadcast May 23, 2011) - Something’s rotten in Denmark! Sterling and Stroili discuss a seasonal mystery scent emanating from the back seat of Paul’s Camry. Distinguished Broadway, film and television star Alan Blumenfeld (NBC’s hit series Heroes) talks about his association with the prestigious Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, CA. Fernando Richardson’s Treacherous Brain at Hollywood’s Openfist Theatre, and Kritzerland Record’s Salute to the Music of Cy Coleman at the Gardenia Restaurant in Hollywood… highlight this week’s Live Arts Calendar. Doug Kaback (Director/Actor/Playwright and Professor of Theatre at Cal State University at Northridge, CA) discusses directing the classic farce A Flea in Her Ear at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, CA. Blumenfeld and Kaback relive their worst moments in theatre. Sponsored by Breakdown Services (http://www.breakdownexpress.com/)

Something???s rotten in Denmark! Sterling and Stroili discuss a seasonal mystery scent emanating from the back seat of Paul???s Camry. Distinguished Broadway, film and television star Alan Blumenfeld (NBC???s hit series Heroes) talks about his association with the prestigious Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, CA. Fernando Richardson???s Treacherous Brain at Hollywood???s Openfist Theatre, and Kritzerland Record???s Salute to the Music of Cy Coleman at the Gardenia Restaurant in Hollywood... highlight this week???s Live Arts Calendar. Doug Kaback (Director/Actor/Playwright and Professor of Theatre at Cal State University at Northridge, CA) discusses directing the classic farce A Flea in Her Ear at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, CA. Blumenfeld and Kaback relive their worst moments in theatre. Sponsored by Breakdown Services (http://www.breakdownexpress.com/)