Episode 4: Why Theater Matters

I’ve heard Jack Canfora joke that being a playwright in America in this day and age is a little like choosing to be a figure skater in Kenya. Meaning no disrespect to Kenyan figure skaters, of course. Which makes me respect Jack and his path even more. He started with writing comedy sketches in his 20’s and then became a playwright in his 30’s. He’s won awards, had his plays performed off-Broadway, and taken a lot of other jobs (teacher, copy writer, writing coach) to make it work. That is to say, Jack knows more about the business of writing than most of us put together – and still he writes! I could gush endlessly about Jack. And I often do. I’ve had a writer’s crush on him for forever because he speaks to my heart. Every time I talk with him, read him, or listen/watch one of his plays, I come away smarter and more human. Along with his brilliance, he has a gentle kindness, empathy, and humor that make what he says sorta hang in the air with soft wonder. Please listen to this great conversation as we wind our way through collective effervescence, Abraham Lincoln, what the theater sounds like to a playwright and actor, and the “concentrated dose of emotion” we get from theater. Here are links for this episode: Show notes: https://sharingtheheartofthematter.com/2023/02/10/podcast-episode-4-why-theater-matters/  Step 9 - Jack's play released as a radio drama in podcast form https://tinyurl.com/Step-9-NNR or search New Normal Rep Step 9 wherever you podcast Jack's theater company: New Normal Rep Jack's blog writing: The Writing on the Padded Wall and on Wise & Shine For info on Jack as a writing coach and his plays: https://jackcanforawriter.com To follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram: @jackcanfora