A Word on Plays

After a bit of a sabbatical, we're back. Seattle-based dramaturge, director, etc. etc. talks with Amy about She Kills Monsters, community theater, and the need for dramaturges everywhere.  She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen is licensed by Concord Theatricals. Kelly's Recommendation is Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists The Theme music is: If I Can't Dance It's Not My Revolution by Quantum Jazz http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Quantum_Jazz Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/quantum-jazz Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/fLYlEfkGr1E

This month we're talking about Game by Mike Bartlett with Luke Gomez, an L.A. based playwright whose play Blacklisters can be found on New Play Exchange. Follow him on instagram @gomez.luke  Next month, we're talking about She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen. Music: <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> If I Can't Dance It's Not My Revolution by Quantum Jazz http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Quantum_Jazz Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/quantum-jazz Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/fLYlEfkGr1E

Zenaida Rose Smith and I discuss Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/64330/native-gardens A play about boundaries, borders, and plants... which neither of us seem to know much about. Come for the script analysis, stay for the charming childhood stories. Zenaida's recommendation is Game by Mike Bartlett: https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/game Support Zenaida on Instagram @Zennybruce and by supporting Book It Theater: Book-it.org Or Pork Filled Productions: Porkfilled.com Music:  If I Can't Dance It's Not My Revolution by Quantum Jazz http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Quantum_Jazz Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/quantum-jazz Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/fLYlEfkGr1E

To kick off season three, Delano Hayes and I talk about Rapture, Blister, Burn by Gina Gionfriddo  and exactly what kind of feminism the theatre needs right now. (Recommended by Kris Hambrick) Next month's play will be Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias.   Find the podcast on Facebook.  Music: <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> If I Can't Dance It's Not My Revolution by Quantum Jazz http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Quantum_Jazz Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/quantum-jazz Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/fLYlEfkGr1E

This episode has been in my bank for a couple of months now. Mario has moved away and my show has come and gone,  but there's still some good stuff in here.  Antigone by Jean Anouilh brings back the question of what theater looks like in Nazi occupied France.  But also, What makes a story a classic? Why is this play even called Antigone? (she's clearly not the protagonist)! Find Mario's work at https://www.onlinedramaturg.com/ We are done for a bit. Keep an eye out in the new year for some new stuff. 

What's the difference between Poland in the 60's and the U.S. now? What's the same? Actor/director Bjorn Whitney and I talk about Tango by Slawomir Mrozeck. A little absurd, a little farcical, and a whole lot of fun.  Catch Bjorn's work at Shakespeare Northwest this summer and read his suggestion for next month's podcast: Jean Anouilh's Antigone Find me on Facebook and please rate and review!

How French can one get? How do you control men? How much of this is realistic, or even relevant anymore? David Gassner, local theater director and producing director with 18th & Union and Radial Theater, talks about The Apollo of Bellac by Jean Giraudoux.  His pick is Tango by Slawomir Mrozeck (and beware of David's spoiler towards the end of this podcast).  Plus David makes an announcement on behalf of his theater. Support A Word of Plays on Facebook and Goodreads.  Don't forget to rate and review!

This month, we talk about Craig Lucas one upping Tony Kushner. What makes a play disappear and others stick around in our culture? What do we do when we have power over somebody else?  Taylor Davis, Seattle actor, director, choreographer, talks The Dying Gaul by Craig Lucas.  Next month, we talk about The Apollo of Bellac by Jean Giraudoux.  Read it, or don't and check us out on Facebook: @playspod

March's episode comes a day late, but it's all the better for it! My guest, local Shakespearean actress, Jaime Mastromonica and I speake about Michael V. Gazzo's  "A Hatful of Rain." We talk a little about heroin and a little about empathy. When is hyper-realism important to a message and when is it just a pain? How long can I reasonably convince someone I'm just as cool as Shelly Winters? Check out Jaime's favorite theater company this summer: Shakespeare Northwest Also check out the podcast I recommend in this episode: Narcotica Like A Word on Plays on Facebook and hit that subscribe button. Next month we talk about The Dying Gaul by Craig Lucas

Fahrenheit 451 is a classic American novel, but Ray Bradbury also wrote the play version. So What's new about the play? How does it compare you what you saw in your head when you read the book? So sit back for some serious monologuing and get into this month's episode with Seattle actor Randy Decker. Next month, we talk about A Hatful of Rain. Yes, it's a movie too. Follow us on Facebook or Goodreads and please subscribe and rate wherever you listen. 

Mandy Rose Nichols is a local actor with excellent physical discipline and comedic intuition. We talk about I, Gelosi, a play by David Bridel that is at once playful and political. How can theater bring history to life for modern audiences? Why do we do theater? and what kind of theater really changes the world? Check out @mandyrosenichols on Facebook and give @playspod a like as well. Find us on Goodreads too. Next month, we talk about Farenheit 451, the play, by Ray Bradbury. 

Jana Gueck is a local actress and educator. Her insights are perfect for the improv heavy and Commedia inspired series of short children's plays.  How do we create inspired theatre for children and everyone?  Jana's pick is I, Gelosi by David Bridel : https://www.originalworksonline.com/I-GELOSI-by-David-Bridel_p_90.html Find Jana @janagueckfan on Facebook. Like us on Facebook @playspod

Jordan Talbot is a local stage manager and playwright. She's fluent in French and has a master's in theater, so she's a great person to talk with about the modern French/Canadian play You Are Happy by Rébecca Déraspe. It's all about society and relationships, whatever it means to make Millenial theater, and how it all fits into the broader scope of theater history. http://www.leannabrodie.com/you-are-happy/ We're on Facebook @playspod and on Goodreads! Next month I tackle Ahmed the Philosopher by Alain Badiou https://cup.columbia.edu/book/ahmed-the-philosopher/9780231166935

Maren Commendant and I went to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, camped in the city's fairgrounds, and saw 11 plays together! So here's a bonus episode that tries to break down the whirlwind of the show. The Sister's of Castleknock House by Niall Carmody presented by Tiger's eye Theatre Company: Nialhttps://www.facebook.com/tigerseye17/ The Squirrel Plays by Mia McCullough presented by Part of the Main: https://www.partofthemain.com/ Lights Over A Tesco Carpark by Poltergeist Theatre: https://www.poltergeisttheatre.com/ Bloominauschwitz by Richard Fredman presented by Menagerie: http://www.menagerie.uk.com/ The Island by Athol Fugard presented by: Chris Weare, Siya Mayola, Luntu Masiza The Last Straw by People Show: https://www.peopleshow.co.uk/ Daughter by Adam Lazarus presented by Pandemic Theatre: http://www.pandemictheatre.ca/ A Joke by Dan Freeman presented by: Universal Arts and Scene Change Productions: http://www.universal-arts.co.uk/universal-arts-productions.html https://scenechangeproductions.org/ Ken by Terry Johnson Presented by Pleasance, The Showstoppers, and Hampstead Theatre: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2016/ken/ Flies by Oliver Lansley produced by Les Enfants Terribles and Pins and Needles: https://www.flieslive.com/ A Sockful of Custard by Chris Larner with Jeremy Stockwell produced by The Pleasance: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/ We're on Facebook as @playspod

Mario Gomez of https://www.onlinedramaturg.com/ introduces our next play: You Are Happy Rébecca Déraspe https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Happy-Rébecca-Déraspe/dp/1770915389 Check out the podcast with guest Jordan Talbot on November 26th! Facebook.com/playspod

This month, we discuss Dutchman by Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones), the role of symbolism in theatre, and put an old play into the context of it's time. My guest, Ben Symmons is a Seattle based sound designer and actor. He is currently in Greenstage's production of The Three Musketeers. http://greenstage.org/the-three-musketeers/ You can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playspod/ or Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays I'm going to take a short break, but we'll be back and better than ever!

How do we take risks in theater without losing it all? How much violence is too much violence? Why doesn't Seattle love August Wilson more? This month's podcast is a discussion of Aleshea Harris' "Is God Is" http://www.3holepress.org/is-god-is My guest is Jordan-Michael Whidbey who will appear in Theater Schmeater's production of "She Kills Monsters" next month. http://schmee.org/season/2018/she-kills-monsters Like us on Facebook @playspod add to the conversation on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays Next month's play is "Dutchman" by LeRoi Jones. https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/8382/dutchman

This month I talk with Emily Fortuna about the New Electric Ballroom by Enda Walsh. Tune in for a discussion on what the cake really symbolizes, what we're looking for in a truly great play, and when theater sacrifices its entertainment value. Next month's play will be Is God Is by Aleshea Harris: https://www.amazon.com/God-Aleshea-Harris/dp/0998276316 Find The Podcast on Facebook.com/playspod Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays and join the discussion.

This Month, We talk about "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel with Ruth Eitemiller. How we approach a difficult situation as artists? How do we approach it as audiences? What is our responsibility to painful subject matter over ourselves? Next month's play will be The New Electric Ballroom by Enda Walsh: http://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/the-new-electric-ballroom-iid-141247 Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playspod Or Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays

This month, I talk to Anne Conte about Brides of the Moon by the Five Lesbian Brothers. Anne is volunteer coordinator at 18th & Union and all around "theater opportunist." We talk about jokes that fall flat on the page, when writing for your own acting works as art, and Anne recommends "How I learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel which is totally available at the Seattle Public Library, but also available here: https://www.amazon.com/How-I-Learned-Drive-Acting/dp/082221623X Anne works at 18th & Union as volunteer coordinator, and you can see a bunch of inspired original theater for free if you volunteer with her. Visit https://18thandunion.org/ Like the pod on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playspod/ Join the discussion on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays Here is the article I referred to at the end of the pod: https://www.americantheatre.org/2018/03/12/the-enduring-lessons-of-how-i-learned-to-drive/ and check out my new Amazon ideas list: http://a.co/hxbEgtL

Isis is a Seattle actress that has a reputation for connecting to characters with depth and soul. On and off the stage, Isis has insight and instinct full of empathy. The perfect guest for a Beth Henley, character forward, play. We notably miss the mark on our understanding of Southern Culture, but we discuss character, what it means to be an actor, and feminist stories. The Miss Firecracker Contest: https://www.amazon.com/Firecracker-Contest-Acting-Theater-Productions/dp/0822207621 Isis King: http://talent.tpsonline.org/?M=11953 https://www.facebook.com/playspod/ https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/416988-a-word-on-plays