Asheville Theater Alliance (ATA) "Behind the Curtains" Weekly Podcast

What an interesting conversation we had with Actor and Improviser Stevie Ramirez. Find out how they got into improv and acting, insight into how one performs improv, tips on succeeding as an improv team, and their upcoming role in the inaugural and immersive production "Close Quarters" at the Phantom Lamp Theatre Company - a production that blends theater and improv. Also, get all the information on Joyride Improv, upcoming workshops, how to sign up, benefits of learning and practicing improv, and details about the May 2026 Asheville Improv Festival, including how to participate.

We are excited for the 2026 "Behind the Curtains" podcast episodes and have some exciting guests lined up. Starting us off is Playwright Wendy Belden who chatted with us about her transition from being on the stage to writing what we hear from the stage, types of plays she tends to write, her unique process for completing new works, and one specific play that really impacted her. Also get details about her show "Higher Ground" - written after the Helene Hurricane, her newest play entitled "The Blood Census" (which features two bowls of blood), and information on a February 26 reading of the latter play at the Little Animals Gallery. And what U.S. Senator is she intrigued by and who might be featured in a future play? 

Jeff Catanese, one of the founders of the Asheville Theater Alliance (ATA), returned to the show to discuss a very exciting and lucrative audition opportunity for its members - the Asheville Regional Theater Auditions (ARTA) being held on January 31 and February 1. This will provide a unique opportunity for actors, dancers, ensembles, swings, technical professionals and even volunteers/ushers to audition in one place in front of over 10 (and still counting) theater organization directors and decisionmakers. Get all the details of how to register, as well as how to sign up to become an ATA member from this interview. Jeff also outlines the many benefits of membership for both individuals and theater organizations. Audition slots are filling up so check out the website today!

What an interesting interview we had with the founder of Skysail Theatre Michelle Troszak. Hear how she got into the theater industry, her vast set of performing arts skills and expertise, where her musicals have been presented, and how she writes and composes the shows and songs. Also learn about her theater company Skysail Theatre, why she founded the organization, its mission, how she came up with the name, goals for the theater and details about some upcoming productions, including several Fringe festivals.

There is a lot of exciting stuff happening at the Hendersonville Theatre and we got all the scoop from Business Manager Amanda McLoughlin. She briefed us on the new leadership team and business model at the theater, outlined the responsibilities for all three principals, and updated us about some of their goals for the organization. Amanda then gave us all the details about the remaining shows in the 2025 season, the announcement about their 59 1/2 season for the first six months of 2026, subscription packages for that season, how they choose which shows to present, information about their next full season, and auditions.

We sat down with actor and director Gabby Bailey for a wide-ranging interview on theater in Western North Carolina. We began with stories about her career, her unique introduction to the industry, her experience as a fight choreographer and details about the Montford Park Players Fight Club classes. Then we transitioned to the upcoming production of "The Thanksgiving Play" being presented by the Attic Salt Theatre Company which also is her debut as a lead director. Get all the details about the show, information on the playwright and cast, her thoughts on the theme of the show as an indigenous person, and some insight into her views on "land acknowledgements."

We sat down with actor Emily Greene to talk theater. First we learned what brought her back to the stage after a 10-year hiatus, what it felt like to be back in the business, roles she likes to portray, characters on her bucket list, and some changes she has seen in the theater world. Then hear all the details about "The Thanksgiving Play" being presented by Attic Salt Theatre Company, which character she portrays, the underlying theme behind all the farce and comedy, and info on her fellow actors.

Is Asheville getting a new theater company? YES! Get all the details from our interview with Abby Auman, Technical Director of the Asheville Community Theatre (ACT) and one of the founding members of the new theater. First learn about her background, her role as a technical director, two upcoming shows at ACT, and her surprising entrance to the lighting design arena. Also hear about a "funeral" event being held for the Magnetic Theatre (inclduing the acting out of scenes from some favorite shows by previous company members), and the launch of a brand new theater company - Phantom Lamp Theatre Company - which will have the same focus on new play development and works as Magnetic did, and their plans for the future of this organization, including some productions in 2026. 

We had so much fun catching up with Candice Dickinson, Artistic Director of the HART Theatre in Waynesville. Find out how it felt for her to be back on stage when she played Reno in "Anything Goes" and whether we might see her again on stage in 2026. Then get all the details about the rest of their 2025 season, including "Lizzie" (the rock musical) and two Christmas shows. Candice then walks us through their 2026 season whose theme is comedy and making us laugh, various subscription packages, audition information and dates, and classes and camps being offered. And hear a teaser about a REALLY fun and immersive experience they are planning for "Wild Party" and how patrons can be partygoers on stage.

Is Asheville going to get a new performing arts center? Find out the back story and more by listening to our interview with the Director of the Asheville Department of Community and Regional Entertainment Facilities (CREF) Chris Corl. First we found out what CREF does for Asheville, its citizens and tourists. Then we jumped right in to a discussion about a very exciting prospective initiative of a large performing arts center being built in downtown Asheville following the formal establishment of a public-private partnership for the development of this facility. Chris talked in detail about what was in the MOU (including Economic Impact Studies and the development of a business plan and workforce training program), the history of the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (formerly known as the Asheville Auditorium) and the Civic Center Arena, where the money will be coming from to build the venue, information on ATG Entertainment (the private sector partner), and what the theater might look like. He also outlined next steps for the project, how folks can get involved through community and stakeholder engagement meetings, and a tentative timeline. More information can be found here: https://publicinput.com/w64602

We were happy to sit down with resident Ashevillian playwright David Hopes to chat about his career. First we chatted about how he made the leap into playwrighting from poetry, information about the first play he ever wrote, types of plays he usually pens, and his unique writing process (which is hard to teach to his students). Then we segued into a discussion about his play "Washington Place" (which centers around the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York) being presented by the HART Theatre in Waynesville, how he researched the story before writing the play, and what he hopes patrons will say when leaving the theater. And find out about his next two shows coming up.

It was a lot of fun catching up with our old DC friend who is now in Western North Carolina - Actor Shayne Gardner. We chatted about her early entrance into the theater industry, her thoughts on comedy vs. drama roles, and how DC theater companies compare and contrast to Western North Carolina ones. Also, get all the details about the upcoming production of "Clue" being presented by the Hendersonille Theatre, her role as Mrs. White, a unique casting choice the director made, and interesting background on how the set will be manipulated.

Hear our wide-ranging and interesting chat we had with actor and playwright Jason Phillips. Find out the irony behind him getting into the theater industry, his thoughts on how improv productions are most successful,  and his daring and creative initiative he implemented during COVID with Magnetic Theater. Then we chatted about his many, many performances coming up including at the Appalachian Playwriting Festival, Parkway Playhouse and the Hendersonville Theatre, as well as his unique insight into preparing for an improv role in Adesto Theatre's "Jane Austen Improv." 

We caught up with the very busy Actor and Playwright Travis Lowe to chat about some exciting evvents he has coming up. First he enlightened us about his experience portraying Cyrano, roles he typically gets cast in, characters on his bucket list and his planned "swan song" for his theater career. Then we discussed several lays  he has written, details about his upcoming one-act shows being presented by Sublime Theater - "Nightlight"' and "55 Mount Lee Drive," - what is his process for playwritig, and details about some of his play readings coming up.

Actor Lauren Otis was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast. She told us all about her career and personal growth in the theater industry, her views on the blossoming of the performing arts in Western North Carolina (especially after COVID), how the Asheville Theater Alliance is helping bring the industry together as a community, and roles on her bucket list. Also get all the details about the upcoming production of "Miss Julie" being presented at Attic Salt Theatre, the dynamics between the three characters, how she prepared for her portrayal of Miss Julie, and some of the themes that still resonate today as when they did when it was written in 1888.

What an interesting conversation we had with Erin McCarson - who wears many hats in the theater industry. First we chatted about her acting career, her many diverse talents, some past favorite roles, the one role she wants to play for her mom, and her gravitational pull toward "sad clown" characters. We moved on to her directing career and found out her views on picking plays to direct, which types of shows are most challenging, and one special show she wants to direct. We ended our talk getting all the details about "The Cake" - the show she is directing at the HART Theatre in Waynesville, her story about the first time she saw the show (a little embarrassing...), and what does she want to hear patrons saying afterwards.

We were happy to welcome back to the show a man who wears many hats, including director, actor, co-founder of the Asheville Theater Alliance and Founder/Artistic Director of the Attic Salt Theatre Company for a wide-ranging interview - Jeff Catanese. First, Jeff caught us up on the Alliance, outlined membership benefits, upcoming networking events, and a very exciting and lucrative audition event they are planning for February 2026 for Alliance members. Also learn how he got into the theater world, why he founded the Attic Salt Theatre Company, and what is his all-time favorite play on his bucket list to direct. Finally, get all the details about the upcoming productions of "Miss Julie" in September and "The Thanksgiving Play" in November being presented at Attic Salt.

We learned a lot about the physical theater dance form commedia dell'arte during our chat with Choreographer Ayla. Listen to the latest Asheville Theater Alliance "Behind the Curtains' podcast episode to hear about her unique dance career and experiences, as well as get a detailed primer on the commedia art form. Also, get all the details about her upcoming commedia workshops for both children and adults, how she has seen first-hand how commedia helps these young students in so many ways, some upcoming productions she is choreographing, and what is her process for "devising" new works.

Actor and Costume Designer Maree Starling joined us on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast produced by the Asheville Theater Alliance for a wide-ranging interview. We talked about their early introduction into the theater world and some of their "dream" roles. We delved into how they coped with the COVID shutdown and what new skill they learned that turned into a business. We then transitioned into their role as Nick Bottom in "Something Rotten" being presented by the Hendersonville Theatre, the character's rivalry with Shakespeare, and something very unique and fun about the show (especially for theater "geeks"). We also received some insight about costume design, as well as a sneak peek into their next show - "Clue" - at the Hendersonville Theatre and how the director has decided to shake it up to be different each night.

The Founder and Artistic Director of the ballet company Terpiscorps was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast being produced by the Asheville Theater Alliance. In our wide-ranging interview, she tells us how she got in the dance arena from an early age, some impressive accolades and honors she earned while still a teenager, the impetus behind her founding Terpiscorps and its unique benefit it provides dancers, and an interesting factoid about "The RIte of Spring" composed by Stravinsky. We also go into her process for choreographing new dance productions and her advice to patrons who are a little intimidated by ballet. Finally, get all the details about the deep and moving upcoming production of "Appalachian Phoenix" which honors the heroes of Hurricane Helene. 

Long-time actor Allison Stinson had us in stitches during our latest podcast interview produced by the Ashevile Theater Alliance. We chatted about her 61-year career, the many diverse roles she has played, the remaining few that are still on her list, and how she found stages on which to perform worldwide. Also get all the details about the dark and throughtful comedy "Ripcord" being presented by the HART Theatre that centers around two very different women (wo each harbor some dark secrets) sharing a room in an assisted living facility and the many (and sometimes mean) pranks they play on each other. 

Rowan Bishop wears many hats in the theater world and we were happy to chat with him about many of them. From Director to Actor to Drag Queen to Set Designer to Costume Designing, among some of his talents he tells us how he honed these skills over the years. Also hear all the details about "Something Rotten" that he is directing at the Hendersonville Theater, teasers about the numerous hidden references to musical theater and Shakespeare in the play, and a "twist" for audience members seeing the show. And moving forward, he tells us about some plays he is currently writing, Drag Queen performances he has coming up, and how he will be focusing on his art.

What a multi-faceted and talented guest we had on our show! Jenna Jaffe is an actor, musician, dancer, composer, visual artist, and instructor, to name a few. And she has some exciting performances coming up, including concerts and an immersive "mask" performing arts production. Find out about her many different types of instructional classes and training, how to sign up as a student, some success stories she has had with disabled students, a new dance program at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, and much more. Also, get all the details about her upcoming role in "King Arthur's Body - a new play that is going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but is also being performed for one night in Asheville.

One of the founders of the Street Creature Puppet Collective - Jen Murphy - recently chatted with us about puppets. Hear how her activism activities led to puppetmaking and the formation of this collective. Get all the details about what kind of puppets the artists make, how these large puppets are actually manipulated, some of the past and future events and parades where their puppets have "performed," information on the upcoming "Toe Down Festival" in Green Mountain and how interested folks can get involved and learn about this unique craft.

We had such an enoyable chat with Actor Amanda Ladd on the latest "Behind the Curtains" podcast produced by the Asheville Theater Alliance. Learn how she got involved in theater and some words of wisdom she received from a professor that she has never forgotten. Amanda also chats about her work at the New Circle Theatre Company in New York City, why she loves "new works," what roles are on her "bucket list," and her unique one-woman show coming up in April (and what she has to do on stage!). Then get all the details about the upcoming production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" bing presented by the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre (SART) and how she is preparing for her role as Blanche DuBois. And she answers the question on everyone's minds - is Alan Ladd her father and what does she do with all his fan mail??

The Founder of Superhappy Productions Adam Arthur was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast being produced by the Asheville Theater Alliance. Hear about his background as an actor, why he founded Superhappy Productions, what the company is all about and its bizarre evolution through the years that started as a live radio show, and how The Match Game influenced its development. Also get all the details about the company's first release - "The Fight of the Bucket," as well as the scoop on the new series about to be launched entitled "From Within." And what is the best compliment Adam has ever received from his father (after seeing him perform for the first time) and what was the second best compliment - both will make you laugh out loud.

The Managing Artistic Director of the South Appalachian Repertory Theatre (SART) joined us on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast to update us on their exciting 51st season. Get all the details about the mission of SART, the organization's goal of creating opportunities for local artists, how at least one show each season highlights Appalcahia in some way, how they choose plays each season, all the shows in this year's spectacular season, really unique twists in several productions, and information on the many different ticket purchasing options. Also hear his story about how he got into the theater industry, what brought him to Asheville and how he ended up at SART.

Actor Alan Steele was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast being sponsored by the Asheville Theater Alliance. We had a wide-ranging discussion that covered his unique foray into acting, some of his very "off the wall" acting experiences, and why he is drawn to Shakespeare roles. Also hear about his appearnace in "The Book of Will" written by Lauren Gunderson that is being presented by the Montford Park Players, what the show is about, how his character's life mirrors his own, the plays we would not have today without the work of these characters in real life, and what specific new acting ability he had to master for the role.

Actor and Director Julie Wharton joined us on the Asheville Theater Alliance's podcast show "Behind the Curtains" to talk about her career and upcoming production. Find out how she ended up in the theater industry, some amazing adventures she had overseas in unique theater projects and what types of plays she likes to especially direct. Also get all the details about her upcoming production of "RED" being presented by the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, the actors portraying the artist Mark Rothko, and his assistant, the rocky relationship between these two characters, the artist's very strong feelings about art, what she would like to hear patrons saying as they leave the theater and much more. 

The Executive Director of the Montford Park Players John Russell was our latest podcast guest. We chatted about his long and impressive career in theater and Shakespeare industry,  the interesting history of the Montford Park Players, how the theater has grown and evolved over the years, a typical night at the amphitheater, and several distinctive awards and accolades the venue has received. Also get all the details about their 2025 season of 6 FREE shows including "Cyrano," "Book of Will" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor," and the most unique seating arrangement he has seen on the lawn.

Director and Acting Coach John Reynolds was the guest on "Behind the Curtains" to tell us about the many services he provides as an acting coach. Also hear about his long and impressive career in the performing arts world, his insight into directing all genres (film, television and theater), and the one he appreciates the most as a director. Get all the scoop on his upcoming workshop for storytellers, his advice to directors in their first meeting with the cast and crew, and what he specifically contributed to the making of the film "ET." 

The Co-Founder of Double Dip Productions, and Improv Artist George Awad entertained us on the latest "Behind the Curtains" prodcast produced by the Asheville Theater Alliance. Hear how he became interested and then immersed in improv, and his insight into the qualities needed to be an effective improv performer. Also learn about his company Double Dip Productions, events that they are presenting, services the provide and they they launched the company. And then get all the details about the upcoming Asheville Improv Festival, including the six headliners they have coming from all over the US to perform (a couple of whom write for Stephen Colbert) and the workshops they will be teaching.

We were very honored to interview Esther Manheimer, the Mayor of Asheville in a multi-faceted discussion about the state of the arts in Asheville. Hear about her work on the Rebuilding Western North Carolina Advisory Committee and how she is bringing the arts to the forefront of the rebuilding efforts. Also learn about a possible $1 billion+ that could be flowing into Asheville, the opportunity for arts businesses to obtain some of this grant money and her advice to arts organizations and artists in becoming involved in the state and local government efforts. We also chatted about the Public Leadership in the Arts Award she received from the Americans for the Arts and why the arts are so important to her personally and to Asheville overall.

We learned so much about the art of storytelling from Connie Regan-Blake in our latest "Behind the Curtains" podcast episode. Obtain more insight into this unique craft, and hear about her unique journey into the field, her experiences with storytelling guru Ray Hicks, her emotional story about her time in Uganda helping women, and her favorite Adam Sandler tale. Also get details about her company Story Window, workshops that she conducts, and an event happening at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. 

The Producing Artistic Director of The Sublime Theater Steven Samuels (who also is a playwright) engaged us in a critical discussion about the importance of presenting new works. Find out about his impressive career in the theater industry that spanned from New York City to DC to Asheville and seeral stops in between, as well as why he is so passionate about getting new works presented on stage and his dream project for Asheville. Also get all the details about his own original play - "Death Comes to Play" - being presented at The Sublime Theater.

New playwright James Robertson is sending a show to the Asheville Fringe Festival. He gives us all the details about his show - "Planet Girth" - as well as how he loops into the play his commitment to the environment and climate. Also hear about his unique entree into the playwrighting arena and what very surprising materials he uses in his artwork. And for first-time patrons of the Fringe Festival, he offers some insightful advice and guidance.

Storyteller Cory Howard was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast. Find out how he got into the storytelling industry, details about his show "Campfireball,' why storytelling is popular in Western North Carolina, his unique approach to getting the audience members involved in his shows, and how his events actually help these patrons. Also learn about his show ""The Dead Man" being presented at the Asheville Fringe Festival and what he would most love to hear audiences saying after the show.

Opera singer, voice instructor and actor Michaela Wright was the latest guest on the "Behind the Curtains" podcast. Find out how she ended up in the theater and opera world and hear really good insight into her direct experience with the health benefits of music and singing, as well as her upcoming work at a free theater camp for medically vulnerable students. Also get the details about some of her upcoming gigs, instruction classes she provides and her recommendations to patrons who are new to opera and how they can best enjoy these productions.

We had such an interesting conversation with Theatre Artist Dakota Mann about a multifaceted et of topics. Find out how he got into the theater industry, his views on watching movies of plays before directing/acting in the production, some interesting roles he has had in the past and his isight into the health of the Western North Carolina theater industry. Also get all the details about "Life Sucks" (which is based on Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya") which he is directing for the Hendersonville Theatre, what he would like to hear audience members talking about when leaving the theater, and teasters of how he has put his own spin on the production.,

We welcomed to the "Behind the Curtains" podcast Laura Rikard, an intimacy choreographer/coordinator, director and actor. Laura provided a lot of insight into the intimacy profession, a history of how it has evolved over the years and came to the forefront after the MeToo Movement, what exactly these professionals do for the theater and movie industries (and how they differ from fight choreographers), and when these professionals shoud be hired. Also learn about her company - Theatrical Intimacy Education - and get details about the classes and workshops being offered over the next several months. And hear about some upcoming shows she is directing that are being presented in Western North Carolina.

The Montford Moppets' Executive Director Rachel Cort and Artistic Director Ashleigh Goff were the latest guests on the "Behind the Curtains" weekly podcast. Find out what the impetus was behind the founding of the Moppets, what is the organization's mission, how the programs help the students health-wise, and how its classes have evolved over the past 19 years. Also get all the details about their 2025 productions, diverse classes being taught this year, and their exciting new Commedia dell'Arte class being offered. (And find out what Commedia dell'Arte is...)

The Artistic Director of the HART Theatre in WAynvesville Candice Dickinson came on the show to talk about their many diverse productions being offered this year from the main stage (7 productions all with strong female leads), studio season, cabarets and academy events (the education program) all being performed in their three venue spaces. Also learn about their unique audition process this year (for those who hate auditions) for ensembles and technical opportuniies on Feb. 4. (Regular auditions are Feb. 2 and 3.) Finally get all the details about their subscription packages and summer camps.

The Managing Artistic Director of the Hendersonville Theater appeared as a guest on the "Behind the Curtains" to update us on everything happening at the theater, information on the upcoming season of plays, concerts, play readings and subscription packages, how the theater uniquely supports new works, and how she ended up in the theater industry. Also get all the details about their upcoming production of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and how the onstage production was updated compared to the 1967 movie. 

The Co-Founders of the non-profit organization Asheville Theater Alliance (ATA) joined us to talk about how the ATA came about, its mission and vision, goals for the near future, membership benefits (including matching arts professionals with performing arts organization decisionmakers), and its very unique and user-friendly Calendar of Events. Also learn about how each of them ended up in the theater industry, background on the Attic Salt Theatre Company, and how supporters and patrons can help performing arts groups which have been hit so hard by the pandemic and recent hurricane in Western North Carolina.

Scenic Designer Julie K. Ross appeared as part of our education series about the professionals not on stage that are critical to bringing a show to the stage. Hear what a Scenic Designer does, how she ended up in this career, how the profession has changed (and where projections fit in), and a prop that manh times ends up on her sets as an inside joke.

This episode provides the insid scoop on lighting and visual media design from CJ Barnwell. Find out how he ended up in this field, his process for designing, what exactly a lighting/visual media designer does and some challenges he has faced in the past. Also find out how the profession has evolved and changed over the years, as well as why the relatively new visual media component has become so important.

Technical Theater professional Sylvia J. Pierce appeared as a guest as part of our "behind the curtain" magic that makes a theatrical production happen. She enlightens us about what exactly a technical theater professional is responsible for, with particular insight into a props manager, how she got into the industry, what dramatic changes she has seen in the technical field over the last 46 years and some very entertaining stories about her experiences working with CNN, Eurovision and SNL.

Continuing with our "behind the curtain" chats with those theatrical professionals who make theater happen backstage, we welcomed to the show Sound Designer Bailey Gafeney. Find out what exactly a sound designer is responsible for, the tricks and insight into "underscoring" a production, what is her process for designing sound and some of the more challenging projects she has worked on. Also learn about some positive changes she has seen in the industry so far in her career.

Costume Designer Casey Watkins shared insight into what is involved with costumes and wardrobes in a theatrical production. Learn what she is responsible for in a show, what is her process for designing costumes, how does she research period pieces and some interesting tricks about costume designs that directly influence an audience member's experience and feelings toward the characters.  

Emmett Till Trilogy and Racial Justice; Theaters Keeping the Conversation Going - Episode 2: Talvin Wilks, Director talks about how important this series of plays is to understand the significant impact of the Emmett Till murder in our nation's history. He also expounds on the importance of the media in bringing visibility to the injustices of racism, but questions "why does it take an image to gain people's attention?" Also hear his hopes about what audiences will say about the production series and how the theater industry helps spur and continue these critical discussions.