PODCAST · arts
Token Theatre Friends
by Broadway Podcast Network
A community of BIPOC theater enthusiasts offering opportunities for theatre lovers to discover and engage with the works of artists we love. We bring a fresh perspective to the performing arts, exploring new work from underserved artists in our weekly web series and podcast, as well as our features and reviews. We don’t talk about representation, we are representation.Become a contributor on Patreon at www.patreon.com/tokentheatrefriends.
Episodes
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Ep. 83: American Pachucho with David Alvarado
In this episode, Jose speaks to filmmaker David Alvarado about American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, his documentary on the founder of El Teatro Campesino and the Chicano artist behind Zoot Suit and La Bamba. The film, which won the U.S. Documentary Audience Award at Sundance and is…
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Ep. 82: Exploring Empathy in "Merrily We Roll Along"
In this episode, Andrew talks to director and performer Maria Friedman about the filmed-for-cinema release of Merrily We Roll Along, which closed on Broadway in 2024. Friedman, whose journey with Merrily We Roll Along dates back to the early 90s, when she played Mary, directed revivals of the…
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Ep. 81: The Name on Everybody's Lips is Going to Be Leila Jung
In this episode, Jose sits down with Swedish actress Leila Jung, who’s taking on the iconic role of Roxie Hart in Chicago after starring in The Girl from the North Country. They talk about what it’s like to go from Bob Dylan to Kander and Ebb, performing back-to-back musicals set in the…
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Ep. 80: The Power of Bodies in Motion
In every episode, the culture critics at Token Theatre Friends bring their fresh perspectives to the performing arts on their podcast and video series. You can find the podcast on Spotify, iTunes, and Stitcher (look for the all-red logo). The video series* is available on YouTube. The TTF theme...
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Ep. 79: The Desire of Diana Pou
In this episode, Jose talks to actor/singer/educator Diana Pou about her role in Alván Colón Lespier's The Desire of the Astronaut, a poetic sci-fi play premiering at Pregones/PRTT next month. Pou talks about the way scripts and characters, including Astronaut, arrive exactly when they should…
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Ep. 78: From Book to Movie to Musical to Movie Musical
In this episode, Andrew and Graceson talk about the film adaptations of two Broadway musicals, which once were films, which once were books. The Color Purple directed by Blitz Bazawule and Mean Girls directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. The friends discuss the changes that were made…
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Ep. 77: The Imitator
In this episode, Jose speaks to Julián Fontalvo the multitalented writer and performer of The Imitator, in which he takes audience members on a personal journey where he imitates the voices of over 70 artists. Fontalvo talks about his love for popular music and how songs become part of our lives,...
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Ep. 76: The Eras Tour as Theatre
In this episode, Jose is joined by fellow Swifties (and BIPOC Critics Lab alumni) Maria Paz Alegre and Octavia Washington, to discuss Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The blockbuster concert film, which has grossed over $250 million worldwide, is out on demand and for rental on December 13th (Happy...
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Ep. 75: Shakespeare in the Jazz Age (Ft. Aria Shahghasemi)
In this episode, Jose talks to actor Aria Shahghasemi about his starring role in Romeo and Juliet at The Curtain in New Jersey. The actor known for his work on various seasons of The Originals and Legacies, speaks about why he wanted to return to the stage, as well as how his inner "Shakespeare...
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Ep. 74: Repair (Ft. Michael Marrero and Julio Trinidad)
In this episode, Jose talks to the duo behind Repair, a play making its premiere via streaming at StudioWorks. Writers Michael Marrero and Julio Trinidad (who also stars in the play) talk about the process of writing together, creating a unique NY story, and the joy of bringing theater to…
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Ep. 73: El Lancelot Latino (Ft. Matías De La Flor)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Matías De La Flor, who talks about his work in Lerner & Loewe's Camelot and getting to play a Latino Lancelot. De La Flor also shares what it was like landing his first Broadway job out of school and why he's interested in coaching actors in two languages. Coming…
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Ep. 72: Latiné Rising Stars of Musical Theatre
In this episode, Jose speaks to four of the composers who will be featured in 4xLatiné at Latiné Musical Theatre Lab. Anna Deeny Morales of Zavala Zavala, Nico Raimont of Como Correr, Erlina Ortiz of Silueta, and Felipe Vásquez-Encamilla of Divergentes talk about the joys of creating musical...
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Ep. 71: Into the Woods (Ft. Shane Dittmar & Aubrie Therrien)
In this episode, Jose speaks to two of the artists behind Epic Players' production of Into the Woods. Music Director Shane Dittmar and Executive & Artistic Director Aubrie Therrien talk about the company's mission of providing opportunities for neurodivergent and disabled people, as well as the...
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Ep. 70: The Cotillion (Ft. Colette Robert)
In this episode, Jose speaks to playwright/director Colette Robert of The Cotillion. Robert talks about the significance of seeing Black women represented onstage, how she approaches writing vs. directing, and why she wanted to become an artist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
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Ep. 69: Like Playing Pretend, But Better! (Ft. Dan Rosales)
In this episode, Jose speaks to actor Dan Rosales currently starring in Dog Man: The Musical. Rosales talks about the path he followed to become a performer, and how he connects with his inner child whenever he's on stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Ep. 68: Mystique, Allure, and Proficiency (Ft. Roger Q. Mason)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Roger Q. Mason about readings of two of their works, The Pink and Waiting for a Wake. Mason speaks about why they never call their work "plays," the importance of ritual in performance, and decolonizing theatrical practices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
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Ep. 67: Listening to the Whisper of Intuition (Ft. Camila Canó-Flaviá)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Camila Canó-Flaviá, the star of The Coast Starlight, currently at Lincoln Center Theater. Canó-Flaviá talks about returning to a character she played a few years ago and shares her thoughts on the importance of finding a self-care routine. Learn more about your ad...
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Ep. 66: Analyze Brick (Ft. Matt de Rogatis)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Matt de Rogatis, the star/producer of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. De Rogatis talks about fundraising for the first Off-Broadway production of Cat, why he wanted to play Tennessee William's "trinity" (Stanley from A Streetcar Named Desire, Tom from The Glass Menagerie…
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Ep. 65: Breaking Free from Stereotypes (Ft. Laura Gómez)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Laura Gómez who is currently starring in The Baby Monitor at Santa Fe Playhouse. Gómez talks about sinking her teeth into the part of Soledad in Monitor, as well as the importance of developing new muscles and skills to complement acting, and why there's power in...
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Ep. 64: Saying Yes to the Things That Scare You (Ft. Adrienne C. Moore & Sean Boyce Johnson)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Adrienne C. Moore and Sean Boyce Johnson, two of the stars of Black Odyssey. The duo talks about the genius of playwright Marcus Gardley, share tips for beginner actors who want to try out working in different mediums, and comment on fearlessness and the importance...
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Ep. 63: MacGyver The Musical (Ft. Brandon Victor Dixon)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Brandon Victor Dixon about his work in MacGyver The Musical. The Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-nominated artist talks about his work on stage, on screen, and as a producer. He also shares his advice for young people of color who want to be in the performing arts. Learn…
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Ep. 62: Song of Joy (Ft. Carol Mazhuvancheril)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Carol Mazhuvancheril, the playwright and star of Song of Joy, currently running at The Tank. Mazhuvancheril draws from his personal history to craft a moving tale of immigration, culture, and love for one's family. The playwright actor/speaks about the process of...
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Ep. 61: Musical Interpretation and Creation (Ft. Rona Siddiqui)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Rona Siddiqui, the Music Director of A Strange Loop. A composer first, as she tells Jose, Siddiqui talks about what it was like to interpret Michael R. Jackson's award-winning music and the elements she played with in both the Off-Broadway and Broadway cast...
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Ep. 60: You Gotta Have Faith (Ft. Annie Fang)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Annie Fang, one of the stars of Your Own Personal Exegesis by Julia May Jonas. Fang plays Beatrice, one of the members of a church youth group in New Jersey, where she hopes she will be able to find answers to her problems. The darkly comedic work touches upon...
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Ep. 59: When You Know the Notes to Sing (Ft. Ashley Blanchet)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Ashley Blanchet who plays Maria in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of The Sound of Music. Blanchet speaks about playing one of the most iconic characters in musical history and making it her own. The conversation was recorded over the Thanksgiving holiday…
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Ep. 58: En inglés with an Accent (Ft. Migguel Anggelo)
In this episode, Jose speaks to multidisciplinary artist Migguel Anggelo about his album English with an Accent and the eponymous theatrical piece he'll present at Lincoln Center in early December. The vibrant artist shared his insights on working with ideas from his dreams, Paloma Faith & Lady...
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Ep. 57: Artists as First Responders (Ft. The Bengsons)
In this episode, Jose speaks to The Bengsons about Sovereignty Hymns, a series of spirituals they wrote in which they address a woman's right to choose when it comes to reproductive liberty. The Hymns were first released by La Jolla Playhouse shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade...
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Ep. 56: Rhythm is Gonna Get'cha (Ft. Linedy Genao & Brandon Espinoza)
In this episode, Jose speaks to actors Linedy Genao & Brandon Espinoza who starred as Gloria and Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet! at Paper Mill Playhouse. They discuss the different paths they took to become actors and what they learned playing the real-life couple. Genao, who was recently cast as...
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Ep. 55: Getting Candid with "Candida" Leads (Ft. Avanthika Srinivasan & R.J. Foster)
In this episode, Jose speaks to actors Avanthika Srinivasan & R.J. Foster currently playing the leads in a revised Candida by Gingold Theatrical Group. The actors talk about falling in love with performance, starring in new works vs. revivals, as well as the ways in which they say goodbye to...
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Ep. 54: Bergman's Ark (Ft. FC Bergman)
In this episode, Jose speaks to members of the Belgian troupe FC Bergman. The boundary-pushing collective are bringing their majestic "300 el x 50 el x 30" el to BAM in Brooklyn this month. They talk about the ways in which they combine cinema and theater, some of their influences, and how this...
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Ep. 53: Scene with Solis (Ft. Octavio Solis)
In this episode, Jose speaks to playwright Octavio Solis. Solis' new play, Scene with Cranes is having its world premiere at REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater ) in Los Angeles. The poetic work deals with the aftermath of a tragedy that shatters a family. Solis speaks about how the play...
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Ep. 52: Security, Stability, and South Asians in Theater (Ft. Ramita Ravi)
In this episode, Isabel speaks to Ramita Ravi, actor and dance captain in Bhangin' It. The La Jolla Playhouse musical, written by Mike Lew and Rehana Lew Mirza, with music and lyrics by Sam Willmott and Deep Singh, made its world premiere in San Diego from March 20th - April 17th, 2022. Ramita...
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Ep. 51: To the Moon and Back (Ft. Jackie Burns)
In this episode, Jose speaks to performer Jackie Burns. The actor is currently starring in a musical adaptation of A Walk on the Moon where she plays Pearl, a woman grappling with her life choices during the summer of 1969. Burns, known for her roles in If/Then and Wicked, talks about her love…
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Ep. 50: A Map to Making Music (Ft. Anthony McGill & Weston Sprott)
In this episode, Jose speaks to clarinetist Anthony McGill and trombonist Weston Sprott, who also run Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program (MAP). The program is designed to recruit students from underrepresented communities in an effort to increase diversity in classical music. To celebrate the...
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Ep. 49: License to Be Human (Ft. Fernanda Santos)
In this episode, Jose speaks to Fernanda Santos. The trailblazing, multilingual writer is known for her powerful journalism and intimate storytelling. Now she's also a musical writer with ¡Americano! which tells the real-life story of Tony Valdovinos, a young man who discovers he's undocumented…
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Ep. 48: H*tler's Tasters (Ft. Michelle Kholos Brooks)
In this episode, Jose speaks to playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks about her play H*tler's Tasters (we reviewed the first New York production in 2018), her tragicomic look at the young women who were ready to give their lives for the infamous Nazi führer. As the play returns to New York stages,...
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Ep. 47: Immigrant Songs (Ft. Jaime Lozano)
In this episode, Jose speaks to composer Jaime Lozano about his career and upcoming performances. On April 15, Lozano will take the stage at Lincoln Center's American Songbook series with Songs by an Immigrant, featuring music from his acclaimed song cycle performed by Latinx guest artists.…
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Ep. 46: 7 Minutes to Change the World
In this episode, Jose speaks to the director and cast of 7 Minutes. The Waterwell production is a translation of Stefano Massini's play, making its American debut at HERE Arts from March 17 - April 10, 2022. Director Mei Ann Teo speaks about what drew them to the play, while actors Nicole Ansari,...
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Ep. 45: Pipes' Dreams (Ft. Eliana Pipes)
In this episode, Jose speaks to playwright Eliana Pipes. Her play Dream Hou$e is in the midst of a rolling premiere in Atlanta, Connecticut, and Maryland. In Dream Hou$e, sisters Patricia and Julia deal with the recent death of their mother as they are left to decide whether they should sell…
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Ep. 44: Finding the Right Words (Ft. Marjan Neshat)
In this episode, Jose speaks to actor Marjan Neshat, one of the stars of English. The play by Sanaz Toossi takes place in a classroom in Iran, where the students prepare to take the TOEFL, in order to prove their proficiency in English. When she was eight years old, Neshat and her parents moved...
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Ep. 43: Growing Up (Ft. Mia Pinero)
In this episode, Jose speaks with recording artist/actor Mia Pinero. Pinero is currently starring in Dipika Guha's Yoga Play at PlayMakers Repertory in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The actor speaks about what draws her to the characters she plays. Later this spring, Pinero will release her first...
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Ep. 42: Addressless (Ft. Martin Boross & Jonathan Payne)
In this episode, Jose speaks with playwright Jonathan Payne and director Martin Boross about Addressless. In the digital experience, attendees play a game where they learn about the many causes/consequences of housing insecurity. Boross first staged the show in his native Hungary, where he leads...
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Ep. 41: A Journey in the Dark (Ft. Martín Bondone & Carlos Armesto)
In this episode, Jose speaks with playwright Martín Bondone and dramaturg Carlos Armesto about Odd Man Out. The site-specific/international co-production takes place in complete darkness, audience members are blindfolded and experience the story of Alberto, a blind artist traveling to Argentina....
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Ep. 40: A Lesson in Crafting Opera (Ft. Laquita Mitchell)
In this episode, Jose speaks to world renowned soprano Laquita Mitchell. This month she stars in On Site Opera's Lesson Plan, an adaptation of Georg Philipp Telemann's Der Schulmeister which takes place on Zoom. During the pandemic, in addition to performing, Mitchell has hosted a series of...
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Ep. 39: I'm Just a Teenage Dick, Baby (Ft. Mike Lew & Gregg Mozgala)
In this episode, Jose speaks to playwright Mike Lew and actor Gregg Mozgala about Teenage Dick. The high-school-set play is a hilarious adaptation of Richard III in which Mozgala plays the title Dick, a young man who exacts revenge on those who have bullied and mocked him for his cerebral palsy....
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Ep. 38: Reopening Shakespeare in the Park (Ft. Jocelyn Bioh & Saheem Ali)
In this episode Jose speaks to playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Saheem Ali, who star in the documentary "Reopening Night" (available on HBOMax from Dec. 20). The film by Rudy Valdez follows the talented troupe led by Bioh and Ali who brought back Shakespeare in the Park following the Covid-19...
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Ep. 37: Historias del West Side & Panamá (Feat. Ilda Mason)
In this episode, Jose speaks to actor Ilda Mason, who is making her big screen debut in Steven Spielberg's sumptuous retelling of West Side Story. Mason talks about how she ended up starring in four different versions of the beloved musical, as well as her upbringing in Panamá. Mason is also an...
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Ep. 36: Black Feminist Video Game (Feat. Victoria Collado and Darrel Alejandro Holnes)
In this episode, Jose speaks to the creative minds behind "Black Feminist Video Game." In the play, Jonas, a biracial teenager with autism, learns about feminism through a classic video game. Playwright Darrel Alejandro Holnes talks about discovering a safe space in gaming. Director Victoria...
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Ep. 35: Shadow/Land: Part Play Part Poem
In this episode, Brittani and Alexi review Shadow/Land at the Public Theater. The show explores the relationship between a mother and daughter who are forced to stay in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina engulfs the city. Both Brittani and Alexi agree that the piece is part play, part poem as they...
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Ep. 34: The Immigrants
In this episode, Alexi and Murtada talk about the March on Broadway organized by the Actor’s Equity Association. They discuss the need for systemic reform to prevent future manifestations of abusive behavior within the theatre industry. Both hope that this reckoning is just the beginning of an...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A community of BIPOC theater enthusiasts offering opportunities for theatre lovers to discover and engage with the works of artists we love. We bring a fresh perspective to the performing arts, exploring new work from underserved artists in our weekly web series and podcast, as well as our features and reviews. We don’t talk about representation, we are representation.Become a contributor on Patreon at www.patreon.com/tokentheatrefriends.
HOSTED BY
Broadway Podcast Network
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Token Theatre Friends have?
Token Theatre Friends currently has 89 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Token Theatre Friends about?
A community of BIPOC theater enthusiasts offering opportunities for theatre lovers to discover and engage with the works of artists we love. We bring a fresh perspective to the performing arts, exploring new work from underserved artists in our weekly web series and podcast, as well as our features...
How often does Token Theatre Friends release new episodes?
Token Theatre Friends has 89 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Token Theatre Friends?
You can listen to Token Theatre Friends on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Token Theatre Friends?
Token Theatre Friends is created and hosted by Broadway Podcast Network.
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