Fifteen years young, the annual Ice Factory festival returns to the Ohio Theater.  To get a feel for this perennial favorite, nytheatrecast spoke with three of the participating companies and Robert Lyons, artistic director of Ice Factory.

Martin Denton opens the podcast with a short conversation with Robert about the history of the festival, why he and others of Soho Think Tank felt there was a need for this, and the current year’s lineup. Then it’s on to the participants!

Lenora Champagne is up first talking about her show, TRACES/fades. Lenora gives a vivid description of this play and her reasons for writing it — which tend toward the personal. Martin, being familiar with Lenora’s work, talked with her a bit about her style and some of what to expect when seeing the show.

Next up is Gabriella Barnstone, creator and choreographer of Heistman which is a dance/movement piece with text. Gabriella talks a bit about how best to describe this piece and gives a bit of background about herself as a dancer/choreographer/creator. She introduces Steven Rattazzi who is in Heistman and he reads a short selection of the text that is part of the show.  His reading gives a real feel for what the show will be like.

The podcast ends with three members of Sponsored by Nobody, creators of W.M.D. (Just the Low Points) — director, Kevin Doyle and company members Jessa Wildemeersch and Scott Miller. Led by Kevin, with Martin asking pertinent questions, they discuss the origins of this piece and how it has undergone various changes in its different incarnations. Most excitingly they tell us about a tour of Belgium set for early 2009.

Episode Links:

• TRACES/fades on nytheatre.com
• Heistman on nytheatre.com
• W.M.D. (Just the Low Points) on nytheatre.com
• Ice Factory 2008 official website
• Sonsored by Nobody on MySpace
• Jessa Wildemeersch’s website

  Download the podcast

This is the fifth year of the soloNOVA Arts Festival, a festival made up of the best of the best solo performers according to Jennifer Conley Darling, producing artistic director. On this podcast you will listen to excerpts from four of the performers and hopefully you will agree with Jennifer.

Martin Denton begins by introducing Jennifer and they talk quickly about the history of the festival and Jennifer gives a very short synopsis of the four performances not being excerpted on this episode.  Then with the dulcet tones of the autoharp begins an excerpt from Julia May Jonas’ Take Heart, the recounting of a child liar both humorous and touching.

Next up is Sally: M.I.A, written and performed by Krista DeNio.  Martin remarks about her unique headgear and Krista replies that listeners will have to see it to understand it. Krista does a short excerpt from her surreal techno-tragedy and the sound effects are all done by her.

Last Laugh is Eric Lockley’s rendition of two black performers who begin to confuse performance and reality. Listening you really get the feel that two very distinct performers are at the mike but it’s all Eric.

We close with Moana Niumeitolu, writer, performer, and painter of Tongue-in Paint.  You can’t see the paintings that are part of the show (you’ll have to attend for that) but you will hear her performing one of the 13 assorted characters she portrays.

Episode Links:

• TerraNova Collective website
• Krista DeNio’s website
• Eric Lockley’s website
• Julia May Jonas’ website
• Moana Niumeitolu’s website 

Download the podcast

A yearly occurrence, Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Marathon is celebrating its 30th year.  Martin Denton invited EST artistic director, William Carden to tell us more about this one-act play festival.

William talked in detail about the playwrights whose work will be represented in this year’s festival – Neil LaBute, Taylor Mac, and Michael Feingold, among others.  William explained the selection process which begins with open submissions.  He went on to discuss other aspects such as the directors, how they are chosen, and in response to Martin’s question, talked about what an audience member can expect from any of the evenings.

As an added special for listeners, William noted there will be special discount prices if you mention the special code he gives at the end of the podcast.

Episode Links:

• Ensemble Studio Theatre website

Download the podcast

Este junio llegará la segunda edición de TeatroStageFest el excitante nuevo festival internacional de teatro latino de la ciudad. Para introducir el festival (Junio 2-15, 2008) a nuestros escuchas, tenemos a Javier Gómez, director de mercadeo de TeatroStageFest, en una conversación con Susana Tubert, la Productora Ejecutiva. 

Susana explica la historia de la creación de TeatroStageFest; cómo otras ciudades y países han tenido festivales de teatro latino por años y ahora Nueva York tiene nuevamente el suyo propio. La productora habla de la importancia del Festival, y revela los artistas y producciones que participarán este año. 

Susana reitera que las producciones en español tendrán subtítulos o interpretaciones al inglés, lo cual hace a TeatroStageFest accesible para todos. Algunas obras serán en inglés mientras que otras tendrán diálogo en inglés y español. TeatroStageFest será una gran experiencia.

Para los que prefieran escuchar a Susana en un podcast similar en inglés (entrevistada por Martin Denton, de nytheatre.com), busquen el episodio # 217 - TeatroStageFest.

Enlaces de este episodio:

Portal de TeatroStageFest

Descargar este podcast

Coming June 2nd through the 15th will be the 2nd annual TeatroStageFest, an exciting new festival of Latino theatre.  To introduce the festival to our listeners we have Martin Denton in conversation with Susana Tubert, Executive Producer of the Festival. 

Susana explains the background and history of creating this festival; how so many cities/countries have long held such festivals and now NYC has one.  She talks of the fun and excitement of such a festival and goes on to explain who will be at this year’s fest and what to expect. 

She assures Martin of English subtitles/translations that will make the festival accessible to all.  And there will be productions in English and some will be bilingual.  It all boils down to a great experience.

And for those who would prefer to hear Susana (interviewed by Javier Gomez, Marketing Director of the Festival) in a very similar podcast in Spanish, look for Episode # 218 - TeatroStageFest en Espanol.

Episode Links:

• TeatroStageFest website

  Download the podcast

nytheatrecast gathered eight of the FRIGID Festival participants together to give our listeners a preview of this upcoming festival — some with excerpts, some with interviews – with our moderator, Martin Denton.  Enjoy the talent and diversity that will be part of this 12 day event at the Kraine, The Red Room, and Under St. Marks beginning February 27.

Writer/director Rick Vorndran, of Dysfunctional Theatre Company, introduces Theresa Unfried and Danaher Dempsey in a scene from CHOSEN and talks a bit about the genesis of this play.

Writer/performer Melle Powers talks about her play, WHENCE CAME YE, SCARLETT O’HARA O’HANRAHAN which Martin calls his favorite title in the festival.

Bob Brader does a portion of his PREPARATION HEX monologue all about a one-night stand and talks a bit about the background for this piece.

Jason Tyne, director/creator of SPORKNOTES gives a vivid description of this Improv show and introduces Julie Bain, Ben Rameaka, and Chris Enright who perform, on the spot, a short rendition of their version of “Pride and Prejudice.”  Akia, artistic director of Rising Sun Performance Company chats a bit with Martin.

Olga and Bjorn perform bits from EXCESSECRET CIRCUS “¿Guess What ‘It’s’ About?” and Olga is in charge as she tells Martin and the audience just what the show may or may not be about.

Chris Harcum of AMERICAN BADASS couldn’t be with us in person but his excellent director, Bricken Sparacino, brought a short taped excerpt and then chatted a bit about her experiences directing Chris in this and previous one-man shows.

WORKING IT OUT’s author, Amanda Sage Comerford talked with Martin about this, her first NYC produced play and how it came to be. It’s about a pair of nine year olds but not a play for the kids.

Andy Chmelko is Antonin Artaud as playwright/creator/director Bubi Escudero introduces her newest work, ANTONIN…MON ARTAUD.

The FRIGID Festival has something for everyone.  Let us know which one intrigued you the most.

Episode Links:

• American Badass
• Antonin…Mon Artaud
• Chosen
• Dysfunctional Theatre Company website
• ExcesSecret Circus
• Preparation Hex
• Sporknotes
• Whence Came Ye, Scarlet O’Hara O’Hanrahan
• Whence Came Ye my space page
• Working It Out

Download the podcast

On our latest episode, Michael Criscuolo talks with the masterminds behind the upcoming Wonder Women Week Festival, a week-long celebration of female performers and performance, produced by Groove MaMa Ink. This is the festival’s second annual installment and will feature the work of more than a hundred artists - more than double the amount of its inaugural run last fall.

Groove MaMa artistic director Kara M. Tyler and associate producer Bricken Sparacino talk about the origins of the festival, and offer some previews of this year’s shows. Both women will also be performing - Kara, on the festival’s “Super Sized Variety” night; and Bricken, with her sketch comedy group, Comedy Period - and they talk a bit about what they’ll be doing.

Kara and Bricken are also joined by two of this year’s festival participants: writer/performer Samantha Jones, who gives listeners a taste of her multi-character solo show, Butterfly Suicide; and songstress Jessica DelFino, who will be hosting one of the festival’s late night programs, “Vaginapalooza.” She gives listeners a sample of her musical wares with a very funny (and somewhat racy) song. Not for the faint of heart.

Episode Links:

• Groove MaMa Ink’s official website
• Groove MaMa Ink’s MySpace page
• Dora Mae Productions (Samantha Jones’s production company)
• Comedy Period
• Jessica DelFino’s blog

Download the podcast

nytheatre.com editor Martin Denton sat down with six FringeNYC veterans to discuss this year’s festival in a lively roundtable discussion on this episode. In addition to Martin, the participants are:

• Fred Backus, actor in Another Day on Willow St. at this year’s festival, and an actor in three previous FringeNYCs (he won an award for Horse Country in 1999) 
• Leslie Bramm, author of this year’s Marvelous Shrine and a participant in several previous FringeNYCs, including the very first one back in 1997
• Pamela Butler, director of Marvelous Shrine and also a longtime FringeNYC participant and adjudicator
• Maggie Cino, actor/creator who starred in Antarctica this year and has been involved with the FringeNYC since the beginning in various capacities (venue director, producer, adjudicator, etc.)
• Frank Anthony Polito, who produced, wrote, and starred in this year’s show Another Day on Willow St., and has been involved in the festival since 2000
• Robin Reed, producer and co-star of Scout’s Honor at this year’s FringeNYC, and an active participant in all festivals since 2001

All six of these folks are also members of the nytheatre.com reviewing squad, and so they’ve all reviewed FringeNYC shows in past years in addition to being participants in the festival. So their perspective is unique and also rather broad: they’ve seen the festival from just about all possible angles, and they’ve been around since the festival’s early years.

The conversation is, as you might expect, far-ranging: everything from the growth of the FringeNYC audience to the changes in venue quality over the years to the “Urinetown” effect (referring to the success of the 1999 FringeNYC musical that went on to Broadway) to the sometimes distorted view/coverage of the festival in mainstream media.

Episode Links:

• 2007 FringeNYC Reviews on nytheatre.com

Download the podcast

Our latest episode of the nytheatrecast spotlights the Chester Horn Short Play Festival. This annual festival, now in its third year, is the brainchild of the company TheatreRats. Michael Criscuolo talks to Associate Artistic Director Michael Ruby about the genesis of the festival, which is named after his late grandfather, who was a huge fan and supporter of live theatre and provided the company with resources to start the festival. Ruby and Co-Artistic Director of the festival, Brad Caswell, also talk about the process of whittling down over 600 script submissions to the final lineup of 12.

Also on hand are Helen Huff and Lori Kee, both of whom are directing plays in this year’s festival. They discuss how they first got involved (they’re both holdovers from previous years) and talk about each of their respective pieces.

Episode links:

• TheatreRats website

Download the podcast

This is a conversation with Julie Congress, who talks about her very immersive month working in this summer’s New York International Fringe Festival. Julie was assistant stage manager and an actor in the show Scout’s Honor; ran lights for another show, Too Clever By Half; reviewing shows for nytheatre.com; and seeing shows as a “civilian.”

Julie talks about her busy time at FringeNYC and about her background (she’s a rising senior at Skidmore College).

[Editor's Note: Julie is also my niece - Martin]

Download the podcast