Linda Chapman, Kate Ryan, Elyse Singer and Leigh Silverman join nytheatrecast host, Trav S.D., to discuss how Beebo Brinker Chronicles went from a small black box production to its upcoming Off-Broadway run. 

Trav leads the foursome through an animated tale of how Linda and Kate first decided to stage Beebo Brinker, why they thought it would work and how they connected with Elyse Singer of the Hourglass Group at just the right time.  Leigh Silverman chimes in to describe aspects of the production and how it quickly became an indie hit.

The enthusiasm of the group as they bring this adaptation to a larger audience is contagious and exciting.  They share anecdotes about the books, themselves, and about the audience that came from near and far to see it staged.  Each of the four ladies has their own distinct stake in this production and they love sharing it with the listening audience.

Episode Links:

• info about Beebo Brinker Chronicles on nytheatre.com
• Beebo Brinker website
• Hourglass Group website
• Beebo Brinker on myspace

Download the podcast

Edward Einhorn who recently produced the Havel Festival is back with a new musical version of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle.  Edward begins the episode with a short synopsis of this well known book.  Why turn it into a musical, one may ask.  Edward explains that as he began writing his adaptation he felt the calypso in the text cried out for it to be musicalized on stage.  According to Edward, the book could only be done justice as a musical and as a live stage production.

Produced by Edward’s theatre company, Untitled Theater Company #61, artistic director Henry Akona joins in creating this piece — Edward wrote the book and lyrics, Henry, the music.  In addition, he also directed. To bring it to life on the stage they have created a church (of sorts) in which to house it and a choir to make it sing.  Listen closely as Edward describes how and why they envisioned this.

The play runs in repetory with two other productions which Edward tells us a bit about and then talks about the excitement in store next for the company.

Cat’s Cradle begins performances on February 22 at Walkerspace.  Edward is usually around for his productions, so when you attend the show look for him and say hi.

Episode links:

• Untitled Theater Company #61 website
• Info about Cat’s Cradle on nytheatre.com

Download the podcast

Martin Denton talks with the three gentlemen who are directing this year’s “Triple Threat” shows for Emerging Artists Theatre. Triple Threat, now in its third year, presents three original full-length plays in repertory for month-long runs. This year, Triple Threat is being presented at Baruch Performing Arts Center in February 2008.

The plays and directors are:

 - Sisters’ Dance by Sarah Hollister, directed by Paul Adams — which is about two estranged sisters who reunite after their mother dies, and have to deal with what Paul says is a “twist” in the mother’s will

 - The Play About the Naked Guy by David Bell, directed by Tom Wojtunik — which is about an off-off-Broadway company that turns to a gay impressario for help with audience building; Tom says audiences will “laugh their asses off”

 - Claymont by Kevin Brofsky, directed by Derek Jamison — which tells the story of a teenage boy in the ’60s who has a crush on the boy next door

Paul, Derek, and Tom also talk about their own backgrounds and careers. Paul reveals that he didn’t direct for the first ten years of Emerging Artists’ history. Derek talks about his work at Metropolitan Playhouse and other companies. Tom shares a great story about an early assignment as assistant director on a flailing off-Broadway musical.

Episode Links:

• Sisters Dance (info on nytheatre.com; watch for our review)
• The Play About the Naked Guy  (info on nytheatre.com; watch for our review)
• Claymont (info on nytheatre.com; watch for our review)
• Emerging Artists Theatre website

Download the podcast

Playwright Ellen K. Anderson talks about her newest work, New Amsterdames, which is being presented by Flying Fig Theater at HERE Arts Center. This is Ellen’s 16th play; Ellen is based on California, and many of her works have been seen in NYC including Why Mudflaps? and the musical Shirtwaist, both at FringeNYC.

New Amsterdames is about the women of Dutch New Amsterdam. It’s set in the then-brand-new town on Lower Manhattan in the mid-1600s, and features a variety of characters based on historical figures, including Peter Stuyvesant’s wife, an African woman whose land was eventually stolen from her by the English, and the Dutch woman who invented doughnuts. The play also includes some talking beavers and some contemporary characters.

Ellen talks about the vast research she did for this play, and shares a wealth of fascinating trivia. (Did you know that the beaver is New York’s state animal?)

She also talks about her career as a playwright and in academia.

Episode Links:

• Flying Fig’s website
• Info about New Amsterdames on nytheatre.com

Download the podcast

This was one of the more fun episodes to record! Joel Jeske and Ryan Kasprzak, members of the cast of Cut to the Chase, chat with Martin Denton about their show. Cut to the Chase is the latest production from Parallel Exit, a physical theatre company founded by director Mark Lonergan. This show is about a vaudeville troupe trying to put on a show, but chaos ensues. Ryan describes the company’s aesthetic as “silent film meets live-action cartoon.” The show contains no dialogue (but lots of music and comedy).

Joel is a clown who has worked for both Ringling Bros. and the Big Apple Circus. Ryan is a dancer/choreographer who was the Dance Captain for the Broadway musical Fosse.

Joel and Ryan talk at length about what the show is like, how it was developed, and their process in creating it with Lonergan and the rest of the company.

Cut to the Chase is for family audiences of all ages, and plays at 59E59 in December 2007.

Episode Links:

• Cut to the Chase info on nytheatre.com
• 59E59 website
• Parallel Exit website

Download the podcast

nytheatrecast welcomes writer/performance artist Jeffrey Essmann, in an interview with Martin Denton. Jeffrey is bringing a brand new show, The Usual Freak Show, to La MaMa in November. Some of our listeners/readers may recall that Jeffrey was a frequent performer at La MaMa and other venues in the 1980s and 1990s, with one-man performances and shows such as Artificial Reality.

Jeffrey talks extensively about The Usual Freak Show, which features music and live accompaniment by composer Michael John LaChiusa. He introduces us to many of the different characters who are featured in the show, including a French existentialist slam poet and an over-the-hill Barbie doll. Best of all, Jeffrey performs an excerpt from the show, portraying another of his inspired creations, a fashion editor named Vivienne.

This episode also features some background about Jeffrey’s career, including his training at HB Studios under Uta Hagen.

Episode Links:

• Info about The Usual Freak Show on nytheatre.com
• La MaMa website

Download the podcast

This episode of the nytheatrecast spotlights Maieutic Theatre Works’s new production, Arpeggio, a play by David Stallings with music by Alec Bridges and Sarah Chaney. It touches on some very timely topics including illegal immigration and America’s current obsession with celebrity.

Playwright David Stallings and actress Kristina Kohl (who plays a fading pop star in the show) talk to Michael Criscuolo about the origin and history of Maieutic Theatre Works, some of Arpeggio’s more distinguishing features (like a live onstage rock band), and why the show is not a musical, among other things. David also gives listeners a sneak peek at the rest of Maieutic’s upcoming season. This is a lively and thought-provoking discussion with two artists who are clearly very passionate about this project.

Episode Links:

• Arpeggio - info on nytheatre.com
• Maieutic Theatre Works website

Download the podcast

In this episode of nytheatrecast, Jason Jacobs (who is one of the artistic directors of Theatre Askew as well as an occasional contributor to nytheatre.com) talks to actor/writer/activist Kathryn Blume about their upcoming show The Boycott. Jason is the director of this show; Kathryn is the playwright and performer.

The Boycott is a solo show based on Aristophanes’s Lysistrata. It’s about a future first lady who leads a national sex boycott to protest global warming. Interspersed within this story are scenes related to Blume’s own journey as an environmentalist. Jason and Kathryn reveal a great deal of interesting insight about how this piece was created, and discuss strategies for making effective activist theatre.

In addition to information about The Boycott and environmental issues, this podcast also touches on Blume’s other work, including the anti-war Lysistrata Project in 2003.

Episode Links:

• The Boycott info on nytheatre.com
• The Boycott website

Download the podcast

nytheatrecast correspondent Robin Reed goes on location in this episode to provide us with a sneak preview of the latest show from Temporary Distortion, Welcome to Nowhere (bullet hole road), which plays at Chocolate Factory Theatre in Long Island City in October 2007.

Temporary Distortion uses multimedia to create very distinctive and unusual theatre works. This particular piece is a meditation on travel. Robin speaks with director Kenneth Collins and video artist William Cusick about their collaboration; she also interviews actors Ben Beckley and Stacey Collins about what it’s like to work on a Temporary Distortion piece.

Best of all, this episode includes rehearsal footage, excerpts from the show, and a song.

Episode Links:

• Welcome to Nowhere - info on nytheatre.com
• Temporary Distortion website

Download the podcast

This episode focuses on the musical Yank!, which premieres at The Gallery Players in Park Slope, Brooklyn, in October 2007.  Joseph and David Zellnik, who are brothers, are the authors of the musical, and Matt Schicker is the producer — all three are on hand for this fascinating discussion with moderator Martin Denton.

Yank! is set during World War II, and tells the story of a reporter for “Yank” Magazine (a publication for the military) who falls in love with a soldier. (Both are guys.)

Matt also tells the story of how Yank! came to The Gallery Players, in which nytheatre.com figures rather prominently.

Episode Links:

• Yank! info on nytheatre.com
• Matt Schicker’s review of the original Yank! in NYMF
• The Gallery Players website

Download the podcast