Explore every episode of the podcast From the Ground Up

Current members of Studio Luna chronicle their twenty-five-year history and the evolution of their practice, programming, and location—most notably from their origin in Chicago to Los Angeles. This was originally recorded live for the 2024 Theatre Communications Group Conference.

You on the Moors Now was the first foray by Jaclyn Backhaus into committing the improvisations and musings of an ensemble to the page while developing her own style. She joins the cast of the show at University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee to talk about the genesis of the play and iterations over time.

Universities and museums are some of the last strongholds of festival circuits providing rare exposure to international and avant-garde artists. This episode explores how ensembles find their way onto such a path, and what these organizations are doing to ensure enrichment for their audiences and sustainability for the acts.

Focusing on the overlaps between Ensemble and Applied Theatre practices, this podcast highlights Mark Weinberg’s work with Theatre of the Oppressed pillar Augusto Boal, collectives, and his growth from director interpreted work to audience generated work.

After beginning her theatrical work by writing for a collective, Deb Margolin has had an expansive solo career. She shares her comedic impulses, political proclivities, and writing process. She takes us through the highs and lows of socially sustainable work as a playwright who best understands her scripts through the body.

Dell’Arte International faced a financial crisis in 2023. They surpassed their fundraising goal by the end of that year. In this episode, former President and CEO Alyssa Hughlett walks us down the path they took that year to rediscover themselves as a school and an ensemble, and reintroduce the company to their community.

In 2023, Pig Iron Theater Company held the National Endowment for the Humanities Preserving and Transmitting American Ensemble-Based Theater​​ Institute. The institute directors look forward to how the next institute might be adjusted and reveal insight on how the University of the Arts closure will impact Pig Iron School.

In 2023, Pig Iron Theater Company held the National Endowment for the Humanities Preserving and Transmitting American Ensemble-Based Theater​​ Institute. The presenters, some interviewed in this episode, provided in depth perspectives on how their ensemble-based processes created connections to a wide variety of audiences.

Eleven participants share their experiences at the 2023 National Endowment for the Humanities Preserving and Transmitting American Ensemble-Based Theater​​ Institute, which highlighted the impact of devised and physical theatre, its application in professional and university settings, and the limited scholarship around it.

Stewart Pringle, senior dramaturg at the National Theatre, sheds light on the theatre’s Generate program and discusses with Jeffrey Mosser the problem with the term “literary department,” when to take a risk, and why it’s important that the big fish in the big pond makes the investment in smaller-scale ensemble-based companies.

Artistic director of Belgian theatre company Ontroerend Goed, Alexander Devriendt talks through their process for imagining and developing participatory content. Alexander and Jeffrey Mosser also dig into financing art in Europe, the cost of touring internationally and how COVID has affected it, and sustaining family and art simultaneously.

Culture worker and theatre practitioner Dr. Cristal Chanelle Truscott provides a primer on her SoulWork process, applies it to her present processes, and expands our horizons as artists.

Creatives and book authors Mallory Catlett and Aaron Landsman dig into their new book based on their piece City Council Meeting, an exciting performance, rooted in a commonplace bureaucratic event, that develops dynamic participatory relationships with audiences and local government.

Playwright and director Karen Malpede joins Jeffrey Mosser to talk about her career and connections from the Open Theater to Theater Three Collaborative, as well as her partner George Bartenieff, an actor and champion for the avant-garde.

Since the “great pause,” funders have shifted their giving models. Ben Cameron has seen it from every side—and he talks all about it. Through anecdotes about his experiences at organizations from Theatre Communications Group to the Jerome Foundation, Ben offers many insights into how ensemble fits in a thriving theatre ecosystem.

Since the “great pause,” funders have shifted their giving models. Ben Cameron has seen it from every side—and he talks all about it. Through anecdotes about his experiences at organizations from Theatre Communications Group to the Jerome Foundation, Ben offers many insights into how ensemble fits in a thriving theatre ecosystem.

Bob Leonard chronicles his work from the People’s Bicentennial Commission and the Road Company through the founding of the Network of Ensemble Theaters and Alternate ROOTS. Together, Jeffrey Mosser and Bob connect the dots through the middle wave of ensemble-based theatre in the United States.

Carlos Uriona and Jennifer Johnson, co-artistic directors at Double Edge Theatre, connect with Jeffrey Mosser to discuss how working in rural Massachusetts for over thirty years has enabled them to share art on the world stage.

Jeffrey Mosser connects with Willa Jo Zollar, who is founder, chief visioning partner, and MacArthur Genius at Urban Bush Women. Together they talk about touring, the festival circuit, and strategy necessary to sustain a company for thirty years.

Summary of Season 3:

S03E01: What Ensemble Touring can Learn from Dance

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Founder, Chief Visioning Partner, and MacArthur Genius at Urban Bush Women and I connect to talk about touring, the festival circuit, and strategy necessary to sustain a company for 30 years.

 

S03E02: Maintaining Connections from the Hyperlocal to the International

Carlos Uriona and Jennifer Johnson, Co-Artistic Directors at Double Edge Theatre connect with me to discuss how working in rural Massachusetts for over 30 years has enabled them to share content on the world stage.

 

S03E03: A Living History of Ensemble Theater (or Bob Leonard’s Ensemble Encyclopedia)

Bob Leonard chronicles his work from the People’s Bicentenial Commission and The Road Company through the founding of the Network of Ensemble Theatres and Alternate ROOTS. Together we connect the dots through the middle-wave of ensemble-based theater in the United States.

 

S03E04: Ensemble as Contemporary Commentary

Producer and Executive Director at Los Angeles Performance Practice, Miranda Wright and I discuss how she’s developed a presenting organization for sharing ambitious collaboratively created work over the last ten years, as well as what she’s learned from some major arts funding research.

 

S03E05: Philanthropies, Foundations, & Boards (Oh, wow.)

Since the great pause, funders have shifted their giving models. Ben Cameron has seen it from every side – and he tells us all about it. From TED Talks to TCG, we have a lot to learn from his insights into how ensemble fits in a thriving theatre ecosystem.

 

S03E06: Looking for Another Way

Playwright and Director Karen Malpede joins us to talk about her career and connections from The Open Theatre to Theatre Three Collaborative, as well as her partner George Bartenieff – actor and champion for the avant-garde.

 

S0307: The City We Make Together: City Council Meeting’s Primer for Participation

Creatives and book authors Mallory Catlett and Aaron Landsman dig into their new book based on their piece City Council Meeting. An exciting piece rooted in a commonplace bureaucratic event which develops dynamic participatory relationships with audiences and local government.

 

S03E08: SoulWork and Soul Searching

Culture Worker and theatre practitioner Dr. Cristal Chanelle Truscott provides a primer on her SoulWork process, applies it to her present processes, and expands our horizons as artists.

 

S03E09: Ontroerend Goed’s Participatory Metaphors

Artistic Director of Belgian theatre company, Ontroerend Goed, Alexander Devrient takes us through their process for imagining and developing participatory content. We also dig into financing art in Europe, the cost of touring internationally and how COVID has affected it, and sustaining family and art simultaneously.

 

S03E10: Generating Ensemble-Based Work at the National Theatre of London

Stewart Pringle, Senior Dramaturg sheds light on the National Theatre’s Generate program. We discuss the problem with the term “Literary Department”, when to take a risk, and why it’s important that the big fish in the big pond makes the investment in smaller-scale ensemble-based companies.

Tony Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs discusses how she puts collaboratively creative work in front of national audiences through her producing organization, Octopus Theatricals. This final episode of season two holds hot takes on boards, theatricality, and the connective tissue around artist-centered producing.

What does fiscal sponsorship do for you and your organization? Colleen Hughes, associate director of programming at Fractured Atlas, walks us through the broad array of opportunities they provide. She’ll also shed light on fundraising trends she’s seen with nonprofit organizations throughout the pandemic.

Founder, Ensemble Member, and Former Artistic Director of Lookingglass Theatre Company, David Catlin, shares how their limitless aesthetic showcases their Chicago-based artists across the country. In addition we dive into their unique shared leadership model, their growth and goals for the future, and how tension with your board members can be a good thing.

The job of the facilitator, the logic of shared leadership, and how it all translates to directing a process. Michael Rohd stands at the forefront of ensemble-based practices equipped with questions about how we create the future that we want to be working in socially, civically, and artistically. Join us as we unpack and define what’s next.

Alison Carey, formerly of Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp, co-founders and artistic directors of UNIVERSES, discuss putting ensemble producers inside a major producing entity and the capacity necessary for things to fall into place.

Rachel Dickstein, Artistic Director of Ripe Time, takes us through her experience with Center Theatre Group’s completion commission for their adaptation of SLEEP. She also spotlights some necessary and helpful relationships with tour presenting partners, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, as well as champion and friend Diane Rodriguez.

Founding Program Director for the Arts at Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Olga Garay-English and Jeffrey Mosser discuss the revolutionary process of getting ensemble work in regional theatre spaces including her unprecedented partnership with Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Other topics include touring models, festival culture, and her experience as an international arts consultant.

From the Ground Up returns to the airwaves with Patricia Garza who shares their experience producing hyper-collaborative and ensemble-based theatre at the regional theatre level. Their work at the Network of Ensemble Theaters, Los Angeles Performance Practice, Center Theatre Group, and artEquity provides significant insights into contemporary theatre-making practices and next steps for the industry.

On this episode of From the Ground Up, Kirk Lynn of Austin, Texas’ Rude Mechanicals talks about their place on the national scene and how they sustain their work as they continue to grow as artists and individuals.

Julia Rhoads of the ensemble dance-theatre company Lucky Plush Productions talks to From the Ground Up about their sustaining efforts, strategies for developing work, and why the messiness of human relationships is such fertile ground for making work.

On this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Ariel Fristoe of Out Of Hand Theatre talks about how their unique games and creation process translates from free experiences for audiences all over Atlanta to corporate training.

In episode twelve of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser talks to Pig Iron Theatre Company co-founder and co-artistic director Quinn Bauriedel about the history and future of the company, which is celebrating its twenty-fifth year.

In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser talks with Heather Cohn and Corinna Schulenburg of Flux Theatre Ensemble about their Living Ticket model is making transparent how much it costs to make a living wage in the theatre. This episode was recorded live at the TCG Miami 2019 Conference on Friday 7 June 2019. 

In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser discusses devising audience integrated performances with dog & pony dc founder Rachel Grossman and co-conspirator Colin K. Bills.

In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser and Quita Sullivan of New England Foundation of the Arts talk equity in the grant making process, and share some best practices for artists applying to grants.

In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser talks to longtime friend and medical doctor Lindsay Puckett about the uncanny similarity in the grant application process for theatremakers and research scientists.

In episode six of the From the Ground Up podcast, Jeffrey Mosser interviews Stephanie McKee about the history of Junebug Productions, and how they look to "that blue sky" to imagine what is possible for the future. 

In episode five of the From the Ground Up podcast, Michaela Petro walks us down her path on becoming an ensemble member of Strawdog Theatre Company, and how she contributes to  cultivating their artistic culture.

In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, host Jeffery Mosser talks with Ova Saopeng of TeAda Productions about the importance of telling immigrant and refugee stories.

In episode three of the From the Ground Up podcast, Emily K. Harrison of square product theatre stresses the importance of creating space for radical inquiry by making work that provokes challenging conversations.  

In episode two of the From the Ground Up podcast, Coya Paz gives us the history and a peek into the future of Free Street Theater as it enters its fiftieth anniversary.

In episode one of the From the Ground Up Podcast, host Jeffrey Mosser speaks with Michael Fields, the Producing Artistic Director of Dell’Arte International, about how the ensemble has grown over the past thirty years.

Jeffrey Mosser introduces a new podcast series, From the Ground Up, about ensemble-based and collaboratively-created theatre companies.