James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight – Details, episodes & analysis
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James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden
Frequency: 1 episode/13d. Total Eps: 113
Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.
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Narrative, Reversals, Mapping the Journey, and Running Away with the Circus - Playwright's Spotlight with Dietrich Smith
Season 5 · Episode 5
mardi 4 novembre 2025 • Duration 01:24:51
Dietrich Smith jumped into the Playwright's Spotlight after the opening of his World Premiere adaptation of Franz Kafka's novel Amerika. We explore his background as the literary manager at the Open Fist Theatre Company and the trends he observed from submissions. We speak about establishing theme and whose story it is in a piece, mapping the journey, approaching adaptation, and the history of Kafka's Amerika. We delve into writing an ending to an incomplete work, cutting what you love, the length of plays in modern theatre, the politics of production, reversals, learning playwriting by doing, and the concept of no rules in theatre. We wrap our conversation up the benefits of having been a story editor, holding interest and learning from the greats and, finally, his dive into acting and becoming a playwright. It is a brilliant and insightful conversation I hope you all will enjoy as much as I did. Cheers!
For tickets to Amerika, or the Man Who Disappeared at the Atwater Village Theater in Los Angeles through November 22nd, visit - https://openfisttheatre.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket#/events/calendar
Dietrich Smith is a playwright, director, and actor and was the literary manager for the Open Fist theatre company in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2006. He was writer and story editor for Nickelodeon and PBS on shows as Doug, Arthur, for which he received three Emmy Awards; Martha Speaks; Curious George; and, most recently, Hop.
To watch the video format of this episode visit - https://youtu.be/ZIN5XqpRjdg
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Open Fist Theatre Company - openfist.org
Dramatist's Bill of Rights - https://www.dramatistsguild.com/rights
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Inspirational Feedback, Weight-Bearing Walls, and Recognizing and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Playwright's Spotlight with Sofia Streisand
Season 5 · Episode 4
mardi 28 octobre 2025 • Duration 01:01:44
Sofia Streisand dropped into Playwright's Spotlight to discuss the U.S. premiere of her play Bluebeard's Castle (that I misspoke as Blackbeard's) November 1st through November 23rd. In this discussion, we discuss the difference between Russian, European, and American theatre, her journey from musical theatre to playwriting, writing multiple voices, and writing for specific actors and their cadence, mannerisms, and nuances. We unpack writing in a second language, the concept of and recognizing imposter syndrome, writing bilingually, refraining to avoid offense, and introducing sensitive topics. We follow up with "weight bearing" walls, inspirational feedback, when a show is born, the difficulty/benefits or wearing different hats, as well as adding layers and references. It's a brilliant interview discussing cultural aspects of playwriting we can all acquire from. Another great learning experience I know you will learn from. Enjoy!
Sofia Streisand is producer, director, and playwright born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She co-wrote the musical based on Alexander’s Pushkin’s masterpiece The Queen of Spades.
For tickets to Bluebeard's Castle at the Odyssey Theatre through November 23rd, visit - https://odysseytheatre.com/whats-on/bluebeards-castle/
To watch the video format of this episode, click - https://youtu.be/JaqIonYRzSI
Website and Socials for Sofia Streisand -
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Episode 100! Jersey Boys, an Egg Timer, Stage Effects, and Organizing Principles - Playwright's Spotlight with Rick Elice
Season 4 · Episode 21
mardi 22 juillet 2025 • Duration 01:14:13
Episode 100! Thanks for supporting us on this journey. We would love to hear how this podcast may have helped you with your creative endeavors.
To celebrate this milestone, Rick Elice of Jersey Boys, Peter and the Star Catcher, Water for Elephants, The Addams Family, The Cher Show, and the upcoming Princess Bride Musical, was gracious enough sit in the Spotlight (TWICE) after a botched first recording. We owe this opportunity to Cameron Scott who put this entire thing into motion. Be sure to check our his episode as well.
In this discussion, Rick shares his journey to becoming a Tony-Award winning playwright, the origin of Jersey Boys, writing devices and exercises, working backwards, the need for great stories and compelling characters, and the gift of luck. We also delve into stage directions and the difference to Author's Notes, multipurpose props and set pieces, The Princess Bride and meeting William Goldman, organizing principles, the economy of storytelling, and the difference in stage versus film. We wrap up with memory plays and "reliable" narrators, theatre as a medium of metaphor, and the benefits of working on multiple projects.
It was an extreme honor to have Rick on the podcast. He is extremely humble and shares some amazing stories I know you will enjoy.
To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/u2llPIM9sSY
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Pepper's Ghost - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper's_ghost
Slade School - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/
Samuel French (Concord Theatricals) - https://www.concordtheatricals.com/
Musical Theatre International - https://www.mtishows.com/
Theatrical Rights Worldwide - https://www.theatricalrights.com/
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.com
Playwright's Spotlight with Arthur M. Jolly
Season 1 · Episode 9
mardi 22 février 2022 • Duration 01:30:33
In this episode, James speaks to playwright Arthur M. Jolly about the five basic elements of drama and human relationships as well as the benefits of being a member of the New Play Exchange and his experience participating in The Last Frontier theatre conference in Valdez, AK. James loosens up about his pet peeve of using "perhaps" and maybe" in stage directions, and Arthur tells us why "we're all writers" and suggests "when in doubt, set the car on fire."
Arthur M. Jolly is a former stunt performer and coordinator as well as winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting for his screenplay The Free Republic of Bobistan. He has written over 70 plays including A Gulag Mouse, The Ithica Ladies Read Media, Long Joan Silver, How Blue is My Crocodile, and two collections of short plays - Guilty Moments andThin Lines. His plays have been produced across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. He has won the Joining Sword and Pen competition three times, the Todd McNerney National Playwriting Award, the Region IV David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award and was a finalist for the Woodward/Newman Drama Award. In 2016, 2017, and 2019, he was invited by Houston's Alley Theatre to participate in the inaugural Alley at Ucross Residency. He is a member of the WGA Caucus, The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, and The Dramatists Guild. His recent play The Lady Demands Satisfaction is due to be published February 2022.
To watch the video version of this episode, follow the link below -
https://youtu.be/Xz9UGSoqXeI
Links to sites mentioned in this episode -
Babes with Blades -
https://babeswithblades.org/
Next Stage Press -
www.nextstageprss.com
The Lady Demands Satisfaction -
https://nextstagepress.net/the-lady-demands-satisfaction/
Nicholl Fellowship -
https://www.oscars.org/nicholl
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference -
http://www.theatreconference.org
New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org
Miami City Theatre Summer Shorts Festival -
https://www.citytheatre.com/summer-shorts
Youth Plays -
https://www.youthplays.com/
Loft Ensemble -
https://www.loftensemble.org/
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight with Christopher Flowers
Season 1 · Episode 8
mardi 8 février 2022 • Duration 01:18:38
In this episode of Playwright's Spotlight, James interviews playwright Christopher Flowers. Chris discusses the accountability that comes with having a co-playwright and the benefits of being given good "clay." They also discuss storylines and subplots, writing and rewriting during the rehearsal process, networking, and finding inspiration from trinkets. We also discover that James has a beef with Dramatists Play Services.
Christopher Flowers is an actor, director, producer, playwright and co-founder of Big Sandwich Theatre Company. He is co-author of the two full-length plays Change the Station and All Inclusive. His third play, Sugar and Spies, with co-author Wade Bradford will have its world premiere at The Main Theatre in Newhall, California in April 2022.
Links for sites mentioned in this episode -
Big Sandwich Theatre Company - https://www.facebook.com/pg/bigsandwichtheatre
Dresden Files - https://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden
Scrivener - https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
Final Draft - www.finaldraft.com
Ray Bradbury Theatre Intro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nIqGI5-6HI
Eldridge Publishing - https://histage.com
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight featuring Susan Goodell
Season 1 · Episode 7
mardi 25 janvier 2022 • Duration 01:26:06
In this episode, James Elden talks to playwright Susan Goodell about learning from the rehearsal process, exercises in playwriting, trusting the process, finding opportunities on the net, being a resident playwright, getting published, and strategies on how to keep your work from being stolen in the modern era.
Susan Goodell is the author of the full length plays Heels Over Head and Hope Throws Her Heart Away and numerous one-acts all of which of played across the U.S. She's been commissioned by the Steppenwolf Theatre and was a Djerassi Resident Artist as well as resident writer at Rising Sun's Governor's Island Laboratorium for three summers. She was nominated for the Denver Drama Critic's Circle Award and made the Denver Post's 10-Best list. Her work has been included in the Best American Short Plays 2014-15, Best 10-Minute Plays 2016, 105 Five-Minute Plays for Performance and Study, PLAY Noir 2015 as well as PLAY Noir Anthology.
To watch the video version of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/y0R0rtdaU7w
Links for sites mentioned in this episode -
Djerassi Resident Artists Program -
https://djerassi.org
Rising Sun Performance Company's Laboratorium -
www.risingsunnyc.com
Changing Scene Theatre Northwest -
https://changingscenenorthwest.org
Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center -
https://www.theoneill.org/
Play Submission Helper -
https://playsubmissionshelper.com/blog/
Official Playwrights of Facebook -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialPlaywrights/about/
Best American Short Plays 2014-2015 -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1495046486/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_316RCFY01219SZ90J8F3
Best 10-Minute Plays 2016 -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1575259052/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V1GS6ESY1ZSAKSY2194D
105 5-Minute Plays for Performance and Study -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1575259109/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_FV6KWJWQ1Q1CA1MF89C0
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight featuring Hope Thompson
Season 1 · Episode 6
mardi 11 janvier 2022 • Duration 01:13:37
Hope Thompson is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre's Feature Writing Program and UBC's Creative Writing MFA program. She writes for stage, film, and television and her work explores the queer experience through history and genre. She's written on two seasons of CBC's Baroness Von Sketch Show, teaches screenwriting and co-hosts the crime fiction reading series Noir @ The Bar.
In this episode of Playwright's Spotlight Hope and I discuss gender roles within genres, finding representation, if acting can help writing, creating conflict, and what's missing in modern theatre.
To watch the video version of this episode, please follow the link below -
https://youtu.be/cxckvU7XDFo
Links discussed in this episode -
Noir @ The Bar - There is no official website for Noir @ the Bar. Each city has its own site or facebook page. To see if Noir at the Bar occurs in your city give a Google search. Was hoping they were linked together.
Submittable.com - The site is a bit confusing and misleading by not seeming to revolve around writers but rather social impact. I found an article that describes more of how it relates to writers HERE.
Buddies in Bad Times - https://buddiesinbadtimes.com
Canadian Play Outlet -https://www.canadianplayoutlet.com
Hope Thompson - www.hopethompson.net
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight featuring Adam Hunter Howard
Season 1 · Episode 5
mardi 28 décembre 2021 • Duration 01:18:34
Adam Hunter Howard is a playwright, mentor, guest director and dean at Harvard-Westlake Upper School in North Hollywood, California. We have worked together as costars in our the first two full-length plays produced by Punk Monkey Productions, Steven Dietz' Private Eyes and The Maiden Prayer by Nicky Silver, whose poster can be seen in the background of Adam's shots.
In this episode, we discuss working with young/beginning playwrights, structure, privilege, Aristotle's Poetics, success, joining the Playwright's Guild, practical effects versus implied effects and action, conflict and unveiling nuance through actors and layers.
Based on the amount of material covered and our personal history, this may be my favorite and most entertaining episode thus far. I hope you enjoy it.
To see the video format of this episode, please visit the link below -
https://youtu.be/1phRfCeKuJ0
For other websites mentioned in this episode, please visit the following links below -
The Oneill's - https://www.theoneill.org
IAMA - https://www.iamatheatre.com
Dramatist's Guild - https://www.dramatistsguild.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight featuring Jeff Pearce
Season 1 · Episode 4
mardi 14 décembre 2021 • Duration 01:29:10
Jeff Pearce is a journalist, novelist, non-fiction, and erotica writer who later transitioned into playwriting. In this episode, we discuss how each form benefits the other in the creative world, the obstacles of both crafts to achieve longevity, and how life imitated art with the tragic shooting by Alec Baldwin on the set of Rust.
To watch the video format of this podcast visit -
https://youtu.be/rn_yCHXCpf8
Links and websites mentioned in this episode –
Jeff Pearce -
Twitter – @jeffpropulsion
Books by Jeff Pearce –
https://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Pearce/e/B003Z9PW8Iref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1639386703&sr=8-1
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir 2018 and PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight featuring Daniel Guyton
Season 1 · Episode 3
mardi 30 novembre 2021 • Duration 01:10:07
Playwright Daniel Guyton stops by to discuss competitions, publishing and dead bodies. In this episode, we also span the spectrum of playwriting including - compensation, dialogue, feedback and criticism, the future of remote productions, and the pitfalls of cinematic fashion in the playwriting medium.
Daniel Guyton has been a playwright for well over 20 years having won many awards, nationally and internationally, and also teaches playwriting at Georgia State University.
To view the video version of this podcast, please visit YouTube at the link below -
https://youtu.be/XiiyaYCYuTI
Websites and Social Media information for Daniel -
www.danguyton.com
Twitter - @dguyton21
IG - @dguyton21
FB - www.fb.com/daniel.guyton
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/DanielGuyton
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Guyton/e/B002I0OQJG?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1637968904&sr=8-1
Links to websites mentioned in the episode -
The O'Neill (National Playwright's Conference) - www.theoneill.org
NYC Playwrights - https://www.nycplaywrights.org
Playwright Binge - https://groups.io/g/playwrightbinge
New Play Exchange - https://newplayexchange.org
Pioneer Drama Service - https://www.pioneerdrama.com
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
https://www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
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