Explore every episode of the podcast James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrative, Reversals, Mapping the Journey, and Running Away with the Circus - Playwright's Spotlight with Dietrich Smith | 04 Nov 2025 | 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! To watch the video format of this episode visit - https://youtu.be/ZIN5XqpRjdg Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - | |||
| Inspirational Feedback, Weight-Bearing Walls, and Recognizing and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Playwright's Spotlight with Sofia Streisand | 28 Oct 2025 | 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 - Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Episode 100! Jersey Boys, an Egg Timer, Stage Effects, and Organizing Principles - Playwright's Spotlight with Rick Elice | 22 Jul 2025 | 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 and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.com | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight with Arthur M. Jolly | 22 Feb 2022 | 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." Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight with Christopher Flowers | 08 Feb 2022 | 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. Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring Susan Goodell | 25 Jan 2022 | 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. Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring Hope Thompson | 11 Jan 2022 | 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. PLAY Noir Anthology – Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight James Elden - Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring Adam Hunter Howard | 28 Dec 2021 | 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. PLAY Noir Anthology – Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight James Elden - Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring Jeff Pearce | 14 Dec 2021 | 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. Jeff Pearce - Books by Jeff Pearce – PLAY Noir 2018 and PLAY Noir Anthology – Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight James Elden - Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring Daniel Guyton | 30 Nov 2021 | 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. | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight featuring David-Matthew Barnes | 16 Nov 2021 | 01:36:38 | |
Playwright David-Matthew Barnes and I talk about character, names, collaboration, rejection and perseverance, and the business of playwriting - and that's just scratching the surface.
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| Playwright's Spotlight featuring April Littlejohn | 02 Nov 2021 | 01:07:53 | |
April Littlejohn is a playwright, producer, director and actor. Her productions of L.A. Horror Stories under her theatre company, Fuzzy Bottom, has won awards at the Valley Theatre Awards in North Hollywood, and her plays have been produced in Los Angeles, Valdez, Alaska and in other cities across the country. | |||
| Playwright's Spotlight Introductory Episode | 26 Oct 2021 | 00:17:47 | |
Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, and Host James Elden talks about his origins into the realm of live theatre and his path forward as well as his visions of the Playwrights' Spotlight. | |||
| Magical Realism and Heightened Language, Punctuation as Sheet Music, and Locking Opposite Characters in a Room - Playwright's Spotlight with Ashley Griffin | 15 Jul 2025 | 01:08:18 | |
Playwright and performer, Ashley Griffin, swung by the studio to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight before her West Coast Premiere of her Off-Broadway play The Opposite of Love. It's a compelling conversation that tackles so many aspects of playwriting, that the title of the thumbnail became a struggle. In this discussion, we breakdown her playwriting origins, learning lessons from mentors, overcoming technical challenges, magical realism and heightened language, and achieving the goal of giving a gift to the audience. We also unpack recognizing issues, characters having objectives, knowing where you're going, and using language like magic. We wrap it up by exploring - determining beats, separating yourself as a playwright/actor/director in your own work, how acting assists writing, organic dialogue, punctuation as sheet music, and the benefits of locking opposite characters in the same room. Ashley gives a plethora of insight in such a short amount of time. Every playwright will walk away with at least one nugget of knowledge if not a bagful. Enjoy! The West Coast premiere of her play The Opposite of Love opens July 25th through August 31st at The Hudson Backstage Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased at - https://www.onstage411.com/newsite/boxoffice/cart.asp?orgin=guest&show_id=7383&skin_show_id=&runall_id=176397 Ashley Griffin is a writer and performer. Her work has been produced and/or developed at New World Stages, Manhattan Theater Club, and Playwrights Horizons amongst others. She received the WellLife Network Award and a county commendation for her off-Broadway play Trial. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has trained at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theater. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/XaEV3GfqwfY Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Santa Monica Playhouse - https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/ Websites and Socials for Ashley Griffin - www.ashleygriffinofficial.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ashleygriffin Blank Paige by Ashley Griffin - https://www.amazon.com/Blank-Paige-Ashley-Griffin/dp/B0CKPVPT9V The Spindle by Ashley Griffin - https://a.co/d/8JjdNm3 IG - @ashleygriffinofficial Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.com | |||
| Artistic Visas, Defining Success, and Networking to Find Opportunities - Playwright's Spotlight with Joel Trinidad | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:57:32 | |
I invited Joel Trinidad onto the Playwright's Spotlight after reading about his journey. He streamed in while on tour for his acting performance of Romeo and Juliet as part of a fringe fest in South Dakota. In our conversation, we discussed acquiring an artist visa, producing your own work, the definition of success, the structure of a musical, and the importance of networking and finding opportunities. We also discussed using your cast to fill seats, imposter syndrome, submissions and rejections, pay-to-play, and staging a musical table read. It's a great conversation on a universal approach of getting into the business and what defines success. Enjoy! Joel Trinidad is a theater professional from the Philippines, whose body of work has granted him Permanent Residency status in the US as an “alien of extraordinary ability and achievement.” He has penned a dozen original librettos, most of which have been successfully produced and in his home country. Titles include BREAKUPS & BREAKDOWNS; AFTER EVER AFTER; GUADALUPE: THE MUSICAL and FAIRY TALE RESCUE, to name but a few. He’s also written more than a hundred short plays. His latest musical (created with composer Luke Simnett) is the two-person comedy A TALE OF TWO (based on A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens), which premiered in London in July 2024. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/RMvyG0tS1Ps Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - TDF - https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/ NYC Playwrights - https://www.nycplaywrights.org/#google_vignette Theatre Resources Unlimited - https://truonline.org/ Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.com | |||
| Plays as Living Things, Staging in Unconventional Locations, and the Definition of Being a Writer - Playwright's Spotlight with Cameron Scott | 17 Jun 2025 | 01:16:02 | |
Broadway marketer turned playwright Cameron Scott came onto Playwright's Spotlight after I received his submission to PLAY Noir to talk about his later-in-life start to playwriting. In this conversation, we delve into what the definition of a writer is, a play being a living thing, audio plays vs stage plays and a play's transition from audio to stage, and setting time aside and finding opportunities to write. We also discuss staging in unconventional locations, being a minimalist playwright, overnight success, and the new trend of streaming Broadway shows. It's great, energetic conversation that proves it's never too late to start. Just write. Enjoy! Cameron Scott has worked with Broadway’s top producers to create brand campaigns for well over 100 productions including 17 Tony Award-winning Best Plays, Best Musicals, and Best Revivals. He has recently turned to writing plays of his own. Since the fall of 2022, he has had plays produced from the coasts of California to Connecticut, among them a Best in Festival winner at Wilmington Drama League and the winning play from Delaware at ESTAFest 2023. He has had work published in multiple anthologies including an excerpt from his play Uphill which was published in The Best Men’s Stage Monologues 2023 by Smith & Kraus. His latest audio drama West PalmReaders appeared internationally on the Apple Podcasts Charts in 49 countries last summer, including multiple #1's in Drama and thirteen Top 10's in Drama, including in the USA. Mr. Scott has worked with professional and amateur theater companies alike such as Legacy Theatre in Connecticut, The Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood and Rhode Island Stage Ensemble. Other plays include Forty Years Kings first produced in Delaware last February and a new audio drama Happ’s Last Tape to be produced and to debut this October. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/BHb_NvBv-D8 Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - The Road Theatre Company - https://roadtheatre.org New Play Exchange - https://newplayexchange.org/get-started Websites and Socials for Cameron Scott - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Mens-Stage-Monologues-2023/dp/1575259737 West Palm Readers - https://campfireradiotheater.podbean.com/e/west-palm-readers/ That Day is Coming, Everyday is Coming - Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.com | |||
| Writing a Play in Real Time, Necessity Breeding Creativity, and Journey to the Hollywood Fringe - Playwright's Spotlight with Faye Widjaja and Sohani Sawant | 03 Jun 2025 | 00:54:42 | |
Returning playwright Faye Widjaja and her cohort, Sohoni Sawant, dropped by the studio after having streamed in from her original interview just over two years ago to discuss the journey and evolution of her play A Minor Inconvenience from the Lenaea High School Theatre Festival to the Hollywood Fringe. It's an insightful journey I hope every playwright at any stage can pull a nugget of knowledge. We explore their journey from the original production and obstacles at Lenaea to the 2025 Hollywood Fringe, from where it was then and to where it is now. We delve into grants from Broadway Licensing to a scholarship from the Hollywood Fringe, the evolution of the play between Lenaea and Fringe, the difficulties of writing a "timed" show, embracing different versions, the simplicity of theatre, and marketing a short run. Everyone can learn a little something from this conversation. Let us know what you pulled from it. Enjoy! For tickets to A Minor Inconvenience at the Hollywood Fringe, visit - https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9750?tab=tickets To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/W5re9eFvJ-g Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Lenaea High School Theatre Festival - https://www.lenaea.org Broadway Licensing - https://broadwaylicensing.com Hollywood Fringe - https://www.hollywoodfringe.org The Actor's Company - https://www.theactorscompanyla.com/the-other-space Socials for Faye Widjaja and Sohoni Savant - IG - @aminorinconvenience IG - @sourlesspictures IG - @fayewidjaja IG - @sohani.sawant Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Adaptations, Archetypes, Writing Whimsy, and A Quantum Fantasia - Playwright's Spotlight with John Farmanesh-Bocca | 29 May 2025 | 01:22:00 | |
John Farmanesh-Bocca swung by The Playwright's Spotlight to talk about his latest Shakespeare adaptation Lear Redux: A Quantum Fantasia. Throughout this conversation we discuss his journey into becoming an adaptive playwrights of the Classics, how he breaks them down, unpacks them, and the puts them back together to serve a modern audience without losing the original story and, sometimes, the original language. We discuss how much preparation he does before moving into collaboration and the use of conversation, his use of archetypes, writing whimsy, and how his acting and dance classes helped make him a better writer. We close on the current accessibility of theatre and the importance of advocacy for the arts. John's charm and passion shine through out this interview. I think you'll walk away with a lot. Enjoy. For tickets to Lear Redux: A Quantum Fantasia at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles through July 13th, visit https://odysseytheatre.com/whats-on/lear-redux/ John Farmanesh-Bocca is a multi-award-winning Iranian-American theater director, choreographer and playwrite who is best known in the U.S. and abroad for his modern adaptations of ancient theatrical works. He is the founder of the award-winning Not Man Apart – Physical Theatre Ensemble, ranked by Backstage in 2014 as one of the “13 most innovative physical theater companies in the world,” for which he now serves as emeritus director. Some of his award-winning physical theater adaptations include - Pericles Redux, Wish I Had A Sylvia Plath, Titus Redux, As/Is, Hercules Furens, and Tempest Redux. To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below - https://youtu.be/OahUQhbBRVM Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Not Man Apart - https://www.notmanapart.com Ruskin Group Theatre - https://www.ruskingrouptheatre.com The New American Theatre - https://www.newamericantheatre.com WORD Theatre - https://wordtheatre.org Socials for John Farmanesh-Bocca's companies - IG - @notmanapart IG - @newamericantheatre IG - @ wordtheatre IG - @odysseetheatre Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions - Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Rhythm in Dialogue, Playing with Different Structures, and the Flaws of Rewriting on Stage - Playwright's Spotlight with Brad McEntire | 13 May 2025 | 01:22:24 | |
Longtime-listening playwright Brad McEntire streamed into the Spotlight to discuss his experience and approach to the craft. We discuss the exercises and lessons from studying under Will Power at Southern Methodist University and the Dallas Theatre Center, playing with the rhythm of dialogue, what beginning playwrights don't do or practice, and whether or not you can achieve impossible stage directions with a small budget. We also delve into his background as a literary manager, his process of one-person shows and the difference between solo performances and personal stories, the one-person structure as well as playing with different structures, tackling solo long-form improv, staging your own one-person show and finding opportunities for them. We wrap things up with the flaws of rewriting on stage and his podcasts - The Cultivated Playwright and Brad McEntire Plays and - and the difficulty of monetization. Brad's energy is contagious and his insight is valuable. Enjoy! Brad McEntire is a playwright, solo performer, and stage director. He is the author of more than a dozen plays, including Que Sera Giant Monster, I Brought Home a Chupacabra, Dinosaur and Robot Stop a Train, Raspberry Fizz, Langdon the Seasonal Barista, I Have Angered a Great God and The Yeti in the Airport Lounge among others. He is a satellite member of The Playwrights' Center and studied playwriting with Will Power as part of the Dallas Playwrights Workshop at Southern Methodist University. He has toured his original one-person shows Cyrano A-Go-Go, Chop, Robert's Eternal Goldfish and The Beast of Hyperborea performing in venues and festivals all over North America. Since 2008 he has served as artistic director of the small-batch theatre company Audacity Theatre Lab, and in 2015, McEntire served as the first theatre-artist-in-residence at the Kathy George Indie Artist Residency in Ashford, Oregon. He holds a B.F.A. from the College of Santa Fe and a M.A. from Texas Woman's University. He has a YouTube channel where he talks about theatre, including playwriting and solo performance. To watch the video format of this interview, visit - https://youtu.be/m1U8hBL9S50 Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Playwrights' Center - https://pwcenter.org Jerome Fellowship - https://pwcenter.org/programs/jerome-fellowships/ McKnight Fellowship - https://pwcenter.org/programs/mcknight-fellowship-in-playwriting/ Dallas Theater Center - https://dallastheatercenter.org Undermain Theatre - https://www.undermain.org/ New York City Fringe - https://frigid.nyc/new-york-city-fringe/ Edinburgh Fringe - https://www.edfringe.com Minnesota Fringe - https://minnesotafringe.org Hollywood Fringe - https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/ Elgin Fringe Festival - https://www.elginfringefestival.com Website and socials for Brad McEntire - www.bradmcentireplays.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BradMcEntire IG - @dribblefunk Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brad-McEntire/author/B00IX2B7P4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true | |||
| Vomit, Unwritten Dialogue, Hip Hop Theatre, and the Delusions of Learning the Craft - Playwright's Spotlight with Rickerby Hinds | 29 Apr 2025 | 01:23:15 | |
Rickerby Hinds swung by the Playwright's Spotlight prior to the premiere of his "last' play. We unpack various topics including Hip Hop Theatre, being a self-taught playwright, writing without arrogance, earning your audience, and the use of poetry, spoken word, rap, and movement and dance. We also discuss lessons in editing, metaphors and similes, achieving layers, character introductions, unwritten dialogue, and what choreography on the page looks like. We wrap it up with his venue and purpose at Riverside Studios, commissioning a play, the rehearsal process, and his approach to developing characters. Similarities in look and sound to Denzel Washington, I half expected Denzel to bust out and say, "It's actually me, Denzel." I also had the opportunity to catch this play prior to this episode dropping. If you're in the LA area, I highly recommend checking it out. It's a definite crowd pleaser with lots of audience participation. Even if you can't see the production, I'm sure you'll be charmed by this episode. Enjoy. For tickets to The Last Play By Rickerby Hinds, visit - https://www.latinotheaterco.org/thelastplay Rickerby Hinds is one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop Theater. He received his MFA in playwriting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television where he was awarded the coveted Audrey Skirball-Kenis Award for best play for an unprecedented two years. He is the past chair of the Department of Theater Film & Digital Production at the University of California, Riverside and founding director of Riverside Studios. He is a Fulbright Fellow, and his work has toured Romania, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Turkey and his native Honduras, as well as numerous venues throughout the US. His play Dreamscape received a record six 2016 Los Angeles NAACP nominations, winning three, including “Best Director.” To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below - https://youtu.be/nRqv3XWmcAg Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Latino Theatre Company - https://www.latinotheaterco.org University at California, Riverside - https://www.ucr.edu Website and Socials for Rickerby Hinds - https://profiles.ucr.edu/app/home/profile/rickerby FB - https://www.facebook.com/kerby.hinds/ IG - @rickerby.hinds Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Painting a Room, Masterclasses vs Academia, and the Perils of Liking Your Own Writing - Playwright's Spotlight with June Thomson Morris | 22 Apr 2025 | 00:55:04 | |
Just over the week before the World Premiere of her first play celebrating the Centennial celebration of Coral Gables, Florida, multiple Emmy-winning journalist June Thomson Morris beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight. In this interview, we discuss attempting one's first play, overcoming obstacles, and experiencing your work come to life for the first time. We also explore how journalism nurtures playwriting, learning from Masterclass vs Academia, narrowing framing and foregoing storylines, June's family story and its influence of her play, transitioning form a screenplay to a stage play, and character description and providing intention. It's an inspiring and motivational discussion that proves life doesn't end when one pursuit ends and that all of our aspirations are always within reach. Enjoy! For tickets to the VIP Centennial Celebration visit - https://site.coralgableschamber.org/atlas/events/973263/details For tickets to Greetings from Paradise at the Miracle Theatre, visit - https://purchase.actorsplayhouse.org/EventAvailability?EventId=1801 June Thomson Morris is a playwright, multiple Emmy-winning journalist, storyteller, and Miami native. She has spent her life uncovering and preserving history through the power of narrative. Her latest project, Greetings from Paradise, is more than a play—it’s a time machine, transporting audiences back to the roaring 1920s, when Miami was booming, fortunes were being made (and lost), and the idea of paradise was up for grabs. To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below - https://youtu.be/da56vUbTP1E Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - Miracle Theatre/Actors Playhouse - https://www.actorsplayhouse.org Masterclass - https://www.masterclass.com Contact and website for June Thomson Morris - www.junemorris.com Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Playwright's Spotlight - Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival | |||
| Voices, Overwriting, Stage Directions in Dialogue, and Infusing Your Writing with Heart - Playwright's Spotlight with Lisa Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak | 15 Apr 2025 | 01:02:16 | |
Playwrights Lisa Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak sat in the Playwright's Spotlight to discuss the evolution of their play The Violin Maker from its Sydney, Australia production to its US premiere from its origin from The Violins of Hope through its process up to rehearsals. We delve into the styles of salons, approaching flashbacks and overwriting, respect and valuing while collaborating, getting to the emotion and infusing your writing with heart, stage directions as road maps and using stage directions in dialogue, and the elements of a good director. They offer great insight the playwrights of any level will benefit from. Enjoy! For tickets to The Violin Maker at International City Theatre in Long Beach, CA from April 23rd through May 11th, visit - https://internationalcitytheatre.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=813 Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum is a writer and dramaturg at the LA based theater and arts company The Braid, where she also develops and moderates programs that give voice to diverse and compelling Jewish voices. Stories from the Violins of Hope, her play about Israeli violin maker who restored instruments that survived the Holocaust, drew from her lengthy interviews with Amnon Weinstein himself. She is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild. Ronda Spinak is a writer, producer, and founder and artistic director of The Braid, a 17-year-old global nonprofit theater company. She develops and produces The Braid’s signature Salon Theatre Series, curating more than 80 original Jewish-themed programs and adapting many of the pieces performed. She has developed six one-person shows, including Not That Jewish, which played 16 months in Los Angeles, then went to Off Broadway for nearly a year. Other plays include Stories from the Fringe and Oscar Wilde’s Wife. She is a graduate of Stanford University, and holds degrees from and MBA from UCLA and a Masters in Writing from USC. She is also on the board of the Alliance for Jewish Theatre and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/HfmBP1d-M2g Links to resources mentioned in this episode - The Braid - https://the-braid.org International City Theatre - https://ictlongbeach.org Website and Socials for The Braid - The Braid - https://the-braid.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheBraidStories Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebraidstories/ IG - @thebraidstories Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Applied Theatre, Writing Bilingual, and Dramaturgical Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Ankita Raturi | 21 Oct 2025 | 01:21:19 | |
Ankita Raturi basked under the Playwright's Spotlight for the World Premiere of her play Neha & Neel. In this discussion we break down the concept of applied theatre and being a teaching artist, how it effects character, exercises that extrude character and whether or not the practice makes it into a piece. We unpack earning a monologue, the first steps of playwriting, writing bi-lingually, dramaturgical playwriting, and the audience's experience. We also discuss finding directors for foreign language pieces, writing multiple characters for one actor, discovering "magic" in grad school, self producing, keeping notes, ego, and good ideas, and clear guidelines and the ethics of paying fees to have one's work read. Ankita is a force to be reckoned with that every playwright can learn from. Enjoy! For tickets to Neha and Neel at LATC in Los Angeles through November 16th, visit - https://www.latinotheaterco.org/nehaandneel To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/T19LZUw4vC4 Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - | |||
| London, N.Y., and L.A. Markets, Great Hooks and Good Stories, and Stealing from the Greats - Playwright's Spotlight with Stephen Laughton | 01 Apr 2025 | 01:10:41 | |
British L.A.-based playwright Stephen Laughton came sat in-house in the Playwright's Spotlight before the West Coast Premiere of his play One Jewish Boy. In this interview, we discuss the differences in the London, New York, and Los Angeles markets, London gatekeepers and the draw of the London Fringe and its difference to the Edinburgh Fringe, taking advantage of Covid, and the responsibilities and how playwriting applies to the Astrophysics Team at the American Museum of Natural History. Mid conversation we accept a call from Stephen's director and give a live, on-air response. We follow it up with what makes a great hook and how that provides a good story, what British playwrights sound like, stealing from the best, and moving to L.A. to do theatre. Like most Brits, Stephen's a charmer and offers some great stories and insight. Enjoy! For tickets to One Jewish Boy at the Atwater Village Theater in Los Angeles through April 28th, visit - https://echotheatercompany.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200474485. Stephen Laughton is an award-winning, critically acclaimed writer. He has work in various stages of development across film and theater in NYC, L.A., London, Cape Town, and Sydney. He has worked with major theaters and broadcasters including and is an associate artist in the Astrophysics team at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Two major plays coming up in 2025 include: Giants, which explores the controversy that unfolded on the set of James Dean’s last film, set to open at the Sydney Opera House; and Velocity, which examines mental health in the LGBTQ+ community and is set to open at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/bSazK8h4ndk Links to resources mentioned in this episode - American Museum of Natural History - https://www.amnh.org Nick Hern Books - https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk Website and Socials for Stephen Laughton - https://www.adventuresinstenography.com Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Deadlines, Storytelling Through Post-Its, and Working with Sensitive Subject Matter - Playwright's Spotlight with Judson Jones | 25 Mar 2025 | 01:01:57 | |
Before the World Premiere of his very first play, Judson Jones streamed into the Playwright's Spotlight. We discussed his background in theatre, film, and television and his journey to writing his first play and any challenges he overcame. We dove into hitting the flow state, introducing new ideas, the appreciation of new works, storytelling through Post-It notes, working with deadlines, collaborating with designers and the benefits of simplicity and justification as well as eliminating and having an outside eye. We wrap with delving into devices vs dialogue, working with sensitive subject matter, writing out of order, and observing the loss of grace in society. It's a very heartwarming conversation. Enjoy! His play Canaan Unremembered opened March 24th at the Court Square Theater in Long Island City, New York and runs through April 19th, 2025. For tickets, visit -https://www.theatreeast.org/canaan-unremembered Judson Jones is a playwright and award-winning producer and director who has had the privilege of collaborating on the premieres of Tim Blake Nelson’s Eye Of God, Christopher Durang’s The Vietnamizaton of New Jersey, David Crawford’s Harvest, Bennett Windheim’s Normalcy, Megan O’Brien’s The Jungle Book, Daniel MacIvor’s The Soldier Dreams, and Devil and the Deep with Air Supply‘s Graham Russell. He serves on the Board of Directors for Texas Dramatists, is a member of Actors’ Equity and SAG/AFTRA, and an instructor at the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/IiK0f9MXhlE Links to resources mentioned in this episode - Powerhouse Theatre - https://www.vassar.edu/powerhouse Website and Socials for Judson Jones - IG - @judsonjones Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Two Ideas That Collide, Having a Wise, Magical Woman, and Selling Widgets and Building a Market - Playwright's Spotlight with Megan Gogerty | 18 Mar 2025 | 01:11:39 | |
Playwright Megan Gogerty streamed into the Playwright's Spotlight right before the opening of her one-woman show and reimagining of the story of Beowulf. It's a fascinating episode with tons of wisdom to take in, unpack, and apply. We discuss one-person adaptations and letting the play be itself, the importance of intuition, the use of two ideas that collide, and knowing what the question is. We delve into the structure of a one-person vs multi-actor piece, the structure of a one-person show, the audience as another character, smaller markets and selling widgets, who you vs who knows you, accessibility, gatekeeping, and asking for permission, and the role of the audience and making them ask questions. The more this podcast grow, the more every episode offers something new. Megan delivers. Enjoy. AND, if you're in the LA area be sure to catch the West Coast premiere of her production FEAST at The Count's Den through April 6th through the ticket link below - https://events.immersiveartcollective.org/events/immersiveartcollective/1511665 Megan Gogerty is a playwright and comedian. Her solo show Lady Macbeth and her Pal, Megan played at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and won the Audience Pick of the Fringe at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Her play Bad Panda (Theatre Without Borders, Beijing; Iron Crow Theatre Co.; WordBRIDGE Boomerang Playwright honoree) is published by Original Works Publishing and was translated into Spanish for a five-month run at Del Teatro Milan in Mexico City. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution listed her solo show Hillary Clinton Got Me Pregnant in their yearly Top Ten Best Plays. Megan’s musical drama Love Jerry was produced in the New York Musical Theatre Festival where it won three Talkin’ Broadway Citations and four NYMF Excellence Awards including Excellence in Writing. She was a Playwright’s Center Jerome Fellow, A WordBRIDGE alum, and earned her MFA in Playwriting from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently teaches playwriting at the University of Iowa and is a regularly returning visiting-faculty for the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University. For tickets to FEAST through April 6th, 2025, visit - https://events.immersiveartcollective.org/events/immersiveartcollective/1511665 To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/ZJBqlXMom-8 Links to resources mentioned in this episode - Know Theatre of Cincinnati - https://www.knowtheatre.com Walking Shadow Theatre Company - https://www.walkingshadow.org Lenaea High School Theatre Festival - https://www.lenaea.org Moving Arts - https://movingarts.org Original Works Publishing - https://www.originalworksonline.com New Play Exchange - http://newplayexchange.org Website and Socials for Megan Gogerty - Website - www.megangogerty.com BlueSky - @megangogerty TikTok - @megangogerty Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Hypnotic Language, the Rules of the Card Game, and Asking Big Questions - Playwright's Spotlight with Audrey Cefaly | 04 Mar 2025 | 01:16:09 | |
Audrey Cefaly streamed into the Playwright's Spotlight after I had the pleasure of seeing the production of her play Alabaster at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angles. This is first time I've had the opportunity to talk to the playwright after seeing their work. We discuss asking big questions, making changes throughout the play's evolution, how much design is on the page, knowing the rules of the card game, and refraining from hardwiring stage directions to allow creative freedom. We also delve into stripping the work down to its core, the use of hashtags, writing poetic dialogue, stillness in storytelling and other way finders, and the use of overlapping and dual dialogue. We wrap it up writing regional, the use of hypnotic language, the purpose of an artistic statements, and her toolbox of playwright vocabulary and "How to Playwright." It's a great conversation that went on for another thirty minutes after I stopped recording. Won't let that happen again. Enjoy, and be sure to go catch Alabaster at any of the theaters below. Audrey Cefaly is an alumna of the Playwrights' Arena cohort at Arena Stage, a recipient of the Walter E. Dakin Fellowship from the Sewanee Writers Conference, and a Dramatist Guild Foundation Traveling Master. She is published by Concord Theatricals, Smith & Kraus, and Applause Books. Her plays have been produced by Cincinnati Playhouse, Florida Studio, Florida Rep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Signature Theatre, and many others. Her play Alabaster received an 11-city Rolling World Premiere, the largest in National New Play Network history and is now playing at The Fountain Theater in Los Angeles until March 30th. For tickets to Alabaster at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, CA - https://www.fountaintheatre.com/events/alabaster For tickets to Alabaster in Grand Rapids, MI, through March 8, 2025 -https://actorstheatregrandrapids.org/programming/coming-soon/alabaster/ For tickets to Alabaster in Charolette, NC, through March 16 - https://charlottecultureguide.com/event/430227/alabaster-by-audrey-cefaly To watch the video version of this interview, visit - https://youtu.be/pcJSzLrAk-I Website and Socials for Audrey Cefaly - www.audreycefaly.com Substack - https://audreycefaly.substack.com Bluesky - @audreycefaly IG - @alcefaly X - @alcefaly Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Overcoming Disability, the Benefits of Distractions, and the Ramifications of a Character's Actions - Playwright's Spotlight with Peter Anthony Fields | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:49:06 | |
This is a very important episode shining light onto a subject a lot of us don't realize our fellow creatives are struggling with and how it may affect their craft - disabilities. Peter Anthony Fields sat in the Playwright's Spotlight and shared his experience fighting Parkinson's and how his diagnosis changes his creative pursuit. We discuss not only the physical afflictions of the disease but also the mental symptoms, his transition from filmmaker to playwright, advice for other creatives whom might be trying to overcome a disease or disability and the tools to help them cope but, also, the gifts having a disability may offer. We talk about self publishing and promotion, facets of playwriting playwright's shouldn't burden themselves with, how minute direction can change a piece, and the ramifications of a character's action. It was certainly an insightful interview that I hope you take something away from to encourage other artists who might be holding themselves back from the creativity brewing inside. Peter Anthony Fields has written numerous stage plays that have been read or performed in Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, Missouri, and London, U.K. The self-published edition of his full-length stage play, That Guy, was awarded the top prize in the Performing Arts category of the 2020 Best Book Awards, sponsored by American Book Fest. The Invited, a whodunit mystery, was self-published in September of 2022 and is a 2024 Red Ribbon Award winner from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. His 10 minute play, See, Invisible, was performed at the Columbus Black Theatre Festival in Columbus, Ohio also in 2022. His plays, About Michael, Monster, and The Parking Lot, are published and licensed by Lazy Bee Scripts. He has a BA in Theatre Studies from Kent State University and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/Ds5QWyPxf44 Links to resources mentioned in this episode - Playwright's Corner - https://www.youtube.com/@PeterFields18 Lazy Bee Scripts - https://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk The Wishing Shelf Book Awards - https://www.thewsa.co.uk Amazon Self Publishing - https://kdp.amazon.com Website and Socials for Peter Anthony Fields - www.peteranthonyfields.com Peter Anthony Fields' Amazon Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Peter-Anthony-Fields/author/B07SHJG5SG?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-anthony-fields-3a188a182/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PeterFields007 IG - @peteranthonyfields | |||
| Collaborating with Your Characters, Resting Your Cards, and the Structure of Bernard Gerbanier - Playwright's Spotlight with Carolyn Gage | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:57:36 | |
Before the World Premiere of her play, Georgia and the Butch, playwright Carolyn Gage streamed into the Playwright's Spotlight. As happens with most episodes lately we explore something new about the craft and delve into the documentary play, in this case the relationship between Georgia O'Keefe and Maria Chabot. We discuss framing and censorship, theatre critics, creative license. We also chat about her experience approaching musicals and adaptations, the purpose and rules of a song, her journey into playwriting, the lessons of structure from Bernard Gerbanier, satisfying your audience, the benefits of complex dialogue and resting your cards, and collaborating with your audience. Carolyn was also generous enough to offer anyone a free pdf of any work in her catalog if you mention this episode of Playwright's Spotlight. I hope you'll take her up on the opportunity. Enjoy! Georgia and the Butch opens at The Tank in New York City on February 25th through March 12th. Tickets are available at https://thetanknyc.org/calendar-1/2025/2/25/georgia-and-the-butch. Carolyn Gage is a playwright, performer, and director. She has written over eighty plays from full length to one-acts, musicals, adaptations and one-woman shows while specializing in non-traditional roles for women. In 2022, her play In McClintock’s Corn was National Runner-up for the Jane Chambers Award for Excellence in Feminist Playwriting, sponsored by the Women and Theatre Program of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - Links to resources mentioned in this episode - Playwriting by Bernard Gerbanier - https://www.amazon.com/Playwriting-Write-Theater-Bernard-Grebanier/dp/0064634981 Websites and Socials for Carolyn Gage - www.carolyngage.com FB - https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.gage.3 Blue Sky - @carolyngage Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight - | |||
| Julliard, Monologues as a Marketing Tool, and the Math of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Adam Szymkowicz | 21 Jan 2025 | 01:25:12 | |
This interview is a long time coming. I am extremely grateful for Adam taking the time to come on to share his knowledge. I'm sure if time allotted, we could easily could've had a three hour conversation, and I promise we will do at least one more episode. In this talk, we discuss his decision to write a book about playwriting from a letter-writing perspective, common questions he is asked, marketing and approaching theaters, dealing with rejection, finding opportunities, and negotiating compensation. We also discuss applying to Julliard, structure, considering your audience, the Math of Playwriting, monologues as a marketing tool, how changing characteristics might affect approach, the strategy of revealing information, the traps of questions and answers in dialogue, and the benefits of (earned) reversals. Playwrights of any level will walk away with something from this conversation. I look forward to the next conversations with Adam, because I will walk away so much the wiser. Enjoy! He has interviewed 1100 playwrights on his blog.
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| Capturing the Audience, Archetypes & Character Flaws, and Being Done When You're Dead - Playwright's Spotlight with Laura Annawyn Shamas | 07 Jan 2025 | 01:00:30 | |
Happy New Year! It's amazing how things come full circle. After having Steven Dietz' wife, Allison Gregory, on last episode, we were privileged enough to have Laura Annawyn Shamas on Playwright's Spotlight, who happened to work them both in Minneapolis at The Playwright's Center. | |||
| Stealing from the Best, Letting the Story Find You, and the Approach of "When Are We?" - Playwright's Spotlight with Allison Gregory | 24 Dec 2024 | 01:39:16 | |
This week I had the pleasure of having a fascinating conversation with Allison Gregory on this recent episode of Playwright's Spotlight and her approach of writing about historical and mythological characters and exploring outside their known stories. We delved into the philosophy of "when we are", letting the story find us, the power of the #2 pencil and writing longhand, stealing from the best, obtaining the rights to other's works and public domain. We also discuss commissioning adaptations, tried and true material, embracing constructs, and knowing the audience of children's theatre. It's a wonderful chat I hope everyone feels motivated and inspired by. Enjoy! | |||
| Prize Money vs Publication, Avoiding Scams, and the Effects of Changing Location - Playwright's Spotlight with Nick Amatuzio | 26 Nov 2024 | 01:02:13 | |
Before I get in to the breakdown of this episode, I have to correct a few things that are bit embarrassing for one hosting a playwriting podcast. 1) Black Comedy was written by Peter Schaefer (Black Comedy, Equis, Amadeus). 2) After "Matisse" is actually After Magritte and was indeed written by Tom Stoppard that was attributer to Black Comedy in this episode. I'm still trying to find the title of the one-act about the burning building. Update to come. | |||
| Writing Theatrically, Working on the Puzzle, and the Ecosystem of Theatre - Playwright's Spotlight with Crystal Skillman | 14 Oct 2025 | 01:03:26 | |
Playwright Crystal Skillman beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight from Indianapolis for the run of her World Premiere play The Rocket Men. We discuss how one becomes a 4-time NYT's Critics' Pick playwright, what it means to be a "theatrical" writer, writing design on the page and offering solutions, trusting and listening to your audience, the concept of "magic but no magic", and learning from seeing a production of your work. We also unpack the benefits (or challenges) of directors or producers taking a piece in a different direction, American vs European theatre, stealing from and taking a musical approach to general playwriting, the process of getting your work out there and operating like a theatre company. We touch on when it's time to publish, working on the puzzle, having challenging but achievable goals, the ecosystem of theatre, struggles of becoming a working playwright, writing exercises that build, and how writing in other mediums evolve and affect the economy in one's writing. Crystal offers an amazing alternative approach that many playwrights may not have considered. I know I learned quite a bit. Enjoy! To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/QvVDndAVgZA Resources mentioned in this video - | |||
| Self Publishing, Offending Your Audience, Unconventional Marketing, and One Truth a Day - Playwright's Spotlight with Sharisse Zeroonian | 12 Nov 2024 | 01:16:20 | |
Playwright and filmmaker Sharisse Zeroonian streamed into the Playwright's Spotlight this week. Forgive a few moments of choppy audio on my end, but Sharisse's audio is clear, and she gives some great insight into taking your fate as a creative into one's own hands. We discuss her evolution as a writer through academia, offending your audience, self-publishing, unconventional marketing, what influences character names, avoiding expository dialogue, and character wants and obstacles. We also delve into discovering plot holes, writing in the present not in the past, the Playwrights' Center as a resource, the Playwrights Bill of Rights, and producing your own Amazon Series. Sharisse is a testament on DIY playwriting and getting one's work into the world. Enjoy! | |||
| From Lawyer to Playwright, Finding the Engine, and Working Backwards to Move Forward - Playwright's Spotlight with June Carryl | 29 Oct 2024 | 01:20:56 | |
A MUST LISTEN! This in far from a dismissal of past guests and interviews. This is a personal and human conversation that is insightful and inspiring from struggle to achievement and perhaps a pathway to the later. June and I had a mishap in schedule that, had it not happened, I don't think we would have had the conversation that we came away with. Her background of going from lawyer to playwright is enough to inspire anyone question their passion into the arts to take the leap. We follow with the lessons of writing a disaster of a play and getting the craft wrong but, yet, finding the engine. We examine her process, need vs premise, skeletal biographies, working backwards to move forwards in terms of character backgrounds, the gentle form of interrogation by starting with love, exploring unknown markets, inspiring playwrights and (un)appreciating the classics, reading vs viewing a play, and compromise, sacrifice, and tradeoffs. It's a very philosophical episode that playwrights of all levels will walk away with something huge. Enjoy! | |||
| Taking the Leap, Intention, and the Play is the Thing - Playwright's Spotlight with Ethan Crystal and Garrett Poladian | 22 Oct 2024 | 01:19:51 | |
Bonus episode between our usual schedule! In order to align our guest's upcoming shows with their interview, we're sneaking an additional episode during what would normally be a break. However, we skipped an week earlier in the season, so we hope this makes up for it. Garrett Poladian is a New York City based actor, writer, and ballerino having been a full-time company dancer from 2014-2016 with the ballet Pensacola, the only resident professional dance company in the area. | |||
| Living Voices, Loving Language, Pushing Boundaries, and Earning the Moment - Playwright's Spotlight with Jennie Webb | 15 Oct 2024 | 01:19:25 | |
After high praise from Ellen Geer a few episodes, we were able to get Jennie Webb to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight and share her experiences as a playwright, dramaturg, and overseer of workshops. We explored her transition from acting into playwriting, her assistance in developing new works from "living voices", the benefits of asking questions, knowing the origin of a moment and earning it as pushing boundaries and whether or not there is a formula for playwriting. We also touch on her love of language, her process, submitting to outside markets especially oversees, defining success and accepting rejection, giving oneself parameters, and the benefits of going for a walk. Another episode chock of great advice and insight. We had a lot of fun. Enjoy. | |||
| Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, the Deadline Draft, and Learning from Classic Greek Playwrights - Playwright's Spotlight with Michi Barall | 01 Oct 2024 | 01:19:28 | |
Michi Barall streamed into Playwright's Spotlight this week days before her new play Drawing Lessons leaps into rehearsal at Children's Theatre Company. Conceptually complex, Michi shares the concept of translating a graphic novel for the stage, the concept of live drawing on stage and simultaneously performing, putting the concept on the page, the process of casting, and her struggles breaking down virtual art. We also discuss the impact of the New York and Minneapolis markets and organizations on the play and the changes from each as well as collaborating with multiple artists and the Deadline Draft. We touch on her journey from actor to playwright, the lessons from Greek playwrights, learning the rules and overcoming obstacles, the importance of Theatre History, and conquering Imposter Syndrome. It's a very educational episode that explores the possibilities of theatre and what can be achieved. As always, Enjoy! | |||
| Developing Premise, Breaking a Story, and Assembling the Team - Playwright's Spotlight with Ben Edlin and Deborah Aquila | 17 Sep 2024 | 00:58:44 | |
Ben Edlin and Deborah Aquila came by the studio to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight before the World Premiere of the collaborative play -TH*IR*DS. In this interview, we discussed the long process of developing this play over the course of seven years, the changes made, the possibility of it becoming a pilot but returning the concept to the stage, their process and procedure, and breaking a story. We also touch obstacles in collaboration, Ben's need to "enter the cave", choosing words and punctuation, assembling the team, and the changes that occur during table work as well as the challenges of flipping from playwright to actor when cast in your own piece. It's a insightful discussion that gives both perspectives of a collaborating team. Enjoy. | |||
| Lying and Hiding, Writing Distinct Voices, and An Actual Formula to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Nicholas Pilapil | 03 Sep 2024 | 01:20:28 | |
If there was a formula that could tell you how to become a successful playwright, this episode is it. Nicholas Pilapil dropped into the Playwright's Spotlight for an insightful approach to becoming a working playwright. His approach to workshops lays out a pathway of motivation and accountability. We discuss confidence versus hubris, his approach to selecting playwrights for his workshop, the benefits of seeing theatre, telling the story, character description, set, and beats, as well as how to creating distinct voices. This was such a motivating chat that I believe lays out a foolproof way to becoming a working playwright. Let me know if you agree. Enjoy! | |||
| Confidence, Gatekeepers, Theatricum Botanicum, and Life on the Blacklist - Playwright's Spotlight with Ellen Geer | 20 Aug 2024 | 01:17:12 | |
Actor, director, producer, playwright, and artistic director since 1978 of the famous Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, Ellen Geer stopped by to talk about the history of the Theatricum, growing up in a blacklisted family, and how playwriting helps heal societal wounds. Ellen shares her transition into playwriting, her approach to revising Shakespeare to the female characters' point of view and how it changes the story, the learning curve of a self-taught playwright, and the importance of ending a days work of writing on a high note. She also delves into the important lessons of playwriting, the use of technology, struggles and confidence, and her view of "gatekeepers" and staging your own work, especially when it could be considered a controversial piece. It's a charming conversation and the second episode where my camera shut down in the middle of the interview, so I apologize for the brief interruption. In the end, it was a pleasure to sit and share with an important and prominent influence in the Los Angeles theatrical community. Enjoy! | |||
| Cliffhangers, Stage Magic, Relationships and Landing Productions - Playwright's Spotlight with Tom Jacobson | 06 Aug 2024 | 01:29:08 | |
Tom Jacobson swung into the Playwright's Spotlight in the midst of his coinciding plays The Bauhaus Project and Crevasse to discuss the correlation to both of the pieces and the subject matter of fascism and anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. While discussing the historical influence of the Bauhaus, we explore previews and changes within coinciding pieces, writing trilogies and their process and presentation, standalones within trilogies, jumping timelines in historical works, balancing historic events and relationships, and taking creative license. We also discuss research, outlining, and when to start writing, breaking down structure, layering characters with and for the actor, table work and the role of the playwright, doubling and tripling up actors, writing complex sets with simplicity, stage magic on the play, and the benefits of academia as well as relationships and how they can help land productions. It's a wonderful conversation with a few technical hiccups that you might find entertaining, but you'll walk away with some education in history in addition to some insight in the craft of playwriting. As always... Enjoy! | |||
| Dramatic Questions, Shaping Your Play, and What Every Playwright Should Be Doing - Playwright's Spotlight with Catherine Filloux | 23 Jul 2024 | 01:21:04 | |
Catherine Filloux dropped into the Playwright's Spotlight before the New York Premiere of her new play How to Eat an Orange. We spoke about her development and involvement in Theatre Without Borders and transitioning from an actor to playwright which would later push her into becoming a librettist for operas. She explained the structure of a libretto, the purpose of arias, developing characters and writing for range. We also touched on the dramatic question, theatrical perspectives, framing and shaping your play, and whether or not there is one thing that all playwrights should be doing. Catherine brings her knowledge and experience to this episode that I think everyone listening will walk away with something. Enjoy! | |||
| Formulas and Slow Burners, the Process of Radio Dramas, and Making Mystery Interesting - Playwright's Spotlight with John Ballentine | 07 Oct 2025 | 01:10:54 | |
SEASON5, EPISODE 1!!! Wow. Hard to believe. This is an episode recorded months ago saved for this very occasion. Kudos to Cameron Scott for connecting me to John. This is a very special episode taking writing to a new level that every playwright can benefit from. John takes writing to levels I don't think we've ever tackled in past episodes, but you will have to listen to Campfire Radio Theater to fully grasp his approach. If you're not familiar with Campfire Radio Theater and are a horror fan, subscribe now. You won't be disappointed. For the video format of this episode visit -https://youtu.be/P_TYcnBi6ZE Website and Socials for John Ballentine, visit https://campfireradiotheater.podbean.com/ Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight | |||
| Libraries, Confidence, the Process of Revision, and Saving Your Darlings - Playwright's Spotlight with Olivia Sawatzki | 10 Jul 2024 | 01:25:38 | |
Olivia Sawatzki came by Playwright's Spotlight after the West Coast Premiere of her play Being Alive (& other big jokes) at the Raven Playhouse in North Hollywood. | |||
| Technology, the Dangers of Missing Deadlines, and Making Musicals Look Simple - Playwright's Spotlight with Ian Kim | 25 Jun 2024 | 01:06:07 | |
Recent Harvard-Westlake graduate Ian Kim swung by the studio to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight after the successful production of his second musical - Bakery of Love as part of HW's Playwright's Festival. We talk about making it look simple, the dangers of missing deadlines, musician collaboration and singer coordination as well as the meaning and benefits of safeties in a musical and writing for ranges. We also discuss transitioning from traditional playwriting to musicals and the process of the latter, commons songs types found in musicals, and terminology such as the bridge of a song. We wrap things up with trimming and cutting, cross-casting, changes during rehearsals, finding outside opportunities, and monetary prizes versus getting produced. Ian's a charming and talented musician with insight that will take him without doubt to a successful future. I hope you find inspiration from his interview. Enjoy! | |||
| Set Up, Adaptation, Compensation, and Writing Good Suspense - Playwright's Spotlight with Barry M. Putt, Jr. | 11 Jun 2024 | 01:15:36 | |
Barry M. Putt, Jr. beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight from New Jersey to discuss the medium of the audio drama, a throwback and homage to radio plays of the 30s and 40s. We breakdown the differences in elements of traditional playwriting vs the audio drama, i.e., setting up the scene, dialogue, sound effects, music, etc. We also talk about converting plays from stage to audio drama, the process of writing them as well as compensation and the opportunities in that market. We also touch on length, episodic vs feature, beats and silences in the medium, the hiring process for staff writers, popular genres, writing good suspense and character as well as establishing character flaws and adapting from other sources such as dime magazines. We wrap things up by touching on some of the traditional aspects of playwriting. Whether its audio dramas or traditional stage plays, Barry offers insight that I think you will find beneficial, and as always... Enjoy! | |||
| Writing in Threads, Finding Momentum, and "Bad Pages Are No Pages" - Playwright's Spotlight with Boni B. Alvarez | 29 May 2024 | 01:26:51 | |
Playwright Boni B. Alvarez stopped by Playwright's Spotlight during the run of his historic play Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy. In such, we discuss approaching historical figures and events and flashbacks on stage. We also discuss his approach to writing "in threads," being married to material, finding momentum, and addressing and giving feedback. We also explore Julliard, his start in playwriting, lessons in playwriting and having a style. We also touch on what is craft, finding an arc, and writing and finding a good antagonist. It's a fascinating episode that explore the evolvement of writing and revision, "taking every single note," making changes and change "requests," as well as content warnings. As always, I hope you walk away with some beautiful insight into the craft of playwriting. Now, sit back and get to work. | |||
| Developmental Struggles, Embracing Rejection, and "Overnight" Success - Playwright's Spotlight with David Johann Kim | 14 May 2024 | 01:15:32 | |
David Johann Kim stopped by Playwright's Spotlight to discuss his two new simultaneous running plays and the process in which they were developed, their similarities surrounding the same historical event, and the collaborative process working with two different troupes and directors and his "overnight" success. We also discuss the value of workshops, recording notes opposed to writing them, fighting with structure, the Joint-Stock Method, discoveries from table work, writing rituals, and embracing rejection letters. It's a fascinating conversation about a unique situation. I hope you enjoy the talk. | |||