Writers Theatre

Welcome to Episode 17 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us.Today, we're joined by director Lisa Portes from ⁠Two Sisters and a Piano. Lisa talks about growing up Cuban-American, what she loves about Nilo Cruz's writing, and why the play is such a powerful one for this moment in our country.Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about events at Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!–Host & Editor - Bobby KennedyProducer - Kristin HammargrenAudio Support - Amanda Hosking

Welcome to Episode 16 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us.Today, we're joined by director Braden Abraham and Music Director Michael Mahler from As You Like It. The two share insights into how this musical seamlessly blends Shakespeare’s timeless words with catchy original songs—and why they’ve chosen to set Writers Theatre’s production in 1920s Chicago.Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about events at Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!–Host & Producer - Kristin HammargrenEditor - Bobby KennedyAudio Support - Amanda Hosking

Welcome to Episode 15 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us.Today, we're joined by Anish Jethmalani and Tina Muñoz Pandya, two of the actors in ⁠⁠⁠Dhaba on Devon Avenue.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anish and Tina talk about the father-daughter relationship at the heart of the play and what it means to finally bring this story to the stage after many years.Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!–Host & Editor - Bobby KennedyProducer - Kristin HammargrenAudio Support - Amanda Hosking

Welcome to Episode 14 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us.Today, we're joined by Eva Breneman and Jonathan Weir, the dialect coach and one of the actors in ⁠⁠Translations⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Eva and Jonathan talk about the role of a dialect coach, how an actor learns to perform a new accent, and how this play is a celebration of all things language.Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!–Host & Editor - Bobby KennedyProducer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 13 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by Vanessa Severo and Joanie Schultz, the writer/performer and director of ⁠Frida...A Self Portrait.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Vanessa and Joanie talk about their love of Frida Kahlo's work and how they created a live theatrical experience that evokes the painter's iconic self-portraits. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 12 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by Kimberly Senior and Jessie Fisher, the director and star of Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kimberly and Jessie talk about their friendship and creative partnership, the participatory elements of Every Brilliant Thing, and read an excerpt from Kimberly's new book, What Would a Person Do: Thoughts on Directing and Living. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! – Host & Producer - Kristin Hammargren Editor - Bobby Kennedy

Welcome to Episode 11 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by director/choreographer Katie Spelman and music director Matt Deitchman, the creative leads behind WT's production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Katie and Matt talk about their long-time creative partnership, their love of Great Comet, and why a joyful rehearsal process is the key to good theatre. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 10 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by ⁠⁠Breon Arzell and Jos N. Banks, the stars of The Hot Wing King by Katori Hall.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Breon and Jos talk about their love for Hall's plays, their rehearsal process, and how complicated it is to act and cook chicken at the same time. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 9 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by ⁠⁠Hershey Felder, the writer/performer/designer/musician behind Monsieur Chopin - A Play with Music.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hershey talks about the time he first encountered a piano, and what the music of Frederyk Chopin means to him personally. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 8 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by ⁠⁠Zi Alikhan, the director of The Band's Visit, a co-production between Writers Theatre and TheatreSquared.⁠⁠ Zi talks about where his love for this intimate musical first began, and how an Israeli desert town is brought to life on stage. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠⁠here⁠⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 7 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by ⁠Drew Dir⁠, one of the Co-Artistic Directors of Manual Cinema, the acclaimed group behind Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol which has returned to Writers Theatre this holiday season after its debut last year.⁠ Drew talks about the origins of Manual Cinema, their love of ghost stories, and how he designs the puppets for this beloved spin on Charles Dickens's classic story. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre ⁠here⁠! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 6 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by Braden Abraham, Writers Theatre's new Artistic director, and the director of the first production in our 23/24 season, Eurydice. Braden talks about his career and what led him to WT, what he loves about playwright Sarah Ruhl's work, and how he'll be bringing the Underworld to life on stage. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

Welcome to Episode 5 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each episode, we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. Today, we're joined by Kareem Fahmy, the writer and director of our Midwest Premiere production of A Distinct Society. Kareem talks about the real-life location and events that inspired the show and what it's like to direct a play that you've written. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here! – Host & Editor - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Kristin Hammargren

A new podcast from Writers Theatre, sharing everything you need to know about the latest WT production in only 10 minutes! Setting the Scene gives you the basics on the story, the artists, and the world of the play, setting you up perfectly to take your seat and enjoy the performance. Tiger Style! by Mike Lew runs 9/29-10/30 at Writers Theatre. Community Engagement Manager Kristin Hammargren takes you inside this hilarious satirical comedy, sharing the playwright's inspiration for the story, director Brian Balcom's insights on the play's sense of humor, and a brief history of tiger parenting, Chinese American immigration, and the model minority stereotype. Host: Kristin Hammargren Producers: Kristin Hammargren & Bobby Kennedy Audio Engineer & Editor: Bobby Kennedy

Welcome to Episode 4 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each month we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. This month, we're joined by Kate Fry & Amanda Drinkall - world-class actresses recently seen in our World Premiere production Wife of a Salesman. Kate & Amanda join Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy to discuss how they began their acting careers, what it was like working together at Writers Theatre and all things Wife of a Salesman! Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here! - Host - Bobby Kennedy Producer & Audio Engineer - Melissa Rosenberg Editor - McKenzie Wilkes

Welcome to Episode 3 of Writers Theatre's podcast - The Green Room. Each month we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. This month, we're joined by Eleanor Burgess - playwright of The Niceties, as featured in WT's 2019/20 season - as well as our upcoming World Premiere production, Wife of a Salesman. Eleanor joins Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy as they discuss Eleanor's writing career and what it's been like to interrogate an American classic - bringing new ideas to one of the most famous plays of all time. Wife of a Salesman runs March 3, 2022 — April 3, 2022. For tickets and more information head to writerstheatre.org. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here! - Host - Bobby Kennedy Producer - Melissa Rosenberg Audio Engineer - Amanda Hosking Editor - McKenzie Wilkes

Welcome to Episode 2 of Writers Theatre's new podcast - The Green Room. Each month we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us. This month, we're joined by Alaudin Ullah - comedian, writer, and performer of the first show of our 30th Anniversary Season - Dishwasher Dreams. Alaudin joins Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy as they discuss the history of comedy, the creating of Dishwasher Dreams and how family connection is at the heart of it all. Dishwasher Dreams runs December 9, 2021 — January 16, 2022. For tickets and more information head to bit.ly/DishwasherWT. Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here! - Host - Bobby Kennedy Producer & Audio Engineer - Melissa Rosenberg Editor - McKenzie Wilkes

"When we tell stories we learn more about who we are, we learn about what we need to be, and we celebrate where we come from."Welcome to Episode 1 of Writers Theatre's new podcast - The Green Room. Each month we'll be joined by some of the industry's most illustrious artists for intimate conversations about art, theatre, and the world around us.This month, we're joined by Chay Yew, director of the first show of our 30th Anniversary Season - Dishwasher Dreams. Chay joins Interim Artistic Director Bobby Kennedy as they discuss how it's been to return to the theater, the importance of immigrant narratives, and what compels us to tell stories with one another. Yew is an Obie award-winning director and playwright who lead Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater as Artistic Director from 2011-2020. Yew also directed the world premiere, regional and New York productions of Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee, and the world premiere and New York production of Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles by Luis Alfaro. His most recent directing project was Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord at New York Theatre Workshop.Dishwasher Dreams runs December 9, 2021 — January 16, 2022. For tickets and more information head to bit.ly/DishwasherWT.Curious about attending a live taping of The Green Room? Learn more about supporting Writers Theatre here!-Host - Bobby KennedyProducer - Melissa RosenbergAudio Engineer - Amanda HoskingEditor - McKenzie Wilkes