101 Stage Adaptations

Bramble Theatre Company is thrilled to open the Bramble Arts Loft, a brand new peformance space in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Learn more at brambletheatre.org.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists! This is a segment of the End of Play.® interview Melissa had last year with Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild.Resources MentionedEpisode 23End of Play.®Dramatists GuildAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, & playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for & is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist & stage manager.Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, & drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted & selected as Finalists for the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin & NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, & other notable venues across London, NYC, & the US.Follow the Dramatists Guild on Facebook, Twitter & InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

We're taking the week off to catch up on all the March Submission Binge tasks and also prepping for End of Play.®! What are you working on? Find Melissa on the socials and let her know what you're up to! Happy Marketing! Happy Writing!Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

 This week's episode is a replay of the hottest marketing tips from marketing expert  Julie Nemitz from Ep. 41.Resources MentionedEpisode 41Theatre Marketing Lab"In The Greenroom" podcastJulie's newsletterTheatre Marketing Lab Content ClubCanvaAbout Our GuestJulie Nemitz is a renowned theatre marketing leader & the force behind Theatre Marketing Lab and the popular podcast "In The Greenroom" where she offers insightful conversations with theatre leaders and actionable marketing advice. She has taken the theatre world by storm, attracting listeners globally, & reached the top #140 performing arts podcasts in the United States. For the past 10 years, Julie has revolutionized how theatres & theatre artists attract audiences through innovative strategies & compelling content. She is passionate about ensuring every community has a thriving performance space, regardless of size. Known for her infectious enthusiasm & deep knowledge of the latest digital marketing trends, Julie helps theatremakers uplevel their strategies and content through personalized consultations, coaching, & classes in the Theatre Marketing Lab. She has a special gift for analyzing what's not working and designing customized solutions to sell more tickets and deepen audience loyalty. Countless clients have experienced record-breaking sales under her guidance. When she's not busy transforming local theatres, you can find Julie rolling up her sleeves & guiding theatre artists into the digital age. Julie is also an adjunct faculty member at Western Michigan University, teaching performing arts marketing to the next generation of theatre artists.julienemitz.com Follow Julie on FB and IG Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In honor of the March 2024 Playwright Marketing Binge, here is the replay of Patrick Gabridge's interview where he describes the ways playwrights can make their submissions stand out. In this episode, we discuss:Why he started the Playwright Submission BingeTONS of tips on how playwrights can market themselves betterResources MentionedPlaywright Submission BingePlays in PlaceNYCPlaywrightsAbout Our GuestPatrick Gabridge is an award-winning writer and theatre-maker who has written a number of adaptations and also has a special talent for creating site-specific plays. With his company, Plays in Place, he’s created plays in partnership with many museums & historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston’s Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, & the MIT Museum. His full-length plays have been produced in the US & South Korea, and his short plays and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world. He’s been involved with helping playwrights market their work for many years—he started the publication Market InSight for Playwrights back in 1993, and founded & still runs the Playwright Submission Binge, an online community focused on marketing. He’s also a screenwriter, novelist, & a writer of audio plays.Connect with Our Guestgabridge.comNew Play ExchangeThe Writing Life x 3InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

It's Melissa's 10th Birthday! To help her celebrate her once-every-four-years birthday, please rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episode with a friend. And if you're so inclined, pop in to one of the social channels listed below and send her a birthday wish. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa details her 2024 Chicago Theatre Week Experience. She saw shows at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakes, TimeLine Theatre, Writers Theatre, and Court Theatre, and she recommends them all! Resources MentionedChicago Theatre WeekLeague of Chicago TheatresChoose ChicagoGoodman TheatreChicago Shakespeare TheaterWriters TheatreCourt TheatreTimeLine Theatre Company Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa is on another short winter break. Be sure to rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episodes with a friend, a student, a fellow playwright. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Amy Lehman from Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York) stops by the show to talk about this organization and how artists can benefit from their programs and services. In this episode, we discuss:How Amy pivoted from a performance career to a career in lawWhat VLA is and who can use their servicesMany of the programs VLA offersThe types of problems she wishes she didn't have to solve And more!Resources MentionedVolunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York)VLA CalendarMissing MoviesAbout Our GuestAfter a career as a professional ballet dancer, Amy Lehman attended NYU for her bachelor’s degree in theater history and dramatic literature. After graduating from NYU, she continued to work in the theater industry, where she reviewed contracts and managed and negotiated licensing agreements for plays in the US and internationally.Having been inspired to go to law school by her desire to help other artists, she studied IP and media law while at University of Michigan School of Law, where she served as an editor on the Journal of Race and Law, and as president of the Entertainment, Media and Arts Students Association. Amy’s primary practice has been general commercial litigation, including matters involving art law, media law, employment, intellectual property, constitutional law, real estate, insurance, contract disputes, torts, and other disputes. She is also a trained mediator with extensive experience working with VLA in the MediateArt program and is on the panel of mediators assigned to resolve cases for the Southern District of New York.Amy is a member of the Entertainment Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association and was selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014-2017 and New York Metro Super Lawyers 2018 through 2023.Connect with VLA NYTwitter/XInstagram Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For the first time ever, Melissa is joined by three guests in one interview! Scenic Designers Regina García, Sibyl Wickersheimer, and Maureen Weiss stop by to discuss their book and museum exhibit and drop a ton of wisdom along the way. In this episode, we discuss:The orgins of Scene ShiftHow they each came into theatre and scenic designBeing a mom and a theatre artistWhat they're teaching their students now in a post-pandemic worldAnd more!Resources Mentionedscene-shift.comScene Shift bookScene Shift Exhibit at the Fisher Museum - February 2nd - April 6th, 2024Connect with Our GuestsFollow Scene Shift on Instagram & Facebook Regina Garcíagarciaportfolio.comInstagramMaureen Weissmweissdesign.comSibyl Wickersheimersawgirl.comInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

No official episode this week, but Melissa will be back soon with all new interviews. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For another installment of "When the Production is the Adaptation," Melissa is joined by Marcia Milgrom Dodge aka "MMD" to discuss her production and revival of Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the Olney Theatre Center.   In this episode, we discuss:The origins of the "MMD" moniker"Smuggling in deeper meaning"Redesigning and imagining a Disney-branded showHow MMD has been a constant champion of diverse casting And more!Resources MentionedOlney Theatre's production directed by MMDDramaturgy and research for MMD's productionLicensing the musicalAbout Our GuestMarcia Milgrom Dodge is a Tony, Drama Desk & Astaire Award nominated director & choreographer for her “stirring & lovingly staged” Broadway/Kennedy Center revival of Ragtime. Most recently, MMD was the American Show Director for Tokyo Disneyland’s 40th Anniversary Parade Harmony In Color! For Television, MMD appeared as herself in Disney+ Encore!; choreographed The Muppets in an Emmy-winning episode of Sesame Street and choreographed Elmo & The Noodle Family in Elmo’s Wild West video, delighting children of all ages. MMD’s bold new approaches to classic plays & musicals-- plus a few world-premiere musicals-- have been seen worldwide, from major regional theatres throughout the USA & Canada to Fredericia, Denmark to Seoul, S. Korea to Blackpool, England and even Muskat, Oman. Devoted to developing the next generation of theatre artists, her Directing Musicals workshops are geared for early-career Directors and Actors as well as for Theatre Lovers. MMD is also wife to Tony, mother to Natasha & a proud member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society. Connect with Our Guestmarciamilgromdodge.comRead & Recommend Tony Dodge’s plays on New Play ExchangeInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through a comprehensive goal-setting strategy for playwrights and theatre makers so they can plan for a successful 2024, however they chose to define it. ***Sign up for the Newsletter***Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through an end-of-year self-inventory and reflection which will help set the stage for a 2024 goal-setting session. ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Christmas came early this year! We are dropping this episode a few days ahead of schedule to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the release of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.   The multi-talented Lavina Jadhwani stops by to discuss her adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which was first produced when her script was discovered on New Play Exchange. In this episode, we discuss:Adapting a well-known story for the stage, making it unique, and being faithful to the original textLavina's approach to adapting for the stageHow surviving cancer gave her a different perspective of her workthe Bollywood film list Lavina curated for Melissa on the spotAnd more!Resources MentionedA Christmas Carol by Lavina Jadhwani is playing at the Guthrie and Penobscot Theatre during the 2023 holiday season.New Play Exchange Nothing For the Group substackAbout Our GuestLavina Jadhwani is a Chicago-based director, playwright, and activist. Directing credits include Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PlayMakers Rep, the Rep of St. Louis, Asolo Rep, Mixed Blood, the Neo-Futurists, the Gift, Teatro Vista, Silk Road Rising, and Rasaka Theatre Company, where she served as Artistic Director for seven years. As a playwright, her work has been seen at the Guthrie, the Goodman, the Gift, East West Players, Cincinnati Shakes, and Indianapolis Shakes, and more. Lavina serves on the boards of the National New Play Network and the Chicago Inclusion Project. She is a proud cancer survivor, dog mom, and child of immigrants. She got her BFA/MA at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and her MFA at The Theatre School at DePaul University.Connect with Our Guestlavinajadhwani.comRead & Recommend Lavina’s plays on New Play ExchangeFacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week Hollywood screenwriter Greg Taylor stops by the show! Greg wrote the scripts for the 90s kids' classics, Harriet the Spy and Jumanji, as well as one of Melissa's favorite holiday films, Prancer, which Greg later adapted for the stage. In this episode, we discuss:How the late great Cloris Leachman influenced Greg's script The reindeer in the film vs the stage playHow screenwriters and playwrights are treated differentlyAdapting novels to screenplays and screenplays to stage playsAnd more!Resources MentionedPrancer filmThe Rose TheaterPrancer script from Plays for New Audiences Prancer is playing at ALT, WV's Apollo Civic Theatre, and The Sauk during the 2023 holiday season.***We have a gift for 101 Stage Adaptations listeners! Download a  FREE PDF perusal copy of Prancer  here using the discount code is 101Prancer. Valid until December 1, 2024 and only valid on Prancer.***  About Our GuestGreg Taylor was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a screenwriter, author and playwright.  His screenwriting credits include Prancer, Jumanji, and Harriet the Spy.Greg is married, with two children, Jessica and Ian, and two grandchildren. From the time he and his wife, Joanne, had their first child, Greg has concentrated on writing stories for families, children and young adults.For his adaptation of the stage version of Prancer, which premiered at the Rose Children’s Theater in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2016, Greg received the Omaha Theater Arts Guild award for Outstanding New Script. Since Prancer’s premiere and initial run, the play has been performed at community theaters throughout the US.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Mike Dailey & Jacob Combs join Melissa this week to talk about their long-running holiday musical, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. In this episode, we discuss:Why Strawdog Theatre decided to adapt this beloved children's bookAdding framing devices and length to a short storyCasting a show that needs musicians, actors, singers, and acrobatic typesHow the music changes every year with each new cast And more!Resources MentionedHershel and the Hanukkah Goblins playing through Dec 23, 2023Strawdog TheatreAbout Our GuestsMichael Dailey has been a Strawdog company member since 1997. He has appeared as an actor in 24 Strawdog productions. Writing credits include three radio plays presented as part of Radio Theatre 7, co-writer on the late-night series The Adventures of Picklebot and Lawfer and script editor for Strawdog’s productions of 1001 Afternoons in Chicago, Julius Caesar and Measure for Measure. As an actor, he’s enjoyed working around town with Lyric Opera, Stage Left, Steppenwolf, About Face, Shattered Globe, Eclipse and Writer’s Theatre, to name a few. He’s a proud graduate of Illinois State University, the Second City Conservatory and was a Steppenwolf Acting Fellowship recipient.Jacob Combs is a writer, director, and composer based in Los Angeles. Most recently, he was part of the writers room for the Netflix comedy BLOCKBUSTER, and he is currently developing several TV projects with showrunners Vanessa Ramos and Jackie Clarke. Previously, Jacob spent a 6-year stint at Pixar Animation Studios in a variety of writing, development and production roles. He wrote on an untitled feature in development at Pixar and was part of the writers’ room for an upcoming, original episodic series. He also wrote several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Disney+ documentary series Inside Pixar. A lifelong theater nerd, Jacob wrote the music & lyrics for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (based on the beloved children’s book by Eric Kimmel), which has been produced annually since 2018 by Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre.Follow Jacob on Instagram.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Kate Hamill stops by the show to talk about Dracula, one of her many stage adpatations. This conversation is a full meal on taking risks, making writing fun, advocacy, and feminism.In this episode, we discuss:How Kate became a playwright on a bet with her friendThe dramatic question she crafted for Dracula and some of her other worksIntentionally writing fun characters and feminist playsAdvocacy, unions, and surviving toxic behavior in the industryAnd more!Resources MentionedDracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, ReallyDracula is playing through December 24, 2023 at Portland Center Stage About Our Guest Kate Hamill is an actor/playwright and she was the 2017 Wall Street Journal Playwright of the Year. Her work includes her play Pride & Prejudice, at Primary Stages / HVSF, Sense & Sensibility at Bedlam; Vanity Fair at the Pearl Theatre, Mansfield Park at Northlight , Little Women at Primary Stages and the Jungle Theatre, Dracula at Classic Stage Company, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B at Kansas City Rep, Emma at the Guthrie, and The Scarlet Letter. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at A.R.T., the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, PlayMaker’s, Folger, OSF, Trinity Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Dorset Theatre Festival, Shakespeare Theatre of DC, Dallas Theater Center, Kansas City Rep, Long Wharf, A.C.T., Actors Theater of Louisville, & others. Her play The Little Fellow (or: The Queen of Tarts Tells All) is currently at the Cygnet Theater, and Emma at the Denver Center next year. She is currently developing a new adaptation of The Odyssey, a Christmas play called Scrooge for Senate; and several original plays including The Piper and The Light and The Dark. Kate has been one of the most-produced playwrights nationwide every season from 2017-2023. Connect with Our Guestkate-hamill.comTwitter/X InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Happy Thanksgiving 2023!Melissa expresses her gratitude for the past year, reads a couple listener reviews, and invites you to join her upcoming newsletter.  ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter*** Leave a review on Apple Podcasts here and maybe it will be featured in an upcoming episode! Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

This week is the conclusion of the interview with Alayna Jacqueline & Hannah Joyce from the Playwrights' Center, who offer so much wisdom and practical advice for playwrights.In this episode, we discuss:Current trends in playwritingDiagnosing script issues in the rehearsal roomAdvice for playwrights just starting outGetting out of Development HellAnd more!Resources MentionedPlaywrights' CenterTheatre Begins Here PodcastAbout Our GuestsHannah Joyce is the Director of Membership and education programs at the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis. From 2017 to 2022 she was also the producing artistic director of the William Inge Theater Festival in Kansas. Hannah has developed the new work of some the country’s finest playwrights over the past two decades and had the joy of celebrating visionary American playwrights. Through her work she has produced countless new play development workshops with playwrights from across the country, and worked with hundreds of theater artists in support of those plays. Originally from St. Louis, Hannah has worked and performed with a number of theater companies throughout the Midwest, including the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare Company, That Uppity Theater Company, Daleko Arts, and Prison Performing Arts.  Alayna Jacqueline is a Minneapolis-based playwright, dramaturg, and educator born and raised in Buckeye Nation. She’s an instigator for new plays with the Twin Cities Playwright Cabal. In her absurd experimental writing, she loves finding new ways to bend, reshape, and deconstruct stories for the stage. Her writing weaves between themes of identity, mental health, women’s relationships, privilege, and the corruption of power. Alayna’s work has been performed and/or developed at Theater Mu, Phoenix Theater, Market Garden Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Playwrights’ Center, MadLab Theater, Lincoln Theater, Pythian Theater, and Haybarn Theater. Her play ALL OF THE EVERYTHING was produced at the 2019 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. FacebookInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).