Sophie McIntosh, Nina Goodheart, BT Hayes, & Morgan S. Perry of “Benevolent”

Good Apples Collective presents BENEVOLENT, written by Sophie McIntosh, directed by Nina GoodheartListen in as Benevolent playwright Sophie McIntosh, director Nina Goodheart, associate director & dramaturg BT Hayes, and actor Morgan S. Perry, discuss wicker basket handling, figuring out what you’re after, the meaning of “soiled shift,” historical blogs, finding the right word, “critical fabulation,” finding your washing style, the importance of intimacy direction, covering as an understudy, and writing past realities back into the narrative.

“…these corners of society that, at the time, were documented in a kind of less than…gracious? …what’s the word…”
“Benevolent?”
“Yeah! A less than benevolent way. […] What is missing from a section of society that was highly oppressed […] A lot of our conversations beyond the physical world of [1917…], a lot of it was about imagining beyond the archive, in a way that does not conform to the archive…”

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Samantha Blain, Casey Scott Leach, & Mikayla Stanley of “Isla”

Hit The Lights! presents ISLA at WP TheaterListen in as story originator & performer Samantha Blain, puppet designer & performer Casey Scott Leach, and co-director Mikayla Stanley of Hit The Lights! Company’s new work ISLA discuss their company’s process, “why?,” making everything by hand, blending fiction and history, adding the audience, keeping so many experimental irons in the fire, allowing time to live, the importance of design, solenodons, and how your family’s story can become a magical piece of theatre.

“…it’s a story about three sisters that leave a war-torn island, and it’s inspired by my mom and my aunts fleeing from Cuba in 1969 on the freedom flights…”

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Tom Kelly, Andrew Block, Dan Patrick Brady, Evan Klein, & Kate Miller of “The Bathroom Attendant”

Listen in as The Bathroom Attendant playwright Tom Kelly, director Andrew Block, and actors Dan Patrick Brady, Evan Klein, and Kate Miller, discuss timely genre fiction, writing what you like, Yoenis Céspedes heartbreak, folk tale heroes (and having your heroes disappoint you), recognizing the humanity in your fellow American, and “broken people trying to survive.”

“…you have all of these really robust, rich characters that exist on the fringe of society, and they all have these desperate needs…it’s dealt with laughs, and also with sustained tension…and ultimately, it’s a coming-of-age story for these two younger characters whose lives have been changed over the last 48 hours…”

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Duncan Pflaster & Neysa Lozano of “Incel Vanya”

Cross-Eyed Bear Productions and The Tank present INCEL VANYA written and directed by Duncan PflasterListen in as Incel Vanya playwright & director Duncan Pflaster, along with actor Neysa Lozano (Selena), discuss titles from typos, the smartest character onstage, finding modern resonance in classic drama, “rehearsing with an audience,” icky grossness in charming characters, getting stuck because of your philosophy, putting the comedy back into Chekhov, and finding a way to make sure the show always goes on.

“…the more I started to think about it, the more it made sense that Vanya would be an incel, if he lived today; then all the pieces started to fit into place…this is a more straightforward modernization of the story, touching on what we’re all living through today…”

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Jason Tseng, Emily Hartford, Neil Tyrone Pritchard, & Brian Tong of “Fear & Wonder”

Flux Theatre Ensemble presents FEAR & WONDER written by Jason Tseng directed by Emily HartfordListen in as Fear & Wonder playwright Jason Tseng, director Emily Hartford, and performers Neil Tyrone Pritchard (Ryan) and Brian Tong (Jabez), discuss falling back in love with faith, grappling with the harms that can come from traditions and institutions, changing the world by changing the story, and music, communion, & service.

“…it’s really kind of a meditation on queerness, faith, and how we love something that doesn’t know how to love us back…”

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Alex Tobey & Rachel Lin of “I Wanttt a Unicorn Frappe!!!”

I WANTTT A UNICORN FRAPPE!!! by Catherine Weingarten directed by Alex Tobey at The Tank NYCListen in as I WANTTT A UNICORN FRAPPE!!! director Alex Tobey & actor Rachel Lin (Jenny) discuss obsession with limited availability drinks, romantic anxiety, blending darkness & depth along with bright humor, presentation & artifice & longing, rehearsal tone conversations, finding something magical and big while also keeping it intimate, and the difference between living in a difficult reality vs. an artificial fantasy.

“…it’s a frothy, girly comedy about a young woman named Jenny…torn between ‘do I live in reality, and be unhappy, or do I go to this fantasy world that is a little distant…and maybe it’s not quite real, and maybe it’s actually unhealthy’…”

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Carrie Heitman, Kyle Abourizk, Leah McVeigh, Cynthia Babak, & Parnia Ayari of “Plan C”

Listen in as Hook & Eye Theater ensemble members and collaborating devisers on Plan CCarrie Heitman (director), Kyle Abourizk (assistant director), Leah McVeigh (production management), Cynthia Babak (performer), & Parnia Ayari (performer)—discuss their devising process, solving problems by hand, modern resonance, getting your people into a room together, lemons worth squeezing, trusting your collaborators, taking risks, politics and somatic experiences, and organizing to defeat a systemic problem.

“…we have collaborated over the years—trust does grow. It’s a real joy to work with people who you know have your back, and the only way you can do that is by doing a bunch of things with them, and failing, and picking it up…it’s unique…”

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Philip Kenner & James Wyrwicz of “The Mall The Mall The Mall”

Listen in as The Mall The Mall The Mall playwright Philip Kenner and director James Wyrwicz discuss setting the conditions for the tone, early teenage friendships, double-dip playwriting, the benefit of creative restrictions, Scooby-Doo as text, playing in a video-game-like world, reference bombardment, wonderful and horrible moments of transformation, and how when everything is meaningless, anything can have all the meaning in the world.

“…it’s been three years of watching this play become even more itself, sort of like the characters in the play. It started in a place of zaniness and silliness, and it’s only found more depth, and more truth, and brighter colors and louder sounds…it’s just such a blast to be part of that room…”

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Carolina Ðỗ & Isabel Criado of “ExtraO1dinary Aliens!”

Listen in as ExtraO1dinary Aliens! playwright Carolina Ðỗ and assistant director/stage manager Isabel Criado discuss nightmares becoming reality, bureaucratic flattening, telling stories to heal, collaboration & community & education, and growing, changing, & becoming more real.

“It’s about people trying to survive the American government…”
“…while pursuing the American dream. Which is such a paradox. But a reality.”

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Christian Parker of “The First Line of Dante’s Inferno”

Listen in as Christian Parker, producer & director of The First Line of Dante’s Inferno, discusses blank slates, finding a rhythm, getting the audience ahead of what they’re experiencing, letting the humor live, and the weird magic that happens when people get lost in the woods.

“…I think more broadly, the play is about longing, and feeling lost in midlife, and loneliness, and what sort of questions we find ourselves having to answer in the middle of our lives when we’ve already made a bunch of choices, and have to make some decisions about whether we’re going to honor those, or take a totally new direction…”

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