Jonathan Berry, director of Steep Theatre's hit production of Festen, and Peter Moore, Steep's Artistic Director and a member of the cast, join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss Steep Theatre's recent successes, including their riveting staging of the play adapted from the Dogme 95 film Festen (which was released in the U.S. as The Celebration).
Jun 20, 2011•29 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Scotty Zacher, the founder and editor of the Chicago Theater Beat website. He talks about his love for the Chicago theatre scene as well as his goals of the site.
Jun 13, 2011•35 min
On this week's podcast, cast members John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Tom Cox join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Northlight Theatre's hit show, The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham. They discuss how they create believable family relationships on stage, why they love to act in Chicago, and how audiences are reacting to the content and tone of the piece.
Jun 06, 2011•34 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with actress Bethany Thomas, one of the stars of Porgy and Bess which is currently playing at the Court Theatre. She talks about the show as well as her acting career.
May 30, 2011•31 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Dennis Zacek, the Artistic Director of Victory Gardens Theater who is retiring after 34 years with the theater. He talks about his time at Victory Gardens as well as what he has planned for the future.
May 23, 2011•41 min
This week's podcast completes our coverage of the Chicago Theatre Symposium, which launches this Wednesday at Columbia College of Chicago. John Green, Chair of the Theatre Department at Columbia, along with faculty members Albert Williams and Coya Paz join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their goals for the symposium and to preview some of the highlights.
May 16, 2011•25 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Arvid Sponberg, a Professor of English at Valparaiso University and theatre historian. He talks about the creation of the first ever Chicago Theatre Symposium which will occur May 18-22.
May 09, 2011•36 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Steven Hill, the owner/operations manager at New Rock Theatre (formerly LaCosta Theatre). He talks about the challenges and opportunities with owning and operating a theatre venue.
May 02, 2011•34 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with actress Carolyn Faye Kramer. She talks about her leading role in Filament Theatre Ensemble's Eurydice and what it is like to act in a new large loft theatre space at Lacuna Artist's Loft in Pilsen. She also talks about the late night Filament show, Orpheus.
Apr 25, 2011•30 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with James Bohnen, the outgoing artistic director of Remy Bumppo Theatre and the director of The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?. Bohnen talks about how he started Remy Bumppo and its history and his philosophy of directing.
Apr 18, 2011•34 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Annabel Armour. She talks about her performance as Stevie in Remy Bumppo Theatre's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? and what is is like to be a longtime ensemble member at Remy Bumppo.
Apr 11, 2011•36 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Austin Cook, the music director of Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. He talks about what he did with the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and about his classical background.
Apr 04, 2011•33 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Sara Pavlak, the star of Agnes Of God by Hubris Productions at The Greenhouse Theater Center. She talks about the show as well as her acting career.
Mar 28, 2011•31 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Omen Sade, the star of Servant of Two Masters at Piccolo Theatre. He talks about the show as well as Commedia Dell'Arte as a theatre style.
Mar 21, 2011•35 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Madrid St. Angelo, the Artistic Director of UrbanTheater Company. He talks about his current show Sonnets for an Old Century that he is directing at the Steppenwolf Theatre.
Mar 14, 2011•35 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Aaron Todd Douglas, the director of Radio Golf which is currently playing at the Raven Theatre.
Mar 07, 2011•31 min
Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Bob Falls and Exective Director Roche Schulfer join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the Belarus Free Theatre - a theatre company "on the run." How did Chicago become a temporary refuge for the company? What is their future? What did we in Chicago learn from them as artists and activists?
Feb 28, 2011•32 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Robert Kauzlaric who has adapted 10 plays for Lifeline Theatre. They talk about the current one he has adapted, The Moonstone which is now playing at Lifeline.
Feb 21, 2011•32 min
This week's podcast features the production of Danai Gugira's play, Eclipsed, which is currently playing at Northlight Theatre. Director Hallie Gordon and cast member Paige Collins join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the psychic cost of exploring the chaotic and violent world of Liberian Civil War where the play is set, about the process of creating an ensemble piece and about audience responses to tough material.
Feb 14, 2011•33 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Luke Heiden about a couple subjects. First they talk about the role and importance of stage management in live theatre. Also they talk about the struggles of making it as a playwright.
Feb 07, 2011•34 min
This week our podcast guests are director Max Truax, composer Jonathan Guillen and costume designer Nevena Todorovic. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their original operatic setting of Werner Muller's Hamletmachine at Trap Door Theatre, including its inception in a dream and its creation over five short and hair-raising weeks.
Jan 31, 2011•40 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with David Zak, the former Artistic Director of Bailiwick Repertory. He talks about what he has been working on recently including his experience with the theatre scene in Korea and London.
Jan 24, 2011•35 min
Our guest on this week's podcast interview is Deb Clapp, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres. She joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the League's political advocacy on behalf of the Chicago theatre community in the run-up to the City elections.
Jan 17, 2011•25 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel- the Dueling Critics on WBEZ. They talk about the state of the Chicago theatre scene as well as opinions on some recent shows.
Jan 10, 2011•34 min
Our featured guest this week is Jenny Avery, the newly-appointed Artistic Director at Next Theatre. Jenny talks with Anne Nicholson Weber about how this job found her, how the company weathered its recent, very public crisis, and what she sees ahead.
Jan 03, 2011•31 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Brenda Didier, the director and choregrapher of Theo Ubique's Cats playing at the No Exit Cafe. She talks about the challenges of putting the show onto the small stage.
Dec 27, 2010•32 min
This week's podcast explores the stage magic in Goodman Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol. William Brown (Director), Scott Conn (Production Manager) and Matt Chandler (Assistant Production Manager) join Anne Nicholson Weber to explain how -- and why -- the ghost of Jacob Marley is dragged back into the fireplace, the Ghost of Christmas Past flies, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come stands 12 feet tall and appears out of nowhere.
Dec 20, 2010•38 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Bernie Yvon, the star of The Music Man currently playing at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. He talks about his role as Harold Hill as well as his acting career.
Dec 13, 2010•33 min
This week's podcast features The House Theatre of Chicago's current production of The Nutcracker. Director/choreographer Tommy Rapley and book writer/cast member Jake Minton talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about the development of the piece from the original source material into the original 2007 production at Steppenwolf and now to the remounting at the Chopin Theatre. Along the way they talk about why dark material can be appropriate even for younger children, the challenges of playing in the r...
Dec 06, 2010•33 min
On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Ron OJ Parson, the director of Home which is currently playing at Court Theatre. Ron talks about the show as well as bringing it to stage.
Nov 29, 2010•33 min