Talk Theatre In Chicago

This week's podcast focuses on Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's new initative to take their production of The Taming of the Shrew into Chicago's neighborhood parks. Director of Production Chris Plevin and cast members Ericka Ratcliff (Kate) and Matt Mueller (Petruchio) join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the challeges and rewards of producing Shakespeare outside in broad daylight for audiences in neighborhoods around the city.

On this week's podcast, we air Part 2 of a two-part series focusing on the recently disbanded company, New Leaf Theatre. Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, Managing Director Eleanor Hyde, resident scenic designer Michelle Lilly, and resident sound designer Nick Keenan join Anne Nicholson Weber to discss their decision to disband the company, choices they might make differently in hindsight, and some interesting new models for producing store-front theatre in this city.

On this week's podcast, we air Part 1 of a two-part series focusing on the recently disbanded company, New Leaf Theatre. This week in Part 1, Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, Managing Director Eleanor Hyde, resident scenic designer Michelle Lilly, and resident sound designer Nick Keenan join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about New Leaf's history, culture and successes. Next week, we will conclude the conversation with Part 2, the story of the ensemble's decision to disband the company at the end of the run of their most recent show, a critcially-acclaimed production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Tony Fitzpatrick- the author, playwright, artist, actor who is staring in Nickel History: The Nation of Heat at the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre--he talks about the entire trilogy that included The Train and Stations Lost and he recalls Studs Terkel--his mentor.

Our guests on this week's podcast are Monty Cole and Brian Loevner, two of the three members of the Chicago Commercial Collective -- a new entity in town that plans to produce commercial remounts of non-profit shows that would otherwise "close too soon." Monty and Brian talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about the genesis of the collective, their plans for the future, and their inaugural production -- a remount of Keith Huff's A Steady Rain, which the collective is producing in association with Chicago Dramatists where the show was originally developed and premiered.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Danielle Brothers who is appearing in Theo Ubique's Time After Time, the Julie Styne revue. She talks about her singing style and how much the audience motivates her singing.

On this week's podcast, Anne Nicholson Weber interviews composer Andre Pluess and book writer and lyricist Andy White about their new musical, Eastland, which is currently being premiered at Lookingglass Theatre. They explain the process of developing the piece, its roots in Chicago history, and the nature of their collaboration.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Alison Kelly who runs the Chicago Folks Operetta company along with her husband. They have two operettas running- The Cousin from Nowhere and The Circus Princess. Alison talks about the shows and why they do German/Viennese operettas.

This week's podcast interview focuses on the production of Joanthan Larson's Rent, which is currently playing at American Theatre Company, co-produced by About Face Theatre. Director David Cromer and cast members Derrick Trumbly (Roger) and Eduardo Placer (Angel) talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about Cromer's re-examination of the iconic show and reconfiguration of the ATC space, Trumbly's performance of "One Song Glory" and Placer's experience learning a role in four days to step into a production that had already opened.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Adam Whiteman, the playwright/composer of Music Mad, How Chief O' Neill Saved the Soul of Ireland which is now playing at Chief O'neill's Pub.

This week's podcast features actors Mike Nussbaum and Coburn Goss, who are currently playing in Mark St. Germain's two-hander, Freud's Last Session, at The Mercury Theatre. Anne Nicholson Weber talks to Mike and Coburn about the challenges of playing historical figures Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, of taking over the roles from the New York actors who opened the production here in Chicago, the response of the audience to this play of ideas, and observations on the art of acting.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Peter Oyloe who stars in Filament Theatre Ensemble's Hank Williams: Lost Highway. He talks about the show, why the theatre ensemble chose to do it, and he also performs some musical samples from the show.

This week's podcast features three members of the cast of A Little Night Music currently playing at Writers' Theatre. Shannon Cochran, Deanna Dunagan and Tiffany Scott join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the developmental phases of an actress' career and the challenges and joys of playing a scaled-down, intimate version of Sondheim's masterpiece.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actress Kate Arrington. She talks about her current show The Iceman Cometh, which is playing at the Goodman Theatre, as well as her acting career.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with playwright Neil LaBute. He talks about his show, In A Forest, Dark and Deep which is currently playing at the Profiles Theatre as well as his creative process.

Our podcast guests are Mark Messing, composer, and Mickle Maher, playwright and one of the founders of Theatre Oobleck. They talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about their original chamber opera, The Hunchback Variations; about the rationale behind Theatre Oobleck's distinctive process of working without a director; and about serendipity in art.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Charles Newell, the artistic director at Court Theatre and the director of their current show Angels in America. He talks about the show as well as his career.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Frank Galati who adapted and directed The March which is currently playing at the Steppenwolf Theatre. He talks about the show as well as his career.

Our guests on this week's podcast are director Eric Hoff and fight choreographer Ryan Bourque. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss the development and staging of Ike Holter's new play, Hit the Wall, currently being performed by The Inconvenience as part of the Steppenwolf Garage series -- the challenges of creating a convincing riot on stage using only 10 actors; underscoring a stage fight without turning it into a dance; and their exploration of gender and period setting through movement.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Brad Armacost who is currently in Seanachai Theatre Company's A Moon For the Misbegotton which is playing at the Irish American Heritage Center. He talks about the production and his amazing career in Chicago.