No Script: The Podcast
255 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 17 ratingsAn unscripted conversation about theatre’s best scripts with theatre-philes Jackson Nickolay and Jacob Mann Christiansen
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Episodes
No Script: The Podcast | S3 Episode 1: "Intimate Apparel" by Lynn Nottage
July 01, 2019 06:00 - 1 hour - 87.1 MBSeason Three is here! In this first episode, Jackson and Jacob return to their tradition of using Lynn Nottage scripts for the season beginning. Nottage's play "Intimate Apparel" is a tender, heart-wrenching portrait of a young woman whose dreams come into conflict with each other. Listen in! ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 22: "Eurydice" by Sarah Ruhl
June 03, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 89.2 MBIn the final episode of Season 2, Jackson and Jacob discuss Sarah Ruhl's retelling of a classic myth. Her play "Eurydice" departs in many respects from the traditional story of "Orpheus and Eurydice." Instead of focusing on the romance, Ruhl tells us of Eurydice's journey rekindling a relationship with her father in the Underworld. After this episode, "No Script" will be on a short break. Season Three will begin the first week of July. See you then! ------------------------------ ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 21: "The Heidi Chronicles" by Wendy Wasserstein | SPECIAL GUEST: Karen Bohm Barker
May 27, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBThis week on "No Script," Jacob is joined by special guest Karen Bohm Barker. Together, they discuss Wendy Wasserstein's play "The Heidi Chronicles," which documents one woman's journey through late 1900s feminism. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast We want to keep the conversation going! Have you read this play? Have you se...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 20: "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams
May 20, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 87.3 MBThe landscape of American theatre is shaped by many amazing playwrights. Without a doubt, Tennessee Williams occupies a central place in that list. In this episode of "No Script," Jackson and Jacob take on his most enduring work: "A Streetcar Named Desire." In his haunting portrayal of a New Orleans neighborhood, Williams has created a cast of instantly recognizable characters. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help t...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 19: "The Motherf*cker with the Hat" by Stephen Adly Guirgis
May 13, 2019 21:00 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBThe title is shocking. The characters wild and unpredictable. But Stephen Adly Guirgis' play "The Motherf*cker with the Hat" is something like . . . a romantic comedy? This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob discuss this foulmouthed play and all its tender, hilarious genius. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast We want to ke...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 18: "Richard III" by William Shakespeare
May 06, 2019 16:30 - 1 hour - 88.1 MBEpisode 50 has arrived. For this momentous occasion, Jackson and Jacob celebrate the world's most famous playwright: William Shakespeare. Together, they dive into the dastardly plans of Shakespeare's mad tyrant. In "Richard III," Shakespeare asks his audience to consider a man who is both the play's protagonist . . . and its villain. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 17: “God of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza
April 29, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 91.9 MBThe plot? It seems simple enough. Two couples meet to discuss the fight between their children. But what occurs over the course of this sharp play is anything but simple. Yasmina Reza's "God of Carnage" asks questions about the masks we wear and the loyalties we keep . . . or pretend to keep. Listen in as Jackson and Jacob weave through the complicated shifting alliances and power dynamics of this brilliant script. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. F...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 16: “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde
April 22, 2019 16:00 - 57 minutes - 78.8 MBThis week on "No Script," Jackson and Jacob discuss one of theatre's classic comedies - "The Importance of Being Earnest." This 1895 play by Oscar Wilde has earned a place as one of the most produced plays in the English language. But is it still funny? Listen in to hear what J&J think. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast We w...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 15: “Bluff” by Jeffrey Sweet
April 15, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBEarly in their college years, Jackson and Jacob produced a lovely 10-minute play by Jeffrey Sweet called "Cover." Now, years later, J&J return to Jeffrey Sweet for this new episode of No Script. Sweet's play "Bluff" is funny, gripping, and intensely theatrical. It's a simple story told brilliantly. Listen in! ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 14: “The Wolves” by Sarah DeLappe
April 08, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 99 MBA girl's soccer team warms up for a game - six weeks of games, actually. As the team stretches, the audiences watches these women engage life's biggest questions... and friendship's pettiest arguments. Listen in this week as Jackson and Jacob take on the play that's sweeping the nation - Sarah DeLappe's "The Wolves." ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patr...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 13: “Circle Mirror Transformation” by Annie Baker
April 01, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 98.3 MBIn Season 1, Jackson and Jacob discussed Annie Baker's Pulitzer Prize winning script "The Flick." Now, in Season 2, they turn to one of her earlier, better known works. "Circle Mirror Transformation" is a delightful, touching look at a community center theatre class. Listen in as Jackson and Jacob break down Baker's use of silence and subtext. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 12: “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller
March 25, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 110 MBIt is the final week of Miller Month here on No Script. Three plays down . . . one to go. And boy, it's a big one. We've saved perhaps Miller's most incredible, powerful, important script for last. Of course, it's "Death of a Salesman." Listen in as J&J weave their way through Miller's poignant narrative about Willy Loman and his family. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continu...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 11: “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller
March 18, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBWeek 3 of Miller Month is here. We're almost halfway through. Can you believe it? This week, listen in as Jackson and Jacob explore the play that saved Miller's career . . . "All My Sons." It's the story of past sins, long-held shame, and country healing after WWII. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast We want to keep the con...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 10: “A View From the Bridge” by Arthur Miller
March 11, 2019 16:00 - 57 minutes - 78.7 MBIn this second week of Miller Month, Jackson and Jacob discuss Arthur Miller's devastating tragedy "A View From the Bridge." It's a tale of jealousy, inappropriate affection, and disastrous consequences - does this sound like a Greek tragedy or what? Listen in! ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast We want to keep the conversati...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 9: “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller
March 04, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 107 MBMiller Month has officially arrived. In this first week, Jackson and Jacob dive into Miller's imagining of the Salem Witch Trials - "The Crucible." What happens when a town, and a whole society, let paranoia and revenge rule their courts? Listen in as J&J discuss theocracy, revenge, and what really counts as evidence. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For as low as $1/month, you can help to ensure the No Script Podcast can continue. https://www.patr...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 8: “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire
February 25, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 91.5 MBHow do we carry grief? What manifestations does grief have in our daily lives, our relationships? In his 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning script "Rabbit Hole," David Lindsay-Abaire paints a portrait of a family in grief. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob explore that portrait, looking at the ways in which Lindsay-Abaire uses things like blame and object negotiation to guide his characters through the many missteps of grief. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us o...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 7: “Galileo” by Bertolt Brecht
February 18, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBYears ago, Jacob discovered a copy of this play in a used bookstore. He fell in love with the script and it has claimed the top spot on his directing wish-list ever since. Now, he and Jackson dive into the rich story and beautiful language of "Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. The play is a fictionalized account of Galileo's life, focusing especially on his conflict with the Catholic Church after he discovers that the sun does not revolve around the earth. Listen in as J&J discuss Epic theatre, sc...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 6: "Man of La Mancha" book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion, music by Mitch Leigh
February 11, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 94.3 MBFor the first time on No Script, Jackson and Jacob are discussing a script they have actually acted in together - Dale Wasserman's "Man of La Mancha." Loosely based on the famous story of Don Quixote, "Man of La Mancha" follows the mad knight in his quest to vanquish evil and sway the heart of his beloved Dulcinea. Join us as J&J discuss Quixote's infectious spirit, his comic sidekick, and the plight of Aldonza. ------------------------------ Please consider supporting us on Patreon. For ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 5: "The Christians" by Lucas Hnath
February 04, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 85.8 MBIs there a hell? This question has inspired much debate in the Christian world. And it is at the core of Lucas Hnath's play "The Christians." Just after his newly built church building is paid off, Pastor Paul announces that he is leading the church in a new direction - they will no longer believe in hell. The play follows the aftermath of this decision. Listen in as Jackson and Jacob explore the brilliant specificity of Hnath's play. ------------------------------ Please consider support...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 4: "Mad Forest" by Caryl Churchill
January 28, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBIn the aftermath of the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Caryl Churchill conducted interviews with witnesses and survivors. That material was developed into her much loved script "Mad Forest." Fascinating imagery defines the play, and Churchill's characters are empathetic and human. This week on "No Script," Jackson and Jacob dive into this complex and rich piece of dramatic literature. ------------------------------ We want to keep the conversation going! Have you read this play? Have you seen ...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 3: "Hurlyburly" by David Rabe
January 21, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBOne of America's defining male playwrights is David Rabe. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob take on his chaotic, foul look at 1980s Hollywood - "Hurlyburly." The play is the story of the friendship between a group of young Hollywood professionals. The core of this friendship seems to be cocaine, womanizing, alcohol, and parties. Listen in as J&J dig to find the nugget of gold in Rabe's sweeping play. Content Warning: This play/conversation contains foul language and depictions of d...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 2: "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" by Christopher Durang
January 14, 2019 19:00 - 1 hour - 94.6 MBChristopher Durang's "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" is a delightful, character-driven comedy. It won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. The script follows three adult siblings as they confront an ever changing world. This week on No Script, listen in as Jackson and Jacob talk Chekhov, technology, and - yes - voodoo. ------------------------------ We want to keep the conversation going! Have you read this play? Have you seen it? Comment a...
No Script: The Podcast | S2 Episode 1: "Ruined" by Lynn Nottage
January 07, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 93.1 MBSeason 2 is here!!! In this opening episode, Jackson and Jacob return to Lynn Nottage, whose work they discussed in the very first No Script episode ever. This time, J&J discuss "Ruined," the winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Based on interviews with survivors, "Ruined" is the story of several women as they attempt to navigate the treacherous waters of a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Content Warning: This play and this episode both contain discussions of rape...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 32: "Disgraced" by Ayad Akhtar
November 26, 2018 19:00 - 1 hour - 91.6 MBIn their final episode of Season 1, Jackson and Jacob take on a recent Pulitzer Prize winning script - Ayad Akhtar's "Disgraced." The play follows Amir, a young lawyer looking to make partner at his firm. His wife Emily is breaking into the art world with a new collection based on Islamic forms. But Amir feels some hostility towards the Islamic heritage of his family. When an art collector friend of Emily's arrives for dinner, things really start to heat up. After this episode, we will be...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 31: "The Zoo Story" by Edward Albee
November 19, 2018 18:00 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBOnly two more episodes left in our first season! This week, Jackson and Jacob explore Edward Albee's classic two-hander, "The Zoo Story." Peter is out enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon when he is approached by Jerry. Their interaction makes up the whole of this long one-act. Join us as we explore human relationships and the nature of violence. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 30: "Harvey" by Mary Chase
November 12, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBImaginary friends, ancient mythologies, modern mental medicine... these things all come together in American playwright Mary Chase's 1944 play "Harvey." This week's conversation continues the pattern of pulling from Pulitzer Prize winning scripts - "Harvey" won in 1945. Join us as Jackson and Jacob discuss this comedic mainstay of community and educational theatre. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! Wha...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 29: "Ah, Wilderness!" by Eugene O'Neill
November 05, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 92.9 MBEugene O'Neill is well known for his dark, brooking tragedies. But in their first discussion on an O'Neill play, Jackson and Jacob take on his one and only comedy: "Ah, Wilderness!" The play follows the Miller family, who are enjoying another wonderful Fourth of July holiday. Trouble brews when Richard Miller - a rebellious 16 year old - is dumped by his girlfriend Muriel and goes on a wild binge as a result. Listen in as J&J talk about O'Neill's use of natural imagery and character developm...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 28: "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" by Stephen Adly Guirgis
October 29, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 87.8 MBStephen Adly Guirgis recently won a Pulitzer for his play "Between Riverside and Crazy." So to honor the prolific playwright, Jackson and Jacob head back 20 years to one of Guirgis' early plays: "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train." This piece is one of Guirgis' most well-known scripts, and its shocking, fast-paced dialogue is characteristic of the masterful American playwright. Listen in as J&J discuss the King of Titles! ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play,...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 27: "The Laramie Project" by Moises Kaufman
October 22, 2018 17:08 - 1 hour - 85.1 MB"The Laramie Project" is a fanscinating play about a tragic subject - the torture and murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. After the murder (and subsequent trial of the attackers) Moises Kaufman takes members of the Tectonic Theater Project to Laramie, Wyoming to interview community members. Their journey is what makes up the play. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob parse the pages of this staged documentary for the incredible treasures of storytelling Kaufman has ...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 26: "'Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand
October 15, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 97.1 MBIs Cyrano Jacob's dream role? Does Jackson think Christian is as empty-headed as he seems? These questions and more are discussed on this week's episode of "No Script: The Podcast." The guys dive into a classic piece of Western literature - Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac." ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite ...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 25: "'night, Mother" by Marsha Norman
October 08, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 92.3 MBCONTENT WARNING: This play/episode contains serious and lengthy discussions about mental illness and suicide. Marsha Norman's "'night, Mother" may be one of the darkest plays discussed on "No Script" thus far. It follows the story of Jessie and her mother Thelma. They live together in a country home. One seemingly normal evening, Jessie tells Thelma that she plans to kill herself. What follows is a harrowing, gripping theatrical experience. Listen in as Jackson and Jacob try to make sense ...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 24: "4000 Miles" by Amy Herzog
October 01, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 96.7 MBAmy Herzog's script 4000 Miles was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Leo has just biked across the continental United States, and experienced a life-altering tragedy along the way. His grandmother Vera lives alone in New York, and is incredibly isolated. Herzog crams these two strong-willed people together inside Vera's apartment, and what follows is a beautiful character study. Join us this week as Jackson and Jacob try to untangle the complicated lives of Leo and Vera. -...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 23: "Next to Normal" book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt
September 24, 2018 16:30 - 1 hour - 96.8 MBThe final week of Musical Month is here. And it has come too soon. Don't worry - we will definitely be doing more musicals as part of our regular programming in the near future! Our final conversation of Musical Month is on "Next to Normal" - still one of the most popular musicals of the past 10 years. Jackson and Jacob take on the musicals complicated plot twists and deep themes. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conver...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 22: "The Band's Visit" music and lyrics by David Yazbeck and book by Itamar Moses
September 17, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBIn the 2018 Tony Awards, "The Band's Visit" cleaned up. Nominated for 11 awards, it went on to win 10 of them. If you've read the script and listened to the soundtrack, it is easy to see why. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob talk about this beautiful script which self-proclaims as "not very important." Its simple stories and gorgeous, dream-like music create an enriching and inspiring experience. Join us in our conversation! ------------------------------ We had so much fun talkin...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 21: “Fiddler on the Roof," music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein
September 10, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 84.6 MBIs listening to "No Script" your Monday "Traaaaaadition"? If not, this is a good Monday to cement that weekly pattern. Jackson and Jacob talk about one of the defining plays in musical theatre - Fiddler on the Roof. Revivals of this charming script continue to pop up, and it's a pretty good guess that someone (maybe a high school, maybe a community theatre) is producing Fiddler within 50 miles of you. It's popular; it's wonderful. On this week's episode, J&J talk about Russian history, praye...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 20: “Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda
September 03, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBHe's young, scrappy, and hungry. He's Alexander Hamilton, and he's the subject of the smash-hit "Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob begin their venture into a 4-week series on musicals called Musical Month. Both J&J love Hamilton, and this week's conversation tends towards an hour of fan-boying. Hope you'll join us in this celebration of American history! ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to kee...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 19: “Venus in Fur" by David Ives
August 27, 2018 16:00 - 59 minutes - 82 MBIt's time for a little laughter, don't you think? This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob take on a hilarous two-hander by David Ives: "Venus in Fur." When a nervous new playwright/director holds auditons for the part of the leading lady, a wacky young actress shows up to claim the part. What happens next... comedy. Pure and simple. Join us as J&J talk about Greek mythology, classic literary metaphors, and, yes, sex. CONTENT WARNING: This play and this conversation contain mature themes/...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 18: “The Real Thing" by Tom Stoppard
August 20, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 86 MBThis week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob discuss a play by one of the titans of contemporary drama: Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing." This is the first Stoppard play to be featured on No Script, and likely the first of many. "The Real Thing" is a love story, first and foremost, but a delightfully complex one. Listen in as J&J try to untangle its knots. They talk about infidelity, art, and Stoppard's sharp wit. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and ...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 17: “Sky Girls" by Jenny Laird | SPECIAL GUEST: KAREN BOHM BARKER
August 13, 2018 16:00 - 59 minutes - 81.4 MBIn this week's episode of "No Script: The Podcast" Jackson hosts our first special guest - Karen Bohm Barker. Karen is a Professor of Theatre and Speech at Northwestern College as well as the Dean of Arts and Humanities. She also happens to be Jackson's mother-in-law. Karen brings a wealth of experience and insight to this script - she teaches it in one of her dramatic literature classes! Join us as Jackson and Karen dive into Jenny Laird's play "Sky Girls" which follows a group of pilots in...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 16: “Topdog/Underdog" by Suzan-Lori Parks
August 06, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 86.4 MB"Topdog/Underdog" is Suzan-Lori Parks Pulitzer Prize winning play (2002). It tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, a pair of brothers whose names darkly forshadow the direction of their relationship. Join us this week as Jackson and Jacob unpack this gritty, hilarious play. They discuss three-card monte, sibling relationships, and destiny. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thought...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 15: “The Clean House" by Sarah Ruhl
July 30, 2018 16:00 - 58 minutes - 79.8 MB"The Clean House" is one of Sarah Ruhl's most popular plays. The script follows several stories: Lane is a doctor who discovers her husband is cheating on her; Matilde is a cleaning woman who would rather be a comedian; Ana is a free-spirited woman who is dying of cancer; Virginia is Lane's sister, and desperate for a change in her mundane life. The script has never been one of Jacob's favorites, but maybe Jackson can sway him! Listen in as J&J talk about Ruhl's use of unusual structuring an...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 14: “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" by Rajiv Joseph
July 23, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBRajiv Joseph's play "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" is a compelling, gritty look at the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The play is set in 2003, and follows the lives of two U.S. soliders and an Iraqi translator in Baghdad. Oh, and there's a dead tiger ghost too. Join us as Jackson and Jacob try to make sense of this chaotic, violent, wierd play. They discuss PTSD, theology, and beauty in the midst of rubble. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d lov...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 13: “Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley
July 16, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 85 MBDoubt or certainty? Which is the basis of faith? John Patrick Shanley's parable play "Doubt" explores this question in a gripping, explosive mystery. This is the first episode about a play Jacob has actually done. (Jackson's first was "Oedipus Rex.") The plot follows the head of a Catholic school - Sister Aloysius. She becomes convinced that the school's pastor, Father Flynn, is abusing one of the young boys. Her campaign against him is subject to scrutiny by the audience, who never learn if...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 12: “A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry
July 09, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 82.7 MBThis week is another episode of the boys' classic series. Jackson and Jacob dive into Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun." This script is a staple in American theatre history. It was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway, and has been turned into a famous movie staring Sidney Poitier. Join us as J&J talk about dreams, racism, and the wonderful controversy over the play's leading character. ------------------------------ We had so much f...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 11: “An American Daughter" by Wendy Wasserstein
July 02, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 93 MBIt's Fourth of July week! Jackson and Jacob are celebrating by talking about Wendy Wasserstein's play "An American Daughter." The story follows a nominee to Surgeon General, Lyssa Dent Hughes. Lyssa is being interviewed on television when she and her family/friends accidently say a few things that get... misconstrued?... by the media and the country. This sends Lyssa's life and confirmation into chaos. Join us as J&J talk about infidelity, feminism, and the many wrongdoings of President Gran...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 10: “True West" by Sam Shepard
June 25, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 84.5 MBSam Shepard's "True West" is a script Jackson and Jacob have always wanted to do together. It's the story of estranged brothers - Lee and Austin - who visit their childhood home outside Los Angeles. What happens in that little suburban home is absolutely gripping. Join us as J&J discuss the ever-present tension between coyotes and cocker spaniels. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 9: “Metamorphoses" by Mary Zimmerman
June 18, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBThis week on "No Script," Jackson and Jacob talk about Mary Zimmerman's "Metamorphoses." The play is an adaption of Ovid's myths, including such well known stories as Orpheus and Eurydice, Eros and Psyche, and King Midas. And, get this, the whole thing is set in a pool! "Metamorphoses" is one of Jacob's all-time favorite scripts. Listen in as J&J uncover the images, the themes, and the method behind this masterpiece. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this pla...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 8: “The Roomate" by Jen Silverman
June 11, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBIn "The Roomate," Jen Silverman puts two very different women inside a large farmhouse in Iowa, just to see what happens! This funny, poignant, and witty play is the subject of this week's "No Script." Jackson and Jacob talk about drug lords, estranged children, and whether or not Jen Silverman hates Iowa. "The Roomate" will be playing at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago starting on June 21. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 7: “How I Learned to Drive” by Paula Vogel
June 04, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBThis week, Jackson and Jacob explore the world of Paula Vogel's play "How I Learned to Drive." Stylized and somewhat absurd, "How I Learned to Drive" is a whirlwind tour through one girl's experience of childhood sexual assault. J&J talk about Vogel's use of characters, a Greek chorus, and titles from Driver's Ed videos. They also break down the ways in which Vogel makes the play's abuser seem more and more insidious. ------------------------------ CONTENT WARNING: This play and conversat...
No Script: The Podcast | S1 Episode 6: “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles
May 28, 2018 16:00 - 50 minutes - 68.9 MBThis week on "No Script: The Podcast," Jacob and Jackson go way back. Together, they dive into one of the oldest scripts in theatre history - "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles. Join us as J&J discuss power, pride, and the core of drama. ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagre...