Latest Theatre arts Podcast Episodes
Libraries, Confidence, the Process of Revision, and Saving Your Darlings - Playwright's Spotlight with Olivia Sawatzki
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - July 10, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Olivia Sawatzki came by Playwright's Spotlight after the West Coast Premiere of her play Being Alive (& other big jokes) at the Raven Playhouse in North Hollywood. We discuss seeing your work onstage, writing strategies, evolving as a playwright, being influenced and dec...
Technology, the Dangers of Missing Deadlines, and Making Musicals Look Simple - Playwright's Spotlight with Ian Kim
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - June 25, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Recent Harvard-Westlake graduate Ian Kim swung by the studio to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight after the successful production of his second musical - Bakery of Love as part of HW's Playwright's Festival. We talk about making it look simple, the dangers of missing dea...
Set Up, Adaptation, Compensation, and Writing Good Suspense - Playwright's Spotlight with Barry M. Putt, Jr.
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - June 11, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Barry M. Putt, Jr. beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight from New Jersey to discuss the medium of the audio drama, a throwback and homage to radio plays of the 30s and 40s. We breakdown the differences in elements of traditional playwriting vs the audio drama, i.e., set...
Writing in Threads, Finding Momentum, and "Bad Pages Are No Pages" - Playwright's Spotlight with Boni B. Alvarez
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - May 29, 2024 06:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright Boni B. Alvarez stopped by Playwright's Spotlight during the run of his historic play Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy. In such, we discuss approaching historical figures and events and flashbacks on stage. We also discuss his approach t...
Developmental Struggles, Embracing Rejection, and "Overnight" Success - Playwright's Spotlight with David Johann Kim
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - May 14, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. David Johann Kim stopped by Playwright's Spotlight to discuss his two new simultaneous running plays and the process in which they were developed, their similarities surrounding the same historical event, and the collaborative process working with two different troupes a...
Writing Transitions, Cracking the Story, and "Wait! What?" Moments - Playwright's Spotlight with Michelle Kholos Brooks
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - April 30, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Michelle Kholos Brooks sat in the Playwright's Spotlight for a wonderful conversation about her approach to the craft. We talked about the rehearsal process with the return of her play Hitler's Tasters in which we touch on writing transitions, the effects of Covid on thi...
Wit, Interruptions, and Reframing Your Story - Playwright's Spotlight with Oliver Mayer
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - April 16, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsPlaywright Oliver Mayer joined us before the premiere of his new play Ghost Waltz. Oliver shares his experience writing operas, the medium's influence on his playwriting and the musicality of English as well as the intimacy of theatre and creative control, the after affects of "crashing into the...
Opera, Wit, Interruptions, and Reframing Your Story - Playwright's Spotlight with Oliver Mayer
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - April 16, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright Oliver Mayer joined us before the premiere of his new play Ghost Waltz. Oliver shares his experience writing operas, the medium's influence on his playwriting and the musicality of English as well as the intimacy of theatre and creative control, the after affe...
Opening Up the Text, Playfulness in Language, and "Saving As." - Playwright's Spotlight with Tira Palmquist
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - April 02, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright Tira Palmquist sat in the Playwright's Spotlight while rehearsing her latest play The Body's Midnight. We had a wonderful conversation discussing the benefits of table work, entering the flow state and making discoveries later in the process, the role of the p...
Etiquette, Letting Go of Perfection, and Writing From a Slice of Life - Playwright's Spotlight with Becky Wahlstrom
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - March 19, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Joan of Arcadia's Becky Wahlstrom stopped by Playwright's Spotlight while in town from Nashville to help wrap up the rehearsal process for the premiere of her new play A Froggy Becomes. Becky discusses how she started out writing plays after a successful stint in Hollywo...
Writing Natural Dialogue, Getting Back to Our Roots, and Why Theatre? - Playwright's Spotlight with Steve Fife
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - March 05, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. This week playwright Steve Fife sat in-studio in the Playwright's Spotlight. It was a reflective conversation of his experience in New York and on Broadway in the seventies, his dislike of eighties, and the joyous return in the nineties. We discuss rewriting and updating...
Playwright's Spotlight with Catya McMullen
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - February 21, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsCatya McMullen stopped by Playwright's Spotlight during the run of her new play Arrowhead which runs through March 4, 2024. In this episode, we talk about surviving lockdowns as an artist, what makes a good writer, reflecting life on stage, stage plays as love letters. We also discuss what comes...
Reflecting Life on Stage, The New York City Hustle, and Putting Away the Constraints - Playwright's Spotlight with Catya McMullen
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - February 21, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Catya McMullen stopped by Playwright's Spotlight during the run of her new play Arrowhead which runs through March 4, 2024. In this episode, we talk about surviving lockdowns as an artist, what makes a good writer, reflecting life on stage, stage plays as love letters. W...
Purging Emotions, Deus Ex Machina, and Making the Case to Study Playwriting in Academia - Playwright's Spotlight with Luke Yankee
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - February 06, 2024 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Had the pleasure of chatting with playwright and son of actress Eileen Heckart (Bus Stop), Luke Yankee, about growing up in the world of Hollywood and his journey to be coming a playwright. It's a wonderful interview that touches on his relationships with not only the Ho...
Playwright's Spotlight with Donna Hoke
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - January 23, 2024 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsDonna Hoke sat in the Playwright's Spotlight to discuss her journey into playwriting. In this interview we touch on her involvement in the Official Playwrights of Facebook, her start as playwright from a journalism background and learning on the fly, working in a smaller market and "owning your ...
Putting in the Time, Owning Your Home Town, and a Path to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Donna Hoke
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - January 23, 2024 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Donna Hoke sat in the Playwright's Spotlight to discuss her journey into playwriting. In this interview we touch on her involvement in the Official Playwrights of Facebook, her start as playwright from a journalism background and learning on the fly, working in a smaller...
Segues, Dry Spells, & Branding, Confidence & Commitment, and What's Too Soon? - Playwright's Spotlight with Henry Phillips
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - January 09, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. In this episode of Playwright's Spotlight, long time friend and standup Henry Phillips stopped by to discuss another aspect of writing for the stage - Standup Comedy. Henry shares his origins into the craft and business of standup, his approach to comedy and knowing when...
Sweating the Joke, Surprising Your Audience, and Fighting For Your Convictions - Playwright's Spotlight with Paul Greenberg
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - December 26, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. This was an absolute treat and a dream come true. Paul Greenberg from the sketch comedy troop The Vacant Lot honored me with ninety minutes of his time to come and talk shop. We discuss his pathway to success while performing onstage and then being cancelled in Canada as...
Translation, Culture, and Non-Traditional Theatre - An American Playwright in Norway - Playwright's Spotlight with Ren Powell
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - December 11, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. We're back after a brief hiatus due to a guest cancelling, the holidays, and me feeling a bit under the weather, but our third season is still off with a bang. If there was a fascinating episode to drop after being away, this is IT. International playwright Ren Powell vi...
Truth and Trust, Compromise in Collaboration, and the Healing Process of Playwriting - Spotlight with Stan Mayer
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - November 14, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSeason 3, Episode 1. - If someone told me how powerful of a conversation I'd have been in store for prior to sitting down with Stan Mayer, I'm not sure I would've believed them, nor could I have prepared myself for the conversation we would have, and certainly not from a playwriting perspective....
Truth and Trust, Compromise in Collaboration, and the Healing Process of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Stan Mayer
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - November 14, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Season 3, Episode 1. - If someone told me how powerful of a conversation I'd have been in store for prior to sitting down with Stan Mayer, I'm not sure I would've believed them, nor could I have prepared myself for the conversation we would have, and certainly not from a...
Writing From Experience, the Music of Language, and the Fate of Theatre - Playwright's Spotlight with Richard Vetere
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 31, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. FINAL EPISODE OF SEASON 2! We made it another year. In this season ending episode, we spend time speaking with Richard Vetere. Richard reached out to me on Instagram and voiced interest in being on an episode of Playwright's Spotlight. After looking over his credentials,...
Playwright's Spotlight with Richard Vetere
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 31, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsFINAL EPISODE OF SEASON 2! We made it another year. In this season ending episode, we spend time speaking with Richard Vetere. Richard reached out to me on Instagram and voiced interest in being on an episode of Playwright's Spotlight. After looking over his credentials, Richard certainly had in...
Writing From Experience, the Music Language, and the Fate of Theatre - Playwright's Spotlight with Richard Vetere
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 31, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsFINAL EPISODE OF SEASON 2! We made it another year. In this season ending episode, we spend time speaking with Richard Vetere. Richard reached out to me on Instagram and voiced interest in being on an episode of Playwright's Spotlight. After looking over his credentials, Richard certainly had in...
Writing From Grief, Hearing the Truth, and the Need for Validation - Playwright's Spotlight with Brynn Thayer
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 12, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. We've dug into the vaults of Playwright's Spotlight for this episode. Originally recorded on February 8th, 2023, I interviewed playwright Brynn Thayer a few weeks before the world premiere of Let Me In. Unfortunately due to a software update, the audio was unusable and t...
Playwright's Spotlight with Anna Ouyang Moench
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 03, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsAnother episode touching on aspects not featured in past episodes. Today playwright Anna Ouyang Moench sits in the Playwright's Spotlight and, thankfully, after botching her name twice, she was nice enough to stick around. In this interview, we discuss the benefits of writers groups, the pursuit...
Playwriting Mechanics, Playing with Timelines, and Obtaining Representation - Playwright's Spotlight with Anna Ouyang Moench
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - October 03, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Another episode touching on aspects not featured in past episodes. Today playwright Anna Ouyang Moench sits in the Playwright's Spotlight and, thankfully, after botching her name twice, she was nice enough to stick around. In this interview, we discuss the benefits of wr...
Parody, Writing the Fool Proof Play, and Writing for Young Performers and Audiences - Playwright's Spotlight with Dean O'Carroll
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - September 19, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright and parodist, Dean O'Carroll, sat in the Playwright's Spotlight this week. We discuss his origins as a playwright and the knowledge gained from a Bachelor's Degree in theatre to an MFA in playwriting and the differences from learning from lecture opposed to th...
Plagiarizing Yourself, Writing Layered Characters, and Making Scripted Dialogue Sound Spontaneous - Playwright's Spotlight with Garry Michael Kluger
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - September 05, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright Garry Michael Kluger stopped by to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight to talk about all things playwriting and also touched on its from film and television. Having been a three-time semi-finalist, we discuss the process of and when to submit for the O'neill's a...
Collaboration and Control, Freud on Cocaine, and Getting Your Play Realized - Playwright's Spotlight with Howard Skora
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight - August 22, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSend us a Text Message. Playwright Howard Skora stopped by Playwright's Spotlight, and what a fascinating interview he delivered. What I thought would be another insightful look into the craft of playwriting, turned into an unsuspecting history lesson about the psychologist Sigmund Freud and qu...
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