Discovery, Deliberation, Decision, and Driving Action - Playwright's Spotlight with Matt Williams

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 past works, getting back to theatre's roots, directing your own work (of course) and The Greats, the current acceptance of dark subject matter, and audience feedback at staged readings. We also touch on theatre in L.A., cast conflicts and obligations, Playwrights vs Directors interpretation, lessons from workshop participation vs running workshops as well as lessons as a literary manager which led into stories of David Ives and fame in the bubble of theatre and being a big fish in a small pond. Our conversation ends in writing natural dialogue. It's a fascinating conversation through a window of where theatre was and where it is now and Steve's connection with personas we've all come to know throughout our time in this wondrous arena. I'm sure you'll find something to connect with. Enjoy!

Steve Fife is an author, poet, and playwright and former reporter and literary manager. His plays SAVAGE WORLD, BREAK OF DAY and THIS IS NOT WHAT I ORDERED have been published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals.  Other plays include In The Mood, Sizzle Sizzle, Blue Kiss, The Kitchen Girl, Fun With Freud, Scattered Blossoms, Vincent in the Asylum, Van Gogh’s Zombie Movie, The Transformation Center, Bring Your Own and The Blessing. His adaptation of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance was produced Off-Broadway and The American Wife had its World Premiere at the Park Theatre in London. He was 2019-20 writer-in-residence at the Ark Theatre in North Hollywood. He has also penned book & lyrics for four musicals. He is a graduate the National Theatre Institute, Sarah Lawrence College and received his MFA from Columbia University’s School of the Arts.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/RZmBvAMPM3E

Links mentioned in this episode -

Interact Theatre Company -
https://www.interactla.org/

"Hurricane" Carter -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubin_Carter

Matrix Theatre -
http://www.matrixtheatre.com

New Dramatists -
https://newdramatists.org

Concord Theatricals -
https://www.concordtheatricals.com

Websites and socials for Steve Fife -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/steve.fife.94
X - @twistedhipster8
IG - @steve.fife.94

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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. We also discuss what comes after the initial idea, writing from a personal place and putting away the constraints, laughing your way into a deeper conversation and, a new term from me, the New York City Hustle and the benefits of becoming more generous in your theatre community. In addition, Catya shares her editing technique of Scene Tetris, deciphering notes from prescriptive fixes, accountability and keeping motivated, and whether or not you can find any of her rapping/hip hop performances online. Another fun episode I hope you'll enjoy.

Catya McMullen is a playwright and comedian. Her short play, MISSED CONNECTION won the 37th Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival. She is the author of the comedic hip hop musical LOCKED UP BITCHES and the plays GEORGIA MERTCHING IS DEAD, AGNES, EVERYTHING IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE OKAY, WE PRAY TO ELEPHANTS, ASSHOLES IN GAS STATIONS, RUBBER DUCKS AND SUNSETS, and THE COLLECTIVE. She is a proud alum of the Obie award winning EST/Youngblood and a company member of The Middle Voice Theater Company and was a finalist for the City Theater National Award for Short Playwriting and the Creator of the quarterly variety show WE ARE ANIMALS where she raps under her feminist hip hop alias “Chihuahua Fancy” and has received multiple commissions from the Sloan Foundation. She teaches sketch comedy and playwriting at The People’s Improv Theater. Her latest play Arrowhead opened February 9th and runs through March 4th, 2024 at Atwater Village Theater in Los Angeles.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/qIrJvOJn_Z4

Links mentioned in this episode -

Tickets to Arrowhead (Closing March 4, 2024) and IAMA Theatre Company -
https://www.iamatheatre.com/plays-events/arrowhead

Sloan Foundation -
https://sloan.org

The Flea Theatre -
https://theflea.org

Dramatists Play Service (DPS) -
https://www.dramatists.com

Websites and socials for Catya McCullen -

IG - @mccatya

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
X - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
X - @punkmonkeyprods
    - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
X - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 Hollywood greats but also the pioneers of the theatre (including Steven Schwartz, Beth Henley, David Lindsay-Abaire, and David Henry Hwang) and how they affected his growth as an artist and craft of playwriting. We touch on his delving into playwriting, winning The Stanley Award, his inspirations and writing style, receiving notes and getting bad feedback, knowing and breaking the rules of playwriting as well as the importance of script analysis and criticism. We also talk the benefits of making your work more personal, making characters sound different, learning from the Greeks and other classics, and what he views as the most important element of playwriting. Also, if you're a long time listener to the podcast, Luke may very well have ended the debate on whether or not it's worth studying playwriting in academia. Overall, Luke was is absolutely charming and delivers a plethora of knowledge about the craft. Enjoy!

Luke Yankee is a writer, director, producer, actor, and teacher. His play, "The Last Lifeboat" (published by Dramatists Play Service) has had more than 50 productions in North America and has won over 60 regional awards. His play, "Marilyn, Mom & Me" was the recipient of the Southwest Theatre Productions Sponsor's Award, the Moondance Stageplay Award, and the Writer's Digest Award for Best Play. His play, “Confessions of a Star Maker” was recently a finalist for the Screencraft stageplay competition and was chosen for the Last Frontier Theatre Conference. Other plays include "A Place at Forest Lawn", "The Man Who Killed The Cure" and "The Jesus Hickey".

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/TCjWtRO1k9I

Links mentioned in this episode -

The Stanley Award -
https://wagner.edu/performing-arts/stanley-drama/

International City Theatre -
https://ictlongbeach.org

The Art of Writing for the Theatre -
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Writing-Theatre-Introduction-Introductions/dp/1350155578

Play Submissions Helper -
https://playsubmissionshelper.com

William Inge Theatre Festival -
https://ingecenter.org/festival/

The O'Neills -
https://www.theoneill.org

UC Riverside MFA Program -
https://palmdesertmfa.ucr.edu

Socials and Website for Luke Yankee -

www.lukeyankee.com

FB - www.facebook.com/luke.yankee
IG - @lukebyankee
X/Twitter - @lukebyankee

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 market and "owning your home town" as well as building relationships and putting in the time. We also talk about being commissioned, finding that "flow," finding opportunities, playwriting struggles, the use of character backstories, using exercises as standalone pieces, the structure and trends of ten-minute plays, and what constitutes success. Again, Donna offers such great insight and resources, I think you'll find yourself with a plethora of information. Cheers.

Donna Hoke’s work has been seen in 48 states and on five continents. She has been nominated for the Primus, Blackburn, and Laura Pels prizes, and is a three-time winner of the Emanuel Fried Award for Outstanding New Play for SEEDS, SONS & LOVERS, and ONCE IN MY LIFETIME. She has also twice received Individual Artist Awards from the New York State Council on the Arts to develop HEARTS OF STONE and CANALSIDE. She has been serving the Dramatists Guild in various capacities since 2012, is an ensemble playwright at Road Less Traveled Productions, and is former moderator of the 13,500+-member Official Playwrights of Facebook Other plays include - BRILLIANT WORKS OF ART, ELEVATOR GIRL, SAFE, and TEACH.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/fnbkyVL4Sec

Links mentioned in this episode -

The Official Playwrights of Facebook -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2351514659

New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org/

World Less Traveled Productions -
https://www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org

Playwrights' Center -
https://pwcenter.org

Play Submission Helper -
https://playsubmissionshelper.com

National New Play Network -
https://nnpn.org

The Dramatic Writer's Companion -
https://www.amazon.com/Dramatic-Writers-Companion-Characters-Publishing/dp/0226172546

Dramatists Guild -
https://www.dramatistsguild.com

Seven Devils -
https://www.sevendevils.org

Trade-A-Play Tuesday -
https://blog.donnahoke.com/trade-a-play-tuesday/

Playwright's Binge -
https://groups.io/g/playwrightbinge

YouthPLAYS -
https://www.youthplays.com/

Broadway Licensing -
https://broadwaylicensing.com

Playwright's Spotlight with Steven Dietz -
https://youtu.be/CnS8-gegiUc

Websites and socials for Donna Hoke -

Website - www.donnahoke.com

IG - @dhokeplays
Twitter/X - @donnahoke
Snap - @hokeplays

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through LACPF -
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 you've got the right joke, the use of Twitter as a testing ground, and how to segue into the next joke. We also talk about voice vs character, the ideal length of a joke, having jokes stolen, testing material and drawing from life, dry spells and branding as well as confidence and commitment in performance. In addition, we touch on building up to being a headliner, relationships and invitations, comedic potential and when's too soon to joke about a topic. It was a lot of fun to learn to hear Henry's pathway to his success. I hope you enjoy it.

Henry Phillips is an actor, writer, musician and standup comic. He has played hundreds of cities across the country and around the world. He has recorded five comedy albums including On the Shoulders of Freaks, Number 2, Why Haven’t I Heard From You, L.A. Dreams, and Neither Here Nor There. He’s appeared in multiple episodes of Silicon Valley as well as Season Two, Episode 4 of Drunk History. He is the co-writer of both Punching the Clown and Punching Henry and stars in the hit web-series Henry’s Kitchen.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/7UI9zTfzt2U

Links mentioned in this episode -

Gengis Cohen -
https://www.genghiscohen.com

The Improv -
https://improv.com/hollywood/

Dr. Demento -
https://www.drdemento.com

The Second Degree -
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2560076569

Websites and socials for Henry Phillips -

https://henryphillips.com
henrys.kitchen

Twitter/X - @henlips
IG - @henlips
Twitch - @henlips1
YouTube - @henryphillips

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 well as auditioning for SNL. We touch on what makes a good idea, how something always has to go wrong, and how a sketch must have a good ending. We also talk about the structure of sketch, the Canadien Dream, the history of Second City, doing your time and learning from the greats and how L.A. gets it wrong in the world of improv and sketch. Paul is chock full of knowledge and insight and shares his wisdom on how to be successful in the world of sketch comedy. I hope you have as much fun listening as I did recording this episode.  Enjoy!

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/XSAXIIUHYs4

Links mentioned in this episode -

The Brill Building -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Building

Rita MacNeil -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_MacNeil

Ryerson Polytechnic University -
https://www.torontomu.ca

The Groundlings -
https://groundlings.com

Second City -
https://www.secondcity.com

Nichols and May -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKL1tNv__kU

The Vacant Lot -
https://www.youtube.com/@thevacantlot137

Websites and socials for Paul Greenberg -

Hanging with Doctor Z -
www.hangingwithdoctorz.com

IG - @paulgreenberg1
         @thesensationalrustysteele

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 visited remotely with an aspect of playwriting and theatre I couldn't have been prepared for. We discuss going international, cultural differences, and the task of tackling translating from a cultural perspective as well as playwriting and also as an approach to learning a language. We touch upon Norwegian playwriting on the page and stage and their appeal to deconstructing theatrical works. Ren also speaks of her use of "erasure" in her adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear and her advocacy of free speech against literary prosecution in the realm of human rights and human obligation. We also talk about new or obscure forms of theatre including pub theatre, pantos, and Norwegian variety/vaudeville style theatre (revits (sp?)) and Norwegian improv. I also chime in a bit (a lot) with my frustration of authority in academia. It truly is a fascinating conversation I hope you will enjoy.

My guest today is a poet, playwright and teaching artist born in Anaheim, California and currently based in Oslo, Norway. She has a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in England, a BA in Theater Arts from Texas A&M University, and teaches at Vågen Upper Secondary School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Her work often juxtaposes mindsets with landscapes, culture with nature and often reflects on the themes of identity, place/displacement, mental disorders, human rights and obligations. Her plays include - Ripeness is All (An erasure/adaptation of King Lear), Light as Her Bones, and The Ant Farm.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/Tr_EPp7V7K8

Links mentioned in this episode -

dv8 theatre -
https://dv8.co.uk

Forced Entertainment -
https://www.forcedentertainment.com

PEN International and America -
https://www.pen-international.org
https://pen.org

The Muse -
https://muse.jhu.edu

Websites and socials for Ren Powell -
www.renpowell.com

New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org/users/80012/ren-powell

Email -
renpowell.writer@gmail.com

IG - madorphanwriter

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 playwriting perspective. What proceeds is an in-depth and personal insight into war and how it translates to the stage where most would place it in a cinematic medium. However, Stan breaks it down beautifully and makes a strong case why war stories belong on the stage, and how not only the playwright, but the community can heal from wounds that can still be decades old. We speak about honoring truth and how trust is an important commodity when it comes to collaboration, and how letting go can lead to getting out of your own way when it comes to ego. We also touch on the flourishing of discovery when sussing out the story over a long period of time through workshop, rehearsal, and play as well as at the importance of not diluting your co-author's voice and trusting your work in someone else's hands. It's a truly lovely conversation, and I can't thank Stan enough for sharing such a personal story and process with the Playwright's Spotlight community. I hope you enjoy this first episode of the new season.

Stan Mayer is an actor, playwright, and director. In a past life, he was a US Marine infantryman and Intelligence Officer in special operations, serving five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Plays include Odysseus at Temecula and the upcoming premiere Mama, Mama, Can’t You See with co-writer Cecelia Fairchild produced by Coin & Ghost Theatre Company at Studio/Stage in Los Angeles.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/ECmQGdWRpl0

For tickets to Mama, Mama, Can't You See if you're in the Los Angeles area, visit -
https://www.showclix.com/event/mama-mama-2023

Links to sites mentioned in this episode - 

Arts in the Armed Forces -
https://bobwoodrufffoundation.org/bwfgrants/arts-in-the-armed-forces/

Coin & Ghost Theatre Company -
https://coinandghost.org

studio/stage -
https://www.thestagecrafts.com/studio-stage/

Contact info and socials for Stan Mayer -
IG - @stoshactually

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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, Richard certainly had insight to offer, and as always, I learned something new. In this episode, we discuss the evolution of grants, the current state and the fate of theatre, what makes a good director, what's necessary in stage directions, obtaining flow in playwriting, his personal process when it comes to the craft, structure, and finding inspiration and generating ideas. We also reflect upon the brilliance of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, whether Shakespeare was a real person, innovation as a young playwright, whether rewriting published work is possible, Equity as a union, maturing as a playwright, producing in smaller markets, and having creative control in playwriting. It was an absolute treat to talk with Richard, and I was enthralled to have him wrap up our second season of Playwright's Spotlight. See you in Season 3.

Richard Vetere is a playwright, novelist, poet and film and TV writer, actor, director and producer.  He has over twenty plays published by Dramatic Publishing, Smith & Kraus and Applause Book and include Caravaggio, Gangster Apparel, Machiavelli, One Shot, One Kill and Bird Brain with production of the plays Off-Broadway in NYC, Chicago, Melbourne, Cyprus, Rome, Paris and London. He has received numerous grants for writing including a Mary Roberts Rinehart Grant for Playwriting and a Cultural Council Foundation for poetry and playwriting. He was a guest of the Chicago Humanities Theater Festival for his play Caravaggio. He has a Masters in Comparative English Literature from Columbia University and lectured at NYU in the master's program in playwriting and film writing and continues to lecture at Queens College. 

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/r5gxnIpnuuA

Links to sites mentioned in this episode -

Mary Robert Rinehart Grant -
https://english.gmu.edu/awards/127

Cultural Council Foundation -
https://www.americansforthearts.org

Dramatists Guild -
https://www.dramatistsguild.com

Simon and Schuster -
https://www.simonandschuster.com

PDW -
https://www.actingstudio.com/acting-classes/playwrights/beginning-playwriting/

Actors Equity -
https://www.actorsequity.org

Websites and socials for Richard Vetere -

Website -
https://www.richardvetereauthor.com

FB - https://www.facebook.com/richard.vetere
IG - @vetererichard
Twitter - @RichardVetere

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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 the pod-recorder used for backup was not started on time. Brynn and I tried to find a time to rerecord but were unable to due to schedule conflicts, so I've decided to release the episode without the first six minutes, which I'm glad I decided to do. I think Brynn has encouraging advice and experience that she shares in this episode. We discuss her beginnings as a soap actress and its development toward her playwriting, how she was able to learn character from soaps, her pathway from a one-woman show, to a two-person short film series, and later a full length three-person play. We also touch upon the need of validation, writing from grief, hearing the truth, conflict in questions, wearing all the hats in a production as well as the flaws of a character and writing behavior. We had a lot of fun recording it and wish I would have released it sooner. I would still love to have Brynn in to discuss Let Me In after having experienced it. I hope it makes the rounds, because it's a wonderful piece.

Brynn Thayer has been working in the industry since the 1970s. She's been nominated for a Daytime Emmy and wrote and performed her one-woman show, The Eulogy, which the Los Angeles Times called "Sardonic, Funny and Accessible.” She directed, wrote and produced the Worst Day series of short films with her partner Shahaub Roudbari, which toured the festival circuit and won many awards. Her most recent play, Let Me In, played to sold out crowds at Theatre 68 in North Hollywood.

To view the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/W4hG9Rc-kZE

Links to sites mentioned in this episode -

Beverly Hills Playhouse -
https://www.bhplayhouse.com/

Lenaea High School Theatre Festival -
lenaea.org

Howie Deutsch -
https://workspacehollywood.com

Theatre 68 -
https://www.theatre68.com

New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html