
Beckett’s Babies
By Beckett’s Babies
A podcast by two friends who met at Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Join hosts Sam Collier and Sarah Cho as they try to figure out playwriting 📇

83. PLAYBACK: Sean David DeMers Interview
Beckett’s Babies • By Beckett’s Babies • Nov 02, 2020
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148. SEASON FINALE: when babies become toddlers... 4 years, baby.
THAT'S A WRAP FOR SEASON 4! Thank you all so much for tuning in every week and hear us chat about all things playwriting. We loved every single one of our guests on this season so even if they're not mentioned, we suggest you going back and give it a listen!
Thank you again for another incredible season. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season... See you next year!
GLISTENS
Cho - Random stuff
Collier - Someone should write a play about this by Charlotte T. Martin
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
44:17
October 24, 2022

147. TOPIC: Location in Plays
Hello, listeners! In today’s episode we get into a discussion about all things locations! Location in plays, writing location into a play, and whether or not location informs the play. We read the following plays inspired by places we lived or currently living to help us get into the discussion.
Plays we read:
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith
Almost, Maine by John Cariani
Leaving Iowa by Tim Clue and Spike Manton
GLISTENS
Sam - 24 hour play festival
Cho - Hocus Pocus & Hocus Pocus 2
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
55:12
October 03, 2022

146. PLAY: Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias
Every month, we pick a play to discuss, and for this week's episode we read "Native Gardens" by Karen Zacarias. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. SPOILER ALERT: There are going to be some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
Glistens:
Sam - chokecherries
Cho - Youtube channel "Korean Englishman"
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
38:46
September 19, 2022

145. We took a very short hiatus and now we're back...!!!
Hey listeners! We had a very busy summer! It's been awhile since we last recorded so we're checking in!
GLISTENS
Sarah: Pregnant & Michigan
Sam: Bear Poop
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
44:53
September 05, 2022

144. TOPIC: New Play Development
Hello, listeners! In today’s episode we get into a discussion about new play development! Sarah attended the Great Plains Theatre Conference this past year and had an incredible time! We share our thoughts about attending New Play Development and Conferences. We hope you enjoy this discussion!
GLISTENS
Sam: chili lime rolled tortilla chips
Sarah: Cheeseburger Wrap from TJ’s
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
36:10
August 15, 2022

143. SPECIAL TOPIC: Intimacy Design & Training with Dr. Kate Busselle
Hello listeners! Get ready to LEARN something today! We're super stoked to have Dr. Kate Busselle joining us to discuss Intimacy Design and Training in Theatre. This was such an insightful discussion. We know you will learn a thing or two!
Dr. Kate Busselle is Founder of Heartland Intimacy Design & Training, which offers academic, accessible, and affordable intimacy training entirely online through self-paced asynchronous modules. She is also Assistant Professor of Movement and Stage Combat at the University of Oklahoma and is an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. As a researcher, Kate is invested in not only providing the tools of staging intimacy, but providing context as to how and why theatrical intimacy, nudity, and sexual violence needs to be staged. Most recently, she served as the Conference Intimacy Consultant for the Great Plains Theatre Commons Playlab.
To learn more about Dr. Kate and her work, be sure to check her out on social media!
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/heartlandintimacydesign
Instagram: @heartlandintimacydesign, @drdangerouswoman
Twitter: @Heartland_ID, @drkatebusselle
Website: heartlandintimacydesign.com
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
58:14
August 01, 2022

142. INTERVIEW: G. Flores
Hello listeners! This week’s guest joining us on the show is G.FLORES! We first met Lupe at Iowa Playwrights Workshop. We're so excited to have him on the show to share his playwriting journey and all his thoughts on playwriting. This was such an enlightening conversation and we hope you enjoy!
Guadalupe Flores has worked in communications and public relations in the non-profit sphere for over two decades, with a primary focus in the arts, higher education, higher education policy and election policy. Some of his creative achievements include “The Coyote Stratagem,” published in Applause Books’ “The Best American Short Plays 2010-2011,” the 2012 Kennedy Center’s Ken Ludwig Scholarship, and was a finalist for the 2012 Arizona Theater Company’s National Latino Playwriting award. Flores has an adult son who is (fortunately) smarter and better looking than he was at that age. He holds a BA in English and theatre arts from the University of the Incarnate Word, an MA in playwriting from Texas State University, and an MFA in playwriting from the University of Iowa.
To learn more about Lupe and his work:
Twitter: @theliterateGeek (The Bad Hombre Your Parents Warned You About)
GLISTENS:
Cho - Stranger Things Season 4
Sam - The Overstory by Richard Powers
Lupe - Album "Last & First Me" by Johann Johannsson
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:03:08
July 18, 2022

141. INTERVIEW: Steven Strafford
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is STEVEN STRAFFORD! Sarah first met Steven at the Great Plains Theatre Conference where they bonded over playwriting and new plays. We're so excited to have him on the show!!!
Steven Strafford is a playwright and actor, Brooklyn-born and New Jersey-raised. His acting credits include Spamalot directed by Mike Nichols, Wonderful Town directed by Mary Zimmerman. He's been on TV, in commercials, and a movie or two. As a writer, his plays include the one man show, Methtacular! along with The Match Game, Mona Quimby: Age 38, Greater Illinois, The Model Congressman, and Small Jokes About Monsters which will be published and licensed by Broadway Licensing this fall. He lives in Athens, Ohio with his husband and ludicrously adorable foster son.
To learn more about Steven and his work:
Website: https://stevenstrafford.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevenStrafford
GLISTENS:
Cho - Great Plains Theatre Conference
Sam - Duolingo
Steven - Steven's Musical Theater students and co-teaching Musical Theater class with his husband!
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
57:33
July 04, 2022

140. TOPIC: History of Musicals
Hello, listeners! In today’s episode we discuss the history of Musicals! Sam taught a class all about musicals so we figured let's see what Sam learned and bring it to Beckett's Babies! We share our general thoughts on musicals, preconceptions, misconceptions, and so much more. We hope you enjoy!
GLISTENS
Cho - Sarah Ruhl “Letters from Max”
Sam - Meow Wolf
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
53:35
June 20, 2022

139. INTERVIEW: Chris Leyva Returns!
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is CHRIS LEYVA! Chris Leyva was one of our first guests on the show. He returns to share with us what he's been up since we last talked to him and what the pandemic has taught him when it comes to playwriting.
Chris uses humor and whimsy to ask larger questions about our humanity. His plays take place in heightened worlds and are grounded by authentic characters. He is a playwright and director based in Columbus, OH. Chris was awarded an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award and his plays have been commissioned and developed by the Contemporary American Theatre Company, CLIMB Theatre, MadLab Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Curtain Players New Play Initiative, Great Plains Theatre Conference, and the Columbus School for Girls, among others. He received an M.F.A. from the Playwrights Workshop at The University of Iowa, a B.A. in Directing from Coe College, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
GLISTENS:
Cho - Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers
Sam - Snow in Boulder, CO
Chris - "Flung Out of Space" by Grace Ellis
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:11:02
June 06, 2022

138. PLAY: David’s RedHaired Death by Sherry Kramer
Every month, we pick a play to discuss, and for this week's episode we read "David's Redhaired Death" by SHERRY KRAMER. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. SPOILER ALERT: There are going to be some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
Glistens:
Sam - Lost and Found by Kathryn Schulz
Cho - 33 JESUS YEAR
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
34:55
May 16, 2022

137. INTERVIEW: Darcy Parker Bruce
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is DARCY PARKER BRUCE! Darcy is a playwright, theater activist, and coffee enthusiast. We were so excited to have Darcy on the show and had a great time chatting. We know you will enjoy this interview too!
Darcy Parker Bruce is a playwright and educator from New Haven, CT, and a graduate of the MFA Playwriting program at Smith College. In the summer they join the Sewanee Writers’ Conference as part of their staff. Darcy was the recipient of a 2017 Tennessee Williams Scholarship through the Sewanee Writers' Conference, a 2019 LAMBDA Literary Fellowship, and was granted ATHE's 2018 Judith Royer Award For Excellence in Theater for their play SOLDIER POET. They are currently working on several projects including commissions from Chester Theatre Company and Acadiana Repertory Theater, and a cycle of plays investigating the relationship between small towns, queers, and American Glory. Their play Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner can now be purchased through Broadway Play Publishing and their play The Place That Made You, the second play in the Piedmont Cycle, is forthcoming from the same press.
To learn more about Darcy and their work, be sure to visit their New Play Exchange!
https://newplayexchange.org/users/2734/darcy-parker-bruce
GLISTENS:
Cho - Maid by Stephanie Land
Sam - Thawing Web by Amy Hoagland
Darcy - US Coast Guard was looking into replacing people on battleships with robots
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
40:18
May 02, 2022

136. TOPIC: Working With/As a Dramaturg
Hello, listeners! In today’s episode we discuss the topic of working with a Dramaturg! Sam also shares her experience working as one as well! We get into discussing what's helpful and what's not helpful when working with a dramaturg. Check it out!
Article Mentioned:
Dramaturg’s Bill of Rights: https://howlround.com/bill-rights-dramaturgs
https://howlround.com/youngest-people-room
https://pwcenter.org/one-one-dramaturg
http://www.beehivedramaturgy.com/whatisdramaturgy
GLISTENS
Cho - Pachinko on AppleTV
Sam - Dinosaur National Monument
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
52:09
April 18, 2022

135. INTERVIEW: Shannon TL Kearns
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is SHANNON TL KEARNS! A former fundamentalist who became the first openly transgender man ordained to the Old Catholic priesthood, Shannon TL Kearns believes in the transformative power of story. As an ordained priest, a playwright, a theologian, and a writer all of his work revolves around making meaning through story.
Shannon TL Kearns was a recipient of the Playwrights’ Center Jerome Fellowship in 20/21, a playwright in residence at the Inge House in 2021, a Lambda Literary Fellow for 2019, and a Finnovation Fellow for 2019/2020. Shannon’s plays include Body+Blood, in a stand of dying trees, Line of Sight, Twisted Deaths, The Resistance of My Skin, and Who Has Eyes To See. His television pilots include The Family Unit, Transformed, and Freedom, Kansas. He and his plays have been: a finalist for the Equity Library Theatre of Chicago’s Reading Series, 2019 TransLab, and American Stages 2019 New Play Festival, semi-finalist for the New Works series at Garry Marshall Theatre. He was a semi-finalist for SPACE on Ryder farm in 2020.
Shannon is an ordained priest in the Old Catholic Church and a theologian. He’s the co-founder of QueerTheology.com which has reached more than a million people all over the world. He will soon be publishing his first book with Eerdman’s.
To learn more about Shannon and his work, be sure to visit his website and on social media:
https://www.shannontlkearns.com
https://twitter.com/shannontlkearns
https://www.instagram.com/shannontlkearns/
GLISTENS:
Cho - The Slap heard around the world.
Sam - Aurora Fox theater production of Hurricane Diane by Madeline George
Shannon - The band "Yes You Are" and their album "Here's to the Great Unknowns".
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
47:04
April 04, 2022

134. INTERVIEW: Ben Stasny
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is BEN STASNY! Ben is a second-year graduate student at CU Boulder. Ben's research is centered around queer theory, eco-criticism and performance studies. How can theatre act as a space for ethical action on queer and climate justice?
Ben served as the Artistic Director for the opening fall show The Climate Cabaret--an evening of short plays about the climate crisis. We partnered with Climate Change Theatre Action out of New York City to bring this project to life.
Ben worked with his/bevs advisor, Dr. Beth Osnes, this summer on an interspecies arts/science partnership between humans and barn swallows. They were led by a group of courageous youth which culminated in a film and public performance titled Side by Side.
Ben was a recipient of the Hazel Barnes Flat which brought bev to London, UK in November. While there, Ben led workshops on climate comedy with a local arts/science organization, Your Canal Boat CIC.
Ben served as the Artistic Director for the 6th Annual New Plays Festival at CU Boulder in Spring 2021.
Ben graduated with a BFA in Acting from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Ben lived and worked as a professional actor for several years in New York City. New York credits include: Off-Broadway: Harry in When Harry Met Nancy (New York New Works Festival), Voice of Mayor Humdinger in Paw Patrol (Event Box). Other credits: The Narrator in The Soldier's Tale (Boulder Philharmonic), The Genie in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (Disney Cruise Line), Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Henry Etches in Titanic (Arizona Broadway Theatre), Zach in A Chorus Line, Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret, Fred in A Christmas Carol (The Palace Theatre), Father in Ragtime (Interlakes Summer Theatre) Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret (Sierra Repertory Theatre), The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical (Highland Summer Theatre). Touring Theatre: Punchin in A Commedia Cinderella (Sierra Repertory Theatre, Northern California), Shaggy in Scooby-Doo and the Mystery of the Pyramid, Maddie in Care Bears (Event Box in Saudi Arabia).
Ben is filled with more questions than answers these days...which feels just about right for grad school.
To learn more about Ben and his/bevs work, be sure to check out his/bevs instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/snackfishbenji/
GLISTENS:
Cho - AppleTV Show "Severance"
Sam - Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
Ben - Rupaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
48:26
March 21, 2022

133. INTERVIEW: Margot Connolly
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is MARGOT CONNOLLY! Margot Connolly is a playwright originally from Pleasantville, NY. Her plays include Belfast Kind (Winner, JPP's Jewish Playwriting Contest, Patty Abramson Prize Finalist), Quiz Out (Princess Grace Finalist, 2019 Kilroy’s Honorable Mention), The Twitch (Princess Grace Finalist), and Tough.
Her work has been produced and developed through Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Playwrights Center, the Drama League, the Jewish Plays Project, Repertory St. Louis, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Primary Stages and The Juilliard School, among others. She has an EST/Sloan commission, was a 2010-2011 Core Apprentice at the Playwrights Center and has been a finalist for the Jerome Fellowship, the Emerald Prize, and the Princess Grace Award. She received her BA from Bennington College and her MFA from the University of Iowa’s Playwrights Workshop. She is a recent graduate of the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights’ Program at Juilliard.
To learn more about Margot and her work, be sure to check out her website: https://writemargotwrite.weebly.com/about.html
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/3182/margot-connolly
GLISTENS:
Cho - Pachinko
Sam - 13 Ukrainian guards on Snake Island
Margot - Ukraine
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:01:30
March 07, 2022

132. INTERVIEW: Scott Bradley
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is SCOTT BRADLEY! Scott Bradley is a writer and theatre artist best known for Chicago’s long-running "cult" musicals Alien Queen, Carpenters Halloween, and We Three Lizas. His solo show Packing premiered in Chicago in 2019 and streamed to national audiences in 2020. He's hard at work right now on an immersive rock opera about the birth of gay leather culture.
To learn more about Scott and his work, be sure to check out his website: https://www.scottbradleyink.com
GLISTENS:
Cho - Joke writing
Sam - Sweet Tooth
Scott - Composer, Midori Hirano
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:04:39
February 21, 2022

131. We're Back! SEASON 4!!! Let's goooo!
Hello, Listeners! We are back for Season 4! Did you miss us??? Just admit it. You missed us!
In this episode, we check-in and share some quick show updates! Apologies in advance if our show sounds like one big QVC channel. We're just excited to share what we discovered! And, if you've been following our show, we have been doing our show every week and we share about how we're going change things up on how we release our episodes. Thanks for listening!
GLISTENS:
Cho - Shower Filter
Sam - left social media
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
41:07
February 07, 2022

130. SEASON FINALE: First the Worst, Second the Best...Third the Nerd?
THAT'S A WRAP FOR SEASON 3! Thank you all so much for tuning in every week and hear us chat about all things playwriting. We appreciate you and your support! In this episode, we highlight just a FEW of our favorite episodes of this season. We loved every single one of our guests on this season so even if they're not mentioned here, we suggest you going back and give it a listen!
Thank you again for another incredible season. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season... See you next year!
After three seasons of Beckett’s Babies…
Total Number of Episodes: 130
Total Number of Guests: 47
Total Number of Plays read: 39
Total Number of Glistens: 294
Total Number of Listens: 16,417
GLISTENS
Cho - ROAD TRIP!!! / Getting Married / Joanna Gaines
Collier - golden gate canyon state park / Moving to Colorado / Grad School
INTERVIEWS:
INTERVIEW WITH CARIDAD SVICH:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/117--INTERVIEW-Caridad-Svich-e15u705
INTERVIEW WITH PEPPUR CHAMBERS:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/114--INTERVIEW-Peppur-Chambers-e15amc8
INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN JAMES POLACK:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/100--INTERVIEW-Brian-James-Polak-HAPPY-100TH-EPISODE-evmkp7
INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL OLIVAS:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/94--INTERVIEW-Daniel-Olivas-esj5ok
TOPICS:
GHOSTS WITH HEATHER KELLEY:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/126--TOPIC-Ghosts-in-Theaters-and-the-Stories-We-Tell----w-Special-Guest-Heather-Kelley-e198doi
WHAT MAKES A MONOLOGUE GOOD WITH SHAUN LEISHER:
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/112--TOPIC-What-Makes-a-Monologue-Good-w-Returning-Special-Guest-Shaun-Leisher-e14k5js
PLAYS:
HURRICANE DIANE BY MADELEINE GEORGE
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/128--PLAY-Hurricane-Diane-by-Madeleine-George-e19u4ri
BUREAUCRAZY BY KATE DANLEY
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/113--PLAY-BureauCRAZY-by-Kate-Danley-e14uvid
36 VIEWS BY NAOMI IIZUKA
https://anchor.fm/beckettsbabies/episodes/105--PLAY-36-Views-by-Naomi-Iizuka-e11qr3b
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
38:35
November 22, 2021

129. TOPIC: Dreams
Hello, listeners! In today’s episode we discuss the topic of DREAMS. We share some recent dreams we’ve had, share some play ideas based on our dreams, and share our thought son why we might add dreams to our storytelling. What do they evoke? Hope you enjoy the conversation!
Article Mentioned:
Did Covid Change How We Dream? by Brooke Jarvis
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/03/magazine/pandemic-dreams.html
GLISTENS
Cho - Discovery + / The Lost Kitchen
Sam - ASTR
Special thanks to our sponsor Play Submissions Helper!
https://playsubmissionshelper.com
Use coupon code BECKETTSBABIES to receive 90% off the first month!
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
41:00
November 15, 2021

128. PLAY: Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss, and for this week's episode we read "Hurricane Diane" by Madeleine George. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. SPOILER ALERT: There are going to be some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
Glistens:
Cho - my niece was born!! 12:33pm November 1st. (We already did her birth chart lolol) Rising - Capricorn, Sun - Scorpio, Moon - Virgo
Sam - Kaidan - 7 ghost stories from around the world
Special thanks to our sponsor Play Submissions Helper!
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Use coupon code BECKETTSBABIES to receive 90% off the first month!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
32:05
November 08, 2021

127. TOPIC: Act and Scene Breaks
Hello, listeners! In this week's episode, we discuss the Scene and Act Breaks. What’s going on between the scenes? Between the Act breaks? What would justify the time jumps? Let's dig in!
GLISTENS
Cho: London Writers Salon
Sam: STAINS by Sarah Cho
Special thanks to our sponsor Play Submissions Helper!
https://playsubmissionshelper.com
Use coupon code BECKETTSBABIES to receive 90% off the first month!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
38:30
November 01, 2021

126. TOPIC: Ghosts in Theaters and the Stories We Tell... w/ Special Guest Heather Kelley!
Hey listeners! Halloween is just around the corner and we decided to bring on a guest who can share some spooky stories with us! This week’s guest on the show is HEATHER KELLEY!
Heather Kelley (she/her) is an actor, educator, and theatre administrator currently enrolled in CU Boulder’s PhD program in Theatre & Performance Studies. A former company member of the New York Neo-Futurists and Mad Dog Theatre Company, Heather performed with South Brooklyn Shakespeare for many seasons, and served as Director of Audience Services for Premiere Stages, the Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, for seven years. She is the recipient of a 2019 State of New Jersey Senate & General Assembly Citation commending her work with Plainfield Senior Citizens Services as an actor and teaching artist, and received a 2019 New Jersey Theatre Alliance Award of Excellence honoring her contributions to professional, non-profit theatre throughout the state. A lover of all things scary, Heather's current research centers on dark tourism, haunted attractions, mediumship as performance, and depictions of the supernatural on stage and on screen.
If YOU have theater ghost stories you'd like to share, go to the link below!
https://www.colorado.edu/theatredance/heather-kelley
GLISTENS:
Cho - The Simpsons Treehouse Horror
Sam - My Haircut
Erin - Tik Tok's Pug Noodles "Bones or No Bones Day"
Special thanks to our sponsor Play Submissions Helper! https://playsubmissionshelper.com
Use coupon code BECKETTSBABIES to receive 90% off the first month!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
52:26
October 25, 2021

125. PLAYWRIGHT: María Irene Fornés
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of María Irene Fornés. We read the three plays: FEFU AND HER FRIENDS (1977) (Awarded an Obie for Playwriting), MUD (1983) (Awarded an Obie for Playwriting and Direction), and LETTERS FROM CUBA (2000) to share our thoughts on María Irene Fornés' craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to our conversation!
GLISTENS:
CHO - Stand-up comedy
SAM - Aspen Trees
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friend!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
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For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
53:18
October 18, 2021

124. TOPIC: Play Ideas from Childhood Writings...
Hello, listeners! In this week's episode, we share writings from our childhood to help us generate ideas for possible play or story ideas. Is this a recipe of a disaster? Probably! Enjoy!
GLISTENS
Cho - SQUID GAME
Sam - London Fog
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
42:26
October 11, 2021

123. PLAY: Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss, and this week's episode is a play called "Heroe's of the Fourth Turning" by Will Arbery. The play was recommended to us from one of our listeners and recurring guest of the podcast, Shaun Leisher! Shaun pointed out that lots of guests have mentioned this play, so we decided it was time to read it for ourselves! We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. SPOILER ALERT: There are going to be some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About the Play:
It’s a “scrupulously hewn drama centering on four alumni of a conservative Catholic college who confront themselves and each other, clashing over theology, politics and personal responsibility. It’s nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four young conservatives have gathered at a backyard after-party. They’ve returned home to toast their mentor Gina, newly inducted as president of a tiny Catholic college. But as their reunion spirals into spiritual chaos and clashing generational politics, it becomes less a celebration than a vicious fight to be understood. On a chilly night in the middle of America, Will Arbery’s haunting play offers grace and disarming clarity, speaking to the heart of a country at war with itself.
-- From Playwrights Horizons' website
About the Playwright:
Will Arbery is a playwright, TV/film writer, and filmmaker from Texas + Wyoming + seven sisters. Other plays include: Plano, Evanston Salt Costs Climbing, Corsicana (development at Playwrights Horizons & Ojai Playwrights Conference) // Wheelchair (3 Hole Press) // You Hateful Things (development at The Public, SPACE on Ryder Farm, and NYTW Dartmouth Residency). He's currently under commission from Audible, MTC, and Playwrights Horizons. Will Arbery is currently developing TV series with A24/HBO, as well as Littlefield Co./Touchstone. Film projects with BBC Films/A24, Animal Kingdom, and Sight Unseen. Consultant on "Succession" (HBO).
Glistens:
Cho - my new play Stains!! October 9th, 6pm PST. Moving Arts Theater. Tickets are now live.
Sam - The New American Gothic dance performance on a FARM (Claire Kendall Creative Projects)
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with
your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
40:18
October 04, 2021

122. TOPIC: What Makes a Good Character?
Hello, listeners! In this week's episode, we’ll be discussing the topic of character. Are there characters that stand out to you? Why do certain characters stand out? Listen to us attempt to answer: What Makes A Good Character?
GLISTENS
Sam: Climate Cabaret
Cho: Y The Last Man on FX
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
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Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
39:10
September 27, 2021

121. PLAYWRIGHT: Suzan-Lori Parks
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of SUZAN-LORI PARKS. We read the three plays: Venus (1996), Topdog/Underdog (2002 Pulitzer Prize Winner), and Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) (2015) to share our thoughts on Suzan-Lori Park's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to our conversation!
SUZAN-LORI PARKS
Venus (1996)
Topdog / Underdog (2002 Pulitzer Prize Winner)
Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) (2015)
GLISTENS:
CHO - Chip and Joanna
SAM - peaches
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friend!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
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For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:03:19
September 20, 2021

120. We Answer Listener's Questions (Hello, Alexis!)
In today's episode, we answer questions from one of you, our listener! We answer question about finding stability after college, what to do to get started, how to stay creative and so much more. We hope you enjoy it! As always, we love getting questions from our listener's so... keep 'em coming!
Thank you for tuning in. We appreciate you all.
Glistens:
Cho: Moving Arts Theatre / Reading of my new play STAINS on October 9th, 6pm PST via Zoom. More info coming soon!
Sam: baby elephant in burkina faso
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
48:05
September 13, 2021

119. PLAY: The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up by Carla Ching
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss, and this week's episode is a play called "The Two Kids That Blow Shit" by Carla Ching. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. SPOILER ALERT: There are going to be some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About the Play:
Here’s what the play’s about which you can read on New Play Exchange:
”As kids, Max and Diana meet on their parents’ date, then are kicked out of the house so their parents can get it on. They are forced to play together even though they aren’t really that fond of each other. Through over two decades of their parents’ tumultuous relationship of getting together, breaking up, getting married and then divorced, Max and Diana are perpetually forced together and become the most unlikely of friends. They see each other through their own marriages and divorces, rehabs and spin-outs, career rejiggerings and epic life fails. But when they actually fall into each other, will they lose the only family they’ve ever known? A play about falling in and out of love with your best friend.”
About the Playwright:
An LA native, Carla Ching’s other plays include Revenge Porn or the Story of a Body, Nomad Motel, Fast Company, and The Sugar House at the Edge of the Wilderness. Just to name a few-- her full-length plays have been produced or workshopped by Artists at Play, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Center Theater Group, The Lark Play Development Center, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, The National New Play Network Showcase of New Plays, and The O’Neill Playwrights Conference. She is a member of New Dramatists and founding member of The Kilroys. Carla wrote on USA’s Graceland, AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, Amazon’s I Love Dick, Apple’s Home Before Dark and the forthcoming Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-created by Francesca Sloane, Phoebe Waller Bridge and Donald Glover. She is currently developing a new project with Netflix.
Glistens:
Cho - Took a trip to Michigan. Met Nik’s extended family. Mosquito bites all over my face… cool.
Sam - Walden by Amy Berryman at Theatreworks Hartford
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with
your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
39:36
September 06, 2021

118. INTERVIEW: Erin Mallon
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is ERIN MALLON! Erin Mallon is a playwright, author, and narrator of over 550 audiobooks with a special affinity for the romance genre. She is a six-time Earphones Award Winner and a five-time Audie Award Nominee. Her audio play These Walls Can Talk is a 2021 Independent Audiobook Award Winner for Humor. Her play The Net Will Appear is now available on Audible.com as an audio drama co-starring Matilda Lawler (Disney Plus’ Flora & Ulysses, Broadway’s The Ferryman). Erin’s other full-length plays include: Good Riddance, Soft Animals, Hand Me Down, Stunning Displays of Prowess, and Skin Hungry.
To learn more about Erin and her work, check out the links below!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/erinmallon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallonerin/
Website: https://www.erinmallon.com/
GLISTENS:
Cho - TV show Friends
Sam - Sushi burrito
Erin - Tik Tok
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
49:03
August 30, 2021

117. INTERVIEW: Caridad Svich
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is CARIDAD SVICH! Caridad Svich received a 2012 OBIE for Lifetime Achievement. Her work as a playwright, translator, lyricist, and essayist has been seen in print, live and digital stages at across the US and abroad. Key plays in her extensive repertoire include 12 Ophelias, Iphigenia Crash Land Falls on the Neon Shell That Once Was Her Heart, Red Bike, and The House of the Spirits. Upcoming theatrical premieres in 2021 include The Book of Magdalene and Theatre: a love story.
To learn more about Caridad and her work, check out the links below!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Csvich
Websites: https://caridadsvich.com/
GLISTENS:
Cho - food processor / writing jokes
Sam - compost collection
Caridad - Kae Tempest’s play “Paradise”
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:01:23
August 23, 2021

116. TOPIC: Unpaid Theater Internships (Part 2)
Hello, listeners! This week's episode is a two-part episode! In the first part, we share some exciting life updates (Spoiler alert: One of us relocated to a NEW STATE) and we get into the topic of unpaid, or low-wage, theater internships, and why we think it's unethical. If you haven't listened to the first part, be sure to check out last week's episode! We hope you enjoy it!
GLISTENS
Sam - Taylor Mac’s bio
Cho - Lester Holt’s instagram
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next future episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
34:02
August 16, 2021

115. TOPIC: Life Updates + Unpaid Theater Internships (Part 1)
Hello, listeners! This week's episode is a two-part episode! In the first part, we share some exciting life updates (Spoiler alert: One of us relocated to a NEW STATE) and we get into the topic of unpaid, or low-wage, theater internships, and why we think it's unethical. We hope you enjoy it!
GLISTENS
Cho - Libby App
Sam - Pollinators Altar in the Boulder public library (Aspen Institute)
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next future episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
31:35
August 09, 2021

114. INTERVIEW: Peppur Chambers
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is PEPPUR CHAMBERS! PEPPUR CHAMBERS is an international writer, producer, and educator. A member of Circle X Emerging Playwrights Group, Moving Arts MADLab, and Antaeus Playwrights Lab, she uses her voice to scream, shout or sing about women’s issues, social justice and love. She has been commissioned for LA's Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble and you can catch her radio play, End of the Line, about human trafficking in Antaeus Theatre Company’s The Zip Code Plays Season Two.
To learn more about Peppur, check out the links below!
Instagram: @peppurthehotone
Twitter: @peppurthehotone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peppur
Websites: www.penandpeppur.com / www.brownbetties.com
GLISTENS:
Sarah: Sudoku
Sam: Toddy Pond Farm Dinner!
Peppur: Cleaning the kitchen, moving to Phoenix, and a very special box of pens :')
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
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For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
57:51
August 02, 2021

113. PLAY: BureauCRAZY by Kate Danley
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss, and this week's episode is a play called "BureauCRAZY" by Kate Danley. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About the Play:
Grace and Amy, two outrageous admins stuck in a soul-sucking job, are just slogging their way through the work week. But when their supervisor chokes, everything goes awry and begins a domino-effect of destruction. 9-to-5 meets One Man, Two Guvnors in this quick-witted, sidesplitting farce.
About the Playwright:
Kate Danley is a USA TODAY Bestselling author and thirty-year veteran of stage and screen and one of the original co-founders of the Seattle Playwrights Salon.
Glistens:
Sarah - no-screen sunday and peaches and cream pie
Sam - Arcadia by Lauren Groff
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with
your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
39:38
July 26, 2021

112. TOPIC: What Makes a Monologue Good w/ Returning Special Guest Shaun Leisher!
Hello, listeners! In this week’s episode, we discuss the topic of what makes a monologue good with a very special returning guest--- a philadelphia-based dramaturg, producer, and arts education advocate-- Shaun Leisher!!! Did you know he reads one or two plays a day and has recommended 752 plays on New Play Exchange? Incredible! We are so happy to have Shaun back on our show and talk about all things theater and monologues.
To learn more about Shaun's monologue finding service, be sure to check out his website!
https://www.shaunleisher.com/
GLISTENS
Cho: Geffen playhouse Someone Else's House
Sam: Moving to Boulder!!!
Shaun: Went to the movies, Alex Lin!, coffee shops
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
47:55
July 19, 2021

111. PLAY: Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss and this week's episode is a play called "Between Riverside and Crazy" by Stephen Adly Guirgis. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About the Play:
City Hall is demanding more than his signature, the Landlord wants him out, the liquor store is closed — and the Church won’t leave him alone. For ex-cop & recent widower Walter “Pops” Washington and his recently paroled son Junior, when the struggle to hold on to one of the l ast great rent-stabilized apartments on Riverside Drive collides with old wounds, sketchy new houseguests, and a final ultimatum, it seems the Old Days are dead and gone — after a lifetime living between Riverside and Crazy.
About the Playwright:
Stephen Adly Guirgis other select plays include Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and The Motherfucker with the Hat. He is a former co-artistic director of Labyrinth Theater Company. Awards include the Yale Wind-ham Campbell Prize, a PEN/Laura Pels Award, a Whiting Award, the 2014 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award and the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Glistens:
Sam: My birthday!!! 34!!
Sarah: my brain
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
34:24
July 12, 2021

110. We're Back from Hiatus! Woot!
Hello, listeners! After taking a short break, we are BACK! In this episode, we catch up and share updates. Sarah is married and Sam still loves going into the woods and so much more! Stay tuned for next week's episode. We'll be discussing the play "Between Riverside and Crazy" by Stephen Adley Guirgis. Thanks for listening!
Glistens:
Cho: Geffen Stayhouse / Zoom play "Someone Else's House"
Collier: Movie "The Old Guard"
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
50:09
July 05, 2021

109. PLAYBACK: Interview with Deborah Yarchun (2020)
Hey listeners! During the month of June, we’re taking a short break and replaying some of our favorite episodes. In Season 2, we had an amazing conversation discussing all-things playwriting with fellow Iowa playwright DEBORAH YARCHUN! Deborah Yarchun has had two Jerome Fellowships at the Playwrights’ Center and won many more awards for her plays. She shares her experiences and some of her best practices in how she writes her plays. Enjoy!
To learn more about Deborah and her work, be sure to check out the following websites:
Website: www.DeborahYarchun.com
NPX page: newplayexchange.org/users/114/deborah-yarchun
Be sure to check out Deborah's article "Staying Focused in the Time of COVID: 22 Tips and Strategies to Finding Focus" on the Playwright Center website: https://pwcenter.org/playwriting-toolkit/staying-focused-time-covid-22-tips-and-strategies-finding-focus
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
51:10
June 28, 2021

108. PLAYBACK: Interview with Gwydion Suilebhan (2019)
Hey listeners! During the month of June, we’re taking a short break and replaying some of our favorite episodes. This week we want to share our interview with playwright and arts advocate Gwydion Suilebhan. If you are a playwright or someone who is just starting to write plays, then you must know the New Play Exchange. Gwydion is the chief architect of the New Play Exchange and he has so much to tell us about making plays and creating your own vision of what theater can be. Enjoy!
To learn more about Gwydion and his work, you can visit the following links
Website: www.suilebhan.com
NPX Profile: newplayexchange.org/users/104/gwydion-suilebhan
Or follow him on Twitter @GwydionS
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
47:23
June 21, 2021

107. PLAYBACK: Interview with Megan Gogerty (2019)
Hey listeners! During the month of June, we’re taking a short break and replaying some of our favorite episodes. This week we want to share our interview with MEGAN GOGERTY, who is not only laugh-out-loud hilarious but truly inspirational. Megan is a playwright, comedian, and delightful person, and she had so much to say about being an artist, setting aside time to write, and theater being “a haunted house, a rave, and a party.” Enjoy!
To learn more about Megan Gogerty and her work, check out her website at www.megangogerty.com
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
48:43
June 14, 2021

106. TOPIC: Social Media for Writers
Hello, listeners! In this week’s episode, we discuss the topic of social media and our personal experiences with social media through the lens of writers. This was actually a suggestion from our guest Terry Guest, and we thought it would be a great topic to explore! When is social media helpful? When is it detrimental? Let the venting begin!
GLISTENS
Sam: Wolfwalkers
Cho: GETTING MARRIED
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:07:45
June 07, 2021

105. PLAY: 36 Views by Naomi Iizuka
Every month, we pick a play or two to discuss and this week's episode is a play called "36 Views" by Naomi Iizuka. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
GLISTENS:
Sam: Aeropress!!!
Sarah: Girls5eva
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
Sponsorships: on for this episode
39:19
May 31, 2021

104. TOPIC: Rejections 2.0
Hello, listeners! In this week’s episode, we revisit the topic of REJECTIONS. In our first season, we shared our own experiences on rejections. It's been a couple of years since we last talked about it, and we have grown older since. In this episode, we share with you all some of the rejections we've received and we READ 'EM. Uh oh!
GLISTENS
Sam: Ohio is offering 1 million dollars to five vaccinated people
Sarah: SQUARE PIZZA PIE / Sicilian
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
40:51
May 24, 2021

103. INTERVIEW: Terry Guest
**This episode has some explicit language. Be sure to grab those headphones if you have kiddos around!**
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is TERRY GUEST! Terry Guest is a Chicago-based playwright, actor, and teaching artist from Atlanta, Georgia. His works At The Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negros, and The Magnolia Ballet reexamine American history through the experiences of Black people.
To learn more about Terry, check out the links below!
Website: https://www.terrycguest.com/
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/38107/terry-guest
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terryexplainsitall/
GLISTENS:
Sarah: My Tweets
Sam: Spending time with family; Dad’s cousin
Terry: Nicki Minaj’s Mixed Tape “Beam Me Up Scotty”
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends,
or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:07:09
May 17, 2021

102. TOPIC: Rewriting... AGAIN
Hello, listeners! In this week’s episode, we revisit the topic of rewriting. In our first season, we shared our own experiences on how we approach rewriting our plays. But this time-- we want to hear what other playwrights had to say and posted this question on Twitter:
Playwrights: How do you know if your new draft of a play is going to be better than the previous draft? How do you know if you're making the right edits? Is it all trial and error or instincts? So curious to know your thoughts!
GLISTENS
Sarah: Youtube Channel "Catch Em All Fishing" + Chinese Mermaids
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/china-mermaid-diving-cmd/index.html
Sam: 2nd shot
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
41:55
May 10, 2021

101. PLAY: Kim's Convenience by Ins Choi
Every month, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "Kim's Convenience" by Ins Choi. To make it even more interesting... we also watched the TV version of the play! We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play AND seeing the pilot episode of the show. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
GLISTENS:
CHO - Paderia Bakery
SAM - The Only Donut
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
42:28
May 03, 2021

100. INTERVIEW: Brian James Polak (HAPPY 100TH EPISODE!!!)
HAPPY 100TH EPISODE, LISTENERS! For those who've been with us from the beginning, we can't thank you enough for going on this journey with us. For those who just recently learned of the show, welcome and thank you! We appreciate all your support and always tuning in. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
We wanted to celebrate our 100th episode by bringing onto a show another fellow theater-loving playwright and podcaster... It's BRIAN JAMES POLAK! Brian was born and raised in New Hampshire and currently resides in Chicago. When not writing plays, he can be found working as the producer and host of American Theatre magazine's "The Subtext," a podcast about what makes playwrights tick. He received his MFA in Dramatic Writing from the University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts. We're so fortunate to chat with him and listeners, buckle in because Brian is an incredible storyteller. You're not going to want to miss this episode!
GLISTENS
Sarah: Happy Birthday, Nik!
Sam: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
Brian: Reconnects with his Little Brother from the Big Brother organization after 20 years!
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends,
or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:09:58
April 26, 2021

99. TOPIC: Writing Groups
Hello, listeners! In this week’s episode, we are here to discuss the topic of Writing Groups. Have they been helpful? When is it helpful? When is it not? Are they effective in getting you that next rewrite? A lot of questions to answer so be sure to tune in.
We also shared on our Twitter page these questions so be sure to check out what other playwrights are saying!
https://twitter.com/BeckettsBabies/status/1382579230991536133
GLISTENS
Sarah - It was my birthday and I celebrated... I'm 32.
Sam - Recallers!
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you! Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode. Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
46:50
April 19, 2021

98. TOPIC: Let's Get Our Creative Juices Flowin'... with Images!
Do you ever feel stuck and want to write something new but don't know where to even begin? How could one even start generating ideas? Have no fear! Sam and Sarah look to images and art to brainstorm possible stories for a new play. Try it out yourself and tell us what you thought about the exercise! Visit our website at www.beckettsbabies.com to follow along with us!
GLISTENS
Cho: Cobra Kai on Netflix
Sam: Vaccine!
Special Thanks to Our New and Current Supporters to the Podcast!
Tanuja Devi Jagernauth
Daniel Olivas
Thank you so much for your continue support in us and the show.
We appreciate you all so much!
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friend!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
The Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
41:42
April 11, 2021

97. Sam & Sarah Go Off-Script (uh-oh!)
Hello, listeners! In this week's episode, we decide to throw our usual script out the window and share our thoughts on playwriting and theater in this mix-bag of an episode. We discuss what's on our minds regarding theater and writing. You just don't know what you're going to get in this episode, so we hope you enjoy it!
GLISTENS
Sam: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Sarah: Moving Arts / MADlab
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friend!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
The Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
43:10
April 05, 2021

96. PLAYWRIGHT: Sarah Ruhl
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of SARAH RUHL. We read the three plays: Melancholy Play (2001), The Clean House (2004), and For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday (2017) to share our thoughts on Sarah Ruhl's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to our conversation!
SARAH RUHL PLAYS:
Melancholy Play (2001)
The Clean House (2004)
For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday (2017)
GLISTENS:
Sam's: Cascatelli pasta invented by Dan Pashman of the Sporkful, heard on Planet Money
Sarah's: Lack of sleep.... but hey! Got the first dose of the vaccine whoo!... so maybe that's why I'm having trouble sleeping.
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friend!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
51:26
March 29, 2021

95. TOPIC: Understanding Writer's Resume
Hello, listeners! This week, we will be discussing a topic on writing resumes and CV. What is the difference between the two? Why is it important? Should we even have different versions? What should be on there? What do we add on our resumes specifically for a writer? What does that look like? A lot of questions so be sure to listen in!
GLISTENS
Sarah - Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Sam - Lost tourist in Bangor 1977 Erwin Kreuz
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
33:15
March 22, 2021

94. INTERVIEW: Daniel Olivas
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is DANIEL OLIVAS! Daniel Olivas is the author of nine books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. His first full-length play, Waiting for Godínez, was selected for the Playwrights' Arena 2020 Summer Reading Series. Daniel was selected for Circle X Theatre Co.'s inaugural Evolving Playwrights Group where he is adapting his 2011 novel, The Book of Want, with a planned Zoom reading in 2021. By day, he is an attorney and makes his home in Southern California with his wife.
To learn more about Daniel, check out the links below!
Website: http://danielolivas.com
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/35649/daniel-olivas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/olivasdan
GLISTENS:
SAM: "H is for Hawk" by Helen Macdonald
CHO: Decomposition Notebooks
DANIEL: Playwrights Arena and Circle X Theatre / Film "United States Vs. Billie Holiday" written by Suzan-Lori Parks
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends,
or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
54:03
March 15, 2021

93. PLAY: Fairview by Jackie Sibblies Drury
Every month, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "Fairview" by Jackie Sibblie Drury. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
GLISTENS:
CHO - Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
SAM - Pablo Neruda’s odes
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
33:16
March 08, 2021

92. INTERVIEW: Andy Boyd
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is ANDY BOYD! Andy Boyd is a playwright based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. His play The Trade Federation, or, Let's Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels is available through NoPassport Press, and his play Three Scenes in the Life of a Trotskyist is available as a podcast. To learn more about Andy and his work, be sure to visit his website at https://www.andyjboyd.com/
Also, follow Andy and his cartoons on Instagram @AndyJBoyd!
GLISTENS:
Sarah: "I had a dream I was in the theater and I started to cry."
Sam: Vaccines!
Andy: Japanese City Pop
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends,
or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting, and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
53:17
March 01, 2021

91. PLAYWRIGHT: Caryl Churchill
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of CARYL CHURCHILL. We read the three plays: Owners (1972), Cloud Nine (1979), and Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp (2019) to share our thoughts on Carol Churchill's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to our conversation!
CARYL CHURCHILL PLAYS:
Owners (1972)
Cloud Nine (1979)
Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp (2019)
GLISTENS:
Sam's: Alaska Bear Bites Woman's Butt
Sarah's: New Netflix docuseries called “Crime Scene the Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel”
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.comFor more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
55:37
February 22, 2021

90. TOPIC: Writing Love in Playwriting (Happy Valentine's Day!)
This episode is all about LOVE for all you lovebirds (or singles) out there in this special 'very on-theme' episode. We share our general thoughts about writing love, and why is it so cringy? How do we make it fresh and not clichéd? Can we even avoid writing about love? We also share some different types of love and some of our favorite plays that we think do an incredible job writing on this love. And should we rename this show to Shepard's Babies? Because Sarah is way too obsessed with Sam Shepard....
GLISTENS
Sarah - BRITNEY SPEARS
Sam - Sam's mom
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends
or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.comFor more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
36:36
February 15, 2021

89. PLAY: The Flick by Annie Baker
Every month, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "The Flick" by Annie Baker. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
RELATED LINKS:
The Funny, Empathetic Genius of Annie Baker by Sarah Larson
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/sarah-larson/the-funny-empathetic-genius-of-annie-baker
GLISTENS:
Sam - "The Intuitionist" Novel by Colson Whitehead
Sarah - "310, 213, 818: Why Southern California is obsessed with area codes" by Patt Morrison
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-26/why-southern-california-is-obsessed-with-area-codes
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
47:09
February 08, 2021

88. New Year! New Season! SAME OLE BABIES!
Listeners! We are back for Season 3! Did you miss us??? Just admit it. You missed us! In this episode, we check-in and share what's new on the horizon for Beckett's Babies.
Next week, we’ll be discussing the play “The Flick” by Annie Baker for February’s Play of the month. So give it a read, let us know what you think, and we can’t wait to discuss.
GLISTENS:
Sarah: musical duo Pomplamoose
Sam: The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
46:01
February 01, 2021

87. SEASON FINALE: The Year of Terrible Twos
Hi Listeners... This week is our last episode of Season 2! Also known as our year of the terrible twos... How do we feel about that?!
We might be a couple of two-year-old podcasters but boy, did we have such an incredible year of spectacular guests on the show! If we had the time, we would highlight every guest of the season. Instead, we highlight just a few and we hope you will check out the full episodes if you haven't already.
For the full episodes of the interviews mentioned on our show, check out the links below!
Interview with Reginald Edmund
Interview with Tanuja Jagernauth
Interview with Paul Michael Thomson
Interview with Marina J. Bergenstock
Interview with Dr. Lisa Quoresimo
Special thanks and shoutout to our wonderful listener supporter Tanuja Jagernauth. Thank you, Tanuja!!! Please be sure to follow her!
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:02:48
November 30, 2020

86. SPECIAL TOPIC: The Songwriting Process with Ryan Oliveira
This week, we’re doing a topic episode led by a returning guest on the show. You may know him from our previous episodes. It’s Ryan!
Ryan Oliveira is a playwright, performer, songwriter, and theatrical jack-of-all-trades currently living in Chicago. His work has been developed with Teatro Vivo, Pride Films and Plays, Prop Thtr, and others. He'll be developing a "re-vamped original work" with The New Colony in Chicago later next year and is currently working on new songs and a new novel during a long-needed theatre break.
Ryan returns to discuss a special topic in the songwriting process: What it means to write a song for theatre, for yourself, for anything else. Ryan shares his own personal history with songwriting and techniques and tricks he’s learned that work for him and may work for you.
Ryan's Songs
"What Brother Should Be"
"Oh, Mercury"
To learn more about Ryan and his work:
Website: www.ryanoliveira.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ryanoceronte
NPX: https://newplayexchange.org/users/8029/ryan-oliveira
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-222040529
GLISTENS:
Sarah: The Cure "Just Like Heaven" / “Alchemy of Herbs” by Rosale De La Foret
Sam: Joni Mitchell "Cactus Tree" / Worlds Healthiest Foods Veggie Advisor
Ryan: Goo Goo Dolls "Iris" & Zac Brown Band "Colder Weather / Plane Crash Tests
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)
01:23:17
November 23, 2020

85. INTERVIEW: Kevin Kautzman
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is Kevin Kautzman! Kevin is a playwright originally from North Dakota, living in Minneapolis, whose work has been performed around the UK and the US. Kevin first studied playwriting at the Royal Court Theatre in London and has been a fellow at the Playwrights' Center and Michener Center for Writers, where he completed his MFA in playwriting and screenwriting. He is the co-founder of Cut Edge Collective, an experimental playwriting group, and can be found at kevinkautzman.com.
To learn more about Kevin, be sure to check out the additional links below:
Kevin's Play Moderation: https://moderationplay.com/
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/121/kevin-kautzman
Podcast: https://getthispodcast.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinkautzman
GLISTENS:
Cho: Queen’s Gambit on Netflix
Collier: YPIP young playwrights in process, Indiana Rep
Kevin: Norwegian Band "Ulver" / Band "Have A Nice Life"
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
58:35
November 16, 2020

84. INTERVIEW: Alex Lin
Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is Alex Lin. Alex is an award-nominated Asian-American playwright and ex-STEM kid from Bergen County, New Jersey. Her plays have been workshopped and produced at the Women's Theatre Festival, The Rude Mechanicals in Washington, and Actors Theatre of Louisville's Professional Training Company. She is this year’s 2020 Pass the Pen nominee at Ashland New Play Festival and ScreenCraft Stage Play Quarterfinalist. Lin is also a content creator and journalist at A24 Films' space media company Supercluster, where she's written editorials featuring former astronaut Nicole Stott, NASA executive Kathy Lueders, screenwriter Mark Heyman, and actor Cathy Ang. Most recently, Lin was seen as "#11" in The Wolves at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
To learn more about Alex and read her work, be sure to visit her New Play Exchange here.
https://newplayexchange.org/users/32657/alex-lin
GLISTENS:
Cho: DEMOCRACY WINS!! / Unsolved Mysteries Season 2 Episode 4:“Tsunami Spirits" -- The Ishinomaki Tsunami & Ghost Sightings
Collier: Kamala Harris!!!!
Alex: Election / CBD
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
45:38
November 09, 2020

83. PLAYBACK: Sean David DeMers Interview
Hey listeners, we’re starting something new and exciting. If you’ve been enjoying our show -- be sure to sign-up for our new monthly newsletter. Visit our website at www.beckettsbabies.com to sign up for our newsletter today.
This week’s episode is a “PLAYBACK” episode with our interview with Sean David DeMers.
Sean David DeMers is a playwright with New England and New York City roots. Plays include FACULTY PORTRAIT, produced at IRT Theatre in New York City, the musical JULES VERNE'S FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON with FringeNYC, LITTLE BLUE PILL read at the Last Frontier Conference in 2019, and ENCAPSULATED produced by The Navigators as part of their one-act sci-fi play festival. Sean has two short plays published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals, OFF TACKLE GLIDE and FOUR MOVEMENTS. Sean is a graduate of the Iowa MFA Playwright's Workshop and recently picked up a project started there with the play FAYE by translating and adapting the existing Ancient Greek plays, starting with the most obscure.
Keep listening to find out why you should throw away your first ten plays! We loved talking to Sean, who is incredibly cheerful and funny, probably because he takes so many naps. You won’t be disappointed!
End of this year, we’ll play old favorites from the year. Thanks for listening!
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
59:38
November 02, 2020

82. INTERVIEW: Dr. Lisa Quoresimo
Hello listeners! This week, we had such an incredible time chatting with the one and only Dr. Lisa Quoresimo! In this episode, Lisa tells us all about the voice and how it’s shaped by bodily practices. You don’t want to miss our interview! Lisa is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Southern Utah University, and co-founder and director of Catalyst: a Theatre Think Tank. Her work as a performer and composer has been seen recently in the SF Bay Area at Berkeley Rep, Shotgun Players, and many more. Her theatrical research has been published in major journals including Theatre Topics and Frontiers, and she has been invited to present her research on voice and gender at the Voice and Speech Teachers' Association, Performance Studies International, and the National Conference on Women’s Studies.
To learn more about Lisa and all her incredible research, visit her at Website - quoresimo.com/index.html Catalyst, a Theatre Think Tank - catalyst3t.com/
GLISTENS:
Sam - Bald Rock Mountain / apple-picking
Cho - Crochet
Lisa - Fall Cooking
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode with your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
43:34
October 26, 2020

81. PLAYWRIGHT: Naomi Wallace
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of NAOMI WALLACE. We read the three plays: In the Heart of America (1994), Slaughter City (1996), and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (1998) to share our thoughts on Naomi Wallace's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen in to our conversation!
NAOMI WALLACE'S PLAYS:
1. In the Heart of America (1994)
2. Slaughter City (1996)
3. The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (1998)
GLISTENS:
Sam's: Julius Caesar / Donmar Trilogy dir. By Phyllida Lloyd - Harriet Walter plays Brutus
stannswarehouse.org/show/donmar-trilogy/
Sarah's: Termites lol gross
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
52:37
October 19, 2020

80. INTERVIEW: Mack Gordon / Theatre In The Dark
Hello listeners! This week, we chat with Artistic Producer and resident playwright of Theatre in the Dark, Mack Gordon. He is the co-adapter and performer of “A War of the Worlds”, which will be playing this October 15th until November 21st. Be sure to check out the links below to learn more about the show and how you can get tickets. You're not going to want to miss this incredibly unique audio drama!
THEATRE IN THE DARK creates stories through sound.
Focused on virtual production until COVID has passed.
To learn more and how you can purchase tickets, visit: www.theatreinthedark.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theatre_dark/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/theatredark
To follow Mack Gordon and see what he's up to, be sure to follow him!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mackgord
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackgordon/
GLISTENS:
Cho - The fly on Pence’s Head / Amy Sedaris’ Instagram post about evil flies
Sam - Covita from the Lincoln Project
Mack - Canadian Bands: Aidan Knight, Yukon Blonde / Canadian Stand-Up Comedians: Katie-Ellen Humphries, John Cullen
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
45:35
October 12, 2020

79. INTERVIEW: Katrina D. RiChard
Hello listeners! This week, we chat with playwright, actor, producer and director Katrina D. RiChard. Katrina digs deep into playwriting by sharing her thoughts, experience, and encouragement to write. Her new play “Call for the Wailing Women” will premiere as part of Black Lives Black Words International Project, ‘Plays for the People’, an online play season celebrating the diversity of the African-American and African experience in today’s world. Be sure to check it out!
Katrina D. RiChard has performed on stages across the city of Chicago and the Chicagoland area as well as worked behind the scenes as a writer, producer, and director. She was born and bred on the South Side of Chicago. The city continues to hold a special place in her heart and is one of the primary places she writes about. Katrina served Chicago Public Schools for over a decade teaching High School Social Science, and she uses her history background in her writing as well. She is working on her MFA in Dramatic Writing at the University of Southern California (USC) where she was recently awarded the Joan Beber Playwriting Award. Her mission is to illuminate marginalized voices, tell stories that have never been told before, and tell classic stories with a fresh perspective.
Learn more about Black Lives Black Words, be sure to visit the website:
www.blacklivesblackwords.org/get-tickets
For tickets to Katrina's "Call for the Wailing Woman" (Oct. 22-25, 2020)
www.eventbrite.com/e/blbw-call-for…ts-108390868004
To learn more about Katrina and her work, be sure to follow her on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/katrinadrich
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Saturday Night Live, Chris Rock's monologue / "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" by David Grann
Sam - Jennifer Jacobs, a reporter for Bloomberg News who broke the story about Hope Hicks testing positive
Katrina - Country Music / "Honey Bee" - Blake Shelton
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
59:50
October 05, 2020

78. PLAY: Ballyturk by Enda Walsh
As part of our monthly play series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "Ballyturk" by Enda Walsh. The play was recommended to us by one of our listeners Meredith Bartmon for this month. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About BALLYTURK:
Two unnamed male characters live in a single-room dwelling and discuss an imaginary town in Ireland called Ballyturk.
Born in Dublin, Enda Walsh is an Irish Playwright. A multi-award-winning Irish playwright, his work has been translated into over twenty languages and has been performed internationally since 1998. He won Tony Award in 2012 for writing the book for the musical "Once", which went on to play on Broadway, in the West End, and a US tour. He current lives in London with his family.
RELATED LINKS:
"Review: A Fantasy Town Builds a Wall Against Time in ‘Ballyturk’" by By Ben Brantley (New York Times, Jan. 14, 2018)
www.nytimes.com/2018/01/14/theate…w-enda-walsh.html
GLISTENS:
Sam - “The Election That Could Break America” by Barton Gellman Atlantic
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archiv…concede/616424/
Sarah - Ora Organic's "You're a Knockout" Natural Sleep Aid Supplement
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
51:10
September 28, 2020

77. INTERVIEW: Jonathan Spector
Hello listeners! This week, we chat with Oakland-based playwright JONATHAN SPECTOR and learn about his remarkable journey into theater. We dig deep into his play "Eureka Day" as he shares his thoughts on playwriting. Be sure to read "Eureka Day" when it becomes available! We're so excited for you to listen to this episode. Check it out!
Jonathan Spector is a playwright based in Oakland, California. His play "Eureka Day" was a New York Times 'Critics’ Pick' and received all of the San Francisco Bay Area’s new play Awards: Glickman Award, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, Theatre Bay Area Award, and Rella Lossy Award. This and other plays including "This Much I Know", "What Comes Next", and "Siesta Key" have been produced and developed across the country. He is a MacDowell Colony Fellow, a Core Writer at Playwrights Center in Minneapolis, and a recipient of South Coast Rep's Elizabeth George Commission. In October, his audio drama "The Flats" (co-written with Lauren Gunderson and Cleavon Smith) will premiere with Aurora Theater.
To learn more about Jonathan and his work, be sure to check out his website www.jonathanspector.org/ or follow him on Twitter twitter.com/spectorjon
Jonathan also shared with us his favorite playwriting exercise. Be sure to check out our website to find out what it is and start writing today!
GLISTENS:
Sarah - RBG's passing / Sam leaving Instagram / Hulu’s Pen15 is back!!! / Play I want to highlight this week's from all my play reading is Caridad Svich's "RED BIKE"!
Sam - Documentary film "Gunda"
Jonathan - Enjoying the air outside since the fires / Netflix's Cobra Kai
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:04:17
September 21, 2020

76. INTERVIEW: Marina J. Bergenstock
Hello listeners! We are so excited for you to listen to this new episode of Beckett's Babies! We had an amazing conversation discussing all-things theater and directing new work with the one and only MARINA J. BERGENSTOCK!
Marina J. Bergenstock (she/her) is a director, dramaturg, performer, and educator. She holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa. She formerly was on faculty at Beloit College in Wisconsin. She starts her Ph.D. studies at Stanford University in Theatre and Performance Studies, specializing in Arab Theatre. To learn more about Marina and her work, be sure to check out her website at www.marinabergenstock.com
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Netflix's Julie and the Anthems / Plays on NPX: beth by Alex Lin, WYWH by Tom Moran, A Murder of Crows by France Beck
Sam - Nina Morrison's reading of Hearts on Fire / Gabrielle Calvocoressi reading with Grinnell/Prairie Lights
Marina - Netflix's The Babysitter's Club / Google Map Add-On Stanford Gleaning Project / Helpful Advice from Ph.D. Orientation
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
54:47
September 14, 2020

75. TOPIC: Notes, Notes, Notes... Oh My!
This episode is all about receiving and providing notes on our plays. What the heck do you do with all the feedback? What are some best practices when receiving notes? When is it useful? When is it not? Can notes be too prescriptive? Or could it be more prescriptive? We attempt to discuss by sharing our own experiences as note givers and takers to shed some light on best practices.
GLISTENS
Sarah - HBO Raised by Wolves, Amazon The Boys, learning how to draw, and reading so many scripts on New Play Exchange!
Sam - Oven-roasted cherry tomatoes!!!
RELATED LINKS:
Scriptnotes Podcast
open.spotify.com/episode/71XK4ZPC…mGRL6VLcYgEkBEmA
Howlround - “Notes to the Note-Givers; or, Embracing the Paradox” essay by Catherine Trieschman
howlround.com/notes-note-givers-…-embracing-paradox
How to Organize Writing Feedback so You Can Rewrite With Confidence by David Safford
thewritepractice.com/organize-writing-feedback/
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
53:38
September 07, 2020

74. INTERVIEW: Deborah Yarchun
Hello listeners! We are so excited for you to listen to this new episode of Beckett's Babies! We had an amazing conversation discussing all-things playwriting with fellow Iowa playwright DEBORAH YARCHUN!
Deborah Yarchun’s honors include two Jerome Fellowships at the Playwrights’ Center, a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellowship, the 2020 Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting, an EST/Sloan Commission, the Kennedy Center’s Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award, and the Kernodle New Play Award. She’s been a playwright-in-residence at the William Inge Center for the Arts and a member of the Civilians’ R&D Group. Deborah’s a graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow.
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Andy Warhol's 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy
Sam - Spaulding’s Rock
Deborah - HBO’s Lovecraft Country
To learn more about Deborah and her work, be sure to check out the following websites:
Website: www.DeborahYarchun.com
NPX page: newplayexchange.org/users/114/deborah-yarchun
Be sure to check out Deborah's article "Staying Focused in the Time of COVID: 22 Tips and Strategies to Finding Focus" on the Playwright Center website:
https://pwcenter.org/playwriting-toolkit/staying-focused-time-covid-22-tips-and-strategies-finding-focus
Deborah also shared with us her favorite playwriting exercise. Check out our website www.beckettsbabies.com to learn more!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
50:42
August 31, 2020

73. PLAYWRIGHT: Paula Vogel
We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. We discuss plays from their early, mid-career, and the latest or most recent play of their career. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of Paula Vogel. We read the three plays: And Baby Makes Seven (1984), How I Learned to Drive (1997), and Indecent (2017) to share our thoughts on Paula Vogel's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen in to our conversation!
PAULA VOGEL’S PLAYS:
1. And Baby Makes Seven (1984)
2. How I Learned to Drive (1997)
3. Indecent (2017)
GLISTENS:
Sarah's: California Wildfires
Sam's: Wired's Five Levels series
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:14:41
August 24, 2020

72. TOPIC: Understanding Writing Prompts
In this episode, we discuss some of the ideas behind writing prompt and playwriting exercises, our own personal experience with prompts, and share a few of our favorites. What do we look for in a prompt that makes for an effective, productive, creative writing exercises? Give this episode a listen and be sure to let us know what you think!
GLISTENS:
Sarah: A dream
Sam: Hand pies
LINKS:
"Playwrights Teach Playwriting"
www.amazon.com/Playwrights-Teach…ent/dp/1575254239
by Joan Herrington (Editor), Brian Crystal (Editor)
Additional writing prompts:
pwcenter.org/playwriting-toolki…ur-weekend-writing
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
45:39
August 17, 2020

71. PLAY: Power Plays by Elaine May & Alan Arkin
As part of our monthly play series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is a collection of 3 one-act comedy plays called “Power Plays” by Elaine May and Alan Arkin. Instead of looking at the plays individually, we attempt to look at all 3 one-act plays together as it was intended to be performed in a single evening of theater. We are going to discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About POWER PLAYS:
Power Plays consists of 3 one-act plays called “The Way of All Fish”, “Virtual Reality” and “In and Out of the Light”. These are three short plays about the collision of wills and power that premiered Off-Broadway.
Elaine May is an American comedian, film director, screenwriter, and actress. She made her initial impact in the 1950s from her improvisational comedy routines with Mike Nichols, performing as Nichols and May.
Alan Arkin is an Academy Award-winning American actor who is also an acclaimed director, producer, author, singer, and composer.
RELATED LINKS:
“THEATER; 'Power Plays,' Something More Than a Family Affair” By Vincent Canby (May 31, 1998)
https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/31/theater/theater-power-plays-something-more-than-a-family-affair.html
Arkin Tries Out His `Power Plays' by Janet I-Chin Tu (Mar 1, 1998) Seattle Times Theater Critic
https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19980301&slug=2737058
In Brief: ‘Power Plays’vBy John Simon (JUNE 8, 1998)
https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/theater/reviews/2886/
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Black Girls Run, a nonprofit organization dedicated to health & fitness for young black women to get together and run in groups. https://blackgirlsrun.com/
Sam - Peaches
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
35:02
August 10, 2020

70. INTERVIEW: Marjorie Muller
Hello listeners! We are so excited for you to listen to this new episode of Beckett's Babies! We had an amazing conversation discussing all-things playwriting with playwright, actor, producer MARJORIE MULLER! In this episode, Marjorie shares how she got into playwriting, her tips and tricks, and we also do a little deep dive in the social media (uh oh!). We hope you enjoy this episode!
Marjorie Muller is a Chicago-based playwright, actor, and producer, whose work has been featured at Urbanite Theater, the Women's Theatre Festival, Impostors Theatre Company, and more. She is currently developing an adaptation of Dracula for young adults called "Lucy Westenra Is Definitely Not (And Will Never Be) a Vampire" that will be performed this Fall at the Latin School of Chicago. She is also producing a live audio drama with Theatre in the Dark based on War of the Worlds which will be happening this upcoming Fall.
GLISTENS:
Sarah - CSA box
Sam - blueberries
Marjorie - listening to the entire discography of Led Zeppelin. Find that bass line!
To learn more about Marjorie and her work, be sure to check out the following websites:
www.marjoriemuller.com/
www.theatreinthedark.com/
www.instagram.com/idesofmarge/
Also! Marjorie shared with us her favorite playwriting exercise. Go to our website www.beckettsbabies.com to learn more!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
57:08
August 03, 2020

69. PLAY: Sweat By Lynn Nottage
As part of our new monthly play series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is “Sweat" by Lynn Nottage. In this episode, we discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoilers! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
About SWEAT:
SWEAT tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat. (summary from Dramatist Play Service)
SWEAT won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015; it was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017.
Lynn Nottage is an American playwright whose work often deals with the lives of marginalized people. She is a professor of Playwriting at Columbia University. She was the first woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice; the first in 2009 for Ruined, and the second in 2017 for Sweat.
See Lynn Nottage in this interview explaining the origins of SWEAT from Public Theater:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcReO9WfWeQ
GLISTENS:
Sarah - author Samantha Irby; going on daily walks.
Sam - going to the dentist
____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
58:18
July 27, 2020

68. TOPIC: Researching for a New Play
How do you think about research when beginning a new play? When do you begin the research process? How do you know when to start writing? In this episode we discuss our own experiences on which plays of ours have required research; how did we do this research; and how do we feel about research. We ask ourselves how do we incorporate research without making the play overly expositional or boring and what are some best practices in organizing all this research? Let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you.
GLISTENS:
Sarah: Michelle Obama. Michelle Kwan. Michelle McNamara. Michelle's.
Sam: Wool Blankets
HELPFUL LINKS:
"On the Fine Art of Researching For Fiction" by Jake Wolff
lithub.com/on-the-fine-art-of-…rching-for-fiction/
“Inspiration from artifacts: writing plays for the future inspired by the past” by Katie Bender
pwcenter.org/playwriting-toolki…ture-inspired-past
On dramaturgy
howlround.com/research
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
49:59
July 20, 2020

67. INTERVIEW: Reginald Edmund
Hi listeners! In this episode, we chat with the one and only Playwright, Co-Founder and Managing Curating Producer of Black Lives Black Words International Project Reginald Edmund.
Black Lives Black Words International Project launched an online play season celebrating the diversity of the African-American and African experience in today’s world called ‘Plays for the People’. The season features new works from seven cutting-edge black playwrights: Reginald Edmund, Chisa Hutchinson, Anya Pearson, Dominic Taylor, Idris Goodwin, Katrina D. RiChard, and Wole Oguntokun. The season opened on July 8th and will continue to run through November 8th, 2020.
Learn more about Black Lives Black Words and be sure to catch a show this season at www.blacklivesblackwords.org/get-tickets
To learn more about Reginald's plays, check out his New Play Exchange here:
newplayexchange.org/users/632/reginald-edmund
GLISTENS
Sarah: Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries
Reginald: Amazon’s Homecoming, Amazon’s The Expanse, and We Buy Black - webuyblack.com/
Sam: VS podcast
www.poetryfoundation.org/podcasts/ser…1/vs-podcast
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
46:04
July 13, 2020

66. PLAYWRIGHT STUDY: August Wilson
We are excited for an all-new series where we look at the work of a single playwright and from their large body of work, we look at the first play they’ve ever written, a play from their mid-career, and the latest or the most recent play of their career.
In this first of what we hope to be many series, we discuss the life and work of August Wilson. We read the three plays Jitney, The Piano Lesson, and Radio Golf to discuss our thoughts and August Wilson's craft of playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and join us!
AUGUST WILSON PLAYS:
1. Jitney
2. The Piano Lesson
3. Radio Golf
GLISTENS:
Sarah's: I hate fireworks.
Sam's: Urgent Care + human touch
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:04:17
July 06, 2020

65. TOPIC: Writing Artistic Statements
Have you ever written an artistic statement? Every playwright, at some point in their career, has to write an artistic statement, or what others might call a “Manifesto”. Whether it be for a playwriting opportunity, or for your website, it might be good to have one in your arsenal ready to go. In this episode, we want to discuss what it is, what’s the purpose, why it may or may not be important, how you could approach to writing one, and questions to help you get started in thinking about what your artistic statement.
GLISTENS:
Sarah: Sarah Moved to a New Apartment
Sam: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
HELPFUL LINKS:
Tips for Writing Your Artistic Statement from the Playwrights Corner.
www.larktheatre.org/blog/tips-writi…istic-statment/
“The Artist Statement - From Playwrights to Artistic Directors, This is What They Said…” from Theaterspeak
www.theaterspeak.org/2013/08/the-ar…aywrights.html
"What's Your Brand? Not Having One Is Hurting You"
blog.finaldraft.com/whats-your-bran…-is-hurting-you
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
45:56
June 29, 2020

64. INTERVIEW: Tanuja Jagernauth Returns!
Based in Chicago, Tanuja Jagernauth is an Indo-Caribbean playwright, dramaturg, and ceramic artist who believes in the necessity of creation during times of destruction. We talked with Tanuja a few months ago about her theatrical work, and we have her back on to discuss her work organizing the response of Chicago theaters to the Black Lives Matter movement, the coronavirus pandemic, and this moment in time. She will be working on a musical adaptation of FAUST with Prop Thtr with Olivia Lilley as the director. They start a workshop in July and the production will be in the spring of 2021. Be sure to be on the lookout!
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Her postponed Wedding
Tanuja - Google "racist statues Enya"
Sam - Netflix's When They See Us
Tanuja's Recommendations, References & Uplifts:
WASTED by Free Street Theater
www.eventbrite.com/e/free-street-t…ts-108725549044
"Victory Gardens Boards Windows Against Black Lives, Arts Community Protests Leadership" by Regina Victor
rescripted.org/2020/06/08/victor…gardens-protests/
TransformHarm
transformharm.org/
"It takes more than #OpenYourLobby to address racism in American theater" by Miranda Gonzalez
www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/beyond…ipoc-theaters/
Brave Space Alliance
www.bravespacealliance.org/
Chicago Freedom School
chicagofreedomschool.org/
Let Us Breathe Collective
www.letusbreathecollective.com/
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:15:15
June 22, 2020

63. Theaters Response to Black Lives Matter
Hello, listeners. We hope you are well and staying safe. We are still processing what's happening in the country and the world. In this episode, we discuss some ways theaters are responding to the Black Lives Matter movement. One of which is #openyourlobby. The following theaters have opened their doors in response to the movement. This is not the complete list as more theatres may be opening their doors. Below is what we know so far. We would love to hear what you've experienced and noticing what other theaters are doing.
NEW YORK
MANHATTAN
New York Theatre Workshop - first
ART South Oxford Space
IRT Theatre
The Public Theatre
Playwrights Horizons
Atlantic Theater Company
Signature Theatre
Mabou Mines - www.maboumines.org
New York Live Arts
SubCulture
Dixon Place
EST
Club Cumming: www.instagram.com/p/CBD_boKhlur/
MoMA PS1
MCC Theater
Second Stage Theater
Classic Stage Company partnership with Everyman Espresso
Collapsable Hole
NYU Skirball
Soho Rep
Cherry Lane Theatre
BROOKLYN
Bric
Irondale Center
Brooklyn Museum
Cloud City
Brooklyn Arts Exchange
CALIFORNIA
The Flight Deck (Oakland)
San Jose Stage
Aurora Theatre Company, Bay Area Children’s Center, & Berkeley Rep (Berkeley)
Center Theatre Group (Culver City)
The Music Center (LA)
UCB LA
WASHINGTON, DC
Studio Theatre
Woolly Mammoth
Arena Stage
Source Theatre
930 Club
Keegan Theatre
Shakespeare Theatre
PENNSYLVANIA
PHILADELPHIA
Wilma Theater
Underground Arts
Kimmel Center
PITTSBURGH
Kelly Strayhorn Theater
SEATTLE
Arts West Playhouse
PORTLAND, OR
Portland Center Stage
Shaking the Tree Theatre
CHICAGO
Chicago Dramatists
The Den
Goodman Theatre
Steep
AUSTIN
Vortex Repertory Company
HELPFUL LINKS/INFORMATION/RESOURCES/PLACES TO DONATE:
blacklivesmatter.com/
blacklivesmatter.carrd.co
www.gofundme.com/f/9v4q2-justice-…r-breonna-taylor
www.gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-tony-mcdade
GLISTENS
Sarah: Adopt-A-America
crooked.com/articles/how-to-ado…ound-state-in-2020/
Sam: Sandra Bland
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
53:05
June 08, 2020

62. INTERVIEW: Sean David DeMers
Hello listeners! We want to thank you all so much for your support so far this year. We are truly thankful to you all. We also want to acknowledge the pain and suffering that is happening in our communities. We hear, we understand, and we support everyone that has either donated and protested in support of #blacklivesmatter. Thanks for tuning in and we hope you will enjoy this episode.
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Listeners! Boy, are you in for a treat. We discuss all-things playwriting with a fellow graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop... Sean David DeMers! In this episode, we get into the ideas of memory. Sean shares with us memories of his childhood, how he first got into playwriting, and the importance of memory in his work. We even share some fond memories of the Workshop. We hope you will enjoy this very 'memory' themed show. Thank you!
Sean David DeMers is a playwright with New England and New York City roots. Plays include FACULTY PORTRAIT, produced at IRT Theatre in New York City, the musical JULES VERNE'S FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON with FringeNYC, LITTLE BLUE PILL read at the Last Frontier Conference in 2019, and ENCAPSULATED produced by The Navigators as part of their one-act sci-fi play festival. Sean has two short plays published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals, OFF TACKLE GLIDE and FOUR MOVEMENTS. Sean is a graduate of the Iowa MFA Playwright's Workshop and recently picked up a project started there with the play FAYE by translating and adapting the existing Ancient Greek plays, starting with the most obscure.
GLISTENS:
Sean - Live Concerts on Youtube, Huey Lewis and The News
Sam - Protest and MN freedom fund $20 million in the past few days.
Sarah - A childhood memory.
To learn more about Sean and his work, be sure to check out his website: seandemers3.wixsite.com/seandaviddemers
Also! Sean shared with us his favorite playwriting exercise. Go to our website www.beckettsbabies.com to learn more!
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
59:19
June 01, 2020

61. INTERVIEW: Art Borreca (Special Episode!)
Hello, listeners! Boy, do we have a treat for you! This is an in-depth special episode where we had the greatest pleasure of chatting with one of our favorite people from Iowa... ART BORRECA! He is the Co-Head of the Playwriting Program and Head of the Dramaturgy Program at the University of Iowa (aka where Sam and I met and became friends!). Art talks about his journey into theater and dramaturgy, what he loves about new plays, and shares with us the Iowa Playwrights Workshop program. We are so excited for you to listen to this one. So please, grab your favorite drink, kick your feet up, and listen to this very special episode.
Art Borreca is associate professor of dramaturgy, dramatic literature, and theatre history, co-head of the playwriting program, and head of the dramaturgy program. He has worked as a dramaturg with a number of leading theatre artists, including Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, Theodora Skipitares, David Gothard, and Naomi Wallace in such venues as the Yale Repertory Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, LaMama ETC, Oxford Stage Company in the U.K., and T.P.T (Theatre Project Tokyo) in Japan.
His research interests include contemporary British and American theatre, new play dramaturgy, and political dramaturgy. His articles and reviews have appeared in TDR (The Drama Review), Modern Drama, and Theatre Journal; as well as in several books, including Dramaturgy in American Theatre, What is Dramaturgy? and Approaching the Millennium: Essays on Angels in America. Professor Borreca is a contributing editor of the two-volume Norton Anthology of Drama.
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Sinkholes
Sam - American Shakespeare Virtual Tour
americanshakespearecenter.com/vr/
Art - His students from his Post-Modern class.
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:48:59
May 25, 2020

60. PLAY: The King Of Hell's Palace by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig
As part of our new monthly play series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is “The King of Hell's Palace" by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig. In this episode, we discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. This play was also recommended to us by one of our listeners and we are so glad! Thank you, Mickey! Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
SHORT SUMMARY:
When the Henan Ministry of Health begins paying citizens for blood plasma which is then sold to pharmaceutical companies, impoverished farmers in the province's remote villages sell blood to buy fertilizer, mend their houses and create a better life for their children. As corrupt health officials cut costs to maximize profits, safety standards are ignored, bringing potential catastrophe to China's most vulnerable population. Inspired by true events, this gripping drama explores the conflicts that arise when a community's greatest source of capital becomes their own bodies.
June's Play of the Month: "Power Plays" by Elaine May & Alan Arkin
GLISTENS:
Sarah's - Fred Willard's Death and its impact
Sam's - Porcupines
___________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
39:51
May 18, 2020

59. TOPIC: Writing Radio Plays
In this episode, Sam and Sarah discuss writing plays for the radio. We bring on a special guest, Nik Frank-Lehrer, to help us kick off the episode by sharing his experience on writing ad copy for radio. We also look at ways in how radio plays have been written and produced. Check out the links below and we'd love to hear your thoughts on writing radio plays. If you have a page or two that you would like to share, please don't hesitate to send our way. Check this episode out!
GLISTENS:
Sam: How Should A Person Be? By Sheila Heti
Sarah: Netflix’s Never Have I Ever
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT:
BBC’s Radio 4 Drama
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xxp0g/episodes/player
Spotify Playlist “Vintage Radio Dramas”
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWZ8QVh1ew4PD
The Renaissance of the Humble Radio Drama by ANGELICA CABRAL
https://slate.com/technology/2017/07/radio-dramas-still-have-an-important-place-in-the-entertainment-world.html
LA Theatre Works’s Catalog of Over 500 plays on Audio
https://latw.org/catalog
Sam Beckett Radio Plays on Openculture
http://www.openculture.com/2015/05/hear-samuel-becketts-avant-garde-radio-plays-all-that-fall-embers-and-more.html
Sam Beckett Radio Plays on Irish Times
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/samuel-beckett-radio-head-1.2524127
"The Strange Survival of Radio Drama" by Professor David Hendy (BBC)
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/radio-reinvented/the-strange-survival-of-radio-drama
Playing On Air - Podcast
Playing On Air is a radio program and podcast, dedicated to sharing great short theater with the public. Playing On Air brings contemporary plays and playwrights into the public space.
https://playingonair.org/new-releases
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
40:54
May 11, 2020

58. INTERVIEW: Shaun Leisher
Hello, listeners! In this episode, we chat with dramaturg, new play doula, and an incredible supporter of Beckett's Babies-- SHAUN LEISHER! He shares his journey into dramaturgy, what he loves about new plays, and how we can best support new work. It was an incredible joy to speak with Shaun. We could all learn a thing or two from his passion to support and advocate for new work. Check it out!
Shaun Leisher (pronouns: he/him/his) is a dramaturg and new play doula based in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. As a dramaturg, he has worked on productions at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA and a workshop production of RAW PASTA by Maya Macdonald at the 2019 Ice Factory Festival at the New Ohio in NYC. In his local theatre community, Shaun is a co-founder and the Literary Manager of Emerge Theatre Company, co-created the Allentown Public Theatre's play reading series, Theatre Cafe, and has produced various readings and new play festivals throughout the region. He is also proud to be a reader/nominator r for a number of organizations dedicated to the advocacy and development of new work including: The Kilroys, Normal Ave, 50 Playwrights Project, and Play Penn. His dream is to one day run a theatre dedicated to bold new plays somewhere remote like Montana.
To follow what Shaun's up to, be sure to follow him on instagram: www.instagram.com/shaunaturgy/
To read Shan's incredible play recommendations, be sure to check out his New Play Exchange: newplayexchange.org/users/1297/shaun-leisher
GLISTENS:
Sarah - Jack Johnson’s Kokua Festival Live from Home + Nik’s Happy Birthday
Sam - Kamala Harris and Mark Warner Instagram Live: The art of a tuna sandwich: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgZjFjJPnVI
Shaun - Theater communities creating despite the limitations + ESPN's "The Last Dance"
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Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
55:28
May 04, 2020

57. INTERVIEW: Paul Michael Thomson
Hey listeners! We had the amazing opportunity to chat with the one and only Paul Michael Thomson. He is an actor, playwright, and co-artistic director of The Story Theatre. He had so much to say about playwriting, theater, and what it means to be an artist. We also got a chance to talk about his hilarious and page-turning play "The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone?". Be sure to look out for it on New Play Exchange!
Paul Michael Thomson is an actor, playwright, and co-artistic director of The Story Theatre in Chicago, IL. As an actor, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, and Windy City Playhouse, among others. His plays have been produced by Avalanche Theatre, The Impostors Theatre Company, Other Theatre, Arc Theatre, and The Story Theatre, of which he is a founding ensemble member. He holds a BFA in Acting and a BA in Africana Studies from The University of Arizona and is passionate about new work, intersectional feminism, and rereading the same books over and over and over again.
To learn more about Paul Michael Thomson, be sure to visit his website www.paulmichaelthomson.com
To learn about the amazing work The Story Theatre is doing, check out the website www.thestorytheatre.org
________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:02:25
April 27, 2020

56. INTERVIEW: Olivia Lilley
In this episode, Sam and Sarah get the opportunity to chat with playwright, director, deviser and artistic director of Prop Theater -- Olivia Lilley!
Olivia Lilley is a playwright, director, and deviser who came up in Chicago's DIY scene. She uses a devised process to create and develop her plays that she's been honing since 2013. Olivia's work often ransacks classic literature or nonfiction with a collective and builds a new story for the current moment. Part Mary Zimmerman, Part John Cassavettes, Olivia's work is actor centric while also boldly multidisciplinary. She often collaborates with choreographer Kelly Anderson. Olivia is Artistic Director of Prop Thtr. She was the founding Artistic Director of The Runaways Lab Theatre and currently sits on their advisory board. She's an Artistic Associate at Pivot Arts, and she's curated at The Museum of Contemporary Art. Olivia attended Carnegie Mellon School of Drama for Directing, and Interlochen Arts Academy for Music Composition.
To learn more about Olivia Lilley and her work, check her New Play Exchange at newplayexchange.org/users/10813/olivia-lilley
To learn more about Prop Theater, visit the website at www.propthtr.org/
------------------------------------------
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
52:18
April 20, 2020

55. PLAY: Cost of Living by Martyna Majok
As part of our new monthly series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is “Cost of Living" by Martyna Majok. It is the winner of 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as two Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Play. In this episode, we discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
SHORT SUMMARY:
“Cost of Living deftly challenges the typical perceptions of those living with disabilities and delves deep into the ways class, race, nationality, and wealth can create gulfs between people, even as they long for the ability to connect. Eddie, an unemployed truck driver, and his estranged ex-wife, Ani, find themselves unexpectedly reunited after a terrible accident leaves her quadriplegic. John, a brilliant PhD student with cerebral palsy, hires Jess, a first-generation recent graduate who has fallen on desperate times, as his new aide..”
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Originals by Adam Grant
Sam's Glisten: Two Hong Kong Pandas
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/world/asia/panda-mating-hong-kong.html
___________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
36:06
April 13, 2020

54. TOPIC: Writing Character Descriptions
In this episode, Sam and Sarah discuss writing character descriptions. We share examples of character descriptions from different plays and look at how we can be inspired to write for our own work. Check this episode out and share us your thoughts on how you approach to writing descriptions for your characters!
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Crochet and podcast Asian Enough
art19.com/shows/asian-enough
Sam's Glisten: Little Prince Movie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gARHWfXE40
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
39:13
April 06, 2020

53. INTERVIEW: Beth Hyland
In this episode, Sam and Sarah get the opportunity to chat with fellow BB listener, playwright, and songwriter -- Beth Hyland! In this episode she shares her experience in self-producing her own work, staying creative, balancing creative and work life, and her new play ALL-ONE! THE DR. BRONNER'S PLAY which will be getting a "Zoom" staged reading at the end of April. Check it out!
Beth Hyland is a playwright and songwriter based in Chicago. Her plays and musicals have been produced and developed regionally in the UK at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre, and around the US at Steppenwolf LookOut, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Hearth, First Floor, The Passage, Broken Nose, The Sound, and others. She is the playwright-in-residence and co-founder of The Sound.
To learn more about Beth, be sure to visit her website at www.bethhyland.com
GLISTENS:
Sam's: 4-year-old girl found alive and well after 2 days in the woods
www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/Eve…ssing-found-.html
Sarah's: Practice joke writing
Beth's: If you have the means, donate to your local theaters and restaurants no matter how small the donation may be.
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
47:09
March 30, 2020

52. PLAY: Ching Chong Chinaman by Lauren Yee
As part of our new monthly series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is “Ching Chong Chinaman" by Lauren Yee! In this episode, we discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
SHORT SUMMARY:
The ultra-assimilated Wong family is as Chinese-American as apple pie: teenager Upton dreams of World of Warcraft superstardom; his sister Desi dreams of early admission to Princeton. Unfortunately, Upton’s chores and homework get in the way of his 24/7 videogaming, and Desi’s math grades don’t fit the Asian-American stereotype. Then Upton comes up with a novel solution for both problems: he acquires a Chinese indentured servant, who harbors an American dream of his own.
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Plant Therapy Project
Sam's Glisten: Fristad
NEXT MONTH'S PLAY:
Cost of Living by Martyna Majok
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
42:19
March 23, 2020

51. TOPIC: Plagues and Pandemics in Plays
Hi, Listeners. We're all going through a crisis and this pandemic has been on all our minds. Initially, we wanted to talk about Lauren Yee's play "Ching Chong Chinaman" but instead, we decided to talk about plagues, pandemics, and outbreaks that exist in plays and popular culture. We hope everyone is hanging in there. We are all thinking about you, listeners. Please take care of yourselves and each other.
RELATED LINKS:
"The Infectious Pestilence Did Reign" by Ben Cohen
slate.com/culture/2020/03/shak…-hand-ben-cohen.html
"Broadway Is Closed. Write Poems Instead." by Sarah Ruhl
www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/opinio…-coronavirus.html
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Trials of Gabriel Fernandez
Sam's Glisten: "Italians Find ‘a Moment of Joy in This Moment of Anxiety’"
www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/world/…t-of-anxiety.html
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
48:57
March 16, 2020

50. The Comedy Club: "Let's Talk Comedies" Part I
An ongoing series about understanding comedies, welcome to "The Comedy Club". In this first part of "possibly many part" series, Sarah dives into what she thinks about comedy and her love/hate relationship with it. In this episode, we introduce the series by asking ourselves why we laugh, what is happening on stage or on the text that is making our audience laugh. Why is laughter so infectious? Why do we NEED to laugh? What makes something funny?
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Sarah quits coffee and sleeps really
Sam's Glisten: Oscar Nominated Shorts - Live-Action
Listen to the episode and come at us!
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
40:53
March 09, 2020

49. INTERVIEW: Ryan Oliveira
Playwright, Songwriter, Solo Performer, and Theatrical Jack-of-All-Trades Ryan Oliveira returns to Beckett's Babies! Hear what he has to say about theater, dramaturgy, and presenting new work to an audience as he updates us on what he's been up to since we last interviewed him.
GLISTENS:
Sam's - www.thispersondoesnotexist.com
Sarah's - USA Network's The Sinner, streaming on Netflix
Ryan's - "The Force of Nonviolence: The Ethical in the Political" by Judith Butler
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
01:08:57
March 02, 2020

48. TOPIC: Creating Play Titles
In this episode, Sam and Sarah discuss creating titles for our plays. We share some of our favorite titles and discuss why we like certain play titles and why we do not like others. We look to how we create titles for our own work and be inspired by others. Check this episode out and share us your thoughts on creating play titles!
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Her Arabica Plant
Sam's Glisten: Kvass
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
44:14
February 24, 2020

47. PLAY: Dance Nation by Clare Barron
Every month, we pick a play to discuss. This month’s play is “Dance Nation" by Clare Barron. It is one of the winners of 2015 relentless award, a finalist for a Pulitzer, and winner of Susan Smith Blackburn prize. In this episode we discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!
SHORT SUMMARY:
“Somewhere in America, a revolution is coming, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers plot to take over the world one routine at a time. In Clare Barron’s raucous pageant of ambition and ferocity, these young dancers have more than choreography on their minds, because every plié and jeté is a step toward finding themselves, and a fight to unleash their power.”
GLISTENS:
Sarah's Glisten: Crime Junkie Podcast
https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/
Sam's Glisten: Goodness: Altruism and the Literary Imagination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJmVpYZnKTU
_____________________________________________
Please support Beckett's Babies by reviewing, sharing an episode to your friends, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @beckettsbabies
And as always, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your questions or thoughts on playwriting and we might discuss it in our next episode.
Email: contact@beckettsbabies.com
For more info, visit our website: www.beckettsbabies.com
57:49
February 17, 2020