Pipe and Drape: the Theatre for Young Audiences Podcast

"What is the absolute minimum we can use to effectively share a story?" This is a question I hear often in the theatre for young audiences world. In this dinky episode, I explore the connection between TYA storytelling practices and the living habits I have adopted while working in the industry–like keeping everything I value most inside my backpack at all times.

Music from this episode:

The theatre is a space for ritual and celebration. This year, I'm celebrating the ten year anniversary of many of my show-related traditions! Play this episode to hear the stories behind my traditions (and elements of the podcast logo!)

Music from this episode:

"Tradition" - Fiddler on the Roof (Upper Darby Summer Stage cast, 2013) music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick

Artistic Director Jeff Frank shares his experience putting the Rankin/Bass classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on stage for the very first time at First Stage in Milwaukee. Listen to this episode to learn how problem solving flying sequences in the world premiere of Peter and Wendy led to the key design elements of Rudolph and how getting every scenic and costume element just right down to the specific colors of polkadots brought the “homespun, hand crafted” feeling of the holiday special that we love to the stage. Jeff shares some of First Stage's core values in this interview including the ways that the organization raises community artists!

More about First Stage:

"The van changes people.” In this pipe and drape story, Stage Manager Mason Huse takes us on a journey from subletting apartments, to packing for small tours, dealing with bed bugs, learning about theatre ghosts, and other hilarious "horrors.” And wonderful things, too! You’ll hear more about his (really good!) experiences with ArtsPower National Touring Theatre in this episode!

Find Mason Huse:

Recent Drama Desk winner and Tony Nominee Kevin Del Aguila (Some Like It Hot, Peter and the Starcatcher, Rocky, Frozen) shares his pipe and drape story in this episode of the podcast! Throughout Kevin’s career as an actor on Broadway, he has simultaneously written the books and lyrics for some of the theatre for young audiences industry’s most popular titles (Dog Man, Cat Kid Comic Club, Madagascar) and children’s television (Emmy Award-winning series Peg + Cat, Blues Clues & You, Wonder Pets!) Hear how Kevin went from penning Off-Broadway's Altar Boyz to juggling Broadway, film, and tv in this episode!

Find Kevin Del Aguila:

Director, teaching artist, and facilitator Jon Royal shares information about leading workshops and rehearsals with actors and government officials in this episode of Pipe and Drape! His pipe and drape story takes us from adaptation of classical text wtih Will Power to Youth at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, to a conference with the Government Alliance for Racial Equity, to the new stage adaptation of India Hill Brown's The Forgotten Girl at First Stage in Milwaukee. 

Find Jon Royal:

Actor Robert Hooghkirk shares his experience bringing literature, math, and science to students and families by way of the Chamber Theatre of Boston. The company has been touring for over 45 years, prioritizing the original written words of novelists and thinkers that are taught in schools throughout the country. Robert's pipe and drape story is filled with anecdotes about character building, truck driving, and life from the road!

Find Robert Hookghkirk:

Get in the car and cue up the tape player, we’re going on a drive. The summer is heating up so it’s time for a road trip, and in this Dinky episode I’m talking about getting behind the wheel. 

Music from this episode:

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" - Sunshine on Leith by The Proclaimers

In this episode, actor and teaching artist Leah Senseney shares how one audition at a theatre in Delaware led her make a life as a Philadelphia performer and teaching artist. She shares tales from several theatre for young audiences contracts, teaching artist positions, and what it's like to share a stage with her partner!

Find Leah Senseney:

Rebecca Russell shares her journey from University Interscholastic League, to vacation Bible school, to Off-Broadway. Rebecca is an actor and puppeteer who took on the sudden challenge of learning to assistant stage manage and swing a new show that would be her Off-Broadway debut in Rescue Rue—and she did it while living out of a suitcase. We cover everything from University Interscholastic League, to learning new skills on the job, to "zooming out!"

Find Rebecca Russell:

Actor/director/stage manager Ali Caiazzo takes us to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania for this pipe and drape story. Each summer, Ali returns to the summer theatre program of her childhood, Upper Darby Summer Stage, to lead dozens of magic-making young performers using the improv, puppetry, and management skills she picked up from working for Disney, Nickelodeon, and at the summer program itself! In addition to producing quality, affordable theatre for young audiences, Upper Darby Summer Stage is known for teaching its performers how to become fun, creative young adults who graduate from the program to become everything from politicians to professional actors. Listen to this pipe and drape story to learn about the ways Ali encourages individuality and positivity in every one of her productions.

Composer, music director, orchestrator, and choral conductor Deborah Wicks La Puma shares her pipe and drape story in this episode! During this conversation, Deborah shares stories about her musical background; writing process; collaborations with author and illustrator Mo Willems, the Kennedy Center, and HBO Max; and more! Join us to learn about the musician who is behind some of the most popular shows being produced today.

It’s been a big year! So I’m popping in with a Dinky summary of my 2022-2023 adventures before launching the third season of this podcast! I’m talking Theatre for Young Audiences/USA to Off Broadway.

All aboard! In this episode we’re going on a magic carpet on a rail that never takes a rest. Becki Zaritsky's pipe and drape story is about her experience as the stage manager and company manager of the Polar Express train ride experience.

Voting while away on contract takes some coordination, but it is possible and absolutely necessary! Every election season my hotel room becomes a social studies classroom as I research the candidates and policies I get to vote on. No election is too small!

This pipe and drape story is about one of the most challenging art forms in the field: marionette performance. Tyler B. Quick had just a few training sessions before putting his skills to the test in front of an audience of children at the Columbia Marionette Theatre in South Carolina, and he has been performing with marionettes ever since!

Check out Tyler's Puppet Stuff:

Philadelphia area teacher Peggy Fala incorporates nuance into her storytelling that captivates her students. She believes that honest storytelling and exposure to the arts are essential to the education of young minds. In this episode, Peggy covers the theatre for young audiences experience from the perspective of the teachers who bring their young students to see theatre.

It's been a couple of years since the theatre industry was ripped out from under us. I had to leave my theatre job with 48 hours notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and two years later I jumped back into the world of performing with 48 hours notice. In this dinky episode I share some things that I did during theatre's intermission, what it was like to return to the industry, and what I'm looking for in the next act of my career.

Sarah Philabaum is known throughout the regional theatre community as a multi-hyphenate and theatre podcast host. She had her first experience performing theatre for young audiences while earning her BFA at Shenandoah, and she has since gone on to direct, choreograph, teach, and perform for children and adults all over the country. In this episode, Sarah shares her experience creating theatre with student actors for young audiences in a theatrical training ground.

Chris Luner shares his duties as the production manager of Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas at the only Off-Broadway theatre dedicated to producing theatre for young audiences, The New Victory. Chris grew up with the desire to learn everything about the theatre business, and as a production manager he has been able to put his years of education to use by overseeing every department from a production's start to finish. In addition to working in production on and off Broadway, Chris Luner is the new artistic director of Upper Darby Summer Stage! Check out his work and the programs he oversees in Upper Darby by following the links below.

Click here to purchase tickets and learn more about the summer programs for kids and teens at Upper Darby Summer Stage:

Emmanuel's pipe and drape story covers the world of theatre from Shakespeare to children’s books while also literally covering the world. From his home in New York City to all of China, this jack-of-all trades performer has taken on new skills and cuisines while bringing theatre to everyone everywhere.

See Emmanuel in Disney's Winnie the Pooh at Theatre Row in NYC through July 24, 2022:

We’re kicking off Season 2 of Pipe and Drape with Broadway and Off-Broadway producer Sammy Lopez! Sammy started performing TYA at Syracuse University, and after devising shows and workshops for children in the Strand Bookstore and touring the country as a performer he began working behind the scenes to make theatre happen. Sammy shares his ongoing pipe and drape story about the work he is doing to create more equitable theatre, from the table of producers and board members to the faces audiences see on stage.

Check out more from guest Sammy Lopez

Back from the dead: it’s that dramatic theory lecture you probably forgot about. In this sixth dinky episode I’m applying the six Aristotelean elements of drama to theatre for young audiences. 

In this “dinky” episode I briefly talk about the presence of puppetry in theatre for young audiences and the impact it has had on my career as a performer.

In this “dinky” episode I talk about the special “work buddy” bond that happens on the road—tour marriage.

I talk a lot about my tour wife Dianne Kaye in this episode. You've probably seen her on billboards and television in the US, and she is currently back home in Australia living deliciously:

In this “dinky” episode I share a basic overview of my nutrition and fitness habits that help me do my best work while on tour!

This is the Season 1 finale of Pipe and Drape! Scott Duell helps me wrap up this first season with a conversation about A Christmas Carol. This story is not usually something that comes to mind as an example of a pipe and drape theatre for young audiences show, but a majority of children’s theatre performers will at some point do a version of it to close out the calendar year, and most likely in tour form. There are almost as many versions of this story as there are snowflakes, and multiple versions of this classic tour North America each year. The following pipe and drape story is a stone on Scott's path that led him from a career as a teaching artist and TYA performer to entering a Master’s program for music therapy. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out more from guest Scott Duell:

The following snowy tale from the Finger Lakes is about the crossover between theater education and the performance. Rusty Allen worked onstage and in elementary school classrooms to weave creative writing and folktales into the New York State curriculum. In this episode you will get an inside look at the life of an actor/stage manager touring theatre for young audiences with The Rev Theatre Company On Tour. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Rusty Allen's work:

Puppetry is a major part of theatre for young audiences, and in this episode Arlee shares stories from her journey as a dancer to a Henson and Tartaglia puppeteer and freelance puppet builder. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out more of guest Arlee Chadwick's work:

EMAIL:

PuppetsByArlee@gmail.com

YOUTUBE:

Annah's pipe and drape story is all about the hidden magic makers behind theatre for young audiences: Stage Managers. From rehearsals, to load-ins, to safety, and quick decision making, the stage management team is responsible for facilitating a smooth production. The difficulty of their duties is magnified in the fast-paced world of theatre for young audiences, and you’re about get to get the details. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out more of guest Annah Jacobs' work:

This is the second “dinky” episode of Pipe and Drape. In this dinky episode I give travel tips for young artists (or anyone) spending time on the road in the finest or not so finest m/hotels North America has to offer.

Jodi Snyder bridged the path from backyard games to performing in multiple shows Off-Broadway by touring children’s theatre out from a home base in New York City. In this episode you’ll hear all about theatre for young audiences from an Equity actor/assistant stage manager’s perspective. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Jodi Snyder's work:

This pipe and drape story focuses on the challenge of adapting short stories for children into an hour long, small cast musical. Marcus Stevens directed and co-wrote a massive collaboration between some of his favorite writers for a new theatre for young audiences show to tour out of New York City. You’ll find out all about the writing and creating process for TYA in this episode! If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Marcus Stevens' work:

“You’re gonna need a bigger VAN.” In this episode you will get a sneak peek at the behind the scenes action of big arena spectaculars. Brianna Nicole Hill shares her experience traveling and performing with a children’s theatre tour that is as big as they come. You’ll hear all about brand integrity, self-care, and arena life! If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the arena doing theatre for young audiences?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Brianna Nicole Hill's work:

This is Episode 5 and also it’s my birthday! Rather than Venmoing me $4,000, you can give me the gift of a review and rating on your podcast app, if APPlicable. Your stars and comments do something with the algorithm that helps future listeners find the show. Your gift would help me share these pipe and drape stories with a wide range of aspiring industry members, seasoned professionals, and curious people. If you are unable to rate and review, please share a Pipe and Drape episode with your loved ones, liked ones, or okay ones. I’m so grateful that I can celebrate another trip around the sun by bringing these fresh perspectives to you!

On this episode you’ll learn how Matt stretched into new roles while rehearsing Shakespeare alone in the woods and performing it in a barebones setting for a young audience. Yes. Performing Shakespeare for kids. Through broad, physical, vaudevillian-style comedy and an intense course of study, Matt opened a window into the world of Shakespeare. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Matt McWilliam's work:

This is the first “dinky” episode of Pipe and Drape. Every once in a while I will pop in with a short, “dinky,” episode to share information that is relevant to the topics that are discussed with my guests. In this dinky episode I briefly detail the process of signing up and participating in the theatre conferences that staff the theatre for young audiences industry in the United States.

Popular theatre conferences:

Holly Breuer shares the secrets behind the podcast’s namesake. Our conversation reveals the reasons many children’s theatre companies use a pipe and drape set model when touring shows out to their audiences. Holly bridged the gap between earning her MFA and entering the gig economy by transforming small, ordinary spaces into big extraordinary worlds for young audiences. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing theatre for young audiences?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Holly Breuer's work:

WEBSITE: https://www.hollymbreuer.com

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION: https://pipeanddrapestories.blogspot.com

Target has put out its Back-to-School campaign, which means it is time to discuss one of the first things that comes to mind when one hears “school assembly”: anti-bullying plays. Theatre or role-play are often hand-in-hand with education when it comes time for schools to address issues such as bullying. Bobby Montaniz shares his story from behind the pipe and drape setting of several plays used to combat bullying in schools in New York State. These plays have had a major impact on their audiences, and for this Long Island native, the experience of creating and performing these pieces was a huge stepping stone on his path to adulthood. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Bobby Montaniz's work:

On Episode 2, my guest Alison Liney shares her stories from running a small pipe and drape style show out to local schools, and how that led her to help create and tour a larger pipe and drape theatre for young audiences piece throughout the United States. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Alison Liney's work:

On this, the very first episode of the series, my guest Terrance Jackson breaks down the definition of a “pipe and drape” show (the most common type of setting in the theatre for young audiences industry) and his experience operating as half of a two-person branch of a large theatre company. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" you will find your answer in this episode!

Check out guest Terrance Jackson's work:

This is Pipe and Drape, the only podcast about the creative minds behind the theatre for young audiences industry. Actor Stephen Fala sits down with theatre for young audiences creators to discuss their path to adulthood while bringing theatre to children. If you ever asked yourself "Who are those people in the cafeteria doing children's theatre?" this is the podcast for you! New episodes every other Tuesday! 

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION: https://pipeanddrapestories.blogspot.com/2021/06/pipe-and-drape-series-trailer.html