Spotlight: The American Stage Podcast

Join American Stage Producing Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, as he has a conversation with leading actor Alex DeLeo about his role as Ren McCormack in Footloose. Alex shares his experience coming back to the stage after an ankle injury and how this connects him to the character. 

Join American Stage Producing Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, as he has a conversation with stars of the stage and screen Phyllis Yvonne Stickney and Jennifer Leigh Warren to discuss their careers and current roles in "School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play."

Join American Stage Producing Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, as he has a holiday conversation with the production team of American Stage's 80s punk twist on Tom Mula's "Jacob Marely's Christmas Carol." Assistant Director Hannah Hockman, Sound Designer Paul Edward Wilt, and Set and Lighting Designer Phillip Franck share insights about the power of redemption and how they took this classic Christmas story and gave it a punk spin. Come see American Stage’s production of "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol" running from December 8 – January 2, 2022! For more information visit: www.americanstage.org

Join American Stage Producing Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, as he has a soul-stirring conversation with guest director of our revival of the hilarious,  Tony Award Winning Comedy The Odd Couple, Adam Mace, and leading man, Michael Burgess, who plays the iconic character, Felix Unger. They share insights about the power of comedy in our world today and how representation in the American Theatre matters. Come see American Stage’s production of The Odd Couple running from October 29 – November 21! For more information visit: www.americanstage.org

American Stage's Associate Artistic Director Kristin Clippard speaks with Josh Odsess-Rubin and Kiara Hines about playing Romeo and Juliet in our return to live performances. This tragedy gets a new happy ending, and the actors share their insight into why this story and these characters still enthrall us today. Romeo and Juliet in America play at Williams Park in downtown St. Petersburg July 21 - August 1, 2021.

Associate Artistic Director Kristin Clippard interviews director Ted Lange and actor L. Peter Callender about their working relationship, personal connections and building the production. Ted and Peter talk about Louis Armstrong and how Satchmo's story informs their own.

A conversation moderated by Associate Artistic Director Kristin Clippard featuring this year's playwrights: Amber Palmer, Cris Eli Blak, Meghan Maugeri, and Arlene Hutton. The playwrights discuss their plays, their writing style and career paths, as well as their dreams for the future of theater.

A conversation moderated by CEO/Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Gularte featuring April Lott, CEO of Directions for Living; Donna Sicilian, LCSW, EdS, Executive Director, Student Services of Pinellas County Schools; Beth Houghton, Executive Director of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County; Jeff Undestad, Chief of Police of the Largo Police Department; and Reverend Kenneth Irby, Pastor, Bethel AME Church discussing the state of mental health in our community, including the sharing of resources, and an examination of how we can work to destigmatize mental illness.

NOSOTROS LA GENTE is a new commissioned play by Jerry Montoya, and features actors Diana Garle and Daniel Llaca. Associate Artistic Director and Co-Director of the play, Kristin Clippard, talks with this real life couple about the age of digital theater, an unorthodox creative process, and the beauty of building a life in the desert of California. In this episode, listeners will get a behind-the-scenes glance at this new play. NOSOTROS LA GENTE is available to stream, December 4 - 20, 2020.

American Stage's second digital production is Kate: The Unexamined Life of Katharine Hepburn by Rick Foster and performed by the indomitable Janis Stevens. Associate Artistic Director Kristin Clippard talks with Janis about how the show came to be and what it's been like to play an iconic celebrity.

This episode, hosted by Associate Artistic Director Kristin Clippard, features a discussion with the playwright and cast of LETTERS TO KAMALA by Rachel Lynett.  The conversation takes a deeper look into this new piece of theater, the historical figures therein, and the democratic voting process. Special guests include playwright Rachel Lynett, and cast, Renata Eastlick, Dee Selmore and Mia Tagano. Watch the virtual performance of LETTERS TO KAMALA available October 21-November 8. 

In this series American Stage's CEO/Producing Artistic Director, Stephanie Gularte, meets with our virtual community to discuss live theatre during the pandemic and beyond. In today's episode, Stephanie is joined by American Stage’s Director of Education and Outreach, Tiffany Ford, and Jeanne Reynolds, the Performing Arts Specialist for Pinellas County Schools, to talk about the value of arts education experiences and the challenges & opportunities in delivering arts experiences to young people during the pandemic.  Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

This episode is the final installment of Virtual New Shorts. It features excerpts from HEAR ME ROAR by Jennifer Blackmer and REAL AMERICAN DINNER PARTY by Jen Silverman, followed by a conversation that takes a deeper dive with the playwrights into why they wrote these pieces and the exciting, challenging and dynamic world of live virtual theater.  These shorts were directed by Tiffany Ford and performed by Janis Stevens, Renata Eastlick, Rose Hahn, Kate Berg, Alicia Thomas, Jovon Jacobs, and Jim Sorenson. Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

In this series American Stage's CEO/Producing Artistic Director, Stephanie Gularte, meets with our virtual community to discuss live theatre during the pandemic and beyond.  In this conversation Stephanie is joined by AS's 2019-2020 apprentices (Alyssa Baumgardner, Kianna Jackson, Skye Lindberg, John Perez, Lyle Sweppenheiser) for a conversation about how the current realities in our world are informing the priorities of our emerging theatre professionals. How will these young artists, arts educators and arts leaders use their experiences in the present moment to shape the future of live theatre?  Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

This series features our July Virtual Stage series of New Shorts.  This episode features excerpts from PICK ME UP by Rachel Lynett and INDELIBLE by John Bavoso, followed by a conversation that takes a deeper dive with the playwrights into why they wrote these pieces and the exciting, challenging and dynamic world of live virtual theater.  These shorts were directed by Brian Balcom and performed by Ben Ismail, Xavier Reyes, Kara Sotakoun, Jessica Moraton.  Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

This series features our July Virtual Stage series of New Shorts.  This episode features excerpts from THREE RINGS, NO DIAMONDS by D.W. Gregory and YOUR SONG REMAINS THE SAME OLD SONG SUNG BLUE by Hal Borden, followed by a conversation that takes a deeper dive with the playwrights into why they wrote these pieces and the exciting challenging and dynamic world of live virtual theater.  These shorts were directed by Benjamin Ismail and performed by Imani Mitchell, Brock Vickers, and John Perez. Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

In this series American Stage's CEO/Producing Artistic Director, Stephanie Gularte, meets with our virtual community to discuss live theatre during the pandemic and beyond. In this conversation Stephanie is joined by Robyn Rusignuolo, American Stage's Board Chair to discuss the priorities and strategies of the American Stage Board of Trustees during this time of incredible change for live theatre. Join us for our live creative conversations every other Monday in July and August at 6pm. Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart 

This new series will feature our New Summer Shorts series, where each Thursday in July at 8pm, we bring you trivia and cocktail recipes pre-show and a performance of 2 short pieces of theater, followed by a chat back with the playwrights and cast.  Today’s episode features excerpts from THE MAGICIANS USED TO GO HERE by Emily Dendinger and SURVIVAL STRATEGY by Donna Hoke, followed by a conversation that takes a deeper dive with the playwrights into why they wrote these pieces and the exciting, challenging and dynamic world of live virtual theater. These shorts were directed by L. Peter Callender and performed by Josh Odsess-Rubin and Margee Sapowsky.   Audio production: Sadie Lockhart 

This new series will feature our New Summer Shorts series, where each Thursday in July at 8pm, we bring you trivia and cocktail recipes pre-show and a performance of 2 short pieces of theater, followed by a chat back with the playwrights and cast.  Today’s episode features excerpts from FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Rick Rubin  and YOU’RE OUT! by Deborah Zoe Laufer, followed by a conversation that takes a deeper dive with the playwrights into why they wrote these pieces and the exciting, challenging and dynamic world of live virtual theater. These shorts were directed by Kristin Clippard and performed by Matt Acquard and Sadie Lockhart.   Audio production: Sadie Lockhart 

This is the final installment of our June Shakespeare Lite series.  This episode is all about Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, as performed on American Stage's virtual stage. In this episode you will hear from the director L. Peter Callender, a performer from the production, Camille Upshaw , the prologue delivered before the performance by Skye Lindberg, a scene  from the performance itself, and the chat back conversation with the cast.   Audio Production: Sadie Lockhart