Talk Theatre in Chicago

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Edward Hibbert, one of the stars from the Lyric Opera's production of The Sound of Music. He talks about his role in the show as well as his time on the hit TV show Frasier and his major Broadway credits.

The provocative title of Mike Bartlett's play, "Cock", refers to both sexuality and cock fighting. Profiles Theatre cast members Christopher Sheard, Jake Szczepaniak, Eleni Pappageorge and Torrey Hanson join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss sex on stage, acting without thinking and what an actor's friends should wear to a performance.

What are the pleasures and pitfalls of composing incidental music for a play? Chicago composers Christopher Kriz (multiple Jeff award nominee, including for his music for Lifeline Theatre's 2013 production of Pride and Prejudice) and Daniel Knox (Jeff-nominated for his music for Mary Arrchie's production of The Glass Menagerie), and actor/violinist Greg Hirte (incidental music for Piven Theatre's production of The Language Archive), join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their work.

What are the pleasures and pitfalls of composing incidental music for a play? Chicago composers Christopher Kriz (multiple Jeff award nominee, including for his music for Lifeline Theatre's 2013 production of Pride and Prejudice) and Daniel Knox (Jeff-nominated for his music for Mary Arrchie's production of The Glass Menagerie), and actor/violinist Greg Hirte (incidental music for Piven Theatre's production of The Language Archive), join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their work.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actress Amanda Drinkall. Amanda talks about her role in Venus In Fur at the Goodman Theatre and her acting career.

What makes a text suitable for the signature circus-infused style of Lookingglass Theatre? Director David Catlin and Acrobatic/ Circus Choreographer Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their production of The Little Prince, adapted from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's beloved classic by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Peter Oyloe, Jackie Intres and Christian Libonati. Christian talks about their latest show The Snow Queen, Jackie talks about the educational and community programs at the NW Side Chicago venue (Filament Theatre) and Peter talks about the new space and the plans for the near future for the venue.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with publicist Noreen Heron. Noreen talks about the roles of a publicist, her clients and her background in theatre beginning with the Candleight Theatre.

How -- and why -- would you tell the tragic story of the 1903 Iroquois Theatre disaster as a clown piece? Playwright/actor Jay Torrence and director Halena Kays join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss the development of their unlikely and haunting hit, Burning Bluebeard, which was originally created at The Neo-Futurists and is now being remounted by The Ruffians at Theatre Wit.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Chicgo Tribune critic Chris Jones about his book Bigger, Brighter, Louder: 150 Years of Chicago Theater As Seen By Chicago Tribune Critics. Chris talks about how and why he chose the 101 reviews in the book and he also gives advise to young critics.

What is it like to make a career in Chicago theatrical design? Scenery designer Angie Weber Miller and costume designer Emily Waecker -- both 2013 Equity Jeff Award winners -- join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their careers, their processes and their award-winning designs.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor David Lively. David talks about playing Horace in Hello, Dolly! at Drury Lane Oakbrook and also about his long career in musicals and classical theatre.

What are the special challenges of making theatre for a young audience? Why is "simple" difficult? Director Henry Godinez and actors Karl Hamilton and Mark David Kaplan join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss Chicago Children's Theatre's production of A Year with Frog and Toad, a family musical adapted by Robert Reale and Willie Reale from the children's books by Arnold Lobel.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Millicent Hurley Spencer, the star of The Trip to Bountiful at Raven Theatre. She talks about her preparation and execution of the role of Carrie Watts in the Horton Foote classic drama.

Is it necessary to say something new when you produce a classic text? Director Ron OJ Parson and actor Greta Oglesby join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their intimate production of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, which is currently playing at Timeline Theatre.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Walter Stearns - the Executive director of the Mercury Theater and the director of their current show, The Color Purple. He talks about the challenges of mounting an epic musical at his intimate theatre plus the upcoming shows at the Mercury.

For two decades, Michael Shannon and Guy Van Swearingen have been making theatre at 1531 N. Wells Street, the home of A Red Orchid Theatre. On this week's podcast, Guy and Michael join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their partnership of 20 years and their current collaboration in Sam Shepard's Simpatico.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Erik Gernand - the author of The Beautiful Dark at Redtwist Theatre. Erik explains how and why he chose his topic and how the creative process works for creating a new work for the theatre.

How do you make it funny? Director William Brown and cast members Laura Rook and Nate Burger join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the comedy - verbal, physical and situational - in Writers Theatre's production of David Ives play, The Liar, adapted from Pierre Corneille's 17th century script.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Chance Bone and Andrew Swanson. They talk about the process they used to co-write Jackalope Theatre's The Casuals playing at the Storefront Theater.

The prolific Cole Porter wrote nearly 900 songs. So if you set out to create an original revue of his work, where do you begin? And where do you end up? Theo Ubique Artistic Director Fred Anzevino and music director Aaron Benham join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their current revue, A Cole Porter Songbook.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Usman Ally, one of the stars of The Jungle Book at the Goodman Theatre. He talks about the collaborative process in creating a new musical.

The Q Brothers' hip-hop adaptation of Othello is bringing new audiences to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton, who helped develop Othello: The Remix, joins brothers GQ and JQ to discuss their work with Anne Nicholson Weber.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Mary Williamson and Peter Oyloe who star in Redtwist's Reverb. They talk about the physical fight combat and how intense the show is.

What is it like to make a life in the musical theatre? Elizabeth Lanza has been working in Chicago storefront theatre for several years and is now making her equity debut as Nellie in Marriott Theatre's South Pacific. Broadway veteran Stephen Buntrock plays her Emile. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the challenges and rewards of their collaboration and their careers.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Gene Weygandt - the star of Barnum. Gene talks all about playing PT Barnum and the production at the Mercury Theater. He also talks about his days in Wicked.

What does it mean to a playwright to be a member of an ensemble? Tarell Alvin McCraney joined the Steppenwolf ensemble in 2010 during the run of his trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays. He's back in Chicago for the world-premiere of his Steppenwolf-commissioned play, Head of Passes. He and Steppenwolf Artistic Director, Martha Lavey, join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their current collaboration and on-going relationship.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Gitta Jacobs, the producer of Theo Ubique's Smokey Joe's Cafe that is now remounted at the Royal George Theatre. She talks about shows she has produced and her 19 years on the Jeff Committee.

Transformation is both the subject and the central technique of Marie Jones' Stones in His Pockets, currently playing at Northlight Theatre. Director J.R. Sullivan and actors Brian Vaughn and David Ivers join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about how they created signature gestures and silhouettes to distinguish the 15 characters that Vaughn and Ivers play between them.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Lili-Anne Brown about her new show See What I Wanna See which is part of Steppenwolf's Grange Rep series. She also talks about Bailiwick Chicago.

How do designers and director work together to create a unified imaginative world? Director Devon de Mayo and lighting designer Heather Gilbert join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about staging Next Theatre's production of Everything Is Illuminated.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Alexis J Rogers who plays Billie Holiday in Porchight Music Theatre's production of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. She tells about how she studied Billie Holiday's life and singing style and how emotionally draining her role is. She also talks about her many roles in Chicago theatre.

How does a play get written? In particular, how does a verse play about two college English teachers lecturing on the poetry of William Blake to save their jobs after having public sex on the campus green get written? Mickle Maher joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the genesis of his play, There Is A Happiness That Morning Is, which is currently being remounted by Theater Oobleck at Victory Gardens; and about drafts and redrafts, writing in verse, and finding one's voice as a writer.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Debargo Sanyal the star of Disconnect at Victory Garden Theatre. He talks about the challenges of playing a young Indian debt collector and his career in TV and film.

Circle Theatre, resident in Forest Park and then Oak Park for over 25 years, has moved to Chicago with a remount of their acclaimed production of When the Rain Stops Falling, currently playing at the Greenhouse Theater. Cast members Anita Hoffman, Catherine Price-Griffin and Mary Redmon join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Australian playwright Andrew Bovell's fascinating play.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Doreen Feitelberg - a Jeff Committee member and freelance voice and dialect coach. She talks about the difference between accents and dialects and about why actor and directors need to use voice coaches.

How and why might a theatre start a two-way conversation with its audience beyond the traditional talk-back? Stuart Carden, Associate Artistic Director at Writers' Theatre, joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Writers' "The Making of" series.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Sirena Irwin who plays Lucy in the Broadway In Chicago production of I Love Lucy Live On Stage at the Broadway Playhouse. She talks about the daunting task of playing Lucy - the iconic comedian.

How do you cast a new light on a classic? Hans Fleischmann, director of Mary Arrchie's current hit production of Tennesse Williams' The Glass Menagerie, along with cast members Joanne Dubach and Walter Briggs, join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss Fleischmann's concept for the production, the avant garde elements of Williams' original conception of the play, how film inspired their staging and the challenges facing an actor/director.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with theatre critic Larry Boomer. Larry talks about his background reviewing plays and he talks about his favorite shows of 2012.

Seventeen years ago, actors Brad Armacost, Lia Mortensen and Si Osborne starred in a production of Brian Friel's Faith Healer that took Chicago by storm, running four months in a tiny storefront space and then joining the line-up in Steppenwolf's inaugural studio theatre series. They are remounting that production at The Den Theatre, again under the direction of J.R Sullivan, and join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Friel's tricky play and the return to a pivotal experience in their development as artists.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with John Reeger - the actor and the playwright of four musicals with the late Julie Shannon. He talks about The Christmas Schooner and how he and Julie collaborated to write musicals. He also talks about the memorial celebration of Julie Shannon's life and work.

The American Blues Theater has been presenting a version of It's a Wonderful Life: Live! at the Biograph every holiday season for the last eight years Four members of the cast -- Kevin R. Kelly, John Mohrlein, Gwendolyn Whiteside and Shawn J. Goudie.- join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the history of this perennial Chicago favorite, the style and aesthetic of the production, how Foley Artist Shawn Goudie creates the sound effects, and some of the extras -- carol singing, live jingles for local businesses, and "audiograms" -- that contribute to the show's warm, community spirit.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Nick Sandys -- the artistic director at Remy Bumppos think theatre. Nick talks about their new show You Never Can Tell as well as Remy Bumppo and the mission of the theatre company.

What's it like to reprise a role you first played 14 years ago? Lookingglass actors Raymond Fox, Doug Hara and Louise Lamson join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their long association with Mary Zimmerman's play Metamorphoses, how to keep a performance alive and fresh over a long run, and how their performances have changed over time.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Anthony Freud - the General Director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He talks about his background, the current Lyric opera season and his vision for the future of the Lyric Opera.

Education and outreach are a big part of what many Chicago theatres do. Three leaders in this field -- Hallie Gordon (Artistic and Education Director For Young Adults at Steppenwolf Theatre), Marilyn Halperin (Director of Education and Communications at Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Nicole O'Connell (Director of Education at Writers Theatre) -- join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss how and why their theatres are reaching out to teachers and students in the Chicago public schools.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with TaRon Patton, the director of Bulrusher by Congo Square Theatre. She talks about Bulrusher and the upcoming shows at Congo Square Theatre.

How and why do you put science on stage? This week's podcast features two of the artists involved with the production of Peter Parnell's QED, currently being produced by theatre4humanity and Collaboraction. Rob Riley plays physicist Richard Feynman in the show; Matthew Grayson designed the sound and graphics. Matt is also a professor of engineering at Northwestern University where he produced an earlier incarnation of this production as part of an annual series of plays about science. Rob and Matt join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Feynman, left- and right-brain creativity, and the creative combustion that results when artists and scientists collaborate.

What lies behind the art of singing Stephen Sondheim's music? Carmen Cusack and Jason Danieley join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about what they've learned about Sondheim's music performing the lead roles in Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's current production of Sunday in the Park with George.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Jackie Taylor from Black Ensemble Theater - she talks about what the fine job Rueben Echoles did with One Name Onlyand also talked about her company's mission and the future of the Black Ensemble Theater.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Jeremy Ramey- the music director for Theo Ubique's Smokey Joe's Cafe and Jeff Award winner for Light in the Pizza- he talks about the challengers of music direction as well as being a conductor/musician and his career from child protege to Doctorate from Juilliard School of Music.

Why is Edward Albee's writing like Shakespeare? Why is an Albee script like a musical score? Why are Albee lines so hard to learn? On this week's podcast, Anne Nicholson Weber is joined by actors Patrick Clear and Annabel Armour and director Nick Sandys to talk about Remy Bumppo's current production of Seascape and the lessons they've learned about how to perform Albee's work.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Larry Adams who plays the lead in 42nd Street at Theatre At The Center in Munster. He talks about the show as well as his long career as a leading song and dance performer in Chicago.

This week's podcast features director Jennifer Green and stage manager Jessica Forella, who join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their experiences working with the young cast of Piven Theatre Workshop's current production of Tusk Tusk by Polly Stenham -- how they went about working on adult materials with child actors, how the processes of casting and rehearsing differ, and why they got better at their jobs doing this show.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Bill Larkin who plays Edward Kleban in Porchlight Music Theatre's production of A Class Act.

Our podcast this week focuses on Cor Theatre's inaugural production of Skin Tight by Gary Henderson. Joining us to talk about the show and the company are Victoria Deiorio (Co-Founder, Director), Tosha Fowler (Co-Founder, cast member), Scott Cummins (Fight Director) and Julia Neary (Fight Director / Movement). They talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about the physicality of the piece, including the metaphorical uses of movement, how a fight is choreographed to tell a story, and how actors depicting lovers become comfortable with physical intimacy on stage.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Marilyn Eisenberg. She talks about her life changing experiences after seeing musical theatre as well as her favorite theate companies in the Chicago area.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Stan Klein--the actor and co-star of Nickel History with Tony Fitzpatrick talks about his show and about how he created Firecat Projects in Chicago that is a home for artists to show their creations with being charged any fees.

This week's podcast focuses on Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's new initative to take their production of The Taming of the Shrew into Chicago's neighborhood parks. Director of Production Chris Plevin and cast members Ericka Ratcliff (Kate) and Matt Mueller (Petruchio) join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the challeges and rewards of producing Shakespeare outside in broad daylight for audiences in neighborhoods around the city.

On this week's podcast, we air Part 2 of a two-part series focusing on the recently disbanded company, New Leaf Theatre. Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, Managing Director Eleanor Hyde, resident scenic designer Michelle Lilly, and resident sound designer Nick Keenan join Anne Nicholson Weber to discss their decision to disband the company, choices they might make differently in hindsight, and some interesting new models for producing store-front theatre in this city.

On this week's podcast, we air Part 1 of a two-part series focusing on the recently disbanded company, New Leaf Theatre. This week in Part 1, Artistic Director Jessica Hutchinson, Managing Director Eleanor Hyde, resident scenic designer Michelle Lilly, and resident sound designer Nick Keenan join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about New Leaf's history, culture and successes. Next week, we will conclude the conversation with Part 2, the story of the ensemble's decision to disband the company at the end of the run of their most recent show, a critcially-acclaimed production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Tony Fitzpatrick- the author, playwright, artist, actor who is staring in Nickel History: The Nation of Heat at the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre--he talks about the entire trilogy that included The Train and Stations Lost and he recalls Studs Terkel--his mentor.

Our guests on this week's podcast are Monty Cole and Brian Loevner, two of the three members of the Chicago Commercial Collective -- a new entity in town that plans to produce commercial remounts of non-profit shows that would otherwise "close too soon." Monty and Brian talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about the genesis of the collective, their plans for the future, and their inaugural production -- a remount of Keith Huff's A Steady Rain, which the collective is producing in association with Chicago Dramatists where the show was originally developed and premiered.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Danielle Brothers who is appearing in Theo Ubique's Time After Time, the Julie Styne revue. She talks about her singing style and how much the audience motivates her singing.

On this week's podcast, Anne Nicholson Weber interviews composer Andre Pluess and book writer and lyricist Andy White about their new musical, Eastland, which is currently being premiered at Lookingglass Theatre. They explain the process of developing the piece, its roots in Chicago history, and the nature of their collaboration.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Alison Kelly who runs the Chicago Folks Operetta company along with her husband. They have two operettas running- The Cousin from Nowhere and The Circus Princess. Alison talks about the shows and why they do German/Viennese operettas.

This week's podcast interview focuses on the production of Joanthan Larson's Rent, which is currently playing at American Theatre Company, co-produced by About Face Theatre. Director David Cromer and cast members Derrick Trumbly (Roger) and Eduardo Placer (Angel) talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about Cromer's re-examination of the iconic show and reconfiguration of the ATC space, Trumbly's performance of "One Song Glory" and Placer's experience learning a role in four days to step into a production that had already opened.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Adam Whiteman, the playwright/composer of Music Mad, How Chief O' Neill Saved the Soul of Ireland which is now playing at Chief O'neill's Pub.

This week's podcast features actors Mike Nussbaum and Coburn Goss, who are currently playing in Mark St. Germain's two-hander, Freud's Last Session, at The Mercury Theatre. Anne Nicholson Weber talks to Mike and Coburn about the challenges of playing historical figures Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, of taking over the roles from the New York actors who opened the production here in Chicago, the response of the audience to this play of ideas, and observations on the art of acting.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Peter Oyloe who stars in Filament Theatre Ensemble's Hank Williams: Lost Highway. He talks about the show, why the theatre ensemble chose to do it, and he also performs some musical samples from the show.

This week's podcast features three members of the cast of A Little Night Music currently playing at Writers' Theatre. Shannon Cochran, Deanna Dunagan and Tiffany Scott join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the developmental phases of an actress' career and the challenges and joys of playing a scaled-down, intimate version of Sondheim's masterpiece.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actress Kate Arrington. She talks about her current show The Iceman Cometh, which is playing at the Goodman Theatre, as well as her acting career.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with playwright Neil LaBute. He talks about his show, In A Forest, Dark and Deep which is currently playing at the Profiles Theatre as well as his creative process.

Our podcast guests are Mark Messing, composer, and Mickle Maher, playwright and one of the founders of Theatre Oobleck. They talk with Anne Nicholson Weber about their original chamber opera, The Hunchback Variations; about the rationale behind Theatre Oobleck's distinctive process of working without a director; and about serendipity in art.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Charles Newell, the artistic director at Court Theatre and the director of their current show Angels in America. He talks about the show as well as his career.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Frank Galati who adapted and directed The March which is currently playing at the Steppenwolf Theatre. He talks about the show as well as his career.

Our guests on this week's podcast are director Eric Hoff and fight choreographer Ryan Bourque. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss the development and staging of Ike Holter's new play, Hit the Wall, currently being performed by The Inconvenience as part of the Steppenwolf Garage series -- the challenges of creating a convincing riot on stage using only 10 actors; underscoring a stage fight without turning it into a dance; and their exploration of gender and period setting through movement.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with actor Brad Armacost who is currently in Seanachai Theatre Company's A Moon For the Misbegotton which is playing at the Irish American Heritage Center. He talks about the production and his amazing career in Chicago.

This week's podcast features director Greg Kolack and ensemble member Matt Babbs, who join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Redtwist Theatre's production of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later -- how the project came to be, their approach to documentary theatre, Greg's experiences interviewing some of the subjects of the play, and Redtwist's simultaneous production of a fully-staged reading of the original The Laramie Project.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Jack Zimmerman, the PR manager for the Lyric Opera of Chicago and a storyteller with a CD "The Gift." Jack talks of why he is a storyteller with personal stories about growing up on Chicago's South Side.

This week's podcast focuses on Raven Theatre's production of Arthur Miller's The Price. Director Michael Menendian and ensemble member Chuck Spencer join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the challenges of producing Miller, the uses of a crowded set and the universality of the play's theme.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Heather Beck who plays Patsy Cline in Always...Patsy Cline at the Theatre at the Center in Munster. She talks the show as well as life on a cruise ship as a singer.

This week's podcast focuses on the Idle Muse Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's R and J, which is currently playing at The Side Project. Director Tristan Brandon and cast members Curtis Jackson and Andrew Lund join host Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about their approach to the verse and how it was affected by the adaptor's conceit that the play is being performed by four school boys; and also about the casting process and how a newly-arrived actor integrates into the Chicago theatre scene.

This week on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast Tom Williams talks with Nathan Gunn, the opera baritone staring in Show Boat at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He talks about his career and the challenges of moving from opera to a Broadway show and back.

This week's guests on the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast are Dawn Gray of Gray Talent Group and Becca Knights of Simon Casting. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to share an insider's perspective on what they're looking for in an actor, why Chicago theatre and improv credentials can lead to film, television or commercial work, and how an actor in Chicago can make a balanced career.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Dennis Watkins from the House Theatre who is currently starring in Death and Harry Houdini which is playing at the Chopin Theatre. He talks about the show and his magic.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with actor Patrick Clear who is currently appearing in Race at the Goodman Theatre. He talks about the play as well as his long career.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Jon Steinhagen. He talks about his two latest shows to play in Chicago, Blizzard '67 and Dating Walter Dante.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Ben Fuchsen, the Executive Producer of Oracle Productions and Brad Jayhan-Little, the Executive Director. They explain their innovative Theatre Public Access Program that includes free tickets for all Oracle theatre productions among other sponsoring techniques.

This week's podcast features Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton, the Doyle and Debbie of the Doyle and Debbie Show, which is currently playing at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about Bruce's process as writer and lyricist, the impulse for the show, and how Bruce and Jenny came together almost six years ago to debut this country music satire.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Joe Stead about how and why he started his theatre review website in 2000 and about the rise of the internet as a reviewing forum.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Dennis Polkow, a writer from New City and other publications. He talks about the Chicago music scene including opera and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Our guests on this week's podcast are David Rosenberg, Communications Director at Steppenwolf Theatre, and Cathy Taylor, of Cathy Taylor PR. They join Anne Nicholson Weber to explain the role of the publicist, their relationship to an ever-evolving press, and how they help a show find its audience.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Gwendolyn Whiteside, the producing artistic director of American Blues Theater. She talks their current show, It's It's A Wonderful Life: Live At The Biograph, and the ABT's history and what they have coming.

This week on the TalkTheatreinChicago podcast, actor Steve Pickering and director Matt Miller join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their production of Conor McPherson's St. Nicholas currently running at the Irish American Heritage Center under the auspices of Seanachai Theatre and Shanghai Low Theatricals. They talk about McPherson's sensibility and the unique challenges of this one-man show.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Timothy Edward Kane from An Iliad at Court Theatre. Kane talks about the challenges of doing a one person show about Homer's Iliad.

Our podcast this week features Greg Allen, founding director of The Neo-Futurists, and Bilal Dardai, one of the ensemble members. They take Anne Nicholson Weber through the history of the company that has been playing Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind for 23 years and explain its unique aesthetic and methodology.

On this week's episode of the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast, Tom Williams talks with Hershey Felder about his new one-man show, Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein which is currently playing at the Royal George Theatre.