As You Mic It

By Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

AS YOU MIC IT explores the gorgeous anthology of Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Each 15–40 minute episode delves into the topics of themes, characters, productions and historical contexts. AS YOU ... more

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FAQs about As You Mic It:

How many episodes does As You Mic It have?

The podcast currently has 19 episodes available.

As You Mic It episodes:

July 11, 2025 Episode 13 - In the Spotlight with the Rep
As You Mic It: In the Spotlight shines the light on this season’s repertory productions of Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Artistic Director Jason King Jones sits down with Biko Eisen-Martin (Hamlet), and David Pica and Pepin (Laertes and Ophelia) to discuss Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy as a profound exploration of grief, revenge, and the boundaries between madness and clarity. Join us for a compelling conversation about their creative paths, insights into these beloved characters, and why Hamlet continues to captivate audiences today.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude to Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Research Links
Mentioned in this episode:
Prepare Yourself
Prepare yourself for some Drama
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
1h 3min
July 04, 2025Episode 12 - Live from Community Day!
We’re taking the show right into the heart of our community! Recorded in front of a live audience during Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s annual Community Day, this special episode of As You Mic It: In the Spotlight celebrates the people, programs, and performers that make our summer season so extraordinary.
In Act 1, we shine a light on the PSF Summer Education Initiative, featuring two of this year’s inspiring educator participants. Act 2 brings together 2025 performers and Friends of the Festival, Grace Gonglewski, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh, Sean Close, and Isaiah Stanley, for a spirited conversation about art, ensemble, and returning to PSF summer after summer. In Act 3, we close with A Peek Behind the Curtain, testing audience knowledge and sharing behind-the-scenes trivia from the season.
It’s a celebration of connection, creativity, and community and we’re so glad you’re here for it.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude for Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Tickets for A Raisin In The Sun
Tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Tickets for Hamlet
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour - Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival - The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is the centerpiece of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s educational programming. Schedule your school for the Fall 2025 tour of The Scottish Play.
Support PSF by donating today - Here are just a few examples of the many ways you can support the Festival:
Donate through your retirement account and designate your Required Minimum Distribution as a tax-free gift to PSF.
Set-up a planned gift to PSF through your will or estate plan.
Many companies match charitable donations made by their employees and, in some cases, also retirees. Contact your employer to determine if your contribution is eligible for a match!
Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
47min
June 27, 2025Episode 11 - In the Spotlight with A Raisin In The Sun
As You Mic It: In the Spotlight shines the light on this season's production of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. It's a powerful American masterwork of dreams, dignity, and generational resilience. Jason King Jones sits down with Brandon Burton and Noelle Dianne Johnson, who portray Walter Lee and Ruth Younger, for a conversation about family, legacy, and what this iconic play still has to say to audiences today.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude for Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Historical Context of A Raisin in the Sun | Chicago Public Library
Tickets for A Raisin In The Sun
Harlem | The Poetry Foundation - The title of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun was borrowed from Langston Hughes’s poem, “Harlem," sharing the story of the deferred dreams of the Younger family.

Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
51min
June 20, 2025Episode 10 - In the Spotlight with The Producers!
Big laughs and even bigger personalities take center stage in this episode of As You Mic It: In the Spotlight! Artistic Director Jason King Jones sits down with director Jennifer Childs to talk about staging Mel Brooks’ outrageous musical comedy The Producers at PSF. Then, Associate Producer Connie Behringer catches up with Scott Greer and Michael Doherty—our fearless Max and Leo—for a behind-the-scenes look at the chemistry, chaos, and comedic timing it takes to pull off this Broadway classic.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude for Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Tickets for The Producers!
Calendar: Prologues, Talkbacks, and more
1812 Productions - 1812 Productions is dedicated to creating theatrical works of comedy and comedic works of theater that explore and celebrate our sense of community, our history, and our humanity. Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Jennifer Childs joins us for Episode 4.

Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Prepare Yourself
Prepare yourself for some Drama
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
1h
June 13, 2025Prologue - Timon of Athens
Get primed for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 Undiscovered Countries Season with our Prologue mini-episodes. In this installment, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Kim Carson unpacks Timon of Athens, Shakespeare’s biting exploration of friendship, generosity, and betrayal. As part of our Extreme Shakespeare series, this production leans into original practices: no director, no designers, just a fearless ensemble of actors diving headfirst into the text. It’s raw, fast, and deeply human. It's an unpredictable journey into the heart of generosity and the cost of betrayal.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude to Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Tickets for Timon of Athens
Calendar: Prologues, Talkbacks, and more
Support PSF by donating today - Here are just a few examples of the many ways you can support the Festival:
Donate through your retirement account and designate your Required Minimum Distribution as a tax-free gift to PSF.
Set-up a planned gift to PSF through your will or estate plan.
Many companies match charitable donations made by their employees and, in some cases, also retirees. Contact your employer to determine if your contribution is eligible for a match!
Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
14min
June 09, 2025Episode 9 - In the Spotlight with Much Ado About Nothing
The Bard hits the road in this episode of As You Mic It: In the Spotlight! Connie Behringer talks with Jason King Jones about PSF’s Play On! Community Tour of Much Ado About Nothing, the lively, family-friendly Shakespeare comedy. Then, Jason chats with India Proffit and Ryan Plunkett, our Beatrice and Benedick, about bringing wit, romance, and Shakespearean banter to parks and public spaces across the Lehigh Valley.
Send your questions for our up coming AMA to  [email protected].
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude for Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
"Play On!" Community Tour Schedule - Don't miss your chance to see our free summer tour!
Support PSF by donating today
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour - Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival - The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is the centerpiece of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s educational programming. Schedule your school for the Fall 2025 tour of The Scottish Play.

Mentioned in this episode:
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
Prepare Yourself
Prepare yourself for some Drama
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
...more
37min
June 06, 2025Prologue - Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead
Get primed for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 Undiscovered Countries Season with our Prologue mini-episodes. In this installment, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Kim Carson, guides us through the absurdist adventures, existential quandaries, and comedic pitfalls awaiting Shakespeare’s most famously sidelined duo in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, a playful dive into identity, fate, and the uncertainties hidden between the lines of Hamlet.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude to Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Calendar: Prologues, Talkbacks, and more
Tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Tickets for Hamlet
Support PSF by donating today - Here are just a few examples of the many ways you can support the Festival:
Donate through your retirement account and designate your Required Minimum Distribution as a tax-free gift to PSF.
Set-up a planned gift to PSF through your will or estate plan.
Many companies match charitable donations made by their employees and, in some cases, also retirees. Contact your employer to determine if your contribution is eligible for a match!
Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
14min
May 31, 2025Episode 8: In the Spotlight with Alex Bechtel
Ready to dive into something epic? In this special bonus episode of As You Mic It: In the Spotlight, we’re pulling back the curtain with the brilliant mind behind Penelope—composer and creator Alex Bechtel. Get the inside scoop on how a Greek myth became a bold new musical packed with heart, humor, and haunting melodies. Penelope opens May 30 at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. It's a short run, so don’t miss your chance to experience this unforgettable journey.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude to Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Mentioned: Mary Oliver (I go down to the shore)
Mentioned: Penelopiad
Mentioned: Madeline Miller - Circe
Penelope - Album by Alex Bechtel | Spotify - Take a listen to the haunting music of Penelope.
Penelope - Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival - One Woman. One Mic. One Epic Night with PENELOPE.
A Co-production with Theatre Horizon
Music and Lyrics by Alex Bechtel
Book by Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean, and Eva Steinmetz
Directed by Eva Steinmetz
May 28 to June 8 | Schubert Theatre
No more waiting in the wings—Penelope takes center stage, and she’s got some things to say. With bourbon in hand, she grabs the mic to deliver her side of the story, recounting her twenty-year wait on the small island of Ithaca while her husband, Odysseus, was off playing hero.
This witty musical flips the script on the dutiful wife history wants you to believe in—Penelope’s done being a footnote in her husband’s epic; this time, she’s writing her own odyssey. With soulful songs, razor-sharp storytelling, and an onstage band doubling as her modern-day Greek chorus, Penelope transforms the tale you thought you knew into a solo cabaret act like no other. It’s raw, fiery, and fiercely original as she steps out of the shadows to set the record straight, and she’s not holding back.
This isn’t just a retelling; it’s a revolution.
Running Time: Approximately 70 minutes, with no intermission.
Content Advisory: Contains mild adult language and themes.
Recommended Age: 13+
Support PSF by donating today

Mentioned in this episode:
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
...more
38min
May 30, 2025Prologue - Hamlet
Get primed for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 “Undiscovered Countries” season with our Prologue mini-episodes. In this installment, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Kim Carson, guides us through the ghostly encounters, existential questions, and the delicate line between madness and truth in Hamlet, Shakespeare’s timeless exploration of fate, identity, and the shadowy paths of revenge.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude to Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Calendar: Prologues, Talkbacks, and more
Tickets for Hamlet
Support PSF by donating today

Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
24min
May 23, 2025Prologue - A Raisin In The Sun
Get primed for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 “Undiscovered Countries” season with our Prologue mini-episodes. In this installment, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Kim Carson, walks us through the dreams deferred, generational tensions, and hard-won hopes at the heart of A Raisin in the Sun, a powerful journey into the uncharted territories of identity, legacy, and home.
Special Thanks:
Much gratitude for Chuck Gloman, Jarret Brown, and all of DeSales University for helping us launch this podcast journey.
Stay Connected:
Follow As You Mic It and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on social media for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting festival updates.
Tickets for A Raisin In The Sun
Support PSF by donating today
Harlem | The Poetry Foundation - The title of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun was borrowed from Langston Hughes’s poem, “Harlem," sharing the story of the deferred dreams of the Younger family.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival - Discover the exciting 2025 Summer Theatre Series!

Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Support PSF today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Collaboration makes great theatre, both onstage and off. Become an underwriter of As You Mic It! Contact [email protected] for more information.
...more
11min

FAQs about As You Mic It:

How many episodes does As You Mic It have?

The podcast currently has 19 episodes available.