As You Mic It

By Pennsylvania Shakespeare FestivalEducation Arts Books Performing Arts

As You Mic It episodes

November 10, 2025S2E2 - Shakespeare and the American Experience
PA Shakespeare Festival continues its second season of As You Mic It with a conversation that explores Shakespeare as "America's Playwright."
In this episode, hosts Jason King Jones, Kim Carson, and Connie Behringer reflect on the role of theatre in the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary and how Shakespeare’s work continues to shape our understanding of democracy, identity, and community.
Later in the episode, JKJ sits with author and scholar James Shapiro, whose books Shakespeare in a Divided America and The Playbook examine how the Bard’s voice has echoed through centuries of American history. Together, they consider why Shakespeare still matters to audiences today and what his legacy means in defining the American experience.
In A Peek Behind the Curtain, the team shares a behind-the-scenes look at PSF’s casting process that brings the Festival’s Legends and Legacy theme to life.
Hosted by: Jason King Jones, Connie Behringer, and Kim Carson
Featuring: James Shapiro
(Producer's Note: This episode was recorded prior to the passing of former Vice President Dick Cheney. In conversation with James Shapiro, Mr. Cheney is referenced in connection to his readership and engagement with Shakespearean scholarship. We’ve chosen to maintain the reference in this episode and extend our respect to Mr. Cheney’s family.)
Twelfth Night | Great Performances | PBS
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James Shapiro

Mentioned in this episode:
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Join us at the Bard and Beyond Book Club
For more details, visit pashakespeare.org/bookclub
Be a Maker of Theatre
Support PSF: https://pashakespeare.org/support/
1 hr 12 min
October 27, 2025S2E1 - The Enduring Legacy of WillPower
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival launches its 35th season and the second season of As You Mic It!
Join Artistic Director Jason King Jones WillPower actors David Andrew Laws, Darin "Frankie" Earl II, and Arrianna Daniels for a conversation about performing Shakespeare for thousands of students each fall. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of PSF’s WillPower Tour, they share stories from the road, and explore what it means to bring professional theatre to audiences experiencing Shakespeare for the very first time.
Hosted by Jason King Jones, Connie Behringer, and Kim Carson, this episode celebrates the artistry, education, and enduring legacy that define PSF’s 35th season, Legends and Legacy.
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.
Follow Arrianna Daniels
Follow Darin Frankie Earl
Follow David Andrew Laws

Mentioned in this episode:
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Join the Bard and Beyond Book Club!
For more details, visit pashakepeare.org/bookclub
1 hr 31 min
August 02, 2025 Episode 16 - In the Spotlight with our 2025 Season
As the curtain falls on another unforgettable summer, the hosts Jason King Jones, Kim Carson, and Connie Behringer gather around the mic for a warm, reflective, and joy-filled season wrap-up. From moving performances and behind the stage memories, this episode revisits favorite moments on stage and off, and celebrates the artists and audiences who made it all possible.
Whether you joined us in the theater, in the park, or from afar, this conversation is a love letter to the power of live storytelling and the creative community that makes it thrive. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be part of a summer theatre festival, this episode is a backstage pass to the heart of it all.
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 in this episode:
Prepare Yourself for Some Drama!
Get tickets now at pashakespeare.org or by calling our box office at 610.282.9455!
Be a Maker of Theatre
Support PSF: https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Prepare Yourself for Some Drama!
Get tickets now at pashakespeare.org or by calling our box office at 610.282.9455!
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
55 min
July 26, 2025Episode 15 - In the Spotlight with Timon of Athens and S4K
As You Mic It: In the Spotlight goes behind the scenes of two uniquely PSF productions in the 2025 Summer Theatre Series. Artistic Director Jason King Jones talks with Greg Wood, Susie Stevens, and Tony Lawton about Timon of Athens, presented through the Festival’s signature Extreme Shakespeare approach. Director Matt Pfeiffer shares his process in finding the fun for this year’s Shakespeare for Kids, featuring Hamlet. From stripped-down intensity to high-energy storytelling for young audiences, this episode showcases the creativity and range that define a PSF summer.
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.
Shakespeare For Kids - Tickets and Free Library Tour
Tickets for Timon of Athens
Support PSF by donating today

Mentioned in this episode:
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Prepare Yourself for Some Drama!
Get tickets now at pashakespeare.org or by calling our box office at 610.282.9455!
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
1 hr 16 min
July 19, 2025Episode 14 - In the Spotlight with Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead
As You Mic It: In the Spotlight shines the light on this season’s repertory production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Artistic Director Jason King Jones sits down with actor Ian Merrill Peakes (The Player) and scenic designer Brian Sydney Bembridge for an inside look at Tom Stoppard’s witty and mind-bending companion piece to Hamlet. Together, they explore the play’s existential humor, theatrical absurdity, and the layered experience of performing and designing within a shared repertory world. From the shifting boundaries of fate and performance to the magic of a transformative set, this conversation reveals what makes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern a perfect match for PSF’s Undiscovered Countries season.
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.
Colon Cancer Foundation
Brian Sydney Bembridge
Tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Tickets for Hamlet
Support PSF by donating today
49 min
July 11, 2025Episode 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.
Biko Eisen Martin
Tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Tickets for Hamlet

Mentioned in this episode:
Prepare Yourself for Some Drama!
Get tickets now at pashakespeare.org or by calling our box office at 610.282.9455!
Collaboration makes great theatre!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
1 hr 3 min
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!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
47 min
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!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
51 min
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!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Prepare Yourself for Some Drama!
Get tickets now at pashakespeare.org or by calling our box office at 610.282.9455!
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
1 hr
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!
Become a supporter, today! https://pashakespeare.org/support/
Become an Underwriter Today!
Contact [email protected] for more information.
14 min

About As You Mic It

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AS YOU MIC IT is your backstage pass to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Join Jason King Jones, Connie Behringer, Kim Carson, and special guests for conversations with the actors, directors, designers, and artists who bring each season to the stage.

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As You Mic It

As You Mic It episodes

About As You Mic It