Happy Wednesday! Today we’re talking to Kate Lumpkin, CSA to investigate the roles and responsibilities of the casting director in context. She’s dishing on her experience as a young woman in casting, how she built her own business, and how she actively advocates for change in the theatre industry. How is Kate working to create more equitable stage pictures and why is she asking us to ditch the phrase “behind the table?” Press play to find out.

Kate Lumpkin is a casting and creative director based in NYC. Her casting credits include new works at The Kennedy Center, The A.R.T, Actors Theatre of Louisville, NY Theatre Workshop, Musical Theatre Factory, Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway, National Tours, Celebrity Cruise Ships, and more. She currently sits as Director of Education at The Broadway Collective and is the founder of The No Marking Society, institutions that offer training to a wide demographic of artists from across the globe.

Do you have an experience to share about casting or any of the topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND KATE, THE BWAY COLLECTIVE, & THE NOMARKING SOCIETY ONLINE:

Kate Lumpkin: 

@katelumpkin

kate-lumpkin.com

Broadway Collective: 

@bwaycollective

bwaycollective.com

No Marking Society: 

@nomarkingsociety

thenomarkingsociety.com

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W’s Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (danielkstanley.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Elijah Caldwell is Black Excellence. He is a multi-hyphenated artist in every sense of the word; he is a pianist, actor, singer, historian, professor, and activist based in NYC and he’s here to serve. Serving not only truth, but a taste of his new theatre history course. The Great White Way vs. The Industry of Today was designed with the whole truth (not just the white-washed version of theatre history) in mind.

Why doesn’t Elijah Caldwell subscribe to the term “BIPOC?” What would the musical Grease look, feel, and sound like if Sandy was black? It’s all in the seasoning- press play to find out the answers to these questions and more on Fourth Wall: the podcast.

Do you have an experience to share about any of the topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND ELIJAH (AND HIS CLASSES) ONLINE:

Instagram: @thisiscaldwellofficial

Twitter: @thisiscaldwell_

thisiscaldwell.com

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall

4W Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) 

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (danielkstanley.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Welcome to another beautiful Wednesday beyond the Fourth Wall! 

August is almost over, which means that 4W's Month of Education is also coming to a close. To send us off, we invited Ellen Lettrich (Founder and Executive Director of The Fund for College Auditions) to discuss the infamous college audition process - and why there is so much work to be done before the admissions system is equitable and accessible for all prospective students. We'll give you a hint: it costs about $16K for ONE student to train, prepare, and perform their auditions for one college audition season (that's a heck-ton of dollars). But what does this cost have to do with diversity in our collegiate theatre programs? We're glad you asked- press play and get ready for another great convo on Fourth Wall: the podcast.

ABOUT TFCA:

The Fund for College Auditions is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that offers financial support and college guidance to acting and musical theatre students with limited resources who want to audition for post-high school training programs, focusing on but not limited to those who identify with groups that are historically and currently underrepresented in theatre, film, and television. These groups include students who self-identify as any of the following: BIPOC, trans, nonbinary, disabled, neurodiverse, and weight diverse.

Do you have an experience to share about your college audition experience or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND & DONATE TO TFCA ONLINE:

Instagram: @thefundforcollegeauditions

thefundforcollegeauditions.org

Email: [email protected]

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) 

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (danielkstanley.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Not every story is ours to tell- let's discuss.

Welcome to the second installment of our student panel series; last week we spoke with three black BFA theatre majors to hear their experiences with bias in higher education. This week, we invited three white BFA theatre majors to share their experiences on the same topic. How can we hold each other accountable for bias and discrimination at school? Is there a right way to stand up to the malpractices of a theatre program?  What must we do as students and friends to empower and amplify our BIPOC brothers and sisters? What the hell does “ethnically ambiguous” mean? We’re asking these questions and more on this episode of Fourth Wall: the podcast.

Do you have an experience to share about diversity in higher education or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND THE STUDENTS ONLINE:

Ryan Matthew Petty: @ryanmpetty

Emma Diner: @emmadee333

Adrian Beck: @adrian.beck.73

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected]

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (danielkstanley.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey)

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Last week we heard the perspective of diversity in higher education from the educators- this week, we hear the same topic from students Jackson Alexander, David André, and Phillip Johnson Richardson (students from Penn State, BoCo, and CCM). These experiences you are about to hear are intimate and authentic. They have a right to listening ears, empathy, and understanding. Period.

Today, we urge our listeners to do just that; press play. Listen intently to what these students have to say. Then reflect on what these true experiences mean for the students who lived them and what accountability must be claimed from their peers and faculty as we pursue actionable change in the education, craft, and industry of theatre and beyond.

Do you have an experience to share about diversity in higher education or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND THE STUDENTS ONLINE:

Jackson Alexander: @jackthecapn

David André: @da_go

Phillip Johnson Richardson: @philsgoodmusic

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected]

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley, danielkstanley.com)

Original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey)

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Hiya! For the entire month of August, we’ll be highlighting experiences of diversity in the world of educational theatre- because after all, that first day of fall classes(virtual, hybrid, or otherwise) is right around the corner.

To kick us off, we sit down with George Brown and Harvey Young, who are both deans of the fine and performing arts colleges at their respective universities. Listen as we discuss the realities of running a theatre program, including the deans' responsibilities to cultivate a safe place to learn and grow, faculty accountability, student empowerment, and more on this incredible(yeah, it's pretty damn tasty) episode of Fourth Wall: the podcast.

Do you have an experience to share about diversity in higher education or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) 

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@bendabrit) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Well, hello there! We’re so glad you’re here- grab a cold brew and your trusty masterclass notebook because they’re gonna come in handy today…

What are the shared experiences of people who identify as plus-sized? How are the stories of plus-sized people being told on stage(and off) and what can we do to separate type from stereotype? Can somebody truly love bread AND zucchini??? Have no fear, because Katie Ladner(Original casts of HEATHERS, BE MORE CHILL, FREAKY FRIDAY, ALMOST FAMOUS, and more) is here! She’s the freakin best and she’s helping us unpack these concepts of body image, self-love, and more on today’s episode of Fourth Wall: the podcast.

Do you have an experience to share about body image or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND KATIE LADNER ONLINE:

Instagram: @ktladner

Twitter: @ktladner 

katieladner.com

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@bendabrit) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Allyship won’t get you a f*cking cookie and it def doesn’t come wrapped up in a little bow. Instead, Allyship is earned- just ask today’s very special guest, Reneé Rapp. This betch is so fetch: she won the 2018 Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress, the 2018 Blumey Award winner for Best Actress, and reigns supreme as Regina motherfreaking George in MEAN GIRLS on the damn Broadway.

Today, Reneé is helping us serve the whole truth on what it means to be an ally. We’re talking eeeeverything: how to make mistakes(and keep it moving), ask meaningful questions, check your intentions, navigate difficult conversations, stay accountable for your actions, incorporate allyship as a practice in your everyday life, and so much more. We’re happy you’re here- let’s get into it!

17 Black-Led LGBTQ+ Services and Groups You Can Support Right Now: https://www.marieclaire.com/politics/a32827051/black-lgbtq-organizations-groups/

Do you have an experience to share about allyship or any other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → [email protected].

FIND RENEÉ RAPP ONLINE:

Instagram: @reneemj

Twitter: @reneemjrapp 

FIND FOURTH WALL AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: [email protected] 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell @alainanewell and Abigail Brazier @thenameisabstract 

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@bendabrit)

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Today we sit down with Kayla Pecchioni (Nat. and Intl. Touring casts of BOOK OF MORMON, DREAMGIRLS, THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL) to get her two cents on tokenism: What is tokenism? How does it feel to be a token? How does tokenism shape her perspective of the craft and the industry as we know it? We’re digging into these questions and more on this episode of Fourth Wall: the podcast.

Don’t miss a beat! Follow us on Instagram (@thisisfourthwall) to stay up-to-date with special guests, discussion topics, and other exciting news!

If you’re feeling inspired, you can send us questions, reflections, feedback, personal stories, and submissions for our anonymous advice column to [email protected].

FIND KAYLA AND HER PODCAST ONLINE:

Kayla’s Instagram: @kaylapecchioni

“You Good, Sis?” a show and podcast by Alexia x Kayla: @yougoodsispod

“You Good, Sis?” on Youtube: https://bit.ly/2BQKrYi

Susan G. Komen Virtual #Race4theCure: https://race.komennyc.org/home

FIND 4W AND YOUR HOSTS ONLINE:

Alaina Newell: @alainanewell

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by hosts Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@bendabrit)

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).