The most magical guy on Broadway is finally on the podcast, it’s Illusion Designer Skylar Fox! Skylar is here to tell us what a magic designer does, how magic becomes a part of the show, and how his specific role can vary quite a bit from show to show. Cory and Skylar chat about his entry into the field via Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and his work on shows such as Boop, You Will Get Sick, The Comeuppance, and Once Upon a Mattress. And if you’re a magic nerd, this is the episode for you as the guys geek out over their favorite magicians, magic shows, and why no one has ever matched Copperfield’s level of theatricality. Skylar is a singular voice in the theater community, bringing a new definition to what it means to create magical moments on stage, so let him bring a little magic into your life!

Skylar Fox is an Obie Award-winning director, writer, and designer based in Brooklyn. As a magic designer, he is the Illusions & Magic Associate for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway and around the world, and has created magic for Fat Ham (Broadway, The Public Theater and National Black Theatre), Once Upon A Mattress (Broadway, City Center ENCORES!), Boop! (Broadway), You Will Get Sick (Roundabout), Cats: The Jellicle Ball (PAC), Wicked, Matilda (Atelier de Cultura, Sao Paolo), The Comeuppance (Signature Theater, Almeida), The Preacher’s Wife (Alliance), Back to the Future (assoc. design, Broadway), A Beautiful Noise (assoc. design, Broadway), Damn Yankees (Shaw Festival), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (London Grand), Dracula, A Christmas Carol (Maltz Jupiter Theater), and consulted on The Tonight Show, The Tony Awards, and San Diego Comic Con.

He is the co-artistic director of Nightdrive, where he has directed and co-written an apocalypse around a campfire (The Grown-Ups); a live, immersive alien movie (Alien Nation); a five-dimensional community meeting with a full pancake breakfast (Providence, RI); a haunted rock concert (Thank You Sorry); and a hybrid comic book with interactive animation (Apathy Boy). He also directed and co-created The Annotated History of the American Muskrat by John Kuntz (New Ohio, Boston Center for the Arts).

Other directing credits include Trisha Paytas’ Big Broadway Dream (St. James Theater, global streaming), Pussy Sludge by Gracie Gardner (Relentless Award, HERE Arts Center), Juliet & Romeo (The Brick), and the Boston premieres of the 6-hour genre-bending epic The Valentine Trilogy and of Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play, for which he was nominated for an IRNE Award.

https://skylarfox.com/

Hana S. Kim is an immersive media designer and a visual artist for live performances with experience across film and public art from Seoul, South Korea. Her theatrical design work has been seen across the country and internationally and her art installations have been shown at the Annenberg Space of Photography in LA, Jordan Downs Recreation Center, Occidental College and Baryshnikov Arts Center in NY.

Recent Theatre credits include Real Woman Have Curves, Redwood, and the The Outsiders on Broadway, The Old Man and The Pool at the Lincoln Center Theater, Summer 1976 at the MTC, Orfeo at the Santa Fe Opera, The Harder They Come at the Public Theater, Sumo at the Public Theater, and 3 Summers of Lincoln at La Jolla Playhouse.

Hana is a recipient of the Tony Award, the Princess Grace Award in Theater Design, Richard Sherwood Award from CTG, and Kinetic Lighting Award for distinguished achievement in theatrical design from LA Drama Critics Circle. She was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for her work on The Visitor at the Public Theater. Her designs have been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards, Stage Raw Awards, StageSceneLA Awards and Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Awards. She is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 and received a BFA in visual communication at Seoul National University in South Korea and an MFA at University of California, Los Angeles.

https://hananow.com/

We are thrilled to welcome to the show this week Lighting Designer Aja Jackson! This season Aja is the Associate on John Proctor is the Villain as well as keeping a busy design schedule herself. Cory and Aja talk about her Off-Broadway debut, A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, which occurred while still coming out of the pandemic, her time in Boston and her work with the organization Brighter Boston, re-lighting the current Hadestown tour, why there is no secret trick to lighting different colored skin tones, what she’s learned working for Natasha Katz and much more!

Broadway: Fat Ham*, Lempicka*, John Proctor is the Villain*. Off-Broadway: A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, Rock and Roll Man, Monsoon Wedding*. Commercial: Goddess* (Berkeley Rep), Real Women Have Curves* (ART), Queen of Versailles* (Colonial Theatre). Regional: Hear Word (ART);  Sojourners, John Proctor Is The Villain, The Band’s Visit, The Art of Burning (Huntington); Lost In Yonkers, The Art of Burning, Pride and Prejudice, Simona’s Search (Hartford Stage); Alley: Seared, The Nerd; A Doll’s House, Harvey, World Goes Round, Behold, A Negress, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Everyman Theatre); Fences (Shakespeare and Company); World Goes Round (Olney Theatre). Dance: Modern Connections; HoldTight, Ailey 2, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Awards: OEAA Outstanding Lighting Design for Kinky Boots (2022). *Associate/Assistant. Proud member of USA 829.

https://www.ajajacksonlighting.com

This week we are joined by Scenic and Production Designer, Emmy Winner Jason Ardizzone-West! Jason is making his Broadway debut this season with Redwood and he and Cory chat about the evolution of the design from La Jolla to Broadway, the challenge of depicting trees onstage, how video plays a huge role in the design, and he lets us in on some secrets of Stella (she’s the tree). Cory and Jason also chat about his award winning work on Jesus Christ Superstar Live, what is was like designing a new set for the Blue Man Group and his work with renown designer Es Devlin.

https://www.jawstudiony.com

The podcast is back with all new episodes! This week we are joined by Lighting Designer and current Helen Hayes nominee Mextly Couzin who made her Broadway debut this season with Job. Cory and Mextly chat about that show’s journey from a tiny room downtown to the Main sStem, what it means to be an emerging designer, pigeonholing designers into boxes, designing outside at the Old Globe, and the crazy story of the first time Cory and Mextly worked together.

Mextly Couzin’s design credits include, Broadway: JOB. Off-Broadway: N/A, Fiasco Theatre’s Pericles, A Good Day to Me Not To You, Here We Are (ALD), Straight Line Crazy, peerless, Tambo & Bones; Regional: MEXODUS (Berkeley Rep, Baltimore Center Stage/ Mosaic), HENRY 6 (The Old Globe); Das Rheingold (Seattle Opera); Incendiary (Woolly Mammoth); West Side Story (Centro de Bellas Artes Puerto Rico); La Belle et la Bête (Opera Paralléle). International: Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Nuits de Fourvière. 2023 recipient of The 1/52 Project grant. MFA University of California, San Diego ’20

https://www.mextlycouzin.com

Theatre is back and so is the podcast! This week, we return from a long hiatus to cover a topic that is being discussed in theatres around the country: the elimination of 10 out of 12 tech rehearsals and the move to a 5 day work week. Cory sits down with organizers from nomore10outof12s.com to chat about the questions and concerns many have shared regarding a shift to the way shows have traditionally been created. Joining us for the chat are Rachel Spencer Hewitt, Lindsay Jones, Regina Garcia, Tajh Oates, Bradley King, and Pirronne Yousefzadeh. The group covers a wide range of topics including how many 10/12s are actually allowed for each contract, which kinds of weeks (rehearsal, tech, performance) could benefit the most from a 5 day week, whether fewer hours/days would mean less income, the impact a schedule change could have on out-of-town residencies, how to convince theatres to examine these ideas after 18 months of no ticket sales, and how some theatres are already adopting this changes. It can’t happen overnight, and each theatre needs to examine the needs and realities for each specific production, but hopefully, this episode can help answer some questions you may have and encourage you to continue the conversation. Enjoy!

nomore10outof12s.com

This week we’ve got another band of awesome designers for Happy Hour #9 as we discuss the one-year anniversary of the pandemic. We are joined by Scenic Designer Rachel Hauck, Lighting Designer Amith Chandrashaker, Scenic & Costume Designer Jacob Climer, and Scenic Designer Amy Rubin. The gang talks about how they are feeling emotionally and physically and the toll the past 12 months has had on their lives as well as their take on streaming/filmed theatre, the newly energized union membership, whether audiences will want escapism or not after this time, and how designers may return to projects that were designed pre-Covid with their new post-Covid personalities and world views. Before that, Cory sits down with podcast host Ethan Steimel to talk about his podcast, Artistic Finance, and why artists talking about money is such an important topic. It may feel like a depressing week, but there’s a lot of laughs and fun in this episode so blow off some steam and know everyone is feeling the same way you are!

rachelhauckdesign.com
amycrubin.com
jaclimer.com
amith-chandrashaker-an3y.squarespace.com
artisticfinance.com

The podcast is back with another Happy Hour and we are hopping over the Atlantic this time to chat with some amazing designers based in the UK. Before that, however, Howell Binkley’s long-time associates Ryan O’Gara and Amanda Zieve join us to talk about the newly created fellowship in Howel’s name and the upcoming March 1st deadline to apply. Then it’s on to the roundtable with Lighting Designer Tim Deiling, Scenic & Costume Designer David Farley, Lighting Designer Lucy Carter, Scenic Designer Chiara Stephenson, and Scenic Designer Andrew Edwards. They share with us how the Covid pandemic has affected the UK theatre community, the difference in governmental responses between the US and UK, how British designers are coming together to support each other, and what the long-term effects may be. Tim tells us about the Broadway shutdown which occurred mere hours before the opening night of Six and what happened when they attempted to reopen a socially distanced version of the show last year. The gang also discusses the NHS and how that has impacted the vaccine rollout, why theatre still isn’t considered essential in either country, how the lack of a designer’s union in the UK has forced more individuals to take action and what silver linings may come out of this time. Grab a pint, fry up some chips, and enjoy this bloody good new episode!

howellbinkley.com
hemsleylightingprograms.com/howell-binkley-fellowship

timdeiling.com
davidfarleydesign.net
chiarastephenson.com
andrewdedwards.co.uk
loesjesanders.com/lucy-carter

Today’s very special guest is technically not a designer, but she brings together ALL the design elements which makes her the perfect person to talk to. For Episode 103 we are hanging with Production Stage Manager, Anna Robb! Anna’s most recent job before Covid was wearing multiple hats on the 250 million dollar extravaganza The House of Dancing Water in Macau where she served as Production Artistic Coordinator, Technical Manager, And PSM, which involved calling 500 cues and managing 83 backstage crew member and 91 onstage performers, not to mention copious amounts of flying, diving, scuba, fountains, and motorbikes. Working with Franco Dragone from its inception, she’s sharing stories of how the project came together, what a 3-month tech process looks like, and the specifics of how a show of this size is run night after night. But there’s more! Anna also tells us about her time as Stage Manager on Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE, how Covid has affected the arts both where she’s from (Australia) and where she lives (Hong Kong), how she manages it all as a working mother, and the genesis of the website she created, TheatreArtLife. Anna has so much fascinating info to share and such a unique perspective and we’re thrilled to have her!

Anna is an experienced Producer/Production Stage Manager based in Hong Kong. Her 20-year work history spans Asia Pacific, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. She has worked for companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Franco Dragone Entertainment Group, Christie Digital Systems and The Sydney Opera House.

Anna was an integral part of the research and development, training and formation, creation and operation of the 250 million dollar aquatic show, The House of Dancing Water in Macau. She also maintained the daily operations of this complex show as the head of Stage Management for 7 years. Other credits include Production Stage Management Consultant for The Han Show as well as a calling Stage Manager at Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE for 2 years.

Anna has been employed on over 70 shows in the areas of concerts, arena events, corporate events, trade shows, musical theatre, plays, dance, circus, outdoor festivals and mega shows. Anna holds a honours degree in Design for Theatre and Television from Charles Sturt University in Australia.

Anna is also Co-Founder and Managing Director for TheatreArtLife, a global platform for live entertainment industry professionals hosting a community of creative and technical professionals sharing their cultures, knowledge, experience, passions and challenges.

TheatreArtLife.com

2020 was a wack year for all of us. On top of a pandemic sweeping the globe, the United States was finally forced to reckon with the racism entrenched in its heritage, ignited on May 25, 2020 with the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police. Rocked by a firestorm of protests, and with little entertainment or escape due to Covid-safety protocols, a group of theatre designers, directors, actors, managers and technicians, produced an open letter titled ‘We See You White American Theatre’, and laid it square in the public eye. The letter detailed the many transgressions accumulated toward theatre-makers identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, by the predominantly white American theatre in the United States, and has reverberated through management structures, teaching institutions and theatre producing organizations at all levels prompting a new, thorough, unavoidable level of public conversation and accountability. Joining Alan to discuss these topics is award-winning Scenic & Costume designer and activist Clint Ramos, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor Adjunct in Theater Management for Yale School of Drama and General Manager of Yale Repertory Theatre Kelvin Dinkins, Jr, and Managing Director of the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University Al Heartley.

We See You White American Theatre
https://www.weseeyouwat.com/
We Don’t Want Your Statements
https://howlround.com/we-dont-want-your-statements-american-theatre
Broadway League Pledges Change Amid National Uproar Over Racism
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/28/theater/broadway-league-racial-injustice.html?searchResultPosition=6
Theatre Artists of Color Enumerate Demands for Change
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/theater/we-see-you-theater-demands.html