James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight

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Jesi Bender is playwright, novelist, and poet from Upstate New York. She is the author of the novels Child of Light and The Book of the Last Word, and the poetry collection Dangerous Women. Her plays include Kinderkrankenhaus and Crux which recently played at The Tank in New York City.

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Robin Gerber is a playwright and best selling author. Her first play, The Shot, was selected for the 2017 Ojai Playwright’s Conference and is currently being produced around the country starring Sharon Lawrence. She served as committee staff in the House of Representatives and as a lobbyist and political director for two major international unions. 

For tickets to the West Coast Premiere of her play The Best Medicine running October 10th through November 15th at The Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, visit - https://odysseytheatre.com/tickets/?eid=197477

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Ben Steinfeld is a playwright, director, teacher, musician, and co-artistic director of Fiasco Theater. He wrote the family musical Twelve Kinds of Ice (book/music/lyrics) and the book for the new musical Diamond Alice and holds awards from L.A. Drama Critics’ Circle, Helen Hayes, and Lucille Lortel. He has an MFA from Brown/Trinity Rep and is a professor at Brown, NYU, and Middlebury College’s Brea and Loaf School of English, where he serves as director of the theatre program.

Twelve Kinds of Ice opens at CTC in Minneapolis on October 13th through November 22nd on the Cargill Stage. For tickets, visit - https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/twelve-kinds-of-ice/#booklover 

Twelve Kinds of Ice, Seattle (27 Jan - 13 Feb), visit - https://artelize.com/event/191236-twelve-kinds-of-ice

For the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/LOZ5Uxid_9k

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - 

Fiasco Theater - https://www.fiascotheater.com

Trinity Rep - https://www.trinityrep.com

Contacts and Social for Ben Steinfeld - 

IG - @bsteinfeld1 

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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Kevin Allen Jackson and Kristine Dickson are a playwright and producing power couple. Their immersive, audience-interactive murder-mystery play A Killer Night in Studio City opened September 15th and runs through October 31st at Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City with Dinner, Drinks, and Deadly Secrets.

For tickets to A Killer Night in Studio City, September 15 through October 31st, at Vitello's restaurant in Studio City, visit - https://www.akillernightlive.com/studiocity

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Douglas Goodhart is an actor, comedian, musician, influencer, cofounder and writer for the sketch group - Uncle Function, and playwright. He is also the frontman for the super-soul group Douglas and the Goodharts, and his Instagram account  @thedouglasg has over 55,000 subscribers. 

For tickets to Master It! The Musical, The Class, The Hair at The Green Room 42 and Live Stream, September 18th at 7pm EDT, visit - https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com/showdetails/peoPnwXxHxQvC74bHx3Z/S4LPsgibANhohQYw2LMw

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/CEJUB1TNCQ4

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -

The Green Room 42 - https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com

Socials for Douglas Goodhart -

Uncle Function - https://www.unclefunction.com
Douglas and The Goodharts - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XLQHv25ryS0j8nYUMGE7m

IG - @thedouglasg
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/douglas.goodhart
TikTok - @thedouglasg 
YouTube -  @thedouglasg  

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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Send us Fan Mail

Janine Nabers is a playwright, Emmy-nominated writer, show runner, and producer. She first made her mark as a playwright, becoming the first Black woman to win the Yale Drama Series Prize for her play Serial Black Face. Her plays have been produced across the United States and internationally. She is a graduate of the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship at Juilliard.

For tickets to The Peterson Show at the Echo Theatre in Los Angeles, visit - https://www.echotheatercompany.com

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/DCmzaSwkVHQ

Links of sites and resources mentioned in the episode - 

Echo Theater Company - https://www.echotheatercompany.com

Socials for Janine Nabers - 

IG - @janinenabers

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Greg Banks is a playwright, actor, and director.

For tickets to Pinocchio at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, visit - https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/pinocchio/#book

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.htmlFor tickets to Pinocchio at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, visit - https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/pinocchio/#book

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Keith Szarabajka is a playwright who on stage, in audio books, video games, film, radio and TV. Keith’s one act dark comedy, The Second Coming was produced at EST-LA's One Act Festival in 2018, and was subsequently made into a short film in 2020, which is currently garnering awards at film festivals around the world.  Keith conceived, co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced EST/LA’s space soap opera spoof, In Search of doG. From 2015-2022, Keith was Ensemble Studio Theatre / The Los Angeles Project’s co-artistic director overseeing the creation, development and production of new American plays. His most recent project SLAVA UKRAINI! (or Waiting for Elon), was a semi-finalist at the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference.

For tickets to SLAVA UKRAINI! running at the Atwater Village Theater through August 31st (with a possible extension) visit -https://afewthoughtstheatercompany.org/

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Cameron Scott has worked with Broadway’s top producers to create brand campaigns for well over 100 productions including 17 Tony Award-winning Best Plays, Best Musicals, and Best Revivals. He has recently turned to writing plays of his own. Since the fall of 2022, he has had plays produced from the coasts of California to Connecticut, among them a Best in Festival winner at Wilmington Drama League and the winning play from Delaware at ESTAFest 2023. He has had work published in multiple anthologies including an excerpt from his play Uphill which was published in The Best Men’s Stage Monologues 2023 by Smith & Kraus. His audio drama West PalmReaders appeared internationally on the Apple Podcasts Charts in 49 countries last summer, including multiple #1's in Drama and thirteen Top 10's in Drama, including in the USA. He has worked with professional and amateur theater companies alike such as Legacy Theatre in Connecticut, The Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood and Rhode Island Stage Ensemble. Other plays include Forty Years Kings; Happ’s Last Tape; and That Day is Coming, Everyday is Coming.

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/e5uPPs0qm_Q

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode - 

The Road Theatre Annual Summer Playwrights Festival -https://roadtheatre.org/event/spf/

GI60 - http://gi60.blogspot.com/

New York City Playwrights - https://www.nycplaywrights.org/

Campfire Radio Theatre - https://campfireradiotheater.podbean.com/

Gather by the Ghost Light - https://www.gatherbytheghostlight.com/

New Jersey Web Festival - https://www.newjerseywebfest.com/

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Drew Larimore a Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter and librettist who’s been produced in the U.S. and internationally. His plays have been developed and presented with Asolo Repertory’s Unplugged New Works Festival, The Barrow Group, Denizen Theatre’s New Play Development Series, ANDTheatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Short & Sweet New Play Festival (Sydney & Melbourne). He’s been a finalist for the Heidman Award, Lark Playwrights’ Week and P73 Playwriting Fellowship.

His play, SMITHTOWN was featured in River Styx’s 2025 “Posthuman” edition and his play UPSTATE, initially commissioned by Denizen Theatre was presented in the FIRST LOOK series at the Studios of Key West in 2024. 

Drew made his Off-Broadway debut in 2012 at Walker Space with OUT OF ICELAND. Other plays include TOUCH and THE ANNIVERSARY which is published in Vintage Press’ anthology of new work, Shorter, Faster, Funnier.  

Drew wrote the book and was co-lyricist for the musical The New Peggy as well as the book and co-lyrics for the satirical holiday show THE BESTEST OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY EVER
Residencies include Djerassi, Key West Literary Seminar, Studios of Key West, Telluride Playwright’s Festival, Dairy Hollow, and Hawthornden Castle in Scotland.

For tickets to The Cannibals of McGower County playing at TheaterWorks Hartford in Connecticut opening August 6th through August 30th, visit -https://theaterworkshartford.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SUg000000ik0jMAA

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/CTUSeDhrRXo

Resources mentioned in this episode -

TheaterWorks Hartford - https://twhartford.org

Websites and socials for Drew Larimore - 

www.drewlarimore.com

Substack - https://drewlarimore.substack.com
IG -  https://www.instagram.com/bklynobserved/

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 

FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show