KPFA - Bay Area Theater

Acclaimed novelist Colm Toibin discussing his play “The Testament of Mary” which ran at ACT’s Geary Theatre in October and November, 2014, and also discussing his novel “Nora Webster,” which was published in October 2014. The interview with host Richard Wolinsky was recorded in the KPFA studios the afternoon of October 27, 2014.

Colm Toibin is the author of nine novels, the most recent of which is “House of Names” in 2017. His novel, “Brooklyn” became an acclaimed film in 2015. Colm Toibin’s novels have been shortlisted three times for the Booker Prize.

2017 interview, “House of Names.”

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Mfoniso Udofia is one of America’s fastest rising playwrights. A second-generation Nigerian-American, plays in her Ufot family cycle have been performed in New York, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where two of those works saw producers. “Her Portmaneau” was seen at ACT’s Strand Theatre in February and March, 2019, and the world premiere production of “In Old Age” at the Magic Theatre began in April, 2019. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Originally posted March 18, 2019.

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Suzanne Bradbeer, whose comedy “Shakespeare in Vegas” will be streamed as a Zoom reading with Broadway stars Karen Ziemba and Patrick Page, July 23, 6 pm -July 27, 2020, 6 pm on the TheatreWorks website, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.

Suzanne Bradbeer is the author of several plays, including “Confederates,” which played at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley during the 2016-2017 season, “The God Game,” and “The House That Jack Built.” She is a member of the Ensemble Theatre, a contributing writer at Speakeasy at Joe’d Pub (The Public Theatre) in New York, and a librettist for two musicals, “Cocus and Doot” from the Virtual Theatre Company and “Max and the Truffle Pig.”

“Shakespeare in Vegas” is the story of an out of work classically trained actress who is brought to Las Vegas by a shady impresario to offer Shakespearean plays to a somewhat unusual audience, and hijinks ensue.

Both photos: Jeff McMorrough

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Mary Zimmerman is a playwright, director and producer, whose works are sui generis. Her focus is on adaptations and re-adaptations of classical and pre-classical works, as well as librettos for operas and reorganizing films into stage plays. She was interviewed by Richard Wolinsky for the “Open Book” radio program in late 2012 for a production of “The White Snake” at Berkeley Rep.

Sne won a 2002 Tony Award for her direction of Ovid’s “Metamorphosis,” on Broadway. More recently she wrote a stage version of Disney’s “Tarzan” and directed the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice, with a libretto by Sarah Ruhl, at the Los Angeles Opera in February 2020.

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