KPFA - Bookwaves/Artwaves

[caption id="attachment_325415" align="alignleft" width="190"] Photo: David Allen[/caption]

Jason Graae, the star of "Scrooge in Love," a 42nd Street Moon production at the Gateway Theatre in San Francisco, is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky. Jason Graae has appeared on Broadway several times, is a noted cabaret performer, and recently played the Wizard in the national tour of "Wicked." In this interview he discusses his work and his career.

Extended 37-minute Bay Area Theater podcast. [1]

Also: Review of Cloud Nine at Custom Made Theatre.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-jason-graae-scrooge-in-love/

Marc Bruni, co-director of "The Tale of Despereaux," a new musical, at Berkeley Rep [1] through January 5, 2019, is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky.

The Tale of Despereaux is based on the Newberry winning children's book by Kate Di Camillo and the animated film released in 2008, and concerns a mouse intent on rescuing a human princess kidnapped by the castle rats. The story is adapted by the PigPen Theatre Company, who wrote the book, music and lyrics and serve as co-directors with Mark Bruni.

Marc Bruni directed the hit Broadway Carole King musical, Beautiful, and before that served as assistant director on several different shows, primarily revivals, over the course of a nearly two-decade career. He discusses this latest project, along with how he came to be a director, and his work on Beautiful.

Complete 29-minute interview [2]

Also: Review of "Mother of the Maid" at Marin Theatre Company.

[1] http://berkeleyrep.org/season/1920/14952.asp

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-mark-bruni-the-tale-of-desperaux-at-berkeley-rep/

[caption id="attachment_324559" align="alignleft" width="173"] Pam MacKinnon & Richard Wolinsky[/caption]

Pam MacKinnon, Artistic Director of A.C.T., American Conservatory Theatre, [1] is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky.

In this wide-ranging interview, Pam talks about some of the challenges she faced coming to San Francisco a year ago, and how she's working in partnership with other companies. She also discusses the previous seasons, and presents the shows in this 2019-2020 theatrical season.

Extended 38 minute Bay Area Theater podcast [2]

Also: review of "Bull in a China Shop" at Aurora.

[1] https://www.act-sf.org/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-pam-mackinnon-artistic-director-a-c-t/

Philip Pullman, author of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, "The Golden Compass," "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky. Recorded November 30, 2000.

Philip Pullman is the acclaimed author of a series of three  tantasy novels, titled collectively, "His Dark Materials" (there's also a novella, a short story and a graphic novel in the series). Originally marketed as young adult novels, these books take on Judeo-Christian notions of morality as well as the way belief systems are manipulated by organized religion -- all in the guise of a coming of age fantasy taking place on a world like, and very unlike, our own.

A failed 2007 version of "The Golden Compass" opened in theaters, and was not followed by sequels. Currently HBO is running a series based on the trilogy.

In 2017, Philip Pullman began a prequel series, "The Book of Dust," with "La Belle Sauvage," and dealing with the events where Lyra, as a baby, is brought to Oxford. The second volume in that series, "The Secret Commonwealth," was published in October, 2019.

This interview was conducted during Philip Pullman's only author tour through the United States. The program has been remastered and reedited in 2019 by Richard Wolinsky.

Also: A review of "Test Match" at ACT's Strand Theater through December 8, 2019.

(featured image, 2008, Anna via Flickr, Creative Commons)

[caption id="attachment_323455" align="alignleft" width="335"] Gene Wolfe, from a 1982 video.[/caption]

Gene Wolfe (1931-2019), author of several science fiction novels and short stories, including "The Book of the New Sun," interviewed by Richard Wolinsky, Lawrence Davidson and Richard A. Lupoff at Bay Con, Thanksgiving weekend, 1982.

The noted fantasy and science fiction writer Gene Wolfe died on April 14, 2019, one month shy of his 88th birthday. By the time of his death, he'd achieved a lifetime achievement award from the World Fantasy Convention, he’d been acclaimed a science fiction Grand Master from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, had won several awards from various organizations in the field, and was considered a writer’s writer.

Digitizing, remastering & re-editing by Richard Wolinsky in 2019. Sound quality is variable.

 

Robert Kelley, Artistic Director of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky.

Retiring after fifty years , Robert Kelley talks about TheatreWorks and its two venues, looks at how TheatreWorks and other companies vie for plays, discusses upcoming shows in the current season, as well as other issues in this in-depth discussion.

An extended 35-minute version of this interview can be found as a Bay Area Theater podcast. [1]

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-robert-kelley-theatreworks-silicon-valley/

Kate Attwell is a playwright whose latest work is "Test Match" having its World Premiere at ACT's Strand Theatre through December 8, 2019. She is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky.

Born in South Africa and raised in London, Texas and elsewhere, she is a member of Ars Nova's PlayGroup 2017/18, a member of Page 73’s writers' group and a finalist for the 2016 Page 73 playwriting fellowship, a 2018 NNPN Smith Prize for Political Theatre nominee, a Mabou Mines Resident Artist and a member of the Public Theater’s Devised Theater Working Group. Kate co-founded and creates theater with I AM A BOYS CHOIR.

"Test Match" seems to be about a women's cricket team, but its underlying themes include gender roles and colonialism, and the nature of power.

The complete interview can be found as a Bay Area Theater podcast. [1]

 

Also: Review of "The Chinese Lady" at the Magic through November 3, 2019.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-kate-attwell-test-match-at-act-strand/

Interviews devoted to the arts, focusing on theatre and literature, with side-trips to film and non-fiction narratives. Also on tap: archive interviews from Probabilities and Bookwaves. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman, creators of the play "Mark Twain's River of Song" at TheatreWorks [1] Silicon Valley, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, through October 27, 2019, are interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky.

"Mark Twain's River of Song" tells the story of the Mississippi River from its starting point in the north down to the delta, through songs and stories, and through the eyes of Mark Twain, played by Dan Hiatt.

Randal Myler, who also directed the show, has created several shows including "Love Janis," and with Dan Wheetman, the Tony nominated "Ain't Nothing But The Blues."

Dan Wheetman is a multi-instrument musician who, when not creating shows with Randal Myler, performs in a band called Marley's Ghost, and has released several albums under his own name. For several years he performed in John Denver's band.

Extended 35-minute Bay Area Theater podcast. [2]

[1] https://theatreworks.org/201920-season/mark-twains-river-of-song/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-randal-myler-dan-wheetman-mark-twains-river-of-song/