KPFA - Bookwaves/Artwaves

John Lahr spent 21 years as theater critic for The New Yorker, writing profiles and reviews, some of which are collected in Joy Ride, now out in trade paperback. which examines playwrights, directors and their shows. He is also the author of a recent biography of Tennessee Williams. The interview was recorded on Octonber 4, 2015, but the second half of the interview, concerning political theater, is even more revelant following the Trump election. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

At the end of the program: She Loves Me, at San Francisco Playhouse, is reviewed.

An extended 56 minute version of this interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast.

Martin Moran, writer/performer of The Tricky Part and All The Rage, at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater November 29th through December 11th, interviewed by Richard Wolinsky.

In September 2005, Richard Wolinsky spoke with Martin Moran, a Broadway performer who’d written a memoir, The Tricky Part. At the time, he’d already performed in Titanic and revivals of How to Succeed, Bells are Ringing and Cabaret on Broadway, and off-Broadway in A Man of No Importance and Floyd Collins. In his memoir and his shows, he talks about sexual abuse, coming out as a gay man, and life as a Broadway chorus boy.

Since the interview, Martin Moran spent four years in various roles on Broadway in the hit Monty Python show, Spamalot.

A.C.T. website [1] for more information.

Martin Moran webpage [2]

[1] http://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/at_the_strand.html

[2] http://martinmoran.com/homepage.htm

Arthur Laurents (1917-2011) interviewed in 2000 for his memoir, Original Story By Arthur Laurents. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff

Arthur Laurents, who died in 2011 at the age of 93, was one of the giants of American culture. Laurents write librettos, including those for West Side Story, Gypsy and La Cage Aux Folles, he wrote several plays including The Time of the Cuckoo, his screenplays include The Way We Were, the Ingrid Bergman film Anastasia and The Turning Point. He also directed several shows on Broadway.

This interview was conducted at his hotel in San Francisco on April 7, 2000. An extended version can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast.

Ed Decker, founder and artistic director of New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco talks with KPFA’s Richard Wolinsky.

The New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco focuses on queer and allied theatre and has been around since 1981. This coming season has seven plays in its line-up, with the Pulitzer Prize winning Sons of the Prophet by Stephen Karam, directed by Ben Randle, running November 11 through December 18, 2016. Avenue Q runs December 2, 2016 through January 15, 2-17.

In this interview, Ed Decker discusses plays from the previous season, gives a rundown on the upcoming season, and discusses the center’s new plays project and recent renovation.

New Conservatory is located at 25 Van Ness Avenue at Market Street, in San Francisco.

New Conservatory Theatre Center website [1].

An extended version of this interview can be found as a KPFA Bay Area Theater [2]podcast.

[1] http://www.nctcsf.org/index.php

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/new-conservatory-theatre-center-ed-decker/

Election Monday: Adam Haslett and Carl Hiaasen.  First, Adam Haslett, author of the acclaimed novel Imagine Me Gone discusses his Guardian gig covering one of the Republican primaries. Then, Carl Hiaasen, author of comic thrillers and weekly political columnist for the Miami Herald talks about his work covering Florida politics, the presidential election, and the future of newspapers. Adam Haslett was recorded in late May at KPFA; Carl Hiaasen on September 11th at Book Passage bookstore. Both segments are previously unaired. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

Gore Vidal (1925-2012) was the author of such novels as Burr, 1976, Julian and Myra Breckinridge, as well as one of America's greatest essayists. On June 30, 1990, he sat down with Richard Wolinsky for an illuminating interview about his career as both writer and social critic. The interview was transcribed and published in the San Francisco Bay Guardian on July 11, 1990. It has not been heard on the radio for over twenty years.

 

An extended version can be found on the Radio Wolinsky [1]podcast.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/radio-wolinsky-3-gore-vidal-1990/

Tom Stoppard & Carey Perloff, in conversation at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater. Excerpts from their conversation.

Tom Stoppard's latest play, The Hard Problem, is now at the Geary. On October 3, 2016, on stage at that theater, ACT Artistic Director Carey Perloff spoke with Stoppard about his career, his ideas about playwrighting, and his new play. On stage with them was neuroscientist Linda Wilbrecht. Tom Stoppard is the author of several plays, including Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead, and The Real Thing. 

The Hard Problem deals with the relationship of consciousness, thought and morality, the non-physical aspect of being human, with the physical aspect, the brain. In the discussion, Stoppard talks about his preoccupation with the subject and what words like "good" actually mean.

Excerpted and edited by Arts-Waves host Richard Wolinsky; special thanks to Kevin Kopjak and Christine Miller.

Complete interview  [1]

ACT website [2]

[1] https://soundcloud.com/actsanfrancisco/tom-stoppard-and-carey-perloffin-conversation

[2] http://www.act-sf.org/

Joel Selvin, whose latest book is Altamont: The Rolling Stones, The Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rock’s Darkest Day is interviewed by Richard Wolinsky. Joel Selvin came to the San Francisco Chronicle in 1972 under the tutelage of John Wasserman, and after Wasserman’s death in 1979, took over music coverage at the newspaper, a stint that lasted until 2009. Joel Selvin has also served as co-author of several books, and sole author of Summer of Love: The Inside Story of LSD, Rock and Roll, Free Love and High Time in the Wild West

Part Two of this interview airs this Thursday on Bookwaves, and the entire interview can be heard as a Radio Wolinsky podcast in the area 941 section of KPFA.org.

The Altamont concert was a free concert given by the Rolling Stones at the Altamont Speedway in east Contra Costa County on December 6th, 1969. Originally intended to be in Golden Gate Park, it was moved to Sears Point Raceway and then, on short notice, to a dilapidated racetrack in the middle of nowhere. When the dust cleared, a concert goer had been killed before the horrified eyes of Mick Jagger, and rock and roll changed.

Bill English, Artistic Director of San Francisco Playhouse, discusses the 2016-2017 season with host Richard Wollinsky.

In this yearly update, Bill English talks about the process of creating a world premiere, from commission to production, examines the previous and upcoming season at San Francisco Playhouse and talks about the theater as a vehicle for empathy and social change.

San Francisco Playhouse is located at 450 Post Street in San Francisco. The first play of the season is "Seared" by Theresa Rebeck, a world premiere commissioned by the Playhouse, about the battle between art and commerce at an upscale restaurant in Brooklyn.

An extended version of this interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast

Jonathan Lethem: Except from a Live Career Retrospective, hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

On March 3, 2016, Richard Wolinsky had a chance to sit down with author Jonathan Lethem in front of a Berkeley audience as a benefit for KPFA. Jonathan is the author of several novels, including Motherless Brooklyn, Fortress of Solitude, Chronic City and most recently Dissident Gardens,along with short story collections and a book of essays, The Ecstasy of Influence. This except from the interview focuses on Jonathan's early career, living in Berkeley and working at Pegasus Books and Moe's Bookstore.

Jonathan’s collection, Lucky Alan and Other Stories, had just come out in trade paperback.His newest novel, A Gambler’s Anatomy has a release date of October 16, 2016. Special thanks to Bob Baldock, who creates these events, and Jane Heaven, who records them. Recorded at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

The full 70-minute  interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky [1] podcast.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/jonathan-lethem-live/