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 This week on Spotlight 814: Erie’s Local Podcast: 

Kate Thiem, star of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, joins us at CAM Erie to discuss the production, running through October 1 at the Erie Playhouse, and Ghost Light: Musical Theatre After Hours on WQLN.

We also discuss The Brothers Size at Dramashop, also running through October 1. 

Big shoutout to our friends at Werner Books for opening their new location in the Liberty Plaza! 

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 This week on Spotlight 814: Erie’s Local Theatre Podcast: 

Ryan is joined by Dramashop Artistic Director Anna McJunkin, and actress/director/creator Adele Crotty on Zoom, because Ryan is an idiot and forgot to book a studio at CAM. 

There is a LOT going on in the Erie theatre scene, and so much of it is thanks to these two. 

We discuss: 

• Tethered, an immersive theatrical experience taking place throughout 5 floors of the PACA building. 
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• Mystery in a Bottle, a murder mystery onboard the Victorian Princess. 
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• Paid artists and performers in Erie? WHAAAAT? 
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• The Brothers Size rehearsals are underway at Dramashop. Anna tells us all about the show, and it sounds incredible. 

I will be joined next week by David Durst, writer and director of The Pizza Bomber Play: A Devoted Surrender. 

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This week on Spotlight 814, Erie's Local Theatre Podcast:

Ryan is joined in studio by Zach Hoffman, ensemble member of SpongeBob the Musical at the Erie Playhouse, and Rent ensemble members, Maddie Morgan and Mitchell King from the Academy Theatre!

This week, we are showing some love to the ensemble, musical theatre's often overlooked heroes. 

Zach, Maddie, and Mitchell tell their ensemble tales, as Ryan is about to step into his first ensemble role since 2006, when he joins the cast of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. 

Ryan talks about his AWFUL first professional contract as Skimbleshanks in CATS at the Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres in Napannee, IN. 

The gang discusses the challenges of being in an ensemble, and all the little things that make it great. 

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This week on Spotlight 814, Erie's local theatre podcast:

Ryan is joined by special guest cohost, Austin Kulyk to discuss:

- The incredible production of Crocodile Fever at PACA
- Why we should normalize understudies in Erie theatre
- The Hadestown discrimination lawsuit
- The history of drag on Broadway
- The AIDS crisis and its effect on Broadway
- Ryan, a straight, Cis male on playing Angel in Rent at the Academy Theatre in Meadville

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THIS WEEK ON ERIE’S LOCAL THEATRE PODCAST, SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna discuss:

• Preview of CROCODILE FEVER by Meghan Tyler at PACA.
• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical auditions at the Erie Playhouse.
• Audition results for the Pizza Bomber Play.
• Brenna’s first awards show experience.
• We reveal our big plans for an annual awards show in the 814!
• Broadway in Erie season announcement.
• What shows Brenna will be seeing in London while she studies in Oxford for the next 7 weeks!

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THIS WEEK ON ERIE’S LOCAL THEATRE PODCAST, SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna discuss:

• Jersey Boys at the Erie Playhouse
• SpongeBob audition results
• Controversy surrounding a local play
• Kingdom Come at Dramashop
• Shakespeare in the Park
• How the wildfires in Canada are impacting Broadway...and you know...the planet
• The 76th Tony Awards 

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THIS WEEK ON ERIE’S LOCAL THEATRE PODCAST, SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna discuss:

• Auditions for SpongeBob the Musical at the Erie Playhouse!
• Auditions for Devoted Surrender: The Pizza Bomber Play!
• A little background on Erie’s infamous Pizza Bomber, for those that are too young to know about it, or have not watched Evil Genius on Netflix.
• Audition results for Rent at the Academy Theatre!
• Billy Bob Shakespeare Story Time with Brenna Thummler!
• Preview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, presented by Meadville Community Theatre, to be performed at Goodell Gardens & Homestead in Edinboro. 
• What’s On 814?

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THIS WEEK ON ERIE’S LOCAL THEATRE PODCAST, SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna sit down with Academy Theatre’s Artistic Director, Julia Kemp to discuss:

• Her lack of Lullaby League costume in The Wizard of Oz at 3-years-old, and her background in theatre.
• Her transition from Allegheny College to her role as Artistic Director at the Academy Theatre
• Julia’s embarrassing story of when she fell off the stage during a performance.
• Directing us in Cabaret.
• Why people should make the drive from Erie to do shows at the Academy.
• The Academy’s upcoming season!
• Exclusive Academy Theatre news! Find out who will be directing each show next season!
• Rent auditions.
• A production of Rent that changed AIDS to Diabetes.
• Upcoming Shows.

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THIS WEEK ON ERIE'S LOCAL THEATRE PODCAST, SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna talk about: 

• An interesting Elton John song
• Heathers the Musical at Meadville Community Theatre
• The rise of the Horror Musical Genre
• The upcoming off-Broadway adaptation of Teeth the Musical
• The Academy Theatre’s upcoming season
• Frankie Valli bootcamp
• Northwest Allen County School students put on independent production of Marian after censorship issues at the school. 
• Oil City theatre educator Martha Heise is up for a Grammy Award
• Ryan’s therapy session after too much positivity
• Erie Playhouse Youtheatre full-day summer camp

Upcoming Shows:

Heathers at Meadville Community Theatre - May 12-21
What’s Susan’s Secret? At All an Act - May 5-21
Finding Nemo Jr at Erie Playhouse - May 12-21
Kingdom Come at Dramashop - June 9-25
Savannah Sipping Society at Station Dinner Theatre -June 3-17
Midsummer Night’s Dream at Meadville Community Theatre - June 2-4

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THIS WEEK ON SPOTLIGHT 814:

Ryan and Brenna are joined in studio by Amanda Hill, star of All an Act Theatre’s What is Susan’s Secret and Dramashop’s recent One Act Festival play, written by our very own Brenna Thummler, Single Book Store.

We talk about: 

• Amanda Hill discusses All an Act Theatre’s What is Susan’s Secret, and her recent role in Dramashop's One Act Festival.
• How she met her husband, Greg, at the Erie Playhouse.
• Her upcoming show at the Station Dinner Theatre
• Her girls dancing at Margarite’s Academy of Dance
• Detective Brenna takes us on a deep-dive into Spooks at PACA
• Ohio’s Cardinal School’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and censorship in theatre. 
• Brenna’s graphic novel adaptation of Anne of Green Gables being challenged for the most ridiculous reason. 

Check out our reviews at www.idiotville.com/spotlight814

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