Stage Grok

I talk with actor Lee Wilkof, who originated the roles of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Sam Byck in Assassins. He has also appeared in many other shows in New York and elsewhere. We talk about his experience working on Little Shop.

I talk with Peter Filichia, writer and musical theatre historian, about the musical theatre today and about his books, The Great Parade; Strippers, Showgirls and Sharks; Broadway Musical MVPs; Let's Put on a Musical; and Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit & the Biggest Flop of the Season, 1959 to 2009. Peter also writes four online columns, for Music Theatre International, BroadwaySelect.com, Masterworks Broadway, and Kritzerland Records.

I talk with Todd Schaefer, actor, director, designer, and teacher, about approaching the character of Capt. Macheath in New Line Theatre's production of The Threepenny Opera. We discuss his creative process and what was so different about working on Threepenny. Todd is also artistic director of The Players Project Theater Company in St. Louis, and the drama teacher at Webster Groves High School.

I talk with En Piro, founder and executive director of the St. Lou Fringe. Now in its fourth year, we talk about how a fringe festival operates, what she does, what the artists do, how shows are chosen, and why a fringe festival is important to our city.

I talk with Paula Hanssen, professor in the International Languages and Cultures department at Webster University, who was written a great deal about Bertolt Brecht and his creative partner Elisabeth Hauptmann. She's the author of the book, Elisabeth Hauptmann: Brecht's Silent Collaborator and she's an officer in the International Brecht Society.

I talk with Mark Bernstein, managing director for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. We talk about the duties of a managing director at a major regional theatre, insider details on creating a budget for the season and for each show, working with artistic director Steve Woolf, working with the Rep board, fundraising, forecasting, unions, housing, and the small army of artists that creates the Rep's six mainstage shows, three studio shows, and three children's shows each season.

I talk with Jennifer Ashley Tepper, author, historian, producer, about her two volume Untold Stories of Broadway, her concert series If It Only Even Runs a Minute, and her series of concerts at 54 Below in New York, where she is director of programming.

I talk with Jeffrey Carter, chair of the music department at Webster University, and resident music director at New Line Theatre, about music directing in the theatre, vocal care and training, and the whole process of bringing a musical theatre score to life, from auditions through the run.

I talk with Steve Woolf, artistic director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, about the duties of an artistic director of a nonprofit regional theatre, including programming the season, hiring artistic staff, and so much more.

I talk with William Finn, Tony Award winning composer and lyricist of The Marvin Trilogy, Romance in Hard Times, Elegies: A Song Cycle, A New Brain, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Little Miss Sunshine, and other shows. We talk about his work, his teaching, and his artistic influences.