Theater Forward

In our first episode following the COVID-19 crisis, the team discusses our new normal, how other theaters are responding, and what the future might hold for the arts organizations worldwide. 

Mike Fischer sits down with 'The Amateurs' cast members Emily Glick and Matt Daniels to discuss their dual lives as educators and actors, and what role the arts can play when times get tough. 

In this episode, the team discusses the elusive nature of religion on American stages. Although there is no shortage of plays that represent faith in modern life, we dive into the issues that keep us from producing them. 

There are a lot of great new plays in theater right now that feature characters (and entire casts) that are younger or older than the average age of the casting pool. In this episode, the team discusses the exciting opportunities these plays provide and the challenge they present to producers.

In this episode, the team discusses the ways in which theaters collaborate to create and cultivate productions and projects. But this budget friendly practice is now bringing under-produced voices to larger audiences on bigger stages. 

We go behind the scenes of 'Every Brilliant Thing' at Forward Theater for an interview with actor David Daniel and Director Tyler Marchant. Get some insight into their rehearsal process, as well as the inspiration behind transforming our thrust stage into a theater-in-the-round for this unique production.

What's akin to "going to the gym" for theater makers? The team tries to answer that question with some theater resolutions in 2020. There are some doozies in here, from addressing cultural appropriation to deciding to read the entire canon of Caryl Churchill. 

In no other business is pro bono work so prevalent than the arts. The team puts this accepted (and many times expected) practice under the microscope and looks for ways to change how we value and compensate artists in America.

This holiday bonus may not be a swimming pool, but it's better than a jelly of the month membership. It's selections from our bi-annual monologue festival! Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Wisconsin’s ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, our 2019 monologue festival theme was Two Steps Forward, which encompassed a wide variety of perspectives on and interpretations of our state’s long progressive tradition.

Happy Holidays! In this episode, the team shares their favorite holiday gifts for the theater fans in their lives. From repurposed Broadway scenery to some brilliant book ideas, there are some real show-stoppers in here. It will be hard to remember this is the season of giving, not "getting for yourself."