Thesis on Joan

Victor I. Cazares, a non-binary Poz Queer Indigenous Mexican Artist, sits down with Harrow and Meghan to talk about the premiere of their show american (tele)visions, opening the New York Theatre Workshop season. We discuss the villains of capitalism and the art and politics that inspired the play, the incredible team that has brought the multi-media world of American (Tele)Visions to the stage, queers and the multi-verse, and a demand for messy realities on stage. Victor also discusses their role as a teacher and mentor of young playwrights, the sinister nature of linear storytelling, and a call for more Brown and Black Latine folx in theatre. We reveal to Victor how creepy stalker we can get with twitter feeds, we choose violence in our Queering the Canon, and discuss who gets to be our storytellers (spoiler: one is Tony Soprano).

Victor I. Cazares: Instagram | Twitter 

American (Tele)Visions

• Learn More & Get Tickets

Queer Culture Recs:

• The Sopranos

Other Links:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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The Founding Artistic Director of the Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival (BTB), George Strus, joins us as we kick off the second half of Season 3! Hear from George about BTB, a communal, new play development hub for trans, nonbinary, two-spirit plus actors, directors, writers, dramaturgs, and stage managers, created by members of that community. Geroge discusses how BTB was inspired and created within a year, the incredible artists involved (including many past Thesis on Joan guests), what developmental choices they’re most proud of, the urgency and necessity of this kind of work, and the future of BTB. Hosts Harrow and Meghan check in after their summer hiatus to chat about Meghan’s honeymoon and Harrow’s name change!

A full transcription of this episode is available here

Action of the Ep

George Strus: Instagram | Twitter 

Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival: Instagram | Twitter 

Pride Plays

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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The incomparable Qween Jean, costume designer and activist, sits down with Harrow and Meghan to talk activism, theatre design, and hopes for the future of queer liberation. We discuss designing for revivals versus new work, what makes a good collaborative relationship, not living with the rules, and creating freedom for the stories of BIPOC artists to be told without relying on adjacency to whiteness. In a relevant and prophetic conversation, Qween Jean breaks down the wars we are facing today that we can’t ignore, the direction towards real equitable change, the need to uproot and reimagine failing systems, multiple ways to support Black Trans folx, and the way for everyone to have the chance to rise. 

Check the show notes to find out more about Lavender Men by Roger Q. Mason playing this Summer at Skylight Theatre in LA and streaming.

Qween Jean: Website | Instagram

Episode Mentions

Queer Culture Recs:

• Queer Cook Outs!

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Welcome to a Tony Award reaction episode with hosts Meghan and Harrow! Hear about the highlights and shocks of the evening, their love of Ariana DeBose and Ruthie Ann Miles, the queer kiss you might have missed, the stress and joy for A Strange Loop, and lots of ideas for a new recurring section of the ceremony. They also discuss how it’s actively becoming impossible to watch the Tonys, what was overdone, the show they really want to see now, what they’ll pass on, and the honorary CoPros of a previous Tony Award winner. Finally, thoughts on Harrow's experience of a Korean production of Hadestown, Meghan revisiting A Strange Loop, and shoutouts to upcoming events and shows this summer!

A full transcription of this episode is available through this link.

References:

Action of the Ep/Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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Happy Pride! Join Harrow and Meghan for a super queer round-up of everything we’ve seen recently and are excited to see this month. Beware - spoilers abound! We talk about the genius of Paula Vogel and the revival of How I Learned to Drive. We attempt to manifest a queer dating conversation between Ryan Haddad and Michael R. Jackson and share our love of fat protagonists as we talk about A Strange Loop. Harrow has thoughts on The Minutes and we both try to unpack our experience at Which Way to the Stage. As queer psychics, we predict the transfer of Into the Woods and The ThanksGiving Play (we promise we recorded this weeks ago), dream cast and queer Into the Woods, and welcome Milky White into the queer canon. We also shout-out upcoming shows in June we’re excited to check out and our current queer culture recommendations.

Shows Discussed:

Upcoming Shows:

Action of the Ep/Queer Gives: 

Queer Culture Recs:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Hosts chat with two-time Tony nominated playwright, composer, and lyricist, Michael R. Jackson, creator of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical A Strange Loop which is up for 11 Tony awards! They discuss how A Strange Loop developed into an all Black queer and trans cast that manifested themselves to Broadway, how choreographer Raja Feather Kelly turns up the volume on people, queering religiosity, and the ongoing beef with the cast and a certain actor. Jackson also gets into what he hopes audiences are thinking about when seeing the show, what it feels like to now be a gatekeeper, the horror musical he’s currently working on, and advice for the next generation of artists. 

A full transcription of this episode is available through this link.

Michael R Jackson: Website | Instagram | Twitter 

Creator References

Queer Culture Recs:

• Murder, She Wrote

Queer Gives:

• Musical Theatre Factory

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Paula Vogel as our first guest on Season Three! We talk about the revival of How I Learned to Drive currently making its Broadway debut at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Friedman Theatre as well as other highlights from Paula’s incredible career. We talk gender collision, theater-viewing as obligation, the inspiring next generation of playwrights and theatermakers, subverting dangerous myths about queers through theater, reinventing Paula’s theatrical catalogue, how Harrow followed in Paula’s footsteps, and increasing access to plays by BIPOC and queer writers through the virtual archive Bard at the Gate. Additionally, Paula gives us a ton of ways to support queer youth in Texas and Florida and wants your ideas on how else to create safe spaces. Stay tuned after the credits for very special surprise guests.

Paula Vogel: Website | Twitter 

Paula Vogel’s Reading List

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Hosts Meghan and Harrow kick off season three of Thesis on Joan and share how they’re queering up the format this year! They discuss shows they saw during the hiatus, including Wolf Play by Hansol Jung at Soho Rep, Company on Broadway, and a deep dive on Suffs by Shaina Taub at The Public. Also, get a sneak peek of all the shows they have booked and want to see so you can join in on the conversation. 

A full transcription of this episode is available through this link.

Shows We Saw

Shows We Want to See

Shows We Are Going To See

Action of the Ep & Queer Gives:

Queer Culture Recs:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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Legendary advocate, organizer and storyteller Cecilia Gentili joins us for the final episode of Season Two! We talk about her autobiographical show The Knife Cuts Both Ways and finding beauty in your story when the world wants to “reduce you to a ball of trauma.” She shares the joy of being a part of Pose (her first ever audition!) and some behind the scene stories from late night filming with Janet Mock. We talk more about her work being a resource and voice for the community in issues of gender equity through Transgender Equity Consulting and Cecilia closes us out with a call to action for all queer artists, reminding them of their power to shape the future.

Harrow & Meghan talk queering the holidays and some work they’ve seen featuring previous guests: National Queer Theater’s LUCIÉRNAGAS written by Javier Rivera DeBruin and IS THIS A ROOM featuring Becca Blackwell. For our action of the ep, find out the many ways that you can get involved with The Center’s statewide advocacy coalition, RiseOut, The People’s Platform. Thesis on Joan will return for Season Three in Spring 2022!

A full transcription of this episode is available through this link.

Action of the Ep: 

RiseOut, The People’s Platform

Cecilia Gentili: Instagram | Twitter 

• Transgender Equity Consulting

Queer Culture Recs:

• Dangerous Liaisons 

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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This week’s guests, ayla xuân chi sullivan, Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko, and Roger Q. Mason come from the inaugural New Vision Fellowship for Black trans and gender non-conforming playwrights, a partnership with the National Queer Theatre and Dramatist Guild! As the Fellowship co-founder/lead mentor, Roger shares the genesis of the program, the need for work, mentorship, time, space, and the opportunity to just be. Fellows Nick and ayla discuss their plays in development, having a space where they can be their fullest selves, learning from each other non-hierarchically, and decolonizing the process of professional work. The trio also gets into trans identity as spiritual identity, theatre as a ritual, assumptions about what Black, queer, trans joy looks like, and the gift and journey of preparing the road for the next generation.

Hosts Harrow and Meghan discuss how the last year and a half have affected their relationships to theatre, Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, and signing up for free bystander, conflict de-escalation, harassment response, and resilience training with Hollaback!

You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

Action of the Ep: 

GUESTS: 

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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