Thesis on Joan

Mei Ann Teo, theatre, film maker, and Associate Artistic Director of New Work at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, stops by the podcast to give Harrow and Meghan a master class in civically minded art, church skits as artistic awakenings, queer plays written by “straight” identifying teens, liberation as a way to subvert the grand narrative and the life changing moment that set them on the path to being a devised theater creator. She shares more about the unique way that Oregon Shakespeare Festival @OSFashland is approaching the artistic director role and how we need to all come to terms with our addiction to producing Shakespeare. Most importantly they blow our mind by teasing the queer camp Little Shop of Horrors of our dreams that we’re unapologetically thirsty for.

Meghan and Harrow talk about the New York Times article “As Broadway Returns, Shows Rethink and Restage Depictions of Race” and share some upcoming work from previous guests.

You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

Article Discussed

• As Broadway Returns, Shows Rethink and Restage Depictions of Race

Action of the Ep: 

Check out our previous guests’ creative projects!

Mei Ann Teo: Website | Instagram 

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival Web Site

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

• The Jean Moye Dark Fund - Learn More & Donate

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Hosts chat with Miss Hazel Jade, director, dramaturg, playwright, librettist, literary consultant, and investor for Broadway and the West End! Miss Hazel shares her current focus to decenter Broadway, return to grassroots nonprofit regional theatre, and inspire the next generation of theatre-makers. She highlights the legal issues with investing in American theatre, her love of creating theatre for the West End and UK, and why we need to dissolve the Broadway League. She also shares how one of her many upcoming projects, The Regulars: A Folk Musical, will give us the queer and trans creative team, cast, and bar of our dreams.

Harrow and Meghan discuss the 2021 Tony Awards and some action steps to help end solitary confinement and reduce the incarcerated population in New York City and State.

You can view a transcript of this episode here.

Action of the Ep: 

Miss Hazel Jade: Website | Instagram | Twitter 

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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Today we sit down with playwright, aerialist, and mother of three dogs, Queerean Nina Ki! We discuss the extra labor that goes into submitting as an artist of color, acting in your own plays (because you’re the only person who knows Korean), writing horror (Asian style), finding inspiration from unlikely sources on Netflix, queering deeply upsetting Korean folk tales, integrating aerial work into musicals, looking for Queerean representation in media, and Harrow has their bi-annual podcast Buffy fan moment with Nina. 

We also discuss our thoughts ahead of the Tony Awards, our return to Broadway seeing Wicked the musical and how you can help raise awareness for missing LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals.

You can view a transcript of this episode here.

Action of the Ep: 

Nina Ki: Website | Instagram

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Hosts Meghan & Harrow chat with Twi McCallum (she/they/he), the first woman of color sound designer of a Broadway show! Hear how Twi came to work on their Broadway debut, Chicken & Biscuits (previews begin TOMORROW, September 23, 2021), the history of women and POC sound designers on Broadway (not many), how things have changed since Twi published an open letter to the theatre community last year, and her concerns for the future. They also share their love of designing musicals, how she manifested more musical projects, the difference between sound designers and composers, thoughts on virtual theatre, and his dream role in film production.

Harrow and Meghan also check-in about their upcoming trip to a Broadway show and some ways to fight for reproductive justice.

You can find a transcript of this episode here.

Action of the Ep: 

Twi McCallum: Website

Queer Culture Recs:

• Pose

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Harrow Sansom

Thesis on Joan:

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We’re back with the hilarious and insightful actor and playwright Ryan J. Haddad to kick-off the second half of Season Two! Ryan’s show Hi, Are You Single? was a pandemic, digital theater high point for us - we go into the backstory and creation of this piece and what it was like to tell stories about connections during COVID. Ryan also (maybe accidentally?) announces his next show coming in 2022, Dark Disabled Stories. We also discuss radical accessibility, exploring ableism in Dark Disabled Stories, the lack of true depictions of disabled stories, the sinister nature of tearjerkers, frozen custard and other Northeast Ohio hotspots, and an upcoming opportunity to go on a date with Ryan. Meghan and Harrow also encourage you to go out and patronize your queer spaces! Cheers, queers!

You can find a transcript of this episode here.

Action of the Ep: 

Ryan J. Haddad: Website | Instagram | Twitter 

• Woolly Mammoth 2021-2022 Season

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Episode Credits:

• Edited by Meghan Dixon

Thesis on Joan:

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Wrap up Pride month with playwright and impact producer, Javier Rivera DeBruin, and hosts Meghan and Harrow! Javi discusses how queerness, magical realism/fantasy/scifi in theatre allows a unique opportunity for anything to happen, the dynamics of family in their writing and in the theatre community, and why theatre is the Grey Gardens of the arts. Learn what Javi does as an Impact Producer for documentaries like DISCLOSURE and TRANS IN TRUMPLAND, practices that theatre could adapt from documentaries, and the rewards of contributing to the counter narratives to the recent attacks against trans youth.

Harrow and Meghan also discuss upcoming shows in July and how you can support the Equality Act!

Upcoming Shows: 

Action of the Ep: 

Javier Rivera DeBruin: Website | Instagram | Twitter 

Queer Culture Recs:

Queer Gives:

Thesis on Joan:

You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

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Celebrate Pride with National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival! Hosts are joined by director, playwright, actor, teaching artist and National Queer Theater (NQT) Artistic Director Adam Odsess-Rubin and playwright, dramaturg and Co-Producer of the Criminal Queerness Festival Adam A. El-Sayigh. In addition to the trio of shows for this year’s Criminal Queerness Festival we talk about fighting for queer liberation through art, queerness as a political act, a producing theater’s responsibility to artists, the many incredible programs offered by NQT, and the trials and tribulations of producing outdoor theater. Meghan and Harrow talk about their dream pride celebrations (it’s not in June), pride celebrations happening this month, the work of Communities United for Police Reform and the MaYi Theater’s production of ONCE UPON A (KOREAN) TIME by Daniel K. Isaac and directed by Ralph B. Peña. 

ONCE UPON A (KOREAN) TIME:

• Show Information

National Queer Theater:

Adam A. El-Sayigh

Adam Odsess-Ruben

• Instagram

Action of the Ep

Queer Culture Rec:

Queer Gives:

• National Queer Theater - Donate

Thesis on Joan:

Follow Thesis on Joan on Instagram & Twitter 

Leave us a voicemail at (845) 445-9251‬

Email us at thesisonjoan at gmail dot com

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This week, hosts chat with filmmaker, theatremaker, and writer Drew Gregory! Drew shares about the short she made in quarantine, “The First Time”, reminisces about directing immersive theatre immediately after coming out, and giving young people the trans representation in media she did not have. As a writer for Autostraddle, Drew discusses the freedom of writing for queer indie media, finding the one second of queerness in the In The Heights trailer, and assigns us the best kind of homework, to watch her queer media recommendations.

Hosts Harrow and Meghan discuss more thoughts on the return of in-person theatre and Chonburi International Hotel and Butterfly Club written by and featuring Shakina Nayfack and directed by Laura Savia on Audible.

Show Discussion:

Action of the Ep: 

Drew Gregory: Instagram | Twitter | Autostraddle

Queer Gives:

Thesis on Joan:

You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

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The multi-talented Dionne McClain-Freeney is a musical theatre septuple threat - pianist, composer, lyricist, choral and musical director, arranger, singer and teaching artist. Join Meghan & Harrow as they sit down with Dionne to discuss her many roles in the theater world, musical theater as a medium rather than a genre, the importance of “working it out” in a collaboration, genre-fluidity, love song lyrics that make her swoon, uplifting the next generation of musical theater creators, redefining success in theater, faith and spirituality as a queer person, the beauty in the mundane lives of queers, and our shared enduring love of Anybodys. Meghan and Harrow also discuss the LAST GASP WFH, written and performed by Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver of Split Britches and presented by La Mama and shout out Rock Steady farm.

Dionne McClain-Freeney: 

Last Gasp WFH - Split Britches

Through May 31, 2021

• Streaming 

Action of the Ep

Queer Culture Rec:

• Soul Summit- Instagram

Queer Gives:

Thesis on Joan:

Follow Thesis on Joan on Instagram & Twitter 

Leave us a voicemail at (845) 445-9251‬

Email us at thesisonjoan at gmail dot com

A full transcript of this episode is available here.

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In Thesis on Joan’s first duo interview, musical theatre writing team Melissa Li (she/her) and Kit Yan (they/she/he) check in with hosts about the recent rise in anti-Asian violence, how they’ve grown as creative partners over a decade, and what our responsibility is to our elders even when they’re part of the problem. Kit and Melissa also discuss how they healed their friendship through writing the musical Interstate, met the community they now write for while touring to 32 states, and what to do when casting directors tell you they can’t find someone for a role. Get your athletic wear ready for their next musical, Miss Step, with an entirely trans lead cast telling the story of the boring and remarkable life of a trans person, the importance of queer joy, and living our best lives.

Hosts Harrow and Meghan discuss nonbinary erasure and ciswashing of Jagged Little Pill and their thoughts on the Ars Nova Vision Residency of The Women, created by L Morgan Lee and Raja Feather Kelly.

Content Warning: 18:18 - 19:10 Mention of sexual assault, rape, death

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Broadway’s Jagged Little Journey Toward Nonbinary Inclusion by Christian Lewis

Show Discussion:

Action of the Ep: 

Melissa Li and Kit Yan: 

Queer Culture Rec:

Queer Gives:

Thesis on Joan:

A full transcript of this episode can be found here.

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