TOOTPod: The Other Other Theatre Podcast

RECORDED: 8/20/2020

While Erin is off doing reconnaissance for a possible Crystal Pepsi resurgence, Joel lone-guns it with Meg Honey, a Humanities Curriculum Specialist/dramaturg/educator/moderator (and life-long resident of Walnut Creek, California) who has recently formed the non-profit organization Rise Up Against Racism Walnut Creek (https://riseupwalnutcreek.org).

Topics include: the importance of art (and supporting art) in the home; the fundamental links between art and education; Meg vs. CAPS; luxuries, privileges, and the horrors of "hyper-localism"; the most important books and movies to check out right now; and the $64,000 question--is the city of Walnut Creek racist?

Plus: Joel tries out several catchphrases without Erin around to scold him, and introduces a new segment.

MEG'S ARTICLES: https://muckrack.com/meg-honey/articles

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Joel and Erin sit down with director/teaching artist/actor Salim Razawi to discuss his new organization for youth theatre education--T.E.A.M. Theatre--and the state of the arts in the Bay Area.

Topics include: growing up as an Afghani student in a post-9/11 world; the Living Document of BIPOC Experiences in the Bay Area (and the attacks on the person who created the document); the most "important" shows in which Mr. Razawi took part; the lack (and proof) of action from theatre companies; the importance of representation in the classroom; how he met his co-founder for T.E.A.M. Theatre, Rachel Robinson; and the exhaustion from hoping.

Plus, Erin has more Videotape Recommendations (but no theme song yet), and Joel tries for another opening catchphrase.

The Living Document of BIPOC Experiences In Bay Area Theater: https://www.bipoclivdoc.com/

GoFundMe For Creator of Above Document: https://www.gofundme.com/f/livingdocbayarea?utm_campaign=p_cp%20share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_source=customer

"We See You, White American Theatre": https://www.weseeyouwat.com/

Information about T.E.A.M. Theatre: https://teamtheatreinfo.weebly.com

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RECORDED: 7/14/2020

Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr. and Marcelo Javier are two lifelong friends who formed the critically-and-audience-acclaimed SFBATCO (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company). In this episode, they join Joel and Erin to discuss the mission of their company and the state of the arts.

Topics include: performative allyship; "collective amnesia" and "white savior bullsh*t"; Broadway (and off-off-off Broadway) experiences; the definitive productions of SFBATCO; the eternal struggle between art and finance; a battle with MTI; the homeopathic medicine of theatre; the possibilities of theatre companies collaborating instead of battling; financial compensation for artistic consultation; the fight against cynicism; a warning for theatre companies that don't embrace change; and the few Bay Area theatre companies that are actually "walking the walk".

Plus: Erin gives his first Videotape Non-Recommendation, and Joel reflects on (and struggles with) three years of sobriety. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Underhill
SFBATCO: www.sfbatco.org
ON TWITCH: twitch.tv/sfbatco

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RECORDED: 6/2/2020

TheatreFirst is a theatre company and social justice organization that has fought for equitable representation in all aspects of theatre production and performance, as well as hourly wages for actors and payment for attending callbacks. Joel and Erin talk with TheatreFirst's casting director Stephanie Prentice about these "wacky" notions. 

Other topics include: what a casting director should expect from actors (and vice-versa); what will happen if theatre companies don't adjust their current behavior and practices; the challenges and rewards of new works; why actors deserve money; what "www" stands for; and the feeling of seeing yourself represented. 

Plus: Joel tries out a new catchphrase. And fails. 

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Recorded on June 1st, 2020 (the day Washington D.C. police threw tear gas at protesters to clear the way for the President's photo op), Joel and Erin sit down with a first-ever repeat visit with their first-ever guest, friend and actor LaMont Ridgell. 

Topics include: false claims of Black Lives Matter solidarity from theatre companies; the possibility of Bay Area "woke"-ness in a post-pandemic and protest world; the dangers of white guilt; LaMont's parents' advice to theatre companies; the varying degrees of hope; and the long lost feeling of hugs.

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RECORDED: 5/14/2020

NOTE: This was recorded on May 14th, 2020. Therefore, this episode is lighter in tone and topic than the ones to follow.

After a not-so-hot-so interview a few months back, Joel and Erin once again try to elicit some sense out of Production Manager/Technical Director Henry Perkins. Topics include: how Mormonism led Henry to theatre; getting furloughed in the time of coronavirus; injuries in the theatre; how Henry doesn't approach acting; why Henry doesn't like being called a teacher; how Henry feels about the British; and Henry versus the worst Santa Claus of all time. 

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RECORDED: 4/30/2020

In their tenth episode, the boys sit down for the first time with San Francisco Chronicle theatre critic Lily Janiak. Topics include: how a theatre major becomes a critic; tempering a rage-filled theatre experience for print; a critic's favorite critics, writers, and quotes; how artists and patrons respond to criticism; a warning to theatre companies about streaming; and a self-described "Pollyanna" looks to the future. Plus: Erin makes more Videotape Recommendations, and Joel screws up Yale and the Yale School of Drama. 

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Suzie Shepard, Town Hall Theatre Company's Community Engagement Specialist, drops by virtually to discuss the nature of optimism in a dark time for the arts. Topics include: what the hell a Community Engagement Specialist does; seeing and being seen; how successful Town Hall Theatre's first streaming performance fared; some reasons behind the closing of a long-running Bay Area theatre company; and what we'll all be grateful for when theatre doors reopen. 

Plus, Erin gives a couple of Videotape Recommendations, and Joel laments the ending of The Neverending Story (spoilers).

RECORDED: 4/27/20

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Special guest Danny Cozart had only seen "Iron Man" and "Iron Man 2" before the quarantine began. With the shelter-in-place in effect, Danny binged the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to date...with some strong feelings. Joel, Erin, and Danny give their opinions on the best (and worst) offerings of this saga in this way-too-geeky-even-for-a-theatre-podcast bonus half-hour segment.

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Joel and Erin chat (and un-apologetically geek out) with Theatre Bay Area Award-winning director Danny Cozart virtually to discuss the past, present, and future of Bay Area theatre. Topics include: the virtues of honesty onstage and off; the sting of cancelling a show two days prior to opening; the Nazis in Austria; Legos; the strange circle of Urinetown; leaping from off-kilter to mainstream; and whether or not Danny would pay to watch a live streaming theatre production. Plus: Erin makes more Videotape Recommendations, and Joel laments naps. 

NOTE: This episode seems to end abruptly, because the final unbelievably geeky half hour of this interview is available in a separate download as a bonus. 

RECORDED: 4/22/2020

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