Twins Talk Theatre

086 - Suzanne Willett and Jacob Louchheim

Suzanne Willett is a comedian, producer and playwright with a Masters degree in electrical engineering and an MFA in playwrighting.  Jacob Louchheim is an actor, singer and director with a degree in Theatrical Performance from SUNY Purchase College.  They met the fall intensive class at SITI Company where they studied the Suzuki Method and Viewpoint.  They took that training and are now working together at Silver Glass Productions creating "Life" along with fellow director Broderick Merritt Ballantyne.  They’re looking at the Prometheus Effect, Human Identity and Machine Bias through movement and physical theatre.

For information about Silver Glass Productions, visit: http://www.silverglassprods.org

For information about Suzanne Willett, visit: http://www.suzannewillett.com/

For information about Jacob Louchheim, visit: https://jacoblouchheim.com/

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085 - Cheryl Mintz

Cheryl Mintz is in her 29th season as the Resident Production Stage Manager at the Tony Award winning McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton NJ, with 35 productions with Artistic Director and Resident Playwright, Emily Mann. Cheryl has enjoyed 13 collaborations with Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti and the Spoleto Festival USA and Italy, and has stage managed 40 operas and musicals, three tours, and three PBS telecasts for New York City Opera at Lincoln Center. She has been a member of Stage Managers' Association of the United States since 1986 and is currently the chair of the Del Hughes Awards which is the only annual Stage Management Awards in the country.

For more information about the Stage Managers Association, visit https://www.stagemanagers.org/

For more information about McCarter Theatre Center, visit https://www.mccarter.org/

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084 - Sean Gray

Sean Gray started theatre like so many people, as an actor!  At Orange Coast College he took classes in everything from directing to designing to producing.  It was here he learned he liked to be more in control.  After a few years he transferred to CSU Fullerton but found it to not be a good fit, then back to OCC, then finally to CSU Long Beach.  Here is where he found what he wanted in education.  After graduation he called up an old friend from OCC, Andrew Vonderschmitt, and said "I'm bored, got anything for me to do?"  As it happened, Andrew was at the Long Beach Playhouse and they needed a prop master.  Jump ahead 11 years, Sean is now the Producing Artistic Director!

 

For more information about the Long Beach Playhouse, visit www.lbplayhouse.org 

 

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083 - Harold Hodge Jr.

Harold Hodge Jr. is a New York-based Director and Playwright of politically charged theater. As an African American that was raised in Japan, he found himself drawn to connect to his African American heritage and how it related to American history. He fell in love with acting at the old age of 3 years old, where he would perform shows in his living room. He recent graduated from Pace School of Performing Arts where he and fellow students started their own theatre company, The Rose Grew Here Productions were the main objective is to produce original work, the organization also takes special interest in stories dealing with people of color, women, LGBTQAA and people of poverty. You can catch Harold's current piece "Fancy Maids" opening tonight at Rave Theater Festival.

For more information on Harold, visit https://www.haroldhodgejr.com/ 

For more information about The Rose Grew Here, visit https://www.therosegrewhere.com/

This weeks episode is brought to you by a partnership with the Rave Theater Festival , opening August 9th. To learn more and get tickets, visit http://ravetheaterfestival.com/

 

 

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082 - Ken Davenport

Ken Davenport is a Tony Awards-winning producer of Broadway and Off Broadway shows, including Once on This Island (2018 Tony Award Best Musical Revival), Gettin’ the Band Back Together, Chinglish, Allegiance, Deaf West’s Spring Awakening, and The Play That Goes Wrong. He also has revolutionized marketing through new and diverse approach in the new age, such as tweet seats during shows!. Written a few books. Made a board game. Host a weekly podcast called "The Producers Perspective" and writes a weekly blog. How does he do it all? He just says "yes!" Like when he notices there were no new work festivals, he created Rave Theatre Festival in just a few months.

This weeks episode is brought to you by a partnership with the Rave Theater Festival, opening August 9th. To learn more check out http://ravetheaterfestival.com/

To learn more about his podcast and blog, check out https://www.theproducersperspective.com/

 

 

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081 - Rebecca Bonebrake

Rebecca Bonebrake started acting in elementary school in San Fernando Valley, CA. She attended an arts high school before moving down to UC San Diego to get her undergrad in theatre. It was not until 1/2 way through undergrad, did she even find lighting design! But we are all happy she did, and fell in love with it. After college she took a few years off to work in the field, and got a job at Caltech in their theatre department. How many people can say that they have lit Stephen Hawking? After returning to UC San Diego to receive her master she found herself working as a lighting designer in an architectural firm. She has been a part of multiple amusement parks around the world! When not busy doing that, she is part of Chalk Repertory Theatre and 2 different Roller Derby teams.

For more information about Rebecca, visit her web site at http://www.rebeccabonebrake.com

 

 

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080 - Boston Lyric Opera Handmaid's Tale

Being a Stage Manager or Assistant Director takes a lot of patience, organization and cooperation. No team proves this more than The Handmaids Tale at Boston Lyric Opera. This week we talk to the Assistant Director, Mikhaela Mahony , Stage Manager Cindy Hennon Marino, Assistant Stage Managers Melanie Bacaling and Julie Marie Langevin and Production Assistant Bruno Baker. Hear how this well oiled team put together Boston Lyric Operas largest ever production directed by theatre icon Anne Bogart , Conductor, David Angus and Movement Director, Shura Baryshnikov.

 

 

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079 - John Rozzoni

Cindy Hennon Marino met John Rozzoni at Tri-Cities Opera in 2013 when they did #Carmen. At the time, John was transitioning out of a singing career and working part-time as program editor and social media manager. He did such an amazing job that the next season he became full-time as Director of Community Engagement. After Cindy left TCO, John became the Director of House Operations at Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. But starting on July 1, he comes full circle and will become the new Executive Director at TCO! Amazing where some vision and a music degree from IthacaCollege can take you!

 

Photo by: Joshua Bernard

 

 

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078 - Anna Robinson

Anna Robinson is a scenic and projection designer who grew up in New Zealand. After receiving her undergraduate at the Victoria University of Wellington she took two years to work in theatre and film. But she knew she needed more training to advance in her career. That's how she found herself at UC San Diego Theatre and Dance earning her MFA in Scenic Design. With her background in design and cinematography, she did her thesis in projection design. Within a few short years after graduation she has found herself working in LA at East West Players and Geffen Playhouse, to name a few, as well as across the country such as Mixed Blood Theatre Company in Minneapolis. There is no telling where her amazing talent will bring her next!

To learn more about Anna, please visit her site at www.annarobinson.design

 

 

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077 - Josh Shaw

If you are a contemporary opera fan, or a fan of Star Trek or Super Mario Bros., you probably have heard of Josh Shaw's opera company, Pacific Opera Project.  Josh started the company 9 years ago to produce adorable and high quality opera for the masses.  Slowly it has grown to be well know for its modern mash ups that excite both opera lovers and newbies.  Such as his recent "The Magic Flute" set in the Super Mario Bros and Zelda world, sung in English.  Or the ever popular "Abduction From The Seraglio" set in the original Star Trek episodes.

You can learn more about Josh at www.joshshaw.org  

And more about POP at www.pacificoperaproject.com

 

 

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