Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill has already been pulled out of artistic retirement to direct Deborah Zoe Laufer's "Rooted" at WAM Theatre. We chat with Maggie and Erin Patrick (General Manager at WAM) about the play and the mission of WAM to focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and girls. "Rooted" runs from May 1 - May 16, 2026. https://www.wamtheatre.com/

Acrobatics, puppetry, folk-pop music... "Water for Elephants" has it all in a breathtaking musical production that is currently touring the United States. We speak with "Water for Elephants" star Helen Krushinski about learning all the skills for the show, keeping yourself healthy on the road, and staying present onstage during a long run. "Water for Elephants" is at Proctors in Schenectady until April 12th 2026.  This episode is sponsored by the Sand Lake Center for the Arts' production of "1776" running April 10 - 19, 2026. Tickets are available at www.slca-ctp.org.

Mike Ford is back in Cambridge, and he's brought a new theater company with him! The Bridge Theatre serves as a connection between Upstate New York and New York City, fostering a vibrant exchange of artistic ideas and talent. We talk to Mike about starting a new theater company and chat with actress Sarah Diamond about Bridge Theatre's inaugural production, "Constellations." Website: Bridgetheatreco.com Tickets for Constellations: Bridgetheatreco.com/tickets Instagram: @bridgetheatreco

Who will take home the golden statues this year?! We are back with film critic Jackson Murphy to talk about the films of the 2026 award season and share his predictions for Oscar night. With a lot of films connected to theater ("Hamnet", "Sentimental Value"... or the shocking "Wicked For Good" snub), we have a lot to talk about!

It may be considered cursed, but Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most popular and beloved plays. We chat with Dazmann Still (playing Macbeth) and Amy Frances Quint (playing Lady Macbeth) who are tackling this classic text at The Frog + Peach Theatre Company in NYC running through March 2026. https://www.frogandpeachtheatre.org/

Despite the cold and snow this winter, several companies have been hard at work rehearsing shows. Home Made Theater and Confetti Stage, Inc. are presenting two classics this winter. We chat with director Toni Anderson-Sommo and actors Matthew Crowley and Bridget Dunigan about the timeliness of "The Crucible" at Home Made Theater and then we discuss the power of "The Lion in Winter" with director Adele Scheiber at Confetti Stage.

It's always a challenge to work on a winter show when the weather can be so unpredictable. Ellen and Benita talk about working on winter shows, and review exciting upcoming events and shows in the Capital Region in 2026!

"Shear Madness" has been translated into 28 foreign languages, in 36 foreign countries, playing worldwide in a host of cities including Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Paris, Rejkavik, Rome, Tel Aviv, Melbourne, Johannesburg, Seoul, and Shanghai. Over 14.5 million people worldwide have joined in the fun. We chat with the creators, writers, and original cast members, Bruce Jordan and Marilyn Abrams, about the origins of the play in Lake George, NY to the huge success it is today. https://www.shearmadness.com/

We can't believe we're at the end of 2025 and our 6th year of podcasting! We also can't believe we're at the end of an era. The incredible Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill has wrapped up her 30 years as Producing Artistic Director at Capital Repertory Theatre. We chat with Maggie about her phenomenal run at The Rep, and what the theater scene looks like going into 2026.

Argentine playwright and actor Gaston Leguizamon's new short play, "In the Same World," will be presented at the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) at The Tank in NYC on December 11, 2025. We chat with Gaston about his company (VoxArt Lab Productions), his creative process, and the mission of the International Human Rights Art Festival.