This solo podcast is a response—albeit a delayed one—to the hideous evil perpetrated on October 7 last year, and the pitiful spectacle of a warped, callous wave of Jew hatred sweeping college campuses: the rot starting at the pinnacle of the Ivy League, Harvard. The capture of the academies is where the corruption begins. It’s where it always begins. And suddenly, on cue, let’s hate the Jews.

WARNING/DISCLAIMER: THIS PODCAST DEALS WITH STRONG THEMES OF ANTISEMITISM AND RACE, AS WELL AS VIOLENCE AND OTHER POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING SUBJECTS. IT INCLUDES STRONG OPINIONS AND SOME STRONG LANGUAGE. ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN.

This is a very strong piece and expresses some strong views and admonishments, and strong language. I’m telling it like it is here, and I think it’s time. The issuing of the Letter To The Motion Picture Academy On Its Diversity Requirements by a powerful list of signatories and the JITC has opened what should be a mainstream conversation, at last—not just about the discrimination of Jews explicitly by the DEI industrial complex, but DEI itself, which has to be questioned, and should be dismantled. But more than that—it’s time for the adults to act like adults. Some people need to hear some history, they need to learn some manners, and they need to be put in their place. There’s too much at stake this year. When they start coming for the Jews… I’ll let brilliant Bari Weiss finish the rest.

When antisemitism moves from the shameful fringe into the public square, it is not about Jews. It is never about Jews. It is about everyone else.  It is about the surrounding society or the culture or the country. It is an early warning system—a sign that the society itself is breaking down. That it is dying.

—Bari Weiss, to the Federalist Society 

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I’m thrilled that my very first podcast guest, MELODY RACHEL, returned for this lively conversation centered around her latest original solo theatre piece, Demo, which just premiered at the Sydney Fringe Festival.

Our chat centers around the challenges theatre makers face when approaching potentially provocative themes and subjects. How do we weigh the desire to be truthful—to speak from our lived experience—with the need to arm ourselves against activist forces that prefer to silence and de-platform, rather than engage in dialogue or debate?

DISCLAIMER: ALL VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN, AND MY GUEST’S.

My own solo show, Lived Experience, premieres Thursday, October 19 at 9:30PM at the Triad Theater in New York City, with an additional performance on October 26 (my birthday!). The October 26 show will be live streamed—tickets are on sale now!

Melody Rachel is a Theatre Artist and Podcaster. She creates solo movement-based performance works exploring gender, identity and anxious irrational thought patterns that spin her out of control. She recently launched a Podcast and Youtube channel inspired by her desire to understand the world more and make sense of some of the ideas impacting our culture.

Melody's Youtube Channel    / @melodyrachel  

Melody's Podcast - You Know I https://sptfy.com/NYZG

Melody Socials: https://twitter.com/melodyrachelk https://www.instagram.com/melodyrachelk

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I’ve been wanting to talk with Kevin Ray for a long time. Just over a year ago, when I was struggling with my decision to create The Cornfield, and speak out about some of the abusive practices and divisive ideas that had invaded the theatre workspace, I saw a video featuring Kevin’s experience of being confronted with DEI in his work as a teaching artist. His forthright fearlessness and passion about his work strengthened my resolve to let my voice be heard.

KEVIN RAY is a Generative Theater Director and Teaching Artist. For over 20 years, Kevin has delivered arts-education programs to students pre-K to 12th Grade as a Teaching Artist working for a variety of arts organizations in New York City. Under the name Kevin Ray | Works, Kevin has produced & directed original theater in collaboration with actors & designers. Most recently, he produced and directed Unearthly Visitants a devised play based on ghost stories written by Edith Wharton and The Machine Stops, a devised play based on the short story of the same name by E.M Forster. He is currently developing a new piece based on the science fiction novel We by Russian dissident Yevgeny Zamyatin, premiering October 2024 in Brooklyn NY. Kevin’s work has been described as “A Space Mountain roller coaster ride, an intellectual white water rafting expedition, a production that will have you talking about it for hours and days to come.”

Learn more about Kevin Ray’s work:

Website: 

https://kevinrayworks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinrayworks/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW11fBEP_3yVFi0P0VW7gjw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unearthlyvisitants

DISCLAIMER: ALL VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN AND MY GUEST’S.

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