Episodes

  • A Conversation with Becca Schlossberg

    A Conversation with Becca Schlossberg
    Dec 23 2025
    In this episode, we spotlight playwright and performer Becca Schlossberg, an award-winning, non-binary writer whose work fearlessly explores identity, trauma, myth, and survival. Best known for Just Like I Wanted, a globally produced drama confronting teen suicide, Becca discusses a body of work that spans intimate realism, reimagined mythology, and bold theatrical experimentation—from 3boys and Discus to Dybbuk Bat Mitzvah and The Untold Yippie Project. We talk about blending humor and darkness, adapting ancient stories for modern audiences, and what it means to write toward healing. Becca also shares insight into their work as a stand-up comedian, solo performer, and filmmaker, as well as upcoming projects including their first novel, The Clearing, and a new anthology, The Inner Child Plays. A conversation about storytelling as survival, reinvention, and radical honesty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • Prima Facie: a conversation with Suzie Miller and Nora Brigid Monahan

    Prima Facie: a conversation with Suzie Miller and Nora Brigid Monahan
    Dec 22 2025
    In this special event, Suzie Miller, Olivier and Tony Award-winning playwright of Prima Facie, joins writer and performer Nora Brigid Monahan for a signing and talkback on Miller’s debut novel adaptation of her acclaimed play. Prima Facie follows Tessa Ensler, a brilliant defense barrister whose faith in the law is shattered when she becomes the victim of sexual assault—and must face the very system she once defended. Raw, urgent, and unforgettable, Miller’s story exposes the barriers survivors face in pursuit of justice while demanding change from within the legal system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • On Bette Midler with Kevin Winkler and Charles Kirsch

    On Bette Midler with Kevin Winkler and Charles Kirsch
    Dec 21 2025
    In this episode, Kevin Winkler discusses On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide. The book traces the rise of the Divine Miss M from the Continental Baths to mainstream stardom, exploring her impact on gay, Jewish, and feminist culture, as well as her influence across stage, film, music, and activism. Moderator Charles Kirsch, the young host of Backstage Babble, guides the conversation, offering insider insights into Midler’s enduring legacy and the evolution of her bold, iconic persona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Every Day a Little Death: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Stephen Sondheim

    Every Day a Little Death: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Stephen Sondheim
    Dec 20 2025
    A special podcast episode exploring the new anthology Every Day a Little Death, released on what would have been Stephen Sondheim’s 95th birthday. Edited by Josh Pachter, this collection brings together twenty short crime stories—each inspired by a song from one of Sondheim’s twenty musicals, from Saturday Night to Here We Are. Listeners will hear from Josh and a number of contributing authors as they discuss how Sondheim’s lyrics and characters inspired their tales of mystery, suspense, and dark humor. With writers from both the crime fiction world and the theater community, the anthology blends two traditions into something witty, chilling, and full of Sondheimian Easter eggs for fans to uncover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend

    Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend
    Dec 15 2025
    In this episode, we dive into a little-known side of Stephen Sondheim—the master composer’s lifelong love of puzzles, games, and brain-twisting challenges. Based on Barry Joseph’s fascinating new book Matching Minds with Sondheim, this conversation uncovers how Sondheim’s “puzzler’s mind” shaped not only his legendary musicals but also the treasure hunts, crossword puzzles, parlor games, and elaborate game designs he crafted for friends and collaborators. Joseph shares insights from rare, never-before-seen Sondheim puzzles, dozens of interviews with those who played his games, and deep archival research that reveals a new dimension of Sondheim’s genius. Listeners will learn how these playful creations offered joy, clarity, and connection—and even try their hand at Sondheim-inspired puzzles themselves. It’s a delightful, surprising journey into the mind of a maestro unlike any other. Learn more at MatchingMindsWithSondheim.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • The Intimacy Coordinator's Guidebook with Brooke M. Haney

    The Intimacy Coordinator's Guidebook with Brooke M. Haney
    Dec 14 2025
    In this episode, we explore the evolving world of intimacy direction through The Intimacy Coordinator’s Guidebook: Specialties for Stage and Screen. Author Brooke M. Haney—one of the first 50 intimacy coordinators recognized by SAG-AFTRA—joins us to unpack the book’s deep dive into the profession, from cultural competency to working with minors, queer intimacy, disability, trauma, and more. They’re joined by guest experts Cha Ramos and Leo Mock, who share their own experiences shaping safer, more thoughtful rehearsal rooms across stage and screen. Bringing together insights from over 30 contributors, this episode illuminates how intimacy professionals collaborate with actors, directors, fight choreographers, mental-health coordinators, and cultural specialists to build responsible, resonant storytelling. Whether you’re a director hiring an IC, a performer navigating vulnerable material, or simply curious about the craft reshaping modern theatre and film, this conversation is an essential listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Broadway Melody- A Conversation with Jack Viertel and Ted Chapin

    Broadway Melody- A Conversation with Jack Viertel and Ted Chapin
    Dec 13 2025
    In this episode, Jack Viertel discusses his novel Broadway Melody, a sweeping show-business romance set against the backdrop of 1960s Broadway. Tracing the intertwined lives of a trumpet player, a spotlight operator, and an aspiring ingenue, Viertel explores the hits, flops, and behind-the-scenes drama of the theater world, while offering a vivid portrait of Broadway’s history, humor, and heartbreak. The conversation is moderated by Ted Chapin, former President of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and co-founder of New York City Center’s Encores! series, who brings his decades of musical theater expertise to the discussion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Isn't She Great: Women Led Comedies From 9 To 5 To Booksmart

    Isn't She Great: Women Led Comedies From 9 To 5 To Booksmart
    Dec 12 2025
    In this episode, Elizabeth Teets discusses her anthology Isn’t She Great: Writers on Women-Led Comedies from 9 to 5 to Booksmart, celebrating the power and humor of women-led comedies. Joined by contributors Samantha Mann, Lana Schwartz, and Yael Krinsky, they explore cult cinema, film criticism, and the enduring glamour of pink. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 12 mins