Theater Forward

Happy Holidays! Enjoy our end-of-year episode, in which we share everything we loved about 2024, including stellar productions and films, the support of our amazing audiences, and the brilliant artists that continue to make the theater an inspiring and life-affirming experience.

We LOVE mailbag episodes, and this one was a treat. Join us as we talk about theater spaces, share our own play selection process, and bring the heat on playwrights and productions we never need to see again. 

Our take on the top 10 most-produced plays and top 20 most-produced playwrights in America this season, based on the annual list generated by American Theater Magazine. We discuss what we expected, what surprised us, and how this list reflects the current state of theater in America. Here are the lists so you can follow along!

Top 10 most-produced plays in America in 2024-25

Top 20 most-produced playwrights in America in 2024-25

Inspired by the Summer Olympics and our upcoming production of KING JAMES by Rajiv Joseph, the team steps up to the plate to talk about their favorite sports-themed plays, and the exciting parallels between these two dynamic art forms. A spirited conversation for sports and theater lovers alike.

Each year, theatermakers from across the country attend the biennial Theatre Communications Group (TCG) Conference to learn, share, and network. But lately, this gathering has become less practical (and educational) for small companies looking for new and better ways to do business. We share our mixed experience with this year's meeting of the minds, and how it might better serve local regional theaters in America. 

From educational programs to full productions, there have never been more opportunities for young adults and children to participate in a theater experience. We sit down with two of Wisconsin's most prominent leaders to talk about the ever-changing world of TYA and the impact these experiences have on future generations.

This episode features First Stage (Milwaukee) Artistic Director Jeff Frank and Children's Theater of Madison Artistic Director Brian Cowing as we discuss the state of theater for young audiences in America.

Our favorite summer stories are back! We sit down with some of our most treasured theater artists and ask them to share a story about a play or musical that "stayed" with them, inspired them, or simply blew their minds. This episode features:

Cody Estle - Artistic Director of Next Act Theatre

James Carrington - Actor and Associate Director of Engagement at Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Lisa Schlenker - Scenic Designer

Mikael Burke - Director

It's our favorite time of the year! Theaters across the country are announcing their productions for the 2024-25 season, and we've got a LONG list of shows that we want to see. In this episode, we discuss the shows we're looking forward to locally, regionally, and across the country. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year! This is when theater companies across the country announce their upcoming seasons, which means that theater is alive in America. In this episode, the team breaks down (and geeks out about) the lineup for Forward Theater's 2024-25 season:

KING JAMES by Rajiv Joseph

MURDER GIRL by Heidi Armbruster

SUMMER, 1976 by David Auburn

A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD by Samuel D. Hunter

Learn more about these plays at ForwardTheater.com.

Mike Fischer interviews Forward Theater Artistic Director (and fellow host) Jen Uphoff Gray! Jen discusses the valuable role of mentors in the arts, while reflecting on her formative relationship with Tony award-winning director Michael Blakemore. A thoughtful conversation about how we cultivate a new generation of theater directors, with a few juicy showbiz tales that include David Mamet and Woody Allen for good measure. 

Also mentioned in this episode: Forward Theater's Wisconsin Directors Lab - an inclusive workshop for the education and career development of emerging directors, scheduled for January 2025.