Theater Forward

Our favorite summer stories are back! We sit down with some amazing Wisconsin arts leaders and ask them to share a story about a play or musical that "stayed" with them, inspired them, or just generally rocked their world. This episode features:

Jacob Janssen - Artistic Director of Third Avenue PlayWorks 

Laura Braza - Associate Artistic Director of Milwaukee Rep

Sheri Williams Pannell - Playwright, Director, & Asst. Professor at UW-Milwaukee/Peck School of the Arts

Deanie Vallone - Literary & New Play Development Consultant at Milwaukee Rep

 

In theater, a "world premiere" seems easy to define, right? But some licensing agents are gatekeeping this title for promotional purposes, rather than granting it to the companies that invest time and money into producing a brand new play. We share our experience (and frustration) with an east coast "world premiere production" that left our theater company in the cold. 

It's that time of the year! Theaters are announcing their upcoming seasons and wrangling their subscribers to renew. We discuss the four plays on tap for Forward Theater's 2023-24 season, and share the process of curating a season that brings joy to ourselves and our audiences. 

Our 23-24 season:
The Garbologists by Lindsay Joelle
Clyde's by Lynn Nottage
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk by Daniel Jamieson
What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck

More info: https://forwardtheater.com/show/the-2023-24-season

We were thrilled to sit down with Lauren Gunderson, one of America's most produced playwrights and author of our upcoming world premiere of ARTEMISIA at Forward Theater Company. Get a deep dive into the process of this prolific writer, as well as insight into the creation of this exciting new production. This is a MUST LISTEN for artists and audiences.   

Finding understudies used to be the last item on a long to-do list for producers. But with ongoing safety protocols this hard-to-fill role is now front and center. As a result, more and more artists are jumping into performances at the last minute to keep productions afloat.

A candid and funny look at this brave "sport," thanks to our special guests Kailey Azure Green (they/them) and Rána Roman (she/her), who offer backstage tales from two of Wisconsin's biggest theaters.

We dive into the debut of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals, March 1 - June 30. Originally conceived by our very own Jen Uphoff Gray, this event is one-of-a-kind. We go in-depth on what it took to create the festival, including the collaboration of over 50 Wisconsin theaters that have made this idea a reality. 

We welcome educator and scenic designer Neil Mills, and Orion Risk, a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Theater Studies. In this interview, we discuss the "tipping point" of awareness and inclusion of transgender and non-binary artists and stories, and gain insight into how American theater institutions can expand their perspectives even further. 

A deep dive with Mallory Metoxen and Jake Penner, two emerging directors that share their personal journeys and insight about developing a career as a director, as well as how to cultivate a new generation of artists. Hosted by Artistic Director Jen Uphoff Gray.

In our end-of-year episode, we reflect on the highlights, the lowlights, and the things we'll remember most about a very interesting season in the world of theater. 

Amidst the recent fallout at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, we examine the role of the Board of Directors and the changing relationship they have with theater administrators and staff.