KPFA - Radio Wolinsky

Encore Podcast: An Interview with Garry Marshall (1934-2016) hosted by Richard Wolinsky. First posted July 20, 2016. Garry Marshall died on July 19, 2016 at the age of 81. Over the course of his life, he was a comedy writer, actor, director, and television show-runner, creating shows such as Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, and Mork and Mindy, and directing such successful films such as Overboard, Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries and more recently Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve . His last film, released Apri 2016, was Mother’s Day.  Marshall started out as a joke writer for Jack Paar and Joey Bishop, then came to Hollywood and worked on various shows, including I Love Lucy, Make Room for Daddy and The Dick Van Dyke Show, before creating his own programs. He later moved on to films, created his own theater company, and even directed for the Los Angeles Opera. Richard Wolinsky interviewed Garry Marshall on May 9, 2012 while he was on a book tour for his memoir, co-written with his daughter Lori Marshall, My Happy Days in Hollywood. The interview was recorded at Book Passage Bookstore, in Corte Madera, California. This interview covers Marshall’s entire career, from his early days in New York to his work in television and film, including in-depth looks at the process of creating film and television. The post Garry Marshall (1934-2016), 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

David Sedaris, whose latest collection of essays is titled “Happy Go Lucky,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Originally known for his commentaries on “This American Life” on NPR, David Sedaris has now written 13 books, all of which have become best-sellers, including the early “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” and later “Calypso,” “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls,” and collections of his diaries. He has a home in North Carolina, and lives in England. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses a wide variety of topics, including the death of his father, his views toward politics and the pandemic, how he creates humor in his essays, and more. Recorded June 9, 2022 at Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera. California. Photos: Richard Wolinsky. The post David Sedaris, “Happy Go Lucky,” 2022 appeared first on KPFA.

David Sedaris, whose latest collection of essays is titled “Happy Go Lucky,” is interviewed by Richard Wolinsky. Recorded June 9, 2022 at Book Passage Bookstore in Corte Madera, California. David Sedaris is author of thirteen books, including Me Talk Pretty One Day, A Carnival of Snackery, The Best of Me, Calypso, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls and others. He has been a commentator on NPR and CBS. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses life during the pandemic, his views on talking with Trump supporters, his relationship with his siblings, including his sister Amy Sedaris and her appearance on The Mandalorian, how he molds his essays, and other topics. Photos by Richard Wolinsky. The post David Sedaris, “Happy Go Lucky,” 2022 appeared first on KPFA.

Christine Dwyer, who plays “Mother,” along with characters in the ensemble, in the current production of the musical “Ragtime” at TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Arts, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Ragtime is based on the E.L. Doctorow novel, and concerns the changes in music, women’s rights, and the experience of Black Americans at the turn of the 20th Century. In the interview, Christine Dwyer discusses how she came to the role, the various elements that came up during rehearsal, and her life before and during the pandemic. She also discusses how the #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter has impacted the theatrical community in terms of sensitivity training and behavioral changes. Christine Dwyer has performed as Elphaba in “Wicked” both on the national tour and on Broadway, has appeared in several off-Broadway productions as well as touring companies of “Finding Neverland” and “Waitress.” She also performed in the ensemble of the 2018 “Jesus Christ Superstar Live” production on NBC. The post Christine Dwyer, actor/performer, “Ragtime” at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. 2022 appeared first on KPFA.

James Salter (1925-2015) was what’s known as a writer’s writer. Author of several novels, screenplays (including the Robert Redford film Downhill Racer) collections of essays and short fiction and travel works, he came on tour to Berkeley for his memoir, Burning the Days, which discussed his life as an army pilot and as a writer. He was interviewed at KPFA on October 7, 1997 by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff. Digitized, remastered and re-edited in 2016 by Richard Wolinsky. The post James Salter (1925-2015), “Burning the Days,” 1997 appeared first on KPFA.

KJ Sanchez, director and co-adapter (with Karen Zacarias) of “Romeo y Juliet” at Cal Shakes, California Shakespeare Theatre, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded via zencastr on May 20, 2022. Playwright, actor and director, KJ Sanchez is the head of the MFA Directing Program at the University of Texas in Austin. She is founder and CEO of American Records, a theatre company founded “to make plays that chronicle our time,” focusing on documentary plays based on interviews. She is the director and co-author of “RE-ENTRY,” based on conversations with soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. “Romeo y Juliet” is an bilingual adaptation of the Shakespeare play set in 1848 Alta California, with the gender of Romeo changed. It plays at California Shakespeare Theatre, the Bruns, in Orinda, May 25 – June 19, 2022. In the interview, she discusses the origins of the adaptation, how she teaches directors, and the political situation where she works, in the state of Texas. The post KJ Sanchez, director & co-adapter, “Romeo y Juliet,” at Cal Shakes appeared first on KPFA.

Jasson Minadakis, Artistic Director of Marin Theatre Company and director of “The Sound Inside,” by Adam Rapp, which runs May 26 – June 19, 2022, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. In his fifteenth year as Artistic Director at Marin, Jasson Minadakis has directed numerous plays both here and elsewhere. In this interview recorded outdoors due to Covid restrictions, he discusses how Marin Theatre Company coped with the pandemic shut-down, the use of streaming, and the difficulties in returning to normalcy. He also talks about his challenges as director of “The Sound Inside,” including the ways in which Covid restrictions impact rehearsals. The post Jason Minadakis, Artistic Director Marin Theatre Company, 2022; director, “The Sound Inside.” appeared first on KPFA.

Delve into British author J. G. Ballard's career retrospective, known for dissecting disaster scenarios. Explore film adaptations of his works like 'Crash' and 'Empire of the Sun'. Learn about his influences in British science fiction, comparison with other authors, and writing philosophy.

A conversation with Hanya Yanagihara, author of the best-selling novel, A Little Life, hosted by Richard Wolinsky. This encore podcast was originally posted on March 17, 2016 and was recorded on February 22, 2016. Hanya Yanagihara’s 2015 novel, A Little Life, made a huge splash in the literary world. This story of a group of friends in New York , this long narrative received terrific reviews and was one of six finalists for the prestigious Man Booker Prize. A former editor for Conde Nast Traveler, Hanya Yanagihara is currently the Editor in Chief (since 2017) for T, the style magazine of the New York Times. She’s lived in Los Angeles, New York and Honolulu, and spent far too much time eating granola bars in overpriced hotels. Her first novel, The People in the Trees, was published in 2013. Her third novel, To Paradise, was published in January 2022. The post Hanya Yanagihara, “A Little Life,” 2016 appeared first on KPFA.

Don Winslow, author of “City on Fire,” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded at Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera on April 27, 2022. Don Winslow is the author of 21 novels, many of which focus on crime and the criminal underworld, including The Cartel, The Force, Savages (which became an Oliver Stone film), and The Border. His latest novel, “City on Fire,” tells the story of a mob war in the 1980s in Rhode Island using as a template the story of the Trojan War, The Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid and other works. This is the first of a trilogy, already completed, that marks the end of Don Winslow’s career as a novelist. Don Winslow also produces political videos aimed at saving the American democracy from insurrectionists and fascists, and is a vital force on Twitter. Photos: Richard Wolinsky. The post Don Winslow, “City on Fire,” 2022 appeared first on KPFA.