The Dramatists Guild Presents: TALKBACK, sponsored by the Dramatists Guild Foundation

In this episode, we talk about the Dramatists Guild’s new Inclusion rider and the initiatives surrounding it. At the time of this recording the rider had not been released. We're happy to report that we've released the rider and you can get a copy here: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/inclusionThis rider is the first of its kind to come out of the theatre industry. Our goal is to empower and encourage playwrights to advocate for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Anti-racism in our own works while collaborating with our producing partners towards these shared goals. Our guests are playwrights and DG Council members Ty Defoe and Chisa Hutchinson.TALKBACK is a production of the Dramatists Guild. It’s produced by Amy VonMacek, Sarah Storm, and me, Christine Toy Johnson and mixed by Robare Delaney Pruyn. Our theme music is by Andrea Daley. . The Dramatists Guild Presents: TALKBACK is distributed by The Broadway Podcast Network. Join the conversation online use hashtag #DGTALKBACK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first episode of our third season we’ll talk about the journey of bringing a culturally specific show to a predominantly white institution.Our guests are Rehana Lew Mirza, Rohi Mirza Pandya of SRC Partners and Natasha Sinha, who are working to bring the new musical Bhangin’ It (book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew, music and lyrics by Sam Willmott) to their world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2022. Christine and our guests discuss the intricacies of telling a specific cultural story,the pitfalls of representation, and how building relationships with theaters can be the key to successfully communicating the need for cultural consultants.For more information on Bhangin' It and to purchase tickets visit: https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/bhangin-it/TALKBACK is a production of the Dramatists Guild. It’s produced by Amy VonMacek, Sarah Storm, and me, Christine Toy Johnson and mixed by Robare Delaney Pruyn. Our theme music is by Andrea Daley. Our guest producers for this episode are Michael Lew and Shellen Lubin. The Dramatists Guild Presents: TALKBACK is distributed by The Broadway Podcast Network. Join the conversation online use hashtag #DGTALKBACK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TALKBACK returns with six new episodes on October 18 – and this season is all about collaboration! I’m your host, Christine Toy Johnson, and I can’t wait to share our conversations with you. We’ll be talking about bringing culturally specific shows to Predominantly White Institutions and how large institutional theaters are pivoting their focus to be more inclusive. We’ll be discussing the Guild’s brand-new inclusion rider, how immigrant artists have brought communities together to share their work throughout the pandemic, and so much more. Don’t miss a single episode. Subscribe to The Dramatists Guild Presents: TALKBACK on the Broadway Podcast Network, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episode of Season 2, Christine gets to chat with two longtime friends, Robert Barry Fleming and Charles Randolph-Wright about the concept of radical hospitality: the act of creating access where none existed by purposefully and actively removing barriers. Christine leads our conversation on how all artists can claim the space to tell their own stories and how radical hospitality can be extended towards the audiences for whom these stories are intended to reach. To learn more about Charles Randolph-Wright visit: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/members/charlesrandolph-wrightTo learn more about Robert Barry Fleming visit: https://www.actorstheatre.org/bios/robert-barry-fleming/To learn more about Actors Theater of Louisville visit: https://www.actorstheatre.org/This episode features Charles Randolph Wright and Robert Barry Fleming. The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The entire theater industry has found itself confronting a very specific access challenge this year. So many traditional boundaries have been broken. The fourth wall has been replaced with the Zoom screen, and the audience with a chat room. Christine chats with writers Nikkole Salter and Bianca Sams about how they’re thinking about work, audience, and opportunity - outside of the brick-and-mortar theater model with its traditional subscriber base.To learn more about Nikkole Salter visit www.nikkolesalter.com Follow them on Twitter @NikkoleSalterTo learn more about Bianca Sams visit www.biancasams.com Follow them on Twitter @BiancaSams1This episode features Nikkole Salter and Bianca Sams. The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Age is just a number, right? Maybe not when it comes to the entertainment industry. Playwright Sarah Tuft (MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE, 110 Stories) and actor Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Edward Scissorhands) tell personal stories about their careers and how age has played a factor. Sarah tells Christine how she refused to accept the status quo and is on the executive committee at Honor Roll-an action and advocacy group of women+playwrights over 40.To learn more about Caroline Aaron visit: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/members/carolineaaronTo learn more about Sarah Tuft visit www.sarahtuft.com and follow her on Twitter @sarah_tuftTo learn more about Honor Roll visit: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/thedramatist/honor-roll-we-gotand follow them on Twitter @HonorRollWritesThis episode features Sarah Tuft and Caroline Aaron. The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theater is upheld as an inclusive community. So, what does meaningful inclusion look like for artists with disabilities? Gregg Mozgala and Katy Sullivan talk with Christine about their roles in Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Cost of Living, their own advocacy work, and the extra role they take on just by stepping into the rehearsal room.To learn more about Gregg’s work visit https://queenstheatre.org/ or http://www.greggmozgala.com/To learn more about Katy visit www.katysullivan.netYou can buy a copy of Cost of Living by Martyna Majok from Dramatists Play ServiceThis episode features Gregg Mozgala and Katy Sullivan The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is getting a Masters degree the best way to enter the theater industry? It’s a popular avenue to take, but it may not be the only way. Christine sits down with friends and colleagues KJ Sanchez and Vichet Chum as they dive into the realities of student loans, institutional racism, and a career in an insecure industry.For more information on the MFA programs discussed today please visit:Brown University MFA in PlaywritingUniversity of Texas at Austin MFA in PlaywritingThis episode features Vichet Chum and KJ Sanchez The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine sits down with two writers and advocates, Georgia Stitt (Snow Child, Samantha Spade, Ace Detective, Founder of Maestra) and Lloyd Suh (The Chinese Lady, Charles Francis Chan Jr.'s Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery), to talk about the pipeline, who is granted access to being considered for jobs in the industry and why. You’ll hear their theories on why the pipeline is perpetuated, whose stories are being told, and how musicians, composers, and playwrights can make a more welcoming space for all.For more on Lloyd Suh visit https://newdramatists.org/lloyd-suhFor more about Georgia Stitt and Maestra visit maestramusic.org or GeorgiaStitt.comTo see the Asian American Performers Action Coalition Visibility report visit http://www.aapacnyc.org/2017-2018.htmlThis episode features Georgia Stitt and Lloyd Suh The Dramatist Guild Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek and Christine Toy Johnson. Robare Pruyn mixed our show. Our theme music was composed by Andrea Daly. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Tari Stratton, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Dramatists Guild.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episode of the season playwright Leah Nanako Winkler tells Christine about a 3Views, a new initiative to invite more voices into theater criticism.Later freelance critic and journalist Jose Solís and playwright, screenwriter, and novelist Theresa Rebeck talk about Jose’s first love- theater criticism and why boiling everything to thumbs up or down is damaging to the industry.This episode features Leah Nanako Winkler (God Said This, Season 2 New Amsterdam on NBC) Jose Solís (TCG’s Token Theatre Friends) and Theresa Rebeck (MCC’s Seared, Bernhardt/Hamlet) The Dramatist Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America and BOOM Integrated . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek, Christine Toy Johnson, directed by Sarah Storm, and edited by Jenn Grossman and Clint Rhodes of John Marshall Media. It was recorded by Eric Dabdoub for JMM. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Ralph Sevush, David Faux, Tari Stratton, Adrien Glover, Robin Lai, and John Marshall Cheary.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices