The first few episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts’ JULIUS CAESAR, modern English translation by Shishir Kurup and directed by Harry Lennix, are up and streaming! New episodes drop every Monday. Working on this project made me fall in love with this translation and also deepened my love for Shakespeare’s play. Give us a listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
falcon girls
The world premiere of falcon girls by Hilary Bettis and directed by May Adrales started previews on October 10th at Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven, CT. This autobiographical play follows a group of 8th grade girls in Falcon, CO, as they navigate what it means to love horses and to be a young girl in 1994. Performances run through November 2nd. More info and tickets here.
As You Like It
The first three episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts’ series AS YOU LIKE IT, modern English translation by David Ivers and directed by Kim Martin-Cotten, are now streaming! A new episode will drop every week. I had a lot of fun working with this brilliant cast on this series. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!
Breakdancing Shakespeare
Every summer, Hartford Stage’s Education Department does a project called Breakdancing Shakespeare. They bring in a group of highly skilled dancers between the ages of 16 and 22 to rehearse and perform a Shakespeare play with breakdancing interwoven into the storytelling. This year, the play is Much Ado About Nothing, and I had the opportunity to do some Voice and Text work with the cast. The production is adapted and directed by Nina Pinchin, choreographed by Brandon Couloute, and has music by Kevin Scott. Performances run July 26th-28th. Tickets and more info is here!
As You Like It
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s outdoor production of AS YOU LIKE IT by William Shakespeare and directed by Jemma Alix Levy is in previews and opens June 26th! This was my first time working in STNJ’s Outdoor Stage, a beautiful amphitheater inspired by the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. It’s a stunning place to take in a play. Performances run through July 14th in Morristown, NJ. More info and tickets here!
The Taming of the Shrew
The first episode of Next Chapter Podcasts series, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW — translated into modern English by Amy Freed and directed by Art Manke — is out! I had a really fun time working with this hilarious, highly-skilled cast, and Amy’s translation made me feel a little differently about this play. New episodes drop every Monday! Listen to them for free here or wherever you get your podcasts.
All My Sons
ALL MY SONS by Arthur Miller and directed by Melia Bensussen started previews at Hartford Stage on April 11th. This is the second Miller play I’ve worked on this season, and I’ve been reminded of why I fell in love with his writing in college. This production is beautiful and devastating, and the cast are all-around wonderful. Performances run through May 5th. More info and tickets here.
Othello
The first three episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts’ series OTHELLO are currently streaming. The text is a modern English translation by Mfoniso Udofia, and the series is directed by Victor Malana Maog. I had a wonderful time collaborating with the cast as Voice and Text coach. New episodes drop every Monday here and wherever else you get your podcasts.
Love's Labour's Lost
The first two episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts’ production of LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, modern English translation by Josh Wilder and directed by Nelson Eusebio, are streaming! This series sets the action at Howard University in the 1920s, and the cast is simply amazing. New episodes drop every week. You can listen to them wherever you get your podcasts for free. More info here.
the ripple, the wave that carried me home
Christina Anderson’s beautiful play the ripple, the wave that carried me home begins previews tonight at Yale Repertory Theatre. This production is directed by Tamilla Woodard, Chair of the Acting Program at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, and it features three Yale Drama School alums in the cast. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve as Vocal Coach on this play. Performances run through May 20th. More info here.
The Winter's Tale
THE WINTER’S TALE by Shakespeare and directed by Melia Bensussen started previews at Hartford Stage last night. It was a true pleasure to serve as Voice and Text Coach through this process, and this is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Performances run through May 7th. More info and tickets here.
The Tempest
The first episode of Next Chapter Podcasts/Play On Podcasts’ series THE TEMPEST is out today! The Shakespeare play has been translated into modern English by Kenneth Cavander, and the episodes were directed by Andy Wolk. I served as Voice and Text Coach. A new episode will drop every week. Listen to it here and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
The Winter's Tale
The first four episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts/Play On Shakespeare’s presentation of THE WINTER’S TALE, modern English translation and directed by Tracy Young, are streaming now! New episodes drop every Friday. This play is one of my favorites, and I had an absolute blast revisiting it as Voice and Text Coach. Find it wherever you get your podcasts!
Measure for Measure
The first four episodes of Next Chapter Podcasts/Play On Shakespeare’s presentation of MEASURE FOR MEASURE, modern English translation by Aditi Brennan Kapil and directed by Jessie Austrian, are streaming now! New episodes drop every Friday. I once again had a wonderful time serving as Voice and Text Coach on this series. Find it wherever you get your podcasts!
Henry V Podcast
This spring I served as Voice and Text Coach for a podcast production of HENRY V, translated into modern English verse by Lloyd Suh and directed by Krista Williams for Next Chapter Podcasts. I had a wonderful time working with Bobby Moreno on Henry’s many speeches in this play, as well as with Nikki Massoud and Brittany Kathryn Allen on the French language and accented English in the play.
The first three episodes are out, and a new episode will drop each Friday. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Twelfth Night Podcast
This spring I served as Voice and Text Coach for a podcast version of TWELFTH NIGHT, translated into modern English verse by Alison Carey and directed by Christopher Liam Moore for Next Chapter Podcasts. The cast is delightful, as is the sound design. A new episode will arrive every Friday for the next several weeks. Give us a listen here, or anywhere you get your podcasts!
RIDE THE CYCLONE and Other Show Updates
My latest project started performances on April 30th at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ. The piece is a musical called RIDE THE CYCLONE by Brooke Maxwell & Jacob Richmond and directed by McCarter’s new Artistic Director, Sarah Rasmussen. It’s wacky and magical, and I coached some French and Ukrainian accents for it. Performances run through May 29th. More info and tickets here.
Some other projects of mine have come and gone since my last post. I served as Voice Coach on two productions at Connecticut Repertory Theatre this spring: SEVEN SPOTS ON THE SUN by Martín Zimmerman and directed by Tlaloc Rivas had performances March 26th - April 3rd and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS by Howard Ashman & Alan Menken and directed by Vince Tycer had performances April 21st - May 1st. I also coached accents for a production of CABARET by John Kander, Fred Ebb, & Joe Masteroff and directed by Ken Prestininzi at Connecticut College in New London, CT.
It’s been a busy spring!
CORIOLANUS Podcast Interview
A few weeks ago, I had the distinct honor of being in conversation with Play on Podcasts Executive Producer Michael Goodfriend and brilliant Dramaturg Amrita Ramanan about our work on the podcast version of Sean San José’s modern verse translation of CORIOLANUS, directed by Kate Wisniewski. You can listen to our conversation here — and anywhere you get your podcasts.
December Updates
Two shows I coached had performances in December.
FOOD FOR THE GODS, written and directed by Nehprii Amenii, had three performances at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, December 11th & 12th. This promenade-style performance piece served as a healing ritual for black men killed by police and other self-appointed law-enforcers over the years. It’s a piece unlike any others I’ve worked on, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity. The number of performances was reduced due to issues around COVID.
A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES, adapted by Adrian Mitchell and Jeremy Brooks from Dylan Thomas’s short story and directed by Bonnie J. Monte, had performances at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, December 8th-26th. It was a beautiful, heart-warming show with a lovely cast, and it was the first show produced in the Kirby Theatre in two years. It closed early due to issues around COVID.
Lastly, I co-taught the 33rd offering of the Knight-Thompson Speechwork workshop, Experiencing Speech, December 11th-17th. I love teaching this workshop, especially in the December slot. The workshop is always filled with interesting, curious participants who teach me so much. And I had a blast teaching with my KTS colleagues, Andrea Caban and Nathan Crocker. Here’s a screenshot of our recording thumbnails:
Coriolanus
This summer, I got to serve as Voice and Text Consultant on Play On Shakespeare’s podcast production of CORIOLANUS in a modern verse translation by Sean San José and directed by fellow A.R.T. alum Kate Wisniewski. The cast is comprised of all female and non-binary actors, and a majority of them are people of color.
It was challenging and deeply fulfilling to work on this text with this group of artists. A new episode will be streamed for free each week! Listen to the first episode now and subscribe.
