Forge Theater Labs

Episode 1.22 Forge Theater Labs Director's Roundtable: Coordinating Intimacy From Inception Record Date: Tuesday, October 5th, 2026 Air Date:‍ Tuesday, November 10th, 2026 Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Featuring Janice Gardner and Hollie Pryor SYNOPSIS Host Joshua Hsu invites intimacy coordinators Janice Gardner and Hollie Pryor to explore how directors can better work...

Record Date: Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Valerie Rachelle and Rick Robinson SYNOPSIS Host Joshua Hsu reconnects with Valerie Rachelle and Rick Robinson about their journey in running the Oregon Cabaret Theater, navigating leadership changes, and adapting their business model to sustain their th...

Record Date: Monday, September 21st, 2026 Air Date: ‍ Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 Recorded live at Argenta Brewing Company, Portland, Maine Presented in Partnership with Out There Theater Company Written by Dr. Janna Segal Sound Design by Cory Macgowan Edited by Cory Macgowan Hosted by Joshua N Hsu and Sarah Kennedy Featuring Kyle Aarons, Caspar Bernard, Lizzy Fogg, Allison McCall, Rachel Morris,...

Episode 1.19 Forge Theater Labs Producer's Showcase: Clareann Despain and Erica Sutherlin Record Date: Wednesday, September 24th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Thursday, October 6th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Clareann Despain and Erica Sutherlin SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu invites Clareann Despain from Powerstories Theatre and Erica Sutherlin from Studio@620 to ta...

Forge Theater Labs and Portland Ovations Present Seeking Resonance: Building Virtual Worlds SYNOPSIS What happens when technology becomes more than a tool and begins to shape the way we gather, create, and experience live performance? In this installment of A Forge Theater Labs In Conversation Series , Forge Theater Labs partners with Portland Ovations for Seeking Resonance: Virtual Worlds , a rou...

Record Date: Monday, August 10th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, August 25th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Rachel Jane Henry, Jess Libby, and Ian Mer SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu welcomes SecondStory Theatre Company to explore the shared belief that theatre can be a space for dialogue, connection, and civic engagement—and how that philosophy has shaped the company...

Episode 1.16 Forge Theater Labs Company Showcase: Fox Bramble Record Date: Thursday, July 23rd, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, August 4th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Todd Brian Bacchus and Dr. Beka Bryer SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu welcomes Todd Brian Bacchus and Dr. Beka Bryer to talk about their latest adventure and Maine’s newest company, Fox Bramble, and wh...

Episode 1.15 Forge Theater Labs Designer Spotlight: Molly Maslak Record Date: Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Molly Maslak SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu invites puppeteer and storyteller Molly Maslak to share her insights on the art of puppetry, from materials and movement to storytelling and audience engag...

Episode 1.14 Forge Theater Labs Designer Spotlight: R.I.S.E. Record Date: Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Szu-Feng Chen, Naoko Skala, and Miso Wei SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu hosts the three founders of R.I.S.E., a dedicated community for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander professionals and studen...

Episode 1.13 Forge Theater Labs Director's Roundtable: Death by Transitions Record Date: Monday, June 8th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, June 23, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Nathan Gregory, Michael Dix Thomas, and Sally Wood.

Episode 1.12 Forge Theater Labs Company Showcase: Good Theater Record Date: Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Brian P. Allen and Gusta Johnson SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu hosts Artistic Director Brian P. Allen and Executive Director Gusta Johnson of Good Theater to explore how they’ve sustained themselves si...

Episode 1.11 Forge Theater Labs Proucer's Roundtable : The Spirit of Fringe Record Date: Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Postproduction by Sam Rapaport Featuring Xela Batchelder, Chris DeFillip, Tara McDonough, and Lois Neville SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu hosts organizers and former/current artists of Fringe Festivals across the United States...

Episode 1.10 FORGE THEATER LABS LIVE: “To Boldly Go” Record Date: Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026 Recorded live at University of Southern Maine Southworth Planetarium Written by John Patrick Bray Directed Grace Kellar-Long Sound Design by Cory Macgowan Postproduction by Cory Macgowan and Sam Rapaport Featuring Paul Fidalgo, Joshua N Hsu, Sarabell Wrigley, and Maya Wi...

Episode 1.9 Director Showcase: Laura Karlin Record Date: Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Edited by Sam Rapaport Featuring Laura Karlin SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Director, Choreographer, and Movement Activist Laura Karlin discuss storytelling through movement, the balance of art and parenthood, the lessons learned from founding and leading Inv...

Episode 1.8 COMPANY SHOWCASE: PENOBSCOT THEATRE COMPANY Record Date: Friday, May 1st, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Edited by Sam Rapaport Featuring Jen Shepard SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Artistic Director Jen Shepard discuss transitioning from an Executive Director role to an Artistic Director role, the place of regional theater in the ever-changing theatric...

Episode 1.7 COMPANY SHOWCASE: MAD HORSE THEATRE COMPANY Record Date: Tuesday, April 16th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Edited by Sam Rapaport Featuring Allison McCall SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Director/Actor/Artistic Director Allison McCall explore how to maintain the traditions, tread new paths, create a spirit of mentorship, and build consensus at Mad Hors...

Episode 1.6 FORGE THEATER LABS LIVE: “PLAY DATES” Record Date: Monday, March 16th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 Recorded live at Argenta Brewing Company, Portland, Maine Presented in Partnership with Maine Playwrights Festival Written by Dr. Janna Segal Sound Design by Cory Macgowan Edited by Sam Rapaport Hosted by Liz Carlson and Joshua N Hsu Featuring Todd Brian Bachus, Dr. Beka B...

Episode 1.5 Dramaturg Spotlight: Afrikah Selah Record Date: Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Monday, March 30th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Featuring Afrikah Selah SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Dramaturg/Critic/Director Afrikah Selah (they/them) talk about who gets to discuss art, what critical frameworks we’re bound to, and what it means to critique responsibly in a moment shaped by sp...

Episode 1.4 Director Showcase: Nelson T. Eusebio III Record Date: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Monday, March 23rd, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Featuring Nelson T. Eusebio III SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Director Nelson T. Eusebio III discuss the power and responsibilities directors have in casting and the use cases for and dangers of merit-based casting.

Episode 1.3 Company Showcase: Portland Theater Festival Record Date: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Thursday, March 19th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N Hsu Featuring Dave Register Post production by Sam Rapaport SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and Director/Actor/Artistic Director Dave Register discuss lessons learned after 5 years with Portland Theater Festival and how to build artistic leadership...

Episode 1.2 Forge Theater Labs Designer's Roundtable: Design-or-Bust Big Love by Charles Mee Record Date: Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 Air Date: ‍ ‍Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 Hosted by Joshua N HsuPost Production by Sam RapaportFeaturing Sage Bartlett, Chris DeFillip, Anna Halloran, Kimmarie McCrann, Cory Macgowan SYNOPSIS We ask a crackpot team of directors and designers minutes to design Big L...

Episode 1.1 “THE WILL TO ADAPT” Record Date: Monday, February 16th, 2026 Air Date: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 Recorded live at Novel Book Bar and Club, Portland, Maine. Written by Megan Tripaldi Directed by Sararose Willey Sound Design/Live Engineering by Cory Macgowan Post Production by Sam Rapaport Featuring Caroline Chung, Joshua N Hsu, and Megan Tripladi SYNOPSIS Host Joshua N Hsu and guest host...

Episode 0.10 “GUEST ARTIST COMPILATION” Record Date: Various Air Date: Monday, October 13th, 2025 Hosted by Sam Rapaport SYNOPSIS : On each of our live shows, we invite local Maine storytellers, musicians, and artists to share their work with us. At the end of each season, we compile their work here. Featuring Amanda Eaton, Sam Fin Cutler, Parker Hough, Ryan Higgins, Cory Melancon, Tara McDonough,...

SYNOPSIS: Maya and Josh meet Aristotle and explore the inescapability of Aristotelian notions of plot and of Kevin Bacon movies. Record Date: Sunday, April 13th, 2025 Air Date: Monday, October 13th, 2025 Brought to you in part by The Circular Series Recorded live at Cassidy Point, Portland, Maine. Written by Joshua N Hsu, Rachel Price Cooper, and Maya Williams Featuring Joshua Hsu, Maya Williams,...

SYNOPSIS: Doc Brown arrives from the past to our dystopian future to bring Maya and Josh back to Ancient Greece to speak to the basis for Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, Lysimacha, and how to use theater for the greater good in these “unprecedented times.” The regime tries to take over our podcast and our ad breaks with AI Josh. Record Date: Sunday, April 26th, 2025 Air Date: Monday, October 13th, 2025...