Audio – AMERICAN THEATRE

This month Brian talks to the 13P founding member about her journey from journalism to acting to playwriting, her definition of success, and how Lucy Thurber helped her overcome imposter syndrome.

On this annual special episode, we announce the Top 10 Most-Produced Plays and Top 20 Most-Produced Playwrights of the coming season, and are joined by 2 of the latter for a wide-ranging conversation.

The playwright of 'You Are Pretty,' 'Am I White,' and 'Teen Dad' talks about growing up as a mixed-race adoptee in Texas and finding her voice as a Chicago sketch performer.

This month Brian talks to the prolific playwright and screenwriter about religion, working-class heroes, and how he learned he's not an actor from Tom Hanks.

What has he learned after leading Minneapolis's flagship theatre for the last 11 years, and what's next? Plus: a Pittsburgh check-in with Sharon Eberson.

This month Brian talks to the author of 'Light Switch' and 'Berrywild' about autism, mentorship, and learning to live alongside cringe.

In a conversation recorded at the TCG Conference in San Juan in June, writer Miranda Purcell is joined by Puerto Rican theatremakers Sylvia Bofill and Georgina Borri.

This month, Brian talks to Andrea Stolowitz, a playwright and librettist with dual U.S./German citizenship who talks about her complex relationship with home.

ACT's outgoing artistic director talks about the joys and challenges of an artistic home, and an author/critic explains how yesterday's culture wars paved the way for today's.

The playwright and director from Hawaii and Nevada discusses ‘Death Play,’ ‘Sumo,’ yearning, loneliness, and the wisdom of accepting loss.

The comic actor talks about his role in August Wilson's 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone,' director Michael Arden and designer Dane Laffrey talk vampire musicals, and Gemma Wilson gives us the Seattle 411.

The playwright and founding artistic director of a site-specific theatre discusses going from studying computer science at MIT to honing in on his artistry.

This month Willem Dafoe tells us about his programming for the Venice Teatro Biennale, and critics Helen Shaw and Emily Nussbaum compare notes on their new posts.

The playwright, originally from Wisconsin, discusses her company, influences, exposure therapy, and the challenges of being an 'emerging' artist.

This month: Alia Shawkat on Clare Barron's 'You Got Older,' Robert Kaplow on his Oscar-nominated screenplay for 'Blue Moon,' and Joriah Kwamé on his TikTok-hit-turned-musical, 'Little Miss Perfect.'

The playwright, screenwriter, and musician talks about juggling various projects, how to manage the emotional ups and downs in an unpredictable career path, and the value of teaching.

On this jam-packed episode, we talk to the star and director of 'Hedda Gabler' at the Old Globe, the writer and co-director of a new take on 'Pal Joey' at Arena Stage, and the writer of a key story in our new training issue.

This month we talk to the new artistic director of Dallas Theater Center and to the co-editors of a new online publication covering Off-Broadway.

The playwright behind ‘Committed’ and ‘Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson)’ shares their journey from aspiring corporate defense attorney to playwright.

As a special offering in our Offscript feed, we offer this monologue by Gethsemane Herron, performed by Candace Boahene, about Harlem Renaissance writer, artist, and journalist Gwendolyn Bennett.

This 10-year anniversary special turns the tables, as playwright Crystal Skillman interviews host Brian James Polak about how his podcast helped him redefine playwriting success.

As a special offering in our Offscript feed, we share this monologue by Kevin Renn about the legendary fashion designer who gave the world the Playboy Bunny costume.

Our 2025 holiday stocking is stuffed: We chat with the writer/star of 'Ain't No Mo' and 'Oh Happy Day!,' with the director and star of the Alley's 'Night Shift Before Christmas,' and with award-winning critic-producer Citlali Pizarro.

The Brooklyn-based playwright discusses childhood theatre memories in Cincinnati, the continued gender imbalance in the American theatre, and experiences working on iconic projects.

As a special offering in our Offscript feed, here's a monologue from playwright Darnell Lamont Walker about the legendary Harlem crime boss, performed by Keith Randolph Smith.