Beckett’s Babies

Do you ever feel stuck and want to write something new but don't know  where to even begin? How could one even start generating ideas? Have no fear! Sam and Sarah look to images and art to brainstorm possible stories for a new play. Try it out yourself and tell us what  you thought about the exercise! Visit our website at www.beckettsbabies.com to follow along with us! GLISTENS   Ch...

Hello, listeners! In this week's episode, we decide to throw our usual script out the window and share our thoughts on playwriting and theater in this mix-bag of an episode. We discuss what's on our minds regarding theater and writing. You just don't know what you're going to get in this episode, so we hope you enjoy it!  GLISTENS  Sam: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell  Sarah: Moving Arts...

We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of SARAH RUHL. We read the three plays: Melancholy Play (2001), The Clean House (2004), and For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday (2017)  to share our thoughts on Sarah Ruhl's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to...

Hello, listeners! This week, we will be discussing a topic on writing resumes and CV. What is the difference between the two? Why is it important? Should we even have different versions? What should be on there? What do we add on our resumes specifically for a writer? What does that look like? A lot of questions so be sure to listen in!  GLISTENS  Sarah - Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Ma...

Hello  listeners!  This week’s guest on the show is DANIEL OLIVAS! Daniel Olivas is the author of nine books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. His first full-length play, Waiting for Godínez, was selected for the Playwrights' Arena 2020 Summer Reading Series. Daniel was selected for Circle X Theatre Co.'s inaugural Evolving Playwrights Group where he is adapting his 2011 novel, The Boo...

Every month, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "Fairview" by Jackie Sibblie Drury. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode!  GLISTENS:  CHO - Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee  SAM - Pablo Neruda’s...

Hello listeners!  This week’s guest on the show is ANDY BOYD! Andy Boyd is a playwright based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. His play The Trade Federation, or, Let's Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels is available through NoPassport Press, and his play Three Scenes in the Life of a Trotskyist is available as a podcast. To learn more about Andy and his work, be sure to v...

We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of CARYL CHURCHILL. We read the three plays: Owners (1972), Cloud Nine (1979), and Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp (2019)  to share our thoughts on Carol Churchill's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen to our conver...

This episode is all about LOVE for all you lovebirds (or singles) out there in this special 'very on-theme' episode. We share our general thoughts about writing love, and why is it so cringy? How do we make it fresh and not clichéd? Can we even avoid writing about love? We also share some different types of love and some of our favorite plays that we think do an incredible job writing on this love...

Every month, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "The Flick" by Annie Baker. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this episode! RELATED LINKS: The Funny, Empathetic Genius of Annie Baker by Sarah Larson https://www.newyorker.com/cult...

Listeners! We are back for Season 3! Did you miss us??? Just admit it. You missed us! In this episode, we check-in and share what's new on the horizon for Beckett's Babies. Next week, we’ll be discussing the play “The Flick” by Annie Baker for February’s Play of the month. So give it a read, let us know what you think, and we can’t wait to discuss. GLISTENS: Sarah: musical duo Pomplamoose Sam: The...

Hi Listeners... This week is our last episode of Season 2! Also known as our year of the terrible twos... How do we feel about that?! We might be a couple of two-year-old podcasters but boy, did we have such an incredible year of spectacular guests on the show! If we had the time, we would highlight every guest of the season. Instead, we highlight just a few and we hope you will check out the full...

This week, we’re doing a topic episode led by a returning guest on the show. You may know him from our previous episodes. It’s Ryan!  Ryan Oliveira is a playwright, performer, songwriter, and theatrical jack-of-all-trades currently living in Chicago. His work has been developed with Teatro Vivo, Pride Films and Plays, Prop Thtr, and others. He'll be developing a "re-vamped original work" with...

Hello listeners!  This week’s guest on the show is Kevin Kautzman! Kevin is a playwright originally from North Dakota, living in Minneapolis, whose work has been performed around the UK and the US. Kevin first studied playwriting at the Royal Court Theatre in London and has been a fellow at the Playwrights' Center and Michener Center for Writers, where he completed his MFA in playwriting and...

Hello listeners!  This week’s guest on the show is Alex Lin. Alex is an award-nominated Asian-American playwright and ex-STEM kid from Bergen County, New Jersey. Her plays have been workshopped and produced at the Women's Theatre Festival, The Rude Mechanicals in Washington, and Actors Theatre of Louisville's Professional Training Company. She is this year’s 2020 Pass the Pen nominee at Ashla...

Hey listeners, we’re starting something new and exciting. If you’ve been enjoying our show -- be sure to sign-up for our new monthly newsletter. Visit our website at www.beckettsbabies.com to sign up for our newsletter today.  This week’s episode is a “PLAYBACK” episode with our interview with Sean David DeMers .  Sean David DeMers is a playwright with New England and New York City roots...

Hello listeners! This week, we had such an incredible time chatting with the one and only Dr. Lisa Quoresimo! In this episode, Lisa tells us all about the voice and how it’s shaped by bodily practices. You don’t want to miss our interview! Lisa is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Southern Utah University, and co-founder and director of Catalyst: a Theatre Think Tank. Her work as a performer and c...

We return to our Playwright Series where we look at a single playwright and their large body of work. In this episode, we discuss the life and work of NAOMI WALLACE. We read the three plays: In the Heart of America (1994), Slaughter City (1996), and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (1998) to share our thoughts on Naomi Wallace's craft in playwriting. We hope you will check these plays out and listen...

Hello listeners! This week, we chat with Artistic Producer and resident playwright of Theatre in the Dark, Mack Gordon. He is the co-adapter and performer of “A War of the Worlds”, which will be playing this October 15th until November 21st. Be sure to check out the links below to learn more about the show and how you can get tickets. You're not going to want to miss this incredibly unique audio d...

Hello listeners! This week, we chat with playwright, actor, producer and director Katrina D. RiChard. Katrina digs deep into playwriting by sharing her thoughts, experience, and encouragement to write. Her new play “Call for the Wailing Women” will premiere as part of Black Lives Black Words International Project, ‘Plays for the People’, an online play season celebrating the diversity of the Afric...

As part of our monthly play series, we pick a play to discuss and this month’s play is "Ballyturk" by Enda Walsh. The play was recommended to us by one of our listeners Meredith Bartmon for this month. We discuss what we noticed, what we liked, and questions that came up while reading the play. Note: There are some spoiler alerts! We highly recommend you read the play before listening to this epis...

Hello listeners! This week, we chat with Oakland-based playwright JONATHAN SPECTOR and learn about his remarkable journey into theater. We dig deep into his play "Eureka Day" as he shares his thoughts on playwriting. Be sure to read "Eureka Day" when it becomes available! We're so excited for you to listen to this episode. Check it out! Jonathan Spector is a playwright based in Oakland, California...

Hello listeners! We are so excited for you to listen to this new episode of Beckett's Babies! We had an amazing conversation discussing all-things theater and directing new work with the one and only MARINA J. BERGENSTOCK! Marina J. Bergenstock (she/her) is a director, dramaturg, performer, and educator. She holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa. She formerly was on faculty at Belo...

This episode is all about receiving and providing notes on our plays. What the heck do you do with  all the feedback? What are some best practices when receiving notes? When is it useful? When is it not? Can notes be too prescriptive? Or could it be more prescriptive? We attempt to discuss by sharing our own experiences as note givers and takers to shed some light on best practices. GLISTENS...

Hello listeners! We are so excited for you to listen to this new episode of Beckett's Babies! We had an amazing conversation discussing all-things playwriting with fellow Iowa playwright DEBORAH YARCHUN! Deborah Yarchun’s honors include two Jerome Fellowships at the Playwrights’ Center, a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellowship, the 2020 Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting, an EST/Sloan Comm...