Hey Playwright

Tori and Mabelle talk with Dominican-American playwright, screenwriter, and director Marco Antonio Rodriguez , whose unconventional path took him from New York to Florida and Dallas, with a boost from Carmen Rivera and a pivotal reading with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre led by Miriam Colón. The conversation traces how writing in Spanish—once something he resisted—ultimately opened the doors...

In the Hey Playwright season 7 premiere, Tori and Mabelle chat with Keiko Green about how shifting power dynamics create compelling drama–and how she seeks to craft plays to keep audiences leaning in, hungry for what’s next. Keiko shares about writing juicy roles for actors, her approach to collaborating with directors and dramaturgs, and the play that opened the door to her TV writing career. She...

Hello, playwrights! Big news—our full-length episodes are making a comeback this summer! Until then, we’re excited to bring you Thank You Five , a series of short, slice-of-life episodes. In our first segment, we’re hanging outside the Old Globe Theatre for the Powers New Voices Festival 2025 to see the staged reading of Marco Antonio Rodriguez’s adaptation of Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life...

In this two-part season finale, Tori and Mabelle talk with the extraordinary Steven Dietz about his 40+ years in the theater. He shares how his 11 years of directing workshops and readings of new plays served as his grad school, teaching him how the theater works in space. He shares tactics and tools of the craft, including his idea of plays as alive (The Living Play), the importance of inviting s...

In this two-part season finale, Tori and Mabelle talk with the extraordinary Steven Dietz about his 40+ years in the theater. He shares how his 11 years of directing workshops and readings of new plays served as his grad school, teaching him how the theater works in space. He shares tactics and tools of the craft, including his idea of plays as alive (The Living Play), the importance of inviting s...

Tori and Mabelle talk with accomplished storyteller Hansol Jung about her jump from politics to theater. She shares her trajectory from translating plays into Korean, to an MFA in Musical Theater Directing (at Penn State), and then to another MFA in Playwriting (Yale School of Drama).  She also shares about her experience collaborating on “Wolf Play” in the midst of the pandemic, and how it change...

Tori and Mabelle talk with multihyphenate Brian Quijada about how a production of “Cabaret” showed him the power of political theater and set him on his theatrical journey. He shares his artist’s mission and goes in depth on the inspiration and development of “Where Did We Sit on the Bus?,” “Kid Prince and Pablo,” “Somewhere Over the Border,” and his new work, “Mexodus.” Find out why Brian never t...

Tori and Mabelle talk with award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Anna Ouyang Moench, about grad school, motherhood, and her incredible catalog of plays. Anna shares about juggling life as an MFA Playwriting student at UCSD with teaching assistant work and parenting a newborn. The episode includes in-depth discussions of Anna’s plays “Mothers,” “Man of God,” “Birds of North America,” and her m...

Tori and Mabelle talk with playwright, director, and educator, Ramón Esquivel, about his path into theater through teaching, including the development of his first play at 30 years old. Other topics include Ramón’s quest to introduce young people to all aspects of theater, his revision strategy, key ways that theaters can uplift local playwrights, and practical tips he shares with his students.

Tori and Mabelle talk with accomplished theater artist, June Carryl, about her transition from law to theater and beyond. June shares the turning point into playwriting with Paula Vogel and how she got bit by the acting bug. June discusses why words are crucial, how theatrical stories inspire change, and the joy of working with young audiences.

Tori and Mabelle talk with James Vásquez, Resident Artist of The Old Globe Theatre, about trading in his baseball glove for tap shoes at 12 years old. He talks about how his father deeply influenced his love of both the arts and baseball, and he shares his full circle moments from childhood to director at The Old Globe. He reveals why he loves being told “no,” why the tech process is his favorite...

Tori and Mabelle talk with Hope Villanueva about her launch into theater as a stage manager to her stint touring with the circus and beyond. Hope shares her strategies for balancing her various gigs–from writing, grad school, stage managing, dramaturgy, and her third season as the Literary Manager at Bay Street Theatre. Other topics include vomit drafts, toggling between stage and screen, and rece...

Tori and Mabelle talk with Larissa FastHorse about her path from ballet to the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis to “The Thanksgiving Play” on Broadway. Larissa shares the details of her heart work with Indigenous communities and her radical inclusion process. Other topics include the Lakota Way, Indigenous Direction, writing for multigenerational audiences, and Larissa’s upcoming producti...

Recorded on the drive home, Tori and Mabelle talk all things Theatre for Young Audiences during an on-the-road debrief of the 2023 TYA/USA National Festival & Conference hosted by Childsplay in Tempe, Arizona.

Tori and Mabelle talk with Keiko Green about her two origin stories, as well as her journey from the NYU Experimental Theatre Wing to Seattle to UCSD. She shares how her musical about feral bunnies helped her land a writer’s residency at Seattle Rep and how “Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play” opened up doors in Hollywood. Keiko shares her process, why she values process over product, and how she incl...

Tori and Mabelle talk with Gary Garrison about his triumphs and missteps on his journey into theater. He talks about the importance of saying “yes” to every opportunity, the protective armor of theater, and the lovely theatrical families that form during productions. He also shares a short history of 10-minute play festivals, his work as an educator and author, tips for play analysis and writing,...

In the Season 5 finale, Tori and Mabelle talk with Lauren Gunderson about finding her playwriting voice, the catalyst for her free online playwriting classes, and why she writes one impossible thing into every play. She also shares how theater helps people practice living and that “theater at its best reminds us how to be good in this world.”

Tori and Mabelle talk with Andy Lowe, the Director of Production and Casting for East West Players, the longest running professional theater of color in the United States. Andy talks about his beginnings as a storyteller towards social change and how his volunteer activism with nonprofits led to his stint as Artistic Director of Asian American Rep Theatre at 19 years old. Other topics include anti...

In their first episode of 2023, Tori and Mabelle talk with Franky D. Gonzalez about his writing rituals, the importance of community, and how a chance bus ride and kindness led to his writing stint on “13 Reasons Why.” He also shares his shift from writing plays to please others to writing plays for his son and introduces us to the people and stories that shaped his award-winning play, “Even Flowe...

In the final episode of 2022, Tori and Mabelle recap the year and then talk with Jacqueline Goldfinger about their work as a playwright and educator. Jacqueline drops serious knowledge about writing without limits, finding a community that embraces and lifts up your voice, and interrogating your WHY when approaching adaptations.

Tori and Mabelle talk with Sara Guerrero, founding Artistic Director of Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, about her play, “Have to Believe We Are Magic.” Other topics include the art of archiving, finding your writer identity, and Sara’s multiple roles in theater and community-building.

Tori and Mabelle talk with Jordan Stovall about their role at the Dramatists Guild as Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships and the development of the New Visions Fellowship. Other topics include Jordan’s fantastical new play, “Bat Queen!,” the therapeutic emergence of Wanda Whatever, and the societal reckoning around systemic issues in theater.

Tori and Mabelle welcome their first Lighting Designer to the show! Amanda Zieve talks about her path, her approach, and the advantage of working on smaller scale productions in conjunction with larger shows. She also shines a light on how play revisions impact the lighting design during rehearsals. Other topics include the power of a good mentor and her role as the co-founder of the Howell Binkle...

Tori and Mabelle talk with Linda DeArmond Grady and Michael Grady about their musical, “A Beautiful Place,” inspired by an exhibit of children’s artwork from the Terezin Ghetto. The couple shares their journeys into theater, how they came together, and the challenges and triumphs of marital collaboration.

Tori and Mabelle talk with powerhouse performance artist turned mutual aid leader, Kristina Wong, about the evolution of her Pulitzer Prize finalist project, “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.” Other topics include why Kristina ran away from home at 22, the pros of digital theater, finding breathing space as a dramatist, her work as a food bank influencer, and why she ran the Auntie Sewing Squad...