The Scene Podcast

Guest: John Cameron Mitchell Writer of Hedwig and the Angry Inch Director of  Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, Rabbit Hole, How to Talk to Girls at Parties Appeared as an Actor in  Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, The Twilight Zone, Head of the Class, Law & Order, Girls, The Good Fight, Yellowjackets, Shrill,  and many others. John Cameron Mitchell Bio:  John Cameron Mitchell’s  Hedwig and...

Guest: Tracy Wells Playwright of Whistle Stop, Totally Murder!, Angels of Bataan, One Stoplight Town, A Night Under The Stars, Finding Corey Taylor, Happily Ever Before, The Man in the Brown Suit, Great Expectations, The Little Mermaid, Anne of Green Gables, Les Miserables, Pride and Prejudice, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rotten Apples, Eclipse, A Trip To The Moon, Eerie Academy, Night of the Mac...

Episode Notes Guest: Keenan Scott II  Playwright of Thoughts of a Colored Man Official Website:  https://www.keenanscott.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenanthemuse/ Keenan Scott II Bio:  Keenan Scott II is a playwright, poet, actor, director, and producer of original work from Queens, New York. His work has been workshopped and produced at notable theaters such as National Black Theat...

Guest: Abe Koogler Playwright of Deep Blue Sound, Staff Meal, Fulfillment Center, Kill Floor, Aspen Ideas, Lisa My Friend, and Blue Skies Process Official Website:  https://www.abekoogler.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abekoog About Abe Koogler:  Abe’s plays include Deep Blue Sound  (Public Theatre), Staff Meal (Playwrights Horizons), Fulfillment Center (Manhattan Theatre Club, Obie Awa...

Episode Notes Guest: John Cariani Playwright of Almost, Maine , cul-de-sac , Last Gas , and Love/Sick. Broadway Credits:  Fiddler on the Roof, Something Rotten! , The Band's Visit , and Caroline, or Change Television Credits Include: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, Numb3rs, Homeland, The Good Wife, The Blacklist, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel The Scene Team Justin Borak  - Host  Zach Du...

Episode Notes Guest: John Cariani Playwright of Almost, Maine , cul-de-sac , Last Gas , and Love/Sick. Broadway Credits:  Fiddler on the Roof, Something Rotten! , The Band's Visit , and Caroline, or Change Television Credits Include: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, Numb3rs, Homeland, The Good Wife, The Blacklist, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel The Scene Team Justin Borak  - Host  Zach Du...

Guest: Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin Official Website -  https://www.kaelameishinggarvin.com/ Playwright of Tiger Beat , Ping Pong , Corners Grove , High School Coven , do this in [x] of , you know that feeling, Cap’s Last , Harpers Ferry , Call Out Culture: or, the unbearable whiteness of being , Pride and Prejudice , The Well-Tempered Clavier , and The Bakunawa. Guest Bio  –  Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin  (t...

Episode Summary This week, host Justin Boark sits down with award-winning playwright, director, and educator James Ijames, the creative force behind plays including Kill Move Paradise , The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington , and the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony-nominated Fat Ham . Their conversation digs into process, purpose, and the responsibility of telling stories t...

This week on The Scene Podcast , we’re joined by writer, actor, and director Ngozi Anyanwu, whose work bridges generations, continents, and artistic disciplines. From her breakout play The Homecoming Queen to the deeply personal Good Grief and her acclaimed performance in The Last of the Love Letters , Ngozi brings a fierce emotional honesty to every story she tells. In this episode, she shares he...

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by playwright Jonathan Spector, whose work blends sharp political insight with dark humor and daring theatricality. From Eureka Day to This Much I Know, Jonathan has built a reputation for tackling polarizing subjects with nuance, empathy, and a touch of absurdity. In this conversation, recorded prior to his 2025 Tony Award win , we talk about writing s...

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by Madeline Sayet, playwright, director, performer, and a powerful voice in contemporary Indigenous theatre. From her solo piece Where We Belong to her advocacy for language revitalization and decolonized storytelling, Madeline invites us into a conversation about lineage, responsibility, and crafting theatre that speaks across generations. We explore h...

This week on The Scene Podcast , we sit down with acclaimed playwright Anna Ziegler, whose work explores identity, memory, and the intimate collisions between the personal and political. From Photograph 51 to Actually and The Wanderers , Anna shares how her background in poetry shaped her voice, how she approaches ambiguity on stage, and why she’s drawn to characters who exist in tension with them...

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by the dynamic writing duo Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy, partners in both life and theatre. Known for their sharp wit and genre-blending scripts, the pair shares how their collaborative process evolved from comedy sketches to critically acclaimed plays. We talk about teaching theatre, navigating adaptations, and what it’s really like to co-write wit...

In this special bonus episode of The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by theatre commentators and content creators Liz Gutridge, Ashley Hufford, and Maggie Hill for a lively roundtable breaking down the 2025 Tony Award nominations. From thrilling surprises to frustrating omissions, we dig into the major trends, record-setting shows, and rising stars shaping this year’s Broadway honors. Plus, we highlig...

Season 3 premieres with boundary-pushing storyteller Kate Douglas—playwright, librettist, composer, and creator of The Apiary. Kate’s work spans music, immersive theatre, and environmental advocacy, making space for stories that are deeply human and defiantly unconventional. In this episode, she opens up about her early artistic journey, the personal and ecological inspirations behind The Apiary,...

The Scene Podcast is back for Season 3, and we’re raising the curtain on a brand-new lineup of bold voices, breakout talent, and behind-the-scenes brilliance. From Tony-winning writers to rising playwrights shaking up the stage, this season is packed with unfiltered conversations, career insights, and the craft behind the curtain. Whether we’re live from the International Thespian Festival or divi...

The second part of our 2024 Texas Thespians coverage! New episodes of The Scene podcast are coming soon. The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube...

It’s the first part of The Scene Texas Thespians episode. Join us for interviews with the Scene team and special guests from the conference floor. Plus, we’ll offer some plays that would be perfect for the UIL One-Act play competition! The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Addit...

An Exclusive Interview with Lauren Gunderson The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

An exclusive interview with Michael Cotey (ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence) The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTu...

An exclusive interview with Candrice Jones The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

An exclusive interview with Kate Hamill The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

An exclusive interview with Jaclyn Backhaus The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

An exclusive interview with Alvaro Saar Rios. The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

An exclusive interview with Sandy Rustin The Scene Team Justin Borak - Host  Zach Dulli - Executive Producer  KJ Lampar - Producer  Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator Jim Colleran - Editor   Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements   LINKS Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter