The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I rap with Rondrell McCormick, an actor and director who is a graduate of ACT – he has graced the stages of San Jose Stage Company, SF Playhouse, Center REP, Highways Performance Space and the Sundance Institute, among many others. Rondrell talks about growing up in racially charged North Carolina, his studies at ACT (where he met the great Denzel Washington)...

On this episode of the Yay, I’m riding solo as the host, as Norman Gee is busy rehearsing for As You Like It (see SHOUTOUTS below) – I interview Isabella and Gianna Capozzi, the youngest guests on The Yay – the two sisters are still in high school but perform in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, at the Town Hall Theatre. The sisters talk about what theater means to them and the impact of...

On this episode of the Yay, I bring on Craig Dickerson as a co-host, as Norman Gee is busy teaching kids at the Eugene O’Neill house – Craig and I interview Kathy Ferber, a veteran actress with whom I share the stage with at the Town Hall Theatre doing Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Kathy talks about her early life in Southern California, the incredible life of her mother, who was the...

Episode 115: Shaotian Cai by The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

Surprise! A New Yay! On this episode (on a Monday evening), Norman and I bring on Keaton Wilkerson, a fantastic vocalist and actor who is currently starring in Town Hall Theatre's Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, playing now until June 22nd. Keaton talks about his education, his love of musical theater and where he wants to be in the future. We also squeeze in some current events like th...

On this episode, Norman and I welcome Amber Rubarth, a singer, musician and co-creator of a new musical, The Paper Raincoat (www.thepaperraincoat.com). The show is sponsored by the Musical Cafe (www.musicalcafe.org) and there'll be two showings; tonight (June 1) and June 2nd, at 8pm. If you have time, check it out. Amber shares about her time growing up in California, moving to Nashville, the crea...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I have the great pleasure to talk to Dawn Monique Williams, the new associate artistic director at Aurora Theatre. Dawn is a veteran actor and director, the former associate director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and has worked with a vast amounts of theater companies, including HERE Arts Center, Profile Theatre (in Portland OR), ACT, Chautauqua Theatre...

On this episode of the Yay, I have the pleasure of interviewing Joyce Domanico-Huh, a very talented actress who is currently in Sister Act, playing at Theatre Rhino (http://therhino.org). I had the pleasure of seeing Joyce in Generation Theatre’s interpretation of Twelfth Night, called Olivia’s Kitchen (directed by David Valayre and starring Deborah Cortez); Joyce played Viola. You can directly co...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I bring on Shaye Angelo Acevedo, a brilliant bay area actor who was our Chester Himes in my production, Four Men in Paris. Shaye is also a singer and musician. You can directly contact Shaye via Facebook or on Instagram here: SAngeloAcevedo SHOUTOUTS: The Victorian Ladies’ Detective Collective (Central Works Theatre) May 4 – June 2 Alan Coyne (Episode 29) is...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I bring on Lily Tung Crystal, award winning coach, artistic leader, actress, singer and producer - she is the founder of Ferocious Lotus Theatre (https://www.ferociouslotus.org). She is currently directing Flower Drum Song at the Palo Alto Players (http://www.paplayers.org). You can contact Lily via Facebook or view her personal webpage at https://www.lilytun...

On this episode of the Yay, I interview Circle Dai, a young Chinese actress who studied at ACT and has performed for the San Francisco Shakespeare Company and has shared the stage with Radhika Rao (Episode 21). As usual, we talk a bit about politics, acting techniques she's learned from school and her experience as a young actress. You can contact Circle directly on Facebook or on Instagram (Circl...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I bring on Shannon Mauldin, actress and basketball coach – Shannon and I last shared the stage doing Civil War Christmas at the Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette. We talk about working with kids, keeping the fourth wall on stage, and keeping composure - not letting your emotions get the best of you. SHOUTOUTS: Helen (Theatre of Yugen) Mar 29 – Apr 27 https://www...

On this episode of the Yay, I bring on Jaimelee Roberts, a bay area actress who I worked with in Texas Chainsaw Musical – a musical written by Cory Bytof and was in the SF Fringe Festival. She's currently a dance teacher for children and is working on her Masters in Family Therapy. SHOUTOUTS: Helen (Theatre of Yugen) Mar 29 – Apr 27 https://www.theatreofyugen.org/helen Adrian Deane (Episode 82) is...

On this episode, I speak to veteran actor Jay Krohnengold, whom I worked with when we did Candide, and who will be acting in All The Way, playing at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre on April 12th. Jay and I talk about his time growing up in the Bronx New York, life in the Bay Area during the tumultuous late 70's, and the politics behind All The Way - the Civil Rights story taken place between the de...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I bring on Barry Graves, a gifted black actor and filmmaker who was our Richard Wright for my play Four Men In Paris. If you’re in need of a strong black actor or you want to collaborate on a film project, hit up Barry at @poboyfilms. SHOUTOUTS: La Ronde (Cutting Ball Theatre) Mar 14 – Apr 14 www.cuttingball.com Jeunee Simon – good friend of mine – is in the...

This is a special Yay podcast, where we uplift the life of Jeff Thompson, actor and playwright who passed away last week at the age of 67. Craig Dickerson (Episode 25) and John Hutchinson (Episode 57) talk about their friend, remembering old shows and what Jeff meant to the theatre community.

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I welcome Terrance Smith – a young actor who is now in Brooklyn Bridge, playing at the Town Hall Theatre. Terrance and I acted in Civil War Christmas two years ago and he’ll be playing Rev. Ralph Abernathy in All The Way (at the Contra County Civic Theatre). You can hit up Terrance Smith on Facebook or on Instagram (@youngtsmith23) SHOUTOUTS: Brooklyn Bridge...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I welcome back Alicia Von Kugelgen (@disneytipmama), who was previously on Episode 46, and she brings Dana Lewenthal (@leadingladydelights) on – she and Alicia are a two-woman show in The Mystery of Irma Vep, by Charles Ludlam and directed by Mike Reynolds. The Mystery of Irma Vep is produced at the Role Players Ensemble in Danville. Alicia is also a booking...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Sherilyn Connelly, film critic for the SF Weekly and an old member of the Darkroom Theatre, where I remember her. You can find her via Twitter (@Sherilyn) and Instagram (@LandingOnWater) SHOUTOUTS: Everyday Alice (Utopia Theatre Project) Feb 15 – Mar 9 (http://www.utopiatheatreproject.com) Norman Gee is in the show Maryssa Wanlass (Episode 93) is di...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Javier Reyes (@improvjav), artistic director at Colored Ink (www.coloredink.org) and Executive Director of City Crossroads SOMA. Javier studied cinema and television arts at SFSU and studied theater at Laney College. SHOUTOUTS: Everyday Alice (Utopia Theatre Project) Feb 15 – Mar 9 (http://www.utopiatheatreproject.com) Norman Gee is in the show Mary...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Deborah Murphy (Instagram: DMU79) and David Valayre, the co-owner of Generation Theatre - www.generationtheatre.com - and the director of their new show, Olivia’s Kitchen, or What The Cook Saw On Twelfth Night – opening at the Southside Theatre on March 7 – 17th. We talk about current events, like the latest Supreme Court ruling against Louisiana’s...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Krystle Piamonte-Jong, a veteran actress I’ve worked on stage with at Bindlestiff Studios. You can find her at www.krystlepiamonte.com. Krystle is currently in King of the Yees, a SF Playhouse production – that will be from Jan 22 to March 2. Krystle is on Instagram at XLE. SHOUTOUTS: Ah Wilderness (Douglas Morrison Theatre) Feb 14 – Mar 3 (https://...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Cynthia Lagodzinski, veteran actress, whom I shared the stage with when we did Skin Of Our Teeth at the Douglas Morrison Theatre – Cynthia will also appear at the DMT in the show Ah Wilderness in February, and she’ll be in Sojourn, the science fiction play at the Pear in March. Cynthia is also directing a staged reading of Boy, a gripping tale addre...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Armando McClain, an actor who has done work at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, CalArts School of Theatre and Crowded Fire. SHOUTOUTS: A History of World War II (Marsh Theatre) extended until February 2nd (www.themarsh.org) John Fisher (Episode 30) wrote and is acting in the show Honky (Role Players Ensemble Theatre) Jan 31 – Feb 10 Khary Moye (Epis...

Slaps! Being dragged down stairs! Guns! All this and more were talked about on this week's Yay, where Norman and I talk to actor, director, and fight coordinator expert Durand Garcia (sffightdirector@att.net). We talk politics, like the current shutdown and the weatherman fired for saying Martin Luther Coon instead of King, and Durand talks about the safety of doing fights and handling weapons on...