The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

On this episode of The Yay, Norman Gee​ and I welcome an old friend, Michael Dorado​ - actor, director and board member of Bindlestiff Studios. We all talk about technique (like the "skull scream"), politics (like Jeff Sessions' use of the Bible to justify destroying families; and London Breed's election), and Michael's career in acting, both on the stage and on film. We also get a look at the inc...

On this episode of The Yay, Norman and I speak to Don Hardwick - actor, director and currently a member of the Playwright's Center (http://playwrightscentersf.org). Among current events, we talk about Rosanne - the show and the woman; JR Smith of the Cavs and his miscue with 4 seconds left in the NBA Finals; and Samatha Bee and her negative comments. Don also shares with us his upbringing and what...

On this Memorial Day episode of The Yay, I talk to Joel Knopf, local actor and musical writer - his musical, The Last Ibex, will be one of four musicals presented at the 2018 Musical Cafe Showcase (https://www.musicalcafe.org). Joel was a singer in THREE of the FOUR shows done last year, showing off his incredible talent. Joel talks about the show and his life in the bay as a writer and performer....

In this episode of The Yay, Norman and I entertain Peter Fitzsimmons, veteran actor and art dealer (getglobalart.com). Peter talks about his experiences as an actor in the Bay Area and his film/television experiences in LA. We also talk about: the NFL owners ban on kneeling, Morgan Freeman sexual harassment charges and - a deep subject - what it means to be a black man. SHOUTOUTS: In The Heights (...

On this mid-week episode of The Yay, Norman and I chill with Michael Mohammed - teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, as well as an actor, director, dancer and classical singer. We talk about current events - the Meghan Markle/Prince Harry wedding, the North Korean nuclear talks breaking down, and Michael tells us about his life as an artist in the Bay Area. Shoutouts: Scapegoat - di...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I host Jed Parsario, a great young actor who is currently rehearsing for White, a Shotgun production that will be performed July 6 through August 5th. I know Jed from Bindlestiff Studios and the Stories High XII production. We talk about Dennis Glover aka Childish Gambino's video "This is America", the conservative white privilege of calling the cops - and we...

This is our one year anniversary of The Yay!! Special thanks to everyone who listens and has contributed to this show - I can't thank you enough. Norman Gee is back from France (where he performed the Lucia Berlin Stories) and we welcome acclaimed actress and singer Crystal Brown, who graced the stage two weeks ago for Anton's Well performing The Human Ear (at the Central Works' stage). We cover a...

On this episode of The Yay, I have the pleasure of interviewing Isaiah Dufort, Asst. Director at San Francisco Art & Film for Teens (www.artandfilm.org). Isaiah was also a writer and director for several Eastenders projects, which is where I know him. Isaiah talks about the differences between writing for the stage and film, the challenges of teaching film to teenagers, and we talk about politics...

On this episode of The Yay, I talk to James Centrofanti, a talented local actor who I worked with at Off Broadway West (The Birthday Party; Life x 3) and who also did film work in New York. James talks about his experiences in the theater both in the bay and in New York, the differences between the stage and on camera, the changes happening in San Francisco and we also talk about politics and the...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I talk to Cassidy Brown, actor and producer, who is acting with Norman in the Lucia Berlin Stories for Word for Word (http://www.zspace.org/storiesbyluciaberlin). We all talk about the March for Our Lives which is happening all over the world, the controversy over the store in Oakland that won't serve uniformed officers, and today's news media. Cassidy talks...

On this episode of the Yay, Norman and I welcome Jacob Bronson to the show. Jacob is an actor and a gifted opera singer who performed with me when we did Candide for the DMT. We talk about current events, like the Andrew McCabe firing and his memos he's given to Mueller afterwards, as well as the chaos going on in the Trump Administration. Jacob also talks about his life and his views on Bay Area...

On this episode of The Yay, I interview a great friend and a great actor, John Hutchinson, whose career spans a half century. John is an older member of Eastenders and we acted on stage last in Pride Open - we also did 100 Years of Political Theater, where he starred in Vlac Havel's Audience. John talks about his early days, growing up in pre and post war Los Angeles, his travels to Venezuela, Tex...

On this episode of The Yay, Norman and I talk to Carolyn Doyle, actress and writer of Refrigerator Mom, which had two successful runs at the Marsh - Carolyn is also a former Eastender'er who shared the stage with me doing Fear & Misery in the Third Reich. Carolyn talks about her upbringing in the New England area, her first experience with Bay Area theater in the late 80's and a very personal pers...

Episode 55: Thandiwe Thomas De Shazor by The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

On this episode, Norman and I talk to Wylie Herman, actor and filmmaker who is in Bartlett (now on Amazon Prime and Vimeo on Demand) and is in The Toll (https://www.facebook.com/thetollfilm.scifi/). As always, we talk about today's politics (including the flu epidemic, Trump's State of the Union Address, and Stormy Daniels). Wylie shares his upbringing in Arizona, how he got into theater and into...

On this Wednesday's episode of The Yay, Norman and I bring back Scott Munson (who was previously on Episode 13) - we talk about the conviction of Larry Nasser to 40 to 175 years in prison; the Aziz Ansari scandal; and how young playwrights are being educated and what opportunities are out there for new playwrights in the Bay Area.

On this episode, Norman and I welcome Deb Carriger, actress and director. Deb was a former member of Eastenders and an ACT MFA graduate. Norman, Deb and I talk about current events (the 2018 Women's March, outgoing Senator Flake's calling Trump "Stalin", and Betty White's 97th birthday) - and Deb shares her background and how she feels about the state of the world and theater in the bay.

On this episode of The Yay, we bring on EJ Gibson, company member of Ubuntu Theater (http://www.ubuntutheaterproject.com). EJ talks about his growing up in both Hollywood, Oakland, and North Carolina and dealing with racism in the Deep South. Norman, EJ and I get into a spirited conversation about Oprah's possible 2020 run, the H&M "monkey t-shirt" controversy and racism in the 21st century.

In our first episode in 2018, Norman and I talk to the Artistic Director of Plethos Productions, Karin Richey. Plethos is a new theater company in Castro Valley and Karin talks about Plethos' 2018 season and its two featured productions: Lin Manuel Miranda's musical In The Heights, and my full length play, Four Men In Paris. We also talk about Karin's theater background, what she thinks of the sta...

On our last episode of The Yay for 2017, we interview the Artistic Director for Footloose Presents, Mary Alice Fry. On the show, Norman and I look back at 2017 and talk about the new theaters that opened and what to look for in the future. We take a moment to mourn the loss of a great actor, Terry Lamb, whom I worked with for a show Linda Ayers-Frederick wrote for the Fringe in 2015. Mary Alice ta...

Episode 48: Richard Talavera by The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

On this episode of The Yay, we speak to Morgan Pavey, talented actress who plays Raz, Louis Payne, and Mary Surratt in A Civil War Christmas. Norman and I also talk about: the amazing victory for Doug Jones, the new US Senator for Alabama; and we celebrate the life of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. Morgan talks about her love for theater, her job at Bay Area Theater Sports, and where theater is takin...

Episode 46: Alicia Von Kugelgen by The Yay - A Bay Area Theatre Podcast

On this episode, Norman and I talk to Khary Moye, a gifted actor who shares the stage with me at Town Hall Theater, where we're doing A Civil War Christmas. Khary, Norman and I talk about the ongoing sexual harassment cases popping up, the state of Bay Area theater, and how Khary migrated from Brooklyn NY to the bay. Shows to look out for: This Wide Night by Chloe Moss - Anton’s Well - Dec 1-17 (w...

On this episode of The Yay, Norman and I welcome singer and actress Marla Cox, who will be playing Fastrada in Pippen at the Marin Musical Theater in January 2018. Marla played Nia in my mini musical Nia. Marla, Norman and I get into a spirited conversation about sexual harassment, male entitlement, black theater in the bay and Marla's own personal life. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!