The Subtext
Arts & Culture Podcasts
From AMERICAN THEATRE magazine, a podcast where playwrights talk to playwrights about the things usually left unsaid. In a conversation that dives into life's muck, we learn what irks, agitates, motivates, inspires and - ultimately - what makes writers tick. (This feed is for the Subtext from 2018 onwards. For old episodes of the Subtext from 2015 to 2017, visit https://thisstage.la/category/the-subtext)
Location:
United States
Genres:
Arts & Culture Podcasts
Description:
From AMERICAN THEATRE magazine, a podcast where playwrights talk to playwrights about the things usually left unsaid. In a conversation that dives into life's muck, we learn what irks, agitates, motivates, inspires and - ultimately - what makes writers tick. (This feed is for the Subtext from 2018 onwards. For old episodes of the Subtext from 2015 to 2017, visit https://thisstage.la/category/the-subtext)
Twitter:
@SubtextPodcast
Language:
English
Contact:
2126095900
Email:
at@tcg.org
Episodes
Sarah Mantell, Illustrator-Turned-Playwright
10/10/2025
A life-changing course with Paula Vogel, San Francisco, post-grad revelations, The Kilroys, joy, and loss on this episode of “The Subtext.”
Duration:01:14:30
Migdalia Cruz Wants to Be Part of World Theatre
9/12/2025
The Bronx-born playwright talks Fornés, trauma-informed writing, and parenthood as a writer.
Duration:00:50:35
Kira Obolensky’s Body of Work and Life
8/18/2025
The Minneapolis-based playwright discusses the importance of intentional audience engagement in diverse and unconventional theatre spaces.
Duration:01:05:32
Subtext Redux: In Memory of Rachel Jendrzejewski
7/16/2025
A republished Subtext as tribute to its subject, Rachel Jendrzejewski, a Minneapolis-based interdisciplinary artist and writer who died last week after a battle with cancer.
Duration:01:05:02
The Subtext: Diana Burbano Writes What Scares Her
7/9/2025
The L.A.-based Colombian playwright, performer, and teaching artist talks about sources of inspiration from the Latine theatre canon and about building close artistic relationships.
Duration:01:11:19
The Subtext: Andrew Rosendorf Leaves It on the Page
6/4/2025
Brian talks to the Minneapolis-based playwright about learning from criticism, connecting with collaborators, and finding his voice.
Duration:01:14:14
The Subtext: Rachel Bublitz Is Writing for Her Younger Self
5/6/2025
The writer of 'Funny, Like an Abortion' and 'The Night Witches' talks about long commutes, writing science plays, and the parts she wishes she'd been able to play in school.
The Subtext: Chloé Hung and the Magic of Writing
4/3/2025
The writer of 'Issei, He Say' talks about making plays from her family's life, feeling the pressure to tell immigrant stories, and rebalancing her priorities.
The Subtext: Tim J. Lord and the Human Story
3/6/2025
This month Brian talks with the award-winning playwright about how he went from technician to playwright, and how to find the real drama behind a true historical event.
Duration:00:52:37
The Subtext: Aya Ogawa, In Control
2/7/2025
This month Brian talks with playwright, director, and performer Aya Ogawa about “hacking away with a machete” toward a career and directing their own work.
Duration:01:08:40
The Subtext: Kelley Nicole Girod, in It for the Drama
1/8/2025
This month Brian talks with the playwright, producer, Fire This Time Festival founder, and Apollo Theater director of new works about drama, balance, and Louisiana history.
Duration:01:12:10
The Subtext: How Rachel Bonds Learned to Trust Herself
12/10/2024
This month Brian talks to the Southern-born writer about her journey through acting to playwriting, what her parents taught her, and her own parenting.
Duration:01:18:28
The Subtext: Jonathan Payne and the Sea of Stories
11/5/2024
This month Brian speaks with the playwright about striving to write one play a year and drawing inspiration from various roles and identities.
The Subtext: Rachel Jendrzejewski on Presence, Poland, and Padua
10/4/2024
This month Brian speaks with the Playwrights' Center core writer and co-artistic director of Minneapolis's Red Eye about chance encounters and her relationship to future thinking.
Duration:01:12:38
The Subtext: Marin Ireland, Play Builder
9/4/2024
This month Brian talks to the acclaimed actor about the ups and downs of her career, why and how she wrote her first play, and whether she feels she can claim the title 'playwright.'
The Subtext: Benjamin Benne’s Sound and Vision
7/30/2024
This month Brian talks to the writer of 'Alma' and 'In His Hands' about narration, inspiration, family ties, and Julio Cortázar.
Duration:00:39:22
The Subtext: Inda Craig-Galván’s Search for Self-Expression
7/9/2024
This month Brian talks to the busy playwright and TV writer about sketch comedy, grad school, and the audition that changed her path.
Duration:01:15:35
The Subtext: Samuel D. Hunter Writes His Way Home
5/31/2024
This month Brian speaks with the busy playwright about dramatizing Idaho, promoting the film of 'The Whale,' and working on a new play at Steppenwolf.
The Subtext: Jenni Lamb Shops Local
5/1/2024
This month Brian talks to the writer and producer about pivoting from teaching, feeling stuck in development hell, and championing local storytellers.
The Subtext: Mashuq Mushtaq Deen Befriends the Lion and the Rottweiler
4/1/2024
This month Brian talks to playwright Mashuq Mushtaq Deen about building a writing career, pushing audiences out of their comfort zone, and finding his place in the theatre.