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This Wooden O

Arts & Culture Podcasts

Two theatre nerds talking to cool people and saving the world one drink at a time. Every week, we introduce you to a brilliant artist and explore their unique point of view on making theater, particularly the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Along the way, we hit peak geekitude on everything from Star Wars to Ancient Greek. This Wooden O is the official podcast of Queens, NYC based theater company Rude Grooms (rudegrooms.com) hosted by our Master of Casting and Company Management Daniel Kemper (danielkemperacts.com), and Master of the Revels Montgomery Sutton (montgomerysutton.com). Watch every episode in unedited form and tune into the conversation for livestreams of future episodes by becoming a patron at patreon.com/rudegrooms.

Location:

United States

Description:

Two theatre nerds talking to cool people and saving the world one drink at a time. Every week, we introduce you to a brilliant artist and explore their unique point of view on making theater, particularly the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Along the way, we hit peak geekitude on everything from Star Wars to Ancient Greek. This Wooden O is the official podcast of Queens, NYC based theater company Rude Grooms (rudegrooms.com) hosted by our Master of Casting and Company Management Daniel Kemper (danielkemperacts.com), and Master of the Revels Montgomery Sutton (montgomerysutton.com). Watch every episode in unedited form and tune into the conversation for livestreams of future episodes by becoming a patron at patreon.com/rudegrooms.

Twitter:

@thiswoodeno

Language:

English


Episodes
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Revenge of the Sutt (with Daniel Kemper)

5/12/2020
This week, in true Shakespearean fashion, Monty reclaims the pod as a solo host! His first guest in his new and glorious podcast empire is actor/singer/casting-director, Daniel Kemper (www.montgomerysutton.com). Topics include: Shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include: Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:52:57

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Attack of the Kemper (with Montgomery Sutton)

5/5/2020
This week, in true Shakespearean fashion, Daniel stages a coup and takes over the podcast as a solo host! His first guest in his new and glorious podcast empire is actor/director/writer and Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms, Montgomery Sutton (www.montgomerysutton.com). Topics include: Daniel’s boundless capacity for benevolence as a resplendent podcast dictatorHow Monty was (maybe?) dropped as a baby.Where Monty gets his drive to constantly createUsing accountability to others as a means to spur productivityUsing art to engage with the world around you.Toddler Monty’s 3 hour, living room Batman playsThe religious experience of live theatreWhat makes a good actor?Figuring out your own artistry through exposure to other artists and forms of theatreThe importance of a degree of “messiness” in live theatreThe difference between emotionally honest and performative actingWhen do you impose structure on the sense of play when managing a showThe essential relationship between an actor and the audienceHow much rehearsal is too much?The importance of a small amount of challenge or fear on opening nightWhich TV show would Monty put himself in if given the opportunity? Shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include: The Drawer BoyShakespeare DallasRene MorenoThe Dallas Children’s TheaterDallas Junior Players Shakespeare Happy HoursMichelle TarryColin HurleyToni Morrisson“Different Every Night” by Mark AlfredsEd DixonDavid BaynesNew York Shakespeare Company Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:57:11

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Hat on a hat (with Laura Piccoli)

4/27/2020
Daniel & Monty are back with our first episode recorded during Corona. In a Facebook livestream (using Skype), they virtually sit down with Rude Grooms Associate Artist Laura Piccoli (check out her website lauracpiccoli.com). Topics include: Shifting to a virtual Wooden OHow Laura’s super-high work ethic developed and has influenced her life from undergrad, through freelance acting, producing with Rude Grooms, and into a Masters programThe benefits for an actor of wearing other theatrical hats and feeling more power in the process of creating opportunitiesHow the feeling of empowerment from getting more involved on the producing side of theater inspired Laura to start writing her own short filmsPursuing a Masters degree in Energy and Environment Policy to learn more about subjects so that she should start writing projects, like a recent short film she wrote inspired by studying in BoliviaShifting as a writer from writing for herself as an actor to writing with a hope towards other actors flourishingFinding your Artistic FamilyImposter SyndromeHow a Process-oriented approach can benefit even Product-oriented environments.COVID brain This week, Daniel & Monty both recommend Shakespeare Happy Hours, co-produced with Seven Stages Shakespeare Company - 90 minute virtual performances of all of Shakespeare’s plays, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at shakespearehappyhours.tv. Other shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include: PachamamaCloud Forests of Bolivia This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:41:51

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(Don’t) Spill the Tea (with Michael Ortiz)

3/30/2020
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains mentions of sex, and references of drug use. This week, Daniel and Monty reconnect with a former acting classmate turned entrepreneur and International Tea Master, Mike Ortiz (@sipjojo on Instagram) to discuss his journey from theatre school to brewing tea on the world stage. Topics include: The return of “Danny” KemperFinding your weirdos in action!The parallels between auditioning and building a business.The importance of unapologetically taking up space.Being comfortable with not having answers, and being willing to constantly ask questions in life and theatre.The proper way to drink teaHow Mike went from actor to tea salesman and entrepreneurBrewing tea as a practice of meditationThe importance of persistence in developing relationshipsLearning under pressureThe influence of slave labor on modern tea consumption and sales.How an actor with no business training starts a companyResilience as a necessity in the pursuit of your goalsWhat makes a master?Understanding a structure well enough to break it.The origin of the name Jojo Tea This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, and further reading include: Anya SaffirEBE EnsembleMaster Chufei Tsai Jojo Tea CompanyBadia Spice CompanyWorld Tea ExpoGrandmaster Maurice AshleyTea Master’s CupOsteria 57Cafe IntegralMalaparteTiger King on NetflixHollywood Caucus podcast This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:01:02:00

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Gettin Jiggy With It (with Bridget Bose)

3/23/2020
WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today! This week Daniel (@thedanielkemper) and Monty (@montgomerysutto) sit down with Rude Grooms' Master of Movement Bridget Bose (@bridgetbose on Instagram). Bridget has choreographed dances, jigs, and creepy death movement pieces for all Rude Grooms productions. Listen to her talk about her journey from Colorado to New York, starting and running Guilty Pleasures Cabaret, and much more. Topics include: Rude Grooms’ Secret Shakespeare Hunt (possibly returning in 2020)Performing at Lincoln Center with Bridget’s cabaret troupe, Guilty PleasuresDancing in a circus in the Middle EastTouring the world in a Bollywood dance company, and becoming a tourist attraction by rehearsing in Central ParkThe happenstance creation of Guilty Pleasures in a tiny UWS barDefying expectations at The Duplex by making dance that functions in a non-traditional spaceThe power of appealing to the 11pm timeslot nicheHow Guilty Pleasures alters shows from late-night to mainstage, from smaller venues to larger venues, and from 1.0 to 11.0 versionsRepurposing successful material to fit in different showsParallels between creating frequent cabaret content and the incredibly prolific rate of new plays in Shakespeare’s LondonKeeping all of her creative work in notebooks and having an archive dating back to high schoolThe importance of overplanning and yet being able to throw it all out in the moment when none of it works for the bodies in the roomCue Scripts and the power of muscle memory from writing down, going back to the beginning until you make no mistakes, or just repeating things over and overThe difficulty of dancing someone else’s choreography vs. what comes naturally to your own bodyThe importance of letting dancers write choreography down in the performer’s own vocabulary because there’s no standardized form of notationHow to navigate the balance choreographing for character and for an individual actorIs there a point at which a piece is “done” for Guilty Pleasures? Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include: Guilty Pleasure Cabaret | email: info@guiltypleasurescabaret.com; website guiltypleasurescabaret.com; twitter/instagram: @gpcabaretThe Duplex54 BelowLineLearner App, available on the App Store or Google PlayKast App: kastapp.coThe Show Must Go Online, produced by Rob Myles (@robmyles) This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:46:56

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Music of the Spheres (with Kara Arena)

3/16/2020
WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website. Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop today! This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, singer/songwriter, and Rude Grooms Master of Music, Kara Arena. Kara has composed music for every Rude Grooms production, as well as the music for this very podcast. Listen to her talk about her journey as an artist, how her creative process works, and then go and follow her on Instagram HERE. Topics include: Kara’s artistic origin story.Fearless, mystical writingLearning to play an instrument for a showThe difficulty of consistent practiceHow the comfort of the theatre and performance can relieve the pressure of learning an instrumentThe difference between the artist and their artistic personaPlaying your own music for the first timeLearning not to take judgement personallyThe inherent compelling nature of fictional villainsThe fun of playing roles that go counter to “type”Looking internally at your own experience as a catalyst for character developmentSeparating your own sound from your influencesHow to write music for a showFinding the vibe of a showThe power of oooooh’s and aaahh’s in musicHow simplicity in songwriting leads to adaptabilityWhat most people get wrong about Romeo and JulietWhy Juliet is out of Romeo’s leagueAllowing your creations to take on lives of their ownImprovisation within structureWhy you don’t need lessons to be a musicianKara’s first music video!How the meaning of a song evolves as you spend more time with itThe differences in writing for Greek theatre vs. Shakespeare Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include: Rickie Lee JonesSpring AwakeningJoni MitchellSufjan StevensArcade FireThe Beatles“Heart Song” by Kara Arena on YouTubeGilbert TheaterPortland Stage Company This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:43:09

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Lone Star Shakespeare (with Jenni Stewart)

3/9/2020
WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website with a special 10% Discount (offer expires 3/16/2020). Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop and use code “WEIRDOS” at checkout! This week Daniel and Monty sit down with director, producer, and Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare Dallas, Jenni Stewart. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @jennalola Topics include: Taming of the Shrew Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week, Daniel recommends the upcoming Album It is What it is by Thundercat (releasing April 3), and its single “Dragonball Doorag.” Monty Recommends the podcast An Actor Despairs, hosted by Ryan Perez, and available wherever you listen to podcasts. This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include: Shakespeare DallasShakespeare Theater AssociationInternet Shakespeare Editions, University of VictoriaFolger Online Editions of Shakespeareshakespeareswords.com This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:47:15

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Find Your Weirdos (with Deb Radloff)

3/2/2020
WE HAVE MERCH! Official This Wooden O coffee mugs and baseball tees are available on our website with a special 10% Discount (offer expires 3/16/2020). Get yours at http://www.thiswoodeno.com/shop and use code “WEIRDOS” at checkout! This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, yogi, and Rude Grooms Sharer/Founding Member Deb Radloff who has been featured in every RG production going all the way back to Much Ado about Nothing. She shares her story today about finding your wins in the theatre industry, and the importance of community. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @debfindingherwin Topics include: The importance of training for different mediumsThe lies we tell ourselves as actors that inhibit our progressMaintaining positive, clear relationships.Giving yourself permission to fail.The dangers of knowing “just enough”Staying focused and positive during career dry spellsKnowing the difference between what you can control vs. what you can’tThe self-sabotaging habit of intentional under preparationThe safety of familiar failureThe power and terror of being fully present and open.Counting your victories, no matter how small.Rude Grooms origin stories!Finding people you like to do work that matters to you.Being proactive about maintaining and building relationships.How creativity breeds creativity, and practice breeds preparedness.How to find or create your artistic homeAn actor’s secret superpower.The camaraderie of community.Knowing your worth as an artist. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include: Devin Shackett On CameraLetting Go: The Pathway of Surrender- Dr. David HawkinsMichele ShayHedgepig Ensemble TheatreRichard Easton This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:41:05

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Play (with Elisabeth Ahrens)

2/24/2020
This week Daniel and Monty sit down with actor Elisabeth Ahrens, who was featured in Rude Grooms’s 2019 productions of Romeo & Juliet and The Changeling. She’s also the person we specifically referenced in Episode 1 of the podcast whose audition was so strong we added an entire actor track to a production. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @elisabethahrens. Topics include: Finding alternatives to clichéd one-note character choices through non-traditional casting choicesHow a rural, pre-Nintendo childhood inspired young Elisabeth to write, act, and direct in plays for her family to keep herself entertained.Elisabeth’s time in the MFA program at the Asolo Conservatory (Florida State) and the Ringling Circus Museum, Art Gallery, and historic theater spaceMonty’s inability to differentiate between Jeff Bridges and Jeff DanielsWhite Russians as Daniel’s entry to drinking in NYCElisabeth’s extraordinary sense of play as an actor and its root in the textLearning how to work on limited rehearsal time by being thrust into the fire of a condensed rehearsal periodThe benefits & responsibilities of working in a condensed rehearsal period that doesn’t give you time to procrastinate as an artistHow to find freedom and play even in rehearsal rooms where the job is to fulfill a director’s predetermined planThe difference between watching actors who are present with other actors on stage and actors who are checked out and going through the motionsThe energetic tether between two people who are truly present with each other, on stage and in lifeThe return of Mirror Neurons!The difference in watching theater as an audience member and as a practitionerHow to keep things fresh and new and present after you’ve reached the fourth week of a runHow rediscovering our spontaneous play as actors requires us to abandon our “good student” desire of some arts to “get it right.”The importance of playing the reality of “mistakes” (or gifts) that happen in performanceHow difficult it can be to enjoy watching theater as a theater makerThe power of being easeful on stageWorking on classical texts as a puzzle for the artist to unpack for the audienceElisabeth’s turn as Peter in our production of Romeo and Juliet & finding new ways to “translate” jokes that resonate in hurtful ways for modern artists and audiences Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Share your thoughts and questions with us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, email audio responses to thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts, recommendations, & further reading include: University of KansasFSU Asolo ConservatoryThe Ringing, the State Art Museum of FloridaTootsie the MusicalShakespeare’s GlobeOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodTaylor Tomlinson’s “Quarter-Life Crisis” on NetflixSherry Turkle’s Reclaiming Conversation This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:47:33

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The Difference is in the Details (with Sara Slagle)

2/17/2020
This week Daniel and Monty sit down with self-described Method props artist, set decorator, and producer, Sara Slagle. Sara and Monty have collaborated on numerous projects for 10 years, and Sara was the brains behind the world Rude Grooms created this summer with Romeo and Juliet. To learn more, follow her on Instagram @ehtoozee. Topics include: How Sara found her way into props and designMethod props designHow fully realized, hand-crafted props help with immersion, and the power of physical objects on an actors’ performance.The dangers of burnout.The desire for effective world-building and realism in the theatre.How many things does Sara make by hand? Listen to the episode and tweet us your answers!Mishandled prop horror stories.The importance of CHECKING YOUR DAMN PROPS.Navigating whether or not to stay in your lane when problems ariseThe importance of communication between performers and technical artists. How observation and noticing small details affect big decisions in a production.Theatre ghost stories!How suggestions lead to better direction.ACTORS- be nice to your production crew!The cost of kindness.The pros and cons of the current power dynamic structure in modern theatre.Switching hats between crew member and producer on the same production.The creative advantages of independent theatre vs. Broadway. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: The Gallery PlayersRetro ProductionsCarl ForsmanComedy Central Presents: This is Not HappeningRoy Wood Jr.Heather CunninghamSteven Walters (and the play “Booth” which inspired the podcast “1865”)Jessica Renee RussellYour Colonel (Monty’s Aaron Burr play)Shakespeare Dallas This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:46:11

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Directing: or, The Big Questions That Will Never Be Answered (with Anya Saffir)

2/10/2020
This week Daniel and Monty sit down with director, writer, and acting teacher Anya Saffir. Anya taught Daniel and Monty during their undergraduate time in the Atlantic Conservatory program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since then, she has directed around the world from Mexico City to the Moscow Art Theatre. To learn more, check out her website anyasaffir.com. Topics include: The debate between Tuzenbach and Vershinin in The Three Sisters on whether humanity moves forward or essentially stays the same as it advances, and what that implies for people who seek happiness in the present moment or sacrifice for future generations. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: atlanticactingschool.orghelenico.gob.mx/Hamlet by William Shakespeare: amzn.to/39dRIMWThe Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov: amzn.to/3bjXkqSAnna Karenena by Leo Tolstoy: amzn.to/2ve3ZSWUncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov: amzn.to/38bRCW7Different Every Night by Mike Alfreds: amzn.to/2vkDpY8casamanana.org/ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_connected_but_aloneamzn.to/2w24wb3supersoul.tv/tag/dr-maya-angelouashleyhwhite.com/neutralchaoscombat.com/visiting-artists-2/ This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:51:51

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Fight Like a Girl (with Kaitlyn Farley and Molly Thomas)

2/3/2020
This week in our very first two guest episode, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor-combatants Kaitlyn Farley and Molly Thomas. Molly is an original member of Rude Grooms currently performing with the Brave Spirits Theatre in Washington, D.C. Kaitlyn has choreographed the two most recent RG productions, Romeo and Juliet and The Changeling, and is the co-founder of Fight the Good Fight Productions. Follow Molly on Instagram and check out her website. Follow Kaitlyn on Instagram and check out her website. Topics include: Their fight choreo origin storiesHow a dance background both helps and hinders a burgeoning fighterThe importance of representation in creative spacesOwning your skills and experience in creative spacesWhat makes a good fightWhat makes a bad fightThe importance of communication and boundariesTheir favorite moments of violence on stage and screen Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Casey HudeckiRapier WitJared KirbyJ David BrimmerCasey KalebaLisa KopitskyAlexis BlackAlicia RodisIntimacy Directors InternationalRosanna SarancinoAlasdair HunterIan PetersonShakespeare Theatre AssociationShakespeare Dallas This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:47:46

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Be Still and Breathe (with Rachel Schmeling)

1/20/2020
This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor, writer, producer, stand-up comic, social media manager, and yoga teacher Rachel Schmeling, who played Juliet in our summer 2019 production of Romeo and Juliet. Follow Rachel @rachelmschmeling on Instagram or visit her website, rachelschmeling.com. Topics include: Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests The Hulu Series This Way Up written by and starring Aisling Bea, and Monty suggests Levar Burton’s video series This Is My Story on YouTube. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Junior PlayersShakespeare DallasRude Grooms’ Romeo & JulietHedgepig Ensemble TheatreBread and Yoga HarlemShaktibarreNew York YogaGeorge Lucas in Love on YouTubeThis Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:44:50

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Communication, Boundaries, & Permission (with Becca Kaplan)

1/12/2020
This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with stage manager/actor/director Becca Kaplan, exploring her approaches to theatre production and the importance of clear and effective communication in the rehearsal process.. Topics include: Working around racist and sexist content in the modern theatrical eraHow physical choreography can change the mood and tension of a sceneGenerational differences between actorsThe importance of intimacy directors in modern theatreThe practicality of stage management as a career choice in the artsThe creative freedom of receiving permission and setting boundariesCommunicating physical boundaries and permissions as a means of exploring moments of physicality and intimacy as opposed to traditional choreographyGender, sexuality, and identity politics in theatre and filmHow portrayals of sex and gender in the arts affect our perception of bothActor-based direction as a means of exploration in a playThe effects stage management can have on your personalityOur ideal rehearsal rooms/artistic career paths Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests The Netflix Series The Haunting of Hill House and Shirley Jackson’s novel on which it is based, and Monty suggests the audiobook version of Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Titan Theatre CompanyAshley WhiteIntimacy Directors International This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:37:58

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Artist as Educator (with Nicole Carlson)

1/6/2020
This week, Daniel and Monty sit down with actor and arts educator Nicole Carlson, exploring her approaches to creating young artists rooted in the concept of the Ensemble. Topics include: Our brilliant idea for a new superhero called SubordinateNicole working on Willy Wonka Junior with 70 kidsGenerational shifts in the age at which kids get cell phonesHow to keep kids attention when they’re always on their phonesThe sometimes compulsive need to TikTokGoing even a few days without a phoneThe bizarre fact that there is WiFi at the Grand CanyonEnsemble as the core of teachingThe structure of Success Academy schools and their special programsWhat Nicole looks for even in a Kindergartener to see that they’re likely to excel in theaterThe importance of encouragement in the artists of all ages.Creating an environment where failure and exclusion are easier to deal with because the priority is the strength of the ensemble, not individual successes. Each week, Daniel & Monty share recommendations of something they are watching, reading, or listening to. This week, Daniel suggests Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Monty suggests the streaming television show Dickinson on Apple TV+ Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Taylor Tomlinson “Old Souls”: facebook.com/watch/?v=1980544492044496The Mandalorian Trailer to the Cats trailer music: twitter.com/_elvishpresley_/status/1165317834093801472 This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:48:38

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Actor Life in the US vs. the UK (with Harry Waller)

12/30/2019
This week, Daniel and Monty discuss similarities and differences of life as a working actor in the United States and across the Pond in the U.K. with intercontinental special guest, Harry Waller! Topics include: The History BoysLove's Labours LostLove's Labours WonMuch Ado About NothingLiving With Yourself#CastMontyInLivingWithYourself #LivingWithMontyself This week, we introduce a new segment at the end where Daniel and Monty each share a recommendation from the past week for something to watch, read, or listen to. This week, Daniel suggests Living With Yourself on Netflix, and Monty suggests the podcast Knowing: Robin Williams from Macmillan Podcasts. Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Bard CityRoyal Shakespeare CompanyLove's Labours Lost Love's Labour's WonMuch Ado About NothingOwen Horsley This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:47:54

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Art & Activism (with Anneka Kumli)

12/23/2019
This week we sit down with actor, singer, model, dancer, and poet Anneka Kumli to discuss finding her personal intersection between political activism and art. Along the way, topics include: The Tragedy of MiriamThe Roaring GirlWhiplashTroy Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us on Facebook, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: @thekjohnstonhttp://sweettornado.org/who-was-margo-jones/https://howlround.com/commons/zelda-fichandlerhttps://www.alleytheatre.org/about-us/history/nina-vance This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe in your favorite Podcast app and share your thoughts on social media, on our website thiswodeno.com, or at thiswoodeno@rudegrooms.com. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:46:06

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Momentum (with Daniel Kemper and Montgomery Sutton)

12/16/2019
In this pilot episode of This Wooden O, your hosts Daniel Kemper and Montgomery Sutton sip delicious Singlecut Beer and speak with special guests Daniel Kemper and Montgomery Sutton (respectively Master of Casting & Company Management and Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms). We know what you’re asking — how did you get them??? We can hardly believe it ourselves! Topics include: Jedi: Fallen OrderThe MandalorianJedi: Fallen OrderRude Grooms Music is by Kara Arena, Master of Music for Rude Grooms. Follow us @thiswoodeno on Twitter and Instagram, visit us on the web at thiswoodeno.com, like us at facebook.com/thiswoodenopod/, or support us on Patreon (patreon.com/rudegrooms) to join the conversation during livestream broadcasts of every episode. This week’s shoutouts & further reading include: Jedi: Fallen Order PS4XBoxWarren RusherSpeak the SpeechShakespeare Dallasshakespearedallas.orgAshley H. WhiteAtomic Habitshttps://amzn.to/2RVCYwI@thekjohnstonlupo blu, LLCread more This Wooden O is a production of Rude Grooms. Learn more at rudegrooms.com or follow us @rudegrooms on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:44:58

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Teaser

12/6/2019
Meet your hosts, Daniel Kemper (Master of Casting and Company Management for Rude Grooms) and Montgomery Sutton (Master of the Revels for Rude Grooms) alongside guest Becca Kaplan (stage manager for Rude Grooms' 2019 production of Romeo and Juliet) and virtual guest Amber Elby (courtesy of patreon.com/rudegrooms/) as they challenge themselves to give you a realistic look at what to expect from This Wooden O in just 30 seconds. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-wooden-o/donations

Duration:00:00:56