Satellite: Beyond The Page

Artistic Director Josh Hecht sits down with season featured playwright Lauren Yee to talk about her inspiration for the three plays Profile is presenting in our 3-day Lauren Yee Festival: Mother Russia, The Song of Summer, and Samsara. They also touch on how becoming a mother has affected Yee's relationship with her work, and what it means to write outside one's own experience or identity.

A behind-the-scenes look at awe/struck's video design process. A lot of people working in creative professions are increasingly wary of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will affect their industry. awe/struck's video designer (Luke Norby) and creative technologist (Scott James) of Five OHM Productions are excited about all of the possibilities AI can offer and view it as a creative asset, rather than a threat.

Our season's first episode of Satellite orbits awe/struck, the first of three world premieres Profile will produce this year. Satellite host and Director of Community Engagement Tamara Carroll grabs some time with playwright christopher oscar peña and director Josh Hecht (Artistic Director) on their meal break from rehearsal to discuss the play's origins, its journey and evolution from a Profile staged reading to an imminent world premiere, and the play's complex interplay of brutality and tenderness.

Ben Villegas Randle New York based director Ben Villegas Randle shares the parallels between the play, chris peña's story, and his own, as well as his process for understanding the world of the play through concrete visual metaphor. This episode makes reference to negative stereotypes and attitudes towards Latiné immigrants, including those that exist within the Latiné community.

Matthew Sepeda In part 2 of this three-part series orbiting How to Make An American Son, we chat with actor Matthew Sepeda, who plays the lead character Orlando in this production. Sepeda draws connections between his character and his own upbringing, and describes his experience portraying playwright christopher oscar peña as a teenager.

christopher oscar peña We kick off our 3-part series orbiting How to Make an American Son with playwright christopher oscar peña. In April, peña came to Portland to workshop his newest play, Our Orange Sky. Prior to his visit, Director of Community Engagement Tamara Carroll talked to him about what peña refers to as the "alternate metaverse version of my plays, where they are a fictitious but also factual take on me and my family." Peña discusses the real life story that inspired American Son, the variables of power and privilege, and why he calls the play "a love letter to my father." How to Make An American Son runs June 8-25, 2023 at Imago Theatre.

In part 2 of the Playwright Convening Satellite series, we hear reflections on the week's work from the playwrights and workshop directors. In the first half, Director of Community Engagement, Tamara Carroll, sits down with christopher oscar peña and Kristoffer Diaz at the end of their week-long Portland residency, where they workshopped two plays that will enjoy their world premieres at Profile next season - our orange sky, and Reggie Hoops. In the second half, we hear from directors Leah C. Gardiner and Dámaso Rodríguez about their techniques for effectively staging a reading specifically for the purpose of helping the playwrights develop their work.

In this episode, Artistic Director Josh Hecht helps position the Convening, both within The American Generation season, and in Profile’s own history. Following that, Kristoffer Diaz (Chad Deity, Welcome to Arroyos) describes the evolution of his new play Reggie Hoops, and christopher oscar peña shares just how closely his art imitates his life in both How to Make an American Son, and our orange sky. Click here to read more about the playwrights.

In this episode, host and director of Welcome to Arroyo's by Kristoffer Diaz, sits down with two Portland hip-hop artist (and Arroyo's cast members), Milc and Old Grape God to discuss music, being in the cast, and the Portland hip-hop scene.

In this episode, host Bobby Bermea (who is also directing Welcome to Arroyo’s) chats with playwright, Kristoffer Diaz about what inspired Arroyo’s, New York City, his Puerto Rican heritage, his love of hip-hop music and more!

This episode of Satellite: Beyond the Page orbits our production of King of the Yees. You’ll hear from Director Lava Alapai about why King of the Yees has been a “bucket-list” project since she first read the script five years ago. Host Bobby Bermea also speaks with Nick Lee of the Portland Lee Association Lion Dance Team about the tradition of Chinese family associations, lion and dragon dances. Bobby also talks to photographer and artist Horatio Law about the lobby display he curated, the work currently on display at the Portland Chinatown Museum, and the evolution of Portland’s Chinatown.

Join Bobby Bermea as he chats with playwright Kristoffer Diaz and pro-wrestler and wrestling consultant about the world of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.

This episode of Satellite is an exploration and discussion of the themes percolating on the surface and underneath Branden Jacobs-Jenkins award-winning play, Appropriate. We will speak with director Jerry Ruíz, about how he approaches this complex and potentially volatile work both within the art itself, and the practical concerns of what the artists are being put through. We’ll also be talking to Dr. Roberta Hunte, who teaches a course on race and social justice at Portland State University, talks about the difficulty and necessity of talking about race and offers some tools to help us through it. And artist and memory activist Michael Stevenson talks about the work he’s doing here in Portland to bring hidden histories forward in 21st century Portland.

This month’s satellite delves deep into the world of Brandon Jacobs Jenkins’ Gloria. Kelsea Ashebrenner, from the Soul Box Project, a non-profit that uses art to prevent gun violence, speaks on their work and makes a harrowing reveal. Jon Cole talks about how he balances commitment to art with commitment to safety when creating violence onstage and Amanda Soden talks about the violence present in Gloria and what truths about our everyday world are revealed or upended.

Bobby Bermea hosts a “Satellite Extravaganza” when he interviews six individuals: Charla Hathaway, PhD and Intimacy Coach Wanda Walden, Costume Designer, and Brenda Phillips (“Mae”) of The Oldest Profession Charlene Zidell (Zidell Yards), Emily Running (DanceWire), and Josh Hecht (Profile Theatre) of Old Moody Stages.

"In this month's episode of Satellite, we explore the world of Paula Vogel's The Mineola Twins. We take a trip down memory lane with the wonderful Luan Schooler, who originated the roles of Myrna and Myra 25 years ago, we learn how the magic was made with the extraordinary Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, and we hear from Profile's artistic director, Josh Hecht in a rare and enlightening interview." -Bobby Bermea

In this episode our host Bobby Bermea interviews artists and community partners of Hot ‘N' Throbbing Illustrated. The episode starts with an interview with Raphael House's Prevention Education Specialist Samantha Cohen. Then, Bobby speaks with our collaborator Ant Proctor about their dynamic graphic illustrations. It concludes with a conversation with the audio play's brilliant director Jamie M. Rea.

In this episode, our host Bobby Bermea interviews artists of Profile Theatre's audio play adaptation of Las Meninas by Lynn Nottage. Actress Lauren Modica talks about her art and hopes for the future for the American stage. Then, we hear from sound designer and composer Matt Wiens about his inspiration and approach to layering in music and effects for our audio play adaptations. Our episode wraps as director Dawn Monique Williams discusses this play (written about the African presence in the French Court) and its resonances with the Black Lives Matter movement.

In this episode, our host Bobby Bermea talks to Eleanor O’Brien Actor and Artistic Director of Dance Naked Productions about Eleanor’s experience reprising her role as “V.O.” and the value of sex-positive theatre. Then, he speaks with Cayenne, a former sex worker turned therapist, turned mother on self-discovery and empowerment. And he interviews Portland superstar and Hot ‘N’ Throbbing composer Lo Steele on her drive to create and we hear some of her original music.

Director of Community Engagement Bobby Bermea talks to Bob Lee, General Curator and Manager of Elephants at the Oregon Zoo about elephant conservation and the way animals can ignite our imaginations. Bobby also talks to singer-songwriter and Mlima's Tale composer Jenn Mundia, who plays some of her newest music live for us in the studio. And Bobby interviews Mlima's Tale director Reg Douglas about Mlima's Tale, Reg’s passion for new work and directing during a pandemic.