The Theater Project Thinks About...

Mary Iannelli, Mark Spina, Kevin Carver
  • 5.0 (12)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED DAILY

The Theater Project thinks about... was created as a way to take our patrons on a “deeper dive” into the process of the actors, directors, playwrights & other artists in our community, as well as the mechanics of bringing an artist’s work to an audience.

  1. FEB 22

    Script Doctor

    Mary Iannelli sits down with Playwright and Screenwriter, Sarah Congress to discuss the role of the script doctor.  What do they do?  What value do they add to a project, the skills needed to do the job and the pitfalls you may encounter. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Sarah Congress https://sarahcongress.com/ Playwrights Horizons https://www.playwrightshorizons.org/ Downtown Urban Arts Festival https://www.duafnyc.com/ Jersey Shore Film Festival https://jerseyshorefilmfestival.com/ Nabisar Films https://www.nabisarfilmsus.com/ SUNY Purchase College https://www.purchase.edu/ Caryn Whitman https://www.crunchbase.com/person/caryn-whitman Vasana Ventures https://vasanaventures.com/ "Delulu" by Sarah Congress This play was a semifinalist in a new play festival and was scheduled for a reading in October 2025. Sarah Congress is a playwright and script doctor, but her professional websites and social media do not offer the full script for public access. It is a new work still in the process of development and production. Centre Stage https://centrestage.org/ Actors Guild  https://www.actorsguild.org/ Ego Actus https://egoactus.com/

    25 min

  2. JAN 25

    At Risk Youth

    Mark Spina and Harry Patrick Christian talk about Arts Education and how it has had an impact on at-risk youth.   Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Mark Spina https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-spina/ Harry Patrick Christian https://www.facebook.com/harry.p.christian.3/# Pushcart Players https://pushcartplayers.org/ Ruth Fost https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-fost-617a2111/ Turrell Fund https://www.turrellfund.org/ Lenny Vega Website (without actual link) Viola Spolin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Spolin

    37 min

  3. 11/30/2025

    Cracked Christmas Carol

    A Cracked Christmas Carol, a radio play, was one of the first virtual productions produced by The Theater Project during the pandemic.  We invite you to enjoy listening to the show as a podcast or watching it on our website. To view it, go to:  www.TheTheaterProject.org/Podcast  Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Lionel Barrymore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Barrymore The Vienna Boys Choir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Boys%27_Choir David Alberts (Playwright) https://www.playscripts.com/playwrights/bios/1405 Gruel Recipe:   2 tablespoons ground oats (Scottish or steel-cut work well), 1 cup water or milk, pinch of salt. Optional: sugar, cream, cinnamon, or a splash of brandy for flavor. Instructions: Rub the oats with a little cold water to make a paste.Bring the remaining water or milk to a boil in a small pot.Stir in the oat paste and a pinch of salt.Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches the desired consistency.Season to taste with any optional ingredients. Gary Glor (Actor) https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-glor/ Terri Sturtevant (Actor)  https://www.facebook.com/terri.sturtevant/ Ilana Beth Schimmel (Actor) https://www.ilanaschimmel.com Lili Summer (Stage Manager) https://www.facebook.com/lili.summer.14/ Andrew Falcon (Video Editor) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-falcon-b26b54132/

    1h 3m

  4. 10/26/2025

    Play Structure

    Playwright Brigid Amos sits down with world renowned playwright  Emma Goldman-Sherman to further dive into the world of dramaturgy.  Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Emma Goldman-Sherman Bio: Emma Goldman-Sherman is a playwright and coach who teaches Structure Is Not a Dirty Word and other fun classes full of  useful, world-changing tools. They can be reached at BraveSpace.online or subscribe to their Substack for weekly prompts.  Structure is not a dirty word https://goldmansherman.substack.com/p/structure-is-not-a-dirty-word Aristotelean Structure https://pwcenter.org/article/decoding-the-6-aristotelean-elements-of-drama/ August Wilson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Wilson Caryl Churchill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryl_Churchill Suzan Lori Parks  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzan-Lori_Parks Jaclyn Backhaus https://www.jaclynbackhaus.com/ María Irene Fornés https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_Irene_Forn%C3%A9s Claire Baron https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Barron Helen Banner https://helenbanner.com/ Hansol Jung https://sites.google.com/nyu.edu/contemporaryplaywrightsofcolor/hansol-jung Jeremy O. Harris https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_O._Harris Octavia Butler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_E._Butler Brave Space https://www.bravespace.online/ Emma’s Brave Space.online Substack https://goldmansherman.substack.com/

    23 min

  5. 09/28/2025

    Stage Managing

    Gary Glor sits down with Amy Hadam to discuss the role of the stage manager and the skills and techniques needed to do the job. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Jekyll and Hyde, the Musical https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jekyll_%26_Hyde_(musical) Surflight Theater https://surflight.org/ Molly Ivins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hot_Patriot:_The_Kick-Ass_Wit_of_Molly_Ivins Erma Bomback at Wits End https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erma_Bombeck Ann Richards https://theannrichardsplay.com/ Buyer and Cellar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buyer_%26_Cellar One Man show - A Christmas Carol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol_(1988_play) Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/9940/5-lesbians-eating-a-quiche QLab https://qlab.app Hedda Gabler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedda_Gabler Heisenberg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisenberg_(play) Topic Website (without actual link)

    35 min

  6. 08/31/2025

    Taking It On the Road

    Mary Iannelli sits down with former TPJ alum, James Lynch to see what it’s like to take on an iconic role off broadway and then take it on the road as part of a national touring company. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References: Saw, The Musical https://www.sawthemusical.com/ Backstage https://www.backstage.com/ Zicam Nasal Swabs https://www.zicam.com/our-products/cold-shortening/nasal-swabs Neti Pot A neti pot is a device used for nasal irrigation, typically to flush out mucus and allergens from the nasal passages. It's a teapot-like container with a long spout, allowing you to pour a saline solution into one nostril, which then flows out the other. This process helps relieve symptoms of allergies, colds, and sinus congestion. Portable Nebulizer A portable nebulizer is a compact, handheld medical device that converts liquid medication into a fine mist for inhalation, making it convenient for on-the-go use or travel. It offers a discreet and quiet way to deliver medication directly to the lungs, which is helpful for individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  Vocal Resonance Vocal resonance is the process of amplifying and enriching the sound of your voice by using the resonating cavities in your head and throat. It's like an echo, where the sound waves bounce off reflective surfaces and enhance the sound's quality and projection. Think of it as the way your voice sounds full, rich, and carries well.

    39 min

  7. 07/27/2025

    Up and Coming Playwrights - Grace Zanghi

    Prize winner of our 2025 Young Playwrights Competition, Grace Zanghi introduces an audio reading of their award winning play, Adams Apple. Followed by an interview with past honoree, Brennan Columbia-Walsh. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou and Demien De Sandies References: Brennan Columbia-Walsh https://www.backstage.com/u/brennan-columbia-walsh/ A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll%27s_House She Kills Monsters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Kills_Monsters Hamlet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet Hedda Gabler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedda_Gabler

    39 min

  8. 06/29/2025

    Kate Douglas - Writer, Composer, Performer

    Mark Spina and Bill Mesce sit down with writer, composer & performer, Kate Douglas to discuss her journey from being a winner in TTPs Young Playwrights Competiton to becoming a published and produced playwright. We hope you enjoy! Credits:Audio Engineer Gary Glor One Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou  References:https://katedouglasprojects.com/ THE APIARY by Kate Douglas, available through Dramatists Play Service https://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=6247 Hear Kate's Music: https://katedouglasprojects.com/music#/for-us-someday-ep/ Review: In ‘The Apiary,’ the Bees Have a Troubling Tale to Tell https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/theater/the-apiary-review.html

    58 min
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Theater Project thinks about... was created as a way to take our patrons on a “deeper dive” into the process of the actors, directors, playwrights & other artists in our community, as well as the mechanics of bringing an artist’s work to an audience.

Information

  • Creator
    Mary Iannelli, Mark Spina, Kevin Carver
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 The Theater Project Thinks About...
  • Show Website
    The Theater Project Thinks About...