call and response podcast Felicia Fitzpatrick

This week, we talk with Kelundra Smith about the many writing hats she wears as a culture and theater critic, playwright, arts and culture journalist, and Managing Editor of American Theatre Magazine. We dive into what inspired her to write The Wash and Younger (a prequel to Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun), how her Southern perspective informs her work, and which regions of the country are capturing her theatrical attention.

The 2024 WNBA season tipped off just last week, and we are celebrating with Criscia Long! She is the Senior Director of Entertainment for NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the Long Island Nets, and WNBA’s New York Liberty. We dive into how she embraces commercial and concert dance, what she learned during her time as a pro NBA dancer, and what it was like orchestrating an epic halftime show in honor of The Wiz.

We are BACK IN THE HABIT, y’all! After three years away, we are kicking off season six with a catch-up episode. We highlight some of the incredible accomplishments of some podcast alums, as well as hear from four previous guests about how their lives have changed since their podcast episode aired. We chat with Marc J. Franklin (Episode 12), Vincent Jamal Hooper (Episode 16), Micayla Brewster (Episode 37), and Sharon Washington (Episode 24). Welcome back to call and response podcast!

Happy 30th Anniversary to Beauty and the Beast! 30 years ago today, Disney’s first musical premiered on Broadway and we are celebrating with a special episode. In honor of the milestone, we chatted with three Black actors who have played Belle: Briana Brooks from ZACH Theatre’s 2018 production (Austin, TX), Jade Jones from Olney Theatre Center’s 2021 and 2022 production (Olney, Maryland), and Ashley Blanchet from The Muny’s 2023 production (St. Louis, Missouri). It’s a tale as old as time, but how is it elevated with different identities? Be our guest as we dive into this fascinating discussion.

After a long hiatus, we are BACK for a special holiday episode! We take you inside the creation of Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker, the jazz-steeped reimagining of the classic ballet that runs at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre this month. We talk with producers Ron Simons and Valencia Yearwood, conductor and pianist Harold O'Neal, and dancer Alicia Mae Holloway about their experience bringing this new adaptation to the stage.

For the season five finale of call and response, we celebrate FREEDOM. In a time where fear and scarcity feel wide-spread, how can we claim freedom, abundance, and liberation for ourselves? We talk with five artist-creators about what artistic freedom means to them. Hear from actor and multidimensional storyteller Ja'Michael De'Shawn, director Miranda Haymon, actor, musician, and singer-songwriter Tayler Harris, Broadway ad agency account executive Stevie Coleman, and Broadway photographer Marc J. Franklin.