The Chicago Theater-Makers Podcast

John Michael Coppola
  • 5.0 (10)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to The Chicago Theater-Makers Podcast; The show where we go behind the curtain with the actors, playwrights, directors, choreographer, designers, creatives and producers shaping Chicago’s one-of-a-kind theater scene. Every episode we sit down with the folks who make this city’s stages come alive. Whether you’re a theater pro, a curious audience member, or just love a good backstage story...This podcast is for you!

  1. 4D AGO

    National Cabaret Month with guests Anne and Mark Burnell!

    March is National Cabaret Month and today's episode is part of our series celebrating some of Chicago’s amazing cabaret artists! Today’s guest are a married couple known for innovative vocal jazz arrangements paired with the immediacy and intimacy of cabaret-style storytelling.  Anne Burnell is a vocalist and songwriter whose work has been presented at jazz clubs, concert halls, and festivals including the Sarasota Jazz Festival, Taste of Chicago, and Plymouth Arts Wine & Jazz Festival. Her solo recordings include Blues in the Night - a Harold Arlen tribute arranged by Count Basie Band veteran Bob Ojeda, and Summer Days & Dreamy Nights, produced and arranged by Henry Johnson. Summer Days & Dreamy Nights also featuring some of her original songs that earned her a Billboard Magazine Certificate of Achievement in Songwriting. Anne served as President of Chicago Cabaret Professionals from 2019–2023, during which time she received the organization’s Excellence in Cabaret Service Award. Mark Burnell is a pianist, vocalist, and arranger hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “silky smooth and highly polished”. He has worked with Dave Frishberg, Richie Cole, Louie Bellson, Connie Francis, and Ward Swingle, among many others, and has toured internationally throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America. A dedicated educator, Mark taught jazz at Northwestern University and Roosevelt University, trained vocalists for ten years at Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned his BFA and MFA, and directed the CMU Jazz Choir. He is one of Chicago’s most in-demand pianists and music directors and leads a weekly jazz trio at Tortoise Supper Club. Together, they tour nationally and internationally, presenting Chicago-rooted jazz and cabaret on stages in New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Panama, and beyond. Their work has been supported by Chicago Dept of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois ArtsTour, and the City of Chicago Band Roster. Finally, they were the 2024 recipients of the Gold Coast Award from Chicago Cabaret Professionals While National Cabaret Month is in March, Chicago hosts it’s annual Cabaret week each year in May (Anne explains why this is during the interview) and during this year’s festivities, Anne and Mark will be appearing at the Gateway Lounge at the Copernicus Center on Thursday, May 14th. For more info on that event please visit the link to Anne and Mark’s website in our show notes.  I hope you enjoy my conversation with Anna Burnell and Mark Burnell. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    36 min

  2. FEB 23

    Free Street Theater with guests Katrina Dion and Tanuja Devi Jagernauth!

    Today's guests are from Chicago’s 50 year old, South Side theater-making institution, Free Street Theatre. Katrina Dion is a Chicago based director and producer, known for her radical youth work at Free Street Theater where she acts as Producing Artistic Director. In her 10 years at Free Street, Katrina has directed over 11 original plays, mentored over 200 youth, and produced over 40 shows. Recently, Katrina directed The Wizards by Ricardo Gamboa, presented by Concrete Content, for which she was named “Best Stage Director,” in the Chicago Reader Best of 2022 awards. In addition, Dion acts as an adjunct professor at The Theatre School at DePaul University, her alma mater. In 2019, Dion was listed as one of the top “50 People Performing for Chicago Theatre.” Her work has been featured in magazines such as Teen Vogue, and she has facilitated workshops across the country at places such as The National Civil Rights Museum, the Obama Foundation, ProPublic Illinois, and more. Tanuja Devi Jagernauth is an Indo-Caribbean PIC abolitionist, writer, theater-maker, and yoga educator who believes in the necessity of creation during times of destruction. She is an In/House Artist-in-Residence with Free Street Theater, a member of the Playground Chicago writer pool, and the co-facilitator of Understory, a biweekly virtual space for activists and organizers to gather and contemplate that which they hold sacred. She is the writer and director of Free Street’s current production of Rupture/Repair, now playing until March 7th. For tickets, please visit freestreet.org or simply click the link in our show notes. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Katrina Dion and Tanuja Devi Jagernauth. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    44 min

  3. FEB 16

    Take 3 with guest Jim Jarvis!

    Today's guest started his theater-making career as a member of Chicago's Second City. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. He has worked on stage and backstage throughout the area as an actor, improv performer, storyteller, director, head of marketing, and Executive Director. He is currently the Chief Marketing and programing officer for the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which includes the Paramount Theater and River Edge Park in Aurora. His leadership has been integral in growing the Paramount subscriber base from 18,000 to 40,000 during his tenure. I am so excited to share my conversation with dear friend, colleague, and mentor Jim Jarvis. Now let's go to the top of the show.

    50 min

  4. FEB 9

    Of Sound Mind and Spirit with guest Josh Schmidt!

    Today’s guest is a composer, sound designer, musician and educator. Select Credits as Composer/Co-Author include ADDING MACHINE at Next Theatre, Evanston (a shows he’s held that position for 2 additional times); A MINISTER'S WIFE  at Writers Theatre, Glencoe and Lincoln Center, GIFT OF THE MAGI at American Players Theatre, WI). Select incidental music credits in NY and on Broadway include WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING (Lincoln Center, NYC) FIFTY WORDS (MCC Theater, NYC) and as as Composer/Sound Designer on Broadway include HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES and BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS. In Chicago, he has designed numerous productions for companies including Drury Lane Theatre, Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Writers' Theatre, Victory Gardens, Raven Theatre, Northlight Theatre and many others. He has served in all of the capacities in over 300 productions at venues across the country including Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and Ford's Theatre in Washington DC) I hope you enjoy my conversation with Josh Schmidt. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    58 min

  5. FEB 2

    Making A Scene with guest Douglas Post!

    Today’s guest has lived and worked in Chicago as an award-winning playwright, composer and lyricist for 45 years. Much of his work has been seen world-wide. In summer of 2025, Dramatic Publishing Company released his stage adaptation of Aldous Huxley's classic novel Brave New World, which is his 13th script in print.  He has received the L. Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Award, the Midwestern Playwrights Festival Award, the Cunningham Commission Award, the Blue Ink Playwriting Award, three Playwriting Fellowship Awards from the Illinois Arts Council, and has been nominated for three Joseph Jefferson Awards, a Suzi Bass Award and an Emmy Award. Finally, in December of 2025 he received the Innovation in Teaching Award from the University of Chicago Graham School, where he teaches playwriting and theatre appreciation. We discuss all of this and much, much more in my conversation with  Douglas Post. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    39 min

  6. JAN 26

    "Out of the Loop" Series - Never Mind the Happy with guest Marc Shaiman!

    Today’s episode launches a new series that will be dipping in and out of over the course of the podcast that we’re calling our "Out of the Loop" series.  In general, the guests on these episodes are those who may or may not necessarily have ties to Chicago, but who’s work at the highest level in the world of theatre-making and even TV & film is renowned to fellow artists and audiences alike. And with that, I am extraordinarily excited to introduce today’s guest. Born and raised in New Jersey, he began his career as a musical director and arranger for Bette Midler before expanding into film scoring, gaining prominence with his work on such films as When Harry Met Sally, Sister Act, City Slickers, A Few Good Men, and a personal favorite South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. He’s also been seen on television with SNL, and on recordings with Harry Connick Jr. and Mariah Carey. He earned widespread acclaim for co-writing the Broadway musical Hairspray alongside his longtime co-lyricist Scott Wittman. The duo has also co-created the musicals Catch Me If You Can, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Some Like It Hot, and Smash. He has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and has won a Tony, two Emmys, and two Grammys.   We chat about some of those experiences, many which are included in his new book, “Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner” which is available now wherever fine books are sold! By now you may have guessed that today’s guest is none other than Marc Shaiman. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    37 min

  7. JAN 19

    Both Sides of the Table with guest Mitzi Smith!

    Today's guest gracefully balances multiple careers as an actress, college professor and casting director. Originally from San Francisco, she received her BFA at Boston Conservatory. After working for many years as a performer, she was then recruited by renowned casting director Jay Binder to join his office as his assistant and fellow casting director. She eventually left New York to return to San Diego to get her MFA at San Diego State University, and from there began her teaching journey. A professor since 2012, she moved to Chicago in 2019 to begin her career at North Central College in Naperville, where she was tenured in 2025. As an actress, she has been seen at Drury Lane, Metropolis, Music Theater works and is also now working here in town as a freelance casting assistant. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mitzi Smith! Now let's go to the top of the show.

    46 min

  8. JAN 12

    The Greatest Night in Show Business with guests Mikey Duran and Lisa Lindquist!

    On today’s episode we’re joined by company members from HGBIC Productions’ upcoming World Premiere: The Greatest Night in Show Business; A new musical play about Judy Garland and the night of her Carnegie Hall concert. Producer/writer and director of the piece, Mikey Duran, was Born and raised in Chicago. Studied acting At The Academy Of Art University of San Francisco, attended Illinois Media School, and hosted the LGBT Radio Show, “Pride Of The Chi” From 2018-2020. His first production, “Happy Birthday, Mr.President” premiered in March 2025. Lisa Lindquist, was a child prints ads model and appeared in commercials until the age of 18. She then took time off to attend college and start a family. She is now back on the boards starring as Judy Garland in the production. She and Mikey have also been best friends since childhood. For tickets to 'The Greatest Night In Show Business", please visit this link! We talk about all this and more in today’s conversation with Mikey Duran and Lisa Lindquist. Now let’s go to the top of the show!

    44 min
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About

Welcome to The Chicago Theater-Makers Podcast; The show where we go behind the curtain with the actors, playwrights, directors, choreographer, designers, creatives and producers shaping Chicago’s one-of-a-kind theater scene. Every episode we sit down with the folks who make this city’s stages come alive. Whether you’re a theater pro, a curious audience member, or just love a good backstage story...This podcast is for you!

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