James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight

James Elden
  • 4.8 (13)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.

  1. 15h ago

    Breaking Down the Story, Finding Your Path, and Non-Traditional Casting - Playwright's Spotlight with Janine Nabers

    Send us Fan Mail Janine Nabers is a playwright, Emmy-nominated writer, show runner, and producer. She first made her mark as a playwright, becoming the first Black woman to win the Yale Drama Series Prize for her play Serial Black Face. Her plays have been produced across the United States and internationally. She is a graduate of the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship at Juilliard. For tickets to The Peterson Show at the Echo Theatre in Los Angeles, visit - https://www.echotheatercompany.com To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/DCmzaSwkVHQ Links of sites and resources mentioned in the episode -  Echo Theater Company - https://www.echotheatercompany.com Socials for Janine Nabers -  IG - @janinenabers Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

  2. Sep 1

    Linguistics, Sam and Frodo, and Lessons in Storytelling - Spotlight with Greg Banks

    Send us Fan Mail Greg Banks is a playwright, actor, and director. For tickets to Pinocchio at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, visit - https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/pinocchio/#book Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.htmlFor tickets to Pinocchio at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, visit - https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/pinocchio/#book Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

  3. Aug 25

    Readings and Funding, Serial Stage Plays, and Weaving in Outside Influences - Playwright's Spotlight with Keith Szarabajka

    Send us Fan Mail Keith Szarabajka is a playwright who on stage, in audio books, video games, film, radio and TV. Keith’s one act dark comedy, The Second Coming was produced at EST-LA's One Act Festival in 2018, and was subsequently made into a short film in 2020, which is currently garnering awards at film festivals around the world.  Keith conceived, co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced EST/LA’s space soap opera spoof, In Search of doG. From 2015-2022, Keith was Ensemble Studio Theatre / The Los Angeles Project’s co-artistic director overseeing the creation, development and production of new American plays. His most recent project SLAVA UKRAINI! (or Waiting for Elon), was a semi-finalist at the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. For tickets to SLAVA UKRAINI! running at the Atwater Village Theater through August 31st (with a possible extension) visit -https://afewthoughtstheatercompany.org/ Support the show

  4. Aug 18

    Finding the Arc, Unconventional Stage Directions, and Successful Marketing and Pitches - Playwright's Spotlight with Cameron Scott (Part 2 - In Person)

    Send us Fan Mail Cameron Scott has worked with Broadway’s top producers to create brand campaigns for well over 100 productions including 17 Tony Award-winning Best Plays, Best Musicals, and Best Revivals. He has recently turned to writing plays of his own. Since the fall of 2022, he has had plays produced from the coasts of California to Connecticut, among them a Best in Festival winner at Wilmington Drama League and the winning play from Delaware at ESTAFest 2023. He has had work published in multiple anthologies including an excerpt from his play Uphill which was published in The Best Men’s Stage Monologues 2023 by Smith & Kraus. His audio drama West PalmReaders appeared internationally on the Apple Podcasts Charts in 49 countries last summer, including multiple #1's in Drama and thirteen Top 10's in Drama, including in the USA. He has worked with professional and amateur theater companies alike such as Legacy Theatre in Connecticut, The Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood and Rhode Island Stage Ensemble. Other plays include Forty Years Kings; Happ’s Last Tape; and That Day is Coming, Everyday is Coming. To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/e5uPPs0qm_Q Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -  The Road Theatre Annual Summer Playwrights Festival -https://roadtheatre.org/event/spf/ GI60 - http://gi60.blogspot.com/ New York City Playwrights - https://www.nycplaywrights.org/ Campfire Radio Theatre - https://campfireradiotheater.podbean.com/ Gather by the Ghost Light - https://www.gatherbytheghostlight.com/ New Jersey Web Festival - https://www.newjerseywebfest.com/ Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

  5. Aug 4

    Writing to be Produced, Pulling Back and Going Too Far, and The Revolving Dessert Tray - Playwright's Spotlight with Drew Larimore

    Send us Fan Mail Drew Larimore a Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter and librettist who’s been produced in the U.S. and internationally. His plays have been developed and presented with Asolo Repertory’s Unplugged New Works Festival, The Barrow Group, Denizen Theatre’s New Play Development Series, ANDTheatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Short & Sweet New Play Festival (Sydney & Melbourne). He’s been a finalist for the Heidman Award, Lark Playwrights’ Week and P73 Playwriting Fellowship. His play, SMITHTOWN was featured in River Styx’s 2025 “Posthuman” edition and his play UPSTATE, initially commissioned by Denizen Theatre was presented in the FIRST LOOK series at the Studios of Key West in 2024.  Drew made his Off-Broadway debut in 2012 at Walker Space with OUT OF ICELAND. Other plays include TOUCH and THE ANNIVERSARY which is published in Vintage Press’ anthology of new work, Shorter, Faster, Funnier.   Drew wrote the book and was co-lyricist for the musical The New Peggy as well as the book and co-lyrics for the satirical holiday show THE BESTEST OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY EVER Residencies include Djerassi, Key West Literary Seminar, Studios of Key West, Telluride Playwright’s Festival, Dairy Hollow, and Hawthornden Castle in Scotland. For tickets to The Cannibals of McGower County playing at TheaterWorks Hartford in Connecticut opening August 6th through August 30th, visit -https://theaterworkshartford.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SUg000000ik0jMAA To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/CTUSeDhrRXo Resources mentioned in this episode - TheaterWorks Hartford - https://twhartford.org Websites and socials for Drew Larimore -  www.drewlarimore.com Substack - https://drewlarimore.substack.com IG -  https://www.instagram.com/bklynobserved/ Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

  6. Jul 28

    Do It To Be Good, Echo and Rhyme, and the David Inside the Statue - Playwright's Spotlight with Ann Noble

    Send us Fan Mail Ann Noble is a playwright/new media writer, director, teacher, and private coach. She trained at Northwestern University and at the British American Drama Academy via Yale School of Drama, and co-founded the Irish Theatre of Chicago (formally Seanachai). Plays include, Little Parts Hunts a Baby Daddy, A Bella Incarceration, 52 Pick Up, And Neither Have I Wings to Fly and 90262 Lynwood, Blue Like You. Her Play Dead Man played at the Hollywood Fringe and has an extension at Echo Theater Company at the Atwater Village Theater.  For tickets to Dead Man for July 28th and August 4th, visit - https://echotheatercompany.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200537897 Support the show

  7. Jul 21

    High Floors, Slips, and Theatre of the Absurd - Playwright's Spotlight with Brian Brijbag

    Send us Fan Mail Brian S. Brijbag is an award-winning playwright, author, and actor whose work has been produced across New York City, Florida, and beyond.  His plays — among them Love, Lysol, and Other Delusions, On the Likelihood of Elephants, Fireflies & Fault Lines, and Funeral of god — are written in his signature Elegant Anarchy style and have been staged at festivals from the Players Theatre and Broadway Bound in NYC to Stage West and the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival. To watch the video format of this episode visit - https://youtu.be/FVic-udNa2Q For tickets for Funeral of god, July 30th through August 2nd with The Broadway Bound Theatre Fest at the AMT Theater in New York City visit -  https://broadwayboundtheatrefestival.ludus.com/index.php For tickets to One Seat Over with the 2026 New Works Festival at Stage West Playhouse in Spring Hill, Florida, visit -  https://events.ticketleap.com/events/stage-west-playhouse To purchase copies of books by Brian Brijbag, visit -  https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ABrian%2BS.%2BBrijbag&s=relevancerank&text=Brian+S.+Brijbag&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1 Websites and socials for Brian Brijbag -  https://brianbrijbagauthor.com https://chaosandcraft.com/about/ IG - @brianbrijbag Twitter/X - @brianbrigbag TikTok - @brianbrijbag Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/brianbrijbag.bsky.social New Play Exchange - https://newplayexchange.org/users/99428/brian-brijbag Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

  8. Jul 14

    Hiding Secrets, Embracing Overwriting, Submission Hoops, and the End of Art(?) - Playwright's Spotlight with Amanda Stamm

    Send us Fan Mail Amanda Stamm is a playwright and actress. She is an alumnus of Atlantic Acting School, the Summer Program at Stella Adler, and has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Nebraska Wesleyan University. She a founding member of Bluebird Theatre Company and currently serves as Director of Finance. For tickets to Significant Contacts at The Maker's Space in Brooklyn, New York from July 13th through July 16th, visit - https://makersensemble.org/the-makers-space For links and resources mentioned in this episode - Blue Bird Theatre Co - https://www.bluebirdtheatre.org The Maker's Ensemble - https://makersensemble.org/home Website and socials for Amanda Stamm - https://www.amandamaestamm.com IG - @amandamaestamm   TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@amandastamm2 Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight Punk Monkey Productions -  www.punkmonkeyproductions.com PLAY Noir - www.playnoir.com PLAY Noir Anthology – www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html James Elden - Twitter - @jameseldensauer IG - @alakardrake FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -  Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods                   - @playnoirla  IG - @punkmonkeyprods        - @playnoir_la  FB - fb.com/playnoir         - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions Playwright's Spotlight - Twitter - @wrightlightpod  IG - @playwrights_spotlight Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html Support the show

See All (135)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.

Information

You Might Also Like