The Frogs

Alex Ubokudom, Tobie Windham
  • 5.0 (9)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Alex & Tobie travel to different theater communities in LA to explore what’s happening on the ground. They have conversations with some of the world’s most renowned theater practitioners. Discussing broad topics: theater, film, TV, music, current events—all viewed through the lens of theater and culture. The Frogs will get people excited about the theater by first conquering our city (LA), then the country, and eventually the world—by engaging the community in meaningful conversations about the arts. The Frogs are unapologetically Black, theater nerd culture, mixed with real-world energy. It’s intellectual and ratchet, classy but down-to-earth.

  1. 1D AGO

    Johnny Ray Gill: In Every Form

    Johnny Ray Gill: In Every Form It’s Black History Month, and we’re sitting down with a friend of the pod, Johnny Ray Gill, who is a magnificent actor and storyteller. Season two of Cross dropped February 11th on Prime, and Johnny Ray as Bobby Trey is layered, dangerous, and deeply human. You can feel the weight of history underneath his performance. Johnny doesn’t just play characters. He builds inner lives that carry memory and consequence. A UCSD/La Jolla Playhouse MFA graduate, Johnny Ray moves fluidly across television, cinema, and music. You’ve seen him as Kerwin in Rectify, Sam in Underground, Gustav in Braindead, and Sex Henry in Grand Crew, alongside work in Snowfall, True Blood, Chicago P.D., and NCIS. Beyond acting, he’s a writer and director under his banner First Flock Pictures, with award-winning projects like Laying Pipe and a debut rap album, Screenplays, led by the haunting “Green Shoe Music.”  This episode is about story, satire, climate justice, and the responsibility of making art that refuses to be contained IG & Twitter @JohnnyRayGill Theatre. Culture. Vibe. Production Credits: A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Byron Rogers, Jr. Recorded & Mixed by Byron Rogers, Jr. Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna

    48 min

  2. JAN 19

    Kacie Rogers: No Permission Required

    Kacie Rogers: No Permission Required Kacie Rogers- actor, writer, producer, and community builder. This is a conversation rooted in theatre, process, and legacy. A two-time NAACP Award winner trained at AMDA, Kacie has worked with many of Los Angeles’ vital theatre companies, including The Robey Theatre Co., IAMA, The Fountain Theatre, Outside In Theatre, Skylight Theatre, A Noise Within, and the Geffen Playhouse, alongside screen work on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Grace & Frankie, Grand Crew, and Home Economics. We talk about her acclaimed one-woman show I Sell Windows, the emotional and cultural weight of Furlough’s Paradise, as well as the creation of Bottle Tree Theatre Co., an artist-led ecosystem centered on storytelling and community. Kacie also has breaking news: she’s pitching her first feature film and stepping into Octopus’s Garden, an Outside In x Boston Court x Circle X co-production premiering March 7 at Boston Court in Pasadena. This is a conversation about building what you wish existed and inviting others to grow it with you.  IG @kacie.rogers  Theatre. Culture. Vibe. Production Credits: A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Byron Rogers, Jr. Recorded & Mixed by Byron Rogers, Jr. Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna

    41 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Adrianna Mitchell - The Holiday’s with a Crutch

    Adrianna Mitchell - The Holiday’s with a Crutch  We welcome Adrianna Mitchell to The Frogs podcast, currently starring opposite Tracy Morgan and Kecia Lewis in Crutch on Paramount+. Adrianna talks about craft, discipline, Spelman, and the body of work she’s been building. We get into process: how grit, presence, and being ready to move from drama to comedy when moment needs it. We also talk about the rooms that shaped her: Fat Ham (The Public, Broadway, Geffen), Snowfall, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Fight, Evil, Law & Order, and Regional theaters credits across the country. Each role sharpening her instrument. Each role getting her deeper into her bag. This conversation is about family. About resilience. About building over time. She’s your favorite actor’s favorite actor. Adrianna shows us what it looks like when you trust that work begets work. As always, Theatre. Culture. Vibe. Production Credits: A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Byron Rogers, Jr. Recorded & Mixed by Byron Rogers, Jr. Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna

    52 min

  4. 11/24/2025

    Biko Eisen-Martin: Table 17 and The Bay Area

    Biko Eisen-Martin: Table 17 and The Bay Area Season Two rolls on with Biko Eisen-Martin, the force at the center of the Geffen Playhouse’s West Coast Premiere of Table 17. Biko sits with The Frogs to break down what it means to carry a story this raw. We dive into the emotional architecture behind playing Dallas, both in the new Geffen production and in the original MCC Off-Broadway run. We also look back at the path that shaped him: Lift (Off-Broadway), Hamlet, Pac and Biggie Are Dead, Taming of the Shrew, Ruined, King Lear, Radio Golf, The XIXth at The Old Globe, and Topdog/Underdog.  Each role sharpening his instrument. Each play adding weight to his presence onstage.  This episode is about discipline and the deep work required to hold space for stories that matter. Biko shows us what it looks like when an actor is fully alive in the work.  As always,  Theatre. Culture. Vibe.  A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Byron Rogers, Jr Recorded & Mixed by Byron Rogers, Jr Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre Recorded at Outside In Theatre

    57 min

  5. 10/20/2025

    Roger Guenveur Smith: In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat & The One-Man Revolution

    Roger Guenveur Smith: In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat & The One-ManRevolution Season Two keeps jumping with one of American theater’s greatest storytellers, RogerGuenveur Smith: actor, writer, director, and one-man cultural force. From his iconiccollaborations with Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Get on the Bus) to his ObieAward–winning solo shows (A Huey P. Newton Story), Roger has built a career bending form,fusing politics and performance, and refusing to fit in anyone’s box. Now he’s back on stage with In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat, his newest one-man showexploring his friendship with the extraordinary Basquiat. Running now at Outside In Theatrethrough November 9 and headed to the Under the Radar Festival in New York City in January2026, the piece continues Roger’s legacy of art as both testimony and transformation.In this episode, Roger sits with The Frogs to talk about brotherhood in art, the risks of tellinghistory through your own body, and what it means to carry the brilliance and burden of geniusonstage. This isn’t just a conversation, it’s an excavation, a production, a ritual, church, and a moment.Raw, poetic, and straight from the source. Credits:A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los AngelesCreated by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie WindhamEdited by Brianna Seamster & Byron Rogers, Jr.Recorded & Mixed by Arlo SandersTheme Song by Arlo SandersProduced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica HannaExecutive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In TheatreRecorded at Outside In Theatre

    50 min

  6. 09/22/2025

    Tarell McCraney & André Holland: Brotherly Love in the Theater — Friendship, Authenticity & Keith Sweat

    Tarell McCraney & André Holland: Brotherly Love in the Theater — Friendship, Authenticity & Keith Sweat Season 2 of The Frogs begins with two artists whose work continues to shape culture. Tarell Alvin McCraney is the Artistic Director of the Geffen Playhouse, guiding the artistic vision for its stages. An award-winning writer, producer, and educator, he is best known for The Brother/Sister Plays and for penning In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, the script that became the Academy Award–winning film Moonlight. McCraney’s influence spans Steppenwolf, Yale, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, marking him as one of the most important theatrical voices of our time. André Holland is an acclaimed actor and producer, celebrated for his range across film, TV, and stage. Fresh off Sundance with Love, Brooklyn and The Actor, and SXSW with The Dutchman, Holland has delivered unforgettable performances in Moonlight, Selma, Passing, and High Flying Bird. His TV credits include The Big Cigar, The Eddy, and The Knick, alongside stage work from Broadway to Shakespeare’s Globe. Together, they reunite for The Brothers Size, exploring brotherhood, legacy, and art. In this episode, these two giants sit with The Frogs to talk about the things rarely said but always essential. Credits (Season 2): A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Brianna Seamster & Byron Rogers Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre Recorded at Outside In Theatre

    45 min

  7. 06/01/2025

    The Theatre Is Ours

    The Frogs Live-  Episode 10- The Theatre Is Ours Location: Outside In Theatre, Los Angeles Recorded Live: May 24, 2025 A night of theater, culture, and vibe: recorded live with a studio audience under the lights of Outside In Theatre. This special episode features a live performance and deep conversation with the creators and stars behind Red for Revolution, an award-winning audio drama centering Black femme queer love, lineage, and liberation. We’re also joined by the incomparable Roger Q. Mason, playwright and provocateur, discussing their genre-busting Calif’s trilogy, in development with Outside In. Featuring: 🎭 Jana Naomi Smith, creator of Red for Revolution, writer, director, and cultural conjurer 🎙️ Caro Guzmán, actor, storyteller, and performer in Red for Revolution 🖋️ Roger Q. Mason, Obie-nominated playwright of Lavender Men and creator of the Califa’s Trilogy: California Story Hide & Hide Juana Maria Ave.Noelle, musical guestAn unforgettable blend of vintage soul and future-forward vibes. Follow us: @the_frogs_podcast_ | @OutsideInThtr  | @rogerq.mason | @redforrevolutionpod Special thanks to: Outside In Theatre, the cast of Red for Revolution, and our community of listeners and dreamers. Produced by: Outside In Theatre in conjunction with The Frogs Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Brianna Seamster Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre Live show program Design by: Atlas Buescher

    1h 16m

  8. 05/12/2025

    Andrea Patterson — The Storyteller’s Blueprint

    Andrea Patterson is a powerhouse on stage and screen, blending raw storytelling with undeniable craft. A graduate of Purchase College’s Acting Conservatory, she’s brought unforgettable performances to some of the most respected theaters in the country. Her portrayal of Helen in Memnon at the Getty Villa, produced with the Classical Theatre of Harlem, redefined the myth, bringing depth and fire to an iconic character. Onstage, her work in Cullud Wattah earned her a Drama Desk Award Nomination (2022) for Outstanding Actress in a Play, alongside heavyweights like Phylicia Rashad and Ruth Negga. Her role in Confederates showcased her command of layered storytelling, exploring the dangerous game Black women navigate across history. Her craft was further recognized with an Obie Award (2023) for Sustained Achievement in Performance, solidifying her as a vital force in American theater. On screen, Andrea’s magnetic presence has left its mark with standout roles in Law & Order, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and The Good Wife. Her versatility proves that both stage and screen are just extensions of her storytelling reach, always grounded, always real. Andrea Patterson is more than an actor; she’s a narrative architect, building stories that confront, challenge, and transcend. 🎭 Follow her journey: @andreapatterson 🎧 Follow us: @OutsideInThtr | @the_frogs_podcast_ Credits: A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham Edited by Brianna Seamster Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders Theme Song by Arlo Sanders Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre Recorded at Outside In Theatre

    51 min
See All (16)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Alex & Tobie travel to different theater communities in LA to explore what’s happening on the ground. They have conversations with some of the world’s most renowned theater practitioners. Discussing broad topics: theater, film, TV, music, current events—all viewed through the lens of theater and culture. The Frogs will get people excited about the theater by first conquering our city (LA), then the country, and eventually the world—by engaging the community in meaningful conversations about the arts. The Frogs are unapologetically Black, theater nerd culture, mixed with real-world energy. It’s intellectual and ratchet, classy but down-to-earth.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Ubokudom, Tobie Windham
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Outside In Theatre