This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by playwright Jonathan Spector, whose work blends sharp political insight with dark humor and daring theatricality. From Eureka Day to This Much I Know, Jonathan has built a reputation for tackling polarizing subjects with nuance, empathy, and a touch of absurdity. In this conversation, recorded prior to his 2025 Tony Award win, we talk about writing satire in polarized times, the Bay Area as a creative influence, and how he builds plays that ask big questions without prescribing easy answers.

Episode Notes

• Guest - Jonathan Spector – @spectorama
• Playwright - Eureka Day, This Much I Know, and Good. Better. Best. Bested.
• Special Note: This episode was recorded prior to Jonathan’s Tony Award win, so it is not discussed in the interview.

Topics Covered

• Satire, sensitivity, and writing in the age of disinformation
• How the Bay Area informs his aesthetic and political lens
• The development journey of Eureka Day from regional theater to Off-Broadway to London
• Writing characters with clashing ideologies but shared humanity
• The value of ambiguity and open-ended storytelling
• Creating work that meets audiences halfway without moralizing

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by Madeline Sayet, playwright, director, performer, and a powerful voice in contemporary Indigenous theatre. From her solo piece Where We Belong to her advocacy for language revitalization and decolonized storytelling, Madeline invites us into a conversation about lineage, responsibility, and crafting theatre that speaks across generations. We explore how her Mohegan identity shapes her work, why Shakespeare still matters, and how storytelling can be a form of reclamation, resistance, and radical hope.

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

This week on The Scene Podcast, we sit down with acclaimed playwright Anna Ziegler, whose work explores identity, memory, and the intimate collisions between the personal and political. From Photograph 51 to Actually and The Wanderers, Anna shares how her background in poetry shaped her voice, how she approaches ambiguity on stage, and why she’s drawn to characters who exist in tension with themselves. It’s a thoughtful, layered conversation that celebrates quiet power in theatrical storytelling.

Guest:Anna Ziegler – @icanbakecakes

Topics Covered:

• The evolution of Anna’s writing from poetry to playwriting
• Crafting morally complex characters
• The resonance of silence, subtext, and restraint
• The journey of Photograph 51 and portraying Rosalind Franklin
• Balancing emotional intimacy with large thematic questions
• How The Wanderers wrestles with faith, authorship, and connection

Anna Ziegler Plays :

• Photograph 51
• Actually
• The Wanderers
• A Delicate Ship
• Boy

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by the dynamic writing duo Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy, partners in both life and theatre. Known for their sharp wit and genre-blending scripts, the pair shares how their collaborative process evolved from comedy sketches to critically acclaimed plays. We talk about teaching theatre, navigating adaptations, and what it’s really like to co-write with your spouse. Plus, we debut a brand-new segment inspired by Letterboxd’s “Four Favorite Films”, but this time, it’s all about the plays that shaped us.

Guests:

Carrie McCrossen – @carriemccrossen

Ian McWethy – @ianmcwethy

Release Date: May 17, 2025

Topics Covered:

• Writing as a duo: humor, compromise, and creative alignment
• Their approach to youth theatre and educational licensing
• Navigating tone in farce, satire, and social commentary
• Thoughts on adaptations and writing for the stage today
• Debut segment: “Four Favorite Plays”—inspiration, nostalgia, and chaos

Works Referenced:

• Bad Auditions by Bad Actors
• The Ten Best Worst Things About High School
• #Censored
• Plus, selections from their “Four Favorite Plays” list

Listen: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms

Follow Us: @thescene_news on Instagram and TikTok

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

In this special bonus episode of The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by theatre commentators and content creators Liz Gutridge, Ashley Hufford, and Maggie Hill for a lively roundtable breaking down the 2025 Tony Award nominations. From thrilling surprises to frustrating omissions, we dig into the major trends, record-setting shows, and rising stars shaping this year’s Broadway honors. Plus, we highlight past Scene guests who are now Tony nominees, celebrating their achievements and discussing their standout contributions to the season.

Topic: The 2025 Tony Award Nominations

Release Date: May 3, 2025

Guests:

Liz Gutridge – @lizgutridge

Ashley Hufford – @ashley_hufford

Maggie Hill – @themaggiehill

Official 2025 Tony Nominees – tonyawards.com

Follow Us: @thescene_news on Instagram and TikTok

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

Season 3 premieres with boundary-pushing storyteller Kate Douglas—playwright, librettist, composer, and creator of The Apiary. Kate’s work spans music, immersive theatre, and environmental advocacy, making space for stories that are deeply human and defiantly unconventional. In this episode, she opens up about her early artistic journey, the personal and ecological inspirations behind The Apiary, and her recent research trip to Poland exploring physical therapy through movement. Plus, we dig into her analog immersive project Wilderness Neo, and her alt-folk-infused music that bridges chamber opera and indie soul.

Guest: Kate Douglas (Playwright, Librettist, Creator of The Apiary, The Ninth Hour)

Topics Covered:

• The evolution from musician to multidisciplinary theatre-maker
• Writing The Apiary and its journey to Off-Broadway
• How environmentalism shapes Kate’s creative lens
• Wilderness Neo: blending analog mystery with youth engagement
• Studying physical therapy through movement in Poland
• Kate’s genre-fluid music across theatre and solo work

Referenced Works:

• The Apiary (Off-Broadway, 2024)
• Wilderness Neo
• The Ninth Hour
• The Lucky Few
• Centuries

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

The Scene Podcast is back for Season 3, and we’re raising the curtain on a brand-new lineup of bold voices, breakout talent, and behind-the-scenes brilliance. From Tony-winning writers to rising playwrights shaking up the stage, this season is packed with unfiltered conversations, career insights, and the craft behind the curtain. Whether we’re live from the International Thespian Festival or diving into the future of Broadway, this season isn’t just about what’s onstage—it’s about who’s creating the scene.

• Season Premiere: April 19, 2025
• Guests this Season: Kate Douglas, James Ijames, John Cameron Mitchell, Anna Ziegler, Ngozi Anyanwu, and many more
• Special Episodes:
  • The 2025 Tonys Roundtable
  • Live from the International Thespian Festival
  • Bonus episode with John Cariani
• Release Schedule: Bi-weekly

Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single conversation – tell your scene partners!

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz