Dear Local with Laura Ekstrand listeners, we have some exciting news to share! While we take a short break from our regular episodes, we invite you to explore our new podcast, Jacqueline Goes to Film. Join Laura and Dave as they embark on a thrilling filmmaking journey, and discover the creative process behind their upcoming feature film. Subscribe…

In this episode of Local, Laura interviews Sydney Marie Fucito, a New Jersey-based actress with a passion for theatre and the arts. Sydney shares her journey, from earning a Theatre Arts degree at Centenary University to her current role as a Marketing Assistant at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Sydney discusses her experience in marketing,…

In this episode of Local, Laura is joined by stage manager Amy Hadam-Rapp, the first stage manager to be featured on the show. Amy shares her experience working behind the scenes in the theatre industry and sheds light on the often-overlooked role of the stage manager. Laura and Amy dive deep into the art of stage management, discussing how it invo…

In this episode of Local, Laura is joined by the multi-talented Andrew Binger, a respected educator, actor, director, consultant, and arts administrator from Newark, NJ. Andrew shares his experience as the Producing Artistic Director of Yendor Theatre Company, which is dedicated to developing, producing, and celebrating works by Black and Brown wri…

This month, Laura talks with Vanessa Parvin, a singer and voice teacher who is also the longtime musical director for the Vivid Dreamers summer program. Vanessa talks about her early history performing (when she met her husband), and how she has developed a life as an arts entrepreneur. Hear about how her work as a teacher, a singer in Marquee Five…

Join Laura for an incredible conversation with Summit NJ-based visual artist Yolanda Fundora. Entering the conversation with the big news of her work being sold and displayed at the Clinton offices in Harlem. Yolanda goes on to talk about her process of creating art, and her transformative experience drawing the Matterhorn. The conversation spans m…

In the season premiere of Local season 5 Laura chats with the incredible young artist Darin F. Earl II. They talk about juggling multiple projects as a freelance artist, and the power in not finishing all projects right away. The conversation touches on reimagining choices around age, gender, and race in casting and the impact on theatre and storyt…

For the season finale, the tables are turned, and Laura Ekstrand takes her turn in the interview seat. Fellow Local producer Dave Maulbeck steps in to fill her interview shoes. These two friends have an enjoyable and fascinating conversation that is an absolute must-listen for every Vivid Stage fan! These two old friends discuss the dichotomy of li…

This month Laura sits down with, Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich. After moving from Massachusetts to the confusing land of New Jersey, Barbara joined a writing group with former Local guest Lia Romeo. Laura and Barbara talk about the art of playwriting and how writing IS rewriting. They discuss Barbara's inspiration from real-world events, as well as ho…

In this episode, Laura talks with company member Scott McGowan. Scott is a Pennsylvania native who was later transplanted to NYC and then New Jersey. Vivid Stage fans will remember years of Scott’s performances. Laura and Scott talk about his acting work and transition from musical theatre to plays. From his struggles to feel comfortable with impro…

Harriett Trangucci - If I Can Just Ease Something For a Moment We are back from our winter break with a fresh episode of Local. In this episode, Laura sits down with Harriett Trangucci. Harriett grew up in Kansas City before becoming a New Jersey resident. Fans of Vivid Stage will remember years of Harriett’s performances. Laura and Harriett talk a…

This month on Local, Laura connects with playwright, actor and director Emma Gibbson. Emma is a British playwright now based out of Philadelphia, where she founded the theatre company Tiny Dynamite. Vivid Stage fans can look forward to seeing Emma’s writing come to life in the main stage production of her play; Water in My Hands. Emma talks with La…

In this episode of Local, Laura sits down with actor and teaching artist Harry Patrick Christian. Harry hails from the great state of Georgia where he began his acting career as a teenager. Vivid Stage fans know Harry well, from years of his amazing performances. Harry talks with Laura about his life as a teaching artist and actor — from his experi…

Kicking off Local Season 4, Laura sits down with actor and singer Stephanie Windland. Stephanie received her BA in Musical Theater and Communication Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, and currently lives and works in New York City. Vivid Stage audiences will remember her from the 2018 main stage production of Dead and Buried. …

On the season finale of Local, Laura chats with the incredibly talented Joe Sutton. They talk about his return to New Jersey, his native New Yorker bias against the Garden State, and overcoming the Jersey stigma to fall in love with Montclair. Joe went to grad school as a director, but almost immediately realized that artistic opportunities were gr…

On the April podcast we’re joined by Dreamcatcher Rep company member Daria M. Sullivan — the M is important, don’t forget the M! Laura and Daria talk about how they first met, racism in the acting industry, the audition grind, and the challenges and triumphs of discovering your voice as an artist. Don’t miss Daria this month in Everything is Super …

This month on Local, Laura talks with Dreamcatcher Rep company member Jason Szamreta. In this fun, light-hearted interview, they get deep into what makes Jason tick and what makes him fulfilled — including his enthusiastic eating. Jason discusses his decision to enter the field of social work in addition to acting, and how the two fields inform eac…

Local is back! And to kick off the new year, Laura sits down with Dreamcatcher Rep’s resident Sound Designer Jeff Knapp. In this fascinating and intimate interview, Jeff talks his college radio DJ days, being a theater student at a school without a theater, and his infamous appearance in The Sound of Music as “Captain Von Knapp.” He goes on to talk…

Jessica F. Baskerville is a playwright based in New Jersey. She joins Laura for a fascinating and wide-sweeping conversation, covering the personal, political, and the life and work of a young creative whose work thus far has been intimately focused on community and sotries in New Jersey. Jessica tells Laura about attending Whitney Houston Academy …

In this episode, Laura is joined by playwright and educator David Lee White. A longtime friend and frequent Dreamcatcher collaborator, David has worked with theatres and theatre programs across the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania area. And this month with Dreamcatcher, we’re thrilled to be virtually premiering David Lee White’s audio play Wa…

In this first episode of Season 3, actor, singer, arts administrator, and advocate Deonté Griffin-Quick joins Laura. Hear Deonté discuss how he made his way into arts administration, how he uses his voice to advocate for diversity and equity in the arts, and how important it is for him to continue flexing his creativity as a performer. We’re so exc…

In the final episode of season 2, Laura is joined via Zoom by George Marriner Maull, Artistic Director of the Discovery Orchestra. Maestro Maull is a conductor, violist, television host, and music educator. Laura and Maestro Maull have an illuminating conversation on a range of topics, including how he founded the Discovery Orchestra and why the or…

In this episode of Local, Laura turns to Zoom for a conversation with her college pal Steve Harper. Steve is a producer on the CBS show God Friended Me, a co-producer on the HBO Max series Tell Me Your Secrets, and writer and creator of the original web series Send Me. They discuss his work acting, writing, networking, and building connections and …

This month Laura sits down with Julian Blake Gordon, an actor, classical pianist, and writer. Hear how Julian went from despising theatre to being a professional actor, how he experiences being a musician versus being an actor, and the importance of finding community and collaboration as an artist. Connect with Julian on Instagram. -- Music by Jeff…

Jeff Ertz is a NJ-based singer-songwriter, who has been featured on ABC’s ‘A Million Little Things,’ NPR’s ‘Reveal,’ as well as right here, because he composed the theme song for Local. In this episode of Local, Jeff tells the story of his music, and how he found his way into a creative and technology-driven career in post-production. He wears many…

Emaline Williams is a charming, smart presence you can find in theaters all over New York and New Jersey, including at Dreamcatcher Rep and Centenary Stage Company, as well as in film and commercials. Hers is a face you see around Dreamcatcher Rep a lot — helping us run smoothly behind the scenes and lighting up our stage in some of this season’s u…

On the season 2 premiere of Local, Laura sits down with powerhouse of the New Jersey theatre scene Betsy True. Betsy talks her love of working on new plays, the importance of respect and trust in artistic collaboration, and all of the many ways her artistic expression comes to life, now and throughout her career -- directing, teaching, singing, wri…

For the Local Season 1 finale Laura is joined by two guests, Lia Romeo and Erin Mallon, both of whom are NJ playwrights. This three-woman conversation is a fun exploration of the play creation process, being a mom and an artist, and what led them both to the artform. For more on Lia Romeo: www.liaromeo.com For more on Erin Mallon: www.erinmallon.ne…

This month on Local - Laura sits down with her good friend, Clark Carmichael. They talk about his acting and directing methods, casting adventures, and raising a family. It’s a fasinating peek into the world, art and industry of working actors. For more on Clark Carmichael: https://clarkcarmichael.wixsite.com/clarkscottcarmichael Music by Jeff Ertz…

Laura welcomes longtime Dreamcatcher company member Dave Maulbeck for a chat about his many artistic talents: acting, improv, comic books, and getting paid thousands of dollars to eat a hot dog. Dave explains the impetus for co-creating The Kinetix, a comic book series centering around teenage superheroes with disabilities, and he talks how his lov…

Visual artist Jessica Joyce joins Laura Ekstrand for a conversation about making art through the lens of Synaesthesia, a neurological condition that for Jessica means she can hear sound and also see the line and shape of its tambour. Hear how this sensory experience of the world affects Jessica's art, including the story of her amazing collaboratio…

Listen to Laura’s conversation with the multi-talented Michael Aquino, a musician, actor, and creative audio producer from Northern New Jersey -- and don’t miss Aquino perform an original song at the end of the episode. Find Aquino at michaelaquino.com -- Music by Johnny RipperBy Dreamcatcher Rep

Hear Laura's conversation with New Jersey actor, improviser, and small business owner Lulu French. Lulu shares what it takes to teach and perform improv comedy -- to children, to adults, and to businesses -- and she brings out some of her go-to comedic characters. Find Lulu at lulufrench.com and her business at rocketimprovcomedy.com -- Music by Jo…

This month Laura sits down with playwright James McLindon to talk about his dark comedy Dead and Buried, which the Detroit Free Press calls “funny, sad and heartwarming, often at the same time.” McLindon discusses some of the inspirations for his play, as well how he thinks about his work as a playwright and theater in general. Here's more on the s…