The Diving for Pearls Podcast will feature women in the UAE and across the globe who are breaking ground in their industry, while transforming the cultural landscape. We have chosen to make links to the pearl diving tradition which was interwoven into Emirati culture more than 1,000 years ago. Additionally, as 2019 was declared the "Year of Tolerance" in the UAE, we have chosen to engage in dialogue with female thought leaders, innovators and visionaries from a diverse range of backgrounds. ...
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Playwrights from publisher Next Stage Press stop by to talk Theatre, playwriting, and various other topics related to their work.
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Episode 34: Next Stage Press Podcast - Episode 34 - Scott C. Sickles
1:18:42
1:18:42
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Gene speaks with New York playwright Scott C. Sickles on all things General Hospital, consent, and sci-fi on the stage.
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Episode 33: Next Stage Press Podcast Episode 33 - H. Russ Brown
53:55
53:55
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Gene speaks with Texas Playwright, Educator, and Fight Director H. Russ Brown about his plays COM Wasn't Built in a Day, Stud Ducks, and Horny Toads, A Divine Kerfuffle and Hooey-Hahs and Foofaraws: A Compleat Button Man's Picket Fence Party Planner.
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Episode 32: Next Stage Press Podcast - Episode 32 - Doug DeVita
1:04:13
1:04:13
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Gene talks to New Jersey playwright Doug DeVita about his plays NELL DASH and FABLE.
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Episode 31: Next Stage Press Podcast - Episode 31 - Laura Thoma
47:42
47:42
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Gene speaks to Connecticut playwright Laura Thoma about her latest work MAGPIE!
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Episode 30: Next Stage Press - Episode 30 - Evan Baughfman
49:27
49:27
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Gene talks with Los Angeles Playwright Evan Baughfman about writing for Horror for the stage (with an emphasis on younger audiences)
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Episode 29: Next Stage Press - Episode 29 - Sawyer Quinn Brown
57:02
57:02
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Gene speaks to Chicago playwright Sawyer Quinn Brown about all things comedy, vaudeville, retro sci-fi, and Non-Binary Zombies.
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Episode 28: Next Stage Press - Episode 28 - Frank Ceruzzi
48:03
48:03
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48:03
Gene talks to New York playwright Frank Ceruzzi about his dystopian play ROUND WENT THE WHEEL, dystopian tales in general , and the parallels of using children and time in various forms of entertainment.
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Bonus Episode: Roza Bairu on Embracing Who You Really Are & Communicating with Authenticity
1:14:45
1:14:45
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1:14:45
We have officially wrapped up season 1 of the Diving for Pearls (DFP) podcast. A special thank you to all of our listeners and guests for their unwavering support. A special thank you to The Skylark Collective U.K for the 2022 podcast nomination and for amplifying the voices of women across the globe. We are truly appreciative of the international …
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Episode 27: Next Stage Press - Episode 27 - Barbara Kahn
59:37
59:37
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Gene talks with New York playwright Barbara Kahn about winning the Torch of Hope award, creating a "theatre home" with New York's Theatre for a New City, and the challenges she encountered when mixing fiction and history with her play THE LADY WAS A GENTLEMAN.
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Episode 26: Next Stage Press - Episode 26 - Coni Koepfinger
50:19
50:19
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Gene speaks to New York Playwright Coni Koepfinger about her online project AIRPLAY, how theatre continues to reinvent itself during Covid-19, and how Therapy plays continue to play a part in emotional healing.
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Mucha Nyandoro on Dignity for Africa and The Changing of the Guard
1:34:03
1:34:03
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1:34:03
Episode #21 of the Diving for Pearls (DFP) podcast has officially launched!!! In this final episode of Season 1 of DFP_UAE, I sit down with Mucha Nyandoro, Founder and Principal of Manelith, a Dubai-based management consultancy, and Founder and Chief of Tribe of Professional Tribes, to discuss how we can use amplification to improve equity, inclusi…
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Next Stage Press - Episode 25 - Gina Russell Tracy, Tanna Frederick and Judd Nelson
1:01:43
1:01:43
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Gene talks to New York playwright Gina Russell Tracy and LA Producer/Actor Tanna Frederick about climate change, theatre activism, and Gina's play "Starlight".
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Episode 22: Next Stage Press - Episode 24 - Rand Higbee
48:08
48:08
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48:08
Gene talks with Oregon playwright Rand Higbee about Superheroes, sitcoms, and heart of writing family-friendly comedies in 2022.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 23 - John Bavoso
47:08
47:08
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47:08
Gene talks to Washington D.C playwright John Bavoso about his play BLIGHT (which deals heavily with a mass shooting) and how that plays into the psyche of theatergoers as the world of theatre struggles with the idea of "safe space".
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Episode 22: Next Stage Press - Episode 22 - Craig Houk
43:57
43:57
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43:57
Gene talks to Washington D.C. playwright Craig Houk about his plays COLD RAIN, SYD, and BRUTE FARCE.
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Sandra Martinho on Reconnecting with Our Essence and Learning to Let Go
1:19:07
1:19:07
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Episode #20 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Sandra Martinho, Dubai-based international author, health consultant, spiritualist and storyteller to discuss how practicing the art of surrender and yielding to the natural unfolding of our lives can serve as key to us being anchored in peace a…
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Episode 21: Next Stage Press - Episode 21 - Grizzly K. Sunshine
41:08
41:08
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41:08
Gene talks with Houston playwright Grizzly K. Sunshine about how he received his unique writing moniker, how his play TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA ORPHANS came about, and how he used an age old icon spoke to young actresses is his new play ROSIE that celebrates all things GIRL POWER!
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Episode 20: Next Stage Press - Episode 20 - Donald E. Baker
52:30
52:30
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52:30
Gene talks with South Carolina playwright Donald E. Baker about his plays TRADE WITH KLAN: A PLAY ABOUT CHOICES and GRAND DRAGON IN POWER.
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Episode 19: Next Stage Press - Episode 19 - Philip Middleton Williams
45:52
45:52
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Gene talks to Florida playwright Philip Middleton Williams about the early influences on his writing as well as the history of his plays "Dark Twist", "Can't Live Without You", and his upcoming "All Together Now" and "The Sugar Ridge Rag".
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Courtney Brandt on Perseverance, Grit and Championing Education for All
50:53
50:53
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50:53
Episode #19 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Courtney Brandt, Dubai-based author, food writer, content creator, speaker and feminist, to discuss how dogged perserverance, cultivating a mindset of grit and finding your tribe can make a marked difference in both your personal and professiona…
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Lydia Andrews on The Road to Self-Growth & Loving Yourself Financially
1:23:57
1:23:57
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Episode #18 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Lydia Andrews, Wealth Advisor and Wealth & Mindset Coach, and Founder of Love Yourself Financially to discuss fundamental steps you can take to build wealth for the long-term, attract life-changing abundance and foster growth where you need it m…
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Nancy Alhyari On Being a Courageous and Empathetic Leader & Celebrating Small Successes
1:12:29
1:12:29
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Episode #17 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Nancy Alhyari, Academic Cluster Manager for Abu Dhabi Public Schools and Acting Chief Financial Officer for Bella & Bella Productions, a platform dedicated to lifting, nurturing and empowering strong communities of women across the globe. We eng…
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Mayowa Adegoke on The Power of Story to Transform Lives & Hope for a More Prosperous Africa
58:53
58:53
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58:53
Episode #16 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Mayowa Adegoke, a foreign correspondent for Channels TV, one of Africa’s leading news stations, to discuss the issues that Nigeria and the rest of world must address, from building trust & fostering collaboration to prioritizing education & embr…
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Lee Thomas on Living and Leading a Purposeful & Impactful Life
1:02:40
1:02:40
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1:02:40
Episode #15 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Leeba Thomas, Director of Content for Bella and Bella Productions and one-half of the husband & wife duo for the Lee and Dawn Agency, to discuss how encouraging, supporting and empowering others, changes lives. One of two girls raised in a tradi…
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Leen Hijazi on Empowering Girls & Women and Inspiring Change
51:42
51:42
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51:42
Episode #14 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Leen Hijazi, Dubai-based singer-songwriter and Adoption & Change Management Consultant at Microsoft, to discuss why investing in girls and women is one of the most effective and powerful ways to promote the social and economic development of any…
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Yvonne Mtengwa on Leaning into Faith in Times of Uncertainty
1:12:11
1:12:11
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Episode #13 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with Yvonne Mtengwa, Dubai-based Marketing and PR Communications Strategist, Founder of Travel Essence Magazine and Reinvented Today, Owner of Narratives PR (a boutique communications consultancy), and 2020 MIPAD (Most Influential People of African D…
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Tatyana Brown on The Power of Love to Heal Ourselves, Our Relationships and Our Communities
1:16:43
1:16:43
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1:16:43
Episode #12 of the Diving for Pearls podcast has officially launched!!! In this episode, I sit down with New York University Abu Dhabi student, Tatyana Brown, to discuss how operating from a philosophy of abundance and embracing a love ethic could bring about much-needed change in our relationships and in our communities. A social research & public…
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Mihoko Kobayashi on Knowing Yourself and Being the Hero of Your Story
1:05:30
1:05:30
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1:05:30
Podcast Episode Notes: In this episode, I sit down with Dubai-based ICF (International Coach Federation) coach, Mihoko Kobayashi, to discuss how setting the intention to tune into your inner voice and choosing what excites and lights you up, can lead to a path that is emotionally gratifying and uplifting. Mihoko believes that if we start on the jou…
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Ranti Mark on Living Fully and Letting Your Light Shine Bright
1:10:08
1:10:08
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1:10:08
In this episode, I sit down with Dubai-based Neo-Classical singer and performing artist, Ranti, to discuss how gaining a breadth of experience and taking on pursuits of all kinds helps us become more creative and agile, leading to improvements in both skill and performance over time. Combining knowledge from a diverse range of fields is what Ranti …
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Kai Charles on Recognizing Your Gifts, Loving Yourself and Learning the Secret to Being Enough
1:20:07
1:20:07
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1:20:07
In this episode, Dubai-based creative, entrepreneur, host, entertainer and motivational author of self-help workbook, ‘I Am What I Say I Am’, Kai Charles, discusses how identifying your gifts, leaning into and leveraging your strengths, can help you find new ways to unleash your maximum personal potential and use it for the good of others. A self-l…
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Dr. Beatrix Henkel on Being, and Leading a More Inspired, Joyful and Curious Life
1:15:26
1:15:26
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1:15:26
In this episode, UAE-based Educator, Leadership Development Specialist, Coach, Visionary and Founder of R.A.C. E (Raising the Awareness of Coaching in Education), Beatrix Henkel talks about how approaching life with curiosity and without assumption, as if we have everything to understand and learn, will help us lead a more fulfilling, joyful and im…
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Houda Abdulrahman on Cultivating Calm and Positivity Now
1:08:30
1:08:30
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In this episode, UAE-based businesswoman, entrepreneur, and Founder of Thowby (“your original abaya”), Houda Abdulrahman, discusses how we can cultivate calm and positivity amid the uncertainty. On a mission to become of the leading companies producing cultural abayas in the world, Houda reveals how relying on faith and family has enabled her to de…
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Marsha Fry on Adopting and Embracing the Hustle Mentality
1:07:06
1:07:06
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In this episode, UAE-based educator, businesswoman, entrepreneur, and Founder of Out and About Magazine (the region’s first audio visual magazine), Marsha Fry, discusses how pushing boundaries, putting in the work and possessing an iron resolve to stay the course, has provided her to seize opportunities when they arise and move closer to her goals.…
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Stevi Lowmass on Being a Role Model and Staying True to Your Core Values
1:00:58
1:00:58
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1:00:58
In this episode Dubai-based entrepreneur, businesswoman, Founder and CEO of The Camel Soap Factory, Stevi Lowmass, discusses her entrepreneurial journey in the UAE and how living with authenticity and purpose has enabled her to find joy, fulfilment and live an impactful life. Crediting her father for showing her how to live with integrity, loyalty,…
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Caroline Labouchere on Ageless Living and Being Empowered by Grey
1:11:00
1:11:00
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In this episode Dubai-based model and “grey ambassador”, Caroline Labouchere, is on a mission to debunk the myth that individuals in their 50’s and beyond, are “old”. She wants individuals to pay closer attention to the language they use to label others and engage in meaningful discourse to understand each other. An advocate of ageless living, she …
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Julie Lewis on How to Practice Self-Love, Self-Care and Self-Compassion
1:27:28
1:27:28
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In this episode Dubai-based adventurer, explorer, motivational speaker, author, leadership specialist and coach, Julie Miles Lewis, discusses what you can do for your mental, physical and emotional health to improve your well-being and live your best life. An advocate for getting out in nature (to look and learn from it), she discusses how tapping …
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Aleksandra Krstic on Why Mothers are Simply the Best and Why Connection with Self and Others is so Important
58:36
58:36
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58:36
In this episode, Aleksandra Krstic, Dubai-based singer, song-writer, composer and classical pianist, takes time to talk about the pivotal role of her mother in developing her creative expression. She delves deep into her musical roots and discusses how having a supportive family environment fostered her creativity. Aleksandra also explains how our …
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Aleksandra Krstic on Why It’s a Beautiful Time to be a Woman
51:20
51:20
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51:20
The first episode of our Podcast series is with Dubai-based singer-songwriter, music composer and classical pianist Aleksanda Krstic at the beginning of lockdown in the UAE. Aleksandra discusses how she has been navigating quarantine as a musician, how she is working on staying present and grounded, while maintaining meaningful relationships with f…
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Next Stage Press - Episode 18 - Phil Nichols
52:24
52:24
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52:24
Gene speaks with Houston performer/playwright Phil Nichols about his storied Houston career involving films, theatre, clowning, and ventriloquism. Also, Phil dives into his plays Renfield: The Dracula Play, Death by Shakespeare, and Murder for Dummies.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 17 - Sean Abley
37:58
37:58
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37:58
Gene talks with Los Angeles playwright Sean Abley about his hilarious horror/comedy ATTACK OF THE KILLER B's, how he adapted the adult version to a version appropriate for High Schools, and hw discusses his new play ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 16 - Susan Cinoman
46:23
46:23
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Gene talks with playwright Susan Cinoman about her short play Sweet Sand, writing for the ABC television series THE GOLDBERGS, and her upcoming play Guenevere.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 15 - Carol M. Rice
6:47
6:47
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Gene talks with Texas playwright/director Carol M. Rice about her stage adaptation of The Three Musketeers, her one-act The Institution, and her charming holiday play The Elf Who Lost Christmas.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 14 - Scott Gibson
50:22
50:22
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Gene talks to Colorado playwright Scott Gibson about his plays KILL THE MOMENT, SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE, TWO-POINT-FIVE, and A HOUSE WITH NO QUESTIONS.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 13 - Kevin D. Ferguson
40:04
40:04
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Gene talks to South Carolina playwright Kevin D. Ferguson about his wonderful drama "Child's Play", his adaptation of the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol", and about his new play "A Thing with Feathers".
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Next Stage Press - Episode 12 - Tommy Jamerson
40:00
40:00
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Gene speaks with New Jersey playwright Tommy Jamerson about his wonderful adaptation of Alice in Wonderland entitled "Alice the Brave and Other tales from Wonderland" , how he decides what tales to adapt for children, and his preference on the types of plays young audiences are exposed to.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 11 - Rebecca Salomonsson
41:53
41:53
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Gene speaks with Colorado playwright Rebecca Salomonsson about her play "Where the Wild Thyme Blows, the impact of Shakespeare on her writing, and how she got involved with audio describing performances for the visually impaired.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 10 - Rebecca Gorman O'Neill
34:09
34:09
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Denver playwright Rebecca Gorman O'Neill talks about her dark play THE GREATER GOOD, her association with And Toto Too Theatre Company, as well as her newest play THE GHOSTS OF US.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 9 - John Patrick Bray
46:53
46:53
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Gene speaks with Georgia playwright John Patrick Bray about his experience turning a classic of literature into a new stage version, his experience in turning one of his plays into a feature film, as well as the appeal for crafting plays based on pre-existing source material.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 8 - Denise O'Neal
33:36
33:36
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Texas playwright Denise O’Neal talks about her experience creating her play FLY IN THE WINDSHIELD, the challenges some plays face when they are created to be a tool in recovery, as well as the notice she is getting for her play festival FADE TO BLACK.
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Next Stage Press - Episode 7 - Penny Jackson
1:03:33
1:03:33
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New York playwright Penny Jackson talks about her experience developing her powerful play I KNOW WHAT BOYS WANT, her thoughts on the state of cyber-bullying, gun violence, as well as her experience writing for film vs. Theatre
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