Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast

LIVE! from US Interstate Highway 91, en route from Stowe VT to Reston VA, we talk about how touring has changed over the years, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Featuring unpaid endorsements, tips on long-drive-time-killing, unauthorized Michael Faulkner taunting, a special appearance by 20-year Apple Media Propulsion Engineer Alex Beaman, AND a special London 2012 ticket deal! (Length 18:22)

Audition glory this week, both the ones we won and the ones that got away. We share tales of auditions that went spectacularly well and gloriously bad, and talk about how to shake it off, survive in the room, and live to audition another day. Featuring disasters, success stories, a special appearance by Conor Lastowka from the Citation Needed Podcast and Rifftrax.com, and secrets to putting your best foot forward. (Length 25:54)

Star of stage and screens both large and small Olivia Williams talks to RSC UK member John Schwab about what it's like to work with such writer/director/auteurs such as Neil LaBute (In A Forest Dark and Deep), M. Night Shymalan (The Sixth Sense), Wes Anderson (Rushmore), Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer), Joss Whedon (Dollhouse), and Kevin Costner (The Postman). Featuring definitive rules for aspiring young actresses, the joys of working with writer/directors, the kinds of rehearsing that don't really help, the value of email for character research, a special appearance by Neil LaBute, information about The Leisure Society, the importance of hot rollers, and the curse of the twist! (Length 23:28)

LIVE! from famed Broadway eatery Joe Allen: Brad Oscar, who always wanted to act in Broadway musicals, talks about living the dream as a Tony-nominated actor playing great roles on Broadway and around the country. Brad discusses his training, his breaks, how he "maintains his instrument", the challenges of understudying Nathan Lane, and shares his concentric circles theory of career advancement. Featuring a special appearance by Peter Finch of KGO Radio in San Francisco and a special reduced tribute to Whitney Houston. (Length 22:06)

In honor of Groundhog Day last week, we swap favorite time travel stories with fellow nerd AJ Mass that run the gamut from Ray Bradbury, Jack Finney, and Stephen Fry to Eliza Dushku and Ashton Kucher. Featuring nods to precision, romance, 12 monkeys, gateway drugs, literary detectives, time-traveling Irish playwrights, open and closed universes, and the surprising double presence of Christopher Plummer. Heavy, doc. (Length 37:40)

Sometimes you go where the work is; sometimes you leave where the work isn't. This week we talk about "pursuing other opportunities" outside of Los Angeles and hear about self-evaluation, changing marketplaces, delayed encounters with David E. Kelley, and the magic of reinvention. Featuring strong opinions about actors' unions SAG and AFTRA, a distant Matt Rippy warmup, and a special appearance by Adrian Scarborough from the new Upstairs/Downstairs. (Length 16:34)

John Dyson from Merrimack Repertory Theatre takes us on a driving tour of Lowell, Massachusetts ("the cradle of the industrial revolution!") and shows us sites both historical and anecdotal. Featuring backstage details from the filming of The Fighter and The Invention of Lying, possible plot spoilers, insights into the sweet science, a special appearance by the man behind the men behind Rifftrax, wistful reminiscences of High On Crack Street, good times, bad times, and now, finally, great times. (Length 21:25)

There's never a dull moment when Mick Orfe gives his first performance in an RSC show. Join us for dramatic tales of kidney stones, fire alarms, lost luggage, student matinees, delayed flights, and late arrivals. Featuring a special appearance from UK Media Superstar Lauren Laverne and reassuring reasons why there is no way to fail. (Length 19:01)

It's been too long! This summer we return to England for the European premiere of The Complete World of Sports (abridged) - just in time to coincide with some minor international sporting event that will apparently be there at the same time. Featuring the number of weeks we'll be there (11), the places we'll be playing (many), the West End theatre we'll be returning to (not the one you probably think), memories of UK performances past, speculation about how the Olympics will affect West End ticket sales, a special appearance by Rich Fulcher from The Mighty Boosh, and excerpts from a live performance of the show. (Length 21:06)

Reed and Austin talk about what a busy, hectic, and productive two years it's been, and how weirdly similar 2012 will be. Featuring insight into the cyclical nature of theatre, tips on regeneration, a special appearance from Jon Weber, host of NPR's Piano Jazz Rising Stars, and frustratingly vague references to our touring plans for summer 2012. (Length 15:34)

Dan Berube, Marketing Manager for Merrimack Repertory Theatre, lists how many box office records The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) shattered during its four week run (Largest Pre-Sale, Largest Single Day Sale, Best-Selling Holiday Show, and #3 All-Time Best-Selling Show in MRT history), and also how many RSC shows are in MRT's Top 25 Best-Selling Shows (SPOILER ALERT: all of them). Featuring excellent marketing strategies, the challenges of marketing single shows vs. entire seasons, theories about whether reviews matter, and the reasons why our record for #1 best-selling show in MRT's history will probably never be broken. (Length 22:20)

In this week leading up to Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa) we bring you excerpts from The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), which just concluded its record-breaking run at Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Featuring music, laughter, gay apparel, evil villains (is there any other kind?), holiday cheer, and onstage miracles. Happy Merry Chrismakwanukkahanzakkah! (Length 24:33)

After every Thursday night performance, Merrimack Repertory Theatre invites the audience to stick around afterwards and talk to the actors or writers or directors. In the case of our performance of The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) last week, the audience got all three. Featuring information on costumes you'll need to see to believe, sweeping generalizations, the value of tie-breakers, how to draw the line between offensive and hysterical, and our favorite and most moving '12 Days of Christmas' contribution. (Length 22:14)

We begin our sixth year of weekly podcasting talking about the changes we're making to The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) and the reactions we're getting from old friends and fans. Featuring the challenges of pleasing both new audiences and old fans, walking the line of reverence and irreverence, and the differences between lurkers and stalkers. (Length 21:38)

Come backstage and to the opening night party of our production of The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) at Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Featuring tongue fumbles, lap catches, second-act letdowns, fond appraisals, more great Christmas music from guitarist Eric Essix, answered prayers, early critical appraisal, opening night rituals, walking the line between reverent and irreverent, and a little Rippy Diddley. (Length 26:17)