Every other week, the editors of American Theatre curate a free-ranging discussion about the lively arts in our Offscript podcast.

This week, editors Rob Weinert-Kendt, Suzy Evans, and Diep Tran discuss the contents of our April 2017 Broadway issue, and the state of the new play on Broadway. (It’s pretty good, but there’s room for improvement). After that, we discuss the continuing saga of President Trump vs. the National Endowment for the Arts. Yes, he wants to defund the NEA, but realistically, will it happen? We also give tips on how you can fight it. (Hint: it involves texting your Congressional representatives.)

Our podcast guest is playwright Martín Zimmerman, who Skypes in from Chicago. He talks about making his New York debut with On the Exhale at Roundabout Theatre Company (through April 2), a play about gun violence. He also explains why he is not rewriting his much-produced play Seven Spots on the Sun for New York audiences. (It plays at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater April 26-June 4.) Plus, why do all of his plays have a socio-political bent?

Download the episode here. Subscribe via RSS, iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher.

THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS:

If you are like Diep and Suzy, and want to be better at handling your finances, Diep recommends listening to the Bad with Money podcast, where comedian Gaby Dunn interviews artists and financial experts about money issues.

Suzy recommends If I Forget by Steven Levenson (who also wrote the book to Dear Evan Hansen) running until April 30 . It’s a well-made family drama, which is catnip for Suzy. And it’s also deals with the Holocaust.

Rob recommends Gently Down the Stream  by Martin Sherman at the Public Theater (through May 14), for its inter-generational discussion of gay culture.