The Subtext: Eric Reyes Loo Is Earnest and Eager
This month Brian talks to playwright and screenwriter Eric Reyes Loo about his educational and familial journeys, and the elusive definition of success.
Stories by Brian James Polak
The Subtext: How Vichet Chum Measures Success
This month Brian talks to Vichet Chum, writer of ‘Bald Sisters’ at Steppenwolf, about how Texas’s competitive culture shaped him and about how his Cambodian American parents feel about his work.
The Subtext: Kimber Lee Isn’t Cagey About Her Process
This month Brian talks to the author of ‘tokyo fish story’ and ‘brownsville song (b-side for tray)’ about panic, curiosity, and the earned laughs average.
The Subtext: Spenser Davis Wants to Be Part of Something Big
This month Brian talks to the busy writer-director about his background, the supportiveness of Chicago’s theatre scene, and his penchant for large-cast plays.
The Subtext: Callie Kimball’s Maine Event
In this episode, Brian talks to a longtime friend and colleague about her circuitous path from and back to the Pine Tree State, and what that journey has meant for her as a writer.
The Subtext: Where Madeline Sayet Belongs
This month Brian talks to the writer/performer of ‘Where We Belong,’ inspired by her experiences as a Native person loving, studying, then questioning Shakespeare.
The Subtext: More Than 10 Minutes With Gary Garrison
This month Brian talks to the former NYU playwriting professor about growing up in Texas, intuition vs. intellect, and the elusive art of the 10-minute play.
The Subtext: Dipika Guha Is a Seeker
This month Brian talks to the ‘Yoga Play’ author about the absurdism of real life and how her globally forged voice meets contemporary American life.
The Subtext: Lynn Nottage, Learning From Every Job
This month Brian talks to the prolific and decorated playwright about her early struggles and triumphs, and that time she got stuck in the Lincoln Center bathroom.
The Subtext: Jeremy Cohen’s Magical Gifts
This month Brian talks to the producing artistic director of Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis about supporting writers, following a unicorn, and teaching doctors to write.
