The Subtext: Kristin Idaszak
The award-winning playwright talks about early inspirations, breakthroughs, and how Naomi Iizuka pushed to write look inward to find her voice.
Stories by Brian James Polak
The Subtext: Isaac Gomez
The playwright talks about growing up the border and his play ‘La Ruta,’ currently running at Steppenwolf Theatre.
The Subtext: Ike Holter
The prolific playwright talks about his newest play ‘Rightlynd,’ his adopted hometown of Chicago, and how he handles rejection.
The Subtext: Paula Vogel
The great playwright and educator talks about her ambitions for her own work and for the art form she loves.
The Subtext: Kurt Chiang
He’s written more than 300 two-minute plays, but the artistic director of Chicago’s Neo-Futurists doesn’t consider himself a playwright. Brian James Polak finds out why.
The Subtext: Jennifer Blackmer
Brian James Polak interviews the playwright/professor about writing science-based plays and fostering the next generation of writers.
The Subtext: Mike Lew
Brian James Polak interviews the author of ‘Teenage Dick’ about disabled representation onstage, and also about writing ‘structure-less joke-fests.’
The Subtext: Caridad Svich
Brian James Polak interviews the prolific playwright/activist about her new play ‘Red Bike’ and theatre as an audience engagement tool.
The Subtext: Carlos Murillo
A chat with the playwright and professor about his career in New York, Minneapolis, and Chicago.
The Subtext: Leah Nanako Winkler and Mark Schultz
This month’s episode is super-long because Brian James Polak traveled to the Humana Festival and spoke to two playwrights that were getting world premieres there.
