This month Brian talks to playwright Mashuq Mushtaq Deen about building a writing career, pushing audiences out of their comfort zone, and finding his place in the theatre.

The Subtext: Matthew Paul Olmos Finds Comfort in Chaos

Mar 1st, 2024

This month Brian talks to the Mexican American playwright about his educational path, his early years in New York, and his process for writing poetic plays.

The Subtext: Katie Ka Vang Has Lived a Thousand Lives

Feb 1st, 2024

This month Brian talks to the Minnesota playwright about her Hmong American roots, having cancer in graduate school, and learning to live in the moment.

The Subtext: Eric Simonson Is Still Hustling

Jan 4th, 2024

This month Brian talks to the writer and director about his Midwestern roots, his writing journey, and his artistic collaborations.

The Subtext: TyLie Shider’s Rehearsal Dramas

Nov 17th, 2023

This month Brian talks to a writer inspired by the music his parents made when he was young, as well as by the diverse biographies and interests of the playwrights he admires.

The Subtext: Charly Evon Simpson, Accomplished and Evolving

Oct 26th, 2023

This month Brian talks to Charly Evon Simpson about discovering theatre, learning to be vulnerable, and becoming a playwright both on paper and in life.

The Subtext: Nathan Alan Davis’s Artistic Adventure

Sep 21st, 2023

This month Brian talks to Nathan Alan Davis about growing up with performer parents and how his own parenting influences his work.

The Subtext: Nancy Garcia Loza Needs No Permission to Write

Aug 23rd, 2023

This month Brian joins playwright Nancy Garcia Loza at Chicago's Understudy book shop to talk about writing, family, and holding on to memories.

The Subtext: MJ Kaufman at Heart, at Home

Jul 26th, 2023

This month Brian talks to MJ Kaufman, the co-writer of 'A Transparent Musical,' about their evolving sense of home, their creative instincts, and their dog, Milkshake.

The Subtext: Kareem Fahmy’s Auteur Theory

Jun 21st, 2023

Brian talks to the NYC-based theatremaker about the intersection of writing and directing, what his family thinks of his plays, and differences between the U.S. and his native Canada.

The Subtext: Jonathan Spector’s Eureka Moments

May 25th, 2023

This month Brian talks to the Bay Area playwright about the writing process, battling imposter syndrome, and redefining success.

The Subtext: Alexandra Petri Writes Funny

Apr 18th, 2023

The D.C. columnist and playwright talks about how writing is like making cotton candy, how 'MILF Manor' is like Greek drama, and how an editor can help you find the parade.

The Subtext: James Ijames, From Grandma’s Backyard to Broadway

Mar 21st, 2023

This month Brian talks to the 'Fat Ham' playwright about the art-loving family he came from and the communities he's found in theatre and in Philly.

The Subtext: The Time Kate Tarker Lost Her Paints

Mar 1st, 2023

The playwright of 'Montag' and 'THUNDERBODIES' talks about insisting on sustainability, identifying as a writer, and the art of listening.

The Subtext: Eric Reyes Loo Is Earnest and Eager

Jan 25th, 2023

This month Brian talks to playwright and screenwriter Eric Reyes Loo about his educational and familial journeys, and the elusive definition of success.

The Subtext: How Vichet Chum Measures Success

Dec 22nd, 2022

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

Nov 22nd, 2022

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

Oct 24th, 2022

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

Sep 27th, 2022

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

Aug 22nd, 2022

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

Jul 26th, 2022

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

Jun 21st, 2022

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

May 31st, 2022

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

May 10th, 2022

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.