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<v Speaker 1>Hudson River Radio dot com. It beats listening to nothing.

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<v Speaker 2>It's Frank. My goodness, it's Frank being Frank right where

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<v Speaker 2>the only way to be is Frank. Hello everyone, and

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<v Speaker 2>welcome to being Frank. We're the only way to be

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<v Speaker 2>is Frank. I'm your host, Franklebono, and i'd like to

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<v Speaker 2>thank you for joining us on what we like to

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<v Speaker 2>call the Intelligent Conversation Podcast, where no conversation is out

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<v Speaker 2>of bounds and all points of view are welcome. As

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<v Speaker 2>you know, we record live to tape and I give

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<v Speaker 2>you the date so you have some relevance and context.

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<v Speaker 2>It is the twenty sixth of August. I appreciate you, folks.

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<v Speaker 2>We were on vacation a bit for two weeks, but

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<v Speaker 2>we're back with a very strong program for you today.

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<v Speaker 2>I know you're going to enjoy it, and we appreciate

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<v Speaker 2>you staying with us. You know. The new play Castling,

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<v Speaker 2>currently in production at the Penguin Rep, is a comedy

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<v Speaker 2>that uses the setting of an auto shop as its

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<v Speaker 2>backdrop and the metaphor of chess to deal with the

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<v Speaker 2>serious issues many black Americans are facing today. In a

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<v Speaker 2>certain sense, the place characters act as chess pieces as

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<v Speaker 2>they deal with themes like gentrification, legacy, and community. In

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<v Speaker 2>a recent review in Broadway World, critic and Niac's own

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<v Speaker 2>Peter Danish said this about Castling, this delightful comedy, penned

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<v Speaker 2>by Anthony T. Goss and skillfully helmed by Daniel Besrond'

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<v Speaker 2>exudes a gentle ambition. While the script possesses a few

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<v Speaker 2>rough edges, the casts captivating synergy and undeniable charisma elevate

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<v Speaker 2>the piece, transforming any minor imperfections into charming idiosyncrasies. Joining

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<v Speaker 2>us now for some intelligent conversation are some of the

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<v Speaker 2>gentlemen that make Castling go. Please welcome playwright Anthony Gohos

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<v Speaker 2>and actors David Roberts and Lamar k Chest And gentlemen,

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<v Speaker 2>welcome to the program. We appreciate you being here, Thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>For having us well, thank you appreciating Thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>Guys, like, let's go one at a time. Anthony, I

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<v Speaker 2>guess again mentioned you first, So why don't we begin there?

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<v Speaker 2>Tell us a little bit about yourself. What brought you here?

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<v Speaker 2>How did you get here to where you are currently

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<v Speaker 2>in your position as a playwright.

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<v Speaker 3>It's been a journey starting I'm an actor, so I

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<v Speaker 3>segued into playwriting just for my love of plays writing

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<v Speaker 3>and poetry throughout my life. And I took this passion

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<v Speaker 3>half of the theater, and I just continue to develop my

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<v Speaker 3>craft and work quietly and really just love what the

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<v Speaker 3>theater could do, it what it could bring, and I

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<v Speaker 3>love the format of theater and what it can do

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<v Speaker 3>for society and just continuing value. So as a actor,

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<v Speaker 3>I really wanted to go to play writing. In the

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<v Speaker 3>last few years, I've been focusing on writing plays and

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<v Speaker 3>thank you with things for the stage.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, and you mentioned you you you had a

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<v Speaker 2>desire from from an early age. Was there an epiphany?

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<v Speaker 2>Was there a moment? You know, sometimes for a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of people something if someone wants to be an athlete,

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<v Speaker 2>they they they are in the presence of their favorite

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<v Speaker 2>player and realize that's where they wanted to be. Was

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<v Speaker 2>there something a play that particularly moved you, a performance,

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<v Speaker 2>or something that clicked in you and said that's what

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<v Speaker 2>I want to do.

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<v Speaker 4>Not earlier on. Earlier on, my focus was manly sports athletics.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh.

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<v Speaker 3>I played college basketball, and everybody, like you know, grew

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<v Speaker 3>up in the city. You have like a whole dream

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<v Speaker 3>or some type of athletic aspiration, So I wasn't introduced

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<v Speaker 3>to the artists fairly later Actually, after graduating, I got

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<v Speaker 3>a corporate gig and I kind of wanted to work

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<v Speaker 3>in a team environment in sports. So I took like

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<v Speaker 3>an acting class randomly and I just progress and then

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<v Speaker 3>I just moved to New York. So it kind of

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<v Speaker 3>this kind of came upon me. I always like movies

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<v Speaker 3>growing up. I always love writing. I always love reading books.

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<v Speaker 3>I read all the time, so I guess it was dormant.

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<v Speaker 3>But after graduation, I just wanted to pursue acting in

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<v Speaker 3>artis and that's what let me hear.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's it's interesting. I have a very similar background.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you see any similar What similarities might you see

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<v Speaker 2>between athletics and artistic performance? Do you do you see

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<v Speaker 2>any there? What's the connection? If any?

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<v Speaker 3>Almost definitely, honestly, I think I link it did the

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<v Speaker 3>same to me. They wanted to stay in the preparation.

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<v Speaker 3>The discipline, what it takes to to be a good

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<v Speaker 3>actor or a good writer. I think it's a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of discipline. I think it's a lot of doing things

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<v Speaker 3>when you know you don't want to the teamwork, the lotterie.

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<v Speaker 3>We all have a similar goal on stage, like the sports,

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<v Speaker 3>you want to put up a good performance. Work together,

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<v Speaker 3>and I think it's to me, it's the same, It's

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<v Speaker 3>one and the same. It's the same preparation, it's the

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<v Speaker 3>same mindset, and I love it. I love the team

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<v Speaker 3>aspect of it. I love working with great people, and

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<v Speaker 3>so I think it was a natural transition from athletics

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<v Speaker 3>into the theater woman articular.

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<v Speaker 2>Excellently to be with you the second ltle more same

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<v Speaker 2>same question. How did you get to this point where

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<v Speaker 2>you are today?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I started out dancing with my first like performance

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<v Speaker 1>performance days, just growing up in New York City. Of course,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I always loved baseball with my with my sport,

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<v Speaker 1>everybody plays basketball, but I grew up playing baseball. Then

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<v Speaker 1>I went into the PO the Police Athletic League, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>and then I got when when I went there, they

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<v Speaker 1>had baseball, they had basketball, they had ping pong, they

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<v Speaker 1>had all these all these different you know, athletic activities

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<v Speaker 1>that I didn't even know, you know, I could I

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<v Speaker 1>could really take up take a part of. And they

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<v Speaker 1>also had they all of those kids who were doing

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<v Speaker 1>who were then who was playing those various sports but

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<v Speaker 1>also performing in the end of the year's show. So

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<v Speaker 1>they were also dancing and acting and singing as in

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<v Speaker 1>addition to playing sports and things like that. So that

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<v Speaker 1>just that was at thirteen. I was dancing for about

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<v Speaker 1>three or four years. And then the guy who was

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<v Speaker 1>it was over our our I guess dance team who

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to challenge us with the play. And many some

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<v Speaker 1>people had acted before, but I was one of them.

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<v Speaker 1>I was sixteen, and we had the audition. Even though

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<v Speaker 1>we all knew each other, we knew we were going

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<v Speaker 1>to be a part of it, but that was a

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<v Speaker 1>part of the you know, the process. I didn't know

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<v Speaker 1>it then.

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<v Speaker 2>I know it now.

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<v Speaker 1>That is a part of the process. Your auditioned to

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<v Speaker 1>get the role. And then so it was a fellow

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<v Speaker 1>and that was at sixteen and from then on, man,

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<v Speaker 1>I just you know, I really try to get into

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<v Speaker 1>as many you know, artistic activities as I could. So

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<v Speaker 1>I danced, I stepped, sang everything anything I could really

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<v Speaker 1>get with.

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<v Speaker 2>But acting stuck. What is it that grabbed you? What

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<v Speaker 2>if you could describe it, what is it that that

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<v Speaker 2>that provides that real motivation that you need? I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>people can say a lot of people I want to

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<v Speaker 2>be an actor, I want to be an athlete, but

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<v Speaker 2>it takes a great deal of dedication. What fires you,

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<v Speaker 2>what makes you have that dedication?

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<v Speaker 5>You know?

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<v Speaker 1>I always always say that knowing that you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>things that the blessings that I have and aren't for me,

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<v Speaker 1>So to guard on the stage and to give a

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<v Speaker 1>great performance and then see see people crying, hear people

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<v Speaker 1>talk about, you know, their experiences, relating it to what

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<v Speaker 1>they saw on stage, and just having the human experience

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<v Speaker 1>in a real way.

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<v Speaker 2>I believe that theater does that.

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<v Speaker 5>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>It really makes people that the actors on stage and

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<v Speaker 1>the audience vulnerable and at the end of the show

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<v Speaker 1>and now we can have a real conversation, so you know,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's just it grows in every it's been blessed,

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<v Speaker 1>and I've been blessed in my life for it to

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<v Speaker 1>grow in every realm that I've performed in. So it's

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<v Speaker 1>like just having those human experiences after the show and

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<v Speaker 1>living outside of acting and bringing those living experiences to it,

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<v Speaker 1>it just makes it. It's really like refreshing man to

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<v Speaker 1>just be able to talk to people in a in

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<v Speaker 1>an authentic way.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to develop that theme as our as our

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<v Speaker 2>conversation goes along. But David, you're up, what's what's important

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<v Speaker 2>for people to know about you? And what what got

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<v Speaker 2>you here? Uh?

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<v Speaker 6>Yeah, My my journey is a real it's pretty pretty

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<v Speaker 6>long and it's a big segue.

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<v Speaker 5>So I graduated graduate. Yeah, I graduated with accounting.

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<v Speaker 2>Good microbiology figure that one out, Wow.

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<v Speaker 6>Brother, Yeah, so you know it was it was just

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<v Speaker 6>you know, practicality above all. So I stayed with that

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<v Speaker 6>maybe like a good nine months, and I just realized

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<v Speaker 6>that that's not what I wanted to do with the

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<v Speaker 6>rest of my life. So I started thinking about the

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<v Speaker 6>classes that I liked in school, and it turned out

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<v Speaker 6>that I really liked the arts.

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<v Speaker 5>I loved my speech class. I remember running to my

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<v Speaker 5>speech class.

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<v Speaker 6>I love British authors, American authors, our religion in history.

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<v Speaker 6>So at the end of the day, it turned out

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<v Speaker 6>I was more interested in the arts more so than

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<v Speaker 6>the business classes. Business classes will get your job, but

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<v Speaker 6>it's not what I love to do. So I started

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<v Speaker 6>thinking about going down the realm of acting, but I

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<v Speaker 6>was still kind of scared to do that.

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<v Speaker 5>So I went down the road of modeling first, and

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<v Speaker 5>that was also short lived.

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<v Speaker 6>So with the so with the cop card that I had,

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<v Speaker 6>I remember I went to this play and I fell

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<v Speaker 6>in love with the play, and I walked up to

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<v Speaker 6>the to the director.

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<v Speaker 5>She's no longer, she's no longer what is right now?

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<v Speaker 6>But I remember walking up to and I said, I

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<v Speaker 6>don't have a lot of experience, but I'm ready to

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<v Speaker 6>work and I'm willing to learn. And she decided to

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<v Speaker 6>hire me as an actor in one of her plays.

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<v Speaker 6>And for about a good five years, off and on,

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<v Speaker 6>I was her assistant. And along with acting, we also

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<v Speaker 6>conducted the rehearsals. I called people in for auditions, and

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<v Speaker 6>I was pretty much her pa, you know, for a

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<v Speaker 6>number of years, and her really really enjoyed it, not

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<v Speaker 6>only but also the conversations that we would have as

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<v Speaker 6>a collective. And along with acting, then I started writing

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<v Speaker 6>because I didn't want to sit down waiting for producers

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<v Speaker 6>and writers to have to hire.

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<v Speaker 5>Me in order me to work.

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<v Speaker 6>So then I started creating like a I guess, I

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<v Speaker 6>guess an alter ego which I call de Black. And

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<v Speaker 6>with that and with that, I write and create my

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<v Speaker 6>own pieces as well.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I've noticed a common thread through all three

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<v Speaker 2>and police feel free all to jump in. That's a

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<v Speaker 2>love of communication. Your communicators talk a little bit about

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<v Speaker 2>the importance of communication in your work. If you haven't

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<v Speaker 2>said it directly, and I think you mostly have, you've

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<v Speaker 2>certainly employed implied that you know, the art of communication

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<v Speaker 2>is very important to all of you, anyone I know.

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<v Speaker 5>I mean generally you need communication period.

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<v Speaker 6>I think a lot of times when you look at

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<v Speaker 6>mishaps and most understandings that people have a lot of

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<v Speaker 6>it used to usually has to do with either miscommunication

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<v Speaker 6>or communication.

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<v Speaker 5>I wasn't had at all.

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<v Speaker 6>So I think in everyday life, communication is very, very key,

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<v Speaker 6>whether it be personal relationships, romantic relationships, platonic business.

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<v Speaker 5>At the end of the day, all all important, effective

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<v Speaker 5>communication is key.

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<v Speaker 1>Lamar, Yeah, I agree with you said personal relationships. The

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<v Speaker 1>first thing I'm married, first thing I thought about was

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<v Speaker 1>my wife. So I'm like, you know what, I and

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<v Speaker 1>I always and I always talk to her. I feel

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<v Speaker 1>like if there's any if there's ever any issue, it

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<v Speaker 1>always stems back to communication. If I could have just

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<v Speaker 1>said if I could have said this better, or you

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<v Speaker 1>could have said that in a different way, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we wouldn't even be here, you know, but I mean

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<v Speaker 1>so much. So I love I love words. I love

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<v Speaker 1>like I love the breaking like I wouldn't. I remember

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<v Speaker 1>in college I took an etymology class just to you know,

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<v Speaker 1>be around and see the breakdown and the origin of words.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm really and when I spoke about my first play,

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<v Speaker 1>my first play was a fellow, so that that was

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<v Speaker 1>a totally different language for me. So that opened up

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<v Speaker 1>my mind at sixteen years old, like, man, what is this?

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<v Speaker 7>You know?

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<v Speaker 1>So now I'm like, I just ended up loving words?

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<v Speaker 2>Man.

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<v Speaker 1>So communications, I didn't even get that common thing. And

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<v Speaker 1>I know these brothers, you know, if I have a

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<v Speaker 1>long communication is.

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<v Speaker 2>Key, right, as they say, a great segue to our writer,

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<v Speaker 2>our playwright, Anthony, your thoughts? Communication, What does it mean

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<v Speaker 2>to you? Why is it important? How is it important?

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<v Speaker 7>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 3>I guess you know, all the brothers say, they all

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<v Speaker 3>touched on great things. And I think from artistic standpoint,

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<v Speaker 3>I think when you grow up and you don't have

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<v Speaker 3>your you don't have a voice, and you don't know

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<v Speaker 3>how to use your voice right. And I think we

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<v Speaker 3>young black fans sometimes we use it at sports or

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<v Speaker 3>or things that football, right, we want to express ourselves.

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<v Speaker 4>But I think what I found was sometimes I had I.

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<v Speaker 3>Didn't know how to communicate well, and I would either

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<v Speaker 3>use it and over compensate or work hard or try

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<v Speaker 3>to please. And I find that through poetry and arts,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm able to communicate things that I feel deep believe

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<v Speaker 3>that I don't say. So arts helped me become a

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<v Speaker 3>better communicator in life just in general, because sometimes like

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<v Speaker 3>you might have a miscommunication with your family or your friend,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know how to communicate. But by doing praise

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<v Speaker 3>and like Lamara saying at the monagory of the words

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<v Speaker 3>and characters, you start to realize.

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<v Speaker 4>How important communication is.

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<v Speaker 3>And when you go and stay so often or a film,

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<v Speaker 3>you develop a confidence in the way you communicate and

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<v Speaker 3>start to know who you are.

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<v Speaker 4>And as a writer, I'm trying to communicate.

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<v Speaker 3>Those things that I see and feel often and I

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<v Speaker 3>don't I don't say so as key.

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<v Speaker 4>It's it's just how It's one of the things that

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<v Speaker 4>I use with my writing a.

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<v Speaker 2>Lot of Yeah, I want to share with you, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>because I teach it for the University at Lincoln Center

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<v Speaker 2>and we're starting soon. And the very first thing I

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<v Speaker 2>say to my students is I am here to help

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<v Speaker 2>you find your voice, not my voice, your voice. So

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<v Speaker 2>I hear you all, and I agree with you one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred percent. I answer you like, let's talk specifics this play, Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>this method of communication, what you're trying to communicate, et cetera.

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<v Speaker 2>But first, unusual title Castling. Tell us more about the

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<v Speaker 2>title and the and the germ of that. Where did

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<v Speaker 2>that come from in your mind? Castling?

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<v Speaker 3>So I started writing Castling with Liberation Theater, a great

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<v Speaker 3>theater company in New York City that kind of gave

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<v Speaker 3>me my starting to play writing about two years ago.

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<v Speaker 4>So this is my first real play.

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<v Speaker 3>So Castling was just came out this idea of I

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<v Speaker 3>wanted to see. First of all, I always wanted to see

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<v Speaker 3>more people who look like me on stage. And I

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<v Speaker 3>wanted to talk about the people who I grew up

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<v Speaker 3>with in my community, the people who were like og

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<v Speaker 3>so to speak, or people in my neighborhood who helped

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<v Speaker 3>raise me, because you know, growing up without a father.

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<v Speaker 4>Or anything like that, you kind of you kind of

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<v Speaker 4>get a little piece of everybody you know.

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<v Speaker 3>And one of the people I got a piece was

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<v Speaker 3>from a guy who was at a local library, taught

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<v Speaker 3>and how to play chess.

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<v Speaker 4>And I used to walk by the library to go

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<v Speaker 4>play basketball. Every day. I'll go and get some water.

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<v Speaker 4>He'll be in there.

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<v Speaker 3>He'll taught me this move and the move was castling,

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<v Speaker 3>and I realized he taught me because it was the

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<v Speaker 3>coolest thing. It was like, oh, he can move these

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<v Speaker 3>pieces right here. So that stuck with me as I

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<v Speaker 3>went through middle school, high school, the move castling, And

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<v Speaker 3>as I started writing this piece, I knew I wanted

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<v Speaker 3>to talk about the things that are going on in

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<v Speaker 3>my neighborhood all around me, but I wanted to do

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<v Speaker 3>it in a different way, and I wanted to combine

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<v Speaker 3>my love of chess with this piece as well. And

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<v Speaker 3>then it just started formulating coming together about using the

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<v Speaker 3>chess pieces as like a metaphor for like the castles

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<v Speaker 3>that they build all around us to displace us, castling

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<v Speaker 3>as the moves that we as typically as African American

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<v Speaker 3>men or people in inner cities as well, have to do.

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<v Speaker 3>I ain't pivot at any time, so I wanted to

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<v Speaker 3>combine combine those two themes, and I wanted to just

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<v Speaker 3>see more diverse storytelling on stage. And that's how the

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<v Speaker 3>idea of Castling came about just the meaning of tentrification

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<v Speaker 3>and the moves that we have to make the dividually

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<v Speaker 3>collectively to kind of offset some of the challenges becase

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<v Speaker 3>every day.

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<v Speaker 2>A place in setting is important in every play, and

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<v Speaker 2>you chose an order repair shop, but.

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<v Speaker 3>One because there was an auto repair shop growing up

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<v Speaker 3>that was actually brought out and replace. It was like

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<v Speaker 3>a tire shop near ashmout in Boston, Massachusetts. It was

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<v Speaker 3>brought out, but it used to be an auto shop

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<v Speaker 3>and now it's condominius. So when thinking about the setting

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<v Speaker 3>of the play, I didn't want to have too many

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<v Speaker 3>different settings. This is my first play, my first endeavor.

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<v Speaker 3>I wanted to focus on characters. And I was thinking

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<v Speaker 3>about this shop, and I was thinking about where I

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<v Speaker 3>grew up, and I said, it would be great to

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<v Speaker 3>have it here. And another reason is because the auto

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<v Speaker 3>shop there's so many There's a.

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<v Speaker 4>Lot of group called workers.

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<v Speaker 3>We know the auto shop, but there's a lot of customers,

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<v Speaker 3>there's a lot of relationships. There's a lot of depth

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<v Speaker 3>that could happen there that we could mind. So I

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<v Speaker 3>wanted to keep it. I wanted to honor the auto

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<v Speaker 3>shop that I grew up in and I wanted to see.

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<v Speaker 4>Some blue collar, every day people on stage.

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<v Speaker 2>Lamar and David, let's move. Let Lamar Flich start with

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<v Speaker 2>you talk a little bit about your character in the play.

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<v Speaker 2>Who do you play and who are they and what

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<v Speaker 2>do you bring to that role.

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<v Speaker 1>I played the character of Justin's he's a young dreamer

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<v Speaker 1>soon to be an entrepreneur, and I was thinking, I

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<v Speaker 1>was thinking about it today. I'm like the I think

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<v Speaker 1>he and this is no slight to anybody. I think

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<v Speaker 1>he had because he's the youngest, has like the the

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<v Speaker 1>most upside.

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<v Speaker 2>The guy right above him, who.

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<v Speaker 1>You learn about later, he's like in the in the

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<v Speaker 1>thick of life, you know, and then you got the

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<v Speaker 1>eldest statesman, the og suggesting he has kind of, like

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the the most to want to do and

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<v Speaker 1>to dream to do and actually be able to to

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<v Speaker 1>realize it. And funny story man, I started, well, I

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<v Speaker 1>did a reading with Anthony. I looked at the picture

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<v Speaker 1>the other day, the very first reading of Display when

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<v Speaker 1>it was in development, like you said, with Liberation Theater Group,

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<v Speaker 1>December eleventh, twenty twenty three. We were all in a

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<v Speaker 1>small room and in the city and just reading, just

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<v Speaker 1>reading his words. And I didn't even play Justin. I

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<v Speaker 1>played David's part because I think there was a scheduled

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<v Speaker 1>conflict and David couldn't make it, so they had to

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<v Speaker 1>switch stuff around this And now it's like seeing all

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<v Speaker 1>of this, seeing the worlds the characters. How I've literally

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<v Speaker 1>seen Anthony developed characters in real time, you know, I've

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<v Speaker 1>never like we would come to rehearsal on a Monday Wednesday.

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<v Speaker 2>We got all new pages and even more fleshed out.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's like it's it's been amazing to see the

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<v Speaker 1>journey of Anthony of Justin, you know, of the characters,

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<v Speaker 1>and yeah, man, I'm having so much fun with him

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<v Speaker 1>because he's he's relatable, you know to everyone knows that Justin.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think that that's a that's a that's a

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<v Speaker 1>skill that is that shouldn't be lost on the writer

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00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:12.480
<v Speaker 1>because everyone knows they will leave that that that the

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<v Speaker 1>shows I know, someone like you on my nephew and

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<v Speaker 1>my son in law. Whatever it is that there's there's

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00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.119
<v Speaker 1>there's one of those. But that's just the testament to

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00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:24.680
<v Speaker 1>how how intricate and and and greatly woven the characters

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<v Speaker 1>are together by by Anthony.

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<v Speaker 2>Excellent David, please tell us a little bit about the

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<v Speaker 2>character you play. What should we know about him? What

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<v Speaker 2>do you bring to the role there?

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<v Speaker 6>Yeah, I play the role of Byron, and when you

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<v Speaker 6>look at chess pieces, he takes on the role of

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<v Speaker 6>a knight. He's not he's not the king, but he's

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<v Speaker 6>on his He's he's on his journey and taking his

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<v Speaker 6>steps to get there.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh.

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<v Speaker 5>He has a son that he that he loves very much. Uh.

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<v Speaker 5>He's at odds with, you know, with the with the

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<v Speaker 5>mother of his son.

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<v Speaker 6>But he's trying to do the best that he can

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<v Speaker 6>to to put himself in a more stable a position

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00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.920
<v Speaker 6>to h to co parent, you know, with with the mother.

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<v Speaker 6>He's he's he's seen some downstroddedness in his life and

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<v Speaker 6>he's trying to make sure that he doesn't go down

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<v Speaker 6>that road again. He's trying to stay focused in being

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<v Speaker 6>the good man that he know that he is. But

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<v Speaker 6>at the same time, he knows that the environment has

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<v Speaker 6>its own has its own clock, and it runs on

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<v Speaker 6>its own scale, and he's trying to do what he

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<v Speaker 6>can to fight against that while still staying above water

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<v Speaker 6>and keeping his head above water with all those eyes

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<v Speaker 6>as well. What I try to bring is some some

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<v Speaker 6>some edge because I think that that it's just something

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<v Speaker 6>that a type of person like Byron would have.

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<v Speaker 5>I don't want to give it all the.

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<v Speaker 6>Way, but when you see more of his history, you

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<v Speaker 6>will understand where the way he speaks, the way he walks,

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<v Speaker 6>the combativeness that that may come out of him, is

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<v Speaker 6>his passion for things to go the way that he

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<v Speaker 6>would like for them to go generally comes from. And

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<v Speaker 6>but at the end of the day, he does have

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<v Speaker 6>a brought and he and he always means what and

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<v Speaker 6>he always means well for self definitely is some but

426
00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:11.039
<v Speaker 6>also as fellow man and his brethren.

427
00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:14.720
<v Speaker 2>It's an open question for all three of you. And

428
00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:19.759
<v Speaker 2>it's billed as a comedy. Okay, yet you were talking

429
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:24.559
<v Speaker 2>a tackle serious subjects here. People can't see us, but

430
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.359
<v Speaker 2>you all have kind of smiles on your faces while

431
00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:31.200
<v Speaker 2>you're not. And again it's an open question anyone take it.

432
00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:36.079
<v Speaker 2>But what are the challenges of doing quote unquote serious comedy.

433
00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:39.400
<v Speaker 2>I guess that's an oxymoron, but that that makes certain

434
00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:42.920
<v Speaker 2>level of of sense. I guess can you describe that?

435
00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:45.440
<v Speaker 2>That's gotta be some kind of real challenge.

436
00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:46.680
<v Speaker 4>You know what?

437
00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:50.200
<v Speaker 1>I laugh because we we do talk about We've talked

438
00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.319
<v Speaker 1>about that it's a comedy and they are very fun

439
00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:56.039
<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's a funny place. But but there's also

440
00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.160
<v Speaker 1>so much great drama in it as well. I'm like,

441
00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:01.640
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, it's it's just it's just a good

442
00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:06.960
<v Speaker 1>play man, But it the challenges Arena are navigating and

443
00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:11.000
<v Speaker 1>and and living and living truthfully in those moments when

444
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.319
<v Speaker 1>it's funny. It's funny, you know that, don't you know?

445
00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:17.240
<v Speaker 1>Don't you don't tell a joke and then uh bait

446
00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:20.039
<v Speaker 1>the audience to laugh by laughing or just over tell it.

447
00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:23.079
<v Speaker 1>That really living that thing truthfully. And also when it's something,

448
00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.680
<v Speaker 1>when something hits you that you know, tears come out.

449
00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:26.839
<v Speaker 7>Here.

450
00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:29.480
<v Speaker 1>We're working with some great actors up there. I'm working

451
00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:31.880
<v Speaker 1>with some great actors up there. So man, I'm laughing.

452
00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.599
<v Speaker 1>It's a little bit of lamar might be laughing too.

453
00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:37.240
<v Speaker 1>And or if they're if they're going through something and

454
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:40.279
<v Speaker 1>then and they're talking through through their their journey, I mean,

455
00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:42.400
<v Speaker 1>I'm I'm there with them as well. So I just

456
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:44.640
<v Speaker 1>think that as long as you live truthfully in the moment, man,

457
00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:47.000
<v Speaker 1>you could leave saying it was one of the funniest

458
00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.160
<v Speaker 1>things you ever short, you ever seen, you've ever seen,

459
00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:51.680
<v Speaker 1>but you'll get the comedic element as well.

460
00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:54.000
<v Speaker 2>Anthony looks like you want to you want to jump

461
00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:55.119
<v Speaker 2>in here? What do you I want?

462
00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:55.440
<v Speaker 4>I want?

463
00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.880
<v Speaker 1>I want to know is it a comedy?

464
00:22:56.920 --> 00:23:01.200
<v Speaker 7>I want to know what we call it?

465
00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:02.519
<v Speaker 2>Being frank you can't.

466
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.359
<v Speaker 3>Know too.

467
00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.000
<v Speaker 4>I want to know who put the spin on it

468
00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:06.480
<v Speaker 4>instead of.

469
00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:10.880
<v Speaker 3>But uh, I think it's it's a few things, a

470
00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:13.680
<v Speaker 3>testament to the actors being able to mine it right.

471
00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:16.799
<v Speaker 4>But I think I've known these guys for a while

472
00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:18.519
<v Speaker 4>and I think our.

473
00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:21.880
<v Speaker 3>Banters naturally, which I think that's as black men in general,

474
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:25.160
<v Speaker 3>we have like everything serious, right, We got so many

475
00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:27.119
<v Speaker 3>things we gotta deal with a lot of times I've

476
00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:31.039
<v Speaker 3>seen shows and it's always dealing with our drama, our pain,

477
00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:34.160
<v Speaker 3>our conflict. But it doesn't resolve it without joy. And

478
00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:36.759
<v Speaker 3>I want to see like black joy or just joy

479
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.480
<v Speaker 3>on the stage as well, because even though I'm going

480
00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:42.480
<v Speaker 3>through something now, I'm still laughing with my brothers, like

481
00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:45.359
<v Speaker 3>I'm still playing ball, I'm still having a good time.

482
00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:47.400
<v Speaker 3>So we can go from one moment like yo man,

483
00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:49.680
<v Speaker 3>my girls, and the next moment he cracked a joke

484
00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:52.559
<v Speaker 3>and we laughing, and I wanted to experience that on stage,

485
00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:55.240
<v Speaker 3>Like Lamar was saying, let's just be truthful out there,

486
00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:58.480
<v Speaker 3>like we can celebrate our joy within our pain, like

487
00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:00.480
<v Speaker 3>we go through we know what's going on in the world,

488
00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:02.279
<v Speaker 3>but that doesn't mean we're not having fun at home.

489
00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:05.359
<v Speaker 3>That doesn't mean we're not playing cards, that doesn't mean

490
00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:08.519
<v Speaker 3>we're not playing ball when I being good fathers, good friends.

491
00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:11.200
<v Speaker 3>So for me, I wanted to see that, and these

492
00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:14.119
<v Speaker 3>guys just kind of elevated it, so they naturally gifted

493
00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:16.480
<v Speaker 3>at it. So it seems like a comedy because they

494
00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:20.079
<v Speaker 3>can elevate what's on on the page, but those drama

495
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.200
<v Speaker 3>moments are there too. So we were hoping to give

496
00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:24.200
<v Speaker 3>the audience a little bit of everything, just so they

497
00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:27.160
<v Speaker 3>can be the understanding of our experiences on the stage

498
00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.799
<v Speaker 3>and as a human experience overall, not just as Black

499
00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:32.759
<v Speaker 3>American men or women, but a human experience because we

500
00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.440
<v Speaker 3>all go through it.

501
00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:38.200
<v Speaker 2>David, you want to add please, Yeah.

502
00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:40.720
<v Speaker 6>I think I've always I've come to the conclusion that

503
00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.880
<v Speaker 6>you really need one with the other. I don't know

504
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:46.920
<v Speaker 6>of too many comedies that don't have a touch of drama.

505
00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:48.480
<v Speaker 6>I don't know how many dramas that don't have a

506
00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:51.640
<v Speaker 6>touch of comedy. It's just it's just the balance of things,

507
00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:54.519
<v Speaker 6>and it's you know, once again, Piggyback and Over said,

508
00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:58.240
<v Speaker 6>in the human experience, we need those things sometimes you

509
00:24:58.359 --> 00:25:01.319
<v Speaker 6>need that comedy to to let that drama.

510
00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:04.519
<v Speaker 5>We need that comedy to let that drama land. We

511
00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:05.480
<v Speaker 5>need that drama to.

512
00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:08.319
<v Speaker 6>Let that comedy really, you know, really really hit that nerve.

513
00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:10.240
<v Speaker 6>So I think it's just a I think it's just

514
00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:11.960
<v Speaker 6>one of those things that just go hand in hand.

515
00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:15.200
<v Speaker 6>If you're gonna cry, there may be a time that

516
00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:17.039
<v Speaker 6>you're gonna laugh. If you're gonna laugh that there may

517
00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:18.960
<v Speaker 6>be a time that you're gonna cry. And I really

518
00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:20.279
<v Speaker 6>think that it's just one of those things that go

519
00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.640
<v Speaker 6>hand in hand. It's it's it's called balance, and it's

520
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.880
<v Speaker 6>all part of the human experience.

521
00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:29.960
<v Speaker 2>Great point, gentlemen, there's a method behind my madness there.

522
00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:32.240
<v Speaker 2>I think it's fair to say it's kind of a

523
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:36.000
<v Speaker 2>male dominated most of the characters, but not all. One

524
00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:39.119
<v Speaker 2>of the main characters, Hope is kind of and you

525
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:41.160
<v Speaker 2>mentioned as a chess game, she's kind of the queen,

526
00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:44.000
<v Speaker 2>and we know the queen can rule can rule the

527
00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:47.599
<v Speaker 2>chess board. Speak a little to that where where again

528
00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.880
<v Speaker 2>kind of male dominated, but one of the most important

529
00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:53.319
<v Speaker 2>characters is a woman. Speak to that, Anthony, why don't

530
00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:54.079
<v Speaker 2>you take it first?

531
00:25:57.640 --> 00:26:01.680
<v Speaker 3>That's just how my life is built, honestly, Like have

532
00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:05.400
<v Speaker 3>a great mother, great aunts. I had great female influences

533
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.920
<v Speaker 3>in my life and in the community. They kind of

534
00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.440
<v Speaker 3>hold it down and they might not be present in

535
00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:14.119
<v Speaker 3>this play. There's one female character and Hope, but there's

536
00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:17.480
<v Speaker 3>so many references to strong women, you know, Justin's mom

537
00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:24.799
<v Speaker 3>or David's girlfriend or mister d or women in general.

538
00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:28.799
<v Speaker 3>I kind of determine our moves when we're in the

539
00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:31.519
<v Speaker 3>shop or when we're in life, and because we're working,

540
00:26:31.559 --> 00:26:32.759
<v Speaker 3>we're doing our things as men.

541
00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:35.400
<v Speaker 4>And Hope as a queen, I think.

542
00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.920
<v Speaker 3>She wants to provide a little bit of old but

543
00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:41.119
<v Speaker 3>she also is just a representation of all the women

544
00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:44.000
<v Speaker 3>I've noticed in my community growing up, who are smart,

545
00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:47.839
<v Speaker 3>who are like around the way, girls, who are go getters,

546
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:50.559
<v Speaker 3>who are you know, fierce, who are tenacious, who are

547
00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:53.279
<v Speaker 3>emotional and vulnerable, And I kind of wanted to highlight

548
00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:56.039
<v Speaker 3>a woman who had all those qualities but who was

549
00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:58.319
<v Speaker 3>still learning about herself who's still growing.

550
00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.000
<v Speaker 4>And that's what's fascinating to me about Hope.

551
00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:03.599
<v Speaker 3>And even though she's the only female character I like,

552
00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:06.759
<v Speaker 3>she represents a lot of the women that I grew

553
00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:08.559
<v Speaker 3>up in hiring and being inspired by.

554
00:27:10.119 --> 00:27:13.799
<v Speaker 2>Lamar of your thoughts please, Yeah, Hope.

555
00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:17.480
<v Speaker 1>Is played in this show beautifully by Kashane and Johnson

556
00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:19.839
<v Speaker 1>Man and and I just I have to make sure

557
00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:22.519
<v Speaker 1>I said that because that that's my road dog right there.

558
00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:27.279
<v Speaker 1>But what I will say is that I've seen, like

559
00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:30.400
<v Speaker 1>just just being a part of the process, what people

560
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:32.799
<v Speaker 1>will see now in the full production of it. If

561
00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:35.039
<v Speaker 1>they would have been there two years ago, they wouldn't

562
00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:38.680
<v Speaker 1>they wouldn't have seen. Not no pun intended this much Hope,

563
00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:42.480
<v Speaker 1>you know in the show literally because I think she

564
00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:44.519
<v Speaker 1>might have. I think when the first reading of it,

565
00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:47.680
<v Speaker 1>she might have had two scenes or maybe a scene.

566
00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:47.759
<v Speaker 5>And a half.

567
00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:48.400
<v Speaker 2>I can't remember.

568
00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.759
<v Speaker 1>But but over over, every over the course of all

569
00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:55.279
<v Speaker 1>of the readings, all of the feedback was people wanting

570
00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:58.599
<v Speaker 1>more of this character. And it was a reason it

571
00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:00.960
<v Speaker 1>was like to see that Anthony planted with the character,

572
00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:03.880
<v Speaker 1>but it had so many legs to grow, and people

573
00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:06.440
<v Speaker 1>saw it. And I've seen him develop it and now

574
00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:10.240
<v Speaker 1>hope is she she They were waiting on every word

575
00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.200
<v Speaker 1>that she says, you know, when she's in the shop,

576
00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:15.799
<v Speaker 1>and now she feels like another not not, she feels

577
00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:18.119
<v Speaker 1>like she's part of the culture of the shop and

578
00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:20.480
<v Speaker 1>this rendition of the show. But I've just I loved

579
00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:24.079
<v Speaker 1>that she's been developed by Anthony and how she's being

580
00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:27.039
<v Speaker 1>played now she's just amazing. So yeah, but she holds it.

581
00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:30.079
<v Speaker 1>She holds it down for all women. There needs to

582
00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:31.000
<v Speaker 1>be one. There was more.

583
00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:31.759
<v Speaker 7>I don't know.

584
00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:33.799
<v Speaker 1>I don't know if you couldn't have one of them

585
00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:34.400
<v Speaker 1>because she.

586
00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:40.240
<v Speaker 2>She's on fire. Indeed, I live with one. One. Oh yeah,

587
00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:45.039
<v Speaker 2>I hate you one. But it's plenty. Thank you, thank you.

588
00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:46.160
<v Speaker 1>We love it.

589
00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:48.599
<v Speaker 2>We love it, David your perspective.

590
00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:53.880
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, so before we got into rehearsals, I had to

591
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:55.440
<v Speaker 6>own him to the fact that I really didn't know

592
00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:58.240
<v Speaker 6>how to play chess. So every day for about a

593
00:28:58.279 --> 00:29:01.000
<v Speaker 6>good two weeks, I was playing chess, trying to just

594
00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:03.119
<v Speaker 6>get familiar to that way. When we get to that

595
00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:06.920
<v Speaker 6>part that doesn't feel as acted as it as it,

596
00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:10.160
<v Speaker 6>I don't'm not pretending that much. So one of the

597
00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:13.000
<v Speaker 6>things that I love about the queen, and I think

598
00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:16.920
<v Speaker 6>our director he had shown us a documentary about the

599
00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:19.599
<v Speaker 6>history of chess, and I didn't even know that a

600
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:22.799
<v Speaker 6>queen piece was kind of added later. I think it

601
00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:26.160
<v Speaker 6>was like a missionary first and then after a missionary

602
00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:29.039
<v Speaker 6>it was changed into a queen. And it's just really

603
00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:31.759
<v Speaker 6>good because it's it's it goes back to the balance.

604
00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:33.039
<v Speaker 6>At least that's my belief.

605
00:29:33.559 --> 00:29:36.400
<v Speaker 5>The queen can move anywhere she wants to.

606
00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:37.519
<v Speaker 7>She can.

607
00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:40.319
<v Speaker 6>She can she can go straight and go diagonal. She can,

608
00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:42.079
<v Speaker 6>she can guide up to the top, she can got

609
00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:44.200
<v Speaker 6>up to the bottom. But she's always at the end

610
00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:45.640
<v Speaker 6>of the day, at the end of the day, protecting

611
00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:48.440
<v Speaker 6>that king. The game is only over once the king

612
00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:50.039
<v Speaker 6>is check made it. Now, when the queen is check

613
00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:52.720
<v Speaker 6>made it, the queen can be removed. But at the

614
00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.720
<v Speaker 6>end of the day she's still the most powerful. So

615
00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:57.160
<v Speaker 6>I think it's just a it's just a necessity going

616
00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:59.400
<v Speaker 6>back to the to the laughter and the tears and

617
00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:02.640
<v Speaker 6>the comedy with the drama, it's a it's an added necessity.

618
00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:06.759
<v Speaker 2>Well, guys, you know, we've talked a little bit about

619
00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:09.000
<v Speaker 2>the message to the play and some of the themes,

620
00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:13.000
<v Speaker 2>but I also I hear a broader message and and

621
00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:16.079
<v Speaker 2>and some of you have mentioned it, for example of

622
00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:21.319
<v Speaker 2>seeing people who look like yourselves having more diversity in theater.

623
00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:24.119
<v Speaker 2>I'd like each of you to talk to the to

624
00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:26.799
<v Speaker 2>the importance of that. What is the what is the

625
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:30.000
<v Speaker 2>broader message not only of the play, but of your

626
00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:33.480
<v Speaker 2>your work in general. David, why why don't you start

627
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:36.119
<v Speaker 2>with you? And we'll work in the opposite direction. David,

628
00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:37.000
<v Speaker 2>why don't you begin with it?

629
00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.400
<v Speaker 5>Yeah?

630
00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:40.799
<v Speaker 6>I think that one of the things that that theater does,

631
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:43.119
<v Speaker 6>or acting in general does is it gets us back

632
00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:46.279
<v Speaker 6>to that just that human message, that the fact that

633
00:30:46.359 --> 00:30:48.680
<v Speaker 6>there are many things that you may think you're alone

634
00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:51.279
<v Speaker 6>on but you're really not. Somebody else has experienced it

635
00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:53.880
<v Speaker 6>may mean a different form, maybe in the same form.

636
00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:57.119
<v Speaker 6>When you see it in theater, it reminds you that, oh, yeah,

637
00:30:57.319 --> 00:31:00.400
<v Speaker 6>there are people who have had similar experience, and it

638
00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:02.720
<v Speaker 6>can be showcased, it could be shared, it can be embraced,

639
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:04.759
<v Speaker 6>and it can be felt. And one of the things

640
00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:07.200
<v Speaker 6>with art is that it allows us to be in

641
00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:10.680
<v Speaker 6>touch with so many different people, ranging across the world

642
00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:14.160
<v Speaker 6>in so many different ways, but yet in a similar emotion.

643
00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:17.559
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, man, I think I was talking about I was

644
00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:20.920
<v Speaker 1>talking to Anthony recently about funding that just got cut

645
00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:24.359
<v Speaker 1>from something that we had that I met the director

646
00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:27.519
<v Speaker 1>of this show, you know, in the past, I met

647
00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:28.960
<v Speaker 1>Daniel Boyce Ron and.

648
00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:32.079
<v Speaker 2>Who masterfully crafted, you know, directed this piece.

649
00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:34.960
<v Speaker 1>But and it's things like that that I wanted to

650
00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:37.240
<v Speaker 1>participate in it this year, just to find out that

651
00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:38.200
<v Speaker 1>we're not having.

652
00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:39.720
<v Speaker 2>It because of cut funding.

653
00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:42.480
<v Speaker 1>I've known, I've known people that have gone to Broadway

654
00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:44.960
<v Speaker 1>from certain opportunities like this, you know, or going on

655
00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:48.039
<v Speaker 1>to just do do you know, commit great feats and

656
00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:51.000
<v Speaker 1>we need to keep telling these stories. I recently did

657
00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:55.319
<v Speaker 1>a production and that I knew as Lamar there was something,

658
00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:57.559
<v Speaker 1>and Anthony spoke to it earlier. There was there were

659
00:31:57.640 --> 00:32:00.200
<v Speaker 1>things that I couldn't say, couldn't get off my chains

660
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:03.079
<v Speaker 1>as Lamar or didn't not couldn't didn't know how to

661
00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:07.039
<v Speaker 1>communicate it. But I knew through this show, by having

662
00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:09.039
<v Speaker 1>seen it and having read it, if I was able

663
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:12.079
<v Speaker 1>to do it the right way, a lot, a lot

664
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:14.720
<v Speaker 1>of what I was dealing with as a man would

665
00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:17.240
<v Speaker 1>just be relieved. And it was exactly what I needed.

666
00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:20.160
<v Speaker 1>Sometimes theatre just does that I had. There was no

667
00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:22.519
<v Speaker 1>there was no other way for me to communicate and

668
00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:25.160
<v Speaker 1>get these feelings off of me in front of people,

669
00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:28.160
<v Speaker 1>if it wasn't for this experience, you know, and I

670
00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:30.359
<v Speaker 1>don't think there's any other place in the world you

671
00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:32.720
<v Speaker 1>can get that. And then every night or six nights

672
00:32:32.759 --> 00:32:35.400
<v Speaker 1>a week for having many weeks, it's like it's an

673
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:40.079
<v Speaker 1>experience that you'll never get the next day ever again, Anthony,

674
00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:45.200
<v Speaker 1>your thoughts, Yeah, I.

675
00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:47.599
<v Speaker 4>Mean, I just I agree with the fellas I think

676
00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:51.240
<v Speaker 4>there is like it's like nothing else you get to.

677
00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:55.480
<v Speaker 3>Is just important because people need to see themselves and

678
00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:57.880
<v Speaker 3>save you know, a lot of the work that I

679
00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:01.200
<v Speaker 3>want to do work inspire to do this before the

680
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:04.759
<v Speaker 3>next generation. It's for some young kid to come in

681
00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:07.400
<v Speaker 3>there at thirteen fourteen who doesn't mess with it there

682
00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:09.440
<v Speaker 3>to go in there and see themselves.

683
00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:11.319
<v Speaker 4>So when they just see Lamar, when they goes to David,

684
00:33:11.400 --> 00:33:12.559
<v Speaker 4>it's like, yo, I can do this.

685
00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:14.880
<v Speaker 3>It's like the same feeling they did when I watched

686
00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:17.240
<v Speaker 3>August Wilson or when I watch other places. It's not

687
00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:19.759
<v Speaker 3>about me. It's like who out in the audience needs

688
00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:21.839
<v Speaker 3>to hear this story today? Who needs to be inspired?

689
00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:24.400
<v Speaker 3>And about me just going on the stage being being

690
00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:27.599
<v Speaker 3>able to act on stage, I get to affect somebody else.

691
00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:30.640
<v Speaker 4>So for me, I always think about the next generation or.

692
00:33:31.160 --> 00:33:33.400
<v Speaker 3>Somebody who's coming up who wants to see themselves, or

693
00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:36.559
<v Speaker 3>who's going through difficult times, or for a fun fact

694
00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:40.559
<v Speaker 3>like Justin is named after my cousin, and my cousin,

695
00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:44.039
<v Speaker 3>you know, as a young kid growing up Boston who's

696
00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:48.240
<v Speaker 3>having some tough times and his brother is great as

697
00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:50.039
<v Speaker 3>a mechanic. So for me, I wanted him to be

698
00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:52.839
<v Speaker 3>able to see this place he can see himself going

699
00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:55.960
<v Speaker 3>through life and overcoming and having So that's that's kind

700
00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:58.720
<v Speaker 3>of what I what I loved about theater because it

701
00:33:58.759 --> 00:34:01.240
<v Speaker 3>can change your life any day you sit down and

702
00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:03.799
<v Speaker 3>we have actors like these guys on the stage and

703
00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:04.839
<v Speaker 3>for a great experience.

704
00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:06.480
<v Speaker 4>So that's what I hope for.

705
00:34:08.880 --> 00:34:11.280
<v Speaker 2>Guys. We're gonna take a quick break. We mentioned it.

706
00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:13.360
<v Speaker 2>We have to talk a little bit about the current

707
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:18.199
<v Speaker 2>environment with a very hostile administration. DEI has become a

708
00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:23.519
<v Speaker 2>dirty word term, et cetera, threats of funding cuts, et cetera.

709
00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:25.400
<v Speaker 2>You know how, we got to find a way to

710
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:27.719
<v Speaker 2>make it work. And I want to get your thoughts

711
00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:30.280
<v Speaker 2>about how you're preparing to be able to deal with that,

712
00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:34.519
<v Speaker 2>because your perspective certainly is a valuable one. From the

713
00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:38.119
<v Speaker 2>new play Castling, we have the playwright Anthony T. Goss

714
00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:43.480
<v Speaker 2>and actors Lamar kay Cheston and David Roberts also known

715
00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:46.760
<v Speaker 2>as d Black Gentlemen. This has been absolutely terrific. I

716
00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:49.960
<v Speaker 2>appreciate your time. We don't want our audience to go anywhere.

717
00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:53.760
<v Speaker 2>We still got more time, more discussion, more important topics

718
00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:57.280
<v Speaker 2>to discuss here on Being Frank, I'm your host, Frank Lebona.

719
00:34:57.320 --> 00:34:59.920
<v Speaker 2>Will be back with more Being Frank right after these

720
00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:04.400
<v Speaker 2>brief commercial messages. Please don't go anywhere yet. Hudson Riverradio

721
00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.000
<v Speaker 2>dot com.

722
00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:13.480
<v Speaker 3>This is Hudson River Radio dot com.

723
00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:20.559
<v Speaker 7>Hudson River Radio dot com.

724
00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:27.880
<v Speaker 2>Hudson River Radio dot com.

725
00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:34.320
<v Speaker 1>This is Hudson River Radio dot com.

726
00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:41.960
<v Speaker 2>Welcome back to Being Frank, the Intelligent Conversation Podcast. Thanks

727
00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:44.760
<v Speaker 2>for sticking with us. Of course, I'm your host, Frank

728
00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:48.880
<v Speaker 2>Lebono and as always, our engineer is the mailman because

729
00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:53.480
<v Speaker 2>he always delivers. Mister Neil Richter. Guys. Before we left,

730
00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:57.079
<v Speaker 2>we were talking about how the importance of community theater

731
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:03.119
<v Speaker 2>and good solid professional community, of which Penguin rep is

732
00:36:03.239 --> 00:36:05.480
<v Speaker 2>one tell us a little bit about your involvement, why

733
00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:08.360
<v Speaker 2>it's important, where it is, so people know a little

734
00:36:08.360 --> 00:36:10.559
<v Speaker 2>bit more about it, you know. Again, even though we

735
00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:14.400
<v Speaker 2>originated at Hudson River Radio, and you know, we bring

736
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:17.440
<v Speaker 2>our audience a fresh topic every week, and we stream

737
00:36:18.119 --> 00:36:21.119
<v Speaker 2>from Hudson River Radio which is in Stony Point, New York.

738
00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:23.480
<v Speaker 2>And you can catch Being Frank anywhere you get your

739
00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:27.960
<v Speaker 2>favorite podcasts, Apple, Spotify, High Heart Radio and all the others.

740
00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:30.920
<v Speaker 2>And it's archives, you know, so you can listen to

741
00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:33.920
<v Speaker 2>any program anytime you like. Nice part of it is

742
00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.840
<v Speaker 2>that streams all over the world, believe it or not.

743
00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:39.039
<v Speaker 2>We have listeners in Italy, I have as listeners in Australia,

744
00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:41.480
<v Speaker 2>so we give them a little bit of context. So

745
00:36:41.920 --> 00:36:45.960
<v Speaker 2>let's tell people a little bit about Penguin Rep where

746
00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:48.000
<v Speaker 2>it is and why it's important.

747
00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:51.480
<v Speaker 1>I'll start.

748
00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:59.119
<v Speaker 2>You got your hand up first, you're I just I

749
00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:01.559
<v Speaker 2>have I have a long.

750
00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:04.880
<v Speaker 1>Love affair with community theater and the real affinity for

751
00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:07.719
<v Speaker 1>it because it's where it's where I started, and I

752
00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:10.440
<v Speaker 1>believe that it's it's it's where you a lot of

753
00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:14.000
<v Speaker 1>times find the most passionate artists, you know, because.

754
00:37:13.719 --> 00:37:15.960
<v Speaker 2>They're not doing it for the money.

755
00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:19.719
<v Speaker 1>Rarely are you ever doing theater for the money, even

756
00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:23.239
<v Speaker 1>no matter where you're doing it. But it sounds like podcasting,

757
00:37:23.960 --> 00:37:29.360
<v Speaker 1>podcasting right right right, but specifically in community theater. I

758
00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:31.800
<v Speaker 1>remember getting out of college and it was a community theater,

759
00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:35.159
<v Speaker 1>black spectrum theater, growing up in Queens, New York. And

760
00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:38.840
<v Speaker 1>I it was walking distance. Whatever was in thirty minutes,

761
00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:41.360
<v Speaker 1>walking was walking distance to me. If I could walk,

762
00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:43.400
<v Speaker 1>then a half hour I did it, and I would walk,

763
00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:44.840
<v Speaker 1>I would I would go up to there. I went

764
00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:47.679
<v Speaker 1>up there after graduating college. I have a headsho on resume.

765
00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.440
<v Speaker 1>I don't have any experience, but I'm here because I

766
00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:50.719
<v Speaker 1>want to.

767
00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:51.440
<v Speaker 2>I want to act.

768
00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:54.360
<v Speaker 1>They had me intern for like five or five or

769
00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:57.400
<v Speaker 1>six months. But in that in that interning, I learned

770
00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:01.679
<v Speaker 1>so much about the business. I saw performances, I saw auditions.

771
00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:04.639
<v Speaker 1>I built a mobile stage and put it back down,

772
00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:07.000
<v Speaker 1>Like all of these elements of the theater told me

773
00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:09.440
<v Speaker 1>a lot as an artist, but also a lot as

774
00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:12.599
<v Speaker 1>a man, as a human responsibility. Getting out of college,

775
00:38:12.679 --> 00:38:14.840
<v Speaker 1>you know, and I wasn't getting paid.

776
00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:15.480
<v Speaker 2>For these things.

777
00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:17.800
<v Speaker 1>It was just out of the love man, so you know.

778
00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:20.599
<v Speaker 1>And to be back working at Penguin Rep right now

779
00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:24.960
<v Speaker 1>and working with Joe Broncatto. We did a reading of

780
00:38:25.159 --> 00:38:27.880
<v Speaker 1>this show up in at Penguin a couple I think

781
00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:31.559
<v Speaker 1>it's back in October, and everyone loved it. And you know,

782
00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:35.800
<v Speaker 1>it's just every audience that we've had has had great

783
00:38:35.880 --> 00:38:36.800
<v Speaker 1>things to say, but they.

784
00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:38.039
<v Speaker 2>Just love the story.

785
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:43.039
<v Speaker 1>And imagine, I can't imagine what Stony Point, New York

786
00:38:43.079 --> 00:38:46.360
<v Speaker 1>would be like without Penguin Rep as an outlet for

787
00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:50.079
<v Speaker 1>its residents, you know, or even the Bronx or you know,

788
00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:52.840
<v Speaker 1>City Island where my mother went after she saw the show.

789
00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:54.559
<v Speaker 1>They went to get some food, like you know, you

790
00:38:54.679 --> 00:38:56.679
<v Speaker 1>go see food after you I mean go see food,

791
00:38:56.719 --> 00:38:58.639
<v Speaker 1>go get food after you know, see a show. So

792
00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.800
<v Speaker 1>there's so much that can come out of community theater,

793
00:39:01.880 --> 00:39:05.000
<v Speaker 1>and it's sad to see funding cuts. It's sad to

794
00:39:05.079 --> 00:39:08.159
<v Speaker 1>see one show seasons because of funding cuts, you know,

795
00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:11.840
<v Speaker 1>and then the actors can't work tech tech people can't

796
00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:14.400
<v Speaker 1>work stay chanced. Man, It's just so many things that

797
00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:17.480
<v Speaker 1>come out of community theater that we see now every

798
00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.199
<v Speaker 1>day we don't know.

799
00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:20.000
<v Speaker 2>Those stories that linears.

800
00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:22.400
<v Speaker 1>So you know, I always be a proponent of it

801
00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:25.639
<v Speaker 1>because it's something that I think teaches you a lot

802
00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:28.199
<v Speaker 1>as an artist, but definitely as a human.

803
00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:32.039
<v Speaker 2>You know, David, would you like to add to that, please?

804
00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:36.840
<v Speaker 6>Honestly, what I really hope that the people who come

805
00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:39.400
<v Speaker 6>to see this show. I hope that they spread the word.

806
00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:43.559
<v Speaker 6>Now I'm kind of seeing it from a completely different angle.

807
00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:45.719
<v Speaker 6>I hope they spread the word, or if they don't

808
00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:47.360
<v Speaker 6>spread the word, I hope that we plan to the

809
00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:50.960
<v Speaker 6>seed of them seeing black men in a certain light.

810
00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:53.360
<v Speaker 6>I think a lot of times when you look at

811
00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:57.840
<v Speaker 6>the news social media reels, there's a lot of negative

812
00:39:57.880 --> 00:40:00.800
<v Speaker 6>images of us that are just being like pushed out

813
00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:04.639
<v Speaker 6>on a regular basis at heinous levels. Whether you want

814
00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:06.400
<v Speaker 6>to see it in your feed, whether you do want

815
00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:08.920
<v Speaker 6>to see it in your feed, it's there. But when

816
00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:11.199
<v Speaker 6>you go to see a play and you see the

817
00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:14.559
<v Speaker 6>richness of these men telling these stories that are probably

818
00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:18.039
<v Speaker 6>foreign to you, or maybe you've heard just a pinnacle

819
00:40:18.119 --> 00:40:20.880
<v Speaker 6>of it, but now you're getting it flushed out in

820
00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:25.000
<v Speaker 6>four different you know, from four different bodies. You get

821
00:40:25.079 --> 00:40:28.480
<v Speaker 6>to see these people who are probably not living next

822
00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:30.960
<v Speaker 6>door to you, but maybe you are living next door

823
00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:32.920
<v Speaker 6>to you, but you get to see the richness of

824
00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:36.280
<v Speaker 6>them as human beings. As human beings in ways that

825
00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.559
<v Speaker 6>you probably never saw before.

826
00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:40.159
<v Speaker 2>Anthony, your thoughts.

827
00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:45.079
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, first off, just a thing of the red.

828
00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:49.400
<v Speaker 3>You know, Joe having met Joe when we did the

829
00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:51.320
<v Speaker 3>reading with these guys who did are reading about a

830
00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:56.000
<v Speaker 3>year ago. And Joe, really I have to champion him

831
00:40:56.519 --> 00:40:59.360
<v Speaker 3>for allowing us to first come up to being rep

832
00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:02.719
<v Speaker 3>the barn and present this play, and then not only

833
00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:05.239
<v Speaker 3>to present the play, the response. I remember the initial

834
00:41:05.280 --> 00:41:10.400
<v Speaker 3>response we got from just a reading alone and watching

835
00:41:10.519 --> 00:41:13.360
<v Speaker 3>everybody you know, sharing and being happy and watching these

836
00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:15.280
<v Speaker 3>guys say the words it scripts it in. I'm just

837
00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:18.119
<v Speaker 3>watching it and I was just amazed. And Joe has

838
00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:22.320
<v Speaker 3>his post on that theater. I will say, he knows

839
00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:25.280
<v Speaker 3>his audience, he knows what he wants, and he's made

840
00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:28.559
<v Speaker 3>this process for me as a I'm literally a beginner

841
00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:31.000
<v Speaker 3>playwright and this is my first time getting to play

842
00:41:31.079 --> 00:41:33.840
<v Speaker 3>with these first player I'd written. So I'm learning as

843
00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:36.679
<v Speaker 3>I go about this process and what works, what rights

844
00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:39.400
<v Speaker 3>do we have a playwrights? And Joe, you know, has

845
00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:41.960
<v Speaker 3>helped me during this process. He's given us a platform,

846
00:41:42.039 --> 00:41:44.199
<v Speaker 3>He's allowed us to perform here. You know, we don't

847
00:41:44.239 --> 00:41:47.000
<v Speaker 3>take these things for granted. As artists, because, like you

848
00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:50.079
<v Speaker 3>were saying, the funding is being cut and our opportunity

849
00:41:50.199 --> 00:41:53.800
<v Speaker 3>to act and the technicians to work is a jeopardy.

850
00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:55.760
<v Speaker 3>And when you get a chance to perform, when you

851
00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:57.920
<v Speaker 3>get a chance to work with the other companies like

852
00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:01.280
<v Speaker 3>Penguin Rep. Who hasn't established audience, is a great reputation

853
00:42:01.960 --> 00:42:04.760
<v Speaker 3>and a great team leading it. It's it's always a

854
00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:07.400
<v Speaker 3>blessing to me, no matter what, nobody has to do anything,

855
00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:10.519
<v Speaker 3>and it's a privilege and it's a testament to us

856
00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:12.679
<v Speaker 3>as well from the work that we're continuing to do.

857
00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:16.400
<v Speaker 3>And so Penguin Rep. I'm I'm indebted to I'm grateful

858
00:42:16.480 --> 00:42:18.639
<v Speaker 3>for them, and I just want the audience. So David

859
00:42:18.679 --> 00:42:21.280
<v Speaker 3>said to come and to see these men and this

860
00:42:21.400 --> 00:42:24.599
<v Speaker 3>woman hoping just to be inspired and watch with my guy,

861
00:42:24.840 --> 00:42:28.360
<v Speaker 3>the director, Daniel did a fantastic job working there and

862
00:42:28.440 --> 00:42:31.039
<v Speaker 3>doing this thing. And I think when people come to

863
00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:33.400
<v Speaker 3>Penguin Rep. We want to give them more than what

864
00:42:33.480 --> 00:42:36.480
<v Speaker 3>they're expected. And and I'm and I'm I'm just grateful

865
00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:38.679
<v Speaker 3>for the experience. I'm grateful for Joe Broncado and his

866
00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:41.639
<v Speaker 3>mission with Finger and Rep and producing new plays and

867
00:42:41.960 --> 00:42:44.199
<v Speaker 3>for this opportunity and just seeing these brothers up there

868
00:42:44.239 --> 00:42:47.920
<v Speaker 3>and working with Hope and it's it's it's it's amazing

869
00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:48.239
<v Speaker 3>to see.

870
00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:50.480
<v Speaker 4>So I'm looking forward to to continue to go.

871
00:42:50.639 --> 00:42:53.559
<v Speaker 2>Forward, all right, not to you know, not to be

872
00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:57.280
<v Speaker 2>a downer, but it should this all go away? What

873
00:42:57.440 --> 00:42:59.719
<v Speaker 2>do we lose? What do we lose?

874
00:43:04.039 --> 00:43:05.679
<v Speaker 5>Do you want to No?

875
00:43:05.800 --> 00:43:09.159
<v Speaker 1>No, I mean it kind it kind of we kind

876
00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:11.880
<v Speaker 1>of been talking about it. I guess the whole conversation

877
00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:16.199
<v Speaker 1>with the first word that our director said to us

878
00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:19.079
<v Speaker 1>that we were doing our tablework was community.

879
00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:21.119
<v Speaker 2>That's it.

880
00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:25.079
<v Speaker 1>I mean we and in that community, we lose connection,

881
00:43:25.639 --> 00:43:28.960
<v Speaker 1>you know, like after every show, after every show, And

882
00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:30.920
<v Speaker 1>I didn't know that this was a practice that my

883
00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:34.840
<v Speaker 1>brother David Roberts has started himself personally. I just hopped

884
00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:37.000
<v Speaker 1>on the train and then now we've been doing it

885
00:43:37.079 --> 00:43:40.079
<v Speaker 1>for twelve thirteen years. But after every show, we come

886
00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:43.400
<v Speaker 1>out and greet the audience, say hi to them, shake

887
00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:46.159
<v Speaker 1>their hands, talk to them, like, have a real experience

888
00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:49.360
<v Speaker 1>with them. If there's no show, there's no chance for

889
00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:51.719
<v Speaker 1>us to meet that one person that we may have

890
00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:55.000
<v Speaker 1>been doing the show for anyway, that one person, you know,

891
00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:57.679
<v Speaker 1>So we lose community and we lose connection.

892
00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:02.159
<v Speaker 2>Final thoughts, David, you any guys you see is yielding

893
00:44:02.199 --> 00:44:04.880
<v Speaker 2>to you? Your final thoughts on what is lost if

894
00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:08.639
<v Speaker 2>we lose uh plays like this in theater?

895
00:44:09.679 --> 00:44:12.239
<v Speaker 6>I think I think that in general, you use a

896
00:44:12.280 --> 00:44:15.920
<v Speaker 6>piece of yourself. Not to sound so so heavy, but

897
00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:18.639
<v Speaker 6>I really think that you do. I think that the

898
00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:22.960
<v Speaker 6>arts specifically right now, theater is is that venue and

899
00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:25.679
<v Speaker 6>that means of us being able to express ourselves. So

900
00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:28.360
<v Speaker 6>without having that, I think we're kind of just left

901
00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:31.800
<v Speaker 6>with thoughts on our own, trying to find means or

902
00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:36.000
<v Speaker 6>avenues or vehicles of finding that expression. But when you

903
00:44:36.159 --> 00:44:38.920
<v Speaker 6>have theater, and when it's this good and it's this rich,

904
00:44:39.239 --> 00:44:41.800
<v Speaker 6>it's given us a voice that we can hopefully impact

905
00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:42.800
<v Speaker 6>others to do the same.

906
00:44:43.679 --> 00:44:48.039
<v Speaker 2>Anthony final thoughts on that, Yeah, I think they hit

907
00:44:48.119 --> 00:44:48.639
<v Speaker 2>it on the head.

908
00:44:48.719 --> 00:44:52.400
<v Speaker 3>Com unity. Next, we lose a piece of ourselves. But

909
00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:55.559
<v Speaker 3>I will say one thing that we have with the

910
00:44:55.800 --> 00:45:00.440
<v Speaker 3>is has always survived. We look back before and now,

911
00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:02.320
<v Speaker 3>no matter what was going on in the world, did

912
00:45:02.400 --> 00:45:04.719
<v Speaker 3>it was that place where people came to see themselves

913
00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:08.599
<v Speaker 3>they hope be inspired. So no matter what I know,

914
00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:12.239
<v Speaker 3>we go through tough times, I think the theater when

915
00:45:12.280 --> 00:45:14.800
<v Speaker 3>it's done and we're doing it will always have a

916
00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:18.280
<v Speaker 3>place even though it's been threatened and things are being cut,

917
00:45:19.639 --> 00:45:23.400
<v Speaker 3>and there are some positives and moments where you can say, Okay, well,

918
00:45:23.480 --> 00:45:24.119
<v Speaker 3>this is what's happening.

919
00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:25.760
<v Speaker 4>How do we pivot, you know, how do we castle

920
00:45:25.880 --> 00:45:26.639
<v Speaker 4>to use the title?

921
00:45:27.159 --> 00:45:29.800
<v Speaker 3>How do we make sure that this is something that

922
00:45:29.920 --> 00:45:32.199
<v Speaker 3>we can be better at next year, the next five years,

923
00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:34.360
<v Speaker 3>the next ten years. So for me, I'm always thinking like,

924
00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:36.639
<v Speaker 3>all right, if this is how it's going, how can

925
00:45:36.679 --> 00:45:40.199
<v Speaker 3>I position myself and how can we position the community

926
00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:42.280
<v Speaker 3>and other actors so we can be better have a

927
00:45:42.360 --> 00:45:44.079
<v Speaker 3>better chance of with standing in the future.

928
00:45:44.679 --> 00:45:47.360
<v Speaker 4>And people like, uh, just a shout out like Window Pierce.

929
00:45:47.719 --> 00:45:49.960
<v Speaker 3>I've heard that he was like creating some fun for

930
00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:55.199
<v Speaker 3>black theaters to thrive, Like Black Spectrum, I think is

931
00:45:55.239 --> 00:45:58.320
<v Speaker 3>on the list. So when there's challenges, that's when the

932
00:45:58.400 --> 00:46:01.480
<v Speaker 3>people who really want to make a difference and step up.

933
00:46:01.800 --> 00:46:03.400
<v Speaker 3>And I hope that we're all a part of that,

934
00:46:03.639 --> 00:46:05.760
<v Speaker 3>people who want to make a difference in the theater.

935
00:46:06.280 --> 00:46:08.400
<v Speaker 3>And this is one way we're making a difference by

936
00:46:09.079 --> 00:46:11.559
<v Speaker 3>you know, doing this play, being with Joe and being

937
00:46:11.639 --> 00:46:12.480
<v Speaker 3>with Penguin.

938
00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:15.400
<v Speaker 4>Rep and working with these guys and watching them perform.

939
00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:17.639
<v Speaker 3>I think this is this is a testament to what

940
00:46:17.800 --> 00:46:19.800
<v Speaker 3>we can do when we when we have community in connection.

941
00:46:21.199 --> 00:46:24.760
<v Speaker 2>Okay, the good news is the play is on. It's

942
00:46:24.880 --> 00:46:29.519
<v Speaker 2>currently at the Penguin Rep uh and plays through this Saturday.

943
00:46:29.559 --> 00:46:33.119
<v Speaker 2>If you were watching, we are recording on a Tuesday.

944
00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:37.920
<v Speaker 2>The play airs through the actually weeks to seven, so

945
00:46:37.960 --> 00:46:41.119
<v Speaker 2>you got two weeks to go at Penguin Web. Guys,

946
00:46:41.480 --> 00:46:45.599
<v Speaker 2>how can people find out show times, locations, et cetera.

947
00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:48.559
<v Speaker 2>What are websites who can give us that? Lamar, are

948
00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:49.840
<v Speaker 2>you you can?

949
00:46:49.920 --> 00:46:50.400
<v Speaker 4>You? Ye?

950
00:46:51.440 --> 00:46:53.760
<v Speaker 1>I got you covered. See, I'm I'm all, I'm handy.

951
00:46:53.800 --> 00:46:55.280
<v Speaker 1>I'm handy, but.

952
00:46:57.760 --> 00:47:00.880
<v Speaker 2>Somebody no.

953
00:47:01.079 --> 00:47:02.800
<v Speaker 1>Before I even get to that, I do want to

954
00:47:02.840 --> 00:47:05.559
<v Speaker 1>give a major shout out to Junie Smith. He is

955
00:47:05.639 --> 00:47:08.480
<v Speaker 1>playing mister d in this show and then he is

956
00:47:08.679 --> 00:47:11.440
<v Speaker 1>is a four person cast and we need all four

957
00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:13.599
<v Speaker 1>of them, so I would wanted to make sure I

958
00:47:13.639 --> 00:47:15.079
<v Speaker 1>get director.

959
00:47:15.159 --> 00:47:18.039
<v Speaker 2>Please not everyone could come today. We should say that

960
00:47:18.280 --> 00:47:22.039
<v Speaker 2>and yes, yes they are all appreciated of course.

961
00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:25.559
<v Speaker 1>Directed Daniel boys Ron, but you can you can. Penguin

962
00:47:25.639 --> 00:47:29.480
<v Speaker 1>Rep Theater, seven Cricket Town Road in Stony Point, New York.

963
00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:33.920
<v Speaker 1>You can go to www dot Penguinrep dot org. We

964
00:47:34.039 --> 00:47:37.920
<v Speaker 1>have ten shows left. If we're going to September seventh,

965
00:47:38.280 --> 00:47:41.719
<v Speaker 1>one on Thursday, one on Friday, two on Saturday, one

966
00:47:41.800 --> 00:47:44.719
<v Speaker 1>on Sunday for two for the next two weekends. If

967
00:47:44.760 --> 00:47:47.280
<v Speaker 1>you want to call listen, you can call eight four

968
00:47:47.480 --> 00:47:51.760
<v Speaker 1>five seven eight six two eight seven three. I will

969
00:47:51.880 --> 00:47:53.880
<v Speaker 1>tell you one more time. It is eight four five

970
00:47:54.320 --> 00:47:57.239
<v Speaker 1>seven eight six two eight seven three. And tickets are

971
00:47:57.239 --> 00:48:00.639
<v Speaker 1>limited because those four people on stage are do you know,

972
00:48:00.760 --> 00:48:02.880
<v Speaker 1>and Joe he knows how to sell it, So tickets

973
00:48:02.920 --> 00:48:06.079
<v Speaker 1>and limited. Please get your tickets www dot Penguin Rep

974
00:48:06.199 --> 00:48:07.679
<v Speaker 1>dot or we hope to see you at the data.

975
00:48:08.760 --> 00:48:11.320
<v Speaker 2>This has been absolutely terrific. I really want to thank

976
00:48:11.400 --> 00:48:14.599
<v Speaker 2>you for being frank, you know, and forget the trite.

977
00:48:15.079 --> 00:48:18.320
<v Speaker 2>I got to get those little talks wherever and whenever

978
00:48:18.440 --> 00:48:22.119
<v Speaker 2>I can really informative, really interesting. I know you're busy

979
00:48:22.360 --> 00:48:25.559
<v Speaker 2>or you know you're working, you're working actors, so I

980
00:48:25.679 --> 00:48:27.360
<v Speaker 2>really appreciate the time. I really do.

981
00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:31.199
<v Speaker 1>Guys, Yes, sir, we appreciate you, thank you, thank you.

982
00:48:31.320 --> 00:48:32.440
<v Speaker 7>You know.

983
00:48:32.519 --> 00:48:34.920
<v Speaker 2>Of course, we offer special thanks to our listeners who

984
00:48:35.000 --> 00:48:37.079
<v Speaker 2>take time to give us a voice in their lives.

985
00:48:37.639 --> 00:48:40.280
<v Speaker 2>We offer fresh topic just about every week, of course,

986
00:48:40.360 --> 00:48:42.400
<v Speaker 2>unless we do take a little break now and again.

987
00:48:43.719 --> 00:48:47.079
<v Speaker 2>But remember you can get to any of our podcasts

988
00:48:47.119 --> 00:48:52.480
<v Speaker 2>because they're archived anytime you like, and that includes Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio,

989
00:48:53.039 --> 00:48:55.519
<v Speaker 2>Speaker and more. Check us out on the Hudson River

990
00:48:55.719 --> 00:48:59.159
<v Speaker 2>Radio Facebook page. We asked that you like us and

991
00:48:59.320 --> 00:49:02.280
<v Speaker 2>leave a meant to you. Always leave you with a

992
00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:05.239
<v Speaker 2>couple of last little things, a slogan that I think

993
00:49:05.360 --> 00:49:07.880
<v Speaker 2>is appropriate. Some great music and this comes from the

994
00:49:07.960 --> 00:49:11.559
<v Speaker 2>great Lorraine Hansberry, who wrote a Raisin in the Sun,

995
00:49:11.639 --> 00:49:14.800
<v Speaker 2>one of the classic plays of all time, and she said,

996
00:49:15.119 --> 00:49:18.039
<v Speaker 2>there's always something left to love. And if you ain't

997
00:49:18.119 --> 00:49:22.239
<v Speaker 2>learned that, you ain't learned nothing. You gotta love that.

998
00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:25.119
<v Speaker 2>I certainly do. All right, We've got some great music

999
00:49:25.239 --> 00:49:29.519
<v Speaker 2>from my friend David Snyder, and.

1000
00:49:30.679 --> 00:49:31.559
<v Speaker 7>This is be cool.

1001
00:49:31.639 --> 00:49:33.840
<v Speaker 2>And I'm telling you you listen to this and you

1002
00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:38.440
<v Speaker 2>will be cool. For our engineer, the mailman, mister Neil Richter,

1003
00:49:38.519 --> 00:49:40.639
<v Speaker 2>I'm your host, Frank Lobono. We hope to have you

1004
00:49:40.800 --> 00:49:42.960
<v Speaker 2>join us on the next being Frank, We're the only

1005
00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:46.320
<v Speaker 2>way to be is Frank. Thanks. Everyone, be.

1006
00:50:01.639 --> 00:50:07.239
<v Speaker 7>Be cool, They.

1007
00:50:26.599 --> 00:50:30.639
<v Speaker 8>Be good my son.

1008
00:50:37.239 --> 00:50:37.480
<v Speaker 2>Good.

1009
00:50:38.239 --> 00:50:39.599
<v Speaker 8>They don't.

1010
00:50:46.519 --> 00:50:47.039
<v Speaker 7>Be cool?

1011
00:51:42.079 --> 00:51:44.559
<v Speaker 2>Video do do pet?

1012
00:51:45.800 --> 00:51:46.199
<v Speaker 7>Do you do?

1013
00:51:48.679 --> 00:51:50.119
<v Speaker 2>Instead thinking.

1014
00:51:51.519 --> 00:51:53.440
<v Speaker 7>Think do do do?

1015
00:51:54.039 --> 00:51:54.079
<v Speaker 4>Do?

1016
00:51:55.360 --> 00:52:52.440
<v Speaker 8>We adn't.

1017
00:52:41.239 --> 00:52:45.800
<v Speaker 5>Say they don't mating.

1018
00:52:59.280 --> 00:53:20.079
<v Speaker 7>Come on, what you're looking at?

1019
00:53:20.199 --> 00:53:20.920
<v Speaker 2>Look at so me?

1020
00:53:21.480 --> 00:53:23.599
<v Speaker 7>Don't you make a move to break my goods?

1021
00:53:23.920 --> 00:53:26.719
<v Speaker 2>Get out of my way a bust the move, Say

1022
00:53:26.840 --> 00:53:29.960
<v Speaker 2>something nice and nothing at all, because together we stand

1023
00:53:30.199 --> 00:53:32.280
<v Speaker 2>the body with falling with mutual.

1024
00:53:32.079 --> 00:53:33.440
<v Speaker 7>Respect, we get out of it all.

1025
00:53:34.159 --> 00:53:34.920
<v Speaker 2>Life is short.

1026
00:53:35.119 --> 00:53:37.679
<v Speaker 7>Don't be a boy, so try to help those and

1027
00:53:37.880 --> 00:54:57.199
<v Speaker 7>please be cool cool Hudson River Radio dot com