Category Archives: Writer

Episode 018 – Stephen Rosenfield of American Comedy Institute

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stephen_rosenfield1Stephen Rosenfield and I had a great conversation about comedy, how one can learn the craft, how comedians prepare and how he got his start.

Stephen is the director and founder of the American Comedy Institute where folks with the comedy bug can receive great training either by way of their monthly comedy classes or in their year long program.

I happen to know Stephen from working on the website for the school.  It’s a great resource if you’d like to know more about how you can join in!

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Intro  (0:00)
  • How we met through Ted Greenberg and The Complete Performer (2:13)
  • How it all began, working on the writing (4:58)
  • Growing up and being funny and the need to express yourself (7:39)
  • Being well rounded as a comedian, Louie CK (10:11)
  • Taking note of subjects and attitudes that are working (15:50)
  • Comedians that have reinvented their persona (19:48)
  • Comedians who seem to be making it up on the fly have worked hard to prepare  (22:03)
  • Stephen’s role as teacher, how to create a hyphenated career (25:50)
  • The One Year Program at American Comedy Institute (27:06)
  • Doing “bringer shows” (bringing in an audience to the clubs) and when comedy was “rock and roll” (32:45)
  • How to build and audience as a performer (39:15)
  • Keeping warm after bombing  (42:07)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 017 – Victoria Campbell – Adventurer Filmmaker and Actor

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Victoria_CampbellI’ve decided Victoria is amazing and fearless.  And I don’t know if she’d define herself as an “Adventurer” but after talking to her I felt like that word needed to be in the title of her interview!

We got to know each other when she was in a production of my play, Home of the Great Pecan at The Drilling Company, and over the years I’ve seen two of her films, House of Bones (about her lovable, eccentric family and childhood home on Martha’s Vineyard — not to be confused with a horror film of the same name!) and The Hunt for Good Americans where she and a friend traveled across this great country finding and filming all sorts of cool characters.   [I’ll put up links to see these films as they become available.]

I had heard a few stories about her most current project where she daringly finagled her way into Haiti 7 days after the earthquake of 2010.  I knew there would be some amazing tales about that journey, and, boy, I was not disappointed.  You must listen!

By the way, the Haiti documentary, Monsieur le Président, is playing TOMORROW as part of The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival at 10 am at the Chilmark School. Check out this great article from the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Intro  (0:00)
  • Hello Victoria; growing up in Martha’s Vineyard in an artsy family (3:12)
  • Film: House of Bones  (10:39)
  • Film: The Hunt for Good Americans (18:55)
  • Back road hookers in Ely, Nevada, Crow Reservation in Montana  (21:06)
  • Blues man, Razorblade, in Clarksdale, Mississippi (27:22)
  • Film: Monsieur le Président; the Haiti Earthquake in 2010 (32:29)
  • The aftershock 6.2; drafted as a “nurse”  (36:22)
  • The Voodoo Priest, Gaston (41:50)
  • Ukrainian transgender in Canarsie, NY (52:11)
  • “Bizarre, Interesting or Horrible Audition Stories” (53:17)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.  URO has a concert coming up.  Click the link to find out more!

Episode 016 – Jeremiah James Is Playing El Gallo in The Fantasticks

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Jeremiah_James_3Jeremiah James kindly invited me to see him as El Gallo in The Fantasticks which is playing Off Broadway on 50th Street in the Jerry Orbach Theater (Snapple Theater Center).

I met Jeremiah through my writer friend, Karen Moline.  I asked her if there was anybody she knew who I had to talk to while in NYC, and she hooked me up with Jeremiah who could not have been nicer.

He was really great in the role of El Gallo — great voice, a lot of humor, very graceful and dynamic on stage.  In fact, go right now and listen to him sing!  (And then come back here and listen to the interview.)  www.JeremiahJames.net.

Jeremiah has done a lot of cool things so far in his career, including being a part of a very popular international touring group called Teatro, playing Billy Bigelow in a major West End revival of Carousel, originating the role of Willoughby in the new Sense and Sensibility musical at the Denver Theatre Center, and charitably helping sick kids in Zimbabwe.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Intro  (0:00)
  • Hello Jeremiah (4:12)
  • New Business Model for Theaters, Theater as a Community Meeting Place  (6:27)
  • Growing up in LA , how theatre sunk in  (16:26)
  • Jeremiah’s sister tricks him into doing a musical  (18:15)
  • Training and first professional gig (23:31)
  • International sensation, Teatro, is formed (25:47)
  • Meeting the Queen of England, Musical Theater Groupies  (28:18)
  • Carousel as Billy Bigelow  (31:03)
  • Working on very first solo record (36:38)
  • Sense and Sensibility Musical at the Denver Theatre Center directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge  (38:52)
  • Jeremiah as El Gallo in The Fantasticks  (45:20)
  • Helping children in Zimbabwe, Kidzcan (47:04)
  • “Bizarre, Interesting or Horrible Audition Stories” (55:34)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 015 – Dan Wackerman of The Peccadillo Theater Company

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dan_wackermanThe Peccadillo Theater Company is the resident company of Theatre at St. Clements, a beautiful 160 seat space on 46th Street in the heart of Manhattan.  I interviewed Artistic Director, Dan Wackerman, and we talked about their mission to bring classic American theater from the Golden Age of theater, the era of the “well-made play” to the stage.

There are economic challenges involved in bringing period plays with exceptionally large casts to the stage.  (Most modern plays are written with 6 or fewer characters; playwrights like myself know that if you can tell a great story with fewer actors, your chances of getting the play done regionally are better.  This is not necessarily the case for schools and universities where those institutions are interested in giving a lot of  students the opportunity to perform.)

I loved Dan’s quote about how the church half of this organization views theater as a “kind of sacrament.”  Loved that.  (6:05)

Enjoy my talk with Dan, and for more information about this great company, go to the website:  www.thepeccadillo.com.  (Designed and maintained by yours truly.)

If you you would like to see the reading of Clifford Odets’ Rocket to the Moon mentioned at the end of the interview, go here for tickets.  And please keep you eye on the website for William Inge’s A Loss of Roses. Previews begin May 7th, 2014.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Intro  (0:00)
  • Colder winters in New York (2:20)
  • History of Theater at St. Clements and its place in the Off Off Broadway movement (3:08)
  • How Dan got the theater bug (7:26)
  • The Golden Age of American Theater – “era of the well-made play” (10:48)
  • 20 years ago — the first play — O’Neill’s Strange Interlude (12:15)
  • The Silver Cord by Sidney Howard is revisted (14:10)
  • How Dan finds these plays, American gems (15:26)
  • Counsellor at Law, the challenge of working with period plays, large casts (19:07)
  • Another Part of the Forest by Lillian Hellman (20:47)
  • What’s the purpose of theater? (23:53)
  • What’s the job of the director?  Casting is 75% of the job. (27:10)
  • Some new plays in the classic style, opening up the mission (32:53)
  • The future, A Loss of Roses by William Inge (34:44)
  • Auditions from the other side of the table (35:51)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 014 – Hamilton Clancy of The Drilling Company – part 2

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DrillingCompanyInterviewClancy2In the second part of the Hamilton Clancy interview we visit stories about the Theater Ghost, a horrible audition story, how Drilling Company helped to raise money for the kids at PS87, and actors teaching Sunday school.

Don’t forget that Drilling Company is now running The Norwegians by C. Denby Swanson and directed by Elowyn Castle with the following cast:  Hamilton Clancy, Veronica Cruz, Karla Hendricks, and Dan Teachout. The stage manager is Mary Linehan, and the house manager is Milena Davila. Go to the website for more info:  www.drillingcompany.org.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Intro  (0:00)
  • The Drilling Company Theater Ghost as told by Dan Teachout (5:19)
  • History of space – Mark Zeller (10:03)
  • The new one-act read-aloud, Stephen plays a trick (12:25)
  • The Drilling Company starts producing full-length plays (15:25)
  • The haunted house at PS87, Zombie Labs (16:58)
  • The Discovery Series for developing new plays (19:15)
  • In Memoriam: Edwin Owens and Richard Harden (21:58)
  • Actors teaching Sunday school (25:24)
  • Now playing over 100 performances, The Norwegians (32:08)
  • Hamilton’s bad audition story, the toy fair (35:24)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 013 – Hamilton Clancy of The Drilling Company – part 1

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DrillingCompanyInterviewClancy

Stephen Bittrich & Hamilton Clancy on stage of The Drilling Company Theater

In 2000 I was introduced to a theatre company called The Drilling Company which at that time produced new one-acts in themed evenings.  They’ve since branched out into full-lengths, play development and even Shakespeare in the Parking Lot on the Lower East Side.

I can’t think of many plays I’ve written in the past 14 years which have not been in some way inspired or nurtured by The Drilling Company, which is helmed by my friend, Artistic Director, Hamilton Clancy.

In part 1 of this two part interview, Hamilton and I talk about the history of the company as they begin their 16th season.

Don’t forget that Drilling Company is now running The Norwegians by C. Denby Swanson.  Go to the website for more info:  www.drillingcompany.org.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Welcome Hamilton and audience  (1:49)
  • How the company began, and the first show (7:00)
  • Second show Neighbors and how I met Drilling Company (12:59)
  • Company member Scott Baker’s Kringled (15:15)
  • The one-act evenings and the themes (18:58)
  • The Drilling Company Theater space on 78th Street (22:12)
  • Why is the company called The Drilling Company (25:08)
  • Political theatre, George Bush years (27:53)
  • A man of many hats, including writer (31:27)
  • Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, crap on the moon (37:33)
  • Dave Marantz’s story about the sword/knife fight in the parking lot (45:53)
  • In the Car stories, the birth of the read-aloud (49:48)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 012 – Gioia De Cari of Truth Values

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Gioia_De_Cari

Truth_Values_Postcard

Photo by John Olson

My friend Gioia De Cari created a very successful one-woman show called Truth Values: One Girl’s Romp Through M.I.T.’s Male Math Maze which has had 95 performances in 45 theaters in 17 states with over 17,000 audience members.

In this interview we talk about the development of her show as well as her background as a mathematician at M.I.T.  The show has create a serious discussion about women in STEM fields.  The writing of the show was in part spurred on by a quote from the former president of Harvard, Lawrence Summers who infamously (and publicly) suggested that the reason women weren’t more represented in STEM fields was because of innate gender differences.

[Please note: Gioia wrote me in horror after the interview realizing that she had had a brain fizz and said “Bill Clinton” when she meant “Barack Obama” at the 9:20 mark of the interview.]

If you’ve ever wanted to write and perform your own one person show, certainly Gioia may be held up as a model of success.  Or if you’re interested in the topic of gender inequality in education, you’ll enjoy her point of view!

Topics covered in the interview:

  • Introduction.  Welcome to New York!  (0:00)
  • Hello Gioia De Cari.  The acting impulse.  MIT. (2:52)
  • The beginning of her one-woman show, Truth Values (7:15)
  • Tips from Wynn Handman about writing a one person show (11:43)
  • Gioia trying to fit in at MIT (14:49)
  • How she started booking the show into theatres around US (20:43)
  • How she figured out the business end of touring (24:30)
  • Political writing, can art change people or policy? (31:31)
  • Stephen didn’t realize he was sexually harrassed in the workplace (34:39)
  • Writing again after a hit (39:37)
  • Gioia’s most horrible or bizarre or interesting audition experience (46:15)
  • Go eat at Chirping Chicken at 77th and Amsterdam! (51:44)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 008 – Off Off Topic with Stephen Bittrich – Riding the Wave and the Dominatrix

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Ep_008_Erik_and_Stephen_Lincoln_Center

Erik Van Wyck and Stephen Bittrich at Lincoln Center

In this Off Off Topic episode I tell 3 of my classic New York stories…

The bad, out of focus photo to the left was taken by a beautiful stranger (who looked like a sexy librarian) and marked the beginning of a night of extreme culinary delights when we crashed an exclusive after party at one of the most expensive restaurants in New York, Per Se.  (You’re welcome Per Se for the free ad!)

In another story, I talk about being hired by a 6 foot Dominatrix, and in the last story you’ll hear how a beautiful French nanny picked me up in the Houston International Airport when I was 24.  (No really… really!)

Topics covered in the podcast:

  • The introduction (0:00)
  • An email from Malaysia about my play, MIME IN A BOX, getting paid by Paypal (4:13)
  • Coco the Cat (5:44)
  • Story #1  – The Dominatrix (6:50)
  • Story #2 – Eating for free at Per Se one of the most expensive restaurants in NYC (12:30)
  • “Riding the Wave” — is there meaning in the universe? — Whoah, heavy! (19:57)
  • The date — the mistake of taking her to my play, HOLE (22:18)
  • Story #3 – Getting picked up at the Houston International Airport by a beautiful French nanny (29:50)
  • The Cyclone Roller Coaster in Coney Island (33:30)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 007 – Off Off Topic with Stephen Bittrich – Jail in NYC

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bittrich_fake_mugshot

Fake Mugshot of Stephen Bittrich

Okay, that’s not really my mugshot.  That’s my tribute to Nick Nolte’s mug.  But like Nick, I also got sent to the clink — spent 24 hours in the New York City penal system.  Oh what an adventure!

In this Off Off Topic episode of the podcast I talk all about that fascinating experience.  Not something I’d recommend if you can help it, but it makes a good story.

 

Topics covered in the podcast:

  • My introduction (0:00)
  • Fender bender in high school  (4:16)
  • Pet peeve — reckless driving is like running down the street waving a sledge hammer (6:51)
  • Minivan in the suburbs (8:25)
  • Returning to NYC — alternate side of the street parking (10:00)
  • I get pulled over for broken tail light (14:20)
  • The sergeant demands my attention, fingerprinting snafus (16:42)
  • The trip to the downtown with the holy-rollers, stopping for breakfast (21:10)
  • The Tombs, making friends (24:07)
  • The bathroom situation in jail (27:51)
  • Somber moment, prisoners being lead back to Rikers (30:58)
  • Why Judge Judy sucks (33:27)
  • Paranoia sets in (36:00)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.

Episode 006 – Erik Van Wyck Actor/Writer – Part 2

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Erik_Van_Wyck

This is part 2 of my talk with my good buddy, actor/writer, Erik Van Wyck.  In this interview Erik lets it all hang out in his assessment of Los Angeles, the good, the bad, and the ugly — why it can be intoxicating and also soul sucking to pursue the favored industry of the town.

Erik talks a bit about a movie he helped produce (and acted in) called Expecting (which you can watch now on demand) with Radha Mitchell and Michelle Monaghan.

He also talks about traveling the world as the host of the reality show Getting Abroad which was on for a season on the now defunct The Mojo Network.  The show explored mating and dating rituals around the world, and basically Erik traveled to a country, and he and a local wing man went around and tried to pick up women.  He started each show by sampling an (often disgusting) local aphrodisiac.

Erik also offers up some embarrassing and/or bizarre audition stories.

Topics covered in the interview:

  • My introduction (0:00)
  • What drew Erik to Los Angeles  (4:58)
  • Ryan Reynolds gets Blade Trinity (7:58)
  • Douchebag is born in the movie Expecting (8:41)
  • The reality tv show Getting Abroad goes abroad (12:33)
  • Disgusting aphrodisiacs of the world (15:45)
  • How to get lucky in Iceland (23:50)
  • Interrogated by Stana Katic and the pilot Drived (29:19)
  • Embarrassing audition story, hiding crotch with script (39:48)
  • Big bad casting director story (47:48)
  • Casting couch – keys to the apartment (54:18)
  • The management company, “Welcome to Hollywood” (58:25)
  • Being killed with kindness in LA — “Hope is fuel.” (100:35)
  • Seduced and Abandoned and The Hurt Locker party (104:58)

As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.