Satellite: Beyond The Page: Recent Episodes
Profile Theatre
Artist profiles, concerts, lectures and feature stories from our In Dialogue programming to help you go in depth into the questions and topics raised by our audio plays.
Ever wonder what a dramaturg brings to a production? "Reggie Hoops" dramaturg Wesley Tipton is a junior at Syracuse University studying theatre management, writing, and dramaturgy. Profile Theatre was lucky to be able to engage Tipton's research skill through her internship in artistic direction with "Reggie Hoops" director Melissa Crespo. In this episode, Tipton shares some of the same insights into the historical context surrounding "Reggie Hoops" that she shared with the actors and creative team to guide them to a deeper understanding of the character's circumstances.
"Reggie Hoops" director Melissa Crespo on growing up splitting her time between suburban Connecticut and the lively, diverse boroughs of New York; her life-long relationship with hip hop culture, and why she considers "Reggie Hoops" the next great family drama.
In 2016, when playwright Kristoffer Diaz was first writing "Reggie Hoops" for a group of MFA actors, he imagined they would perform this story - the story of an exceptionally qualified woman leader in a field overwhelmingly dominated by men - in a world where the U.S. was celebrating having elected its first woman as president. Eight years and a handful of workshops (and life-altering career opportunities) later, Diaz reflects on the show’s evolution and imminent Portland debut.
An interview with Blanca Forzán: Lighting Designer, Director, Playwright, Architect, and Human BeingThis episode explores the relationship that develops when artists have the opportunity to collaborate on multiple projects over time. Profile Theatre's current production, our orange sky, is the third of christopher oscar peña's plays in Profile's two-year season The American Generation. While several of the actors have appeared in multiple productions, Forzán has designed lights for all three. In this episode, Forzán describes working with peña, and what these plays have meant to her as a Latina immigrant.
Playwright christopher oscar peña carved out some time between rehearsals and rewrites of "our orange sky" to lead a writing workshop with Profile Theatre's Community Profile cohort.
We sat down right after chris’s workshop to hear some of what they worked on together, and how they’ve seen their own first generation or immigrant experience reflected in Profile’s work this season.
"our orange sky" director Evren Odcikin shares how his own history as an immigrant fuels his passion and commitment to portraying similar stories with compassion, complexity, and in collaboration with and for the communities being portrayed.
"our orange sky" director's own history as an immigrant fuels his passion and commitment to portraying similar stories with compassion, complexity, and in collaboration with and for the communities being portrayed.
Artistic Director Josh Hecht sits down with season featured playwright Lauren Yee to talk about her inspiration for the three plays Profile is presenting in our 3-day Lauren Yee Festival: Mother Russia, The Song of Summer, and Samsara. They also touch on how becoming a mother has affected Yee's relationship with her work, and what it means to write outside one's own experience or identity.
A behind-the-scenes look at awe/struck's video design process. A lot of people working in creative professions are increasingly wary of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will affect their industry. awe/struck's video designer (Luke Norby) and creative technologist (Scott James) of Five OHM Productions are excited about all of the possibilities AI can offer and view it as a creative asset, rather than a threat.
Our season's first episode of Satellite orbits awe/struck, the first of three world premieres Profile will produce this year. Satellite host and Director of Community Engagement Tamara Carroll grabs some time with playwright christopher oscar peña and director Josh Hecht (Artistic Director) on their meal break from rehearsal to discuss the play's origins, its journey and evolution from a Profile staged reading to an imminent world premiere, and the play's complex interplay of brutality and tenderness.
Ben Villegas Randle
New York based director Ben Villegas Randle shares the parallels between the play, chris peña's story, and his own, as well as his process for understanding the world of the play through concrete visual metaphor. This episode makes reference to negative stereotypes and attitudes towards Latiné immigrants, including those that exist within the Latiné community.
Matthew Sepeda
In part 2 of this three-part series, we chat with actor Matthew Sepeda, who plays the lead character Orlando in Profile’s current production, How to Make an American Son. Sepeda draws connections between his character and his own upbringing, and describes his experience portraying playwright christopher oscar peña as a teenager.
In part 2 of the Playwright Convening Satellite series, we hear reflections on the week's work from the playwrights and workshop directors.
In the first half, Director of Community Engagement, Tamara Carroll, sits down with christopher oscar peña and Kristoffer Diaz at the end of their week-long Portland residency, where they workshopped two plays that will enjoy their world premieres at Profile next season - our orange sky, and Reggie Hoops.
In the second half, we hear from directors Leah C. Gardinerand Dámaso Rodríguezabout their techniques for effectively staging a reading specifically for the purpose of helping the playwrights develop their work.
Artist Director Josh Hecht introduces the Playwright Convening and Director of Community Engagement, Tamara Carroll sits down with Season 25 American Generation Featured Playwrights, Kristoffer Diaz and christopher oscar peña about their work, the process, Portland and more!
In this episode, host and director of Welcome to Arroyo's by Kristoffer Diaz, sits down with two Portland hip-hop artist (and Arroyo's cast members), Milc and Old Grape God to discuss music, being in the cast, and the Portland hip-hop scene.
In this episode, host Bobby Bermea (who is also directing Welcome to Arroyo’s) chats with playwright, Kristoffer Diaz about what inspired his play Welcome to Arroyo’s, New York City, his Puerto Rican heritage, his love of hip-hop music and more!
Join Bobby Bermea as he chats with playwright Kristoffer Diaz and pro-wrestler and wrestling consultant about the world of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.
"In this month's episode of Satellite, we explore the world of Paula Vogel's The Mineola Twins. We take a trip down memory lane with the wonderful Luan Schooler, who originated the roles of Myrna and Myra 25 years ago, we learn how the magic was made with the extraordinary Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, and we hear from Profile's artistic director, Josh Hecht in a rare and enlightening interview." -Bobby Bermea
In this episode our host Bobby Bermea interviews artists and community partners of Hot ‘N' Throbbing Illustrated. The episode starts with an interview with Raphael House's Prevention Education Specialist Samantha Cohen. Then, Bobby speaks with our collaborator Ant Proctor about their dynamic graphic illustrations. It concludes with a conversation with the audio play's brilliant directorJamie M. Rea.
In this episode, our host Bobby Bermea interviews artists of Profile Theatre's audio play adaptation of Las Meninas by Lynn Nottage. Actress Lauren Modica talks about her art and hopes for the future for the American stage. Then, we hear from sound designer and composer Matt Wiens about his inspiration and approach to layering in music and effects for our audio play adaptations. Our episode wraps as director Dawn Monique Williams discusses this play (written about the African presence in the French Court) and its resonances with the Black Lives Matter movement.
In this episode, our host Bobby Bermea talks to Eleanor O’Brien Actor and Artistic Director of Dance Naked Productions about Eleanor’s experience reprising her role as “V.O.” and the value of sex-positive theatre. Then, he speaks with Cayenne, a former sex worker turned therapist, turned mother on self-discovery and empowerment. And he interviews Portland superstar and Hot ‘N’ Throbbing composer Lo Steele on her drive to create and we hear some of her original music.
Director of Community Engagement Bobby Bermea talks to Bob Lee, General Curator and Manager of Elephants at the Oregon Zoo about elephant conservation and the way animals can ignite our imaginations. Bobby also talks to singer-songwriter and Mlima's Tale composer Jenn Mundia, who plays some of her newest music live for us in the studio. And Bobby interviews Mlima's Tale director Reg Douglas about Mlima's Tale, Reg’s passion for new work and directing during a pandemic.