#25 Tobin Ost

Stop the presses! This week’s guest is ‘Newsies’ Scenic Designer and Tony nominee Tobin Ost! Tobin discusses the genesis of his design for Newsies from his original idea to the current design about to tour the country. Cory and Tobin chat about his first Broadway credit as costume designer for ‘Brooklyn’ and how he has comfortably bounced back and forth between scenery and costumes. Other topics includes Tobin’s time working for designers such as Ming Cho Lee, Santo Loquasto, and Scott Pask, what he learned on his recent touring production of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ and how a production of ‘Pirates of Penzance’ may have changed the course of his life.

#24 Buist Bickley

Prepare for maybe our most fascinating episode yet…it’s “It-Boy” Props Supervisor, Buist Bickley! Buist is one of the most sought after Props Designers on Broadway and boy does he have the stories to back it up. He and Cory discuss his work on ‘The Last Ship,’ ‘Act One,’ ‘The Nance,’ ‘Mothers and Sons’ and a whole host of other shows. Learn how he made “fake” cookie dough for Lily Rabe in ‘Seminar’ and an entire meal’s worth of “fake unhealthy” food for Katie Holmes in ‘Dead Accounts.’ From hand props to furniture to weapons to special effects, he’s involved in it all. Cory and Buist also chat about the logistical minefield of being of Props Supervisor including New York traffic laws, managing thousands of dollars worth of receipts, union houses, and actors who manage to channel all of their frustrations into that one prop they can’t stand! He’s a jack of all trades and he’s sharing his secrets on today’s show!

#23 Al Crawford

This week’s guest is lighting designer Al Crawford! Al is a legend in the world of dance lighting having served as the Lighting Director for Alvin Ailey since 1998. Cory and Al discuss the ins and outs of touring with one of the most famous dance companies in the world and what it takes to maintain the lighting for dozens and dozens of repertory pieces. From international cargo laws, to language barriers, to ever evolving technology…Al has developed a method to navigate it all. Al shares lots of stories including what it was like trying to do a show in Greece right after 9/11, how he approaches designing a state dinner at the White House, and why there is nothing greater than finding a good set of headphones for those long flights.

#22 Caite Hevner

Today’s guest is the very lovely, multi-talented Caite Hevner Kemp! Equally adept at designing scenery and projections, Caite talks about being a member of Wingspace Theatrical Design, the pros and cons of designing two disciplines for one show and her academic adventures from FSU to Yale to NYU. Cory and Caite also cover topics new to the podcast like rules and regulations surrounding the documenting of our work, what it’s like being married to someone who does the same thing you do, and the importance of staying healthy and eating right while living the freelance lifestyle. (hint: it doesn’t involve cheeseburgers after tech.) See how many jumping jacks you can do throughout the episode. We’re saving lives people!!

#21 Scott Lehrer

The theatrical design community has spent the past two weeks all abuzz over the recently announced decision by the American Theatre Wing to eliminate the TONY awards for Sound Design. On this week’s show we discuss that decision as well as the art and craft of Sound Design with the very first recipient of the TONY award for Sound Design of a Musical, Scott Lehrer. Scott discusses the importance and impact of being bestowed that honor and his reaction to the Wing’s recent announcement. Cory and Scott chat about creating intimate moments in “South Pacific” at the cavernous Vivian Beaumont theatre, and the role of sound in theatre from amplification, to aural landscapes, to musical mixing and the paradoxical nature of trying to recognize an art form that by it’s very nature, often strives for transparency. The podcast is back with a timely and opinionated episode. Enjoy!

#20 Beverly Emmons

You’ll need two hands to count the number of Tony noms this week’s guest has garnered, it’s Beverly Emmons! Cory and Beverly cover her vast and varied career and her collaborations with such luminaries as Martha Graham, Jules Fisher, Merce Cunningham and Kenny Leone. She recounts becoming an LD by way of dance school, her longstanding relationship with USA 829 and her involvement in the union exam, how the idea for The Lighting Archive came about, and what is was like following in the footsteps of Jean Rosenthal, Peggy Clark, and Tharon Musser. She also shares her thoughts on lighting research, hand drafting, pre-visualation tools, balancing work and family and a whole host of other topics. And hear her describe an incredibly bizarre and fascinating design process proposed by Robert Rauschenberg for a dance by Merce Cunningham in which she created a randomized cue structure out of mostly existing worklights, hall lights, grid lights and flashlights that could never be the same from performance to performance. Pretty soon you’ll be yelling to turn the worklights ON!

#19 Michael Carnahan

This week’s guest is scenic designer and delightful gentleman Michael Carnahan. Michael and Cory discuss his many years of Associate work with designers such as Anna Louizos, Donyale Werle and the great Desmond Heeley, as well as his own design career, including a long-standing standing collaboration with Ruben Santiago-Hudson and the plays of August Wilson. He discusses the realities and economics of recycled and sustainable scenic materials, why model building is such an important part of his process, and how he may have spent time as a Sinatra groupie. AND Michael and Cory geek out over their love for the design of ‘Rocky’ and how it redefines what can be done on a stage.

#18 Josh Zangen

Inexplicably, we couldn’t get Justin Timberblake to come on the show…but we got the next best thing, his set designer, Josh Zangen! Josh takes us through designing ‘The 20/20 Experience’ Tour and how he fell into the concert world working with such artists as Brittany Spears, Kylie Minogue, and Jack White. Josh and Cory discuss his shows for Spiegleworld including ‘Empire’ in New York and ‘Absinthe’ and ‘Vegas Noccturne’ in Las Vegas. And if that’s not enough…we fulfill your childhood diorama dreams with stories of Josh’s design for the holiday windows at Macy’s. From Timberlake to tinsel, this episode has something for everyone!

#17 Joel Silver

Today’s guest is lighting designer and resident tall human Joel Silver! Joel and Cory chat about the designer/associate relationship and Joel shares stories from working on shows with Kevin Adams and Peter Kaczorowski. They also touch on Joel’s feelings regarding crew relationships, cueing under pressure, being social outside of the theatre and (gasp!) taking purposeful time off. Joel also has a great deal of experience in the industrial world and he tells us about navigating a focus on a convention center floor and getting a corporate logo color just right. Not blue…I said BLUE!

#16 Whitney Locher

It’s taken too long, but this week we finally have a costume designer…it’s Whitney Locher! Whitney and Cory discuss her new production of ‘Into The Woods’ (coming to Roundabout next season) and her long relationship with Fiasco Theatre. They discuss the in’s and out’s of dealing one-on-one with actors as well as the realities of costume research, shopping, and the fine art of diplomacy in a fitting room. Whitney tells us about working on the Tony Awards and Cory shares his new love of returning clothes. Not a mention of a moving light for miles!