in 1: the podcast

This week we are sitting down with Emmy Nominated Scenic Designer Jason Sherwood! Jason is nominated for the production design of 'RENT Live' and he gives us the full deep dive into his set for this groundbreaking production. From it's development along side Michael Greif, to figuring out audience locations and camera blocking, to how to transition the story from place to place, Jason is giving us the inside scoop on all of it.

The podcast is back from a long hiatus for (hopefully!) an all new batch of episodes. This week, we are sitting down with Lighting Designer and recent Obie Award winner Isabella Byrd. Isabella discuses with us the genesis of her design for 'The Light Shining in Buckinghamshire' and how that show helped catapult her into greater visibility. She also shares insights into her work on 'The Thanksgiving Play', 'Seascape' and 'The Tale of Despereaux' and if she feels a paradigm shifting in regards to gender parity on creative teams.

It's a Christmas miracle and a brand new episode this week as we sit down with Costume Designer Alejo Vietti AND a very special guest, Tony Award winner Jessie Mueller! Jessie is probably most known for having originated the role of Carole King in the Broadway production of "Beautiful", and all her fabulous clothes came from the mind of this week's guest.

This week's brand new episode is with Sound Designer Jessica Paz! Jessica shares with us wild tales from her summers at the Delecorte Theatre with stories and insights from her recent designs for 'Othello' and 'Twelfth Night' as well how the sound department battles wind, rain, helicopters and yes raccoons.

Bake some spongecake, pull out your six string and spend a balmy summer weekend with 'Escape to Margaritaville' Scenic Designer Walt Spangler! On this week's new episode, Walt is telling us about the genesis of his tropical design that included a research trip to Key West, an actual Jimmy Buffet concert, and how the design changed over time from it's La Jolla premier and it's multi-city tour leading up to Broadway.

What's the buzz with Episode #81? The buzz is all about Art Director and Scenic Designer Melissa Shakun! Melissa was the Art Dir. for NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live' and she's giving us all the behind the scenes stories of turning Jason Ardizzone-West's stunning design into a reality. Hear about all the sand that never made it to broadcast, how the set was built and installed in record time and why the final crucifixion was so difficult to accomplish. Melissa talks about the difference between Prod. Design and Art Direction and how designing for episodic TV differs from theatre with examples from her time on 'The Americans,' 'The Jim Gaffigan Show,' 'Mysteries of Laura' and 'Blindspot.'

Lumos Maxima! It's opening weekend for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway so we're sitting down with a true lighting wizard, Neil Austin! He's tight lipped about the secrets of the show but he does share with us how it has felt to be working on such a cultural phenomenon and when he realized this was to be no ordinary show.

It's Episode #79 and we are seizing the day and sitting down with Tony Award winning Lighting Designer Jeff Croiter. Jeff has a wide ranging career and we're talking about all sorts of projects. Cory and Jeff discuss his recent design of the Big Apple Circus and how one goes about lighting jugglers, horses and the Flying Wallendas as well as his new relationship with Penn & Teller and what goes into lighting two of the most famous magicians in the world. He also discusses the prominent role lighting played in "Bandstand" and how he got 75 old fresnels to change color all night long and of course we're talking about the genesis of his design for "Peter and the Starcatcher" and how it has become a genre of design in itself.

The podcast is back and we're not pulling any punches. Today we sit down with recent Tony Award winner Bradley King to discuss his lighting design for NATASHA PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. He traces the journey of the design from Ars Nova, where the plot was hardly more than chandeliers and lightbulbs, all the way to his massive, immersive design at the Imperial Theatre.

We close out April this week with Set Designer and current Lortel nominee Rachel Hauck! Aside from being a busy designer, Rachel is also a member of the Off-Broadway committee of designers that recently helped spearhead the first collectively bargained agreement ever for Off-Broadway.

Episode 70 is direct from Cory's kitchen and it's with Lighting Designer Paul Toben. Paul is currently in town serving as the Associate LD for the new Broadway musical War Paint, but he's with us today to do some deep excavating into the true nature of being a working designer.

Cory has a day off out of town with little to do but sit and chat with another awesome designer, so this week we bring you a brand new episode with Sound Designer and very distinguished gentleman, Alex Hawthorn! Aside from following in the footsteps of past guests with fantastically groomed facial hair (Mr. Zinn and Mr. Nigrini), Alex is one of the leading Associate Sound Designers on Broadway, on the cutting edge of new advents in sound design technology. Fresh of his collaboration with Ken Travis on IN TRANSIT, Alex discusses the myriad of difficulties in finding the right sound for Broadway's first a capella musical.

This week's guest is Projection Designer Peter Nigrini! Peter is currently represented on Broadway with DEAR EVAN HANSEN and he takes us through the process of creating over 4,000 pieces of video content and how he blended reality with artistry in creating the social media pages that make up the bulk of the projected content.

It's 2017 and we're going to Hollywood! Or at the very least, bridging the gap between theatre and film as we sit down with the man responsible for the look of the Academy Awards, the NBC Live Musicals, and over 35 Broadway shows, it's Scenic Designer Derek McLane!

Just before we say good riddance to 2016, the podcast is back with one more episode with Lighting Designer and four-time Tony Nominee Japhy Weideman. Japhy is fresh off the hit show DEAR EVAN HANSEN, and he tells us about the challenges and nuances of lighting a musical in a black void filled with projected imagery. Cory and Japhy also talk about his style and approach to lighting with examples from his work including BRIGHT STAR, THE NANCE, DEAD POET'S SOCIETY, MACBETH, and THE VISIT. 

We're mixing up the format again this week as we sit down not with a designer, but with the man in charge of handling the contracts for ALL designers, it's United Scenic Artists Business Rep for Live Performance, Carl Mulert. Carl is the go-to-guy for all contract and union related issues for designers working in theatre and he's with us today to talk about everything you've always wanted to know about USA but were afraid to ask.

We interrupt your August to get you in the room with the guy who created the Room Where it Happens...it's 'Hamilton' Set Designer David Korins! David and Cory chat about the evolution of his Tony nominated set for the cultural phenomenon and the myriad of ideas, inspirations, and evolutions that led up to the set we see today.