Happy Birthday, Melissa!

Bramble Theatre Company is thrilled to open the Bramble Arts Loft, a brand new peformance space in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Learn more at brambletheatre.org.Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists! This is a segment of the End of Play.® interview Melissa had last year with Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild.Resources MentionedEpisode 23End of Play.®Dramatists GuildAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, & playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for & is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist & stage manager.Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, & drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted & selected as Finalists for the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin & NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, & other notable venues across London, NYC, & the US.Follow the Dramatists Guild on Facebook, Twitter & InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

We're taking the week off to catch up on all the March Submission Binge tasks and also prepping for End of Play.®! What are you working on? Find Melissa on the socials and let her know what you're up to! Happy Marketing! Happy Writing!Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

 This week's episode is a replay of the hottest marketing tips from marketing expert  Julie Nemitz from Ep. 41.Resources MentionedEpisode 41Theatre Marketing Lab"In The Greenroom" podcastJulie's newsletterTheatre Marketing Lab Content ClubCanvaAbout Our GuestJulie Nemitz is a renowned theatre marketing leader & the force behind Theatre Marketing Lab and the popular podcast "In The Greenroom" where she offers insightful conversations with theatre leaders and actionable marketing advice. She has taken the theatre world by storm, attracting listeners globally, & reached the top #140 performing arts podcasts in the United States. For the past 10 years, Julie has revolutionized how theatres & theatre artists attract audiences through innovative strategies & compelling content. She is passionate about ensuring every community has a thriving performance space, regardless of size. Known for her infectious enthusiasm & deep knowledge of the latest digital marketing trends, Julie helps theatremakers uplevel their strategies and content through personalized consultations, coaching, & classes in the Theatre Marketing Lab. She has a special gift for analyzing what's not working and designing customized solutions to sell more tickets and deepen audience loyalty. Countless clients have experienced record-breaking sales under her guidance. When she's not busy transforming local theatres, you can find Julie rolling up her sleeves & guiding theatre artists into the digital age. Julie is also an adjunct faculty member at Western Michigan University, teaching performing arts marketing to the next generation of theatre artists.julienemitz.com Follow Julie on FB and IG Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

In honor of the March 2024 Playwright Marketing Binge, here is the replay of Patrick Gabridge's interview where he describes the ways playwrights can make their submissions stand out. In this episode, we discuss:Why he started the Playwright Submission BingeTONS of tips on how playwrights can market themselves betterResources MentionedPlaywright Submission BingePlays in PlaceNYCPlaywrightsAbout Our GuestPatrick Gabridge is an award-winning writer and theatre-maker who has written a number of adaptations and also has a special talent for creating site-specific plays. With his company, Plays in Place, he’s created plays in partnership with many museums & historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston’s Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, & the MIT Museum. His full-length plays have been produced in the US & South Korea, and his short plays and have received more than 1,000 productions from theatres and schools around the world. He’s been involved with helping playwrights market their work for many years—he started the publication Market InSight for Playwrights back in 1993, and founded & still runs the Playwright Submission Binge, an online community focused on marketing. He’s also a screenwriter, novelist, & a writer of audio plays.Connect with Our Guestgabridge.comNew Play ExchangeThe Writing Life x 3InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

It's Melissa's 10th Birthday! To help her celebrate her once-every-four-years birthday, please rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episode with a friend. And if you're so inclined, pop in to one of the social channels listed below and send her a birthday wish. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa details her 2024 Chicago Theatre Week Experience. She saw shows at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakes, TimeLine Theatre, Writers Theatre, and Court Theatre, and she recommends them all! Resources MentionedChicago Theatre WeekLeague of Chicago TheatresChoose ChicagoGoodman TheatreChicago Shakespeare TheaterWriters TheatreCourt TheatreTimeLine Theatre Company Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Melissa is on another short winter break. Be sure to rate/review/subscribe/share your favorite episodes with a friend, a student, a fellow playwright. Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

Amy Lehman from Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York) stops by the show to talk about this organization and how artists can benefit from their programs and services. In this episode, we discuss:How Amy pivoted from a performance career to a career in lawWhat VLA is and who can use their servicesMany of the programs VLA offersThe types of problems she wishes she didn't have to solve And more!Resources MentionedVolunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York)VLA CalendarMissing MoviesAbout Our GuestAfter a career as a professional ballet dancer, Amy Lehman attended NYU for her bachelor’s degree in theater history and dramatic literature. After graduating from NYU, she continued to work in the theater industry, where she reviewed contracts and managed and negotiated licensing agreements for plays in the US and internationally.Having been inspired to go to law school by her desire to help other artists, she studied IP and media law while at University of Michigan School of Law, where she served as an editor on the Journal of Race and Law, and as president of the Entertainment, Media and Arts Students Association. Amy’s primary practice has been general commercial litigation, including matters involving art law, media law, employment, intellectual property, constitutional law, real estate, insurance, contract disputes, torts, and other disputes. She is also a trained mediator with extensive experience working with VLA in the MediateArt program and is on the panel of mediators assigned to resolve cases for the Southern District of New York.Amy is a member of the Entertainment Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association and was selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014-2017 and New York Metro Super Lawyers 2018 through 2023.Connect with VLA NYTwitter/XInstagram Connect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For the first time ever, Melissa is joined by three guests in one interview! Scenic Designers Regina García, Sibyl Wickersheimer, and Maureen Weiss stop by to discuss their book and museum exhibit and drop a ton of wisdom along the way. In this episode, we discuss:The orgins of Scene ShiftHow they each came into theatre and scenic designBeing a mom and a theatre artistWhat they're teaching their students now in a post-pandemic worldAnd more!Resources Mentionedscene-shift.comScene Shift bookScene Shift Exhibit at the Fisher Museum - February 2nd - April 6th, 2024Connect with Our GuestsFollow Scene Shift on Instagram & Facebook Regina Garcíagarciaportfolio.comInstagramMaureen Weissmweissdesign.comSibyl Wickersheimersawgirl.comInstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).