Script-in-Hand Staged Readings

Brigid Amos sits down with playwright and actor Helen Cheng Mao. Helen shares her journey into the theater, her unique perspective on standalone monologues, and the creative process behind her writing. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:BIO:  Helen Cheng Mao is a Maryland playwright and actor who has written and performed in plays and monologues produced across the US and internationally. Her plays have been read at the Valdez Theatre Conference, the Mid-America Theater Conference, and more. Some works can be viewed on Helen’s YouTube Channel. Her writing has appeared in anthologies published by Smith & Kraus, Fresh Words: An International Literary Magazine, Mini-Plays Magazine, and more. Outside of theater, Helen is a freelance writer and a standardized patient who instructs communications communications and clinical skills to medical students. Contact her at www.linkedin.com/in/helencmao."Tulips" with Act Your Age Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32KGmVOSmmc"Tulips" with Talking Horse Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCUJk4FrYWg"Chinese Egg Tarts" with PGE's Faces of American Monologue Festival #6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzDhU03z-bM at 36:23-39:31"Generational Expectations" with PGE's Faces of American Monologue Festival #7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R56t0_nLqBg at 54:08"Holiday Decorations" with Shiny Unicorn Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGWmSF0cDAw"Snow Days" with Shiny Unicorn Productions  https://youtu.be/_Lydw7pO-WQ?si=b4Bd6eMY0c-P9p0L"Spontaneous Date Ideas for Married Couples with Kids" at Yale University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmz0whvLUGg"Cthulu's Makeover" at International Solo Play Festival Night in  Kyiv https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ybcI_p52c&list=PLOBWRX6h1_Qm8VQZqPWymVGFIkfruadkU&index=35&t=291s at 0:50-7:30

1st Prize winner of our 2026 Young Playwrights Competition, Emily Ommerborn introduces an audio reading of their award winning play, To Be. Followed by an interview with 3rd place winner of our 2025 Young Playwrights Competition, Lucas Luchsinger.Credits:Our Audio Engineer was Kevin Carver, the audio description was by Gary Glor, and Our Theme music was by Gail Lou and Demien De SandiesReferences:Hamlet — William Shakespearehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HamletOur Town — Thornton Wilderhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_TownLittle Women — Louisa May Alcott; film adaptations discussedhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_WomenPride and Prejudice — Jane Austen; adaptations discussedhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_PrejudiceThe Effect of Gamma Rays on-Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds — Paul Zindelhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Effect_of_Gamma_Rays_on_Man-in-the-Moon_MarigoldsThe Wolves — Sarah DeLappehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wolves_(play)Are the Bennett Girls Okay? — Emily Breezehttps://publictheater.org/productions/season/2627/are-the-bennet-girls-ok/Wonder — film directed by Stephen Chboskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_(film)Barbie — directed by Greta Gerwighttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_(film)Lady Bird — directed by Greta Gerwighttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Bird_(film)The Virgin Suicides — directed by Sofia Coppolahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_Suicides_(film)David Mamet — playwright, screenwriter, and directorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_MametAlexis Kozak — Emily’s playwriting teacher and mentorhttps://www.alexiskozak.com/David Meenan — Emily’s theater coach and a playwrighthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/david-j-v-meenan-840850121Christopher Corey — Emily’s theater and film mentorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-corey-55175178Thomas Jefferson Arts Academyhttps://www.epsnj.org/jeffersonMiddletown High School Southhttps://south.middletownk12.org/

Playwright Brigid Amos sits down with colleagues Joe Vitale and Martin Coren to discuss their experience with regional productions.Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:Brigid Amoshttps://www.brigidamos.com/ Joseph Vitale https://www.josephvitale.netMartin Corenhttps://newplayexchange.org/users/16460/martin-coren

Mary Ianneli sat down with the General Manager of The Theater Project, Gary Glor, to discuss the challenges and benefits of script-in-hand staged readings. Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:Bill Mescehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-mesce-jr-750a6015/

1st place prize winner of our 2025 Young Playwrights Competition, Gail Drake introduces an audio reading of her award winning play, Buried Treasure. Followed by an interview with 3rd place prize winner of our 2024 Young Playwrights Competition, Jaylen Mingo.References:Thomas Jefferson Arts Academyhttps://www.epsnj.org/jeffersonDelaware Valley Regional High Schoolhttps://www.dvrhs.orgmontclair.eduhttps://www.montclair.edu › montclair › stateHeathersWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › HeathersHamilton (musical)Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Hamilton_(musical)Percy Jackson & the OlympiansWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Percy_Jackson_&_the...DionysusWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › DionysusPinterestPinteresthttps://www.pinterest.comArtist vs. PoetWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Artist_vsStick TogetherWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Stick_TogetherNetflixhttps://www.netflix.comCASEY MCQUISTONcaseymcquiston.comhttps://www.caseymcquiston.comLeigh Bardugo - #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorLeigh Bardugohttps://www.leighbardugo.comMaximum RideWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Maximum_RideMarvel.com | The Official Site for Marvel Movies, Characters ...https://www.marvel.com

Mark Spina sat down with Derek Crosby and Jack McManus to talk about what steps they have taken to create their own opportunities after facing the void out of college.Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:Derek Crosbyhttps://derekcrosby.squarespace.com/aboutJack McManushttps://newplayexchange.org/users/72403/jack-mcmanusYoung Playwright’s Competitionhttps://www.thetheaterproject.org/young-playwrights-competition#YoungPlaywrights20251319 Presshttps://www.1319press.com/All at Once: 40th Anniversary Remasterhttps://newplayexchange.org/script/2039913/all-at-once-40th-anniversary-remasterThe Tankhttps://thetanknyc.org/Producers Clubhttps://producersclub.com/Raul Garzahttps://newplayexchange.org/users/23270/raul-garzaNew Play Exchangehttps://newplayexchange.org/get-startedThe Ninety-Nine Cent Playershttps://ninetyninecentplayers.com/Giovanna DiSantohttps://www.giovannadisanto.com/New York State Puppet Festivalhttps://www.newyorkstatepuppetfestival.org/Bunrakuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BunrakuAlex Church Gonzaleshttps://www.alexchurchgonzales.com/25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beehttps://spellingbeenyc.com/Godspellhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godspell

Brigid Amos sits down with David Quang Pham to discuss how he combines his love of musical theater with science to educate and entertain.Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:David Quang Pham is an award-winning songwriter, theatre and filmmaker, recognized for creating musicals that personify science to explore the human condition and social issues. His notable work includes plant-based comedy Turnover: A New Leaf, evolutionary fantasy The Living Fossils, and astrophysics family drama Ellipses. They have been produced Off-Broadway, nationally, and internationally. His talent has been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Working Title Playwrights apprenticeship, Playwrights Foundation fellowship, 2024 Great Performances Fellowship Award, and appearance at the 78th Tony Awards on CBS. Be up to lightspeed at science.studio and @ScienceTheatreTour (2019): A musical revolving around subatomic educators competing in an academic accelerator. It was a finalist at the 2019 Downtown Urban Arts Festival.Turnover: A New Leaf is an award-winning plant-based musical by David Quang Pham that follows Vietnamese cilantro Rau Ram trying to earn a green card while running a salon and raising her son, Parsley, in "Dirty City". The story, inspired by Pham's childhood, explores immigrant assimilation, queer identity, and photosynthesis through a comedic, dramatic lens.Aliyah Curryhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm8550270/Dr Quincy Thomashttps://www.queertk.org/bios/dr.-quincy-thomasQueer Theatre Kalamazoohttps://www.queertk.org/Janelle Lawrencejanellelawrence.comGonzalo Valencia Penahttp://www.gonzalovalencia.com/Cải Lương is a form of modern folk opera that originated in southern Vietnam in the early 20th century. Often translated as "reformed theater" or "renovated theater," it represents a cultural fusion that combines traditional Vietnamese music and folk songs with Western stage techniques and modern spoken drama.

Today TTP is thinking about...up and coming playwrights.  Prize winner of our 2025 Young Playwrights Competition, Lucas Luchsinger introduces an audio reading of their award winning play, College. Followed by an interview with past honoree, Jaylen Mingo.General description:3rd Place Prize winner of our 2025 Young Playwrights Competition, Lucas Luchsinger introduces an audio reading of their award winning play, College. Followed by an interview with former prize winner, Jaylen Mingo.Credits:Our Audio Engineer was Kevin Carver, audio description provided by Gary Glor and Our Theme music was by Gail Lou and Demien De SandiesReferences:Thomas Jefferson Arts Academyhttps://www.epsnj.org/jeffersonKean University: HomeKean Universityhttps://www.kean.eduFive Nights at Freddy'sWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Five_Nights_at_Freddy'sMontclair State UniversityMontclair State Universityhttps://www.montclair.eduNew Jersey Fencing AllianceNew Jersey Fencing Alliancehttps://www.njfencingalliance.comThe SimpsonsWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_SimpsonsMarvel.com | The Official Site for Marvel Movies, Characters ...Marvel.comhttps://www.marvel.comSpider-Man : Earth InfiniteRebirth Productionshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrEd0n_8fYUThe Office (American TV series)Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Office_(America...The Good PlaceWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Good_PlaceStarbucks Coffee CompanyStarbucks Coffeehttps://www.starbucks.comRuss ColumboWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Russ_ColumboQuentin TarantinoWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Quentin_TarantinoArthur MillerWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Arthur_MillerAngels in AmericaWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Angels_in_AmericaTennessee WilliamsWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Tennessee_WilliamsElizabeth OlsenWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Elizabeth_OlsenDaniel RadcliffeWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Daniel_Radcliffe

Mary Iannelli sits down with Playwright and Screenwriter, Sarah Congress to discuss the role of the script doctor.  What do they do?  What value do they add to a project, the skills needed to do the job and the pitfalls you may encounter.Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:Sarah Congresshttps://sarahcongress.com/Playwrights Horizonshttps://www.playwrightshorizons.org/Downtown Urban Arts Festivalhttps://www.duafnyc.com/Jersey Shore Film Festivalhttps://jerseyshorefilmfestival.com/Nabisar Filmshttps://www.nabisarfilmsus.com/SUNY Purchase Collegehttps://www.purchase.edu/Caryn Whitmanhttps://www.crunchbase.com/person/caryn-whitmanVasana Ventureshttps://vasanaventures.com/"Delulu" by Sarah CongressThis play was a semifinalist in a new play festival and was scheduled for a reading in October 2025. Sarah Congress is a playwright and script doctor, but her professional websites and social media do not offer the full script for public access. It is a new work still in the process of development and production.Centre Stagehttps://centrestage.org/Actors Guild https://www.actorsguild.org/Ego Actushttps://egoactus.com/

Mark Spina and Harry Patrick Christian talk about Arts Education and how it has had an impact on at-risk youth.  Credits:Audio Engineer Gary GlorOne Heartbeat Away is provided to The Theater Project by Gail Lou References:Mark Spinahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-spina/Harry Patrick Christianhttps://www.facebook.com/harry.p.christian.3/#Pushcart Playershttps://pushcartplayers.org/Ruth Fosthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-fost-617a2111/Turrell Fundhttps://www.turrellfund.org/Lenny VegaWebsite (without actual link)Viola Spolinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Spolin