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.

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.® int...

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 Marketin...

 This week's episode is a replay of the hottest marketing tips from marketing expert  Julie Nemitz from Ep. 41.Resources MentionedEpisode 41

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 h...

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 cha...

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 Mentioned

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. 

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...

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.

No official episode this week, but Melissa will be back soon with all new interviews. 

For another installment of "When the Production is the Adaptation," Melissa is joined by Marcia Milgrom Dodge aka "MMD" to discuss her production and revival of Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the Olney Theatre Center.   

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through a comprehensive goal-setting strategy for playwrights and theatre makers so they can plan for a successful 2024, however they chose to define it. ***Sign up for the 

In this episode, Melissa guides listeners through an end-of-year self-inventory and reflection which will help set the stage for a 2024 goal-setting session. ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations

Christmas came early this year! We are dropping this episode a few days ahead of schedule to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the release of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.   The multi-talented Lavina Jadhwani st...

This week Hollywood screenwriter Greg Taylor stops by the show! Greg wrote the scripts for the 90s kids' classics, Harriet the Spy and Jumanji, as well as one of Melissa's favorite holiday films, Prancer, which Greg l...

Mike Dailey & Jacob Combs join Melissa this week to talk about their long-running holiday musical, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. In this episode, we discuss:Why Strawdog Theatre decided to adapt this ...

Kate Hamill stops by the show to talk about Dracula, one of her many stage adpatations. This conversation is a full meal on taking risks, making writing fun, advocacy, and feminism.In this episode, we discuss:

Happy Thanksgiving 2023!Melissa expresses her gratitude for the past year, reads a couple listener reviews, and invites you to join her upcoming newsletter.  ***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations

This week is the conclusion of the interview with Alayna Jacqueline & Hannah Joyce from the Playwrights' Center, who offer so much wisdom and practical advice for playwrights.In this episode, we discuss:Current tr...

This week is Part 1 of 2 where Melissa interviews fellow theatre artists/arts administrators/podcasters Alayna Jacqueline & Hannah Joyce from the Playwrights' Center. In this episode, we discuss:The Playwrights' C...

*Subscribe to the 101 Stage Adaptations newsletter*Melissa was elated to chat with Lauren Gunderson about her brand new musical adaptation of The...

Melissa was thrilled to speak with fellow theatre podcaster Sean Hayden. If you are not familiar with his podcast, Stage Combat: A Mental Health Story, it is one of the most important theatre podcasts out there. And if you have listene...

The delightful Sandy Rustin drops by the podcast to discuss her adaptation of Clue, which is the most-produced play in high schools for many years running. On the way to discovering Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Wrench, Melis...

Melissa Schmitz chats with the very talented Michael Susko this week about his world premiere production—which happens to be his first adaptation—and also a story that he's loved for most of his life, House on Haunted Hill.