In this episode we discussed pretty somber stuff with Betsy Aidem, who plays the central role of Marcelle in Josh Harmon’s “Prayer for the French Republic” on Broadway. She was also in the 2022 Off Broadway run at Manhattan Theater Club, and in between those runs Aidem appeared in Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt.” If you think you discern a thread between these two shows, you’re right.

In this episode, Aidem discussed how she researches her roles (short answer: thoroughly) and what they have meant to her as a Jewish American.

Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music.

It’s been a minute and we apologize but all good things, right?

As you may have heard, there has been a big change in Peter’s life — as in, he took a buyout and is now longer with the Washington Post. Watch out for Free Agent Peter Marks!

The good news is that we are sticking with this podcast. Now that we are back on track, here is, at last, our interview with David Adjmi. We’ve long admired his work but we both were taken aback by how good his latest play, “Stereophonic,” was. The premiere production at Playwrights Horizons opened to critical applause in October and then turned into the hit of the fall. It felt like a reboot for Adjmi, who had not had a production in New York since “Marie Antoinette” in 2013. And now it looks like it’s going to transfer to Broadway.

You can read Elisabeth’s preview feature on the show; in his review of “Stereophonic,” Peter called it “the best play of the year. And not just the year’s best, but one of the best works of narrative art about the day-to-day grind and emotional toll of artistic creation.”

“Stereophonic” takes place in 1976-77 and is set in two recording studios, where a rock quintet is grinding away on the follow-up to a hit album. The play is peppered with songs and bits of songs, which were written for the show by the former Arcade Fire member Will Butler and please, can we get an album?!

Adjmi talked to us about what led him to this particular play, the stumbling blocks along the way and his interest in writing about music (as opposed to writing a musical).

If you want more from him, definitely pick up his memoir, “Lot Six,” which came out in 2020. Elisabeth talked to him about it back then, an interview you can read here.

Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music.

There are just about 400 people living year-round in Creede, Colo., and yet that town has been sustaining a theater company since 1966. How the heck did that happen, and how does it keep going?

Elisabeth first went to Creede in 2021, and wrote about Creede Repertory Theater for The New York Times. She loved the experience so much that she went back to Creede on vacation the following year (and wrote a follow-up piece). Then she went skiing at nearby Wolf Creek, but that’s another story.

On today’s podcast we welcome Creede Rep’s producing artistic director John DiAntonio and marketing director Kate Berry. They talked to us about the joys and challenges of producing true rep, how they build a season, who attends their shows, the importance of negotiation and compromise when running a company in a place like Creede — which sits at close to 9,000 feet in the San Juan mountains, about five hours from Denver.

We hear a lot of horror stories about theater these days, and it’s true that things are rough out there, but Creede Rep is a tale of perseverance, and how theater can save a town.

Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music.

This week we are proud to have David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori as our guests. Their show Kimberly Akimbo has just won five Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Score (Jeanine wrote the music, David the lyrics), Best Book (by David, based on his own play from 2000), Leading Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark) and Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan).

This isn’t this dynamic duo’s first collaboration — they did Shrek the Musical together, and yes, they tell us how that went down — and of course they have sterling résumés separately. David is a remarkable playwright (and yet, in Elisabeth’s opinion, still oddly underrated) whose Rabbit Hole won a Pulitzer and a Tony; you may also have seen Good People (which gave Frances McDormand a plum role), Fuddy Meers and Ripcord. As for Jeanine, what is left to say? Since Violet, she has built one of the most impressive track records of any 21st-century musical-theater composers, with shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change, Fun Home and Soft Power.

We loved chatting with this pair about their work process, songwriting teams and casting Kimberly Akimbo.

Some links…

Kimberly Akimbo is still playing at the Booth Theater so get tickets!

Peter reviewed Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway and talked to leads Victoria Clark and Justin Cooley.

Elisabeth talked to Lorna Courtney from & Juliet, previewed the musical Good Vibrations at Irish Arts Center, and cannot recommend the new Catherine Cohen show enough.

Exciting times on Marks & Vincentelli!

Thanks to Christian Huygen for our theme music.