I’m happy to welcome back to the podcast theater maker Jasmine Joshua, one of the brilliant minds responsible for the new world premiere musical Here and Their, which runs at 12th Avenue Arts in Seattle from June 13th to June 28th.

I had the pleasure of working with Jasmine on the Curiouser and Curiouser production at Cafe Nordo, and they were a wonderful steward during those early days back on stage after Covid hit.

You will hear:

• How the story came to be and how the character of Sam is similar to Jasmine’s own experience (kind of)
• Why it is totally ok to burst into song on stage (If you can’t say it, sing it!)
• The importance of representation in the arts (if you see it, you can be it)
• How the casting process worked for Here and Their
• Info on the ins and outs of financing a show
• How the team was selected
• And more!

Guest Info:

Jasmine Joshua is a Seattle writer, producer, actor, and director. They are the Artistic Director of the award-winning Reboot Theatre Company whose mission is to test new interpretations of established works through nontraditional casting and design. Jasmine founded Reboot in 2014 while pregnant with twins and produced the nation's first ever all-female (at the time) production of 1776. Since its founding, Reboot has grown from a one-person operation to a nonprofit with a working board and has produced five productions, all nominated for Gregory Awards and winning several!

Links:
Website: https://www.jasminejoshua.com/aboutme

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/executive_enby/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.joshua/

Connect with Stephen:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy
Email: ser1840@gmail.com

Join the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me to discuss this year's Tony Award is my friend Raven Snook, editor in chief and digital services manager at TDF and a theater critic for Time Out New York. She is also a Drama Desk nominator, which she describes as “sort of the Golden Globes to the Oscars.”

*Note: This episode was recorded before the Tony Award show aired in June 2025

You will hear:

• Thoughts on nominations for this year’s awards
• Addressing biases within the theatre world when it comes to gendered awards
• Is it “Drag” or just playing a woman?
• Best plays to catch
• And so much more!

Guest Info:

Raven Snook is a writer, editor, performer, mom and all-around diva (in the positive sense of the word) who’s currently the Editor of Creative Content for TDF and a contributing theater critic for Time Out New York.

Raven's work has also appeared in New York Magazine, Yahoo Parenting, the New York Post, The Village Voice, Bon Appétit, Better Homes & Gardens and Parents.com, among others.

Links:

www.ravensnook.com

Connect with Stephen:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy
Email: ser1840@gmail.com

Join the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me today is Mirella Stoyanova, a Seattle-based writer, therapist and international adoptee from Bulgaria of Bulgarian and Iraqi origin. She discusses her experience growing up in a less-than-diverse environment and how she’s worked to reclaim her identity.

You’ll hear:

• How much changed when Mirella came to America
• Cultural complexities and identity
• The pressure to conform to as many conventions as possible
• Promoting cultural awareness for adoptees
• And more!

Guest Info:

Mirella Stoyanova is a writer, speaker, and therapist. Much of her early adulthood was spent healing from trauma. She became a therapist in her late twenties to use what she learned through her own healing in the service of others. She wrote a book after she realized that no amount of self-work could protect her from the inherent vulnerability of life.

Links:

Mirella’s Website: https://www.mirellastoyanova.com/

Mirella’s Therapy Website: https://www.mirellawarren.com/

Business Insider Article: https://www.businessinsider.com/my-family-cant-pronounce-my-name-correctly-2025-2

Mirella’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirellastoyanova/

Connect with Stephen:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy
Email: ser1840@gmail.com

Join the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson