Lessons from the Stage
Welcome to Lessons from the Stage, a podcast about the people, experiences, surprises, and lessons that come from a life in theater. Hosted by author and longtime theater founder and director Gary Scarpa, Lessons from the Stage features conversations with the people who have helped make live theater such a powerful and memorable part of our lives. Actors, directors, teachers, writers, designers, and others share stories about the productions they've been part of—and how those experiences have impacted their lives, no matter what career paths they may have chosen. Whether you've spent decades onstage or simply love sitting in the audience, there's a story here for you.
Episodes
I met Brett Boles when he was only a rising ninth grader and appeared as Friedrich in our production of The Sound of Music we directed here in Shelton. Little did we know, at the time, what a versatile talent he would become and what a remarkable human being. He would go on to perform in many of our productions well into his adulthood. In this episode, we talk about his years performing with us, and he even composes a jingle for my...
Today’s guest is Alexa Wild who talks about her experiences on the stage, from her early auditions when she was cut to landing a lead role in Anything Goes to starting and abandoning a degree in acting to eventually becoming a director herself. It's an inspiring success story of how a shy girl found a home in the theater and thrived on the stage! You’re going to love Alexa’s story!
In episode 3, Gary chats with Michael Pereira who, when he auditioned for his first play, sang badly off pitch and didn’t appear able to match a single note on the piano. But through a love for performance, tireless commitment and hard work, and what he calls “carzy” courage, Michael went on to work in the professional theater, open his own performance school in Paris, and sing in night clubs in New York and Paris...
Today’s guest is Dartmouth Dean of Admission, Lee Coffin, who appeared in Scarpa directed productions between the ages of 14 and 24. Enjoy Lee’s conversation with Gary and Francesca Scarpa, as he remembers some of his funniest as well as his most meaningful experiences on the stage. We know you’ll love hearing about how a small town boy felt his experiences on the stage led him to success in the Ivy League!
We kno...
My first guest is Brenda Zaprzalka, an actor who was there at the beginning of our directing careers—and who appeared in the first plays of two theater companies my wife and I would go on to found. Now, as my first podcast guest, Brenda and I look back at those early days, the first steps that led to much more, and the people and experiences that made those years memorable. Because in theater, as in life, “firsts”...
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