Hey Playwright

Tori and Mabelle talk with Dominican-American playwright, screenwriter, and director Marco Antonio Rodriguez, whose unconventional path took him from New York to Florida and Dallas, with a boost from Carmen Rivera and a pivotal reading with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre led by Miriam Colón. The conversation traces how writing in Spanish—once something he resisted—ultimately opened the doors to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and productions at Repertorio Español, The Goodman, and The Old Globe. Marco shares hard-earned wisdom about wearing many hats and trusting collaborators. He reminds us that show business is, above all, a business—one that demands grace, flexibility, and integrity, and a deep respect for the collaborative process of making theater.

In the Hey Playwright season 7 premiere, Tori and Mabelle chat with Keiko Green about how shifting power dynamics create compelling drama–and how she seeks to craft plays to keep audiences leaning in, hungry for what’s next. Keiko shares about writing juicy roles for actors, her approach to collaborating with directors and dramaturgs, and the play that opened the door to her TV writing career. She also discusses the fine line between helpful notes and creative overreach, the importance of playfulness and trust in the rehearsal room, and creating theatrical experiences that feel like unforgettable events.

Hello, playwrights! Big news—our full-length episodes are making a comeback this summer! Until then, we’re excited to bring you Thank You Five, a series of short, slice-of-life episodes. In our first segment, we’re hanging outside the Old Globe Theatre for the Powers New Voices Festival 2025 to see the staged reading of Marco Antonio Rodriguez’s adaptation of Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Plus, we dive into Sarah Greenman’s phenomenal new book and, as always, send you off with a fresh writing prompt to spark your creativity. Stay tuned, and happy writing!

In this two-part season finale, Tori and Mabelle talk with the extraordinary Steven Dietz about his 40+ years in the theater. He shares how his 11 years of directing workshops and readings of new plays served as his grad school, teaching him how the theater works in space. He shares tactics and tools of the craft, including his idea of plays as alive (The Living Play), the importance of inviting scrutiny, why inspiration is a con, how victories can be complicated, and his strategies for talkbacks.

In this two-part season finale, Tori and Mabelle talk with the extraordinary Steven Dietz about his 40+ years in the theater. He shares how his 11 years of directing workshops and readings of new plays served as his grad school, teaching him how the theater works in space. He shares tactics and tools of the craft, including his idea of plays as alive (The Living Play), the importance of inviting scrutiny, why inspiration is a con, how victories can be complicated, and his strategies for talkbacks.