No Script: The Podcast

Season 2 is here!!! In this opening episode, Jackson and Jacob return to Lynn Nottage, whose work they discussed in the very first No Script episode ever. This time, J&J discuss "Ruined," the winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Based on interviews with survivors, "Ruined" is the story of several women as they attempt to navigate the treacherous waters of a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.    Content Warning: This play and this episode both contain discussions of rape and sexual violence.  ------------------------------ We want to keep the conversation going! Have you read this play? Have you seen it? Comment and tell us your favorite themes, characters, plot points, etc. Did we get something wrong? Let us know. We'd love to hear from you. Find us on social media at:  Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast   ALSO:  BRA

In their final episode of Season 1, Jackson and Jacob take on a recent Pulitzer Prize winning script - Ayad Akhtar's "Disgraced." The play follows Amir, a young lawyer looking to make partner at his firm. His wife Emily is breaking into the art world with a new collection based on Islamic forms. But Amir feels some hostility towards the Islamic heritage of his family. When an art collector friend of Emily's arrives for dinner, things really start to heat up.   After this episode, we will be taking a short break from "No Script." We will return on January 7th with our first episode of Season 2!  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.

Only two more episodes left in our first season! This week, Jackson and Jacob explore Edward Albee's classic two-hander, "The Zoo Story." Peter is out enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon when he is approached by Jerry. Their interaction makes up the whole of this long one-act. Join us as we explore human relationships and the nature of violence.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast   ALSO:  BRAND NEW PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------

Imaginary friends, ancient mythologies, modern mental medicine... these things all come together in American playwright Mary Chase's 1944 play "Harvey." This week's conversation continues the pattern of pulling from Pulitzer Prize winning scripts -  "Harvey" won in 1945. Join us as Jackson and Jacob discuss this comedic mainstay of community and educational theatre.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast   ALSO:  BRAND NEW PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast ------------

Eugene O'Neill is well known for his dark, brooking tragedies. But in their first discussion on an O'Neill play, Jackson and Jacob take on his one and only comedy: "Ah, Wilderness!" The play follows the Miller family, who are enjoying another wonderful Fourth of July holiday. Trouble brews when Richard Miller - a rebellious 16 year old - is dumped by his girlfriend Muriel and goes on a wild binge as a result. Listen in as J&J talk about O'Neill's use of natural imagery and character development.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscri

Stephen Adly Guirgis recently won a Pulitzer for his play "Between Riverside and Crazy." So to honor the prolific playwright, Jackson and Jacob head back 20 years to one of Guirgis' early plays: "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train." This piece is one of Guirgis' most well-known scripts, and its shocking, fast-paced dialogue is characteristic of the masterful American playwright. Listen in as J&J discuss the King of Titles!  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast   ALSO:  BRAND NEW PATREON

"The Laramie Project" is a fanscinating play about a tragic subject - the torture and murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. After the murder (and subsequent trial of the attackers) Moises Kaufman takes members of the Tectonic Theater Project to Laramie, Wyoming to interview community members. Their journey is what makes up the play. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob parse the pages of this staged documentary for the incredible treasures of storytelling Kaufman has masterfully woven in.    ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.insta

Is Cyrano Jacob's dream role? Does Jackson think Christian is as empty-headed as he seems? These questions and more are discussed on this week's episode of "No Script: The Podcast." The guys dive into a classic piece of Western literature - Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac."  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast   ALSO:  BRAND NEW PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------ Our theme song is “Blessed” by Purple Planet Music. Credit as follows:

CONTENT WARNING: This play/episode contains serious and lengthy discussions about mental illness and suicide.  Marsha Norman's "'night, Mother" may be one of the darkest plays discussed on "No Script" thus far. It follows the story of Jessie and her mother Thelma. They live together in a country home. One seemingly normal evening, Jessie tells Thelma that she plans to kill herself. What follows is a harrowing, gripping theatrical experience. Listen in as Jackson and Jacob try to make sense of this American tragedy.     ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.i

Amy Herzog's script 4000 Miles was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Leo has just biked across the continental United States, and experienced a life-altering tragedy along the way. His grandmother Vera lives alone in New York, and is incredibly isolated. Herzog crams these two strong-willed people together inside Vera's apartment, and what follows is a beautiful character study.  Join us this week as Jackson and Jacob try to untangle the complicated lives of Leo and Vera.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ T

The final week of Musical Month is here. And it has come too soon. Don't worry - we will definitely be doing more musicals as part of our regular programming in the near future!  Our final conversation of Musical Month is on "Next to Normal" - still one of the most popular musicals of the past 10 years. Jackson and Jacob take on the musicals complicated plot twists and deep themes.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------ Our theme song is “Blessed” by Pu

In the 2018 Tony Awards, "The Band's Visit" cleaned up. Nominated for 11 awards, it went on to win 10 of them. If you've read the script and listened to the soundtrack, it is easy to see why. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob talk about this beautiful script which self-proclaims as "not very important." Its simple stories and gorgeous, dream-like music create an enriching and inspiring experience. Join us in our conversation! ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------

Is listening to "No Script" your Monday "Traaaaaadition"? If not, this is a good Monday to cement that weekly pattern. Jackson and Jacob talk about one of the defining plays in musical theatre - Fiddler on the Roof. Revivals of this charming script continue to pop up, and it's a pretty good guess that someone (maybe a high school, maybe a community theatre) is producing Fiddler within 50 miles of you. It's popular; it's wonderful. On this week's episode, J&J talk about Russian history, prayer, and, of course, tradition.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https:/

He's young, scrappy, and hungry. He's Alexander Hamilton, and he's the subject of the smash-hit "Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda. This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob begin their venture into a 4-week series on musicals called Musical Month. Both J&J love Hamilton, and this week's conversation tends towards an hour of fan-boying. Hope you'll join us in this celebration of American history!  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------ Our theme song i

It's time for a little laughter, don't you think? This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob take on a hilarous two-hander by David Ives: "Venus in Fur." When a nervous new playwright/director holds auditons for the part of the leading lady, a wacky young actress shows up to claim the part. What happens next... comedy. Pure and simple. Join us as J&J talk about Greek mythology, classic literary metaphors, and, yes, sex.  CONTENT WARNING: This play and this conversation contain mature themes/language.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/

This week on No Script, Jackson and Jacob discuss a play by one of the titans of contemporary drama: Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing." This is the first Stoppard play to be featured on No Script, and likely the first of many. "The Real Thing" is a love story, first and foremost, but a delightfully complex one. Listen in as J&J try to untangle its knots. They talk about infidelity, art, and Stoppard's sharp wit.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------

In this week's episode of "No Script: The Podcast" Jackson hosts our first special guest - Karen Bohm Barker. Karen is a Professor of Theatre and Speech at Northwestern College as well as the Dean of Arts and Humanities. She also happens to be Jackson's mother-in-law. Karen brings a wealth of experience and insight to this script - she teaches it in one of her dramatic literature classes! Join us as Jackson and Karen dive into Jenny Laird's play "Sky Girls" which follows a group of pilots in the WWII Wasp Program.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.insta

"Topdog/Underdog" is Suzan-Lori Parks Pulitzer Prize winning play (2002). It tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, a pair of brothers whose names darkly forshadow the direction of their relationship. Join us this week as Jackson and Jacob unpack this gritty, hilarious play. They discuss three-card monte, sibling relationships, and destiny.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------ Our theme song is “Blessed” by Purple Planet Music. Credit as follows: Music

"The Clean House" is one of Sarah Ruhl's most popular plays. The script follows several stories: Lane is a doctor who discovers her husband is cheating on her; Matilde is a cleaning woman who would rather be a comedian; Ana is a free-spirited woman who is dying of cancer; Virginia is Lane's sister, and desperate for a change in her mundane life. The script has never been one of Jacob's favorites, but maybe Jackson can sway him! Listen in as J&J talk about Ruhl's use of unusual structuring and hilarious imagery.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.inst

Rajiv Joseph's play "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" is a compelling, gritty look at the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The play is set in 2003, and follows the lives of two U.S. soliders and an Iraqi translator in Baghdad. Oh, and there's a dead tiger ghost too. Join us as Jackson and Jacob try to make sense of this chaotic, violent, wierd play. They discuss PTSD, theology, and beauty in the midst of rubble.  ------------------------------ We had so much fun talking about this play, and we’d love to keep the conversation going! What were some of your thoughts if you’ve read or have seen the play? What are you favorite themes? Characters? Plot Points? Or do you disagree with us on any of our thoughts? We’d love to hear from you. Check us out on social media or email at: Email: noscriptpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/No-Script-The-Podcast-1675491925872541/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noscriptpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/noscriptpodcast ------------------------------ Our theme so