This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by Madeline Sayet, playwright, director, performer, and a powerful voice in contemporary Indigenous theatre. From her solo piece Where We Belong to her advocacy for language revitalization and decolonized storytelling, Madeline invites us into a conversation about lineage, responsibility, and crafting theatre that speaks across generations. We explore how her Mohegan identity shapes her work, why Shakespeare still matters, and how storytelling can be a form of reclamation, resistance, and radical hope.

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

This week on The Scene Podcast, we sit down with acclaimed playwright Anna Ziegler, whose work explores identity, memory, and the intimate collisions between the personal and political. From Photograph 51 to Actually and The Wanderers, Anna shares how her background in poetry shaped her voice, how she approaches ambiguity on stage, and why she’s drawn to characters who exist in tension with themselves. It’s a thoughtful, layered conversation that celebrates quiet power in theatrical storytelling.

Guest:Anna Ziegler – @icanbakecakes

Topics Covered:

• The evolution of Anna’s writing from poetry to playwriting
• Crafting morally complex characters
• The resonance of silence, subtext, and restraint
• The journey of Photograph 51 and portraying Rosalind Franklin
• Balancing emotional intimacy with large thematic questions
• How The Wanderers wrestles with faith, authorship, and connection

Anna Ziegler Plays :

• Photograph 51
• Actually
• The Wanderers
• A Delicate Ship
• Boy

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz

This week on The Scene Podcast, we’re joined by the dynamic writing duo Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy, partners in both life and theatre. Known for their sharp wit and genre-blending scripts, the pair shares how their collaborative process evolved from comedy sketches to critically acclaimed plays. We talk about teaching theatre, navigating adaptations, and what it’s really like to co-write with your spouse. Plus, we debut a brand-new segment inspired by Letterboxd’s “Four Favorite Films”, but this time, it’s all about the plays that shaped us.

Guests:

Carrie McCrossen – @carriemccrossen

Ian McWethy – @ianmcwethy

Release Date: May 17, 2025

Topics Covered:

• Writing as a duo: humor, compromise, and creative alignment
• Their approach to youth theatre and educational licensing
• Navigating tone in farce, satire, and social commentary
• Thoughts on adaptations and writing for the stage today
• Debut segment: “Four Favorite Plays”—inspiration, nostalgia, and chaos

Works Referenced:

• Bad Auditions by Bad Actors
• The Ten Best Worst Things About High School
• #Censored
• Plus, selections from their “Four Favorite Plays” list

Listen: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms

Follow Us: @thescene_news on Instagram and TikTok

The Scene Team

Leah Barker - Producer & Talent Coordinator

Justin Borak - Host

Zach Dulli - Executive Producer

KJ Lampar - Producer & Editor

Additional music and sound effects licensed through Envato Elements

LINKS

Be sure to follow The Scene Podcast on Instagram and YouTube

Subscribe to The Scene Newsletter

SPECIAL THANKS

Jennifer Isaacson

Lauren Kardos

Kent Nicholson

Jeffery Keilholtz