General Admission Podcast

What is modern dance? This week, Margi Cole, Artistic Director of Chicago's The Dance COLEective, joins us to help Tyler understand a few ways of approaching that question. Then, Tyler and Don venture to The Storefront Theatre in downtown Chicago to see a modern dance piece that Margi created with Choreographer Peter Carpenter, Rituals of Abundance for Lean Times #14: Curious Reinventions. A mouthful, yes, but you might be suprised at how Tyler responds. This is an episode about bodies, movement, artists, audience interaction, backstage hijinx and the way language affects our movement (and vice-versa).

Henry Rollins' career is being Henry Rollins. Perhaps most known as the vocalist in American hardcore punk band Black Flag, Henry is also a widely respected author, solo performer, radio host, voice talent, film actor and now, podcast host. Don Hall calls Henry his hero, saying that if there was a magical way to become someone else, without hesitation, his choice is Rollins. This episode is about hero worship, activism, music, the future of podcasting and how an artist fuels intense rage into their art.

Kevin Allison and Lily Be are storytellers who walk up to the line of what's risky to tell and leap over it, sometimes falling flat on their faces but getting right back up to do it again. In this episode, Kevin talks about his popular podcast RISK! and how it has quite literally changed his life for the better. Lily echos his sentiments and opens up about her journey to becoming one of Chicago's Moth GrandSLAM champions. This is a conversation about the stories we tell, why we tell them and how the process of sharing your narrative can be good for the soul.

Kate Mulgrew, star of stage and screen, joins the guys this week to talk about her new memoir Born with Teeth. They talk about her extensive career on television(Star Trek, Orange is the New Black, Ryan's Hope), her life in the theatre and the triumphs and tragedies that have shaped her along the way. (Photo: Kate Mulgrew / Jill Greenberg, Netflix)

You asked and we delivered: unearthed from the General Admission archives is our interview with world-famous burlesque duo, Michlle L'Amour and Franky Vivid. Originally recorded in June of 2013, this episode was Tyler's first interview ever! It's an interesting look into the world of burlesque performance through the eyes of two of it's biggest stars!

This week, Tyler and Don share some clips from their favorite episodes of the past two years: Physical theatre performer Dean Evans, lesbian performance artist Holly Hughes, Raul Castillo from HBO's Looking and a peek inside the day they spent watching 12 hours of Greek tragedy (and lived to tell about it!). If you're a new listener, this is a great chance to get a taste of the back catalogue so that you can catch up. If you're an avid listener, this is a fun way to see how far we've come. At the end of the episode, the guys give you a chance to pick next week's episode! DEAN EVANS = http://bit.ly/1H5cWL7 HOLLY HUGHES = http://bit.ly/Sr3prY 12 HOURS OF GREEK TRAGEDY = http://bit.ly/1IKpllW RAUL CASTILLO = http://bit.ly/1BK3tp9

This week we talk to Shane Dawson, YouTube sensation, movie director and author of the memoir “I Hate Myselfie.” Shane discusses how he handles all the attention—both good and bad— that comes with 13.5 million+ YouTube subscribers, including dealing with media backlash, and being funny without making any apologies.

We sat down with the dynamic, creative, hilarious Fawzia Mirza and dug deep. Fawzia (or Kam Kardashian as she's sometimes known) tells us about her past as a lawyer, her current work as a performer across the globe, and what it's like to be a queer woman of Pakistani heritage in the world today.

On this week's episode, we try something new! The guys talk to two writer-educators about the power of words, the importance of community and what it takes to be a good educator. Reggie Eldridge writes and teaches for Chicago SLAMWorks and Young Chicago Authors/Louder Than a Bomb, among others. Bobby Biedrzycki works at the Goodman Theatre in their education department, as well as Columbia College, and tells stories for 2nd Story, one of Chicago's original "live lit" storytelling nights.

We've got an extra special episode for you this week! Tyler went to college with Steven Yeun who you can catch as Glenn on AMC's mega-hit The Walking Dead. The guys talk to Steven about what it was like to go from being just an average Chicago improv dude to one of the biggest stars in television history. Yeun also opens up about what it's like being an Asian-American actor in Hollywood and what he'd like to see change.

This week, Monica Eng and Louisa Chu from WBEZ's food podcast, Chewing the Fat, join the guys to debate whether or not food can be art. Don, as you might suspect, vehemently disagrees and Louisa, a trained chef and culinary consultant, gives him a run for his money. So does Monica, for that matter. Then, the four share fond food memories.

We sat down with the incomparable Willa Taylor, current Director of Education and Community Engagement at The Goodman Theatre and previous holder of every other job imaginable. Get ready for some stories from her fascinating life as well as a discussion of what's going on at The Goodman, theatre education, and the state of diversity in the arts today.

This week, we welcome special guests Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen, co-hosts of WBEZ's Nerdette podcast, a show that sets out to create "a safe space for nerding out about all the things you're watching, reading, listening to and encountering IRL." The guys (and ladies!) talk about lists, listicles and also manage to get in some Oscar chatter.

New season, new year, new us! Sort of. This week Don & Tyler discuss the Wachowskis, Jupiter Ascending, and seeing Chicago on the silver screen. Then, our interview with celebrated anchorman Bill Kurtis, now the voice of Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! Tune in, and get ready for some dulcet tones.

The guys come at you for a quick mini-episode and discuss the next season of General Admission -- more episodes, more voices and more insanity. Then, for Filmspotting and WBEZ superfans, the elusive (but super fantastic) "Golden" Joe DeCeault hops on the mic to wax poetic about WBEZ Podcasts.

The guys keep up the "meta" theme with Don's interview of Tyler. Mr. Greene had an extra shot of espresso before this one, so strap in: he also gets really nervous when people ask him questions about himself. Season 4 of General Admission is coming in 2 weeks -- listen to this episode and our back catalogue to catch up!

It's late but, as promised, Tyler interviewed Don and we're finally sharing it with you. Don's been a professional trumpet player, a music teacher, the manager of a massage school, an arts administrator and now he produces live events for WBEZ and hosts The Moth StorySLAMs in Chicago. He's a veritable Pandora's Box and Tyler holds nothing back in this deep dive into Don's past, present and future.

This week, it's the Season 3 finale of General Admission and the guys feature one of their best interviews yet: an in-depth exploration of the ways in which we evolve in the American theatre. Chay Yew, Artistic Director of Victory Gardens Theatre, offers up his own personal perspective and we share your thoughts on the matter too.

This week, the guys take the edge off and share what you and they are thankful for this year. One of those things is their guest, retired homicide detective turned storyteller, Jim Padar. Jim tells the guys how the national storytelling organization The Moth changed his life and how emails with his son turned into a book.

This week, Tyler and Don resurrect their "Date Night" segment wherein they take you out on the town with them for a show. WRITE Club is the focus this time: Chicago's own competitive, literary smackdown. After that, the guys get your thoughts on the best (and worst) kind of storytelling nights.