Playing on Air

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PLAYING ON AIR FULL EPISODES (53 Minutes)
Playing on Air records short plays written, directed and performed by theatrical luminaries - Timothée Chalamet, Michelle Williams, Frankie Faison, Hank Azaria, Audra McDonald, Jonathan Groff, Adam Driver, Brian Cox...  Listeners enjoy a beginning, middle and knock-out punch in minutes. Plus, after hearing the actors perform, listeners essentially join the scene as all the artists converse with host, Claudia Catania, about what just went down.

The topics of these short plays are timely, engaging, humorous, and reflect the issues of our world today. Pulitzer, Tony, and Emmy award winning playwrights, as well as dynamic newcomers, write pieces that, like all great theater, entertain, illuminate, and humanize.
 
Each short is about 10-25 minutes and there are one, two or three of them on every 53-minute offering. Original music and polished, subtle sound design are composed for every bite-sized and beautifully crafted piece.  (Single plays of various short lengths are available from our Playing on Air Singles Series).


THE CRITICS, PROGRAM DIRECTORS, AND ARTISTS WEIGH IN

"An answered prayer for anyone who craves more theater in their life." -Emma Dibdin, The New York Times
 
"In the long-running podcast series Playing on Air, sterling actors sink their teeth into short plays by the country’s finest authors" -Elisabeth Vincentelli, The New Yorker
 
"Playing on Air increases the accessibility of quality theatre to theatre-hungry audiences" -Ruthie Fierberg, Playbill

Playing On Air is a great addition to our programming lineup. There’s nothing else like it on the public radio airwaves  –short plays written and performed by well-known actors and directors. Take a break from the news!” -Catie Talarski, Senior Programming Director, WNPR Connecticut
 
"When I first sampled Playing on Air I thought our audience would like the program, so I scheduled it during the summer and asked for listener feedback. The most amazing feedback returned with almost 100 % positive about this program.  This is not typical of our listeners!  This is a gem worth your review and absolutely worth adding to your schedule.  Try it!  You'll love the response! What's left to say?  Playing on Air is a public radio winner."  -  Lynne Clendenin, Program Director, OPB Radio
  
 "The playwrights and the actors are award-winning first-rate professionals you will have heard of. Because the plays are short, there's time to include insightful interviews, usually with the playwrights, in each broadcast. Playing on Air definitely fills a gap in available radio theatre programming and I'm delighted to schedule them. Your audiences will love these shows." - Linda Lopez McAlister, Producer, KUNM's Radio Theatre, Albuquerque, NM

"Playing on Air is the kind of show that should be multiplied by ten - it's fun, it's intelligent, and it reminds us how glorious radio can be." - David Ives, playwright

"Playing on Air gives actors the thrilling experience of acting without having to look in a mirror first. They produce dramatically compelling radio in a fun and accessible way." - Jesse Eisenberg, actor, playwright

 

 
We offer two different series:  
PLAYING ON AIR FULL-LENGTHS [53-minute offerings of 1, 2 or 3 short plays followed by conversation] and 
PLAYING ON AIR SINGLES [a module version of the program with one play followed by one conversation, 10-42 minutes]. 





 

Series

Caption: Playing on Air
53 Pieces

Playing on Air delivers recordings of contemporary short plays featuring top talent: Brian Cox, Audra McDonald, Timothee Chalamet, Michelle Williams, Jesse Eisenberg, Carol Kane, Adam Driver, Adepero Oduye, Danny DeVito to name a few. Each short is about 10-25 minutes and there are one, two or three of them in every 53-minute episode. Original music and polished, subtle sound design are composed for every bite-sized but beautifully crafted piece. After hearing each short play, listeners get the inside scoop from its participants. Lively, insightful conversation with each short's playwright, director and cast about what just happened, round out each show. Claudia Catania hosts. The topics of these short plays are timely, and reflect the world we live in now. Like all great stories, these short plays entertain, illuminate, and humanize. Writers and directors include Pulitzer Prize winners David Lindsay-Abaire, David Auburn, John Patrick Shanley, Beth Henley, Lynn Nottage, Donald Margulies, Lanford Wilson; Tony winners Christopher Durang, Warren Leight, John Guare, and notable emerging talent.

Series image
61 Pieces

Playing on Air records short plays written, directed and performed by theatrical luminaries - Timothée Chalamet, Michelle Williams, Frankie Faison, Hank Azaria, Audra McDonald, Jonathan Groff, Adam Driver, Brian Cox... Listeners enjoy a beginning, middle and knock-out punch in minutes. Plus, after hearing the actors perform, listeners essentially join the scene as all the artists converse with host, Claudia Catania, about what just went down. The Single Series is a module version of the full-length Playing on Air Series. It features a single short play followed by lively conversation with its playwright, director, cast. The times given include the ensuing conversation although the play can, of course, stand alone.


Pieces

Caption: Molly Bernard
NON-ROMCOM features two short plays by young female playwrights. Both Patricia Cotter's RULES OF COMEDY and Chiara Atik's 52ND TO BOWERY TO COBBLE ...

Bought by KUNM


  • Added: Mar 21, 2019
  • Length: 53:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Jim Dale
The beloved narrator of the Harry Potter audiobooks, Jim Dale stars in a wickedly clever whodunit from short play master David Ives.

  • Added: Oct 10, 2018
  • Length: 29:33
Piece image
With one hop of the fence, a star-crossed lover (Emmy nominee Rupert Friend) storms back into the life of the married woman (Golden Globe winner Mi...

  • Added: Sep 25, 2018
  • Length: 29:18
Caption: American Horror Story's Denis O'Hare, Credit: FX Networks
Denis O’Hare (“American Horror Story”, Tony winner for Take Me Out), and Kristine Nielsen (Tony nominee for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) st...

Bought by Connecticut Public (WNPR) and KUNM


  • Added: Aug 10, 2018
  • Length: 53:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Susie Essman of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Jim Dale and Susie Essman star in HOLY MOLY, two short comedies by Alan Zweibel and David Ives. In PLAYING GOD, a divine comedy from SNL's Alan Zw...

Bought by KZYX, Connecticut Public (WNPR), Connecticut Public (WNPR), Prairie Public, and KUNM


  • Added: Jun 29, 2018
  • Length: 53:00
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Michael Stuhlbarg, Credit: Daniel Bergeron
Starring Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name) and Amy Ryan (Gone, Baby, Gone). In Closing Costs by Arlene Hutton, a real estate broker hits thr...

  • Added: Mar 01, 2018
  • Length: 23:17
Caption: Jane Alexander
Staring Jane Alexander and Peter Jacobson. In THE HELPERS by Cusi Cram, a former client steps up to help his therapist after seeing her talking to...

  • Added: Mar 01, 2018
  • Length: 29:23
Caption: Vernon Baker
First Lieutenant Vernon Baker received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II, April 1945, near Viareggio, in Tuscany, Italy and Ca...

  • Added: Mar 01, 2018
  • Length: 34:20
Caption: John William Finn
Chief Petty Officer John William Finn was stationed at Naval Base Kaneohe Bay on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was att...

Bought by 'The Sea'


  • Added: Mar 01, 2018
  • Length: 18:46
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Lucy DeVito
In 1933, a young Jewish immigrant returns to his Polish hometown in search of a wife and sets his sights on Chava, a savvy shopgirl. Written by Car...

Bought by KZYX, KZYX, and KUER


  • Added: Feb 28, 2018
  • Length: 18:21
  • Purchases: 3