Michael Rice talks to some of the team behind the Oakland Opera Theatre's production of Queenie Pie, Duke Ellington's unfinished opera about the life of Madame CJ Walker, the first African-American female millionaire.

Michael Rice interviews Joyce Henderson and Richard Harder, co-founders of the theater company Off Broadway West. They are producing the show The Ladies of the Camellias, a look at a fictional meeting between two 19th-century divas.

Michael Rice talks with Isaac Lamb, the star of Defending the Caveman, a play that explores the differences in relationships from both the male and female perspective. Listen in as he tells his personal story of how men are hunters and women are gatherers.

Does a criminal court judge, who tries murder cases, have what it takes to be a musical theater star? Michael Rice has a conversation with judge, Thomas Reardon, the star of Pleasanton Playhouse's production of The Music Man.

Michael Rice interviews McKereghan and Peter Parish of RIPE Theatre about their latest play, Mimetic, an absurdist play that explores mimicry in nature and extends its principles to the human condition.

Michael Rice has a conversation with Jovelyn Richards about her solo show, Come Home currently running at The Marsh in San Francisco. Come Home follows 26 black soldiers who leave their home in rural Arkansas to fight against Germany in WWII.

Michael Rice talks with Jaime Mulligan, Co-artistic Director of Scrap and Salvage, a theater company that creates performances collaboratively, democratically and entirely in reaction to the space in which they are working.

Michael Rice interviews playwright and performer Sharon Eberhart about Savage Arts, which begins a run at The Marsh on January 18, 2008. Based on the true story of the Indian Witchcraft Trial of 1930 in Buffalo, NY, Savage Arts is the story of a naive housewife who enters a world of art, passion and Iroquois tribal lore when a French painter moves next door. His paintings of local Seneca Indians lead to a brutal crime.

Jump! Theatre tends to focus on the lives and stories of the depressed and dis-enfranchised. Definitely NOT light fare, but this company has found a niche. Cool as Hell host, Michael Rice, grills the company hard about their connection to depression and why they have decided to specialize in "Depression Theater."

Michael Rice digs down and dirty to find out what is happening with theater group Elastic Future. They are a bit strange, and one of them writes under a pseudonym and likes to wear skirts over his pants. The group talk about their latest production of Beautiful. view full episode

Trevor Allen, Director of Company Services at Theatre Bay Area and Artistic Director of Black Box Theatre, commissioned Cool As Hell to help produce his digital adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Hear talented Bay Area actors James Carpenter, Andrew Hurteau, and Paul Silverman bring the characters to life.

Tim Sudano of Alpha Omega Pictures, is a recovering theatre addict that makes films. His latest project, Second Chance, is a film that supposedly dares to be completely original. Listen in as host, Michael Rice, tries to get to find out if Sudano is the real deal.

Michael Rice talks with Nick Olivero, Artistic Director of Boxcar Theatre about the production of Big Company.Nick opens up about his process and the show.

Listen in as Michael Rice sits and raps with a Tony-nominated composer. Paul Gordon is a brilliant composer, a cheap-skate, and nerdy. Yet he is still interesting as hell.

Facing East playwright Carol Lynn Pearson sits down with host, Michael Rice, and opens up about the pain, anguish, and triumphs of having a 12-year marriage end after both her husband and religion fail to make good on the promise of change.

Leslie Martinson hasn't directed a show at Theatreworks in 7 years, even though she is a 20 year + employee. Listen as Michael Rice explores this and other topics that revolve around Theophilus North.

Ross Valley Players is producing a one man show with a twist. This one man show will be performed by 2 different actors on alternating nights. This show promises to be wild and fun. Listen in as Michael Rice discusses the creative process with cast and crew, while trying to maintain some semblance of control with a bunch of fun and rambunctious people.

Host Michael Rice visits the crazy world of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, in which all of Shakespeare's plays are performed in 2 hours by the Marin Shakespeare Company. Michael gets up close and personal with the director and 3 actors as he tries to unveil the zaniness that surrounds the play.

Host, Michael Rice, talks about the genius of 4 men: L Ron Hubbard, Nikola Tesla, Bertold Brecht, and P.T. Barnum. Listen in as Mike discusses "genius" and the transformative powers of genius (whether good or bad), psychological engineering as well as artistry.

Host Michael Rice chats it up with internationally known playwright, soloist and director John O'Keefe as he attempts to embody the spirit of Walt Whitman in the recitation of Song of Myself.

Michael Rice interviews the cast and crew of Siddhartha, The Bright Path. Two adults and a bunch of kids make up this podcast. Mischevious fun ensues.

Host Michael Rice charms the hell out of Alison Jean White and gets her to open up about her successes.