On this episode of Curtain Call, Tom speaks with writer and performer Ismael Loutfi to explore his deeply personal and unexpectedly layered solo show, Heavenly Baba, now playing Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse. What began as a stand-up set has evolved into a powerful piece of storytelling—one that examines family, faith, identity, and the complicated relationship between a son and his deeply devoted father.

This week on Curtain Call, Tom speaks with Paul Adams, founder and Artistic Director of Emerging Artists Theatre. From his early days in New York—experiences that inspired his solo show The Cleaning Guy—to his Off-Broadway play Doris Day: My Secret Love, Adams reflects on a career built on observation and storytelling. The conversation then turns to the work Adams has devoted more than three decades to—creating opportunities for other artists through Emerging Artists Theatre and the Spark Theatre Festival, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with performances through April 26th.

This week on Curtain Call, Tom sits down with acclaimed director Scott Ellis for an in-depth conversation that goes far beyond the résumé. From his early days as a Broadway performer to his evolution into one of the most respected directors working today, With insight drawn from productions like She Loves Me, Tootsie, and Twelve Angry Men, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it truly takes to bring a story to life on stage. The conversation also turns to Ellis’s latest work, Fallen Angels by Noël Coward, now playing in New York City.

In this deeply thoughtful episode of Curtain Call, Tom Candela sits down with playwright, director, memoirist, and Theater Three Collaborative co-founder Karen Malpede for a far-reaching conversation about a life spent exploring what theatre can be—and what it can do. From the roots of her political and poetic vision to the personal grief that shaped her memoir Last Radiance: Radical Lives, Bright Deaths, Malpede reflects on art as witness, community, and a means of staying fully present to the world. The conversation also looks ahead to her upcoming March 29 appearance at Farm Arts Collective as part of My Bookish Friends: A Literary Afternoon.

In this episode of Curtain Call, host Tom Candela takes listeners inside the rarely seen world of casting with legendary casting director Jane Jenkins. With a career spanning more than four decades and over 190 film and television projects, Jenkins helped shape the casts of iconic films such as The Princess Bride, Home Alone, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Jurassic Park. In a thoughtful and engaging conversation, she reflects on her journey from aspiring actor to one of Hollywood’s most respected casting directors, offering insight into the instinct, patience, and creative vision required to recognize talent before the world sees it.

Five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman joins Tom for an in-depth conversation about a lifetime in the theatre. From her first Broadway choreography credit on Crazy for You to her rare dual Tony win for directing and choreographing The Producers, Stroman reflects on the discipline, collaboration, and storytelling architecture that define her work. They discuss how dance advances character, how musical structure is shaped in rehearsal rooms, and what she learned about collaboration from legends like Kander & Ebb and Stephen Sondheim.

The conversation moves from the bold theatricality of The Frogs and the historical weight of The Scottsboro Boys to the genesis of Contact, born from a single image of a girl in a yellow dress on a downtown dance floor. Stroman speaks candidly about mentorship and her ongoing commitment to developing new voices in the theatre. It’s a thoughtful conversation about craft, risk, and the enduring power of musical storytelling

On this episode of Curtain Call, Tom is joined by local actress, poet, and community advocate Cass Collins for a thoughtful conversation about building a life in the theatre. From her early training in Emerson College’s BFA acting program to founding Boston’s Open Door Theatre, Cass reflects on the realities of navigating the profession beyond the classroom. The discussion explores her performances across the Sullivan Catskills, including work with Catskill Public Theater, Standing People Together, and Farm Arts Collective, her work with theatre artists such as Nick López and Tannis Kowalchuk, and the collaborative spirit that drives devised theatre in the region.

On this episode of Curtain Call, host Tom Candela welcomes director Lisa Spielman and dramaturg Loren Edelson to discuss Elmwood Playhouse’s production of The Book of Will, Lauren Gunderson’s moving and often humorous play about the race to preserve William Shakespeare’s legacy following his death. Set in 1619, the story follows Shakespeare’s friends and fellow actors as they undertake the monumental task of compiling the First Folio — the collection that saved many of his greatest works from being lost forever. Together, Tom and his guests explore the historical background of the play, the vital role of a dramaturg, the collaborative spirit of theatre-making, and how this timeless story comes to life on stage in Nyack, New York.