This is a Classic: The Expand the Canon Theatre Podcast

If you’re looking to explore the transactional nature of relationships when status is on the line… consider this tender-hearted hilarious romp complete with gossip, political intrigue, and romantic complications. Social prestige and customs maintain the delicate ecosystem that is the royal court, but when Moncade, the King’s sensitive and widely beloved favorite, is cast out, chaos ensues. As Moncade reckons with his status, the courtiers around him scheme to advance their own agendas using witty prose and undeniably shady tactics. With themes of inner beauty, integrity, and finding meaning within the ordinary, Le Favori calls into question our social ties and asks us what it means to truly value friendship.Hosted by Skye Pagon and Gagarin.Scene by Dorothea Gloria and Samanthia Nixon.Dramaturgy by Sierra RosettaSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-is-a-classic-the-expand-the-canon-theatre-podcast/donations

If you’re looking for a lush, poetic drama with a powerhouse queer heroine and an intersectional view of indigeneity… consider this moving piece from an eminent Chicana dramatist. Josefa is a pillar of her rural community - unflappable, benevolent, formidable, respected. Why then is there a fresh bloodstain on her floor? As the rest of the village women gather for a ritual to find husbands, Josefa is trapped in her house, frantically trying to prevent her secret from being revealed. This play is a harrowing, verdant exploration of the creation and keeping of a queer utopia, and what it costs to protect it. Capturing the poetry and cultural interrogation of Tennessee Williams with a distinctly feminist viewpoint, Day of the Swallows examines the secrets we’re forced to keep and the lengths we go to hide them.Hosted by Gagarin and Skye Pagon.Dramaturgy by James La Bella.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-is-a-classic-the-expand-the-canon-theatre-podcast/donations

If you’re looking for a whirling political drama centering a mother’s feminist awakening… consider this dreamlike exploration of familial ties and civic responsibility. Nearly two years after the killing of her son, Sujata continues to struggle with his involvement in the uprising that resulted in his death. She embarks on a journey to understand her son and in doing so comes to recognize her own oppression as a mother, wife, and woman. Reminiscent of Brecht’s The Mother, this powerful and deeply human play examines grief, love, and the cost of revolution.Hosted by Gagarin and Kalina KoMonologue by Shubhra PrakashSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-is-a-classic-the-expand-the-canon-theatre-podcast/donations

If you’re looking for an irreverent class comedy featuring a gritty female lead… consider this romp of mistaken identities by the 18th century master of dialogue, Hannah Brand. The willful and mischievous Adelinda is set to marry the wealthy Count D’Olstain – much to her weary parents’ relief. The only problem – Adelinda is already secretly married to a lowly servant! Schemes and mistaken identities abound, lost children are returned, and some snooty parents get a rightful scolding in this comical and quippy caper about the lengths we go to for a happily ever after. Hosted by Emily Lyon and Kalina Ko.Edited by Steven BaekScene Performed by Madeline Egan Addis and Desireé BaxterSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-is-a-classic-the-expand-the-canon-theatre-podcast/donations