How can I listen to the DRS projects?
In addition to finding currently published works above, all the DRS projects—audio dramas, table reads, and interviews alike—will be made available on our podcast, The Sweet Tea Shakespeare Hours. You can find the Hours on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcast…basically wherever podcasts are to be found!
What’s the difference between an “audio drama” and a “table read”?
In musical terms, a Sweet Tea audio drama is like a full-blown concert and a table read is like an impromptu jam session. Both are equally delightful, but in very different ways.
Each audio drama in the DRS is rehearsed and recorded over several weeks by a company of actors using a vocal software called Audacity. After capturing all the necessary files, Claire embarks on an extensive post-production process with editor/composer Wesley Johnson. Together, Wesley and Claire select the best clips of the show’s dialogue and stitch them together. To further tingle the senses, they also couch the actors’ lines in a realistic soundscape of ambient noise, practical sound effects, stereophonics, and original period music. The final result is a wholly immersive “radio play” experience!
Table reads, on the other hand, are fun, breezy, single-day workshops. On the day of a table read, a group of actors gather on Zoom to read an entire play aloud in a one-shot. We then strip the audio from the Zoom session, polish it up, and release it as a two-part podcast so our audiences can get a taste of some lesser-known Restoration plays. Low-impact, high reward!
Who’s involved in the DRS?
The DRS is a team effort, to say the least. See below for a breakdown of the creatives involved. View the full acting company.
At the helm of the DRS is Assistant Artistic Director, Claire F. Martin. In addition to directing all eight projects in the series, Claire is responsible for adapting the scripts for audio-only performance. This often involves layering in her own original writing. She also shepherds the audio dramas through post-production and hosts the “deep dive” podcast series.
Canadian theater artist Jillian “Jill” Robinson serves as the Head of Stage Management for the DRS. Jill’s credits in the series include: THE ROVER, THE MAN OF MODE, and both parts of the Stratagem Project (Production Stage Manager). She also facilitates the Table Read Series.
Under Jill’s leadership, the Stage Management team of the DRS features Sweet Tea company member Amanda M. Rogus (Little Green Tea Instructor), staff member Allaira Bartlett-Gray (Social Media Manager), and actor/musician Emma Kelly.
Additional Creatives:
- Hannah “Rock” Roccisano (MFA, SAFD) — Assistant Director
- Wesley Johnson — Editor & Composer
- Dr. Misty Anderson — Resident Dramaturg
- Lyndsey Turner — Consultant
Full cast list:
Julian Aikens-Helford |
Simon Kaplan |
Benjamin Apple |
Tyrone Kiaku |
William R. Bartley |
Sara Linares |
Jordan Beck |
Roger Lipson |
Andreá Bellamore |
Shunté Lofton |
Michael Blackwood |
Claire F. Martin |
Kelsie Blocker |
Bernardo Mazón Daher |
Siena Brown |
Laura J. Parker |
Samantha Cadieux |
Kelsey Petersen* |
Edmond Clark |
Laurice Roberts |
Robbie Diaz |
Jillian Robinson |
Sarah Duttlinger English |
Amanda M. Rogus |
Jesse Farmer |
Ronald Román-Meléndez |
Cassie Jo Fastabend |
Jamie Sanders* |
Timothy R. Fitch |
Tenneh Gbeh Sillah |
Duncan Gallagher |
Alexandra Stroud |
Emily Garrison |
Cheleen Sugar-Ducksworth |
Caroline Haroldson |
Patrick Teed |
Bryson David Hoff |
Claire Wittman |
What’s the R/18 Collective, and how is it connected to Sweet Tea Shakespeare?
A: The R/18 Collective is “a group of international scholars committed to dramaturgical knowledge in the service of theatre makers and other researchers.”
Co-founded by Dr. Misty Anderson, a dramaturgical consultant of the DRS, the R/18 serves as both a dramaturgical resource and a platform for visibility in academia. During the rehearsal process for THE ROVER, both Dr. Anderson and PhD candidate Ziona Kocher observed a run-through of the production, after which they offered dramaturgical notes and gave a presentation to the cast on the sexual politics and cultural moors of Aphra Behn’s writing.
Visit explore the R/18’s full digital archive.
What if I’d rather see actors’ faces?
In addition to podcasting the DRS plays, Sweet Tea Shakespeare is delighted to offer series of Zoom performances in which you can watch the actors directly!
Visit our tickets page to purchase tickets to upcoming productions.
How can I learn more about the DRS?
The best place to start if you’re interested in exploring the DRS is to check out our podcast, The Sweet Tea Shakespeare Hours, where you’ll find a collection of two-part interviews with Assistant Artistic Director Claire F. Martin and various artists and scholars involved in the project. These Deep Dives cover everything from English history to show-specific dramaturgy to the best way to parse Restoration text.
If you’d like to connect with Claire directly, you can email her at cmartin@sweetteashakespeare.com.
If you’d like to observe a rehearsal, you can email Jillian Robinson at jillianrobinson@gmail.com.