Oh, the Drama!

About Oh, the Drama!

David Geffen School of Drama at Yale celebrates its centennial with a ten-episode podcast exploring 100 years of the extraordinary productions, sensational student stories, triumphs, and challenges that have shaped the iconic institution we know today. Join host Courtney B. Vance as artists across all disciplines taught at the Geffen School show us what it takes to put on a show.

Publisher

David Geffen School of Drama at Yale

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 May 2026

Latest episode

22 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Jul 2026

   Curtain Call: “The Means to an End”

   Past, present, and future… After diving deep into the eight unique disciplines that make up the David Geffen School of Drama, this final episode brings them all together to look to the next hundred years. What are the greatest challenges facing the Geffen School and the arts community writ large, and what is there to be hopeful about? This episode features a roundtable conversation between former dean Stan Wojewodski, Jr., outgoing dean James Bundy, and incoming dean Evan Yionoulis. *** This episode features Shaminda Amarakoon (‘12, Faculty), James Bundy (‘95, Former Faculty), Erin Carney, Liz Diamond (Faculty), Anna Glover (Faculty), Riccardo Hernandez (‘92, Faculty), Christian Killada (‘25), Victoria McNaughton (‘26), Kay Perdue Meadows (‘09, Faculty), Chantal Rodriguez (Faculty), Sarah Ruhl (Faculty), Catherine Sheehy ('92, D.F.A. '99, Faculty), Jennifer Tipton (Former Faculty), Stan Wojewodski, Jr. (Former Faculty), Evan Yionoulis (Faculty), and Kim Zhou (‘24). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. *** Recordings used from Scenes from Court Life; or the whipping boy and his prince  by Sarah Ruhl (2016), Bellville (2011), The House Will Not Stand (2014), Fences (1985), and Indecent by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Destyne R. Miller, performed at the opening of A Century on Stage exhibit at the Haas Arts Library.

2. 

   15 Jul 2026

   Acting: “A Life On Stage”

   Behind the glitz and glamor, the craft of acting requires intense vulnerability and connection. The embarrassment of an audition, the humiliation of clown class, the yielding to a character’s emotional landscape… actors fight through it all to get to the heart of human experience. Actors like HBO’s The Pitt star Patrick Ball, four-time Oscar-winner Frances McDormand, and Tony-nominated Juliana Canfield explain why it’s actually not about those awards and accolades – it’s about the story and the craft. *** This episode features Patrick Ball (‘22), Juliana Canfield (‘17), Samuel Douglas (‘24), Frances McDormand (‘82), Francisco Morandi Zerpa (‘26), Liev Schrieber (‘92), Ron Van Lieu (Emeritus Faculty), and Tamilla Woodard (‘02, Faculty). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. *** August Wilson's Fences (https://yalerep.org/productions/fences-6/) premiered at Yale Rep in 1985, directed by Lloyd Richards and starring Courtney B. Vance ('86) and James Earl Jones. Other shows referenced include The Three Sisters (https://issuu.com/yalerep/docs/threesisters_program) by Anton Chekhov and directed by Joan MacIntosh (2016) and The Three Sisters (https://issuu.com/yalerep/docs/three_sisters_david_geffen_school_of_drama_2025) directed by Joan MacIntosh again in 2025. The Play That Goes Wrong (https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/14790-the-play-that-goes-wrong-tickets) is currently running at New World Stages starring Sam Douglas (‘24) as Max.

3. 

   8 Jul 2026

   Dramaturgy & Dramatic Criticism: “Think Like a Critic”

   Critics can get a bad rap amongst artists. But imagine having a critic with savvy research skills and extensive knowledge of theater history at your side throughout production to help make your show the best it can be. Learn how Oscar-winning actor Frances McDormand, HBO showrunner Rolin Jones, and Bad Robot Productions executive Rachel Rusch Rich have each been influenced by dramaturgs, and how dramaturgs’ keen analytical abilities sometimes lead to incredible discoveries... *** This episode features Marcus Gardley (‘04, Faculty), Eric Glover (Faculty), Rolin Jones (‘04), James Magruder ('88, D.F.A. '92), Thando Mangcu (‘27), Nia Robinson (‘27), Rachel Rusch Rich (‘05, D.F.A. ‘08), and Catherine Sheehy ('92, D.F.A. '99). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. *** Clip used from the Columbia Masterworks recording of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1957), directed by Herbert Berghof. Recordings: Paul Walsh at the meet and greet for Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of ⁠Hedda Gabler⁠ (https://yalerep.org/about/press/press-room-hedda-gabler/) (2026) directed by James Bundy; and backstage of ⁠King Lear (La Noche Llegará) (https://dgsd-tickets.yale.edu/26917/26980)⁠, a Shakespeare Repertory Project production adapted by Héctor Flores Komatsu and Thando Mangcu and directed by Héctor Flores Komatsu. Other shows referenced include the Yale Repertory Theatre production of Zora Neale Hurston’s ⁠Spunk (https://yalerep.org/productions/spunk/)⁠ (2025), the 2024 David Geffen School of Drama production of Jordan Cooper’s play Ain’t No Mo (https://yaledailynews.com/articles/aint-no-mo-arrives-at-yale-a-bold-satire-on-black-identity-in-america) directed by Kemar Jewel (‘25), and Berkeley Rep’s production of Macbeth (https://playbill.com/article/oscar-and-tony-winner-will-take-on-lady-macbeth-in-berkeley-rep-season-com-352945) (2016) directed by Daniel Sullivan.

4. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Technical Design & Production: “...Made Possible”

   Ideas are one thing. Reality is another.  It takes tools, materials, and feats of engineering for clever people to translate those ideas into 3D reality on stage. TD&P students confront ever-changing technologies and unchanging laws of physics. They translate artistic concepts into tangible production elements, keeping teams safe onstage and backstage as they do. *** This episode features Shaminda Amarakoon (Faculty), David Budries (Former Faculty), Shannon Dodson (‘26), Ella Egan (‘28), Anna Glover (Faculty), Jennifer McClure (Faculty), Jon Reed (‘07, Faculty), Anthony Robles (‘26), Meredith Wilcox (‘27), and Jennifer Yuqing Cao (‘26). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. *** Learn more from Jen McClure by reading her book Bloody Brilliant: How to Develop, Execute, and Clean Up Blood Effects for Live Performance (https://bookshop.org/p/books/bloody-brilliant-how-to-develop-execute-and-clean-up-blood-effects-for-live-performance-jennifer-mcclure/9a4771649c69c5ef?ean=9780367427351&next=t). Recordings featured from Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Furlough’s Paradise (https://yalerep.org/productions/furloughs-paradise/) (2026) directed by abigail jean-baptiste. Other shows referenced include Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Arcadia (https://news.yale.edu/videos/scenes-yale-reps-arcadia) (2014) directed by James Bundy and the 2017 David Geffen School of Drama production of Death of Yazdgerd (https://news.yale.edu/2017/12/01/tale-emperors-murder-unfolds-school-dramas-death-yazdgerd) directed by Shadi Ghaheri (‘17).

5. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Design: "The Impossible..."

   Sets. Lighting. Costumes. Sound. Projections. Designers create everything you see and everything you hear at the theater. What goes into bringing impossible worlds to life on stage? And what happens when there is no stage? *** This episode features Oana Botez (Faculty), Jill BC Du Boff (Faculty), Wendall K. Harrington (Faculty), Riccardo Hernández (‘92), Donald Holder (‘86, Faculty), Camilla Tassi (‘22), Jennifer Tipton (Former Faculty), Michael Yeargan (‘72, Faculty), and Jennifer Yuqing Cao (‘26). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. - Recordings featured from Yale Repertory Theatre’s productions of Battle of Black and Dogs (https://yalerep.org/productions/battle-of-black-and-dogs-8/) (2010) and Rhinoceros (https://yalerep.org/productions/rhinoceros/) (2026).

6. 

   10 Jun 2026

   Stage Management: "All the Wheel's a Stage"

   The show must go on! Or must it…? After the director and the designers all leave and the house lights go down, the theater is the stage manager’s domain. They’re an air traffic controller and flight attendant in one. And without them, a production can quickly go south. When glass shatters on stage, when the stage floor must stay a spotless white night after night, when the director is re-blocking the show all the way up to opening night, how does the stage manager keep the plane in the air? *** This episode features Narda E. Alcorn (‘95, Faculty), Payton Gunner (‘27), A.K. Howard (‘13), Taylor Oliva (‘28), and Ben Pfister (‘17, Faculty). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘26). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat: - Recordings from backstage of King Lear (La Noche Llegará) (https://issuu.com/yalerep/docs/king_lear_la_noche_llegar_david_geffen_school_o?fr=xKAE9_zMzMw), a Shakespeare Repertory Project production adapted by Héctor Flores Komatsu and Thando Mangcu and directed by Héctor Flores Komatsu. Other shows referenced include the 2025 David Geffen School of Drama production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses (https://issuu.com/yalerep/docs/les_liaisons_dangereuses_david_geffen_school_of_d?fr=xKAE9_zMzMw), directed by Destyne R. Miller, and the 2026 Yale Repertory Theatre production of Hedda Gabler (https://yalerep.org/about/press/press-room-hedda-gabler/), directed by James Bundy.

7. 

   3 Jun 2026

   Directing: "It's Alive!"

   What makes a good director? Bringing a play to life from the page to the stage is the spiritual work of a lifetime. Follow Yale directors as they unearth life in a text, inspire and guide actors’ performances, and translate visions from imagination to reality. Plus, hear the story of a subversive take on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew starring a young Lupita Nyong'o (‘12). *** This episode features Lileana Blain-Cruz (‘12, Former Faculty), Jasmine Brooks (‘26), Tess Cruz (‘28), Liz Diamond (Faculty), Ethan Heard (‘13, YC ‘07, Former Faculty), and incoming dean Evan Yionoulis. *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon. Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat. Live recordings from the Yale Repertory Theatre productions of Zora Neale Hurston’s Spunk (https://yalerep.org/productions/spunk/) (2025) and Jasmine Brooks's Directors’ Thesis Production of Aleshea Harris’s Is God Is (https://yaledailynews.com/articles/fire-fury-and-sisterhood-in-drama-school-production-is-god-is) (2026).

8. 

   27 May 2026

   Theater Management: "The People Industry"

   Art shapes culture, so theater managers are often at the forefront of change. That’s because the business of theater is the business of people, from the cast and crew to the audience. At DGSD, students craft AI policy, uphold institutional promises of anti-racism, and shape the theater landscape. In this episode, Carmen Morgan gets a call from Dean James Bundy. DGSD was about to change. *** This episode features Josh Borenstein (‘02, Faculty), Raekwon Fuller (‘27), Chloe Knight (’24), Reynaldi Lindner Lolong (‘13), Shaunda Miles McDill (‘04), Carmen Morgan (Faculty), and Maya Simon (‘28). Read about Carmen’s organization Arts Equity (https://artequity.org/) and learn more about Phamaly (https://phamaly.org/), the Denver-based theater where Raekwon did his fellowship. *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon (‘27). Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/doug-organ/surf-turf License code: YOO2VOFWQZI7VRY8 https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/dancing-in-kotor License code: E3IOIDD2YQMHPGW9 https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/dancing-in-kotor License code: E3IOIDD2YQMHPGW9 https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/gossip License code: ZKFGQMFJTV7FHCHD https://uppbeat.io/t/future-forests/tides License code: UOPWWXASTQK15FAH https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/to-valhalla License code: DYHO2ZI4VF8ZEHO7 https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/spread-the-light License code: FJFZJAPL7ZXZOMGN https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/mind-maps License code: GWNDNDHJBGBW5REK https://uppbeat.io/t/anthem-falls/polaroid-memoirs License code: OBRD3QUMOE3QYVNS https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/magical-playground License code: ZLXGS49T5QNSP1JW https://uppbeat.io/t/the-magical-egg/creeping-around-absurdly License code: MT0JZARJNTR4OKTM https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/marshmallow License code: 18FE7SJWRGBWVFHL

9. 

   20 May 2026

   Playwriting: "A Work in Progress"

   A good script  is powerful: it can change hearts and open minds. The secret? Playwriting is a team sport. Learn how Yale playwrights like Sarah Ruhl, Marcus Gardley, and Interview with a Vampire showrunner Rolin Jones use workshopping and collaboration to sharpen their scripts and hone their artistic voices. *** This episode features Emily Breeze (‘26), Marcus Gardley (‘04, Faculty), Rolin Jones (‘04), Nia Robinson (‘27), and Sarah Ruhl (Faculty). *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon. Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Upbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/floor-model/hogeweyk License code: WYYEPPFXBWCZQKEZ https://uppbeat.io/t/aura-classica/also-sprach-zarathustra License code: A3TWWW9HPGALRLUF https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/particles-and-waves License code: CDWT3UCCF4WMT29Y https://uppbeat.io/t/aura-classica/summer-the-four-seasons-vivaldi License code: K75THUY0SYZUAFFJ https://uppbeat.io/t/aura-classica/dance-of-the-hours-ponchielli License code: TDCPTJTTGAZWSNEH https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/lovely-waltz License code: YEQHKB6X2XQZVGIT https://uppbeat.io/t/aura-classica/eine-kleine-nachtmusik-mozart License code: CRMMKRH2GKJRSJJS https://uppbeat.io/t/theo-gerard/impressionist License code: SMBRMLKLWUMNHY6U https://uppbeat.io/t/airstream/bashin-it License code: YEY2CZAJPRJCOVV8 https://uppbeat.io/t/the-magical-egg/creeping-around-absurdly License code: WLPOLX15GB9NEMNH https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/planting-seeds License code: QJNDMRPLBXAZNDKT https://uppbeat.io/t/aura-classica/vienna-blood-waltz-johann-strauss-ii License code: GSESNBWD51HKSHG3 https://uppbeat.io/t/aaron-paul-low/chopin-nocturne-no-2-in-e-flat License code: WFXSR3OPXOUPPF1R

10. 

    13 May 2026

    Opening Night: "Revolution is Always in the Air"

    Change is a constant at Yale's David Geffen School of Drama. Legendary leaders, restless students, and a midnight meeting that led to the birth of Yale Repertory Theatre - this is the story of how DGSD became what it is, as told by actor Courtney B. Vance ('86). *** This episode features James Magruder ('88, D.F.A. '92), Catherine Sheehy ('92, D.F.A. '99), and Irene Lewis ('66). Read James's book The Play's the Thing: Fifty Years of Yale Repertory Theatre (https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300215007/the-plays-the-thing/) for more on Yale's theatrical past, and be on the lookout for Catherine's upcoming book for a comprehensive history of the school. *** Oh, the Drama! is written, produced, and edited by Zachary Goldberg and Isabel Robertson. Executive producers are Jill BC Du Boff and James Bundy. Episode art by Kiki Gordon. Original music by James Harrison Monaco. Additional music from Uppbeat: Puzzle Pieces, Albert Behar Hidden Signs, Soundroll Ticking Tension, Albert Behar Don't Misbehave, Soundroll Fantasia, Monument Music Complex World, All Good Folks Gravity of Us, DADA Alpenglow, Hvegel

11. 

    2 May 2026

    Trailer: Oh, the Drama!

    Celebrate 100 years on stage with an original ten-part podcast from David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Host Courtney B. Vance ('86) takes you behind the curtain, exploring how the Geffen School has trained a century of artists across theatrical disciplines. Hear sensational student stories, learn from Geffen School faculty, and listen to award-winning alumni reminisce on Oh, the Drama! The first episode is out soon.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

11 ratings