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Ep 89 John Becker | Playwriting, the human condition, and producing your own work

Arts Calling is now available wherever you listen to podcasts!

Hi there,

Today I am excited to be arts calling John Becker! (jouskaproductions.com)

About our Guest: John Becker has juggled life in film, theatre, and music with teaching the arts to children and adults.

He has won three Individual Artist’s Awards from the Maryland State Arts Council. He was asked to write a play for the One-Minute Play Festival at Round House Theatre. His musical, Everything I Do, was read at the Kennedy Center, chosen for a workshop at Artist’s Bloc, and performed at the Atlas in DC to excellent reviews. He was commissioned by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in NY to co-write and co-direct the book trailer for Susan Coll’s The Stager. His play Summit Meeting was performed at the Kennedy Center for a festival, where it was awarded 1st place by audience vote.

John has had plays performed four years in a row at the Source Theatre in DC and had a play performed Off-Broadway at the Emerging Artists Theatre in New York. He has also had plays performed at the Baltimore Playwrights Festival, the Writer’s Center, Company 13, the Run of the Mill Theatre (for which they won a Greater Baltimore Theatre Award), the Human Rights Arts Festival for Amnesty International, and many others.

Enjoy some of John’s recent projects on YouTube!

The Playwright Zone 1st episode. Two men, an Israeli and a Palestinian, are trapped in an elevator in America.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd5I1dSroOw&t=8s&ab_channel=JouskaProductions

2nd episode: A woman struggling with mental health issues has a blind date: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM70EUWZc3I&t=10s&ab_channel=JouskaProductions

The Panic Room I ask two controversial questions of one left wing person and one right wing, then let them react to each other’s responses while still remaining civil. 1st episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_tRItxzWM&t=249s&ab_channel=JouskaProductions

Eugene Cheese Gets It Wrong Actress Tia Shearer Bassett and her mischievous leopard gecko, Eugene Cheese, explore fun themes, while letting kids know that it’s okay to be wrong sometimes. 1st episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mFFMcEKiTA&t=9s&ab_channel=JouskaProductions

2nd episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtNfypvuiFg&t=7s&ab_channel=JouskaProductions

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk playwriting, John! All the best and happy writing!

Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro (cruzfolio.com). If you like the show: please consider reviewing the podcast and sharing it with those who love the arts, or are starting their creative journey! Your support truly makes a difference, so check out the new website artscalling.com for the latest episodes!

Go make a dent: much love,

j

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