Steven Hunt

UAA Department of Music Professor Mari Hahn had an idea of creating an all-new version of the classic tale Hansel and Gretel using Englebert Humperdinck's music with a new libretto that set the story in Alaska. Her efforts have come to fruition with the production of Aklaq and Nayak, An Alaskan Native Adaptation of Hansel and Gretel performing this weekend at the UAA Fine Arts Building Recital Hall. Aklaq and Nayak is a co-production between the UAA Department of Music and Anchorage Opera. Mari and Edward Washington II (who plays "Goblin Witch") come by Stage Talk this week to talk about the production. KSKA: Friday, December 11 at 2:45pm Download Audio 

Valley Performing Arts is presenting Julian Wiles' heart-warming comedy Fruitcakes and Dave Nufer ("Mack Morgan") from the show drops by Stage Talk this week to talk about how it's going. Fruitcakes runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 and Sundays at 2:00 through December 20th. KSKA: Friday, December 4 at 2:45pm Download Audio

Frances Hodgson Burnet's popular novel The Secret Garden has been made into numerous movies, a musical and also a straight play adapted by playwright Sylvia Ashby. Anchorage Community Theatre is presenting Ashby's version as their holiday show from November 20 until December 20 with curtain at 7:00pm Thursday-Saturday and 3:00pm on Sundays. Join Director David Block and ACT's Executive Director Sara Athans this week on Stage Talk to find out all about it. KSKA: Friday, Nov. 20, at 2:45 p.m. Listen now:

Providence Hospice is trying something new with its goal of providing important information about Advance Health Care Directives: a play. Playwright Bryan Harnetiaux has written a trilogy of end-of-life plays and one of these plays, Dusk (currently performing in various venues around the Anchorage area) concerns Gil (played by local actor Bill Cotton) who is facing those final decisions with his family. Laced with humor and pathos, Dusk goes into the community rather than performs in a theatre. This week on Stage Talk, Providence Hospice Program Director Pat Dooley and Volunteer Coordinator Vanessa Salinas come by to discuss the play and its positive affect. KSKA: Friday, Nov. 13 at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

The University of Anchorage Alaska Department of Theatre and Dance is presenting its annual Fall Dance Concert called UAA Dance in Performance and Director Brian Jeffrey and Choreographer/Dancer Katie O'Loughlin drop by Stage Talk this week to let us in on what they'll be offering. UAA Dance in Performance runs November 5-8 in the Harper Studio Theatre in the Fine Arts Building on the campus of UAA. KSKA: Friday, Nov. 6, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Jon Robin Baitz's finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Other Desert Cities is currently playing at Cyrano's Theatre Company and Director Shelly Wozniak and actor Gigi Lynch drop by Stage Talk this week to clue us in to how it's been going. Other Desert Cities continues through Nov. 15. KSKA: Friday, Oct. 30, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Stage director David Lefkowich and conductor Brian DeMaris from Anchorage Opera's production of George Bizet's once scandalous opera Carmen drop by Stage Talk this week. Carmen performs in the Discovery Theatre October 23, 24 and 25. KSKA: Friday, Oct. 23 at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

A "bewitching" tale is being told in Wasilla as Valley Performing Arts brings to the stage John Van Druten's comedy/drama/romantic story of a woman who may be willing to give it all to get a guy in Bell, Book and Candle performing Oct. 16 through Nov. 8. Join director Todd Broste and "Sydney Redlitch", otherwise known as actor Barret Barge this week on Stage Talk. KSKA: Friday, Oct. 16 at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Quick — how many U.S. presidents can you name? Brian Cook, director of UAA Department of Theatre and Dance's current production of 44 Plays for 44 Presidents can name them all. Join Brian along with two of the actors from the show, Alexandra McCall and Taran Haynes this week on Stage Talk. 44 Plays for 44 Presidents is running in the UAA Fine Arts Building through October 11th. KSKA: Friday, Oct. 9 at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

The 2012 Drama Desk Award winning play Tribes by Nina Raine is currently playing at Cyrano's Theatre Company (9/18-10/11) and actors Ella Roelke, Marty Baumann and Carl Bright drop by Stage Talk this week to talk about the many facets of communication, miscommunication and new friendships. KSKA: Friday, Oct. 2, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Perseverance Theatre of Juneau opens their Anchorage season with Sharr White's two-person play Annapurna about a "bizarre reunion contain[ing] both rage and compassion, framing a story that rides the fine line of tragedy and comedy, laughter and loss." Director Art Rotch, actor Rebecca George and Anchorage General Manager Josh Lowman come by Stage Talk this week to talk about the play performing at the PAC September 25-Oct 3. KSKA: Friday, Sept. 25 at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Fairbanks playwright Anne Hanley's moving drama The Winter Bear about a young Alaskan Native's struggle with suicide and his relationship with real-life Sydney Huntington of Galena has been touring around the state and makes a stop this weekend at Alaska Pacific University's E. R. Brown Auditorium in Grant Hall. Anne, along with actors David Leslie (Wolf) and Cynthia Jones (Raven) stop by the studio this week on Stage Talk. KSKA: Friday, Sept. 18, at 2:45pm Listen Now:

Perseverance Theatre of Juneau will be bringing a mix of new/old, straight/musical and comedy/drama to Anchorage this year. Josh Lowman, Anchorage general manager, drops by the studio this week to talk about what's coming up. KSKA: Friday, Sept. 11, at 2:45pm Listen Now:

How do you bring to life a classic play written in 1955 to a 2015 audience? Join Director Krista Schwarting, Actor Jake Beauvais and ACT's Executive Director Sarah Athans this week on Stage Talk to find out how Anchorage Community Theatre is presenting William Inge's Bus Stop, a compelling story about a group of people caught together in a small-town restaurant in Kansas during a blinding snowstorm. KSKA: Friday, September, 4, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

With long-time faculty members Tom Skore and David Edgcombe retired, UAA's Department of Theatre and Dance has brought on three new professors. Join Chair Dan Anteau as he introduces the new faces of the department to Anchorage. KSKA: Friday, August 28 at 2:45pm Listen Now:

Sandy Harper, Artistic Director for Cyrano's Theatre Company, drops by to give an update on the "Ten Decades, Ten Plays" event Cyrano's has been holding this summer to celebrate Anchorage's Centennial as well as to give us a preview of their 2016 season this week on Stage Talk. KSKA: Friday, August 21, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Co-founders and directors of the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival (currently in residence at Alaska Pacific University) Christine Harada Li and Nathaniel Pierce take time from their busy teaching and performing schedule to drop by the studio to let us know about this exciting and relatively new music fest. KSKA: Friday, August 14, at 2:45 p.m. Listen Now:

Holly Lindsay from Eagle River's Alaska Fine Arts Academy drops by the studio to talk about all the exciting shows their Theatre Program has for the upcoming year. KSKA: Friday, August 7, at 2:45pm Listen Now:

Seventy-five local young singers and dancers come together in The Music Machine's 34th anniversary show this August 5-8th at the Discovery Theatre and co-Founder Janet Carr-Campbell along with performer Morgan Cruz drop by the studio this week to talk about all the hard work it takes to put on such an extravaganza. KSKA: Friday, July 31, at 2:45pm Listen Now:

Stephanie Wonchala, Artistic Director for Pulse Dance Company drops by the studio this week to let us know what's happening with the company and also what's coming up next season. KSKA: Friday, July 24. at 2:45 p.m. Download Audio: