In this flashback to summer episode of TALKBACK, host Christine Toy Johnson welcomes playwright Kristoffer Diaz to talk about his work on the musical Hercules at the Public Theater just before it premiered in New York City and addresses presentation through the lens of wrestling in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.

Then, Christine and Kristoffer are joined by Tony Award winning Hadestown Director Rachel Chavkin, actor and activist Lynne Marie Rosenberg (Famous Cast Words, High Maintenance), and playwright Chisa Hutchinson (Proof of Love, Somebody’s Daughter, She Like Girls) to discuss a production’s responsibility to require both authenticity and diversity in their actors and among the staff.

This episode features Kristoffer Diaz, Rachel Chavkin, Lynne Marie Rosenberg, and Chisa Hutchinson. The Dramatist Presents: Talkback is a production of The Dramatists Guild of America and BOOM Integrated . This episode was produced by Sarah Storm, Amy VonMacek, Christine Toy Johnson, directed by Sarah Storm, and edited by Jenn Grossman and Clint Rhodes of John Marshall Media. It was recorded by Eric Dabdoub for JMM. Special thanks to Tina Fallon, Ralph Sevush, David Faux, Tari Stratton, Adrien Glover, Robin Lai, and John Marshall Cheary.