Author: Josh McIlvain

Josh McIlvain is the artistic director of SmokeyScout Productions which he co-founded in 2008 with Deborah Crocker (to whom he is also married!). He has had more than 115 productions of some 70 plays throughout the U.S., including more than 38 New York City productions. Josh is also the leader of the rock collective Josh McIlvain & The Generals of Sexcop (listen to the hot tracks at sxcp.bandcamp.com!), the editor/publisher of Philly Fiction (collections of short stories set in Philadelphia and written by local writers), and the editor of the FringeArts booklet and blog.

Alexander Burns Quintessence Theatre Philadelphia

Interviews Theater

Classics Now and Forever: Interview with Quintessence Theatre’s Alexander Burns

Josh McIlvain May 7, 2011 2 Comments

Quintessence Theatre Group is wrapping up its inaugural season at the Sedgwick Theater in Mount Airy with The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, which is…

Arts Features Previews Theater Visual Arts

World War What? Did PIFA forget a little something in its celebration of Paris 1910-20?

Josh McIlvain April 14, 2011 No Comments

IS it just a little strange that in a festival with a theme of Paris 1910–20, few of the shows and none of the literature seem to mention that there was a little war going on

paying for music for a dance performance

Dance Features

Dance and Music Rights, or When Were You Planning To Pay For That Music, Friend?

Josh McIlvain April 10, 2011 No Comments

In the not distant past, I was watching a dance performance, which I was enjoying, and I couldn’t help thinking—if this dance company was caught…

Dance Features Theater

Lessons from Newt Gingrich: or how we in the theatre and dance communities can stop acting like losers and learn to make the nation love us

Josh McIlvain March 22, 2011 1 Comment

How often have you heard that performing arts are dying, that we’re a niche market, that you can never make a living off of it,…

this somehow represents meta theater in Philadelphia

Dance Features

Meta is Dead. Long Live Meta.

Josh McIlvain March 15, 2011 No Comments

I want to talk about shows in theatre and dance that deal with the audience head on. In other words, works that acknowledge the existence…

Interviews Theater

How To Succeed In Comedy With Really Trying: Interview with The Waitstaff’s Sara Carano

Josh McIlvain March 2, 2011 No Comments

For seven years Sara Carano has been a member of The Waitstaff, a Philly-based sketch comedy troupe that has proven to be one of city’s…

Features Theater

What I learned from GQ this time around

Josh McIlvain March 1, 2011 No Comments

Having been inspired last time around to write one of PPAA’s most popular articles “What Learned From GQ Today,” I thought I might mine the current issue…

Features

Did you see that thing about how last year Philly hotels had more guests than ever before?

Josh McIlvain February 23, 2011 No Comments

Yeah, so it seems a shitload of people spent the night in Philadelphia in 2010. According to an Inquirer article/industry press release from Feb 19, “Philadelphia filled…

Arts Dance Features

Conceptual Dance and Star Power

Josh McIlvain February 21, 2011 No Comments

My dance vocabulary is limited, so please forgive me as I redefine terms for my own benefit. When I say conceptual dance, I am referring…

Features Theater

Philly needs an Equity Showcase—sound the horn!

Josh McIlvain February 13, 2011 1 Comment

I was producing a Fringe show last year, and I had an Equity actor (Actors’ Equity is the union for theatre actors). No problem, my…

Jessica Rodriguez Philadelphia UArts theater student

Interviews Theater

What the fuck are they teaching our kids? Interview with UArts student Jessica Rodriguez

Josh McIlvain February 11, 2011 No Comments

I’m interested in the growth of The University of the Arts (UArts) and how its graduates have been sticking around and building their performing arts…

Features Theater

Can we get Cliff Lee to a play?

Josh McIlvain February 5, 2011 No Comments

Cliff Lee made an appearance at the Philadelphia Auto Show, and it was the top story on the evening news. (Since this is a performing…

Features Theater

So I was looking at the PTI website the other day . . .

Josh McIlvain February 4, 2011 No Comments

Another Sondheim revival is not what will put Philly on the theater map.

John Rosenberg of Hella Fresh Theater in Kensignton Philadelphia

Interviews Theater

California Living in Kensington: an interview with John Rosenberg of Hella Fresh Theatre

Josh McIlvain January 29, 2011 2 Comments

I got a chance to catch up with playwright/director John Rosenberg of Hella Fresh Theatre whose show California Redemption Value is in the middle of its run…

Features Theater

What I learned from GQ today

Josh McIlvain January 27, 2011 No Comments

For those of you familiar with my appearance, you may be surprised to learn that I have a subscription to GQ. Fear not, I do…