It’s off to Ireland to dive into that country’s thriving fringe scene. While there, Darren discovered a whole new “take” on the classic poem Beowulf. Sam Gibbs and Pete Buffery of the Autojeu Theatre are the performers, and Darren was so impressed he brought them to SoHo Playhouse in 2018.

Also in this episode, Darren talks to director and playwright Jeda Di Bree. Darren talked to her after seeing “Tryst,” a three-character play about an engaged couple and a female friend. Perhaps… too good a friend.

Darren goes all the way to New Zealand to talk to a couple of giants of the London theatre scene. Charlotte Bennett is Joint Artistic Director of Pains Plough, which nurtures new writers and produces their works. Richard Jordan is a veteran producer of theatre in the UK and the world.

Heather Croall is the woman to see in Australia when it comes to the theatrical artistic experience known as “fringe.”

She’s the CEO and Artistic Director of the Adalaide Fringe. It’s the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, including nearly 400 venues and about 5,000 artists over its month-long run. Darren gets insight from Heather on how she manages that huge job.

The James & Jamesy Performance Society creates multi-award winning theatrical performances typified by extended characters, rich emotion, and fantastical trips of the imagination.

Their shows are investigations in participatory theatre that merge physical comedy, clown, and dance to create theatrical environments where audiences feel invited and compelled to participate.

Two duo, Alastair Knowles and Aaron Malkin, performed “In the Dark” at the SoHo Playhouse in 2018, and Darren talked to them right after a performance.

He was doing comedy on TV when he was in his teens, and made it to London's West End at 19. Now in his 30s, Daniel Sloss is a stand-up star. He fills big venues, has had specials on HBO and Netflix, does guest spots on talk shows in the US and the UK - and remains true to his Scottish heritage. Darren first brought Daniel to the SoHo Playhouse in 2015, and conducted this conversation in Adelaide, Australia.

British born, and Vegas showbiz royalty, Clint Holmes has been entertaining audiences for many decades. Darren talks to Clint about his upbringing - he's the son of an American jazz musician and a British opera singer. Also in the conversation: the state of entertainment in Las Vegas, and some exciting plans for the future.

Before Covid shut down nearly everything yet again, New York actor and writer Todd Robbins was performing "Haunt Quest" at the SoHo Playhouse. It was a perfect production for the perfect venue: a nearly 200 year old building that, according to legend, is home to more than a couple ghosts. Darren talks to Todd about the show (which, like other SoHo Playhouse productions, is on hold for the moment) and his long career that's stretched from his Southern California birthplace to New York's Coney Island.

It may seem a bit weird to begin this podcast series about New York's venerable Off-Broadway venue with a discussion of Las Vegas, but bear with us.

Las Vegas will be the home of the SoHo Playhouse's westward expansion. From the comfort of his new home in downtown Vegas, Artistic Director Darren Lee Cole welcomes J Dapper as the podcast's first guest.

J (yes, just J, no period) is the region's top property developer, and owner of the historic Huntridge Theater. It was built in the mid 40s as a classic movie palace, then morphed into a home for rock and roll in the 60s. But it's been empty for more than a decade.

J and Darren plan to make the Huntridge the centerpiece of the revival of one of Las Vegas' historic neighborhoods. Listen and find out how!