CONVERSATIONS with Ed Tracy

One of Chicago's most gifted jazz singers and vocal coaches, Elaine Dame, joined the conversation recorded at Winter’s Jazz Club to talk about her influences, career and future performances. 

Season …

Legendary Irish musician John Williams joined the conversation just prior to a community session with a dozen musicians at the Celtic Knot in Chicago to talk about growing up in a musical family and …

We visited the Cavalia village to speak with the production team, artists and trainers involved in mounting the 2017 version of the show, Odysseo, founded in 2003 by Normand Latourelle. Resident Arti…

Singer Joan Curto joined the conversation to talk about the special qualities needed to balance business, performance and family and plans for the next Auditorium Theatre concert honoring Ella Fitzge…

Actor Karl Hamilton joined the conversation to talk about Mamma Mia!, the transition of Ride the Cyclone to New York and his take on the business of show

Season 2 Episode 9 | Originally published Mar…

Singer Steve Biossat joined the conversation to talk about the relaunch of Speakeasy Swing with vocalists Alyssa Allgood and Marcus Gress, growing up in the US and abroad, and how that affected his a…

Actor James Earl Jones II joined the conversation for a frank and open discussion about living with Tourette’s and how the musical of The Scottsboro Boys story helps to broaden our understanding of a…

Jim Frazier, Gold Star Family member in Illinois who leads Gold Star Survivor Outreach efforts, joined the conversation on May 25, 2016 as part of our live Skokie Theatre series in advance of the 201…

Singer Tammy McCann joined the conversation fresh from a concert in Norway to talk about her upcoming appearances at Winter’s Jazz Club, the City Winery debut of Jeannie Tanner’s Words & Music, the 8…

Acclaimed non-fiction author and historian, Arnie Bernstein, joined the conversation at the Skokie Theatre to discuss his book Swastika Nation, which explores Fritz Kuhn and the 1930s Bund movement i…

Actor André De Shields joined the conversation to talk about his upcoming show, an extraordinary 46-year career and what it is that keeps bringing him back to Chicago. 

Season 1 Episode 7 | Originall…

Shakespeare 400 Chicago Festival Producer, Doreen Sayegh, joined the conversation to discuss everything that has been happening twixt wake and sleep, including what's coming up this fall and a treasu…

Matt Crowle, the six-time Jefferson award nominated actor, choreographer and dance instructor joined the conversation to talk about who helped to shape his performance philosophy, recognizing talent,…

Singer Paul Marinaro joined the conversation to talk about his musical career, the Birdland show in NYC, what’s coming up next, and a dog named Titus.

Season 1 Episode 11 | Originally published Octob…

Artistic Director of Northwestern University's American Music Theatre Project, David Bell, joined the conversation for an in-depth discussion about the challenges of developing new works for Broadway…

Singer and actor Angela Ingersoll joined the conversation to discuss the run with Judy Garland, what’s happening next for her live concert career and how she met and fell for the special ‘Jersey Boy’…

Comedian and Actor Bill Larkin joined the conversation to talk about Chicago’s musical theatre community and his new album.

Season 1 Episode 16 | Originally published December 8, 2016