Episodes

  • Dead Man's Hat
    Oct 14 2026

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    Dead Man’s Hat is a play about change: life to death, romance to divorce, poor to rich and back again. When a man’s deluxe hat has been abandoned in a roadside bar, it may be a premonition of death.

    Mimi Kmet directs a cast that includes Larry Toffler as Diggs, Ayla Rose Barreau as Carla, Danny Salay as Louie, and Gary Lamb as Oscar.

    Vernon Hamilton is the playwright. His other plays include Mr. Brixton’s Hat, Tyrone’s Cap, and One Man’s Burden. He is the creator of bookladder.com, the first website specializing in African-American children’s books.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    13 mins
  • Not Far From Nashville
    Oct 11 2026

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    Can a chance encounter between two strangers, one a scientist, the other a free-spirit, lead to a truce over a disputed box of corn flakes? Anything can happen in the cereal aisle at the Publix supermarket in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

    Kim Hlavac directs a cast that includes Victoria Hoffman as Tamara and Brad David Reed as Edward.

    Christopher Earl is the playwright. He is a New York City-based theatermaker who writes, directs and acts whenever he gets the chance. He is a molecular biologist and biotech entrepreneur who went astray a while ago, and now spends his time immersed in classical theater on the one hand, and new work on the other. At the Clown School in LA, he has created classes and taught actors in Clowns and Fools of Shakespeare and Comedy in the Cherry Orchard. Chris is a trustee of New York’s classical theater company, Red Bull Theater Company.


    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    10 mins
  • THEATER 204: Pillows and Pedals
    Sep 23 2026

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    On the morning of their son’s wedding, a sentimental mother and her joking husband struggle to let go of the little boy they raised---and discover that growing older does not mean leaving love behind.

    Bernadette Armstrong directs a cast that includes Gary Lamb as Jeff and Cynthia Gravinese Brown as Julie.

    Playwright Warren H. Gore is a member of the Dramatists Guild. His previous plays include Testaments and Revelations. He is also an actor.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    13 mins
  • THEATER 203: The Devil You Know
    Sep 9 2026

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    Miriam anxiously waits to meet her new man; her dating app has confirmed he is a 99.9% match. Her heart jumps a beat as he enters the room and walks toward her.

    Bernadette Armstrong directs a cast that includes Goreti da Silva as Miriam, Matt Foyer as Lucian, and Natalie Venturi as Jess.

    Playwright Jeff Perlman served two terms as the Mayor of Delray Beach, Florida. He was subsequently the Chief Operating Officer of Celsius, the energy drink company. Then, he pivoted to philanthropy, as the Executive Director of the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation. His many previous plays include The Café on Min, 2 A.M. Battle Creek, Say My Name, Visits with Libby, The Ferryman of Moose Lake, No Getting Over You, and more.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    16 mins
  • THEATER 202: Insensitivity Training
    Aug 26 2026

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    A Sensitivity instructor is forced to return to Basic Training after making a careless remark while teaching a class.

    Playwright Chriselle Almeida directs a cast that includes Swati Kapila as Sheila, Marisa Chandler as Donna, Zelda Kimble as Karen and Michael Harvey Fletcher as Nathan.

    Ms. Almeida’s previous plays include Shakespeare’s Heroines at the Gynecologist (which was produced by Open-Door Playhouse) and Siblings. A busy actor, she has recently appeared on episodes of the television series Fallout, Never Have I Ever, Shameless, and more.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    15 mins
  • THEATER 201: Buck a Poem
    Aug 12 2026

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    Carol is a street poet, cranking out poems on her typewriter for a dollar per poem. She encounters several people who buy her wares, including one who offers her a path to elevate her craft.

    Severina Mijan directs a cast that includes Christine Uhebe as Carol, Rosemary Thomas as Noreen, Justice Davis as Matt, and Hessel Evelaar as Luca Diaz.

    New York based playwright Steven Doloff’s plays have been staged, streamed and radio broadcast in over a dozen states, Canada and Australia. His plays include Can We Talk?, Florida, That Thing with Feathers, The Waiting Room, My Coffee with Andy, and more.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    10 mins
  • THEATER 200 -Acceptance
    Aug 5 2026

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    While lying in his hospital bed, David reaches out to his estranged daughter Julie and her husband Robert and requests a visit to clear the air and apologize for all the cruel things he said and did in the past. Can she accept him as her father?

    Mimi Kmet directs a cast that includes Noelle Evangelisti as Julie, David Mingrino as David, and Ernest McDaniel as Robert.

    Author Martin Fogarty is a playwright and acting coach based in Oregon. He received his Master’s Degree from the University of Washington.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    12 mins
  • THEATER 199: Charlotte
    Jul 29 2026

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    Joseph is desperate to find help for his troubled trans daughter, Charlotte. He seeks the counsel of a renowned transgender activist, Jenna. But Jenna is the trans woman he bullied in high school. She has never forgiven him.

    Bernadette Armstrong directs a cast that includes Noelle Evangelisti as Jenna, Gilbert Glenn Brown as Joseph, Gloria Tsai as Anne, and Camille Ameen as Clara.

    Sasha Cohen is the playwright. He is a student at Wesleyan University (class of ’29) with a prospective double major in English and sociology. This is his first play.

    Support the show

    Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

    Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA.

    There’s no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to https://open...

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    41 mins