Roger Guenveur Smith: In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat & The One-Man
Revolution
Season Two keeps jumping with one of American theater’s greatest storytellers, Roger
Guenveur Smith: actor, writer, director, and one-man cultural force. From his iconic
collaborations with Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Get on the Bus) to his Obie
Award–winning solo shows (A Huey P. Newton Story), Roger has built a career bending form,
fusing politics and performance, and refusing to fit in anyone’s box.
Now he’s back on stage with In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat, his newest one-man show
exploring his friendship with the extraordinary Basquiat. Running now at Outside In Theatre
through November 9 and headed to the Under the Radar Festival in New York City in January
2026, the piece continues Roger’s legacy of art as both testimony and transformation.
In this episode, Roger sits with The Frogs to talk about brotherhood in art, the risks of telling
history through your own body, and what it means to carry the brilliance and burden of genius
onstage.
This isn’t just a conversation, it’s an excavation, a production, a ritual, church, and a moment.
Raw, poetic, and straight from the source.
Credits:
A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster & Byron Rogers, Jr.
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Tarell McCraney & André Holland: Brotherly Love in the Theater — Friendship, Authenticity & Keith Sweat
Season 2 of The Frogs begins with two artists whose work continues to shape culture.
Tarell Alvin McCraney is the Artistic Director of the Geffen Playhouse, guiding the artistic vision for its stages. An award-winning writer, producer, and educator, he is best known for The Brother/Sister Plays and for penning In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, the script that became the Academy Award–winning film Moonlight. McCraney’s influence spans Steppenwolf, Yale, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, marking him as one of the most important theatrical voices of our time.
André Holland is an acclaimed actor and producer, celebrated for his range across film, TV, and stage. Fresh off Sundance with Love, Brooklyn and The Actor, and SXSW with The Dutchman, Holland has delivered unforgettable performances in Moonlight, Selma, Passing, and High Flying Bird. His TV credits include The Big Cigar, The Eddy, and The Knick, alongside stage work from Broadway to Shakespeare’s Globe.
Together, they reunite for The Brothers Size, exploring brotherhood, legacy, and art. In this episode, these two giants sit with The Frogs to talk about the things rarely said but always essential.
Credits (Season 2):
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
The Frogs Live-
Episode 10- The Theatre Is Ours
Location: Outside In Theatre, Los Angeles
Recorded Live: May 24, 2025
A night of theater, culture, and vibe: recorded live with a studio audience under the lights of Outside In Theatre.
This special episode features a live performance and deep conversation with the creators and stars behind Red for Revolution, an award-winning audio drama centering Black femme queer love, lineage, and liberation.
We’re also joined by the incomparable Roger Q. Mason, playwright and provocateur, discussing their genre-busting Calif’s trilogy, in development with Outside In.
Featuring:
Follow us:
@the_frogs_podcast_ | @OutsideInThtr | @rogerq.mason | @redforrevolutionpod
Special thanks to:
Outside In Theatre, the cast of Red for Revolution, and our community of listeners and dreamers.
Produced by:
Outside In Theatre in conjunction with The Frogs
Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
Live show program Design by: Atlas Buescher
Andrea Patterson is a powerhouse on stage and screen, blending raw storytelling with undeniable craft. A graduate of Purchase College’s Acting Conservatory, she’s brought unforgettable performances to some of the most respected theaters in the country.
Her portrayal of Helen in Memnon at the Getty Villa, produced with the Classical Theatre of Harlem, redefined the myth, bringing depth and fire to an iconic character. Onstage, her work in Cullud Wattah earned her a Drama Desk Award Nomination (2022) for Outstanding Actress in a Play, alongside heavyweights like Phylicia Rashad and Ruth Negga. Her role in Confederates showcased her command of layered storytelling, exploring the dangerous game Black women navigate across history.
Her craft was further recognized with an Obie Award (2023) for Sustained Achievement in Performance, solidifying her as a vital force in American theater.
On screen, Andrea’s magnetic presence has left its mark with standout roles in Law & Order, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and The Good Wife. Her versatility proves that both stage and screen are just extensions of her storytelling reach, always grounded, always real.
Andrea Patterson is more than an actor; she’s a narrative architect, building stories that confront, challenge, and transcend.
🎭 Follow her journey: @andreapatterson
🎧 Follow us: @OutsideInThtr | @the_frogs_podcast_
Credits:
A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
LarryJean Powell — Infinite Artist. Cultural Architect. South Central Griot.
LarryJean Powell (theirs) is a true infini-hyphenate: actor, writer, director, and creator. Born and raised in South Central LA. They’ve premiered new work in powerhouse plays like The Christians, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Father Comes Home From the Wars, and While I Yet Live, carving out a lane where art, activism, and legacy meet.
On screen, you’ve seen them as Rick James in MGM+’s Hotel Cocaine, in White Men Can’t Jump, and on BET+’s The Ms. Pat Show. Their digital series The Gaze earned two Daytime Emmy nominations, and their debut feature Mother’s Milk: A Film Quilt took home a Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival.
An award-winning creator across stage and screen, LarryJean keeps the roots deep and the vision wide, shaping the next wave as a lecturer at USC, a writer on The Ms. Pat Show, and a director for works like Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau.
Catch their work at larryjean.com
Follow the vibe: @thepowelloflove
@OutsideInThtr and @the_frogs_podcast_
Credits:
A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Jerrie Johnson: Art, Audacity, Heart, and HARLEM
Jerrie Johnson (she/they) is the kind of artist who doesn’t just take up space, they reshape it. You probably know them as Tye from Amazon Prime’s Harlem, where their bold, magnetic energy became an instant standout. Jerrie also pulled up in Survival of the Thickest on Netflix, Good Trouble on Hulu, and the indie film Mother’s Milk. A Penn State alum with a BA in Performance Studies and an MFA from the American Conservatory Theater, Jerrie brings both fire and finesse to every room they enter.
Off screen, they’re just as powerful. Poet, performer, and wellness advocate. Their solo show in San Francisco with SFBATCO got all the flowers, and during quarantine, they became a published poet. But beyond the work, Jerrie is building something bigger. A vision rooted in access, healing, and community. They’re currently manifesting a retreat farm where artists can reset, create, and be cared for. It’s giving purpose, it’s giving legacy, and it’s giving joy.
Follow Jerrie on IG: @theejerriejohnson
@the_frogs_podcast_ | @OutsideInThtr
Credits
A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom and Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded and Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster and Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs and Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Sophina Brown: Creating Space and the New Black Theatre Movement
Sophina Brown is a force on stage, on screen, and in the community. After graduating from the University of Michigan’s BFA Theatre program and making her Broadway debut in The Lion King, she moved to LA to break into TV but never stopped fighting for the theater. Inspired by August Wilson’s The Ground on Which I Stand, Sophina began producing Black theatre in Los Angeles, determined to create space, equity, and opportunity for Black artists and audiences. In 2020, she founded Support Black Theatre, a nonprofit that has secured over $1.3 million for Black theaters, partnered with nearly 200 Black businesses, served more than 20,000 community members, and earned a prestigious Lilly Award for its impact.
In this episode, we chop it up about building legacy, creating access, and staying rooted in purpose. From national tours to network TV (Shark, Numb3rs, Twenties, Kindred), to starring in Bosch: Legacy (dropping March 2025), Sophina’s career is proof that the hustle doesn’t stop but the mission always leads.
Whether she’s acting, producing, or organizing, Sophina is showing what it means to lead with love and strategy and to make sure Black theatre not only survives but thrives.
Support Black Theatre
Website: supportblacktheatre.org
@the_frogs_podcast_ | @OutsideInThtr
Credits
📍 A production of Outside In Theatre in Highland Park, Los Angeles
🎭 Created by Alex Ubokudom and Tobie Windham
🎧 Edited by Brianna Seamster
🎚 Recorded and Mixed by Arlo Sanders
🎵 Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
🎬 Produced by Brianna Seamster and Jessica Hanna
🎙 Executive Produced by The Frogs and Outside In Theatre
Daisuke Tsuji: The Art of Being a Clown
Daisuke Tsuji is more than an actor, he’s a beautiful spirit, a dedicated artist, and a true practitioner of craft. He’s a clown, not the red-nose, ha-ha kind, though we learn he knows a bit about that as well, but the kind that sees the world for what it is and meets it with curiosity, vulnerability, and play. Whether on stage, in motion capture, or in the rehearsal room, he is an explorer of life, always searching for truth in the work.
Right now, he’s stepping into one of the most complex roles of his career: Duch in Cambodian Rock Band at East West Players. The play is a collision of history, music, and memory, demanding its performers to move between humor and horror, joy and devastation, often in the same breath.
You may know him as Jin Sakai in Ghost of Tsushima or from his years at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, but this conversation is about something deeper. It’s about what it means to hold history in your body, to wrestle with the weight of storytelling, and to find lightness even in the heaviest of roles.
Daisuke shares how Cambodian Rock Band has shaped him, the philosophy that guides his work, and how being a clown, an artist fully present in the moment, has helped him navigate a career that spans Shakespeare, Cirque du Soleil, video games, and beyond.
This one’s special. Tap in.
🎭 Follow Outside In Theatre: @OutsideInThtr
🎙️ Follow The Frogs Podcast: @the_frogs_podcast_
🔹 Follow Daisuke: @daisuketsuji
⸻
Credits:
📍 A production of Outside In Theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
🎭 Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
🎧 Edited by Brianna Seamster
🎚 Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
🎵 Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
🎬 Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
🎙 Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
🎤 Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Hamish Linklater: The Ghosts of Theatre, Batman, Nickel Boys & the Lakers
Hamish Linklater is a powerhouse: actor, writer, director, producer, and a master of storytelling across every medium. Right now, he’s commanding the stage in Ghosts at Lincoln Center, voicing Batman in the new animated Batman series, and starring in Nickel Boys, which just snagged an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
You’ve seen him in The Big Short, Midnight Mass, Fargo, The Newsroom, and Manhunt, but Hamish isn’t just about delivering iconic performances, he’s a playwright, too. His works Paris, Actors!, The Whirligig, and The Vandal prove his pen is just as sharp as his performances. And let’s not forget Downtown Owl, his directorial debut alongside Lily Rabe, which premiered at Tribeca in 2023.
On stage, Hamish has left his mark with standout performances in Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, and Twelfth Night for Shakespeare in the Park, earning Drama Desk, Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle nominations, as well as an Obie Award.
In this episode, we chop it up with Hamish about the Ghosts of theater, the weight of legacy, and what it’s like stepping into the Dark Knight’s boots. Tap in for a fly conversation.
🎭 Follow Outside In Theatre: @OutsideInThtr
🎙️ Follow The Frogs Podcast: @the_frogs_podcast_
🔹 Follow Hamish: @therealhamishlinklater
Credits:
A production of Outside In Theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom & Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster & Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs & Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Stacy Amma Osei-Kuffour – The Magical, Unrestrained, Comedic mind of Stacy Amma
Stacy Osei-Kuffour is a powerhouse TV writer and playwright redefining modern storytelling. With credits like Hulu’s THE BEAR (which just earned her a WGA for Best Comedy), Apple’s THE MORNING SHOW, HBO’s RUN (from Vicky Jones and Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Amazon’s THE POWER, HBO’s WATCHMEN (earning her another WGA for Best Drama), and Jordan Peele’s HUNTERS starring Al Pacino, she’s consistently pushing creative boundaries. She also penned an Emmy-nominated episode of PEN15 for Hulu.
Hailing from Chicago, Stacy honed her craft with a BFA in Acting from NYU and an MFA in Playwriting from Hunter College. Her critically acclaimed play Hang Man premiered at Chicago’s Gift Theatre in 2018, solidifying her status as one of today’s boldest voices.
We’re stoked to have Stacy’s unique blend of grit, wit, and soul on The Frogs Podcast, where high-level art meets real, unfiltered storytelling.
Follow Us:
🎭 @OutsideInThtr
🎙️ @the_frogs_podcast_
Credits:
A production of Outside In Theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom and Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster, Jiahui Ji and Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs and Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Baltimore-born, NYC-based, and always in conversation with the past, Eric Berryman is an artist whose work is guided by a simple but profound question: Would Grandma dig this?
Eric grew up steeped in the stories and wisdom of his grandparents, and that influence echoes through every role he takes on. Whether he’s resurrecting the oral traditions of Black storytelling, reimagining history on stage, or bringing complex characters to life on screen, his work carries a deep sense of reverence and rhythm.
Theater Credits Include:
Film & TV Credits Include:
A graduate of The Baltimore School for the Arts and Carnegie Mellon University, Eric isn’t just performing, he’s preserving, remixing, and pushing forward the stories that shape us.
Eric Berryman. The past in his bones, the future in his hands.
Oh, and he has no social media, because some things are better left offline.
Follow Us:
🎭 @OutsideInThtr
🎙️ @the_frogs_podcast_
Credit info:
A production of Outside In Theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom and Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster, Jiahui Ji and Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs and Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre
Will Power: The Man, The Myth, The Theater Legend
Let’s talk about the powerhouse that is Will Power, an internationally acclaimed playwright, performer, lyricist, and educator. This man’s work has graced stages from Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House, and everywhere in between, including venues in Asia, Africa, Europe, and all across North America. You name it, he’s been there!
But here’s the thing: Will isn’t just about the prestige of the global stage. He’s a Professor of Theater at Occidental College right here in Los Angeles, shaping the next generation of storytellers.
Now, about his play…
In September 2024, Will’s incredible play MEMNON took center stage at the Getty Villa in a co-production with the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Think epic ancient warrior tales infused with that unmistakable Will Power magic. You can check out more about this groundbreaking production here:
Jump on it: If you haven’t tapped into Will Power’s brilliance, fix that. Check out his site for the full rundown on his iconic career.
This is the level of talent we’re talking about on The Frogs. Culture. Theater. Vibes. 🐸🔥
Follow Us:
🎭 @OutsideInThtr
🎙️ @the_frogs_prodcast_
Los Angeles County Wildfire Resources:
LA County Arts Resource Page
WalkGoodLA
California Community Foundation
Pasadena Humane Society
LA County Recovers:
https://recovery.lacounty.gov/
Credit info:
A production of Outside In Theatre in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Created by Alex Ubokudom and Tobie Windham
Edited by Brianna Seamster
Recorded & Mixed by Arlo Sanders
Theme Song by Arlo Sanders
Produced by Brianna Seamster, Jiahui Ji and Jessica Hanna
Executive Produced by The Frogs and Outside In Theatre
Recorded at Outside In Theatre