134. INTERVIEW: Ben Stasny

Beckett’s Babies

Hello listeners! This week’s guest on the show is BEN STASNY! Ben is a second-year graduate student at CU Boulder. Ben's research is centered around queer theory, eco-criticism and performance studies. How can theatre act as a space for ethical action on queer and climate justice?

Ben served as the Artistic Director for the opening fall show The Climate Cabaret--an evening of short plays about the climate crisis. We partnered with Climate Change Theatre Action out of New York City to bring this project to life.

Ben worked with his/bevs advisor, Dr. Beth Osnes, this summer on an interspecies arts/science partnership between humans and barn swallows. They were led by a group of courageous youth which culminated in a film and public performance titled Side by Side.

Ben was a recipient of the Hazel Barnes Flat which brought bev to London, UK in November. While there, Ben led workshops on climate comedy with a local arts/science organization, Your Canal Boat CIC.

Ben served as the Artistic Director for the 6th Annual New Plays Festival at CU Boulder in Spring 2021.

Ben graduated with a BFA in Acting from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Ben lived and worked as a professional actor for several years in New York City. New York credits include: Off-Broadway: Harry in When Harry Met Nancy (New York New Works Festival), Voice of Mayor Humdinger in Paw Patrol (Event Box). Other credits: The Narrator in The Soldier's Tale (Boulder Philharmonic), The Genie in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (Disney Cruise Line), Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Henry Etches in Titanic (Arizona Broadway Theatre), Zach in A Chorus Line, Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret, Fred in A Christmas Carol (The Palace Theatre), Father in Ragtime (Interlakes Summer Theatre) Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret (Sierra Repertory Theatre), The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical (Highland Summer Theatre). Touring Theatre: Punchin in A Commedia Cinderella (Sierra Repertory Theatre, Northern California), Shaggy in Scooby-Doo and the Mystery of the Pyramid, Maddie in Care Bears (Event Box in Saudi Arabia).

Ben is filled with more questions than answers these days...which feels just about right for grad school.

To learn more about Ben and his/bevs work, be sure to check out his/bevs instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/snackfishbenji/

GLISTENS:

• Cho - AppleTV Show "Severance"
• Sam - Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
• Ben - Rupaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World

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Theme Music: "Live Like the Kids" by Samuel Johnson, Laura Robertson, Luke O'Dea (APRA)

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