Scene in Boston
Where Boston talks about theater.
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How Watching Theater Trains Your Brain: Inside the Neuroscience of Live Performance
03/25/2026
How Watching Theater Trains Your Brain: Inside the Neuroscience of Live Performance
In this episode of Scene in Boston, hosts Laura Amico and Lisa Thalhamer take a step back from individual productions to explore a bigger question: what’s happening in our brains when we sit in an audience—and how do we get better at it? The episode features neuroscientist Antonia Hamilton, who studies social cognition and communication. She explains how watching live performance activates the parts of our brains responsible for reading emotion, intention, and behavior—and why those skills aren’t passive, but learned. Theater, she argues, becomes a kind of training ground for attention and empathy, helping us practice how we understand other people. The conversation looks at how audiences interpret what’s happening onstage—from facial expressions and tone of voice to pauses and physical movement—and how those signals build meaning in real time. Along the way, Laura and Lisa reflect on their own experiences as theatergoers, and how learning to “read” a performance can deepen the experience of being in the room. The hosts also discuss recent and upcoming productions in Boston, including shows with short runs that highlight both the richness and the challenges of keeping up with the city’s theater scene. From experimental solo performances to new plays and returning productions, the episode offers a snapshot of what’s on stage now—and why it’s worth paying attention. Mentioned in this episode and on stage now/soon: Lyric Stage Company of Boston Running March 20 – April 12, 2026 Wheelock Family Theater Running April 3-26 Broadway in Boston Running March 31-April12 SpeakEasy Stage Running March 6-28 Central Square Theater April 2-26 Also Mentioned: ArtsEmerson () ArtsEmerson Calderwood Pavillion
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Immigrant Stories on Boston Stages: Inside the Ufot Family Cycle
03/10/2026
Immigrant Stories on Boston Stages: Inside the Ufot Family Cycle
How does our idea of immigration change when it’s not a journey with a clear destination, but a life spent learning who you are in the space between two homes? In this episode of Scene in Boston, a Boston theatre podcast, hosts Laura Amico and Lisa Thalhamer step into the world of playwright Mfoniso Udofia’s Ufot Family Cycle, a nine-play epic tracing one Nigerian American family across 100 years, continents, and generations. Guest Kevin Becerra of The Huntington Theatre Company reveals how these plays shimmer with easter eggs, bilingual Ibibio–English storytelling, and deeply human characters that feel like someone you know. Along the way, they spotlight the new workshop production Lifted, the broader Ufot Family Cycle running across multiple Boston theaters, and touch on what’s next in Boston theatre, from Broadway in Boston titles like Maybe Happy Ending and Death Becomes Her to upcoming work at the Huntington and ArtsEmerson—all part of the citywide collaboration bringing this cycle to stages and neighborhoods across Greater Boston.
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Rage, Revenge, and Homecoming: Greek Theater Returns to Boston Stages
02/27/2026
Rage, Revenge, and Homecoming: Greek Theater Returns to Boston Stages
Why are stories from ancient Greece having a moment in Boston theater? In this episode of Scene in Boston, hosts Laura Amico and Lisa Thalhamer explore a surge of productions inspired by Greek mythology and classical drama appearing across the city this season. Through conversations with two leading directors, the episode examines how these centuries-old stories continue to speak powerfully to contemporary audiences. , director of Boston University’s upcoming production of Medea, discusses how Greek tragedy connects personal stories to larger historical and political crises — themes that feel especially urgent today. Her production highlights questions of xenophobia, belonging, and societal responsibility, revealing how ancient texts mirror modern American debates. The episode also features , producing artistic director at Lyric Stage, whose production of Penelope reimagines The Odyssey through the voice of Odysseus’s long-waiting wife. Blending live music, intimate staging, and contemporary storytelling, the show transforms an epic tale into a deeply personal exploration of love, patience, and resilience. Together, these conversations reveal why Greek theater remains accessible, emotionally immediate, and surprisingly welcoming — even for audiences who may feel intimidated by classical titles. The hosts also highlight upcoming shows across Boston and invite listeners to engage with the city’s thriving theater community. Mentioned in this episode are: Featured in interviews — Lyric Stage Company of Boston A modern musical retelling of The Odyssey from Penelope’s perspective Running Feb 6 – Mar 1, 2026 at Lyric Stage Boston. — Boston University School of Theatre Euripides tragedy directed by Christine Hamill Running Apr 9 – Apr 12, 2026 at BU’s Studio ONE. Greek-inspired plays discussed — Boston University School of Theatre Adaptation of Aeschylus’s epic trilogy Running Apr 17 – Apr 26, 2026 as part of BU’s season. — Touring/Broadway in Boston (Emerson Colonial Theatre) Modern mythic musical inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice Showing Feb 26 – Mar 1, 2026 in Boston. — Huntington Theatre Company Luis Alfaro’s reimagining of Oedipus Rex* Running May 7 – Jun 7, 2026 at Huntington. Other highlights — Huntington Theatre Company New play by Joshua Harmon Running Feb 12 – Mar 15, 2026 at Huntington. — Broadway in Boston (Citizens Bank Opera House) Tony-winning musical Running Feb 17 – Feb 22, 2026 in Boston — Actor’s Shakespeare Project August Wilson’s epic drama exploring history, memory, and spiritual reckoning Running April 24 – May 17, 2026 — SpeakEasy Stage Company Folk musical featuring the music of The Avett Brothers Running May 8 – June 7, 2026 — Lyric Stage Company of Boston Pearl Cleage’s comedy about art, activism, and intergenerational mentorship Running March 27 – April 26, 2026 — Lyric Stage Company of Boston A musical comedy about playwrights competing with Shakespeare Running May 29 – June 28, 2026
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On the Edge of Our Seats: Job at SpeakEasy Theater and Girl Crime at Boston Center for the Arts
01/30/2026
On the Edge of Our Seats: Job at SpeakEasy Theater and Girl Crime at Boston Center for the Arts
In this premiere episode, Scene in Boston hosts Laura Amico and Lisa Thalhamer dive into how Boston’s stages are grappling with trauma in the age of the internet — as content, as labor, and as identity. They start with the world-premiere workshop of , a sharp, funny, and unsettling satire of true crime podcasts and influencer culture, before turning their focus to , the psychological thriller now playing at SpeakEasy Stage. Laura and Lisa talk with Job actors and about building complicated, sometimes unsettling characters, performing in intense proximity to the audience, and what makes Boston audiences special. Along the way, they connect Job to , opening at Central Square Theater, and to a broader season of shows exploring who carries the weight of what we watch, share, and consume online. Mentioned are: (Boston Center for the Arts / BCA Plaza) (SpeakEasy Stage Company) (Central Square Theater) (Open Theatre Project) (American Repertory Theater) (Lyric Stage) (Boston Center for the Arts) (SpeakEasy Stage) (Actors Shakespeare Project)
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Welcome to Scene in Boston
01/20/2026
Welcome to Scene in Boston
In this introductory episode, Scene in Boston hosts Laura Amico and Lisa Thalhamer warm up the feed by previewing the kinds of connections Scene in Boston will explore across the season. Laura and Lisa tease upcoming conversations about theater and online life (Job and The Moderate), ambitious long-form storytelling like the Ufot Family Cycle, and Boston’s fascination with retelling epic myths—from Penelope to Hadestown to Oedipus El Rey. Scene in Boston is about orientation, connection, and making Boston’s remarkable theater scene feel accessible, alive, and worth talking about.
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