My Job is to Play - Women in Television (Conversations on Creativity with Erin Mallon)

Ep 50 - SHEILA CALLAGHAN (FX/Hulu's Dying for Sex, Showtime's Shameless) on the Research of Writing

Today we have SHEILA CALLAGHAN on the show.  In 2010, Sheila was profiled by Marie Claire as one of “18 Successful Women Who Are Changing the World.” She was also named one of Variety magazine’s “10 Screenwriters to Watch.”  Sheila was a longtime writer/producer on the hit Showtime comedy Shameless and a founder of the feminist activist group The Kilroys. She was nominated for a 2016 Golden Globe for her work on the Hulu comedy series Casual and a 2017 WGA Award for her Shameless episode “I Am A Storm.” Sheila's plays have been produced all over the country and internationally. Most recently she worked on the FX on Hulu series Dying for Sex which was just nominated for 9 Emmy Awards. I've been a fan of Sheila's writing for a long time, so this was a major treat for me having her on the show.

Ep49 - RACHEL VINE (Disney Channel's The Owl House, Duck Tales) on Writing for Animated Television

Today we have RACHEL VINE on the show!  Rachel is a feature and TV writer who has worked on many animated series. Some of those include My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, DC Super Hero Girls, Wander Over Yonder and DuckTales. Rachel was story editor for Peabody Award-Winning The Owl House. This conversation was really cool for me, since I knew not a thing about working in the world of animation. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did. Rachel's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scriptdriven/] Erin's Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/mallonerin/]

Ep48 - AJA GABEL (The Staircase, Five Star Weekend) on the Dance Between Novel Writing and Screenwriting

This week we have AJA GABEL on the show! Aja is the author of the novels Lightbreakers (coming in November 2025) and The Ensemble, both from Riverhead Books. Her prose can be found in The Cut, LA Times, Buzzfeed, BOMB, and elsewhere. Her TV credits include: the max original mini series The Staircase starring Colin Firth, Toni Colette and Michael Stuhlbarg, Sunny featuring Rashida Jones and the upcoming Five Star Weekend, starring Jennifer Garner. Aja's short story “Little Fish” was adapted into a feature film, and her survivor thriller film Devil's Mouth is currently in production with Lionsgate and Amazon MGM Studios. PREORDER Lightbreakers [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/666725/lightbreakers-by-aja-gabel/?ref=PRHAB3A19C68397&aid=32062&linkid=PRHAB3A19C68397] Aja's website [http://www.ajagabel.com] Erin's website [https://www.erinmallon.com]

Ep47 - MADHURI SHEKAR (Netflix's Unaccustomed Earth, HBO's The Nevers) on Adaptations and Claiming Your Space

Today we have MADHURI SHEKAR on the show. Madhuri is a playwright and screenwriter. She wrote the Amazon/Blumhouse feature EVIL EYE [https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Eye-Sunita-Mani/dp/B08DX3HPKC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3XCQALVKIAVR&keywords=evil+eye+film&qid=1642541335&sprefix=evil+eye+film%2Caps%2C509&sr=8-1]produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas based on her Audible original audio drama [https://www.audible.com/pd/Evil-Eye-Audiobook/B07QP1X8B7]. Her TV credits include THREE BODY PROBLEM on Netflix, the HBO fantasy epic THE NEVERS and she, along with John Wells is currently co-showrunning UNACCUSTOMED EARTH for Netflix, based on Juhmpa Lahiri's Collection of Short Stories. Her play A NICE INDIAN BOY was adapted into a film starring Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni and is available on streaming services now. Evil Eye (Audioplay) [https://www.audible.com/pd/Evil-Eye-Audiobook/B07QP1X8B7] Madhuri's Website [https://www.madhurishekar.com] Madurai's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/madplays/] Erin's Website [https://www.erinmallon.com] Erin's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mallonerin/]

Ep46 - ELEANOR BURGESS (HBO's Perry Mason, Netflix's Little House on the Prairie) on Bringing Your Self to TV Writing

This week we're happy to have ELEANOR BURGESS on the show. Eleanor is a playwright and screenwriter.  Her work has been produced at theaters across the United States, including Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Geffen Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center and so many more. Her work in film and television includes Perry Mason for HBO, WeCrashed for Apple TV+,  Interview With The Vampire for AMC, and the upcoming Little House on the Prairie for Netflix, plus screenplays for Bad Robot, Amblin, and Anonymous Content. In this conversation we dive deep into the power history has on the work we create today, the influence of AI on the industry and so much more. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.  Eleanor's website: http://www.eleanorburgess.com/ [http://www.eleanorburgess.com/] Erin's website: https://www.erinmallon.com/ [https://www.erinmallon.com/]