Heavenly Baba

Heavenly Baba

On this episode of Curtain Call, Tom speaks with writer and performer Ismael Loutfi to explore his deeply personal and unexpectedly layered solo show, Heavenly Baba, now playing Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse. What began as a stand-up set has evolved into a powerful piece of storytelling—one that examines family, faith, identity, and the complicated relationship between a son and his deeply devoted father.

Paul Adams

This week on Curtain Call, Tom speaks with Paul Adams, founder and Artistic Director of Emerging Artists Theatre. From his early days in New York—experiences that inspired his solo show The Cleaning Guy—to his Off-Broadway play Doris Day: My Secret Love, Adams reflects on a career built on observation and storytelling. The conversation then turns to the work Adams has devoted more than three decades to—creating opportunities for other artists through Emerging Artists Theatre and the Spark Theatre Festival, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with performances through April 26th.

Scott Ellis

This week on Curtain Call, Tom sits down with acclaimed director Scott Ellis for an in-depth conversation that goes far beyond the résumé. From his early days as a Broadway performer to his evolution into one of the most respected directors working today, With insight drawn from productions like She Loves Me, Tootsie, and Twelve Angry Men, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it truly takes to bring a story to life on stage.  The conversation also turns to Ellis’s latest work, Fallen Angels by Noël Coward, now playing in New York City.

Karen Malpede

In this deeply thoughtful episode of Curtain Call, Tom Candela sits down with playwright, director, memoirist, and Theater Three Collaborative co-founder Karen Malpede for a far-reaching conversation about a life spent exploring what theatre can be—and what it can do. From the roots of her political and poetic vision to the personal grief that shaped her memoir Last Radiance: Radical Lives, Bright Deaths, Malpede reflects on art as witness, community, and a means of staying fully present to the world. The conversation also looks ahead to her upcoming March 29 appearance at Farm Arts Collective as part of My Bookish Friends: A Literary Afternoon.

Jane Jenkins

In this episode of Curtain Call, host Tom Candela takes listeners inside the rarely seen world of casting with legendary casting director Jane Jenkins. With a career spanning more than four decades and over 190 film and television projects, Jenkins helped shape the casts of iconic films such as The Princess Bride, Home Alone, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Jurassic Park. In a thoughtful and engaging conversation, she reflects on her journey from aspiring actor to one of Hollywood’s most respected casting directors, offering insight into the instinct, patience, and creative vision required to recognize talent before the world sees it.