| work in progress |

In "This is the Subtext" a fledgling playwright finds themself in the liminal space between success and failure as they start a podcast interviewing masters of the craft. What they learn, however, is success is both amorphous and elusive. Theatre doors swing open wide for the podcast but remain closed for their playwriting. The playwright/podcaster finds themself at a precipice, pondering the end to interviewing, when the wise words from a playwriting hero and an email from a stranger changes everything.

For playwright and podcast host, Brian James Polak, the launch of The Subtext coincided with the completion of his MFA and launch of his playwriting career. In the decade since he has written dozens of plays and amassed over a hundred hours of interviews with some of the most recognized playwrights in the United States. Leaning into his memories and experiences both as a host and producer of The Subtext and as a struggling playwright, he illustrates the challenges of yearning to be two things at once and attempting to find success in both without making sacrifices to either.