<p>Host and former theater kid Vedant Akhauri sits down with actor and writer Sean Gordon to dive into the beautiful, chaotic world of independent theater. </p><p>Sean is the brains and performer behind <em>Walter Schlinger&#39;s Romeo and Juliet. </em>He also played Aaron in the YouTube web-series, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@aidankushner2859/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em>Why Try</em></a><em>, </em>written and created by Aidan Kushner - who I interviewed in a previous episode.</p><p>The play&#39;s online synopsis: &quot;In this meta-theatrical solo performance, Walter reckons with the role our mentors play in our development and attempts to provide insight into the world&#39;s most famous love story. While desperately trying to share his work with anyone who will listen, he grapples with the notions of youth, tragedy, and validation.&quot;This play premieres at the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival (with an encore run already booked at the Tank Theater!).</p><p>In this episode, we explore how Sean and director Dixie O&#39;Connell deconstructed the world&#39;s most famous love story, transforming it into a real-time, one-hour dissertation that spirals out of control in-story. </p><p>Sean unpacks how the play mirrors the universal &quot;crucible&quot; of your 20s, dealing with unmet expectations, the role of mentors, and the romanticized doom of the struggling artist&quot; narrative. </p><p>We also discuss Two-Way Glass Productions&#39; mission to completely shatter the fourth wall and make the audience an active participant in the room.</p><p>But this isn&#39;t just an interview about a play - it&#39;s a 360-degree evergreen conversation on surviving Fringe theater. Sean reveals the grueling logistics of independent art: from the democratic lottery-submission process that removes industry gatekeepers, to the intense pressure of 15-minute load-ins and three-hour tech rehearsals. </p><p><strong>Credits for Walter Schlinger&#39;s Romeo and Juliet (as of April 2026):</strong></p><ul><li>Lainey Helmers (Producer)</li><li>Sadie Kalinowska-Werter (Stage Manager)</li><li>Reed Gordon (Set and Projection Design)</li><li>Ali Caruso (Costumer Design) </li><li>Sean Gordon (Writer/Performer) </li><li>Dixie O&#39;Connell (Director)</li></ul><p>Listeners in April 2026 can check out more about the play at FRIGID New York <a href="https://tickets.frigid.nyc/event/6897:1339/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">here</a> and at The Tank <a href="https://thetanknyc.org/calendar-1/2026/6/7/myqkc420hmb9fypmq5x3zap656r7xd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">here</a>.</p><p><strong>Follow @</strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkmediava/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>letstalkmediava</strong></a><strong> on Instagram. Subscribe to get notified of the latest episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.</strong></p><p><strong>Thank you for turning in as we cross 150 episodes!</strong></p>