Shear Madness: 40 Years in the Making
This is the last interview before the pandemic in 2020. Cast members and creators are from the original Shear Madness show in Boston, MA.
About Our Guest
Shear Madness is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running play in the history of the USA. The flagship Boston company has given birth to 50 productions in the U.S. and Shear Madness has been translated into 23 foreign languages, playing worldwide in a host of cities including Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Paris, South Korea, Rome, Tel Aviv, Melbourne, Johannesburg and Seoul. Over 12.5 million people worldwide have joined in the fun.
This is a short interview, only about 20 mins or so and you’ll hear directly from co-creators Bruce Jordan and Marilyn Abrams, as well as longtime Shear Madness actors Patrick Shea, Celeste Oliva, Chandra Peiragostini, and Joe Ruscio.
In this episode, you’ll hear directly from a variety of actors from the show. Unlike most people in the entertainment industry, Shear Madness actors can be part of the show for years if not decades. They learn and grow with each other, the dynamic feels just like a big family.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How co-creators Bruce and Marilyn never knew they were going to be creators, producers – it doesn’t feel real that Shear Madness has been in the show biz for so long
- Fellow actors speak to working in the longest-running show, and how that differs from their other acting engagements
- How are actors chosen for the show (improv element)
- How to create a show that’s immersive and interactive because they were buzz words
- What it’s like to be an actor in a town like Boston
- Choose to be creative and continue to build your craft