Storybeat With Steve Cuden

Veteran theater and film actor James Sutorius has performed for the most prestigious regional and repertory theater companies including The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, and Pasadena Playhouse. He’s also performed at Lincoln Center, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf Theatre, Seattle Repertory, and many more. In 2007, he won two San Diego Theatre Critics Awards for his performance as George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and for his multiple supporting roles in John Strand's play "Lincolnesque." James made his Broadway debut in 1973 in "The Changing Room." In his very first entrance as a member of a rugby team, he had to walk downstage and strip off all his clothes! Instead of finding the experience terrifying, he actually found it liberating. And he played Laertes opposite Sam Waterston's Hamlet at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, alongside a cast of rising stars including Jane Alexander, Mandy Patinkin, George Hearn and Joh

Novelist John David Bethel was a speechwriter to Cabinet Secretaries at the Departments of Commerce and Education during the Bush 41 and 43 administrations. He also served as a press secretary and speechwriter to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Additionally, David worked as a communications strategist for a number of national and international public relations firms, including Burson Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe.He began his career in government and politics in 1972 as a speechwriter for the Legacy of Parks program in the Executive Office of the President in the Nixon Administration. He joined the staff of California Congressman Burt Talcott and later Nevada Senator Paul Laxalt as his Press Secretary and speechwriter.  He helped craft the speech Senator Laxalt gave nominating Ronald Reagan to be President. David also wrote the lead article celebrating the second inauguration of President Reagan called We the People, An American Celebration.David also spent many years in the world o

TV and movie editor, Tim Stepich, was captivated by the films and TV shows of his youth in the 1970s. By the time he was in high school, he set his sights on working in show business. Tim’s abiding interest in editing goes back to when, as a teen, he’d make music montages on his home stereo.  He studied television and film at Emerson College in Boston, where he worked in all aspects of film and video production but enjoyed editing the most.  A few years later, Tim made his move to Hollywood with the goal of turning editing into his specialty.   Within a year he got his first editing job and ever since has worked in various genres, including episodic TV, commercials, and music videos.  He edited his first short film, Hate *a Comedy, directed by Drew Daywalt and Dave Schneider, which was a huge success on the festival circuit.  Tim’s feature credits include the critically acclaimed Happy Holidays, and the multi-award-winning black comedy horror film, Lucky, directed by some guy named Steve Cuden.  For the recor

Okema T. Moore is an Emmy Nominated PGA producer and rising director. She’s created unscripted and branded content for Lifetime, Netflix, and Disney/Marvel, including: Beat Bobby Flay and The Kitchen on Food Network, Oprah’s Color of Care, Founding In Color on Peacock, and Nomad with Carlton McCoy on CNN. Most recently, she developed and produced Down in the Valley for STARZ, and was lead producer on Chocolate with Sprinkles for the AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, which won the HBO award at the American Black Film Festival.Okema was a Directing Fellow for Minorities In Film’s Branded Lab, a semi-finalist for The Blackhouse Producer’s Lab, a 2nd rounder for the Sundance Producer’s Track, and a fellow for both the Stowe Story and the Black Magic Creative Producers Labs. She was a finalist for the PANO production microgrant, received a writing fellowship to create her first TV Pilot with Writer’s Boot Camp & Women Going Places. And her short script had a live staged reading at the Essence Film Festival i

Steve Skrovan has worked as a stand-up comedian, actor, and TV comedy writer since the early eighties. He’s written for many shows, most notably, Seinfeld, Hot in Cleveland, Til Death, Wendell and Vinnie, School of Rock, and the entire nine-year run of Everybody Loves Raymond, a show which he has also adapted internationally in Russia, Israel, and India. He currently writes a Substack blog called Bits & Pieces, an anthology of humorous stories and essays.  Steve is also the co-director, writer and producer of An Unreasonable Man a documentary about the career of legendary consumer advocate and third-party presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, which was not only an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival but also made the “shortlist” for Academy Award consideration in the documentary category. In 2005, Steve co-produced the TBS environmental special “Earth to America.”Additionally, Steve co-hosts the weekly radio show Ralph Nader Radio Hour, which runs on Pacifica’s KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles and

            This is Paul Chitlik’s second appearance on StoryBeat. Paul has written for all the major networks and studios in both English and Spanish.  He was story editor for The New Twilight Zone, and staff writer for the Showtime sitcom, Brothers.  He’s directed episodes and been coordinating producer for “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “U.S. Customs Classified.”  He wrote and produced “Alien Abduction,” the first network movie shot on digital video for UPN.  He wrote, produced, and directed “Ringling Brothers Revealed” a special for The Travel Channel, which was right up his alley because years earlier he’d been a roustabout for Circus Vargas.  Paul has written features for Rysher Entertainment, NuImage, Promark, Mainline Releasing, and others.  Most recently he wrote, produced and directed “The Wedding Dress,” for Amazon Prime.  Paul was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for his work on "The Twilight Zone" and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Telemundo’s "Los Beltr

            The noted author and teacher, Joseph B. Atkins, is a veteran writer and professor emeritus of journalism at the University of Mississippi.             Joe’s latest book, Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel, won the Bronze Award for biography from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in 2021.             Regarding Joe’s novel, Casey’s Last Chance, Edgar Award-winning author Megan Abbott called it, “…pitch-perfect vintage noir.”             Among his other notable works, Joe authored the nonfiction Covering for the Bosses: Labor and the Southern Press. And his novella, Crossed Roads, was a finalist in the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Awards in New Orleans. Joe also edited and contributed to the short story collection Mojo Rising: Contemporary Writers, Vol. II.             His articles and short stories have appeared in The Oxford American, Noir City, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, In These Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Guadalajara Reporter.            

Ryan Raddatz is a Los Angeles-based TV writer and producer who has worked on numerous broadcast sitcoms and kids shows including: The Neighborhood on CBS and WordGirl on PBS. And he’s developed more than a dozen pilots at various networks. Ryan won two Daytime Emmys for his writing on WordGirl and another three for his work on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Before writing and producing, Ryan made a living as an actor and composer while failing to make a living playing in indie-rock and bluegrass bands. Ryan Raddatz on IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1347221/

Filmmaker and author, Dan Mirvish’s recent feature, 18½, starred Willa Fitzgerald, John Magaro and Bruce Campbell as the voice of Nixon. The award-winning film played in 25 festivals, had a 60-city theatrical release, played on 7 airlines and is now available on Starz. Prior to that, Dan directed Bernard and Huey, scripted by Oscar and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jules Feiffer.  It starred Oscar-winner Jim Rash and David Koechner. Dan’s film Between Us, an adaptation of the hit Off-Broadway play, starred Julia Stiles, David Harbour, Taye Diggs and Melissa George. He was mentored by Robert Altman on his first film, Omaha (the movie), which led him to co-found the upstart Slamdance Film Festival.  And his film Open House prompted the Academy Awards to rewrite their rules on the Best Original Musical category. Dan co-wrote the critically acclaimed novel I Am Martin Eisenstadt. And he wrote two editions and recorded an audiobook of his non-fiction book, The Cheerful Subversive’s Guide to Independent Filmmaking.Dan is a

Max Kinnings has written the feature films, Act of Grace, Alleycats, and The Pagan King, as well as various film projects currently in development including a film adaptation of his critically acclaimed play, Wireless Operator. He’s the author of four novels, Hitman, The Fixer, Sacrifice, and Baptism. I’ve read Baptism and can tell you it’s a tremendously exciting thriller in the vein of Lee Child, John Grisham, Dan Brown, John Le Carre, and many other great novelists. Max is also the ghost writer of comedian and actor Rik Mayall’s bestselling spoof autobiography, Bigger Than Hitler Better Than Christ. Max’s work will form the basis of a one-hour documentary he’s writing and presenting on BBC Radio 4, due for broadcast in June 2024, which is the tenth anniversary of Rik Mayall’s passing. Max was part of the writing team for the award-winning Sony PlayStation game, Little Big Planet 3. Prior to his writing career, Max spent twelve years devising advertising and marketing campaigns for music festivals, tours, c

The actor, singer, and podcaster, Patrick Oliver Jones has been in the performing arts, both onstage and onscreen, for more than 30 years. Originally from Birmingham Alabama, he brought his Southern charm to New York City in 2008 with dreams of Broadway.  And he’s gotten close with roles in off-Broadway world premieres, touring nationally with The Addams Family and Evita, and the pre-Broadway cast of First Wives Club that never quite made it. Having collaborated with Tony-winning directors such as Jerry Zaks, Randy Skinner, and a favorite StoryBeat guest, Richard Maltby Jr., he's gotten to perform alongside Broadway talents like Joey Fatone, Alfonso Ribeiro, Faith Prince, and Andrea McArdle. And he has found regional theater acclaim with Henry and SALT Award nominations for standout performances in Fun Home and Crazy for You. On camera, there have been numerous national commercials, award-winning short films, and co-starring roles on TV shows like Blue Bloods, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Impost

Doug Pray is a documentary filmmaker of great range and substance. His portraits of subcultures and creative visionaries have led him to numerous Sundance premieres, critical raves, and awards. His feature documentaries include: “Love, Lizzo,” “Surfwise,” and the Emmy Award-winning “Art & Copy.” His first two films, “Hype!,” the story of the Seattle music scene, and “Scratch,” about DJs and the birth of hip-hop, are often ranked among the best music docs of all time. Doug won a Grammy and 5 Emmy nominations as executive producer, writer and editor of HBO’s “The Defiant Ones.” He executive produced “From Cradle to Stage” with Dave Grohl, and the AppleTV+ series “Home.” This year, 2024, Turner Classic Movies and Max debuted “The Power of Film,” a 6-part series with Professor Howard Suber, for which Doug was executive producer, supervising editor, and writer. Doug has also directed dozens of commissioned short films and non-fiction commercials, including an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign which won him his first

Jimi Fritz is a filmmaker, musician, writer, entrepreneur, raconteur and roustabout. He’s written two feature-length screenplays, numerous articles, and a non-fiction book about rave culture. He’s also made numerous films and music videos.His latest book, entitled, The End of Everything, An Ironic Black Comedy, is about an older man simply named Fritz, who spends his days in a psychiatric institution plotting his own suicide while contending with the extraordinary insanity all around him. I’ve read The End of Everything and can tell you this is one of the most unique stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to peruse. Deeply intellectual, smartly psychological, and wildly hilarious, The End of Everything had me turning pages and wanting neither the story nor Fritz to end. If you like darkly comic storytelling, I highly urge you to read it.Previously, Jimi published Confessions of an Ethical Drug Dealer, which is a psychedelic travelogue and memoir. Jimi takes his readers on a journey both geographical and philosoph

Dr. William J. Carl is a Greek scholar, screenwriter, playwright, and lyricist. He’s also a former professor, seminary president, and pastor, who’s been a U.S. Senate Guest Chaplain. He’s been a speaker at Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Cornell, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, as well as in Russia, South Africa, India, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Rwanda, and Canada.  Further, he’s also the former President of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. William has authored eight nonfiction books (including lectures he gave at Princeton, two of which have been translated into Korean) and one novel, Assassin’s Manuscript, which is a “Dan Brown meets Daniel Silva”-style thriller. No less than Alex Haley, the author of Roots, encouraged him to write it.  I’ve read Assassin’s Manuscript and can tell you it’s an action-packed international page-turner in which politics, religion, and history play essential roles. I highly urge you to check it out.William’s screenplay, Maggie’s Perfect Match, won the Telluride Indiefest

David Stenn was hired by the TV series Hill Street Blues immediately after graduating from Yale, becoming the show’s youngest writer ever. David then wrote She Was Marked For Murder, an NBC movie that earned an Edgar nomination from the Mystery Writers Guild of America.David returned to television as Producer of 21 Jump Street, then Supervising Producer of Beverly Hills, 90210. David's first biography, Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild, which was published by Doubleday and edited by no less than Jacqueline Onassis, became a national bestseller. Variety raved, "Only rarely will you find a book that is as total a winner on every level as Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild." His second biography, “Bombshell: The Life and Death of Jean Harlow, again, edited by Jacqueline Onassis, was cited by the New York Times as one of the year's notable books.“It Happened One Night…At M-G-M,” David’s discovery for Vanity Fair of Hollywood’s best-suppressed scandal, brought vindication to rape survivor Patricia Douglas

The phenomenal screenwriter and novelist, Joey Hartstone, had his first two feature films directed by no less than Rob Reiner. The first film, LBJ, which was named to Hollywood’s highly respected Black List in 2014, starred Woody Harrelson as LBJ.  Joey’s second feature, “Shock and Awe,” featured Woody Harrelson, James Marsden, Tommy Lee Jones, Jessica Biel, and Milla Jovovich. He was a member of the writing staff for the first two seasons of “The Good Fight.”  He is currently the showrunner and an executive producer of Showtime’s “Your Honor,” starring a favorite StoryBeat guest, Bryan Cranston. Joey’s debut novel, “The Local,” a legal thriller about an East Texas patent attorney’s first murder case, was published in the spring of 2022 by Doubleday, and is being developed as a series with CBS Studios and King Size Productions. I’ve read “The Local” and can tell you it’s a brilliant, fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining legal murder mystery very much in the vein of John Grisham and Scott Turow. I highly recomm

The author, ghostwriter, copywriter, and freelance editor, Megan Woodward recently published her beautifully written and illustrated debut picture book, This Book is Definitely Not Cursed, which is published by Simon and Schuster. She’s also the author of the forthcoming book, Jake Maddox Dance, Gymnastics, and Cheerleading Jokes. Megan specializes in all things humorous and finds no greater joy than making kids laugh. She’s also a produced comedy screenwriter and the scriptwriter for the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. Megan holds an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where, for the record, Megan she I met while in school together. When she’s not writing, or procrastinating from writing, you can find her cooking, hiking, singing, laughing or working part time at a children’s bookstore called Green Bean Books. For all those reasons and many more, I’m so very happy to welcome to StoryBeat today my friend, the very funny writer, Megan Woodward. Megan, welcome to the show… Twitter and Instagram @womeganwowww.meganwood

Madolyn Smith Osborne had the kind of fairy tale show business beginning that most can only fantasize about. While still in school at The University of Southern California, she won her first paycheck with a serendipitous audition before famed choreographer, Gower Champion, when a lead dancer and understudy had to be replaced in the Broadway-bound production of Pal Joey starring Lena Horne.  Madolyn’s passion for musical theater as well as her training with beloved choreographers Bill and Jacqui Landrum, prepared her well for the opportunity. A year later, on the eve of graduating from USC’s School of Dramatic Arts., her mentor, the late, iconic theatre and film producer and Academy Award-winning actor, John Houseman, launched a swan song of sorts for her with a production of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well, in which Madolyn starred in the role of Helena. Mr. Houseman had invited various industry professionals to see the show in the 99-seat Stop Gap Theater on campus, including his former protege, film

The great director, Rob Marshall, has made numerous films that have been honored with a total of 30 Academy Award nominations — winning 9 in all, including Best Picture for “Chicago,” which alone won a total of 6 of those Oscars. Also, for “Chicago,” Rob received the Directors Guild Award, and nominations for Best Director for the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Additionally, he won Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Online, as well as the American Choreography Award.  Most recently, Rob directed and produced the live-action feature, “The Little Mermaid” for Disney, starring Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem. Rob’s other directorial achievements include multiple nominations for award-winning features like: “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Nine,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which went on to gross over 1 billion dollars worldwide, “Into the Woods,” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”Rob executive produced, directed, and choreographed the

Stephen Cole is back on StoryBeat for the second time. An award-winning writer of musical theatre, non-fiction books, short stories, and novels, Stephen’s work has been recorded, published, and produced worldwide, from New York City to London to the Middle East and Australia. With Matthew Ward he wrote the musicals After The Fair, Merlin’s Apprentice, Rock Odyssey, and Casper (which originally starred Chita Rivera), The Night of the Hunter and Saturday Night at Grossinger’s (with music by Claibe Richardson), and Dodsworth and Time After Time (with music by Jeff Saver), which has recently been revived at the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati.  In 2005 Stephen and composer David Krane were commissioned to write the first American musical to premiere in the Middle East. The result was Aspire, which was produced in Qatar. Their hilarious cross-cultural experiences resulted in another show titled The Road To Qatar! which has been produced in Dallas, New York and the Edinburgh International Festival (where it w