Dennis is joined via Zoom by playwright, screenwriter, actor and teacher Bernardo Cubria to talk about his hilarious and powerful new "dinner party gone wrong" play The People of Pompeii, which just opened at the Will Geer Theatricum in Topanga Canyon. (This is where Dennis first met Bernardo last fall as a student in his playwriting class.) The People of Pompeii is set in Topanga in the days following the evacuations from the 2025 fires and explores themes of community, climate change, and personal truth. Bernardo discusses his creative process, the importance of brutal honesty in playwriting, and his approach to teaching, which emphasizes finishing work over adhering to strict rules. Bernardo also talks about writing on the TV series Acapulco, why he started a Substack to write about the World Cup, and the influence of his upbringing and family on his work. Other topics include: crying at the drop of a hat, the majestic owl that made a cameo appearance in last Saturday's show, acting in the show opposite his real life wife, his other new play Lauren Sanchez, the power of "pinche" and the righteous outburst he had as a 5 year-old while watching a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Show Notes

Dennis is joined via Zoom by playwright, screenwriter, actor and teacher Bernardo Cubria to talk about his hilarious and powerful new "dinner party gone wrong" play The People of Pompeii, which just opened at the Will Geer Theatricum in Topanga Canyon. (This is where Dennis first met Bernardo last fall as a student in his playwriting class.) The People of Pompeii is set in Topanga in the days following the evacuations from the 2025 fires and explores themes of community, climate change, and personal truth. Bernardo discusses his creative process, the importance of brutal honesty in playwriting, and his approach to teaching, which emphasizes finishing work over adhering to strict rules. Bernardo also talks about writing on the TV series Acapulco, why he started a Substack to write about the World Cup, and the influence of his upbringing and family on his work. Other topics include: crying at the drop of a hat, the majestic owl that made a cameo appearance in last Saturday's show, acting in the show opposite his real life wife, his other new play Lauren Sanchez, the power of "pinche" and the righteous outburst he had as a 5 year-old while watching a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

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