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Art by Jason Simon

Token Theatre Friends: William Jackson Harper & Guitar-Playing Robots

The Friends interview the star of NBC’s ‘The Good Place’ on his new play ‘Travisville,’ and whether theatre critics go in the Good Place or the Bad Place.

Twice a month on the Token Theatre Friends video series and podcast, theatre critics (and theatre besties) Jose Solís and Diep Tran bring a POC perspective to the performing arts.

On this episode, the friends are joined by William Jackson Harper, the prolific stage and screen actor (best known for his work on NBC’s “The Good Place” and on All the Way on Broadway). Will also happens to be a brilliant playwright, as proved with his provocative drama Travisville (at Ensemble Studio Theatre through Oct. 28). Harper spoke to the friends about balancing joy and anger in his art, and played a little game with them called “The Good Place or The Bad Place: Theatrical Edition.”

Do theatre critics go in the Good Place or the Bad Place? What about cell phones that go off in the theatre?

Find out below!

On the podcast, the Friends review three shows:

Hitler’s Tasters: Three young women have landed the “dream job” in WWII Germany, they have been chosen to make sure the Fuhrer’s food isn’t poisoned. It’s part Mean Girls, part Lord of the Flies! Through Oct. 29 at IRT Theatre, $25 – $35.

Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future: Andrew R. Butler’s sci-fi folk musical imagines a world where humans with synthetic parts are persecuted by the system. Through Nov. 3 at Ars Nova, $35 – $67.

Ordinary Days: In the first revival of Adam Gwon’s 9/11 musical, four New Yorkers try to make the best out of life in the Big Apple. Through Nov. 17 at Theatre Row, $75 – $90.

The podcast contains both the show reviews and the interview, and can be heard below.

Download the episode here. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.

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Have comments, suggestions for segments, shows to plug, or thoughts on how the Friends can be even better? Contact the Token Theatre Friends via email or Twitter. Or leave a comment below.

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