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That's how it went down when Brian talked with playwrights Tanya Saracho and Robert Koon about their plays going up this season at the 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, IL. 

The whole season is based on the theme of "home," and Brian wanted to know what Tanya's play "Our Lady of the Underpass"-- about a mysterious image of the Holy Virgin under the highway on Fullerton Ave. in Chciago--  and Robert's play "Menorca"-- which takes place on an archeological dig on a Mediterranean island and the U.S./Mexico border-- have to do with, um, home.  16th Street Theater's artistic director, Ann Filmer, sat in on the conversation.

... which Brian kicked off with a clip of an old Vocalo conversation about public housing in Chicago.  Hey, why not?  (Turns out Ann's dad lives in public housing...)

Later the same week, Luis talked with three of the other playwrights who have shows in 16th Street's "Home" season:  Tony Fitzpatrick, Rohina Malik, and Michael Fosberg.

... talking with Luis about the plays they'll be performing this season at the 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, IL.

* Rohina plays the five Muslim women who tell their stories in "Unveiled"-- a hip-hop Pakistani chick from London in her 20s, a black woman raised in the South, a woman living in the Middle East, a woman from Pakistan... 

* Michael plays himself and a bunch of other characters in "Incognito"-- the story of his search for his biological father-- and what he does when the search turns up a surprise: Turns out, dad's black.  Michael was raised as a white kid. 

Also joining the conversation is 16th Street Theater's artistic director, Ann Filmer.  "Unveiled" and "Incognito" are two plays from a whole season on the theme of "Home."

They stuck around to hash out one of our questions of the day:  Is racism back? 

Oh yeah.  Big time. 

That's according to playwright/performers Michael Fosberg and Rohina Malik, and director Ann Filmer, in conversation with Luis. 

   (Rohina and Michael have plays in the new season at 16th Street Theater, where Ann is the artistic director.  Luis talked with the three of them about their plays "Unveiled" and "Incognito.")

For its third season, the 16th Street Theater in Oak Park will present a series of plays about HOME.  Local artist Tony Fitzpatrick talks with Luis about his new play "This Train" based on the hobo alphabet.

Here's the blurb from the 16th street Website.

THIS TRAIN Written and performed by Tony Fitzpatrick With Sally TimmsJanuary 21 – 30, 2010Directed by Ann Filmer There are bums. There are tramps. There are hobos. And then there’s Tony. Some guys just can’t fit in. Fine artist and raconteur Tony Fitzpatrick delves into the Hobo Alphabet for a musically-entertaining visually-rich and never dull night of theater. “Tony Fitzpatrick writes poetry like he does everything else – for keeps.” – Steve Earle