Forge Theater Labs

Forge Theater Labs At Forge Theater Labs, we believe that theater is a living, evolving art form—one that must be heated, reshaped, and reforged to remain vital.

We believe in re-examining convention, embracing experimentation, and creating bold theatrical experiences.

07/14/2026

Meet Molly Maslak, puppeteer, designer, and writer. In this episode, we speak to Molly about what makes puppets so convincing and so enthralling to audiences and to us.
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07/07/2026

We sit down with the founders of R.I.S.E., a community for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Theatre Design, Technology, and Management professionals and students across the US. In this clip, producer and educator Miso Wei shares how she brings her identity into her work to build spaces for connection, mentorship, and artistic exchange. Watch the clip — link in bio.

06/30/2026

Directors live in transitions — shifting audiences from scene to scene, act to act, image to emotion. In this episode we ask a panel of directors: how do we move from here to there? What do we carry forward, what do we leave behind?

From a five-second blackout to jump cuts to full choreographed transitions, the same questions surface: who guides it, and how do we know when it’s working? Director Sally Wood shares her thoughts and her "OOGA BOOGA" test. Listen now.

06/25/2026

Join MAACC and Opera Maine for Building Community Through Culture: In Conversation with Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ, a free evening of conversation, music, and community connection at Portland Stage.

This event features Vietnamese musician and composer Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ, whose work brings traditional Vietnamese instruments into contemporary performance. Moderated by Joshua N Hsu of Forge Theater Labs, the evening will explore how music can bridge cultures, create understanding, and open space for belonging.

The program is connected to Opera Maine’s production of Bound, a contemporary opera exploring family, duty, cultural identity, and personal freedom through a Vietnamese-American story.

DETAILS

Thursday, June 25, 2026
Doors open: 6:30 PM
Program: 7:00–8:30 PM

Portland Stage
Mainstage Theater
25A Forest Ave
Portland, ME 04101

Free and open to the public
No RSVP required

06/23/2026

We're back with another company showcase! Meet Good Theater, one of Maine's largest employers of Maine-based theater artists. In this episode, we speak to Executive Director Gusta Johnson and Artistic Director Brian P. Allen about what cultural institutions need to do lift up each other––– their artists, and their communities.

06/16/2026

We're back with another roundtable! This time we’ve gathered Fringe festival organizers and producers to unpack: what makes Fringe, Fringe? Fringe historian and Pittsburgh Fringe co-founder Xela Batchelder guides us through how the term’s been used — from Edinburgh and Edmonton to NYC.

06/02/2026

Missed our performance of "To Boldly Go" by John Patrick Bray? The episodeis now streaming on all our audio platforms!

In this immersive, one-night only radio play, Gamer Samus and Ancient Greek Philosopher Aristotle explore the merits and challenges of “Geek Theatre” when they are suddenly whisked into the future to help stop a war between AI and the last remaining humans.

“To Boldy Go” is directed by Grace Kellar-Long, sound designed and engineered by Cory Macgowan, with postproduction editing by Sam Rapaport. This episode features performances by Paul Fidalgo, Joshua N Hsu, Maya Williams, and Sarabell Wrigley.

05/26/2026

We're thrilled to announce our next Forge Theater Labs Initiative, "In Conversation". Driven by a deep commitment to our local roots, Forge Theater Labs is thrilled to announce its first video series, presented in partnership with community organizations throughout Maine.

Through these collaborative partnerships, we host live, moderated conversations featuring fresh, diverse storytellers and perspectives beyond the world of theatre.

For our inaugural episode, our team partnered with Maine Asian Community Center and Equality Community Center to host author, director, producer and activist Curtis Chin for a community conversation about his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.

In this clip, Founder and Host of Forge Theater Labs Joshua N Hsu and Curtis explore their experience with code switching and how they used it to leverage acceptance. Watch the whole episode on youtube. Links in Bio.

Thank you to everyone who joined for our latest live episode! Our entire team had such an incredible experience bringing...
05/24/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined for our latest live episode! Our entire team had such an incredible experience bringing this episode to Portland, and we can't wait to share it with the world. Live events are such special occasions, and we're so grateful to all (audience and artists) who help us bring our unique brand of storytelling to life. Your support allows us to continue these one-of-a-kind events.

Special Thanks to USM Southworth Planetarium for hosting us, Portland Media Center for filming us, and our incredible playwright, director, cast, and crew for assembling this bold exploration of the magic of geek theatre.

Missed it? Episode will be streaming soon! In the meantime, make sure to catch up on Season 1.

Photo Credit Kat Moraros Photography
At Southworth Planetarium

05/20/2026

Tonight at 7:00 PM! If you haven't RSVP'd yet, remember space is limited, so it will be first come, first serve!

Don't miss this immersive, one-night only radio play! Gamer Samus and Ancient Greek Philosopher Aristotle explore the merits and challenges of “Geek Theatre” when they are suddenly whisked into the future to help stop a war between AI and the last remaining humans.

Details and Links in Bio

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70 Falmouth St
Portland, ME
04104

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