Our Team

Claudia Catania

Founder and Acting Producing Artistic Director

In 2010, Claudia founded Playing on Air (POA) to supplement a theater lover’s habit, and to cultivate newcomers. By recording unassailable shorts with stellar actors, directors and composers, and distributing them on public radio and newer technologies, an easy to access platform for theater was born. By June of 2012, POA recordings aired on 13 public radio stations. Pulitzer-winning playwright David Auburn compared Playing on Air’s recording sessions to pick-up basketball games, only with NBA players. Claudia conversed with each short’s artists about what just went down, and included that conversation with the play’s release. In 2015, PoA launched its podcast. In 2017, with the help of visionary donors, it began commissioning short plays. It now offers listeners everywhere over 135 recordings, plus customized curriculums for educators and their students. All for free, and on demand.

John Kilgore

Sound Engineer

John has been a recording engineer and theater sound designer for many years. He has designed sound for shows both on and off-Broadway as well as in regional theaters. He has worked for directors Des McAnuff, David Esbjornsen, Joe Mantello, Dan Sullivan, Robert Falls and playwrights Len Jenkin and Mac Wellman, to name a few. His recording studio in the Theater District in Manhattan provides recording services to the Broadway, Cabaret, Jazz, Classical and Alternative music worlds. He has been composer Steve Reich's recording engineer since 1993, and often works with other contemporary composers and performers. Playing on Air fulfills a lifelong dream - to bring drama back to the radio.

Lillian Laserson

Legal and Business Affairs, Board Chair

Lillian, formerly known as Superman's (and Batman's and Wonder Woman's) lawyer, spent 20 years at DC Comics, where she was General Counsel. Before that, she was Kermit and Miss Piggy's go-to girl for all things legal and business affairs at Jim Henson Productions. Now, in her own practice, Lillian represents producers, writers, artists and companies engaged in creative ventures. She loves playing a part in Playing on Air!

Jaclyn Biskup

Development Associate

Eric Judson

Website Manager

Eric Judson (he/him) is a communicator and event planner who has worked at nonprofits such as the Kaufman Music Center, Ravinia Festival, and National Louis University. Outside of work, he produced a reading of the Chicago premiere of Arriving At by Ike Butler.