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Tony Bondoc: You don’t need permission to create - Just corn, grit and heart
Description
Ilse sits down with arts programmer, community builder, and fellow South Texan Tony Bondoc, whose resume runs from the Neo-Futurists to the League of Chicago Theaters. They talk about growing up on the Texas border, why “football for theater” (the UIL one-act competitions) shapes unstoppable creatives, and how gratitude and intention fuel his work behind the scenes.
Between debates over corn vs potato, barbecue road-trip spreadsheets, and Big Red nostalgia, Tony opens up about building access and equity into Chicago’s theater ecosystem—and what it means to make something out of nothing. It’s a love letter to arts admin folks everywhere: the quiet heroes keeping the lights on and the curtains rising.
Follow Tony on IG @tonyb890 and support the League of Chicago Theaters to see where he’s bringing the next show to life.
Hosted by Ilse Zacharias Rivera. Say hi / follow along here: @ilsezacharias
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Thank you to our sponsor, Joel Maisonet Photography: maisonetphotography.com
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Ilse Will Say is an Intrepida Entertainment podcast, hosted by Ilse Zacharias Rivera. Produced and edited by Jacob Cagle. Music by Eric Backus. Photography by Joel Maisonet.
The views and opinions expressed on Ilse Will Say are entirely those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views of any employers, sponsors, or innocent bystanders. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. Nothing said here is professional advice. We're here for the laughs, y'all.