The founders of Live Action Theatre—-Kyle Encinas, Chris Niebling, and Amie Root—-along with The Adventures of John Blade, Super Spy cast members Robb Hunter, Craig Lawrence, and Jenny Male, join Chris Klimek to talk about the origins of their company, and the intense preparation required to depict fisticuffs and gunplay convincingly but safely. “I’m never comfortable until the curtain is down and everyone has all the fingers, toes, and eyeballs they started with,” says Hunter, an actor and fight director.

And we geek out about action movies, because obviously. Since John Blade production manager Amie Root brought up Lethal Weapon and Kyle Encinas, the playwright, brought up Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, both unprompted by me, lemme just plug this thing I wrote for the Village Voice a few months ago about the films of Shane Black, who wrote both those films. Shameless, I know. Sorry.