Brainstorming: The Podcast

The gals gather round the mic for a fun little season one finale episode and storm eachother's brains. We discuss ghost gal things, getting vaxxed & verified, and battling our inner bully's by unpacking habitual hatred. Shannon also makes the MASH life of Sierra's dreams this week in a Freaky Friday level role reversal. Stay tuned for Season Two!

Shan's childhood friend (and Lizzie to each-other's Miranda), Annie Rayas is on the pod and it's truly what dreams are made of! We discuss the creative joys of our youth, their influence on both professional and personal relationships, and the parallels of plant care versus self care. Annie also shares an incredibly grounding reminder from @thefairlylocalfamily about being gentler to yourself.

Sierra's former castmate and current friend William Hoshida brings an incredible energy to the pod and we miss him already! We discuss the anxieties of audition culture, the pressures of artistic perfectionism and what we want to worry less about. Will also divulges his dream man AND hairstyle from "3rd Rock From the Sun," and shares the multitude of inspirations he's found recently in the NYC Drag Scene, various music videos, and silent discos.

Sierra's dear friend and "neighbor'' from Avenue Q Asha Brownie-Gordon is on the pod! She shares tales of COVID cruise ship chaos and discovering strength in creative collaboration while shedding artistic subservience. Plus, we discuss a Nick Cannon-inspired "Sound of Music" remake. Asha also reminds us of the importance of sharing our energy with those who inspire us.

Shan's former co-worker and co-conspirator of male contraceptives Marti Argueta is on the pod! He shares the origination and musical experimentation of The Nervous Physician, his latest EP. We dive into some fish-tank-talk, the future of jet-packs and the power of creative self-collaboration. Marti also discusses the conflicting perspectives presented in the book Death by Shelly Kagan and how these ideas affect our life. YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCHzg4OE2RFbguMpBDwabtGw Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kir5P7PaGLzwjxO7FFUkY?si=3YVT80vfR72fAwj-v87Vzw&dl_branch=1

Sierra and Shan's former classmate and 30 Rock Soulmate Jacob Inman is on the freaking pod! He gives us a wonderful peek into the artistic and personal joys he's found in Chicago, the liberation of breaking the mold you've been put in by making your own creative work, and helps us bring back everyone's favorite type of hat. Jacob also shares his deep dive into ancient Roman Dynasties and fascination of the suppressed and powerful women of the era. Plus, we brainstorm a couple of new catchphrases for the show.

Sierra's ol' tour friend and paranormal partner in crime Elli Stovall Brown joins us on the pod this week! They share a ghost-hunting spooker story about a haunted theater, we discuss seeking stability through spiritual creative endeavors, and the unexpected connections to be made from releasing the suppression of the psyche. Elli shares a passage from "Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype" by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and how she's learning to embrace her feminine energy as it relates to spirituality, creativity and relationships. Check out @queendom_arts on Instagram for more of Elli's beautiful work (you may recognize a lil cover art perhaps?) and mosey on over to her Etsy Shop to commission this queen! https://www.etsy.com/shop/QueendomArts

The original "Brainiacs" Jake Delaney and Galloway Stevens are on the pod this week as our first dynamic duo! They share their incredible double proposal stories, we discuss (on multiple occasions) shipping large quantities of Creekside Pizza's ranch dressing across the country, and we have our first ever MEGA-MASH session. Plus, we engage in conversation about the inequalities, lack of support, and transparency of Actor's Equity, it's effect on regional theaters and performers during the pandemic, and how to engage with change in the industry. Jake and Gal also share how it feels to be back on and off the stage, working together on The Oregon Cabaret Theater's production of "The Great American Trailer Park Musical". For more information on tickets and how to support the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, visit www.oregoncabaret.com.

Shan's friend and fellow Cancer Queen Narlyn is on the pod! Truly, what can't this woman do? She shares the joys and challenges of developing and executing a creative endeavor in its entirety, the inevitable evolution of said endeavor and the incomparable power of Black women as inspiration for her latest project: "Parallels". Nari also gives us a preview of what's to come for all things Narlyn Venice! For more info on prints and merch available for purchase, visit her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/narlynvenice/

Shan's former co-worker and present day friend-worker Joseph is on the pod this week and we have a grand ol' time! We discuss the birthing process of French Bulldogs, our favorite Simpson's episodes and Joe shares his thoughts on acknowledging the affirmations presented to you in your life. Joseph also reads a thought-provoking passage from "Could This Be Magic? Tattooing as Liberation Work" by Tamara Santi Banez and we end the episode on a poetic note with a reading from W.S. Merwin's "To the Hand".

Sierra's dear friend Emily Fury Daly is on the pod and we're so freaking giddy! Ah! She shares her journey with early sobriety amidst a global pandemic, reconnecting with her inner child through her newest project "The Emily Spinach Show" (@emilyspinachshow) and we reinforce the importance of Celebrity Adult Adoption in this week's MASH sesh. Check out the incredible Promo Trailer for The Emily Spinach Show and learn how you (yes YOU painfully wealthy millionaire or wildly underpaid hourly employee listening to our pod) can help support the creation of this wonderful show at the link below! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-emily-spinach-show

Our ol' Acting Conservatory pal Cameron James Parker is on the pod! We share our wholesome Disneyland memories in celebration of his debut album "The Happiest Place". We also learn what "killing the cricket" means, discuss the selfishness and selflessness of the creative process and Cameron throws a few wild cards into this week's MASH sesh. Plus, Cameron shares a truly magical snippet of the *titular* song from his album "The Happiest Place" -- available on Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, and anywhere you stream music.

Sierra shares excerpts from "The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom" by Don Miguel Ruiz, and the gals discuss what it means personally to be impeccable with your word, not take things personally, not make assumptions, and always do your best. In honor of Earth Month, we had an incredibly grounding conversation with dear friend and environmentalist Brittany Cattaruzza, founder of The Green Spectrum. Brittany inspires us to make sustainable and eco-friendly choices based on accessibility vs. responsibility, Sierra divulges her secrets to caring for her 100+ plant babies (it's actually 75+, but we love an exaggeration) and we discuss the importance of converting your partner to a Grey's Anatomy Groupie. Brittany also unearths a great quote by Dahr Jamail regarding the crossroads of intersectional environmentalism and the irreversible impact of colonialism. https://www.thegreenspectrum.net/ https://www.thegreenspectrum.net/resources/

Shan shares an excerpt from Jenny Slate's book "Little Weirds", entitled 'Restaurant' as we dabble with the societal obligation of "going out". Sierra's childhood best friend Demetrius joins us for hands down our giggliest episode yet. He divulges their friendship origin story, his dream presidential throuple, and the importance of celebrating oneself amidst the cultural chaos of Covid times. Demetrius also shares his empowering response to Kehinde Wiley's "Rumors of War" sculpture when it was featured in Times Square in 2019.

Honestly, what don't we talk about in this episode? Our dear friend and NYC neighbor Ben McNamara joins us for a delightful chat about vegetable variants, self awareness and synchronicities, as well as the creative frustrations and findings of tangential thinking. Ben also shares one of his very own poems entitled "The Spiral Staircase.”

Sierra shares an incredibly moving and empowering passage from Glennon Doyle's "Untamed". We discuss the importance of reconnecting with your intuition (or "knowing") and cultivating trust in oneself rather than seeking it from outside sources, and recognizing when you're acting from a place of guilt or obligation to others.

We reconnect with our former classmate and friend Sarah Ball and discuss the importance of 3D Doritos and Sarah's relationship with social justice work through arts leadership. Plus, we have our largest MASH spiral to date! Sarah also reads an excerpt from the book “Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating” by Christy Harrison and shares her experiences as the Board President of the Renton Civic Theatre, a non-profit organization in Renton, Washington. If you are interested in making a donation to support the theatre and ensure they have a space to create art post-pandemic, visit rentoncivictheatre.org.

Sierra shares a post from astrologer/poet/podcast host of "The Radiance Project", Heidi Rose Robbins, which prompts a much needed reminder to be grateful for our bodies as our homes. Catherine joins us for a lovely chat about artistic autonomy, the potential for toxicity in the performers' 'daily grind,' and we each divulge our own 'peed your pants in public' story. Catherine also shares a powerful excerpt from "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" by author Elizabeth Gilbert.

Shannon's childhood BFF Ryan joins us for a gaggle of giggles in our second episode! We discuss our favorite type of loop, a potential "Never Been Kissed" reboot, and Ryan shares the evolution of his educational path.

Lucia Towers joins us as our first ever guest! She reveals her unlikely superpower, favorite celebrity for piggyback rides and discusses redefining her fear of creative failure. Lucia also shares a wonderful excerpt from "You, the Career: A Holistic Guide to Acting, Life, and the Biz" by Benjamin Mathes.

Shannon Peters and Sierra Wells introduce themselves!