Jesus + Juliet

I am so excited for you to meet my new friend Veroh Ndutah! I have always believed that God puts people in your life just when you need them, and He knew that Veroh's words would go straight to the heart. Veroh is an Emotional Intelligence Coach and in this episode she describes exactly what that means. When my co-worker passed it was one of the hardest things I have had to go through and I am still trying to process it. Veroh and I have an honest and open conversation about grief that we can all learn from. She also offers practical ways to process your feelings and they are so helpful. If you are needing guidance or help, please reach out to her. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veroh.ndutah Stories of Courage Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/storiesofcouragewithveroh/ Youtube: https://youtu.be/1m27MHGKy_A

Thomas Magbee is back! He and I are both in career transitions and thought it would be fun to have an open discussion about our journey through college and the different career paths we took along the way. If you haven't listened to the podcast before, Thomas and I both work at a school together and he recently announced that he was leaving to pursue a 2nd Master's degree at the University of Texas. He is one of three hosts of the podcast Classical Stuff You Should Know, which you can find on your favorite podcast app or at classicalstuff.net.

In today’s episode we are talking all about thrifting. Thrifting is an amazing way to build up your capsule wardrobe so that it is set for all seasons. I am no expert at thrifting, but I have been doing it for years and love it. Today I wanted to share some tips with you all so you can learn how to get in and out of a thrift store quickly with exactly what you need. I’ll share how to identify the gaps in your wardrobe and how to quickly find it in the thrift store. From colors, to brands, to different styles, I have tips for finding it in this episode. If you have no idea what a capsule wardrobe is or how to find your colors, click the link in my Instagram bio here to take my Wardrobe Edit Masterclass. It is a course with 19 modules in it to learn all about capsule wardrobes, sustainable fashion, finding your colors, how to find your body type, where to find clothes, and more! It opens in a few weeks so hop on the waitlist so you don’t miss out!

This episode is part 2 of our conversation with Human Design Reader, Kristin Sigmund. She trained to become a Human Design Reader with world-leading expert, Jenna Zoe. She is the host of her podcast, The Modern Bohemian, and shares her writings on her blog. Today you will get a unique look into what it is like to get your Human Design read by listening in on my own Human Design reading. Kristin breaks down how my human design affects my life, tasks, projects, relationships, and more. She explains how magic things happen when we lean into what we truly are and step into our worth. This episode is packed with information and you are not going to want to miss it. Kristin is offering an exclusive discount to my listeners. You can get $25 off of your Human Design reading on her website by using the code JJ25. Here’s where you can find more from Kristin: Instagram: @kristinsigmund, Website: kristinsigmund.com, Podcast: The Modern Bohemian, or @themodbohopodcast on Instagram

On today’s episode, I speak with Kristin Sigmund, a fellow podcaster friend who is a Human Design Reader. Born in South Carolina and raised in Texas, Kristin enjoys sharing her learnings and life adventures through writing, self-development sessions, podcast conversations, and content creation. She trained to become a Human Design Reader with world-leading expert, Jenna Zoe, started her podcast The Modern Bohemian, and created a new home for her writings on her blog. We discussed the 5 different Human Design types: Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors and what these traits can offer a person. Kristin also discusses how it offered her the freedom to grow even closer to God. The concepts may sound “woo-woo,” but trust me when I say you won’t want to miss this one. Here’s where you can find more from Kristin: Instagram: @kristinsigmund, Website: kristinsigmund.com, Podcast: The Modern Bohemian or @themodbohopodcast on Instagram

I have learned a lot since I started my podcast, and I always get a lot of questions about it. So, on today’s episode, we’ll be talking about three mistakes I’ve made, or three lessons I’ve learned, when launching my podcast. Starting a podcast isn’t easy or quick. It takes a lot of time and preparation for each episode. I have learned so much about the best way to do it through making mistakes and learning from them. One of those mistakes was not giving myself enough time. You can either launch your show without telling anyone and hope for the best, or you can come up with a strategy to promote it and build anticipation. I recommend the latter. The second mistake I made was trying to wear too many hats. There is a lot that goes into podcasting. By trying to do everything myself, I became overwhelmed and had a hard time juggling it all. So when it comes to podcasting, keep it simple. The third mistake I made was, niching down too much. I had picked something I loved, but it made the behind the scenes logistics trickier than necessary. I had trouble finding guests and new topics. This caused me to pivot into a broader niche that gives me the freedom to talk about all of my passions instead of just one. I hope this episode gives you some guidance if you are wanting to start a podcasting journey of your own. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out. I love hearing from you all.

Today’s episode is with fitness and wellness trainer, Abigail Scharbach. Abigail and I met in a Facebook group for moms who are business owners and immediately “clicked.” Abigail is a certified personal trainer as well as a certified peer specialist. She is someone who has lived life with a behavioral health disorder who then uses their experience to help others use coping skills, find resources, and generally help them through their behavioral health disorders. Her unique approach integrates mental health into exercise and promotes full body/mind wellness. This method of training proved itself very useful to those needing assistance during the COVID outbreak as many needed the peer specialist’s mental health push as well during their lockdowns as they experienced isolation and were cut off from their norm. Abigail’s story begins with a solid foundation in Christianity where the main rule taught by her parents was to love everybody. They believed this to be the most important rule out of any church going, Bible reading experience and focused their teachings to this golden rule. This would become very important to Abigail later in life when she found an interest in mental health and wellness. Now a small business owner as a personal trainer, Abigail focuses on body and mind wellness for those struggling. Having her own traumatic experiences with mental health, she continues studying psychology (one of two degrees she is working hard towards, the other being marketing) to better serve as a peer specialist and help lead other women going through what she has gone through. You can find Abigail on Instagram @abbiescharbach where there is a link in her bio for those interested in training with her.

Today I am talking about some major changes and 2 bittersweet updates. They both are heartbreaking, but necessary and propel me into something new and into my next season of life. I was encouraged when my boss and mentor told me that she also had gone through different seasons in her life and that we aren't always meant to do what we decided to do at 20 until we are 60 or 70, sometimes we realize a bigger purpose. I truly believe that seasons of life are a thing. You can look back and see those major moments that changed the course of your life. My last one was having a baby, starting a business, beginning my job at Veritas. I wonder if they always seem to correlate with the decades in your life? Which leads my first update. I have decided to stop directing at Veritas. I will still be employed as the Dean of Fine Arts, but I won't be directing shows anymore. I feel so many ways about this decision. The top reason is because I need that time back. Directing shows takes time, but I can feel my sons wanting more of me and I want to give them that. At the same time I was feeling this need to be more present with them, I was feeling the exhaustion and burnout myself. I have been directing for 20 years. I directed two shows at the age of seventeen and have directed one or two per year since then. I could feel my creativity waning and it became more of a job than a hobby. I wanted all of the fun parts and none of the work. I feel like I can have a greater impact on more students in my department than just the few in my show. Directing is my thing, it still is, but so is bullet journaling and paper planners, sustainable fashion, learning to cook, designing my house, learning to to be a better mother, wife, Christian, leader, working on my marriage, teaching my sons to golf, being a ballet mom, conscious living...the list is endless. I used to joke with my co-workers that God gave me one gift, directing shows. I knew the importance. Moving an audience towards empathy and showing them the gift of redemption, but that isn't all I can do. I heard this quote and it just makes everything click. “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” Erma Bombeck The truth is, I'm not using everything God gave me and I have been realizing that slowly over the last couple of years. Which leads me to my second update, this podcast. What will this become? I wrestled with whether to change it or not, whether to pivot it, whether to just end it. The truth is I love doing it, but I'm technically not doing anything theatre related after this school year. So I've decided to transition it into a lifestyle podcast. It will still be a mix of guests and solo episodes about Conscious Living, Marriage, Motherhood, Leadership, Personal Faith Stories, and Personal & Business Development. All things that I feel define me. I look forward to this next season of life and the next season of the podcast and what it will bring. Thank you for sticking around so far, and I hope to see you when we dive into the coming season.

Given the prevalence of content on social media these days, I wouldn’t have thought there was much I could see that would surprise me anymore. However, when I came across “Mean Girls” on Broadway’s star Laura Leigh Turner on instagram and saw how boldly “out” she is about her love of Christ, I was impressed with her use of the platform for discipleship and knew my listeners would want to hear from someone with her level of success and passion. Laura Leigh is an Arkansas native and now lives in New York City where she is starring as Karen Smith in the hit Broadway musical Mean Girls. She is the host of the brand new podcast "Living in the Light", where she interviews artists and they tell their real life stories of how Jesus took them from the dark and into His glorious Light. Laura Leigh virtually leads a community of college girls called "College Girls for Christ", where each week she teaches her Bible and gathers girls to grow in their faith alongside each other. She also enjoys writing a weekly email "Love, Letter" to her subscribers through her blog Love, Laura Leigh. She is currently quarantined at home for this prolonged pause on her family's farm in Arkansas and she is loving spending time with her mom, sisters, and her niece. Laura was baptized at 8 years old but knew that was only the beginning of her journey in getting to know Him. In middle school, she found the theatre as a place she felt she could be herself, uninhibited with the concerns of what others would think, and developed her love of storytelling. Throughout middle and high school while she grew as a talent, she continued growing spiritually at Christian summer camps where she really felt growth in her love of Christ. Laura went on to attend Oklahoma City University, a not too close but not too far from home college where she felt she could prune her strengths and perceived weaknesses as an actress. This was an important stepping stone on her artistic journey which prepared her for her post-collegiate professional career where she headed to New York City and eventually landed the role of Karen in “Mean Girls” on Broadway. Here's where you can find more from Laura Leigh: Instagram: @lauraleighturner Website: lovelauraleigh.com Podcast: Living In The Light With Laura Leigh Email: podcast@lovelauraleigh.com

Diversity and representation are both huge buzz words in the industry right now. Though I’d only spoken with him once before we recorded this episode, today’s guest opened up into the raw details of his journey and experiences with both topics, how he has coped with realizing his own self worth, and his walk with Christ. We’re diving into it all with Antonio LeRoy King, or King, to those who know him. King speaks about how his family’s support and guidance from an early age led him to find Christ in his own way. With no pressure from his parents about how to feel, King was driven to sing and dance in his praise and worship groups at church from a very young age. His desire to be of service in the church served as a transitional path into the arts. As he grew up, King attended a primarily black high school but was in for quite the culture shock when he arrived at what turned out to be a mostly white university. King speaks to how the pride he developed in high school helped him overcome this adversity from then on. As a youth empowerment and performance coach, King also answers several questions I’ve had as an educator looking to expand upon the diversity being taught or realized within our program, the Black Lives Matter movement, masculine identity in theatre, and lastly, what his motto, “Trust Your Gift,” means to him. King was born and raised in Indiana and has been a professional performer for over 20 years. His seasoned career and extensive training has helped him gain many professional opportunities and experience many forms of creative expression. His purpose and passion is to spread inspiration to youth by showing that creative expression can create a healthy mind, strong physical body, and can be lucrative with hard work. Though being in the spotlight is fun, King’s focus is always to uplift, mentor, and teach youth that their dreams can come true, and that performance technique is available to all who are willing to learn. You can find more information about King here: Website: antonioking32.weebly.com Instagram: @antonio_king32

Today's episode is straight from the heart. I wanted to sit down and have an honest conversation with you all about life. I’m sure most of us in the art world might be needing some encouragement right now more than ever. With our lives so interrupted by Covid this year, it can be really hard to be excited about the things we would normally be excited about. I want you to know that it’s okay to not be okay right now. It’s okay to step back and let God take the lead. I’m sharing my struggles, my hopes for myself, this podcast, and for you as an actor. Check out my facebook group Jesus + Juliet Circle for support or a friend to lean on.

Today we sat down with Elizabeth Bernhardt, an actor, singer, writer, and photographer from Austin, Texas and the author of The Power of Pretend: An Actors Struggle to Unite Faith & Work. Today we are discussing chapter 6, Romantic Boundaries, Romances, and Showmances. In this chapter Elizabeth goes into the parts of a showmance that people don’t always want to share, including how it impacts your significant other or spouse. When you are pouring yourself into your romantic role on stage, the most important thing to do is set boundaries and approach the situation carefully. Elizabeth shares that while navigating this topic as a Christian actor, the best thing to do is to cling to Jesus.  Here's where you can find Elizabeth: Website: elizabeth-bernhardt.webnode.com Instagram: @elizabethannebernhardt Facebook: @elizabethbernhardtauthor Buy her book here from Amazon

There is nothing more embarrassing than asking your guest how she says her last name and then saying it wrong. My apologies Grace! Grace and I had no easy time recording this due to internet issues, but what came out of it was a short and sweet commentary on what it is like to navigate the NYC acting scene as a practicing Christian. You can find Grace on IG @grace_daley and at www.gracedaleybydalek.com.

I really didn't know what to title this episode because Finlay and I talk about so many things...from anxiety, to turning down roles, and her early acceptance of Jesus as her savior. We dive deep and it is sooo good! I hope you enjoy meeting her and love her sweet personality as much as I do. 

I'm so excited to share my student's Senior directed shows with you! Please Enjoy!

I'm so excited to share my student's Senior Directed shows with you! Please Enjoy :)

Lauren Roberts is our guest today. She has such a beautiful perspective on taking time for yourself and figuring out how to re-emerge into the world of theatre after going through a personal trauma. You can find her on Instagram under @oklaurden.

I have so much to say about this episode. First of all, I am psyched that you get to hear her story! This was the first time I had heard her theatre/faith journey and it is so interesting. She was practically raised backstage by director parent's, struggled with accepting Jesus Christ, and had to juggle being a mom and an actress. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do!

If you are listening to this from the future, this episode takes place during the Covid-19 pandemic. Gracen Fisk is such a sweet young lady with a heart for Jesus and theatre. She was working as an intern for Disney World when everything was forced to shut down. The most important thing we can do is to stay firm in our faith and to keep the art of theatre alive during these times. Below is a link to Broadway Cares... https://donate.broadwaycares.org/campaign/covid-19-emergency-assistance-fund/c276873

I think we all feel inadequate, but actors can feel it on a different level. In Episode 12, Zoe Clark, my wonderful alumna and friend talks about being a freshman in a big pond. Can the love of acting be squashed by a cycle of bad auditions or is it possible that God's plans for you are so much greater than you can imagine?

You're in the middle of a show and you slowly realize that some of the content may not sit right with you. What do you do? What lessons are there to learn? What is God trying to tell you? In this episode Kyle Hirning talks about his venture into theatre as a Christian and what happened to his Spirit and Faith when he was put in those exact situations.

Introducing my husband Steven Kennedy! I failed to tackle this topic on my own, so I decided to bring in a soundboard. Typecasting seems to be one of the dirty words of theatre and film. Join me as I work through my own issues with it and maybe shed some new light from a director's perspective.

More than just costumes, lights, and acting, plays are not only glimpses of ourselves in other characters, but often relate so hard core to life events. I can think of several great debates that are happening now, that easily mirror the topic of Loyalty v. State in Antigone. Welcome my friend and guest Thomas Magbee as he unpacks that great question while simultaneously answering and/or dodging my questions about his theatre journey. Enjoy!

I hope you are as excited about 2020 as I am! I am a total fresh start goals for the new year type of person. I don't have one New Year's Resolution, I have like 8! Thank you for being loyal listeners. You can always reach me on IG @laradollkennedy.

There is no story more familiar than that of the working actress trying to make it in New York. Author, Elizabeth Bernhardt, leads us down the winding road of what happens when you want to become an actress with no degree, a partner who wants something different, and all the ambition in the world.

There is so much to say about Chiara's story. She studies theatre as a non-Christian for several years, before being introduced to Jesus, by her now husband. We had a lot to talk about and not only touch on her past, but discuss the film scene and her advice for choosing or not choose a role based on content.

My musings about the content of shows.

Lily and I discuss her new theatre home at Wheaton College and what the program is like. We also dive into one of Lily's most dark characters and how she was able to connect with her.

This episode features Megan Dawson. Megan is a former student of mine and she currently goes to Texas State University. We discuss her most recent show, the TXSTATE theatre program, and her faith journey while in a large theatre program. Enjoy!

This is the second half of our discussion. I talk a little bit about my film experience and dip my toe in the subject of finding good in the "bad" characters we play.

I'm back! In this episode author & friend Elizabeth Bernhardt picks my brain about the beginnings of high school theatre career and my transition into college. This is part 1 of 2!

Hi! My name is Lara Doll Kennedy and welcome to Jesus + Juliet. We will be talking about all things theatre, with an emphasis on the Christian Worldview.