Neat People

As we all hunker down in quarantine and social distancing, please listen to this important conversation at an important time. Listen to Levi Meerovich, producer with Dog Stuff, Playwright, Performer and all around artist, talk about what it means to be an artist, especially in the face of adversity, and why now more than ever we need artists, art and each other.  

Dave Gau is one of the hardest working men in Richmond. Entrepreneur, Improv King, Animator, Cartoonist, the list goes on. Spend some time with him on this weeks episode as we talk about the art of illustration and the power of the panel. We also talk about "being busy" and how we often misconstrue that as being productive. You can find Dave performing at CSZ Richmond or check out his work at www.davegau.com.

Steve Boyd is an Emmy winning director and producer and we chat about several of his stories, his process, the man himself and how he ended up where he is now. You can view most of Steve's work on the Henrico County YouTube Channel and searching for the pieces we talk specifically, "ORBIT" and "Aging out of the Foster Care System". 

This was such great conversation about how food can be a story telling medium, and what it means to be a reviewer and critic.Robey is food journalist for CBS 6 News and other local/national publications covering all manner of dining and drinking. Find Robey predominantly over at WTVR CBS 6 as a co-host of the food podcast "Eat It, Virginia", author of Richmond's restaurant "hot list” or wherever the good French fries are.Other places to read Robey: Richmond Magazine, Virginia Living, Style Weekly, Richmond Times Dispatch, Beer Advocate, Richmond Grid, Tilt.com, Chesterfield Observer, Marcostyle.com and Virginia Craft Beer Magazine. Follow her food-centric life at @callmerobey and @eatitvirginia on Instagram.

Lucretia Anderson is an artist, educator, coach, and mentor and you should not miss this week’s episode! She shares some wonderful and poignant stories about her past and how she has discovered her purpose through her own experiences. Her story and her attitude is inspiring, this is a must listen episode. You can find the link to the video as well as the events and workshops mentioned in the episode at facebook.com/voxhumanacollective.

Chandler Hubbard is a Richmond based playwright and actor whose newest script, Molly House, is being produced as stage reading as a part of Richmond Triangle Players Winter New Works series. Event information for Molly House can be found on Facebook or through www.rtriangle.org

Richmond Music veterans, legends and all around good guys, Dusty and Jeremy Simmons sat down with me and talked about lives dedicated to making music, the importance of family and risk taking, and choosing to prioritize fulfillment and purpose over "should do's" and the "easy" way. You can find show dates for Dusty playing with the Cris Jacobs band through their facebook page and website, and you can get their new album "Color Where You Are" wherever you buy records and music. You can also catch him playing with Fear of Music, a Talking Heads Tribute Band or The Big Payback, a James Brown tribute band. Jeremy can be found most days helping others make their own music at his Elephant Ear Recording and Producing studio and is also performing through the month of December and January with the Gold Sauce, a funk-blues-soul band, as well as alongside longtime friends and bandmates in Skydog, an Allman Brothers Tribute Band. Enjoy!

There are no adequate words to describe the being that is Anthony Cosby. His energy and joy are contagious and frankly he is just a force of nature. This episode was so much fun as we talked about everything from religion and spirituality, to middle school, to how he acquired the "hyphen Knowles" to his name. In fact you can see the story he describes about his interaction with Beyonce at this link. You can also see him performing as a featured vocalist in the Riverside Christmas Spectacular at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts in Fredericksburg VA, running through 12/29, or performing Sammy Davis Jr. songs alongside some of Richmond's most beloved crooners and singers as a part of the RVA Rat Pack, performing one night only, 12/7 at the Dominion Energy Center. Tickets are still available for the 2pm show!

This weeks episode is the one and only Bianca Bryan. You know her voice, its everywhere! From being the voice of VPM, performing in the upcoming production of Urinetown at Theatrelab, to creating her Voice Over company, VoiceOverVA.Com. In this episode we talk about all those things along with approach to creating characters and specifically what it means to play the “bad guy”. 

CJ talks about why Pandas are useless, the effects of having an overnight viral post on facebook (60k shares!) and touches on dealing with grief. This may be the most entertaining episode yet, and I had a blast recording it! You can see CJ portray reporter Michael McCormack in "Lombardi" running at Firehouse Theatre 11/10 through 11/23. 

Julinda Lewis is a teacher, writer and dancer. She runs the blog RVArt at jdldancesrva.com as well as is instructor at BeMoved Dance. Julinda is an inspiration as you hear her share her stories of growing up in New York, dance lessons with Eartha Kitt and her journey through several surgeries in the span of a single 12 month period, and how the power of community helped her through. Julinda is the epitome of perseverance and commitment, take a listen to understand how true that statement really is. 

Come behind the scenes (literally) with the Artistic Director of Richmond's TheatreLab, Deejay Gray. We chat about the history of how Deejay and Theatrelab came to be over the past 7 years and how it has changed. We also spend a lot of time talking about how the road to success is fraught with failure and second guessing, and how their critically and peer acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd was what Deejay characterizes as "my greatest artistic failure". Sit back and fall in love with the humble, driven and genuinely neat Deejay Gray. 

Do the thing that gives you purpose. Christina Romers shares her journey of taking risks and making sacrifices and the failures and successes that come along with it. Im sure you will this leave this episode wanting to give back to the community so you can totally do that! First you can support Christina and St Judes, by donating at www.heroes.stjude.org/christinaromers or taking a look at ways to help out with the Comfort Zone Camp at www.comfortzone.org 

In honor of back to school month, I sat down with one of the most influential teachers I've ever had, Mr. Steve Klass. Steve has been an educator for 40+ years and has impacted the lives of thousands of people. In this episode I tell him thank you and he shares a number of wonderful stories about the joy and pain of being a teacher. So thank you Mr. Klass, and thank you to all teachers everywhere for everything you do!

And who is Episode 9’s guest? White. Barrhonda White, former federal agent in training. That is a true statement. This week Barrhonda White, now Professional Coach and owner of www.thebinkgroup.org makes me a better person and essentially demonstrates professional coaching in action. If you are unsure about how to start anything, just listen to Barrhonda as she shares her own journey and helps me discover some of my own values and thought processes. Fun fact! You might be able reflect on these questions while also getting your nails down at Bink's Nail and Beauty Lounge, which she also owns, a part of her diversity of income philosophy which she also outlines in this episode. So sit back, get reflective, and become a better person as you listen to Barrhonda “Binky” White in action.

I now owe Matt Shoffner a life debt.  Matt and I talk about the power of doing, change, and the importance of purpose. Matt also shares his experience around his recent vocal chord surgery and the loss, rediscovery and adaption of identity and the process and journey of self discovery it kicked off. You can see Matt alongside former guest and Neat Person, Maggie Roop, and The Trunk Show band perform Prince's Purple rain album start to finish live at Hardywood Brewery on 8/17 at 6:30pm. Then pop up the road to TheatreLab to meet and greet with the performers and other artists at the Ghostlight After party!

What do Gay Dinosaurs, GI Joe and Cooking have in common? Wolfe Hanson, that's what. In this episode Wolfe and Arik discuss all things 80s and basically how awesome a time that was to be a kid. We talk about Wolfe's impressive history as a comic book illustrator, his penchant for creative cooking and  he fact that he's never been murdered, among other things. You can check out his portfolio at www.wolfehanson.com

I'm pretty sure Chelsea Burke is an immortal as she has more wisdom and insight than should be allowed for a 30 year old. This episode lets you in on how Chelsea Burke has acquired many of her various talents as well as that one time she accidentally got engaged and for a brief time was the Prosecco queen of southern Europe. You didn't read that wrong. Follow the Vox Humana Collective Facebook Page to find stay on top of all the ways you can see the things Chelsea is working on

The show's first Canadian and Artistic Director for the Quill Theatre, James Ricks IV joins me to talk about commercial acting, all things Shakespeare, and finding happiness. We discuss the value of analog in person interactions as well as how difficult it can be sometimes to be honest with yourself to answer the tough questions in the moments that matter, but acknowledging the great power and freedom that come from forcing yourself to do so. Would a James by any other name be so sweet? Methinks not. 

Artist, Performer and Behavioral Scientist Rachel Dilliplane chats with Arik about language, dialect, story telling and how life takes you wherever it wants to. Even more fitting as Rachel has recently relocated to Colorado to accept a job at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company which at the time this was recorded was not on the radar in any way. As Professor Malcom in Jurassic Park famously said, "Life, uh, finds a way". Join me for a wonderful discussion with a wonderful person. 

In this episode Amanda, a professional Mermaid, costume artist, humanitarian and fan of all things fantasy talks about her love for literature and how it quite literally changed her life. We discuss our love for practical effects as well as take some time to talk about how all of us can unknowingly have an impact on the lives of others, which is powerfully illustrated as she tells the story of her deep connection to the book "Ingo" by Helen Dunmore. It's truly remarkable. You can be a part of the revolution we talk about by visiting this link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ingo-helen-dunmore/1102805131?ean=9780060818548 

I sat down with Maggie Roop artist extraordinaire back in January (pardon some of the dated references) and we talk about all kinds of things about creating and how you get from an idea or a concept to tangible representation of it. Maggie is delightful and has some great stories to share that I think we call can relate to about change and adapting to your environment. You can see Maggie perform in "Octoroon" at Theatre lab through June 16th or check her out "Dance Nation", her next show which she'll be directing immediately after. If theatre's not your thing, go drink a beer and see her perform in her Band Cover to Cover at Hardywood Brewery this summer, or just have a drink and say hi at the next Ghostlight after party on May 25th at the basement. 

I sat down with Lucian Restivo, Associate producing director at the Richmond Triangle Players, back in January and talk about failure, art, theatre, and life in general. You can follow Lucian on Instagram @lucian.restivo and make sure to keep an eye out for RTPs 2019/2020 season announcement on May 19th!