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Hi Friend! Here are the show notes for Episode 48 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. The Fabulous Peyton Storz of Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre joins me on this episode of SallyPAL. I’m Sally Adams. I talk to people on a podcast about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Before the interview, I want to share a couple of thoughts. I love live performance. I love live music, dance, poetry, theatre, opera, you name it. But more than that, I love good story telling. I’m drawn to storytellers. Like the woman at the party who reveals an embarrassing moment for the sake of a laugh. Or the older gentleman who can pull you into his childhood with some well chosen details. My daughter, Emile, has 2 or 3 ‘go-to’ stories she calls her 'party stories'. They enable her to feel less awkward in new situations and they reveal to strangers that she's interesting. I firmly believe that every human has a story to tell. But so often I hear people say they’re boring or that nothing interesting happens to them. My mom used to tell me if I was bored it meant I was boring. But I think feeling boring has more to do with whether you are present in the moment. I’ve been working on reminding myself to pay attention to what’s happening right now. Like when I’m singing at the local brewery, I can easily veer off into thinking about my lyrics, what’s on tap, what song I want to do after this one I’m singing right now… But I do best when I am immersed in the moment of the song. It frees me to interact with the people who are actually listening. The other night I got lost in thought while performing and totally stopped the song because I just forgot where I was. This doesn’t generally happen (partly because I keep my lyrics handy). But the other night when I stopped, a lovely man came up and kindly reminded me of the lyric and began to tell me the story of the song I was singing. He mentioned how meaningful it was to him. Ordinarily, before an exchange like that I would be tempted to joke with my music partner or the audience about the music or my memory, but this person was so ‘in’ the moment of the song… and I was not. Rather than be upset with me for forgetting the lyrics to this special song, he helped me refocus. It was so generous. I think we have an opportunity as story tellers whether the audience is opera lovers at the Met or a couple of friends hearing you tell a party story. Be with the people who are listening. Listen to them as well. Being present is the ultimate compliment you can pay another creature. Past regrets and worries about the future are the enemies of the 'moment'. Be present in your life and I guarantee you will feel alive. And there’s almost nothing better than to be alive in front of an audience. You can even get a t-shirt that says exactly that! “Alive in Front of an Audience” at the SallyPAL shop! Check it out at SallyPAL.com/Shop. In the ‘Amber Harrington - Work Hard and Don’t Be a Jerk’ episode I mentioned that I was toying with a YouTube channel. I’ve used it for live TOWN Stages interviews, creator encouragement and my own original music and covers. I’ve been working on a couple of different channels. "Brian and Sally" is a channel featuring my music partner and I rehearsing songs. And "SallyPAL" is a mish-mosh of live performance and storytelling stuff. In time, I hope to improve my technical skills and expand the offerings but there’s already content for anyone who’s curious.  Peyton Storz I’ve known Peyton for a while now and I have expected for quite some time that she would make her indelible mark on the world of live comedy. Before she realized she is a comedian, Peyton studied Shakespeare, Greek tragedy, and contemporary drama. But when she was taunted by a southwestern professor for being too 'weird', she switched programs and found her voice in Chicago. Peyton graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Comedy Writing and Performance. She trained at The Second City and The Annoyance Theatre. Peyton recently graduated from The Annoyance Theatre training program where she’s performed with the popular Splatter Theatre. The “subversive language and themes” in The Annoyance Theatre’s unedited and progressive comedy has garnered hundreds of standing ovations, produced Chicago’s longest running musical, and spawned a second venue in New York City. Notable alumni from The Annoyance include cast members from Upright Citizens Brigade, MADtv, the Office and Saturday Night Live. Other graduates include Jeff Garlin, Amy Sedaris, Andy Richter, Jane Lynch, and Stephen Colbert… and now Peyton Storz who, with three other performers, has formed the new comedy group, Size 11 Productions. Their all-female Hairy Tales features a Snow White and the 7 Dwarves burlesque number and a live sword fight. You can see the show every Friday night in June at Otherworld theatre space in Chicago. Peyton is one of the most memorable comedians you’ll see on stage. Her authenticity, intelligence and her willingness to try new things make her a comedy treasure. I hope you’ll enjoy my interview with Peyton Storz on SallyPAL. I know Peyton as the consummate thrift store bargain hunter and the person to be with if you’re hungry for adventure. She has a big heart in a little body. And she definitely thinks outside the box. Peyton is a comedy risk-taker. Never one to settle for safe, reliable bits, she always seems to find humanity in the bizarre. I believe it’s the secret to her success. Peyton’s next venture is with Otherworld Theatre in Chicago. I know you’ll enjoy episode 48 with Comedy Risk Taker, Peyton Storz. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. At the SallyPAL shop you can buy t-shirts, totes, coffee mugs and stickers with vintage theatre photos, paintings and fun sayings. Proclaim, “My Life is My Art” or identify yourself as a “Story Warrior” with great gear from the SallyPAL.com/Shop. If you’re a story teller (and, honestly, who isn’t? It’s what makes us human.) you’ll appreciate SallyPAL swag at SallyPAL.com/shop. Go see for yourself. Concise Advice from the Interview. 5 bits of advice from Comedy Weirdo Peyton Storz:#5 Figure out what you care about#4 If it makes you feel good, you should do it. If it makes you feel bad, you shouldn’t do it. Only you know what’s best for you.#3 If you’re around people who don’t make you feel like it’s okay to be as weird as you are, then you need to find new people.#2 Just because someone tells you something is right, doesn’t mean that it’s right for you.#1 for whiney straight white males: Stop talking and let someone else talk. Then maybe you won’t be saying anything wrong because you won’t be speaking at all... Then take a second to listen.” Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading the podcast and listening on your drive to work, or podcast-binging like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Shared storytelling is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and now: t-shirts, totes, coffee mugs and stickers! All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Start Listening!

Welcome to the blog & show notes for Episode 47 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. In this episode, I interview my favorite drama teacher, Amber Harrington, from Edison High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. I have an update on the SallyPAL empire. SallyPAL now has a STORE! You can buy t-shirts, totes and coffee mugs with vintage theatre photos and paintings. Each one has a caption or speech bubble that will make you chuckle (especially if you’ve ever been backstage). Click the link to go to SallyPAL.com/shop and see for yourself. In addition to building the store, I’ve been toying with a YouTube channel. But I could use some advice. So far I’ve used it for live TOWN Stages interviews, encouragement videos and my own original music and covers. But I’d like to know what you want to see. My son, my music partner and I are working on a new musical. Would you like to see the process and what that actually looks like? Do you want me to share videos of original performances from around the world? Do you want more video interviews? I have to admit, I’ve got a steep learning curve on this one. Just click this link to go to YouTube for the SallyPAL channel. Subscribe and comment on the channel and I can start sharing useful stuff! Before I tell you about one amazing drama teacher, I want to share about a little project at our Virginia cottage. Because I am constantly struggling to get better sound, George and I created a recording studio in an under-stair closet. Here’s a pic of my closet under the stairs Harry Potter space. You might even be inspired to try something like this in your own home. It required that we both give up items of clothing we know longer wear to free up the space, but that’s a good thing, right? Amber Harrington was never my drama teacher. She’s quite a bit younger than I am. But she taught all three of my kids. And as her peer, I’ve watched her work and been so impressed. Amber lives by her mantra, Work Hard and Don’t Be a Jerk. She’s been teaching theatre in Tulsa, Oklahoma for nearly 20 years. This very special artist has received numerous awards for her teaching. And her students regularly win awards for their performances and technical work. Every year she expands the theatre program that has changed so many lives including the lives of my three kids. Amber Harrington teaches nearly 250 students each year. This sometimes requires her to accommodate two classes at once. This would be tough enough for most teachers, but Amber’s organizational skills, work ethic (and Google Classroom) make it work. She learned what it means to be a drama teacher from her dad, Paul Harrington. He taught her about raising money, building sets and marketing the work of young local artists on a teacher’s small salary. Amber Harrington graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a theatre degree after learning every facet of theatre craft. As a teacher she created projects and performances that helped her students grow. And every year the Edison Eagle theatre program gets a little bigger. There are so many opportunities in Amber's department. Early in the school year there is a district-wide one-act competition that has often led her students to compete at the state level. The annual Halloween show, Creeps, has dance, music, spoken word and original writing. Fall Funnies features comedy scenes and monologues. She produces mainstage plays and musicals with the help of other interested teachers including history teacher Chris Burnham and now retired Folger Shakespeare Library Mentor Teacher, Paul Stevenson. When the teacher walk-out forced students to forego one of the annual productions, Amber created a summer Comedy Camp to make up for the lost stage time. During the school year she produces an audition-only stand-up comedy show that includes some very funny student-written routines. Edison Eagle Theatre also produces an annual Saturday Night Live knock-off called Thursday Night Live (or TNL). I’ve often thought the kids’ original skits were funnier than the actual SNL. As a Folger Shakespeare Library Teaching Artist herself, Amber makes Shakespeare accessible to the kids. Just recently, one of her students won the Shakespeare competition that leads to a National event in New York City. Her schoolwide Shakespeare festival has produced other National contenders over the years. And Amber and her students began a new tradition in 2017 featuring monologues written by students that focus on the lives of dogs called Dogologues. The December show raises money for The Promised Land Dachsund Sanctuary.      So many young artists have trod the boards under Amber’s watchful eye including my three kids. I give her credit for instilling a sense of confidence and encouraging integrity. Amber now has her 10-year-old son joining the fun by teaching him to operate the light board and including him in the summer comedy camp. One nice thing about teaching is having time in the summer to spend with your kids. One tough thing about teaching is being able to afford your kids. The Oklahoma Teacher Walkout last year in the national news was not unexpected. For those of us who have taught in Oklahoma public schools, politics loom large. Amber is committed to supporting the kids by keeping politics out of all theatre department activities. She finds ways to create a positive environment where all students feel welcome. Amber commits every day to the Drama Class as a safe space. She keeps it that way even in the face of difficult circumstances for teachers. She believes in taking the art seriously without taking yourself too seriously. All Eagle Theatre kids are required to do some performance-related writing. She created one of the first full-fledged playwriting programs in a high school in Oklahoma. Amber believes in students creating original work to a deadline. As she points out, “theatre is the hardest deadline.” All of these programs should be enough for any teacher, but Amber goes the extra mile. She takes the existing Edison deaf education program and incorporates ASL signing by having interpreters for performances and encouraging deaf students to participate in shows. And her program produced the only two Oklahoma winners of the Kennedy Center Very Special Arts youth playwriting program. In my interview with Amber Harrington you’ll hear us talk about the amazing voice coach Rena Cook and the play The Hairy Falsetto by J.I. Rodale. We mention The Lesbian Exhibit by Eagle Theatre grad Will Inman. We also talk about presentational acting vs. teaching kids how to access feelings in a role. This is a process Amber refers to as “turning a corner”. The political climate in education came up, of course. And we discussed the juiciness of “the long silence” in performance. There’s so much to talk about with Amber: We mentioned artist Tom Self’s original t-shirt designs for Creeps (they’re collector’s items now). Amber’s dad writes large cast plays that are often performed on the Eagle Theatre mainstage. The number of events she produces led to the development of a black box theatre space. Her casts have won all state one-act competitions. And Edison actors are regularly selected for regional and state all-star and tech awards. This very committed teacher makes theatre classes challenging, exciting and fun. According to her students, the experience is worth every critique, long rehearsal, and ugly cry. Performing on stage is a risky business but with the encouragement of a teacher like Ms. Harrington, students take artistic risks with confidence. I know you’ll enjoy episode 47 with high school drama teacher Amber Harrington. You can click on the play button in this blog to hear the entire episode. But if you want to skip around, look below for a podcast rundown. After the interview you’ll hear Concise Advice from the Interview. This is a quick compilation of the advice given by my guest during the show. Words of Wisdom from George follows and is a bit of good advice from my husband, the coolest guy on the planet. Here’s the blog version of Concise Advice from the Interview: There are only 2 bits of advice from Drama Goddess Amber Harrington this week: #2 Work Hard. #1 Don’t be a jerk. Advice to live by. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or rocking the artist’s podcast-listening lifestyle like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Shared storytelling is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and now t-shirts and totes! All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now… Work Hard and Don’t be a jerk!

Fail, fail Again, fail better - Samuel Beckett Welcome to the show notes for Episode 46 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Chris O’Rourke, playwright, director, Irishman and critic joins me from Dublin, Ireland on episode 46 of SallyPAL. To hear his authentic (and very appealing) Irish brogue, you need to find the episode on your favorite podcast platform. Just type in SallyPAL and look for Episode 46. I’m podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email to me anytime by sending to Sally@sallypal.com. Share your story with me and let me know about a creator you’d like me to interview. Copyright UpdateI want to do a little update on the copyright information I shared in the last blog and podcast when I told you all copyrighted material from 1923 would be entering the public domain this year after a 20 year wait for Federal term extensions. That actually happened at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2019. Today, January 10, 2019, I heard an episode of the radio show 1A with host Joshua Johnson on WAMU (the show is on a lot of NPR stations as well as the Internet). Husband and wife copyright experts James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins spend an enlightening hour reviewing what the copyright laws mean for creative people. I highly recommend checking out Joshua Johnson’s January 10 episode of 1A concerning copyright law. I think it will clarify a lot of what we face as creators in the digital age from “fair use” to Creative Commons. They also discuss tools available to resolve the plagiarizing of protected works. Knowledge is power. Podcast Guest Chris O’RourkeChris O’Rourke is a playwright, director, drama coach and critic currently living in Dublin, Ireland. Until July, 2016 Chris was the National Theatre Critic for Examiner.com. He now reviews performances for The Arts Review. I think Chris has reviewed nearly every live play in Ireland. I get his reviews in my email box every week and read them not just because I’m interested in the Irish theatre scene (I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for Chris). I read his reviews from TheArtsReview.com because they are a master class in what makes a live show worth seeing. Anyone producing live theatre needs to read Chris’ insightful and intelligent journalism. You can do that by visiting the website. Chris reviews and writes for TheArtsReview.com. Check it out. Chris O’Rourke is also the artistic director of the award-winning Everything is Liminal and Unknown Theatre troupes specializing in originating works with young people from high risk backgrounds. Unknown Theatre’s groundbreaking production, “If Walls Could Talk” played at The 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews. I hope you’ll click the podcast link at the top of this blog entry to enjoy episode 46 with Chris O’Rourke. I also invite you to go to your favorite podcast provider and download past episodes. There are dozens of wonderful conversations with people creating original work in the world of performance right now. I interview choreographers, playwrights, musicians, scholars, designers, technicians and performers from stages all over the world. Every interview includes a section titled Concise Advice from the Interview that highlights the best nuggets of wisdom, as well as Words of Wisdom from George, a brief bit of insight from my husband, the coolest guy on the planet. Concise Advice from the Interview for Episode 46 includes five bits of advice from Critic and Playwright, Chris O’Rourke: 5 Be honest in your criticism. As long as there’s no vindictiveness you can be share what you see. 4 When working with young people, do work that is relevant to their lives. 3 It’s important to tell stories of people whose voices aren’t ordinarily heard. 2 If you’re working with young people, let them have fun, find their voices, and express themselves. 1 Respect your audience by keeping them engaged and entertained. Thank you for reading, following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening to the podcast. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or reading the blog after hours, let me know you’re out there. Shared storytelling is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination.

Hi Friend, Welcome to a special 2018 Christmas Eve Episode of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today, we’re going to talk about my upcoming guests now that 2019 is right around the corner. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Although I’ve been away from podcasting for a few months, I am still out here supporting new works wherever I see the opportunity. As 2018 draws to a close I wanted to share some thoughts before I kick into twice a month podcast uploads again. After producing over 50 episodes of SallyPAL, I took a break from podcasting. It was only supposed to last a month to make time for some other projects. But I got out of the habit of regularly editing and posting and after a few more weeks I was almost embarrassed to start again. It’s like that feeling you get when you forget to send a baby gift and then 2 years later you figure it’s probably too late to send that onesie you were maybe going to buy. But enough about me and my nieces… There are some things on the horizon that are really too exciting to ignore and I want to share them with my Sally PALS! So let me start by letting you know about the guests I have coming up in the next few months: Upcoming Guests Chris O’Rourke is a playwright, director, drama coach and critic with a Masters in Modern Drama. Chris was National Theatre Critic for com until July 2016 when Examiner.com ceased. During that time he extensively reviewed in Ireland and abroad. Chris is artistic director of Everything is Liminal and Unknown Theatre which specializes in originating works with young people from high risk backgrounds.  Peyton Storz performs with the groundbreaking comedy Splatter Theater in Chicago. Peyton graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Comedy Writing and Performance, and has trained at The Annoyance Theater and The Second City in Chicago. She hails from my hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Amber Harrington teaches theatre at Edison Magnet School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With nearly 18 years of experience she has been named Teacher of the Year, won countless awards with her students, and has created programs for her theatre kids that are imitated throughout the state. Her student playwriting program is the first of its kind in Oklahoma and has produced two national award-wining playwrights. Amber is also a Folger Shakespeare Teaching Artist. Reed Mathis is making fresh music in The Bay Area. Reed tours with his own band and works as a studio musician blending his love of classical music (Beethoven in particular) with his spectacular bass-playing skills. Reed is a former member of Tea Leaf Green. He’s also played bass with Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann. He has also played with the Steve Kimock Band, and was a founding member of Tulsa progressive jazz band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. Stick close because I also have an interview promised with J.D. McPherson as soon as his touring schedule lets up.  Big news in public domain works and what it means for creatives: If you’re not sure exactly what the term public domain means, according to Google’s online dictionary, “public domain is the state of belonging or being available to the public as a whole, and therefore not subject to copyright.” This is a pretty big deal for creatives in general. But especially for arts teachers. Many of you may remember being admonished by your choir teacher or your drama director to get rid of your photocopies after a performance because the works were copyrighted and you did not have permission to keep those copies. In just a few days that will no longer be true for works published in 1923. Works published in 1922 and before have been available for 20 years. I know this because in 2013 I wrote a musical for my students that borrowed songs from 1922 and earlier including the well-known, “Be It Ever So Humble, There’s No Place Like Home”. A recent article in the Smithsonian magazine highlights a lot of the things that are important to artists regarding works in the public domain. According to the article on January 1, 2019, “all works first published in the United States in 1923 will enter the public domain.” Because of a weird discrepancy with the law, it’s been 20 years since there’s been any mass release of work into the public domain. The last time it happened was 1998 and Google didn’t even incorporate as a company until September of that year. That means the explosive growth of digital art hasn’t legally included variations on work from this period in part because works published in 1923 haven’t been in the public domain. Some of the work has been available, of course, without alteration, through publishers and for a price. 1998 was the year that public domain releases stopped because the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act added 20 years to the wait time for published works to enter the public domain. The bill was named for Congressman Bono posthumously although he did put his signature on the legislation. It’s complicated, just like copyright law so I’ve included some deep dive links for anyone who needs more. And don’t get me started on global copyright. It’s a hot mess. Next week, though, you’ll have total and free access to things like Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” which, although written in 1922, was not published until 1923. The laws for these earlier works is different from works in the digital age. Nowadays, a work has a copyright as soon as it’s created. I’m not kidding when I say this stuff is ridiculously complicated. I’ll include a link to a great Brad Templeton website on copyright, plagiarism, and some other topics you might find interesting. Other things entering the public domain? Well, how about the unforgettable pop hit, “Yes, We Have No Bananas,” or the songs “Who’s Sorry Now?” and the flapper hit, “The Charleston”. The film debuts of Marlene Dietrich, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Fay Wray will be available for general public use. There won’t be any Disney fare available until 2024. At the time the law changed, Mickey Mouse’s film debut, Steamboat Willie, would have been public domain in 2004. But the Disney Corporation lobbied to retain the rights to its creations over two decades into the next century. They didn’t have to lobby all that hard as both the House and Senate had corporate-leaning Republican majorities and President Clinton wasn’t looking to make public domain law a part of his platform. The 1998 law gave Steamboat Willie an extra 20 years before he would steer into un-copyrighted waters. What’s really exciting now is that digital collections like Internet Archive, Google Books and HathiTrust will be storing seminal works from the early days of American Modernism. D.H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolfe, Claude McKay, Sigmund Freud, George Bernard Shaw, Louis Armstrong, Gertrude Stein, and so many others. Members of the Harlem Renaissance, the DaDaist school, and the Algonquin Roundtable all feature prominently in 1923. This new surge of old works in the digital age allows for current creatives to freely play with the works of important artists of the era bridging WWI and the Great Depression. Works entering the public domain can be altered indiscriminately. You could even claim p.d. work as your own, but that’s not art, that’s plagiarism. As artists we are always standing on the shoulders of giants. Give attribution whenever you can. And do your homework. Look at the context for works that you use. Collaborating with ghosts expands our artistic horizons. It’s an exciting way to learn from our predecessors. Teachers will be free to share these works with their students and scholars can print important poems and essays many of us have never read. It’s only one year, but I think you’ll find that 1923 was a very good year, indeed. SallyPAL Shoppe opening – Stay on the lookout for the SallyPAL Shoppe. I’ll have t-shirts, coffee mugs, all the usual fun high-quality performing arts kitsch at decent prices. If you don’t see anything in the store yet, stay tuned!       You’ve heard from my son Will Inman before and he’s back to talk about the new release of 1923 published works into the public domain, plagiarism, sharing your work, educational theatre, and some other cool stuff. Will’s plays have been produced in theaters from Texas to New York. He is currently a Cadence Pipeline New Works Fellow with Cadence Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. He’s been a featured student playwright with the VSA Kennedy Center plays, been performed with Tulsa SummerStage and Fringe festivals, Writopia Labs Comedy Playwriting Festival Houston University, Rogers State University, a portion of his play, The Lesbian Exhibit,  was performed at Torrent Theatre in New York City, and last year he won the inaugural Edward Albee Playwriting Award by Theresa Rebeck for his play Winners. Concise Advice from the Interview - 5 bits of advice about using public domain work: DO give attribution when you use someone else’s work. It’s not a requirement, but it’s important to recognize the work of other artists, especially if it inspires you. Develop a sense of context for the work you are modifying. Find out something about the history and culture of the originating artists to give depth to your work Dig around in the available digital archives and learn more about public domain works. It’s creative, it’s fun and it’s educational! Learn more about copyright law. As an artist, it’s up to you to know the difference between plagiarism and responsible evolution of artistic work. Don’t just crib work, use the public domain to inspire all new original works of theatre, music, and dance. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or commenting and reviewing like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through performance is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Go Pretend!

Hi Friend! Episode 45 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast features poet, spoken word artist and actor and past winner of the prestigious Jingle Feldman Artist Award, Deborah J. Hunter. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Thanks to everyone who joined me at New York’s Town Stages for my live feed Wednesday, August 8. My daughter, writer Emile Adams, joined me as well as several fellows from the Sokoloff Arts Fellowship program at Town Stages in New York City. Nimrod, Curbside Review, This Land, and Another Sun in the UK have all published Deborah Hunter’s essays and poems. Deborah has made a lasting impact on her community in Tulsa, Oklahoma through her work as a certified behavioral health case manager and as an artist. Her impact is felt throughout the state. This year Deborah was honored with a Woman of the Year Pinnacle Award for women creating real, sustainable change in Oklahoma. Over the summer Deborah worked with playwright Tara Brooke Watkins developing ideas through something called 'story circles'. Using the Mary E. Jones Parrish collection of photographs, Tara created a new work about the 1921 Greenwood Massacre in the Tulsa Greenwood District. Tara asked my guest, Deborah Hunter, to build a poem around the phrase “Dig It” or “So You Wanna Dig?” for the piece. Two poems by Deborah Hunter appear in the work, Tulsa ’21: Black Wall Street. Deborah also worked this summer with Portico Dance Theatre on their SummerStage production simply titled, Wo. Her poetry is very much in demand these days. As a performing poet, she brings her formidable energy to the stage creating stories and characters of substance. Deborah Hunter's life is filled with stories of struggle. Her grandmother was a survivor of the massacre on Greenwood. And her adult daughter is mentally ill. When Deborah’s daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Deborah began a long journey relating to people with mental health diagnoses. She’s a mental health advocate, a voice for women of color, a caseworker with a deep understanding of homelessness, and a soulful storyteller. During the interview, Deb and I cover a lot of ground in our shared hometown including OneOk Ball Park, Guthrie Green, the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), and the Greenwood Cultural Center. We talked about Pablo Neruda, Henry Louis Gates, Hannibal Johnson, David Blakely and his play about the Osage Murders called Four Ways to Die.  Blakely based his play on David Grann’s book about the Murders, Killers of the Flower Moon. I also mentioned a book about race relations I read as a teacher at Holland Hall Preparatory School, titled Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum. I can recommend both books enthusiastically. There is so much depth to Deborah’s way of looking at the world. She is strong and kind, formidable and nuanced, deep and funny. I know you’ll enjoy hearing Deborah’s point of view as both an activist and an artist. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.  Concise Advice from the Interview: 5 bits of advice from Poet-Activist, Deborah J. Hunter:5 To perform a poem in 1st person that is not your personal story, become a character telling that story.4 Nobody’s better than you are and you are no better than anyone else.3 Racism is about education.2 Speak out against micro aggressions.1 Tell the truth. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. SallyPAL now has a YouTube channel. Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfL9LzVbidtRqCCZsOk-imw. When I get some subscribers, YouTube promised me I could have a more memorable link. So go ahead and subscribe while I figure out how to be a good YouTuber. Also, look for short bits of advice, past podcasts, and the edited version of the live feed. Right now you can watch the recorded live show uncut. But that won’t last long. I'll edit soon because my mom says the pants I’m wearing don’t work for TV. Until I figure out how to look like Cindy Crawford on my channel, you can catch 3 unedited hours of great interviews at Town Stages! Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or commenting and reviewing like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through performance is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Tell your truth!

I've been getting ready for a live video feed for my podcast SallyPAL this Wednesday, August 8 starting at 2pm EST at New York's Town Stages: https://youtu.be/_lXNAtZiIvM I hope you'll join me and watch even a portion of the live feed. It's like a live television show on the Internet! You can access it by clicking the link, and there you are. You'll have to wait for the actual day and time before anything happens because it's LIVE: https://youtu.be/_lXNAtZiIvM The SallyPAL Live show is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. and may go as late as 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If you live in California, that’s 11 a.m. to around 3 p.m. if you live in Oklahoma, it starts at 1 p.m. My youngest daughter, Emile, will be helping with the technical aspects interviews. I'll be talking with a number of New York artists doing some really exciting new projects.  Some of the guests will be from previous episodes including Robin Sokoloff and Iyvon Edebiri! We'll even have a call-in guest or two. If you have an interest in creating new performance work for a live audience, or if you know someone who might enjoy being part of the conversation, encourage them to watch the August 8 live feed starting at 2pm EST here: https://youtu.be/_lXNAtZiIvM. If you want to get in on the YouTube chat you will need to sign in with your Google account. Otherwise, you can simply enjoy watching the show!  Want to know more about SallyPAL? Here are the ways you can be part of this performing arts community:"Like" SallyPAL on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sallypalpod/ or: @sallypalpod Join the SallyPAL.com community: https://sallypal.com/join/ Listen to past episodes of SallyPAL: https://sallypal.podbean.com/ You can also download a podcast platform application onto your mobile device (phone, watch or tablet)  and easily listen to past and future episodes of SallyPAL: ITunes/Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sallypal/id1244793589?mt=2 GooglePlay: Download the app and search for “SallyPAL” in the podcasts section Podbean: https://sallypal.podbean.com/ or https://sallypal.podbean.com/feed.xml Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/sallypal Player FM: https://player.fm/series/2360844 Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/sallypal-6N9JMo TuneIn.com: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Interviews/SallyPAL-Performing-Arts-Lab-Podcast-p1025535/ Review SallyPAL on your favorite podcast platform: Just like music, movies, and TV shows, you can rate SallyPAL on iTunes from your iPhone or iPad. First, download and use Apple's Podcast app, but once you have it, it's easy to do! How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad (from https://www.imore.com/how-rate-or-review-podcast-your-iphone-or-ipad): Launch Apple's Podcast app (Apple devices only). Tap the Search tab. Enter the name of the podcast you want to rate or review. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Enter your iTunes password to login. Tap the Stars to leave a rating. Enter title text and content to leave a review. Tap Send. Whatever you do, be sure to join me and Emile Wednesday, August 8 starting at 2pm EST and going until 5 or 6pm at New York's Town Stages (did I mention its live): https://youtu.be/_lXNAtZiIvM. Ask questions, learn about exciting emerging artists, and just have fun! We can’t wait!

Charly Wenzel is a dancer, choreographer and virtual reality filmmaker. You may be able to tell from her accent that she’s originally from Germany. She moved to New York nearly 15 years ago to continue to study dance. It was there at the Alvin Ailey School that Charly met Teresa Fellion who you may remember from Episode 25. Charly danced for Teresa in the early days of Teresa’s company. After a few years exploring other creative venues including film, Charly joined forces with Teresa once again. Charly recognizes both her and Teresa’s styles have evolved over time making their collaborative efforts richer and more exciting. She currently works as the rehearsal director for Body Stories: Teresa Fellion Dance. Charly Wenzel is a big fan of immersive art. She currently performs in Third Rail Projects' immersive dance theatre piece, Then She Fell. The long-running performance piece moves the audience from room to room to meet different characters in the story. Then She Fell is based on the writings and life of Lewis Carroll and his interactions with Alice Liddell. Charly Wenzel just started working on a new piece for Body Stories set to premier in December at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, New York. Starting a dance piece from scratch begins with experimenting in the studio where the artists must imagine audience reactions while creating movement that tells a story. According to Charly, an immersive show gives performers an intimate experience with the audience. Charly believes audience intimacy helped her develop her skills directing dancers because anything can happen. An audience member who interacts with storytellers becomes part of the performance rather than passively watching a show. Cynthia Hennon Marino talked about this as well in Episode 41. In addition to live performance, Charly experiments with the storytelling possibilities of film. Her independent dance films use location, angles, and the ability to move in and out with a lens. Charly collaborates with a film director to create clear story focus. In filmmaking, as in theatre, each artist brings a skill set to the medium that makes it more exciting. Her film projection designs for Body Stories created a conversation between the live performers onstage and the images on screen. Currently, Charly is working on an immersive virtual reality dance piece on film. According to Charly, film festivals focusing on virtual reality films are creating a demand for experiential viewing. In virtual reality filming, the camera shoots 360 degrees. It creates some challenges as the 360 view can reveal crew members, equipment, and things you might ordinarily be able to avoid. The compelling part of virtual reality filming is that it creates choice for the audience. A 360 director must account for audience choice while shooting. Concise Advice from the Interview: 9 Keep your overall vision for a performance clear 8 Good ideas are like a ingredients that you can come back to or choose not to use 7 Every project helps you grow as an artist 6 Surround yourself with people you can learn from 5 Find people who want to work together to achieve a common goal 4 Keep an open mind 3 Find your own voice by immersing yourself in your art 2 Don’t worry about what you think people want to see 1 Stay true to your voice Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a Sally PAL! Don’t forget, Emile and I will be at New York’s Town Stages with a live feed on Wednesday, August 8 starting at 2pm EST. Join me and Emile to celebrate one year of SallyPAL and performing arts “in the greatest city in the world!” The link for the August 8 live feed is: https://youtu.be/_lXNAtZiIvM. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my live feed like my sister will, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through performance is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Stay true to your voice!

Hi Friend! Mark your calendar for August 8 at 2pm when my daughter I will be doing a live feed on YouTube Live! We'll be interviewing fellows from Town Stages as well as some other amazing artists! We're still hashing out the details but I can't wait to share this very special event with you from 2pm to 5 or 6pm Eastern Time on YouTube Live! I'll share the link as soon as we have it set up. I hope you'll join us. All you have to do is click on the link and you can even help me and Emile with our interviews by posting your own questions!     To see the video for the podcast you just heard, go to: https://youtu.be/NYK1N7LFqto 

Hi Friend! Welcome to the blog and show notes for Episode 43 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. The Parsnip Ship Artistic Director And Host, Iyvon Edebiri, joins me on this episode. I’m SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. I started last summer doing a weekly podcast but this summer my responsibilities have kept me from delivering every week. For now, I’ll be delivering a new show every week and a half to two weeks until Thanksgiving unless I can start staying up later. Big News: I’ll be at New York’s Town Stages with a live feed on Wednesday, August 8. More details are forthcoming but it will definitely be a day filled with interviews and fun. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the performing arts in New York City. Check out sallypal.com/join for The Creator’s Notebook. Also, you can be a Sally pal just by joining. The Parsnip Ship Artistic Director And Host Iyvon Edebiri was born in Nigeria. Iyvon immigrated at age three to Brooklyn where she grew up. She attended LaGuardia High School for the Arts, where she studied classical vocal music. She graduated from Boston’s Brandeis University in 2013. Iyvon was then awarded a Fulbright Graduate Scholarship that took her to Italy. She later worked at Primary Stages, Sundance Institute Theatre Program and The Public Theater. Iyvon recently received a Future of Audio Fellowship from The DO School in Berlin, Germany. She also got an MA in Arts Administration from Baruch College of the City of New York (CUNY). When Iyvon founded Parsnip Ship with a partner in 2015, she focused on the artistic curatorial elements and building a team.  The Parsnip Ship management team now includes Todd Kirkland - Managing Director, Katy Donnelly - Producing Director, and artistic associates Blayze Teicher and Ry Szelong. Iyvon and her team set out to disrupt the long standing model for page-to-stage. Parsnip Ship provides producers with a way to hear emerging playwrights’ works through the convenience of a podcast. The Parsnip Ship gives listeners the chance to hear playwrights in their actual voices with their actual intentions. There are a number of tasks to be accomplished in pushing the Parsnip Ship venture forward. Iyvon asserts many millennials have to make mental health a priority when the obstacle is time. But Iyvon created time constraints as a way of life including her personal challenge to visit 30 countries by the age of 30. (By the way, she’s already been to 27 of them.) And Parsnip Ship is not Iyvon’s day job. She produces the podcast in her "free" time. Each Parsnip Ship episode is also an interview and play reading in front of a live audience. When producing a live event that is also recorded as a podcast, good audio becomes a priority. The recording provides an asset for the playwright and reaches producers in a way that a typed script cannot. To get it right, Iyvon makes sure that episodes are individually produced. This also insures a great experience for the live audience. Parsnip Ship productions are free to the public due in part to the generosity of Brooklyn’s Mark O'Donnell Theater at The Actors Fund Arts Center. Iyvon and her team focus on work by artists from a variety of backgrounds including LGBTQIA, artists with disabilities, immigrants and playwrights of color who are the focus of the 2018-2019 season. The podcast relies on donations, free space, and volunteers. Parsnip Ship has so far been very successful. Iyvon’s focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and opportunity are central to the mission of Parsnip Ship. If you are inspired to lend a hand, listen to Parsnip Ship and tell others. There are so many different plays by so many different types of playwrights. You can even have a Parsnip Ship listening party. And, definitely, sign up for the eblast at www.parsnipship.com. During the podcast you’ll hear Iyvon Edebiri and I talk about CreateNYC, Nicole Zimmerer (a playwright with Cerebral Palsy), This is America by Childish Gambino, Daniella DeJesus’ The Columbus Play, Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, and the need for women of color in administrative leadership roles in American Theatre. Here is advice from Parsnip Ship Captain, Iyvon Edebiri from Episode 43’s Concise Advice from the Interview: 6 If you are a woman of color, explore arts leadership. The American Theatre needs people of color, especially women of color 5 Be grateful for stories of truth because the truth is our most valuable resource 4 Do what you can to promote good stories 3 Ask yourself, “What would the world be missing if it didn’t have my play?” 2 Being an artist is not the only way you can be part of the arts world 1 Tell stories: Storytelling is the underrated form of resistance Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my wacky wisdom like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through plays, dances, opera, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now… Go tell some stories!

Welcome to Episode 42 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. I’m podcast host, Sally Adams. And every week I talk about creating original work for a live audience. I interview guests from all over who are doing just that! Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every week. Check out sallypal.com/join for a free Creator’s Notebook. It's a great resource for people producing original work. Also, you can be a Sally PAL just by joining. There are lots of other good reasons to join. SallyPAL has free theatre cartoons and inside scoop on fresh productions. And I want your help building a creator community I've named "The Clearing". Today, my awesome guest is Professor and Playwright, Jenny Kokai. Her book, “Swim Pretty”, explores mermaid culture. She looks at feminism through shows like the Weeki Wachee Mermaids in Spring Hill, Florida. We talk about that and a whole lot more in Episode 42. Jenny Kokai is a theatre professor at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. For anyone paying attention to pop culture, mermaids are a thing. They're moving past the traditional pretty white female. You'll see them in TV, movies, and comicons. Interpretations include transgender, disabled, and racially diverse mermaids. The reinvention of culture isn’t limited to aquatic life. According to my guest, there are ways in which theatre of all kinds is making an impact on the way people view 'difference'. Jenny Kokai and her eleven-year-old son, Oliver, recently co-wrote a play called "Zombie Thoughts". It explores a child’s anxiety disorder through gaming. Jenny and Ollie recently received National Endowment for the Arts funding enabling the show to tour. In addition, Kokai explores ways her students can take ownership of their learning. I know you’ll enjoy hearing this interview with well-regarded scholar, professor, and playwright; Jenny Kokai. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Concise Advice from the Interview is where I share bits of advice from my podcast guest. On Episode 42, that's professor, author, and playwright, Jenny Kokai:  11 Develop rapport before you go into rehearsing an      ensemble show.  10 Create a space where people are respectful of each other’s boundaries.  9 Create a space where people feel free to share their ideas and opinions.  8 It’s always better when a whole team works well together.  7 We do a disservice when we cut people with disabilities out of the creative process because of commercial pressure.  6 A lot more playwrights with disabilities need to be writing from their perspective.  5 When developing a new play, do not get attached to portions of the script.  4 When auditioning for a sexy role, be the sexiest person in the room regardless of your size or disability.  3 Find trustworthy collaborators who have a similar vision… and make stuff!  2 If you have something to say, you should say it!  1 Your voice matters! Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a Sally PAL. And you can sign up for a Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, and joining. Most of all, thank you for listening. You can download and listen to SallyPAL on your drive to work. Or if you're falling asleep to my nattering narratives like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through performance is the most important thing we do as a culture. Finally, I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. I want you to tell your stories. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now, If you have something to say, you should say it!

Hi Friend, I decided to take an episode of SallyPAL, the podcast I created, to share some thoughts about creating original work for a live audience and why it’s important. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming. Check out sallypal.com/join for a cool free theatre resource. You can be a Sally pal just by joining. There are other good reasons to join like theatre cartoons, inside scoop on fresh productions, and being part of a larger creator community. I read a great article this morning that was a transcription of a speech by Playwright A. Rey Pamatmat. I include a link to the speech in my blog and show notes. In it Pamatmat describes his experience as an excluded person based on a number of things. He is part Asian, homosexual, and an artist. During his speech to a Humana Festival audience he says, “the things other people believed were limiting me—my ethnicity, my queerness, my open lack of shame about both—were actually the things that liberated me and made my artistic life possible.” That phrase alone speaks to why I started making my podcast. As a long time arts teacher in K-12 schools, I found the kids who gravitated toward my classes had something to say. I believe everyone has something to say, but there are those (and this is strictly anecdotal) who have things they need to say. Furthermore, when it comes to people who are excluded from various parts of society, these kids have things to say that the rest of us need to hear. It’s why I continue my own drumbeat to create fresh work that sees the light of day. Because, as A. Rey Pamatmat says quite eloquently, teachers can, “subject… students to bigoted systems, possibly for the first time in their lives or… teach them about bigoted systems and how to handle them. The former shows them (and their peers witnessing their treatment) how to perpetuate bigotry when they’re leaders in the field themselves, while the latter gives them and their peers strategies for navigating and maybe even eliminating these challenges.” This profound message comes in a time when many of us who regularly and thoughtlessly experience privilege see the conversations for equality on social media and wring our hands. We don’t know how to respond. And I’m not just talking about responding to LGBTQIA or issues of racial inequality. It’s not even a conversation about women versus men; or, the uphill battle people with disabilities face every day whether you use a wheelchair and can’t sit close enough to the stage to see the actors or you have an invisible disability that forces you to sit quietly while mental illness is misrepresented on stage. And we rarely even consider the frustration fat people feel when they can find few representatives in the theatre who aren’t punchlines. The message for all of us working in performing arts is this: We have an opportunity to lead. We can lead each other in respectful conversations about our differences and what we each have to contribute to human culture. We can lead our audiences to a deeper understanding of humanity and oneness. We can lead our students and young artists to develop tools to handle and combat bigotry and perhaps even to eliminate it. And we should all be leading each other toward an understanding that each of us deserves dignity, respect and love. For those of us who already enjoy access to audiences and opportunity, we have a responsibility to do some homework. Research ideas. Talk to people who struggle with your characters’ obstacles. Create work that celebrates difference. See shows about otherness and be open to conversations for equality. This is probably where I should chastise my fellow artists who experience privilege and don’t participate in the battle to eliminate intolerance. But I am not a fan of the double negative. Fighting a “not” as in, “I hate the haters” is not nearly as powerful as living in the daily possibility for fairness. Mother Theresa once said, “I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there.”  I am not suggesting that we all stop speaking out against prejudice. What I am suggesting is that we, as artists, begin to see our role as leaders. We should never gloss over the shameful behavior we see. But within that moment when you, as an artist, flip on the light and expose malice, injustice, hatred, and their subtler cousins you can make a difference. Lead your audience through the difficulties humans face through your storytelling ability. Create empathy in your audience members for the characters on stage. I really encourage you to either read or watch Pamatmat’s speech because he is saying things we need to hear with the fluency of an artist. But more than needing to hear these things, we need to seek out these messages for the artistic growth they inspire. And finally, we need these messages for the social revolution they encourage that will ultimately bring peace and make us all better people. Think of the exclusion of people who are different this way: Let’s say you’ve got this bank account and people pay you with direct deposit. You get paid mostly in American dollars. But every once in a while someone pays you with money from another country, Canadian dollars, Euros, or even Yen. Even though your bank accepts all of these denominations, you decide you don’t want to be paid that way so you tell all of these customers to pay American or forget it. We have lost a great number of important ideas because we don’t want to accept different denominations of currency. We are poorer for it. There are a couple of things I often say on this podcast. One is that the audience is your last collaborator, the other is that stories create culture. If we, as artists, are not happy with the current state of the culture in which we live, then, by God, we have the most powerful tools ever created to change it. We tell stories. Stories create culture. Culture makes us who we are.  Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Next week come back to the podcast to hear my interview with Jenny Kokai, author of Swim Pretty: Aquatic Spectacles and the Performance of Race, Gender, and Nature.  Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my whining and opining like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through plays, dance performances, opera, concerts and other types of expression is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. I want to help you tell your stories… All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now, go create, collaborate and elevate the culture!       

Hi Friend, welcome to the blog and show notes for Episode 41 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. On Episode 41, my awesome guest is Stage Manager Cynthia Hennon Marino.  Her work with the ground-breaking immersive-devised opera, The Wreck, is just one of the things we discuss.   I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. And every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Because your ideas keep great conversations coming every week.   Check out sallypal.com/join for a cool free theatre resource called the Creator’s Notebook. You can also be a Sally ‘pal’ just by joining. There are other good reasons to join. Members get theatre cartoons, inside scoop on fresh productions, and entry into a larger creator community.   Stage Manager Cynthia Hennon Marino hit the ground running after getting an MFA in Stage Management from the College-Conservatory of Music. She went to New York and got hired almost immediately. She became a production assistant on the Broadway production of Equus starring Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe in 2008.   Cindy's journey started when she and her identical twin, Stacy Hennon Stone, did props for the musical Anything Goes their freshmen year of high school. The two now host a podcast called Twins Talk Theatre. The show is a series of great convos about working backstage.   Sister Stacy is a professional technical director in Long Beach, California. But neither twin planned on becoming a theatre professional. Cindy started by pursuing a degree in math. Stacy started in the business school. But theatre has powerful magnetic pull.   Each Hennon sister graduated from a different college with a theatre degree. Cindy’s sister headed to Southern California. Cindy followed when she found work with Palos Verdes Performing Arts.   Cindy and I talk about Long Beach Opera, the opera, Nixon in China, the LA opera, Hopscotch, and Portland Opera. She currently stage manages the opera, Faust, with the Oregon company. This latest venture features 3-D projections based on the work of sculptor John Frame.   The projections and projection mapping are a collaboration among designers Frame, Vita Tzykun, David Adam Moore, and Duane Schuler. It’s received a lot of attention from a previous reveal with Lyric opera in Chicago. Opera Wire called this production “a visual feast for the ages.”   But Portland’s production isn’t the most progressive thing Cindy’s done this year. In March, she and a small contingent with Opera Omaha embarked on a rare journey. The work they created is unique.   The Wreck is an immersive devised opera created in only 10 days. The Wreck borrows music and other bits from Slavik mythology and mermaid folklore. It features the writings of Anne Sexton, Alice Walker, and Adrienne Rich. It also floats on the music of Donizetti, Schubert, and Von Bingen. Ukrainian composer Mariana Sadovska adds new music creating an eclectic, otherwordly piece set in Omaha… sort of.   I know you’re going to enjoy what Cynthia has to say about stage managing and opera. There’s plenty of fresh ideas in the world of live opera performance. I can’t wait to see what she does next. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.   Concise Advice from the Interview 7) Stage manage a show as opposed to a genre of theatre 6) Help the designers make a safe working environment for the performers 5) Focus on the show and focus on the people and everything else will fall into place 4) Go see opera! 3) Use physical cues to show you are open to a conversation 2) Experiment and have fun! 1) Think outside of the box   Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing and joining. And thank you for listening. Download the SallyPAL podcast and listen on your drive to work. Or fall asleep to my recitatives like my sister does. Just be sure to let me know you’re out there.   Storytelling through plays, dances, opera, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories. You’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers.   I want to help you tell your stories. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now… Think outside the box!

Hi Friend! Darian Silvers is a multi-talented young man on a mission to change performing arts. He has been accepted to a summer Julliard program for young adults who plan to use art and collaborative skills to contribute to their home communities. The problem is funding. We can work together to fulfill Darian's goal to bring theatre arts to rural communities. Please join me in funding Darian Silvers' goal! https://www.gofundme.com/get-darian-to-juliard   Here’s Darian’s message:   Hello lovely supporters, thank you so much for visiting my page. I was one of 50 applicants across the nation to be accepted into the Artist as Citizen Conference at Julliard this June.  All I need is a little financial help for the conference and the plane ticket! If you know me, you know I'm a local director, artist, and fashion designer working in Houston.   The AAC Conference teaches lessons on artistry, entrepreneurship, and activism. I've often considered myself a multi-faceted artist who hasn't quite found his niche, but this conference gives me the opportunity to marry my love of telling stories with my passion for helping people who need it . Any amount is a huge help!   https://sallypal.podbean.com/mf/web/syumuk/Darian_Silvers.pdf

Creative Blocks are nothing new to writers. Creators struggle from time to time with the problem of how to start or finish a work of storytelling. In my interview with Emile Adams, we talk about all the things having to do with writer's block and refueling the creative tank. Here are some resources we discussed that I want to highlight: The middle school club Emile mentioned was called Writer’s Block. It was an after-school creative writing group started by Mrs. Suzy Griffin and students at Edison Middle School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There were also shout-outs to Tim Long and Jerome Johnson from LoJoWERKz, Stephen Schwartz who wrote the musical version of Wicked, poet Sheila Black, Emile’s brother, playwright Will Inman, and their culturally savvy uncles in New York. The “finishing the hat” reference Emile made comes from the lyric of a song from Stephen Sondheim’s musical, Sunday in the Park with George. It is also the title of a book by Sondheim about writing lyrics for the stage. For practicing writing stories in general, Emile and Beckett are both fan fiction writers. They also are familiar with Twitch and “Let’s Plays” which are mentioned during the podcast. We talked about Emile’s dark family comedy, I Wish You Actually Liked Me (and other familial impossibilities). There were mentions of several resources including NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writer’s Month. We talked about art video games as well as some of her favorite games from the last 20 years up including Chop Suey, Brave, A Story About my Uncle, Bird Story, Undertale, Pharoah, and What Is A Belly Button? Finally, Emile encouraged everyone to travel. For her cross-country trip, Emile used AtlasObscura.com which led her to the fascinating Weeki Wachee Mermaids show in northern Florida. If you listen to the podcast be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Also, in case you are interested, here’s Emile’s Adams Mai Tai recipe from the podcast: 2 oz dark rum 2 oz pineapple juice 1 oz orange liqueur 2 oz ginger ale Splash of juice from the maraschino cherry jar Garnish with a chunk of pineapple and a maraschino cherry Concise Advice from the Interview is where I share bits of advice from my guests. Here are 12 bits from playwright and author, Emile Adams: 12)Always have something to work on that excites you 11) Give yourself “mulling time” 10) A good idea won’t leave you 9) Have someone in your life with whom you can share your ideas 8) Fan Fiction and journaling can be good ways to get ideas out of your head 7) Wait a month before your first pass at editing your work 6) Treat your unfinished work as an exercise rather than a failure 5) Enjoy someone else’s creativity to fill your creative tank 4) Re-experience your own creativity. Distance will help you see it in a new light 3) Travel somewhere weird, do weird stuff 2) Don’t work on one thing for months and months and months 1) Feed your creative bits Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be a “Sally PAL” by signing up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. If you are downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my Internet musings like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want you to share your stories. Storytelling through plays, dances, music, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now… Go feed your creative bits!

Hi Friend, Welcome to Episode 39 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today you’ll hear my long-awaited talk with the multi-talented founders of LoJoWerkz, Tim Long and Jerome Johnson. I’m Sally Adams, your SallyPAL podcast host. Every week I talk to people like the LojoWERKz team about creating original work for a live audience. We talk about practical matters such as finding a great stage manager, scheduling for a show, and booking the right venue. My guests and I also explore social issues such as "open writing" and inclusion, women's voices, and celebrating "otherness". Check out the show notes on the blog to get links to the things we talk about and see photos of my guests. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every week. Check out sallypal.com/join for a cool free theatre resource. It’s never too late to sign up and have access to the Creator’s Notebook. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com. I read them all. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. LoJoWERKz Graphic Arts Version of Jerome and Tim at Work LoJoWERKz Tim Long and Jerome Johnson met in 1991 at Okmulgee High School in Oklahoma when Tim was a young substitute teacher doing music and art on the side and Jerome was a high school kid into street dancing. Today the pair form the foundation of LoJoWERKz productions. The innovative stage and screen entertainment company blends hip-hop culture with traditional genres and has garnered some very high level attention. Tim’s companion art label, TuTchT IMAGING, creates graphic art featuring models of color. Before collaborating on their first full book musical, A Song of Greenwood, in the late 1990s, the two LojoWERKz founders collaborated on projects for the church they both attended. Higher Dimensions Church in Tulsa, led by Carlton Pearson, encouraged the pair’s creative expression and led to a working partnership. The Cast of "Roofless" from the 2016 Table Reading LoJoWERKz' current project, Roofless, started as a dance concert directed by the inimitable Tyrone Wilkerson for American Theatre Company in Tulsa. They worked the Roofless script into a full-blown musical and were awarded a place in 2004 into the ASCAP Foundation/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop. When they were accepted, Michael Kerker, Director of Musical Theatre for ASCAP, told them Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz was really impressed by their work. Tim and Jerome have been mentored by Kerker and Schwartz since 2004. In 2005 they won the Harold Arlen Musical Theatre Award. Since that time the show has been called “groundbreaking”, “genius”, and “the future of the musical” by people who know what they’re talking about. Tim has a background in film. He’s a 1988 graduate of the famously innovative CalArts.  And he and Jerome have been working on a new approach Roofless. They gave SallyPAL an exclusive reveal of what’s next for this amazing show and it’s going to expand the musical form on many levels. Tim and Jerome already have some experience creating a blend of new and old they both love. In the short film HotFoot, Jerome choreographs famous hip-hop dance artist Lil Buck in a silent movie that also features Jerome’s eight-year-old son Sage. I’ve followed Lojowerkz for a few years and it’s really great to see this pair experiencing the success they deserve. They're just good people and there’s more ahead for both of these extraordinarily talented friends. They talk about a lot of exciting new things happening in the worlds of musical theatre, film, and hip-hop, including Lin Manuel Miranda’s works, In the Heights and Hamilton, and the work of artists like Lil Buck. You’ll hear Jerome’s son, Sage, in the background. Also, his wife, Tyff, makes a brief appearance. If you listen to the podcast, be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Concise Advice from the Interview: 9) Being an outsider can be an advantage. Use it. 8) Keep moving forward and surround yourself with smart people, you’ll eventually get where you need to go. 7) Listen to critique for the grain of truth but take advice from people who know what they’re doing. 6) Don’t try to reshape what you have to fit the marketplace, but do get in the system to get to the caliber of advice you need. 5) Submit your work once it’s performance ready. 4) Get into legitimate circles to hone your voice and your craft. 3) A great idea won’t leave you. 2) Know your voice. 1) Keep putting your foot on the gas and go. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. Thanks to Hannah for emailing me, it was awesome to hear from you! If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my doobadooba fubar like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. You need to share your stories. Storytelling through plays, dances, music, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now, keep putting your foot on the gas and go!

Hi Friend, Welcome to Episode 38 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast Show Notes and Blog. You've got your show. You've got your team. You might even have a few set pieces and costumes. But you have nowhere to perform. Today, I talk venues! I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every week. Check out sallypal.com/join for a cool free theatre resource. It’s never too late to sign up to have access to the Creator’s Notebook inserts. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to Sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Words of Wisdom from George. Finding a venue is one of the trickiest areas for the performing artist. We often think about venues as a place with a stage and lighting and seats for an audience. But there are so many other options. In fact, today it’s even possible to create a virtual venue. But we'll start with bricks and mortar. When looking around for a space where you can invite an audience into an area to see a performance, you need a couple of things: Space to perform, and space for an audience to experience the performance. Traditionally, this is known as seating. But, of course, there are plenty of examples of shows with no actual seats for an audience. This could be anything from bringing their own seats as they would at a performance in a local park, or rave seating like Fuerza Bruta in New York where the audience stands and moves around for the entire show. You’ve probably seen live bands perform for dancing audiences. For now let’s concentrate on the type of show where you're trying to tell a story to an audience and you want the audience to be focused on the story. This could be improv, dance, a play, an opera, you get the idea. When considering venues, there are two important things to consider with a story show: 1) Is the space appropriate to the production’s size? 2) Can every audience member see and hear the performance adequately? Let’s address the first question. “Is the space appropriate to the production’s size?” There are performances where the performers outnumber audience members even when there’s a full house. This happens sometimes with children’s plays and dance recitals. Every family needs a ticket to see the kids perform. This is a pretty good problem to have. If you’re worried about the size of the venue and whether it will be adequate for the size of the audience, look around for local options. Churches and schools who rent auditoriums to large groups for fairly reasonable rates. Museums, libraries, and universities will sometimes fill the gap with large lecture halls and recital spaces. More often than not, the problem isn’t having too big an audience, but having an audience that barely fills the front row. In a space is built for all-school assemblies it’s hard to enjoy a small show. A friend of mine who teaches at a public school in Tulsa, Oklahoma was able to solve this problem. A cavernous auditorium will swallow a small audience of parents and friends. My friend created seating on the actual stage. She then closed the main curtain. This created a space where the audience sat on three sides of a make-shift stage in the center of an enormous main stage. It kept the performance intimate. And the audience was able to enjoy the show without the gulf of separation many older school buildings have. Other solutions include arranging for a show in a large room of someone’s home, or a backyard stage is an option. Many coffee houses and brew pubs have small performance areas. You can often find galleries, and dance studios that will open their doors to a performance group. There are plenty of basement theaters in big cities including New York and Chicago. As a member of an improv troupe I’ve had some great experiences performing in a yoga studio. There are so many options, it’s sometimes a matter of matching the venue to the performance. In 2015, the avant-garde opera company the Industry staged it’s new opera, Hopscotch, in 24 cars on the roads of Los Angeles. Audience members were chauffeured in limos where scenes from the opera took place both in the cars and in parking lots. The company performed 24 live chapters over the course of 90 minutes. Tickets were naturally limited, so cameras and mics in each limo allowed director Yuval Sharon to live-stream the action to a central hub. Using 24 screens in the round, the public could watch the opera for free. Granted, this is a pretty expensive and technically challenging idea. We can start to see options for performances that would allow for unusual venues that enhance, rather than detract from, the performance. Get creative, look around your community. What’s available? What environment enhances your story? I once saw an opera by Henry Mollicone titled, The Face on the Barroom Floor performed in a bar. Bars are noisy, as you can imagine. But like all venues, there are positives and negatives. The second consideration regarding a venue is “Can every audience member see and hear the performance adequately?” This question can be broken down into three parts: 1) Do the site lines allow for every member of the audience to see the show? 2) Is the lighting adequate? 3) Can the audience hear and understand the show? (I mean, of course, can text and lyrics be understood not whether the ideas are too esoteric.) Let’s talk about site lines first. By site lines, I mean: Is there an unobstructed line of site between each member of the audience and the area you want them to see? You might also include consideration for areas you do not want them to see. These include back stage, the mechanics for onstage effects, or the venue’s bathroom door. Check the site lines by parking yourself in various areas where an audience member might sit and actually see things from that perspective. You don’t necessarily have to sit in every seat to determine if site lines are good. But you know that if there’s a pillar in the middle of your seating area, you want to avoid putting someone behind it. This actually happened to me when I saw Dreamgirls on Broadway. I guess a cheaper ticket in this case meant sitting behind the pillar that held up the balcony section. I spent the entire show leaning left and right and getting friendly with my neighbors. You definitely don’t want the audience distracted by things like bathrooms and exit signs. It's really annoying when exit doors open onto brightly lit hallways during a performance. It’s important to give your audience some guidelines. I often say in this podcast that your audience is the final collaborator. Give them parameters so they can be engaged as collaborators. Remind audience members before each performance to turn off cell phones, and thank them for coming. If your audience is new to live theatre, remind them that the actors are also live human beings engaged in telling a story. I’ve seen people take flash photos of dancers leaping and held my breath waiting for the dancers to land safely. Those announcements concerning flash photography are important for many reasons, including your performers’ safety. Once you have site lines and site line distractions managed, make sure the performance area is well-lit. There is a big challenge when setting up for an audience. That is, lighting the show so that the audience can see it. This is where traditional theatre venues have an advantage. Most theatrical spaces are already set up with stage lighting. If not, there are a lot of ways to light a stage from the super cheap to the hyper expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, a church or school venue may have lighting available for you to use on the cheap. they can sometimes even provide a lighting person. You can usually expect to pay your lighting person for rehearsals and performances. There are also companies that rent out lights. And lighting professionals who, for a price, will go to your venue, set up lights, teach you how to operate their lighting system, and retrieve the lights when you're done. Prices vary, but you can go and look at prices online or even talk to someone local about the costs specific to your needs. The lighting for a one man show is usually much less complicated than the lighting for a full cast musical. You might also consider asking organizations if they already have lighting for their venues. Sometimes parks departments have warehouses where they’ve stored lighting for years along with the holiday decorations. Sometimes they may not even know what they have. My husband, George, likes to say, “If you don't ask, you don't get.” So it never hurts to ask if the venue has lighting equipment. Always have the equipment checked out by a knowledgeable person. Fire hazards are real in the theatre world. If you’re working on a shoestring budget, consider a daytime performance in a mall or small park. Another thing you might ask about at a venue is sound equipment. This is a little trickier when you're working on an outdoor stage. Poor sound at an outdoor event can send audiences running for their cars, and it’s tough to adjust for the outdoors. Again, the people who provide your lighting may also have sound equipment. In Tulsa, a sound company I've worked with many times called Lone Wolf Audio provides professional guidance along with top notch equipment. The prices are reasonable, and they won’t make you feel like an idiot when you need to learn how to use the equipment. Matt will talk to you about your show’s sound and make sure you have what you need. Ask around in your community. The best technical people may not be the most expensive. You'll be able to get recommendations just like you do for hotels or doctors. In 2013, my daughter, Emile, put together her first production outside of high school at the Equality Center in Tulsa. The closest thing to a play they had done up to that point was a drag show. They basically gave her a low set price for the venue and set her loose in the small warehouse. She got a good deal from Lone Wolf Audio and Matt, the owner, came to set up her lighting. The space was small enough and the actors were loud enough to be able to perform without sound equipment. After rehearsing the show in our house for a few weeks, she moved the play to the Equality Center Warehouse. There the actors set up the stage and rehearsed for a week before performing for a full house. I hear the Equality Center now has a permanent black box theater. Knowing your space and what you can do in that space can be helpful. Many performance groups have a theatre or studio home where they can perform. But your home venue may not be perfect for every show you produce. If you have a venue available at a price you can afford but your show is not appropriate to that space, consider trading with someone who has a home space perfect for you show. It’s a great way to cross-pollinate your audiences and develop professional contacts and courtesies. We’ve been able to share costumes, sets, equipment, venues and even staff members at various locations. There’s a relatively new type of venue gaining a foothold in the world of live performance and that’s the digital venue. Watching a live performance on a screen has been around since the early days of television when you could watch nearly everything live. There’s something Homeric about the experience of sharing an event performed live. Just ask 103.4 million Super Bowl fans. And while I understand there is a difference between being in the same room with the performers and watching them on a screen, you are, at least, still sharing the moment. A few years ago I downloaded an app called Periscope so I could stop at a truck stop while traveling with my daughter, Emile, and we could watch a scene from her brother, Will’s, play performed live at a New York theatre. The connection was iffy, and the camera work was not great, but it was a thrill to be sitting in the middle of Nevada in a parking lot watching a live New York performance. Today there are options like FaceBook Live, Life On Air, Livestream, Periscope Producer, Roomsapp.live, Snapchat Live Stories, Streamup, Stringwire, Twitter Live, UStream, YouNow, and YouTube Live and especially for live casting theatre, there are Crowdcast and HowlRound. But almost any platform works. Keep in mind, permission is still necessary for live streaming anything or anyone. If you don’t have permission from the creators and performers, you don’t get to live stream or record the show on any platform. I hope this podcast helps to kick start your search for the perfect venue. Speaking of kick start, in addition to places online to find live streaming options, you’ll also find ways to fund your projects. I’ll go into some detail in another episode. But, just as there are uncommon venue options, there are also some funding options to consider when creating your event.  I hope you'll check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You, too, can be a SallyPAL. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join.Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. Thanks to Hannah for emailing me, it was awesome to hear from you!If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my Homeric form like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want you to pursue your dream and share your stories. Storytelling through plays, dances, music, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. I want to help you tell your stories. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Go find a venue!  

My oldest child, Sarah, and her fiancé, Classic Dan agreed to open the first SallyPAL clip show. This episode features bits of the first 18 SallyPAL podcasts. And I’ll share the second 18 in the next clip show. You’ll hear about the value of reinventing work, and creating new performances with open casting options. We also talk about acknowledging the audience and making choices before and during shows. We also discuss pushing through obstacles to make something new and fresh! The show features Emile Adams, Steve Barker, Sheila Black, Daniel Bowers, Jana Hunter, Will Inman, Angie Mitchell, George Nelson, Nicole Perry, Darian Silvers, Lisa Stefanic, Wes Vrooman, Lisa Wilson, Michael Wright, and Nicole Zimmerer. You'll hear about the trend toward inclusion in performing arts as well as the frustration with outdated theatre practices. I know you’ll enjoy hearing these moments again. I invite you to revisit the episodes. I’ve included a show breakdown that lists the times you can find various guests in this clip show episode. That way, you can skip around and listen to the parts you’re most interested in hearing. Show Breakdown: Darian & Will take a Selfie with Sally Will Inman and Darian Silvers had some things to say in Episode 2 about why it’s important to reinvent existing works. They also mention why storytellers need to collaborate. You’ll hear them share about “Animal Farm”. This version of an existing show is a revamped musical performed in Houston in 2017. (2:33-Will) Reinventing the Work; (3:50-Darian) Making Something New; (4:17-Darian&Will) Collaborating   Daniel at The Folger with the Bard In Episode 3, Daniel Bowers highlights the fun and excitement of building a reality on stage. (6:29) Telling a Story on Stage; (7:31)  Building a Reality on Stage Emile, Becket, and Sally Talk about Theatre Emile Adams confirms that feeling in Episode 4 while discussing her original play, “Fever Dream”. (8:08) When the Lights Come up on Your Show TV Writer Jana Sees a Funny World Jana Hunter is the executive producer with her husband Mitch of the ABC show, “The Middle”. In Episode 10 she talks about storytelling to a broad audience. (8:45) Storytelling to a TV Audience;In Angie and The Spontaniacs! In Episode 14 Angie Mitchell expresses the fun of developing new forms or games in improvisational comedy. (10:34) Developing new Forms (10:34) Developing new Forms George Considers Character In Episode 16 George Nelson echoes the feeling of creating original characters for both practical and profound reasons. (11:49) Creating Characters In Episode 14 Angie Mitchell talks about pushing through her early improv failures. And Jana Hunter from Episode 10 talks about the value of HER improv training with LA’s Groundlings. (12:48-Angie) Pushing through Failure; (4:05-Jana) Creating Stories on the Fly and Being Comfortable in Your Skin Wes Has High Hopes and High Expectations Wes Vrooman in Episode 6 believes telling stories is important. Also, he points out, a new crop of storytellers seems ready to tell stories in exciting ways. (15:10) Young People Telling New Stories Lisa Contemplates Educational Theatre Lisa Stefanic in Episode 8, George Nelson in Episode 16, and Daniel Bowers in Episode 3 encourage actors and directors. They advise artists to be flexible and create characters and stories that resonate with audiences. Episode 8 (16:52- Lisa) Be Flexible Episode 16 (17:17-George) Play Characters That Resonate Episode 3 (18:02-Daniel) Buy in to the Story’s Truth Nicole's Truth Nicole Perry from Episode 11 ponders the impact of a dancer portraying the truth of a character. (19:05) Do Characters Affect Your Spirit? and Being Seen Wes Vrooman in Episode 6 introduces a conversation for inclusion. It is echoed by Lisa Wilson in Episode 7. (20:03-Wes) Plays with Options; (20:41-Lisa) Importance of Representation Nicole Fights for her Rights Nicole Zimmerer from Episode 9 opens the conversation up to include physically disabled actors and storytellers. While Nicole Perry from Episode 11 zeroes in on the reality of body-based casting. (21:37-Nicole Z) First Wheelchair Actor on Broadway; (21:51-Nicole Z) Disabled Characters Played by Disabled Actors; (22:35-Nicole P) Body Based Casting In Episode 6, Wes Vrooman expands on his earlier comments. He also encourages storytellers to get out there and tell their stories. (23:39) Relatable Stories Need to Be Told  Sheila Loves Words Sheila Black from Episode 13 and Michael Wright from Episode 15 both caution writers to set aside worries that don’t have anything to do with the expression of the work. Michael Values Story (24:53-Sheila) Don’t Worry about Perfection; (26:13-Michael) Audiences Experience Stories not Themes In Episode 10, Jana Hunter shares some memorable advice she got about how best to create with an ensemble. (27:35) Collaborating: “Be nice and Contribute” Steve's Big Advice Also, in Episode 17, Steve Barker gives the best possible advice. (28:07) Write, write, write!   Lisa Supports Women Playwrights In Episode 7, Lisa Wilson sums up the value of storytelling. (29:01) Storytelling Is Culture In Episode 2, Will Inman points out that an audience is always the final collaborator. (30:35) A Live Audience Is the Reason to Do Theatre I hope you enjoy the SallyPAL clip show. You might find an artist who piques your interest. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and also show notes. You, too, can be a Sally PAL! Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, and joining. And, by the way, thank you for listening. If you download and listen on your drive to work, or fall asleep while listening to my NPR-inspired narration like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. Storytelling through plays, dances, music, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I want YOU to share YOUR stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. Also, SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. I want to help you share your truth. All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now… go tell someone who you are!  

David Blakely encourages storytelling for all the right reasons... and some nefarious ones... Hi Friend, Welcome to the blog and show notes for Episode 36 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast, "Storytelling in Plays".  Today, I talk with HTC’s Playwright in Residence, David Blakely. Every week on the SallyPAL podcast I talk to people about original storytelling for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every week. Check out sallypal.com/join for a cool free theatre resource. It’s never too late to sign up for access to the Creator’s Notebook. I want to know what you need as a performing arts storytelling resource. If there are things you want in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to Sally@sallypal.com! I read them all. If you're listening to the podcast, be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. I’ve known David Blakely since I was 15 years old. I was a theatre club member at Tulsa Memorial High School. (Shout out to my Masque & Gavel buddies). In the intervening years, David got a law degree from Duke University, and an MFA from the University of Iowa. Now, 40 years later, David is the playwright in residence for Tulsa’s only all-original works company, Heller Theatre (or HTC). He's also a playwriting professor at Rogers State University. David Blakely is a prolific playwright with performances of his works in various locations around the country at any one time. Most recently, David's been in rehearsal at HTC for his one act, “Four Ways to Die”. The play is based on Dennis McAuliffe’s 1990 nonfiction, “The Deaths of Sybil Bolton”. “Four Ways to Die” follows a journalist uncovering what exactly happened to his grandmother during the systematic reign of terror that killed dozens of Osage people in the 1920s. The play features Steve Barker from Episode 17.  The play can be seen at the Tulsa Nightingale Theatre April 6 & 7, and April 13 & 14, 2018 at 7:30pm. For information on this and other original works of storytelling, as well as the Second Sunday Serials, visit HellerTheatreCo.com. We discussed David’s work, “For Your Examination” in which he and his co-writer, Anna Hudson, gathered monologues from homeless Oklahomans. We also talked about Francis Ford Coppola, Samuel Beckett, PDQ Bach, and "Oh! Calcutta!" In addition, we mentioned Ernie Kovaks, and Saturday Night Live. And we talked about language including the use of American Sign Language in theatre. We also discussed Will Inman’s play, "The Lesbian Exhibit". Storytelling was at the heart of our conversation. If you listen to the podcast, be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Today's Concise Advice from the Interview  includes nine bits of advice from my SallyPAL podcast guest, playwright David Blakely. 9) Nurture storytellers 8) When appropriate, ask those you mentor to give you advice for your work 7) Don’t be afraid to try new things 6) You have a vision and a voice and it’s important to discover it 5) You need to get the audience’s attention to tell the story 4) Get inspired by supporting young artists 3) Allow the subject matter to dictate the form of your work 2) Mine situations in stories for all their potential 1) Allow your characters to face complicated issues. Write the tough scenes Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. And sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. Thanks to Hannah for emailing me, it was awesome to hear from you! I want you to pursue your dream share your stories. Storytelling through plays, dances, music, and other types of performances is the most important thing we do as a culture. That’s why I encourage you to share your stories because you’re the only one with your particular point of view. And SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of storytellers. I want to help you tell your stories… All the stories ever expressed once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… go write the tough scene!

Welcome to the blog and show notes for Episode 34 of Sally's Performing Arts Lab Podcast. No interview today. Just me and some thoughts about criticism and collaboration... Oh, and some new music! Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. You're my podcast collaborator. As always Concise Advice and Words of Wisdom from George are near the end of the podcast episode. I recently posted an episode of SallyPAL on "Fear of Failure and the Imposter Syndrome". A couple of things came up the following week that made me realize I needed to do a show on seeking and responding to criticism. First I should point out that I have not always been very good at either seeking or responding to criticism. Today I want to introduce a new way of thinking about it. Lately, I've started to recognize that critique can be really useful. When you get critique that you know is useful you're not always sure it's worth the effort to make the suggested improvements. You might accept that the appraisal is accurate and you've actually considered making a change to the work based on the unsolicited advice. But you balk because of the work involved in making the changes. When someone else notices the problem that you decided wasn't really all that noticeable, it's kind of a bummer. Now you have an opportunity to address the problem… or you can be annoyed that someone noticed the problem you thought wasn't noticeable, and take it out on the person offering the evaluation. Here's a thought: Criticism is a contribution to your project. Rather than see your critic as someone who's slamming you, think of that person as a collaborator attempting to make a contribution to the work. A collaborator wouldn't say anything at all if they didn't feel they had something helpful to say. If you see your critics as collaborators, you can change how you respond to criticism. Sometimes all there is to say is, "Thank you," or "I appreciate you noticing that." But sometimes what a critic says will cut you to the quick. If your knee-jerk reaction is negative it could be because the criticism is accurate and that's a tough pill to swallow. I'll give you a couple of examples from my own experience, one from a couple of decades ago and one more recent example. Back in the days when I was writing a lot of one act plays, I had several pieces accepted into a local festival. I was invited to participate in workshopping the plays. The director was someone I really admired. I was an actor writing on the side but I didn't really think of myself as a playwright at the time. But the company had accepted four of my plays. I got a lot of good suggestions for changes from both actors and the director. Instead of really looking at these suggestions and considering how they would change the work, I ran home, made the changes and returned the next day with the suggestions incorporated into the script verbatim. I spent no time asking myself, "Is this what I want for my work… Is the suggestion valuable enough to make the change to the script?" The people making suggestions seemed to have a lot of confidence… and I… did not. After this happened four or five times, the director gave me some pretty good advice. He said, "Sally, when I offer a critique, I want to have a dialogue with you. I'm not telling you to go home and change the script. You have to decide if the change is right for your work." My lack of confidence was weakening my work. I didn't put any thought into the changes. I wasn't thinking, "This is a really good idea, I'm going to look and see if it works for the story I'm telling." Look, everyone will have ideas for ways to improve your work, but only you have the original vision. If you become an automaton taking all suggestions and making changes without considering their impact on the story you set out to tell, the work will suffer. It doesn't mean you can't take suggestions. Many of the suggestions I got actually did improve the scripts. The automatic acceptance of any and all criticism is no healthier than the creator who accepts no criticism declaring, "It's my work, dammit, and you can't tell me what to do with it!" Dismissing criticism out of hand is not much different than the automatic acceptance method. When someone suggests a change, let your mind rest on the idea of the change rather than the specific suggestion. It may be that the suggested change doesn't really work but the need to address the section is valid. Rather than assume the person who wants to improve your work is trying to control it, it's possible they see something you are missing. Step back from the piece and look objectively. Could an improvement be made? I always like to say I'll try anything once. If it doesn't improve the work, at least I've tried it and it might provide a springboard to an even better idea. Something else you might consider is your opinion of the critic. Even jerks can have good ideas once in a while. The best people can have terrible ideas and, occasionally, the biggest jerks can save a production. One of my favorite questions is, "Does this change serve the story?" Know what story you're telling and make sure everything in it serves that thread. A more recent example of criticism that I didn't really want to hear happened last week. Rather than being oppressive, it was surprisingly healthy. The person who offered the critique is my sister and she's just an awesome human being so I'm more likely to listen to what she says. As she's carefully offering her suggestion, I'm thinking quietly about it. (Remember my story about taking suggestions without thinking?) In this case, my sister noticed my silence and may have assumed I wasn't receiving the criticism well. In fact, her ideas were really good. Here's what she suggested. On my podcast, I have a section (if you listen regularly, you'll be familiar with it). It's the section where I say… "It's time now for Concise Advice from the Interview." She began by telling me what she liked about the section. This is a really great technique when you want to offer criticism. Since she's a teacher, she has some experience with this method. My sister said she likes that I take a pared down version of the advice people give over the course of the interview and put it in its own little section. As she's sharing this, she pointed out that a podcast is a more intimate experience for the listener than it is for me as the producer. I am aware that I might be speaking to several thousand people while the listener is rarely listening to more than one or two people. What she said is that the announcement for Concise Advice from the Interview was a little loud, even jarring. She called it "theatrical". No surprise since that's my background. My first thought was, "But I like that bit!" and, "I don't want to change anything," and "What if other people like it?" or the less compelling, "What if other people are used to it?" After 37 episodes I still haven't received any real criticism or even suggestions aside from Beck's idea to add Concise Advice (a really good suggestion, by the way, Beckett). That echo-ee section where I announce Concise Advice from the Interview is part of the recipe for the show. It's like the date nut bread recipe where you add caraway seeds despite the fact that you and everyone else who politely eats the bread hates caraway seeds. What if you keep the recipe the same and just leave the caraway seeds out? After talking to my sister, I agreed that Concise Advice from the Interview could be more intimate, could be a little quieter, I could do it differently. I could even change the title. Then I started thinking, "what if I changed it just because my sister suggested I change it? What if there are a bunch of other people who like the way I'm doing it?" Well, maybe there are, but I haven't heard from any of them. The opinion that should matter most is not the opinion of a true fan out there in the world, or even the opinion of my sister. The opinion that matters most is mine. How do I feel about the criticism, and even more importantly, is it valuable to the work? The announcement for Concise Advice from the Interview might be jarring to someone who actually listens to the podcast (she admits, of course, that she listens to it as she's falling asleep at night). What I realized when listening to my sister's advice is that the podcast may be an intimate experience for many listeners. Maybe I need to pay attention to getting my sound levels consistent (I've been struggling with my sound levels for months). About making my podcast more intimate, I thought, "What if I spoke to just one person and that person is you? You and I could have a one-to-one exchange." This led me to another thought: I could improve how I use social media and make the show more accessible. An obvious way I could improve is for you to reach out to me. I do read my emails. It's easy to do because I don't get very many. I have thousands of people listening to the podcast but not very many are interacting with me. You and I… we're collaborators. Some of your suggestions could show up in the podcast. Concise Advice from the Interview was a suggestion from Beckett Adelman. I love that he was listening and proposed putting advice from the podcast interviews into their own section. It's one of my favorite parts of the podcast along with Words of Wisdom from George (which might have been my daughter's idea). Your ideas will get noticed. I want to collaborate with you on the creative project that is this podcast called SallyPAL. While I'm working to improve the podcast, I'm doing other things like creating a small recording space where I can smooth out my sound levels and not have to deal with things like the dog snoring and the washing machine running in the background. I'm working on smoothing out that AM radio voice I get when I've had too much caffeine. I'm committed to doing the best work I can do, but I need your input to know how the podcast is occurring for you. Are you getting useful information? Are you entertained? This is an episode about dealing with criticism. But it's also an episode about collaborating. I think the two go hand in hand. If you're a creator, your collaborators have to be free to express their opinions. When you're directing or stage managing an original work, it can be downright dangerous to say anything to the creator for fear of upsetting them. Creators, we get upset for three reasons. The first is: "I intended to do things a certain way and I wasn't able to make it happen." The second is: "I didn't communicate my idea the way I intended. I failed to express the pictures in my head and the sounds in my brain." The third and final reason for me to be upset with the work is this: "Things didn't turn out the way I expected them to. When someone on the team tells me, "This isn't what I thought it would be," and they echo the thoughts I've been having that make me feel embarrassed and uncomfortable, it's frustrating." When you're upset it's the perfect time to stop… breathe in… recognize the downward spiral… count to ten if you have to… and do not take out your frustration on the messenger. As soon as you do, that person begins to shut down and they'll stop sharing. And you're no longer collaborating. The work will suffer if you're not open to hearing suggestions. But after hearing those ideas, don't assume everything everyone says is golden and you must immediately change the work. When you assume everybody knows better than you, the work suffers because you shut down. The best response you can possibly have to criticism that will encourage self-expression and collaboration is to 1)stop, 2)hear the criticism, 3)process it in the moment or, if you can't process it in the moment, let your collaborator know you appreciate their suggestions and tell them you need time to process and you'll talk with them about it later. 4)After that, take the time to process the critique. If criticism is upsetting, ask yourself, "Why is the thing this person has said to me so upsetting?" or "What is it that bothers me about this criticism?" You might find that you have decided their assessment is about you as a person and not about how to improve your work. Don't assume changes are necessary because someone offered an idea. Sometimes the answer can be, "I've considered your idea but I've decided to stay with the original version." Or you might say, "I've thought about your suggestion and I'm going to make a change. I'm not doing exactly what you suggested, but your idea produced another solution." Finally, you might say, "I thought about your suggestion and I love it. I really appreciate that you're sensitive enough to the piece to tell me when you think it's not working. I'm going to implement your suggestion." Looking at criticism as an attack on your character is a sure way to shut down the creative process and enter the downward spiral. If, however, you can hear even the harsh criticisms as contributions to the work while maintaining your artistic vision, then you've got a place to stand. You can say, "This is not about me, or my personality, or my character flaws; this is about the creative process. You might help a person on your team know how best to communicate when they have a criticism. Some people have a way that sets teeth on edge. I've been tempted to reject a critique because I didn't like the way it was delivered. See if you can distinguish between the critique and the delivery. Once you can tell what's useful, you'll be able to have great conversations with your collaborators. You can be vulnerable with your team. It's okay to admit to them that you may be anxious while reassuring them that you want their input. You can actually say, "I'm feeling vulnerable about the work. It's an original piece and I don't know if it's actually any good." You can request critiques in private, or suggest critiques be in writing. You can even make them anonymous. Being honest and being an adult can actually bring a collaborative team closer together and foster compassion while improving the art. Keep it light. I used to tell students to take the work seriously but not to take themselves seriously. Laugh as much as possible. It's a great tension reliever. If you're a creator taking a step toward producing your work, you are strong enough to deal with criticism like a grown up. Have faith and be gentle with yourself and your collaborators. The art comes first. It will have a life of its own separate from its creator. You must be willing to allow your work to grow and become the best it can be. I am so excited for you to produce your art and to have a chance to experience the joy of creating and collaborating. You are growing as an artist and so is your work. Embrace moments of vulnerability because, trust me, those are moments of brilliance. Listen to criticism and welcome collaborators. Accept what's useful and set aside what's not. I wish you all the best and I know you're going to have a great collaborative process. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You are part of the momentum that's building. Sign up for a FREE Creator's Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to get your work on the stage in front of a live audience. SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I'm Sally and this is Sally's Performing Arts Lab. Next week I'll be talking with playwright David Blakely. I hope you like the new music and you'll listen again. Send your suggestions… and your critiques to Sally@SallyPAL.com. If you're downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my verses and choruses like my sister does, let me know. I want to collaborate with you… All the performances you've seen on stage once lived only in someone's imagination… Now… go collaborate!

Hi Friend, Welcome to Episode 34 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today, my husband, George, my daughter, Emile, and I discuss fear of failure and Impostor Syndrome. I’m your podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. Creator’s Notebook Insert #2 on scheduling will soon be available. In the meantime, you can listen to Episode 31 if you want an in-depth convo about scheduling for your production. It’s never too late to sign up to have access to the Creator’s Notebook inserts. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. Do you need more   information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats on the cheap? Would you like to connect with other creators? Do you need more practical tips? If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… challenge me. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Fear of failure can be barely noticeable or paralyzing. For artists in the world of performance, the fear of failing can overpower the drive to perform. Some great ideas and performances languish in hiding because an artist can’t seem to get their work on the stage. The artist who succeeds in getting the work in front of an audience may struggle with another roadblock to full expression: Impostor Syndrome. Impostor Syndrome is defined as, “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success.” The term Impostor Syndrome was coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. According to a study out of Georgia State University, a third of successful adults believe that they don’t deserve to be where they are. Feelings of success are often overshadowed by the feeling that you are a fraud and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know enough to recognize your incompetence. A few weeks ago, I asked performing artists to share what they saw as roadblocks to mounting a successful production of original work. I expected to see things like, “finding a venue,” “funding a show” and “putting butts in seats.” While these received honorable mentions, the overriding responses were, “fear of failure” and “Impostor Syndrome”. I distinguish between these two although they have a lot in common. Fear of failure usually keeps you from acting. While Impostor Syndrome means you took an action but you can’t believe your success is anything more than accidental. I’m currently reading a book given to me by my daughter Emile’s fiancé, Beckett. The book is titled The Art of Possibility. Written by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, it exposes the assumptions on which fear of failure and Impostor Syndrome are based. As a longtime drama teacher I was never a big fan of arts competitions. I love arts festivals, performances, and sharing programs. But competitions where the work of one group of artists is measured against the work of another group of artists to determine which group is “the best” strikes me as sending the wrong message. It’s a version of sports competition based on opinions rather than objective measurements. Many of us believe competitions are a necessary evil to inspire student artists to push their work to a higher level. But the arts competition model is flawed and the Zanders explain why: “All the manifestations of the world of measurement – the winning and losing, the gaining of acceptance and the threatened rejection, the raised hopes and the dash into despair – are all based on a single assumption that is hidden from our awareness. The assumption is that life is about staying alive and making it through – surviving in a world of scarcity and peril.” This is where the book begins. The world we live in every day does not position anyone to reach their potential. For most of us, the opposite occurs. The book, The Art of Possibility, goes into detail describing ways to break free from the competition construct. One quote stood out for me. It’s a quote from Agnes DeMille’s book, Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham. In it, DeMille quotes Graham as saying, “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.” This conversation is touched on from time to time in other interviews I’ve recorded. Pat Hobbs in Episode 32 talks about imperfect perfection. He says that giving yourself freedom to make mistakes can take your performance to a whole new level. Vanessa Adams, in Episode 28 knows that being vulnerable as an artist has risks and can feel dangerous. But that authenticity can help audience members connect both to the work and to each other. Emile Adams, in Episode 31, revealed that she doesn’t attend rehearsals of her own works to avoid what she calls “backseat directing” and trying to control the expression of the work. During the conversation I mentioned the off-Broadway production of Peter and the Starcatcherzzzz. The actual title is, Peter and the Starcatcher. It’s singular… there’s only one Starcatcher. The show is now closed but it was amazing. We also mentioned the amazing Hamilton by Lin Manuael-please-be-on-my-podcast-Miranda. None of us thinks Hamilton is garbage. In fact, Emile and I have been a bit obsessed with the show. But even Miranda admits the early days of creating the show had challenges. And just as I have no evidence of crappy versions of Hamilton, I have no proof that Eric Clapton didn’t start out as a guitar god at age twelve. It’s just that teaching middle school students for over a decade, I can guess that he didn’t start out playing Layla or Tears in Heaven the way he does now. When it comes to creating art for an audience, we all must start somewhere or we don’t start. Today, my husband George, my daughter, Emile, and I explored fear of failure and Impostor Syndrome.  Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips on dealing with fear of failure and Impostor Syndrome. Here are 9 important bits of advice. 9) You can do this - Don’t be afraid to give it a try 8) Learn to motivate your self 7) There’s nothing about “downward spiral” thinking that’s useful. 6) You can write garbage or you can write nothing. Writing garbage means you’re still writing 5) Bragging and Sharing Your Work are not the same thing 4) To get to the place where you can create an amazing thing, you MUST create some garbage along the way 3) You won’t learn if you can’t fail 2) Let go of being technically perfect and your work will connect with an audience 1) When someone compliments your work… Just say, “Thank you” Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Keep an eye out for social media opportunities to share with the SallyPAL community. I want this podcast to give you tools to defeat your fears and share your unique artistic expressions. “If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.” The show notes include links to some of the things talked about today. Use the links as a springboard to launch your work. And, as always, thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. If you like SallyPAL and want to see the show continue, go to iTunes and leave a review. Also, tell your friends! Word of mouth is the only way to know about SallyPAL. Thanks to Steve, Vicki, Emile, George, Pat, Julie, Beckett, and all of you who’ve been sharing SallyPAL. The art we put on the stage really does make a difference.  I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on any stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now...keep that channel open!

In Episode 33 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast I talk with New York Venue innovator, entrepreneur Robin Sokoloff of TOWN Stages. In my world, Robin Sokoloff is a pretty big deal! I’m podcast host Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. Creator’s Notebook Insert #2 (on scheduling) will soon be available. In the meantime, you can listen to Episode 31 if you want an depth convo about scheduling for your production. It’s never too late to sign up and have access to the Creator’s Notebook inserts. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. Do you need more information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats and on the cheap? Would you like to connect with other creators? Do you need more practical tips? Do you want to know how to manage the “imposter syndrome” most of us deal with?  Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and a special Words of Wisdom from my fitness instructor, Gerald. TOWN Stages is a state-of-the-art, flexible performance and event space that can support the entire lifecycle of New York’s hallmark industries. Robin Sokoloff is an arts warrior on the leading edge of a new female-driven cultural arts institution and venue space. With a stunning 9,000 square foot storefront facility, TOWN provides world-class cultural experiences and opportunities for all:  from civic to corporate, tech to theater. Robin’s vision has come to life in TOWN, a home to a Fellowship Program for artists, entrepreneurs, writers, content creators, movers, shakers, and makers of all kinds.  In partnership with Sokoloff Arts (501c3), the program is part residency, part incubator, and part home base: offering the ultimate creative freedom to grow. An application-based program, the Fellowship offers access to shared spaces, rehearsal/performance/event subsidies, and an opportunity to be a part of a shared creative community, working together under one roof. Robin is the Founder & Executive Director of TOWN Stages. She’s a lifelong dancer, theater professional, and activist: Passionate about building platforms for women and minority voices. As Executive Director of Loft227, Robin created a home for New York City’s best and brightest artists and innovators from March 2012 to March 2017; seeing nearly 70,000 in her doors in under 5 years, while supporting close to 900 innovative works and small business owners. I reached out to Robin through her publicist and she made time to have a really great conversation. I know you’re going to love Robin and want to support this exciting new venture she and her team are creating. If you want to know more, visit www.townstages.com. Also during the interview I mentioned playwright Nicole Zimmerer. To hear that interview look for Episode 9 – Get Physical with Playwright Nicole Z. Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from Arts Incuvator, Robin Sokoloff. Here are 9 important bits of advice.  9) Produce your own work in a leased space using the Robinhood funding model charging more for non-artistic events to subsidize arts events 8) Prove you believe in your work by investing your own time and resources 7) As an artist, the tyranny of positivity should not keep you from expressing areas of need in your community 6) Make your voice heard through social media 5) Imposter syndrome happens to everybody. Stop hiding out and push through your fear. There is an audience for your ideas 4) People will tell you ‘no’. Your commitment to your vision must be louder than the ‘no’s 3) Write a bullet list that includes:Why you do what you doWho does it serve?What brought you to it?Keep it in your head and start talking about it 2) Build a team of people with a variety of talents and strategies who believe in your vision 1) Stand up for what is right Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab). If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my passionate diatribes like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Stand up for what is right! 

Hi Friend,I’m your podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Welcome to Episode 32 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today, I’ll talk with musical theatre performer and Tulsa cabaret producer Pat Hobbs. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. I’ll soon have Creator’s Notebook Insert #2 on scheduling available. In the meantime, you can listen to last week’s show (episode 31) about scheduling for your production. It’s never too late to sign up to have access to the Creator’s Notebook inserts. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. Do you need more information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats on the cheap? Would you like to connect with other creators? Do you need more practical tips? Do you want to know how to manage the “imposter syndrome” most of us deal with? If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… I really do. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Pat Hobbs is old school. He always says "please" and "thank you". My grandmother might have said, "He’s generous to a fault". Pat is a longtime player in the musical theatre scene in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He’s played the Tin Man, the Governor of Texas, a shady lawyer, a drag queen, a wealthy socialite, and a 2-bit gangster. But Pat’s favorite role is that of song stylist. He has a love of the American songbook that opened doors to the cabaret stage. Pat has recently created several cabarets just to have an excuse to sing his favorite songs. His shows became sold-out events. Pat has a long list of fans including me. You can find out more about his shows on his website, https://www.wpathobbs.com/ He’s used cabarets to showcase new talent and support his favorite causes. Although he retired from his 9-5, Pat Hobbs is hardly retired. He and his husband John and their two westies lead very busy and musical lives. John is also a musical theatre performer. Because he loves old-school jazz and musical theatre, Pat works hard to interpret numbers with authenticity. He mentioned a story about cabaret singer Marilyn Maye on CBS Sunday Morning. Here’s the link to the story: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marilyn-maye-proudly-old-school/  On Saturday, February 10, from 6 - 10pm, Pat is producing a new cabaret show called “Spectrums of Love.” The show celebrates the official opening of the new Lynn Riggs Black Box Theatre at OkEQ (Oklahomans for Equality) at 621 East 4th, in the East Village of Tulsa, Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.okeq.org Here are few clips from Pat’s cabaret performances: https://vimeo.com/249609929 Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from Cabaret King, Pat Hobbs. Here are 5 important bits of advice. 5) When deciding on songs for your cabaret show, make a list with 3 columns; column 1 is songs you absolutely have to sing, column 2 is your alternate numbers, and column 3 is songs you love that you might have to save for a later show.   4) Let an audience see your authentic self 3) Share your experience by mentoring the next generation of performers 2) Give yourself permission to make mistakes 1) Live in gratitude     Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab).   If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my gum flapping jibber jabber like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now it's YOUR turn!  

Welcome to Episode 31 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today, playwright-director (and my daughter) Emile Adams and I will go over the soon-to-be-available Part Two of your Creator’s Notebook, Scheduling Your Show. We may also be joined by Em’s fiancé, Beckett Adelman, who has a lot of experience as a stage manager, costumer, actor, and theatre groupie.  I’m your podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening.Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. Next week, those of you who have already signed up for the free resources will get the scheduling info we’re going over today. It’s never too late to sign up but you may not get access to the first insert after February 15. I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. Do you need more information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats on the cheap? Would you like to connect with other creators? Do you need more practical tips? Do you want to know how to manage the “imposter syndrome” most of us deal with? If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… not kidding… I really do… read them… all.. In this Episode, Emile and I will go over the basics of scheduling. Because we both have theatre backgrounds, a lot of our information relates to plays. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.   Today Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from the Creator’s Notebook Insert #2 – Scheduling Your Show. Here are 7 important bits of advice. 7. Plan for long hours during the week of performance, also known as Tech Week or Hell Week 6. Get a schedule on the books and stick to it 5. Build at least 3 “to be announced” dates (or TBA dates) into the schedule 4. Get into the performance space as soon as you can 3. Get a reliable stage manager who can hold people accountable to the schedule 2. Mondays are Dark days which means a theatre rehearsal space will generally be closed 1.Days you don’t have a rehearsal space are days to use an alternate space Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab). If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my Moriarty-like machinations like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Go schedule some rehearsals!    

Hi Friend, Welcome to Episode 30 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast.  Today I talk with Chicago’s Monday Through Friday Festival founder, Bry Liggins. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you’ll need for your show. I’m working on another performing arts insert and I’m interested in knowing what creators need as a performing arts resource. Do you need more information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats on the cheap? Would you like to connect with other creators? Do you need more practical tips? If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… Every. Single. One. In this Episode you’ll hear my guest, Bry Liggins, share about a new Chicago arts festival, the Monday Through Friday Fest. Bry started out in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Holland Hall School as the shy kid in the back row. It wasn’t too long before she became a regular member of the performing arts groups as a lead actor and slam poet. Bry has a background in film, theatre, music, and spoken word. As a Louder Than A Bomb participant, Bry traveled to Chicago where she fell in love with the arts scene. We talked a little bit about the LTAB spoken word event where she and another SallyPAL guest, David KoloKolo performed original work. While studying filmmaking at Columbia College in Chicago, Bry volunteered for the multi-day Chicago International Movies and Music Festival also known as CIMMFest. Bry quickly rose to Festival Manager and started to see career options. Since graduating, she’s declared 2018, “The Year of Bry”. M-F Fest is her shot at creating opportunities for artists that connect them to resources while showcasing their work. If you want to get in on the ground floor of the M-Ffest, contact Bry Liggins at bry@m-ffest.org. The website www.m-ffest.org should be up by the end of the month. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from my guest, M-F Fest Founder, Bry Liggins. Here are 10 important bits of advice. 10 You must depend on other people to help you pursue your dreams. Don’t be afraid of collaboration. 9 To meet artists, use social media, attend local college events, or go to solo shows. Meet artists after performances to let them know you’re interested in supporting them and collaborating. 8 Starting a festival is a little like throwing a party. Starting small gives your event room to grow. 7 When you are discouraged at the success of others, turn it around and see if you can be inspired by their success and use it to propel you forward. 6 Mistakes are encouraged. You gotta fail in order to grow. 5 All art is subjective. Failure and success are as well. You are the one who evaluates all of it. 4 Start small and build from there. 3 Planning a festival or other arts event is like planning a party. 2 Be inclusive and welcoming. You’ll make friends. 1 You have the tools. You have friends. You have a room. Just do it.  Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for following, sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us.  If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my late night noodling like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Just do It!.    

In Episode 29 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast I talk with world class vocal coach Rena Cook whose new book, Empower Your Voice: Women In Business, Politics And Life comes out in February. I’m your podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. This week my guest, Rena Cook, shares her vocal expertise. There are very few people on the planet with Rena's skill and training as a vocal coach but her resume goes much deeper than that. Rena is an actor, director, theatre professor, and a great friend. Rena’s new book comes out in February. You’ll find Empower Your Voice: Women In Business, Politics And Life on Amazon.com. And, as a side note, Rena’s last book became a fought over resource among my drama teacher friends. Here’s the link to: Voice and the Young Actor by Rena Cook. Rena and I talk about why you should practice breathing (don’t laugh, it’s really important, and I’m being serious). We also talk about developing your authentic voice as a separate entity from your familiar voice. We talk about other stuff, too: Voicing game characters, and why women in politics need to pay attention to developing their voices. And yes, I can’t stop talking about the Oprah Winfrey Golden Globe speech. Michelle Obama gets a mention as well. Rena’s a ton of fun and she knows her stuff. If you care whether people want to listen to you I recommend you listen to this episode. You can find more on Rena’s website, myvocalauthority.com. Be sure and listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Thanks for subscribing. I could still use a few more reviews on iTunes. Thanks to Beck, George, and Pat for your iTunes reviews. You can also send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you’ll want for your show. I’m working on an additional performing arts insert. I’m interested in knowing what you’d like to have as a resource. Do you need more information about venues? Do you want to know how to put butts in seats on the cheap? Would you like some ideas to help you connect with other creators? If there are things you want included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by sending an email to sally@sallypal.com! I read them all… myself.   Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from my guest, Vocal Authority Rena Cook. Here are 11 important bits of advice: 11 Practice deep breathing every day because breathing is everything 10 Start from an authentic place in order to own your voice 9 Don’t confuse your authentic voice with your familiar voice 8 To be effective, your vocal energy must come from deep within your abdomen. If you project energy from your belly, you will speak with authenticity 7 Pay attention to how your favorite speakers express their thoughts 6 Warm your body up to release “habitual” tension 5 On the day you know you will be speaking to an audience, engage in deep central breathing and warming up of your body 4 If you want to be at the height of speaking effectiveness, you have to really, really work and train intentionally 3 Make space in your mouth 2 Relax your body 1 Practice, practice, practice Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Get a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join.Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, and thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab).  If you download and listen to the podcast on your drive to work, or fall asleep to my online obsessions like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience. All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination. Now, it’s your turn to speak with authority!

Hi Friend, Welcome to the real Episode 28 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today, the featured conversation is about how to prepare for your moment with playwright, storyteller, and visual artist, Vanessa Adams-Harris. I’m your podcast host, Sally Adams. Every week I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Thanks so much for the comments you’ve been leaving. I still could use a few more reviews on iTunes when you've got a minute. Thanks to Beck, George, and Pat for your reviews. You can also send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Thanks for sharing the podcast and the blog. Check out sallypal.com/join for the free 20-page theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you’ll need for your show. I’m working on an additional performing arts resource. Please let me know if you have any ideas. If there are things you think ought to be included in the Creator’s Notebook, let me know by emailing me at Sally@SallyPAL.com. In this Episode you’ll hear my guest, Vanessa Adams-Harris, share about her artistic process. Vanessa is a gifted actor/storyteller and has created or co-created several one-woman works including Who Will Sing for Lena by J. Liddell https://youtu.be/avvEEOBLCUc, Big Mama Speaks - A 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Survivor by Hannibal Johnson, Vanessa's original portrayal of Oklahoma legend Ada Lois Sipuel-Fisher, and her original work about Rosa Parks titled A Simple Act of Courage. My interview with Vanessa was so inspiring because she is truly committed to her audiences. She encourages artists to “prepare for your moment”. This morning I watched a video of Oprah Winfrey’s Golden Globe speech in which she highlighted Rosa Park’s commitment to prepare for the moment. Vanessa’s words carry so much weight because she has taken her message of humanity all over the world. I believe we are witnessing the birth of a cultural renaissance. Artists like Vanessa are at the forefront of this exciting time. Vanessa is prepared and from what I can tell, it’s gonna be beautiful.  I hope you’ll listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from my guest, Renaissance woman Vanessa Adams-Harris. Here are 5 important bits of advice: 5 When you are in the audience, allow yourself to go along with the storyteller in the moment. 4 Remember that children hear and see us interact with each other as humans. 3 If one form of artistic expression doesn’t work for you, try something else. 2 Be prepared for your moment. 1 Be authentic.  Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. You can be part of the momentum that’s building. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL is here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab). If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my cheery chitter chatter like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Prepare for YOUR moment!

Hi Friend,  I've been having some technical issues that have slowed me down this week. I think I've successfully tackled 4 out of 5 but I have to wait on an engineer to solve the final issue. Later today is my expectation. I'm posting this thought from my phone so you don't get lonely or wonder what happened to me. It's all good! I have even been able to address issues that were on the back burner like site security for the SallyPAL.com blog and the issues with links to the Creator's Notebook.  It's snowing today in Northern Virginia so I turned my comfy chair to face the picture window facing the river and if I didn't have to pee, I would never get up. Snow on evergreens is so pretty. I encourage you to look put the window now and again. Or better yet, put on the appropriate gear for your climate and take a walk outside. We all need to fill up the creative tank now and then. And another thing, while I'm giving unsolicited advice (something I probably do far too often) take a minute or ten out of your day to just breathe and dream a little bit. I lived a really hectic life for years and I am telling you, it's worth it to be present.  Play music you love, avoid trash TV, hug people (with consent, of course), and breathe. If you are struggling with anything, don't force yourself into a place where you feel like you have to be happy. Just breathe and look for some relief. You don't need to be passionate or ecstatic every minute of the day. Sometimes the best you can do is be angry. Angry can be a step up from despondant. Work your way up from angry to frustrated, from frustrated to annoyed and then to hopeful. If you can get to hopeful... Breathe. Breathe in content, breathe in being present, breathe in and feel the gratitude in breathing.  I am grateful for you. Thanks for listening and know that the interview with the amazing Vanessa Adams will be worth the wait. She makes me feel glad to be a human. Now... breathe.  

Hi Friend, Welcome to the pre-Episode 28 (fake Episode 28) of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Today George and I are celebrating Christmas with my son and his boyfriend and three amazing dogs. Two of our three dogs must return home when my daughter and her partner get back from Tulsa. The pups, Charlie, Theo, and Buster, can occasionally be heard snoring in the background on this episode. It's Christmas. We haven't had a snow day yet but we expect some later this week. George, Darian, Will, and Sally George and I wanted to share some thoughts on creativity and the holidays. We also gave some shout outs to friends and family. I mentioned several people gracious enough to allow me to interview them including a recent episode with Frank Gallagher of Lager & Tea. We are so grateful for the support and love in our lives. It's what keeps me creating. In fact, at the end of this episode I shared a winter song I wrote for my sister. But any of you out there who are teachers will enjoy, "It's A Snow Day After All". Leave comments. Give a review. Or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Thanks for sharing the podcast and the blog. Check out sallypal.com/join. Right now there’s a free 20-page theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you’ll need for your show. I hope you all know how much I appreciate the support you've given the blog and the podcast these last few months. It's such a joy to know so many of you want to create original work for the stage. If you get a snow day this season, I hope you'll use it to work on a creative project. Not only does creating something make you feel good. It also gives others around you to be creative as well. I'll leave you with the words from Marianne Williamson's book, "A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles". “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

In Episode 27 you’ll hear my great niece Scarlette Adams after her performance last week in Baltimore, Maryland’s White Marsh Ballet Academy’s The Nutcracker.  It’s holiday time and whether you’re in the middle of Chanukah, still gathering stocking stuffers, shopping for the kwanzaa feast, or setting up your Festivus pole, kids play a big part in the celebration. I am getting to know my relatives better after moving to the east coast. I am fortunate to live closer to some of my youngest relatives now. I took the opportunity to talk with my great niece and get her ideas on creativity, making art for the stage, choreography, how to get along with your fellow artists, and artistic endeavor as play. Although Scarlette is not a professional performing artist, I think she has a lot to offer grown-ups.  She still understands that making art is really fun. When we lose sight of that, we let the passion leak out. It’s like my old air mattress. Despite the slow leak, I kept using it for guests thinking it would somehow fix itself. photo: Charley Adams To expand the metaphor, let’s say the mattress is your performance and your guest who is forced to sleep on the mattress is the audience. When you keep that mattress inflated with the passion and play that you felt in childhood, your audience’s experience can be excellent. But when that passion starts to slowly leak out of the performance, your audience can expect a night of uncomfortable awareness. And your performance becomes presentational. When we take the opportunity to listen to what kids say about their own creative experiences, it can awaken us to that inner child who wants to play and have fun. We stop taking ourselves so seriously. It’s okay, and even preferable to take art seriously the way kids take playtime seriously. But taking yourself seriously is not the same thing. I hope you’ll listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and today’s special treat, Words of Wisdom from my Dad. Concise Advice from the Interview 7 No matter what anybody says about you, just keep on doing what you should be doing. 6 Don’t let those haters bother you. 5 When you witness bullying, do not be a bystander. 4 Be yourself. 3 When you create choreography, pause the music, work on your move and start over again going a little bit further and you can create a whole entire dance. 2 Think of something that you like and always smile. 1 Anyone can do something creative. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. And for the person who asked, there’s an iTunes link in the sidebar to my CD that has the song Stop for a Minute that you hear during the podcast.            Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’m here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for "Performing Arts Lab"). If you’re downloading and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my breathtaking blarney like my sister does, let me know you’re out there.  I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Think of something you like and smile!

Hi Friend, Welcome to my blog with show notes for Episode 26 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. Every week I talk to people about making original work for a live audience. This week on the podcast, you'll hear an uplifting conversation about getting your artistic 2nd wind. Lager & Tea is the poetry+music pair from Tulsa Oklahoma that features my friend Frank Gallagher and his daughter Mercy Teague. Frank Gallagher of Lager & Tea Many people listening in Tulsa might know Frank as a regular theatre director for Heller Theatre and Clark Youth Theatre among others. He’s changed direction as he and his daughter, award-winning published poet, Mercy Teague, have joined forces to create new works for live audiences. I’ve included YouTube links in the show notes. These early performances give a peek inside the fantastic family collaboration that people in Tulsa are talking about. The poetry alone is worth your time. And Frank’s guitar counterpart is beautifully realized. The best part for me is that Frank is so eloquent about the artistic 2nd wind he's having through making performance art with his accomplished progeny. If you like what Frank and Mercy are putting out there on YouTube, subscribe to their channel. It doesn't cost you a dime and it lets artists like Lager & Tea know what they're doing is reaching people. When your work goes up, we'll post a link so you can share with the SallyPAL community. Be inspired and be willing to inspire others to start fresh or get an artistic 2nd wind. CONCISE ADVICE FROM THE INTERVIEW 10 Don’t be afraid to try something new. 9 Try something you always wanted to do that you never did. 8 Don’t sit and watch TV in your retirement. 7 Pick up the instrument you played in High School. 6 You are made to be a creator. 5 Art is not as satisfying unless you can give it your best (not someone else’s best). 4 Doing something new at 65 is exciting. 3 Your art is a gift you can give to others. 2 Seek out opportunities to share your original work. 1 Find something to do! Listen until the end for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. This week, George's wisdom is a quote attributed to everyone from Gabi Peralez to Paulo Coelho to John Lennon to Ed Sheeran. Suffice it to say, the quote is almost certainly folk wisdom that bears repeating. "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." Leave comments. Give a review. Or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Thanks for sharing the podcast and the blog. (If you haven't had a chance to share, the share buttons are over there ⇐ to the left of the post. There’s also a free 20-page theatre resource. You get this amazing, funny, original, really useful, and well-organized resource by sharing your first name and email. That's it! Nothing to it. Name, email, and no sharing. I never share emails because I find it so completely annoying when other people share my email. The free glossary of live performance support is something you will want. You can punch holes in it and slip it inside your creator's notebook binder. The rest of your production team will be so jealous. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. And now there’s an iTunes link in the sidebar⇒ to my CD that has the song Stop for a Minute. You hear pieces of the song during the podcast. Now you can listen to the whole thing. The album is available for download on CDBaby. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’m here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I’m Sally and this is SallyPAL (the P-A-L in PAL stands for: Performing Arts Lab). If you’re downloading the podcast and listening on your drive to work, or falling asleep to my hoop-dee-doo like my sister does, let me know you’re out there. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience. All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now… Find something to do!

Episode 26 with Frank Gallaghar comes out on Wednesday this week. This is a fun bonus download tonight. It's a seasonal song I wrote and recorded. I hope you enjoy A Modern Holiday! Stay vigilent for the Monday podcast on Wednesday this week.

Episode 25 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast features Teresa Fellion whose new show, rose walk green ice, at Danspace Project, 131 E. 10th Street, NY, premieres this week! December 7-9, 2017 at 8pm. Tickets are $22 in advance ($25 at the door) Teresa Fellion Just commit and get the tickets now! They’re available at danspaceproject.org, or by calling TheaterMania/OvationTix at (866) 811-4111. Teresa's new work, rose walk green ice, is the culmination of work begun with Home and Agawam that explores self-awareness within communal bonds. During the show, audience members will find they each become more aware and appreciative of their complete self and the people around them.    Performances with Teresa’s very well reviewed, highly physical company of dancers include immersive humor and emotion, and live musicians. Teresa’s resume is too long to include here. But she’s taught for The Ross School, The Ailey school, and many others, and choreographed for dozens of organizations and events around the world. Teresa and her company are on the leading edge of performing arts creation and I think you’re going to enjoy hearing what she says on the podcast about the creative process. Concise Advice from the Interview  5 No one style of dance is inherently better than another 4 Bring collaborators into the process as soon as you can 3 Listen to yourself and don’t over define your style 2 Give your audience a shared experience 1 Be brave Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. And for the person who asked, there’s an iTunes link in the sidebar to my CD with the song, Stop for a Minute, that you hear during the podcast. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’m here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us.   Connect with Teresa Fellion Dance at bodystoriesfellion.org

Every Monday evening I talk to people about making original work for a live audience. Episode 24 features professional stage manager, Liza Vest. Liza is a long-time friend with Broadway experience and a master's degree from the Yale School of Drama. She’s also a former Tulsa Holland Hall student. Liza had so much good stuff to share that I ended up with 10 pieces of great advice. She’s humble, she’s fun, and she’s at the top of her field. One piece of advice stands out for being excellent, yet often forgotten: Make good contacts and stay in touch with people in your field. This is true whether you're a stage manager or a restaurant manager. People in performing arts are like people in any other profession. To succeed, they need to make connections. Liza has done a great job staying in touch. Despite the fact that I did not have a job to offer, Liza has always been one to reach out, return calls, and keep tabs. In the performing arts, you never know when someone from your past will be able to answer a question, make an introduction, or just have a glass of wine. Liza with a little egg from her sister's pet chicken Luckily for Tulsa, Oklahoma where I lived and taught, students have options when it comes to performing arts training. I mention Clark Youth Theatre during the podcast, as well as Holland Hall School. But we also have Spotlight Children's Theatre and Edison Eagle Theatre with Amber Harrington. That's where all three of my kids got amazing performance opportunities. This might be a good place to tell you, I am a huge fan of performing arts education. Theatre skills include acting, stage management, lighting, house management, sound technology, set building and carpentry, event planning, collaborating, problem solving (long term and on-the-fly) and a host of other skills that translate to the world at large. As a kid I had opportunities in church, school, and the communities where I grew up to learn about theatre from a lot of different angles. My family has always supported my passion just as I encourage you to support the young people you know who are hungry to learn more. Theatre is about so much more than getting a job backstage. Speaking of theatre jobs, you can still get your 20-page FREE theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you’ll need for your show. It’s useful, entertaining, and you have my permission to copy pages and trade with your friends. If you're a drama teacher, this is a great resource to get students thinking about all the areas where a person might contribute to a show's success. Concise Advice from the Interview: This is a short version of tips from my guest, stage manager Liza Vest. The advice is geared for stage managers but it’s actually  great advice for life. 10 - To make theatre work, you must be part of a community. 9 - Once a show starts, it’s a fast-moving train and the stage manager’s job is to keep that train on track and not stop. 8 - Find ways to practice calling cues before calling an actual live performance. 7 - Remain present and keep going no matter what happens. You must be focused and in the moment. 6 - If you are a stage management student, most stage managers on Broadway will allow you to watch them call their show. 5 - To find out how to contact a stage manager, get a copy of the Theatrical Index to look up shows and stage managers. Be professional and polite when you ask. 4 - Stage managers must be adaptive because theatre is a generative art form and new ideas can constantly change the needs of the work. 3 - Get as much experience as you can (but you don't need a master's degree to stage manage). 2 - Ask people who are doing what you want to do for advice, or simply ask how they got there. 1 - Talk to people and maintain your contacts.  Next Monday I'll post my conversation with the founder of New York’s BodyStories -Teresa Fellion Dance: Teresa Fellion. I’m super excited! Check out SallyPAL.com for articles and podcast episodes. And sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, and thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’ll be here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now go support a kid who wants to perform!

I’m your host, Sally Adams. Every Monday evening I talk to people about making original work for a live audience. Leave comments. Give me a review. Or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Thanks so much for sharing the podcast and the blog. Don’t forget about the FREEBIES on sallypal.com/join. You can still get your 20-page FREE theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you need for your show. It’s useful, entertaining, and you have my permission to copy pages and trade with your friends. Today’s episode features play director, performer, and playwright Julie Tattershall. Julie is a forever friend with a long resume. She was the 2012 Mary Kay Place Legacy Award recipient through the Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence (Tulsans call it TATE). Over the years, Julie has won two TATE awards and two Oklahoma Community Theatre Association awards as a director. Julie worked with theater companies in Chicago before settling down in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In Tulsa Julie became the Artistic Director of Clark and Heller Theatres logging nearly 30 years of non-stop directing. In addition to directing over 100 productio  ns, Julie founded the long-running Laughing Matter improvisation group. With her husband, Tony Batchelder, she co-founded the Tulsa Area Community Theatre Alliance. Julie has toured nationally with "Where the Red Fern Grows". She also participated in the Oklahoma Artist in Residence program. She still works as an artist in the schools performing original works that resonate with a message of acceptance and healing. Julie has a Masters degree in Psychology and uses that knowledge as a director, playwright, and performer. Julie and I met while she visited me and George in our new home on the Potomac river in Virginia. Concise Advice from the Interview (a short version of tips from my guest, theatre guru, Julie Tattershall.)  7 - Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable on stage. 6 - Decide where the character holds stress and build that into the character. 5 - Take advantage of seeing things from another point of view. 4 - Open yourself up to the flow to be in the NOW. 3 - Approach any play script as if you are approaching a brand new play. 2 - Create a safe environment for rehearsal. 1 - And Julie Tattershall’s number one piece of advice? Don’t feel like you have to know it all, and don’t pretend to.  Next week, you’ll hear my conversation with former Broadway stage manager, Liza Vest. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes. Sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert at SallyPAL.com/join.              Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, & thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’m here with resources, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. If you like SallyPAL, a new show goes out every Monday evening!  If you download and listen on your drive to work, or fall asleep to my alien transmissions like my sister does, let me know you’re out there.  I want to help you create original shows for a live audience. All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now it’s your turn!

Hi Friend, I’m your host, Sally Adams, and every Monday evening, I talk to people about making original work for the stage. Subscribe to SallyPAL on iTunes, Google Play, Podbean and many other podcast platforms. Leave comments, give me a review, or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. Thanks so much to those of you who continue to share. Thanks to Connie, Steve, Jeremy, Pat, Emile, George, Vicki, and all of you who are taking the time to spread the word. Don’t forget about the FREEBIES on sallypal.com/join. You can still get your 20-page free original theatre resource. It’s a glossary of live performance support you'll need for your original work. It’s useful, entertaining, and there are places to scribble your show's notes on the pages. Today’s episode features an amazing young artist, David KoloKolo. David is a senior in the accounting program at George Washington University in Washington DC. He's like many serious-minded young men about to embark on a career in the corporate world. But just under the surface is a passionate, thoughtful, poetic soul. David is a spoken word artist and musician who draws energy and inspiration from his Christian faith. Although his poetry is not filled with religion, his walk as a believer is all-encompassing. David’s non-judgmental approach to his art and his life is nothing short of inspiring. I want to share a poem he wrote and performed that spoke to me as a human being. Here's a link to David KoloKolo’s spoken word piece, Anthology of Apologies. I'm including Concise Advice from the Interview. This is a short version of tips from my guest. Here are David KoloKolo's 5 great bits of advice: 5 As you grow as an artist, pay attention to your technique. 4 Art is communal even if you create in solitude. 3 Sharing digitally is a legitimate way to create a communal experience. 2 Share your whole self with your community. And the number 1 piece of advice from spoken word artist David KoloKolo? Worship can bind together all the areas of your life including your art.  Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, and really and truly, thank you for listening. I want you to pursue your dream to have your original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’ll be here with advice, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. If you like SallyPAL, a new podcast goes out every Monday evening! Remember: All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now it’s your turn!  

Episode 21 lands on the Interwebs the day before Halloween 2017. No tricks, but I do have a treat for you; a really great interview with the incredibly versatile and talented Jeremy Stevens.   I’m Sally Adams, host of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab podcast (SallyPAL). Every Monday evening I talk to people about making original work for the stage.   If you’re not a SallyPAL subscriber, find a platform (iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, etc.) and subscribe! SallyPAL will be featured on Podbean during Thanksgiving week.   Leave comments, give me a review (iTunes reviews are especially helpful) or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening.   On sallypal.com/join you can get a FREE 20-page theatre resource. It’s a glossary of jobs you might need people to do for your show. It’s useful, entertaining, and you can do your pop quizzes right off the pages. I’ll keep building on it every month while you build your show.   Today’s episode features Tulsa pianist, conductor, teacher, and actor Jeremy Stevens. During the podcast, Jeremy shares the Rachel’s Challenge list.   Named for Rachel Joy Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, the list of actions called, “Rachel’s Challenge” is based on her personal writings. The program that grew from the list works with schools to reduce harassment, bullying, and violence.   Concise Advice from the Interview is a short version of tips from my guest, musician, Jeremy Stevens. Today I have 5 great bits of advice. 5 Keep going even when things get tough. 4 A creative journey never fully stops. 3 Don’t hesitate to refine your path through questioning. 2 It’s okay for the musician to pause because the music continues. And the number 1 piece of advice from choral conductor Jeremy Stevens? Find your passion and pursue it.   Next week you’ll hear an interview with spoken word artist and GWU student, David Kolo.   Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes, and to sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert.                 Thank you for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, and especially, thank you for listening. I encourage you to pursue your dream to have your original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but SallyPAL will be here with advice, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. If you like SallyPAL, a new podcast goes out every Monday evening.   Remember: All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now it’s your turn! I want to help you create original shows for a live audience… Let’s do it together!  

Episode 20 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast (SallyPAL) posts during LOVE YOUR BODY week! The National Dance Education Organization and the National Honor Society for Dance Arts celebrate 2017’s Love Your Body Week October 22-28. You don’t have to be a dance student to love your body. So, whatever else you do, love your body today! Every Monday evening I talk to people about making original work for the stage. Episode 20 features dancer, choreographer, and teacher, Kerrie King from Northern High School in Greensboro North Carolina. Kerrie is a firecracker of an artist. She has more enthusiasm than a kid on the way to Disneyworld.  She is encouraging, creative, and full of amazing ideas. Kerrie has been the dance teacher at Northern High School in Greensboro, North Carolina for several years. Her students have far exceeded anyone’s expectations for a public-school dance program. Kerrie pushes her students to do more than simply dance. She drives them to create. Every student in her ever-growing program (there are nearly 100 students) stretches to develop original movement. Student dancers create thoughtful and innovative choreography. This interactive style of teaching is important. Kids get to use their bodies in positive ways. The Love Your Body Week event is part of a push toward inclusion in performing arts. Kids who worry about miniscule weight gains and barely visible perfection in the world of dance may not maintain that enthusiasm for long. We’ve all seen little kids dancing their hearts out on YouTube or Facebook. Some of our own tiny family members dance for the joy of it. It’s great to see teachers encouraging a return to that joyful self-expression. Young people who love to dance will gain technique as they progress because they are inspired. It’s one reason Kerrie’s dance program is bursting at the seams. Let’s all work to love our own bodies as an example for the young people we love. If you’re not a Performing Arts Lab subscriber, find a platform and subscribe to SallyPAL! I’m on a bunch of podcast platforms including Podbean where SallyPAL will be a featured show during Thanksgiving week! Leave comments, give me a review or send an email to Sally@sallypal.com. Your ideas keep great conversations coming every Monday evening. If you want to get in on newly created FREEBIES go to sallypal.com/join and sign up to get FREE downloadable (and fun) performing arts postcards, workbook inserts with useful links, and the starter pages for your Creator’s Notebook. Right now, you can get a 20-page free theatre resource. It’s a glossary of jobs you might need people to do for your show. It’s useful, entertaining, and you can do your pop quizzes right out of the pages. I’ll build on it every month to help you build your show. Concise Advice from the Interview, a short version of tips from my guest, Kerrie King. Here are 10 great bits of advice: 10 - You don’t have to fit into a mold to be a dancer. It’s okay to be who you are. 9 - Your body differences are your creative strengths. Work with them. 8 - Everything in your dance piece must have purpose. 7 - Take positive strides to make your world a better place. 6 - To offer a new perspective, reach beyond the edge of the stage. 5 - Be true to yourself. 4 - Get lots of feedback. 3 - You don’t always have to take every piece of advice you are offered. 2 - Educate your audience and help them understand your work. 1 - Love Your Body Next week SallyPAL the podcast will feature an interview with pianist, conductor, teacher, and actor Jeremy Stevens. We talk about expressing stories through music. Check out the blog, SallyPAL.com, for articles and podcast episodes, and to sign up for a FREE Creator’s Notebook insert.  Thank you so much for sharing, subscribing, reviewing, joining, and especially, thank you for listening. I encourage you to pursue your dream to have your original work on the stage in front of a live audience. It’s scary, but I’ll be here with advice, encouragement, and a growing community of people like us. If you like SallyPAL, a new podcast goes out every Monday evening. Thanks again for listening, I’m Sally and this is the SallyPAL blog. The P-A-L in PAL stands for Performing Arts Lab. Remember: All the performances you’ve seen on stage once lived only in someone’s imagination… Now it’s your turn! I want to help you learn to create original shows for a live audience… Let’s do it together!

Episode 19 features artist and teacher, Jan Butler. Jan is a former collaborator and my forever friend. Jan’s background is in 2D, and 3D art, as well as puppeteering. She works with students in stop motion animation, graphic novels, pottery, mask making AND she teaches kids all about monarch butterfly migration and supports the butterfly population in Northeastern Oklahoma. On top of all that, Jan is a member of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and a consummate gardener. Be sure to listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.  If you haven’t signed up for the SallyPAL freebies like theatre comics, super helpful links and articles, and the awesome cool sections of your Creator’s Notebook, you can sign up on SallyPAL.com/join to get your 20-page free theatre resource. It’s useful, entertaining, and you can do your pop quizzes right out of these pages. We’ll keep building on it every month. Concise Advice from the Interview: Here are 10 bits of advice from visual artist Jan Butler for all artists. 10 Layer your learning to build on what you already know 9 Think bigger than the moment you’re doing your art 8 Focus on the story you want to tell 7 Feed and nurture your inner artist 6 For children to feel they can express something in different ways is really important 5 Getting to experience something through different senses before it becomes academic really makes learning stick 4 The opportunity to work at something and fail without being judged for it is really important 3 As a teacher, you can be creative and free to be an artist for you instead of for people who purchase your work 2 Be open and search for new experience for both you and your students to keep it fresh 1 Whatever you do, do it for yourself    

In today’s episode, I’ll go over Part One of your Creator’s Notebook. If you want to pause the show while you go download the pdf at SallyPAL.com/join, I can wait… (waiting music). Is everybody ready? Okay. While you wait on your printer, I’ll tell you that there will be no Concise Advice from the Interview today, but we do have Words of Wisdom from George. Recently I found myself thinking more and more about the team that makes a live stage show possible. Your show could include clowning and aerial acrobatics like Cirque de Soleil, or it might be a poetry reading, or a tap dance recital. What all performing arts have in common is collaboration. Even if you’re a busker playing for the quarters people toss in your guitar case, you’re still collaborating with your audience. For most shows, there’s a Production Team. (This team is forced to meet in secret in order to remain mysterious and powerful). The team includes the Director, the Stage manager, and the Technical Director, but depending on the type of show it might include a variety of other team players. I created a 20 page insert to a larger resource called the Creator’s Notebook. The Creator’s Notebook is based on a notebook most play directors make themselves called a director’s notebook. I’ll dig up some of my old director’s notebooks and take some pictures so you can get a look at my attempts to stay organized. If you send a picture to sally@sallypal.com of your well-used director or creator’s notebook, I will try to post it on SallyPAL.com. AND I’ll send you a link to a free collection of funny images I made with some public domain theatre art. You’ll find examples of the images in the 20-page pdf you can get for free when you join the SallyPAL Creative Team! Just go to sallypal.com/join.  

Today’s episode features Steve Barker, beer and booze professional, and a terrific actor who originated the role of Drover in the musical, Hank the Cowdog by David Blakely (based on the books by John R. Erickson) and produced by Tulsa Repertory Musicals. Steve is currently performing in a new play by Bruce Dean Willis titled Time for Chocolate. The play opens October 6, 2017 and you can purchase your tickets to this exciting original work at www.hellertheatreco.com. The play has metaphysical debates, fight scenes, historical riddles, bawdy rhymes, and of course, mushroom laced hallucinogenic chocolate and it all takes place among the Aztecs. Heller Theatre is working in conjunction with Tulsa Latino Theater. Be sure to listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.

Today’s episode features the coolest guy on the planet, my husband, George Nelson. We talk about getting performing arts experience at the local level. We mention Hank the Cowdog, Heller Theatre, and community theatre in general. Tomorrow, I’ll add some links to the blog and these show notes if you want to dive a little deeper.

Actor-Director-Playwright Michael Wright and I explore risky venues as well as finding your creative voice. We talk about taking a chance with your writing and staging your original work to draw an audience into your world. University of Tulsa professor Michael Wright is a theatre director, actor, teacher, and playwright. Michael’s theatrical work plays with form, audience interaction, and uncommon theatrical venues. He is the author of Playwriting in Process, Playwriting Master Class, and Sensory Writing for Stage and Screen. Michael received awards for his work as a teacher of playwriting from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and the Kennedy Center. During the podcast, you’ll hear us mention the Tulsa Artists' Coalition Gallery and Playwright David Blakely, the playwright in residence for Tulsa’s Heller Theatre who’ll be featured in a later interview. We also talked about Sam Shepherd and his play True West. Michael mentioned the WomenWorks program for female playwrights in graduate school but there are no links as that is a by-nomination program. If you are a women in grad school, talk to your playwriting professor about the University of Tulsa's playwriting competition, WomenWorks. Be sure to listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George. SallyPAL can now be found on Acast, Blubrry, GooglePlay, iTunes, Overcast, PlayerFM, Pocketcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, and, of course, my host platform, Podbean. Be sure to check out Podbean the week of November 27 when the SallyPAL podcast will be a featured show!   If you sign up for the mailing list on SallyPAL.com, you’ll get a free insert for your creator’s notebook. It’s a list of people you’ll need to help you produce your show along with some great links to more in-depth information.  

Today’s episode is an interview with Angie Mitchell. Angie is a teacher, a mom, and an improv comedy performer. Angie teaches and performs every week and can be heard online on Stories of The Century, an improvisational old timey sounding radio serial that takes place in The fictional Century Building. She’s created dozens of characters and performed with The Spontaniacs! for nearly 10 years. If you’re in the Tulsa area you can see The Spontaniacs! live at the pH House at 306 Phoenix. For show dates check out Spontaniacsimprov.com. Be sure to listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.

In Episode 13 of SallyPAL, I interview Sheila Black. Sheila is a published poet and writing professor. She’s been teaching creative writing in college classrooms and writing workshops for over 20 years. She encourages students to cdevelop their voice by writing and performing their own work. If you’re in the Tulsa area you can sign up for Sheila Black’s writing intensive: Writing from the Heart. This 5-week creative writing workshop runs from 6-7:30pm every Thursday evening starting September 21. To find out more contact Sheila at semanticsblack@yahoo.com. Be sure to listen until the end of the interview for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.

In Episode 12 of SallyPAL I enlist my husband, George (the coolest guy on the planet), to ask questions about directing for the stage. I covers how to approach work when you are a beginning director, how to collaborate without giving away your job to enthusiastic performers and staff, and how a director can make an impact on an audience. At the end of the interview you get "Concise Advice from the Interview," and "Words of Wisdom from George." Listen to the podcast, read the blog, and sign up for the SallyPAL community!

Episode 11 is an interview with Florida choreographer and dance teacher, Nicole Perry. Nicole holds degrees in Dance and Music and is currently pursuing a PhD in Spirituality and the Arts. Nicole has choreographed for Miami Children’s Theatre, Center City Opera Theater, and was the resident choreographer with Hedgerow Theatre in Philadelphia for two seasons before becoming a full-time dance teacher in Florida. Learn more about Nicole at her website: nicoleperry.org, where you can also learn about audition coaching when you add /audition-coaching to nicoleperry.org. Be sure to listen until the end for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.

Episode 10 is an interview with Jana Hunter. Jana has written or produced The Drew Carey Show, According to Jim, Roommates, Gary Unmarried, Notes From the Underbelly, and for the last nine years, she and her husband Mitch have been executive producers for The Middle on ABC. Jana has also been a member of Groundlings Improv Troupe in Los Angeles. We talk about making it as a TV comedy writer, what she loves about The Middle, and gives some good writerly advice. Be sure to listen until the end for Concise Advice from the Interview, and Words of Wisdom from George.

Episode 9 features playwright, actor, and advocate for casting people with disabilities, Nicole Zimmerer. Nicole has been writing and producing plays most of her young life and now studies playwriting as a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon. Nicole and I talk about her start as a playwright, the Kennedy Center performance of her one act play, "Falling with Grace", her recent full-length play, "Thicker Than Honey", and her fight to represent artists in wheelchairs. Be sure to listen until the end for Concise Advice from the Interview to hear 5 great bits of advice from the beautiful, fiery, and talented, Nicole Zimmerer, and Words of Wisdom from George.

Episode 8 is an interview with actor, director, educator, and acting coach, Lisa Stefanic. If you’re a fan of Weird Al Yankovich, you may remember her as Phyllis, the Wheel of Fish contestant in his feature length movie, “UHF”. Lisa has performed in or directed more shows than could fit on a resume. She has starred in several original shows, and teams up with her husband, Vern Stefanic, to help students create new works. We talk about teaching, developing new talent, making old shows new again, and a variety of rehearsal techniques. Be sure to listen until the end for Concise Advice from the Interview and Words of Wisdom from George.

In Episode 7, I interview actor, director, playwright, and University of Tulsa Women’s Studies professor, Lisa Wilson. Lisa is a recipient of the prestigious Jingle Feldman Individual Artist Award for her original one-woman show, “Only Four People Know About This.” Birthing the Crone is the second in a series she has titled, “The Crone Chronicles”. We talk about her show, how women’s voices need to be heard, and the effect of aging and loss on the artistic process.

Episode 6 – Diversity on Stage with Weston Vrooman In Episode 6, recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma Peggy V. Helmerich School of Drama, Weston Vrooman and I discuss how new voices can support diversity in casting and why he knows Swahili. Be sure to listen until the end for new segments, Concise Advice from the Interview, Words of Wisdom from George, and maybe an outtake.