The SOTA Pop Podcast

Trevor is joined by the Director Robert Fuson, and the Cast of UNA's next big play: Bakkhai! What setbacks has this show been through? Why is it so important to see it now? And should you really venmo Shea? Find out all this and more in this week's Greco-Roman Mythological episode!

SOTA Pop S7 Ep 5:  Grayson is joined by his good friend and fellow filmmaker Brandon Underwood! What shows do the two of them like? What films is Brandon working on right now? And what drives them to work creatively? Find out all this and more in this week's introspective episode!

Trevor is joined by some of the lead cast members of UNA's musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels! How did everyone fall in love with theatre? What has been special about this show? And what's everyone going to miss about being dirty rotten scoundrels? Find out all this and more in this week's surprisingly sentimental episode!   To watch this week's episode with a video component, go to: https://youtu.be/YzVIisJXol0   

Trevor is joined by the talented painter and ceramicist Keegan Mapes! What do Trevor and Keegan define as Art? What are some of Keegan's favorite pieces? And why is there a bowl mysteriously sitting on the table? Find out all this and more in this week's artful episode!   To watch this week's episode with a video component, go to:    https://youtu.be/YO5XQFbzBe4

Grayson is joined by the talented filmmaker and shoals native, Granville Davis! What motivates Granville as an artist? What has he done to finish his projects? And why should he direct the next Muppet movie? Find out all this and more in this week's delightful episode!   To watch this podcast with a video component, go to: https://youtu.be/4otSXjjeTYU 

Grayson is joined by the new SOTA Pop co-host and fellow filmmaker Trevor Peck! What's so fulfilling about filmmaking? What's new for the podcast? And what are the advantages of being nice? Find out all this and more in this week's friendly episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:  https://youtu.be/9HhOQ5srC0o 

Kiya is joined by former SOTA Pop employee and co-host, Cat Townsend! What do the many Skittles drinks taste like? What is it like acting at an anime convention? And what kind of Dungeons and Dragons campaign includes wererats? Find out all this and more in this week's nostalgic episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/-B8yGAsT1Zs

Kiya is joined by the founders of the improv club, K. P. Whisenant and Jarrod Stocks! What does the improv club have planned for the future? What improv moments are our guests proudest of? And, most importantly, how can you join? Find out all this and more in this week's improvised episode!   To join the CAT Improv GroupMe, go to:   https://web.groupme.com/join_group/97574164/EO7rJUrg   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:    https://youtu.be/ds8dqZoWub8

Kiya is joined by co-directors Abigail Dillard and Suzanne Reese-Mills and actors Maggie Clark and Gary Fuqua to discuss UNA's upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Why did they choose this show? What parts can they not wait for you to see? And how do you tastefully insult someone? Find out all this and more in this week's spell-checked episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/HAhlUUTqbbM

Kiya is joined by the directors and the executive producer for the upcoming UNA CAT feature-length film Chain of Fools! What exactly is this film? How does being an actor make you a better director? And who are Emmett and Bryan McMonkey? Find out all this and more in this week's foolish episode!   Sorry about Trevor's poor mic quality! I'm sure you'll hear his beautiful voice in higher quality soon!   To watch this week's episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/wMEZZ5h8g1c

Kiya is joined by Jil Ceballos, a scenic designer at UNA! What went into the scenic design for UNA's productions of Defying Gravity and The Importance of Being Earnest? What are the phases of scenic design? And how did Jil end up working for Norton Crew? Find out all this and more in this week's scenic episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/ZLyaWnKi0Cc

Kiya is joined by the winners of UNA's 2023 Chopped challenge! Why did they decide to become Culinary Arts majors? What was it like cooking with ingredients that they had never heard of before? And what did their glorious road to victory look like? Find out all this and more in this week's delectable episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/PFlnN1VKQlo

Kiya is joined by the Norton Auditorium crew to talk about their amazing job! What's it like being responsible for so many shows, events, and elements of tech wizardry? How did they get involved in tech? And what's up with all the twins at UNA? Find out all this and more in this week's technical episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/ZBSWOBkX2YU

Kiya is joined by Liv Tubbs, a film major at UNA, to talk about horror (or at least scary) movies! What movies scared them as kids? Is there a best medium for horror? And what did they think of the Five Nights at Freddy's movie? Find out all of this and more in this week's frightening episode!   WARNING: This episode may contain spoilers for the movies discussed such as Nope, Coraline, Halloween III, The Blair Witch Project, and Five Nights at Freddy's, as well as the video games Amanda the Adventurer and FNAF Security Breach.   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/CHX26403uTI

Kiya is joined by River, an aspiring author and a freshman here at UNA! Why did they decide to major in theater? What are their books about? And what is it like doing commissions as a writer? Find out all of this and more in this creative episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/sxtFFdYrlqU

Grayson is joined by acting major and CAT Guild Vice President, Matt Jones! How did Matt get into acting? How did Matt become the “puppet guy”? And how long would he wait for a turkey leg? Find out all of this and more in this week's crafty episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/RyEek1HPS6A

This week Kiya is joined by Janna Malone, the Chair of UNA's Entertainment Industry department. What is Janna's history with FAME Studios? How did she end up at UNA? And what exactly goes on in the Entertainment Industry department? Find out all of this and more in this week's entertaining episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/rTbWMI6nCeI

Kiya is joined by Erin Simpson, President of the UNA Fashion Association! How did she go from cowgirl to marine biologist to fashion expert? What is the Fashion Association up to? And can you wear white after Labor Day? Find out all of this and more in this week's trendy episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/Ns0u3cbBr7A

Kiya is joined by vocal music education student Laci New and director of choral activities Dr. Ian Loeppky. What got them into the world of choir? What are all the choirs we have here at UNA? And what does everyone think about a cappella? Find out all of this and more in this week's harmonious episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/4fKbuOlkVks

Grayson is joined by Colby Green, a UNA student, filmmaker, and musician under the name of Lame Lake! What's it like staying up all night to make a movie? How does Colby navigate different musical styles? And what can you expect from his new EP? Find out all of this (plus a NAME REVEAL for Colby's upcoming EP) in this week's exclusive episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/X6vAFivKWJM

Kiya is joined by Suzanne Reese-Mills, a wonderful music teacher here at UNA who recently joined the CAT department. What is Suzanne's connection to Florence? What makes musical theatre so special? And why does she love tangents? Find out all of this and more in this week's all-encompassing episode! To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/JBF5gTgCgKw

In this week's episode dedicated to the upcoming show “Concord Floral”, join Kiya as she chats with director Abigail Dillard as well as cast members Tori, Taz, and Mark. What do they think of being a teenager in the modern age? What will they miss most about this show? And what is J Cubed? Find out all this and more in this very flowery episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/XYz7hC5Fb00

In this week's long-awaited (filmed near the beginning of 2023) episode, Kiya, Cat, and Jenny talk all about cosplay! What were their cosplay journeys like? What cosplay trend gets on their nerves? And what exactly is “con funk”? Find out all this and more in this week's playful episode! To watch this episode with a video component, go to: https://youtu.be/vq-k8EeGflg

Welcome back! In this season premiere, Kiya chats with Jim Harris, the creator and playwright of We'll Meet Again: A New American Musical, which is coming to UNA on September 8. What is We'll Meet Again about? How did Jim's mom influence his love of musicals? And how did Jim find his musical collaborator? Find out all this and more in this week's rhythmic episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to:   https://youtu.be/jS-cwN1MIaI

Join Kiya as she interviews the director and cast of last week's performance of “Defying Gravity”. How do they differentiate their monologues? What is it like performing on platforms? Is Pluto a planet? Find out all this and more in this out-of-this-world episode! To watch this episode with a video component, go to: https://youtu.be/uhUXgB8YMGE

AHHHHH!!! You can't tell through text, but that was singing! This week, Kiya is joined by members of UNA's Opera/Musical Theatre department to talk about last week's performance of "A Grand Night For Singing". What differentiates forms of theatre and opera? What should you do to prevent vocal strain? And who is sympathetic to the stalking, kidnapping, and murdering Phantom from Phantom of the Opera? Find out all of this and more in this week's operatic episode!   To watch this episode with a video component, go to: https://youtu.be/W83VAOLG7Ng

In this incredibly different, once-in-a-lifetime episode, Kiya, Cat, and Grayson team up to drink incredibly odd sodas in the spirit of April Fools' Day.   This episode may be enjoyed more on our YouTube channel, University of North Alabama School of the Arts, where you can see our grossed out reactions. The video can be found at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRgWak2IwV0

This week Grayson is joined by two fellow filmmakers, Nick and Cole, to discuss their films that screened at the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival. What was it like making their movies? What films stood out at the festival? And why should you finish your film before your honeymoon? Find out all this and more in this Goober-esque episode!

Kiya and Cat are joined by their friend Willie to discuss their mutual love of Pokémon. What are their favorite Pokémon? What annoys them about the franchise? And what would they make if they could create a Pokémon? Find out all this and more in this collectible episode!

Kiya is joined by Dr. Martha Summa-Chadwick, a musician and educator who will be speaking about music therapy for The Sunseri Speaker Series at UNA. How do science and music intersect? How does one get started in advocacy? And what is it like giving a TED Talk? Find out all this and more in this therapeutic episode!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this episode has at least that many! Kiya is joined by Anna Carden to talk about the Photography Club. How does one join the Photography Club? Does Anna prefer film or digital? And what does the Photography Club's magazine look like? Find out all this and more in this picture-perfect episode!

Due to a sick editor last week, it's late Valentine's Day! Kiya and her cohosts Grayson and Cat talk all things Valentine's. How much have we followed through on our New Year's resolutions? What do we think of the day's tragic origins? And what fast food place will host your wedding? Find out all this and more in this lovely episode!

On this super special jam-packed episode, Kiya Williams is joined by the director of UNA's upcoming production of Boeing Boeing, Ariel Lauryn, as well as by fellow cast members Grayson Waggoner, Trevor Peck, and Anna Armstrong! Why did Ariel choose Boeing Boeing? Why is Boeing Boeing rehearsal so fun and positive? And what new holiday is sweeping the nation? Find out all this and more in this week's plane crazy episode!

Kiya is joined by Mallory Campbell from UNA's University Program Council, or UPC. She talks about her experiences with UPC as well as what to expect from the highly-anticipated Step-Sing event. Who is allowed to perform in Step-Sing? How can one join UPC? And what seemingly innocent game do college students go feral for? Find out all this and more in this eventful episode!

Join Kiya as she talks to the distinguished winners of UNA's 2022 Chopped challenge! What was it like participating in such a high-stakes event? What incredibly obscure moment in Eternals caused food-related stress for one of our guests? And where does everyone stand in the great ketchup on hash browns debate? Find out all this and more in this delicious new episode!

New year, new episode (that definitely wasn't recorded minutes after the last episode)! Kiya, Cat, and Grayson ring in the new year by discussing their last semester and looking to their next. What episodes were never released? What are our resolutions? And how absurdly long will our playlist become? Find out all this and more in this celebrated episode!

You may not believe your ears, but yes, there is a new SOTA Pop over the winter break! In this very special, very long holiday episode, Kiya, Grayson, and Cat are joined by UNA's resident Christmas enthusiast, Davis Farlow. They discuss traditions, holiday favorites, and play a game involving strange Hallmark movie titles. Where does everyone stand in the great eggnog debate? Whose family had an elaborate crouton war? And why is Kiya so good at coming up with fake Hallmark titles? Find out all this and more in this holly jolly episode! We love you, and happy holidays!

This week Grayson is honored to be joined by two incredibly special guests! Michael Johnson is the chair of the UNA Cinematic Arts and Theatre department and an assistant professor in film production, and Ethan Eng is the co-writer, actor, and director of the award-winning coming-of-age film (and one of Grayson's all-time favorites) Therapy Dogs. They discuss the long-running George Lindsey UNA Film Festival and their experiences with the famed event. How did Ethan get from Canada to Alabama? What filmmakers stood out at the festival? And how can YOU submit your film for the 2023 festival? Find out all this and more in this week's reel-y good episode!

Join Kiya and Cooper as they talk about fast fashion with their friend and small business owner Yasmina Assajeri! What inspired Yasmina to make mushroom hats? Who can you trust when buying clothes online? And what is the best way to shop with a positive impact? Find out all this in more in this fashionable episode!

This episode is music to my ears! Oh wait, that's just the intro. Still, there are people talking about music! Cooper and Kiya are joined by Cade Garcia, who plays strings for Shoals Symphony, and Dr. Suren Petrosyan, the Shoals Symphony's new conductor. What is it like being a conductor? What would they play if they had to change their instruments? And which host not-so-secretly plays the bugle? Find out all this and more in this week's harmonious episode!

Someone call the Christmas-themed exterminator because we have a humbug infestation! Kiya Williams is joined by the director of UNA's A Christmas Carol, Amanda Perry, as well as by fellow cast members Grayson Waggoner, Cooper Townsend, Davis Farlow, and Deyanara Holt. What makes this Christmas Carol so unique? What is everyone's favorite Christmas Carol adaptation? And what does a Fred laugh sound like? Find out all this and more in this very merry episode!

This week Kiya is joined by UNA student Elise Armstrong to discuss fan culture. Who are their favorite Disney girlies? Who owned a Lemonade Mouth CD? And who had a "not like other girls" phase? Find out all this and more in this FAN-tastic episode!

Listener beware- you're in for a scare! On this terrifying Halloween special, Kiya, Cat, Grayson, and the one and only Dave talk all things spooky. What Halloween related thing drives our beloved hosts batty? What does Future Kiya have to say? Plus, two bone chilling tales will be pitted against each other in the ultimate horror battle...

This week, Grayson and Cooper discuss the ins and outs of their creative processes. Who copied Captain Underpants? Why does Grayson write a terrible draft first? And what creative projects are these beloved rapscallions working on now? Tune in to find out all this and more!

Join Kiya and Cooper as they talk with local TikToker icaruspendragon about different fandoms and how the fandom space on TikTok and other social media has changed since the beginning of the pandemic!

Join our SOTA Pop crew as they are on location at UNA's homecoming football game! Listen in as they pull people from homecoming festivities and have fun on the spot interviews! Keep an ear out for where the title of this episode came from!

Join Kiya as she chats with the cast and the director of UNA's upcoming play, The Folklore Project. What the heck is devised theatre? Is The Folklore Project a Pollock or a DaVinci? And whose character is having a sugar rush? Tune in for all this and more!

Stop by for some Club SOTA! On the first episode of this adorably named recurring segment, Kiya and Grayson are joined by the founder of the Animation Club, Landon Lovette, to discuss his history with animation and play a game involving a lot of incorrect guesses. Who used to host a SpongeBob podcast? Is animation a genre? And what movie has a pretty lady? Find out all this and more in this week's episode!

Muppets and puppets and bears oh my... Join Kiya and Cooper this week while they talk to UNA visiting professor Ariel Lauryn to discuss her background in puppetry and how they're being used in this year's production of Christmas Carol!

Join Kiya as she introduces the final two members of the SOTA Pop team, Grayson and Cooper! Get to know our team on a deeper level and find out where the title for this episode came from on the most intriguing episode of SOTA Pop so far!

Join Kiya and SOTA's own Dr. Merciers as the talk with special guests Onyx Lane about the upcoming I2E2 conference, the role that Christina and Patrick had in planning parts of the conference, as well as what to expect when attending Onyx Lane's portion of the conference!