Podcasts about artistic directors

Mike Isaacson is the Artistic Director and Executive Producer of The Muny, the third person to hold this position in The Muny's 106 -year history. During his 14 seasons, he has produced 89 Muny shows, 37 new to The Muny stage. He is also a 9 Time Tony Award winning Broadway producer. After his first season at The Muny, The Riverfront Times wrote, “Under the leadership of executive producer Mike Isaacson the quality of Muny productions rose like the proverbial phoenix.” During his tenure, Isaacson has changed the look and feel of The Muny, overseeing a transformation in every aspect of production that culminated in 2019 with the arrival of the theatre's extraordinary James S. McDonnell stage, a state-of-the art stage house that includes revolutionary LED technology, automated sets, and a host of other innovations. In 2016, The Muny embarked on an unprecedented $100 million capital campaign, raising within 5 years a record amount for any theater in the U.S. During the COVID lock-down summer of 2020, Mike produced and created The Muny 2020 Variety Hour, five live online shows that reached a worldwide audience of more than 400,000. For the summer of 2021, The Muny was one of two theaters in the U.S. to reopen, and produced five full productions, receiving acclaim for their artistry and their presence. The 2022 season's productions received 21 nominations from the St. Louis Theatre Critics Circle, more than any other theater in St. Louis. In 2023, The Muny bested its record with 26 nominations, and for it's 2024 season, The Muny received a record 30 nominations – a record for The Muny and for the Theatre Critics Circle. During his time, The Muny's education and outreach programs have grown in number, and their artistic endeavors now incorporate all aspects of theater making – production, performance and administration. The Muny kids and teens are now recognized nationally for their excellence, inspiring a national program where teens from throughout the U.S. audition annually come to St. Louis to be a part of a Muny production. For 27 years, with his partner Kristin Caskey, Mike has produced more than 40 Broadway musicals and plays, national tours, off-Broadway plays, and London productions. This Spring on Broadway, they are producing Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years, co-starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. In 2023, they produced the highly acclaimed Broadway revival of Parade, starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, now on a national tour. Parade also received “Best Revival of a Musical” as well as “Best Musical Revival” from both The Drama Desk and The Outer Critics Circle. In 2022, they produced Neil Simon's Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, which subsequently had a record-breaking run at London's Savoy Theater. Other recent Broadway productions include David Byrne's American Utopia, for which they received a special 2021 Tony Award. It also became a multi-Emmy Award nominated film by Spike Lee for HBO, for which he also served as an executive producer. In 2015, he received the Tony® award for “Best Musical” for the ground-breaking Fun Home. Other producing highlights include Dolls House, Part 2, The Humans (2016 Tony® Award, Best Play); Bring It On The Musical (2013 Tony® nomination for Best Musical); Red (2010 Tony® Award, Best Play); Legally Blonde the Musical (2011 Olivier Award, Best Musical); Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Tony® Award, Best Musical); You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; If/Then; The Seagull; Burn This, Caroline, or Change; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest starring Gary Sinise, and Death of a Salesman (1999 Tony® Award). For the IPN, he served as producer for the Broadway productions of Spamalot (2005 Tony® Award, Best Musical), Ragtime (revival) and The Color Purple. All told, his productions have received more than 139 Tony® Award Nominations, and 40 Tony® Awards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Radio show host, Gary Calligas will have Laura Beeman, Artistic Director of the Shreveport Little Theatre on his Saturday, August 2nd “The Best of Times Radio Hour” at 9:05 AM on News Radio 710 KEEL to discuss the upcoming 104 th season of the Shreveport Little Theatre. You can also listen to this radio talk show streaming LIVE on the internet at www.710KEEL.com. and streaming LIVE on the KEEL app on apple and android devices. This radio show is proudly presented by AARP Louisiana and Hebert's Town and Country of Shreveport featuring – Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, and Jeep vehicles and service.

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. www.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I won my first Emmy when I was 21, which was the result of absolutely devoting myself day and night for two years to doing all the scene work. I attended classes simultaneously and did plays until my mother died. I studied with Michael Howard for eight years. Even when I was so tired I couldn't get up to do a scene, he would say, "Get up and do a poem." It helped me enormously; it saved me.The way I was trained and how I train others is that you know when you're in the zone. Oh God, it feels so good. It feels like flying. And that's what you want. You want to be so unselfaware that you're on liftoff?I had to become the father of my family very young because my parents divorced when I was 12. My situation was a little bit unusual in that my father kind of disappeared, and I had been making a fair amount of money as a kid, doing commercials and television and film. We needed money, and I kind of became the breadwinner. But I had this amazing world that I had access to, which was the world of the entertainment industry. My mom was supportive of my taking over and saying, "This is, I think, what we need to do." She liked the idea of moving to New York, so we moved to New York when I was 17 with a play that I had gotten. Then she got cancer and became really sick, so I had to take care of her full time. That lasted for about eight years, and then she died when I was 25. That was a rough go. At the same time, I had an amazing other world, and my other world was the world of make-believe and pretend, which I got to participate in on the soaps, with happy families and Christmases, Easters, miracles, love, weddings, and children. The pretend world that I spent a large amount of time in became a great way to balance what was sort of tragic in my real life.”Our guest today is Cady McClain. You probably know her from her long and celebrated career in daytime television. She is a three-time Emmy® Award-winning actress. She plays Pamela Curtis on CBS' Beyond the Gates, and is the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, and her directorial work includes the documentary, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of women behind the camera. Her memoir, Murdering My Youth, is an honest and sometimes difficult book about growing up as a child actor in the spotlight. Her work across all these different art forms—acting, directing, writing, art, and music—all seems to be connected by a commitment to telling true stories, no matter how complicated. Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Jill Collins is a dynamic dancer, choreographer, and educator whose versatile career spans contemporary, theatrical, and Middle Eastern dance. She began performing professionally as a teenager and later earned her BFA in Dance Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2007, she joined Jillina's Sahlala Dancers, eventually becoming Artistic Director and owner in 2021. Jill has toured internationally for over a decade with Bellydance Evolution, serving as both featured dancer and rehearsal director, as well as co-director of the company's training branch, BDEx. In 2015, she founded Cathartic Art, a collective dedicated to advocating for mental health through creative performance. In addition to her work with Sahlala, she performs with LA Choreographers & Dancers and holds teaching credentials from Dance Masters of America and SharQuí: The Bellydance Workout.In this episode you will learn about:- How a Craigslist audition unexpectedly launched Jill's journey into belly dance with Jillina's Sahlala Dancers.- The challenges of transitioning from ballet to belly dance—especially shifting posture and grounding.- How the gig and performance landscape changed after the pandemic, including shifts in audience attention and show structure.- The ups and downs of taking over Sahlala Dancers during the pandemic and rebuilding it from near scratch.- Her current focus on work-life balance, adding Zoom rehearsals, and developing educational outreach performances.Show Notes to this episode:Find Jill Collins on Instagram, FB, and Sahlala Dancers website. Details and training materials for the BDE castings are available at www.JoinBDE.comFind out what's missing in your musicality and connection to Arabic music in 60 seconds. Take the quiz: www.maqamquiz.com Created by Maya Youssef.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

In this episode of The Urban Zoo, host Bill McBain explores the intersection of art, environment, and animal welfare. Bill speaks with Terry Lim, Artistic Director of the Caledon Music Festival, about how the festival blends classical music with Caledon's pastoral charm, a region under environmental threat from the proposed Hwy 413. Bill later talks with Greg Madely, Supervisor at Mississauga Animal Services, about rising pressures on the shelter system, the emotional toll on pet families, and the vital work being done for animals in crisis. 

About This Episode: This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby welcomes ted witzel, Artistic Director of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, to discuss the company's 2025–2026 season and the vital role Buddies plays locally and globally. In this wide-ranging and passionate conversation, ted talks about the curatorial ethos behind the season, how queerness informs both aesthetic and practice, and why Buddies remains a radical, necessary space in an increasingly conservative climate. This episode explores: The inspiration and process behind curating the 2025–2026 Buddies season Why queerness is more than representation—it's a creative methodology The value of festivals (Rhubarb, Nuit Blanche, Queer Pride) in Buddies' identity Longing as a theme: desire, intimacy, revolution, and more Highlights from the season including The Green Line, Make Banana Cry, The Herald, and The Begging Brown Bitch Plays The importance of unruliness, disobedience, and disrespectability in queer theatre The enduring legacy and global uniqueness of Buddies in Bad Times Guest:

"The thing about stealing a violin... the Russian oligarchs aren't in the market anymore" - Richard Tognetti  In this episode you'll meet Richard Tognetti, Artistic Director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra who has been leading the charge for an astonishing 35 years - making him the longest-serving artistic director on the planet!What's his secret to staying forever young? Music and surfing, but not at the same time.This episode is a vibrant celebration of Richard's remarkable journey, the ACO's 50th anniversary, his 60th birthday, and a love letter to his hometown, the 'Gong.On the menu: classic fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, sizzling Japanese izakaya fare, David Thompson's Nahm Phrik and a dash of Meatloaf, Nutloaf, and the pursuit of pure surfing zen.Richard's social cause is the ACO Foundations, an in-school program which uses music learning to improve the developmental and educational outcomes of children in low socio-economic status schools.  Send us a textTo find out more about the project and Savva - head to threefoodmemories.comInsta - @savvasavas @threefoodmemoriesEmail us at threefoodmemories@plated.com.au, we'd love to hear from you! TFM is produced and edited by Lauren McWhirter with original music by Russell Torrance.

Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with Michael Novak, Artistic Director of the legendary Paul Taylor Dance Company. As the company returns to the Vail Dance Festival for the first time since 2018, Novak reflects on honoring the legacy of Paul Taylor—one of the most influential figures in American modern dance—on what would have been Taylor's 95th birthday.This special conversation offers insight into the company's tribute performance, featuring the beloved Company B and the 50th anniversary presentation of Esplanade, a masterwork hailed for transforming everyday movement into mythic dance. This episode is brought to you by Discover Vail and was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 27, 2025.Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/COD-email Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken Wolf, Artistic Director of Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City, presents the 451st episode of THE PLAYWRITING PODCAST. Episode Story Topic: Your Playwriting Super Super-Power! My Special CRAZY DISCOUNT PAGE for Script Consultations, Playwriting Coaching, and PREMIERE PLAYWRITING COACHING, good until Monday night July 28, 2025 at Midnight.  https://www.manhattanrep.com/playpod   Book a SHORT PLAY SCRIPT CONSULTATION  https://www.manhattanrep.com/short-script-consultation   Published on Amazon: Ridiculously Wacky Plays by Ken Wolf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW9G9W5C My NEW Playwriting Book on Amazon!  The Complete Fantastic Play Series! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT6LQWZC Everything you need to know to write great plays! Manhattan Rep's Play Production Program: https://www.manhattanrep.com/play-production-program   Email: How2WritePlays@yahoo.com

Michael Pizzi is Producing and Artistic Director of the Sandhills Repertory Theatre, bringing all NYC and Broadway talent to the Sandhills, with a percentage of ALL show net profits funding performing arts in Moore County schools. He is also the creator and producer of the Special Broadway Camp for children with special needs in the Sandhills.Besides being an artist, Michael is an occupational therapist, a health and wellness lifestyle coach and co-owner of the NC organization Sandhills Adaptive Living (SAL). We talk to him about the cabaret-style shows he had developed in the Berkshires, as well as how theater touches other elements of people's lives. https://sandhillsrep.org/ This episode is sponsored by Harbinger Theatre's production of "Between Riverside and Crazy", performing at Albany Civic Theater from July 18th - 27th.

Susan Aversa, Artistic Director at the Collaborative Theater Project, joins the Exchange.

At a time when theaters everywhere are competing with an ever-expanding array of at-home entertainment and struggling to fill seats, some artists are asking not what plays to produce but how to produce them differently. Graham Wetterhahn's answer was to found his own company, After Hours Theatre Company in Los Angeles. With a background that spans traditional theater, theme parks and digital media, he has spent recent years creating “immersive-enhanced” productions that invite audiences not just to watch a story unfold but to step directly into it.In After Hours' 2018 production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,” for instance, audience members were admitted to a fictional 1960s psychiatric hospital and cast as patients, free to explore hidden rooms and interact with characters for a full hour before the scripted performance even began. The production cleverly merged immersive design with a fully staged, licensed play, creating an experience that theatergoers of all stripes — and with varying levels of comfort with the notion of participation — could embrace. And it worked, selling out night after night and drawing in an audience that was overwhelmingly under 40.After Hours has gone on not only to produce a broad array of successful immersive-enhanced productions but also to organize the Los Angeles Immersive Invitational, a collegial competition that brings together the city's most adventurous immersive storytellers under one roof and gives them 48 hours to create a new 10-minute piece based on a single prompt. The L.A. Invitational just completed its fifth iteration, and After Hours is now producing Invitationals in other American cities.In this episode, Graham shares why he believes After Hours' hybrid experiences may hold the key to live theater's future, how the company has built a sustainable — if still scrappy — for-profit model, and what his journey has taught him about turning casual eventgoers into passionate theater fans.https://www.grahamwetterhahn.com/https://www.afterhourstheatre.com/

Róise Goan, Artistic Director and CEO of Dublin Theatre Festival;

In this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with the incredible Maeve Gilchrist, a Scottish harpist, composer, and innovator whose work bridges folk traditions and contemporary sounds. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Maeve was immersed in Celtic music from a young age and later studied at Berklee College of Music, where she expanded her approach to the harp through jazz, improvisation, and world music influences.Maeve and I talk about her journey as an artist—from her early exposure to traditional Scottish and Irish music to her boundary-pushing projects in the worlds of contemporary classical, jazz, and film scoring. She shares how motherhood has deepened her relationship to her craft, and how she continues to evolve her voice while remaining rooted in tradition.We explore her role as Artistic Director of the Rockport Celtic Festival, and dig into her album The Harp Weaver, a deeply personal work inspired by poetry and memory. Maeve reflects on the creative process, the power of collaboration, and the delicate balance between honoring tradition and forging new musical paths.This is a rich and thoughtful conversation with one of today's most original voices on the harp.To learn more about Maeve, please visit her website. Thank you for listening! If you have any questions, feedback, or ideas for the show, please contact me at brad@thebandwichtapes.com.The theme song, Playcation, was written by Mark Mundy. 

Host Kosmo Esplan discusses the history of the Northfield Vintage Band Festival with Artistic Director and Founder Dr. Paul Niemisto, President of the VBF Board Dan Bergeson, Vice President of the VBF Board Randy Ferguson, and VBF Board Secretary Joy Riggs.

GALLANO.H  tells the story of Ethan — a character shaped by loss — and the chorus of voices that surround him: Soul, Past, Present, and Future. Through live guitar, movement, and raw ballads, the performance dances between memory and momentum, stillness and song.This original musical was born from the real-life experience of TYK's Artistic Director, Ethan Persyko (they/them), who lost their beloved dog, Bailey, during a time of deep personal isolation. But GALLANO.H reaches far beyond one person's story — it is for anyone who has ever loved and lost, who has ever needed to be reminded they're not alone.

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) removed a film showing two men kissing after a member of the public claimed it was “harmful” to her child's health.Was it the right thing to do?Guest host Anna Daly is joined by Willie White, Artistic Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival, Katie Makk from the Opinions Matter Podcast and Lucy Medleycott, Director of the Irish Street Arts, Circus And Spectacle Network.Image: IMMA

Today, I speak with Jenn Blessing, owner and founder of Makers Ekklesia Dance Company in Knoxville, TN. Jenn has been teaching for over 20 years. She danced while attending Texas A & M, and directed Company AbunDance, danced in Chara Dance Company, Talitha Dance Company and served as the Artistic Director for the Knoxville Dance Project after moving to TN in 2012. In our conversation she shares about saying yes to leadership, communicating with intention, and shaping a culture that is recognizable and relatable. Learn more about Makers Ekklesia Dance Company: https://makersdance.com/.Learn more about studio management resources Jenn shared about: https://morethanjustgreatdancing.com/ and https://www.ypad4change.org/.Learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers: https://www.theballerinatist.com/.

Christopher Stowell was born in New York City and received his training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. In 1985, he joined San Francisco Ballet where he danced for 16 years, appearing in theaters throughout the world. An established interpreter of the George Balanchine repertoire, Stowell has appeared in almost every Balanchine ballet performed by San Francisco Ballet. In 2003 Stowell was named the Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, a position he held until 2012. In 2017, Stowell was named the first Associate Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, a position he held until 2022. Stowell has taught and coached in San Francisco, New York, Japan, China and across Europe. He has created works for San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, The Los Angeles Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet as well as the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. His ballets are in the repertoire of Carolina Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Idaho, Diablo Ballet, Orlando Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Stowell is a representative of the Balanchine Trust and has also staged the works of Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon. Last month, Stowell began his tenure as the Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Stowell brings a leadership philosophy centred on relationship-building and community connection to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. He articulates a refreshing vision for making ballet accessible: bringing performances to unexpected spaces, letting audiences witness the creative process up-close, and strengthening relationships with regional communities. His dancer's directive: "be a student in the classroom and a wild animal on stage". Listen as Stowell shares insights from both sides of the stage and his plans to shape ballet's future in Winnipeg and beyond. Connect with us:Madison Beale, HostCroocial, ProductionBe a guest on The Artalogue Podcast

Ken Wolf, Artistic Director of Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City, presents the 450th episode of THE PLAYWRITING PODCAST. Episode Story Topic: The 450th Episode - 8 Year Anniversary Best of The Playwriting Podcast - Mega Podcast! Yes, don't miss out! My Special CRAZY DISCOUNT PAGE for Script Consultations, Playwriting Coaching, and PREMIERE PLAYWRITING COACHING and more, good until Monday night July 21, 2025 at Midnight.  Save up to $1255.00! https://www.manhattanrep.com/playpod   Book a SHORT PLAY SCRIPT CONSULTATION  https://www.manhattanrep.com/short-script-consultation   This was just published on Amazon: Ridiculously Wacky Plays by Ken Wolf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW9G9W5C   My NEW Playwriting Book on Amazon!  The Complete Fantastic Play Series! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT6LQWZC Everything you need to know to write great plays! Manhattan Rep's Play Production Program: https://www.manhattanrep.com/play-production-program   Email: How2WritePlays@yahoo.com

In this episode, we sit down with Marko Marcinko, the artistic director of the Scranton Jazz Festival. Marko shares the history and details of the upcoming 20th-anniversary event that will take place on August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in downtown Scranton. The festival features performances at over 20 venues, showcasing jazz, blues, and world beats from both local and international musicians. Marko also talks about the organization's nonprofit status, the coordination involved in hosting the festival, and the rich history of jazz in Scranton. Tune in and discover the vibrant world of the Scranton Jazz Festival!If you or someone you know wants to be featured in our next podcast, message us on Facebook!

Send us a textBill Bartholomew welcomes Josh Short, Artistic Director of FRINGEPVD and The Wilbury Theatre Group for a discussion about Providence Fringe Fest. Support the show

*drumroll* We are now, officially, Expand the Canon – all day every day. Join some of our fabulous team to toast to this long-time-coming shift. We discuss the change, what all we do here at Expand the Canon, and what we're looking forward to for our next chapter.Mission:Expand the Canon champions women and gender-expansive playwrights whose works should have always been considered classics. For over a decade, our partnerships with theaters, educators, and advocates have established a legacy of storytelling with gender equity at its core. By curating a collection of excellent historic plays, we're building a more inclusive and accurate theatrical canon. Featuring: Alicia Carroll, Marketing Associate; Emily Lyon, Artistic Director; Maraika Lumholdt, Managing Associate; Rhiannon Ling, Social Media Coordinator; Desirée Baxter, Tia Cassmira, Kate Pitt, Natalie Kane, Research Team.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-is-a-classic-the-expand-the-canon-theatre-podcast/donations

Gillian Bellinger is an SAG character actor. To watch her character bits, follow her on Instagram @gillianbellinger.She has played roles on Hulu's "How I Met Your Father", "Disney's "Just Roll with It" as well as being a principal in commercials for Harris Bank, Time Warner, NorthShore Healthcare, and Unitrin Auto Insurance. She's also rocked out a bunch of short films, industrials, and starred in Red Letter Media's Feeding Frenzy, a comedic horror flick. So if you're watching TV late at night and think, "Was that...?" Probably. Gillian studied improv in Chicago at The Second City, I.O. Theater, The Annoyance Theater, and The Groundlings. Gillian is very fancy and attended The London Academy of Theatre, The National Theater Institute, and Hamline University.She was an ensemble member on Second City House teams in LA and Chicago, ComedySportz Chicago and Minneapolis, the Del Tones at I.O. West, Laugh Out Loud Theater in Chicago, Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, and Improv Acadia in Bar Harbor, Maine.She has taught improv & acting at The Second City Hollywood, Intentional Acting Studio, Improv Utopia, AMDA, and Westside Comedy Theater. She has been a guest teacher at Finest City Improv, All Out Comedy Theater, Alchemy Comedy Theater, Think Fast Theater, Asheville Improv Collective, and Curious Comedy Theater.She is now the Artistic Director of Misfit Improv in Asheville, NC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We're often put in positions that make us uncomfortable with the inner struggle of how to keep our job and have our program recognized enough to get support versus how to carry out our true mission with students. If I'm trying to continue to fall in love with the choral art, I think the way to do that is looking for literature that will balance the soul-searching and academic needs of the students and the entertaining needs of the audiences. Looking for literature for all of those reasons often reignites my own curiosity and interest.”Dr. Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah is a Full Professor of Music serving as Director of Choral Activities and Undergraduate Music Education at Eastern Washington University. She has earned degrees from Edmonds Community College, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, and the University of Kentucky. She was the Artistic Director of the Spokane Area Youth Choirs, and the Director of Spokane Symphony's Chorale & Chamber Choir.  Previously in Spokane, Kristina taught Choral Methods at Gonzaga University, observed student teachers for Whitworth College, and taught Middle School Choir at St. George's School and High School Choir at West Valley High School in the Spokane Valley.  Before moving to the Spokane area, she taught at Everett HS, Ephrata HS, and AC Davis HS. Kristina has served on the WA ACDA Board as an R&S chair in world music, children's chorus, university, and jazz, and is the current President-Elect of WA ACDA. She has presented numerous times for state and all-northwest MENC/WMEA conventions and twelve WA-ACDA Summer Institutes. Directing Honor Groups and All-State Choirs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Kentucky, from Elementary through High School levels; as well as presenting at festivals and conferences in WA, MA, OR, ID, FL, and KY has given her the opportunity to work with a wonderful array of choristers and directors. The Spokane Arts Commission of the City of Spokane has awarded Kristina the “Arts in Education Award,” and the “Arts Organization Award” for her work with the Spokane Area Children's Chorus.  Kristina also received Spokane's “YWCA Woman of Achievement in Arts and Culture Award.”To get in touch with Kristina, you can e-mail her at kploeger@ewu.edu.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

Interview date: March 16, 2025Episode Summary:Mfoniso Akpan, Artistic Director of Step Afrika, shares her unique journey from a science student at Stony Brook University to leading a renowned dance company. With training in various dance styles, she combines creativity with analytical problem-solving, using skills from her science background to enhance her choreography.She discusses her extensive travels with Step Afrika, performing in 60 countries and 49 U.S. states, and the company's mission to preserve African American stepping traditions. The episode emphasizes the importance of professionalism and discipline in managing the logistics of touring and rehearsals, while also highlighting the business skills dancers need.Mfoniso encourages aspiring dancers to combine their passions with persistence and curiosity, offering valuable advice on building a sustainable career in dance.Show Notes:(1:00) Mfoniso Akpan's early dance journey and starting with percussive dance(5:00) Balancing dance with academics: Majoring in biochemistry and molecular genetics(8:00) Joining Step Afrika in 2005 and her transition from dancer to Artistic Director(12:00) Step Afrika's mission to preserve and promote African American stepping traditions(15:00) Performing across 49 U.S. states and 60 countries with Step Afrika(18:00) Breaking the Guinness World Record for the most steppers in a live performance(22:00) The importance of professionalism: Timeliness, responsibility, and teamwork on tour(25:00) Combining science and dance: How Mfoniso uses problem-solving in choreography(30:00) Teaching dancers the business side of dance: Professionalism, contracts, and logistics(35:00) Networking and building relationships in the dance industry(40:00) Mfoniso's approach to balancing multiple passions and staying organized(43:00) Final advice: Believe in yourself, keep learning, and make the most of every opportunityBiography:Mfoniso Akpan is a distinguished dancer and the Artistic Director of Step Afrika!, a Washington, D.C.-based arts organization dedicated to the African American tradition of stepping. Her extensive training encompasses tap, ballet, jazz, modern, African dance, hip-hop, and step. While attending the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she majored in biochemistry and molecular genetics, minored in dance, and honed her stepping skills as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.Akpan began her dance training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. She also toured with the off-Broadway show "Hoofin' 2 Hittin," where she was a featured stepper and dancer.Since joining Step Afrika!, in 2005, Akpan served as a performer and leader, becoming the Artistic Director in 2015. Under her leadership, the company has premiered off-Broadway, continued extensive national and international tours, headlined President Barack Obama's Black History Month Reception at the White House, and is featured prominently at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world's first stepping interactive exhibit.Akpan maintains that stepping is a national treasure, an American cultural art form that is a keeper of history—past, present, and future—that should be preserved, innovated, and shared with the world. She continues to share her love of movement and education with students and art lovers globally.Connect on Social Media:https://www.facebook.com/mfoniso.akpan.9https://www.instagram.com/kokoma22

Artistic Director Grace Rogers of the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School joins us on the show to talk about the history of the school and what visitors can expect if they attend. Since 2002, the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School has brought together musicians of all ages on Big Cowan in Letcher County, Kentucky, to celebrate and learn Appalachian music. From fiddle and banjo tunes to ballads, hymns, square dancing, and storytelling—CCMMS offers an immersive experience in mountain tradition, taught by culture bearers who live it. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, there's something here for everyone. https://cowancreekmusic.org/  Pickin' in the Backwoods Music Festival - Aug. 7th-9th 2025

This is an Encore Presentation of my December 2024 interview with Musical Superstar Christian McBride. He's a renowned Bassist, Composer, Arranger and 8x Grammy Winner. His playing covers Jazz, R&B, Pop, Hip Hop and Classical. He's performed or recorded with just about everyone including Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Paul McCartney and James Brown. He leads several bands and he's the Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival.My featured song is my single “The Rich Ones”. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH CHRISTIAN:www.christianmcbride.com________________________ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single.It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called “Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS___________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

One more segment with a lot more goodies from Blake Ellis, Artistic Director of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. here in Fresno. There might even be a huge announcement coming! The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blake Ellis is the Artistic Director and Managing Producer of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. in Fresno. He joins the program for a few segments. First, Blake discusses how Chanticleer Shakes came about, his impressive "triad of power" artistic team, why theatergoers often "fear" Shakespeare (they shouldn't!) and how their debut production, Richard III, was received. The Christopher Gabriel Program ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Christopher Gabriel Program' on all platforms: The Christopher Gabriel Program is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- The Christopher Gabriel Program | Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | --- Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Wolf, Artistic Director of Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City, presents the 449th episode of THE PLAYWRITING PODCAST. Episode Story Topic: The Utter Joy of 40 years of Playwriting!!   My Special CRAZY DISCOUNT PAGE for Script Consultations, Playwriting Coaching, and PREMIERE PLAYWRITING COACHING, good until Sunday night July 13, 2025 at Midnight.  Save up to $1255.00! https://www.manhattanrep.com/playpod   Book my Q and A on Wednesday July 16 - 6:30 pm to 8pm on ZOOM at: My New Theatrical Literary Agency: https://www.kenwolfliterary.com/education   Book a SHORT PLAY SCRIPT CONSULTATION  https://www.manhattanrep.com/short-script-consultation   This was just published on Amazon: Ridiculously Wacky Plays by Ken Wolf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW9G9W5C My NEW Playwriting Book on Amazon!  The Complete Fantastic Play Series! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT6LQWZC Everything you need to know to write great plays! Manhattan Rep's Play Production Program: https://www.manhattanrep.com/play-production-program   Email: How2WritePlays@yahoo.com

There has been much discussion about who the next President may be, and who will put their name in the hat, but as part of this year's Galway International Arts Festival, they have curated an exhibition looking back at current President Michael D Higgins - and all he has done in public life.For more on this, Seán is joined by Artistic Director of the Galway Arts Festival, Paul Fahy…Image: Galway Arts Festival

In this episode of The Whole Picture, I sat down with Kimberly DiPersia — actor, writer, director, producer, and Artistic Director of All the Line Studio and Incubator. We explored what it means to wear many hats as a creative, how to navigate identity as a multi-hyphenate, and why building community matters in today's independent film landscape. Kimberly shares her journey from Shakespeare stages to film sets, her vision for empowering emerging artists, and how All the Line is creating space for collaboration, learning, and growth. Whether you're a filmmaker, actor, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation will inspire you to follow your gut, seize opportunities, and embrace the adventure of your artistic path.Learn more about All The Line Studio & Incubator here: https://www.allthelinestudio.com/

Today on conduct(her), Kyra and McKenna interview Liana Salinas, the Artistic Director of the Miami Children's Chorus.

Old friend and colleague, Mark Clayton Southers, sits down with Tressa for a fascinating, candid, and hopeful conversation about his journey, building community, his road to recovery (and inspiration) after a devastating accident, and how he got to know the legendary August Wilson. Yinz don't want to miss this one, we promise you.(Also, Don shares the story of how he and Tressa met - and how Pittsburgh Playwrights was involved...)Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Co.: https://www.pghplaywrights.org/Mark Clayton Southers: https://www.markclaytonsouthers.com/https://www.yinzaregood.com/Want to learn more about the podcast, including all of the guests who've been featured thus far? Check out our website: ⁠https://www.yinzaregood.com/⁠FOLLOW US on social media!Instagram: ⁠@yinzaregood⁠ Facebook: ⁠@YinzAreGood⁠Have a story of GENEROSITY or KINDNESS to share with us? Want a KINDNESS CRATE dropped off at your business or school? Email us at yinzaregood@gmail.com

Ken Wolf, Artistic Director of Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City, presents the 444th episode of THE PLAYWRITING PODCAST. Episode Story Topic: Three Secrets to Writing a Fantastic Play!   My Special CRAZY DISCOUNT PAGE for Script Consultations, Playwriting Coaching, and PREMIERE PLAYWRITING COACHING, good until Sunday night July 13, 2025 at Midnight.  Save up to $1255.00! https://www.manhattanrep.com/playpod   Book my Q and A on Wednesday July 16 - 6:30 pm to 8pm on ZOOM at: My New Theatrical Literary Agency: https://www.kenwolfliterary.com/education   Book a SHORT PLAY SCRIPT CONSULTATION  https://www.manhattanrep.com/short-script-consultation   This was just published on Amazon: Ridiculously Wacky Plays by Ken Wolf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW9G9W5C My NEW Playwriting Book on Amazon!  The Complete Fantastic Play Series! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT6LQWZC Everything you need to know to write great plays! Manhattan Rep's Play Production Program: https://www.manhattanrep.com/play-production-program   Email: How2WritePlays@yahoo.com