Podcasts about waterwell

APEX Express is a weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight, host Isabel Li speaks with actresses Amielynn Abellera and Kristin Villanueva, who respectively play Nurse Perlah and Nurse Princess on the HBO Max medical drama, The Pitt. Abellera and Villanueva talk about their Filipino heritage and backgrounds and how they represent Filipina healthcare professionals on the show. See also: Filipinos on the Frontline Amielynn Abellera: Instagram Kristin Villanueva: Instagram Transcript [00:00:00] Opening: Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.  00:00:52 Isabel Li  Thank you for tuning in to Apex Express. Last Thursday, season 2 of the HBO Max medical drama The Pitt released its season 2 finale, including a hectic season following medical professionals in the emergency room and giving a realistic depiction of real-world issues in hospitals. I'm Isabel Li, one of the hosts here on APEX Express, and I'm so honored to be joined by two members of that cast tonight who play the two Filipina nurses on The Pitt. They were recently awarded the Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.  00:01:28 Isabel Li  First, let's hear from actress Amielynn Abellera, who plays Nurse Perla, a Muslim Filipina nurse on the show.  00:01:36 Isabel Li  Hi Amielynn, what an honor it is to be speaking to you today. Welcome to Apex Express.  00:01:41 Amielynn Abellera  Thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be speaking with you, too.  00:01:45 Isabel Li  So many of our listeners might know you from the HBO Max show, The Pitt, which I have so very much enjoyed. This is actually the first medical show that I have watched, and I really, really admire, like, all of the ensemble casts and, you know, everything coming to life. And you play the Muslim Filipina nurse, Perlah Alawi. We'll talk more about your performance and your character in a little bit, but first, this is a question that I ask all my guests: Can you tell us, how do you identify? And is there a story that you think really encapsulates your identity?  00:02:17 Amielynn Abellera  Gosh, I identify as Amielynn Dumac Abellera. She, her, hers. I'm a Filipino American, daughter of two immigrants. And I'm so thrilled and happy to be talking to you and to sharing my experience of my life.  00:02:42 Isabel Li  Absolutely. Of course, The Pitt is a medical show. And is it true that you come from a medical background yourself? Like I heard that you were a psychobiology major in undergrad.  00:02:51 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, I was pursuing medicine for a long time. I studied pre-med in undergrad at Santa Clara University, majoring in psychobiology, which is psychology with basically a minor in biology. I really wanted to get into neuroscience and or be an oncologist. And I was pursuing that all the way till I graduated and applying to medical school and getting interviews. But ever since I was a kid, for as long as I can remember, I was really also passionate about acting and theater and film and television and being on stage. But it was really just seen as a hobby in my mind and in sort of my environment's mind. I never really prioritized it as a career, and it was never seen as a possible career. Um, so I just had it on the back burner. And, you know, I was getting, getting closer and closer to medical school and getting more and more anxious that I would regret not pursuing acting. And so sort of after waffling for many years, I decided to audition for a master's in fine arts and acting. And that was because I didn't really have any formal training in acting. I didn't study it in undergrad or, you know, in my younger years. It was just all through life experience and being in plays and art and everything like that. And so I thought if I get into one of these programs, maybe that means I have something to offer. And I was going to take that as the sign that I needed to give myself a chance. And so I got into two programs, and I was thrilled. And I moved to LA to attend the University of Southern California's MFA program. And the rest is history. Here I am.  00:04:47 Isabel Li  Wow. How does being a former pre-med influence your current role as a nurse on the show? Do you remember any like terms from science classes that you're like, oh, wow, I remember that in those lines.  00:05:00 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, yeah, totally. And you know, I spent a lot of time in hospitals and clinics and my dad is a former family practitioner. He had his own medical practice and my mom is a nurse practitioner and she worked in the CCU in the hospital for many years. So I was really familiar with how nurses interacted with patients and hearing the terminology and the medical language a lot.  So it is a cool throwback and always a really, I love how it's so familiar to me 'cause it's, I still have to work at it quite a bit when, you know, when it's all coming at me and I have to have it down for when we're filming, but I'm not as, as intimidated by it as I probably would be if I didn't have a background.  00:05:50 Isabel Li  And out of curiosity, when you got the audition for the pit, did you have to sort of immerse yourself back into that realm of science and that medical background in order to bring out that character when you were  first being introduced to Nurse Perlah?  00:06:04 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, a little bit. And I feel that with any role, you kind of, before you go in for the audition or even when you're now filming or you have a part, you just have to kind of get into that world, obviously and really put yourself in the actual experience of what this person's going through. And it did help me to be able to use my imagination so vividly from my previous experience of being in an OR and being in a hospital.  I remember when I was doing an internship when I was sort of in the break between graduating undergrad and pursuing medical school, I remember watching a C-section. And I remember — I remember the doctors talking, the surgeons talking, the anesthetic going in, the blood everywhere, the scalpels, the blood pressures, the oxymeter dropping. So, it really — I think back to the real-life fear that I had in all of those those procedures and I just, you know, bring it to Nurse Perlah.  00:07:16 Isabel Li  It's incredible. I want to start off by talking about, for Nurse Perlah specifically, that Perlah's identity is a Filipina and a Muslim nurse.  What did you do to prepare for a role that is so specific in terms of these cultural representations?  00:07:33 Amielynn Abellera  Sure. Thank you for asking that. I am thrilled that Perlah is on television. She is a Filipino American Muslim woman nurse. And I have never seen that. And it's just rarely ever seen on mainstream media. So, in preparing for it, I mean, truly, I had two weeks before we started filming by the time I got the role. And it was go time already. So I didn't have a ton of time, but I did my best to sort of deep dive into learning about the Muslim faith, trying to reach out to different Filipino American Muslims in my community to kind of just hear their experience. And, you know, I quickly learned that it would be impossible for me to sort of understand the full experience completely. And so I just kind of, I realized that the only question that I needed to answer for myself going into filming as Perlah was, is there anything about the Muslim way of life that would influence or adjust or be a part of their nursing or would it shift it at all? And or how would it affect their job?  And, you know, after talking to several Filipino American Muslim nurses, there, there wasn't anything that it would do to either to shift or do anything to get in the way of their patient care. They are, it's still their priority just to care relentlessly for this patient and have as much empathy as possible. And to be honest, I'm still learning as I go along with playing Perlah and as scripts come in and I still ask a lot of questions of how would Perlah specifically understand this procedure or understand this text or understand what she's doing and just keep asking questions.  00:09:30 Isabel Li  And the majority of The Pitt itself takes place on a hospital set. I'm wondering if you had a vision of what Perlah does outside of the hospital?  00:09:39 Amielynn Abellera  Well, I think Perlah is, she's been at this hospital, PTMC, pretty much, this was her first job, she really wanted to work there in this urban setting.  And she's been there probably for over eight years or something, like through COVID. I think she is a single mom and she has two children who are both under the age of 10. So I think she's exhausted, but she loves nursing. She loves her kids. And she is just, she knows how to compartmentalize and work hard and like protect herself. She knows how to leave, at least she thinks she knows how to leave the job at the door in order to go home and be with her children.  00:10:24 Isabel Li  Uh-huh. And is this something, also, I'm just curious, like, is this something that you had to imagine yourself or did some of the writers sort of drop some hints during production?  00:10:35 Amielynn Abellera  I mean, a little bit of both, I think. There are only some hints in the script in the pilot and the first season where it's dropping like, oh, she has some kids and she's exhausted and kind of eye-rolling — Yeah, and pets — And sort of eye-rolling exhausted by what's happening at home. And it's, I am a mother of a five and a half year old. She's almost six right now. So I sort of understand that exhaustion, but like deep love for my child. But it's like, I'm happy to go to work and have them at school, but I'm also missing them. It's just this like journey of a mother. So it was a bit of me sort of creating that backstory, but also just from the hints of the writers.  00:11:23 Isabel Li  Definitely. I think something that's so special about The Pitt as a medical show is its accuracy in depicting the very hectic lives of healthcare professionals, especially in an emergency room setting. So Nurse Perlah is often mediating like some sort of communication and really emphasizing medical jargon or reading off data. What was it like memorizing all of these different lines and delivering it in a way that felt authentic to the way that healthcare professionals might?  00:11:50 Amielynn Abellera  Sure. Oh my gosh. It's really challenging. I think as soon as I get the scripts, and again, thank goodness I have a sort of familiarity with having a little bit of a medical background, but you know, that was years ago. So anytime I get a script, I immediately go to the hard stuff and get that in my brain as soon as possible. And a trick that I do is, as soon as I have it memorized, I'm just saying it all day and doing things with my hands. Like I do it when I'm folding laundry. I do it when I'm washing dishes. I do it when I'm cooking. I'm doing it when I'm driving, just because as soon as it's second nature, and that's the thing about healthcare professionals, they're constantly, like they're not thinking about what they're saying. They're, it's so awesomely competent in their brain, that is not difficult. That's actually like them just having a conversation.  So I love trying to get to that point and showing how Perlah is just so competent in all of that stuff and doesn't even have to think about it while putting in an IV.  00:13:00 Isabel Li  Absolutely. Oh my gosh. And I think like a lot of our listeners, maybe if they watch The Pitt and a lot of audience members really enjoy the lighthearted moments that you share with Princess, also another Filipina nurse played by Kristin Villanueva, especially that Nurse Perlah code-switches with her using Tagalog as a language.  Can you tell our listeners what that code-switching feels like to you and how you relate to Tagalog as a language?  00:13:25 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, totally. Thank you for asking. I, as Amielynn Abellera, the actor, I grew up, I was born and raised in Stockton, California, and my parents spoke Tagalog and Ilocano at home all the time. And unfortunately, they didn't teach me. So I'm actually not fluent in Tagalog at home.  I'm that Filipino American who later in life got voracious about wanting to embrace her heritage and learn it like in her adult life. And I think that translates with Perlah. I do, I think that Perlah is also, was also born and raised in the United States to two Filipinos who came from Mindanao. And even though she had the ear for it, I think that she's learning it later in life. And I think she absolutely is so happy to have, Princess as her buddy because she can practice.  Um, because I think like the only way to learn is to constantly be talking every day. And I think Perlah does that. I think she finds any opportunity to celebrate joyfully her heritage by speaking the language with Princess. I think they both do. So it's really close to, to my own personal experience with Tagalog because right now I am learning Tagalog on my own, taking lessons and things like that in order to teach my daughter as well, just to have it in our life more. But I think that is also what Perlah is doing.  00:14:58 Isabel Li  Yeah. And for you specifically, how and when did you start learning Tagalog?  00:15:03 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, I think it really is. Like I said, my parents came in the '70s to Stockton, California, as a doctor and a nurse. And, you know, that generation, at that time, their priority was assimilation, so they didn't really teach me. And our Filipino-ness was a little bit second place, in terms of, not in a negative way, but it just was, it took a little bit of second priority as opposed to assimilating to our environment in Stockton, California. And so, however, whatever seeds were planted in there to not really pursue Tagalog or pursue, to learn and be curious about my Filipino heritage, that was sort of the majority of my childhood and into my college years. And it wasn't until, I think, college and beyond when I started to Honestly, I think it was when I was exposed to Filipino cultural night in university, at Santa Clara University, where, all of a sudden, I was with all these other Filipino-Americans who had such a voracious sort of celebration and wanting to learn like the dances, the language, the style, the textiles, the clothing, the music, and they would study it and we would, they would just be so passionate about it.  And that really was an experience for me of, oh my gosh, I didn't, it wasn't like I was neglecting it on purpose. It's just, that wasn't in my life. So when that was happening for me, I slowly, slowly really wanted to start learning the language and started taking lessons probably in my twenties. And then, you know, but again, it's a lifelong process to learn another language. It's challenging. Um, and I wish, I wish I was, I wish I was at the level of Perlah where she has a buddy all the time to practice, practice, practice. But I don't have that in my home or in my workplace right now, except with Princess at the hospital.  00:17:28 Isabel Li  Gotcha, gotcha. And currently, at the time of this interview, season two of The Pitt is in progress, and you had some really emotionally nuanced moments in the 12 o'clock episode. I'm not going to spoil it too much, but when Perlah reacts to losing a long-term patient, I'm wondering for you, as an actress, can you tell us about how you're able to switch from some, you know, more lighthearted scenes to moments that really emphasize the darker, heavier aspects of being in medicine, like death and disease.  How do you portray and balance that?  00:18:02 Amielynn Abellera  Sure. Yeah. Thank you for asking. I think nurses are amazing in that way where I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse to be able to compartmentalize such extremes of feeling and experiences of loss of patients on the hour, every hour, and being able to move on to sort of uplift and help other patients on the hour, every hour. But I think Perlah, as such an experienced, competent nurse, has learned how to switch it on, switch it off, but I do feel that something that episode 206 was trying to shine a light on is what of that armor has cracks or what of that armor isn't as strong for certain patients or she or what of that armor is, uh, what if that punch… I'm not able to recover as easily as I usually am? So, um, and I think that must happen all the time with healthcare professionals of what they have to do. I think they have to experience losing loved ones and patients and friends who are patients all the time. And how is it that they get back up to be there for the next one?  So I was– it was ultimately challenging, but I'm so glad that that episode showed that dynamic.  00:19:34 Isabel Li  Speaking of a hospital setting, I imagine it's quite a unique set to be one, and The Pitt definitely emphasizes the realism of being in a hospital. Like, we see lots of different types of medical equipment, hand sanitizer, very relevant, pressing things that make us feel like we're almost, like, engaging with the show in a sense. How do you describe that set?  00:19:56 Amielynn Abellera  To me, I really feel like it's a real hospital. Everything pretty much works almost like the real thing, but it doesn't, right? So like the water fountain looks, smells, feels like a real water fountain and it is until it just doesn't shoot out water, right? Like everything is so amazing.  And I think that's what Nina Ruscio, our set designer wanted to build and working with all the executives was they wanted to build this entire whole hospital to really immerse us in the reality of it. And there, a lot of times there are real needles that we have to close up on, but then when we do something actually, we switch it out for a dull needle. So it is, it's really very, this balance and like a real scalpel that needs to look so sharp, but then as soon as it's, actually near the skin, it is a dull scalpel, and then that's also a prosthetic. So sometimes I can't tell what's real and not real. I just kind of…I just have to jump in and kind of engage with it. And then if it's the real thing, not be freaked out. So yeah, but it's, it's, it's a part of the…It's so, it's so incredibly fun.   I'm so fascinated by this hospital that I basically go to work to like a real nurse at 5:00 in the morning every day for a 12-hour shift. And I put on the scrubs, and then I take off the scrubs. So I kind of feel like so much like a real nurse, but also not.  00:21:42 Isabel Li  How do you think The Pitt has influenced you as an actress? After being on this show, have your goals as an actress changed? What do you see yourself doing in the future?  00:21:52 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, So, I mean, I am really in a dream right now. It feels…like I probably had this dream of, you know, really being invited on a show from its initial season, initial episode, and being a part of a team from the very beginning, originating a role that is representing so many different cultural dimensions, like across the board. And also the show being so successful and having an impact globally, not only for healthcare workers, but, you know, the diversity that is the reality of the world.  So it's hard to think ahead. I kind of just want this to last as long as possible for Nurse Perlah and for Amielynn. And, you know, I've learned to be in my acting career just putting one foot in front of the other and trusting that where it's going will lead to the next piece in my universe. And I– the moment I try to plan something or want something to happen, it will not happen. I think I just have to trust the journey and how the universe will put what's meant to be in front of me.  00:23:17 Isabel Li  And as an actress, what are you the most passionate about doing in any role that you play?  00:23:23 Amielynn Abellera  Well, I love the human experience. I love what that did to me as a young artist and as a young kid and what that ignited in me watching like an actor go through it and it'd be so real and me be so moved. And I love being that vehicle for other audience members. And as the actor, I can feel if I'm hitting a stride with it. And it's a really exhilarating process. And it just reignites why I love being an actor.  00:24:06 Isabel Li  For all the listeners who have watched The Pitt, or for those of our listeners who have yet to watch The Pitt, and they definitely will after hearing this episode — what do you want the listeners or the audience members to take away from watching The Pitt, from seeing you as Nurse Perlah in it?  00:24:23 Amielynn Abellera  Yeah, well, first off, I hope you go home and turn on your HBO Max and watch The Pitt to all of you who haven't seen it yet. And I hope you enjoy it. And I just hope that you watch it and are entertained, but also you walk away with learning something about humanity and our healthcare workers and also laughing and crying and being fascinated as much as we are behind the scenes. We're really having such an excellent time creating this show. And we're so thrilled that audience members love it as much as we love making it.  So I hope you have that same exhilaration and elation as we all do here.  00:25:10 Isabel Li  I'll put a link to your social media on kpfa.org so our listeners can follow you there. And thank you so much, Amielynn, for joining me on Apex Express today.  00:25:20 Amielynn Abellera  Well, thank you for having me. I'm excited to talk to you and to share my story. And thank you for listening.  00:25:27 Isabel Li  That was actress Amielynn Abellera, who plays Nurse Perlah, one of the Filipina nurses on The Pitt. And we're about to hear from one more actress from the show. But before that, here's a music break with 7000 Miles by Ruby Ibarra.  00:25:59 [MUSIC: 7000 Miles by Ruby Ibarra]  00:30:07 Isabel Li  And that was the song 7,000 Miles by Ruby Avara here on KPFA.  00:30:11 Isabel Li  Thanks for tuning in to Apex Express tonight, where our next guest is the actress Kristin Villanueva, who plays Nurse Princess De La Cruz, another Filipina nurse on the HBO Max medical show, The Pitt. Hi Kristin, welcome to APEX Express.  00:30:29 Kristin Villanueva  Hi Isabel, thanks for having me.  00:30:32 Isabel Li  Absolutely. My first question for you is, how do you identify and what's your story?  00:30:37 Kristin Villanueva  I am Filipino American. I was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, and I moved to the Washington DC area when I was 15.  00:30:47 Isabel Li  How did you get into becoming an actress?  00:30:50 Kristin Villanueva  Kind of by accident. When I moved to the States and I was at my new high school. I joined the drama program just because we didn't have that in my school in the Philippines and that was something I've always been interested in. So yeah, I auditioned and I didn't know that the drama teacher was a very serious one. Like, you either join the drama club or you play softball, you can't have both. So yeah, that's how I got introduced.  00:31:27 Isabel Li  And at a young age, what kinds of films or movies really inspired you to pursue drama?  00:31:33 Kristin Villanueva  I don't think it inspired me to pursue drama, but my choice of movies, my favorite movies when I was younger is, I would say, is a little bit peculiar for an eight-year-old, for a 10-year-old. But I remember watching Kramer vs. Kramer with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep and it having such an effect in my little eight-year-old self. I was so moved by it. And also Legends of the Fall with Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn and Brad Pitt.  And like, what does a 10-year-old Filipino girl have anything in common with these turn of the century, 19th century, you know, Montana cowboys? You know, it's just so random, but for some reason I just fell in love with it. Maybe I just fell in love with Brad Pitt, but, yeah, those heavy dramas had an impact in me, even though I didn't know exactly what it was.  00:32:35 Isabel Li  So you play Nurse Princess on the HBO Max medical show The Pitt, and which, at the time of this interview, we're, you know, getting towards the finale of season two very, very quickly. I've really been enjoying season two. And first of all, congratulations on winning Outstanding Performance by an ensemble in a drama series. That's so incredible.  00:32:54 Kristin Villanueva  Thank you so much. Yeah, it's been a wild ride.  00:32:57 Isabel Li  Yeah. Can I just say, Princess is such an energetic and confident character, and it's really fun watching you play a healthcare professional in such a hectic setting of an emergency room. What do you do to get in character of Princess?  00:33:11 Kristin Villanueva  Ooh, that's a great question. She has such a vibrant energy when she's at the ED, and I don't need a lot to prep myself to get to that level because I'm just excited to be at the Warner Brothers lot, and being on set and being with very kind people. So it doesn't take a lot to get in that mindset. Maybe if it's a 5.30am call, maybe I need a little bit more coffee to get there. But in terms of my emotion and excitement and energy, I don't need to do that much because, yeah, it kind of, it's parallel in my real life and in Princess's life of just doing what they both want to do. But in terms of, I would say, the difference is, I wish I had Princess's confidence in my life more. You know, she's very confident in everything that she does. You know, she knows she's good, and she isn't shy to show it. Because I think when she shows it, it's not to show. It's just to do, you know? Um, so I wish I have more and more of that in my life.  00:34:35 Isabel Li  For you, what's the most challenging part of playing Princess?  00:34:39 Kristin Villanueva  I would say, well, first, the lines, the medical jargon and the technicality of things. So, thankfully, we have amazing med techs that are always right next to us, correcting us, you know, making us feel more confident, guiding us, answering all our questions. So, yeah, making sure that I look like I know what I'm doing. So that would be, I would say, the hardest part.  00:35:08 Isabel Li  Yeah, and on that note, like in many of her moments, Princess is so often mediating communication for medical information in so many different ways. How do you prepare for a role like that where you have to, I mean, you mentioned some things about needing to like look and act the part and you have some people helping you, but what are some other things that you do to really have you, you know, help practice sounding like a healthcare professional?  00:35:35 Kristin Villanueva  First, I Google everything. And then I make sure I'm able to explain it in my own words, so whatever the procedure is. Don't ask me anything now, because once I'm done filming, it leaves my brain. So yes, I research everything. And then when it comes to memorization, if it's, the nurses have a lot of numbers. We may not have a lot of the long words, Latin words, medicine words that the doctors do, but we have to say a lot of different numbers, you know, BP 160 over 20 and all of that. So what I do is I would record the other people's lines, make leave a space for my lines and just play it all day, every day. When I'm walking the dog, when I'm doing dishes, when I'm folding laundry. So I can get it in my body while I'm doing different things. Because I notice that if I'm just sitting down and memorizing my lines, and then I get to set the next day, and all of a sudden, you know, I'm given all these choreography and I'm moving, or they change the choreography in the middle, that gets really tricky. So doing my lines while moving helps a lot. And then of course, the things that I can Google as much as I can, but then I take advantage of having, like I said, the med techs on set. Then I ask them about their emotional experiences behind procedures. So things I start with, okay, is this procedure an everyday thing? How often do you see it? How often do you deal with it? And then from there, I ask if it's something interesting that it's like they've only heard of but never actually seen in practice. What would you do? They say, if you're not busy, you run to that room and watch it, that kind of thing. And if it's an emotional scene, then I ask them, how do you deal with these things? Then I get to hear their experiences and how they cope with it after the shift.  00:37:53 Isabel Li  Did you know anything about medicine or the emergency room before this role?  00:37:59 Kristin Villanueva  No, I think I'm one of those very rare Filipinos that don't really have a lot of healthcare professionals in their families. I do have a cousin who's a radiologist and my husband's side of family. There are a lot of nurses and that's my mother-in-law included, but no, I have zero.  00:38:20 Isabel Li  Oh, wow. So I watched some of your other interviews and I found it really interesting that you had talked about like telling your agent not to submit you to roles on nurses, on projects, unless it was specifically featured.  Can you tell us more about that and how you navigate like the Filipino representation in medical shows, especially in The Pitt as an actress yourself?  00:38:41 Kristin Villanueva  Sure. I was getting a lot of, I wouldn't say a lot, but I would often get auditions for nurses in medical shows or non-medical shows. And I've played them before and I've been very grateful for those experiences. One of them was a movie opposite Susan Sarandon.  So Susan Sarandon was also playing a nurse. So all of my scenes was with her. So those are very cool experiences. But because I've played them a number of times, then I told my agents at one point, hey, unless, like you said, the nurse part is more featured or has more lines other than yes, doctor, then sure, I would audition because I've done it.  And I also didn't want to perpetuate that sad practice of, you know, okay, let's have one Filipino or one Asian nurse and check that box off.  Because it does feel that way. And it's just not the real world. So when The Pitt came and I saw the breakdown, it's a heftier breakdown for the part of Nurse Princess. I mean, and just looking at her name, Princess de la Cruz, I was like, somebody did the research. I'm like, all right, okay, I'll put myself on tape for this.  00:39:59 Isabel Li  Yeah, and I love how Princess as a character is written to be such a crucial part of the team. Very competent, very quick on her feet. Are there any ways where you, yourself, got to influence how Princess was portrayed, maybe beyond the scripts or, you know, in any ways that you could add to that character?  00:40:19 Kristin Villanueva  I think so? I'm not sure, but I have noticed that in season two, on the scripts, Princess's, looks, eye rolls, stares were now written. Whereas before, I was just doing it. So yes, I think so. Because I didn't have a lot of lines. I still don't have a lot of lines, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have an opinion. And yeah, I was just being truthful in all those moments. So if I feel like something's off or, you know, I don't think Princess has a good poker face. So that made its way into the script recently.  00:41:05 Isabel Li  Oh, I see. Well, the show primarily takes place in a hospital setting. But for you, when you're playing Princess, do you imagine what she does, like, outside of the hospital? Like, who is she outside of work?  00:41:16 Kristin Villanueva  I think when there is an after party or somebody's birthday, someone's baptism, or, I think she's the same. I think she's a work hard, party harder kind of girl. But I can also see her turning everything off and having a lot of deep, quiet solo time that she doesn't talk about much often.  00:41:44 Isabel Li  Yeah, something so cool about Princess is the fact that she can apparently speak six languages. But I wanted to talk about the fact that you, as Princess, code-switched to Tagalog in many scenes, especially with Amielynn Abellera, who plays Nurse Perlah. For you, can you tell our listeners how it feels for you switching from English to Tagalog?  00:42:05 Kristin Villanueva  Well, first off, the first word that comes to mind is it's fun. You know, you get to use that skill or use that — used to be a very familiar part of myself again. But I also feel extremely vulnerable because I don't get to do that often. I don't think I've, maybe I've acted once in Tagalog, but I can't remember any other significant roles where I was able to do that. So to do that on The Pitt is, yeah, it's pretty vulnerable just in terms of sharing that part of myself that I haven't shared really acting-wise.  But it's also fun. Because it comes naturally. And I get to there's so many nuances that I would think only Filipinos would get, but it's also so gratifying to hear from from other folks who are not Filipinos that get it. You know, even though they don't understand, um, the Filipino jokes, but they have their own — they have their own version in their own culture. So it's — it's really fun to hear that.  00:43:18 Isabel Li  Just out of curiosity for you, how do you relate to Tagalog as a language? Do you speak it often?  00:43:24 Kristin Villanueva  I don't speak it often, unfortunately. I do still speak it with my family, and we Zoom once, twice a week. But other than that, no, I don't speak it often.  And it's kind of sad, because I feel like some words are leaving my memory. But yeah.  00:43:45 Isabel Li  Yeah, wow. So when they're written in the script, do you translate, or are they already words in Tagalog that you already know?  00:43:54 Kristin Villanueva  When they're written in the script, they're written in English. And season one, I used to translate it for myself. And then season two, we have a coach who gave us a lot more options. But what's wonderful about working with the writers is they're not precious with their own phrases.  They defer to us to translate it as close to the gist of, let's say it's a joke, but if I were to translate it in Tagalog, word per word, it's not going to land the same way as it would in American, in English. Do you know what I mean? So they much rather have us say it in whatever's parallel in Tagalog. So yeah. And I applaud the writers for doing that, 'cause that's one of my pet peeves sometimes when I'm, you know, watching other shows, translation of, it's not quite that, you know, or it's too literal. If it's too literal, then it's, that's not how we talk.  00:44:59 Isabel Li  Right. And putting that in the context of Princess as a character, who is a polyglot, there are some moments where she speaks French and does sign language.  00:45:08 Isabel Li  How did you navigate these multilingual exchanges communicating in different languages, essentially. Oh, I look forward to it. I look forward to them so badly. It's one of the things I got really excited about auditioning for the part, 'cause it was written in her breakdown that she speaks six languages. Um, I personally don't, but I am so enamored by polyglots. Like if I were to meet someone who can speak three languages plus, I'm just, I follow them like a puppy. I don't know, I just find it so sexy and intriguing. And it's like something that I aspire to be, but just haven't had the time to do it. So yes, I look forward to them.  00:45:52 Isabel Li  Yeah, and how do you practice? Like, did you have to practice some French and some ASL?  00:45:57 Kristin Villanueva  Oh, um, for the French, since there's only one line, we didn't hire a coach, but we did hire, um, coaches for ASL. Oh, yeah, I just practiced the hell out of them. Um, but there's also that nuance of, um, how fluent or how good is your pronunciation for someone who doesn't speak it all the time, you know? You got to, like, factor that in as well. But, yes, I just practice it all the time.  00:46:24 Isabel Li  Gotcha. And speaking of that, I love how Princess and Perlah add some lighthearted humor and back and forths and gossip throughout the series. How do you switch from humorous moments to more serious ones?  00:46:36 Kristin Villanueva  I mean, you don't really think about it in life, right? Like one minute you're crying and then something happens and then you find it hilarious. You just go with the flow on set. You don't really ever plan, okay, this beat is a funny beat, and this one is a dramatic beat. You don't. As long as you keep it honest, those colors would come out naturally.  00:47:02 Isabel Li  The Pitt is very current. Like there are so many current events and everyday sort of issues mirrored in the series. What is your experience working with a set and a story that feels like it is very much set in the everyday?  00:47:21 Kristin Villanueva  It hasn't been an issue. It's never– if anything, sometimes it's tougher because you can't escape the real world, right? It's not like when I get to do a Shakespeare comedy, there's a reprieve from, you know, the sad current events that are happening. So yeah, that's– I would say that's the only downside, but there's a lot more upside to that, which is you get to present and work through real life situations. You know, that I'm happy that a TV show like The Pitt, you know, something that's made for entertainment can actually dive into these really serious topics. And what I love about The Pitt is that I don't think it's preachy. I don't think it tackles headlines of the day in a way that it makes you want to turn the TV off. If anything, it shows how, it shows the repercussions on the everyday people. And hopefully audiences that don't have anything to do, like I'll give you an example, like for nurses strikes, right? If you see that on the headline and you don't work, you're not a healthcare worker, you'll probably just, you know, skip that video or not read that article because you think it doesn't affect you.  But hopefully by watching The Pitt, you'll see, oh no, it will affect me if God forbid I have to go to the hospital, if my loved one has to go to the hospital and you don't get seen for 10 hours, or there were mistakes in, the medicine, or it's just not top care that you think you deserve. It's not because the nurses or the doctors or the staff are bad. They're understaffed, period. Right? They haven't had a day off in 12 days. So no, it's a privilege to be able to do a show, have a job that actually reflects what's happening in real life.  00:49:40 Isabel Li  Yeah, thank you for sharing about that. And finally, I want to touch upon your work in general. As an actress, would you say there's something that you're most passionate about doing?  00:49:50 Kristin Villanueva  Ooh. Are we talking about material or medium? Because I would say everything. I do miss doing plays. I haven't done a play since, my gosh, I think pre-COVID. So it's been a while. So I really love doing plays. I have more experience in theater than TV and film combined. A really good material is so inspiring to do, whether it be a classic like Chekhov or any new contemporary plays. You know, there's so many playwrights, those plays I want to do so badly. There's something electric about working on a brand new play when the playwright is in the room. But also, it's also really amazing to work on juicy Shakespearean tragedies. You know, when I get to play Shakespeare ingenues, in those three hours, you've lived a lifetime. You know, usually in a Shakespearean comedy, you meet the ingenue before they fall in love. And then they fall in love, and then they get their hearts broken. And then by the end, they're kind of this new person who's a little bit more learned, but not the same 16-year-old that you met three hours ago. So getting to do those parts are a complete joy.  00:51:29 Isabel Li  I'm wondering, do you have a dream role that you'd like to play in the future? Like either in theater or in film? Who would it be and who would you like to work with?  00:51:37 Kristin Villanueva  I love this question. My imagination just starts going everywhere. Yes. My dream role for the theater would be Martha from Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I got to do that play a few years ago, but as Honey, as one of the other characters. But I would love to play Martha someday. Another theater role would be Arkadina from The Seagull or Nina, but I think I've aged out of Nina. And in terms for like TV, gosh, I'm obsessed with Narcos, obsessed. And I've always, I've written a part from, if Narcos was ever to do a season about the Philippines, I have a role that I wrote for myself. Cause I don't, you know, you look at my face, like, my face is too round and I'm too short and I smile too much for a show like Narcos or The Wire, which are, like, one of my top, top favorite TV shows.  And I don't have a part for them 'cause I don't look the part, but I found a way to write myself in Narcos season, I don't know, season five Philippines.  00:53:09 Isabel Li  One last question for you. These are such incredible answers. Thank you so much for sharing. One last question for you. Out of your entire acting career right now, what has been the most rewarding moment for you?  00:53:22 Kristin Villanueva  I mean, besides The Pitt, mainly because of the reach and mainly because a lot of Filipino nurses have become so happy just to be seen and represented. And that means so, so much, another role that I am most proud of is this play — I wouldn't even say play — it's more of a performance art piece called The Courtroom. The theater company called Waterwell produced it in New York. And The Courtroom is about a Filipino immigrant to the US who accidentally voted when she was still only on a green card. So she wasn't supposed to vote, but she did not do it maliciously. So the play is about her filing appeal after appeal to stay in the U.S. and not be deported. So I was pretty proud of that. We used, the lines were straight out of the court transcripts. And yeah, I wish we could do it again, especially with, you know, the current climate.  00:54:38 Isabel Li  Yeah, definitely. Well, thank you so much, Kristin, for sharing her story and all of your various experiences. Do you have anything else you'd like to share with our listeners?  00:54:47 Kristin Villanueva  Oh, just thank you so much for watching The Pitt and, you know, for all the nice words about the show. And I hope you keep watching.  00:55:00 Isabel Li  And that was Kristin Villanueva, who plays Nurse Princess De La Cruz on The Pitt, which just released its season 2 finale last week at this time.  Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about our show and our two guests tonight, Kristin and Amielynn. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world. Your voices are important.  00:55:31 Isabel Li  Apex Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala-Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show is produced and edited by me, Isabel Li. Have a great evening and thanks so much for listening.  The post APEX Express – 4.23.26 – Nurses of The Pitt appeared first on KPFA.

The endlessly inspiring Arian Moayed is back on the show and it is, as always, an absolute blast. The actor, director, and producer joins Christina to talk about his exciting new Marvel series Wonder Man and co-producing the documentary Champions of the Golden Valley with Malala Yousafzai. They also talk NYC Mayor Mamdani and keeping up with his “Succession family.” Who really wins the Succession group text chain? Arian opens up about making art accessible to everyone, the mission behind his work with Waterwell, and how storytelling can create real change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Townley Jr. is one of those fascinatingly multi-talented creative people who doesn't fit neatly into any box—he's an actor, filmmaker, writer, meditation teacher, and now author of "Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again," a book that connects 26 artists to Tibetan Buddhist teachings about transforming negative emotions into wisdom. His upbringing was pretty wild: raised in 1990s Colorado by his father in a spiritual commune filled with tarot cards, alchemy experiments, and Native American rituals after his parents had a messy divorce (his mom literally punched his dad in the school playground). Despite growing up poor and dealing with instability, Kevin learned early on to embrace his theatrical, queer sensibility—dyeing his hair orange and wearing purple suits to middle school as an act of defiant self-expression that basically made bullies back off. He didn't formally start practicing Buddhism until his 30s, though it was always part of his world growing up in Boulder's spiritual scene. Now he's making independent films the DIY way, gathering NYC creative friends to shoot projects over months without traditional Hollywood budgets or gatekeeping. His approach to everything—from Buddhism to filmmaking—seems to be about creating nurturing, non-judgmental spaces where people can express themselves authentically. The whole conversation reveals someone who turned a chaotic childhood into a superpower: an ability to see possibilities where others see obstacles and to gather communities around creative visions without manipulation or cruelty. BIO: Kevin Townley is a writer, filmmaker, actor, singer, and meditation teacher. He began formally studying Buddhism in 2010 and currently practices with the Sokuko-Ji Zen community under the guidance of Kyoun Sokuzan. He has taught Buddhism and meditation for over a decade. His film and television work include appearances in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Men in Black III, The Detour, and Law & Order. With his band, Bambï, Townley adapted Rossner's Looking for Mr. Goodbar into the rock opera called GOODBAR, performed at The Public Theater. He has written extensively for the Waterwell theater company and Rookiemagazine. He has also led hundreds of art tours in museums across the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Delighted to share this chat with Maryam Mehrtash, an entertainment executive specializing in global marketing and brand partnerships. Her journey embodies the American dream - from fleeing Iran as a refugee at age two to becoming a key player behind one of the most successful streaming platform launches in recent history. Maryam helped traditional media companies pivot from linear to digital during the early days when digital was still treated as a "stepchild." She was part of the team at CBS Interactive that had the first-mover advantage in streaming with CBS All Access, then led the go-to-market strategy for the rebrand to Paramount Plus - all while pregnant and during one of the most pivotal moments in our industry's history. She brings a unique perspective on everything from the economics of peak TV to what producers should know about brand integration in storytelling. She's also a part of the vibrant Iranian diaspora in Hollywood and is on the board of Waterwell, a non-profit co-founded by Award-winning actor Arian Moayed. Having lived through the streaming wars from the inside, Maryam offers a front-row perspective that's invaluable for understanding where our industry has been and where it's headed. Tune in as we explore her journey and new role leading marketing partnerships at Disney Marvel,  the complex world of brand partnerships, her Substack "This Is Not a Memo", and learn how her family's legacy drives her to greatness. Enjoy xx CG   AOP SUBSTACK

A two-time Obie Award-winning director and choreographer, Lee Sunday Evans is the Artistic Director of Waterwell. She recently directed The Poisoner, currently playing at La MaMa. Some of Lee's other credits include Oratorio for Living Things, Dance Nation, the Courtroom, Sunday, In the Green, Miller, Mississippi, Home and Porto. Lee is also directing the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time.  This episode was recorded April 12, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem

Looking for a fun conversation to tune into? Then look no further than the latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper. This time, we welcomed on Drama Desk Award Winning performer/playwright, Lameece Issaq, to talk about her latest work, A Good Day To Me Not To You. This is a fantastic conversation and even better show worth checking out!Waterwell Theater PresentsA Good Day To Me Not To YouNovember 9th- December 9th@ The Connelly TheaterTickets and more information are available at waterwell.orgAnd be sure to follow Lameece and Waterwell to stay up to date on all their upcoming projects and productions:Waterwell Theater: waterwell.orgLameece: lameeceissaq.com and @lcissaq

Mahira Kakkar: Off-Broadway: 7 Minutes, Waterwell; Here We Are, Theater for One; Addressless, Rattlestick; Opus, Primary Stages; Harper Regan, Atlantic; Romeo and Juliet, Public Theater; The Winter's Tale, TFANA; When January Feels Like Summer, EST; Henry VI, NAATCO; Arturo Ui, Classic Stage Company; Ms. Witherspoon, Playwrights Horizons; Clive, The New Group. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Skylight, McCarter Theatre; Rafta Rafta, Old Globe; Our Town, OSF; Monsoon Wedding, Berkeley Rep; Bedroom Farce, Huntington Theater Company; Inana, Denver Center; The Crucible, Cleveland Playhouse; Five Mile Lake, McCarter Theatre; Comedy of Errors, Hartford Stage, Jesus in India, Magic Theater. Film/TV: “A Suitable Boy” (series lead), “Manifest” (recurring), “New Amsterdam,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Blacklist,” “Louie,” “Odd Mom Out,” “Sweet Refuge,” “Bite Me,” Hank and Asha (Napa Valley Film Festival Best Actress, Wild Rose Festival Best Actress, Slamdance Audience winner, Bronze Lens winner), “Law & Order,” “Orange Is the New Black.” Training: Juilliard, SITI, Harold Guskin; B.A. Jadavpur University. mahirakakkar.com Salma Qarnain is a versatile Pakistani American actor, thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in the adaptation of one of her favorite books. She is a two-time Helen Hayes Award recipient, an AUDELCO nominee, and an award-winning theater and film producer. She has performed across major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime), regionally, Off-Broadway, and Off-West End. Most recently, she produced the 2023 Oscar-qualified short film, Silent Partner (19 festivals / 4 Oscar qualifiers; 8 awards / nominations) and Speak Up Brotha!, which is premiering at the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Selected credits: Bars and Measures (Off-Broadway); Acquittal (Off-Broadway); Rain + Zoe Save the World (Off-West End); “That Damn Michael Che” (RECUR, HBO Max); “FBI” (CBS); “The Blacklist” (NBC); “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC); “For Life” (ABC). Graduate of Stanford, MIT, Harvard Business School. Proud member of SAG•AFTRA, AEA, Equity. Thank you to Roderick, Gary, Lolita, Max, Finn, Duncan, Benton, Patrick, A.R.T, and Annette for getting me here. Love you, X! For my sisters Ayesha, Sonia, and Zehra and my parents Qarnain and Rashida in the stars. IG: @salma.qarnain; salmaqarnain.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arian Moayed was nominated for a Tony Award for his dazzling performance playing Torvald in A Doll's House opposite Jessica Chastain. An Emmy and Tony nominated actor, writer and director, in 2002, he co-founded Waterwell, (www.waterwell.org) a risk-taking and civic-minded non-profit theater company. Some of Arian's other theater credits include The Humans, Guards at the Taj and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. His TV and film credits include playing Stewy in the HBO hit Succession, Love Life, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Inventing Anna, Ms. Marvel and most recently, A24's You Hurt My Feelings. This episode was recorded June 15, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend, we meet actor Arian Moayed. You may know him as Stewy Hosseini from HBO's Succession, a scheming private equity shark who loves money and fears no one. He's also currently in A Doll's House on Broadway opposite Jessica Chastain, playing Torvald Helmer, one of theatre history's most famous chauvinists. He talks to Lilah about the difference between a trope bad guy and a complicated person, and how to play unlikeable characters as fully formed people. Arian and his family fled from Iran in the 1980s. He says when he sees A Doll's House, all he sees is Iran. We discuss how his culture informs his work as an actor.--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links:– Succession airs on HBO in the US and SkyAtlantic in the UK. The finale is on Sunday, May 28. Here's the FT's review of season 4: https://on.ft.com/3LdbxZA – A Doll's House, adapted by Amy Herzog and directed by Jamie Lloyd, is at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway through to June 10: https://adollshousebroadway.com/– A column by the FT's Jo Ellison on why the Succession wardrobe is so good https://on.ft.com/3VcfulE – A profile of director Jamie Lloyd: https://on.ft.com/3Ldbyg6– Our conversation with Michael Patrick Thornton: https://link.chtbl.com/ftweekend-mpt – Arian is on Twitter and Instagram @arianmoayed. His non-profit, Waterwell, is at https://www.waterwell.org/ —-------------Our US edition of the FTWeekend Festival is back! Join Jamie Lee Curtis, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alice Waters, your favourite FT writers, and more on May 20 in Washington, DC, and online. Register now and save $20 using the promo code weekendpodcast at ft.com/festival-usSpecial offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music.Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips in this episode courtesy of HBO.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Shorter is better.” ~ Stewy Hosseini“F*** you, too, you pusillanimous piece of f***ing fool's gold.” ~ Firecrotch & NormcoreOur guest on this week's main episode was the wonderful Arian Moayed, and if you're still hankering for a wankering, here's a much longer version of that interview. Includes:* Loads of extra detail on how Succession is made * A whistlestop tour of Arian's career, including performing alongside Robin Williams on Broadway* The story of Waterwell, the arts and education non-profit Arian co-founded at the age of 21. https://www.waterwell.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We just watched 'Kill List' and if you were expecting an episode almost entirely comprised of Sara objectifying Alexander Skarsgård, you're in for a surprise... because she's objectifying our guest, too - ARIAN MOAYED! Yes! Somehow, we persuaded to Stewy Hosseini to talk to us, and he over-delivers (under challenging circumstances.) We bled the f**ker conversationally dry, so there'll be a bonus episode with lots more about 'Succession', plus his theatre career, Robin Williams, and Waterwell - the art and education non-profit he co-founded - later this week. Email us: f**koff@firecrotchandnormcore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our thirty-seventh (37?!) episode, Robbie and Ryan talk about:Reviews and emails! Send us one: goinggreypod@gmail.comA Very Special Christmas Song Discussion (29:58) Robbie and Ryan talk about the Holiday songs they hate and loveOh, that's nice (01:05:01): Spotify Year in Review, Beatrice PTC, Toys for Tots, going away, and getting homeWho asked you? (01:17:36): To continue to go the wrong way, to drive with your top down in 30 degree weather, charcuterie board, loaf of bread, people standing up on planes, and hotel waterWell, that's great! (01:29:26) Robbie left his sunglasses in his old car!Washed Up (01:31:06): Wake up Mr WestSports (01:38:32): 49ers don't stink? Giants do stink? Maybe? Entertainment (01:40:01): Robbie watched StutzThank you as always for your support, we love you.Goodnight Dominick the Donkey!Follow us on Insta please, it makes us feel good :)

Art has long been a lever for working class solidarity and social justice. It's also a collaborative form of labor that props up some workers and devalues others. This week, we're taking a long, hard look at two works of art: Rodrigo Valenzuela: New Works for a Post Worker's World, an exhibition on view at BRIC House through December 23rd, and 7 MINUTES, a play produced by Waterwell that premiered at HERE Arts Center last spring. • Brooklyn, USA is produced by Emily Boghossian, Shirin Barghi, Charlie Hoxie, Khyriel Palmer, and Mayumi Sato. If you have something to say and want us to share it on the show, here's how you can send us a message: https://bit.ly/2Z3pfaW• Thank you to Justin Bryant, Elizabeth Ferrer, Marc Enette, Waterwell, Lee Sunday Evans, Arian Moayed, Andrew Tilson, and Matthew Munroe aka Superlative Sain. • LINKSBorn in 1982, Santiago, Chile; based in Los Angeles, CA Rodrigo Valenzuela has presented solo exhibitions at the New Museum and Asya Geisberg Gallery, both NY; Light Work, Syracuse, NY; University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, CA; Orange County Museum of Art, Santa Ana, CA; Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA; Luis de Jesus, Los Angeles, CA; Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, OR; and the Portland Art Museum and UPFOR, both Portland, OR. He has participated in group exhibitions at The Kitchen, The Drawing Center, Wave Hill, and CUE Art Foundation, all NY; Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, FL; Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE; Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA; and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, among others. He has also exhibited his work in solo shows internationally at Arróniz Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City; Peana Projects, Monterrey, NL, Mexico; Galería Patricia Ready and Museo de Arte Contemporàneo, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; and Galerie Lisa Kandlhofer, Vienna, Austria. Valenzuela has participated in residencies at Dora Maar, Fountainhead, Light Work, MacDowell, Glassell School of Art, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Kala Art Institute, Vermont Studio Center, Center for Photography at Woodstock, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. He is the recipient of the 2021 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in Photography, the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, and the Joan Mitchell Fellowship. His work is included in numerous public and private collections, including those of the Whitney Museum of American Art, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Frye Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and The Center for Photography at Woodstock. He is an Associate Professor and Head of the Photography Department at UCLA. Valenzuela received his BFA in Art History and Photography from the University of Chile, his BA in Philosophy from Evergreen State College, and his MFA in Photo/Media from the University of Washington.Ebony Marshall-Oliver is an actress, singer, and storyteller. She began singing in church as a little girl. After being cast in her first musical- Bubbling Brown Sugar- in her mid twenties, she decided that acting would be her career. She enrolled in the Integrated Program at AMDA NY. Her first professional job after graduating was Seussical the Musical with TheatreWorksUSA. With this role, she became a member of Actors Equity Association. Broadway credits include Ain't No Mo' and Chicken and Biscuits. Off Broadway theaters she's worked at are Waterwell, Clubbed Thumb, The Public Theater, to name a few. She can be seen on season 2 of The Ms. Pat Show (BET+) and season 3 of Evil (Paramount+).Mei Ann Teo (they/she) is a queer immigrant from Singapore making theatre & film at the intersection of artistic/civic/contemplative practice. Their critically-acclaimed work has been seen at The Bushwick Starr, Waterwell, The Shed, Shakespeare's Globe, Woolly Mammoth, Theaterworks Hartford, Belgium's Festival de Liege, the Edinburgh Fringe, Beijing Int'l Festival, among others. Awards include LPTW Josephine Abady award and the inaugural Lily Fan Director Lilly Awards. They are an Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Work at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.Sarah Hughes has played many roles in her short time in the labor movement, including steward, officer, organizer, and workshop facilitator. She has worked for the National Education Association (NEA), the Professional Staff Congress at the City University of New York (AFT), and university labor studies programs, including CUNY's NY Union Semester. She has also taught a variety of workshops to city workers, electricians, women workers, and others. She holds a masters in labor studies from UMass Amherst. Prior to joining the Labor Notes staff in 2021, Sarah had been a long time fan, subscriber, volunteer trainer and donor. She attended her first Labor Notes conference in 2008, and is excited for many more. She lives in Flatbush with her labor lawyer husband and their toddler, who also loves picket lines. Waterwell is a group of artists, educators and producers dedicated to telling engrossing stories in unexpected ways that deliberately wrestle with complex civic questions. Founded by Andrew Tilson, the Workers Unite Film Festival, now in its 11th season, is a celebration of Global Labor Solidarity.  The Festival aims to showcase student and professional films from the United States and around the world which publicize and highlight the struggles, successes and daily lives of all workers in their efforts to unite and organize for better living conditions and social justice.Superlative, meaning the best of, and Sain meaning to bless, is a multi-talented creative, born in the UK (United Kingdom, England) and raised in Hollis Queens, New York. Born Matthew Munroe, Sain always connected with music by singing with his mother, a vocalist in a church choir who grew up singing. As a child, art was always a passion of Sain's life. Art was always a staple in his life, from drawing full-length comic books to designing logos. Picking up the art of rapping in his early college years, Sain continued with his love of the arts and always wanted to bring his friends with Him wherever he went. Co-creating the creative collective group OGWN with long-time friend Diverze Koncept, he began expanding his ever-growing catalog simply because he loved making music. While pursuing music, he also manages his visual company MMunroeMedia, directing, filming, and editing music videos for other artists, capturing the moment and enhancing the vision with graphics and photography. Superlative Sain takes the term "Artist" to an entirely new level by designing his merch/clothing line, "Be|SUPERLATIVE," Check out this talented artist and be a part of his Rise.• MUSIC and CLIPSThis episode featured clips from “Why Work?” (1996) by Bill Moyers.• TRANSCRIPT: ~coming soon~• Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BRICTV Visit us online at bricartsmedia.org/Brooklyn-USA

Roads, water, septic, electricity, and more for the homestead. 

Mona Monsour ( Playwright) THE VAGRANT TRILOGY will make its New York City debut in April 2022 at the Public Theater, directed by Mark Wing-Davey; the production was in technical rehearsals in March 2020 and was postponed due to Covid-19. UNSEEN will have its West Coast debut at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in spring 2022, directed by Evren Odcikin. WE SWIM, WE TALK, WE GO TO WAR premiered at SF's Golden Thread in 2018 (dir. Odcikin). THE VAGRANT TRILOGY was presented at Mosaic Theater in June 2018, (dir. Wing-Davey.) Of the trilogy: THE HOUR OF FEELING (dir. Wing-Davey) premiered at the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville, and an Arabic translation was presented at NYU Abu Dhabi, as part of its Arab Voices Festival in 2016. URGE FOR GOING: productions at the Public Theater (dir. Hal Brooks) and Golden Thread (dir. Odcikin). THE VAGRANT was commissioned by the Public and workshopped at the 2013 Sundance Theater Institute. THE WAY WEST: Labyrinth (dir. Mimi O'Donnell); Village Theater (dir. Christina Myatt); Steppenwolf (dir. Amy Morton); and Marin Theatre Company (dir. Hayley Finn). Other credits: IN THE OPEN, for Waterwell, directed by James Dean Palmer, and ACROSS THE WATER, written for third-year MFAs at NYU (dir. Scott Illingworth). Mona was a member of the Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group. With Tala Manassah she has written FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS, an EST/Sloan commission. Their play DRESSING is part OF FACING OUR TRUTHS: SHORT PLAYS ABOUT TRAYVON, RACE AND PRIVILEGE, commissioned by the New Black Festival. Commissions include Playwrights Horizons and La Jolla Playhouse. 2020 Helen Merrill Award, 2012 Whiting Award. 2014 Middle East America Playwright Award, MacDowell Colony 2018, New Dramatists Class of 2020. Mona writes for NBC's New Amsterdam and is creating series for FlipNarrative and AMC International. BEGINNING DAYS OF TRUE JUBILATION, directed by Scott Illingworth and conceived with her company SOCIETY, was part of New Ohio's Ice Factory Digital Festival in summer 2020. In September 2020, Mona received the prestigious Kesselring Prize, awarded by the National Arts Club to one playwright a year. She was nominated by Seattle Rep for her play THE HOUR OF FEELING. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you've seen this week's guest, Arian Moayed, playing the role of Stewy on HBO's Succession. Or in the breakaway hit, Inventing Anna, as Anna Sorokin's lawyer, Todd Spodek. Or, Agent Cleary in last year's megahit, Spider-Man: No Way Home. And, you'd think, “wow, he's everywhere, how lucky is he!” And, you'd be half-right. Arian is everywhere these days. But, luck? Not a chance. There is something much bigger at play. With a stunning work ethic, fueled by genuine passion. Arian's family fled Iran under threat of violence when he was a child, taking a years-long journey that split the family between different countries, and eventually landed them just outside Chicago, where they set about building a new life in a radically different world. Acting became a fast passion, a way to express his feelings, his passion, and experiences and, in short order upon becoming an adult, his career. So, while honing his craft and acclaim as an actor, he also began devoting more and more energy to writing, producing, and teaching. Co-founding the theater/film production and arts education venture, Waterwell, his heart is most boldly on display in guiding the growth of teachers and 6-12th graders in New York City's free theater training program, and exploring not just performance, but citizenship, service, equality, advocacy, justice, and what it means to be human. We all need more of that these days. We're so excited to share this Best Of conversation with you today.You can find Arian at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode you'll also love the conversations we had with James Victore about meeting rejection and adversity and taking on a “just watch me” stance.Check out our offerings & partners: PelotonGoodRxMy book Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come AliveCertified Sparketype ® Advisor Training: Immerse yourself in this powerful new training and professional credential, where you will discover how to tap the Sparketype tools and programming to help clients, individuals and groups come alive with purpose, excitement, energy, motivation, engagement, and meaning. Next session starts in April. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Like the rest of the digitally engaged world, we at Fraudsters love to talk about Anna Sorokin–the rich socialite impersonator who nearly conned millions from banks and cheated luxury hotels. Last season, we spoke to Emily Palmer, a journalist who covered Anna's trial, and Anna's real defense attorney, Todd Spodek. This season, we're happy to share a conversation with the amazing Persian actor, Arian Moayed, who plays Todd in the #1 Netflix series Inventing Anna. Digressions include Prince of Persia, Succession, Law and Order, casting in Hollywood, and Waterwell–a theater and education company that Arian co-founded in 2002. You can find tickets to the most recent Waterwell production here:  7 Minutes. You can find all our episodes on Anna here.  

This week Danielle speaks with David Slade, a water well driller in the Cowichan Valley. As the province's March 1st deadline for groundwater license applications fast approaches with poor buy-in, Danielle and David discuss the potential groundwater crisis looming for BC's aquifers.We are grateful to acknowledge use of the following creative commons audio samples used in this episode: https://freesound.org/people/TheFlyFishingFilmmaker/sounds/592784/https://freesound.org/people/soggyprod/sounds/580877/

Arian Moayed is an Iranian-born award-winning actor and the co-founder of Waterwell, a civic-minded and socially conscious non-profit art and education company. With Waterwell, recent productions include The Flores Exhibits, a series of videos in which artists, lawyers, advocates, and immigrants read the sworn testimonies of children held in detention facilities at the U.S./Mexico border (flores exhibits.org), The Courtroom: a re-enactment of one woman's deportation proceedings, named "Best Theater of 2019" by The New York Times, and a dual-language Hamlet (Arian played the title role). Waterwell also created Fleet Week Follies, an annual festival of music, food, and kid-friendly activities, free to military service members and their families. At the Waterwell Education Program, over 250 students per year receive world-class arts training and education in advocacy at the Professional Performing Arts School, all free of charge. He has been a faculty member for nearly 15 years, currently teaching the Artist as Citizen and Senior Capstone classes. As a writer/director, Arian has created the Emmy-nominated thriller, The Accidental Wolf, produced by Topic, starring Tony-winners Kelli O'Hara, Laurie Metcalf, Sahr Nguajah, and many more. Current writing projects include 28 Mordad (upcoming), a film version of The Courtroom (Archer Gray/Topic) and a film adaptation of The Man in Red. He is currently writing an autobiography about his family's immigration story. Notable acting credits: Broadway's The Humans (Drama Desk Award), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Tony nomination), Guards at the Taj (Obie Award), Emmy-winning Succession (HBO), and an upcoming Shonda Rhimes' series, Inventing Anna (Netflix). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Financial Revelations, David briefly touches on the current political climate before going into detail about Casa do Pão, a Brazilian church with a mission focused on digging freshwater wells for indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest.  Tune in each week to hear your favorite registered investment advisor speak on all things financial! From your walk with God to walking out a budget, this video podcast covers it all. So sit back, relax, and don't forget to send your questions!

Life in Idle perform their new song "Waterwell" in the Blue Oyster Lounge. The boys do a special edition of T.F.S. and some birthday call in's for Les. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cominginhot/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cominginhot/support

In This Week's Episode:-We Discuss some new releases of the week-We Discuss Why Some Of Our Favorite Musicians Left Their Bands-Feature the song "Waterwell" by "Life In Idle"Life In Idle's Socials:Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/LifeInIdle/Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/Lifeinidle/Twitter- https://twitter.com/LifeinidleLife In Idle's Song "Waterwell"https://open.spotify.com/track/1JvZ8edKlEld6FKKv4vwi6?si=de384a7e055b4a95Our Socials:Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/PPESPodcastInstagram- https://www.instagram.com/ppespodcast/Twitter- https://twitter.com/PPESPodcastSpotify- https://open.spotify.com/user/ciov73gyqjxmlmbk9xtbtcqil?si=BShSgTlJRNSsBetcyOzbvg

Tom Ridgely has led the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival since 2018. A Drama Desk-nominated director, he has developed or presented work at the Public Theater, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Society, Red Bull and more. He’s worked with Tony nominees Sting, Sherie Rene Scott, Laura Osnes, Will Swenson, Kelli O’Hara, Bill Irwin and others, and his productions have won DFW Theater Critics Forum and ECNY Awards and been nominated for CT Critics Circle and BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards. He also co-founded Waterwell in New York and served as its Artistic Director from 2002-2018. There he created and produced more than a dozen world-premieres and adaptations of classics that were nominated for three IT awards, a Drama Desk, a New York Magazine Culture Award and a Village Voice “Best of NYC”. Known for building innovative community partnerships, he most recently resurrected the lost WWII-era Frank Loesser musicals, Blueprint Specials, featuring Broadway and military veterans and presented on board the former USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, as well as adapting and directing Waterwell’s dual-language (English/Farsi) version of Hamlet, designed and performed by a company of predominantly Middle Eastern and South Asian artists. As Artistic Director of Waterwell, he also oversaw the Waterwell Drama Program at the Professional Performing Arts School, one of the preeminent training grounds for young artists and innovators in the country, which offers daily, year-round, conservatory-style classes to more than 200 New York City public school students absolutely free of charge.

Arian Moayed is perhaps best known for his role as Stewy in the HBO series Succession. So for fans of the show, it may seem strange that for almost two decades, he’s been working to build a more empathic world through art and outreach. Arian is the co-founder of Waterwell, an organization working to tackle society’s issues through theater, art, and education. In this episode, Tricycle’s Editor and Publisher James Shaheen sits down with Arian and Sharon Salzberg to discuss the power and practice of both theater and meditation. Arian also speaks about loss and growing up as an immigrant in the United States—as well as the hard choices immigrants must make in this country. It’s part of Tricycle Talks’ Real Change podcast series based on Sharon’s new book Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, which offers a new perspective on how activism and meditation practice can uplift each other. Their conversation is the final installment of the five-part series featuring Sharon’s book and the people in it who are creating change in their communities. Make sure to check out our episodes with Sharon Salzberg, Shelly Tygielski, and Michael Kink, and Daisy Hernández.

Maybe you’ve seen today’s guest, Arian Moayed, on HBO’s Emmy-Award winning show, Succession, where he played Stewy. Or, in movies where h worked with legends like Bill Murray, Spike Lee. Or, on stage, where he was nominated for a TONY. Or, you might’ve caught his groundbreaking thriller, The Accidental Wolf (http://theaccidentalwolf.com/), which he wrote and directed, starring Kelli O’Hara, Laurie Metcalf, Denis O’Hare, and a cast of 36 Tony nominations. Stumbling into a love of acting, Moayed began to pursue it as a career early in life. He was met, as most actors are, with an unending parade of "you can't do that's." But, to him that just meant, make it happen on your own. "Do" your way through it. And, so he did. Which has been an enduring theme in his life.Arian's family fled Iran when he was just a little kid, taking a years-long journey that split the family between different countries, and eventually landed them just outside Chicago, where they set about building a new life in a radically different world. Acting became a fast passion and he began to develop a genuine love for theater and set about crafting a career. But along the way, he also realized that acting, for him, was also a pathway to writing, advocacy, and education. He became an award-winning writer/director and co-founded the theater/film production and arts education venture, Waterwell (http://www.waterwell.org/), where his heart is most boldly on display in the guiding the growth of teachers and 6-12th graders in New York City’s free theater training program, and exploring not just performance, but citizenship, service, equality, advocacy, justice, and what it means to be human. We all need more of that these days.We're so excited to share this Best Of conversation with you today.You can find Arian Moayed at: Website : http://waterwell.org/personnel/arian-moayed/Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/arianmoayed/Check out our offerings & partners: Calm: Calm is offering a special limited-time promotion of 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/goodlife. That’s 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library, and new content is added every week.Factor 75: Factor is offering listeners of Good Life Project $60 off over their first two weeks. Just go to factor75.com, pick your meals and use code GOODLIFE at checkout to claim this limited-time offer.

We had such a great conversation with actor, writer, theatre director and arts educator Arian Moayed! We talked about Mr Moayed's background, acting and healing through the arts and, of course, his terrific performance as Stewy Hosseini on HBO's ‘Succession’… SO many great Succession stories, it will blow your minds!  Behind the scenes of the show, great anecdotes, and good tales of Stewy and the dysfunctional Roy family! The Iranian born, Chicago bred, Tony nominated Arian Moayed (The Humans, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) is the co-co-founder of Waterwell, multimedia theater company that also teaches drama to hundreds of public school students in the New York area. He will star in Shonda Rhimes upcoming Netflix series ‘Inventing Anna’ and, of course, ‘Succession’ season 3 BONUS!!!! On PCC Premium this week 10 minutes of bonus material; an extra deep dive into a Succession scene with Arian Moayed! Become a member here: popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm Thanks for your support!

Waterwell Theater Company's latest play, The Courtroom, has no playwright. Or even a theater. But as Waterwell founder (from HBO's “Succession” and Tony nominee) Arian Moayed and Artistic Director Lee Sunday Evans tell Kevin, that's the point. They found their inspiration — and their script — in the actual language of a deportation trial. And as immigrant rights advocate/attorney Elora Mukherjee reveals, they also found themselves pulled to ground zero of today's drama: all the way to the border. Resources The Courtroom returns for monthly performances at civic venues in NYC through November 2020. For information and tickets visit http://waterwell.org/. View The Flores Exhibits at https://flores-exhibits.org/. For other resources and to get involved, visit https://www.newsanctuarynyc.org/. Jeffrey S. Chase, a former immigration judge, was the legal advisor for The Courtroom. Read his article "The Immigration Court: Issues and Solutions" here. Follow guest Arian Moayed on Twitter at @arianmoayed. Credits The Backdrop is hosted by Kevin Bleyer and produced by Nella Vera. The Backdrop artwork is by Philip Romano. Follow Kevin Bleyer and Nella Vera on Twitter: @kevinbleyer / @spinstripes The Backdrop is a proud member of the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-triepke-2028091/OilfieldWater.com - https://oilfieldwater.com/Oilfield Water Houston - https://oilfieldwater.com/event/oilfield-water-financing/InFill Thinking (Joseph's day job) - https://www.infillthinking.com/The Texas Oil and Gas Podcast is brought to you by Baffin Bay Rod and Gun: https://www.baffinbayrodandgun.com/Subscribe to Oil and Gas Contractor's Connect - https://wavve.link/og-contractors-connectCome fishing with Ryan and Josh at Baffin Bay! - http://www.texasoilandgaspodcast.com/fishing/Leave a 5 star rating and review! - http://apple.co/2mkM3ASContact the show via text or voicemail - 318-599-9192Visit our website - http://www.texasoilandgaspodcast.com/Connect with Ryan - http://bit.ly/2lLX1uhConnect with Josh - http://bit.ly/2W90MgrBuy Ryan's book - https://amzn.to/2CBOtAoGet an interview on the Oil and Gas Contractor's Connect Podcast! - nate.hansen@gor2.com

Joseph's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-triepke-2028091/OilfieldWater.com - https://oilfieldwater.com/Oilfield Water Houston - https://oilfieldwater.com/event/oilfield-water-financing/InFill Thinking (Joseph's day job) - https://www.infillthinking.com/The Texas Oil and Gas Podcast is brought to you by Baffin Bay Rod and Gun: https://www.baffinbayrodandgun.com/Subscribe to Oil and Gas Contractor's Connect - https://wavve.link/og-contractors-connectCome fishing with Ryan and Josh at Baffin Bay! - http://www.texasoilandgaspodcast.com/fishing/Leave a 5 star rating and review! - http://apple.co/2mkM3ASContact the show via text or voicemail - 318-599-9192Visit our website - http://www.texasoilandgaspodcast.com/Connect with Ryan - http://bit.ly/2lLX1uhConnect with Josh - http://bit.ly/2W90MgrBuy Ryan's book - https://amzn.to/2CBOtAoGet an interview on the Oil and Gas Contractor's Connect Podcast! - nate.hansen@gor2.com

The Tony-nominated actor and Waterwell cofounder discusses immigration, Middle Eastern representation, and creating civically engaged work.

Tony nominee Arian Moayed is here to talk all about THE COURTROOM, a new drama by New York - based Waterwell. THE COURTROOM is a re-enactmener of deportation proceedings performed entirely verbatim from court transcripts that Arian arranged into a script. He earned a tony nomination for his performance in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and was most recently seen on Broadway in The Humans. His screen credits include Believe, Madam Secretary, Succession and more. Follow him on social media at @arianmoayed.Hosted by Beth Stevens, Paul Wontorek and Caitlin Moynihan

On this episode, Jamie, Rob and Jennifer chat with actor, writer, director and “theater maker” Arian Moayed. We discuss his short form thriller, “The Accidental Wolf,” playing a wonderful yet terrible character on HBO's “Succession,” the obstacles we all face day to day, making a nonprofit from scratch, and the incredible work his company, Waterwell, is doing every day. Jennifer, Jamie, and Rob have a big “Take Two” to discuss, and Rob walks us through the Vomitorium (which probably isn't what you think it is). This week's music: Stevie Wonder's “Sir Duke,” “Big Easy” from “The Accidental Wolf,” Liz Callaway's rendition of Frank Losser's “My Heart Is So Full Of You,” and “Kindness” from “Bright Lights Big City." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of the SUCCESSION PODCAST SERIES on The BarnBurner's IN THE CAN podcast, the CHIEF, KCB, and Farmer Barn snag some sliders and a board seat with ARIAN MOAYED (playing STEWIE on the show). The fellas discuss Arian's introduction to Succession, the shoot, whether he's a billionaire and intends to fund this podcast, dialogue improv on set, women wearing astronaut suits, actor relationships, chess pieces, and then shift to Arian's theater & film company, WATERWELL, he confirms Season 3 of THE ACCIDENTAL WOLF, and much more. Arian's energy is infectious, and simply stated, he's the man. Y'all will enjoy: --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/in-the-can/message

On this special episode of the SUCCESSION PODCAST SERIES on The BarnBurner's IN THE CAN podcast, the CHIEF, KCB, and Farmer Barn snag some sliders and a board seat with ARIAN MOAYED (playing STEWIE on the show). The fellas discuss Arian's introduction to Succession, the shoot, whether he's a billionaire and intends to fund this podcast, dialogue improv on set, women wearing astronaut suits, actor relationships, chess pieces, and then shift to Arian's theater & film company, WATERWELL, he confirms Season 3 of THE ACCIDENTAL WOLF, and much more. Arian's energy is infectious, and simply stated, he's the man. Y'all will enjoy

As a young child, Arian Moayed's family fled Iran, taking a years-long journey that split the family, and eventually landed them just outside Chicago, where they set about building a new life in a radically different world. Stumbling into a love of acting, Moayed began to pursue a passion for theater. He was met with a wall of no's. But, to him that just meant, make it happen on your own. And, so he did.Moayed has since become a Tony-nominated actor, co-founder of theater/film production and arts education venture, Waterwell, and an award-winning writer/director. He's worked alongside legends like Bill Murray, Alfonso Cuaron, Barry Levinson, Spike Lee and Jon Stewart. Arian's groundbreaking thriller TV series, The Accidental Wolf, starring Kelli O’Hara, Laurie Metcalf, Denis O’Hare, and a cast of 36 Tony nominations, is taking the web by storm. And, his heart is most boldly on display in the arts education program he helped develop that offers 6-12th graders in New York City free theater training, and explores not just performance, but citizenship, service and what it means to be human. We all need more of that these days.+---------------------+We're grateful for the kind support of: Camp Good Life Project - $200 Super Early Bird Discount! Join us for 3 ½ mind-bending days in August that will change everything. The ultimate blend of deep-learning, epic stories, friends-for-life, juicy adventures and ideas, strategies and tools for accelerated personal and business growth! It only happens once a year, and more than half the spots are already taken (we sold out months early last year and had to turn-away many amazing folks). Learn more now and grab your spot!QUIP starts at just $25 and, if you go to GetQuip.com/GoodLife right now, you’ll get your first refill pack FREE with a QUIP electric toothbrush.FULLY: So get your body moving in your workspace, go to FULLY.com/GoodLife. Fully. Desks, chairs, and things to keep you moving.RXBAR KIDS: Find at Target stores OR For 25% off your first order, visit RXBar.com/GoodLifePhoto credit: Andrew H. WalkerPhoto credit: Andrew H. Walker

After a week of four-show days, Jack, Lydia, Jose and Lindsay report on their experiences at the January theater festivals in New York City: The Fever, 600 Highwaymen at Under The Radar (1:13) Blueprint Specials, Waterwell at Under The Radar (10:30) Clap Hands, Jen Rosenblit at American Realness (19:37) Hundred Days,[...]