Explore every episode of the podcast Arts and Craft
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introducing Arts and Craft | 06 Sep 2024 | 00:00:57 | |
A new chat show that dives into the lives of musicians, filmmakers, performers, and artists from all walks of life, revealing the untold stories and hidden secrets that drive their creativity. Hosted by Nancy Magarill and Peter Michael Marino. ------------------------ | |||
| Bill Timoney - Actor, director and comedian | 22 Sep 2024 | 00:48:32 | |
Actor, director, comedian Bill Timoney, currently performing in in the Kenny Leon-directed revival of Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN on Broadway, joins us for our premiere episode. We chat about life in NYC’s infamous Manhattan Plaza, his run in with Michael Jackson’s Capuchin monkey, and learn a little bit about the world of ADR. And as a bonus; six degrees of separation with Julia Roberts. ------------------------ | |||
| Kristina Wong - artist, activist, comedian, actor and writer | 13 Oct 2024 | 00:44:42 | |
On this weeks’ episode we check in with artist, activist, comedian, actor, writer AND multiple award-winner Kristina Wong. We chat about life as a third generation Chinese-American, the inspiration behind her radical, thought-provoking shows, the lure of selling out, and the launch of her newest show, “Kristina Wong, Food Bank Influencer.” https://www.kristinawong.com ------------------------ | |||
| Tamar Halpern - filmmaker, director, writer, and Professor | 06 Oct 2024 | 00:43:17 | |
We welcome award-winning filmmaker, director, writer, and Professor Tamar Halpern to this episode of “Arts and Craft.” Tamar shares her experiences directing the feature documentary, “Llyn Foulkes One Man Band” (now streaming on Amazon Prime and others), stalking the “STOMP” cast through South America, and the challenges she’s faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry. We also dive into her transition to academia, where she’s shaping the next generation of storytellers. Tune in for our convo with a creative force who’s paying it forward. https://www.tamarolandpictures.com/ ------------------------ | |||
| Russ Irwin - singer-songwriter, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist | 29 Sep 2024 | 00:47:12 | |
Aerosmith, Sting, Bryan Adams, and a host of other acts…Russ Irwin, singer-songwriter, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist has worked with all of them. What makes great art? What does it take and how does it happen? In this episode we chat about jazz, improvisation, influence and ingenuity, and how an artist’s life can change in a flash. http://russirwin.com ------------------------ | |||
| Tiffiney Davis - Red Hook Art Project | 12 Jan 2025 | 00:36:44 | |
Tiffiney Davis is the powerhouse co-founder of Red Hook Art Project (RHAP) which provides free, high-quality art programs to local youth. She is also the inspiration (and voice) behind the dance film, “I Am Not Ok.” On this episode we talk about her journey through the New York shelter system, discovering the arts, and her mission to change the lives of young people. https://www.redhookartproject.org/ ------------------------ | |||
| Steve Conte - Guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and teacher | 05 Jan 2025 | 00:46:22 | |
Steve Conte is the consummate musician - guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and teacher. He's toured the world, while playing and writing with some of the most iconic rock stars. On this episode we talk about the making of his record “The Concrete Jangle," how he coaxed Andy Partridge into writing with him, and how we each have six degrees of separation with the Beatles. https://stevecontemusic.com/ ------------------------ | |||
| Jason Paige - singer, writer, performer and Pokémon fan fave | 03 Nov 2024 | 00:41:48 | |
Pokémon ecosphere fan fave Jason Paige chats with us about his New York City band days, the commercial jingle world, what creativity is, the pluses and minuses of AI, and a whole lot more. https://jasonpaige.com and Jasonpaige.com/shop ------------------------ | |||
| Spottiswoode - singer, songwriter and filmmaker | 27 Oct 2024 | 00:44:17 | |
Arts and Craft goes international! On our 7th episode we’re joined by enigmatic singer, songwriter and filmmaker, Spottiswoode, who joins us from across the pond. He's been called a “genius” and a “downtown ringleader” by The New Yorker, and hailed by a host of other luminaries. We loved chatting about the hardships of creating music videos, the ins and outs of publishing rights, and of course...our favorite movie musicals. www.spottiswoode.com Two music videos Spottiswoode directed while at film school earned consecutive Student Emmys in Los Angeles. He later wrote and co-directed The Gentleman, a short film that played Slamdance and the BBC Short Film Festival before being picked up by the Independent Film Channel. Spottiswoode then went on to write several feature screenplays with the hope of directing them himself. However, he was too busy playing and recording with his band to fulfil the ambition. So he decided to write a musical instead... Above Hell’s Kitchen, his rock opera loosely inspired by Mozart’s Don Giovanni, was first performed at a sold-out staged reading at Joe’s Pub in the New York Public Theater. It was then accepted by the highly competitive New York Musical Theatre Festival for six fully staged performances. Spottiswoode and his band won first prize for Best Orchestration. He has since written a slightly revised version set in London - Between The Angel And The Old Kent Road - as well as screenplay incarnations of both the New York and London stories. By a strange twist of fate, Spottiswoode’s dream of having one of his feature scripts produced recently turned into reality. His namesake, Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies, Under Fire, Turner & Hooch) read two of his screenplays. Roger, who is no direct relation, liked them both and decided to option Either Side Of Midnight, a lyrical tale of four colliding stories set in New York City over one Friday night. The film was recently shot in New York and edited in London. ------------------------ | |||
| Everett Bradley - singer, songwriter and percussionist | 20 Oct 2024 | 00:46:57 | |
Everett Bradley is the charismatic creator of the funky cult holiday extravaganza, “HOLIDELIC” - now in its 20th year. He’s a singer, songwriter, and percussionist who’s played with and sang backup for Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Carly Simon, and many others. On this episode, we welcome Papadelic himself - Everett Bradley. https://everettbradley.com/ Spanning from multiple genres of music to theater and television, this Grammy-nominated force of nature has lent his unique blend of extraordinary talent, exuberance, and heart to every tour, session, Broadway show and TV program he has been a part of. And there have been many. His vocal, percussion and keyboard work have included playing and recording with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Hall & Oates, SEAL, Carly Simon, David Bowie, Snarky Puppy, Quincy Jones, Bobby McFerrin, and presently in the Bon Jovi band. Theatrically, he starred in and co-wrote the Broadway musical SWING (Theatre World Award), was a featured performer in the broadway’s AFTER MIDNIGHT, was NY director of the off broadway show STOMP, and re-imagined the orchestrations for a regional production of 42nd Street at Chicago’s Drury Lane and Minneapolis Ordway Theatre which received rave reviews. Everett has penned songs for various listening formats. His debut album “AS EVER IT IS” received favorable mentions in Billboard magazine, his club hit “I Luv U Baby” hit #2 on the UK pop charts. He’s written for many commercials and TV shows, and most famously the theme “Feel Real Good” for the Meredith Vieira show in which he was also the musical director/ bandleader. ------------------------ | |||
| New Year's message | 29 Dec 2024 | 00:00:15 | |
We're taking a break for the holidays and want to wish you all a very happy New Year. We'll be back next week with a new episode. ------------------------ | |||
| Gabrielle Lansner - filmmaker and choreographer | 22 Dec 2024 | 00:34:41 | |
Gabrielle Lansner is a critically acclaimed, socially conscious choreographer and award-winning filmmaker. Her latest short film, “I Am Not Ok,” is currently part of the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition at The Brooklyn Museum until January 26. On this episode, we chat about her friend Tiffiney Davis’ heartbreaking Facebook Live post that sparked the film, her early Avantgarde-arama influences, and the collaborative process. https://www.gabriellelansner.com/ Her latest short film, I AM NOT OK is an experimental dance film inspired by the words of Tiffiney Davis, Executive Director of the Red Hook Art Project in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It is currently on view at the Brooklyn Mu- seum’s, Brooklyn Artists Exhibition until January 26th, in the Video Room. In 2020, she wrote and directed her first short narrative film, Lullaby to Love. She is also in the early stages of development for her first narrative feature film, STILL LIFE, which she has penned as well. Her film, the birch grove, 2015, had a successful festival run, screening at the Newport Beach Festival, the Cannes Short Film Corner, and Dance on Camera at Lincoln Center, to name a few. The film won the Grand Jury Prize and Best Experimental Film at the Underexposed Film Festival in Rock Hill, S.C. and composer, Joel Pickard, won Best Original Score from the International Fine Arts Film Festival in Santa Barbara. ------------------------ | |||
| Tiffany Chang - Conductor and creator of "Conductor as CEO" blog | 15 Dec 2024 | 00:43:25 | |
On this episode we dive into the pit with Tiffany Chang, an award winning conductor and creator of “Conductor as CEO”, a blog that champions leadership skills for fellow conductors, arts leaders and musicians. Both Tiffany and Pete give us a “look in” at their look in work at the Kennedy Center and we chat about the hierarchy in the opera/classical world and how creativity fits, or doesn’t fit in. Tiffany’s been engaged by the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, The Dallas Opera, Portland Opera, Minnesota Opera, and Opera Columbus. Her other engagements include BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, OperaHub, College Light Opera Company, Dinosaur Annex New Music Ensemble, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Brookline Symphony Orchestra, University of Missouri-Kansas City, NEMPAC Opera, among others. Tiffany optimizes work culture for job satisfaction, promotes psychological safety for musicians, and leverages people-first leadership for artistic excellence. She authors the blog Conductor as CEO and has been an active guest speaker and published contributor for Routledge Press, Leader to Leader, Notes from the Podium, PM World Journal. For the first decade of her career, Tiffany revolutionized orchestral programs as a conductor and professor at Oberlin Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, and Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. Visit www.tiffanychang.net for more. ------------------------ | |||
| David Mills - comedian, monologist and cabaret performer | 08 Dec 2024 | 00:46:34 | |
David Mills is an international comedian, monologist, cabaret performer, and self-proclaimed “Apocalypsist” who has acted alongside Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Benedict Cumberbatch, and more. On this episode we opine on the role of the audience in art, our current state of affairs, and who truly holds the crown in the alt-cabaret kingdom. @DavidMillsDept, Linktr.ee David Mills is a comedy cabaret singing, actor / writer. He’s performed lives in venues all over the U.S. and Europe. He’s acted in film and TV alongside Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rami Malick and others and opened for stand-ups including Margaret Cho and Trevor Noah. His highly acclaimed solo comedy / cabaret show ‘STAY LOST’ recently played in New York and London. ------------------------ | |||
| Tony Bell - Actor, writer and solo performer | 01 Dec 2024 | 00:45:46 | |
Tony Bell has made a career out of playing The Fool as a founding member of Propeller Shakespeare Ensemble. He’s launching a new role as a writer and performer of his own solo show - which recently received glowing reviews in London. On this episode we talk about projecting and protecting our voices, reinventing yourself, and moving forward. ------------------------ | |||
| Rachelle Garniez - singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist | 24 Nov 2024 | 00:44:57 | |
Rachelle Garniez is a quirky, unique and talented multi-instrumentalist. She is a solo artist, and a member of the VickiKristinaBarcelona Band who has collaborated with the likes of Jack White, Suzy Roche and more. On this episode we explore the intersection of art, mental health wellness as well as the joy of tour life through Europe. https://rachellegarniez.net In 1982, at age 17, she left home and spent a year making her way around Europe. By default, she picked up a guitar and started playing folk songs on the streets of Venice and Avignon. She wound up on a beach in the south of Spain, where she was adopted by the local Gypsy flamenco singing champion and began to develop a commitment to the visceral and ephemeral mode of live music. After a year, she moved back to New York, gave away all her LPs and lived in a squat on 89th Street before eventually settling in the East Village and being hijacked by an accordion, an instrument that served to connect her with an infinitely expanding motherlode of multi-cultural music. From her first adventures as a street musician and a fixture in the 80s New York boho scene, Rachelle went on to form a band (The Fortunate Few) and has released seven albums under her own name. In addition, Rachelle’s songs have been performed and recorded by jazz artist Catherine Russell, pop singer Karen Elson, and Ingrid Lucia (The Flying Neutrinos). Besides her her own work, Rachelle has performed and collaborated with Jack White, Suzzy Roche, Sven Ratzke, Palmyra Delran, Thomas Dolby’s TED House Band, beloved bar band Mumbo Gumbo, roots-world ensemble Hazmat Modine, and sonic sorcerer Sxip Shirey. Together with Terry Radigan and Amanda Homi, she is a member of VickiKristinaBarcelona Band, covering the Tom Waits catalog in three-part harmony. ------------------------ | |||
| Lynas - Muralist, teacher and sculptor | 17 Nov 2024 | 00:50:51 | |
G. Augustine Lynas (Lynas) is a fascinating and heralded NYC treasure. He’s a muralist, teacher, and sculptor of sand, snow, ceramic, bronze, and ephemera. In this special episode, we tour the wonderful world of this one in a million artist, and dive into everything from Pluto Platters to Artivism. Lynas also paints, draws, designs games and writes and illustrates books including: The ABCs of Central Park, The ABCs of Brooklyn (with photographer Peter Vadnai), The ABCs of Riverside Park, The Flying Disc in Flying Colors, and several others. Lynas has now written and illustrated his first interactive e-book called Tammy & Blue and a race against time. It’s a story about a child who forgets to color her own skin. Available on iBooks. Lynas, a pioneer in the flying disc world, is known as “Circus” because of his tendency to do tricks with Frisbees. He was recently inducted into the Freestyler’s Hall of Fame. At age 82, he is still physically active; biking, sculpting, playing table tennis, disc sports and is an avid Aerobie enthusiast. He is married, has three children and three grandchildren. His work can be seen at SandSong.com and his books at LynasPress.com. ------------------------ | |||
| Tyley Ross - Performer and voice coach | 10 Nov 2024 | 00:47:07 | |
Tyley Ross, an award-winning performer and in-demand voice coach has starred on Broadway and major Canadian stages. He joins us to chat about the ups and downs of his artistic journey and the happy accidents along the way. TyleyRossVoice He has been a guest soloist with a number of leading orchestras in Canada and the United States, and has released six albums: Treading Water and the self-titled Tyley Ross; La Donna, East Village Opera Company, and Olde School (Grammy nominated for Best Classical Crossover Album) all as the lead singer and co-founder of Universal Records’ The East Village Opera Company. Tyley toured worldwide with EVOC and appeared on many national and international television broadcasts including the Miss USA Pageant (NBC) and two PBS specials: EVOC live in Saint Louis and the multi-disciplinary Remember Me -his collaboration with AnnMarie Milazzo and Parsons Dance Company which also toured worldwide. His most recent album with with Aria Electronica ReDux - yet another collaboration with AnnMarie Milazzo. ------------------------ | |||
| Summer Break! | 01 Jun 2025 | 00:00:15 | |
Hi everybody, just a heads up that we’re going to be taking a summer hiatus but we'll be back. So catch up on any items you might've missed and the meantime please make sure to share us with everyone you know. Have a great summer and we'll see you in the fall! ------------------------ | |||
| AnnMarie Milazzo - vocal designer, singer, lyricist | 25 May 2025 | 00:34:06 | |
AnnMarie Milazzo is a Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award-nominated vocal designer. She’s also a vocalist, lyricist, and composer who’s worked on Broadway and internationally. On this episode, AnnMarie gets vocal about vocal design and her writing and editing process while preparing for the June opening of her newest Broadway musical, “JOY: A New True Musical.” --------------------- Lucky Us (co-music & lyrics with David Foster), A Walk On The Moon, The Snow Guardian, Pretty Dead Girl, (winner of the Special Jury Award Sundance Film Festival) and Joy. As Vocal Designer: Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, If/Then, Finding Neverland, revival of Carrie, Bright Lights Big City, Superhero, Dangerous Beauty, Prometheus Bound, Some Lovers, Dave, A Walk On The Moon, revival of 1776, Almost Famous, A Beautiful Noise. As Co-Orchestrator of Once On This Island, AnnMarie was nominated for a Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award. She is the Grammy-nominated female vocalist for East Village Opera Company. ------------------------ | |||
| Adam Feldman - Editor and Chief Theater critic | 23 Mar 2025 | 00:47:03 | |
Adam Feldman is the National Theater and Dance Editor and chief theater critic at TimeOut New York. He is also President of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle - and sometimes graces the stage himself. On this episode we “review” the star system, tips on reaching a journalist, and unravel the mind of one of NYC’s most beloved critics. -------------------- Adam Feldman is the Theater and Dance Editor and chief theater critic at Time Out New York, where he has been a staff writer since 2003. He has served as President of the New York Drama Critics' Circle since 2005. He has written for Canada's Globe and Mail and National Post as well as for Out, Time Out London and Broadway.com, among other publications, and was the contributing Broadway editor for the Theatre World book series. He has been a regular panelist on the public-television shows Theater Talk and Theater: All the Moving Parts; in 2024, he received the Friend of Off Broadway Award from the Off Broadway Alliance. A graduate of Harvard University, he lives in Greenwich Village. Website: https://www.timeout.com/profile/adam-feldman ------------------------ | |||
| Melinda Buckley - actress, comedian, director | 16 Mar 2025 | 00:43:05 | |
Melinda Buckley is an actress, comedian, director, choreographer, and writer who's been seen on Broadway, TV, and film. On this episode we chat about her solo show, “MOTHER (and me),” working in the biz, having a casting director as a neighbor, and a fun Audra McDonald tidbit. -------------------- MELINDA BUCKLEY Broadway and national tours include Crazy For You, A Chorus Line, Raggedy Ann, Sally and Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity. She has performed improv/sketch and stand up all over NYC as well as written and performed several solo shows. Her latest is the critically acclaimed MOTHER (and me).‘One Up! Solo, is a program she designed to guide other artists in crafting their own stage worthy stories. On the other side of the table, highlights include directing Broadway By The Year, with a Tony award winning cast, and choreographing Paramour, starring Len Cariou at the Old Globe. She choreographed Columbia Pictures’ Stuart Little I and II with Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie, the independent film 1999, starring Amanda Peet and Jennifer Garner, and assisted Pat Birch on Working Girl as well as many episodes of Saturday Night Live. Other TV credits: choreographing One Life to Live and award-winning promos for CBS including a Super Bowl spot forGirl Power, named one of the top ten ads by Paste magazine. She assisted Lonny Price (as SDC Fellow) in the filming of Company at the NYP, which starred Neil Patrick Harris, Patti Lupone, Stephen Colbert, Martha Plimpton, Jon Cryer among many others. She has been a creative director, writer, director/choreographer and speaker coach for a diverse range of clients including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Fox, ESPN, Sesame Street, McDonald’s, Microsoft, IBM, American Express, and the Port of LA...to name a few! She is a proud member of AEA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA and SDC. ------------------------ | |||
| Danielle Rayne - actress, voice-over artist, and stunt woman | 09 Mar 2025 | 00:46:16 | |
Danielle Rayne is an actress, voice-over artist, and stunt woman who has mastered the art of versatility. She is the star of the Sci-Fi hit, “Portal: No Escape,” and has voiced and played everything from an alien to an action hero. On this episode we get into everything from the world of recording audio books to whisper room design to stand-in work and much more. -------------------- ------------------------ | |||
| Bill Bowers - Mime and actor | 02 Mar 2025 | 00:37:48 | |
Bill Bowers is an accomplished mime & award-winning actor who has performed on Broadway and stages across the world. He is also a gifted teacher in the art of storytelling and movement. On this episode we chat about on the beautiful "art of silence", the difference between mime and pantomime, and the legendary Marcel Marceau. www.Bill-Bowers.com -------------------- Bill has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. His Broadway credits include Zazu in The Lion King, and Leggett in The Scarlet Pimpernel. Currently Bill appears in the television series Before starring Billy Crystal, and in the feature film Lost Cause. His other film and tv work includes Two Weeks’ Notice, Disney’s Out of the Box, Remember W.E.N.N, All My Children, the PBS adaptation of Peter and the Wolf. A student of the legendary Marcel Marceau, Bill is hailed by critics as one of the great mimes of our generation. Bill’s work as a mime is featured in the PBS documentary series Brief But Spectacular. An award-winning performer and playwright, Bill’s work has garnered top honors and rave reviews worldwide, including The Edinburgh Fringe, and festivals in Germany, Estonia, Singapore, Korea, China, Thailand, Poland, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Norway, Puerto Rico, Texas, Ohio, and NYC. His original plays include All Over the Map, Beyond Words, Under a Montana Moon, It Goes Without Saying, Heyokah/Hokehay, Johnny Got His Gun, and The Traveler. Bill holds an MFA from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, and an Honorary PhD from Rocky Mountain College. Presently Bill serves on the faculties of Stella Adler Studio and the William Esper Studio and has been a visiting professor at Princeton University, Williams University, University of Wyoming, and Ohio University, among others. This Spring Bill will be a teaching artist at the Terezin Ghetto, a former concentration camp in the Czech Republic. With other international artists and students, he will devise a theatre piece, linking history with current events, understanding the continuum of time and its impact on our lives.
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| Marlo Hunter - film, tv and stage director | 23 Feb 2025 | 00:42:11 | |
Multi-hypenate, Marlo Hunter is a film & tv director; as well as a stage director and choreographer. She’s on the Broadway Women’s Fund list of “Women to Watch,” and her current touring production of “Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical” was a NY Times Critics’ Pick. On this episode we learn about the casting and editing process for Hallmark and other studios, and the perks of working with theater actors on film. www.MarloHunter.com --------------------- MARLO HUNTER is a theater & film director. She made her feature film directorial debut with American Reject in 2022 (Amazon and Apple+). She’s currently helming the Ever After musical with music by Zina Goldrich, lyrics by Marcy Heisler, and book by Kate Wetherhead, produced by Kevin McCollum (production announcement coming soon!). Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical, which she directed and choreographed Off-Broadway in 2023, was hailed a NY Times Critic's Pick and is currently on a National Tour, including a 6 week run at CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre in LA. Marlo has directed, choreographed, and developed new work at Second Stage, Long Wharf, Williamstown, Roundabout, Playwrights Horizons, EST, Pittsburgh CLO, and Bay Street, among others. She is the winner of the Callaway Award for Unlock’d, which she directed & choreographed Off-Broadway. Marlo recently directed Mystic Christmas for Hallmark, which premiered in winter 2023 (starring Jessy Schram, Chandler Massey & Patti Murin), and Trivia at St. Nick's, which premiered in winter 2024 (starring Tammin Sursok & Brant Daugherty). This past fall she directed and choreographed the World Premiere of A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical at Round House Theatre in DC (Daryl Roth & Jim Kierstead, producers). Upcoming: Director/Choreographer of Millennials Are Killing Musicals by Nico Juber (LA workshop, soon-to-be-announced production). Princeton University. ------------------------ | |||
| Daniel Spector - teacher, acting coach & director of the Classical Studio at Tisch | 16 Feb 2025 | 00:41:44 | |
Daniel Spector is a teacher, acting coach, Shakespeare aficionado, and Director of the Classical Studio at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He’s taught and directed numerous Broadway, film, and television actors. On this episode we talk grants, acting technique, and reveal the “secret sauce” to a winning audition. https://tisch.nyu.edu/about/directory/drama/1641228855 -------------------- Daniel Spector is a teacher, acting coach, and director. He is Associate Arts Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he holds a joint appointment with the departments of Drama and Dramatic Writing and serves as Director of The Classical Studio, a year-long Shakespeare intensive. He has directed and coached actors on over 50 productions of 26 of Shakespeare’s plays, as well as directing numerous other projects at NYU and elsewhere. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and an alumnus of the Broadway Theatre Project. He has served as a consultant to PBS on matters Shakespearean, led workshop for numerous arts organizations, and spoken at conferences around the world. He recently published an article for the journal Shakespeare titled “Teaching Shakespeare’s Yes in the Era of No," which summarizes his current research interest: the intersection of acting and politics. ------------------------ | |||
| Anna Venizelos - contortionist, aerialist, and acrobat | 09 Feb 2025 | 00:42:56 | |
Anna Venizelos is a contortionist, aerialist, and acrobat. She’s toured with Cirque du Soleil, appeared in “The Greatest Showman,” and performed with The Metropolitan Opera. We’re running away to join the circus on this bendy episode, as Anna shares the discipline and skill required for one of the oldest art forms. -------------------- Anna came to circus from a background of both gymnastics and dance. After studying dance education at NYU she settled on pursuing her love of contortion, aerials, and acrobatics. She toured with Cirque du Soleil's production of Quidam, performing as a soloist. Other career highlights include appearing in the feature film,The Greatest Showmanand in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Cosí Fan Tutte at Lincoln Center. Anna is also a flexibility coach, an FRC mobility specialist and a health coach. She is passionate about helping her clients live their healthiest most functionally fit lives. ------------------------ | |||
| Lisa Levy - artist, comedienne, provocateur, & self-proclaimed therapist | 02 Feb 2025 | 00:46:15 | |
Lisa Levy is a true artist - comedienne, provocateur, and self-proclaimed therapist. She’s been covered (and uncovered) in print, film, and TV and curates her own gallery show. On this episode we explore artists’ vulnerabilities, comedy, The Doghouse Gallery, and Psychotherapy Live. https://www.lisalevyindustries.com/ -------------------- Lisa Levy is a conceptual artist, performer and (self-proclaimed) psychotherapist. Her art has been exhibited at art fairs, galleries and museums such as The New Museum, The Bronx Museum, SPRING/BREAK Art Fair, The Pulse Art Fair, The Brooklyn Academy of Music. Levy’s work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, The London Times, Artnet and Hyperallergic. She hosts a weekly radio show: “Dr. Lisa Gives a Sh!t” where she conducts funny, emotionally revealing “psychotherapy sessions” with creative guests. ArtVoices Books released a monograph of her “The Thoughts in My Head” text paintings this year in January. Her website is: https://www.lisalevyindustries.com/ And on instagram @drlisalevysp @lisalevy_artwork ------------------------ | |||
| George Caldwell - pianist, arranger, composer, conductor & actor | 26 Jan 2025 | 00:36:53 | |
George Caldwell is a pianist, arranger, composer, conductor, and actor who has performed with all the greats from Dizzy Gillespie to Savion Glover, and Ruth Brown to Quincy Jones. On this episode we get into how music vibrations trigger out-of-body experiences, the bridge between classical and jazz musicians, plus generous samples of George’s gorgeous compositions. https://www.george-caldwell.com/bio.html ------------------------ | |||
| Ben Model - Silent Film Composer | 19 Jan 2025 | 00:43:55 | |
Ben Model is a musician, historian, publisher, teacher and presenter of silent film. He creates and performs live music on both piano and organ at MOMA and the Library of Congress’ Packard Campus Theater. On this episode we uncover the tricks of undercranking, explore the delicate balance on playing for silent film, and how the pandemic shaped the online theatrical world. silentfilmmusic.com Ben’s Blu-ray label “Undercrank Productions” works with film archives and collectors to bring undiscovered gems of silent cinema to fans. Ben is a Visiting Professor of Film at Wesleyan University, and is the archivist for the Ernie Kovacs Television Collection. His book “The Silent Film Universe” will be published in 2025. ------------------------ | |||
| Debbie Taylor-Kerman - artist, painter | 18 May 2025 | 00:40:43 | |
Debbie Taylor-Kerman is a contemporary mixed media artist and painter who put aside her successful commercial design career to focus on creating abstract figurative art that empowers diversity and humanity. Her engaging art is now in private collections throughout the United States and around the world. On this episode we explore the world of licensing graphic art, transitioning from corporate to personal art, and following your voice. www.debbietaylorkerman.com -------------------- Debbie Taylor-Kerman is a Scottish artist who came to New York City to work as a textile designer in 1991. She fell in love with the city and her husband Elliott, and they moved to Harlem where they raised their two sons and still reside. She studied her Foundation Course at St Martins School of Art in London, received her BA in Printed Textiles from Liverpool School of art and pursued further fine art studies with the Creative Visionary Program for 4 consecutive years, led by artist Nicholas Wilton. During the pandemic, Debbie finally decided to paint fine art full time, and left her successful commercial art career of more than three decades. Since then Debbie has exhibited primarily in the New York area and she is represented by Globe Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM and Dean Street Fine Art in Tampa. Her work can be found in private collections throughout the United States and around the world. Artist Statement I need to find hope in this fragile and divided world by creating the beauty of diversity. I believe it's critical for everyone to feel seen and to feel hope that we can coexist in peace. I create abstract figurative art by using a multitude of tools to build a substantial history of abstract paint and collage, from where my figures can emerge. While adjusting the measure of abstract versus figurative, I'm constantly asking myself the question, what needs to be said and what needs to be left unsaid. I don't want to tell the whole story. Creating a dynamic composition for initial impact is key to capturing viewers’ attention, by first making them stop and look, then enticing them to stay and discover the subtlety within the paintings. Just like life, there is more to us than what initially meets the eye. My art conveys how our diversity is what makes us beautiful, that we are all connected regardless of our differences, and that we need to spend time discovering the “whole picture”. ------------------------ | |||
| Rachael Sage - singer, songwriter, visual artist | 11 May 2025 | 00:45:27 | |
Rachael Sage is a prolific songwriter, singer, visual artist, and ballet dancer and the founder of Mpress records. She has toured nationally and internationally and has shepherded a wide array of diverse artists in the music-sphere. On this episode we chat about the value of maintaining relationships for booking gigs, nurturing artists while running a record label, and the fine line between music and visual art. -------------------- Rachael Sage is a soulful vocalist, innovative multi-instrumentalist and award-winning singer/songwriter and producer from NY who has earned a loyal international following for her dynamic piano playing, delicate guitar work, and improvisational audience interaction. A six-time Independent Music Award winner, Sage has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Howard Jones, Beth Hart, Ani DiFranco, and Grammy® winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins – with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young's "Helpless". Her music has been dubbed "witty, graceful, and powerfully intimate" by NPR Music, and American Songwriter described Sage as "one of the most compelling and creative singers and songwriters of the modern era". Her new album Canopy is due Fall 2025 on MPress/Universal/Virgin. For more information, visit rachaelsage.com. ------------------------ | |||
| Dean Taucher - production designer, art director, and playwright | 04 May 2025 | 00:40:37 | |
Dean Taucher is a film and television production designer, art director, and playwright. He is behind some of television’s most iconic shows and spilling the beans in his new play, “Reel Stories.” On this episode we peek behind the curtain and talk set design, “Miami Vice,” and working with directors like Michael Mann. -------------------- Dean Taucher is a production designer/set designer, originally from the Chicago area. He attended The Goodman School of Drama - Art Institute of Chicago and immediately began designing in the Off-Loop theater scene of the 1970’s. These theaters included Body Politic, St. Nicholas, the Organic Theater Company, the Goodman and Victory Gardens. He moved to New York in 1979 and thanks to his membership in the United Scenic Artist Local 829 he worked on many Broadway shows including 42nd Street, Evita, Cats and at NBC on Season 5 of Saturday Night Live. His design work continued in regional dance and opera at The Penn Opera Theater, Atlanta Ballet and the Hubbard Street Dance Company. His work as a scenic Artist let him to working on feature films where he was able to move into positions in the Art Department. From his initial job as charge scenic on Michael Mann’s film “Manhunter” he became an assistant art director and the following year he was hired by Mr. Mann as the production designer (credited as visual consultant) on Season 3 of Miami Vice, with Dick Wolf as the head writer. Dean then made the TV movie “ L.A. Takedown” with Mann. He returned to New York to work with Dick Wolf for the CBS series, Harlem Eastside Lifesaving Project, H.E.L.P., and subsequently three season at FOX for New York Undercover and over 20 seasons of Law & Order, SVU at NBC. For David Chase at HBO, Dean designed Season One of The Sopranos and episodes two through thirteen, including many of the iconic permanent sets, the logo of the Bada Bing and the logo for the show. Off-Broadway he designed the plays Tabletop, Snakebit and River Deep: A Tribute to Tina Turner. He has worked with the director/choreographer Gabrielle Lansner on all her live and filmed projects for the last 25 years as designer and on her film projects as Executive Producer. Their current film, I AM NOT OK, is part of The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary Show, The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition. Dean’s play “REEL STORIES-MADE IN NEW YORK” is a riotous exposé of the inner workings of film and TV, informed by the myopic, egocentric and clueless motivations of the people who work in front and behind the camera. Nothing may be true, but they are all “REEL STORIES- MADE IN NEW YORK.” It is Dean’s first play. ------------------------ | |||
| Jason Kravits - actor, singer, Disney's Sneezy in Snow White | 27 Apr 2025 | 00:44:00 | |
Jason Kravits is an actor, singer, improvisor, and viral video creator who's worked regularly in film, television, and on Broadway.His voice can currently be heard as Sneezy in Disney’s live-action hit, "Snow White." On this episode we get into Jason’s audition process and sniffling varieties, his adoration of vaudeville, and how changes in technology have affected viewership. -------------------- Jason has been fortunate enough to appear on stages and screens, large and small, for over 35 years. Recent TV credits include Only Murders in the Building (as Melissa McCarthy’s husband, “Big Mike”) Halston, The Undoing, Dr. Death and Young Sheldon. Other favorite appearances include Curb Your Enthusiasm, 30 Rock, Kimmy Schmidt, Gilmore Girls, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Practice and the final episode of Friends. His voice can be heard as “Sneezy” in the current live-action remake of Disney’s Snow White. On Broadway, Jason has appeared in The Drowsy Chaperone, Sly Fox and Relatively Speaking. Off-Broadway, Jason appeared in the New Group’s adapation of the Philip Roth novel Sabbath’s Theater (alongside John Turturro and Elizabeth Marvel). For the last 10 years, Jason has been performing his solo, completely improvised cabaret, OFF THE TOP (winner of a 2017 Bistro Award) - playing to sold out crowds in London, Adelaide, Melbourne, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles - and can be seen regularly in New York City at venues like Joe's Pub and Birdland. Jason is a native of the D.C. area, where he performed extensively at the Shakespeare Theatre, Round House Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. He is a member of the Actors Center Workshop Company. Tickets to July 2025 show @ Joe's Pub: https://bit.ly/OffTheTopJuly10 ------------------------ | |||
| Celia Chavez - singer, songwriter and coach | 20 Apr 2025 | 00:41:38 | |
Celia Chavez is a singer, songwriter, session vocalist, educator, and coach. She’s played global arenas and intimate music clubs - duetting and harmonizing with Pink, Enrique Iglesias, Julia Fordham, and many more. On this tuneful episode, Celia shares the secrets of how to blend, harmonize, and adapt to different voices and concert styles, and how to stay fit while on an arena tour. We also get an introduction to her musical alter ego, Babilonia. -------------------- Celia Chavez enjoys a multifaceted career as performing songwriter, touring singer, session vocalist, educator and coach. With her wistful lyricism balanced with a unique clarity of vocal delivery, Celia creates an ongoing love letter to the world as comfort in times of uncertainty, compassion in times of division, and catharsis for a world under pressure. Her songs express different ways to hang on to love and faith despite seemingly hopeless odds. Her music displays a gracefully tenacious, yet playful sensibility — so beautifully reflected in the story arc of Celia's life. Spreading her wings to step outside the gilded cage of her life as a globetrotting backup singer, she assumed a new moniker, Babilonia, to release her new EP, If I Ever Think To Double Back. Braiding together strands of music she's lived and loved -- from her parents’ jazz/soul records in her hometown of Seattle, to New York City’s vibrant Lower East Side and Brooklyn, to the songcraft capital of LA's Laurel Canyon -- Chavez takes her place at the front of her own formidable studio band as a compelling singer-songwriter. Click here for more. ------------------------ | |||
| Amy Ziff - Singer, Songwriter, cellist | 13 Apr 2025 | 00:41:44 | |
Amy Ziff is the acerbic wit behind the award-winning Indie Rock trio, Betty. She is also a singer, songwriter, cellist, activist, and mom. On today’s episode, this multi-talented artist chats about song placements, the art of collaboration, electronic cellos - and of course, how to navigate these times as an artist. -------------------- In addition to being a pop icon and touring the world with the band BETTY, Amy has appeared in movies and TV, including Showtime's The L-Word, and originating the roles of "Mom and "Ida" on the ABC series Edith Ann. Amy has also written and performed her one-woman shows, Superlatives and Accident in several festivals and theaters across the U.S. and Canada. She has also co-written an opera about Typhoid Mary, called A Danger to Us All. Be sure to grab a ticket for BETTY’s latest concert series and tour! Hellobetty.com ------------------------ | |||
| Jennifer Munson - Technical Director and Mastering Engineer | 06 Apr 2025 | 00:43:33 | |
Jen Munson is an audio mastering whiz and engineer with a sharp ear for sound. She’s a jazz vocalist and also a technical director for WNYC’s “On the Media.” On this episode you’ll hear about sound frequencies, how to make voices distinct, and a bit wood chopping thrown into “the mix”! WNYC -------------------- Jennifer Munson is the technical director for On the Media and a Mastering Engineer at Taloowa. Jen has engineered some of the greatest musical talents in history. Isaac Stern, for instance. Also Prince, Judy Garland, Jessye Norman, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Glenn Gould, Busta Rhymes, Lou Reed and Kathleen Battle. And also Brooke and Micah. "They're very much like Springsteen," she says, "only without backup vocals." In addition to WNYC, Jen has worked for Sony Classical, Gateway Mastering and ABC News. Her first love, however, is singing. Trained at Indiana University, she is an accomplished jazz vocalist and composer of such tender love songs as "Lucy." Lucy was her dog. When not recording, mixing and mastering "On the Media," or other acts, Jen is most likely found in her garden. ------------------------ | |||
| Carole Montgomery - Comedian and Producer | 30 Mar 2025 | 00:43:04 | |
Carole Montgomery is a stand-up comedian, producer, and director who has headlined clubs & colleges across the USA. She is also the creator of the series “Funny Women of a Certain Age” on Showtime and live in clubs. On this episode, we get a backstage glimpse into the world of working in Vegas, outrageous comedy gigs, and Broadway child wrangling. www.carolemontgomery.com -------------------- With over 2 dozen television credits to her name, CAROLE MONTGOMERY is a respected veteran of the standup comedy scene nationwide. In addition to her numerous television appearances, Carole has headlined clubs & colleges across the USA and starred in 2 different Las Vegas production shows. In her ten years as a LAS VEGAS STAR, it is estimated that she has been seen by over 5 million audience members. Carole created the live stand up comedy show FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE featuring female headliners over the age of 50 in 2017. The show was such a success that it was filmed for the Showtime network. It was the network’s highest rated comedy special for 2019 and it made TV history as the first comedy special to feature 6 women over the age of 50. The following year MORE Funny Women Of A Certain Age premiered with huge viewership. EVEN MORE Funny Women Of A Certain Age premiered Thanksgiving Eve 2021. Carole is also an accomplished director & producer. She directed Jim Florentine’s solo show I’m Your Savior currently airing on Amazon Prime. She is currently developing a new solo show with activist and comedian Kaytlin Bailey called Whore’s Eye View. Carole is proudest of her 11 comedy tours for Armed Forces Entertainment. Her NY Underground Comedy Allstars have performed in Iraq, Haiti, Kosovo, Holland, Kuwait, Diego Garcia, Singapore, Honduras, El Salvador, South Korea and Germany to rave reviews. Carole was also a featured performer at the MONTREAL JUST FOR LAUGHS, BOSTON & NY COMEDY FESTIVALS. www.carolemontgomery.com ------------------------ | |||