More To Talk About – Details, episodes & analysis

How To Dance in Ohio, the landmark Broadway musical, followed the coming-of-age journey of seven autistic young adults preparing for a spring formal dance — better known as a young person’s right of passage into love, stress, and independence. Inspired by the events and themes within the heart-filled new musical How To Dance in Ohio, Host Andrea Ambam sat down with members of the landmark HTDIO Broadway Access team – Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (Autistic Creative Consultant), Nicole D’Angelo (Assistant Music Director & Script Consultant), and Becky Leifman  (Former Director of Community Engagement at CO/LAB) – for an insightful conversation exploring the role of entertainment in creating abundant and accessible futures for disabled folks.

MORE TO TALK ABOUT (MTTA) is Level Forward’s Anthem Award-winning audience engagement platform that uses story to ignite culture-shifting conversations, activations, and community-building experiences. More where that's from on our curated digital hub www.moretotalkabout.com

Inspired by the events and themes within Three Houses  (a new magical realism musical by Dave Malloy) - Host Andrea Ambam sat down with Ann James (Intimacy Coordinators of Color), Christine Jones (Theatre for One), and Laurie Woolery (Citizen Artist) for a heartfelt conversation exploring community, art, intimacy, play, and connection as cures for the loneliness epidemic. 

MORE TO TALK ABOUT (MTTA) is Level Forward’s Anthem Award-winning audience engagement platform that uses story to ignite culture-shifting conversations, activations, and community-building experiences. More where that's from on our curated digital hub www.moretotalkabout.com

Bonus Episode! The Oklahoma! Broadway National Tour has made headlines for taking an innovative spin on a beloved “classic American” musical. While many hold classics near and dear to their hearts, recent revivals force us to reckon with the way in which classical musicals have most often been centered around a White American experience. Considering Oklahoma (the state) is home to more historically all-Black towns than any other U.S state and in honor of Juneteenth —  listen to Sis (Ado Annie in Oklahoma!) and Ugo Chukwu (Cord Elam in Oklahoma!) unpack their unique experiences as Black actors in the new Oklahoma! and what it's like to be a Black creative in a tumultuous theatre industry.

To feed your ongoing curiosities about Oklahoma! x More To Talk About: www.moretotalkabout.com  

Bonus episode! This year, I sat down with cast members from the Oklahoma Broadway National Tour and folks from Human Rights Campaign on March 31st, 2022 - International Transgender Day of Visibility - to talk about the importance and complexity of trans visibility onstage and offstage. Meet Hennessy Winkler (Will Parker in Oklahoma!),  Charleigh Flohr (Senior Research Manager at HRC), and Queen Hatcher-Johnson (National and Local Trans Rights Advocate).

For more concrete ways to be an active ally to the Trans community: www.hrc.org/trans

To feed your ongoing curiosities about Oklahoma x More To Talk About: www.moretotalkabout.com  

Season Finale! DOUBLE FEATURE EPISODE  using the events of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive as a launching point.

1 | Majority Rules: Feminism on the Ballot
In POTUS, Harriet  (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the president’s chief of staff and is the real reason the country hasn’t fallen apart yet, though her achievements have always lived under the president’s spotlight.  In conversation with Julie White (the tony-nominated actress who plays Harriet), Amanda Brown Lierman (Executive Director of Supermajority Education Fund), and Stephanie L. Young (Executive Director of When We All Vote) we seek to dismantle the narratives that keep women from achieving greater political power and organize around what it means to operate with a feminist agenda that creates greater equity for us ALL. 

2 | Women & Leadership Who Run the World?
In POTUS, Stephanie (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the president’s quirky secretary who is struggling with confidence in the workplace despite a long list of skills and a resume that should put her imposter syndrome to shame. In conversation with Anita Abdinezhad (the actress who covers Dusty & Stephanie), Jennifer Fouché (the actor who covers Margaret, Harriet, Bernadette, & Jean), Zunera Ahmed (IGNITE Board Member), and an expert (through study or experience) who can speak on women in the workplace, we’ll demystify the narratives surrounding women and confidence - including taking up space and imposter syndrome. Queue up your b*tch beats as we explore how radical and inclusive women empowerment can lead to more equitable workspaces in politics, theatre, and beyond.

Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.

SPECIAL DOUBLE FEATURE EPISODE  using the events of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive as a launching point.

1 | Dismantling Obstacles to Equality: An Urgent Excavation In Honor of Pride and Resistance
In POTUS, Bernadette  (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the president’s look-alike sister and a proud lesbian who quickly proves that street smarts definitely belong in the white house. In conversation with Lea DeLaria (the actress who plays Bernadette), Carol Jenkins ( ERA coalition), Zakiya Tomas (New President & CEO of ERA Coalition), alongside Charlotte Clymer (Writer & Activist), we celebrated Pride month by engaging in the activist work of our queer ancestors and asking how we can move towards an “equal future.” Looking at how passing the Equal Rights Amendment can benefit us all, we got real specific about the intrinsic connections between sex-based discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

2 | My Body, My Choice: Sexual & Reproductive Justice
In POTUS, Dusty (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the president’s dalliance and one of the most unexpected voices for reproductive rights (and other hot button issues) throughout the show. She’s also got a knack for conflict mediation.  In conversation with Gisela Chípe (POTUS company), Nancy Northup (President & CEO of Center for Reproductive Rights), and Yolanda Miranda (National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice), we talked about all things body autonomy including the right to choose, and how organizers across the country are working to protect every person’s right to access safe and affordable reproductive care especially in light of the Dobbs decision.

Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.

In POTUS, Margaret (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the first lady desperately trying to reframe her public image while all of her great services to society, her role in the president’s successes, and her accolades go ignored. Sound familiar? In conversation with Vanessa Williams (the actress who plays Margaret) and LaTosha Brown (Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter), we’ll get real about the role that Black women have continuously played in uplifting and protecting our democratic rights. We’ll also talk through how we can move beyond praise and into tangible support of Black women’s political power- using the events of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive as a launching point.

Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.

In POTUS, Chris (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is a white house journalist eagerly trying to gather the facts around the president’s scandal, all while balancing the demands of motherhood. In conversation with Lisa Helmi Johanson (an actress who plays Chris), Liuba Grechen Shirley (Founder and CEO of Vote Mama), and Françoise Olivas (NYS Senate Candidate),  we’ll traverse what it means to be a mother and/or a caregiver running for office, the policies/issues they are uniquely fit to address, and why we need more moms and caregivers in the white house - using the events of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive as a launching point.

Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.

In POTUS, Jean (1 of the 7 women trying to keep a great dumbass alive) is the president’s press secretary meaning she knows all about the power of shaping a story. In this talk, Andrea Ambam sits down with Suzy Nakamura (the actress who plays Jean), Aimee Allison (President of She The People), and Maya Contreras (Political Narrative Strategist and Former Democratic Congressional Candidate), to explore how reshaping the cultural narrative can support the on-the-ground effort for more women of color in politics -  using the events of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive as a launching point. Recorded on the day the draft Dobbs decision was leaked, this talk starts with how to organize around abortion rights.

Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

How to take action around abortion/reproductive rights:

• https://donations4abortion.com/
•  https://publicgoodnews.com/2022/06/22/how-to-access-abortion-funds/
• https://tinyurl.com/AbortionResourceKit

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.

In this talk, Andrea Ambam sits down with feminist greats, Gloria Steinem and Jamia Wilson, alongside POTUS playwright Selina Fillinger as they explore the past, present, and future of intersectional feminism and movement building in a conversation inspired by POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive running on Broadway right now.
Feed your ongoing curiosities about POTUS on Broadway: potus.moretotalkabout.com

Learn more about Gloria Steinem: www.gloriasteinem.com
Learn more about Jamia Wilson: www.jamiawilson.com
Learn more about Selina Fillinger: www.selinafillinger.com

Please note: All of these POTUS conversations deeply impact a range of gender and sexual identities.  This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and a range of LGBTQIA+ identities who are marginalized.