MAKERSODE: KENYATTA EMMANUEL

MAKERS: KENYATTA EMMANUEL: SLAVIC SOUL PARTY, CARNEGIE HALL, AND THE TIME WITHOUT TIME

This week, Susan and Laura have the honor of speaking with Kenyatta Emmanuel, musician, singer, songwriter, and storyteller. Kenyatta shares his personal story of how, on October 21, 2019, he exited a New York state prison after 24 1/2 years incarcerated, and at 6pm that same evening, he performed at Carnegie Hall. In this episode, Kenyatta shares his creative process, his commitment to uplift, and the constant desire to be in "the zone."

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MAKERSODE: LAURA BENANTI + VENUS FISCHER : HBO Max's Homeschool Musical

MAKERS: LAURA BENANTI + VENUS FISCHER

Recorded LIVE from The Spark File New Year 2021 Creativity KickOff, Susan and Laura have a lively conversation with the one and only TONY Award winner Laura Benanti! Laura took some big leaps during the quarantine, and shares how an idea from the heart spilled onto instagram and grew into an HBO Max special -- Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020. Plus... one of the stars of that very show, Venus Fischer, joins in on the fun, sharing her experiences on the show, and how her creativity has evolved over the course of this year.

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MAKERSODE: SUTTON FOSTER

MAKERS: SUTTON FOSTER: SAY YES, TRUST YOUR GUT + GET A HOBBY

What a way to ring in the New Year! This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura dig in deep with Uber Maker Sutton Foster. In addition to her TONY Award winning career on Broadway, and in film, television, and music, Sutton is a maker extraordinaire -- cross stitching, crocheting, drawing, teaching and writing. Her upcoming book (tentatively called HOOKED: How Crafting Saved My Life) is all about her life seen through the things she has made. Sutton shares with us just how powerful it is to always have something of your own.

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Makers: Karen Olivo

MAKERS: KAREN OLIVO: TAKING A STAND

This week, Susan and Laura connect with Karen Olivo as she shares her recent vow to withhold her artistic services from "any theatre, company, or persons, who would knowingly fund organizations that would perpetuate inequality." Standing fully in her artistic power, Karen inspires with her leadership and action.

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Makers: Bobby Lopez + Kristen Anderson-Lopez PART 2

MAKERS: BOBBY LOPEZ + KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ: KINDNESS, CONFIDENCE + CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS

Part 2 of Susan and Laura's conversation with the inspirational and aspirational Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, all about creative collaborations, big wave riding and who determines success and failure?

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Makers: Heidi Blickenstaff Part 2

MAKERS: HEIDI BLICKENSTAFF PART 2: GROWING A PAIR, DISCOVERING NEW PASSIONS + MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In part two, Heidi Blickenstaff digs deeper into the spark that inspired her to create GenZStayHome, and how she fanned it into a flame that has now become the bonfire called Broadway Because. 

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Makers: Heidi Blickenstaff Part 1

MAKERS: HEIDI BLICKENSTAFF PART 1: SOFT CLOTHES, NY PRIDE + NEW CREATIVE PROJECTS

Susan and Laura talk with dear friend Heidi Blickenstaff, who perfectly puts into words the benefits of continual learning, curiosity and creative growth. She shares the origin story of her Broadway debut in The Full Monty, as well as her latest passion -- producing. Her GenZStayHome project has been a labor of love and is just the tip of the iceburg...

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Makers: Kate Quarfordt Part 2

MAKERS: KATE QUARFORDT PART 2: HOLDING JOY, CATCHING A THREAD + BEING ONTO SOMETHING

This week on The Spark File, part 2 of Susan and Laura's conversation with Artist Kate Quarfordt. If you find yourself "teetering on the knifes edge" these days, sit back, relax, and take a trip back to three weeks ago when things felt normal. We discuss our Grandmothers, the Resistance Revival Chorus and the power of music and art in any movement for change.

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Makers: Kate Quarfordt Part 1

MAKERS: KATE QUARFORDT PART 1: ON BEING A CREATIVE INSTIGATOR, SHIT STIRRER, CAPITAL “A” ARTIST

This week on The Spark File, Laura and Susan are treated to the wisdom, the joy, the laughter and the luminosity that is Kate Quarfordt, Artist. From learning how "your weirdness is your genius" to the discipline required to transcend into kairos time, this episode is dream for all artists or Artists at every juncture.

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Makers: Caitlin Kinnunen

MAKERS: CAITLIN KINNUNEN: FLUIDITY, AUTHENTICITY + BEING THE TRUTH GOOSE

This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura get to chat with the fabulous, fun, authentically awesome Caitlin Kinnunen. Caitlin shares openly and easily about everything from Tony nominations and failure, soapbox opportunities, and how the struggle is shared. 

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Makers: Kelli O'Hara

MAKERS: KELLI O’HARA: HAVING A ‘VOICE’, DOING NO HARM + LOVE OF THE GAME

On this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura connect with the extraordinarily talented and kind human being, Kelli O'Hara. Kelli shares her philosophy on doing no harm, plus a valuable artist life hack -- her backstage preshow self-talk. You won't want to miss her secret for beating performance anxiety!

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Makers: Phillipa Soo Part 2

MAKERS: PHILLIPA SOO PART 2: ANXIETY, PERFECTION + LETTING IT HANG LOOSE

Susan and Laura had so much fun talking to TONY-nominated Phillipa Soo, they went for a Part 2! Pippa shares fears, "failure" and her process of letting it all hang loose. 

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Makers: Phillipa Soo PART 1

MAKERS: PHILLIPA SOO PART 1: GIVING VOICE TO NEW CHARACTERS + LEARNING FROM A LEGACY

In this week's bonus episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura connect with Tony nominee, Phillipa Soo. Pippa shares her love of rehearsal, her dreams of directing, and her perspective on the recently announced film featuring the original cast of Hamilton. 

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Makers: Sara Bareilles Part 1

MAKERS: SARA BAREILLES PART 1: CREATIVE RISKS, SONGWRITING + BROADWAY

Susan and Laura talk to favorite songwriter, actor, producer, author and all around prolific creator, Sara Bareilles. Hear how Sara tackles the fear of not knowing, and how she continues to thrive creatively regardless of bouts with anxiety and depression. From Grammy, TONY, and EMMY Award nominations to glorious collaborations, Sara gives us real talk about living the creative life.

Listen HERE.