CREATIVITY SPARKS: IMAGINE IF…A CELEBRATION OF SIR KEN ROBINSON
This episode of The Spark File is dedicated to the memory of one of our creative heroes, Sir Ken Robinson. Laura shares the tale of how Sir Ken walked into her life and left an indelible mark on her creativity and on The Spark File company she and Susan are now building. Be sure to check out the Imagine If Festival going on now online at Imagine-if.com, celebrating the life and the legacy of Sir Ken Robinson.
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.
Makers:
Eric Stonestreet:
Fizbo the Clown, Outdoor Bathrooms + Making Memories with Music
Emmy Award winning actor Eric Stonestreet, Laura and Susan cover all the essentials — creativity, clowning, and how to build your dream bathroom in the woods.
MAKERS: MATT VOGEL: GETTING BOOED, BECOMING A MUPPET + RETAINING SOMETHING THAT’S YOURS
Susan and Laura curl up with the endlessly creative Matt Vogel. At Sesame Street and in his roles as Kermit the Frog and Big Bird, Matt utilizes his skills as an actor, puppeteer, songwriter, director, and so much more. He shares highlights from his creative journey from getting booed at the high school talent show to debuting triumphantly at the Hollywood Bowl. Matt remains inspired by Jim Henson's mantra to be in service of the best idea, and Kermit's guiding purpose of "making millions of people happy."
MAKERS: EMMA MCLAUGHLIN + NICOLA KRAUS: BEYOND THE NANNY DIARIES; OR CLOCK-WATCHING AND DISRESPECT
Susan and Laura talk to the prolific writing duo Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, co-authors of The Nanny Diaries and so much more. With over 6 million copies of their 10 books in print in over 32 languages, Emma and Nicola share their tips and techniques for successful collaborative writing with a partner as well as how it feels to consciously uncouple when the work is done.
MAKERS: JONATHAN GROFF PART 1: REHEARSAL ROOMS, THE O FACE + TELLING THE TRUTH
In the latest bonus episode from The Spark File, Susan and Laura snuggle up with actor/singer/dancer/truth-teller, Jonathan Groff. Jonathan shares his visceral responses to most everything, including his approach to choosing roles and relationships. We talk the bravery of coming out, and the importance of telling one's own truth.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexually explicit language
CREATIVITY SPARKS + MAKERS: BRUNDIBAR, THE MAD KING + ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO: RECORDED LIVE FROM THE MET OPERA
In this very special episode, recorded live from the Metropolitan Opera, Susan and Laura each share opera-inspired sparks of creativity, The Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, and the intense significance of the opera Brundibar. They also engage in conversation with countertenor, actor, producer, star of the MET Opera's production of Akhnaten, and absolute vocal superhero, Anthony Roth Costanzo. Anthony shares his personal opera origin story, spills all the details about Akhnaten and his mission to bring new audiences to the art form.
MAKERS: LESLIE ODOM, JR: THE LION, THE BEAR + THE BRAND NEW ALBUM, ‘MR’
In the latest bonus episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura talk to Leslie Odom, Jr, on the eve of his new album launch. Leslie reflects on the life lessons learned from 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Francis Turner, mentor Billy Porter, and so many more. Always open to the next challenge, Leslie shares the vulnerability and the joy that comes with truly taking a swing.
MAKERS: CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER: AUTHENTICITY, BRIDGE-BUILDING + WANTING THE TONY AWARD
Episode #19 is brimming with sparks of creativity as Susan and Laura talk theater with TONY Award winner, Celia Keenan-Bolger. Celia shares her origin story, how she learned she was a bridge-builder, and the freedom of owning her desire to win a TONY award. Celia's theatrical career spans To Kill a Mockingbird to Glass Menagerie, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Light in the Piazza and so much more.
MAKERS: JULIANNE MOORE + BART FREUDLICH PART 2: BECAUSE 60/40 WAS ALREADY TAKEN
Part Two of Susan and Laura's conversation with Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore and filmmaker Bart Freundlich. These two award winning creatives discuss their union of creative endeavors, dealing with perceived failure, their shared production company and things they need to do before they're done.
MAKERS: JULIANNE MOORE + BART FREUNDLICH PART 1: COOKING BRANZINO + DIVING IN HEAD FIRST
Susan and Laura sit down with Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore (Still Alice, The Hunger Games, Far From Heaven, The Kids are All Right, After the Wedding) and writer/director/filmmaker Bart Freundlich (The Myth of Fingerprints, Wolves, After the Wedding). Award winning creatives in their own right, they also merge creative endeavors with marriage and parenthood. In Part One of our conversation, we learn what creative risks Julianne and Bart have been taking recently, how they mix their personal and creative energies and what makes for a creatively satisfying experience.
MAKERS: RODNEY EVANS: VISION PORTRAITS, LIMINAL SPACE + TRUTH TELLING
In this week's maker-sode, Susan and Laura talk with award-winning filmmaker Rodney Evans about his very personal documentary, Vision Portraits. Rodney shares the details of his loss of vision and and what it means to be a blind or visually impaired creative artist. Rodney shares the power of channeling his fear into his creativity, illuminates the difference between sight and vision, and shares his belief that going blind just might create new ways of seeing. According to The New York Times, Vision Portraits “has the power, however briefly, to alter your perception."
MAKERS: ZACHARY QUINTO PART 2: INSPIRED COLLABORATION, THEATRE + CREATIVE ASPIRATIONS
Part Two of a conversation between co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien and actor, producer, creator Zachary Quinto. Get to know the thoughtful, original mind of this prolific maker as he shares experiences from a creative life full of blockbuster films, Broadway theater, and off the beaten path Netflix options.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: SURVIVORS OF LARRY NASSAR + RESERVIOR NOIR
In this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura discuss a dark spark -- the legacy of Larry Nassar and the powerful, inspiring army of survivors and champions who told their stories, including Katelyn Ohashi, Lindsey Smith, Valorie Kondos Field, Rachael Denhollander and Kate Wells. They also look beneath the surface of Reservoir Noir and the spark-filled stories of towns that drowned.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode of The Spark File podcasts contains mature themes (physical abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, body issues). Please use your discretion.
MAKERS: ZACHARY QUINTO PART 1: UNCERTAINTY, INSPIRATION + AUTHENTICITY
Part One of a conversation between co-hosts Susan and Laura and prolific actor, producer, creator Zachary Quinto. Zach gives us the 411 on his backstory, key moments in his creative career, and how "uncertainty" can be the most enticing guide. Zach takes us from Broadway to blockbuster films, Glass Menagerie to Star Trek and well beyond.
Co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien serve up the basics of The Spark File podcast -- what is a Spark File? What do you put in it? and why does every creative need one? From the visual artists to performing artists, writers, dancers, filmmakers, instagramers -- artists, makers and creators of all kinds need to restock our creative fishponds and build a reserve of ideas and inspirations. Listen, then take it and make it!
Listen HERE.
Transcript available soon.
