CREATIVITY SPARKS: MAKING CHANGE + SELF RELIANCE
This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura share new inspirations — the many ways the arts (and crafts!) can come to the rescue when it's time for Making Change, and the increasing need for Self Reliance in a world of uncertainty.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: HAND LETTERED SIGNS + UNFINISHED ART
In this week’s episode, Susan and Laura dig into two fresh sparks — the skill and the psychology behind Hand Lettered Signs and Unfinished Art — the compassion to complete it, the foresight to plan for it, and the only way to avoid it.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: OUR VERY FIRST MAILBAG EPISODE!
In this special episode, Susan and Laura reach into the mailbag and share sparks and creative results from our fearless listeners. From the desire to reconnect to that spark of creativity within us to making a creative leap or navigating a creative transition…we respond to your heartfelt and humor-filled letters to us.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: MUDLARKING + VERBATIM THEATRE
In this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura share a tinderbox of sparks with the treasure-hunting, archeology-digging, historical-fact-finding adventure that is Mudlarking and the use of language as an entry point into character with Anna Deavere Smith's creation of Verbatim Theatre.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: CAT DANCERS + TEDDY ROOSEVELT
In this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura surprise each other with sparks from their personal files -- the tragic story of Ron and Joy Holiday (aka Cat Dancers) and the paradoxes and duality of the Man in the Arena himself, Theodore Roosevelt.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: FLU APOCALYPSE + A STORYTELLING OF WRITERS
In this week's episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura surprise each other with topics that are sparking their creativity at the moment -- from the flu of 1918 to World War Z, its time to consider the inevitability of the next FLU Apocalypse and the delicate collaboration necessary to participate and thrive in a Storytelling of Writers.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: BIRD BY BIRD + HONEY BOY
On this week's episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura share two sparks from their personal spark files: The infinite wisdom and inspiration of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and the hopeful possibility of redemption and healing of Shia LaBeouf's Honey Boy. Both sparks speak to the bravery of observing life (your own and others'), taking notes and telling the truth.
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: ARMCHAIR TREASURE HUNTS + BUT WHAT IF IT WASN’T?
In the latest installment of The Spark File, Susan and Laura deliver two new Creative Sparks -- the thrill of the chase provided by Armchair Treasure Hunts and the endlessly applicable wisdom of The Grinder's 'But What If It Wasn't?"
CREATIVITY SPARKS: THE ART OF DYING WELL + PUZZLE PEACE
In this episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura discuss the therapeutic qualities of puzzling, including the state of creative meditation, and The Art of Dying Well - how talking about and even preparing for death may be the most life-affirming thing we can do.
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.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: AOKIGAHARA FOREST + MERCEDES MCCAMBRIDGE
In this special spooky episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura share Halloween inspired sparks from the dark side: the eerie calling of Aokigahara Forest in Japan and the spine-chilling true life story of The Exorcist's voice of satan: Mercedes McCambridge.
Content Warning: suicide, addiction, violence.
A video referenced in this episode of Linda Blair’s performance, followed by Mercedes McCambridge’s voiceover performance in The Exorcist.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: LYNNE COX + PATRICIA DOUGLAS: RECORDED LIVE FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS PROJECT
In this very special episode, recorded LIVE at The Performing Arts Project in North Carolina, Susan and Laura explore the inspiration of swimmer and author Lynne Cox as well as one of the best kept secrets of the Hollywood studio system era - the legacy of Patricia Douglas.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode of The Spark File podcasts contains mature themes. Please use your discretion.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: WHAT IT FEELS LIKE ON THE INSIDE + LUMBER JILLS
In this week's episode of creativity sparks, Susan and Laura discuss their personal quests for authenticity and the dissonance felt when What it Feels Like on the Inside doesn't match What it Looks Like on the Outside. Fresh examples of this dynamic include Game of Thrones's Emilia Clarke, Anne Hathaway's Oscar acceptance, and Marlene Dietrich's cabaret performances. They also find sparks in family history when the discovery of the Women's Timber Corps in the UK during WWII, a.k.s the Lumber Jills leads to a search for a personal connection to the Civilian Conservation Corps in the US.
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.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: JOHN KENLEY + THE UNTHOUGHT KNOWN
This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura dish up two lively and thought-provoking sparks -- the legacy of the summer stock pioneer, legendary theatrical producer John Kenley and The Unthought Known -- things we know to be true, but can not allow ourselves to think about, a concept illustrated by Dani Shapiro in her book, Inheritance.
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.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: FULL SANPAKU + @CHEAPOLDHOUSES
Susan and Laura serve up a load of creativity sparks this week examining Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes and the legacy of the Full Sanpaku along with the seemingly universal dream of acreage, Fixer Uppers and @cheapoldhouses.
CREATIVITY SPARKS: GOLDEN PALACE + POET MARY OLIVER
In this Creativity Sparks episode, co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien discuss the original spark that inspired Susan to write the piece “Golden Palace” for the Off-Broadway show NOW.HERE.THIS at the Vineyard Theatre, as well as the overflowing gift of sparks poet Mary Oliver left for the world.
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.
