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.
MAKERS: A VERY SPECIAL CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER EPISODE!
In this very special episode, Susan and Laura talk with Celia Keenan-Bolger, who reads an original piece for us about the inspiration behind Broadway Feeds Bellevue, and the beauty of community.
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?
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.
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...
MAKERS: ERIKA HENNINGSEN PART 2: WHITE KNUCKLING CREATIVITY, UNLEARNING + EMBRACING EASE
In part 2 of Susan and Laura's conversation with actress/activist Erika Henningsen focuses on doing double duty of delivering on interpretive work and weaving the gentle thread of activism through every experience.
MAKERS: JILL TWISS: ‘READY, AIM, RECYCLE’, POLITICS AS COMEDY + A GREAT BUNNY NAME
Susan and Laura talk with Emmy Award winning comedy writer, Jill Twiss about her years on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver making people laugh (rather than cry) from current events, and how constantly pitching new things lead to writing her successful children's books, A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, and The Someone New.
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.
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.
MAKERS: KRIS ANDERSSON / DIXIE LONGATE: TAKING RISKS, CHARGING FORWARD + BURNING THE BOATS
This week, Susan and Laura catch up with Kris Andersson, accidental hyphenate, who gives us an exclusive scoop, his biggest creative risk so far — shuttering his uber successful show, Dixie’s Tupperware party. With his eye on new creative ideas and endeavors, Kris shares his gratitude for Dixie’s adventures and his vision for brand new shenanigans.
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.
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!
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.
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.
MAKERS: BONNIE SIEGLER: CHASING ANDY WARHOL, SIGNS OF RESISTANCE _ THE GIFT OF CERTAINTY
Susan and Laura get to talk to Bonnie Siegler, graphic designer of all things — books, TV shows, editorial, brand logos — and author of the books “signs of resistance” and “dear client”. Discussing everything from the beauty of “I notice” and “I wonder” to the inspiration of andy warhol + a fierce love of history, Bonnie shares how she uses her design superpowers for the good of all.
Check out her work at 8point5.com.
MAKERS: ANGELA JOHNSON: INVESTING IN ACCESS
In the latest bonus episode of The Spark File, Susan and Laura talk to Angela Johnson, Founder & CEO of Invest in Access about how important inclusion and access are to our creativity and creative endeavors.
Angela Johnson is an Accessibility Strategist on a mission to increase equity for individuals living with disabilities. She is the Founder & CEO of Invest In Access, and owns AJ Inclusion Consulting, in furtherance of her mission. Angela's is presently focusing on accessibility within: events, recreation, and workplace culture. Since the summer of 2019, Angela has been contracting as Advancer for Democratic Presidential candidates whose teams are dedicated to increasing access + inclusion for all.
MAKERS: FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME’S ANTHONY “TWO-TOUCH” VENEZIALE + CHRIS “SHOCKWAVE” SULLIVAN - PART 2
Part 2 - Recorded LIVE from The Spark File New Year 2020 Creativity Workshop in NYC, Anthony and Shockwave share their belief in restorative play, mental fitness and the ability to learn how to learn. Plus, the unforgettable story of taking a tennis ball to the, well… balls during a performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Brutal.
MAKERS: FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME’S ANTHONY “TWO-TOUCH” VENEZIALE + CHRIS “SHOCKWAVE” SULLIVAN
In this episode, recorded LIVE from The Spark File New Year 2020 Creativity Workshop, Susan and Laura share in the flat out delight of Freestyle Love Supreme's Anthony
”Two Touch" Veneziale and Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan. We talk of overriding the fear mechanisms in our brains to allow for more freedom in expression and creativity and the belief that improv skills can benefit everyone. Plus, they’re just hella cool.
MAKERS: META WAGNER PART 2: IDENTIFYING YOUR CREATIVE TYPE (AND ITS EVOLUTION)
Ready for Part 2 of our conversation with Creativity Expert Meta Wagner? We dig into the remaining Creative Types — Sensitive Souls, Gamechangers and Activists and question whether we can evolve into other areas? Can we be a combo-platter of motivations?
MAKERS: META WAGNER PART 1: WRITING THE BOOK ON CREATIVE TYPES
This week, Susan and Laura dig into the meaty topics of talent, dedication and purpose with Meta Wagner, author of What's Your Creative Type? Harness the Power of Your Artistic Personality. In Part 1 of 2, Meta shares the driving passion and purpose behind the 5 Creative Types. You can't help but question, what is YOUR 'why'?
