Daniel Spector is a teacher, acting coach, Shakespeare aficionado, and Director of the Classical Studio at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He’s taught and directed numerous Broadway, film, and television actors. On this episode we talk grants, acting technique, and reveal the “secret sauce” to a winning audition. https://tisch.nyu.edu/about/directory/drama/1641228855

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Daniel Spector is a teacher, acting coach, and director. He is Associate Arts Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he holds a joint appointment with the departments of Drama and Dramatic Writing and serves as Director of The Classical Studio, a year-long Shakespeare intensive. He has directed and coached actors on over 50 productions of 26 of Shakespeare’s plays, as well as directing numerous other projects at NYU and elsewhere. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and an alumnus of the Broadway Theatre Project. He has served as a consultant to PBS on matters Shakespearean, led workshop for numerous arts organizations, and spoken at conferences around the world. He recently published an article for the journal Shakespeare titled “Teaching Shakespeare’s Yes in the Era of No," which summarizes his current research interest: the intersection of acting and politics.

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Produced and Edited by Arts and Craft.
Theme Music: Sound Gallery by Dmitry Taras.

Anna Venizelos is a contortionist, aerialist, and acrobat. She’s toured with Cirque du Soleil, appeared in “The Greatest Showman,” and performed with The Metropolitan Opera. We’re running away to join the circus on this bendy episode, as Anna shares the discipline and skill required for one of the oldest art forms.

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Anna came to circus from a background of both gymnastics and dance. After studying dance education at NYU she settled on pursuing her love of contortion, aerials, and acrobatics. She toured with Cirque du Soleil's production of Quidam, performing as a soloist. Other career highlights include appearing in the feature film,The Greatest Showmanand in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Cosí Fan Tutte at Lincoln Center.

Anna is also a flexibility coach, an FRC mobility specialist and a health coach. She is passionate about helping her clients live their healthiest most functionally fit lives.

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Theme Music: Sound Gallery by Dmitry Taras.

Lisa Levy is a true artist - comedienne, provocateur, and self-proclaimed therapist. She’s been covered (and uncovered) in print, film, and TV and curates her own gallery show. On this episode we explore artists’ vulnerabilities, comedy, The Doghouse Gallery, and Psychotherapy Live. https://www.lisalevyindustries.com/

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Lisa Levy is a conceptual artist, performer and (self-proclaimed) psychotherapist. Her art has been exhibited at art fairs, galleries and museums such as The New Museum, The Bronx Museum, SPRING/BREAK Art Fair, The Pulse Art Fair, The Brooklyn Academy of Music. Levy’s work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, The London Times, Artnet and Hyperallergic.

She hosts a weekly radio show: “Dr. Lisa Gives a Sh!t” where she conducts funny, emotionally revealing “psychotherapy sessions” with creative guests. ArtVoices Books released a monograph of her “The Thoughts in My Head” text paintings this year in January. Her website is: https://www.lisalevyindustries.com/ And on instagram @drlisalevysp @lisalevy_artwork

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George Caldwell is a pianist, arranger, composer, conductor, and actor who has performed with all the greats from Dizzy Gillespie to Savion Glover, and Ruth Brown to Quincy Jones. On this episode we get into how music vibrations trigger out-of-body experiences, the bridge between classical and jazz musicians, plus generous samples of George’s gorgeous compositions. https://www.george-caldwell.com/bio.html

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Ben Model is a musician, historian, publisher, teacher and presenter of silent film. He creates and performs live music on both piano and organ at MOMA and the Library of Congress’ Packard Campus Theater. On this episode we uncover the tricks of undercranking, explore the delicate balance on playing for silent film, and how the pandemic shaped the online theatrical world. silentfilmmusic.com

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Ben Model is one of the nation’s leading silent film accompanists, performing on both piano and theatre organ. Over the past 43 years, he has created and performed thousands of live scores for silent films at universities, museums, and historic theaters, and is one of the few exponents of this craft who is working at it full-time. Ben is a resident film accompanist at the Museum of Modern Art (NY) and at the Library of Congress’ Packard Campus Theatre, and he accompanies silents at classic film festivals around the USA and internationally.

Ben’s Blu-ray label “Undercrank Productions” works with film archives and collectors to bring undiscovered gems of silent cinema to fans. Ben is a Visiting Professor of Film at Wesleyan University, and is the archivist for the Ernie Kovacs Television Collection. His book “The Silent Film Universe” will be published in 2025.

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Tiffiney Davis is the powerhouse co-founder of Red Hook Art Project (RHAP) which provides free, high-quality art programs to local youth. She is also the inspiration (and voice) behind the dance film, “I Am Not Ok.” On this episode we talk about her journey through the New York shelter system, discovering the arts, and her mission to change the lives of young people. https://www.redhookartproject.org/

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Tiffiney Davis, a resilient Black female community leader, co-founded Red Hook Art Project in 2009 with a vision to provide her artistically gifted children and others in underserved communities with opportunities for growth. Today, as Executive Director, she leads RHAP's efforts to empower students through free art and mental wellness programming, fostering a safe and inclusive space where they can thrive. Her ability to unite the community has been pivotal in RHAP's success, securing $1 million in federal funding through partnerships with 11 local organizations and advocacy efforts, enabling the expansion of programming and establishment of a dedicated studio space. This collaborative approach has been instrumental in addressing community needs, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

At RHAP, they prioritize holistic education, offering free homework help, visual art lessons, and music lessons that foster skills in leadership, teamwork, and social justice. This integrated approach prepares students for success academically, artistically, and personally. In response to the pandemic, she successfully transitioned RHAP to a virtual setting, hosting over 100 classes and providing meals to address food insecurity. Recognized with awards like the 2023 Woman of Distinction Award, her commitment to the community highlights dedication to arts education, community development, and civic engagement. Featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show as a “RAD HUMAN,” she advocates for the transformative power of the arts and creating inclusive spaces where every child can thrive, emphasizing the importance of breaking barriers and fostering community for all individuals to reach their full potential.

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Steve Conte is the consummate musician - guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and teacher. He's toured the world, while playing and writing with some of the most iconic rock stars. On this episode we talk about the making of his record “The Concrete Jangle," how he coaxed Andy Partridge into writing with him, and how we each have six degrees of separation with the Beatles. https://stevecontemusic.com/

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New York native Steve Conte, has been a force in the music industry since his band Company Of Wolves debuted on Mercury Records in 1990. He's sidestepped the mainstream by collaborating with iconic acts like New York Dolls, Willy DeVille, Robert Gordon and Michael Monroe, showcasing his exceptional guitar skills, vocals, and songwriting on albums and tours.

Signed with Little Steven Van Zandt’s label, Wicked Cool Records, Steve's solo work has been heavily featured on The Underground Garage radio program and on numerous indie stations worldwide.

His 2024 album, "The Concrete Jangle" boasts collaborations with his songwriting hero, Andy Partridge of XTC, with a groove by drummer Prairie Prince of The Tubes, Todd Rundgren & XTC.

Refusing to be boxed into a single genre, Steve's sound melds Rock 'n Roll, American Soul, Brit-Pop, and Punk. He draws inspiration from diverse icons like David Bowie, Prince and The Beatles, believing in breaking the mold with each record.

Growing up in a musical family (his mother, a professional jazz singer) Steve supported himself through music school by painting houses - and hasn’t worked at anything but music ever since.

His versatile musicianship led him to collaborate with legends such as Chuck Berry, Paul Simon, and Eric Burdon, and he's notably contributed to soundtracks for anime series like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost In The Shell, and video games like Sonic and Yakuza.

Steve has toured the USA and Europe extensively and has a brand new band ready to hit the road in 2025!

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We're taking a break for the holidays and want to wish you all a very happy New Year. We'll be back next week with a new episode.

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Produced and Edited by Arts and Craft.
Theme Music: Sound Gallery by Dmitry Taras.