American Masters: Creative Spark

Actor Michael Urie is a breath of fresh air. He talks to us about his journey in acting from the suburbs of Dallas, Texas to the Broadway stage. It was an unlikely path filled with generous doses of hard work, talent and passion. Urie explains how he first fell in love with musical comedies and how it changed everything for him. Even if you’ve never been a fan of the genre before, his love for it is truly infectious.

In this episode, Michael Urie breaks down his creative process behind his performance as Prince Dauntless in the Broadway revival of “Once Upon a Mattress.” He explains how his training at Juilliard prepared him for the physical demands of theater and how acting for musicals can be a truly “athletic” endeavor. He shares how early experiences seeing performances from stars like Jerry Lewis, Michael Keaton and Tommy Tune sparked his creative journey.

You can see Michael Urie now through November 30th in “Once Upon a Mattress” on Broadway. He is also in the newest season of the Apple TV+ show, “Shrinking.”

Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst talks to us about the joy of making music. He describes his music and artistic mission as both a “release of negative feelings” and “a way to rejoice.” With their new album, “Five Dice, All Threes,” Oberst’s work with his band Bright Eyes is as emotionally expressive as ever. He breaks down the collaborative process behind that record and the joy it brings to simply have fun making art with friends.

In this episode, we also learn about Conor Oberst’s history as a prodigy of the indie music scene. He has been making music since he was 13 years old and first catapulted to international recognition as a teenager through his work with Bright Eyes. Talking to us from his hometown in Omaha, Nebraska, Oberst describes coming of age in a regional music scene that made room for all genres of music. That freeform environment laid the groundwork for bands like The Faint, Cursive and Bright Eyes to blossom together in the 1990s. It’s a communal spirit that is still central to Conor Oberst’s creative process to this day.

Writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner jokes that “family is a chronic condition,” but eventually, we all figure out that we are lucky to have it. She talks to us about this theme in her newest novel and its sprawling exploration of how a Jewish family from Long Island contends with their own intense intergenerational trauma by simply surviving together. It’s called “Long Island Compromise,” and despite the heavy elevator pitch, it is a biting satire with a lot of laughs, too.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner previously wrote “Fleishman is in Trouble,” which became a hit TV series starring Jesse Eisenberg. She is also a staff writer at The New York Times, where she is known for covering high-profile figures like Tom Hanks, Gwyneth Paltrow, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper.

In this episode, we learn about Brodesser-Akner’s creative process, how she developed a minimalist approach to interviewing celebrities, her circuitous journey toward writing her first two novels, and why she thinks it’s quite alright to write about trauma because we all live with it in one way or another.

Actor Minnie Driver talks to us about how she took on the role of one of the most powerful women in history. In the Starz series, “The Serpent Queen,” she plays Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned over England and Ireland for nearly 45 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. It’s a role that demands a larger than life presence, and Driver explains how she brought her own physicality to the part and also a sense of humor to add new dimensions to the iconic figure. She talks about the joy of acting in period pieces, and reminds us to “never underestimate the power of dressing up,” even if the corset can be a little too tight at times.

In this episode, we also learn about Minnie Driver’s upbringing and the unique educational path that led her to become a multi-hyphenate actor, writer, singer-songwriter and podcaster. Driver describes the profound impact that reading and performing Shakespeare had on her in her youth. She explains the creative process that was instilled in her at this age that led her towards an eventual Oscar nomination for her work in “Good Will Hunting,” and further commercial and critical success in projects like “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “The Riches,” and “Will & Grace.”

Annie Baker talks to us about her directorial debut, “Janet Planet.” Her film explores the intimate relationship between a single mother and her daughter told over a long and hot summer break in Western Massachusetts. Baker shares her “intuitive” approach to making the film and the ways in which her work defies easy categorization. She also talks about what she strives for when she’s writing, the “trippy” power of nature sounds, and the “whole point of making art.” We even have a brief lesson in etymology.

Annie Baker is best known for influencing a generation of theater-goers with her work as a playwright. Her plays are often recognized for their rich, layered dialogue delivered with deliberate pacing and loads of subtext. In 2014, she won the Pulitzer Prize for her play, “The Flick,” and in the decade since, she has written “John” (2015), “The Antipodes” (2017), and “Infinite Life” (2023).

You can get tickets or stream “Janet Planet” here: https://a24films.com/films/janet-planet

Singer-songwriter Jewel talks to us about her love of learning and the joy of making art across multiple disciplines. She recounts her journey navigating a traumatic childhood and channeling its challenges into better understanding herself. She reminds us that “trauma does change us, but we get to choose how it changes us.”

Jewel talks about how the internet gives “power to the creator” and the importance of her having a direct relationship to her community and listeners. She describes a “sacred contract between the art and the participant” and shares memories of when her music has created powerful connections.

Then, she breaks down her creative process behind her recent art exhibit at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It’s called “The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel.” Jewel tells us how she created the show as a way to merge her interests in music, visual arts and behavioral health. She describes curating a collection of fine art, including pieces by artists like Mickalene Thomas, Ruth Asawa, and Genesis Tramaine, among others. She also describes producing her own works for the show, including a hologram, a painting, a sculpture, and even a 200-piece drone show.

You can learn more about “The Portal: An Art Experience” here: https://crystalbridges.org/news-room/jewel-presents-immersive-art-experience-at-crystal-bridges-museum-of-american-art/

Joseph Gordon-Levitt talks to us about the vast “spectrum of realism” in his line of work. He might be one of the most adaptable actors working today. Whether it’s the recently released Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Lincoln, 3rd Rock From the Sun, The Dark Knight Rises, Mysterious Skin, 500 Days of Summer, or one of the dozens of other projects he’s starred in, Gordon-Levitt really shows his range. 

In this episode, Joseph Gordon-Levitt unpacks his creative approach to building characters and fitting the mold of the genre he’s working in. He goes deep on some of his most iconic performances and talks about working opposite a wide range of acting styles, from the talents of Eddie Murphy to Daniel Day-Lewis.

We're back! Our first new episode drops Thursday, July 25th, and every other Thursday after that. First up: Joseph Gordon-Levitt talks with us about his creative process as an actor who is able to mold himself to any and all film genres, including this month's new film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

How do the world’s finest artists – from actors to musicians and beyond – create work that moves audiences? What challenges do they overcome in their creative process? American Masters: Creative Spark explores what makes a master by interviewing artists and cultural icons from the worlds of music, comedy, poetry, film, and more about their work.

Featured guests this season include actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, singer-songwriter Jewel, playwright turned filmmaker Annie Baker, singer-songwriter Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, and more.

We’re sharing a bonus episode from our friends at The Plot Thickens, a podcast from TCM about movies and the people who make them. Their new season is all about John Ford, the most influential filmmaker in cinema history. In this episode, we’re exploring Ford’s early days, when he rose to fame by being one of the most reckless, independent directors in Hollywood.

Novelist Ling Ma doesn’t shy away from taking risks with her writing. Her 2018 debut novel, “Severance,” is an apocalyptic satire that won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction and squarely put her on the map as an exciting, off-beat new writer. 

With her newest collection, “Bliss Montage,” Ma has turned her attention to the short story format. The collection is described as “eight wildly different tales of people making their way through the madness and reality of our collective delusions: love and loneliness, connection and possession, friendship, motherhood, the idea of home.”

In this episode, Ling Ma breaks down her creative process and inspiration behind “Peking Duck,” a short story from the collection. She details how she attempted to complicate and “implode” the immigrant narrative through her unique approach to this mother-daughter story.

After listening to the episode, you can read “Peking Duck” here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/11/peking-duck