Revisiting another Oldie-But-Goodie this week while we're recording new episodes at the Comic Con Museum in San Diego!! More to come soon!!

Our dear friend Craig Thomas, working at the highest levels of network television, is proof positive that mentorship doesn't end at graduation. Craig is the co-creator of CBS's smash sitcom HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, which received 30 Emmy Award nominations in its nine-season run. His prose has been published in The Iowa Review, The Boston Globe, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and the Weekly Humorist. In this episode, he joins us in conversation with Rob Greenberg, who, as a writer/producer on FRASIER, won three Emmys, and a Writers Guild Award. Rob was an executive producer for the pilot of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, where he remained as consulting producer -- and mentor to Craig and co-creator Carter Bays -- for the show's first six years. At the time of this recording, he and his partner, Bob Fisher, are writing, directing and producing the second season of ANIMAL CONTROL for Fox.

The Zuckerman sisters have been partners-in-crime their whole lives. From the time they bought a secret TV to watch Twin Peaks without their parents knowing to their collaboration as showrunners of the Peacock hit show Poker Face, Lila and Nora Zuckerman are powerhouse women together and as solo acts. The hour we got to spend with them was pure delight - 10 out of 10, no notes!

We’re welcoming you back to new episodes with a bang! Lili-Ann Brown is one of the leaders of American regional theatre, directing all over the country from Chicago’s Goodman Theatre to the New York City Center Stages. We hosted an amazing conversation between emerging superstar director Nadia Guevara and Lili-Ann, two powerhouse women who explore everything from the crucial role of social capital in art-making to why making animal sounds is the secret to success. Cock-a-doodle-doo y’all!

One more from the vault! This one is producer Doug's favorite Season 1 episode.

Bill Strickland is the founder of Manchester Craftmen’s Guild and Bidwell Corporation. He's also a MacArthur Fellow. Sharif Bey is an artist and professor, whose work is focused on the visual heritage of Africa, Oceana, and contemporary African American Culture. He's also the winner of The United States Artist fellowship. Bey got his start at Strickland’s Craftman’s Guild, and counts Strickland as one of his earlier and most influential mentors. These two master ceramicists join together for a wide-ranging discussion on the beauty of clay, the value of mentorship, and the power of art to “heal cancer of the human spirit.”

This week we're bringing back another episode from the vault for some of our new listeners!

On this episode, we talk to an Emmy-award winning writer from “The Daily Show.” We talk to a writer from “How I Met Your Mother,” one from “Parks and Recreation,” one from “Veep,” and one from the deeply under appreciated “Bored to Death.” We also reconnect with a friend from our high school with the singing voice of an angel.

And what do you know... It’s all the same person!

We are thrilled to introduce you to the brilliant Rachel Axler, who has brought along her teacher from her days at Williams College, award-winning author, Jim Shepard.

Part 5 of our ongoing mini-series "Erica & Alek Chats," where our hosts take a deep dive into a specific aspect of arts learning-and-teaching from Erica's book, How the Arts Can Save Education.

On this episode we celebrate all things Midwest with Chicago-based actor and comedian Mizha Lee Overn and her mentor, Milwaukee Repretory Theatre’s Director of Training, Jeff Mosser. Mizha’s experiences at Milwaukee Rep launched her into a successful professional life as an actor – join us to hear how that happened and celebrate the power of the understudy/overstudy as a mentorship relationship that’s crucial for young artists! 

One of our favorites from the archive... The incomparable Cecily Strong!! Fresh off her search for signs of intelligent life, soon to once again be live from New York, Cecily sits in conversation with Mary Lou Rosato, her CalArts acting teacher – the kind of acting teacher every artist dreams of having. As they talk sonnets, Lady Macbeth, and sketch comedy, you'll be very glad we started this conversation with her at our party.

Ever wonder how musicians who don’t go to music school learn to play?

Professor of video games and informatics Kurt Squire gives us the gift of his mentor, the greatest living harmonica player Mickey Raphael and their virtual mentorship relationship. You will not want to miss hearing how Mickey has played with everyone from Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson to U2 and Snoop Dogg, and how he has taught everyone from our friend Kurt to greats like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan! For real!

Music director, composer, and virtuoso pianist Dan Lipton has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, on Live with Kelly Ripa, The Today Show, PBS Great Performances, Late Show with David Letterman, and with major symphony orchestras across the country. He has also been in my life since we were 13. He even wrote the music to this podcast. So the thrill of hearing him talk with his musical mentor, Gena Raps is an episode you won’t want to miss.

And the Easter egg? We've got archival audio of a high-school-age Dan Lipton playing Rhapsody in Blue! It's the best!