Empowered Artist Collective Podcast - for actors, singers, dancers, writers, creators and performers

What does the ecosystem of a casting office and career look like? In this episode of our Casting Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with casting director and co-owner of the TRC Company, Claire Burke. Claire shares her journey from intern to co-owner, offering a glimpse into the intricate workings of a casting office. She emphasizes the need to balance artistic intuition with analytical skills for her job, the importance of reading the room during auditions for performers, and never underestimating a specific submission or attending an EPA. Together, they discuss maintaining a website to enhance visibility, embracing elements out of one's control, and insights for aspiring casting directors on breaking into the industry. Whether you're an actor seeking to better understand the role of a casting director or someone interested in becoming one, this episode sheds light on the ins and outs of the casting world. 

About Claire: Claire Burke is an owner and Casting Director at The TRC Company, (formerly Tara Rubin Casting). Claire began working with Tara Rubin in 2013 as a casting associate on Andrew Lloyd Webbers's SCHOOL OF ROCK. Other favorite projects include A BRONX TALE, KPOP, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, BACK TO THE FUTURE, LES MISERABLES (National Tour), and the upcoming National Tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. She has cast for Yale Repertory Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, The Alliance Theatre, and The Old Globe. The TRC Company's currently running projects include ALADDIN, SIX, THE OUTSIDERS, DEATH BECOMES HER, and BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB.

Claire's IG: @clairelouisewb

The TRC Company's IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thetrccompany

The TRC Company's Website: thetrccompany.com

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How do you honor your creative timing in a culture that often has other priorities? In this episode of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with playwright and actor, Ngozi Anyanwu, for a conversation about claiming your artistic voice, holding your ground in the industry, and creating work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Ngozi shares how her background as a performer informs her playwriting, why specificity in storytelling leads to greater connection, and practices for protecting and honoring your process. Together, they explore how to write without feeling boxed in, how to build a creative ecosystem that supports you both artistically and financially, and why a community of trusted collaborators, champions, and truth-tellers is essential to longevity. Whether you’re a playwright shaping your first draft or an artist ready to expand your body of work, this conversation is a reminder to stay true to your voice, honor the stories only you can tell, and trust that your truth has a place on stage.

About Ngozi: Ngozi Anyanwu is a multi hyphenated storyteller most recently seen performing in Nathan Alan Davis‘s THE REFUGE PLAYS at Roundabout Theatre with New Theatre workshop in 2023. Her upcoming play THE MONSTERS will make its world premiere at Two River Theater coproduced with Manhattan Theater Club in the 25/26 seasonin which she’ll also direct. Her most recent play LEROY and LUCY premiered at Steppenwolfe Theater in this past fall of 2024. She’s a 2020 Steinberg Playwright Award winner.. Previous productions include LAST OF THE LOVE LETTERS at the Atlantic Theater Company, GOOD GRIEF (Vineyard Theatre NYtime’s Critic’s pick in NYC / Center Theatre Group in LA) and THE HOMECOMING QUEEN (sold-out world premiere run and a NYtimes’s Critic’s pick at the Atlantic Theatre). GOOD GRIEF was on the Kilroys List 2016 and a semi finalist for the Princess Grace Award, and won the Humanitas Award. THE HOMECOMING QUEEN was on the Kilroys List 2017 and was a Leah Ryan Finalist. Her play NIKE… (Kilroys List 2017) was workshopped at The New Black Fest in conjunction with The Lark and The Strand Festival in conjunction with A.C.T and Space on Ryder Farm and New York Stage and Film. Ngozi also has been commissioned by NYU, The Old Globe, Two Rivers Theatre, The Atlantic Theatre, and Steppenwolf. Anyanwu has also received residencies from LCT3, Space on Ryder Farm, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, The New Harmony Project, New York Stage and Film and Page 73. She attended Point Park University (BA) and received her MFA in Acting from University of California, San Diego.

Ngozi's IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gozeface

The Monsters - Two River Theater

The Monsters - Manhattan Theatre Club

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How can performers turn the audition process into a collaborative partnership? In our first episode of our Casting Director Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with casting director Sujotta Pace to pull back the curtain on the casting process and reframe how actors see the people on the other side of the table. A former actor herself, Sujotta shares how she collaborates with directors and creative teams to clarify vision, why preparation and bold choices matter more than perfection, and how to “book the room” even if you don’t book the role. She offers tips for self-tapes, reaching out when a project aligns with your strengths, using your emotions to bring truth to your work, and demystifying the many factors that go into casting decisions. Together, they reframe an audition as an invitation, unpack casting directors as the actors’ advocate, and give tips for ways to enter the field of casting. This conversation is a powerful reminder that casting is more about partnership, collaboration, and the shared goal of bringing great stories to life.

About Sujotta: Sujotta Pace, C.S.A. (She/Her) is a freelance Casting Professional specializing in short films, new media content, podcasts, and plays (in New York and regionally). She is a Casting associate on the Roundabout Theatre Company/C12 Casting team (Broadway, Off-Broadway) and serves on the Board of Directors of the Casting Society, as well as a member of Theatre Producers of Color. Select casting director credits include the world premieres of Cats: The Jellicle Ball (Perelman Performing Arts Center) and Bad Kreyol (Signature Theatre Company). As an associate, she has contributed to &Juliet (Broadway), Home (Broadway), Yellow Face (Broadway), Tammy Faye: A New Broadway Musical (Broadway), Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical (Broadway) and the world premiere of Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical (Regional). Sujotta is committed to fostering brave, creative, and collaborative spaces. With over 20 years in the entertainment industry, her passion for actors and casting is reflected in her thoughtful, intentional approach and the material she chooses to champion.

Sujotta's IG: ⁠@sujotta

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What does it look like to lead a major cultural institution with courage, care & a commitment to transformation? In this episode of our Artistic Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with director, writer, community organizer & Artistic Director of New York Theatre Workshop, Patricia McGregor, about how her full identity shapes her leadership. She shares how she curates using a funnel model rooted in collaboration & grounds her programming in rigor, risk & relevance. From building an “artistic compass” to reframing fundraising as a meaningful invitation, they also discuss burnout, tools for leading with purpose while centering people & why leadership isn’t about holding power, but holding space. Whether you’re stepping into leadership, shaping your practice, or dreaming of systemic change, this episode offers grounded inspiration & tools to lead artfully & live your values out loud.

About Patricia: Born in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Patricia McGregor (she/her) is the Artistic Director of New York Theatre Workshop. Throughout her tenure at NYTW, she has championed visionary artists, producing five world premieres & countless workshop sharings. She secured key funding to innovate community engagement & education programs. Centering virtuosity & accessibility, Patricia has renewed NYTW's standing as a place of belonging for adventurous artists & audiences alike. A renowned director & writer working in theatre, film, dance & music, she has twice been profiled by The New York Times for her direction of world premieres. Her productions include The Refuge Plays (Roundabout Theatre Company, NYTW); The Last of the Love Letters (Atlantic Theater Company); Ugly Lies the Bone (Roundabout Theatre Company); Blood Dazzler (Harlem Stage); Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole (co-writer/director; Geffen Playhouse, People’s Light, upcoming NYTW); Sisters in Law (Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts); Shakespeare: Call and Response, Krapp’s Last Tape, What You Are, A Midsummer Night’s Dream & Measure for Measure (The Old Globe); Skeleton Crew (Geffen Playhouse); Good Grief (Center Theatre Group); Hamlet (The Public Theater); Place (BAM); The Parchman Hour (Guthrie Theater); brownsville song (Lincoln Center Theater); Indomitable: James Brown (Apollo Theater); Holding It Down (The Met); A Raisin in the Sun, The Winter’s Tale & Spunk (California Shakespeare Theater); Adoration of the Old Woman (INTAR Theatre); Four Electric Ghosts (The Kitchen); & the world premiere of Hurt Village (Signature Theatre Company). McGregor also served as a director for HBO’s emerging writer’s showcase & as tour consultant to Raphael Saadiq & J. Cole. She was associate director of Fela! on Broadway & directed The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway for many years. She co-founded Angela’s Pulse with her sister, choreographer & organizer Paloma McGregor. McGregor attended SMU, where she was a Presidential Scholar, & the Yale School of Drama, where she was a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow & artistic director of Yale Cabaret.

Patricia's IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@patriciamcgregor⁠

NYTW ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nytw79⁠ & ⁠nytw.org⁠

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How can you choose repertoire that reflects who you are, not how others define you or what others expect of you? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with voice teacher, pedagogue, and researcher Mariana Elosúa Serna to explore culturally responsive teaching and how identity, culture, and personal experience can shape a more empowering approach to choosing material. Drawing from her thesis work and her “Four Pillars of Repertoire” framework – Culturally Non-Specific, Culturally Representative, Culturally Stereotypical, and Culturally Sensitive — Mariana offers practical tools for teachers and students alike, from thoughtful intake forms that center the student’s experience & interests, to strategies like student veto power and collaborative rep selection. Whether you're a performer or educator, this conversation invites you to choose material that aligns with how you see yourself, not how others define you, as that is an extension of your voice, your values, and your story.

About Mariana: Mariana Elosúa Serna is a voice teacher, pedagogue, and researcher from Monterrey, Mexico, focused on creating an inclusive and culturally aware learning environment for her students. With a Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theater Vocal Pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mariana combines cultural awareness with vocal artistry in her teaching and research. Her work, which explores Latinx singers and musical theater repertoire, has been shared at major conferences in the field. As an educator, Mariana creates a supportive space where students can grow as both singers and individuals, helping them embrace their unique musical voices with confidence and care.

Mariana's IG: ⁠@marianaelosua

Mariana's Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtu.be/OYElQfAMhU8

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What kind of work emerges when you write from curiosity, not expectation? In this episode, as part of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with playwright and screenwriter Keiko Green to explore how emotional intelligence, actor instincts, and a healthy disregard for traditional rules have shaped her distinctive writing career. Keiko shares how she began writing roles for herself as an actor, which quickly transformed into writing pieces for others with character-driven, genre-fluid material that often break writing norms & expectations. Keiko offers practical tools like writing in 4-hour blocks, using the “but and therefore” method to keep characters active, her decision to go to grad school, and how she advocates for herself. Together they talk about building relationships, the importance of self-produced work, and writing material that showcases humanity, centers collaboration, and makes room for joy. This episode invites you to embrace the mess, trust the process, and create the story only you are meant to tell.

About Keiko: Keiko Green (she/her) is a playwright, TV writer, and performer based in Los Angeles. Plays include: You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! (South Coast Rep; Oregon Shakespeare Festival - Upcoming), Empty Ride (Old Globe), Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play (Old Globe; SF Playhouse; Porkfilled Productions - Upcoming), Hells Canyon (Theater Mu; WET - upcoming), The Bed Trick (Seattle Shakespeare Co; Artists Repertory Theatre - Upcoming), Sharon (Cygnet Theatre), and Hometown Boy (Actors Express; Seattle Public Theater). Her plays have been developed at the Kennedy Center, the National New Play Network, Playwrights Realm, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company, and twice by the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference. Awards/Honors: Susan Blackburn Prize Finalist, Kilroys Web, San Diego Critics Circle Award(Outstanding New Play), Gregory Award (Outstanding New Play). She holds commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club/Sloan Foundation, and the Kennedy Center/Seattle Children's Theatre. Current/Past Affiliations: Old Globe Resident Artist, CTG Writers Workshop, Geffen Writers Group, Chance Resident Playwright, Theater Mu's Mu Tang Clan, Seattle Rep Resident Writers Group, former ACT Core Company Member. As a screenwriter, she wrote on Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown” and AppleTV's upcoming "Margo's Got Money Troubles." As an actor, she has performed at theaters nationwide and originated the role of Connie in Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap at the Denver Center and Seattle Rep. BFA: NYU Drama - Experimental Theatre Wing, MFA: UCSD Playwriting.

Keiko's IG: @keikothegreen

Keiko's Website: ⁠⁠www.keikogreen.com

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How can artists and creatives enhance their online presence, visibility, and income using SEO? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Tonya Lawson, a classically trained clarinetist and SEO specialist, to break down exactly how folks can use search engine optimization to grow their online presence and monetize their work. Tonya breaks down the basic concepts of SEO, offers practical advice on optimizing websites and social media, and explains how creatives can use these tools to attract new clients, gain exposure, and monetize their online platforms. Whether you're a performer wanting more eyes on your work, a coach or teacher looking to build clientele, or a multi-hyphenate creative aiming to make your online presence actually work for you, this episode is packed with tactical tools, creative hacks, and empowering mindset shifts to help you make SEO your friend.

About Tonya: Dr. Tonya Lawson is a musician, blogger, and passive income specialist whose mission is to empower creatives to build out passive income streams so they have the financial freedom to live the life they want to live. She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who currently runs a private studio of over 50 students, has 3 blogs, a coaching business, a membership, multiple courses, and teaches at Middle Tennessee State University.  When not working, Dr. Lawson enjoys gardening, running, reading, cuddling with her cat Dot and playing with her dog Buster.

Tonya's IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@dr.tonyalawson

Tonya's Website: ⁠tonyalawson.com

Tonya's YouTube: ⁠@dr.tonyalawson

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What role does projection, video, and media design play in shaping a theatrical production? In this episode, Jennifer chats with Tony Award winning projection and video designer Hana S. Kim who invites us into her world where ideas transform into powerful visual landscapes on stage. From her roots in graphic design in Seoul to designing for Broadway in productions like Redwood, Real Women Have Curves, and The Outsiders, Hana shares how her creative process always starts and breaks down how she builds visual language from emotional concepts, mood boards, and textures before layering in technical tools. She explains how each production is unique, and how her work blends into the overall storytelling alongside lighting, scenic, and sound designers.

About Hana: Hana S. Kim is an immersive media designer and a visual artist for live performances with experience across film and public art from Seoul, South Korea. Her theatrical design work has been seen on across the country and internationally. Her art installations have been shown at the Annenberg Space of Photography in LA, Jordan Downs Recreation Center, Occidental College and Baryshnikov Arts Center in NY.
Hana is a recipient of the Tony Awards, the Princess Grace Awards in Theater Design, Richard Sherwood Award from CTG, and Kinetic Lighting Award for distinguished achievement in theatrical design from LA Drama Critics Circle. She was nominated for Lucille Lortel Awards for her work on The Visitor at the Public Theater. Her designs have been recognized by the Helen Hayes Award, Stage Raw Awards, StageSceneLA Awards and Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Awards. She is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. Recent credits include Redwood, Real Women Have Curves, and The Outsiders on Broadway, Orfeo at the Santa Fe Opera, Sumo and The Harder They Come at the Public Theater. She received BFA in visual communication at Seoul National University in South Korea and MFA at University of California, Los Angeles.

Hana's IG: ⁠@hana.s.kim

Hana's Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hananow.com/

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How can curiosity become a roadmap for directing meaningful, human-centered theater? In this episode, as part of our Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with director and dramaturg Amy Marie Seidel, who shares her approach where sound, scent, light, language, and presence all carry weight. Amy talks about her relationship with Tectonic Theater Company, being mentored by Moisés Kaufman, and her experience with Here There Are Blueberries and Machinal. She offers a powerful reminder of the importance of following artistic curiosity without judgment, creating space for rehearsal room humanity, trusting the brilliance of your collaborators, and embracing the flexibility of creating in real time. Together, they reflect on the power of letting go of rigid expectations because the more forms we allow ourselves to explore, the more layered and resonant our work becomes. This episode is a reminder that directing isn’t about control, but rather about connection, listening, and staying awake to the magic unfolding before you.

About Amy: Amy Marie Seidel (she.her.hers) is a NYC-based theater maker who has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally. She is a company member at Tectonic Theater Project, where she has developed numerous plays, including Here There Are Blueberries, a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist recently produced at New York Theatre Workshop, and Seven Deadly Sins, which won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. She has brought two major musicals to Broadway as part of team directing: Paradise Square (10 Tony Noms) and The Great Gatsby (1 Tony Win), and she is currently developing a new biographical play centering Billie Jean King. As director, Amy is developing multiple new plays, including All The Frozen Ones by Stella Ferra (Starring Robert Sean Leonard), A Clean Slate by Jack Saleeby, and Falling Forward, a new musical by Karl Amundson and Emily Fink (2024 NAMT Recommended Musical).

Amy's IG: ⁠⁠⁠@AmyMarieSeidel

Amy's website: ⁠www.amymarieseidel.com

Machinal Info: www.machinaltheplay.com

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How can one lead a theater artistically, logistically, and sustainably, all with deep humanity? In this episode of our Artistic Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with Maria Manuela Goyanes, current Artistic Director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre and incoming Artistic Director of LCT3 at Lincoln Center, for an honest conversation about what it takes to run a cultural institution with integrity. Maria offers wisdom on assessing risk in today’s theater ecology, why comedy and community are essential “tentpoles” for new audiences, and how she reframes leadership as a form of abundance, not scarcity. Together, they discuss how to build meaningful community engagement, reimagine institutional “best practices,” develop sustainable career pipelines, and say yes to bold, risky theater that centers innovation and joy. This episode reminds us that there is no one model of leadership and that the most revolutionary thing you can do is bring your full, human self to the table.

About Maria Manuela: MARIA MANUELA GOYANES (she/her) is currently the Artistic Director of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. She will assume the role of Artistic Director of LCT3 and Producer of Lincoln Center in NYC this fall. Prior to joining Woolly, she served as the Director of Producing and Artistic Planning at The Public Theater,  working on plays and musicals like HAMILTON by Lin-Manuel Miranda, PASSING STRANGE by Heidi Rodewald and Stew, and HERE LIES LOVE by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, to name a few.  While at The Public, Maria also held a position on the adjunct faculty of Juilliard and curated the junior year curriculum of the Playwrights Horizons Theater School at NYU. She has guest lectured at Bard College, Barnard College, Brown University, Columbia University, Juilliard, the National Theater Institute at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, UCSD, the University of Texas-Austin, and Yale University, among others. From 2004 to 2012, Maria was the Executive Producer of 13P, one of her proudest achievements. Maria is a first-generation Latinx- American, born to parents who emigrated from the Dominican Republic and Spain. She was raised in Jamaica, Queens, and has a collection of hoop earrings to prove it. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in 2001 from Brown University.

Maria Manuela's IG: ⁠⁠@MariaGoyanes

Maria Manuela's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maria-manuela-goyanes

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