My Job is to Play - Women in Television (Conversations on Creativity with Erin Mallon)

Today we're talking to the incredible Celeste Lecesne. Celeste wrote the short film Trevor, which won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. He is co-founder of The Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention Lifeline for LGBT and Questioning youth and also the co-founder of The Future Perfect, a national arts initiative dedicated to amplifying the creative voices of LGBTQ+ youth. In 2023 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his work. I absolutely loved spending time with Celeste and feel like I have a new friend. My guess is you'll feel that way by the end of the discussion too, so let's get to it. Here is the wonderful... Celeste Lecesne.

Today's guest is Hannah Ball, otherwise known as The Huggable Healer. Hannah is an Evidential Medium and Intuitive Counselor. This podcast focuses on flow. That moment-to-moment connection and presence and play that is behind all great work and art. Hannah's ability to connect to that flow is brilliant. She just so happens to use it to connect with spirit, aka our loved ones who have passed. I was so excited to spend time with Hannah, that I couldn't bear to reschedule our interview even when I was rocked with some serious laryngitis. So I hope you'll forgive my rasps and squeaks as we dive deep into Hannah's fascinating work. 

Today we have the wonderful Kate Yeager on the podcast. Kate is a brilliant singer and songwriter. How's this for a pull-quote: "If a HAIM and Kelly Clarkson had a baby then Kate is your bread and butter, honey." I stumbled upon Kate and her music on social media this year along with thousands and thousands of other listeners, and I'm so glad I did. This conversation delighted the hell out of me. I always come prepared for these interviews with lots of questions, particularly when I'm meeting someone for the first time. With Kate, I barely asked any of them because the conversation 100% took care of itself. Kate is funny, kind and smart-as-hell, and I'm looking forward to following her career as she keeps moving forward. Oh, and be sure to stick around til the very end because Kate shared a song with us and it's a must listen. 

Today we have the awesome Bixby Elliot on the podcast. Bixby is a queer writer for tv, film and theater. He's an award-winning playwright who's been produced in New York, London, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Edinburgh and more. Bixby’s short film AQUAMARINE has been in over 20 festivals and won multiple awards including; Best Short, Best Director and Best Screenplay. This incredible guy and I go way back, and I'm constantly looking for ways we can collaborate because I love him and his work that much. Whenever I talk life and shop with Bixby it's guaranteed there will be a lot of laughs and at least three cries. This conversation is no exception. 

Today we have the great Tanya Eby on the podcast. Tanya is an award-winning audiobook narrator of over 1000 titles. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a poignant blogger and a wonderful casting director. Her latest book is called The Tuesday Girl: A Memoir.  Reviewers are calling The Tuesday Girl  "raw and triumphant," "stunning" and "beautiful." It's available in ebook, paperback and in audio narrated by Tanya herself. Tanya is someone I really admire so I was psyched to have the opportunity to talk to her about her process and how she finds creative joy. 

Today we're talking to Delvene Pitt! Delvene is a vibrant and versatile multidisciplinary artist. She's a storyteller, an actor, and the brilliant mind behind Little Crowns Storyhouse and Little Crowns TV. She’s worked as an assistant producer at BBC Children’s, collaborated with Three Stones Media on a new children’s series, and has even worked  for Penguin Books' beloved Peppa Pig series. We went deep into the world of puppetry in this chat. You'll likely hear by the giddiness in my voice how fascinated I am by the worlds she creates. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.

Today we're talking to Bernardo Cubría, Bernardo is a Mexican playwright and screenwriter who lives and works in Los Angeles. He also happens to be one of my dear friends and someone I admire very much. He recently finished working on the second season of Aculpulco for Apple TV + and the amount of film projects he has in development  would make your head spin. With all the huge strides he's making in film and TV Bernardo always keeps his heart rooted in the theater. Some of his plays include: The Giant Void in My Soul, Crabs in a Bucket, The Play You Want, and The Judgment of Fools. You can read all Bernardo's plays at newplayexchange.org and you really should; his work is so delightful and challenging and original. 

Today we're talking to Leah Koch, co-owner and co-founder of The Ripped Bodice (along with her sister Bea). The Ripped Bodice is an independent brick-and-mortar bookstore devoted to the celebration of romance novels. The store is proudly Woman and Queer Owned and now has two locations, with one store in Los Angeles, California and a brand new store in Park Slope Brooklyn. It's been really inspiring watching Leah and Bea grow The Ripped Bodice over the years and see the ripple effect their passion has had on the romance community. I was psyched to sit down with her and hear about some of the steps they took to take their seed of an idea and grow it into this beautiful business they have today.

Today we're talking to Katie Locke O'Brien. Katie is an incredible director for television and film. Some of her directing credits include: A.P. Bio, Ghosts, Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years and The Santa Clauses. Also, she wrote directed produced and starred in her award-wining film "Have it All" which she just so happened to create with a brand new baby in tow. That's actually one of my favorite parts of this discussion. If you've ever worried about how becoming a parent can change your relationship with creativity, I think you'll get a lot of inspiration from listening to Katie talk about her own journey juggling the two, because she's doing it so joyfully and successfully. 

In this episode of My Job is to Play  we talk to the wonderful Kristoffer Diaz. Kris and I go way back. Fun fact: My first ever paid job as an actor was during college in a sketch comedy show he wrote and produced. Now, Kris is a Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright, screenwriter and educator. People call his work "Brilliant theatrical innovation" and "A fist-bumping adrenaline-filled ride." Some of his plays include The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Welcome to Arroyo's and Rebecca Oaxaca (Lays Down a Bunt). Next up for Kris is "Hell's Kitchen," a new musical he wrote and developed with Alicia Keys. It's coming to The Public Theater in NYC this Fall and I feel really lucky I snagged a ticket before it sold out.  Kris is a super smart and generous guy and I'm so thrilled he's with us today. Enjoy!