Skip the Repeat

Annie Dorsen applied to the Yale School of Drama on a whim. Annie and Kai talk about being the daughter of one of the most prominent civil rights attorneys of our time (3:45), feeling lucky to not have jumped into the rat race right away (21), and the impact Europe's contemporary theater scene had on her (24). They also discuss what exactly "algorithmic theater" is (32:20), and what she fears about the rapid spread of information technology (49:30). 

Toby Appel was actually Kai's very first guest on Skip the Repeat. Toby and Kai talk about growing up on a chicken farm in New Jersey (12:12), quitting high school and the Curtis Institute of Music in succession (25:30), and how he first became interested in cooking (39:12). They also discuss his mindset of not being too attached to things (45:42) and his many interests and how those play into his music career (53:04). 

David Krauss is obsessed with espresso. David and Kai talk about what kept him going during the three years of college when he wasn't making much progress (16:15), becoming a father at the age of 25 and how that transformed his mindset towards auditions (24:50), and quitting at one point to cook professionally (30:20). They also talk about the importance of knowing what you can't do and building on that (36), and the moment he won the audition of a lifetime (47:50). 

Thu Pham loves slow jams. Thu and Kai talk about her family coming from Vietnam as refugees (3:18), how she found the educational organization 12PLUS and how it gave her life a purpose (27:20), and how in the world she ended up becoming a coffee roaster (35:35). They also discuss the reason she focuses on coffee beans from Vietnam (43:45) and how she wants to contribute to a new Kensington, a place many consider the "Heroin Capital of the East Coast" (50:30).  

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Joep Beving is very, very tall. Joep and Kai talk about how he spent one year in music school before he quit (6:40); the growing sense of alienation he felt from reality and how his friend's death changed everything for him (13:45); and the shock of discovering his homemade album had reach 85 million streams (21:40). They also discuss what exactly "reality" means to him (30:20) and the idea of presenting truth through social media (33).  

Anthony Roth Costanzo loves hosting people for dinner. Anthony and Kai talk about his fitness company, Epulse (6:20), the insane story of how he became the first non-Asian person to perform in Japan's Kabukiza (21), and how starting out in community theater made him realize the importance of relationships (30:40). They also discuss how to create win-win situations and how he got Tilda Swinton and Raf Simons to collaborate with him (39). 

Kirsten Kaschock loves helping her students find their path. Kirsten and Kai talk about the enormous student debt issue (12), how being an artist is directly connected to self-education (16), and why she was embarrassed to talk about her numerous degrees for so long (22:10). They also discuss novels revealing their path (37:50) and art as a way of life and not necessarily a way of earning a living (55). 

Daniel Kellogg loves time-lapses. Daniel and Kai talk about his friendship with Chris Brubeck, son of legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck (9), how he ended up at the Curtis Institute of Music (23:50), and the wild story of how he became President of YCA (28:25). They also discuss the opportunity to shape who society thinks classical musicians are (37) and the toxicity of "success" (51). 

Paola Prestini loves to box. Paola and Kai discuss the time she applied to Interlochen, a boarding school far from home, without telling her mom (12:05), struggling in her 20s to figure out how to make a career out of being a composer (16:06), and being motivated by doubters (21:50). They also talk about the one meeting about National Sawdust that changed her life (36:50) and not listening to people's opinions (46). 

Maria Shaplin never thought lighting design could be a career. Maria and Kai talk about being part of the punk movement and what she gained from it (6:50), what made her stay in theatre after a humiliating moment (8:40), and the concept of selling ourselves in the performing arts (16:15). They also discuss privilege and realizing class consciousness as a child (33:30) and the hilarious and unfortunate events surrounding a prop dynamite (54:40).