On today's episode of "Hello, Hilltop!" Nick Deangelis (‘22) talks with Samantha McIntyre ('00; Theatre), television writer and screenwriter; along with the founding member of the Hollywood theater company, "Meadows Basement." They discuss her recent work, which includes the Netflix indie film “Unicorn Store” directed by Brie Larson and her current role as a writer for “Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist” (NBC), which is currently filming its second season. They also touch on subjects like LA vs Dallas, what it takes to be in Hollywood, filming during COVID, and a variety of other topics.

In this episode of "Hello, Hilltop!" SMU Political Science and Corporate Communication and Public Affairs student Isabelle Redfield ('21) interviews Gabe Travers ('07; Journalism), senior director of product development at Hearst Television. Travers shares stories from his days as a student at SMU, along with highlights from his career and plans for the future.

SMU students Lauren Montgomery (’21) and Caitlyn Kallina (’21) interview Maura Sheffler (B.A. Music, ’11 and M.A./M.B.A. Arts Management and Business, ’13) of The Arts Community Alliance (TACA) in this episode of "Hello, Hilltop!"

SMU CCPA student Haley Mnick interviews Paula Selzer. Paula graduated from SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, where she majored in Video and Cinema. She also co-authored the book "Adolphe Gouhenant: French Revolutionary, Utopian Leader, and Texas Frontier Photographer." Selzer is now in possession of a painting, found in France, which was created by her great-great-great-grandfather Adolphe Gouhenant. She is here today to discuss his fascinating legacy.

Sam Holland, Dean of the SMU Meadows School of the Arts introduces Meadows’ 2020 Commencement speaker, alumna Emily K. Graham, who shares her experience, life lessons, and insight with our Spring 2020 graduates in this podcast. "Emily is a 2007 graduate of the Meadows Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs. After completing her degree at SMU, she began her career in Dallas by helping clients navigate the 2008 financial crisis. That work led her to C-suite tables in New York City, where she continued to make significant career strides at FleishmanHillard, one of the largest communication firms in the world. In 2018, she became the youngest member of the firm’s executive leadership team. Most recently, Emily was appointed to be the firm’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, responsible for accelerating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion across a global network of clients," shares Dean Holland in his introduction. Please join us in welcoming Emily Graham, SMU Meadows School of the Arts 2020 Commencement speaker. We know you will be inspired by her message.

Since winning the First Prize in the 1986 Naumburg International Cello Competition, Díaz has exhilarated both critics and audiences with his intense and charismatic performances. He has earned exceptional reviews for his “strongly personal interpretive vision” (The New York Times) and his “bold and imaginative” playing (The Boston Globe) and was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant as well as a generous grant from the Susan W. Rose Fund for Music. He shares stories from his distinguished career and life.

Interview with Aaron Boyd, Director of Chamber Music, Professor of Practice in Violin Interim Head of Strings

Music: Aaron Boyd "Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op44 I. Allegro brillante"

Interview with William Joyce '81, SMU's very own Academy Award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, children's illustrator, and film industry legend. Joyce's work includes writing and illustrating 50 bestselling and classic children's books. He's also written, produced or designed a number of major feature films for 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, and Disney. Joyce began his film career doing design and story work on Pixar's "Toy Story" and "A Bug’s Life."

Thank you to Ally Van Deuren ’15, for hosting Joyce's interview.

Rhonda Blair has directed and performed in over 70 productions and has created original solo and devised performance work. Her areas of interest include theatre and politics, feminism and theatre, alternative performance, and Anton Chekhov. She researches applications of cognitive science to acting, directing and text, particularly in how current research on the brain, body, thought, feeling, language, and cultural “ecologies” informs and empowers us when we make theatre. She has given keynotes and featured talks internationally for, among others, the Giving Voice conference at the Grotowski Institute (2016), the Michael Chekhov Symposium at the University of Zurich (2013), the Dialogues Between Theatre and Neuroscience Conference at Sapienza University in Rome (2013), and at the Symposium on Cognition, Kinesthetics, and Performance at University of Kent (2012). She directs in the Division of Theatre season.

Danny Buraczeski is Professor Emeritus of Dance at Southern Methodist University.  At SMU, he taught classic jazz dance technique, composition and choreography. He created new work on the students as well as remounting signature dances from his company’s repertory.