Some Small Magic

By Fletcher Pierson

Society & Culture Arts Performing Arts Philosophy

What's Some Small Magic about?

Some Small Magic is an interview series about path and craft - how they affect each other, and how they have shaped and been shaped by the artist who wields them. Join Fletcher Pierson as he travels Chicago and the country to learn contemporary artist's methods and theories, and discover their stories, their dreams, and their favorite moments of magic.

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Some Small Magic episodes:

02.21.2018
3.6 Adam Rose on Magic and the Body
Adam Rose is a dancer based in Chicago, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Antibody Corporation. Topics include the mind-body problem, fragmented adolescent theories, and spirituality. Music by SJ Roberts: Find more at sjroberts.bandcamp.com.
01.24.2018
3.5 Corey Smith
Corey Smith, an artist and friend, joins me for an informal chat about his recent show The New Prairie School, the Midwest, the Neo-Futurists, objects, capital-P capital-A Performance Art, art galleries, and ambient fish. Music by SJ Roberts: Find...
01.10.2018
3.4 Erica Mott
Erica Mott tells me about overcoming deep fear through joy and surprise, making new objects out of trash, learning from every voice, and the magical elements of presence. Music by SJ Roberts: Find more at sjroberts.bandcamp.com
12.20.2017
3.3 Don Share on Poetry
Don Share is the editor of Poetry Magazine, the longest-running monthly English language periodical dedicated to poetry. We talk about the idealism of poetry, poetry's durability and portability, editing with a legacy, and the joy of literary magazines. Music...
11.22.2017
x.6 Christopher Knowlton on Object Performance
Cut from a recording that's being saved for a future project, here's a quick conversation between Christopher Knowlton and I about puppetry and object performance. Music by SJ Roberts: Find more at sjroberts.bandcamp.com
11.08.2017
x.5 Lee Mikeska Gardner
Lee Mikeska Gardner is the Artistic Director of the Nora Theatre Company in Cambridge, MA. We talk about the differences in Boston and D.C.'s arts scenes, collaborating with scientists, honesty in practice, and how to put the work first. ...
10.25.2017
3.2 Meghan Beals
This week, Meghan Beals, the Artistic Director of Chicago Dramatists, tells me about working with a legacy, being just a part of a process, building the new American canon, and that it's okay not to know. Music by SJ...
10.11.2017
3.1 Liz Anderson
Some Small Magic is back for Season 3! For this season, we're focusing on the "Breadth of New Work," so we're kicking it off with Liz Anderson, a Chicago-based writer and comedian who creates one-of-a-kind theatrical events. Topics include how...
09.13.2017
2.7 Thom Pasculli
Closing out the 2nd season of Some Small Magic, Walkabout Theater Company's Thom Pasculli and I talk about vitality, making a way to make theatre, learning to touch your toes, the obligation in ritual, and investing in our imaginations. ...
08.30.2017
2.6 Vanessa Valliere
Vanessa Valliere - a Chicago-based performer with Manual Cinema and Mucca Pazza who toured with Tour de Fat, and now takes her puppet shows around the country - tells me about the pain of creating, swing dancing in Japan, finding...
08.16.2017
x.4 Brendan Burns
Some context: After interviewing Bonnie Duncan (1.4) back in March, she suggested some other artists I should interview while I was in Boston. This is with Brendan Burns, one of Bonnie's collaborators, recorded at Brookline Music School. Talking points include...
08.02.2017
2.5 Yngvild Aspeli
Recorded at the 2017 Puppeteers of America National Festival in St. Paul, Yngvild Aspeli (the Artistic Director of Plexus Polaire) and I discuss collaboration, perfection in fragility, starting from the theme, and changing a show with every performance. Music...
07.19.2017
x.3 Patrick Gabridge
Digging an episode out from the March archives, I talk with Boston-based writer Patrick Gabridge about spacial formality, where farming and theatre line up, and how to fill up a box. Among other things.
07.05.2017
2.4 Onye Ozuzu
Onye Ozuzu - creator of Technology of the Circle, founder of Project Tool, and Dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Columbia College - explains a circle's organizing principle, culture as a way, embodied discourse, and preparing...
06.21.2017
2.3 Mark Jeffery
Mark Jeffery - co-founder of ATOM-r and former company member of the elusive Goat Island Performance Group - describes the importance of duration, how to demand time, working body/thinking brain, and listening for magic. Music by S.J. Roberts: Find...
06.07.2017
2.2 Sara Zalek
Sara Zalek, a multidisciplinary artist with a focus in Butoh, tells me about biking across the country, taking sharp turns in life, reaching into the beyond through the body, and trying to define the undefinable. Music by S.J. Roberts:...
05.24.2017
2.1 Sarah Fornace
It's the start of the 2nd season of Some Small Magic! Sarah Fornace kicks it off with a fast-paced discussion about shadow puppetry, film, the combination of those two things, systems of magic, and diverolling out of a frame. Come...
05.17.2017
x.1 MT Cozzola
It's the bonus week between Season 1 and Season 2 of Some Small Magic! I speak with playwright MT Cozzola about her practice, turning dreams into shows, ghosts, and trying to get it right. Music by SJ Roberts: Find...
05.10.2017
1.7 Walt McGough
Wrapping up the first season of Some Small Magic, we hop back into the Boston episodes to talk to playwright and dramaturge Walt McGough about the evolution of Boston's theatre scene, Sideshow Theatre and how to fake it 'til you...
04.26.2017
1.6 Madhuri Shekar
New-York based playwright Madhuri Shekar was in Chicago for the process and opening of her show Queen, at Victory Gardens, so I interviewed her! We talk about opening one's eyes to the complexity of the world, finding your friends, and...
04.12.2017
1.5 Alan Brody
In the second episode from my time in Boston, I speak with playwright and academic Alan Brody about his life, the influence of the mid-century theatre, building academic arts programs, learning to speak science, and how the theatre has stayed...
03.29.2017
1.4 Bonnie Duncan
In the first Some Small Magic interview collected from outside Chicago, Boston-based puppeteer and dancer Bonnie Duncan tells me about structural dance, learning art philosophy from her kids, being joyfully one step ahead of the audience, and a bunch of...
03.15.2017
1.3 Janet Howe
This week, Janet Howe tells me about teaching audiences empathy with neuroscience, making things with love, and even throws in a crash course in immersive theatre. Music by S.J. Roberts: Find more at sjroberts.bandcamp.com.
03.01.2017
1.2 Emily Ritger
On this week's episode of Some Small Magic, Emily Ritger tells me about irrational art, frozen ideas, solo projects/the ensemble, and trying to make it all work. Music by SJ Roberts: Find more at sjroberts.bandcamp.com
02.14.2017
1.1 Olivia Lilley
Welcome to Some Small Magic! SSM's first guest is Olivia Lilley, a Chicago-based writer and director - join us to hear about her path from music to directing, her methodology, her company The Runaways Lab Theater, and more! Music by...

What's Some Small Magic about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Some Small Magic episodes:

3.6 Adam Rose on Magic and the Body

3.5 Corey Smith

3.4 Erica Mott

3.3 Don Share on Poetry

x.6 Christopher Knowlton on Object Performance

x.5 Lee Mikeska Gardner

3.2 Meghan Beals

3.1 Liz Anderson

2.7 Thom Pasculli

2.6 Vanessa Valliere

x.4 Brendan Burns

2.5 Yngvild Aspeli

x.3 Patrick Gabridge

2.4 Onye Ozuzu

2.3 Mark Jeffery

2.2 Sara Zalek

2.1 Sarah Fornace

x.1 MT Cozzola

1.7 Walt McGough

1.6 Madhuri Shekar

1.5 Alan Brody

1.4 Bonnie Duncan

1.3 Janet Howe

1.2 Emily Ritger

1.1 Olivia Lilley