State of the Arts Episode 269 is now available on Spotify! This week, I’m joined by return guest Josh Berkowitz for a Taylor Swift tribute episode with a deep exploration of The Swiftie culture and all topics centered on this modern music icon. Together we delve into how this fan community creates shared traditions and how fandom itself becomes a space for connection, interpretation, and creativity. From lyric analysis and era-based storytelling to online discourse and collective experience, this episode looks at how fans actively participate in shaping the life of her legendary music. Thoughtful, insightful, and grounded in cultural observation, this is an episode about fandom as a flourishing community and the inpact this superstar has had on pop music. I am so excited to have Josh Berkowitz back on my podcast once again to walk me through this captivating phenomena.

State of the Arts Episode 268 now available on Spotify! My guest this week is IMDb-credited actor Tap Rudra. Based out of NYC, my talented guest specializes in improv and comedy. He is also a musician and filmmaker. This creative, who embraces his Ukrainian and Indian heritage, has directed and contributed to film projects as a script supervisor, editor, and more. He is a part of a successful improv team and is familiar with several musical instruments. Along with being a fellow member of Short Cuts NYC, this multifaceted creative is also a part of Shared Manifest Entertainment and Boogie Manja. I am thrilled and honored to welcome this versatile artist to my podcast this week!

State of the Arts Episode 267 is now available for streaming on Spotify! This week I’m joined by Ashley Wren Collins who is an accomplished, award-winning actor, producer, director, choreographer, and writer. This successful creative trained at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her B.A. in English and Theatre Arts, and at the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. We take an upclose look at her artistic career, including her work as associate director and choreographer for Holly Doublets smashing Off-Broadway Musical “This Is Not a Drill.” My dynamic guest, who has written five books, lets me in on the upcoming release of her first fictional novel. She also shares reflections on creativity and careers in the arts. Tune in for a warm, inspiring conversation with this esteemed creative I am greatly honored to have as my podcast guest!

State of the Arts Episode 266 is now available for streaming on Spotify! For the first episode of 2026, I am thrilled to welcome Lukas Poost, a musical theater actor, dancer, and vocalist. This versatile creative’s artistic foundation was formed early in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, where performance was not a pastime, but a calling. From childhood productions and homegrown theatrical experiments to formal conservatory training, his trajectory reflects a disciplined and deeply rooted commitment to the stage. A graduate of the Brind School at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Lukas trained extensively in acting and vocal techniques including Meisner, Stanislavski, and Williamson, developing a nuanced approach to character, voice, and movement. After graduating from school, he was cast in the lead of a traveling Broadway production of “Shrek.” This podcast conversation also highlights his important role in the off-Broadway hit “This Is Not a Drill” by Holly Doubet, a musical I had the privilege of seeing. What an honor it is to have this remarkable talent on State of the Arts to kick off the New Year!

State of the Arts Episode 265: The New Year Special is now available for streaming on Spotify! I’m immensely proud to feature casting director Holly Buczek, who recently cast “This Is Not a Drill,” the off-Broadway musical by Holly Doubet that I had the opportunity to see. With over fifteen years in the casting industry, Holly Buczek shares insight into her approach to casting and her commitment to creating respectful, structured spaces where performers can show up authentically. We talk about her extensive work as an educator, workshop leader, and faculty member at institutions including the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYU, and Molloy University/Cap 21. Tune in for a thoughtful podcast conversation about casting, the performing arts, and the creative behind the audition.

State of the Arts Episode 264: The Holiday Special is now available for streaming on Spotify! I am thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented director and actor Gabriel Barre to my podcast this week. Together we embark on an inspiring journey as we explore Off-Broadway show “This is Not a Drill” by Holly Doubet and Joe McDonough, which Gabriel Barre directed. We delve into his remarkable career, from Broadway hits like Amazing Grace to Almost, Maine to the many productions he directed across various continents. My highly esteemed guest shares a behind-the-scenes glance at his legendary journey in theatre, offering invaluable insights and inspiration. It is an honor to bring the perspective of a true theatre legend like Gabriel Barre to this epic podcast episode.

State of the Arts Episode 263 is now available for streaming on Spotify! I welcome Joseph McDonough to this podcast episode to discuss his most recent Off-Broadway musical, “This Is Not a Drill,” which he coauthored with songwriter/composer Holly Doubet. This production is a powerful, timely work and a masterpiece that I had the privilege of seeing. My distinguished guest is a playwright with a flourishing career that includes works such as Wayfarer’s Rest, One, Travels of Angelica, and Stone My Heart. He is also the writer of adaptations, plays for young audiences, and musicals that he co-created with composer and lyricist David Kisor. In this engaging episode, we explore “This Is Not a Drill,” a powerful, Broadway-caliber work that showcases his extraordinary talent.

State of the Arts 262 is now available for streaming on Spotify! With great honor and privilege, I welcome accomplished stage actor and vocalist Marianne Tatum to my podcast this week. This acclaimed stage performer made her Broadway Debut as Jenny Lind in Barnum, winning a Theatre World Award. She performed in many successful operas and musicals. With a presence on IMBD also, she is no stranger to the silver screen. In this engaging episode, we explore her recent experience in Holly Doubet’s magnificent off-Broadway production “This is Not a Drill.” A Broadway-caliber musical that moved me to tears. Aside from her flourishing career in the performing arts, she has also earned degrees in Social Work and Nursing. I am ecstatically grateful to have this multifaceted talent on State of the Arts.

State of the Arts Episode 261 is now available on Spotify! As creative industries continue to absorb the rapid shifts brought on by technological innovation, the relationship between human imagination and artificial intelligence has become one of the defining questions of contemporary artistic practice. This episode takes a step back from the sensationalism that often saturates discussions on AI to consider a broader historical and cultural view: how tools have always shaped the contours of artistic work, how each era negotiates its own anxieties around innovation, and how the current moment reflects long-standing patterns rather than abrupt rupture.

State of the Arts Episode 260 is now available for streaming on Spotify! This is another installment of The Indigenous Peoples Series. I am honored and privileged to welcome accomplished musician Holly Doubet onto my podcast this week. After an education at the Royal Academy of Music in London with a dual major in piano and voice, my acclaimed guest spent nearly two decades working in the music industry in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. She eventually became the lead songwriter for hit children’s show “Barney & Friends.” She comes from a strong musical background as her parents and great uncle were successful in the British and American music industries. Her most recent endeavor off-Broadway musical “This is Not A Drill” made its successful debut at The York Theater in Manhattan. I had the chance to see the show with my content creator friend Ashley Westbrook. This was a beautifully moving musical based on Holly Doubet’s personal experience as a visitor in Hawaii during the 2018 ballistic missile scare. She is also proud of her Creek Native heritage and is extremely knowledgeable of her heritage. Her voice is one of strength, wisdom and activism. I am overjoyed to have interviewed this amazing creative on State of the Arts!