Story Matters with Curt Mega

In this week's episode, I sit down with Shashona Brooks & Tommy Statler to talk about their upcoming ALL FEMALE production of Shakepeare's The Tempest at the Hollywood Fringe Festival! We talk about the inspiration behind the concept, female empowerment in the theatre and arts, the audition process and the craziness of putting this show up during the Hollywood Fringe Festival with only 9 rehearsals!

Told through the eyes of eleven women, this magical story of the struggle for power and love features a script by William Shakespeare and is directed by Shashona Brooks and produced by Tommy Statler.

Set in a women's prison, this all-female reimagining of The Tempest begins with the story of Prospero: part mother, sorceress, and rightful Duchess of Milan. Prospero and her daughter Miranda are sentenced away from their home, setting in motion a supernatural storm of intrigue, passion, and power. In a world where fate, dreams, and magic are intertwined, The Tempest tests the limits of our deepest dreams, our darkest fears, and how far we're wiling to go to change the course of our lives.

Formed in 2015 with the mission of advancing new and fresh ideas, Say Yes! Collective represents a coalition of actors, playwrights, directors and theatre artists committed to creating art in a mutually respectful and safe space. When artists are willing to say yes to the unknown, an unlimited and boundless experience of creation can occur. We say yes to cross-pollinating different talents from different walks of life to create even more expansive and vibrant stories. They say yes to encouraging women to have a strong voice and to be seen. They say yes to enriching and giving back to our communities. In an artistic landscape where it is much easier to say no, Say Yes! Collective chooses to Say Yes!

The Tempest will be presented at Studio / Stage, 520 N. Wester Avenue, in Los Angeles, for five performances only, June 4, 14, 18, 22, 24, 2017. General admission tickets are priced at $15, and are available online at hff17.com/4448.

For more information about Say Yes! Collective or The Tempest, visit www.sayyescollective.com or @SayYesCo on Twitter and Instagram. You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

In this episode, I go back in time to figure out how I became WHAT I am. On this journey, I revisit the theatre where I grew up (Creative Arts Theatre & School in Arlington Texas), the very first show I was ever cast in, and the moment when I discovered the impossible dream of attempting to pursue of life in the arts. 

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

Having doused my computer in water (accidentally, mind you) and needing to abruptly delay my planned episode last minute, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk about how to deal with and overcome the inevitable obstacles and hurdles that accompany any and every creative venture. How do we deal with the mistakes we make, the mayhem it causes and the madness that threatens to consume our creative decision-making as we watch our ideas, hopes and dreams crash and burn in a fiery heap... or in this case... drown in a puddle of water spilled from an ill placed mason jar. How do we adapt and thrive in the face of creative obstacle? Listen and be encouraged! 

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

In this episode, I sit down with Corey Lubowich from Tin Can Brothers and Team Starkid, to talk about his journey as an artist from growing up performing and working in theatre in his hometown of Chicago, to becoming an artistic director for BasementArts the University of Michigan, back to Chicago as a member of Starkid and then to Los Angeles as a founding member of the comedy trio Tin Can Brothers! We also storytelling through design, navigating the transition to a new city, the challenge of transitioning from theatre to film/digital video creation and his newest projects Flop Stoppers and The Solve it Squad Returns! 

The Solve it Squad Returns - June 15-18 and June 22-25 @ the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood, C, Directed by Corey Lubowich and starring Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, Ashley Clements, Gabe Greenspan & Lauren Lopez! For tickets: https://www.tincanbros.com

Flop Stoppers coming to YouTube 5/9! https://www.youtube.com/tincanbros

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

In this newest storytelling episode, I go back to my childhood in search of the moment when I started to become who I now am. Was it my adventures in space as the most famous astronaut in the world? Was it the moment I recited Toy Story from top to bottom in a Mexican Restaurant for a hungry but eager audience? Or was it was it the moment when I was offered the role of a lifetime...? To be an understudy in The Sound of Music.  You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

In this episode, I sit down with the amazing actor, writer, producer and improviser Michael Hitchcock (Glee, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Bridesmaids, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, The New Normal, United States of Tara, Men of a Certain Age, Party Down, The Suite Life On Deck, Madtv and MANY more) to talk about truth in comedy, character driven comedy, episodic storytelling in the process of writing for television. I learned SO much from him and I know you will too! Listen now and share! Enjoy!

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy! 

In this episode, I sit down with the amazing Telly Leung (Broadway: In Transit, Allegiance, Godspell, Rent, Flower Drum Song, Pacific Overtures, TV: Warbler Wes on Glee) at his apartment in New York City to talk about his journey to Broadway and beyond. We also discuss learning to be present and content in the moment with what you have despite whatever success does or doesn't come, prioritizing life and relationships in tandem with career, diversity in storytelling, stories of color, stories of minorities, telling human stories that are both specific and universal and the importance of rising up as artists to serve the greater purpose of being a voice of compassion and empathy for the world to see, hear and feel.   

In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Eric Carroll (Alex Brody in Buffering, photographer extraordinaire and my co-writer/co-director of my feature film project POV) to talk about our process of writing a short film only to realize we had a bigger story on our hands and being willing to start over and reinvent everything we thought we know about the project. We also revisit our characters from Buffering as Ben and Alex in an improvised Buffering reunion! Enjoy!

Eric Carroll Photography: http://www.ericcarrollphotography.com
Buffering the Series: https://www.youtube.com/bufferingseries

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Lili Froehlich and Madison Mitchell from the Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS and talk about the reality of working on Broadway, the grind of performing 8 shows a week in one of the most physically demanding shows of all time, the challenges of being a swing and covering multiple roles and what happens when your dream becomes your job. How do you maintain your stamina, both mentally and physically, beyond opening night? We also talk about working with Tony Winning Choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights, Hamilton) and interpreting movement into story. 

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy! 

In this episode, I sit down with actress, singer, songwriter Kathryn Gallagher to talk about her work in the recent Broadway revival of Deaf West's Spring Awakening! From a tiny theatre in LA all the way to Broadway, she shares her incredible experience of being part of the re-telling of this beautiful story in such a powerful and profound, new way through the use of sign language. We also talk creative education beyond college, the process of auditioning for theatre and Broadway and how it differs from film & television, and her work as a singer and songwriter. Enjoy! You can find links to more of her work on her website HERE: http://www.kathryngallaghermusic.com and check out her upcoming show on May 25th at 54 Below in NYC! https://54below.com/events/kathryn-gallagher/

You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at [email protected] with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Enjoy!