Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie

We’re back with Episode 62, Act 2: “Make Space, Give Grace,” featuring Caitlyn McCain, Teaching Artist and Education Associate for Public Engagement with New York City Children's Theater (NYCCT), and Lindz Amer, creator of the video series “Queer Kids Stuff” and author of the book, “Rainbow Parenting.”

This act is packed with rich discussion about gender and the conversations happening now in legislative bodies and learning spaces across the country about how we see (or don’t see) and understand (or don’t understand) gender. In their chat, the second in our three-part series, “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation,’” Courtney, Caitlyn and Lindz cover topics like pushing back against the current wave of anti-LGBTQIA legislation on the federal and local levels, book bannings and filling the void of Queer representation in TYA. In an effort to confront all of these issues, they discuss a shared interest: developing engaging education content that invites adults to have big conversations with kids about a range of topics from LGBTQIA+ identities to the non-binary and gender spectrum. Listen to this thoughtful episode to hear more!

We are back with an exciting three-part series titled “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation.’” In episode 62, Act 1: “Step In and Go Slow,” Courtney sits down with panelists Caitlyn McCain, Tara Kirton and Nicole Hogsett to discuss how New York City Children’s Theater resources came to be, beginning with a three-part video series called, “Our Relationship to Race.”

The series we focus on in Episode 62, Act 1, as Caitlyn and Nicole state, was born out of urgency and necessity during the racial uprisings of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. Caitlyn notes that the series they’ve created invites deep conversations between adults and kids about their relationship to race and racism within the context of the U.S. and its ongoing struggle to reconcile its society’s shared violent past and present. As Tara states, these conversations may seem, to some, too big for kids to understand but, as she also notes in the episode, research tells us that is simply not true. Kids, indeed, notice and are curious about the world around them, and the adults in their lives can either face harsh truths, challenge the status quo and have deep conversations with kids, or they can perpetuate the white supremacist standard of behaving as if these topics aren’t meant to be investigated and therefore reinforce white supremacist culture norms in kids, therefore passing down dangerous, deeply-rooted practices that negatively affect humans of the global majority and society at large.

Big questions asked here are: How can we get to a place where we can begin to notice, ask, learn and celebrate what we may not understand so that we can grow as individuals and as a society? How can we invite white-identifying families to interrogate themselves in a way that is structured to create brave and meaningful conversations among one another? Despite the current wave of legislation being pushed to restrict knowledge centered on our actual shared history, how can we be brave to push past discomfort to have deeper conversations and learn together to affect societal change?

Listen to this riveting conversation to hear and learn more, and be on the lookout for Act 2 next week as we continue to be “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation.’”

We’re back. Act 2 of our newest episode, “Finding Paths for Freedom Dreaming,” can be whittled down to three main ideas: 1. Aspiring to a more liberated arts and culture world; 2. Feeling our emotions through the work we do as artists and arts educators and not giving in to shutting down when the work feels difficult; 3. Having the ability to recognize the power one has and knowing when the time has come to relinquish that power.

The second part of this episode steers us more intentionally into our upcoming episodes, which showcases the New York City Children’s Theater’s (NYCCT) resources titled, “Start the Conversation.” In their chat, Caitlyn takes a deeper dive into the work she does at NYCCT. She talks about how that work has only deepened since the start of the pandemic and has aimed at being responsive to kids and families with a focus on ”having conversations about topics that I wish someone would've talked to me about when I was a kid.” The conversation reaches its most grounded moment when the focus becomes all about trauma-informed approaches to teaching and learning. As Caitlyn notes when speaking on the six principles of a trauma-informed approach, every room we enter as artists and arts educators, someone has experienced some sort of trauma. So remembering to lead with this type of practice truly is a healing-centered and human-centered approach, which connects back beautifully to the three main ideas central to this chat. Find out how this conversation ends by downloading and listening today!

Stay tuned next month for Episode 62: “In Conversation with: ‘Start the Conversation’” featuring three separate panel discussions with the collaboration teams of the following topics: Our Relationship to Race/Race, Racism and BLM, Exploring Gender and Emergency Drill Support.

We’re back with Episode 61: “Finding Paths for Freedom Dreaming,” featuring Caitlyn McCain, Teaching Artist and Education Associate for Public Engagement with New York City Children's Theater (NYCCT) and recipient of the 2023 TYA Community Impact Award.

Question: can you recall a teacher from your childhood—yes, that one teacher—the one who ignited the spark of your artistic trajectory? Courtney and Caitlyn can and do in this two-episode arc! Episode 61 is all about identifying passion, knowing where one is meant to be, loss and grief, and finding meaning and power in the arts. In this time machine of a discussion, Courtney and Caitlyn go back to their respective moments of foundational learning to investigate their lived childhood experiences, and reflect on the people that supported their growth and urged them to be their best selves. They also delve into what it means to find one’s calling in the arts, dreaming big and the harsh realities that reveal themselves when artistic ambition and lack of financial literacy are at odds with one another. Reiki and spiritual mediums are pivotal discussion points here, too! How? Well, you’ll have to listen to this brand new episode to find out.

Hello, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of Episode 60: “The Pursuit of Synergy,” featuring Melissa Friedman, co-founder of Epic Theatre Ensemble.

If Act 1 of Episode 60 reflected on the ways in which Courtney and Melissa’s artistic and administrative work has been challenged by the pandemic (masks, shutdowns, reframing the art we make and how we connect with students and each other during times of unrest), Act 2 continues down a similar path but focuses even more on access and inclusivity. The main themes of this episode are: breaking down barriers to provide opportunities for young people to experience live theater, creating art that truly represents and amplifies young people’s voices, the positive effects of young people seeing themselves represented in stories being told on stage, and the gaps in learning and implementation still present in the theater industry after “We See You White American Theater” was first published. You won’t want to miss the conclusion of this profound conversation, still taking place at the intersection of social justice, education and the arts!

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a brand new two-act episode arc for you! Episode 60: “The Pursuit of Synergy” features Melissa Friedman, co-founder of Epic Theatre Ensemble, a professional social justice theatre company in New York City.

In many ways, Episode 60 really holds its finger to the pulse of the zeitgeist. At the top of their chat, Courtney and Melissa take time to reflect on the myriad ways in which their artistic and administrative work was challenged by the pandemic. For instance, Melissa names and digs into the complex frustrations and roadblocks created by simply donning a mask. In a way, masks became her Kryptonite, diminishing her so-called “super powers” as well as her ability to effectively connect with a group of students. She also uplifts what it meant to discover and implement new mechanisms for teaching and mentoring young people while covering the most expressive and communicative part of her body. Courtney and Melissa speak very personally and thoughtfully about what it feels like on this side of the pandemic and the shared traumas we’re all processing (to varying degrees) as we navigate choppy personal and professional waters. Their discussion goes on a deliciously winding road through themes like: art born out of tragedy, shifting paradigms, the ways we think about our expertise, building bridges between artistry and education, and the intersection of social justice, education and the arts. Don’t miss this brand new episode!

Hello, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of Episode 59: “Divine Self Development.”

“Everybody’s story is so different,” says Courtney to our newest featured guest, Aminisha Ferdinand. In the first part of this two-episode arc, we posed the essential questions: What ignites something in you that must be expressed through art that cannot be expressed through words? Where do you fit on the spectrum of artistry? And we’re going to stick with and build upon those questions.

In Act 2 of Episode 59, Courtney and Aminisha continue their deeply philosophical conversation about what it means to fall into or find one’s way to the arts. When Aminisha was young, people told her that she was “good at [theater and dance]” and she admittedly “like[s] to do things that [she] feels [she’s] good at.” This time around the discussion really begins to focus on what happens when dreams shift, the universe takes a hand and one finds themself doing something they know they want to do but it’s in the wrong space and time. What does it mean to realize that one’s existence within the global arts community has shifted? How might the existential dread that comes with that fuel one to seek a new position within the creative arts spectrum? So, how does this conversation end? You’ve gotta listen to find out!

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a wonderful new two-act episode arc for you to kick off our sixth season! Episode 59: “Divine Self Development” features Aminisha Ferdinand.

What ignites something in you that must be expressed through art that cannot be expressed through words? Where do you fit on the spectrum of artistry? These are the essential questions that fuel our newest episode.

In Episode 59, Courtney and Aminisha have a philosophical conversation about what it means to fall into or find one’s way to the arts. For instance, when she was a young child, people told Aminisha that she was “good at [theater and dance]” and she “like[s] to do things that [she] feels [she’s] good at. Their discussion digs deeper when they talk about what it means to find and exist with a community of artists and the reciprocal nature of making something new with a cohort of creative humans. They take a step further when they ideate on how our creativity lives inside of our brains but looks and acts differently—in good and bad ways—when our bodies make that art. So how deep does this discussion go? You’ve gotta listen to find out!

In the second installment of this two-episode arc, Courtney continues her conversation with Alex Santiago-Jirau.

This thought-provoking chat is driven by the essential questions: How can theater be of service to the community? How can theater hold value beyond production and how can we create experiences that are not transactional? Alex dives even deeper into his work with Theater of the Oppressed and how those techniques are intrinsically embedded into his work and approaches to theater making. One example Alex offers is New York Theatre Workshop’s intergenerational “Mind the Gap” program, which sees teens and elders act as co-generators of original theater.

There is a lot to unpack in this conversation and there’s even more to take away and reflect upon. Give our newest episode a listen!

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a great new two-act episode arc for you! Episode 58: “Processing the Collective Scars” features New York Theater Workshop Director of Education, Alex Santiago-Jirau.

Their conversation begins with connecting around the missions and multi-faceted approaches of both New York Theatre Workshop and New Victory Theater. The real inquiry begins with the question: What does it mean to define oneself as an artist?

The focus then turns to Alex Santiago-Jirau—born and raised in mountainous, small-town Puerto Rico, known for its arts-rich culture—who grew up singing, dancing and acting. As Alex puts it, he very much connected with the "play" aspect of theater, which “allowed me to explore and try things that me as Alex would not typically explore.” In other words, through the arts, he discovered a world in which he could be expressive and tell stories.

Their conversation deepens further when Alex begins to discuss his work with Augusto Boal and the Theater of the Oppressed, which Alex characterizes as theater as activism driving toward liberation—a space in which one must be comfortable with being uncomfortable in confronting things that are messy in the world. What else do Courtney and Alex discuss? You’ll have to catch this delightful conversation, which takes place right at the intersection of art and activism, to find out!