The Promise of Possibility

With a professional career spanning over 38 years, Vera Mann is one of the most prolific actors and performers The Netherlands and Belgium has known.

 With a professional career spanning over 38 years, Vera Mann is one of the most prolific actors and performers The Netherlands and Belgium has known. With leading roles ranging from Evita, Éponine in
Les Misérable, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Diana, Peter Pan, Donna in
Mamma Mia!, Fosca in The Passion, Mrs. Lovett in
Sweeney Todd, and many more, Vera is a bona fide "Musical Star". The
many awards she has won for her work most definitely speak to that.

 But think twice about using the term "musical star' to describe her, as the all-around performer feels this label carries a connotation that significantly negates the breadth of work a multifaceted actor/ performer is capable of. And this is definitely true of Vera - besides shining in major commercial musicals, she has appeared in scores of smaller musicals, is a celebrated straight play actor, has done TV shows, lent her voice to Fiona in the Flemish version of Shrek, and has headlined concerts accompanied by renowned orchestras like The Metropole Orchestra on many occasions. She also wrote and starred in her one woman show, Goesting - a beautiful, intimate journey through her life.

 During our candid and open conversation, Vera vulnerably speaks of her youth and what it's like to age in an industry where careers are fleeting, while holding up a sobering mirror to point out where changes need to be made. In true 'Vera fashion' she'll have you laughing throughout, even as she touches on some hard truths that resonate and will stay with you long after the conversation is over.

 00:00:00 Sound bites
00:00:51 Introduction Vera Mann
00:02:23 Amsterdam is home
00:05:50 How playing Diana influenced my accent
00:06:40 The story of a girl, a calf, and the love for the piano and Chopin
00:10:52 Music lessons and ballet - a refuge
00:14:10 A difficult childhood
00:18:24 The body keeps the score
00:21:51 Age is just a number…
00:23:40 Studying acting, music, and dance
00:25:01 Labels: musicals vs straight plays
00:29:30 Anecdotes from an incredible repertoire of roles and shows
00:35:10 Never get too comfortable in a role
00:40:57 Being vulnerable
00:46:33 The fear and shame of losing your voice
00:53:07 Appreciating the gift
00:54:51 It's all about people
00:59:22 The solo show
01:08:31 The story behind playing Fosca in The Passion
01:13:36 A new show in the works with Ellen Evers - a comedy about Ageism
01:16:49 A lifetime of experience vs 'Instagram famous' - it's all about marketing 01:21:40 Holding up a mirror to the industry
01:24:37 For the love of art
01:26:54 Talent, perseverance, and a deep love for your craft
01:30:23 A knack for long conversations: the story of Vera and Maruja's reunion after 18 years
01:33:34 Grateful for a privileged and blessed journey
01:35:23 Deep losses and new beginnings
01:39:50 A challenge to the next "Vera and Maruja" duet

Follow Vera:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veramannofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vera-mann/

Follow Maruja:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch: [email protected]

When an early love for writing and a dream to be a novelist is deferred, Leara pursues her love for writing elsewhere. First as a journalist, working in Trinidad, Haiti, Dominica, and Atlanta, then as an Associate Emerita of Journalism at the University of Georgia. 

Leara is the author of academic books, and many
papers, journals, and magazine articles. But the dream of one day writing a
novel remained alive within her. A dream that has now become a reality✨

On the release date of this podcast episode,
Spancill Hill, Dr. Rhodes' first novel, published by Old Fort Publishing, is
out and available everywhere. At 73, after an illustrious career in journalism
and academia, the dream of a nine year old poet has come to fruition. Spancil
Hill is set in Ireland and New York in the late 19th century, and tells the
story of Cahey. Leaving Ireland, he embarks on a journey to New York, and the
pursuit of a dream to become the most sought-after horse trainer at the
Vanderbilt American Horse Exchange in 1901.

Find Spancil Hill everywhere books are sold online, and look out for Leara's second novel coming out in October: The Darkest Midnight in December.

00:00 Sound bites
00:38 Introduction Dr. Leara Rhodes
01:51 Love for the Caribbean
03:38 An early love for writing nurtured at a
young age
05:15 From poetry to a love of journalism
07:46 A dream deferred
09:03 The academic path
10:21 A love for Ireland
14:38 A writer of academic books, journals,
papers and magazine articles
17:52 Today a novelist… at 73!
19:38 Spancil Hill by Leara Rhodes
22:01 Writing the novel while living in Ireland
23:35 The importance of experience life in the surroundings you write about
26:21 The research
31:15 Experiencing cultural richness
33:56 A second novel due for release in the Fall: The Darkest Midnight in December
39:02 Working on novel number three
40:48 A source of inspiration
42:22 Having great people around you
44:56 A focused path

Follow Leara:
https://leararhodes.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leararhodes

Follow Maruja:
https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial/ https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch: [email protected]

Victoria Theodore's name is synonymous to child prodigy and virtuoso, and from a very young age she quickly drew the attention of some of the best music schools in the world. It doesn't come as a surprise that her musical journey led her to working with some of the industry's biggest icons, and solidifying her place as a top instrumentalist.

But Victoria didn't stop there... she went on to working on TV and in films, as a Musical Director on Broadway, and working with some of the most prolific names in Musical Theater.

Captivating to watch and listen to, Victoria's beautiful spirit shines through like a beacon during the course of this conversation, as she shares her journey, and how it has led her to now being an artist in her own right. 

00:00 Sound bites
01:35 Down memory lane 
04:28 Early beginnings
06:10 Picking up a piano book
06:45 Being seen 
08:13 The Young Musician's Program - UC Berkeley
11:58 A real-life F.A.M.E.
14:00 Conservatory and Stanford
17:08 On the road with All girl band Oaktown 357
18:30 New York City
20:00 Back to California and to music
21:53 Building a reputation
24:45 The right kind of network
27:40 THE audition
34:00 The beginning of an era with... Stevie
35:20 The story of becoming a background vocalist
37:37 Trained to rise "beyond" the occasion
39:25 In the company of superlative musicians
42:49 Playing for President Obama
44:10 The Arsenio Hall Show
47:02 Meeting Prince
49:04 The greatest talents don't have ego's
51:07 Struggling as a working musician
51:51 THE audition - part 2
53:54 Here comes Mrs. Carter...
54:38 The Formation Tour
57:13 Difficult decisions 
01:01:04 Working with yet another genius - Lin-Manuel Miranda
01:03:20 The book: Classical Piano Pieces That You can Actually Play
01:04:40 Settling into being a Creative
01:06:13 EnSPirits - being an artist in my own right
01:07:57 Beauty in the journey
01:11:21 Figure out your why then do it for the love
01:14:02 Grateful and Human
01:15:40 What the future holds

Follow Victoria:
All links: https://linktr.ee/victoriatheodore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriatheodoremusic
https://victoriatheodore.com
Watch "Human": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIRsvamo_M0 

EnSPirits:
https://enspiritsmusic.com

Follow Maruja:
https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch:
[email protected]

Award winning novelist and screenwriter, Denise Deegan, summarizes all she is and does in the best of ways: "I'm a storyteller." And what a storyteller she is. In this candid conversation, she takes us back to deciding to give up a lucrative business to write a novel, her ability to move past fears and doubts by always following her gut, and pivoting to one of her favorite mediums - film. This conversation is sure to inspire not only budding novelist, but anyone who lets fear hold them back from pursuing their passions.

Writing women's fiction under the pen name Aimee Alexander (the combined name of her two kids), and Young Adult titles under her own name, Denise's books have been published by Penguin Random House and Hachette. 

Her coming-of-age novels include the much-loved trilogy, The Butterfly Novels: And By The Way, And For Your Information and And Actually and the epic novel of Irish revolution, Through the Barricades. And For Your Information was nominated for an Irish Book Award and is being adapted for film with Treasure Entertainment.

Denise's short comedy film, The Innkeeper,  has won multiple awards, including Best Comedy and Best Actor awards at the Canberra Short Film Festival.

00:00 Sound bites
00:37 Introduction Denise
02:31 A love for writing
04:47 Following your gut to write a novel without no previous experience
06:28 Starting at zero
07:00 A day in a writer's life
09:28 The first book
11:23 An agent, a publisher, and a novel within 9 months
12:16 The Butterfly Novels
13:43 A passionate, angry, sarcastic, vulnerable teenage girl's voice in my head
14:42 How a story 'comes' to you?
15:12 A trilogy: the story of three teenagers
15:47 Writing for the character of Sarah
18:32 Self-publishing after being with traditional publishers
19:50 Revisiting and editing  the first books to republish
21:00 Writing about mental health issues
22:42 Exploring the many facets of life is the best thing for your career
23:35 A passion for the medium of film
25:21 Award-winning short film "The Innkeeper"
30:00 The process of writing for TV and film vs writing novels
36:00 Turning novels into scripts
38:15 Moving beyond your fears to pursue your passions at any age
42:16 Advice to aspiring storytellers
45:14 Journaling or walking in nature to gather ideas
45:56 The empowering world of self-publishing
48:05 The importance of building a community around you - your personal brand
51:56 Advice to parents of budding storytellers
57:05 Through the barricade: a historical love story
59:42 A dedication 
01:00:55 Have fun and play

Follow Denise:
X: @denisedeegan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisedeegan/
https://denisedeegan.com/

Through the Barricades 📖
And By The Way 📚
And For Your Information 📚
And Actually 📚
Available on Amazon under Denise Deegan

The Accidental Life of Greg Millar 📖
Available on Amazon under Aimee Alexander

Follow Maruja:
https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch:
[email protected]

Born in the Dutch Caribbean and raised on a small beautiful island with just over 3,000 inhabitants, Shirma paved her way to become a force on the global music scene. From singing background vocals for Chaka Khan, Micheal Bolton, Al Jerreau and many, many more to eventually going solo and paying her final respects to her musical idol, Aretha Franklin, in Detroit, Michigan, and cultivating a beautiful friendship with Miss Franklin's niece and granddaughters. Shirma's personality is as big as her voice, and her self confidence is palpable. 

Be inspired as Shirma shares the gifts her parents have instilled in her, how she navigates setting goals for herself, and how she plants a seed of what is possible in her mind, and steps out on faith to watch it come to fruition. 

Follow Shirma:
https://shirmarouse.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirmarouse/

What's Missing from Medicine:
available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books

Follow Maruja:
https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch:

Dr. Saray Stancic went from being a physician to being an MS patient in the blink of an eye, at just 28 years old. After 8 years of living a compromised life and worsening symptoms, while still pursuing her dreams of having a successful medical career, her AHA Moment came in the form of an obscure medical journal and blueberries...🫐
Today, she has not only gone from walking with a cane to running a marathon, but she has become a force of inspiration, empowering patients and doctors to live to their greatest potential, free of chronic disease. How? By incorporating these 6 factors into our daily lives:

Food: eat more plants 🥗
Exercise: play more 🤸🏻
Managing stress: stay present 🧘🏻‍♀️
Sleep: rest well 💤
Substances: thrive without
Connection: grow love 

00:50 Introduction Dr. Saray Stancic
02:38 Saray's story - being diagnosed with MS
04:21 What is Multiple Sclerosis?
08:57 Climbing the career ladder while living a compromised life
11:11 The AHA moment
14:16 Numbing away the pain
15:50 Finding hope and a pathway forward
18:07 Devising a plan of action
19:03 Exercising one minute at a time
20:38 "I had my life back"
23:59 A drive to improve the medical education system
25:20 Scientific evidence to back up the power of lifestyle changes
26:45 Maruja's AHA moment
31:21 Sharing this with the world: What's Missing from Medicine and Code Blue
36:50 Reducing the risk of breast cancer by 50%
41:00 Empowering the patient
43:00 Addressing every aspect of the lifestyle medicine wheel
48:03 An anti inflammatory lifestyle
53:00 The impact of stress
57:30 A reminder "I have MS"
59:58 Burn out
01:02:24 Advice on adapting our lifestyle
01:08:40 Building coping skills and not depending on numbing substances
01:11:50 A balance of feeling pain and experiencing joy
01:14:00 Silencing the noise of social media
01:16:45 Freebie to start the journey
01:17:47 What inspires Saray to continue this mission
01:18:45 A hope for everyone to live to their greatest potential

Follow Dr. Stancic:
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/drstancic/
https://www.instagram.com/code_blue_doc/

What's Missing from Medicine:
available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books

Code Blue:
https://www.codebluedoc.com/
Available on Apple TV, Vimeo, Amazon, Google Play

Follow Maruja:
https://www.instagram.com/marujabogaardofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/marujabogaardofficial/

https://marujabogaard.com
https://marujamusic.com

Get in touch:
[email protected]