The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

This week on The Spark File, Susan and Laura dish up two lively and thought-provoking sparks -- the legacy of the summer stock pioneer, legendary theatrical producer John Kenley and The Unthought Known -- things we know to be true, but can not allow ourselves to think about, a concept illustrated by Dani Shapiro in her book, Inheritance.

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Susan and Laura sit down with Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore (Still Alice, The Hunger Games, Far From Heaven, The Kids are All Right, After the Wedding) and writer/director/filmmaker Bart Freundlich (The Myth of Fingerprints, Wolves, After the Wedding). Award winning creatives in their own right, they also merge creative endeavors with marriage and parenthood. In Part One of our conversation, we learn what creative risks Julianne and Bart have been taking recently, how they mix their personal and creative energies and what makes for a creatively satisfying experience. 

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Susan and Laura serve up a load of creativity sparks this week examining Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes and the legacy of the full Sanpaku along with the seemingly universal dream of acreage, Fixer Uppers and @cheapoldhouses.

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In this week's maker-sode, Susan and Laura talk with award-winning filmmaker Rodney Evans about his very personal documentary, Vision Portraits. Rodney shares the details of his loss of vision and and what it means to be a blind or visually impaired creative artist. Rodney shares the power of channeling his fear into his creativity, illuminates the difference between sight and vision, and shares his belief that going blind just might create new ways of seeing. According to The New York Times, Vision Portraits “has the power, however briefly, to alter your perception."

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In this Creativity Sparks episode, co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien discuss the original spark that inspired Susan to write the piece 'Golden Palace" for the Off-Broadway show NOW.HERE.THIS at the Vineyard Theatre, as well as the overflowing gift of sparks poet Mary Oliver left for the world.

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Part Two of a conversation between co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien and actor, producer, creator Zachary Quinto. Get to know the thoughtful, original mind of this prolific maker as he shares experiences from a creative life full of blockbuster films (Star Trek), television hits (Heroes, American Horror Story), Broadway theater (Boys in the Band, Glass Menagerie), and his personal off the beaten path Netflix options.

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In this episode of The Spark File, Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien discuss a dark spark -- the legacy of Larry Nassar and the powerful, inspiring army of survivors and champions who told their stories, including Katelyn Ohashi, Lindsey Smith, Valorie Kondos Field, Rachael Denhollander and Kate Wells. They also look beneath the surface of Reservoir Noir and the spark-filled stories of towns that drowned. From Andrew Carnegie's South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club and the South Fork Dam causing the tragic flooding of Johnstown, Pennsylvania to the American Corp of Engineers intentionally flooding towns such as Willow Grove, Tennessee in order to form Dale Hollow Lake.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode of The Spark File podcasts contains mature themes (physical abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, body issues). Please use your discretion.

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Part One of a conversation between co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien and prolific actor, producer, creator Zachary Quinto. Zach gives us the 411 on his backstory, key moments in his creative career, and how "uncertainty" can be the most enticing guide. Zach takes us from Broadway to television to blockbuster films, Glass Menagerie to American Horror Story to Star Trek and well beyond.

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Co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien serve up some delicious creative sparks in the form of little-known controversies surrounding the beloved Little House on the Prairie series and its author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. We also explore the Mokita -- the truth everyone knows but no one will talk about -- how it defines our work cultures and how it can be used to great dramatic (or comedic) effect.

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Co-hosts Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien serve up the basics of The Spark File podcast -- what is a Spark File? What do you put in it? and why does every creative need one? From the visual artists to performing artists, writers, dancers, filmmakers, instagramers -- artists, makers and creators of all kinds need to restock our creative fishponds and build a reserve of ideas and inspirations. Listen, then take it and make it!

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