The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

This week on The Spark File, we’re cultivating delight with an episode we’re calling “Words We Love.” Susan went spelunking through her massive digital spark file and emerged with a glittering haul: words that crack us up, words that soothe, words that make you feel—dare we say—carbonated.

We talk effervescent, herkle-durkle, mudita (the joy we feel for someone else’s good news), glugaveder (window weather), mangata (moon street), and the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows—aka proof that language can be poetry and permission at the same time. Along the way, we remember that the right word can name what’s true, soften what’s hard, and reconnect us to one another—especially in intense times.

Your mission: drop your favorite word in the comments (or email us) and let it spark something new.

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In this episode of The Spark File, Laura and Susan celebrate the art, science, and deep humanity of a good cry. Sparked by poems, personal stories, and a lovingly unofficial “research study,” they explore why tears are not a weakness—but a powerful form of emotional intelligence and creative release.

You’ll hear why emotional tears literally help flush stress from the body, how “easy criers” may actually process feelings faster, and why letting emotions stay in motion can bring clarity, calm, and connection. Along the way, we share crowd-sourced cry catalysts (movies, music, moments), the concept of collective effervescence, and tender reminders that you never have to apologize for feeling deeply.

This is an episode for sensitive souls, brave creatives, and anyone who’s been told they’re “too much.” Bring tissues.

Check our website for playlists and movie references!

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This week on The Spark File, we’re asking a question that might just unclench your whole nervous system: How Easy Can It Be?

Susan shares a beloved Spark from our brilliant colleague Kate Kayaian (“How would this feel if I let it be easy?”), then takes us on a joyride through filmmaker Cyrus Bates (aka The Mental Level), NBA legend-in-the-making Tyrese Haliburton, big-wave surfing wisdom from 100 Foot Wave, and a simple magic phrase from choreographer Ohad Naharin: “Piece of cake.”

We talk about the stories we’ve swallowed whole—nothing worth having comes easy, hard work has to feel unpleasant—and the radical possibility that ease and excellence can coexist. Come play with us. Come loosen your grip. Piece of cake, baby.

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A Window; Not a Mirror is your new permission slip. In this episode, Laura shares a line she overheard in a NYC café that snapped her nervous system into clarity: “You cannot walk into the asylum and let it convince you that you’ve gone mad. Remember: it’s a window, not a mirror.”

Together, Laura and Susan unpack the difference between healthy self-reflection and chronic self-blame—why “everything is a mirror” got oversimplified, how discernment changes everything, and how to tell when something is yours to own… versus yours to walk away from.

This episode starts with Cocoa Puffs perfume and ends with a mic-drop truth bomb: sometimes it’s not your “growth edge”… it’s your exit sign.

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Life attracts life. So if you want more creativity, more connection, more possibility… you can’t wait it out on the couch.

In this episode of The Spark File Podcast, Laura revisits The Alchemist and uncovers why pursuing your creative calling isn’t about chasing a guaranteed outcome—it’s about choosing aliveness. We talk fear, failure, love, upper limits, and the quiet danger of staying “safe.” If your creative spark has been knocking, this is your reminder: movement creates momentum. Curiosity attracts opportunity. Life finds you when you show up for it.

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In this wintery, true-crime-meets-ghost-story episode, Susan shares the chilling tale of the 1892 “hex murder” at the Stone Arch Bridge. A poor farmer accused of witchcraft, a family convinced they’re cursed, a killing “three ways over water,” and a graveyard full of family members. Inspired by the old tradition of telling scary stories at Christmas, this eerie spark is perfect fodder for your next play, film, story, or artwork.

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In this episode of The Spark File, Susan shares a spark that hit her straight in the nervous system: From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks — a book recommended by the late, beloved Gavin Creel.

Together, Laura and Susan explore the “striver’s curse,” what it means to feel your brain changing as you age, and why the shift from fluid intelligence (raw speed + innovation) to crystallized intelligence (wisdom + synthesis) might be the best news you’ve heard all week.

If you’ve ever worried you’re “not as sharp,” felt tempted to rage against time, or wondered how to build a creative life that gets richer—not smaller—with age… this one’s for you.

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Welcome to Season 7 of The Spark File podcast with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien! On this episode, Laura and Susan discuss the wisdom of neuroscientist Dr. Dan Siegel and the fact that there is no such thing as Immaculate Perception. We only see what we believe. To truly see deeply, we must question everything we believe. Tune in to learn the inner workings of your own mind.

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This week on The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we welcome Melay Araya, Artistic Director at the Town Hall. In addition to her work as Artistic Director, Melay is a writer, archivist, and multimedia artist with three decades of experience. While providing extraordinary leadership at The Town Hall, one of New York City’s finest cultural institutions, Melay continues to study, compose, record, and perform.

Join us as we discuss how Melay finds creativity in the many facets of her role at The Town Hall. She walks us through the curation process and the joys of problem-solving in a storied arts institution. Plus, she shares some details about the newly announced 2025/26 Town Hall Season—which she describes as a cornucopia of creative goodness. When we say it’s all happening at the Town Hall, it all starts with Melay Araya!  

You can listen to The Town Hall Spark Sessions on The Spark File podcast feed - now on the Broadway Podcast Network! Or tune in to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. And, you can learn more about The Town Hall at thetownhall.org.

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This week on The Town Hall Spark Sessions - a podcast collaboration between NYC's Town Hall and The Spark File, we welcome the iconic singer, songwriter, actress and composer, Sara Bareilles. With more than 15 million singles and 3 million albums sold in the U.S., she is one of the world’s leading popular musicians. Join us as we discuss how love and grief are interwoven and have sparked her creativity into a new album, the way that truth in creativity is visceral and her journey to the legendary Town Hall stage with the incomparable Rufus Wainwright. 

Learn more about The Spark File's upcoming FREE WORKSHOP here.

To purchase tickets to Opening Night and support the ACLU, go to The Town Hall box office or purchase them online at Ticketmaster. Learn More and Listen Here!

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