Ep 184 Mark Russell – Under the Radar – How it all began

This week Kevin and Josh continue with the Under the Radar Series by sitting down with Mark Russell, the founder and one of the current artistic directors of the Under the Radar Festival.  He discusses his origins in theater, how he began working in New York City, and then how Under the Radar originated.  We also discuss how the festival has grown, changed, and survived as it has adapted to a changing landscape of theater in NYC.

To learn more about Mark or the Under the Radar Festival go to their website here. https://utrfest.org

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Ep 183 Booking in 2026 – Back to Normal?

This week the Pod Squad discusses how the booking cycle is going, and it feels strangely back to normal... but is that a good thing? We touch on some of the ongoing challenges and ideas to consider as we finalize our ‘26-’27 seasons and look forward. Agents and artists, we’d love to hear your perspective and what it feels like for you.

Ep 182 Vikas Arun: We Don’t Do This for the Money

This week Vikas Arun of Project Convergence gives us a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional dancer. Katie dives into Vikas’s varied resume, including his time performing with the New York cast of STOMP, as well as working on So You Think You Can Dance.

Vikas Arun (www.vikasarun.com) is a professional dancer based in Seattle and New York, blending Western and Indian percussive dance styles with his company Project Convergence. He has worked in television, commercials, international touring, and is the first South Asian artist sponsored by Capezio and the first to perform in the global hit STOMP.

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Ep. 181 – Opera, Ballet, and Public Perception

This week our hosts dive into the discussion around the comments of Timothee Chalamet.  They question the relevance of some of the traditional arts like opera and ballet to the overall general public. They further question in what ways those classic art forms can gain more relevance to the general populous.  

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NBL Rewind: David Rowell: Inspiring the Next Generation

As colleges and universities are on Spring Break, we are taking a Spring Break of our own and rewinding to episode 72, highlighting a (now former) university presenter and his students.

Our hosts talk about times they said, “never again,” and then totally did again. This week Bryan sits down with David Rowell, an amazing educator and mentor in the industry. David shares his introduction to the arts, clown ministry, his incredible career, opening performance venues, and teaching the future of the industry. He is joined by two of his students, Ashanique Riche and Hannah Pogemiller, who share their unique view of the industry and an inside look at the program at Dean College.

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Ep. 179 Are the Arts a Luxury?

As the State of Michigan considers a 6% luxury tax, which includes the performing arts, Josh, Kevin, and Pure Michigan Katie Trzaska-Miller, consider the impact and ask, have the arts become a luxury?

Ep. 178 Project Convergence: The Rhythm of Collaboration

Katie sits down with Vikas Arun and Apoorva Natarajan, co-directors of the American dance company Project Convergence, home to the union of Bharatanatyam and American tap dance. A chance conversation at the Midwest Arts XPO led to this discussion about the state of dance in the presenting field, marketing for artists, and the challenges of conferencing and showcasing for artists.

Vikas Arun and Apoorva Natarajan and the co-directors of Project Convergence, an American dance company with touring companies located in New York City and Seattle (https://www.projectconvergence.org/).

Ep. 177 Under the Radar Festival: The Edgy Side of Theater

Josh and Kevin sit down to discuss their experience with the Under the Radar Festival in NYC. They share what the festival is, what they did, and more.

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Ep. 176 Willem Van Der Maij: Making Solo Show Production Easier

Today Bryan sits down with Willem Van Der Maij; the Founder, inventor, and managing director of Midian, a company that produces the Midian Prime – a wireless remote multi function midi control device.  Hear how this device makes live performance easier for solo gig artists. 

Learn more at https://www.midian.live

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Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 175 Hot Headlines: Trump-Kennedy Center Closing?

Katie, Josh, and Kevin talk about the President posting about closing the Trump-Kennedy Center for two years for “renovations,” and funding of the NEA, among other topics, because you can’t talk about a Presidential social media post without diving into the state of America. 

Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod

Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.