This Is Happening!

Check out a brand new episode of This Is Happening! This week Eric and special guest co-host Georgie Leahy are on the road in New York and have the pleasure of sitting down with mega-talented multi-hyphenate Julian Fleisher. Julian is a prodigiously talented singer-songwriter-bandleader-actor-writer who lives and creates in New York. Julian leads an aptly named ensemble Rather Big Band, with whom he performs at venues large and small around the world - especially in NYC where he is a regular at Joe's Pub, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Symphony Space, and more. Julian also hosts popular podcasts The Naked American Songbook and Julian Fleisher's Guilty Pleasures. Julian also regularly produces for and/or performs with such cabaret luminaries as Molly Ringwald, Martha Plimpton, Isaac Mizrahi, Jennifer Holiday, Lauren Graham, Rufus Wainwright, Bridget Everett, Paul Schaefer, and Justin Vivian Bond.

In his NYC apartment, with the sounds of the city perceptible, Julian tells us about his journey from Baltimore to NYC and how he has forged a varied and multifaceted career following his talents and passions where they lead. Presently working on a new musical, Julian recently announced new shows:

Aug 30-Sep 1: Three For Nothing: Julian Fleisher with Pete Smith on Guitar, Franklin Stage Company, Franklin, NY (reservations are free)

https://franklinstagecompany.org/events/julian-fleisher-and-friends/

Oct 1: Julian Fleisher and his Rather Big Band: Love On Top, Joe's Pub, NYC:

https://joespub.publictheater.org/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/Joes-Pub/2019/Julian-Fleisher/?SiteTheme=JoesPub

For all things Julian Fleisher:

Website: https://www.julianfleisher.com

Podcast: The Naked American Songbook by WNYC Studios: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-american-songbook/id1047686759?mt=2

Twitter: @JulianFlei

Instagram: @julianflei

Facebook: @Julian Fleisher

And stay up to date with This Is Happening!:

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Twitter: @TIHthePodcast

After a short break, This Is Happening! is back with all new episodes! This week, Eric and Doug sit down with the Perry Twins and Quinn Coleman! The Perry Twins are Los Angeles-based DJ duo - identical twins Derek and Doug Perry. In addition to DJ'ing around the world, The Perry Twins write, produce, and remix songs that have topped Billboard's Dance Chart, often with their longtime collaborator Quinn Coleman. The Perry Twins have written and produced Number One Dance Hits with such artists as Jania, Niki Harris, and Harper Starling and they regularly hit the charts with remixes they produce for everyone from Rihanna to Janet Jackson to Justin Bieber to Jennifer Lopez.

In this episode, we trace The Perry Twins path from growing up as identical twins to becoming successful DJ's and recording artists. And we dive into Quinn's fascinating journey from solo artist to successful songwriter, while also thriving as a film distribution and production executive. Quinn Coleman and The Perry Twins have a fun and breezy rapport and we enjoy some of their hits along the way. Enjoy!

For all things The Perry Twins:

Website: www.theperrytwins.com

Instagram: @theperrytwins

Twitter: @PerryTwins

Facebook: @The Perry Twins

Follow Quinn Coleman:

Instagram: @qcoleman

Stay up to date with This Is Happening!

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Twitter: @TIHthePodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

See The Perry Twins:

August 23: Eagle LA, Los Angeles, CA

August 25, 31: Chapel at The Abbey, West Hollywood, CA

September 7: Precinct, DTLA, CA

September 15: Circuit Sundays, San Francisco, CA

Check out this EXTRA special episode of This Is Happening! Co-hosts Eric Morris, Doug Budin, and Georgie Leahy interview John Morris about his incredible career producing rock concerts beginning with the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, opening the Fillmore East with Bill Graham, heading up production at Woodstock, opening the Rainbow Theater in London, and more!

Full disclosure, John is Eric's uncle and we talk about the new documentary CREATING WOODSTOCK on which they collaborated with director Mick Richards and which comes out in August to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock. Check out www.creatingwoodstock.com for more info about the film.

John has led a fascinating life and tells great stories about managing the Fillmore East - including helping Jimi Hendrix with a wardrobe malfunction onstage, plying Janis Joplin with Southern Comfort when she was freaking out about having to follow an electrifying set by BB King at her first NYC show, pranking Jim Morrison by stranding him in the rafters as payback for the Doors playing a show for a rival concert promoter, and much more.

John also talks about how he got involved in putting Woodstock together and how it became "a free concert from now on" as he announced from the stage in August 1969.

John regales us with other adventures including the Grateful Dead spiking his Coca Cola can with acid at a Central Park concert and seeing Eric Clapton return to performing supporting Leon Russell at London's Rainbow Theater after a few years away. And he talks about shifting out of producing rock concerts and into producing art shows, including:

Objects of Art at El Museo in Santa Fe August 8-11:

www.objectsorartsantafe.com

and The Antique American India Art Show Santa Fe at El Museo August 13-16:

www.antiqueindianartshow.com

If you're near New York, you can see John speaking about Woodstock following a screening of CREATING WOODSTOCK at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts - on the site of Yasgur's Farm, the site of the original Woodstock festival.

https://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/events/producing-woodstock-panel-and-film-the-people-who-created-the-festival

Or if you're in Los Angeles, CREATING WOODSTOCK is screening at the Grammy Museum in DTLA on August 12 followed by a panel including John, along with Woodstock producer Joel Rosenman, artist coordinator Bill Belmont, and CREATING WOODSTOCK's director Mick Richards and producer Eric Morris.

https:/www.grammymuseum.org/events/detail/creating-woodstock

Enjoy!

Check out a brand new episode of This Is Happening! At the Nantucket Film Festival with special guest cohosts Georgie Leahy and Roberta Marie Munroe, we sat down with writer/producer Christine M. Torres whose short film CLARK played in the festival's Laugh Out Loud shorts program. Directed by her brother Nelson Torres and produced by Christine, CLARK is smart, charming, and funny. It’s an ingenious and somewhat disturbing spin on the origin story of the famous superhero named Clark.

Christine is incredibly accomplished and has led a fascinating life. A former prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office, Christine went on to write for Law & Order: SVU and produce numerous short films. She continues to write and is preparing to direct her first film. Christine is dauntingly smart, disarmingly charming, and fun. Enjoy!

For more about Christine, check out her website:

www.christinetorres.com

You can find This Is Happening! wherever you listen to podcasts including Apple's Podcast App and SoundCloud.

Stay up to date with the pod. Follow us @

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Twitter: @TIHthePodcast

Check out a brand new episode of This Is Happening! Eric Morris and special guest cohost Georgie Leahy sit down in NYC with the charming and talented Kit Williamson and John Halbach of the popular and provocative web series EASTSIDERS which is about to launch its 4th season. Created by Williamson, who wrote and directed the first 3 seasons, and produced by and starring Williamson and Halbach, EASTSIDERS takes an honest look at queer relationships through the lens of a group of friends in Silverlake, on the east side of Los Angeles. Williamson, Halbach and their cast don't hold back in this multi-season portrayal of people navigating life, love, careers, betrayal, and friendship. Williamson's hilarious and honest writing has attracted an amazing cast which has included Constance Woo, Van Hansis, Matthew McKelligon, Willam Belli, Tuc Watkins, Drew Droeghe, and Wilson Cruz.

The 4th and final season of EASTSIDERS, funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign, is debuting at film festivals including at Outfest in Los Angeles on July 20 - go to www.outfest.org for more info and tickets.

Kit and John open up about their journey in making EASTSIDERS and what it's like to be saying goodbye to it. We talk about their commitment to telling queer stories and what's next for them. They are as charming as they are talented. Enjoy!

For more on EASTSIDERS, go to www.eastsiderstheseries.com.

Stay up to date with the podcast:

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Twitter: @TIHthepodcast

To celebrate America's independence and the freedoms we enjoy and many that we still have to fight for, This Is Happening! brings you an extra special episode. During a recent whirlwind road trip, Eric and special guest cohost Georgie Leahy sat down with legendary singer-songwriter and performance artist Justin Vivian Bond. A trans-genre artist, Mx Bond has performed all over the world from San Francisco to East Village Bars to Carnegie Hall to Paris, London and beyond.

V grew up in Maryland and began performing in DC before making a mark in the San Francisco cabaret scene, where V met longtime collaborator Kenny Mellman with whom V developed Kiki and Herb, a durable, hilarious, and transgressive act which they took to New York and all over the world, winning and Obie, a Tony nomination for their Broadway run, and more.

Mx Bond has appeared in CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? with Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant, John Cameron Mitchell's SHORTBUS, Hulu's DIFFICULT PEOPLE, Netflix's THE GET DOWN, ABC's UGLY BETTY, and more. Albums include Kiki and Herb Will Die For You at Carnegie Hall, Dendrophile, and Silver Wells. Mx Bond regularly performs at Joe's Pub in New York, most recently in Justin Vivian Bond Is Your Auntie Glam in Gay for the Gods! In December, V will appear in Olga Neuwirth's new opera ORLANDO at the renowned Wiener Staatsoper in Vienna.

Join us for a super fun kiki (if you will) with this brilliant and fascinating artist blazing a beautiful trail.

For everything Justin Vivian Bond, go to

website: www.justinvivianbond.com

Instagram: @mxviv

Facebook: @Justin Vivian Bond

Twitter: @mxjustinVbond

Stay up to date with the podcast:

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Twitter: @TIHthePodcast

This Is Happening! takes it on the road to the Nantucket Film Festival with fab recurring co-host budding superstar Georgie Leahy and special guest co-host writer/director/producer Roberta Marie Munroe. This week, Eric, Georgie, and Roberta welcome impossibly charming and talented actress/writer/director Haley Finnegan whose short film Westfalia played in the Festival. Westfalia is a timely portrait of a couple obsessively focused on gaining Instagram followers to the exclusion of actually being present for their own lives. Finnegan's film is incisive and hilarious with terrific performances by Finnegan and Brian Flynn as the lead couple and actual Instagram phenoms Nick and Laura Lawson Visconti as their rivals. We explore the tricky task of employing social media to promote ones work without letting it take over your life.

Haley is an accomplished performer and comedienne. She has worked with Christopher Guest, Liam Hemsworth, and many more and has performed at UCB, Second City, The Ruby and with her Improv team Chased By Bear, which also features her costar Flynn.

For more about Haley Finnegan, check out her website

www.haleyfinnegan.com

And follow her on Instagram @haleyfinnegan.

For more about Westfalia, follow @westfaliamovie on Instagram and Facebook, and follow Chased By Bear on Facebook and @cbbinmprov on Instragram.

Stay up to date with This Is Happening, follow us:

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Check out a brand new episode of This Is Happening! This week, Eric and Doug chat with the prodigiously talented writer, director, and producer Tim Kirkman. Tim hails from North Carolina and made his first film, DEAR JESSE, about the parallels and dIvergent paths between his lIfe and that of Senator Jesse Helm. Next TIm captured DavId Drake‘s bold and brIllIant one man show THE NIGHT LARRY KRAMER KISSED ME. Tim also wrote and directed the lyrically beautiful fIlm LOGGERHEADS starring Kip Pardue, Tess Harper, Bonnie Hunt, and Michael Kelly. Most recently Tim wrote, directed, and produced the powerfully moving love story LAZY EYE. Tim is as funny and charming as he is talented. Enjoy!

This week on This Is Happening!, Eric and Doug sit down with Virginia Buckworth, founder of Australia's first and only gay beer and cider company. Fresh off sponsoring LA Pride, Virginia recounts the genesis of her company which launched during Australia's successful marriage equality campaign in 2017. Gayle is now expanding into the United States and other markets through sponsoring events that unite and uplift the community. Working with SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo, Virginia is producing her refreshing ale and cider locally to prepare for an expansion into California. As we sample some Gayle, Virginia describes her entrepreneurial journey of launching a new brand in a competitive marketplace.

For more about the GAYLE story, check our the website: www.gaylebev.com.au

Or follow GAYLE:

Intagram: @gaylebev_

Facebook: @Gayle

Be sure to follow This Is Happening! to stay up to date with the pod:

Instagram: @thisishappeningthepodcast

Facebook: @thisishappeningpod

Twitter: @TIHthepodcast

Check out a brand new episode of This Is Happening! This week Eric and Doug welcome our lovely friend Jess Gorell! Jess is a photographer, writer, director, and animator. Jess began to pursue photography when she lived on the island of Nantucket and her work has been shown and sold in galleries around the country. Jess is also a playwright and directs films and plays. Jess founded the Bakshi School of Animation with legendary animator Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat, The Lord of the Rings, Cool World) and joined The Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, which is now ranked among the top 10 animation and game design schools in the Southwest. Jess is presently finishing a documentary about Nantucket artists. Jess is an inspiring artist and delightful free spirit. Enjoy!