Why I‘ll Never Make It

After our conversation on the previous episode, Brian answers the Final Five, talking about software engineering and his dream to fix CHESS as well as lessons learned from Elizabeth Gilbert.

Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodcast.com.

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Featuring the third composer of the season, Brian Lowdermilk is a fantastic contemporary songwriter who's found a great deal of success from the internet. And in this day and age where not much theater is happening onstage, that bodes well for both Kerrigan & Lowdermilk. 

Brian (they/them, she/her) shares the nuts and bolts of writing and collaborating on musicals (and is joined by Kait for part of the interview). Then we get into more personal matters of gender identity and theater's place in the LGBTQ community. It's an in-depth, personal conversation with a talented and insightful composer. 

Follow Brian: Instagram / YouTube / SoundCloud 

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After our conversation on the previous episode, Roberto answers the Final Five. He shares his love of CBS Sunday Morning and his dream of playing the Baker in INTO THE WOODS as well as that the time he forgot to press the record button.

Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodcast.com.

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The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode: ko-fi.com/winmipodcast

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Season 4 Survey: https://winmipodcast.typeform.com/to/SdODaMU7

I first got to know Roberto when putting together the Season Three opener with Caroline Bowman. He had taken beautiful photos of her as she was preparing for the National Tour of Disney's FROZEN. I wanted him to come on the show to share his experiences and insights on making the best headshots possible. So get ready to take some notes. 

Little did I know, though, the backstory and struggles he's been through. From a family unwilling to accept his sexuality and being homeless in NYC to the "casual racism" he has encountered in the industry. Roberto really opens up and shares an enlightening story that can both inspire our craft and push us to change the underlying biases still present in theater. 

Follow Roberto: Instagram / Twitter / YouTube / Website 

Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Website / Medium 

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After our conversation on the previous episode, Cris answers the Final Five. He shares why he'd love to teach and his dream to be in CATS as well as what he learned from Tyler Perry.

Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodcast.com.

     ----------     

The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.

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In this longer episode than normal, I am honored and grateful to have this enormously gifted artist on the show. Cris Eli Blak may only be a senior in college, but he has wisdom far beyond his years to share with all of us.

From thoughts on the current racial tensions gripping this country to how theater can be a voice in the midst of it, Cris shares from the heart and from his art. He opens up about his own challenges and struggles as a writer, how growing up without a father affected him, and the type of writing and storytelling he wants to give the world.

This is a touching and moving episode that will leave you with a better understanding of where we are and a brighter hope for where we can ultimately go.

Topics covered in this episode:

 - Do The Right Thing 30 Years Later 

 - Spike Lee on HuffPost Live 

 - The Brother's Survivor short film 

 - The World Changes Through Art 

 - Our Duty to Confront Racism in Theater Industry 

 - "Like Father, Like Son" on the Logue Lounge 

 - All-White Production Of HAIRSPRAY In Texas Raises Eyebrows 

 - Should There Be All-White Productions of HAIRSPRAY? 

Follow Cris: Instagram / YouTube / Medium 

Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Website / Medium

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The third and final look at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with Michael McBride, a 10-year veteran with the company. Through this organization he not only gained skills and experience in collaborating with some of the best dancers and choreographers on the planet, but he also found the love of his life, Samuel Lee Roberts, a fellow dancer in the company.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Michael. He's had some hard lessons to learn along the way and he talks about some of those, especially in the Final Five questions, also included in this episode.

Topics and People Mentioned:

Follow Michael: Instagram / Website

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Samantha Figgins is currently in her sixth season with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. But what many people don't know is that this gorgeous dancer suffers from single-sided deafness. As a baby, Figgins contracted spinal meningitis, which caused her to lose all hearing in her right ear. She never gave up on her dance dreams, though, and fought her way through uncomfortable situations, never missing an opportunity to learn and grow. In this episode, she shares her love of dance, her passion in telling stories, and the discipline that makes it all possible.

Listen to the previous episode all about Alvin Ailey.

Dance Spirit cover in 2013 

Watch Samantha dance in Revelations on TED: https://youtu.be/0f4wtD8eXNk 

Follow her: Instagram / Twitter 

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WINMI is a Top 20 Podcast thanks to you! 

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"I Been 'Buked" and "Fix Me, Jesus" arranged by Hall Johnson. G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

"Kitty In The Window" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. Based on a work at http://soundofpicture.com

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When it comes to the performing arts and certainly to dance, there are few people more worthy of admiration, of inspiration and imitation than Alvin Ailey. He was both uniquely gifted and qualified to tell the African-American experience which he lived and saw and reacted to through the art of dance. 

If you follow me or the podcast on social media, you know that I’m a white man who also grew up in the South. I was certainly witness to and heard tinges of racism growing up, but was fortunately sheltered for the most part from those who held such a deep-seeded hatred. A bigotry that Ailey knew first-hand. Growing up in the South, he had his own struggles with self-esteem due to the acts of racial violence so prevalent in those formative years. Within the theater, we have playwrights and lyricists who can put difficult feelings and hard lessons into words. They show us parts of humanity that can be both glorious and despicable. But theater is not with us right now, the stage is silent. And so in the last few days, in light of the events that led to George Floyd‘s death and its aftermath, I have looked for and listened to past voices for both understanding and action, comfort and courage.  One of my most treasured experiences and memories of being here in New York City is getting to watch the Alvin Ailey American dance concerts each winter and summer. They consist of powerful and moving performances by amazingly talented dancers. And so it was only natural that my thoughts would go to the stories and emotions told through the pieces that Alvin Ailey choreographed himself, namely his iconic Revelations, which was inspired by his involvement within the Southern Black church. In fact, all of his work came forth from the people and places and experiences of his life.  People and choreography discussed: 

Videos and interviews used in the making of this episode:

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The time and expense needed to compile and edit this epiosde was at times challenging but ultimately rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode. 

Music used in this episode:

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At the end of our previous insightful conversation, Douglas Sills gave his answers to the Final Five questions. He shares a story of his mentor who recently passed away as well as his interests finance and veterinarian medicine. After his answer to best advice, I kept the recording going and it opened into a deeper conversation about happiness and feeling (un)motivated.

Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodast.com.

     ----------     

The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices