Working

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Miguel Cervantes, the actor currently playing Alexander Hamilton on Broadway. In the interview, Miguel explains why he’s not trying to mimic or channel the original performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also shares how a personal tragedy changed his life and continues to impact his art. 

After the interview, Nate and co-host June Thomas talk about repetition and ritual as tools for creative work. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Miguel tells the story of an embarrassing mishap on stage. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dive into all the ways creatives should relax and vacation. Whether it’s splashing in the pool, or breezing through some books, a few days of R&R can be just what is needed to replenish the creative juices. The hosts also explore the many conversations among friends and family that can sometimes jostle loose a new creative idea and recharge your relationships.

Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected]. 

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Madeleine George, who recently adapted the classic Alison Bechdel comic Dykes to Watch Out For into an audio drama that stars Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, Roberta Colindrez, and Roxane Gay. In the interview, Madeleine discusses the challenges of turning a piece of visual art into an audio-only narrative. She also talks about the 1980’s setting of the story and the continued relevance of the characters’ personal and political lives. 

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler explain how to set rules for your creative projects. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Madeleine talks about her work on the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Arian Moayed, who played Stewy on the hit HBO series Succession and more recently played Torvald Helmer in a production of A Doll’s House on Broadway. In the interview, Arian talks about his early career in theater and the valuable acting techniques that he learned in college. He also discusses his experiences playing unlikeable characters, his pivot from stage to screen, and the overwhelming amount of feedback that actors receive. 

[NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA Union began its strike.] 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the benefits and downsides of high-intensity creative work.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Arian explains how he got the hang of Succession’s unique tone. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are joined by Lincoln Michel author of The Body Scout, for a deep dive into the legacy of creative work. Books may last forever, but vast amounts of work within the digital realm end up being ephemeral. It can be easy to worry about how a Tweet may be perceived in the future, but even major authors of their day can be lost to the annals of time.

Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected]. 

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Maria Schneider, winner of multiple Grammy Awards for her big band jazz compositions, including the song “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” which she composed with David Bowie. In the interview, Maria discusses her two mentors Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer and the wisdom that helped her find her voice as an artist. She also talks about her tools for composing, what it means to “trust your enthusiasm,” and her unforgettable collaboration with David Bowie. 

After the interview, Nate and co-host Isaac Butler explain how to respect the inner logic of your work. They also talk about how artists can borrow wisdom from other art forms.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Maria explains why most of her music isn’t available on streaming services. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more.

In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire.

After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Zak Rosen.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler peel back the layers of great art. Whether it’s books, movies, essays, or paintings, creative work can be broken apart and used as inspirational ammunition for your own output. Through dog-earing novels, overloading a Notes app, or treating yourself to an ‘Artist Date,’ there are countless ways to consume creativity and store it for your own work.

Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected]. 

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're airing an encore presentation of our interview with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, which just finished airing its second season on HBO. In the interview, Hannah and Paul discuss their close collaborative relationship and share some of the creative practices they developed with their theater company, The Debate Society. Then they talk about the development and writing process behind Somebody Somewhere, which is set in rural Kansas and stars actor and cabaret singer Bridget Everett, who grew up there.

After the interview, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas talk about the effectiveness of writing exercises and the difficulty of describing one’s own creative processes.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Hannah and Paul explain why they chose not to include any details about the pandemic in Somebody Somewhere.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Peter One, whose recent album Come Back to Me is his first in more than three decades. In 1985, he and musician Jess Sah Bi released the album Our Garden Needs Its Flowers, which was a big hit in Peter’s home country of the Ivory Coast and bolstered his reputation around the world. In the interview, Peter discusses his songwriting process for Come Back to Me and explains what it’s been like to re-connect with his fanbase and to find new admirers of his work. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Nate Chinen discuss the role of intuition in creative work. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Peter talks more about the events that led to his career revival. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.