APEX Hour at SUU

Show Notes The Process & Science of Clay: Dean Schmidt breaks down the stages of pottery—from wet clay and leather hard cheddar-cheese states to bone dry firing, glaze chemistry, and atmospheric kilns. Skill Building & Letting Go: Why repetition, discipline, and embracing failure (even dumping work in a shard pile or using the "golden hammer") are essential to mastering ceramics. Functiona...

From Radio Jock to Political Anchor: Lindsay discusses her career trajectory across Utah media, navigating layoffs, and carving out a unique beat as the host of Inside Utah Politics . The Power of Local Elections: Why city councils, school boards, and state legislative tax structures impact our daily routines far more than national news cycles. Urban vs. Rural Perspectives: How key issues like pub...

The Power of Authentic Mentorship & Legacy: Emily reflects on lessons learned from growing up in a working theater family, the value of kindness in the room, and taking up space as a physical actor[cite: 17, 18]. Unpacking the Intimate Anes Season: An inside look at playing dual roles in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and navigating the complex, highly ambitious character of Ana in The Book Club...

The Dual Role of Production Leadership: Tanya breaks down her responsibilities as Festival Stage Manager supervising the department and as Artistic Associate collaborating on season selection, calendaring, and casting. The Nerve Center of the Festival: An inside look at how stage managers serve as the ultimate hub of communication between directors, actors, designers, and crew from early rehearsal...

Key Takeaway 1: The Journey of a Regional Actor & Educator: Jacob Dresch details his path from high school band and community theater to earning a BFA at DeSales University, an MFA at UC Irvine under mentor Phil Thompson, and balancing professional regional acting with university teaching. Key Takeaway 2: Unpacking The Book Club Play : An inside look at playing Will, exploring documentary came...

Key Takeaway 1: The structural mechanics of running a 65-person costume shop during peak build, balancing artisan craftsmanship with the daily logistics of wardrobe supervision. Key Takeaway 2: How historical clothing and silhouettes—from Victorian leg-of-mutton sleeves to corsets—function as social commentary and shape physical movement on stage. Key Takeaway 3: The distinction between costume de...

A Lifelong Performing Career: Guest Brian Gonzales traces his journey growing up in Dallas and San Antonio, raised by a television crew chief father and a blues singer/director mother, leading to his Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee . Crafting Iconic Character Roles: An inside look at originating Babkak in Aladdin on Broadway and stepping into two distinct 2026 Randall...

From Magnet School to the Stage: Guest Kayland Jordan discusses growing up in Dallas, attending specialized performing arts middle and high schools, and earning a BFA in acting in New York City. Unpacking Classical Character Depth: A discussion on bringing fresh humanity, grief, and comedic timing to iconic figures like Olivia in Twelfth Night and Horatio in Hamlet . Representation and Intentional...

From the Ballfield to the Ghost Light: Guest Blake Henri shares how a high school injury and an unexpected moment alone on stage redirected his life path from sports and business toward a passionate, career-focused pursuit of classical acting. Depth Behind the Antagonists: A compelling discussion on breaking traditional performance stereotypes to discover grief, regret, and genuine human love in r...

The evolution of an actor—from childhood comic book art and construction work with his father to mastering leading classical roles. A fresh perspective on approaching famous soliloquies as spontaneous, character-driven discoveries rather than grand, static recitations. Unpacking the duality of playing two vastly different figures—the introspective Prince Hamlet and the complex, satirical warrior A...

Show Notes From Competition Dance to Storytelling: Guest Sacha Comrie details her early career in commercial dance and her transformative education at Spelman College that bridged technical skill with narrative choreography. Understanding Intimacy Coordination: A comprehensive breakdown of how intimacy coordinators manage actor consent, boundaries, modesty garments, and movement choreography acros...

From Center Stage to Scenic Design: Guest Jo Winiarski discusses her transition from an undergraduate acting student at NYU to finding her true calling as a professional set designer and television art director. The Architecture of Repertory Theater: A deep dive into the physical mechanics of managing three distinct productions within the exact same theatrical footprint, featuring the logistical t...

A Journey Built on Shared Discovery: Guest Alan Muraoka traces his roots from a Southern California latchkey kid seeking structural camaraderie to winning the historic UCLA Carol Burnett musical theater scholarship. The Invisible Engine of Musical Comedy: An inside look at balancing complex choreography and rapid character pacing under the tight engineering constraints of repertory festival tracki...

Blending Art and Acting: Guest Bill Black shares how his background as a childhood actor, visual painter, and early sewist blended perfectly to build a lifelong career as a theatrical storyteller. The Fundamentals of Design: A breakdown of the five core skill sets required of a senior costume designer, emphasizing script comprehension, human psychology, design fundamentals, and collaboration. From...

Learning Theater as a Trade: Guest Geoffrey Kent details his unconventional path into classical theater, acquiring his performance skills through corporate murder mysteries, renaissance faires, and high-flying stunt shows rather than a traditional classroom setting. The Architecture of Farce: An inside look at directing See How They Run and why structural choices—like compressing multiple acts tog...

A Lifelong Theater Education: Guest Beth Lopes shares her journey growing up as a self-described "Shakespeare festival baby" and how seeing diverse, non-Western classics early on built her foundational worldview of storytelling. The Crucible of Hamlet: An inside look into directing the 65th anniversary production of Hamlet at the Engelstad Theater, focusing on authentic human choices rather than s...

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

https://www.suu.edu/apex/   *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex