The Artists’ Blend

Arts and entertainment take many forms all over the world. American culture tends to categorize certain types of performance as “just entertainment,” but not “art.” What is the reasoning for these categories, and why are some forms of entertainment viewed as lesser than? We’re asking today: where is the line between art and entertainment? And to clarify, though we often utilize the royal “we” in t...

Ep. 42 - “This is… Yuka Notsuka” (Dancer, Performer, Educator) Joining us today is our new acquaintance and fellow artist Yuka Notsuka! Easton met Yuka doing a Magic Kingdom contract for the 2023 holiday season and she is just amazing! We loved talking with her about her experience as a freelance artist and hearing her personal stories of how she got to be the artist she is today. So, strap in, gr...

Ep. 41 - “Setting The Scene” (The Art of Theatrical Scenic Design) Lights fade on the stage, the show is about to begin, then suddenly you see…the scene where it all takes place! That’s right folks, today's episode is all about Scenic Design in the Theatre! We, being enthralled with set designs, discuss some of our favorite shows and the spectacles and fascinating aspects we notice or know and...

Ep. 40 - “Job Vs Hobby” (The Difficult Balance of Pursuing a Passion) This close to thanksgiving, we’ve all heard the questions, “How's that “acting” hobby going?” Well, it’s a discussion that can go on and on; yet it's still worth having. Join us in our breakdown of the struggle in our own lives of making our artistry either a hobby or job... or both? Strap in, grab those mugs and listen...

Ep. 39 - “This is…Amanda Pereira” (Actor, Writer, Podcaster) Joining us today is our special guest, now friend, Amanda Pereira! A little bit about our Artist: Amanda Pereira (She/Her) is a Toronto-based actor, writer, and award-winning podcaster. She is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory program, the Bad Dog Theatre Studio series, and has studied performance and comedy across North America...

Ep. 38 - “Ghostlight Stories” (Spooky Tales of Haunted Theatres) Happy Halloween one and all! In today's episode we share spooky tales of theaters both small and large! So, grab your candy and those mugs and join us! OoOoOohHhH!!! Our coffee today was High Brow coffee - check them out HERE! To get your VocalMist Portable Nebulizer, click here! For more, follow us on social media and join our m...

Ep. 37 - “Costuming in the Film Industry” (The Art of Storytelling Through Textiles) Grab those mugs because this one is a good one! In this episode, we discuss, as you can guess, costumes in films and the importance they play in the storytelling just as much as the people who wear them. Below you’ll find the articles we got our information for this episode from for your continued reading!  Links...

Ep. 36 - “This is… Lori Casteel” (Copyist and Vocal Contractor) Joining us today is our friend and artist Lori Casteel! Lori Casteel is a vocal contractor and copyist based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a music industry veteran of over 30 years and her work can be heard on countless recordings, television shows, educational and theatrical products. As a contractor, Lori specializes in educationa...

Ep. 35 - “Dancin’ Through the Decades” (The History of American Dance) Today's episode is the “spark notes” on the broad spectrum that is America’s dance history - that said join as we learn the origin of dance methods, the massively influential group that is the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and even the origin of the moonwalk?? Interested? We certainly were so grab those mugs and let's get...

Ep. 34 - “Swoonin’ & Croonin’” (The Art of Crooning) Come Fly with Us as we take time to conversate about the singing style that is called “Crooning”. In our natural, unresearched discussion, we cover your typical Artists associated with the style, Frank Sinatra, Michael Bubl é , and others; we also discover a question: are we in an age where crooning has returned to the roots of its intention...

Ep. 33 - “ This is… Ernesto Rumbaut” (Voice Actor, Stilt Walker, and more!) Joining us today is a dear friend and artist Ernesto Rumbaut! Ernesto is a Miami based voice over artist, professor, fellow joy bringer, and more! Tune in to learn more about him and all the little nuggets of gold we discuss in today's episode! As far as coffee? We all had our own today but thats a great opportunity fo...

Ep. 32 - “ Am I Projecting?” (A Conversation on the Usage of Projections and Mapping in Theatrical Scenic Design) Have you ever seen or done a show with screens or projections? In today’s episode we discuss just that topic and its ever-growing presence in the theater world. There’s no doubt about our conversation going everywhere to cover such a vast topic - but hey, is that what mapping and proje...

Ep. 31 - “Who is Banksy?” (The Work of the Mysterious Street Artist) Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Join us as we go through the career, success, and fascinating history tied to the famous street artist - don’t miss this one for sure!! We had a blast and quite...

Ep. 30 - “ The Marvelous Miss Maestra" (A Chat with Kelsi Fulton) We are SO glad to have had Kelsi join us for an episode! Kelsi Fulton is a Nashville-based music director, pianist, and vocal coach, who is praised by Broadway critic Joshua Rosenblum as "a wonderfully gifted musician" and by Grammy winning artist Sandi Patty as "an outstanding musician and exceptional pianist.” In a...

Ep. 29 - “I Like To Move It Move It” (The Works of Rudolf Laban) We all move in many different ways each and every day, but have you ever thought about writing it down or trying to connect the movements together? Sounds strange but that is just what this episode is all about! Join us as we discuss the immense work of Rudolf Laban and how his study of movement influenced not only early dance but th...

Ep. 28 - “ Arches and Atriums” (The Art of Architecture) Have you ever looked at a building and just be fascinated by how it was built or just liked the way it looked? Well, we do the same thing! Today’s episode takes us down a path of architecture and many of the elements that are used in building all of our unique buildings. This was an awesome episode and we loved recording it so without “build...

Ep. 27 - “Faith, Trust, & Pixie Dust” (The Art of Character Entertainment) Have you ever wanted to be a character performer? Ever wonder how it all works, or what it entails? Joining us today is Elizabeth Golden Curtis, co-founder and owner of @charactervisits4u (CHARACTER VISITS 4 U) , Tennessee’s choice character entertainment company for 10 YEARS! Give this episode a listen for some fascina...

Ep. 26 - “Compose Yourself” (A Deep Dive Into the Lives of Classical Composers) We all seem to have a favorite music genre/artist, some even have more, but in general what do we know about their lives? That’s what we have accomplished on today’s episode - only it’s with classical composers! Join us as we dive into the lives of four European classical composers (Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Mahler, a...

Ep. 25 - “Here Lies Headlines” (An Overview of the Celebrations and Concerns Surrounding Here Lies Love ) Our topic today is one of highs and, unfortunately, some lows that remain with regards to different cultures being portrayed. On the docket: Here Lies Love ; the new Broadway show (opening June 20th, 2023) that explores immersive theater space by putting you in er... on the dance floor? Follow...

Ep. 24 - This is... Kimber King (The Art of Flow Theory) Do you want to know more about "staying in the moment" as an actor and help with alleviating anxiety on stage or even just in life? Well, our episode revolves around just that! Joining us today is Kimber King who wrote her MFA Thesis on Flow Theory and how it is involved in life, but especially in acting! This is one you WON'T wa...

Ep. 23 - “Play Dough Goes Pro” (The Art of Stop Motion Animation) Fluid mobility, vast expressions, action scenes, deep emotions, all of which is made of...clay? Today’s episode is a look into the art of Clay Animation along with some Stop Motion as well. From the rich history, to the many various techniques and beloved films like Chicken Run, the many adventures of Wallace and Gramit, and Coralin...

Okay, it’s time for a snapshot of the current state of Broadway theatre, or what’s currently running on Broadway! We go through every theatre and give a quick specs rundown including the playwright/composer/lyricist/book credits, director, synopsis, and special tidbits. This episode is GREAT fun and we had a blast recording it. Our coffee today was a dark roast from Hero Coffee Bar in Chicago. Try...

We wanted to take an episode to highlight a coffee company that is doing some really great things in the world. This one is definitely for our coffee-loving listeners who want hand-crafted coffee that supports families in need. Endeavor Coffee Roasters is thrilled to bring you great tasting, small batch roasted, select coffees. You will be amazed at how much better your coffee experience will be w...

Okay, things are changing FAST. With generative A.I. making its way into the public eye, it’s more important than ever to be having conversations about what A.I. is doing, how it’s being implemented into arts industries, and what we need to do NOW in order to protect human artistry. We also talk about using A.I. as a tool FOR artists rather than IN PLACE OF artists. Jessica from the Create Space P...

Award Ceremonies are a big deal for their respective industries. Namely, the four big awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, can all have a huge impact on the way the public consumes their products. But, how do they actually WORK? Who nominates who? Who votes on what? We took some time to dive into the processes involved in these award ceremonies, and we made some interesting discoveries! Pincup C...