Creating Behavior with Charlie Sandlan

This week Charlie brings on Trish Barillas, published author, professional life coach, anxiety expert, and his wife. Mental illness can often feel like a shameful secret that must be kept in the shadows.  Trish and Charlie talk about her lifetime dealing with General Anxiety Disorder, her journey with medication, and the tools she has developed to help others who suffer with severe anxiety. Naviga...

This week Charlie shares his conversation with Caledonia Curry, known throughout the world as the artist Swoon.  Back in the early 2000"s she broke into a male-dominated art form, and established a reputation as one of the most recognized street artists working.  Her art has been featured at major museums from MoMA, to the Tate Modern, to the São Paulo Museum of Art.  Her deeply autobiographi...

This week Charlie rings in the holiday season with the versatile British actress Jade Asha, who is carving out a successful acting career while also adding podcaster, writer, producer, director, casting director, voice over artist, fight performer, and now published author to her ever growing resume.  Jade and Charlie talk about her new book of career advice, Actorpreneur, and the wide ranging ins...

This week Charlie shares his conversation with Kiera Allen, a former student, and now the star of Hulu's original film Run opposite the great Sarah Paulson. Kiera is the first wheelchair user since 1948 to star in a major studio movie. They talk about the importance of this ground breaking film, the redefining of what a hero can look like, and what she learned from working with one of the bes...

In this solo episode, Charlie offers some insight and advice on how to approach impediments. How do you create pain, and various forms of intoxication? They come up all the time in acting, and your ability to do a really good drunk, to know how to believably create pain, will help add believability and credibility to your acting. Charlie also offers his thoughts on our post election challenges, al...

This week Charlie talks with Rebecca Knox, an actor, writer, producer, and director, who was most recently seen in the last two seasons of Orange Is The New Black. Rebecca discusses her audition for OITNB, which was only one line for a small two episode part, and how that turned into a 13 episode supporting character, the Oxy addict Tina Swope. Rebecca offers her approach to auditioning, and talks...

This week Charlie talks with social media expert and consultant Heidi Dean, who has established herself as the leading expert in how actor's can handle and thrive on all of the various social media platforms.  Do you find yourself resistant to a social media presence?  Do you feel overwhelmed with creating content? Are you looking for advice on how to handle this important professional dynami...

How do you bring your creative ideas into the world?  How do you move through the grief of creative injury?  Charlie speaks with the artist Jessica Blank, who along with her husband and creative partner Erik Jensen have defined the genre of documentary theater for almost 20 years.  An award winning actress, playwright, author, producer, director and teacher, Jessica is an incredibly versatile crea...

Charlie shares more of his July 2020 conversation with his mentor, and master teacher, Maggie Flanigan.  Is there an artistic, creative way to approach a script for the first time? What are some ways to help you transform into the character? How do you bring a character to life from the truth of you? Maggie shares more of her 40 year career as one of the greatest acting teachers of her generation....

Have you ever risked something for the creation of your art? Have you ever been forced to create while dealing with the fear of severe punishment if caught? Charlie goes solo this week, reflecting on a Moma PS1 exhibit exploring the art of incarcerated Americans.  He also poses the question on what constitutes something as art. A banana taped to the wall with duct tape? Charlie discusses the work...

Do you have an idea of how you think your career is going to go? Most of us do, but the actual path is rarely what we envision. Charlie talks with actress Jessika Williams, who has been carving out a regional theater career for almost 15 years, traveling the country and living out of her van. She was featured in a NYTimes article discussing the tough career decision she made during this pandemic....

In this episode Charlie talks with one of the stars of the Netflix hit show Ozark, Trevor Long.  A versatile character actor who has been carving out a solid career for over 25 years, Trevor talks about the role of Cade Langmore and his approach to one of Ozark's most talked about bad guys.  Charlie and Trevor also share some personal anecdotes from their time in grad school, his first on set...

Do you struggle with auditioning?  It's a specialized skill, and a process that can depress even the most talented actors.  In this solo episode Charlie shares some audition advice from Oscar winner Brie Larson on how to navigate the audition experience so that you can bring your best self into the room.  He also discusses the conservative uproar over the Netflix film Cuties, and why its a mo...

Charlie reconnects with his former student, the self-described non binary, trans, queer, Asian-American stand-up comedian Jes Tom.  Coming off a fantastic feature article in the NYTimes about their career, Jes and Charlie talk about the challenges they confront as an artist, and also their time in his classroom.  They both address a pivotal moment for both of them as teacher and student, and confr...

Charlie shares his conversation with two time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz.  One of the most versatile and transformational actors working, with a career that now spans over 25 years.  The star of Broadway shows such as Rent, Wicked, Catch Me If You Can, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, My Fair Lady, and gritty television shows such as FX's Fosse/Verdon and Netflix's Bloodline, shares his...

Charlie shares a conversation with his first college mentor from Purdue University, master teacher and artist Rich Rand.  For over 30 years now, Rich and Charlie have sustained a personal and artistic relationship that is rooted in what is best about the mentor/student relationship. Rich is an incredibly fascinating and insightful artist, and in this wide-ranging episode with Charlie, they discuss...

Charlie goes solo in this weeks episode, and clears his desk, reflecting upon some important and inspirational current topics.  Charlie talks about the artist Luchita Hurtado, the upheaval in Belarus, and some lessons to be learned from the Ellen Degeneres saga.  He offers a recommendation on a wonderful new book by Nicole Tersigni, and some thoughts on Michaela Coel and her groundbreaking HBO sho...

Charlie continues his conversation with mentor and master teacher Maggie Flanigan. Picking up from episode #012, Charlie and Maggie discuss how actors should handle emotion, how to approach character, and how to understand more deeply an artistic approach to the craft of acting. Maggie continues to talk more specifically about the Meisner Technique, and what it offers the serious actor. Charlie al...

Charlie talks with his mentor, master teacher Maggie Flanigan.  Charlie and Maggie have a unique relationship which now spans over two decades, beginning as teacher/student and evolving into a deep, artistic mentorship. This journey lead Charlie in 2012 into becoming the owner and caretaker of one of the best acting studio's in the United States, the Maggie Flanigan Studio.  They discuss Magg...

Charlie has a vulnerable and honest conversation with actress Sea Shimooka, who most recently appeared in season eight of the CW show Arrow, playing Emiko Queen.  How do you cope with feeling overwhelmed and insecure in your first major part? How do you struggle through low self-esteem, loneliness, and coming out as gay all while showing up each day to set?  Charlie and Sea discuss these personal...

How should you begin to approach a script?  What are some key things to consider when pouring over those lines? Charlie discusses an artistic process to handle text in a way that allows you to be more organic and vivid.  He delves deeper into confronting racism, reflecting on the work of Layla Saad and Robin DiAngelo.  Charlie also mixes in an appreciation of the legendary jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb,...

Charlie continues his conversation with Emmy Award winning actress Erin Cherry.  They discuss the current civil and racial unrest gripping the country, along with the challenges, and racial animosity facing Black actors and artists. Charlie also talks about the importance of adding habits of creativity to your life, and what you can learn by reading the Arts & Leisure section of the NY Times....

How does a Black actor and activist navigate the business, maintain her artistic integrity, and fight for social justice?  Charlie talks to one of his best friends, Emmy winner Erin Cherry, who won her first leg of the EGOT for her role of Brenda in the Amazon series After Forever.  Cherry and Charlie talk about her theater career, what she learned from working with Tony winner André De Shields, a...

How does an actor break down a script?  What are the important questions any serious actor should be able to anwer? How do you craft in a simple, specific, and personal way?  In this episode Charlie talks about the five important, fundamental questions that must be answered if you are an actor looking to create vivid, organic behavior. Charlie will discuss previous and shared circumstances, acting...

How does an actor write, produce, direct, and star in their own material, work continually in film and television, while also making their broadway debut?  This week Charlie talks with Eden Marryshow to find out how he made his feature film Bruce!, which won him the Grand Jury Prize for Best Director at the American Back Film Festival in 2018.  Eden talks about the tragedy that has inspired his li...