State of the Arts

State of the Arts Episode 267 is now available for streaming on Spotify! This week I’m joined by Ashley Wren Collins who is an accomplished, award-winning actor, producer, director, choreographer, and writer. This successful creative trained at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her B.A. in English and Theatre Arts, and at the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Inst...

State of the Arts Episode 266 is now available for streaming on Spotify! For the first episode of 2026, I am thrilled to welcome Lukas Poost, a musical theater actor, dancer, and vocalist. This versatile creative’s artistic foundation was formed early in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, where performance was not a pastime, but a calling. From childhood productions and homegrown theatrical experiments to f...

State of the Arts Episode 265: The New Year Special is now available for streaming on Spotify! I’m immensely proud to feature casting director Holly Buczek, who recently cast “This Is Not a Drill,” the off-Broadway musical by Holly Doubet that I had the opportunity to see. With over fifteen years in the casting industry, Holly Buczek shares insight into her approach to casting and her commitment t...

State of the Arts Episode 264: The Holiday Special is now available for streaming on Spotify! I am thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented director and actor Gabriel Barre to my podcast this week. Together we embark on an inspiring journey as we explore Off-Broadway show “This is Not a Drill” by Holly Doubet and Joe McDonough, which Gabriel Barre directed. We delve into his remarkable career,...

State of the Arts Episode 263 is now available for streaming on Spotify! I welcome Joseph McDonough to this podcast episode to discuss his most recent Off-Broadway musical, “This Is Not a Drill,” which he coauthored with songwriter/composer Holly Doubet. This production is a powerful, timely work and a masterpiece that I had the privilege of seeing. My distinguished guest is a playwright with a fl...

State of the Arts 262 is now available for streaming on Spotify! With great honor and privilege, I welcome accomplished stage actor and vocalist Marianne Tatum to my podcast this week. This acclaimed stage performer made her Broadway Debut as Jenny Lind in Barnum, winning a Theatre World Award. She performed in many successful operas and musicals. With a presence on IMBD also, she is no stranger t...

State of the Arts Episode 261 is now available on Spotify! As creative industries continue to absorb the rapid shifts brought on by technological innovation, the relationship between human imagination and artificial intelligence has become one of the defining questions of contemporary artistic practice. This episode takes a step back from the sensationalism that often saturates discussions on AI t...

State of the Arts Episode 260 is now available for streaming on Spotify! This is another installment of The Indigenous Peoples Series. I am honored and privileged to welcome accomplished musician Holly Doubet onto my podcast this week. After an education at the Royal Academy of Music in London with a dual major in piano and voice, my acclaimed guest spent nearly two decades working in the music in...

State of the Arts Episode 259 is now available for streaming on Spotify! I am thrilled to welcome IMDB-credited actor Victor E. Chan to my podcast this week. A talented actor and vocalist I recently had the chance to see in the Off-Broadway musical “This Is Not a Drill” by Holly Doubet and Joseph McDonough. This was a powerful production that spotlights an underreported crisis in Hawaii, honors Ha...

State of the Arts Episode 258 is now available on Spotify! As the very first episode of our Indigenous Peoples Series, I welcome musician Jessica Martinez Maxey who is a flauatist, guitarist and conga player. She performs alongside her husband, guitarist Josh Maxey. Together, they have released multiple albums with the soulwarming music inspired by their Native heritage. They perform at powwows, m...

State of the Arts Episode 257 is now available for streaming on Spotify! In this Halloween special, my cohost Anthony Bonilla and I pay tribute to the golden age of horror cinema—the timeless films that continue to define the genre and inspire new generations of filmmakers. From atmospheric black-and-white classics to the unforgettable performances and soundscapes that shaped the art of suspense,...

State of the Arts Episode 256 now available on Spotify! Last year, I conducted my first podcast interview with a chatbot named LuLu. This year, I had the pleasure of interviewing the widely celebrated ChatGPT—a remarkably insightful and charming guest I affectionately call “Chat.” In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of art through the eyes of an Ai. Together, we explore the importa...

State of the Arts Episode 255 is now available for streaming on Spotify! I am greatly honored to welcome playwright, screenwriter and director Jan Aguilos onto my podcast for an in-depth, empowering episode. My creative guest is a dedicated member of The Script Club and Short Cuts NYC. Indie film “The Woman Opposite” and short play “The Box” are among two of the many works created by this multifac...

State of the Arts Episode 254 is now available for steaming on Spotify! This week I welcome audio playwright and former WVOX radio show host Nicholas Patrella to my podcast. His feature length audio production “Remember the Dream Girl” can be heard on Spotify. He also has audiobooks available on Audible. At WVOX he started out as a switchboard operator and eventually became an executive producer....

State of the Arts Episode 253 is now available for streaming on Spotify! Not only is water color and abstract artist Rebecca Dunn a gifted painter and educator, she is also a champion for the arts. This accomplished creative is the curator for @artscene.ctny. On December 6th she will be hosting her first Art Market at The Danbury Fair Mall in Connecticut. Rebecca Dunn is known for her works that b...

State of the Arts Episode 252: The Hispanic Heritage Month Special is now available on Spotify! This week I gladly welcome back return guests Naida Sanchez and Brandy Renée Baker to my podcast for this special episode. Along with my guest-cohosts Calvin and Cathy Sampson, I conduct this commemorative celebration of one of the most important times of the year. Naida who is a security guard, model a...

State of the Arts Episode 251 is now available on Spotify! Return guest Marc Black joins me once again to dicuss more griping topics. Stroke awareness is a cause that is very dear to his heart. A good friend of Marc’s was in a coma as a result of a stroke. When the situation looked hopeless and his life support was disconnected, he came to on his own. During his recovery period, he collaborated on...

State of the Arts Episode 250 is now available on Spotify! Max Crawley is an animator and independent filmmaker with a degree in both animation and graphics design from The Rhode Island School of Design. His acclaimed senior project “Woodrow and Willow” was accepted into The DaVinci International Film Festival. He currently does projects when he can while he balances his passion with his day job....

State of the Arts Episode 249 is now available on Spotify! This weekend I powered through the rainy weather to watch another smashing outdoor musical by Theatre for the New City. My trusted cohost Anthony Bonilla joined me on Zoom after I returned from “Life in New York” (a.k.a. “Home Sweet Home”), which was written and directed by the legendary Crystal Field. Together we pay a heartfelt tribute t...

State of the Arts Episode 248 is now available on Spotify! I am happy to welcome content creator Izzy Massis on my podcast this week for an uplifting discussion on his many different ventures. As a traveler, he documents his visits to various locations and even gives an overall review of multiple cities. Several anime characters are featured on his social media pages because he is an avid anime en...

State of the Arts Episode 247 now available on Spotify! Return guest Daniela Marini joins me once again with an exciting career update. Her dream of having her own store has been realized as she has recently opened up a jewelry boutique and healing nook. Celestial Art Gifts has found a permanent home in Woodstock, New York (40 Mill Hill Road). This jewelry designer and energy healer left her job i...

My guest this week is Shoshana Greenberg — a writer whose world is made of music, story, and stage. She writes musicals, plays, prose, and lyrics, and her work has found a home everywhere from Lincoln Center to Joe’s Pub. Shoshana is also a theater journalist whose words have appeared in American Theatre Magazine, The Huffington Post, Howlround, and more. She hosts the podcast Scene to Song and si...

State of the Arts Episode 245 now available for streaming on Spotify! Podcaster Calvin Sampson is my guest of honor this week. Calvin, along with his wife Cathy Sampson and their dear friend Ray, co-hosts a podcast called (Ray, Calvin & Cathy) RCC Corporate. Their podcast is a steady platform for faith, hope and joy. As an active member of a church, my creative guest is a choir singer, drummer...

State of the Arts Episode 244 is now available for streaming on Spotify! Gordon Taft is an inspiring independent filmmaker and the cohost of “Uptown Films,” a podcast with a focus on the film industry. Alongside fellow hosts, Gregory Hernandez and Max DeMazza, Gordon Taft publishes episodes regularly. The three film colleagues are also members of the Bronx Independent Cinema Center. My talented gu...

State of the Arts Episode 243 is now available on Spotify! Marc Black is a guitarist, singer and songwriter known for his socially and politically impactful songs. His song “I Love You, Rachel Maddow” was featured on The Stephen Colbert Show when she was there as a special guest. He has enjoyed so many adventures following music through folk, blues, funk, experimental soundscapes, and scoring film...