Working

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Justin Peck, a dancer and choreographer who helped create the hit Broadway show Illinoise , which is based on a classic album with a similar name by Sufjan Stevens. In the interview, Justin breaks down how he adapted Sufjan’s album into a narrative dance piece, with clear characters and storylines. He also talks about his process for feeling out dance moves wi...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Ronald Young Jr, unpack how to deal with life’s unexpected challenges and their effect on your work. A car accident, a sick child, or even a bad breakup can seem to be a bolt from the blue when you’re not expecting it. Currently, Ronald and his family are caring for his sick mom, and jumping between work and care can be a massive c...

This week, host June Thomas talks to Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera. In the interview, Francesca discusses the process of creating a brand new ending for Puccini’s unfinished final opera Turandot , from recruiting a composer and librettist to deciding on the visual language of the show. She also talks about her early career working overseas, the wide range o...

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to June Thomas about her new book A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture . In the interview, June explains what it was like to bring journalistic rigor to a world that’s close to her heart. She also discusses her pivot to full-time book writing, the importance of passing history to future generations, and her use of the phrase “queer...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are joined by author Justin Taylor, to discuss the process behind his new novel, Reboot . Taylor published numerous short pieces, as well as a memoir, during the years he spent writing this novel, yet it took multiple iterations before this book felt right. Later they share tips for persevering through long creative pr...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tracyanne Campbell, lead singer of the Scottish indie band Camera Obscura. In the interview, Tracyanne discusses the process of getting the band back together after a decade-long hiatus and the songwriting work that went into their new album Look to the East, Look to the West . She also talks about the humor and references in her lyrics, the imposter syndrome...

This week, host June Thomas talks to the prolific writer Anne Lamott, whose latest book is called Somehow: Thoughts on Love . In the interview, Anne discusses the origin of her new book, the challenges of writing deeply personal memoirs, and the importance of writing groups.  After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Anne’s “bird-by-bird” writing advice. They also talk about why t...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler, chew over accountability and how to stay disciplined while working without a supervisor. Both hosts grew up procrastinating through their school years, but they discovered the importance of deadlines and turning work in on time through their respective careers. They also share tips like joining accountability groups,...

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Anna Sale, host of the podcast Death, Sex & Money , which recently joined Slate after a brief hiatus. In the interview, Anna explains her process for conducting the powerful and vulnerable interviews that her podcast is known for. She also talks about her early career as a politics reporter, her tips for making sure interview subjects feel respected, a...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to novelist Julia Hannafin and ecologist Adam Rosenblatt. In the interview, they discuss Julia’s new novel Cascade , which includes information about sharks and other marine life that Adam helped to verify. Julia explains how factual accuracy helped to solidify and drive both the plot of Cascade and some of its emotional power. Adam talks about what the collabora...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler examine a listener’s question about tackling the stickiest aspects of collaborating on a creative project. Both hosts have had their fair share of nightmare scenarios, but they agree that some of the best practices for collaborating involve having frank conversations before a project begins.  Do you have questions...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic. In the interview, Anthony describes his weekly routine, which includes practicing lots of different pieces at any given time, rehearsing, and playing multiple shows per week. He also talks about his meditation practice, his ability to play and be swept away by the music at the same time, and...

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Linda Holmes, host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and author of two novels: Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo . In the interview, Linda explains how she started her career practicing law in Minnesota before she pivoted to TV criticism. She also talks about how NPR came to take pop culture seriously, how her work as a critic informs her writi...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler take on listener Bob’s question about how to shift your brain from editor mode to creator mode. Creating new work can be invigorating, but then having to go back and self-edit your creations can zap your creative drive. Ronald and Isaac speak about their experiences with stepping away from work and exploring diffe...

This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Joshua Jay, a world-class magician, storyteller, and author of multiple books about the history and craft of magic. In the interview, Joshua explains how he’s able to conceive of, design, and execute original tricks. He also talks about the role of storytelling in his work, and he explains how certain narrative structures can make for better performan...

This week, host June Thomas talks to Courtney Gilbert, curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Ketchum, Idaho. In the interview, Courtney digs into the process of curating a “non-collecting” museum, which means they start from scratch with each exhibition, and they don’t keep a large inventory of pieces. She also explains how she comes up with ideas for exhibitions, what a good exhibition shoul...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas, take out their microscopes and examine what gives them purpose and where it comes from. For Ronald, finding creative independence led him to self-publish his own podcast, despite the financial risks, while June moved across the pond to write her book. With any creative pursuits it's important to know why we’re...

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Bekah Brunstetter, a TV writer and playwright whose most recent project is the new Broadway musical version of The Notebook . In the interview, Bekah discusses her early career journey, when she was juggling a corporate job with her playwriting passion. She also talks about breaking into TV writing and working on the hit drama This is Us . And finally, she...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Howard Fine, an acting teacher and coach who instructs both beginners and accomplished movie stars. In the interview, Howard explains why he chose to teach and coach, instead of act. Then he discusses the common problems that his students and clients face, and he explains how actors can protect their mental health, even when they need to go to challenging emot...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas talk money, finances, and getting paid as a freelancer in a tough economy. Filling out invoices the right way or sending a payment reminder email to an employer can turn into a sticky situation. Ronald and June recount their own frustrating experiences with not getting paid on time and how best to avoid them in...

This week, host June Thomas talks to Anna Shechtman, a crossword puzzle creator whose new book is called The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle . In the interview, Anna talks about her experience writing crossword puzzles as a teenager and then going on to work with New York Times puzzle maker Will Shortz. She also discusses the subjectivity of “common k...

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to chef and TV personality Carla Hall. In the interview, Carla talks about leaving her first career as an accountant to explore modeling and then cooking. Then she discusses her pivot to TV, her commitment to being herself on screen, and her latest project Chasing Flavor , which is now available to stream on Max.   After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaa...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dissect The Yang Slinger author Jeff Pearlman’s recent prickly advice to young professionals. Then, June and Isaac expound on their experiences of dishing out and seeking advice from others. They dig into the right and wrong ways to reach out to people in creative fields and share tips like having a sense of humili...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer Amitava Kumar, whose latest novel is My Beloved Life . In the interview, Amitava discusses his habit of writing every day—a habit he strongly recommends to his students at Vassar College. Then he shares the process behind his new novel and explains how he drew upon other novels for inspiration.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. ta...

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Adam Sisman about his two biographies of the late spy novelist John le Carré. In the interview, Adam discusses how he managed to land such an exciting project and how he was granted so much access to le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell. He also talks about his friendly but complicated relationship with le Carre and some surprising findings that...