Working

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Patrick Page, a broadway performer whose current one-man show All the Devils Are Here digs into the complex psyches of multiple Shakespeare villains. In the interview, Patrick discusses his passion for playing Shakespeare roles, his process for researching characters, and the importance of being a good listener as an actor.  After the interview, Isaac and co-h...

This week, host June Thomas talks to Suk Pannu, creator and writer of Mrs. Sidhu Investigates , a British radio drama that became a TV series that’s now available on Acorn TV. In the interview, Suk explains why he wanted to tell the story of a middle-aged Indian auntie who becomes an amateur sleuth. He also talks about the different creative demands of radio and TV and the slightly surrealist natu...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and June Thomas spotlight an idea from Rick Rubin’s latest book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being , about experiencing art on multiple levels. June has experience with the daily repetition of a poem to gain a greater understanding of it, while Nate explains his methods of ‘deep listening’ with music. To have a more acute grasp of a pie...

This week, Isaac talks to author and returning guest Jonathan Lethem! In the interview, Jonathan discusses his brand new book, Brooklyn Crime Novel , which revisits themes and settings that Jonathan engaged with in his previous works, Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn . This time, Jonathan uses unusual storytelling tactics–like characters without names and chapters that vary wildly in l...

This week, host Nate Chinen talks with Dave Chisholm, a jazz trumpeter who writes graphic novels about jazz musicians. His previous publications include Chasin' the Bird: A Charlie Parker Graphic Novel and Enter the Blue . His next book, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound , will be released in November. In the interview, Chisholm talks about how he uses the visual language of comics to explo...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and June Thomas press pause on adulthood and explore the creative spirit of childhood. Nate recounts his experience with the late jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who always strived to get out of his own way and embrace a childlike approach to free expression. They also discuss the popular Australian cartoon Bluey, which often features...

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer and podcaster Brad Dowdy, who makes his living as a pen and stationary enthusiast. In the interview, Brad explains how he was able to quit his full-time job in I.T. and turn his passion into a career. He also breaks down the many facets of his job, from his “Pen Addict” blog and podcast to his newsletter and Twitch streams .  After the interview, June an...

NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike. This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Marian Macgowan, a long-time film and TV producer who recently oversaw production on the Hulu series The Great. In the interview, Marian describes the many varieties of executive producer, from the ones who do a lot of creative work to the ones who “just sit there in the credits.” She also talks ab...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler acknowledge the painful fact that most art is in fact pretty bad. Yet, just because the play, or painting was poorly constructed does not mean you have to scrub it from your mind. Thinking about how you might have improved the piece, or realizing it was made from a labor of love can often generate new creative ideas of...

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Kalia Vandever, a trombonist and bandleader who recently performed alongside Harry Styles in the U.S. and Europe during his “Love on Tour” tour. In the interview, Kalia explains how she got used to performing in front of gigantic, loud, high-energy crowds. She also shares how her experience touring with Harry has informed her solo work.  After the intervi...

This week, host June Thomas is joined by Latin American writer Carlos Fonseca, the author of multiple critically acclaimed novels, as well as the much-lauded, Spanish-English Megan McDowell. Fonseca and McDowell discuss their continuous working relationship, the creative process of translation itself, and their latest collaboration with the book Austral .  After the interview June is joined by co-...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler reflect on their times at different arts festivals. Being around like-minded individuals drawn together by an appreciation of art can be inspiring. Even if a festival isn’t physically possible to attend, finding creative groups and online communities can sometimes be just as rewarding.  Do you have a question about cre...

For this week’s episode of Working, host Isaac Butler interviews author Daniel Hornsby on his new novel Sucker and his creative process. The author of Via Negativa, Hornsby’s latest tale was spun out of jokes among friends about Elizabeth Holmes being a vampire and Martin Shkreli’s failed foray as punk-rock label owner, for a deeply sardonic salad of tech world billionaires, and campy horror. Butl...

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Miguel Cervantes, the actor currently playing Alexander Hamilton on Broadway. In the interview, Miguel explains why he’s not trying to mimic or channel the original performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also shares how a personal tragedy changed his life and continues to impact his art.  After the interview, Nate and co-host June Thomas talk about repeti...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dive into all the ways creatives should relax and vacation. Whether it’s splashing in the pool, or breezing through some books, a few days of R&R can be just what is needed to replenish the creative juices. The hosts also explore the many conversations among friends and family that can sometimes jostle loose a new...

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Madeleine George, who recently adapted the classic Alison Bechdel comic Dykes to Watch Out For into an audio drama that stars Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, Roberta Colindrez, and Roxane Gay. In the interview, Madeleine discusses the challenges of turning a piece of visual art into an audio-only narrative. She also talks about the 1980’s setting of the s...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Arian Moayed, who played Stewy on the hit HBO series Succession and more recently played Torvald Helmer in a production of A Doll’s House on Broadway. In the interview, Arian talks about his early career in theater and the valuable acting techniques that he learned in college. He also discusses his experiences playing unlikeable characters, his pivot fro...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are joined by Lincoln Michel author of The Body Scout , for a deep dive into the legacy of creative work. Books may last forever, but vast amounts of work within the digital realm end up being ephemeral. It can be easy to worry about how a Tweet may be perceived in the future, but even major authors of their day can be...

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Maria Schneider, winner of multiple Grammy Awards for her big band jazz compositions, including the song “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” which she composed with David Bowie. In the interview, Maria discusses her two mentors Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer and the wisdom that helped her find her voice as an artist. She also talks about her tools for composin...

This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood . In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost , Saturday Night Live , The Goldbergs , Sleepy Hollow , and more. I...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler peel back the layers of great art. Whether it’s books, movies, essays, or paintings, creative work can be broken apart and used as inspirational ammunition for your own output. Through dog-earing novels, overloading a Notes app, or treating yourself to an ‘Artist Date,’ there are countless ways to consume creativity an...

This week, we're airing an encore presentation of our interview with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody Somewhere , which just finished airing its second season on HBO. In the interview, Hannah and Paul discuss their close collaborative relationship and share some of the creative practices they developed with their theater company, The Debate Society. Then...

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Peter One, whose recent album Come Back to Me is his first in more than three decades. In 1985, he and musician Jess Sah Bi released the album Our Garden Needs Its Flowers , which was a big hit in Peter’s home country of the Ivory Coast and bolstered his reputation around the world. In the interview, Peter discusses his songwriting process for Come Ba...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler address the dread of slumps and how they can affect any creative career. Whether it’s breaking down your project into tiny parts, treating yourself, or simply moving on to a new career altogether, there are many ways to escape a slump. They also dig into the pangs of professional jealousy and how to let it go. Do you h...

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Ayodele Casel, an award-winning tap dancer and one of the choreographers for Funny Girl on broadway. In the interview, Ayodele explains how she progressed quickly in the mid to late 90’s even though she didn’t take up tap dancing until college. She also discusses her award-winning film Chasing Magic and her one-woman show While I Have the Floor , in which...