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In this episode we are joined by Maureen Freedman, talking all things performance design. A South African designer for performance, Maureen has worked with production teams in the US and abroad creating spaces and crafting characters for theatre, object theatre, opera and dance. Some notable work includes The Exalted at BAM with Carl Hancock-Rux and Theo Belckmann, Anne Bogart, Freedman's directing credits include Collider Classroom with Dr. Christopher Emdin at Lincoln Theatre Studio, The Wolves at the Window by Toby Davis for Brits off Broadway, and several collaborations with Yael Rasooly including The House by the Lake (Israel & touring), Silence Makes Perfect (UK) and upcoming Burning Blue in Norway. Maureen is a Linbury Prize finalist, Cheek by Jowl young Professional alum, NYFA IAP fellow and in May this year she and her team presented their winning design for Orfeo ed Euridice in Opera America’s L. B. Tobin Director-Designer award for 2021-22. https://www.maureenfreedman.com/ We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Elisa Tauro, talking all things acrobatic and performance. Elisa is currently performing in Las Vegas with one of Cirque du Soleil’s most prestigious shows, “O”. As a competitive gymnast and trampolinist, Elisa’s talent was recognised at a young age and she became the first competitor to move from club to National level competitions, skipping provincials completely. At the age of 6, she tried the flying trapeze for the first time and immediately fell in love.  Elisa has had the opportunity to live and perform all over the world including the United States, Europe and Dubai. She speaks multiple languages, and in addition to performing, Elisa is an avid snowboarder, water-skier and also a lover of food - she started a YouTube channel cooking and baking with her mother during the pandemic. @elisa_tauro We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Jelena Antanasijevic, talking all things costume design. Jelena is a New York-based costume designer and educator. For the last fourteen years, she has designed costumes for over thirty theater, film, and TV productions in the United States and her homeland, Serbia. Her costume design work has been awarded and exhibited multiple times. Jelena has worked in every role in the costume design field: costume designer and assistant, costume design and construction teacher and mentor, illustrator, costume shop manager, stitcher, first hand, draper, embroiderer, craft artisan, costume painter, and distresser, dyer, dresser, and wardrobe supervisor for theater, opera, dance, TV, and film. This experience enabled her to form a distinctive outlook on what it takes to put on production from a costume perspective. In New York City, Jelena mastered her craftsmanship skills through working as a craft artisan and costume maker for some of the best NYC costume shops and studios like Parsons Meares, John Kristiansen, Mio Design Studio, Jeff Fender, and Ballet Hispánico. She created, embellished, distressed and hand-painted costumes and accessories for numerous Broadway, off-Broadway, Disney, and HBO productions (The Deuce).  Jelena’s defining wardrobe experience encompasses dressing Metropolitan Opera singers and dancers and wardrobe-supervising the TV Series ‘Empires of Excess’ on History Channel. She is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor & Costume Supervisor at Pace University at Dyson College of Arts and Sciences in New York City.  https://www.jelenaantanasijevic.com/about We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

Anna Tompkins is an Acrobatic Rigger, Rope Access, and Automation Technician, originally from the United States. She was our first guest on our debut episode back in 2020. Since then, and at the time of this recording, we have released over 120 episodes. Anna Tompkins rejoins us to catch up on what's been happening in the arts and entertainment world in the last two years. We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

On this episode we are joined by Ariana Schneider to talk about writing and recording a musical in Australia. Ariana Schneider has been involved in Music and Theatre for many, many years. She ran a very successful singing and drama studio from which students were accepted into the prestigious institutions of The Sydney Con, NIDA, WAPA, Victoria College of the Arts and Queensland Conservatorium. Ariana also taught music and drama in many of the schools in her area as well as writing a mini play and a musical for the students to perform.  She is currently in the final stages of completing the recording process of a musical she wrote called "CRYSTAL DREAMING". Ariana wrote the script, lyrics and music to its 22 songs and worked with a producer/arranger from a professional recording studio - Turn Around Music (Peter Stevenson) who created fabulous orchestration.  The musical was first performed in 2016 with a fully staged production in Ariana's home town of Taree, in which 32 performers including 14 children took part. The whole town supported the project and they played to 3 full houses. A film was made of the production. Never having been fully satisfied with the script, Ariana used the lockdown time to take a course in Play Writing with the TheaterMakers Studio in New York and also received dramaturgical support from Eric Webb. This support allowed her to do a rewrite of the original score and script. We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

On this episode, we are joined by Franchesca Wong, talking all about changing careers and entering the performing arts as a young adult. Franchesca is a Canadian-born Chinese actress and corporate role player based in Hong Kong. Raised in both Canada and Hong Kong, Franchesca graduated from the University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2012. She worked as a Business Development Officer for two years in Hong Kong. She then returned to follow her passion in drama and studied Acting at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She received multiple scholarships, as well as Outstanding Student Award during her studies. After graduation, she was an actor-in-residence at We Draman Group (HK) in 2020-21 and she has performed in multiple stage, TV, film and voice-over productions. Apart from acting, she has been an MC for multiple events and has great passion for drama education. She has taught drama at different institutions including the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and local schools in Hong Kong. Outside of work, Franchesca is an adventurer and outdoor lover, she engages in all types of hiking, scuba diving, travelling and yet to discover adventures. @franchesca_wong We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode, we are joined once again by the CEOs of battleROYAL Berlin, Brendan Shelper and Judith Hoch, following Esch 2022. battleROYAL is an entertainment company based in Berlin. They are a studio of bold creatives, strategists and event professionals working between the domains of culture and commerce. Technology and innovation are defining parts of their work and process. Founded in 2011, battleROYAL Berlin has staged some of the largest sport and cultural events throughout Europe and Middle East such as the European Capital of Cultures Aarhus 2017 and Esch2022, and have worked for several Fortune 500 firms, including BMW, Porsche and American Express. battleROYAL Berlin regularly publishes articles, sharing insights on their work and practices. You can find a selection on our Theatre Art Life website as well.  Brendan Shelper is an executive creative director with 20+ years of experience in the culture, event, and entertainment industry, and founder of battleROYAL Berlin. Working at the intersection of creative strategy and emerging technologies, Brendan envisions compelling ways to bring large-scale activations to life. His roots stem from physical theatre, major cultural ceremonies, and Olympic openings. Judith Hoch is a business and culture manager, with 15+ years of experience in the performing arts, entertainment and events sector. As the former COO of battleROYAL, Judith set the operational framework for the team, making sure that each project got the people and budget it required. She led major international productions, overseeing team structures, budgets, and processes. Appointed as Co-CEO in 2022, she is joining co-founder and Co-CEO Brendan Shelper as strategic lead of the company. https://esch2022.lu/en/ https://battleroyal.berlin We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Bengt Jörgen, talking all things dance. Bengt Jörgen is a co-founder of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen, and serves as its Artistic Director and CEO. In 1992, his artistic vision led to the formation of a partnership with George Brown College in Toronto, where he is the Artistic Director of the full-time dance program. Bengt strongly believes in classical ballet as a powerful language and foundation to engage contemporary audiences with dance. He is committed to ensuring ballet is relevant to, and has a place in the life of Canadians living in communities from coast-to-coast. Bengt shares about his work bringing dance to all kind of communities, large and small, urban and rural, across Canada.  https://canadasballetjorgen.ca/# We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Ema Edosio, talking all things filmmaking. Ema is an award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, and obtained a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Ogun State University. She then went on to the New York Film Academy and Motion Pictures Institute of Michigan in the United States, where she majored in cinematography and directing. In 2013, Ema returned to Nigeria, where she has worked as a television director with major Nigerian Televisions stations. She talks all about her fascinating work and life in film. https://www.instagram.com/emaedosio/ We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by CarlosAlexis Cruz, talking all things theatre and physical performance. Cruz holds an MFA in Physical Theatre from the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, where he studied a range of movement techniques including Commedia dell’Arte, Laban, Lecoq-based theatre dynamics, Alexander Technique, as well as an extensive voice training in the Linklater voice method. As part of his thesis project, he went on to train Circus Arts and Chinese Acrobatics under the tutelage of Master Coach Lu Yi at the San Francisco Circus Center. He specialised in the disciplines of Aerial Straps and Acrobatic Rope. Cruz is the Assistant Professor of Physical Theatre at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, offering students rigorous training in physical theatre, stage acrobatics, circus arts and vocal techniques.  In the professional realm, CarlosAlexis was a fulltime company member of the Do Jump! Dance Theatre, and Imago Theatre, touring nationally and internationally. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Pelú Theatre project; a physical theatre company mainly interested in researching the convergence between Contemporary Circus Arts and Theatre as well as the founder and producing artistic director of The Nouveau Sud Circus Project, a contemporary social circus initiative rooted in the “underground” dance/acrobatic/physical theatre scenes present in the vast array of cultures in the urban regions of Charlotte. https://nouveausud.org/about-1 We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Patrick Oliver Jones, talking all things acting, arts and entertainment. Born and raised in Birmingham Alabama, and now living in New York, Patrick Oliver Jones is proud of bringing Southern charm to his Northern way of life, as well as his varied career in the entertainment industry. From theatre and voiceovers to short films and podcasting, Jones has been blessed with a multitude of opportunities in show business. Each year, he strives onward and upward, as he continues to grow and learn both as an artist and an individual. Jones talks to us all about the ups and downs of working in the arts and entertainment, changing direction, and what he's experienced along the way. https://www.pojones.com/ https://whyillnevermakeit.com We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

On this episode we are joined by Igor Kobelev, talking all things stage management. Igor takes us on a journey of his humble roots as a vinyl loving boy from Moldova to landing his first dream job working with Cirque de Soleil. Based in the United Arab Emirates, Igor has had extensive exposure to a variety of clients from diverse backgrounds in the areas of events and project management.  We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Tim Tompkins, talking all things ballet, dance, and movement. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Tim Tompkins began his classical ballet training at the age of twelve with former Cuban ballerina Dulce Anaya. He graduated high school at the Harid Conservatory (a Russian ballet school in the United States) in 2005. After graduation, he was invited to join the Houston Ballet. In 2007, he joined the Goh Ballet in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he performed several major roles in various ballets such as The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire, Napoli and Don Quixote. It was in 2008 that Tim decided to settle in Montreal to join the Ballet Eddy Toussaint de Montréal as the principal dancer of the company. In 2010, Tim won the gold medal at the International Ballet Competition held in Sibiu, Romania for Best Couple with his partner Klara Houdet. At the same time, he added to his credit several perfomances of the repertoire of Mr. Eddy Toussaint such Un Simple Moment, Souvenances, Bonjour Brel and L’Ireparrable Saint-Georges (winner of the prize of the president during the competition in Sibiu). Some time later, he became the ballet master for the professional company as well as the École de Danse Eddy Toussaint. https://balleteddytoussaint.org/en/company/general-director We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

On this episode, we are joined by Patricia Masera, talking about her work both onstage and backstage. Patricia Masera was born in Paraguay. In 1997 she co-founded the Aerial Theatre Group Nhi-Mu (www.nhimu.com) a ground-breaking theatre alternative for the Paraguayan scene. She was awarded with the B’nai Brith award for excellence in Theatre in 2006; that same year she was also awarded with a Fulbright Scholarship to North Carolina School of the Arts, where she obtained her MFA in Performing Arts Management. After graduating in 2009, she worked both in Asuncion, Py and New York, US, establishing residency in the latter in 2012. Since then, she has been working as an Associate to Fred Gallo, technical director for several Broadway Musicals and president of PRG Scenic Technologies. Her most recent projects include, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, NYC and San Francisco, King Kong, Live on Broadway, Phantom of the Opera, Asia Tour, MJ, the Micheal Jackson musical and Funny Girl. In Addition to the technical and physical aspects of a production, Patricia has continued to explore theater and its creative aspects producing, directing, and doing site specific work. After working on the Women Residency project Kaos, mujeres en residencia in Paraguay in 2021, Patricia and Nhi-Mu are celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary working on a performance piece as artists in residence of the Oklahoma International Dance Festival in July of 2022. http://www.nhimu.com/ We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Sita Bhuller, talking all things performance. Born and bred in London, Sita has spent the last 15 years on the road as an acrobat and aerial artist. With a background in gymnastics and a degree in sports and exercise sciences, she fell into the world of performance by happy accident. Her first performance role was as stunt artist for Legoland in Windsor, England. Since then, Sita has travelled the world from Macau to Denmark working with an array of stellar circus and aerial companies. Highlights include working with Franco Dragone Entertainment Group on The House of Dancing Water, a stint in Las Vegas on Le Reve, a role on BBC One’s professional gymnast television show Tumble, the Asian tour of Cavalia, Cirque du Soleil’s world tour of Toruk and most recently choreographing and directing the aerials and acrobatics for the Danish tour of Tarzan the musical. Sita is a trained yoga teacher and has undertaken a variety of roles throughout the years, from performer to choreographer, director, coach and captain. She now finds herself playing mum, on tour with Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios, with her partner Alex (a performer in the show) and their two sons Kody and Otis. We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Ksenia Dykina, talking all things artistic in the entertainment industry. Ksenia Dykina is an artistic coordinator, dance captain & dancer. Originally from Russia, Ksenia has performed and worked in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Ksenia is currently the Artistic Coach of La Perle by Dragone, a permanent show in Dubai, UAE.  We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode, we are joined by Naomi Gonzalez Kahn, talking all about her career as set designer, costume designer and production designer for film and theatre. Born and raised in Mexico City, Naomi is a Los-Angeles based production/costume designer for film and live performance. She earned her master’s degree in Fine Arts from UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.  Naomi also holds a degree in Jewelry Design from the National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA) and a degree in stage design from the National School of Theatrical Arts (ENAT), Mexico City, and she enjoys the movement and multi-faceted nature of visual narrative design the most. https://www.naomigk.com/ We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.  

In this episode we are joined by Chris McGreevy, talking all things artist coaching. From a small town in the North of England, Chris McGreevy grew up representing Great Britain in Acro Sport, studying at music college, and coaching acrobatics, before making his transition to the stage. Since entering the entertainment industry, Chris has performed and managed some of the world’s biggest stages. As a porter, aerialist, artist coach and artistic coordinator for companies including Cirque Du Soleil and Franco Dragone, Chris has extensive experience with the inner workings of a large circus company both on and off the stage. We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Rorisang Motuba, sharing with us her experience as a writer, director, and actress in South Africa. Rorisang Motuba is Johannesburg-born actress, writer and director. She has starred in a number of South African and international productions, and has written extensively for South African television. Rorisang recently made her directorial theatre debut at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, much to critical acclaim, and is looking forward to expanding her career abroad. https://mlasa.com/actors/rorisang-motuba/ We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.

In this episode we are joined by Daniel Jean from Moment Factory, talking all things multimedia. For the past 20 years, Daniel has worked at the heart of Montreal-based studio Moment Factory. This home base within a major hub of digital production has placed him right at the intersection of creative and technical innovation, and allowed him to take part in some of the most game-changing developments in multimedia entertainment, across different contexts. As a producer, Daniel Jean works closely with clients, engaging them in a collaborative discussion about the vision, feasibility, and logistics of the project. As a former video director, he specialises in going the extra mile to deliver impressive multimedia experiences. Daniel has worked with some of Moment Factory’s high-profile clients, including Cirque Du Soleil, Arcade Fire, Billie Eilish, Muse, Childish Gambino, Halsey, Imagine Dragons, Tiesto, Celine Dion and the NBA, to name a few. Daniel’s vision of entertainment and passion for his work allows him to push the boundaries every day. His diplomacy and genuine care for each detail related to the project, helps build long lasting relationships with clients and collaborators. Within a constantly evolving industry, he has continually sought out the new ideas and new formats that are changing the way the audiences relate to music. https://momentfactory.com We want to hear from YOU and provide a forum where you can put in requests for future episodes. What are you interested in listening to? Please fill out the form for future guest suggestions here and if you have suggestions or requests for future themes and topics, let us know here! @theatreartlife Thanks to David Zieher who composed our music.