CREATIVISTS IN DIALOGUE: A Podcast Embracing the Creative Life
Including THE THEATRE IN COMMUNITY INTERVIEW SERIES
Photographs by Nicolas Ortega-Ward
Elizabeth Bruce
AUTHOR. EDUCATOR. ACTOR. TEX-PAT.
In this podcast we interview people from all walks of life about the role that creativity plays in shaping who they are. We explore creativity at both the practical level and at the process level. We also, on occasion, delve into the philosophical dimensions of creativity that might have influenced a person’s life and work?
Importantly, not all the people we interview are “artists”—though some are—but they all live their creativity every day in their fields of expertise, their relationships, and beyond. In other words, we approach creativity as a vital force to a healthy life. Not only does it change the world, but it changes who a person is and how they see themselves.
For a list of interviewees and to hear the full interviews, please visit https://creativists.substack.com. To hear clips, please visit Creativists in Dialogue’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms.
Creativists in Dialogue: A Podcast Embracing the Creative Life | Washington D.C. DC | Facebook
(96) Creativists in Dialogue: A Podcast Embracing the Creative Life: Overview | LinkedIn
INTERVIEWS - Beginning February 1, 2023, and posting new interviews weekly on Wednesday at 11 AM with Transcripts postings Sundays at 11 AM. Listed chronologically,
2/1/23—Joy Jones, author, educator, native Washingtonian, and Double Dutch expert: A Conversation with Joy Jones (substack.com)
2/8/23 —Oladapo Adu, Nigerian International Chessmaster, educator, dad & man of deep Christian faith: A Conversation with Oladapo Adu (substack.com)
2/15/23—B. Stanley, Avant Garde theatre artist, founder of Theatre du Jour, former Artistic Director of DC Arts Center, builder, & father: A Conversation with B Stanley (substack.com)
2/22/23—Ricky Green & Anthony Watts, lifelong educators of young children, native Washingtonians & beloved members of their secular and faith communities: A Conversation with Ricky Green and Anthony Watts (substack.com)
3/1/23—Naomi Ayala, Puerto Rican, poet, essayist, educator, community advocate & Buddhist: A Conversation with Naomi Ayala (substack.com)
3/8/23—Bea Zuluaga. master chef, food and wellness entrepreneur, educator, world traveler, nonprofit administrator, immigrant from Colombia, master communicator across cultures, and more: A Conversation with Bea Zuluaga (substack.com)
3/15/23—Laura Zam, author, speaker, certified trauma professional, and sexuality educator whose work focuses on sexual healing and preventing violation. The daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Laura is also a playwright, screenplay writer, solo performer, and with a remarkable career onstage and off: A Conversation with Laura Zam (substack.com)
3/22/23—Sebawit Yirsaw, an early childhood expert, an educator, a facilitator, a translator, a fashion consultant. She is a parent and a lifelong learner, an immigrant from Ethiopia, a bridger of cultures and more. (A Conversation with Sebawit Yirsaw (substack.com)
3/29/23—Quique Avilés & Hilary Binder-Avilés, Quique is an actor, a poet, a solo-performer, a film collaborator, visual artist, educator, immigrant from El Salvador, and fiery activist whose reputation precedes him. Hilary too is a veteran organizer of community arts projects and seasoned nonprofit/NGO consultant and international facilitator, with expertise in NGO strategic development, governance, evaluation, fundraising, advocacy, and more. (A Conversation with Quique Avilés & Hilary Binder-Avilés (substack.com);
4/5/23—Evelyn Torton Beck, Ph.D., holds Ph.D.s in both Comparative Literature and Clinical Psychology. She has pioneered numerous interdisciplinary courses on topics as diverse as Women in the Arts, Mothers and Daughters, Jewish Women in International Perspective, Women and the Holocaust, Death and Dying in Modern Literature, Lesbian Studies, Gender, Power and the Spectrum of Difference, and Feminist Perspectives on Psychology, among others. (1) A Conversation with Evelyn "Evi" Torton Beck (substack.com) .
4/12/23—jonetta rose barras, an award-winning investigative journalist, a columnist, an editorial writer, a creative writer, a performing artist, a community organizer, and a mentor to fatherless girls. Jonetta's writings have appeared in USA Today, the New Orleans Times- Picayune, Essence Magazine, the New Republic, the Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The Washington Examiner, the Washington City Paper, the Washington Times, and more. Indeed, she has been referred to as a “Washington Institution.” (2) A Conversation with jonetta rose barras (substack.com)
4/19/23—Roger & Diane Kahn, Part 1, Diane is a visual & scenic artist, an architectural professional, an educator, and an incredibly creative cook. She was a founding member and the first stage designer of the Crested Butte Mountain Theater, the longest, continuously operating community theater in Colorado. She currently offers an art class at the Hiawatha Davis Community Center in Denver. Roger is the author of How Crested Butte Became a Tourist Town -- Drugs, Sex, Sports, Arts, & Social Conflict. He was a Professor of Non-profit Management at Regis University and Director of Community Service Development at Metropolitan State College. He was a research director at the National Urban League, on a project that focused on the interrelationship of race, poverty, and what was then called mental retardation. Roger was also the Founder and Executive Director of the Colorado Coalition for Full Employment, a Colorado-based community advocacy organization addressing environmental, racial, labor, women’s, poverty, and rural/urban issues. (2) A Conversation with Diane and Roger Kahn, Part 1 (substack.com)
4/26/23—Roger & Diane Kahn, Part 2, see bios above.
5/3/23--John Chambers, founder of BloomBars, an award-winning community arts nonpforit and creative incubator. John is an incredible father, passionate vegan, creative writer, visionary entrepreneur, and beloved advocate for the healing power of arts and community. (2) A Conversation with John Chambers (substack.com)
5/10/23--Shalinee Gusain, early childhood educator, parent, and lifelong learner. A multi-lingual scholar, she earned her Ph.D. in India before coming to the US in 2007. She is a parent volunteer, gardening teacher, environmental science educator, and is now working in a special education classroom. (1) A Conversation with Shalinee Gusain (substack.com)
5/17/23–Shakirah Hill Taylor is the Chief Digital Officer at Fenton Communications. She’s a social impact visionary, a strategic communications catalyst, and executive leader, a birth doula a tutor, and the author of an extraordinary memoir. (2) A Conversation with Shakirah Hill Taylor (substack.com)
5/24/23--Dawud Abdur-Rahman has a 35-year history of leadership in the U.S. Federal government, public sector real estate, planning, design, and construction. He is a Muslim educator and author, a former Imam of the Islamic Society of Prince George’s County, and a husband, father, grandfather, global thinking, entrepreneur, and a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan. A Conversation with Dawud Abdur-Rahman (substack.com)
5/3/23–Erinn Dumas is the podcast’s wonderful Social Media Manager. Through her company, Dumas83, she ably guides us through the mysterious waters of social media. A branding and marketing professional extraordinaire, she has 18 years of experience in brand strategy, integrated marketing, campaign development & management, event planning, social media marketing, and more. A Conversation with Erinn Dumas (substack.com)
6/7/23–Ron Collins, fashion designer, innovator, and entrepreneur. Created in 2016, his company, Velve Dore’ LLC—now with a shop in Hyattsville--is a vintage resale and styling firm that is redefining vintage clothing and accessories for a modern take on today’s fashions. (2) A Conversation with Ron Collins (substack.com)
6/14/23–Molly Smith, renowned theatre director and visionary, is stepping down after 25 years as Artistic Director of Arena Stage where she guided the architectural reinvention of Arena and the creation of the Mead Center for American Theatre. In 1979, she founded Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska, and served as Artistic Director for 19 years. She has directed and produced scores of musicals, new plays, and classics regionally and on Broadway and has a long list of awards and achievements. A Conversation with Molly Smith (substack.com)
I6/21/23--Michael Long, award-winning writer and educator at Georgetown University and globally, he co-authored celebrated book, The Molecule of More with Daniel Z. Leiberman, MD. Mike has written speeches for governors and cabinet secretaries, business leaders, and presidential candidates, and won awards for his one-act plays and screenplays at the Neil LaBute New Theater Festival and elsewhere. (2) A Conversation with Michael Long (substack.com)
6/28/23–Robert Michael Oliver, Ph.D.’s erudite introduction to the podcast’s Theatre in Community Project, funded by a grant from the Community Culture and Heritage Program of HumanitiesDC. We’ll present in-depth interviews with a small sample of theatremakers in DC who created community-embedded theatre from the 1970s to about 2019. The Theatre in Community Project (substack.com)
7/12/23—Ari Roth: Part I–An award-winning American theatrical producer, playwright, director, and educator, Ari is the son of German-born refugees of the Holocaust. Raised in Chicago and educated at the University of Michigan, Ari was Artistic Director of DC’s Theatre J for 18 seasons before becoming the Founding Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company. His current theatre leadership position is with the production company he now runs with A. Lorraine Robinson, Voices Festival Productions. (2) The Theatre in Community Project: a Conversation with Ari Roth, Part 1 (substack.com)
7/19/23—Ari Roth: Part 2 – see bio above. The Theatre in Community Podcast: a Conversation with Ari Roth, Part 2 (substack.com)
7/26/23—Raj Bery – A retired Chemical Engineer originally from Calcutta, India, Raj came to the USA in 1948, earned a BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Missouri and Masters in both Chemical Engineering and Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He and his late wife Marjorie, a research librarian and innovative preschool teacher, were married for over 65 years. They and their family were true global citizens, living in India, Brazil, Italy, and the US. (2) A Conversation with Raj Bery (substack.com)
8/2/23 + 8/9/23—Clayton LeBouef — An American actor, playwright, activist, and producer, Clayton is best known for his recurring television role as Colonel George Barnfather in Homicide: Life on the Streets, and as Wendell Orland Blocker in the renowned long-form drama, The Wire. He has appeared in the HBO movie Something the Lord Made with Mos Def and in many episodes of various Law and Order series. He won Best Actor honors at the San Diego Black Film Festival, and has performed widely in the Baltimore/Washington region, including as a company member at Arena Stage, as well as at Source Theatre, Center Stage, in his play RS/24 at Anacostia Playhouse, and in the title role of Derek Walcott’s Ti-Jean and His Brothers at Sanctuary Theatre. His play, The Livication of Henrietta Vinton Davis, was commissioned by Center Stage; his play Tied Apart, addresses apartheid in South Africa. The Theatre in Community Podcast: a Conversation with Clayton LeBouef, Part 1 (substack.com) + A Theatre in Community Podcast: a Conversation with Clayton LeBouef, Part 2 (substack.com)
8/23/23 —Thom Workman — Thom is an actor, director, producer, visual artist, educator, and advocate for young men, particularly young men of color. For 30+ years, he’s engaged in socially conscious stage and film work. He was formerly the Artistic Director of City at Peace and Associate Director of Everyday Theater, and has directed for the Anacostia Oral History Project and Crossroads Theater Company. He has taught at the NAMES Project, City Lights School, and the I Have a Dream Foundation, and for many years he was a Director of The Theatre Lab's Life Stories Program, which included conceptualizing and co-directing “My Soul, Look Back, and Wonder”, a new work that was performed at the Kennedy Center and featured women residents at N Street Village who are in recovery. A Theatre in Community Podcast: a Conversation with Thom Workman (substack.com)
9/6/23—Karen L. B. Evans — Karen is a playwright and educator. She is President and Founder of the Black Women Playwrights’ Group and CEO of StarRoute19, an educational software company. She's also a tech entrepreneur and seasoned non-profit and operations manager. Karen has received individual fellowships in playwriting from both the National Endowment for the Arts and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. A Theatre in Community Podcast: a Conversation with Karen Evans (substack.com)
9/13/23—Perspectives: Conversations about the Creative Process—Creativists in Dialogue is excited to debut a new series: Perspectives. In this series, we pull together excerpts from various conversations on a particular theme and discuss the implications. Our first Perspectives is on the Creative Process and includes remarks from Naomi Ayala, Oladapo Adu, Laura Zam, and Shakirah Hill Taylor. Perspectives: Conversations about The Creative Process (substack.com)
9/20/23 & 9/27/23—Joy Zinoman: Parts 1 & 2—Joy is a master teacher and renowned theatre director and producer. She founded Studio Theater and the Studio Acting Conservatory in the 1970s and has been teaching and directing for over 50 years in the USA and abroad. Joy is a master teacher and renowned theatre director and producer. She founded Studio Theater and the Studio Acting Conservatory in the 1970s and has been teaching and directing for over 50 years in the USA and abroad. Before retiring as Artistic Director from Studio Theater, she directed 70 productions, and Studio garnered over 225 Helen Hayes Award Nominations. She has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Direction and Visionary Leadership in the Arts. Her training was at Northwestern University, Radcliffe College, and American University. A Theatre in Community Podcast: A Conversation with Joy Zinoman, Part 1 (substack.com) & A Theatre in Community Podcast: A Conversation with Joy Zinoman, Part 2 (substack.com)
INTERVIEWS COMING SOON with Lynnie Raybuck, Regie Cabico, Roberta Gasbarre, Washington Stage Guild, Teatro de la Luna, and more!
This project is supported by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, HumanitiesDC and subscribers like you to https://creativists.substack.com . Thank you!
