Pratfalls Of Parenting

“I’m not that committed to that world of music.” Writer and filmmaker Mark Ehling talks about transitioning to being primarily a stay-at-home dad. He talks about needing to think about and have an audience in order to be productive as a creative person. And he goes deep on the subject of whether or not most […]

“I think everybody IS the same.” Artistic Director of Star Studios at Children’s Hospital Eriq Nelson talks about being an actor, improviser, instructor and using the performing arts to make real human connections. He talks about his work at the Brave New Workshop as well as at Interact Center for the visual and performing arts and […]

“I often times was the only father at the playground.” Books and Bars creator and host Jeff Kamin talks about going from performing improv comedy and working in Los Angeles to being a work at home dad and creating his own live shows in Minnesota. He also talks about his work producing performance programs at […]

“If I’m fooling anybody, it’s myself.” Fred Beukema is an improviser, musician, and engineer. In this episode, Fred chats with Levi about overcoming stage fright and becoming an improviser. Fred shares a bit about how physics, math and music overlap. And he talks about how his performing experience informs his work as an engineer as […]

“Oh God, I’m an artist, I never feel good about my work.” Lemmo Pew is a phenomenal web comic artist behind the excellent Blank It as well as Kaleiope. In this episode he sits down with Levi to chat about making art specific for the web. He also talks about what it’s like to collaborate […]

“Having other people coming and going feeds and inspires my art practice.” Kate Kunkel Bailey is a photographer, a writer, a performance artist and owner of the Fox Egg Gallery. In this episode of the podcast she talks about how she found her self as the owner of a workspace/art gallery in an old storefront. […]

Head over to the “Funporium!” Kickstarter campaign right now to support Elly’s and a bunch of other talented people’s work! “I’m Canadian so I kind of like the small town feel of Minnesota life.” Writer and producer Elly Grzesiak talks about going from studying and working in the field of Astrophysics to writing theater and […]

  “I really wanted to see my own creations.” Proprietor and creative force behind Geekiana, Leann Olsen talks about how her dad’s print making business led her into the art and craft of shirt and apparel making. She talks about finding ways to execute other people’s designs rather than her own and how that drove […]

“I realized then that there’s a process that my brain just latched on to.” Executive Chef and co-owner of the Corner Table, Thomas Boemer talks about the multi-faceted nature of his job. He shares how important it is to him to be a part of a teaching kitchen as well as the close relationship between […]

“It’s really important and very valuable to be able to meet the artists who make the work.” Andy Krueger is the founder of the St. Paul Craftstravaganza, an urban arts and crafts show held annually at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Andy talks about having his primary creative work be something that is largely in the […]

“I sound about 10 percent to 100 percent smarter than I am.”  Comic Matt Fugate talks about his so far 25 year long stand up comedy career. He shares his journey from comedy dabbler to obsessed comedy writer. And he talks about trying to figure out how to sell himself when he really just wants […]

“I’m trying to figure out how I can stay a teacher but get out of it in the traditional sense.” This episode features Molly Keenan and Aaron Lichtov of RetroFutures Designs. Molly talks about transitioning from talking about herself as a classroom teacher to talking about herself as a practicing artist. Aaron talks about pushing […]

  “One of coolest thing about writing for middle-grade audiences is that you’re writing several books at once.” Author Kelly Barnhill talks about writing books for young people. She also talks about how being a teaching artists informs her writing and how her writing informs her teaching. And Kelly talks about the many levels her […]

  “By paying a babysitter I’m losing money every single day I drive to teach.” Musician and host of the Resonant Radio podcast Jeff Greene talks about working as a musician as well as a music teacher. Jeff talks about how he progressed through different instruments as much by happenstance as by desire. And he […]

“I kind of thought that composition was going to be something I could easily do from home.” Composer Jocelyn Hagen talks about stepping back from performing as she entered motherhood and now returning to the live performance part of her work. She shares how being raised by a piano teacher informed her becoming a composer. […]

“Stop asking if we want to be connected, the answer is that we do.” Leadership and Engagement Director for the Bush Foundation and Twin Cities Twitter user extraordinaire Lars Leafblad talks about coming into a well-established organization and trying to build upon its strengths while incorporating new ideas. He talks about building relationships in person […]

  “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make any money with a music degree.” Musician, Professor, and Improviser Bernie Armada talks about how he ended up teaching rhetoric. He also talks about how heavily influential mentors can be. And he shares how teaching helped him overcome his public performance anxiety. “Relics from […]

“I wanted to quit playing music because it grates on me, in a way.” Musician and front man from the band Van Stee, Charlie Van Stee, talks about trying to keep collaboration equal when the band is named after him. Charlie talks about working with musicians and a producer who push him beyond his creative […]

“You can never be good at parenting all the time.”  Broadcast journalist Mary Lahammer talks about journalism as a family business. She shares some of the personal relationships that inform how and why she reports on various issues. And Mary talks about the lack of separation between life and work. “People joke that I took […]

“When the Forbes list of the 100 richest people comes out there aren’t journalists on there.” Journalist Rick Ellis talks about his checkered career path that has included stand-up comedy, journalism, radio, television, and running his own entertainment journalism website. He talks about how much he has always enjoyed writing and how his obstinance is what […]