My Job is to Play - Women in Television (Conversations on Creativity with Erin Mallon)

Today we have SHEILA CALLAGHAN on the show. In 2010, Sheila was profiled by Marie Claire as one of “18 Successful Women Who Are Changing the World.” She was also named one of Variety magazine’s “10 Screenwriters to Watch.”  Sheila was a longtime writer/producer on the hit Showtime comedy Shameless and a founder of the feminist activist group The Kilroys. She was nominated for a 2016 Golden Globe for her work on the Hulu comedy series Casual and a 2017 WGA Award for her Shameless episode “I Am A Storm.” Sheila's plays have been produced all over the country and internationally. Most recently she worked on the FX on Hulu series Dying for Sex which was just nominated for 9 Emmy Awards. I've been a fan of Sheila's writing for a long time, so this was a major treat for me having her on the show.

Today we have RACHEL VINE on the show! Rachel is a feature and TV writer who has worked on many animated series. Some of those include My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, DC Super Hero Girls, Wander Over Yonder and DuckTales. Rachel was story editor for Peabody Award-Winning The Owl House. This conversation was really cool for me, since I knew not a thing about working in the world of animation. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did.Rachel's InstagramErin's Instagram 

This week we have AJA GABEL on the show!Aja is the author of the novels Lightbreakers (coming in November 2025) and The Ensemble, both from Riverhead Books. Her prose can be found in The Cut, LA Times, Buzzfeed, BOMB, and elsewhere. Her TV credits include: the max original mini series The Staircase starring Colin Firth, Toni Colette and Michael Stuhlbarg, Sunny featuring Rashida Jones and the upcoming Five Star Weekend, starring Jennifer Garner. Aja's short story “Little Fish” was adapted into a feature film, and her survivor thriller film Devil's Mouth is currently in production with Lionsgate and Amazon MGM Studios.PREORDER LightbreakersAja's websiteErin's website

Today we have MADHURI SHEKAR on the show. Madhuri is a playwright and screenwriter. She wrote the Amazon/Blumhouse feature EVIL EYE produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas based on her Audible original audio drama. Her TV credits include THREE BODY PROBLEM on Netflix, the HBO fantasy epic THE NEVERS and she, along with John Wells is currently co-showrunning UNACCUSTOMED EARTH for Netflix, based on Juhmpa Lahiri's Collection of Short Stories. Her play A NICE INDIAN BOY was adapted into a film starring Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni and is available on streaming services now.Evil Eye (Audioplay)Madhuri's WebsiteMadurai's InstagramErin's WebsiteErin's Instagram

This week we're happy to have ELEANOR BURGESS on the show. Eleanor is a playwright and screenwriter.  Her work has been produced at theaters across the United States, including Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Geffen Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center and so many more. Her work in film and television includes Perry Mason for HBO, WeCrashed for Apple TV+,  Interview With The Vampire for AMC, and the upcoming Little House on the Prairie for Netflix, plus screenplays for Bad Robot, Amblin, and Anonymous Content. In this conversation we dive deep into the power history has on the work we create today, the influence of AI on the industry and so much more. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did. Eleanor's website: http://www.eleanorburgess.com/Erin's website: https://www.erinmallon.com/

HANNAH BOS and PAUL THUREEN are the creators and showrunners of Somebody Somewhere, HBO’s Peabody Award-winning, critically acclaimed comedy series starring Bridget Everett. The Boston Globe declared the series a “revelation” that “exudes compassion” with a “nuanced take on the everyday.” The Daily Beast called the show “TV’s sweetest slice of life.” They received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for “Best First Screenplay” for their feature Driveways. Together they have also written for HBO’s High Maintenance and Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle. And along with Oliver Butler, Hannah and Paul were founders/co-Artistic Directors of The Debate Society, a multiple-Obie award winning theater company.Somebody Somewhere/HBOHannah's WebsitePaul's InstagramErin's Website 

Today we have SARAH MCCARRON on the show. Sarah is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer, and director who works in television, film, and theatre. TV projects include: currently executive producer of a one hour drama in development at Showtime (hopefully to be announced soon!); co-executive producer on Netflix’s forthcoming THE ABANDONS, starring Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey; HBO Max’s Emmy-nominated series STATION ELEVEN starring Mackenzie Davis and Himesh Patel; the single camera comedy MADE FOR LOVE, adapted from the book by Alissa Nutting and starring Ray Romano; producer and writer on HALO Season 2 on Paramount, and more. Sarah is also the writer and director of THE BEND, a short film about a trans man migrating to a sanctuary city, which premiered at Provincetown and has won many awards on the festival circuit, including Best Short Film at Twin Cities Film Fest. She holds an MFA in Ensemble Devised Phyisical Theatre from the movement-based Lecoq pedagogy, and teaches Writing From The Body.Sarah's Website: http://www.sarahmccarron.com/Erin's Website: https://www.erinmallon.com/

Anna Ouyang Moench is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Her plays have been produced at La Jolla Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, NAATCO/The Public Theater, the Geffen Playhouse, the Playwrights Realm, East West Players, InterAct Theater, Theater Mu, and many other theaters across the country and around the world.  In television and film, Anna has worked with Apple TV+, HBO, A24, 3000 Pictures, Netflix, Fifth Season, UCP, eOne, PictureStart, and Universal. Anna was a member of the pilot cohort of the WarnerMedia Access Showrunner Program, wrote on Season 1 and 2 of Severance and is currently in the writers room for Beef Season 2. Anna's websiteErin's website

Darcy Fowler is a writer, actor, and producer who co-created and co-wrote the animated horror comedy Little Demon on FX/Hulu, voiced by Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, and Aubrey Plaza, and executive produced by Dan Harmon. She was a writer on the last (and never aired) season of Netflix's Glow, and has developed, collaborated on, and sold shows to networks including Comedy Central, TBS, and AMC, as well as to studios such as Red Hour and Picturestart. Darcy and I actually go way back. We first connected in our early theater days in New York City and got reunited this year when I signed up for the amazing TV Writing workshops she leads. Darcy is generous, kind and full of so much wisdom when it comes to honing your original voice and crafting great stories for TV. Darcy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darfow/Erin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallonerin/

Gina Fattore is a TV writer, producer, and showrunner. Some of her many credits include Dare Me, Gaslit, Better Things, UnREAL, Masters of Sex, Parenthood, Californication, Gilmore Girls, and my eternal favorite, Dawson’s Freaking Creek. Her debut novel The Spinster Diaries was published in 2020 by Prospect Park Books and is a total delight (a fun bonus - the audiobook is narrated by friend of the podcast Tanya Eby). I can't tell you how much fun I had spending time with Gina for this interview. She's generous and funny and has so much knowledge about how this industry works. Plus she was kind enough to let me completely geek out over Dawson's Creek and thank her for shaping my worldview on romance as a teen. I did not keep my cool and I'm totally okay with that. Gina's Website: https://ginafattore.comGina's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4nc6lYufVIErin Mallon's website: https://www.erinmallon.com/

This is our 40th episode and the end of Season One! This first year of the podcast has flown by. I'm so grateful to everyone who has tuned in, shared episodes, rated us, reviewed us... it's all meant so much to me. For this final episode of the season we thought it would be fun to go back in time and celebrate some of my favorite moments from this first year, so that's what we're gonna do!

Today we have Natalie Naudus on the show. Natalie is a brilliant Audie-Award winning narrator of over 400 books. We get into that a little in this interview. But mostly we talk about her writing and celebrate the release of her debut novel. It's called "Gay the Pray Away" and it is the #1 Best Seller in Coming of Age Fiction for Teens on Amazon this week. I loved talking shop with Natalie and getting to hear all about her process of bringing this book to life. 

Today we have my friend Eliza Bent on the show. Eliza and I go way back. She is a playwright and a performer whose Bentertainments include solo works, plays, adaptations, and hybrid affairs. She makes short films. She speaks Italian. She has degrees in philosophy and playwriting and she's on faculty at Northwestern University’s Radio TV & Film department. She's a cool as hell person with a lot of weirdness and wisdom to share. 

Today we have my friend Amy Staats on the show. Amy is an actor, writer, producer, director... you name it, she does it. This conversation was so much fun for me. We talk about Van Halen, understudying on Broadway, writing plays, developing projects for TV and film, and overcoming perfectionism. Amy's currently doing an experiment where she shares a piece of brand new writing every single day on social media. It was really cool talking about how this practice is affecting her as an artist. Be sure to hang with us until the end because Amy even busts out some artistic wisdom inspired by bird mating dances that blew my mind. Yup, you heard that right. 

Today we have NY Times Bestselling Author Jodi Lipper on the show. Jodi is a Collaborative Writer, also known as a Ghostwriter. I've always been interested in how this process works but I thought it was super secretive and I didn't want to pry. Well Jodi let me pry for this podcast episode and I'm so happy she did. I'm amazed at how many skills it takes to be successful in this career. I already had a lot of respect for ghostwriters, but this conversation with Jodi has sent my admiration through the roof.

Today our guest is my dear friend Thérèse Plummer. If you are an audiobook listener there is a very strong chance you've had this lady's voice in your ears. She's a beautiful storyteller, a kind soul and a hella strong human being. Almost three years ago she was in ahead-on car collision with a drunk driver and she's been on a relentless journey to recovery. We talk about that process in this interview as well as how she got her start in audiobooks and where her creative brain is at now. I love her so much and every chance I get to spend time with her is a gift. FYI, I had some technical difficulties on my side of the recording for this episode, so you'll notice my voice isn't as clear as it could be (sorry about that!). Good new is, Therese's glorious voice is clear and beautiful as a bell, and that's who this episode is all about. 

Today our guest is Charlie Pollock. Charlie is an incredible singer and actor. He's worked with the likes of Dolly Parton, David Bowie, John Mellencamp... the list goes on. Every time I see him onstage whether in a Broadway show or playing in his awesome band, I'm so jazzed by how he operates. Charlie is just one of those magnetic artists you can't take your eyes off of when he performs. This conversation is such a fun peek behind the curtain on the journey of a musical theater actor. I'm thrilled I got to spend this time with him and hear his stories. 

I am so excited for today's episode. If you've ever talked with me about TV, you know my absolute favorite show of all time is This is Us. It's one of those shows that's so deep in my bones I have to hold myself back from referencing it on a daily basis to my friends and family. Well today I got to take a deep dive and talk about it as much as I want, because Siddhartha Khosla, This is Us' amazing composer is on the show. Siddhartha Khosla is a 6 time Emmy-nominated film and television composer, singer/songwriter, and producer of the critically acclaimed band, Goldspot. His 3 Primetime Emmy nominations in 2022 were for "Outstanding Music Composition for a Series" and "Outstanding Main Title Theme" for "Only Murders in the Building," and "Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics" for his original song and #1 iTunes single "Forever Now" (which he co-wrote with Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith). I was so thrilled he joined me for this conversation and let me pelt him with questions about my favorite show and how he creates his particular brand of musical magic. 

Today we have my dear friend Lia Romeo on the show. She's one of the smartest and most generous playwrights I know. Her new play STILL is having its New York Premiere right now. It opened last night at the DR2 Theater in Union Square. It's presented by Colt Coeur with direction by Adrienne Campbell-Holt and features performances by Jayne Atkinson and Tim Daly. In this conversation we discuss bringing STILL off-broadway and we get into all sorts of writer talk about navigating the playwright life overall.

It's week two of my Spring Break and we're back with another great replay. Today we're heading back to the very first episode of the podcast where I got to talk to Amy Daws, romantic comedy author extraordinaire.  Amy is a #1 Amazon Bestselling author. She's written over 20 books and they're all hilarious, sexy and playful as hell. This is perfect timing, because just yesterday Amy released her latest and greatest book, Nine Month Contract. I was lucky to narrate the audiobook with my good friend Teddy Hamilton. We had an absolute BLAST with this story and these characters. If you're an audio lover, I know you're gonna love this one. You can find Nine Month Contract on Audible whenever you're ready to listen! For now, I hope you enjoy this conversation with Amy as much as I did.

I am on a Spring Break for the next two episodes, so we're revisiting two of our early conversations from back in September when we launched the podcast. First up for our replays is the wonderful Kristoffer Diaz. Kris and I go way back. Kris is a Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright, a screenwriter and an educator. People call his work "Brilliant theatrical innovation" and "A fist-bumping adrenaline-filled ride." This feels like perfect timing to revisit this interview. "Why?" you ask? You'll hear us talking about "Hell's Kitchen," the new musical Kris wrote and developed with Alicia Keys. At the time of this conversation they were getting ready to open at The Public Theater in NYC. Now? They're in previews on Broadway. I couldn't be happier for Kris and the whole team of Hell's Kitchen. If you can a ticket, please go. It's a really beautiful and exciting show. Kris is a super smart and generous guy and I'm so thrilled to share this conversation with you again.

Today we have my buddy Mike Houston on the show. He is an incredible actor who works in Theater, Film and TV. Mike spent four seasons on Orange is the New Black as Lee Dixon and recently played Harvey Weinstein in the feature film "She Said" starring Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan and Patricia Clarkson. In this episode, Mike and I really "talk shop" and get into what collaboration looks like inside a theater rehearsal room.  Anytime I get to work with this guy is a treat and this conversation was no exception.

Today we have the great Theodora Taylor on the show. I first learned about Theodora's work a few years ago when I picked up her book "7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy to Sell Your Books to Anyone." With a title like that, why wouldn't I buy it, right? I expected lots of cool tips on selling my books - which I certainly got - but I got so much more. Theodora cracked my brain open to a whole new way of thinking when I'm plotting and crafting my books. Once she makes you aware of the Universal Fantasies that are slathered like butter throughout nearly all the bestselling movies you watch and books you read, you can't unsee it. Getting to spend this time with Theodora was such a treat for me. She knows what she's talking about and she was so generous to share so much of her widsom with us in this episode. 

Today we have the lovely Samantha Brentmoor on the show. Samantha is a wonderful romance audiobook narrator which is the space we've been hanging in lately, but we go way back to my early theater days in New York City where she actually ran the theater where I was performing. Every time I snag a few minutes with her at a book event, I think man, I want more time with this woman. So we made that happen today on the podcast. We talk how she handles reviews and social media, then we go full woo and vibe on surfing the waves of creative flow. I really loved this conversation and I hope you do too.

Today we have my friend Melanie Maras on the show. Melanie is a working writer in Hollywood, which you can hear her discuss every other week on her podcast: Two Writers Talking Shit w/her co-host Saeed Crumpler. This conversation was a real treat for me because I felt like I got to be the writer talking shit with her this week. Melanie is such a curious and gregarious person, so I shouldn't have been surprised when she started asking ME questions even though we were here to interview her. It ended up being a really great conversation about how we attempt to get work done, keep our mental health strong and build an unshakeable belief that we can get good at anything we set our minds to.

Today we have comedian Gianmarco Soresi on the podcast. The past few years, Gianmarco's career in stand-up has  skyrocketed. He made his late night debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, who called him "a brilliant stand-up comedian." He's currently performing all over the world on his "Leaning In Tour" and you can catch episodes of his popular podcast "The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi" in all the places podcasts are hosted. This conversation was such a cool peek into the world of hardworking stand-up comedians and what it takes to perform fresh, fun material night after night, year after year. 

Today we have Erin Wrinkle Siegel on the show. Erin is a costume designer who specializes in Commercials, Television, Live Shows, Game Shows, Print and Film. In this discussion we get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to be a costume designer on a film set. The long hours, the sharp eye for detail you have to have, and how to make sure fake blood looks its best. This job isn't just about dressing people, people! I loved getting this inside look at this very cool creative profession and hope you do too. 

For this week's episode, I got to sit down with Julia Whelan. If you've listened to an audiobook, there's a very strong chance you know her voice. Julia has narrated some of the biggest bestselling books out there. She's also a brilliant writer herself. You may be familiar with her books My Oxford Year and Thank You for Listening. And this week she's releasing a brand new audio experience called Casanova LLC. We go deep into her journey of writing and releasing this new project. The way the seeds for this story were planted and the way Julia saw it all through is really exciting and inspiring to me. We also have a frank discussion on the highs and lows of being an audiobook narrator and how we can build a system that supports narrator better moving forward. Basically, this conversation is packed with goodness and I'm thrilled I got to have it.

For this week's episode, I got to sit down with the great Nick Petron. Nick recently retired as chair of the theater department at Adelphi University after 50 years of teaching, an incredible accomplishment. He's an actor, a voice artist, a director and an awesome mentor to soooo many. A few months ago I got to participate in a roast and celebration of Nick's work at Adelphi and it was a beautiful thing seeing how many lives he's touched.  I love him very much and am so grateful I got to be his student and now his friend. FYI, this conversation gets a little saucy at times, so be sure to keep little ears at bay. 

When I started this podcast, one of my main goals was to talk to people from all walks of creativity. I've always been so excited and kind of mystified by how orchestra conductors work. So I set out to find one to interview and I found the Feliza Estrada. Feliza is doing this great on-going project called "My Journey to Become a Great Conductor" where she shares so much of her process on social media. This interview allowed me to go back to my roots and geek out on classical music. I knew nothing about what it takes to become a great conductor before this chat with Feliza, and I had a blast learning from her. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did. 

Welcome back to My Job is to Play for our 20th episode! It's been such a blast having these conversations every week and sharing them with you all. Today we have the amazing actor Richard Masur on the show. You know Richard, You've seen him in soooo many movies and TV shows. It would be ridiculous to even try naming them, but her are some of the biggies: The Thing, Risky Business, My Girl, Stephen King's It, One Day at a Time... the list goes on and on. He's currently on Broadway In Manhattan Theater Club's production of Prayer for the French Republic written by Josh Harmon, directed by David Cromer and featuring a truly incredible ensemble cast. We talk about Richard's experience working on this really timely play and also dive into some really fun anecdotes from his over 50 years of working in film. I love Richard dearly. It's such a treat having him in my life and I jump at every chance I get to work with him. You're going to really dig this one. 

Today we have the great Nana Malone on the show. Nana is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author, She writes Sexy Feel-Good Romance and loves all things romance and adventure. This interview was such a treat for me. I've long admired Nana's work as a writer and the way she puts her excellent energy and ideas into the world. This conversation skyrocketed my admiration for her. 

Today we have the wonderful Darin F Earl II on the show. Darin is a fantastic actor, writer and dramaturg. A real person of the theater. They also have an enormous amount of knowledge and skill when it comes to Shakespeare,  which we dive into quite a bit. It was so nice to spend this quality time with Darin talking about making art. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did!

I'm so excited to have my dear friend Teddy Hamilton on the show today. Teddy is a well-loved audiobook narrator and a delightful dude. I jump at every chance I get to co-narrate with him or have him in one of my audio plays. If you've heard my These Walls Can Talk series, you know he tears things up as recovering misogynist/audiobook engineer Neil.  I wasn't sure where this conversation with Teddy was going to go. We start with audiobook narrating and then go balls-to-the wall talking about creativity - what lights us up, what shuts us down and how to keep boldly moving forward and make the things we wanna make. I really loved this chat and hope you do too. 

Today we're talking to Jacqueline Balloutine. Jackie is certified in Hypnotherapy and Past Life Regression with a focus on Spiritual Alignment. What does this have to do with creative flow you ask? Well, I can honestly say I have never felt more connected and "in flow" than during the sessions I was lucky enough to have with Jackie. This interview is a really cool deep dive into the work Jackie does to help people access their subconscious and higher selves and how connecting those dots can foster our ability to be more creative and free moving forward. This is a pretty darn revealing interview for me too because I basically spill who I was in a former life:) So.... enjoy!

Today we're talking to Moses Villarama. Moses is a wonderful actor and musician who just finished the Broadway run of Here Lies Love, created by David Byrne of The Talking Heads along with music by Fat Boy Slim. It was directed and developed by Alex Timbers, choreographed by Annie B-Parson and featured an all-Filipino cast for the first time on  Broadway. I got to see the show before it closed and it really knocked me out. I loved getting to talk about the process with Moses and dive into what it meant to him being part of this history-making show.

Today we're talking to J Ruth Gendler. J. Ruth Gedler is the author of the bestselling The Book of Qualities and the award winning Notes on the Need for Beauty and the editor of Changing Light: The Eternal Cycle of Night and Day. Her work as an artist has been featured in all her books and in exhibitions across the country. Ruth has also done an enormous amount of work as a teaching artist in schools for over 35 years and has so much wisdom to share on playfulness and creativity. I was hanging on her every word in this discussion. It is not an exaggeration to say that when I first read "The Book of Qualities," fresh out of college, it changed my life. It's one of those very special books that I've kept with me over the years and every time I revisit it, I find something new and exciting and illuminating. I cannot recommend Ruth's work enough and I was thrilled to spend this time with her.

Today we're talking to the awesome Autumn Jones. Autumn is a soulful R&B singer-songwriter and an alumni of Berklee College of Music in Boston. She's had a busy few years along with her band "The Smoke" releasing her debut EP "4.4.4.," winning a Tracks Music Award for her single "Bittersweet" and showcasing her music at venues like City Winery, Hard Rock Cafe and Rockwood Music Hall. Notion Magazine described her work as having a "neo-soul-style with full and effusive vocals reminiscent of blues veteran Corrrine Bailey Ray." Autumn is such a cool and emotionally connected person. Despite living on the same street, this was the first time we got to sit down together and really talk about making art. I loved every second of it and hope you do too. Be sure to stay til the very end of this episode because she shared an awesome  song with us you don't want to miss. 

Today we're talking to the awesome playwright Adam Szymkowicz. Adam’s plays have been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, England, Wales, The Isle of Man, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Turkey, Switzerland, South Korea, Thailand, Sweden, Austria, Slovenia and Lithuania. You getting the picture? This man's plays are everywhere. Adam's writing is hilarious and layered and full of heart and he is super smart in the ways he gets his work out into the world. I admire the hell out of this guy and I'm so glad I got a chance to sit down with him to talk shop.

Today we're talking to the incredible Celeste Lecesne. Celeste wrote the short film Trevor, which won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. He is co-founder of The Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention Lifeline for LGBT and Questioning youth and also the co-founder of The Future Perfect, a national arts initiative dedicated to amplifying the creative voices of LGBTQ+ youth. In 2023 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his work. I absolutely loved spending time with Celeste and feel like I have a new friend. My guess is you'll feel that way by the end of the discussion too, so let's get to it. Here is the wonderful... Celeste Lecesne.

Today's guest is Hannah Ball, otherwise known as The Huggable Healer. Hannah is an Evidential Medium and Intuitive Counselor. This podcast focuses on flow. That moment-to-moment connection and presence and play that is behind all great work and art. Hannah's ability to connect to that flow is brilliant. She just so happens to use it to connect with spirit, aka our loved ones who have passed. I was so excited to spend time with Hannah, that I couldn't bear to reschedule our interview even when I was rocked with some serious laryngitis. So I hope you'll forgive my rasps and squeaks as we dive deep into Hannah's fascinating work. 

Today we have the wonderful Kate Yeager on the podcast. Kate is a brilliant singer and songwriter. How's this for a pull-quote: "If a HAIM and Kelly Clarkson had a baby then Kate is your bread and butter, honey." I stumbled upon Kate and her music on social media this year along with thousands and thousands of other listeners, and I'm so glad I did. This conversation delighted the hell out of me. I always come prepared for these interviews with lots of questions, particularly when I'm meeting someone for the first time. With Kate, I barely asked any of them because the conversation 100% took care of itself. Kate is funny, kind and smart-as-hell, and I'm looking forward to following her career as she keeps moving forward. Oh, and be sure to stick around til the very end because Kate shared a song with us and it's a must listen. 

Today we have the awesome Bixby Elliot on the podcast. Bixby is a queer writer for tv, film and theater. He's an award-winning playwright who's been produced in New York, London, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Edinburgh and more. Bixby’s short film AQUAMARINE has been in over 20 festivals and won multiple awards including; Best Short, Best Director and Best Screenplay. This incredible guy and I go way back, and I'm constantly looking for ways we can collaborate because I love him and his work that much. Whenever I talk life and shop with Bixby it's guaranteed there will be a lot of laughs and at least three cries. This conversation is no exception. 

Today we have the great Tanya Eby on the podcast. Tanya is an award-winning audiobook narrator of over 1000 titles. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a poignant blogger and a wonderful casting director. Her latest book is called The Tuesday Girl: A Memoir.  Reviewers are calling The Tuesday Girl  "raw and triumphant," "stunning" and "beautiful." It's available in ebook, paperback and in audio narrated by Tanya herself. Tanya is someone I really admire so I was psyched to have the opportunity to talk to her about her process and how she finds creative joy. 

Today we're talking to Delvene Pitt! Delvene is a vibrant and versatile multidisciplinary artist. She's a storyteller, an actor, and the brilliant mind behind Little Crowns Storyhouse and Little Crowns TV. She’s worked as an assistant producer at BBC Children’s, collaborated with Three Stones Media on a new children’s series, and has even worked  for Penguin Books' beloved Peppa Pig series. We went deep into the world of puppetry in this chat. You'll likely hear by the giddiness in my voice how fascinated I am by the worlds she creates. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.

Today we're talking to Bernardo Cubría, Bernardo is a Mexican playwright and screenwriter who lives and works in Los Angeles. He also happens to be one of my dear friends and someone I admire very much. He recently finished working on the second season of Aculpulco for Apple TV + and the amount of film projects he has in development  would make your head spin. With all the huge strides he's making in film and TV Bernardo always keeps his heart rooted in the theater. Some of his plays include: The Giant Void in My Soul, Crabs in a Bucket, The Play You Want, and The Judgment of Fools. You can read all Bernardo's plays at newplayexchange.org and you really should; his work is so delightful and challenging and original. 

Today we're talking to Leah Koch, co-owner and co-founder of The Ripped Bodice (along with her sister Bea). The Ripped Bodice is an independent brick-and-mortar bookstore devoted to the celebration of romance novels. The store is proudly Woman and Queer Owned and now has two locations, with one store in Los Angeles, California and a brand new store in Park Slope Brooklyn. It's been really inspiring watching Leah and Bea grow The Ripped Bodice over the years and see the ripple effect their passion has had on the romance community. I was psyched to sit down with her and hear about some of the steps they took to take their seed of an idea and grow it into this beautiful business they have today.

Today we're talking to Katie Locke O'Brien. Katie is an incredible director for television and film. Some of her directing credits include: A.P. Bio, Ghosts, Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years and The Santa Clauses. Also, she wrote directed produced and starred in her award-wining film "Have it All" which she just so happened to create with a brand new baby in tow. That's actually one of my favorite parts of this discussion. If you've ever worried about how becoming a parent can change your relationship with creativity, I think you'll get a lot of inspiration from listening to Katie talk about her own journey juggling the two, because she's doing it so joyfully and successfully. 

In this episode of My Job is to Play  we talk to the wonderful Kristoffer Diaz. Kris and I go way back. Fun fact: My first ever paid job as an actor was during college in a sketch comedy show he wrote and produced. Now, Kris is a Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright, screenwriter and educator. People call his work "Brilliant theatrical innovation" and "A fist-bumping adrenaline-filled ride." Some of his plays include The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Welcome to Arroyo's and Rebecca Oaxaca (Lays Down a Bunt). Next up for Kris is "Hell's Kitchen," a new musical he wrote and developed with Alicia Keys. It's coming to The Public Theater in NYC this Fall and I feel really lucky I snagged a ticket before it sold out.  Kris is a super smart and generous guy and I'm so thrilled he's with us today. Enjoy!

In this episode of My Job is to Play we talk to Amy Daws, romantic comedy author extraordinaire.  Amy is a #1 Amazon Bestselling author. She's written over 20 books and they're all hilarious, sexy and playful as hell. "Wait with Me," her tire shop romance - and Buzzfeed sensation - can now be seen as a feature film on Passionflix.com. I've known Amy for a few years now and have been lucky enough to narrate several of her books. Every time I do, I'm struck by how effortlessly funny she is and how her characters always leave you wanting to be their best friend. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.