Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast

"A city becomes a city when you have a theatre."   Host Avery Anderson welcomes Elizabeth Brinklow, a veteran arts administrator and the Vice President of the Dunedin Public Theater, to discuss the ambitious project of bringing a fully equipped performing arts facility to North Pinellas.   Elizabeth recounts her incredible career—from studying mime in Paris with Étienne Decroux to overseeing Cultural Affairs for the City of St. Pete—and explains why her current "legacy project" is all about the community of Dunedin. Learn about the recent feasibility study that showed 96% community support, the challenges of "pushing the boulder up the hill," and how you can get involved in this transformative cultural milestone

What happens when the world stops, but your job expects you to keep running at 90mph—even if it might kill you? This week, Avery sits down with performer and coach Janice Creneti to talk about her autobiographical solo show, My Year of Saying No. It’s a "homecoming" performance at St. Pete’s Off Central Players that explores the characters we all have in our heads: Guilt, Perfection, and the ever-present shadow of the Patriarchy. Janice shares how she "killed her darlings" to turn a sprawling story of pandemic survival into a sharp, multimedia theatrical experience. If you’ve ever felt like a "sacrificial lamb" in your professional life, this one is for you.

What happens when a "Book Club Wrangler" and a sourdough scientist sits down to talk about more than just yeast and plot twists? In this episode, Avery sits down with Serena Utz—the force behind Tombolo Books’ legendary book clubs and the founder of Trust Your Gut sourdough. We dive into the "altar of baked goods," the heavy emotional weight that community spaces carry during life’s hardest moments, and why science fiction is for everyone (not just the "smart guys"). It’s a conversation about fermentation, vulnerability, and why St. Pete’s creative pulse is best felt in a circle of strangers-turned-family.

Forget everything you remember from high school English class. This week on the Arts Passport podcast, we’re joined by the legendary Roxanne Fay—dramaturg, actor, and resident Shakespearean expert—to talk about her latest reimagining of Julius Caesar at The Studio@620. Fay breaks down why Shakespeare’s Roman epic is actually the ultimate action movie, full of "action-consequence" and "thoughtful entertainment." We dive deep into her decision to cast an all-female ensemble and the radical choice to cut the play’s only two female roles to make a powerful point about whose voices we listen to. Beyond the Bard, Roxanne shares a candid look at the "ultimately terrifying and amazingly gratifying" journey of being a caregiver and how life’s unexpected roles can make us better artists. In this episode: Gladiator Vibes: Why Julius Caesar is built like a modern thriller. The Alchemy of Gender: How Fay approaches traditionally male roles like Brutus. Book Club Announcement: Details on our March partnership with Tombolo Books to read The Silence of the Girls. The 2026 Outlook: Alleviating "existential dread" through community and art.

In an era where major news outlets are scaling back, how do two people put out a weekly physical newspaper? Ray Roa, Editor-in-Chief of Creative Loafing, joins Avery Anderson to pull back the curtain on the "nuts and bolts" of independent media in Tampa Bay. In this episode, we discuss: The Survival Mindset: How Creative Loafing navigated laying off 67% of its staff during the pandemic to remain a weekly staple. The Tampa Bay Journalism Project: Ray’s ambitious goal to raise $750,000 to hire reporters and photographers for the community. Progress over Perfection: Why a "squeaky wheel" attitude won't save local news, but collaboration will. The Death of the Paywall: Why Ray believes essential community information should always be free.

Before she was directing, producing, and shaping seasons at The Studio@620, Alexa Perez was spiraling over auditions, freelancing social media gigs, and wondering if she fit the mold. In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport podcast, Alexa talks about the pivot from musical theater grad with anxiety to Associate Artistic Producer — and why the real turning point wasn’t landing the “perfect” job. It was deciding to show up. We talk about: • Going on as Juliet mid-run in Romeo & Juliet (yes, outdoors, during red tide) • Moving from marketing into casting, directing, and producing • The difference between perfection and progress • Why “community over competition” matters more than ever • Her one-word hope for the future of the Tampa Bay arts scene If you’re an artist trying to find your footing — or someone juggling seven roles in one nonprofit job description — this one’s for you. Progress over perfection. Show up. Touch grass. Follow Tampa Bay Arts Passport for behind-the-scenes conversations with the artists shaping our creative community.

What happens when an athlete becomes a dancer — and then builds a company where disabled and non-disabled artists create work side by side? In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport podcast, Avery Anderson sits down with "D", the artistic director of Revolution Dance Company, to talk about inclusive dance, leadership, and what it really means to build community through art. "D" shares his journey from wheelchair track and field to founding a professional inclusive dance company now entering its third decade. Along the way, he reflects on collaboration across difference, teaching dance in unexpected places (including a juvenile prison in Russia), and the mindset that’s carried him through it all: game on. This conversation is about access, trust, and the quiet power of showing up — even when the space isn’t built for you yet.

What if MLK Day wasn’t just one morning — but a season? In this midweek conversation, Avery Anderson speaks with Samantha Harris, executive director of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival, about the city’s inaugural 45 Days of Excellence — a new framework connecting the MLK Day Parade, community health initiatives, youth entrepreneurship, and the annual Collard Green Festival. Harris reflects on why excellence is inseparable from resilience, how the festival grew from church fundraisers to citywide leadership, and what it means to build events with a community rather than for it. This episode explores how celebration, health, and history can work together — and how small acts of care can carry the spirit of Dr. King forward every day.

What happens when love doesn’t arrive fully formed — but shows up anyway? In this episode of Tampa Bay Arts Passport, Avery Anderson sits down with actor and arts advocate Samantha Marti Parisi to talk about The Pink Unicorn, a one-woman play being performed not on a stage — but in living rooms, backyards, and community spaces across Tampa Bay. Parisi plays Tricia Lee, a conservative Texas mother grappling with her child’s coming-out as genderqueer. The story isn’t neat. It doesn’t preach. And that’s exactly the point. The conversation ranges from: Why curiosity matters more than certainty What it’s like to carry an entire story alone onstage How unconventional spaces can unlock deeper connection And why some of the most important stories are still being quietly overlooked This is an episode about motherhood, memory, theater without a safety net — and what it means to stay open when the world asks you to shut down.

As Powerstories closes its 25th anniversary season, Artistic Director Clareann Despain  returns to the Tampa Bay Arts Passport podcast for a rare, reflective conversation about where the work has been—and where it’s headed next. In this episode, Clareann and Avery talk about why women’s stories still need defending, how theatre can offer light in dark times, and what it means to make art for the greater good. Clareann shares her personal journey into leadership, a preview of Power Stories’ 2026 season, and why connection—not just ticket sales—is the true measure of impact. It’s a conversation about collaboration over competition, joy over burnout, and the quiet power of showing up in the same room to listen. A fitting close to 2025—and an invitation into what comes next.

Arts communities don’t sustain themselves. People do. In this episode of The Arts Passport Podcast, Michele Smith—Executive Director of the Tampa Arts Alliance—joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, infrastructure, and the often invisible work that keeps creative ecosystems alive. Michele reflects on her unconventional journey into arts administration, from international trade and crisis logistics to community-centered cultural leadership. Along the way, she unpacks how the Tampa Arts Alliance emerged through years of relationship-building, listening, and collaboration—rather than top-down planning. This episode explores: Tampa’s evolving arts identity The reality of building an arts organization from scratch How grief, resilience, and joy shape leadership Why physical space matters in a digital age What’s possible when a city stops trying to be “the next” anything Thoughtful, grounded, and deeply human, this conversation offers a rare look at what it truly takes to support the arts—not just onstage, but in the spaces in between.

John Perez, the new Director of Education at American Stage, joins Avery for a candid conversation about how arts education actually moves in Tampa Bay—beyond the stage lights and into classrooms. We cover: John’s full-circle path from apprentice to Director of Education What American Stage Education offers (adult + youth classes, outreach, matinees) Write On, the playwriting program inside Pinellas County schools The School Tour tradition—and why it matters that some kids see professional theatre for the first time this way (this year’s tour: “Polka Dots: The Cool Kids Musical”) Why teaching artists being working local artists strengthens the whole community Theatre as training for being a human (the real curriculum) Plus: quick Book Club updates—January off, February: Florida + Botanical Gardens, and March: all-female Julius Caesar at The Studio@620 (book TBD).

When dancer, educator, and arts advocate Helen French stepped into the role of Executive Director of the St. Pete Arts Alliance on August 1, she didn’t just inherit 16 programs, a citywide mural festival, and a three-person staff — she inherited a community in flux. In this candid conversation, French pulls back the curtain on her first 70 days on the job — from the stress and gratitude (“I have more good days than bad days… I’m a mother of two”) to the deep, structural questions she’s asking about what St. Pete’s arts ecosystem needs now. She talks about her Juilliard-bound ninth-grade spreadsheets, her early exposure to arts administration in New York, the founding of Beacon, and the creative muscle artists bring to leadership roles. Most importantly, she names the voids she sees — and how the Arts Alliance might fill them. It’s a conversation about vision, advocacy, and the messy, beautiful work of building an arts city that actually supports the artists who live here.

Tampa Bay’s chalk art and mural scene isn’t just vibrant — it’s a full-blown creative ecosystem. And artist Hilary Frambes sits right at the center of it. In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, Hilary shares what it really means to make art in public: the planning, the pressure, the weather apps, and the pure joy of creating something while strangers watch it come to life. From chalk festivals to large-scale murals, she walks through the evolution of her career, the power of collaboration, and the resilience artists need right now. We talk about: • Why chalk art feels like a performance in real time • Tampa Bay’s uniquely supportive (and sun-drenched) public art culture • What it took to hand-paint our new Arts Passport “Tampa Tales and Tails” merch piece • How one offhand comment from a teacher almost derailed her career • The grind and the beauty of working outside — wind, rain, scaffolding, and all • Why her one-word hope for the arts in Tampa Bay is resilience • The loss of her five Sarasota sidewalk art pieces — and what comes next Hilary also shares the artists who inspire her (hello, Georgia O’Keeffe), the value of creative community, and why supporting public art matters more than ever. Explore Hilary’s Arts Passport merch collaboration: Hand-painted prints, totes, tees, and more featuring her “Tampa Chicken” artwork. Follow Tampa Bay Arts Passport for more conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, and the artists shaping our region.

What does it look like to build a music career from the ground up in the middle of Tampa’s nightlife? In this episode of the Arts Passport Podcast, underground artist and entertainer Lil Trini Kid breaks down the real grind behind his rising music career — from dropping freestyles that caught fire online to navigating late-night club shifts, digital rollouts, and the art of “having the sauce.” We talk about everything: • how he creates songs in 30 minutes, • moving from Korea to Utah (“the curry of America?”), • being queer and thriving in Florida’s club scene, • why Tampa is the place he finally feels at home, • manifesting comfort, community, and a career built on authenticity, • his new single “Waist So Slim,” and the artists who shaped him (Ariana, Nicki, Uzi, Beyoncé, Ice Spice — obviously). It’s a conversation about creativity, reinvention, and what it means to chase visibility on your own terms — with jokes, chaos, and a whole lot of vibe. Listen, follow, subscribe, and go stream Lil Trini Kid on all platforms.

This episode is about the moment you stop asking permission to be an artist. Playwright, actor, and voice actor Jenna Jane talks about walking away from full-time journalism, surviving in Florida as a working artist, and refusing to play roles that sexualize or stereotype young women. “I made a commitment to myself… I was no longer going to play any roles that perpetuate stereotypes or involve my clothes falling off.” That decision meant less stage work — and also, a new path. We get into: – That “it’s here” moment when an idea hits and everything else has to stop – How her sci-fi play Bionic has evolved from a one-act to a full-length built for real-world production – Why new work doesn’t get produced (and why “new work doesn’t sell” is usually just bad marketing) – What theaters owe actors and audiences when it comes to safety, access, and not pre-casting the same five friends – Why she left a “safe” field after her position was eliminated and said, “Why not do what I love?” We also talk burnout, redefining success, and the radical, stubborn act of choosing joy in a politically hostile moment. Follow Jenna Jane to catch upcoming staged readings of Bionic and her newest work across Tampa Bay — and sometimes internationally. Programming notes: – November Book Club: Night + guided tour at the Florida Holocaust Museum – December Book Club: My Broken Language + Latin History for Morons at Stageworks Tampa Bay Arts Passport: local arts journalism, but with teeth. Like, follow, subscribe, and go see new work in your city.

When state arts funding collapses and women’s stories keep getting erased, what do artists do? They make more art. In this episode, Erica Sutherlin (The Studio@620) and Clareann Despain (Powerstories Theatre) join host Avery Anderson to talk about their co-production of Cadillac Crew, the power of small organizations, and why artists will always show up—no matter what Florida politics throws at them.

Nonprofit theater isn’t a vibes-only economy. Aoslo Rep managing director Ross Egan joins Avery for a candid dive into money, models, and why “the mission is the heart, but the model is the engine.” From Chicago storefronts to Sarasota’s mainstage, this episode unpacks sustainability, salaries, and why a $5 gift from every audience member could change the game.

Actress Susana Cordón joins Avery to talk about starring as Lucy in the Straz Center’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terror—why rooting comedy in truth makes it funnier, what “belonging” in the arts actually feels like, and yes, a healthy amount of Audra McDonald worship. Plus: first impressions of Tampa Bay’s arts scene, from murals to humidity.

What does it feel like to carry an entire Andrew Lloyd Webber show on your back? For hometown artist Julia Rifino, star of Tell Me on a Sunday at freeFall Theatre, the answer is joyfully... a lot of things. In this conversation, Julia opens up about going from shy kid with a sketchbook to singing 26 songs solo onstage, why she refuses the “starving artist” narrative, and what it means to celebrate a breakthrough moment on her own terms.