The Creatives,
Featured Players and Guests
Live From the Lounge is a "live" variety show podcast.
In-person experience coming soon!
Live From the Lounge is produced by Ann Closs-Farley.
The Musical Arrangements and our Lounge Theme were created by John Ballinger.
Double Batch Daddy is our house band. You heard Cal on vocals and bass, Dutch on vocals and guitar and Bax on drums.
Many thanks to Matt Almos and Carolyn Almos for their hilarious comedy writing for the Lounge Radio Plays.
And I’m Keythe Farley, your Host here to share more songs, stories, movies, and recipes all intuitively designed to help you
To Learn. To Love. To Lounge.
Creatives
Creator/ Host: Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley is an actor/ director/ writer who lives in Los Angeles. He is the co-author of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL which was named the Best Off-Broadway Musical of 2001 by the Outer Critics Circle and Lucile Lortel Foundation.
As a voice actor, Keythe is best known for his portrayals of Thane Krios in Mass Effect (IGN Character of the Year) and Kellogg in Fallout 4. He’s also the voice of Santa Claus in the Netflix holiday special ALEN X-MAS. Other credits include Star Wars: squadrons, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine and Skylanders.
On stage Keythe has appeared at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and at the Cleveland Playhouse. He’s also toured the world with a production of 1984 directed by Tim Robbins.
Keythe is also a casting and voice director for animation and video games. Credits include: Rugrats, Adventure Time, Final Fantasy XV, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, God of War, Transformers and Skylanders.
Music Director, Composer and Vocalist: John Ballinger
Season 1
Episode 1: Holiday
Episode 2: California Dreaming
Episode 3: Love and Loss
Episode 4: Balance
Episode 5: Love and Loss
Episode 6: May Flowers / Duet with Ruby Farley on "Things" by Nacy Sinatra (Vocalist)
Episode 7: Sunshine and Shadows/All In A Golden Afternoon (Vocalist)
Episode 8: Summer Camp
Episode 9: Summer Vacation
Episode 10: September Songs
Episode 11: Face The Darkness
Episode 12: Give Thanks: Your My Home
Season 2
Episode 10: 9 to 5
John Ballinger is an award-winning composer and musician based in Los Angeles. Songs and scores of his can be heard in theatres, on albums, TV, and in films. His company, Bunk Bed Music, is active in music licensing for all forms of media and producing singer-songwriters. His most recent producing and arranging effort culminated in the full-length contemporary jazz album Girl Gone Wilder! featuring songs by Alec Wilder. John received a BFA in music composition from CalArts where he studied with Mel Powell and Leonard Stein. His master’s degree in commercial music is from Cal State Los Angeles where he is currently an adjunct professor teaching composition, mixing, songwriting, and guitar. His touring/performance credits include Rufus Wainwright, Tracy Bonham, Moira Smily, Dancing With the Stars, and The Los Angeles Master Chorale. John has been active in theatre and has composed original music, created sound design, and played in pits and/or musically directed for over 100 productions on both coasts. Venues include The Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Signature Theatre, and The New Group (NY). John’s composing interests have shifted recently to film where he has scored and written songs for three shorts and two feature-length films; the most recent being 3 Days With Dad starring J.K. Simmons, Leslie Ann Warren, Tom Arnold, and the late Brian Dennehy. John also played guitar, clarinet, and percussion for Sean Penn’s latest feature film, Flag Day.
Writer/ Actress: Carolyn Almos
Radio Plays
Season 1
Season 2
Carolyn Almos is an actress and playwright. She is a founding and current member of Burglars of Hamm, a ‘four-headed playwright’ that has been creating original satires since 1998, including The Behavior of Broadus, Land of the Tigers, Easy Targets, Resa Fantastiskt Mystisk, Focus Today, and Party Show. The Burglars’ plays have won numerous awards and have been published by Stage Rights and Samuel French. As a performer, Carolyn has performed onstage with many Los Angeles companies including Burglars of Hamm, The Latino Theatre Company, Orphean Circus, Frantic Redhead Productions and Playwrights Arena. She has also performed in film, television, and commercials. She holds a BA from Whitman College and an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. Making the world a better place for animals is another passion of Carolyn’s, and she is currently the Director of Volunteer Programs for the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Animal Services.
Writer/ Actor/ Creative Leader: Matt Almos
Radio Plays
Season 1
Season 2
Matt Almos is a founding member of Burglars of Hamm, and has had a hand in writing and directing their award winning shows RESA FANTASTISKT MYSTISK, LAND OF THE TIGERS, EASY TARGETS, THE BEHAVIOR OF BROADUS and others. He worked for Walt Disney Imagineering for 13 years, and led creative development for the live entertainment program for Shanghai Disney Resort. He currently works as a freelance creative consultant in the themed entertainment industry, and is a member of The Climate Reality Project (founded by former Vice President Al Gore).
Lounge Band: Double Batch Daddy
Season 1
Season 2
With generations of influence and experience to pull from, Dutch, Cal, and Bax bring an eclectic multi-cultural blend of folksy world-beat pop filtered through a smoky 1920's birth-of-jazz prism. Meet Double Batch Daddy: Fronted by identical twin brother singer-songwriters on vintage guitar (Dutch) and a one-of-a-kind 7'1" tall bass banjo and acoustic bass guitar (Cal), the trio is rounded out with their wise-guy drummer, Bax, on brushes. Double Batch Daddy’s mix of music includes a daringly arranged set of covers ranging from Fats Waller to Sting. Daddy’s sophistication, approachability, and charm bring all ages and cultures together by sharing their love of home, roots, and music through delightfully infectious performances.
"Cal" - Timothy Gibbs Zehnder - vocals and bass
"Dutch" - Tom Zehnder - vocals and guitar
"Bax" - Mike Boggio - drums
on Instagram - @dbatchdaddy and Facebook
Contact: Timothy Gibbs-Zehnder
323-497-7172
Creator, Producer: Ann Closs-Farley
Ann Closs-Farley is an award-winning LA-based Costume Designer. She recently designed costumes for Renaissance Entertainment's "Because of Charley" and "Allens Love" with Padua Playwrights outthis spring. Her credits include work for TWA, Universal Studios, Carnival Cruise Lines Shanghai Disneyland Park, The Pee-wee Herman Show (Broadway/ HBO), Disney’s Toy Story The Musical, Eric Idle’s What About Dick? (on Netflix), Hopscotch: A Mobile Opera, Pride and Prejudice: The Musical, Billy Elliot, Cunning Little Vixens Opera, and many more. Closs-Farley is also a long-time member of The Actors’ Gang and evidEnce Room LA theater companies.
Portfolio: www.annclossfarley.com
Photography: www.crockpotphotography.com
Instagram:@clossfarley
Dinner and a Movie Segment and occasional parts with The Lounge Players
Featured Lounge Players
Featured Guest:
Actor: Ray Chase
Season 1 Episode 1: The Light Returns/ Happy Holidays
Ray Chase is best known for his versatility as a voice actor in video games and animation, as well as being a major spokesperson for brands such as Coke Zero, Progressive, Welch's, Corona Light, and Naturebox. Video game fans know him as the lead protagonist Noctis in Final Fantasy XV (2016) and Edgar from Final Fantasy VI (1994) in World of Final Fantasy (2016). Superhero fans know him as the voices of Jason Blood and Etrigan the Demon in the DC feature film Justice League Dark (2017). He is a con fixture making appearances all over the world with his show "Loud, Annoying, and Very Annoying" (LAVA) with fellow voice actors Robbie Daymond and Max Mittelman.
Ray graduated summa cum laude from the USC School of Theater. He also trained at the British American Dramatic Academy. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
Featured Guest:
Actress: Julia Mcllvaine
Season 1 Episode 1: The Light Returns/ Happy Nolidays
Julia Mcllvaine is known for her work on KaBlam! (1996), Dark (2017) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020).
Actress Musician: Ruby Farley
Season 1 Episode 2: The Genie Sketch /Debbie
Season 1 Episode 3 & 4: Dinner and a Movie Segment
Season 1 Episode 5: Vocalist/ Things" by Nancy Sinatra with John Ballinger
Season 1 Episode 10: Man with Boring Dreams/ Jojo
Season 1 Episode 11: Give Thanks/ Vocalist your My Home
Season 2 Episode 10: 9 To 5
Actress, Model, Musician
Ruby Farley is a creative force. Her budding talents are endless. Check out her versatility in her Holloween collection of Scream Queens.
https://www.facebook.com/RUBYSCREAMQUEENS/
www.rubyfarley.com
Actress: Rebecca Metz
Season 1 Episode 3: The 52-Year-Old Bachelor / Wendy
Rebecca Metz has a recurring role as Tressa, Sam’s (Pamela Adlon) close friend and talent manager on the critically acclaimed, award-winning FX series BETTER THINGS which has been picked up for a fifth season. This busy actress also stars on the popular Disney Channel show COOP & CAMI ASK THE WORLD. Metz plays Jenna Wrather, the widowed mom of Coop and Cami and the only adult in the regular cast.
A graduate of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, Metz has made her mark on television in memorable guest roles. She has guest-starred on NIP TUCK, WEEDS, MARON, THIS IS US, GREY’S ANATOMY, FOR THE PEOPLE, ALL RISE, BONES, MAJOR CRIMES, THE MENTALIST, BOSTON LEGAL, JUSTIFIED, SOUTHLAND, CALIFORNICATION, THE MINDY PROJECT, THE THUNDERMANS and in recurring roles on LOPEZ and SHAMELESS. Earlier in her career, Metz garnered small roles on THE KING OF QUEENS, GILMORE GIRLS, ER and SCRUBS.
A proud Jersey girl born and raised in Bruce Springsteen’s hometown of Freehold, NJ, Metz was drawn to acting from an early age. Her parents, both classically trained singers, inspired her to follow a creative path, as did a favorite childhood TV show. “I honestly think the impetus for wanting to be an actor came from watching The Muppet Show,” she says with a laugh, “and from the backstage scenes, where it’s all chaos and crisis and everyone tries to keep from showing it onstage. I thought that looked really fun.”
In addition to her frequent television and commercial work, Metz has appeared in numerous independent and short films as well as the upcoming Disney feature film MAGIC CAMP. She is also a voiceover and stage actor whose theater credits include Sheila Callaghan’s KATE CRACKERNUTS (24th Street Theatre) and Burglars of Hamm’s award-winning musical, THE BEHAVIOR OF BROADUS (Sacred Fools).
There is no question that Rebecca Metz is all about the small screen. “Television is going to places it’s never been before”, she declares. “And I get to be a part of that. Every time I go to work, or even go to an audition that is in the front of my mind. I feel very fortunate to be here for it.”
Twitter: @therebeccametz
Instagram: @therebeccametz
Actor: William Salyers
Season 1 Episode 3: The 52-Year-Old Bachelor / The Bachelor
William Salyers is best known for his voice performances in animation and video games, such as Rigby in Cartoon Network's Emmy award-winning "Regular Show," Dog Boy in "Close Enough," Reverend Putty in "Moral Orel," and the Penguin in Warner Bros two "Return of the Caped Crusaders" animated features. Video gamers have heard him in triple-A titles like "Skyrim," "Mass Effect 3," "Fallout 4," "Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War," and they have actually seen hm in the motion-capture performance of Otto Octavius/Doc Ock in "Marvel's Spider-Man," on PS 4 and 5. Currently, he is wrapping up recording as Hoffman, one of the playable characters in Turtle Rock Studios' "Back 4 Blood," the spiritual successor to the wildly popular "Left 4 Dead" series.
I'm on social media as follows -
Twitter: @wlsalyers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamSalyersVO
Instagram: wsalyers
Actor: Brian Kimmet
Season 1 Episode 3: The 52-Year-Old Bachelor /Announcer
Brian grew up in Michigan, grew his talents in Chicago and is refusing to age at all in Los Angeles. He's worked on the big screen in films such as Clint Eastwood's 'Flags of our Fathers', on the medium screen in TV shows like FX’s ‘Feud’, FOX’s '24', HBO’s '6 Feet Under' and on the even smaller screen hosting Hulu's 'The Morning After' for nearly 400 episodes. Brian is grateful to the commercial industry for keeping him employed on national commercials, both on camera and voiceover..
Brian is equally busy in voice over, having worked on huge video games titles including Bio-Shock Infinite, Red Dead Redemption and Final Fantasy. He is the “go-to guy” in the Hitman series voicing dozens of characters from unforgettable pivotal roles to incidental pedestrians.
Brian has worked on animation series and features for Dreamworks and Amazon and is the voice of Harold in Warner Bros.’ cartoon “Bunnicula.” His talent for creatures and animals has been employed in TV & film alike, including multiple ghosts in 2016’s Ghostbusters.
Brian is first and foremost an improviser. He began in Spolin Improv training at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago and continued that training with Viola Spolin’s son Paul Sills. Since arriving in Los Angeles he has performed on stage at Second City and UCB. He first met Keythe and Ann at The Actors Gang where he gained training in Commedia dell'Arte. As a younger man, Brian was a gymnast and competitive springboard diver. He has since built on this acrobatic base with training in martial arts (Southern Shaolin Kung Fu, Krav Maga & Submission Grappling), clowning under Ringling Bros’ Steve Smith and teaching trapeze at Trapeze School New York (TSNY) at Santa Monica Pier.
As the father of 2 toddlers, Brian works nightly on his story-telling skills, his character voices, and his physical dexterity, transforming from gorilla to bear to horsey. And, the Prince…don’t forget the Prince.
Thank you again for having us on the Lounge. So honored to be asked and we had a friggin blast!
Actress: Mary O'Malley
Season 1 Episode 3: The 52-Year-Old Bachelor /Announcer
Actors/ Actress: Burglars of Hamm
Season 1 Episode 4: Unloved Man
Season 2 Episode 7: The Gay Man Who Did Not Seem Gay Enough was written by The Burglars of Hamm: Matt Almos, John Beauregard, Carol Almos and Albert Dayan. Matt Almos narrated the piece and the cast included John Beauregard, JJ Mayes, Tim Sheridan, Nic Arnzen, Carol Almos and Patrick Reilly.
Burglars of Hamm is a writing and performing partnership that has been creating original comedies since 1998. There are four writer/performer partners – Carolyn Almos (Overly Confidant Woman), Matt Almos (Narrator), Jon Beauregard (Bouncing Bro) and Albert Dayan (Unloved Man)– as well as an acting ensemble. They have been called “The Talking Heads of LA theatre – arch, geeky, high-brow and hip” (LA Stage Magazine), “Maybe the closest thing LA has to the Pythons.” (Backstage West), and “Los Angeles’ goofiest social satirists” (LA Times)
Actress: Tracey A. Leigh
Season 1 Ep. 5: Elbow Grease
An Obie Award and NAACP Award-winning actor, Tracey has appeared on stages throughout the U.S. and Canada, including performances Off-Broadway and regionally at Washington DC’s National Theatre, The Denver Center, Indiana Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, ACT in Seattle, American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, as well as Ensemble Theatre Company Santa Barbara, Rubicon Theatre Company, South Coast Rep, The Old Globe Theatre, The La Jolla Playhouse and San Diego Rep in Southern California to name a few. In addition to numerous commercials, film and television appearances include “Modern Family,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Criminal Minds,” “Strong Medicine,” “Law and Order,” “Charmed,” and she dies spectacularly in Rob Zombie’s “3 From Hell.” Tracey is also a voiceover artist and audiobook narrator. Recent projects include audio descriptions for the Netflix shows “Sneakerheads,” “Voices of Fire,” and an upcoming Oscar Nominated short film. Audiobooks titles that can be found on Audible.com include “Diversity, Inc.”, “The Women Who Made New York,” “Black Women, Black Love,” and “The Best American Short Stories 2020,” among others. You can learn more about her at www.traceyaleigh.com.
Actor: Hugo Armstrong
Season 1 Episode 5: Elbow Grease
Hugo Armstrong is an actor, best known for Coherence, Lay the Favorite, Weak Species, and Ok, Good. Other film credits include Irwindale, Love in the Time of Monsters, Burning Dog, Swerve, Nic & Tristan Go Mega Dega, Political Disasters, Char-ac-ter, Nanking, and Details.
Television credits include Ed Clark on ABC Family's Stitchers, NCIS Special Agent Eugene Coyle on CBS' NCIS, and Max on UE's State Coroner.
Theatre credits include the Uncle Freddie/Captain/Others in Bent, Lucky in Waiting for Godot, and Alan Raleigh/Michael Novak in God of Carnage (Mark Taper Forum); John Broads Watson in The Behavior of Broads and Sabertooth in Land of the Tigers (Sacred Fools Theater); Ted in Backyard (Atwater Village Theatre); Émile in Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie (Geffen Playhouse); Craig Venter in The Sequence, the Cook in Mother Courage and Her Children, and Dan in Cold/Tender (Theatre@Boston Court); and Richard Brautigan in Tonseisha (Theatre of NOTE).
Actress: Katherine Gibson
Season 1 Episode 5: Mothers’ Day Luncheon / Audrey
Katharine Gibson is a mom, advocate for young adults with ADHD and dyslexia, and former LA 99-seat theater actress who came out of retirement for a night to work with the talented folks at the Lounge. She had so much fun, she now wants to quit her normal-person job. Katharine is a graduate of the MFA theater program at CalArts.
Actress: A. Wollerton
Season 1 Episode 5: Mothers’ Day Luncheon/ Marjorie
Alicia Wollerton is an actress, teacher, and mother. Her nickname is TIRED.
Actors: Henry and Albert Dayon
Season 1 Episode 8: Summer Camp Radio Show
This Father and Son Team both play Kevin. Henry plays young Kevin and Albert plays Kevin after his camp transformation.
Actor: Todd Merrill
Season 1 Episode 10: Back To Work/ Radio Play
Actor: The Man With Boring Dreams
Todd Merrill is originally from Fargo, North Dakota but doesn't want to talk about his experiences with wood chippers.
He's appeared in various tv shows, commercials and theatrical productions over the years... but his most cherished work has been as a guest artist with Burglars of Hamm.
He is honored to be a part of the Lounge Players and very, very lucky to be married to Selina Smith.
Actor: Selina Smith
Season 1 Episode 10: Back To Work/ Radio Play
Actress: The Woman who Finds Meaning in Everything
Selina Smith is a Los Angeles native from Culver City. Having grown up in an animation family, Selina is no stranger to doing silly characters into a microphone. A regular guest artist with Burglars of Hamm, she is delighted to become one of the Lounge Players as well. Thanks, Keythe and Ann for your hospitality in the Lounge.
Todd Merrill
Actress: Alina Phelan
Season 2 Episode 1:/ Radio Play
Actress: The Wom Who Knew To Much About Food
Is an actor and director in Los Angeles. She is so happy she was invited to be a part of this podcast with all these talented so & so’s.
Theatre credits (partial list)
CTG Block Party and Theatre of NOTE: For the Love Of (or the Roller Derby Play), ICT: Dead Man’s Cell Phone, All In The Timing. Chalk Rep: Family Planning, Circle X: Lascivious Something. Open Fist: All Night Long, Love Water. Theatre of NOTE: Rio Hondo, Entropy, Niagara Falls, Hamlet: The First Quarto (Winner-Garland Award) I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Disassembly & Hearts Like Fists.
TV credits (partial list)
Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, Shameless, Rizzoli & Isles, Criminal Minds, Lucifer, NCIS: LA, NCIS
IG: @missalinagram
Guests
Guest: David Almos
Season 1 Episode 1: The Light Returns
Segment: The Worst World In The World
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how we can find a connection to home in the most unusual places… even at the Worst Mall in the World. I’m so grateful to Matt and his father David for taking some time to talk with me about their family. I hope you’ll keep your eyes open this holiday season because you never know where you might discover a connection to home.
Guest: Patty Cumby
Season 1 Episode 2: Ca' Dreaming
Segment: Smoke and Mirrors
Patti Cumby enjoys having many pools in which to toe dip. She’s a theatrical producer, director, performer and Executive Producer at STAGEStheatre. She is also an avid lover of crafts and art of all sorts, finding herself cycling through them at an almost dizzying rate of speed. She’s a hypnotherapist, personal coach, professional role player, and corporate communications coach.
Guests - John Ballinger and Uma Nithipalin
Season 1 Episode 3: Love and Loss Interview
John tends to hit it off with just about everybody he meets. He’s a multi-instrumentalist/ composer singer songwriter, and he’s a professor of music at Cal State LA. His wife Uma Nithipalan is an accomplished actor who absolutely floored me in a production of PENTACOST at the Evidence Room Theatre where she performed the story of The Creation in Hindi with unforgettable passion and precision. John and Uma were the King and Queen of the Los Angeles theatre scene, and I’m grateful that they agreed to share with us their extraordinary story of Love through Loss to Deeper Love.
Guests - Michael Cramer
Season 1 Episode 4: Balance
Actor, a professor, a speaker, a coach, a singer, a playwright, a producer, a director, and in my spare time I dress up in armor and fight with swords.
I have been acting most of m life, from elementary school onward. In 1982 I entered Sacramento State University to pursue a degree in drama. While there I got to play the kinds of rolls that abound in college--Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, Gilbert & Sullivan. I acted in festivals and small films.
I also began my career as a medievalist, in recreation groups and performing at Renaissance fairs. These things led me to pivot from acting into writing and teaching
I entered graduate school in 1994, after having accomplished my main goals in the reenactment. I earned my MA in Drama from San Francisco State University, and eventually my Ph.D. in theatre from the City University of New York.
New York and San Francisco are two great places for a teacher/actor/writer/director to live and work. For the past seventeen years, I have taught communications at CUNY, while continuing to be a working artist--acting, directing, writing, and producing for stage and screen. I still fight in medieval tournaments as well. My life continues to be a great adventure. How many others can truly say they get to live by their wits and their sword?
Guests - Edgar Mc Gregor
Season 1 Episode 5: April Showers
After spending 589 consecutive days picking up litter at one of Los Angeles County's most popular hiking spots, 20-year-old Edgar McGregor says the park is clean of municipal waste. But his job is far from over.
The climate activist, who says he has autism, made the trip to Eaton Canyon — part of the Angeles National Forest in southern California — throughout the pandemic and in extreme weather, picking up litter left behind by visitors and posting his progress on social media.
He announced on Friday that there was no more trash to be found, but that he plans to return several times a week for maintenance while also turning his attention to new parks.
Check out more on Edgar:
Edgar McGregor
@edgarrmcgregor
Guests - Michael Herrmann and Sandi Drinkward
Season 1 Episode 6: May Flowers
Teachers: A pair of teachers who identified what students in inner-city Los Angeles really need from their education, and explored how they could create a whole new vision of public school to satisfy it.
Guests -
Jennifer HaleColleen O'Shaughnessy
Nickie Bryar
Julie Millett
Season 1 Episode 6: May Flowers
Mothers Day Proclamation
Guest -
Vincent Farley
Season 1 Episode 7: Sunshine and Shadows
Father and Son conversation about Pride and Identity.
Guests -
Season 1 Episode 8: Summer Camp
Stories and Songs:
The Slumber Party Singers singing Fried Ham. Thanks to Naila, Jenae, Ruby, Vince, and Ann for sticking around for that one. Joe Hernandez-Kolski shared about snakes and guns, Tim and Tom Zehnder sang, “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” Ann Closs-Farley got caught in a tug of war and led the gathered in a rendition of “Down By the Bay”, Tom Zehnder shared about Catalina Camp, and the Zehnder Brothers sang, “Peace Like a River”. JP Karliak found the island of misfit toys, and Ruby Farley found Ziggy hiding in the wall. Our sing-along finale was almost all of the Live From the Lounge team actually recording live from the lounge for the first time ever. You heard John Ballinger leading Ann, Ruby, Vincent, Matt, Carol, Olivia, and me in The Rattlin’ Bog.
Guest :
TOBIAS HIGBIE
Season 1 Episode 10: Back To Work
rank Tobias (Toby) Higbie is a professor in the UCLA History Department and the faculty chair of the Labor and Workplace Studies program. He teaches undergraduate courses on labor and social movement history, immigration history, public history, and related topics. Higbie’s research explores the culture of industrial life in North America, the role of education in social movements, and the intersection of migration, class, and community. His forthcoming book, “Workers, Intellectuals, and the Politics of Knowledge in Modern America,” explores the social world of self-educated working people, and relationships between university-trained scholars and working-class intellectuals. His first book, “Indispensable Outcasts: Hobo Workers and Community in the American Midwest,” chronicled the lives of migrant workers (known as “hoboes”), the ties between midwestern communities and seasonal workers, and the culture of radical unionism at the turn of the 20th century. Before coming to UCLA in 2007, Higbie worked as a labor educator, a public historian, and (briefly) as a union organizer. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Illinois.
Guest : Rose Portillo
Season 1 Episode 11: Face The Darkness
Rose Portillo is an accomplished theater artist -actor/writer/director/collaborator/educator;
A 40+ year veterana of stage and screen (large and small); a community-builder; an art-maker of altars and mosaics (rosaics); an innovator, initiator, intuit; a maverick; dedicated to breaking new ground and smashing stereotypes.
Guest: Pink Lady
Season 2 Episode 2
The Pink Lady, dynamic Jackie Goldberg, now 89 (in her 90th year) started reinventing herself at 72 by creating seminars called, “Get Up, Get Out, & Get a Life!” to encourage people of all ages, including seniors and veterans, to follow new paths to enhance their lives. Pink Lady began appearing in stage plays and commercials (a Loctite Super Bowl Commercial) and the 2019 Music Video of the Year with Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. A Member of SAG-AFTRA, she then published her motivational book, “Get Up, Get Out, & Get A Life!”
Her philosophy “Think Pink!” is to see life through rose-colored glasses.
The Arts are central to what people of all ages need in terms of connection, motivation, and enthusiastic participation. Pink Lady founded Senior Star Power Productions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation to engage, inspire and enrich their lives so they can truly be vital, productive, and creative.
Senior Star Power Productions has produced 15 musicals, including “Rockin’ With the Ages;” “The Beat Goes On; ”We Have a Dream;” “We Are America” and “America Salutes Our Veterans” that filled the 1,300 seat Wadsworth Theatre with all talent over the age of 60.
In 2018-2019, she created and produces PinkLadyPresents.com, as an Intergenerational Internet Variety Show for a worldwide audience. In 2019, she added the Pink Lady Presents Television Show.
When will Pink Lady retire? She can’t; she’s booked until she’s 100!
Guest: Dave O, Michelle East and Family
Season 2 Episode 4
DAVID O is a music-theatre artist specializing in contemporary music for the stage and concert hall. Compositions include the Ovation Award-winning score for Ubu Roi (A Noise Within), The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip (Kirk Douglas Theatre, inaugural season), and the choral compositions “A Map of Los Angeles” (LA Master Chorale) and “One With the Wind” (Vox Femina). Musical Direction: Soft Power (World Premiere, Ahmanson Theater, Ovation Award for Best Musical Direction), 13 (World Premiere, Mark Taper Forum), The Wild Party, See What I Wanna See (West Coast Premieres - The Blank Theatre), Floyd Collins, American Idiot, Cabaret (La Mirada Theater), The Fantasticks (Pasadena Playhouse), and the upcoming Mr. Saturday Night (Nederlander Theatre). David’s educational work includes co-creating “Voices Within,” an educational outreach of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, performing & musically directing “Summersounds at the Hollywood Bowl” with the LA Philharmonic, and chairing “Song & Dance”/“Triple-Threat Boot Camp”, a musical theatre intensive for high school students at Idyllwild Arts Summer Academy. More information at www.davidomusic.net.
Michelle East is an MFT and Equine-Assisted Therapist. She holds a BFA in Theatre from California Institute of the Arts and an MA in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She is a writer, photographer, world traveler, and an advocate for adoptees. She is the mother of two wonderful sons and currently divides her time between the East and West Coasts. She has collaborated on the creation of multiple on-site school gardens in the Los Angeles and Glendale school districts and was a therapist with Descanso Garden’s Harvest Garden program. She is a member of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Riders.
Guest: Kathryn Venable
Season 2 Episode 3
Teacher at Cahuenga Elementary School and Bilingual Voice Talent at VoiceOver
I met Brad in July 2010 and it felt like a fairytale. We spent nearly two whole days together before he had to go back home. I didn't want to let him go because he was so wonderful and I just knew I had found my person and I was afraid I'd go to sleep and it would have just been a dream.
It wasn't a dream, but 10 years, 6 months, and 5 days feels like it was just the blink of an eye and yet it felt like I had been with him forever.
And now that it is one year without him, it feels like it was just the blink of an eye when he was gone. How has it been a year? And yet it feels like the longest year of my life.
There are so many pictures I love of Brad and of me and Brad. I chose this second one because it was one of the first I took of Brad. We went to Checotah to meet his immediate family for the first time after like a week of dating. We had met his extended family and he had met my extended family.
I remember feeling so in love in that moment. Literally 😍🤩 starry-eyed.
Over the years, our love for each other just grew and grew. I'm doing my hardest not to relive the events of a year ago. I have done that so much this past year. And it's usually just in the back of my mind anyway.
Brad made me feel unconditionally loved. He made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. Brad made me feel heard and understood.
Hugs to everyone and thank you for those who have been reaching out and offering their love and support 💜
Guest: Dave O- Michelle East
Season 2 Episode 4
DAVID O is a music-theatre artist specializing in contemporary music for the stage and concert hall. Compositions include the Ovation Award-winning score for Ubu Roi (A Noise Within), The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip (Kirk Douglas Theatre, inaugural season), and the choral compositions “A Map of Los Angeles” (LA Master Chorale) and “One With the Wind” (Vox Femina). Musical Direction: Soft Power (World Premiere, Ahmanson Theater, Ovation Award for Best Musical Direction), 13 (World Premiere, Mark Taper Forum), The Wild Party, See What I Wanna See (West Coast Premieres - The Blank Theatre), Floyd Collins, American Idiot, Cabaret (La Mirada Theater), The Fantasticks (Pasadena Playhouse), and the upcoming Mr. Saturday Night (Nederlander Theatre). David’s educational work includes co-creating “Voices Within,” an educational outreach of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, performing & musically directing “Summersounds at the Hollywood Bowl” with the LA Philharmonic, and chairing “Song & Dance”/“Triple-Threat Boot Camp”, a musical theatre intensive for high school students at Idyllwild Arts Summer Academy. More information at www.davidomusic.net.
MICHELLE EAST is an MFT and Equine-Assisted Therapist. She holds a BFA in Theatre from California Institute of the Arts and an MA in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She is a writer, photographer, world traveler, and an advocate for adoptees. She is the mother of two wonderful sons and currently divides her time between the East and West Coasts. She has collaborated on the creation of multiple on-site school gardens in the Los Angeles and Glendale school districts and was a therapist with Descanso Garden’s Harvest Garden program. She is a member of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Riders.
Guest: Brittany Slattery
Season 2 Episode 6
Born in New York City, Brittany has been acting professionally since eighteen months old in an Advil commercial. By the time she was in kindergarten she already had dozens of commercials and even a regular stint on the soap opera "Guiding Light" under her belt. Off-Broadway, Brittany was handcuffed to a bed in "The Glory of Living" with Anna Paquin, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman while she was still in high school. In 2004 she graduated from the esteemed LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts (the “FAME” school) with a degree in Drama. She was then "kidnapped" by Bill Pullman in Neil LaBute’s "Autobahn” at the Cape Cod Theatre Project. Even though she was in love with the theatre she was also bitten by the movie bug. So, Brittany studied filmmaking at NYU which further rounded her skills as an artist.
All grown up, she made the move to Los Angeles. In LA she has worked on stage at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, the Odyssey, the Evidence Room and the Unknown Theater (to name a few). She even won a LA Weekly Award and a LA Drama Critics Circle Award for her work in “Margo Veil.” Jumping to the screen- Brittany’s television work includes "True Blood;'' "Dexter;" “Rescue Me;” “Law & Order;” “Law & Order: SVU;” “Guiding Light” and “All My Children.” Film work consists of: "National Lampoon’s Favorite Deadly Sins" directed by Denis Leary; “The Curio Shop;” and "Your Name Here" also starring Bill Pullman. Additionally, she has worked on numerous commercials and voice-overs.
You can see her regularly in the popular web-series “Ave. 43.” Keep an eye out on your television for her episode of "About A Boy" on NBC. Check back for updates!
Guest: JP Karliak
Season 2 Episode 7
Hailing from the "Electric City" Scranton, Pennsylvania, JP has voiced such iconic characters as Wile E. Coyote, the Tin Man, Willy Wonka, Kozo Fuyutsuki, N. Tropy, and a bunch of Marvel heroes and villains like Green Goblin and the Vision. But he is best known as the beloved Boss Baby in Netflix's The Boss Baby: Back in Business. Aside from VO, JP is an award-winning solo performer and is the founder of the non-profit Queer Vox and the co-founder of voter action org NerdsVote. For more on JP's voiceover career, his writing, activism, coaching, and all sorts of other tidbits, feel free to visit his website
Guest:
Myraime Le Chapelle
Season 2 Episode 10
Game Producer & consultant - she/her
myriamelachapelle.com
https://twitter.com/MllePilgrim
Note: Her unit will dissolve soon with Vodeo closing this is our union social, where we will still be posting about union efforts and sharing our experience: https://twitter.com/vodeoworkers
CODE-CWA website on there: https://code-cwa.org/organize/ social: https://twitter.com/CODE_CWA
Guest:
Tom Keegan
Season 3 Episode 2
Tom Keegan is a performance director who has worked in games, animation, TV, film, and theatre. Tom’s training and background in NY theatre as an actor, director, and choreographer contribute to making him a sought-after director for performance capture and voice-over. He worked in animation story development at Hanna Barbera and Universal Cartoon Studios and started his career in games at Knowledge Adventure in 1998, eventually becoming the head of Talent and Creative Affairs at Vivendi Games. He is best know for the Battlefield series, Dead Rising, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and the new Wolfenstein series for which he received a BAFTA nomination. He frequently lectures at game development studios on acting and periodically teaches classes worldwide.
Links:
SHUTi https://www.somryst.com/why-somryst/
Jet Lag Rooster https://sleepopolis.com/calculators/jet-lag/
Re-Timer https://www.re-timer.com/
Dream Yoga https://www.andrewholecek.com/dream-yoga-teachings/
https://purelandfarms.com/programs/2022/sleep-dream-yoga
Featured
Lounge Musicians and Singers
Guest Vocalist
Laura Martin
Season 1 Episode 7: Sunshine and Shadows
Season 1 Episode 10: When The World is Running Down
Laura Martin is an extraordinary Artist experience her music here:
1) The War Goes On
Guest Musician
Brendan Milburn
Season 2 Episode 2
I'm making a song a week, about the changes I'm encountering.
https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendanIsMakingASongAWeek
People are finding them pretty resonant, enough to be my patron on Patreon. Join them, won't you?
https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?c=23...
Guest Muscians:
Valerie Vigoda
Ryan O'Connell
Season 2 Episode 3
Val Vigoda spent years touring as a six-string electric violinist/singer with Cyndi Lauper, Joe Jackson & the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, in addition to her own acclaimed indie band GrooveLily, before deciding to drive less and write more. She’s co-written: 8 full-length musicals, 7 of which have been produced regionally and/or Off-Broadway, or on a Disney cruise ship (TOY STORY THE MUSICAL); over 20 songs for Disney attractions, live shows and films (the latest was for Disney's Galaxy's Edge, with collaborator Ryan O'Connell); songs for the Muppets to sing in interactive games; song collections for Hooked on Phonics; and many more. In addition to her work as a pioneering writer-actor-musician in multiple award-winning original shows such as STRIKING 12, SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, and ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, Val is also a cutting-edge live-looping artist, keynote speaker, and a former Army lieutenant. She is the recipient of the Jonathan Larson Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, the LA Ovation Award for Best Musical, the ASCAP Richard Rodgers Award and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical. Val lives in Los Angeles with her son Mose.
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Guest Musician
Charles Dayton
Season 2
Music composition under the Big Question Segments
Owner of twisted Avacodo Post Audio of https://www.facebook.com/TwistedAvocadoPostAudio
Guest and Musical Guest:
Skye Christy
Season 2 Episode 5
SkyeChristy the band are sisters Georgia Christy Edwards and Sophie Skye Edwards with influences ranging from Joni Mitchell and the Eagles.
Were to find them: You tube
