The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

This week on The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we welcome Melay Araya, Artistic Director at the Town Hall. In addition to her work as Artistic Director, Melay is a writer, archivist, and multimedia artist with three decades of experience. While providing extraordinary leadership at The Town Hall, one of New York City’s finest cultural institutions, Melay continues to study, compose, record, and perform. Join us as we discuss how Melay finds creativity in the many facets of her role at The Town Hall. She walks us through the curation process and the joys of problem-solving in a storied arts institution. Plus, she shares some details about the newly announced 2025/26 Town Hall Season—which she describes as a cornucopia of creative goodness. When we say it’s all happening at the Town Hall, it all starts with Melay Araya! You can listen to The Town Hall Spark Sessions on The Spark File podcast feed - now on the Broadway Podcast Network! Or tune in to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. And, you can learn more about The Town Hall at thetownhall.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we welcome the iconic singer, songwriter, actress and composer, Sara Bareilles. With more than 15 million singles and 3 million albums sold in the U.S., she is one of the world’s leading popular musicians. Join us as we discuss how love and grief are interwoven and have sparked her creativity into a new album, the way that truth in creativity is visceral and her journey to the legendary Town Hall stage with the incomparable Rufus Wainwright. To purchase tickets to Opening Night and support the ACLU, go to The Town Hall box office or purchase them online at Ticketmaster. Learn More and Listen Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we welcome luminary actress and singer Laura Benanti. Best known for her revolutionary performance in the 2008 revival of Gypsy, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Benanti made her broadway debut at 18 playing Maria in the Sound of Music on Broadway. She has also starred in television and films, including ABC’s Nashville, NBC’s Supergirl, and HBO’s The Gilded Age. Join us as we discuss her upcoming appearance at the Town Hall, in John Cassavetes' Opening Night, the first musical with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by the brilliant Rufus Wainwright. We chat about what it’s like working with your idols and the creative power of taking long walks. In addition to her highly anticipated appearance at The Town Hall, Benanti will be performing her solo show, Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, created with Todd Almond, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this summer! You can listen to The Town Hall Spark Sessions on The Spark File podcast feed - now on the Broadway Podcast Network! Or tune in to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. And, you can learn more about The Town Hall at thetownhall.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we welcomed the golden-voiced Sofronio Vasquez, winner of NBC’s The Voice Season 26. With his championship win, Sofronio became the first Filipino and Asian man to win a major singing competition in the United States. Join us as we discuss Sofronio’s thrilling rise in the music industry. He shares his secret to remaining positive and his tips and tricks for navigating what he calls “beautiful rejection.” We also chat about his upcoming concert at the Town Hall on July 19 where Sofronio will take the iconic Town Hall stage to sing through his life story. You can pick up your tickets at the Town Hall box office or online at Ticketmaster. Learn More and Listen Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we were thrilled to welcome Griffin Newman. For a decade, with his co-creator David Sims, Griffin has hosted the wildly popular podcast Blank Check with Griffin and David. Join us as Griffin discusses the Blank Check origin story, and how a film critic and an actor/comedian became longstanding professional podcasters. We chat about the show’s focus on individual director’s comprehensive filmography, and Griffin shares what we can learn about creativity by studying the career highs and lows of luminaries like Steven Spielberg. Plus, we chat about the upcoming performance, BLANK CHECK: DEMAND AN AUDIENCE WITH KING RALPH. That’s right: after repeatedly promising their producer they’d analyze the 1991 John Goodman/Peter O’Toole screwball comedy KING RALPH, Griffin and David are finally making good on their word, live, at The Town Hall to celebrate a decade of Blank Check. You can listen to The Spark File Podcast and the Town Hall Spark Sessions on the Broadway Podcast Network. You can also visit The Town Hall and The Spark File online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Town Hall Spark Session, we welcomed Sean Mayes, the visionary conductor and founder of Pops of Color, as he takes us behind the scenes of creating an orchestra that’s building bridges and breaking barriers. Join us as Sean shares how Pops of Color sparked from idea to inception. We discuss the impact of the orchestra’s unique programming, and Sean connects his work to Town Hall's remarkable 105-year history—as a venue that welcomed Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, and other profound artists of Color when other prestigious institutions wouldn't. You can listen to The Spark File Podcast and the Town Hall Spark Sessions on the Broadway Podcast Network. You can also visit The Town Hall and The Spark File online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our second round The Town Hall Spark Sessions award-winning actor, writer, and singer-songwriter, Eisa Davis. In addition to co-writing the Warriors concept album with Lin-Manuel Mirana, she wrote and starred in Angela’s Mixtape, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her play Bulrusher. Join us as we discuss Eisa’s approach to her work, her early morning/late night writing process, and how she balances being an extraordinary multihyphenate. We also share our excitement for The Town Hall’s upcoming “Spring Shout,” honoring Lin-Manuel Miranda on May 19th—and we discuss some of her favorite Town Hall memories. Learn more and listen here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surprise! We’re back, with some hot, fresh creative sparks for you—and this time, we’re at the Town Hall! In the first episode of The Town Hall Spark Sessions, we’re thrilled to feature a new conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda about legacy, creativity, and the upcoming Spring Shout at the Town Hall—a benefit performance honoring him! As one of today’s most profound creatives, there is no one more deserving to be honored on the same stage that has hosted the world’s greatest artists and activists. You can learn more about The Town Hall and the Spring Shout benefit on thetownhall.org. Learn more about The Spark File at thesparkfile.com

The Town Hall, New York City’s landmark cultural venue, is teams up with The Spark File, the acclaimed creativity podcast hosted by Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien, in this brand-new podcast series: The Town Hall Spark Sessions. The Town Hall Spark Sessions will spotlight creatives, musicians, comedians, artists, advocates, cultural creators and conversation makers who have graced—or are about to grace—the legendary Town Hall stage. Each episode features fun and fulfilling questions that dive deep into how these inspiring individuals are using their creativity not only to entertain, but to spark change, connection, and meaningful impact.

After 20 spark-filled episodes, we’re wrapping up the season with a celebration! Join us as we look back at this remarkable season of spark, discuss highlights, and share just how we made this season happen. Bringing Season 5 of the Spark File podcast was a challenge. We were wrestling between our desire to make a perfect product and our hope to get as many sparks into the world as possible. As we planned for Season 5, one thing became clear right away: like all smart creatives, we couldn’t go it alone! So, we assembled a team of pros to help us run the nitty gritty stuff: audio production, socials, copy, transcripts. We committed to let our best B+ work get out the door. We crowdsourced a spark or two—and then something extraordinary happened: 20 episodes of hot-from-the-oven sparks were served straight into your podcast-loving headphones! We’re so grateful to the remarkable team who helped make it all happen. But, creative friend, we also need to thank YOU! Without loyal listeners, this podcast is just a bunch of juicy ideas spoken into a microphone. We are deeply grateful for your time, attention, reviews, referrals, recommendations, and feedback, and for placing your creative trust in us for another season. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. Doors are open for our transformational 6 month program, BLAZE. Our next cohort begins February 6. Get all the information you need HERE

Doors are open for our transformational 6 month program, BLAZE. Our next cohort begins February 6. Get all the information you need HERE

Recently, we learned that the beloved Blue Man Group will be closing their New York City and Chicago companies in 2025. This news was bittersweet, to say the least. Blue Man Group has impacted each of our personal and professional lives in many ways; not the least of which was the 25 years Laura dedicated to building the Blue Man Group brand as the VP of Communications. Learnings for our time and experiences with Blue Man Group have influenced and impacted nearly every facet of The Spark File - our mission and values, the way we’ve built and marketed the company, the way we treat each other and every member of The Spark File community.... Join us this week as we discuss all that we learned from this extraordinary organization—like how every voice in the room matters and the importance of processing conflict before continuing with a task – and we’ll explore how those lessons impact our work to this day. We believe that endings are an essential part of the creative cycle. Shows close, messy manuscripts become bound books, art exhibits are hung with excitement and taken down with a pang of sadness. To find new beginnings, we must honor our endings–and this week, we feel profoundly aware of all that is lost, and all that is gained, when things end. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. Doors are open for our transformational 6 month program, BLAZE. Our next cohort begins February 6. Get all the information you need HERE

We know that writing a book is hard work—longform creativity takes patience, stamina, and an extraordinary drive to make it to the finish line. That’s why, this week, we’re celebrating our dear friend Jenny Clift, whose new book Thriving Artist: How Musicians, Performers, and Creatives Can Use EFT Tapping to Achieve Balance, Career Growth, and Success is released on January 15. We got a sneak peek at this incredible resource for artists, and we were too sparked not to share! Join us this week as we take a page from Jenny’s book to discuss fighting for creative freedom. We’ll discuss the process of EFT Tapping and how it has impacted our lives and work. And, we’ll analyze some of Jenny’s most helpful tactics for moving through trauma and limiting beliefs. We’re thrilled to celebrate Jenny’s achievement. But we’re even more grateful for the chance to share it with you! In honor of Jenny—and all the hard-working authors out there–we have one thing to say: We LOVE it! Keep going! You can learn more about Jenny and her new book on her website. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website.

As the New Year barrels on, bringing an abundance of uncertainty with it, we wanted to return to a topic that has sparked us many times before: Making change. In this week’s episode of The Spark File podcast, we reflect on the work of scientists and experts who study the circuitry of the brain, and offer some tangible tips for how to make change in your life. We’ll also discuss some creative changemakers we know—passionate folks who are using their creative superpowers for good. Like a particularly fashionable friend who helps curate professional outfits for job-seekers in need. Or an ASL interpreter whose precise translations amplify equal access in healthcare. At the Spark File, we define creativity as applied imagination that fights for the powers of good. We also believe that if you want to make change, you have to do something! Together we can make 2025 the year that we use our creative gifts to make an impact, without getting bogged down by things we can’t control. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. Feeling the urge to use your creativity to make a difference? Join us for a FREE WORKSHOP on January 15, 2025 from 6:30 - 8:30pm ET. You are a Creative Catalyst, using your creativity to make change It's totally free, we just need you to RSVP PLUS! Doors are open for our transformational 6 month program, BLAZE. Get all the information you need HERE

When Oxford revealed its annual “Word of the Year” earlier this month, we had some questions—and not just because “Brain Rot” is two words. The truth is, we scroll past hundreds of images, sounds, and writings every day, pumping into our brains faster than any information has ever moved before. We absorb things that are neither meaningful nor thought-provoking—information with no purpose other than to fill space and time. Join us this week as we discuss the impact of this so-called Brain Rot. We explore the impact of AI “Slop” on our brains (yes, that’s really what its called!) And, we share some old-school knowledge about the importance space for creation. What if we thought of the contents of our brain more like Primordial Soup than slop? Primordial Soup refers to the primitive water bodies on the earth that were so rich in organic matter that scientists believe the first life forms evolved out of them. What if we were filling our brains with such substantive, enriching, inspiring content that creative life was overflowing? Creative life was consistently pouring out of us? The way we see it, this is a bit of a “use it or lose it” situation. We’ve each only got one brain, so let’s do our best to keep it healthy and looking straight ahead toward those big creative goals. Join us in setting the intention for mindful making in 2025! You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, apple podcasts, and directly on our website. BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE

We have found that the more we tap into our creativity, the more we enjoy the holiday season. In this week’s episode of The Spark File Podcast, we explore creativity in the form of gift-giving. Join us as we discuss the history of giving tangible gifts and why the tradition continues. We’ll explore some of the incredible gifts given (and received!) by members of The Spark File community and touch on some of our favorites from over the years. And, we’ll check in on some expert gift-givers to see what we can learn from them! (Here’s a hint: specificity, timing, and a listening ear are key!) We’re thankful to be part of such a vibrant community where giving generously of your time and talents is foundational. So, whether you’re looking for the perfect antique photo book or thinking about that once-in-a-lifetime gift from the past, this episode has a ton of ideas to fill that gift-giving Spark File. Remember that simply showing up and being present is a present. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE

This week, we’re exploring an experience shared by more than half of the world’s population: Menopause. If you are thinking to yourself, “Oh, that topic isn’t for me.” We’re here to tell you the truth: menopause impacts everyone. If you have had a period in your life, or if you love a person who has had a period, this episode is for you. (Spoiler: that means it is for everybody.) While the word itself might feel familiar, Menopause is deeply under-studied and continually misunderstood, even by medical professionals. And while we are definitely creativity coaches, decidedly not doctors, we’ve been sparked by lessons we’ve learned while navigating our own lived experiences. Join us this week as we discuss the intense symptoms that can occur during menopause and how those symptoms can impact our lives—and yes, that includes impacts on our creativity! We’ll share some hard-earned wisdom from professionals working to increase awareness and from folks developing new tools and resources to help folks navigate the hardest parts of this often-ignored piece of our personhood and our health. You can listen to The Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE

Like many artists, we deeply empathize with the world around us. It can be hard to manage all the tough feelings that come up. A lot is happening in the world—a lot to laugh about, cry about, shout about, and rage about. Sorrow can bring joy, anger can bring calm, and it can all feel impossible to face. And, like it or not, we believe there is one path forward: To get through it all, we’ve got to go all the way there. This week’s episode of The Spark File podcast examines our long-held belief that moving through big feelings requires mindful action. Join us as we discuss ways to process the hard stuff, following the real-world examples of everyone from curious toddlers to award-winning songwriters. We’ll explore methods for proper care and feeding of your feelings to help you get unstuck and move forward. The hard truth is that the tough stuff will keep coming. Fear, anger, joy, and the creativity cycle move through us regardless of the world’s events. So, in tenuous moments like these, the best care a creative community can offer—for ourselves and each other—is a developed practice of going all the way there. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE

In our opinion, creating a connection with others is the most singularly powerful tool any creative has in their armory. Unfortunately, a lot of us find that it’s easier said than done. This week, Susan and Laura explore Molly Beck’s book Reach Out: The Simple Strategy You Need to Expand Your Network. Join us as we discuss Molly’s research-based guidance and how it intersects with our practical approach to creative work. We’ll share the do’s and don’ts of networking outreach. And, we’ll share some tips and tricks for how to make your outreach feel authentically you. If you’re like us and you’re making things all the time, you know that finding and articulating your network of like-minded creatives is an essential part of the process. Join us in making this connection-filled time of year a springboard toward your creative goals. Listen in and let’s make this the season of reaching out! BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE

Lately it feels like so many of us are longing for belonging, but finding it harder than to connect. But why? In this week’s episode of The Spark File podcast, we dig in to find the answer. Join us as Laura examines the work of social scientist Bob Putnam, whose book Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community connects the decline of American social organizations, guilds, and community spaces with an increase in isolation and a greater political and personal divide. The 2023 Netflix Documentary Join or Die, which digs into the “half-century story of America’s civic unraveling,” re-examined Putnam’s work with a lens on contemporary struggles. Turns out the answer is pretty simple: we need to reconnect in a meaningful way. Maybe you’re looking for a service organization, a community center, or a coaching community (like this one!) Wherever you can find (or rediscover) community, you might also find a greater sense of belonging. These connections are how we move through the most significant individual and collective problems. Listen on to hear our thoughts on how we move forward toward reconnecting in measurable and meaningful ways. As far as we’re concerned, it’s time to join the club! BRAVE Creatives! Your creative work is needed now more than ever. Join us for The Spark File 2025 New Year Creativity Kickoff January 1, 2025 from 11am - 6:30pm ET This one day virtual retreat will help identify and clarify your creative vision, and chart a course for completion. LEARN MORE