There’s No Business Like...

Ep. 118 Chad Lindsey: Togetherness is Our Strength   On this episode, we learn what song our hosts would choose as their walkout music, and Katie sits down with fellow Michigander Chad Lindsey. As a new arts Executive Director, Chad shares insights into his first year and how he has connected with his community. Chad also puts to rest the idea that you can’t get a lot done in year one. Chad Lindsey is the Executive Director of City Opera House (https://www.cityoperahouse.org/) in Traverse City, Michigan. This episode contains some adult language. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions – https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 117 Censorship with Gail Boyd and Jade Solomon Curtis   This week Kevin shares his conversation with Gail Boyd and Jade Solomon Curtis following a townhall event on censorship at the Western Arts Alliance in August, 2024. Censorship is a complex topic, and this conversation only scratches the surface.   Gail Boyd is President of Gail Boyd Artist Management (https://gailboyd.com/). Jade Solomon Curtis (https://www.jadesolomon.com/) is a dance artist and choreographer represented by Siegel Artist Management.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions – https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod   Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 116 NBL Rewind Josh Benson: Making Time   We’ve rewound alllll the way back to Josh’s interview from July 19, 2023 in our final episode of our holiday Rewind series. Danielle visits Josh and catches up on his latest developments, including painting some amazing murals in Marion and cutting back on his 27 gigs…by 1.   Join Danielle and Kevin as they sit down with fellow host, Josh Benson. Josh answers the hard-hitting questions like which one of the seven dwarves he identifies most with and what prank he wants to pull on his fellow host. Eventually, Josh shares the journey from theatre to autobody work and back to theatre, his change In leadership style, the impressive arts driven growth in Marion, IL, his family, and so much more. Some of his mural work can be found here: http://marionmurals.com/   Josh Benson is the Executive Director of the Marion Cultural and Civic Center (https://marionccc.com/) in Marion, Illinois. Josh is also a muralist, father, and 1/5 of the There’s No Business Like podcast team.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions – https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod   Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 115 NBL Rewind: Katie Trzaska-Miller: Creating Connections   This week we rewind back to September 2023 and our chat with Pod Host Katie Trzaska-Miller! Danielle checks in with Katie and they catch up on her new business, aptly named Michigan Maven Creative Associates, taking our own advice, and the joy of getting back on stage.   Danielle and Kevin continue our special series of interviewing members of our team, and this week we learn about our fellow host, Katie Trzaska-Miller. After a quick game of “How Pure Michigan is She?”, Katie shares her origin story starting as a dancer at a young age and eventually managing a historic theatre on her own at the age of 23. Katie also shares her passion for her community, connecting colleagues, educating and bringing up the next generation, and having tough conversations about equity.   Katie Trzaska-Miller is the founder of Michigan Maven Creative Associates (www.michiganmaven.art) an arts admin and consulting firm. Katie is also a mother, an active member of her community (both locally and in the arts community), and 1/5 of the There’s No Business Like podcast team.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions – https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod   Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 114 Holidays Holidays and Ask Us Anything   This week the Podsquad gets together at Danielle’s house for another holiday party!  The shenanigans are top notch as we take listener questions and talk about our favorite holiday traditions.   We wish you a safe and happy holiday season and thank you for continuing to join us week after week!   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions – https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod   Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 113 NBL Rewind: Danielle Van Hook: Comforting, Yet Challenging In this week’s rewind Katie lady-chats with Danielle and learns what she’s been up to lately, including facilitating a world premiere at the Alden and engaging the art of making memories on family vacations. In this episode we continue our special series of interviewing members of our team, this week Bryan and Katie sit down with Danielle, and finally put her in the hot seat! We learn about the journey that led her to arts administration, where her passion for DEIA comes from and why it’s important to her, how she programs entertainment and keeps it accessible, and so much more. Danielle also shares her love of the Pocahontas Project (https://www.pocahontasproject.org/) and the podcast Seeing White (https://sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/) . Danielle Van Hook is the Director of Youth Programs at The Alden Theatre in McLean, Virginia (https://mcleancenter.org/about/visit/the-alden-theatre/). Danielle is also a mother of twins, an ally, and 1/5 of the There’s No Business Like podcast team. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 112 NBL Rewind: Bryan Zellmer: Don’t Be Afraid to Show Your Silliness The rewinds continue as we get some big updates and news from Bryan! In this episode we continue our special series of interviewing members of our team, and this week Katie and Josh sit down with Bryan. Bryan shares his journey from marketing director to arts admin, how his programming style has shifted as our ecosystem changes, the pitfalls of “quality” art, and his passion for collaboration in every aspect of his life. He also shows off his natural storytelling skills sharing vulnerable, heartwarming, and hilarious parts of his life.   Bryan Zellmer is the Executive Director of The Bardavon and Ulster Performing Arts Centers (https://www.bardavon.org/) and former Director of KU Presents! at Kutztown University (https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/ku-presents.html) Bryan is also a father, a mentor, and 1/5 of the There’s No Business Like podcast team.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 111 NBL Rewind: Kevin Maynard: People Come First With so many life changes and new listeners, we thought the holidays would be a good time to revisit our Interpodsquad interviews and reintroduce ourselves! Danielle gets the fresh scoop and we re-enjoy Bryan and Josh’s interview with the incomparable Kevin Maynard. We learn about Kevin’s surprising (but unsurprisingly wholesome) first foray into live performance, how his business and accounting background gave him a firm foundation as an arts leader, and Kevin’s philosophies around taking on challenges and supporting his staff. The Mystery of the Mustache is also revealed! And Danielle, per usual, continues to torture Kevin. Kevin L. Maynard is the Executive Director for Opening Nights at Florida State University (https://openingnights.fsu.edu/ ) and former Executive Director of Quad City Arts, splitting the border between Iowa and Illinois (www.quadcityarts.com). He is also an avid runner, community theater actor, lover of spreadsheets, and 1/5 of the There’s No Business Like podcast team.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 110 Lenore Naxon: The Only Constant is Change This week the PodSquad dreams about what to do with a magical pot of money for extra programming, which leads to Katie’s conversation with friend and mentor Lenore Naxon. Lenore dives into nuances of board management, leading in the presenter consortium space, and how changes in the industry present challenges and opportunities. Lenore Naxon is the founder of Naxon Consulting (https://naxonconsulting.com/) and co-chair of the Presenters Leadership Consortium. She is also the pod’s Biggest Fan!   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 109 Phil Esparza: Challenges Not Barriers This week we bring you an unexpected interview from our time at the 2024 WAA Conference. Bryan has the honor and pleasure of sitting down with Phil Esparza of El Teatro Campesino, the legendary Chicano theater company. We discuss the company’s history and legacy, community engagement, and trace Phil’s career from college student to performer to collegiate presenter. Phil Esparza is the Executive Producer of El Teatro Campesino (https://elteatrocampesino.com/). The company celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 108: Live from MAX – Are Audiences Back? This week our hosts go back in time without the time machine (thanks, Kevin!) to when we first started presenting shows inside again after pandemic closures, and then our guests from the expo hall floor at MAX bring different perspectives on engaging with audiences in this moment to the conversation. We dig into the future of opera and classical music audiences, engaging “young” audiences now for the future, and the impact of social media and other platforms on the monetary value of live performing arts.   Our guests this week are: Bob Wendland, Assistant Director, Washington Pavilion Management Maddy Ringo, Singer-songwriter Bill Blagg, Illusionist   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 107 Live from MAX – Reflections on Equity in the Field This week Kevin shares some great news and our hosts think they are hay-larious before diving into the serious topic of changes in equity in our field. Our guests at the Midwest Arts Xpo discuss slow shifts in programming and the hierarchical structures that impede progress, and we dig deep into just a few of the challenges with contracting. Our guests this week are: Sarah Haag, Artist Wallace Thomas, Artist, Ball in the House Clare Longendyke, Pianist Karoline Myers, Director of Education, Des Moines Performing Arts Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 106 Paul Sage Cannon: Be Brave Enough to Believe in Yourself This week our hosts get a bit philosophical before we listen to Danielle’s conversation with singer-songwriter Paul Sage Cannon from our time at the 2024 Western Arts Alliance Conference. Paul shares how his personal history informs his songwriting, how the weight of being a culture barer is both painful and joyful at the same time, and reminds us that music is a healing artform. Paul Sage Cannon ( https://paulsagecannon.com/ ) is a singer-songwriter from the Waipuk Clan, a part of the Kumeyaay Nation. He is also a certified Native Healer and speaks on Native healing, philosophy, cultural education. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 105 Eric Olmscheid: Make Room to Dream Whoohoo! This week the Quad Producers celebrate our two-year anniversary! We are so grateful for everyone’s support of this endeavor and for sticking with us week after week, listening and laughing with us. This week Katie speaks with Eric Olmscheid about his journey from farm kid to arts administrator, staying focused on what’s important, and keeping audiences curious.   Eric Olmscheid is the Executive Director of Wharton Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University (https://www.whartoncenter.com) and the Board Vice President of Heartland Performing Arts, which administers the Midwest Arts Xpo (https://midwestartsxpo.org).   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 104 Live from MAX – The Cost of Touring and Merch Splits  We’re bringing you round 2 of our mini-interviews from the 2024 Midwest Arts Xpo featuring five more guests discussing the costs and challenges of touring today. Our hosts also have a spirited discussion about merch splits and the changing financial pressures of the industry (but Kevin is somehow the eternal optimist?) You can find the Pitchfork article referenced in the episode here: https://pitchfork.com/features/article/artist-merch-cuts-venues/. Our guests this week are: Helen Welch, Vocalist/Producer, Big Wow Productions Pat Hazell, Chief Creative Officer, Sweetwood Creative Patrick Donelly, Vice President of Theater Operations, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Zak Mirz, Magician & Storyteller Ella McAndrew, Director of Programming, The FIM   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 103 Live from MAX – The Art of Curation   The Pod Squad (including Bryan’s double, Bry-Bacca) was lucky enough to spend a week at the 2024 Midwest Arts Xpo and record interviews live once again in the expo hall! This week we bring you five mini-interviews and our own commentary on the topic of curation as we look forward to planning the 25-26 season. Our guests this week are: Gary Minyard, Chief Creative Officer, Dayton Live Sarah Saltwick, Agent, Holden & Arts Associates Joshua Kane, Artist/Producer, Wild Baboo Productions Eric Matters, Director, Warren Performing Arts Center Jeremy Davis, Artist, The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 102 We ❤️ Conferences! The Pod Squad has finished the sprint that is the start of conference season and we’re pausing to reflect on our time at the 2024 Western Arts Alliance Conference and Midwest Arts Xpo. We discuss our differing experiences of conferencing over the course of our careers, what we love about evolving conference models and what is going well, and consider how conferences can shift to meet the current needs of our industry and look to the future. What is certain is that conference planning and execution is a big job, so we encourage you to serve on a committee or offer your expertise to help build our conference ecosystem! Josh will still be attending IEBA October 5 - 8, If you are attending, stop him and say hello.   To learn more about some of the conferences we discuss in this episode you can visit: APAP: https://apap365.org/conference/ IEBA: https://www.ieba.org/conference-info-1 MAX: https://midwestartsxpo.org/ WAA: https://www.westarts.org/conference   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 101 Taína Lyons: Don’t Say No To Yourself This week most of the crew as at the Midwest Arts Xpo, but we aren’t too busy to share conversations in the industry! This week our hosts talk about moments that were meant to be and Katie sits down with professional dancer Taina Lyons to talk about training as a young dancer, the life of a dancer, and advocating for yourself in a professional space.  Taina Lyons (@dancingrunner5 on Instagram) is a NYC based dancer currently dancing with the Mark Morris Dance Group.  Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 100 Peter Noone: Watch Every Act It’s our ONE HUNDREDTH EPISODE and to celebrate Josh sits down with a living legend, Peter Noone! Peter shares stories of his incredible (and still going) career. Our host share their 100 favorite things and dream of booking the bills of the 60s.  Don’t forget you can see us at MAX in booth #512 Peter Noone (https://peternoone.com/) is a multi talented entertainer known best for Herman’s Hermits Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi (@VicDaviMusic).

Ep. 99 Colleen Jennings-Roggensack – Part 2:  Must Have Passion Welcome back to Part 2 of Bryan’s conversation with Colleen Jennings-Roggensack; while you can listen to this as a standalone episode, we would recommend starting with Part 1. This week Colleen talks about EDIA, creating the New Deal for Broadway (https://www.blacktheatreunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BTU-New-Deal-For-Broadway.pdf), bringing children to the theatre, and more. Colleen Jennings-Roggensack is the Executive Director of ASU Gammage (https://www.asugammage.com/). She is the Vice Chair of the Road for the Broadway League Board of Governors, the only Tony Awards voter in the state of Arizona, serves on the Black Theatre United Summit, and is a founding member of the Creative Capital Board and Senior Advisor to Women of Color in the Arts, and has been involved in numerous other national arts organizations.