Bring Your Own Lunch

IT'S STORY TIME!  Solo Performance is the focus this week as Dave chats with Writer-Performer David Lawson (Insomnia In Space, Flyer Guy, 2015 SOLOCOM)!  David grew up just outside Washington, DC, and his upbringing in the shadow of the White House definitely has influenced his artistic career.  He tells Dave about getting started as a storyteller, how his Bar Mitzvah gave him his first taste of the spotlight, how his interest ...

YES, THIS IS THE CUPCAKE ONE.  This week Dave compares notes with actor/producer Liz Samuel (Mirrors, Hack My Life)!  Liz grew up at her family's landmark bakery on the Upper West Side of Manhattan but has made a career in the entertainment world.  Originally a broadcast journalist (who helped break the story behind Princess Diana's untimely death), she broke in as a TV producer before following her dreams of being an actor.  S...

PODCAST WITH THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!  Dave's guest this week is actor Casandera Lollar (The Runner Stumbles, Celebrity Ghost Stories)!  Originally hailing from Brooklyn (Brookline, Texas, that is), Casandera has earned rave reviews for her performances on stage and on screen since arriving in NYC.  She tells Dave about her journey from small town living to the Big Apple, which includes attending USMC boot camp.  She also opens up ab...

WE GO RETRO!  This week Dave sits and chats with actor/producer Heather Cunningham the founder and Artistic Director of Retro Productions!  For over ten years, Retro Productions has earned praise and awards for presenting high-quality theater in NYC.  Heather, a Brooklyn native, tells Dave how the company started, how her family laid the groundwork for her career, how her first job out of college truly trained her for what she'...

HAIL TO THE KEITH!  Dave's guest this week is actor/writer/director Keith Eric Chappelle (A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway, Madam Secretary, Elementary)!  Keith is a Julliard-trained performer whose career is a testament to hard work and dedication.  He tells Dave about growing up on Long Island, how he never considered an acting career until he reached college, the last-minute decision that got him into Julliard, what he learne...

A BIG ONE-TWO PUNCH!  This week Dave welcomes two guests, Fuacata Films partners Jezabel Montero & Margo Singaliese (Cassanova Was A Woman, The Basement)!  Jezabel and Margo, partners in both business and life, are creating films that tackle the issues through comedy.  Their latest, Cassanova Was A Woman (directed by past BYOL guest Kevin Arbouet), a semi-autographical comedy about a struggling Latina actor who discovers he...

NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING...  Dave's guest this week is producer/entrepreneur Jenn Mello, founder and CEO of Film Interchange!  Jenn's company helps filmmakers achieve their creative goals and provides networking opportunities for everyone involved in the film business.  Just in time for their Fall 2015 season, she tells Dave about her background as a singer and actor, how her love of performing set her on her initial ...

INTERVIEW WITH AN OUTLAW!  This week Dave chats with executive film producer James E. Oxford (The Demon Deep in Oklahoma, The Taking of Ezra Bodine)!  James is the co-founder of Watergun Outlaw Productions, a company that has found tremendous success as an independent film company in a short period of time.  He tells Dave about the company, how he splits responsibilities with his husband and fellow co-founder Lance R. Marshall,...

BYOL GETS CROSS!  Dave's guest this week is televison writer/producer Alan Cross (Pop Up Video, Redneck Island, Celebrity Deathmatch)!  Originally from Texas, Alan and Dave met on the audition circuit in NYC.  Now living in Los Angeles, Alan has focused his career on writing and producing for several big-name series.  He tells Dave about growing up in Fort Worth, his early career in radio, the decision that brought him to New Y...

BYOL GOES INSIDE THE AUDITION ROOM!  This week Dave explores the world of casting with Rebecca Yarsin (Casting Director, House Productions)!  Rebecca is one of the most popular and respected CDs in the business, and this interview shows why she's considered a true advocate for actors.  She tells Dave about getting started in theater in Fairfield, CT, going to high school with John Mayer, working alongside Justin Long, how she l...

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA!  Dave's guest this week is Rock-n-Roll photographer Jen Maler (Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Time)!  Dave and Jen met when they were both attending Hofstra University, and hadn't seen each other until this interview. It's a reunion full of amazing stories!  Jen tells Dave about growing up in Newburgh, NY, how she managed to become a regular at Limelight in NYC in her teens, the college friend who got ...

COAST TO COAST WITH BYOL!  This week Dave calls out to LA to chat with actor/director/writer/producer John Tague (The Rolling Soldier, 24, Crossing Jordan)!  John is originally from a small town in New Jersey but now makes his living out in Los Angeles.  He tells Dave about his early life in music with a Grateful Dead cover band, how a twist of fate got him into acting, his experience training with Terry Schreiber in NY, his de...

TAKE TWO!  For the first time ever, Dave has a return guest -- director/writer/producer Kevin Arbouet (Fair Market Value, Police State, I Got a Crush on Obama)!  In BYOL 52, we learned all about Kevin's upbringing on Long Island and how he broke into the business.  This time around Kevin details some of his more recent projects (including Cassanova Was a Woman and Fair Market Value), and shares his biggest casting challenge as ...

BYOL MEETS OITNB!  This week Dave chats with actor Joel Marsh Garland (Orange Is the New Black, In Dubious Battle, Kings)!  Joel is one of the steadiest working actors in New York, with credits in Film, TV, Broadway, and commercials.  He tells Dave about his incredibly unique upbringing in Connecticut, how acting helped him find consistency among chaos, the lessons he's learned from the business, how he sees technology changing t...

TAKE ONE!  Dave's guest this week is director/writer/producer Kevin Arbouet (Fair Market Value, Police State, I Got a Crush on Obama)!  Originally from Hempstead on Long Island, Kevin's career has been all about working hard and taking advantage of opportunity.  He tells Dave about his experiences with Catholic and public schools (and how they each influenced his career), what got him started as a talent manager, how answering ...

THE FOLLOWING WAS COMPLETELY IMPROVISED  This week Dave sits and chats with actor/improvisor Betsy Stover (UCB, Del Close Marathon, Newsers)!  Betsy has spent years studying, performing, and teaching with the Upright Citizens Brigade, going back to UCB's earliest days in NYC. Now living in LA, Dave caught up with Betsy when she was in town for the Del Close Marathon. She tells Dave about her early life in Minnesota, her decisio...

WE MADE IT TO 50!  Dave's guest this week is Oscar-nominated executive producer Nora Skinner (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl)!  Dave and Nora met in high school, where they both took part in the vaunted Manhasset High School Theatre program. Since then, Nora has climbed the ladder of success as a film producer, working with Miramax and Scott Rudin Productions before gaining her biggest suc...

ALL THAT GLITTERS...  This week Dave sits down with NYC actor/writer/comedian Charles Gould (Law & Order; MTV; Charles, by the Way)!  Charles was born in Brooklyn, but spent his formative years in the Los Angeles area as part of a showbiz family before moving back to NYC after college.  He tells Dave about gang life in Santa Monica, his transition to acting while at Clark University, his early career in New York, how he got...

TAKE ME TO ANOTHER PLACE!  Dave's guest this week is NYC actor/writer/improvisor Erica Tachoir (UCB; Life, After)!  Born and bred in Tennessee, Erica grew up as the child of jazz musicians -- an environment that clearly set the stage for her career.  She talks with Dave about growing up in the Volunteer State, her earliest performances, her decision to study film at NYU, how she transitioned from filmmaking to acting, her train...