Artists of New York
A new podcast profiling creatives trying to make it in the art capital of the world.
Episodes
Gylije Veljic is a stand-up comedian and an entrepreneur, based in New York City.
(00:00) Reluctant move to NYC; advertising + comedy crossroads
(02:05) Staten Island summers, 7 years here, finding real confidence
(04:10) Performer roots: theater, speech & why stand-up challenges
(06:12) “Monetizing me”: startup mindset, many lanes not one
(08:05) Leaving L’Oréal, taking a class, show counts explode
(10:22) ...
Graham Techler is a comedian and playwright, based in New York City.
(00:00) Boston roots and first summer in New York
(02:45) Choosing between New York and Chicago
(04:30) Early love of performing and local theater influences
(08:10) Childhood exposure to professional performers
(10:40) Realizing performing was in his blood
(13:00) High school theater and a sense of purpose
(15:45) Playing older characters and s...
Piyali Syam is a stand-up comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Fordham Bound: Secret Acting Plan
(02:05) Small-Town Upstate to City Dreams
(04:12) Art Kid: Drawing, Flute, Choirs, Theater
(06:18) First Love Was Drawing (and Big Feelings)
(08:27) Majors & Minors: Philosophy Over Performance
(10:11) High-School Theater Highs (and Cringe)
(12:36) “Be Useful”: Sampling Pre-Med, IR, Env Sci
(14:58) Choosing Phi...
Pearl de la Motte is a violist at Juilliard in New York City.
(00:00) Arrival Story & Juilliard Backstory
(01:40) Mom’s Method: Start at Two
(03:05) Family of 11; Music at Home
(04:30) Forced Practice → Hiding in Weeds
(06:05) Switch to Viola for Family Quartet
(07:20) Viola’s Role & Sound
(09:00) First Competition Win at 13
(10:35) Juilliard as Goal; Mentors and Push
(12:30) Practice Philosophy & Golde...
Alysa Browne is a stand-up comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Childhood Dream of NYC
(01:48) Early Acting Ambitions & Stage Fright
(03:12) Typecast in Dramatic Roles
(05:26) Struggles Without a Support System
(07:42) Breaking Point & Rethinking Acting
(10:15) Discovering Design as a Creative Path
(12:58) Corporate Life at NBC & MSNBC
(15:37) Open Mics and a Return to Performing
(18:23) First Comed...
Clayton Fletcher is a stand-up comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Broadway dreams to basement comedy
(02:04) Agent’s warning and saving up
(04:14) Godspell Judas pushes stand-up
(06:09) Class, Comedy Bible, Caroline’s debut
(08:37) Paying to play & craving creative control
(11:03) Open mics, peers, and redefining success
(13:21) “Amateur” ethos—doing it for love
(15:29) Vanished NYC rooms & the alt s...
Max Davidson is a magician and mentalist, based in New York City.
(00:00) Choosing New York over Denver to pursue magic
(01:32) Grandma, The Wizard’s Chest, and the $6 trick that started it all
(03:58) First effect: sponge balls—and the early “this is possible” spark
(05:42) From hobby to “maybe a career” (pre-college to junior year)
(08:06) Lessons with Charlie, magic camp, and finding a supportive tribe
(10:55...
Tim Martin is a stand-up comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Couch banter & “great couch” cold open
(01:05) UCB tour sparks NYC move (2004–06)
(03:25) College journalism → DC public-TV; Sikh community segment
(08:55) “That’s me” moment; post-9/11 heaviness
(11:35) Leaving DC & wiping jokes from work PC
(13:30) First NYC gigs: PA on The Ten + odd jobs
(18:55) UCB path: classes → auditions → team call ...
Michelle Chan Bennett is an actor and comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) NYC-or-bust origin story
(02:11) Nonprofit/education plans; missing creativity
(04:36) Improv → indie team → sketch
(06:58) Layoff pushes full-time creative
(09:40) Forensics scholarship path
(12:07) What “forensics” is; event types
(14:52) Finding a “smart + stupid” voice
(18:05) Vulnerability and taking herself too seriously
(21:27) In...
Yuko Kudo is an artist and brain aneurysm survivor based in New York City.
(00:00) From Japan to New York
(03:10) Childhood in Aomori
(05:22) First Impressions of America
(08:40) Broadway Dreams and Disney Inspirations
(12:15) Navigating Visas, Agents, and Auditions
(16:45) Finding Community with Asian Artists
(19:52) Early Passions: Piano, Singing, Acting
(23:35) A Sudden Brain Aneurysm
(27:50) Emergency Surgery a...
Cael Sullivan is a playwright based in New York City.
(00:00) Growing up in a tiny village
(02:10) First days at FIT and a major change
(04:25) New York as a dream versus reality
(07:15) Theater, queerness, and the city’s appeal
(10:40) Freedom and abundance in New York life
(13:05) Childhood sports, theater beginnings, and first play
(17:30) Interior design heartbreak and switching to film
(20:55) Writing a new p...
Nancy O'Connor is a stand-up comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Moving from DC to New York
(01:12) Early comedy interests in DC
(02:34) First improv class at The PIT
(04:08) Deciding to try stand-up before 30
(06:05) Taking a stand-up class and graduation show
(07:46) First open mic disaster vs. graduation night success
(09:28) Realizing stand-up might be “the thing”
(11:22) Comedy as hobby or career pursuit
...
Dovie Lepore-Currin is a pianist at Juilliard in New York City.
(00:00) Born in New York, family roots at Juilliard
(01:42) A lineage of women pianists
(03:18) Early childhood music exposure and Baby Einstein
(05:10) Games with grandmother: testing musical ear
(07:24) First piano lessons and being taught by women
(09:32) Seeing Juilliard as an unreachable dream
(11:58) Piano as healing force and spirituality
(14:3...
Donald Chang is an actor, an improvisor, and a voice-over actor based in New York City.
(00:00) Born in Queens, Raised Across the East Coast
(01:55) Drawn Back to New York’s Energy
(04:50) Why New York Beats Los Angeles
(07:40) Calvin and Hobbes Sparks a Comedy Path
(11:42) The Gifted Program Improv Class
(14:35) Childhood Attention and Love of Performing
(18:04) From Business and Psychology to Acting Dreams
(22:4...
Shaina Garfield is a death doula, grief guide, ceremonialist, and the founder of Leaves With You. With her devotion to the sacred continuum of life and death, she extends compassionate support to all beings navigating the dying and grieving processes. Her mission is to cultivate a profound connection with the Earth and the Divine, fostering harmony within the web of life.
Shaina’s approach is deeply rooted in ritual, which she belie...
Rosalie Smith is a found objects artist based in New York City.
(00:00) Moving to New York for an MFA at Hunter
(01:30) Choosing New Orleans over New York after college
(04:10) The turning point: leaving an office job after a cancer diagnosis in the family
(06:30) Building a career in New Orleans and hitting a ceiling
(08:10) Why New York offers the challenge and energy she craves
(10:20) A family history steepe...
Kyle Lux is a musician based in New York City.
(00:00) First impressions of New York City
(03:10) The pull of diversity and culture
(06:05) Boarding arts high school changes everything
(09:15) Dreaming of engineering before music
(13:25) SoundCloud releases and the Amine connection
(16:45) First LA studio sessions open new doors
(19:10) Deciding to pursue music over engineering
(22:40) The church roots of singing ...
Kayla Marcus is a filmmaker based in New York City.
(00:00) Moved to NYC for Love
(02:15) First Impressions of New York
(04:10) Growing Up in the Bay Area
(05:22) Father’s Influence and Film Obsession
(07:34) Childhood Comedy and Sci-Fi Favorites
(10:45) The Simpsons, South Park, and Pushing Boundaries
(14:30) Realizing Film Could Be a Career
(17:05) Lessons from American Apparel Pilot
(20:20) Why Comedy Came First
...
Matty Litwack is a comedian based in Brooklyn, NY.
(00:00) Growing Up and First Moves
(03:12) Delusional Early Comedy Ambitions
(06:28) Reality Check in New York
(09:15) Moving Back, LA Detour, and Return to NYC
(12:36) First Lessons in Humility
(16:04) Expectations, Conan, and Industry Dreams
(19:45) Avoiding the Club Grind
(22:58) The LA Comedy Scene and Open Mics
(27:20) Surviving Bombing at Uptown Comedy Corner
...
Eli Coyote Mandel is a writer and a comedian based in New York City.
(00:00) Moving to New York for SNL
(04:12) Packing in a rush and arriving
(07:45) Adjusting to NYC apartment life
(10:03) Early Chicago improv and SNL showcases
(14:38) Writing discipline and preparing characters
(18:27) The big showcase and drinks with Lorne
(22:50) Screen testing at SNL and first impressions
(26:40) Audition mindset and navigat...
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