Empowered Artist Collective Podcast - for actors, singers, dancers, writers, creators and performers

Empowered Artist Collective Podcast - for actors, singers, dancers, writers, creators and performers

Are you a performing artist looking for more stability? Have you struggled to feel seen and valued? Are you frustrated by the gatekeeping and industry’s emphasis on scarcity to keep you small? Join our community of women and non-binary artists seeking a thriving and sustainable career in the arts. Every week, host Jennifer Apple asks hard questions, sits with open-ended answers (or perhaps no answers at all!), shares resources, and expands the dialogue around the aspects of our industry that no one is talking about. Whether you are an actor, singer, dancer, performer, writer, director, creator, theater and tv/film lover... Curiosity is the only requirement! If you believe that being an artist is about more than just the jobs you book, think this industry needs change, and want to get a look behind the curtain: The Empowered Artist Collective Podcast is for you! Jennifer Apple is an Actor, Acting Coach, Writer, and Dog Lover who is in pursuit of honesty, vulnerability, and empathy so that we can truly see ourselves and each other to break down barriers and reveal the raw, real humanity that connects us all. She empowers performing artists to embody themselves fully and truthfully so that they can elevate their craft, pursue their careers with integrity, and discover their inner confidence and self-worth. Let’s be in community together. Let’s support one another. Let’s make this journey a little less isolating and a whole lot more inclusive. IG: @EmpoweredArtistCollective // TikTok: @EmpowerArtistCollective // www.EmpoweredArtistCollective.com Host: Jennifer Apple // @JenniferApple_ // JenniferApple.net Head of Production & Editor: Nayara Alexis // @NayaraAlexis Podcast Music Composer: Aimee Lefkowicz // @Aimee.Isabella

Episodes

September 22, 2026 • 61 mins
You can’t direct magic into existence, so how do you create the conditions for it to happen? Tony Award-winning director Danya Taymor takes us inside her process behind The Outsiders, John Proctor Is the Villain, and a directing practice rooted in preparation, play, instinct, and finding the alchemy of a room. She shares why she never wants to shut down an idea, how physical exercises and deep trust help build an ensemble, ...
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Mark as Played
Season 4 is here, and we’re kicking things off in studio with Tony Award-winning costume designer, activist, and storyteller Qween Jean in a conversation about what happens when you stop waiting to be chosen and start trusting what you bring to the room. Together, they get candid about knocking on theatre doors before anyone knew Qween's name, trusting the instincts that became her artistic signature, advocating for herself a...
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Mark as Played
What’s the secret to building longevity in casting while protecting your creative vision? In the final episode of Season 3, Jennifer sits down with Emmy-nominated independent casting director, Bess Fifer, to dig into the realities, responsibilities, and rewards of the work. Bess shares candid insights about navigating the freelance hustle, redefining success on your own terms, and why even with hit shows like Severance on her...
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Mark as Played
September 16, 2025 • 58 mins
How does one build a career defined not just by talent, but by joy, leadership, and resilience? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Kate Baldwin, Tony-nominated actor, singer, and teacher, whose perspective on craft and community is as generous as it is practical. Kate discusses her current play, Murder on the Links at Two River Theater, and reflects on her career thus far,  working with visionary directors like Darko Tre...
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Mark as Played
What does it mean to devote nearly two decades to a cycle of work while also leaping into entirely new forms? In this episode of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with playwright, TV writer, and educator Mfoniso Udofia. Mfoniso shares how writing came from a place of healing and purpose and how her nine-play Ufot Family Cycle has grown into an expansive, intergenerational exploration of identity, hope, and belonging. S...
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Mark as Played
What does it take to sustain a decades-long directing career? In this episode of our Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who has been shaping stories on stages across the country for more than 40 years. Marcia shares how she digs into the heartbeat of each piece she does, balancing politics, social consciousness, and community impact with theatrical joy. She opens up about the ...
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Mark as Played
What does the ecosystem of a casting office and career look like? In this episode of our Casting Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with casting director and co-owner of the TRC Company, Claire Burke. Claire shares her journey from intern to co-owner, offering a glimpse into the intricate workings of a casting office. She emphasizes the need to balance artistic intuition with analytical skills for her job, the importance of readi...
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Mark as Played
How do you honor your creative timing in a culture that often has other priorities? In this episode of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with playwright and actor, Ngozi Anyanwu, for a conversation about claiming your artistic voice, holding your ground in the industry, and creating work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Ngozi shares how her background as a performer informs her playwriting, why sp...
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Mark as Played
How can performers turn the audition process into a collaborative partnership? In our first episode of our Casting Director Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with casting director Sujotta Pace to pull back the curtain on the casting process and reframe how actors see the people on the other side of the table. A former actor herself, Sujotta shares how she collaborates with directors and creative teams to clarify vision, why preparati...
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Mark as Played
What does it look like to lead a major cultural institution with courage, care & a commitment to transformation? In this episode of our Artistic Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with director, writer, community organizer & Artistic Director of New York Theatre Workshop, Patricia McGregor, about how her full identity shapes her leadership. She shares how she curates using a funnel model rooted in collaboration & grou...
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Mark as Played
How can you choose repertoire that reflects who you are, not how others define you or what others expect of you? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with voice teacher, pedagogue, and researcher Mariana Elosúa Serna to explore culturally responsive teaching and how identity, culture, and personal experience can shape a more empowering approach to choosing material. Drawing from her thesis work and her “Four Pillars of Reperto...
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Mark as Played
What kind of work emerges when you write from curiosity, not expectation? In this episode, as part of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with playwright and screenwriter Keiko Green to explore how emotional intelligence, actor instincts, and a healthy disregard for traditional rules have shaped her distinctive writing career. Keiko shares how she began writing roles for herself as an actor, which quickly transformed into wr...
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Mark as Played
How can artists and creatives enhance their online presence, visibility, and income using SEO? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Tonya Lawson, a classically trained clarinetist and SEO specialist, to break down exactly how folks can use search engine optimization to grow their online presence and monetize their work. Tonya breaks down the basic concepts of SEO, offers practical advice on optimizing websites and social media,...
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Mark as Played
What role does projection, video, and media design play in shaping a theatrical production? In this episode, Jennifer chats with Tony Award winning projection and video designer Hana S. Kim who invites us into her world where ideas transform into powerful visual landscapes on stage. From her roots in graphic design in Seoul to designing for Broadway in productions like Redwood, Real Women Have Curves, and The Outsiders, Hana shares...
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Mark as Played
How can curiosity become a roadmap for directing meaningful, human-centered theater? In this episode, as part of our Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with director and dramaturg Amy Marie Seidel, who shares her approach where sound, scent, light, language, and presence all carry weight. Amy talks about her relationship with Tectonic Theater Company, being mentored by Moisés Kaufman, and her experience with Here There Are Bluebe...
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Mark as Played
How can one lead a theater artistically, logistically, and sustainably, all with deep humanity? In this episode of our Artistic Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with Maria Manuela Goyanes, current Artistic Director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre and incoming Artistic Director of LCT3 at Lincoln Center, for an honest conversation about what it takes to run a cultural institution with integrity. Maria offers wisdom on assessing ri...
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Mark as Played
What does it take to move a play from the cloud of an idea onto the page? In this episode of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with one of the most produced playwrights, Lauren Gunderson, to unpack the alchemy of writing stories that matter. Lauren shares how she begins every piece with clarity around the ending, staying obsessed with a story long enough to see it through, then reverse-engineers her way through plot, c...
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Mark as Played
How does one feel into being enough as an artist, and is art itself enough? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with author Stephanie Elizondo Griest to discuss her decade-long global exploration of women artists and the creative life. Stephanie shares the emotional, economic, and spiritual trade-offs she’s made in pursuit of a life devoted entirely to art on a path she calls being an “art monk.” Together, they un...
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Mark as Played
What are the essential tools, systems, and values behind running a multi-faceted Broadway marketing and media company in today’s fast-paced digital world? In this episode, Jennifer talks with Katharine Quinn, digital strategist and founder of the Broadway-focused marketing and media company, “And That’s Showbiz.” Katharine unpacks how a series of yeses, content creation, and a background in performing and di...
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Mark as Played
How do you build a multi-disciplinary directing career in today’s entertainment landscape? In this episode of our Director Mini-Series, Jennifer chats with Sammi Cannold, who shares her journey as a director of theater, opera, TV, film, and ceremonies. From directing Broadway’s How to Dance in Ohio to shadowing on Grey’s Anatomy to participating in Sundance’s Collab program, Sammi breaks down the hustle nece...
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Mark as Played

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