We discuss our low numbers and cost/benefit ratio. Download numbers are revealed. Laura and Jake talk about stopping regular production of the podcast. As is fitting, the sound would not work (curse you dongles) so we are using a MacPro mic and it sounds as bad as you'd expect. See https://jakescruggs.com/blog/2019/01/01/the-truth-about-my-podcast for the data we discuss. Stay subscribed if you like: We may do updates of our lives as events progress. Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Are You Famous, Yet?

The Truth and the End - Episode 236

Bryn W Packard and Nilsa Reyna join us from New York City, update us on their lives, and introduce us to Lauren Sowa. Lauren Sowa is an actor and independent filmmaker. In 2016, she co-founded Form & Pressure Films to tell stories that inspire and provoke thought, while encouraging diversity and equality on set and on screen. Their first film, Marisol, is currently beginning its festival journey. As an actor, Lauren has been featured in the films Café Artist, The Devil’s Well, 42 Seconds of Happiness, which won multiple awards on the festival circuit and is now available on Amazon Prime, and The Rainbow Experiment, which premiered at Slamdance and was just picked up for distribution. She is on the board of NYC Women Filmmakers, an organization in the city devoted to cultivating the careers of women filmmakers through education and community. Her interview series Women in Film Portraits can be found on Instagram. Lauren received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is proud member of Actor’s Equity and SAG-AFTRA.  Links: Website - https://www.laurensowa.com/ Form & Pressure Films - http://formandpressurefilms.com/ Women in Film Portraits - http://independent-magazine.org/authors/lauren-sowa/ Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Lauren Sowa of Form & Pressure Films - Episode 235

This week's episode is the audio of the Friday September 14th, 2018 Three Cat Theater's Cabaret on the Lake hosted by Rob Dorn and produced by Laura Force-Scruggs. The performers were: Judy Parker (Storyteller), Matthew Lee Amyx (Storyteller), Danii Gallegos (Comedian), Bob Lawrence (Author/Reader), and Willa Moore (Musician/Poet). Willa Moore's guitar wasn't behaving so she asked us not to record her but gave us two recorded songs to insert. As always the Berger Park Cultural Center was wonderful to inhabit and the staff helpful. There is video of this event (along with 2 videos that Willa Moore provided) online here: https://youtu.be/Hz1Yokz3Pcg Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Cabaret on the Lake September 14th, 2018 - Episode 234

Daniela Thome is an actor, and recently writer, who has traveled from New York city for just a few months to be a part of the play "Not For Sale" which just recently opened and is Jeff Recommended. She's acted in Fru Mary, The Surprise , The Addicts, Elvira, One Minute Play Festival, Patience, Fortitude, & Other Antidepresants, Three Sisters, Cinderella, Life Without Joey, In The Shadow, and Oh de Sea! And that's just the theater. She has been in the films: God I Miss You, Fat Guy, Saudade?, and Hispanacea. Not For Sale By Guadalis Del Carmen, Directed by Sara Carranza http://urbantheaterchicago.org/not-for-sale Produced by Urban Theater Company in Chicago 9/18- 10/20 2018 Part of Destinos Festival http://www.clata.org/destinos-main   A bunch of links to things we discussed in the podcast: Childrens Theater of Madison CTM - https://ctmtheater.org/ Maduka Steady - https://vimeo.com/51212982 Young Shakespeare Players - http://www.youngshakespeareplayers.org/ West High School, in Madison WI - https://www.facebook.com/WestHighDrama1/ Jay Hoggard - http://jayhoggard.com/ https://www.wesleyan.edu/academics/faculty/jhoggard/profile.html AmeriCorps -https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps Northwestern University Settlement House - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_University_Settlement_House  The Three Arts Club - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Arts_Club_of_Chicago  Janet Bentley - https://newplayexchange.org/users/1319/janet-bentley Dreamwell Theatre https://www.dreamwell.com/ The Young Lords - http://www.youngpatriots-rainbowcoalition.org/ylo-introduction/ Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Daniela Thome's Journey to "Not For Sale" - episode 233

David Holcombe returns for his 3rd appearance and updates us about projects that were just a gleam in his eye when we last talked... For instance: The 3 part "Anthropology Anthology" is now finished and plans are in the works to release it as a single unit. A big part of the discussion is about "Blacksite: The Musical!" A musical that David has filmed but not finished because he needs your help to finish production. There's an IndieGoGo campaign https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/blacksite-the-musical#/ that only has 3 days left so please go there now if you'd like to help make this musical. The film is about an illegal detention/interrogation building run by the Chicago police with no accountability. The Guardian released a series of articles detailing the crimes committed by the Chicago police force a few years ago - they can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/homan-square http://daholcombe.com http://www.softcagefilms.com https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/blacksite-the-musical#/ Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

David A. Holcombe and "Blacksite: The Musical!" - Episode 232

Thom Britton and Jonathan Pritchard join us to discuss "The Seance" which is best described by this quote from their recent press release: A 'spook-house' show for the smart set; The Seance is an original stage show that recreates an authentic Victorian-era seance. We will investigate the history of the seance, tell stories of the participants and demonstrate the exact techniques used by psychics and mediums who claimed to contact the dead. You will learn exactly how a seance was performed in a theatrical environment. "The Seance" is playing Oct. 13 at the Prop Theater in Chicago and in Detroit's  Hilton Garden Inn Southfield on Oct. 19 & Oct. 20th. Their website is: www.WePlayWithTheDead.com We had a interesting discussion of mentalism, the origins of the seance and escape artistry, and how crazy popular mysticism was in the 1890-1910 era. Thom and Jonathan are complete pros at audience interaction so it should have come as no surprise to me that they were non-stop interesting and engaging with great story after story and yet I was almost intimidated by how smooth they were in the interview. Normally I get time to check my notes and the levels as a guest pauses or struggles to find a phrase but this was 'all killer no filler' so I think this episode will be a joy to listen to. Links for Thom: https://freakshowtell.com/ www.WePlayWithTheDead.com Links for Jonathan: https://www.likeamindreader.com/ http://www.jonnyzavant.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Thom Britton and Jonathan Pritchard Play with the Dead - Episode 231

Classic episode from Apr 7, 2014 This week Laura brings Greg Ledger, storyteller and fellow podcaster! Greg's Podcast: A Dear School 0:01:30 Say hello to Greg! 0:02:20 Obamacare may be working for Bryn shortly 0:02:50 Nilsa already has Obamacare… because she's more organized than Bryn 0:06:00 Recorded some radio spots for Engine Lab of Tampa with Brian McKenna at BToven Studios 0:08:00 This Greg had an incredible guest on his podcast… our own Laura Scruggs. Drinking may have been involved. 0:10:30 Greg tells us how storytellers do it 0:12:25 Practicing storytelling in the shower 0:15:20 Greg took a 30 year moritorium on creativity 0:18:50 Early problems with drink and fleeing the country… to paint a guy's house 0:20:05 Calgary, The Stampede, and roving hoards of intellectuals 0:23:10 Deported by the RCMP and the road to sobriety 0:25:25 Moving to Chicago and the worst phone ever 0:29:00 Getting back into artistic stuff and getting nasty 0:29:55 Writing and breakdowns 0:33:30 Schwarzenegger 0:37:55 Masking your feelings with writing may be hazardous to your mental health 0:40:15 Bag A Bag A 'Begas- the latest snack food craze and other diversions 0:50:00 We love the origin story of our podcast, we're trying to figure out how to nurture it, too 0:53:55 According to Nilsa, Bryn loves reacting to things 0:58:40 What brought Greg to improv… 1:02:00 Favorite poems 1:10:00 A rejection of popular culture 1:13:00 Nilsa auditioned for the role of... Brynn (with two n's) 1:15:00 Bryn gets to shoot a movie with a previous podcast guest… who could it be? Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Wisps of Ash w/ Greg Ledger - Episode 20

Pete Blatchford has been an actor for 35 years. He has performed in Chicago, New York and Edinburgh. He has acted with Yippie Fest, On the Spot, Three Cat and many other Chicago theatre companies. Pete is an ensemble member of On the Spot theatre company. He wrote the book, "Wicked, Immoral, Utterly Bad!" an illustrated history of Chicago Theatre, 1837 - 1974. For more information about his book, visit wickedchicagostage.com. Pete is available for presentations about his book as well! He also co-wrote the play, The Night Chicago Died, with Tim Davis. It was produced by the Beowulf Theatre Company. His other scripts, The Warthogs of Wartonia, as well as adaptations of The Count of Monte Cristo and War of the Worlds, were performed by Pete’s theatre company, Pendragon Players. And he earned his Master of Fine Arts degree at Roosevelt University. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

"Wicked, Immoral, Utterly Bad!" with Pete Blatchford - Episode 230

Super quick update about a new showing of "Uncle Fun: You're the One" (https://unclefunyouretheone.com) with some very interesting women at the American Visionary Art Museum (http://www.avam.org) in Baltimore. The show is September 23rd, 2018, is a benefit for the museum, and costs 100 smackers. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Baltimore Here We Come - Episode 229

01:12 - The Benefactor returns. Matt Shuemaker is Bryn’s high school friend and our first repeat guest (back from the 6th episode)! 02:18 - Yet another person comes in from out of town and paints the town red. A discussion of Rocky - the musical ensues. 05:22 - Guess which members of our crew have never seen "Rocky"? Surely not our star and focus of the show... 09:40 - "All the Way" the LBJ bio play with Bryan Cranston 13:30 - Jake tells a sports story! 20:22 - Uh... We explain the triangle offense. What happened to this podcast? 21:15 - A Death in the family http://t.co/vJGcXWf893 29:17 - Similarities between Nilsa's Dad and Bryn's Mom. 38:13 - Death chat ends with Jake transparently changing the topic to "Community." How 'bout the 2nd D&D episode, eh? 40:21 - Nilsa doesn't like one of Bryn's favorite movies: "House" the super artsy Japanese movie from 1977. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_%281977_film%29 44:44 - Matt, still lives in the "death sty" and has become "The Grain Elevator Specialist" 48:22 - Jake talks about the apprenticeship program he's starting at work 54:26 - The Benefactor's culinary good deeds are recounted. Steaks! 59:24 - The indecipherable and delightful video Jake saw in a Korean restaurant: http://youtu.be/3O9YceKnDo4 1:07:16 - Jake's review of the Veronica Mars movie. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Musicals, Death, Sports, and Food - Episode 19 remastered

03:12 - When did Maureen and Daniel know they wanted to sing? 06:04 - Origin story of and what is Scapi? 10:19 - Advice on promotion, especially on social media. 10:55 - Ashley Ray: https://www.facebook.com/arayhay 13:04 - Scapi's podcast: https://scapimag.com/category/podcasts/scapi-radio/ 22:38 - YouTuber Casey Neistat: https://www.youtube.com/user/caseyneistat 25:20 - What is Scapi now? https://scapimag.com/ 30:15 - Natalia Roxas: https://scapimag.com/2018/07/24/scapi-radio-07-24-18-filipino-kitchen-natalia-roxas/ 33:47 - DIY Fest: https://scapimag.com/2018/05/01/scapi-diy-theater-and-performance-may-2018/ https://scapimag.com/2018/05/31/scapi-diy-theater-and-performance-june-2018-2/ 35:02 - DIY Chicago: https://www.facebook.com/groups/diychicago/ 36:42 - 24 Hour Concert: https://www.facebook.com/events/2191744730840136/ 40:26 - Politics and Scapi. 41:06 - Eat the Rich: A Case for Land Value Tax: https://scapimag.com/2018/07/23/eat-the-rich-a-case-for-a-land-value-tax-in-chicago/ 41:30 - Andre Vasquez: https://scapimag.com/2017/12/31/community-organizing-local-action-reclaim-chicago-conversation-andre-vasquez/ 44:06 - Socialist and identity politics. 44:45 - Divisive political topics and content people can latch onto if they're not politically active. 45:31 - Future dreams for Scapi and promotions. 48:54 - How do you make an interview show sticky? 53:23 - Promotions: https://scapimag.com/ Scapi on social media: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scapimag/ Twitter https://twitter.com/scapimag Instagram https://www.instagram.com/scapimag/ Scapi Radio https://scapimag.com/category/podcasts/scapi-radio/ 24 Hour Concert https://www.facebook.com/events/2191744730840136/ Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Maureen Smith and Daniel Johanson of Scapi Magazine - Episode 228

This week we welcome Dr. Walter J. Packard (Bryn's Dad) to the podcast for a heart-to-heart. Twitter: @WJPACK2 0:00:30 Bryn introduces "the big guns" 0:02:25 Nilsa's Dad… 0:03:00 Is Bryn famous, yet? No… not yet. 0:04:25 "Kinky Boots" with Dad and Broadway's survival. 0:09:00 "12 Years A Slave" worth seeing, even if you don't want to see a super-heavy movie about people being terrible in an institutionalized way. 0:12:30 Walter's first memory of Bryn: he was late. 0:13:45 Grandmothers and desperate measures 0:14:55 Bryn's relationship with classy horror movies as nurtured by his grandmother 0:21:45 "Some horrible things can't die" 0:22:35 Nilsa's in absentia observation: "I think you just enjoy reacting to things" 0:24:00 Bryn Packard is presented in "Feel Around" 0:24:35 LOUD NOISES! 0:29:30 A shout-out to Romero's "Day of the Dead" and intestine yanking 0:31:25 Nature vs. nurture 0:33:45 Bryn and his Dad love "Halo". A lot. 0:38:00 We sure talk about serial killers a lot- what is this, 1996? 0:40:00 Childhood in Florida 0:43:45 Grade-mongering, the Air Force Academy and money 0:51:15 Is Bryn in a state of financial rebellion? Is he just lying to himself? 0:54:45 The text message 1:00:05 "Bryn Packard's Dad is essentially an older Bryn Packard" 1:01:00 Bryn's mom 1:04:00 Laura's experience with Bryn's mom 1:05:25 Email scams and warning signs and Fronto-Temporal Dementia 1:09:30 Dad took care of her on his own for quite a long time 1:10:00 Yes. Bryn really said that. 1:12:00 Barry Peterson's "Jan's Story" 1:15:00 Having the resources to care for ourselves 1:18:25 Why pursue a career in the arts? 1:19:05 Go buy some of Leslie Scruggs art! http://lesliescruggs.com/ 1:21:00 Picking-up the bill 1:25:15 Shared demons 1:27:20 We've got to wrap this up, Dad's got to get to Birdland, with his lady 1:28:30 "I have to say, I like my son." Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Father and son with Walter J. Packard - Episode 18 remastered

This episode is a recording of the July 13th, 2018 Three Cat Theater Productions’ "Cabaret on the Lake" performed at the Berger Park Cultural Center, sponsored by this very podcast, and hosted by its own Laura and Jake Scruggs. Video of the event is at: https://youtu.be/dhsijBYDU9E T’was a hot night so we had a box fan blowing on the performers which, unfortunately, was picked up extremely well by our microphone. Our audio engineer did his best to filter out a fair amount of the "box fan sound" but it is still pretty audible. We are sorry about the audio quality of the episode. That being said, it was a great show with a packed house, heaps of emotion and laughs so please do enjoy. Performers: 1) Deborah Hines - Storyteller Deborah is native Chicagoan, a former South Shore-ite, transplanted to the strange land of the North Side. Since childhood she's been a writer and a lover of writing, throughout stints working as a long lines telephone operator, a typesetter, a licensed esthetician and a devoted spa manager through boom and bust economic cycles. She earned her BA with an English major and a French minor at Southern Illinois University and worked on a Master's in Creative Writing at Columbia College in Chicago. A Storyteller with 2nd Story, Deborah's twice been admitted on the merits of her writing into Northwestern's Apprentices Writing Program. Threecat's “Cabaret on the Lake” is one of her favorite places to perform. Deborah's always thrilled to be at beautiful Berger Park, sharing her writing with threecat audiences. 2) Chels Harvey - Storyteller Chels Harvey is an agender writer, podcaster, storyteller and UX designer from Atlanta. As a marketer, their writing highlights the many contradictions that fuel our relationship with the Internet of Things around us. (After the show, please resist telling them to watch Black Mirror.) 3) Cameren Rau - Singer Cameren Rau prefers most foods dipped in honey mustard. 4) Nestor Gomez - Storyteller Nestor Gomez has won the Moth Story Slam over 30 times, and is the current Chicago Grand Slam Champion, he also host/curates and produces his own storytelling show 80 Minutes Around the World Immigration Storytelling show. Find out more about Nestor at Nestorgomezstoryteller.com 5) Amy Sumpter - Comedian Amy Sumpter has done stand up for 11 years. She has traveled all over the midwest doing shows and she loves making people laugh. She was one of the top 100 comics chosen for season 9 of Last Comic Standing. You can find her at the Book Cellar with the Kates and performing with her band, She's Crafty at City Winery on July 16. They are an all-female Beastie Boys Tribute band. Note, these artist declined to have their performances recorded for the podcast: RC Riley - Storyteller Brittny Congleton - Musician Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

July 13th, 2018 "Cabaret on the Lake" - Episode 227

We interview Nilsa's childhood friend and “Sextra” from the movie “Shortbus" Janie Martinez http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2554808/ @MartinezJanie 01:44 "Can anyone truly know Janie Martinez?” No. 03:34 How Nilsa and Janie met 06:15 And almost destroyed their high school 12:30 Chicago suburbanites marvel at the well funded and versed South Texas high school drama program Janie and Nilsa come from: Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School 15:23 The College of Sexual Frustration 17:15 On not getting cast b/c costumes cost too much to make for a large woman 22:15 Making $186 to be wardrobe supervisor on the original production of “How I Learned to Drive” 26:45 Walking away from a paying gig to pursue more 38:00 Working once or twice a year on something artistic 39:22 Fat Sex by Details magazine comes a calling 54:51 “I just want to hug the screen right now!” screams Laura 59:00 And Janie does a public access TV show once a month called Goddesses: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/goddessbbw 01:05:36 We bring it back around to Bryn 01:12:40 We are blown away by a famous follower of the podcast 01:15:00 Bryn talks about working out. A Lot. 01:22:16 Prince Rupert's Drop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe-f4gokRBs Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

Naked and Fearless with Janie Martinez - Episode 17 remastered

This week we welcome Shawn Wickens and Gavin Starr Kendall: founders of The Bad Theatre Fest and Bad Film Fest Gavin Starr Kendall: @TheStarrKendall Shawn Wickens: @shwickens 0:02:00 Our guests are the founders of "The Bad Film Fest" www.badfilmfest.com 0:02:39 Starr hails from Texas, which he has in common with Nilsa 0:03:00 Turns out Shawn has actually listened to an episode of the podcast and proves it 0:04:46 Starr Fellows a woman to New York, as one does, and falls-in with some cool artists 0:07:33 Performing arts, ice sculptures and ephemerality 0:09:55 Twigs and "True Detective" 0:10:27 The Brick Theatre and its "dangerous" beginnings 0:19:13 What's Shawn's story? 0:22:08 "I immediately thought: this guy is interesting." 0:28:18 Tell us about the Bad Theatre Fest and Bad Film Fest Mr. Kendall and Mr. Wickens 0:38:30 Where's My Cereal? 0:41:20 We're targeting people that share the same definition of the word "bad" 0:44:40 "There's things that get in that we're scared of…" 0:48:20 BadFilmFest.com - 2014's Bad Film Fest is April 11 and 12 at Cloud City in Brooklyn 0:49:40 "30,000kHz of Sound" - Shawn's Improvised Podcast - Bryn wants in 0:51:35 The Polar Vortex returns to wreak vengeance on Chicago. 0:54:00 How has stuff been going for Bryn and Nilsa? Perhaps an audition had happened… 0:56:30 A side business for Nilsa and Bryn? 1:05:00 Bryn's going to be shouting into his closet again 1:06:15 Bryn Packard in "Pain and Gain 2: More Pain, Less Gain" 1:15:45 Starr asks the hard question on everybody's mind about our twitter handle… Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz

The Good in the Bad - Episode 16 Remastered

It's “That Guy… Who Was in That Thing” meets “The Nerdist Podcast” but with people even less well known! Sure it's fun to interview the crazy famous and ask them about the difficult years, but that's been done and they won't return our calls. Memories are plastic - we're getting the real dirt from people still crawling through it. Laura Force Scruggs is the playwright and Jake Scruggs is the technical guy who listens to a lot of “This American Life” and thinks that qualifies him to interview people.

hubhopper

Are You Famous, Yet?

hubhopper