Sandi Klein's Conversations With Creative Women

Born in France and based in Brooklyn, multi-disciplinary artist Prune Nourry works in sculpture, performance and video and was living her life, when in 2016, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It's a journey she shares in the first person film, "Serendipity." By doing so, Prune discovered new meaning in her impressive body of work and its serendipitous relationship to her own survival and mortality. She shares that and so much more in this truly fascinating, riveting and inspiring conversation.

Breanna Sinclaire's life is the stuff operas are written about. She happens to be the only operatic soprano in the world who is transgender. Born in Baltimore, Breanna made her way west - graduating from the California Institute of the Arts where she earned a BFA and where her transition began. There were some very dark days following graduation and her acceptance to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she earned an MFA. Breanna was the first transwoman in the opera program. She made her debut with the San Francisco Symphony on New Year's Eve. 3 years earlier, Breanna sang the National Anthem at an Oakland A's baseball game before a crowd of 30,000. There's no way you won't be impacted by Breanna's extraordinary journey to find her true, authentic self.

Irene Taylor Brodsky happens to be an: Emmy and Peabody Award-winning, Oscar-nominated, director, producer, writer, cinematographer, whose documentaries have been shown in theaters, at festivals and on the small screen. Her first documentary feature "Hear and Now" was actually a memoir about her deaf parents. Her mom and dad are back on the big screen as is Irene's son Jonas, in her newest work "Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements." This is one very open, very personal conversation with a very accomplished, passionate, creative woman.

Looking for a simple, delicious, nutritious, lo-cal snack minus artificial sweeteners? Look no further than SimpleProtein, the brain-child of Cathy Richards, who started the company in Canada in 2002. Linda Zink, whose career includes developing new products and bringing them to market, is part of the SimplyProtein female-founded team now based in Colorado. Linda, who spear-headed the re-formulation and expansion of SimplyProtein products into the U.S., takes us through that process and also talks about being a woman working in the world of consumer packaged goods.

For Katie Thiroux, it's all about making music, which she does in a unique and captivating way. Katie's a jazz vocalist AND a virtuoso bass player. She's also a gifted composer. Dedicated to jazz education and student outreach, Katie's conducted master classes and workshops and also runs Hawaii's Jazz Maui Camp. Love swinging jazz? Then you'll love meeting and getting to know this talented, creative woman!

Direct from Australia, Claudia Nankervis, who by the way, is not my first guest from the 'land down under.' That distinction goes to her filmmaker mom, who I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing a while back. Her dad, by the way, Brian Nankervis, co-hosts a RocKwiz, a popular tv music show back home. Needless to say Claudia was introduced to the arts at a young age and she's capitalized on that. She's worked in radio, interned at a film production company in NYC and worked at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. She currently co-hosts a podcast and is developing a web series.

It's been a while since we first met and got to know the very funny and talented Ashley Nicole Black and so we thought it's time for a 'part 2.' Ashley, who was a former correspondent and part of the Emmy-winning writing team for "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," is now a member of HBO's new comedy series, "A Black Lady Sketch Show." It's a big deal because the cast, writers room and director are all black women. There's lot to talk and laugh about with this open, honest, irreverent creative woman!

A broadcast journalist, radio host, documentary filmmaker, public health advocate, PhD candidate, Perri Peltz's career is a rich and rewarding one. As a filmmaker, her focus has been on health and social justice. However, her newest for HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS takes us 'outside the box.' ALTERNATE ENDINGS: Six New Ways to Die in America," explores the varied and non-traditional options of those who have chosen to celebrate life and take control of what will happen when they die. It is an intimate, illuminating, empowering film. We cover a lot of ground in our conversation with this committed, passionate, accomplished, creative woman.

If you're a film, tv and theater person, you're probably familiar with Catherine Wolf's work. Currently, she plays Kevin Bacon's sarcastic mother-in-law on the Showtime series "City on a Hill." Her resume also includes roles on "Oz," "Sex and the City," "Law and Order" and "Cagney and Lacey." Catherine's film credits are numerous: she was Jennifer Connolly's mom in the Oscar-nominated "Little Children." She's also acted in several Harold Pinter plays and happens to be the Founding Producing Director of The Colleagues Theatre Company. There's plenty to talk about with this warm, engaging, creative woman.

Producer Wendy Federman and Broadway? Perfect together. Her 80+ co-productions include the highly acclaimed and award-winning: To Kill A Mockingbird, Dear Evan Hansen, Hadestown, and Network. Wendy also happens to be a member of the John F. Kennedy Center's National Committee for the Performing Arts. And...she is also a 2019 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. There's plenty to learn in this 'theatrical' conversation with a committed patron of the arts!

Family businesses are nothing new, but the GEEKY FAB FIVE STEM is not your ordinary mom and pop partnership. Actually, it's a mom and daughter venture. 13 year old Lucy Lareau and her mom Liz are the co-creators of this graphic novel series based on Lucy's elementary school experiences, where students learn to make a difference. Their goal is to inspire girls to reach their potential and work together for a better world. We guarantee our conversation with this creative duo will inspire you!

Nam Holtz was abandoned at birth in her native Korea, and at six months was adopted by a loving American family. She grew up in the Chicago suburbs. It was clear Nam had talent - after graduating college with a BFA in dance, she was cast in the Broadway production of The King and I, and toured the U.S. in Miss Saigon and Flower Drum Song. She's also acted in film and tv. Growing up, Nam never really thought about "her past." But that changed when her older sister gave birth. It became the catalyst for Nam to travel to Korea, to try and find her biological parents and learn all she could about where she was born. That journey is chronicled in "Found in Korea,." the film she, wrote, directed and produced. She talks about that and lots more in this engaging, honest, personal conversation.

How to describe Tracy Edwards? Let's start with determined, accomplished, ballsy, adventurous, passionate. In 1989, when she was in her mid-20's, Tracy and her crew of 11 females became the first-ever all-women's team to compete in the grueling, prestigious, 32,000 mile Whitbread Round the World sailing race that begins and ends in Southampton, England. How she managed to pull this off (besting male crews in their class, by the way) is the focus of the inspiring, empowering documentary, "Maiden." We are thrilled to share Tracy's story in this not-to-be-missed conversation.

Jamie Costello is Philadelphia-born and bred. That's where she went to college - earning as Associate Degree in Fashion from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Jamie left the city of Brotherly Love for the Big Apple, where she's lived and worked for several years. But it's her very personal story that she shares with us. Our first transgender guest, Jamie takes us on her journey, when at the age of 4 she knew she was different and also knew it was something she couldn't tell her parents. Join us for this empowering and important conversation.

You're about to meet and get to know Beth Prevor, Co-founder and Executive DIrector of Hands On. For the past 30 years, this service organization has been advocating for access to the cultural arts for members of the Deaf community and audiences with disabilities. She has produced more than 500 sign-interpreted productions at some of New York's most prestigious theaters and has led workshops on accessibility and the arts for organizations throughout the U.S. Beth, by the way, is the 2015 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center's Excellence in Accessibility Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award.

Born and raised in Mississippi, Aizzah Fatima is a New York City based actress/writer/producer/playwright. A graduate of the the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Aizzah's one-woman play, "Dirty Paki Lingerie" explores what it means to be Muslim and Pakistani-American in today's world. It's been performed all over: New York City, London, Toronto, Pakistan, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Lots to talk about with this very funny, tell it like it is, creative woman.

What it does it take to land a role on Broadway, Off-Broadway and beyond? We posed that question and many more to Jamibeth Margolis, who's spent more than 20 years as a professional casting director in New York, before going out on her own. Her credits are numerous and include: "Fiddler On The Roof" in Yiddish, the "Phantom of the Opera," "Les Miz," "Miss Saigon" and "Cats." There are also multiple television pilots and on camera industrials for major U.S. companies. Oh...and Jamibeth also teaches musical theater, acting and audition techniques in New York City. Join us for a fascinating 'behind the scenes' conversation.

Entrepreneur, visionary, activist, author...all describe Aliza Sherman. In 1995 she founded Cybergrrl, the first full-service, female-owned web company and the first global internet networking organization for women. Newsweek noticed and named Aliza one of the Top People Who Matter Most on the Internet. She's currently the CEO of Ellementa, a global women's cannabis wellness network. Her work has been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, Time, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC. And....she's the author of 12 books. Needless to say, we cover a lot of ground in our conversation with this fascinating, committed, accomplished woman!

Melissa Iwai has wanted to be a children's book author and illustrator as far back as she can remember. She has illustrated more than 30 picture books, beginning with Night Shift Daddy published in 2000. Melissa also wrote and illustrated Soup Day and Pizza Day. And speaking of soup and pizza - when she's not creating visual art, Melissa can be found in her kitchen, cooking, baking and developing new recipes. In fact, she was a 2010 Cooking Light Reader Recipe winner. We're so glad Melissa took a break from creating visual and culinary art to have a conversation with us!

For Andrea Grody her extensive resume is a testament to her talent. She's the Music Director, Supervisor, Vocal and Incidental Arranger for the Broadway hit musical TOOTSIE.  She 'did' the same for THE BAND'S VISIT, which won 10 Tony Awards. Andrea's whose Off-Broadway and regional theater credits are extensive, also wrote STRANGE FACES, a full-length musical. There's a lot to learn about musical theater from this inspiring, accomplished, creative woman.