Lisa Lotito interviews ROBYNNE GRAFFAM, who studied English at UVA and education at NYU, and has been a teacher for 25 years. Robynne recently attended the Sewanee and Bread Loaf Writers conferences, and her newest short story is forthcoming in the winter issue of The Missouri Review. Though she grew up acting, Robynne wrote fiction and screenplays for several years before becoming a member of her current playwriting group, The Foundry. Lisa starts by asking Robynne what it took to allow herself to do the kind of writing she always really wanted to do — writing for theatre. Lisa and Robynne eventually discuss how to write good dialogue, what makes an interesting character, when to give up on a piece of writing, and how to stay creatively brave.
Lisa Lotito interviews ALLEN TATE, a producer, mixer, songwriter and musician based in Brooklyn, NY. As a performer, he is best known as the lead singer and main collaborator for the indie rock band San Fermin. As a producer, his work has been featured by NPR, Rolling Stone, Under the Radar and other national outlets as well as been placed on editorial playlists for streaming platforms and released by major and independent labels. In 2021, Allen founded the label Better Company Records with his bandmate Ellis Ludwig-Leone as a joint venture with The Orchard. Lisa and Allen discuss what it’s like to start a record label as well as the way delivering a lyric changes its meaning.
Lisa Lotito interviews ALAYNA WILEY, an artist and designer who teaches at who teaches at The Met, the Museum of Arts and Design, and ceramic studios in Brooklyn. Alayna has been living in New York for almost a decade and has traveled the globe to study with master crafts people. Lisa and Alayna start by discussing Alayna’s contribution to the Afro-Mingei canon; her work is a result of her experience as a biracial museum art educator dedicated to preserving traditional craft. They ultimately talk about what it took for Alayna to let herself become an artist.
Lisa Lotito interviews ANDREW KLEINER, who began as a lighting director (LD) at the House of Blues and became a touring LD for The Strokes, The Head and the Heart, San Fermin, Girl Talk, and more at venues such as Red Rocks. Lisa and Andrew banter as they discuss the first time Andrew lit a show, how to create emotion through color, and how to balance personal relationships while being on tour.
Lisa Lotito interviews ROLAND MIKHAIL, a painter, sculptor, and instructor at Pratt. He is also an artist in residence at the North American Sculpture Center and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Roland is the son of first generation Egyptian immigrants and lives and works in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Lisa begins by asking Roland what he’s thinking when he holds his airbrush in front of a blank canvas.
Lisa Lotito interviews Emily Drinker, an award-winning singer-songwriter from Philadelphia. Emily recently released an album called Starting to Feel as well as opened for Pat Benatar and Rufus Wainwright. You can catch her on the main stage of the Philadelphia Folk Festival on August 21 at 2 p.m. Lisa and Emily discuss how to write a song and what it takes to shape the narrative of an album.
