S2E11: Utica Queen

In our final episode of this season of The Bazzness, Jane interviews the interdisciplinary, and more-than-highly quotable, H. Adam Harris. He discusses his six guidelines for art-making, how he remains hopeful and active in the face of contemporary events, his time as the Lorax, and even gives us a sneak peak at his work directing Redwood (opening 3/11/2020 at the Jungle Theater). Check out our archive of The Bazzness episodes from Seasons 1 and 2. They are available anywhere podcasts can be downloaded, on our site, or directly from our host at  Anchor FM.

In our second to last episode of the season, choreographer and tap dancer Kaleena Miller shares insights about the history (and present!) of tap dance, granting structures, and the aural and physical basis of her creative process.

Ethan Mundt (a.k.a Utica Queen) talks about his creative process, sparking joy with performance, and the visual and cultural references that make his drag performances alternatively hilarious and poignant.

Writer, puppet-maker, movie-maker, musician, and “hobby tourist” Ezra Bartsch reminds us that “art is not alone,” and speaks on the importance of revisions and vulnerability in art-making.

Annie Enneking’s interdisciplinary work springs from the body -- be it fight choreography, acting or music, she brings a keen understanding of mass and momentum to every creative room.

Comedian Rana May and Jane talk about comedy, therapy and even dogs in this episode of The Bazzness. From learning how (and when!) to trust audiences on jokes to how, as a woman, she felt she needed to be “anointed” before calling herself a comedian, May paints a compelling picture of what it is like to work and laugh in the Twin Cities.

Jane speaks with Renata Nijiya, who goes by the stage name Queenie von Curves. Renata shares her insights about the subversive, empowering and cheeky world of Minneapolis Burlesque.

Interdisciplinary artist extraordinaire Rebekah Crisanta de Ybarra (enrolled Maya-Lenca, El Salvador, b. Tomah, WI) speaks about her artistic practice of channeling, how her work revolves around cultural reclamation and decolonization, as well as steps we can take as an artistic community to forge relationships.

Clown, juggler, mime, director, circus performer, magician, musician, and teaching artist Benjamin Domask gets into the psychological, physical, spiritual, and ethical implications of clowning. Clowns try to embody love and Benjamin brought his suitcase of props for us all to enjoy.

Voice and dialect coach Foster Johns speaks with Jane Froiland about coming to characters aurally (hesitation sounds, the dangers of prestige accents) and how dialect work can be woven into the DNA of theatrical process.