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Ellen Kaplan is an actress, writer, and director, and professor emerita of acting and directing at Smith College. She performs and directs internationally, in places like Pakistan, China, Israel, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Puerto Rico, and she recently edited the new book Theater Responds to Social Trauma: Chasing the Demons. Ellen joins me to talk about her work in and out of the classroom, dealing with “the shoulds,” how easy it is to get in our own way, why we are each a culture unto ourselves, what we’ve each learned from our students, and more.
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Read this week’s article, on how Apple accidentally told the truth about technology and creativity, here.
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Episode breakdown:
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00:00 Introduction
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03:15 Self-discovery through teaching experiences
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08:42 Importance of humility, listening, and respect
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12:27 Cultural differences observed while teaching ESL
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18:15 Embracing individuality in students
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22:30 Influence of “should” on decision-making
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28:05 Pressure of being an expert vs. staying open to learning
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34:14 Value of revision in the creative process
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38:50 Saying yes in improv and life
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44:35 Creating healing spaces through storytelling
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48:52 Career serendipity and intrinsic experiences
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54:18 Commodification’s impact on creativity
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58:23 Kitsugi and the beauty of imperfections
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01:03:41 Ellen’s work in conflict zones and peace efforts
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01:09:56 Improvisational recalculating of identity and work
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Want to Reignite Your Creative Spark? Contact me here.
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Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
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Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a time when you got in your own way.
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If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.
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Want more? Here’s a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre.
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