Tricia Alexandro (LITE, Part 1) - Playwright, Actor, & Personal Trainer

In this first part of a two-part episode, our host Abigail Wright sits down with playwright, actor, and personal trainer Tricia Alexandro to discuss the importance of family, her survival story, and how to work on happiness. More at http://www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Intro:
Tricia is a native New Yorker. She studied creative writing and public speaking at Binghamton University, and, following college, moved to Los Angeles to study the Meisner Technique at Playhouse West Acting School. When she returned to New York, she studied scene study, script analysis and Shakespeare at The Barrow Group School with Seth Barrish and Lee Brock. She is a longtime member of the Barrow Groupʼs master class and has appeared in numerous productions at their theater, including two one-woman shows that she wrote. She also studied on-camera acting with Bob Krakower and attended The Manhattan Film Institute. She is a member of the Labyrinth Theater Companyʼs Intensive Ensemble. She has written two plays, both of which had readings at The Bank Street Theater, home of the Labyrinth Theater Company. In addition to her many film and  theatre credits as an actor, Tricia performs her writing the third Sunday of every month at The Bowery Poetry Club as part of The Symphonics Live Show, hosted by Shawn Randall. She also performs her writing at the Naked Angels' Tuesdays at 9 monthly reading series. She's currently working on her next one-woman show – a compilation of monologues based on urban women – and she intends to perform it by early 2018.

Show links:

• Tricia's comedian brother, Ted Alexandro - http://tedalexandro.com/

• Tricia Alexandro on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tricia.alexandro

• Tricia Alexandro on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/trish.alexandro/

• Tricia Alexandro's website (for anyone who wants to help manage it!) - http://www.triciaalexandro.com/
  
  Show Summary:

So - which came first, the scriptor or the ham? No, no, seriously - did you see yourself more as a writer or an actor growing up, or both?
Tricia says acting came first but didn't realize it could be more than a hobby until she graduated from college. She previously thought she'd be a teacher, like both of her parents. When she moved to LA, she gave herself the space permission to go after it, after struggling with her desire to be liked and have her parents approve of her choices.

How did it work out with your parents, were they supportive?
Tricia's brother paved the way for her when he decided to become a comedian, and her parents have been very supportive. His advice was also invaluable.
Is he still a comedian?
Yes - he opens for Jim Gaffagan, has been on the Letterman Show and with Conan O'Brien.
What's his name and how do we find him?
Ted Alexandro - find him at http://www.tedalexandro.com.
Does he live here? So you have that support.
Yes, he lives in Astoria, and she's so happy to be back to the east coast and to be able to see him all the time. When she moved back here, it initially felt like a failure to her, but that has changed a lot, and she's thrilled to have that support.

You're clearly very prolific as a writer and an actor, and you're  constantly creating more content. What drives you the most in your work?
Absence. If Tricia sees that women, urban women, and minorities especially are under-represented, she feels a fire to right that wrong.
She comes from a family of stories and talks about the joy of watching her mother teach. Her mother was a religion and sex ed teacher who had a  passion for staying and changing things within the catholic church. Tricia really admires people who recognize the need for change and work within institutions to change them. Her mother wrote letters to a catholic magazine called "The Bulletin" and taught her daughter that she has a voice and that it can be powerful. When she focuses on competition or winning awards, that cripples her. When she focuses on the joy of saying the important things that need to be said, then she can't wait to write.

What attracts you the most about the theatre experience?
Tricia says it's a high that you can't replicate anywhere else. There's an instant gratification and response, a communion that happens between  the audience and the performers. It's a reminder that we're all actually connected, experienced in the moment, riding a wave of spirit and what feels like love to Tricia - "a hugeness that I don't experience anywhere else."

How can people find your upcoming shows?
Instagram or Facebook - see show links above.

Have you had any big obstacles that you've had to overcome, and what have you learned from those experiences?
Her earliest obstacles involved being a very sensitive person in a messy world that tries to compact sensitive people. Acting was her salvation, after having a bully in grammar school that toyed with her sense of self and made her believe she wasn't good enough. Tricia shares that she was raped by a guy in her acting class at 23, which was part of her unraveling. It forced her into intense suffering and caused her to burst through, coming out more fully herself and less afraid of owning her truth.
So you would say you're resilient? Yes.

So often, people who are happy have always been happy. Have you had to work on your happiness then?
Tricia tended more towards melancholy and thought it was just who she was. Her younger sister would wake up with a smile every morning, where Trish would feel overwhelming anxiety. She often felt like she wasn't in  charge and didn't know what she was doing, not smart enough to make her own decisions.

How did you overcome that?
Therapy. Tricia is a willing student of life, open to many different  modalities - including physical bodywork, hypnotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which has helped her to question the automatic thoughts and create the space between experience and reaction.

Thanks so much for joining us for part 1 of this amazing episode with Tricia Alexandro. Tune in next time when we'll talk about everything from swing dance to grit, to equality, happiness, success and so much more. She even tries to rename the show! Thanks for joining us, and thanks especially to Trish for a really wonderful interview. 

George Walden (LITE) - Retired FDA & Pfizer Staff Member

Description:
In this LITE episode, host Abigail Wright talks with retired FDA & Pfizer staff member George Walden about the importance of friends, family, and activities, his views on the world today, and appreciating the differences in humanity. For more, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence to hear about his experiences with the FDA & Pfizer, the value in a single life, George's key to happiness and much more.

Bio/Intro:
George Walden was born in Washington DC and was raised in Upper Marlboro, MD. He and his two brothers and two sisters still get together for family gatherings a couple of times during the year.

George completed a Bachelor of Science degree at Morgan State University in Baltimore in 1972. Following he graduation, he was hired by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Newark, NJ and worked for the FDA for 25 1/2 years as a Consumer Safety Officer. He was fortunate to take an early retirement with the FDA in 1997 and begin a career with Warner Lambert (later known as Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) as a Corporate Quality Auditor.  George worked for Warner Lambert/Pfizer, Inc. for 17 years and traveled to nearly 40 countries around the world. He retired from Pfizer in April 2015.

Now he spends his time practicing Aikido, Yoga, playing golf, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Show summary:
I don't think we've ever talked about this, but I got my master's degree at the University of MD in College Park, so I'm very familiar with DC and Prince George's county. What was it like for you, growing up in that area?
He remembers a fun upbringing with what he needed as the second of five children. Both his parents worked until George was born, when his mother agreed to stay home and take care it and them. Communal family dinners played an important role in keeping his family together. Although the community was quiet, without much to do, the children all found ways to keep themselves busy with sports, sledding, go karts, and other activities with friends.

It seems like growing up, in your jobs, and in the sports that you do, community is very important to you. How has that enhanced your life?
It's helped him see people differently, and as valuable. George tells us about experiences where he'd speak with people on the phone as part of his job helping other companies comply before meeting them in person. He might have a conversation where the person would complain about minorities or women or the government, and then meet the man in person. As the man met him and got to know him, he treated him incredibly kindly. "There's a lot of hatred and fear and animosity in the world, but people are people... Once we learn a little bit about each other and get to know each other, we find out, we're all the same." He believes his community upbringing contributed to his perspective on that.

What's your perspective on what's happening today in our culture? Between the current political climate, the extreme polarization of different viewpoints, and the recent resurgence of overt racism... is any of this new?
We discuss how it's not really new, but that now with the statements made by current leadership, people feel that they can express their extreme viewpoints.

How have you reacted to it, and what do you think we can do better as individuals to help improve society in general?
Let people have their space. George goes back to his story about the people he met in the FDA. If you give people space to get to know each other beyond biases and appearances, there's really no reason for people to hate each other.

What does happiness mean to you, in your life?
Happiness, for George means being able to do the things he wants to do, especially Aikido, golf, and being social and around people. His father's life consisted of work, the family, and the house. On forced vacations, he'd work on the house or visit family, or fish. When he retired, after a year or two, he had to go back to work. George believes you have to have something to keep you going.

Have you always been a pretty content person, or have you had to work at it?
George has been pretty content most of his life because he's always done things that keep him interested.

If there were one thing you'd like the world to see differently, what would it be?
More respect and more acceptance of each other. Everyone doesn't have to be the same, and that makes the world interesting.

Thanks for watching! For more, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence to hear about his experiences with the FDA & Pfizer, the value in a single life, George's key to happiness and much more.

Louis Levitt (LITE) - Artistic Entrepreneur & Chamber Musician

In this LITE episode, host Abigail Wright talks with Artistic Entrepreneur & Chamber Musician Louis Levitt about the value of close-knit ensembles, flexibility in parenting, envisioning things never done before, and more. 

For full, un-cut access, including discussions on what children know that adults sometimes don't, learning about learning, the devaluation of recorded music, and more at http://www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Intro: Intro
Louis is an artistic entrepreneur and internationally renowned chamber musician with an uncanny talent for performing, creating, implementing and maintaining groundbreaking musical ventures of the highest caliber.

As the double bassist of Sybarite5, Louis Levitt was the first ever double bassist to win the Concert Artist Guild Competition. Since then, he has performed with Sybarite5 in hundreds of concerts nationally and internationally, his debut EP with them cracked the top ten on the Billboard charts, and their follow up LP Everything in its Right Place was released at Carnegie Hall to critical acclaim. Their next album, Outliers, will be released later this season

In addition to performing with Sybarite5, Louis Levitt is currently an Artistic Director of Bright Shiny Things, a music collective for mezzo soprano and double bass. He is also in demand as a soloist and lecturer.  He has given masterclasses around the USA from Penn State to Fairbanks AK, has presented at the International Society of Double Bassists, and has spoken on the art of engagement at the APAP arts conference and the Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory & Mannes School. He's also currently a professor at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Louis lives in NYC with his wife, mezzo-soprano and actress Blythe Gaissert, and their two children.

Show notes:
You can find all Sybarite5 concerts at sybarite5.org and Bright Shiny Things at brightshiny.ninja. You can find their music on iTunes, Google Play, on Bandcamp (their favorite), and at their fan pages on Facebook.

Show summary:
How did you get started with Bright Shiny Things, and what's your vision for it?
A composer and performer Gilda Lyons, hired Louis and his wife, mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert-Levitt, to sing a concert for the Phoenix Concert series in NYC. She wrote music specifically for them and commissioned music by other composers. They're able to add and subtract various instruments with a core of double bass and mezzo, and Louis is excited to be able to add words to the music in order to add a greater level of expression.

Sybarite5 is having their 10th anniversary!
To celebrate, they're releasing Outliers, with 10 new works from 10 new composers.

What has being a part of such a close-knit community added to your life?
You really get a chance to delve deep into the music, with more time spent on the music and discussions about the music.

What do you envision for your musical and professional goals going forward?
For Sybarite5, a lot of new music and collaborations, and a lot of new touring. He's also excited to see what he can do with Bright Shiny Things that he can't do with Sybarite5. Finally, he's thrilled to build the double bass program at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Louis discusses parenthood. No matter what you do to plan for it, you can never know how it's going to be, because everyone's situation is unique and individual. Sometimes, it works out well when one is touring and the other is home. Sometimes, it's difficult when they're both touring. Flexibility is key. Because he really wants to spend time with his kids, it helps him to hone in on what is really important and how he truly wants to spend his time, because it's so much more precious.

Looking back, do you have any advice for other freelance couples considering having kids?
Just have them. Start there. If it's something you want, you'll find a way to make it work. If you live somewhere where your family can help you, that's great. If not, you'll need a lot of help and money, but those things shouldn't stop you from having them.

What's your favorite accomplishment so far?
There was no precedent for Sybarite5. It took him 5 years to decide that it was a good idea to make something so new, despite the lack of historical data for it, without the validation for it. He's proud that they helped to tear down the wall for other ensembles in the classical music world wanting to form a new group. Memorable experiences include winning the Concert Artists Guild, premiering an album at Carnegie Hall. He loves the moments where they break through something and are able to challenge people's perceptions.

Have you always been happy, or was it something you had to learn?
For Louis, being unhappy is what helps you find happiness. He searched for happiness in an orchestra and then he went to a string quintet, and now he has Bright Shiny Things and teaching at a university. He finds happiness to be something not so easily defined, but his kids help him to be content. He talks about how musicians and artists are constantly pushing themselves to do more, because the possibilities with music are endless.

Other advice?
Focus on continued artistic growth. For anyone? Focus on self-growth. We have a lot of choices in our country, so you have to educate yourself on the choices you make.