Creativity in Captivity

A multi-hyphenate theatre maker who views her solo work as an artistic extension of the social justice work she has been committed to for the last thirty years. Arlene’s award-winning solo works tour throughout the United States and internationally. Many of these works are an exploration of disability in our culture. As an actor she has performed on stages big and small in LA and Chicago and has worked in film, and television (Some of it good- Most of it bad). As a playwright she is the recipient of a Chicago Cultural Center Theatre Residency, a 3 Arts/UIC Fellowship, a Millennium Parks Grant from The Boeing Company Charitable Trust, a LA Ovations & a LA Garland Award. Her work has been a finalist in New Plays from Heartland, and a semi-finalist for Blue Ink Award, O’Neill Play. Her writings have been featured in Ms. Magazine, Huffington Post, Medium, Paramanu Pentaquark, En Posse Review, True Stories About Love - Chicago Story Press and Women of Letters Anthology by Penguin Press. She has a Doctorate degree from UCLA, teaches writing and performing and coaches across the country. Arlene is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists where she developed the Solo & Story curriculum. Her soon-to-be released new book Writing & Performing the One-Person Show will be published by Northwestern University Press 2025. Finally, she is to her knowledge the only actor to have appeared in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure AND Dougie Howser, M.D. in the same 24 hours.

Rob Watzke, a seasoned improv artist, editor, and founder of the Turbine Arts Collective, shares his dynamic journey through creativity. He discusses the power of storytelling and empathy in conflict resolution, emphasizing active listening. Watzke reflects on his editing work with iconic directors and the evolution of advertising, particularly his collaboration with Jerry Seinfeld. He intertwines these experiences with humorous insights on transformation and spontaneity in improvisation, showcasing the joy of creativity in various mediums.

The co-founder of Esther’s Follies comedy troupe & club, an actor, singer and successful entrepreneur who undoubtedly helps to “Keep Austin Weird.” Esther’s has kept audiences laughing for more than 47 years. The live comedy revue — part SNL with a Texas twist, part modern vaudeville and Magical Mystery Tour — is like nothing else on the national comedy scene. From political skewering to parody sketches to confounding magic acts. Shannon Sedwick launched her first enterprise, The Museum of Light, in 1970 in partnership with her husband Michael Shelton. A film series showing experimental short films on the UT campus where filmmakers were invited to speak about their work. That experience sparked an entrepreneurial fire in Sedwick & Shelton, so they went on to create a New Orleans-style restaurant and live music club with a funky Austin vibe called Liberty Lunch. Live music acts were performed in the backyard, and Sedwick and Shelton added entertainment with performance art pieces in between bands. The entrepreneurs’ next venture was Phillies’ Diner, where Sedwick recalls delivering sandwiches to customers by bicycle. Then came the Buffalo Grille, a jazz club and restaurant on West Sixth Street. Shannon cooked by day, and sang in a trio at night, where she fell in love with Sam Shepard when he came to their Sunday Brunch jazz jam with his bongos. This was followed by The Tavern where they completely renovated a historic building and brought the restaurant-bar back to life. They went on to open Esther’s on a song, got a beer and wine license, and built a stage in the windows. It became an underground hit and has lasted over four decades giggling & skewering all the way. 

A versatile director of theatre, film & television with credits ranging from series director on Home Improvement, produced and directed Working, Soul Man, and dozens of other prime time programs, including episodes of Friends (The Pivot! episode), Caroline in the City, Suddenly Susan, American Pie, Jesse, The Single Guy, In The House, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Sabrina, The Tick, and many more.  Andrew directed two productions for Shakespeare Festival L.A.: The Tempest and Julius Caeser, a world premiere opera for L.A. Opera On Gold Mountain and two short films: Brightness starring Eric Idle which was awarded the Gold Special Jury Prize for 2001 at the WorldFest in Houston and Solstice. His theatre credits include the world premiere of Sister Carrie, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Nilo Cruz's adaptation of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. Internationally, he has produced and directed noted original devised theatre works at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, including The Grind Show, Ithaca I’ll Never See, The Wasteland Sisters, Brandy Alexander and Searchers. Mr. Tsao was a tenured associate professor of dramatic arts at the University of Washington School of Drama where he was part of the faculty for the MFA Professional Acting and Directing Programs and was head of the Bachelor of Arts program as well. Andrew is also the creator of the new storytelling series tendingthefirepod.com. 

An award-winning circus performer, actor, director and teacher who has performed internationally for more than four million people as a principal character with Cirque Du Soleil. John’s original and quirky routines are known for being an influential part of the contemporary circus movement that began in the 1980’s. John often collaborates with top entertainment companies to create memorable characters and comedy routines for world class shows. In 2002 John was invited to Pixar Studios to consult on the physical comedy routines that were eventually included in the Oscar winning film Ratatouille. John continues to create challenging and experimental theater in California, including We Are Nudes which earned a “Best of the Fringe” award in the 2009 San Francisco Fringe Festival and Wet the Hippo which was nominated for “Best Comedy” in the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

An Atlanta-based cellist-composer, looper, improviser, and storyteller, that has been featured on the Tamaron Hall Show, received a Kennedy Center Office Hours Artist Residency, and has been accepted as a sound installation artist for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2022 Biennale. Okorie is a co-composer and performer of a cello concerto Liminal, an Atlanta Concerto, that enjoyed a world premiere in February of 2023 with The Georgia Symphony Orchestra. He scored a documentary for the Atlanta Journal Constitution named Imperfect Alibi which won a regional Emmy, and he also scored a children’s theatre show for the Alliance Theatre named Head to Toe, which won a Suzi Bass Award. He has opened for Maxwell and recorded and/or performed with India.Arie, De La Soul, and Big Boi of Outkast. He has 3 studio albums - Liminal, Resolve, and Beacon - and a Christmas EP, An Ok Christmas. His work centers on themes and expressions of the African Diaspora, while also exploring the phenomenon of musical prayer.

A stop-motion artist, photographer and creative entrepreneur who weaves magic into advertisements, marketing strategies and everyday life. Her mission is to empower others to unlock their creativity, awaken their imagination and take risks in pursing what they love. She is a stop-motion artist who makes video for brands and teaches creatives how to bring magic into their work. Colette has created memorable work for Starbucks, Panera, Sony, Nickelodeon, 3M, Kraft, Dunkin’, Expedia, Barnes & Noble, Red Bull, Fjall Raven, Blue Bottle Coffee, Adidas, Pottery Barn Kids, Native, Shutterfly, REI, Ruggable, DoorDash and Doritos.

A legendary Emmy-award winning TV writer, director & producer who co-wrote many of the classic episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and created the TV series That Girl starring Marlo Thomas. A former lifeguard in the Catskills mountains turned comedy writer for radio DJs at WNEW, Bill partnered up with Sam Denoff to write comedy for The Steve Allen Show, Good Morning World and many other sitcoms from the golden age of television. Persky went on to direct 100 episodes of the situation comedy Kate and Allie, as well as The Practice and Busting Loose. Bill also directed the feature film Serial. 

A singer, songwriter, lyricist, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records with 15 award-winning albums, more than 1 billion total streams, and nearly 450 million YouTube channel views. Laurie has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House. Business Insider dubbed Laurie “the gold standard of the children’s music world.” As a leader and innovator in children’s music and entertainment for more than 25 years, Laurie was the first recording artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr., appeared regularly on the network’s Jack’s Big Music Show, and helped develop the short form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Sprout TV. Laurie has authored several picture books based on her songs and has created two Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen series with Audible Studios, who released them as 10-chapter audio books through the Audible Originals brand. She has written the music and lyrics for three children’s musicals originally produced Off-Broadway by New York City Children’s Theater, and now presented regionally.

A Primetime Emmy Award nominee best known for her tenure as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1995-2000. Cheri began her career in Promotions for A&M records for 4 years and joined up with the Groundlings, an improv-sketch comedy group based in LA. One night, a Saturday Night Live rep attended a performance with the intention of auditioning fellow Groundlings member Chris Kattan. Oteri performed a monologue during one of Kattan's costume changes, which led to her own invitation to audition for SNL where she played stand out comic characters such as Barbara Walters, Arianna an overly spirited Spartan Cheerleader with Will Ferrell, Rita DelVecchio, a grouchy Philadelphia woman who is mean to the neighborhood children; Cass Van Rye, the dim-witted co-host of the “Morning Latte” talk show; Nadeen, a testy employee whose catchphrase constantly orders everyone to "Simmer down now!"; Althea McMahonaman, an absurdly hyper child who is an awful passenger and disturbs public servants; Collette Reardon, a prescription pill-addict; Joy Lipton, Erotic Attic boutique owner; Adele, a vulgar and highly sexual office worker whose attempts at sexual innuendos disgust rather than attract her colleagues; Laura Zimmerman, one half of the Zimmermans, who suddenly break into rough and sexual behavior before returning to casual conversation as if nothing happened (with Chris Kattan). Oteri has appeared in a number of movies, including Scary Move, Inspector Gadget, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Llyod, Shrek the Third and Southland Tales.