This week, host June Thomas talks to Oliver Burkeman, author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In the interview, Oliver shares his philosophy of time management, which hinges on the finite nature of life. He also dis

Tom Mison on His Acting Techniques and Favorite Roles

1 Oct 10th, 2021 53m 32s

This week, host June Thomas talks to actor Tom Mison, who discusses some of his favorite roles, from Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow to Mr. Phillips in Watchmen. Tom also discusses various approaches to acting and his process for learning how to

Our Creative New Year’s Resolutions

Jan 3rd, 2021 48m 28s

To kick off 2021, June, Rumaan, and Isaac share their creative goals for 2021 and offer each other advice on how to see them through. They talk about reading habits, social media consumption, time management, and much more. Send your questions

Working Overtime: Be Kind to Your Creative Self

Jan 12th, 2023 17m 25s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas strategize about how to avoid feeling guilty about insufficient productivity. Both have spent hours in front of a screen without getting words on paper, but the answer

Working Overtime: Collaborating Through Conflict

1 day ago 21m 3s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler examine a listener’s question about tackling the stickiest aspects of collaborating on a creative project. Both hosts have had their fair share of nightmare sc

A Clarinetist Finds His Flow State

6 days ago 52m 10s

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic. In the interview, Anthony describes his weekly routine, which includes practicing lots of different pieces at any given time, rehearsing,

How to Be Both a Critic and a Creator

13 days ago 49m 57s

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Linda Holmes, host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and author of two novels: Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo. In the interview, Linda explains how she started her career practicing law i

Working Overtime: Creator Mode vs. Editor Mode

16 days ago 25m 1s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler take on listener Bob’s question about how to shift your brain from editor mode to creator mode. Creating new work can be invigorating, but then having to go ba

How a Magician Designs Original, Mind-Blowing Tricks

20 days ago 46m 36s

This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Joshua Jay, a world-class magician, storyteller, and author of multiple books about the history and craft of magic. In the interview, Joshua explains how he’s able to conceive of, design, and execu

How to Curate a Small Town Art Museum

27 days ago 50m 29s

This week, host June Thomas talks to Courtney Gilbert, curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Ketchum, Idaho. In the interview, Courtney digs into the process of curating a “non-collecting” museum, which means they start from scratch with e

Working Overtime: Finding Your Why

30 days ago 20m 27s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas, take out their microscopes and examine what gives them purpose and where it comes from. For Ronald, finding creative independence led him to self-publish h

From Corporate Job to Broadway Playwright

Mar 17th, 2024 50m 44s

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Bekah Brunstetter, a TV writer and playwright whose most recent project is the new Broadway musical version of The Notebook. In the interview, Bekah discusses her early career journey, when she was jugg

An Acting Coach’s Tips for Beginners and Experts

Mar 10th, 2024 52m 59s

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Howard Fine, an acting teacher and coach who instructs both beginners and accomplished movie stars. In the interview, Howard explains why he chose to teach and coach, instead of act. Then he discusses the c

Working Overtime: Getting Paid On Time

Mar 7th, 2024 22m 42s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas talk money, finances, and getting paid as a freelancer in a tough economy. Filling out invoices the right way or sending a payment reminder email to an empl

How to Make a “Fair” Crossword Puzzle

Mar 3rd, 2024 49m 41s

This week, host June Thomas talks to Anna Shechtman, a crossword puzzle creator whose new book is called The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle. In the interview, Anna talks about her experience writi

How TV Host Carla Hall Stays Authentic On-Camera

Feb 25th, 2024 46m 20s

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to chef and TV personality Carla Hall. In the interview, Carla talks about leaving her first career as an accountant to explore modeling and then cooking. Then she discusses her pivot to TV, her commitment

Working Overtime: Asking for Expert Advice

Feb 22nd, 2024 26m 56s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dissect The Yang Slinger author Jeff Pearlman’s recent prickly advice to young professionals. Then, June and Isaac expound on their experiences of dishing out a

How to Write Every Day and Stick to It

Feb 18th, 2024 47m 34s

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer Amitava Kumar, whose latest novel is My Beloved Life. In the interview, Amitava discusses his habit of writing every day—a habit he strongly recommends to his students at Vassar College. Then he shar

A Biography With Very High Stakes

Feb 11th, 2024 50m 27s

This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Adam Sisman about his two biographies of the late spy novelist John le Carré. In the interview, Adam discusses how he managed to land such an exciting project and how he was granted so much access to

Working Overtime: Managing New Hires Better

Feb 8th, 2024 26m 43s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler respond to some recent listener mail. The first message is from a listener who wonders how to find an assistant to help with their workload and tasks around the

Working Overtime: Managing New Hires Better

Feb 8th, 2024 26m 43s

Malcolm X’s Story, Told Through Opera

Feb 4th, 2024 47m 36s

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony Davis, a Pulitzer Prize winning opera composer whose work includes the 1986 opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, which was recently revived and produced for the Metropolitan Opera. In the inter

How Children’s Book Ideas Begin

Jan 28th, 2024 54m 52s

This week, host June Thomas talks to children’s book author and illustrator Mika Song, whose work includes the Norma and Belly series about two squirrels with big appetites. In the interview, Mika explains how she collects ideas just by moving

Working Overtime: Breaking Stubborn Habits

Jan 25th, 2024 28m 44s

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler examine their most habitual work routines and think of new ways to improve them. For Isaac, it’s all about switching up your physical workspace, while June likes to

The Sounds That Make a Movie

Jan 21st, 2024 50m 42s

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to the very in-demand sound designer Johnnie Burn, who has worked on multiple great and sonically rich films like Nope, Poor Things, and the dark historical drama The Zone of Interest, which tells the story of