DO IT TODAY is a podcast hosted by Kara Cutruzzula, who asks friends and notable figures across creative industries about what they're doing that day—and how they're going to do it. It's an up close look at process and practice, a reminder for you to do your most meaningful work, and a mini dose of encouragement in 20 minutes or less.
Kara talks to Kat Jackson, the senior director of Audible Studios, who has worked in the storytelling space for two decades and oversees all production in the U.S. as well as Canada, Latin America and Brazil. She's also an educator, mother of two, and fierce Tough Mudder competitor. Big moments include how she found a career she loves, why "being good enough isn't good enough," how audiobooks encourage accessibility, and the inspiration and gratitude you experience while competing in an eight-hour obstacle course.
Find your next favorite book on Audible!
Fun people, stuff, and books mentioned:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Pre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Kara talks to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Aegean Chan, who opened her own practice in Santa Barbara, California, has published in medical journals, and runs one of my favorite Instagram accounts with skincare advice. Big moments include balancing parenting with her career, her social media cutoff time, creating realistic to-do lists, and treating responsibilities like glass balls and plastic balls—and accepting you can't always juggle them all.
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Pre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Kara talks with author Michelle Wildgen, whose newest book Wine People was published August 1. She's the editor of the food writing anthology Food & Booze, and the former executive editor of the literary journal Tin House. Michelle is also a freelance editor and creative writing teacher and co-runs the Madison Writers' Studio with novelist Susanna Daniel.
Big moments include being in a no-reading writers' group, her hot take on prescriptive advice, the magic of a blank-page revision, field trips for Wine People, and why pasta is almost always the answer.
More about Michelle:
https://www.michellewildgen.com/
Buy Wine People, published by Zibby Books, on Amazon and Bookshop
Fun stuff mentioned:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Pre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Kara talks to Tony Award-winning producer, manager, and educator Erica Rotstein, who's currently represented on Broadway as a co-producer of Parade and Just For Us. Big moments include embracing radical candor, the idea of emergent strategy and being able to pivot your plans, and why she wants to build all of her work around relationships.
More about Erica Rotstein
http://ericarotstein.com/
Take workshops on producing theater with Erica and her Business of Broadway partners Rachel Sussman, Heather Shields, and Sammy Lopez. (They're wonderful!)
https://www.thebusinessofbroadway.com/
Shows, books, and resources mentioned:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational JournalPre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Kara talks to Dorie Clark, a keynote speaker, consultant, and author of four books, most recently The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, and is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review. Dorie is also a musical theater lyricist and member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop (where we met!). Big moments include a new fitness routine and myofunctional therapy, the power of four-way wins, how she uses forcing functions to make progress on her musical, and more.
More about Dorie Clark
https://dorieclark.com/
Follow Dorie on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/doriec/
Buy The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World
https://dorieclark.com/books/
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational JournalPre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Kara talks to actor, singer, and writer Samantha Massell, who is starring as researcher Rosalind Franklin in the world premiere of the new musical Double Helix by Madeline Myers. Big moments include the four-year journey of Double Helix, treating creative projects like they're non-negotiable, her script for saying "no," and how plants and word puzzles create the structure of her day.
More about Samantha:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of three motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational JournalPre-order Do It (or Don't): A Boundary-Creating Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Steve Wallace about his day. Big moments include working on the arrangements for a new musical adaptation of Animal Farm, how he avoids over-analyzing and gets stuff done, the faith that guides his creative vision, and more.
More about Steve: https://stevewallacemusic.com/
Twitter: @stevewstudio
Instagram: @stevewstudio1
A developmental production of Animal Farm: The Musical — music by Steve Wallace, lyrics by Daniel Abrahamson, book by Sarah Mucek — is running at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center from Nov. 16-20 in New York City. More info here (it's free!).
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement JournalBuy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to actor and singer Liz Callaway about her day. Big moments include releasing her live Sondheim album, realizing it's never too late to learn something new, creating your own breaks, the joys of starting before you're ready, her favorite reads on creativity, and more.
More about Liz Callaway: http://lizcallaway.com/
Twitter: @LizGoesOn
Instagram: @LizGoesOn
Facebook: LizCallawayOfficial
Watch Liz's YouTube channel
Buy Liz's new album, To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates SondheimListen to To Steve With Love on Spotify
See Liz and her sister Ann Hampton Callaway at 54 Below in November. Tickets here
Buy Liz's Christmas album, Comfort and Joy: An Acoustic Christmas
Follow Liz on Spotify: http://bit.ly/SpotifyLizCallaway
Follow Liz on Apple Music: http://bit.ly/AppleMusicLizCallaway
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Buy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to book editor Zack Knoll about his day. Big moments include how he protects his creative editing time, maintaining author relationships, fighting the three o'clock slump, and why he organizes his multi-folder inbox while watching Real Housewives.
Follow Zack on Twitter: @zackknoll_
Follow Zack on Instagram: @rack__roll
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Buy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to Broadway stage manager, producer, and educator Cody Renard Richard about his day. Big moments include navigating a two-show day for Into the Woods, why he brings his full self to work, his "sh*t to get done" list, finding the path he was supposed to walk, and how he winds down after working long hours.
More about Cody: https://www.codyrenard.com/
Follow Cody on Instagram: @codyrenard
Follow Cody on Twitter: @codyrenard
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Buy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to actor, audiobook narrator, and director Carlotta Brentan about her day. Big moments include prep work and book analysis, why she's devoted to 10-minute breaks, co-directing the new play Vatican Falls, and how she uses Airtable to organize her life.
More about Carlotta: carlottabrentan.com
Follow her on Twitter: @CarlottaBrentan
Listen to Carlotta's award-winning audiobook narration for New York Times and Audible bestsellers: http://carlottabrentan.com/audiobooks
Learn about Fabler, Carlotta's audiobook publishing company for Italian-speaking audiences.
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Buy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Artwork by Tyler Spangler and music by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to writer, editor, and freelance guru Tim Herrera about his day. Big moments include encouraging writers and self-employed folks to take time off, overcoming scarcity mindset, and leaving the New York Times to build his own business Freelancing with Tim.
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Buy Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Buy Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to actor and singer Ann Harada about her day. Big moments include one last vacation on Cape Cod, preparing for her Into the Woods return, how she says no to certain gigs, the anniversary of Avenue Q, working with Milky White, and more.
Follow Ann
Instagram: @iamannharada
Twitter: @annharada
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to musical theater composer/lyricist Adam Gwon about his day. Big moments include building the foundation for a sequence song, becoming a morning person while on the road, writing advice he received from Lynn Ahrens, and more.
More about Adam: adamgwon.com
Instagram: @gwonster
Twitter: @adamgwon
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to speaker and flow state expert Diane Allen about her day. Big moments include how to find your own state of flow, vanquishing your inner critic, setting email power hours, tuning out distractions, and more.
More about Diane: dianeallen.com
Contact Diane at diane [at] dianeallen [dot] com for a free 15-minute flow strategy session!
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to Vanity Fair correspondent and Central Places author Delia Cai about her day. Big moments include her first public literary reading, how she wrote her book in two hours a week, and her middle school glory days writing Harry Potter fan fiction.
More about Delia Cai: deliacai.com
Twitter: @delia_cai
Instagram: @deeeliacai
Preorder her book Central Places
Read Delia's work for Vanity Fair
Subscribe to Delia's newsletter Deez Links
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to writer and email genius Laura Belgray about her day. Big moments include keeping open space on her calendar, her EFAB email method, procrastination, writing habits, her upcoming essay collection, and more.
More about Laura: https://www.talkingshrimp.com/
Instagram: @talkingshrimpnyc
Laura's mastermind group Shrimp Club
Laura's book Tough Titties is coming out June 13, 2023 from Hachette!
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to actor, writer, director, and composer Tyrone L. Robinson about his day. Big moments include strategies for hitting a major deadline, making theater more inclusive, connecting with people you admire, and the importance of your first draft.
More about Tyrone: tyronelrobinson.com
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to journalist and Let's Get Physical author Danielle Friedman about her day. Big moments include conducting rapid-fire interviews, discussing how to write pitches that editors want to read, and three types of story scoops she learned about from our former boss.
More about Danielle: danielle-friedman.com
Twitter: @dfriedmanwrites
Instagram: @daniellefriedmanwrites
Purchase her book Let's Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World
Mentions in the episode:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to Caveday cofounder, designer, and entrepreneur Jake Kahana about his day. Big moments include developing a killer morning routine, writing better emails, monotasking, and going into the cave to do your most important work.
More about Jake: jakekahana.com
Subscribe to Jake's Email Refrigerator, a wonderful monthly publication he sends to help readers think about their lives, relationships, and work more deeply.
Resources mentioned:
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A3PKz1
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vHt5pJ
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QnvDRN
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vIYYyg
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's daily newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to playwright and TV/film writer Will Arbery about his day. Big moments include "gutting" the draft of his TV pilot, learning how to listen in the Succession writers' room, and his ideal creative practice.
More about Will: willarbery.com
Plays mentioned:
Evanston Salt Costs Climbing directed by Danya Taymor, opening this fall with The New Group
Corsicanaat Playwrights Horizons
Heroes of the Fourth Turning at Playwrights Horizons
Bonus! I highly recommend watching this Zoom seminar with Will from April 2020, which taught me so much about organizing your writing life.
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A3PKz1
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vHt5pJ
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QnvDRN
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vIYYyg
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's daily newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Kara talks to writer, speaker, mindset coach, and founder of WANT: Women Against Negative Talk Katie Horwitch about her day. Big moments include revising the manuscript for her first book, an editing trick we both happen to use, and a method for structuring her week that you'll want to steal.
Follow Katie:
Website: katiehorwitch.com
WANT: WANT: Women Against Negative TalkPodcast: The WANTcast
Book: WANT YOUR SELF released in Fall 2023 by Sounds True
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's a musical theater writer, playwright, editor, and the author of two motivational journals.
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A3PKz1
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vHt5pJ
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QnvDRN
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vIYYyg
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's daily newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Do It Today is a podcast created by Kara Cutruzzula. She's the author of two motivational journals and a musical theater writer, playwright, and editor.
Original artwork design by Tyler Spangler
Original music composed by Kristoffer Bjarke
Preorder Do It Today: An Encouragement Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A3PKz1
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vHt5pJ
Purchase Do It For Yourself: A Motivational Journal
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QnvDRN
Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3vIYYyg
For more daily encouragement, subscribe to Kara's daily newsletter: https://brassringdaily.substack.com/
Visit www.karacutruzzula.com, or follow her on Instagram @karacut.