Sunday Spotlight with Khalia Davis: Recent Episodes
Khalia Davis
Sunday Spotlight with Khalia Davis is a new community show for kids and their families! Award-winning theater director, educator, and performer, Khalia Davis, invites some of her favorite artist friends in conversation on her virtual stage. Each episode shines a light on the talented art made by her guests as well as the positive social impact their art adds to the industry and their community. After each guest shares about their own unique artistic journey, we end all episodes with a fun, screen-free CREATIVE CRAFT that kids can do on their own that relates to the type of art our guests make! From learning about writing, composing, clowning, voice over, or performing on BROADWAY, there is something for every child curious about what a career looks like in the arts. Once Khalia assumed her new position as Artistic Director of Bay Area Children's Theatre, she has made it her mission that all programming should educate, engage, and empower our next generation of young people to live creatively and boldly as their full authentic selves chasing after their own dreams.
Happy New Year friends! On this special episode of Sunday Spotlight, our host, Khalia talks with award-winning author, MacArthur Fellow, and resident artist for the Kennedy Center, Jacqueline Woodson! And when we say “award-winning,” we’re talking about a National Book Award, Newbery Honors, and NYTimes Best Sellers just to name a few. Khalia and Jacqueline have a conversation about the exciting world of books and storytelling and the importance of creating works of art that speak to young people today. How cool is it to read a story where you feel like the author is speaking directly to you? Jacqueline Woodson writes her stories this way! We are also so excited to present the west coast premiere of her new show based on her popular children’s book, The Day You Begin later this year! Ms. Woodson challenges our young viewers to write about their favorite first day of school and when they run out of true facts, use their imagination to come up with even more moments. That is how you write fiction!
Knock, knock! Who's there? It's our final guest of the season, comedian and professional voice actor, Aparna Nancherla! Even though Aparna proudly represents a community of people who might identify as shy or introverted, she has made a career out of standing in front of audiences large and small telling jokes and sharing stories. Since their time working together as cast mates with The Story Pirates in Los Angeles, Khalia always knew Aparna had a love for being in work for young people and has leant her unique voice to popular animated series like The Great North and Mira, Royal Detective on Disney Jr. And make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming release of her new book filled with personal essays all about imposter syndrome. Aparna ends our episode inviting our audience to access their funny bone by giving us advice on how to land our favorite jokes.
Dynamic performer and motivational speaker for young people, Katy Geraghty joins host, Khalia Davis to share her unlikely artistic journey to the Broadway stage. From her Broadway debut in Groundhog Day the Musical, to starring in new works like Bliss and &Juliet, she is living her best life doing what she loves. Up next, she is about to star as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods on Broadway, returning to her first ever role in theater when she was just a kid! Wow! While pursuing her artistic dreams, she always finds ways to give back to the next generation as a public speaker and social media personality advocating for equity and inclusion in the arts and showing them how to live a fully authentic life. Plus, kids don't want to miss a chance to learn how to build up confidence with what makes them special when Katy shares her inspiring Creative Craft!
Kimberly Marie Olivier joins host, Khalia Davis, to share her journey as a proud afro-Latina professional dancer and art maker. From early inspiring moments of representation dancing with the famed Ballet Hispanico in New York to inspiring the next generation of young dancers of color through her performances with the internationally acclaimed SF Ballet. Kim continues to champion the work of other talented dancers and artists of color while embracing new and innovative ways to create the art she loves. For this episode's Creative Craft, Kim gives our young viewers the secret to spinning in circles for as long as you want without getting dizzy!
Awarding-winning native Hawaiian television and stage actor, director, writer, and storyteller, Moses Goods reunites with our host, Khalia, after their time working together on the critically-acclaimed production of A Kids Play About Racism. Moses shares his journey discovering his passion for performing that came from an unlikely audience and the pride he has for his multiple identities - being both Black and Hawaiian. He offers words of wisdom to our young viewers and invites them to learn a traditional seated hula for their Creative Craft.
HAWAIIANI luna lā I luna
Nā manu o ka lewa
I lalo lua i lalo
Nā pua o ka honua
I uka lā i uka
Nā ulu lāʻau
I kai lā I kai
Nā iʻa o ka moana
Haʻina mai ka puana
A he nani ke ao nei
He inoa no nā kamaliʻi
ENGLISHUp, up above
Birds fly in the sky
Down, down
Flowers of the earth
Upland, up in the uplands
The grove of trees
In the sea, the sea
The fishes of the ocean
Tell the refrain
Of this beautiful world
In honor of the children
In celebration of International Arts Education Week, this week's episode of Sunday Spotlight features our host, Khalia's friend, artist, educator, activist and former Disney Theatrical Group co-worker, Najah Muhammad! They reconnect over their shared love of the power of arts education for young people and the need for more positive, uplifting platforms like her podcast, Underrepresented Represenatives. She discovered her passion for teaching artistry early in life because of her mom, Fonda Muhammad, the founder of Leaders by Choice, an arts nonprofit serving children and young adults. Najah teaches our young viewers fun tools they can add to their Actor Toolkit. What's in your toolkit?
Welcome back to another season of Sunday Spotlight! We have been busy during our hiatus putting together a brand new original show called The Imaginaries: An Immersive Musical! This is even more exciting because it is the first major collaboration between our creative storytellers in our BACT Writer's Room! In this special insider episode, our host, Khalia, interviews the incredible artists that make up our writer's room. They share about their own artistic journeys and what makes working together this past season so meaningful. At the end, Khalia and the writers invite our young viewers to dream up a fun adventure they would have with their own imaginary friend, write it down and then act it out for their grown ups!
Guests:
Ali Xavier Travis
Samantha Miller
Carissa Atallah
Samantha Blain
Sunday Spotlight –
For our season one finale, Khalia learns all about the fun and fascinating world of clowning from her two buddies, Marisol Shapiro and Andrew P. Quick! You may even recognize Andrew from past BACT shows like Press Here and Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy the National Tour. Together, they dispel a lot of myths about clowns and instead demonstrate the real mission and heart behind the art form. From Clowns Without Borders to the Medical Clown Project, these two masters of silly, share all the many reasons why humans can use a bit of clown in their lives. Our young viewers get an extra special treat when they get to meet and play with Andrew and Marisol's clown alter egos during their Creative Craft!
Sunday Spotlight –
Rhiannon Brogan is a Voice Actor represented in the Bay Area. She discovered the world of voice over while studying Theatre at USC, and since 2011, Rhiannon has focused her acting career behind the microphone. She has honed her skills through her experiences ranging from voicing video games/interactive, toys & e-learning to commercials, narration, and more. Credits include (but certainly not limited to): NB2K video games, Vainglory, Animal Island Learning Adventure, LeapFrog, Hatchibabies, Fingerlings, Del Taco, Grammarly, GoDaddy, PG&E, and exhibits at the de Young Museum & The Legion of Honor.
Sunday Spotlight –
TYA playwright, composer, director and performer, Tyrone L. Robinson joins Khalia to talk about the joy-filled journey of taking a beloved children's book and adapting it for the stage. After the closing of Frozen on Broadway, Tyrone had some more time on his hands and he hasn't wasted a moment, most recently creating a new work for Kennedy Center's resident artist, Jacqueline Woodson! Khalia and Tyrone invite our young viewers to write their own story with a special futuristic twist!
Sunday Spotlight –
Broadway star and former Miss California, Salisha Thomas joins Khalia to talk about following your dreams, representation for Black hair on stage and off, and the legendary Audra Mcdonald! While waiting to jump back into rehearsals with the cast of the Broadway-bound, Once Upon a One More Time, the new Britney Spears Musical, she started two popular podcasts with Broadway Podcast Network: Black Hair in the Big Leagues and The Salisha Show, celebrating her artist friends' natural beauty and the ups and downs of finding success in the theater industry. Khalia and Salisha challenge our young viewers to find practical ways to love themselves with writing love notes and striking a power pose!
Sunday Spotlight –
Award-winning TYA and Broadway composer and lyricist, Rob Rokicki joins host, Khalia, to discuss his love for taking outcast characters and turning them into the heroes of their own story. They talk about the power of the young people who championed his show, The Lightning Thief, based on the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, landing it on the Broadway stage! Rob reminds all of us that what may seem like cooky and strange ideas to some may be the thing that brings you your greatest success. Just in time to get in the Halloween spirit, he invites our young viewers to choose their favorite monsters and give them a reason to sing!
ROB ROKICKI is the composer/lyricist & co-orchestrator of the Broadway musical, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Lortel, Off-Broadway Alliance, and three Drama Desk nominations, book by Joe Tracz). Projects: the graphic novel musical, Monstersongs (NAMT); Experience Marianas (O’Neill semi-finalist). Punk Rock Girl (with Joe Iconis); The Real Gemma Jordan (with Anna K. Jakobs); Strange Tails (with Michael Ruby, Ars Nova). He is a two-time Larson Award finalist, BMI writing workshop alum and proud educator. robertrokicki.com
Sunday Spotlight –
Artists, directors, and teachers, Alexandra Nader and Andrew Barbato are real life best friends and roommates living their awesome lives as working theater makers in NYC! Khalia, Alex, and Andrew share in the joy of growing up doing children's musical theater and how it has led to the confidence Alex and Andrew both share within themselves today. Through their work with the award-winning Story Pirates, they are celebrating the words and ideas of kids all over the world. Their invitation for our young viewers is to create a new character that could star in their own original musical!
Sunday Spotlight with Khalia Davis is a new community show for kids and their families! Award-winning theater director, educator, and performer, Khalia Davis, invites some of her favorite artist friends in conversation on her virtual stage. Each episode shines a light on the talented art made by her guests as well as the positive social impact their art adds to the industry and their community. After each guest shares about their own unique artistic journey, we end all episodes with a fun, screen-free CREATIVE CRAFT that kids can do on their own that relates to the type of art our guests make!
From learning about writing, composing, clowning, voice over, or performing on BROADWAY, there is something for every child curious about what a career looks like in the arts. Once Khalia assumed her new position as Artistic Director of Bay Area Children's Theatre, she has made it her mission that all programming should educate, engage, and empower our next generation of young people to live creatively and boldly as their full authentic selves chasing after their own dreams.