JoEllen Wilhoite, Director of Corporate and Annual Giving at the Nest, along with artist and illustrator Pam McDaniel and singer-songwriter Buffy Lawson, discuss their heartwarming collaboration on the children’s book "The Nest We Built," launching June 16 at Arts Place. Jo Ellen talks about the Nest’s holistic mission to prevent abuse and neglect, and how the idea for the book was inspired by nature and community at Duncan Park, paralleling the cooperative spirit found both in wildlife and the Nest’s work. Pam describes how the natural setting and the symbolism of the nest guided her illustrations, and Buffy shares how she was moved to tears by the story, leading her to create a song that seamlessly weaves together with the book. The team explains how a QR code connects readers to the music, why all proceeds benefit the Nest’s free family programs, and how the project not only raises vital funds but also inspires children and grown-ups alike to contribute their unique gifts—whether perfect or not—towards building a stronger, more compassionate community.

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Vanessa Becker Weig, co-founder and Executive Artistic Director of Voices Amplified, and Rylie Sudduth, rising senior at the University of Evansville and Associate Producer, discuss the ambitious first Voices Heard Women’s Theatre Festival in Lexington, themed “Reclamation.” Vanessa explains the festival's origins, its mission to reclaim and amplify women’s stories, and provides an in-depth look at events including the comedic musical Disenchanted, the multicultural TikTok Short Play Festival, and the workshopping of Borden, a new musical centered on Lizzie and Emma Borden. She details community partnerships, the festival's inclusive approach, and the importance of local engagement to the festival’s sustainability. Rylie shares her own journey from Girl Project participant to assistant director, reflecting on the empowering impact of combining theater with activism and the challenges and rewards of collaborative, non-profit theater making. Both guests highlight the vital role of the arts as agents of change, and the unique energy, connection, and joy sparked by this bold new festival.

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When Tom Willis first encountered the Icarus myth, it felt like a warning to him: don’t fly too close to the sun. But then he thought - what if instead, it’s a call to leap into the unknown? That’s the heart of his new ballet, Icarus in Heat, where the fraught relationship between a father and son is explored, and how those big leaps can be necessary for growth.
Podcast host Kate Savage explores these themes with both Tom and Yan Martinez, the choreographer, as well as the creative process behind this contemporary ballet, its personal significance, and the innovative storytelling techniques used to reimagine the myth of Icarus. Yan and Tom talk about blending music, visual arts, and dance to convey complex themes of risk, father-son relationships, and societal influences.

Icarus In Heat is a bold, all-male contemporary ballet the reimagines the myth of Icarus in the charged space between father and son. Where desire is inherited, escape is a construction and fire is not just a warning, but an inevitability.
It will premier May 15-17 at Transylvania University in Haggin Auditorium.
TICKETS: www.transy.edu/calendar/event/icarus-in-heat-a-contemporary-ballet

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