At The Vanguard

Separating The Art From The Artist

Can we separate the art from the artist?
More importantly: should we?
In this episode of At The Vanguard, Christopher Lloyd Bratten-Zappala explores one of the most emotionally charged and philosophically difficult questions in modern culture. Through the lenses of art, morality, psychology, history, and human flourishing, this episode examines whether collapsing artists and their work into a single moral object ultimately leads to clearer judgment — or cultural and intellectual fragility.
Along the way, Christopher discusses figures such as Michael Jackson, Harvey Weinstein, Pablo Picasso, R. Kelly, J.K. Rowling, Kevin Spacey, Kanye West, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Wagner, and more, while confronting difficult questions about accountability, trauma, censorship, context, redemption, moral purity, and the role art plays in human civilization itself.
This is not an argument for excusing abuse or abandoning morality. It is an argument for nuance, discernment, conceptual clarity, and the preservation of art’s ability to help humanity wrestle honestly with complexity.
Topics include:
“Can we?”, “Do we?”, and “Should we?” separate art from artist?
Moral contamination and purity culture
Trauma, resilience, and emotional association
Accountability vs erasure
The difference between preserving, contextualizing, and celebrating
Why art matters beyond entertainment
Human imperfection and the dangers of simplification
Art as meaning-making, transcendence, and civilizational memory
If we demand moral perfection from every voice before we allow ourselves to listen, eventually the conversation goes silent.

Why Am I Not Getting Cast? Audition Advice From Behind The Table

Why aren’t you getting cast?
In this episode, I share what I’ve learned from sitting on both sides of the audition table—as a performer, pianist, and evaluator watching hundreds of auditions.
Most performers focus on the wrong things. They treat auditions as isolated events, obsess over details that may or may not matter, and overlook what casting teams are actually evaluating.
This episode breaks down the bigger picture:
Why first impressions carry more weight than you think
What casting teams are really looking for (beyond talent)
How “trust” drives casting decisions
The common mistakes that quietly undermine strong performers
Why you need to stop thinking audition-to-audition and start thinking long-term
Whether you’re an actor, singer, or dancer, these principles apply.
Because ultimately, every audition comes down to one question:
Can they trust you to do the job?
🎓 Masterclass
If singing is part of your audition process, check out:Mastering the Singing Audition: Working With the Accompanist
👉 https://www.clbzworks.com/masterclasses
🎙 At The Vanguard
A podcast dedicated to elevating the arts and empowering artists.

How To Be A Thriving Artist (Joe Abraham & Christine Negherbon)

In this episode of At The Vanguard, I sit down with married artists and educators Christine Negherbon and Joe Abraham — Broadway performers, directors, choreographers, college professors, and co-founders of The Thriving Artists.
From national tours of Hairspray, Shrek, and The Little Mermaid to directing Spring Awakening, choreographing new works, and shaping the next generation of performers through MTCA (Musical Theatre Competitions of America), Christine and Joe embody what it means to be multi-hyphenate artists in today’s landscape.
We talk about:
• The reality of sustaining a long-term performing arts career• Why “starving artist” is a mindset — not a destiny• Financial literacy for creatives (yes, compound interest matters)• The cost and value of higher education in musical theatre• How social media has changed young performers• Raising kids while building creative careers• Why live performance will survive — even in the age of AI• Keeping your marriage strong while working side-by-side
Christine and Joe share the origin story of their book, The Thriving Artists, which began as a Broadway talkback and evolved into a six-year labor of love. The book has since grown into workshops, masterclasses, and curriculum used in college programs across the country — helping young artists build not just careers, but sustainable lives.
If you’re a performer, educator, parent of an artist, or someone navigating a creative path, this conversation is both practical and deeply encouraging.
Because as they say: The only way to fail is to quit.
📘 Learn more about The Thriving Artists:https://thethrivingartists.com
🎭 Explore MTCA – Musical Theatre Competitions of America:https://mtcofa.com
🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with artists, educators, and creators at the forefront of the arts.

What Does A Producer Actually Do? (Christopher Sepulveda)

In this episode of At the Vanguard, I’m joined by my friend Christopher Sepulveda, a Los Angeles–based film and theatre producer whose career spans independent film, commercial theatre, new-work development, Deaf West Theatre, and emerging technologies like VR and AI.
Christopher demystifies the role of the producer—one of the most misunderstood jobs in the entertainment industry—and walks us through what producing really looks like day to day: creative problem-solving, leadership, relationship management, financial responsibility, and protecting the integrity of the work while getting it over the finish line.
We talk about:
What producers actually do (and why it’s so hard to explain)
How projects move from idea to production—and where producers matter most
Balancing artistic vision with budget, time, and reality
Why producing is often invisible, thankless, and essential
Building a career without a clear ladder or rulebook
Producing new work vs. revivals
Working in theatre, film, TV, VR, and mixed reality
How AI and emerging technologies are changing storytelling
Christopher’s work with Deaf West Theatre and bilingual ASL/English productions
Advice for emerging producers and creatives trying to break in
This conversation is practical, candid, and deeply human—an honest look at what it takes to shepherd stories into the world, and why producing matters more than most people realize.
Whether you’re an artist, filmmaker, theatre-maker, or just curious about how creative work gets made, this episode offers clarity, insight, and perspective you won’t hear in a soundbite.

Inside The Voice Of Pokémon (Jason Paige)

In this episode of At The Vanguard, host Christopher Lloyd Bratten-Zappala sits down with Jason Paige—best known as the voice behind the iconic Pokémon theme song—for a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation about art, autonomy, community, and what it really means to build a creative life.
While Pokémon fans will appreciate Jason’s firsthand account of recording the theme song, its unexpected cultural afterlife, and the massive resurgence sparked by Pokémon GO, this conversation goes far beyond nostalgia. Jason speaks candidly about the realities of being a working singer in the late-90s New York session scene, the evolution of his relationship to fame, and the long journey from waiting to be “picked” to choosing himself.
Together, Christopher and Jason explore:
Why Jason reframes birthdays as “birth-giving days”
The myth of being discovered vs. the power of community
Theater as the most complete and sacred artistic form
The role of ego, soul, and authenticity in music—especially in the age of AI
How nostalgia economies, fandom, and modern capitalism intersect
What sustains a creative life over decades: ritual, gratitude, discipline, and purpose
Jason also shares what he’s building now—from global live events and performances to innovative collectible projects—and offers thoughtful guidance for artists navigating doubt, burnout, and the pressure to monetize creativity.
This episode is not just about where success comes from—but how to live with it, after it, and beyond it.
Learn more and get merch at jasonpaige.com

A Better Way To Start The New Year

Honor. Cherish. Invest. | A Better Way to Start the New Year
The start of a new year often comes with pressure—resolutions, reinvention, and the feeling that you’re already behind before you’ve even begun.
This episode offers a different approach.
Rather than goals or hype, I share a simple, grounded framework for orienting yourself in the year ahead—one that respects how growth actually works and leaves room for patience, integrity, and real momentum.
We explore three guiding ideas:
Honor what you’ve already lived, learned, and endured—without getting stuck in the past
Cherish the present moment through attention and acceptance, even when life feels unfinished
Invest wisely in your future through small, consistent actions that compound over time
This conversation is for artists and non-artists alike—for anyone interested in living, working, and growing with intention. It’s about shaping a life thoughtfully, forgiving missteps, and beginning again without drama or self-punishment.
Whether you’re listening at the start of the year or any moment when you need to reset your orientation, this episode is an invitation to move forward deliberately—steady, hopeful, and empowered.

The Holiday Episode 2025

The holidays can be beautiful.They can also be lonely, tender, complicated—and quietly revealing.
In this solo episode, I reflect on what the holiday season tends to bring to the surface: longing, grief, connection, memory, and meaning. I talk about spending my first Christmas without both of my parents, about chosen family and evolving traditions, and about what it means to move through this season as both an artist and a human being.
Rather than offering platitudes or forced cheer, this episode takes a grounded, compassionate look at the holidays as a kind of mirror—one that reflects who we are, what we value, and what we’re still carrying. We explore art as sanctuary, sensitivity as strength, and the possibility of belonging even when life feels unresolved.
Whether this season feels joyful, quiet, heavy, or somewhere in between, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, tell the truth gently, and make space for what’s real.
You’re welcome here, exactly as you are.

The Reality Of Screenwriting (Caden Douglas)

In this episode of At the Vanguard, host Christopher Lloyd Bratten-Zappala sits down with Caden Douglas — writer, director, producer, and instructor at Bad Pitch Writers Lab — for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about the craft of writing and the realities of making work in today’s film industry.
Caden shares his journey from a childhood acting career in Canada to becoming a writer-director in Los Angeles, including why he walked away from acting and what ultimately pulled him toward writing and directing. Together, we explore why writing is uniquely difficult, what aspiring writers often misunderstand about the craft, and why simplicity, clarity, and emotional truth matter more than cleverness.
The conversation also dives into Caden’s feature film Mother Father Sister Brother Frank, a dark comedy about family, secrecy, and the strange ways truth can bring people together. Caden breaks down the film’s central metaphor, the risks of directing his own script, the creative compromises of low-budget filmmaking, and what it’s like to live with the gap between the movie you imagine and the one that actually exists.
Along the way, we discuss:
Writing as a craft vs. writing as an identity
Teaching writing through community rather than dogma
Moral responsibility in storytelling
Gatekeeping, merit, and the myth that “anyone can write”
AI, authorship, and why some creative work should remain human
Why Los Angeles is more collaborative than its reputation suggests
This is a thoughtful, candid conversation for writers, filmmakers, and artists who care about doing the work — and doing it with integrity.
 
Watch Mother Father Sister Brother FrankAvailable on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/mother-father-sister-brother-frank/umc.cmc.6p29v4il6mlz0hk4kio32qle8
littleBULL Productions: https://littlebullproductions.com/
Learn more about Bad Pitch Writers LabA writer-focused community offering ongoing labs and classes for writers at all levels. https://www.badpitchwriterslab.com/

Do Artists Need A Code Of Conduct?

Art is born from freedom—but artists don’t create in isolation. We collaborate, perform, teach, and share vulnerable spaces with others. Without trust, accountability, and ethical grounding, the work—and the people making it—can suffer.
In this solo episode, I examine a challenging but essential question: Do artists need a code of conduct? I introduce The Consummate Artist’s Code of Professional Conduct (CACPC), a framework built on eight core values and nine tenets designed to support healthier artistic environments and more sustainable creative careers.
We explore:• Why ethical lapses—big or small—disrupt artistry and community• How shared standards can empower, not restrict, creative freedom• The 8 Core Values and 9 Tenets that shape the CACPC• Real scenarios showing how ethical choices intersect with artistic practice• How artists at any stage can adopt, adapt, and apply this framework• Why the CACPC is meant to evolve with the artistic community
This episode is an invitation—to reflect, to question, and to help shape a culture of integrity, dignity, and flourishing within the arts.
Download the full CACPC document here: https://www.clbzworks.com/cacpc. And feel free to share your thoughts or experiences. I’d love to hear how these ideas resonate in your own corner of the artistic world.

American Pie, Underwater Dreams & AI Visions (Ed Freeman)

In this episode, I sit down with the remarkable Ed Freeman — a musician, arranger, producer, photographer, ceramicist, and now AI artist whose creative journey spans more than five decades and some of the most iconic moments in American music and art.
Ed shares how he went from studying violin as a child to arranging for Carly Simon and Gregg Allman, producing Don McLean’s legendary American Pie album, and even serving as a road manager on the Beatles’ final U.S. tour. We talk about the highs and lows of his music career, the insecurity he felt as a musician, and how photography unexpectedly became the medium through which he felt most at home.
From his celebrated underwater nude series and the haunting Desert Realty photographs to his socially conscious portraits of people experiencing homelessness, Ed walks us through the evolution of his artistic vision and the intuition that has guided each shift in his work. We also explore his bold embrace of AI as a creative partner, the criticism he’s received for it, and the philosophical questions he believes are worth asking as the art world changes.
Ed’s life has been full of unexpected turns — including a surreal and brief encounter with Charles Manson — and he speaks openly about the periods of struggle, reinvention, and discovery that shaped him. Today, he describes himself as living the life he always wanted: creating every day, surrounded by people he loves, grounded in gratitude and purpose.
This is a conversation about artistry, intuition, resilience, and the freedom to evolve. Ed Freeman is a singular voice with a lifetime of stories, and it was an honor to share this time with him.