On tap this week are two of my most valued arts friends, ceramist and sculptor Siggy Zahner and playwright Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos. Both are deeply insightful and inventive artists, both bring unique and confrontational imagery to their work, and both are outspoken feminists. We talk about the experiences and challenges of women in the arts, the role of the artist in social quarantine, and working through, or choosing to observe instead, the era of social distancing.

On tap this week is an assessment of what we’re going to be missing, in light of Coronavirus concerns that are forcing cancellations of arts and culture events, as well as all other public gatherings and activities, throughout our region and across the country. Notifications from Lafayette-West Lafayette cultural groups are shared.

On tap this week are my friends, artists and retired teachers Stephanie Funcheon and LuAnn Lamie. These longtime friends and colleagues reminisce on teaching in the arts, former notable students, the state of education then and now, and the decisions in our young lives that led us to become artists.

On tap this week is my friend, Richard Stockton Rand, actor, director, and Professor and Coordinator of Undergraduate Theatre Studies in the Department of Theatre at Purdue University. We discuss the upcoming production of “Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches” by Tony Kushner he’s directing for Purdue Theatre. And we address the challenges faced during the AIDS crisis, as well as the continuing challenge of awareness we face today for the crisis and its societal effects.

On tap this week are director Laurie Russell, choreographer Brian Kocher, and actor Kate Walker, all working to bring to the Civic Theatre stage a magnificent production of Mamma Mia! We have some laughs while recounting the experience of rehearsing and planning the show, which is nearly completely sold out at this point and will be quite the spectacle.

On tap this week, local journalists and artists Cindy Gerlach, Amy Long, and Jeff Smith. We share some cocktails, some discussion of recent and coming arts events and movies, “old things in a new way,” favorite artists and visual experiences, “who understands art better than a six-year-old?,” a coming 30-Day Arts Challenge, jumping the shark, etc.

On tap this week is the author of more than a dozen novels and numerous short stories, who happens to make his home right here in Lafayette-West Lafayette – Jonathan Janz. We talk about the appeal of scary stories, outlets of fear, allowing yourself to suck, being a “psychic vampire” in a historic place, and a life of creative writing.

On tap this week is local musician, singer-songwriter Scott Greeson. We talk about his overcoming dyslexia through the inspiration of music, the Songwriters Association of Mid-North Indiana (SAMI), a new nonprofit recording studio at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation achieved with a North Central Health Services grant, and a unique presentation coming up with Dr. Will Miller.

On tap this week are some thoughts on the Art Biz, from the perspective of an artist new to the commerce of social media art sales.

On tap this week are members of the cast and crew of Dead Man’s Cell Phone, by Sarah Ruhl, presented from November 1st through 16th at Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette. I sat down with my castmates (I played the titular dead man) on closing night of the production to get their thoughts on community theatre and reactions to the show. We talk about wrestling with “odd” and very avant-garde scripts and sharing our fun with audiences.