Braving Creativity: A book launch author conversation about the influence of life change on the creative process

The Department of Performance Studies welcomes Life Coach, Author, and PS M.A. Alumna, Naomi Vladeck and Theater Director and Writer Mara Lieberman in a special author conversation on Wednesday, October 18 at 7pm.

During this event, Naomi will share stories and practices from her new book Braving Creativity, Artists Who Turn the Scary, Thrilling, Messy Path of Change into Courageous Transformation and invite Mara Lieberman, to share how her experience of big life change has transformed her relationship to her identity as an artist and to her work.

The evening includes reading from Braving Creativity and a sneak peak of Mara’s concept and inspiration behind her newest project, an adaptation of the New York Times #1 bestselling book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make us Whole by author Susan Cain.

Followed by a facilitated Q and A. Advanced Registration is required

BIOS:

Naomi Vladeck is a certified life coach devoted to advancing the work of independent artists and creatives through her company Creativity Matters Coaching. Naomi has been working with and around independent artists for thirty years as a planner, performer, nonprofit founder, and coach. The experience of her husband’s alcoholism and death led to her writing debut: Braving Creativity, Artists Who Turn the Scary, Messy, Thrilling Path of Change into Courageous Transformation. Naomi has a gift for turning crisis and confusion into courage and clarity so that artists can become the creators of their lives.

When not traveling to ice hockey games with her son, Naomi is dreaming up ways to inspire artists to embrace change and find the courage to create the life and work they love. For more information, go to www.bravingcreativity.com.

Mara Lieberman has served as Executive Artistic Director, director, and lead writer for all the Bated Breath Theatre’s shows since she took the helm in 2012, including their award winning, pandemic-friendly hit Voyeur: The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec, Chasing Andy Warhol, Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec, Beneath the Gavel, the award-winning Freedom: In 3 Acts, The Pride of Christopher Street (co-written with Jamie Roach), and Wild Things.

For Voyeur, Mara was awarded Best Director by Broadway World’s 2021 Off-Broadway Awards and Time Out named Lieberman a “Future Maker” in “50 Amazing People Changing the World.”

Additionally, Lieberman has adapted and directed plays at The New York International Fringe Festival, New Haven Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Georges, and HERE’s American Living Room Festival. She also served as assistant to Lloyd Richards at the National Playwright’s Conference. In 2018, Mara was a recipient of an Artistic Excellence Award from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. She earned her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and her Master’s in Performance Studies from Northwestern University.