The Conner & Smith Show

Stephen Smith

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PERFORMING ARTS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Join Matt and Stephen as they talk to artists, creative thinkers, discuss films, try craft projects, explore local lore, debate beloved holiday traditions and much more!

2 DAYS AGO

Pre-Emily Check-In

Episode 198 — Pre-Emily Check-In (On Our Way to the Arts Club) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we’re dropping in with a quick, real-time check-in — because tonight is a big one. After recently workshopping The House of Booth, we’re now just hours away from presenting the very first material from our brand-new Emily Dickinson project, tentatively titled Emily. You can hear the excitement (and a little chaos) in our voices. Tonight, we’re heading to the Arts Club of Washington, where Susan Derry performs selections from the piece. Stephen Gregory Smith joins her on stage, Matt Conner reads stage directions and explores the poetry with us, all accompanied by the brilliant pianist Alex Tang. We recorded this just hours before leaving — a quick moment to share where we are, what’s coming, and how much this new work means to us. We’ll be back next week with more regular episodes. For now, we’re sending our love and taking you right to the edge of something new. ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

8 min
18 APR

Popeye the Movie

Episode 197 — Popeye (A Very Strange Movie We Love Anyway) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we dive into one of the strangest big-budget films ever made — Popeye — a movie that somehow shouldn’t work… and yet, for us, absolutely does. Equal parts baffling, brilliant, and bizarre, this episode is a full-on exploration of a true cinematic oddity that has quietly become a guilty pleasure favorite. Joined by our producer Ryan Dean Halbrook, we unpack the wild story behind the making of the film — from its famously chaotic, cocaine-fueled production to the fully practical seaside town built on the coast of Malta (which, incredibly, still exists today). We talk about: • 🎬 Why Popeye feels so unlike any other movie ever made • 🌊 The surreal, hand-built world of Sweethaven and its lasting legacy in Malta • 🎭 Why this might be one of Robin Williams’ most fascinating performances • 💄 Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl — and why this may be her perfect role • 🎶 The comic-strip-inspired score that somehow feels both spot-on and completely unhinged • 🤔 How the film walks the line between cult classic, misfire, and misunderstood masterpiece This is a fun, weird, and surprisingly affectionate deep dive into a movie that we can’t quite explain — but definitely love. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes chaos, bold creative swings, and celebrating films that don’t fit neatly into any box… this episode is for you. 🍃🥬⚓ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

43 min
10 APR

Science Talk

Episode 196 — Science Talk Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we boldly go where we are wildly unqualified to go… science. In Science Talk, two people with absolutely no scientific credentials attempt to unpack some of the biggest (and weirdest) things in the universe right now — including the return of Artemis II, dinosaurs on Netflix, and yes… Melania Trump’s truly baffling press conference that somehow brought the Epstein files roaring back into public consciousness. We talk about: • 🚀 The Artemis II mission — including the very real question of… space farts (yes, seriously, and yes, apparently it matters) • 🦖 The Netflix dinosaur special that genuinely made Matt emotional (we did not see that coming) • 🧠 What it feels like to try to understand science when your brain is more musical theatre than NASA • 🤯 And the absolute chaos of pop culture, politics, and science all colliding in one very strange week This episode is unfiltered, unscientific, and completely unhinged in the best way. If you’ve ever tried to sound smart about science while secretly having no idea what you’re talking about — this episode is for you. 🚀🦖💫 ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

30 min
29 MAR

Easter Week

Episode 195 — Easter Week Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we celebrate Easter Week — looking at the holiday through both a personal and historical lens. From childhood memories to deeper traditions, we explore what Easter has meant to us over time and how it continues to evolve today. In this episode, we talk about: • 🐣 Our favorite Easter memories — past and present • ✝️ The historical and religious significance of Easter • 🌸 The cultural traditions we associate with the holiday (and how they’ve changed) • 🐰 The blend of sacred and secular — from resurrection to rabbits • 🎭 And how storytelling, ritual, and community shape the way we experience Easter today This episode is reflective, a little nostalgic, and full of the kinds of tangents and insights you’ve come to expect from us. If you love diving into the meaning behind holidays, sharing stories, and finding connections between history and modern life — this episode is for you. 🐣🌷✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

22 min
18 MAR

Exploring Emily

Episode 194 — Exploring Emily Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we step inside the world of Emily Dickinson as we begin shaping our newest theatrical project — and prepare for our upcoming presentation at the Arts Club of Washington. Exploring Emily is our first public glimpse into a piece that has been quietly evolving behind the scenes, and in this episode, we pull back the curtain on how it’s all coming together. We talk about: • 🎭 How we’re structuring the show using only Dickinson’s poetry and letters • 🧠 The creative challenges of turning her inner life into theatrical storytelling • ✍️ What we’ve discovered about Emily as both a writer and a character • 🎶 How music, movement, and text are beginning to intersect in the piece • 🤝 And some exciting (and very fun) crowdsourcing ideas we’re exploring to help shape the project moving forward This is a foundational episode — part behind-the-scenes, part creative brainstorm, and part invitation to join us in the process. If you love new musical development, poetic storytelling, and getting in on the ground floor of something in the making — this episode is for you. 🎭📜✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

16 min
10 MAR

Revisiting Sondheim: Merrily We Roll Along (2025)

Episode 193 — Revisiting Sondheim: Merrily We Roll Along Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week we return to our ongoing Stephen Sondheim deep dive series with a long-overdue update — inspired by the extraordinary filmed stage version of Merrily We Roll Along. For years, Merrily has been known as the fascinating “problem child” of the Sondheim canon — a brilliant score paired with a notoriously difficult structure. But the recent filmed Broadway production, directed by Maria Friedman, offers a revelatory take on the show that made both of us fall in love with it all over again. In this episode we talk about: Why Merrily We Roll Along has had such a complicated historyHow smart direction can solve the storytelling challenges of the show’s reverse timelineWhy this particular production finally makes the emotional arc landThe power of Sondheim’s score when the story is clearly staged and groundedAnd why this filmed version might be the definitive way many people experience the show We also revisit our earlier thoughts about the piece from our original Sondheim series and discuss how seeing this production shifted our perspective. If you love Stephen Sondheim, musical theatre history, and the rare revival that truly cracks the code of a difficult show — this episode is for you. 🎭🎙️✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

22 min
2 MAR

March Madness

Episode 192 — March Madness (Spring Fever with Matt & Stephen) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week we’re embracing a different kind of March Madness — the joyful, slightly unhinged excitement that comes with the beginning of spring. We’re talking about all the things we look forward to this time of year: longer days, open windows, fresh air, the re-emergence of the color green, and that unmistakable feeling that something new is about to begin. From made-up holidays and seasonal rituals to creative resets and spring-inspired projects, this episode is a celebration of renewal — and the small, delightful things that make this season feel electric. We talk about why spring feels like possibility, how seasonal shifts impact our creativity, and the little traditions (real or invented) that mark the turning of the year for us. Whether you’re ready for sunshine, blooming flowers, or just a fresh start — consider this your invitation to lean into the madness of March. If you enjoy seasonal nostalgia, creative tangents, and celebrating life’s subtle transitions — this one’s for you. 🌷🎙️✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

22 min
21 FEB

New Loves

Episode 191 — New Loves (Pop Culture Discoveries with Matt & Stephen) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week we’re falling in love all over again — but not with people. Instead, we’re sharing our new loves: the pop culture discoveries, creative obsessions, and unexpected finds that have recently captured our attention. From films and documentaries to music, podcasts, books, and delightful rabbit holes, this episode is a curated peek inside what’s inspiring us right now — the things we can’t stop thinking about and immediately want to recommend to you. We talk about why discovering something new can feel electric, how inspiration fuels our own creative work, and the joy of sharing those “you have to see this” moments with each other (and now with you). Whether you’re looking for your next watch, listen, or artistic spark — consider this your invitation to fall in love with something new. If you enjoy recommendation episodes, creative tangents, and the excitement of discovery — this one’s for you. 🎙️✨ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

30 min

Join Matt and Stephen as they talk to artists, creative thinkers, discuss films, try craft projects, explore local lore, debate beloved holiday traditions and much more!

Creator

Stephen Smith
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

551
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Stephen Smith
Show Website

The Conner & Smith Show