Creativity in Captivity Sweetwood Creative

An improv artist and teacher for nearly 40 years, and he has applied those principles to all facets of his work as an editor, writer, director, and actor. He is the founder of Turbine Arts Collective, a Los Angeles nonprofit dedicated to the exploration of creativity, where he teaches weekly workshops in improvisation. After graduating from the University of Iowa with degrees in Communications/Theatre Arts and Journalism, he moved to Los Angeles, became involved in the local theatre community, and quickly dedicated himself to the performance and study of improvisation. His mentor Gary Austin (creator of The Groundlings) called him, "One of the best improvisers I've ever worked with." He co-founded The Bubalaires, an improvisational physical-comedy theatre troupe with roots in Commedia dell' Arte, and he created Shplotz!, an evening of improvisational theatre with celebrated guests like Helen Hunt, Jason Alexander, James Corden, and Dave Foley. Rob has taught improvisation workshops at the Walt Disney Studios, USC Marshall School of Business, JPL/NASA, SAG-AFTRA, UCLA Performing Arts Intensive and the American Conservatory Theatre. He also teaches creative practices to businesses and corporations. Rob is also well-known as an editor of commercials and music videos, collaborating with such varied directors as Spike Lee, Ridley Scott, Terry Gilliam and Joe Pytka. He won the Clio Award and many other awards for editing. As a director, his film Heavenzapoppin’! won the highest award given by the National Educational Media Association, and Leonard Maltin called it, "A delightful and ingenious film".

The co-founder of Esther’s Follies comedy troupe & club, an actor, singer and successful entrepreneur who undoubtedly helps to “Keep Austin Weird.” Esther’s has kept audiences laughing for more than 47 years. The live comedy revue — part SNL with a Texas twist, part modern vaudeville and Magical Mystery Tour — is like nothing else on the national comedy scene. From political skewering to parody sketches to confounding magic acts. Shannon Sedwick launched her first enterprise, The Museum of Light, in 1970 in partnership with her husband Michael Shelton. A film series showing experimental short films on the UT campus where filmmakers were invited to speak about their work. That experience sparked an entrepreneurial fire in Sedwick & Shelton, so they went on to create a New Orleans-style restaurant and live music club with a funky Austin vibe called Liberty Lunch. Live music acts were performed in the backyard, and Sedwick and Shelton added entertainment with performance art pieces in between bands. The entrepreneurs’ next venture was Phillies’ Diner, where Sedwick recalls delivering sandwiches to customers by bicycle. Then came the Buffalo Grille, a jazz club and restaurant on West Sixth Street. Shannon cooked by day, and sang in a trio at night, where she fell in love with Sam Shepard when he came to their Sunday Brunch jazz jam with his bongos. This was followed by The Tavern where they completely renovated a historic building and brought the restaurant-bar back to life. They went on to open Esther’s on a song, got a beer and wine license, and built a stage in the windows. It became an underground hit and has lasted over four decades giggling & skewering all the way. 

A versatile director of theatre, film & television with credits ranging from series director on Home Improvement, produced and directed Working, Soul Man, and dozens of other prime time programs, including episodes of Friends (The Pivot! episode), Caroline in the City, Suddenly Susan, American Pie, Jesse, The Single Guy, In The House, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Sabrina, The Tick, and many more.  Andrew directed two productions for Shakespeare Festival L.A.: The Tempest and Julius Caeser, a world premiere opera for L.A. Opera On Gold Mountain and two short films: Brightness starring Eric Idle which was awarded the Gold Special Jury Prize for 2001 at the WorldFest in Houston and Solstice. His theatre credits include the world premiere of Sister Carrie, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Nilo Cruz's adaptation of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. Internationally, he has produced and directed noted original devised theatre works at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, including The Grind Show, Ithaca I’ll Never See, The Wasteland Sisters, Brandy Alexander and Searchers. Mr. Tsao was a tenured associate professor of dramatic arts at the University of Washington School of Drama where he was part of the faculty for the MFA Professional Acting and Directing Programs and was head of the Bachelor of Arts program as well. Andrew is also the creator of the new storytelling series tendingthefirepod.com. 

An award-winning circus performer, actor, director and teacher who has performed internationally for more than four million people as a principal character with Cirque Du Soleil. John’s original and quirky routines are known for being an influential part of the contemporary circus movement that began in the 1980’s. John often collaborates with top entertainment companies to create memorable characters and comedy routines for world class shows. In 2002 John was invited to Pixar Studios to consult on the physical comedy routines that were eventually included in the Oscar winning film Ratatouille. John continues to create challenging and experimental theater in California, including We Are Nudes which earned a “Best of the Fringe” award in the 2009 San Francisco Fringe Festival and Wet the Hippo which was nominated for “Best Comedy” in the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

An Atlanta-based cellist-composer, looper, improviser, and storyteller, that has been featured on the Tamaron Hall Show, received a Kennedy Center Office Hours Artist Residency, and has been accepted as a sound installation artist for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2022 Biennale. Okorie is a co-composer and performer of a cello concerto Liminal, an Atlanta Concerto, that enjoyed a world premiere in February of 2023 with The Georgia Symphony Orchestra. He scored a documentary for the Atlanta Journal Constitution named Imperfect Alibi which won a regional Emmy, and he also scored a children’s theatre show for the Alliance Theatre named Head to Toe, which won a Suzi Bass Award. He has opened for Maxwell and recorded and/or performed with India.Arie, De La Soul, and Big Boi of Outkast. He has 3 studio albums - Liminal, Resolve, and Beacon - and a Christmas EP, An Ok Christmas. His work centers on themes and expressions of the African Diaspora, while also exploring the phenomenon of musical prayer.

A stop-motion artist, photographer and creative entrepreneur who weaves magic into advertisements, marketing strategies and everyday life. Her mission is to empower others to unlock their creativity, awaken their imagination and take risks in pursing what they love. She is a stop-motion artist who makes video for brands and teaches creatives how to bring magic into their work. Colette has created memorable work for Starbucks, Panera, Sony, Nickelodeon, 3M, Kraft, Dunkin’, Expedia, Barnes & Noble, Red Bull, Fjall Raven, Blue Bottle Coffee, Adidas, Pottery Barn Kids, Native, Shutterfly, REI, Ruggable, DoorDash and Doritos.