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HarmonyTALK

HarmonyTALK

Hosted by Foundation for Harmony Presents

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Episodes

141

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

HarmonyTALK is an inspirational podcast featuring ‘dreamers and doers’ who turned ideas into action. Explore creativity, perseverance, leadership and the human stories behind meaningful success through candid conversations designed to spark reflection, motivation and possibility, and join a growing community inspired to dream boldly and live intentionally.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 12, 202627 min

From Quiet Kid to Broadway Star: How Liz Callaway Found Her Voice

Before Liz Callaway sang “Memory” on Broadway, before she became the singing voice of Anastasia, before the Tony nomination, Emmy Award and Grammy nomination, she was a shy kid who waited for everyone to leave the house so she could sing.She knew she had a voice.She just wasn’t ready for anyone else to hear it.That began to change when Callaway discovered musical theater as a teenager. At a difficult moment in her family life, the stage gave her something she had been searching for: community.“I loved being in a cast,” she remembers. “I had friends for the first time.”That sense of belonging changed the direction of her life.This week on HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with Tony and Grammy-nominated and Emmy Award-winning performer Liz Callaway for an intimate conversation about the unlikely path from shy teenager to one of Broadway and animation’s most beloved voices.At 18, Callaway moved to New York with her sister, singer and composer Ann Hampton Callaway. Just a year later, she made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. She would go on to earn a Tony nomination for Baby, perform in Miss Saigon and spend five years as Grizabella in Cats, singing one of musical theater’s most recognizable songs, “Memory.”Then her voice found another stage.Callaway became the singing voice of Odette in The Swan Princess and Anastasia in the beloved animated film Anastasia, opposite Meg Ryan’s speaking performance. Years later, fans began approaching her at concerts and telling her something she could never have known when those movies were first released.Her voice had become part of their childhood.Today, her voice continues to reach new generations. Callaway recently voiced the Speaker of God in Hazbin Hotel Season 2, introducing her to younger listeners who suddenly realized that the voice they were hearing also belonged to Anastasia and Odette.And soon, audiences in Northeastern Pennsylvania can hear that voice in person.On Friday, August 21 at 6 p.m., Liz Callaway returns to Harmony in the Woods in Hawley for Liz Callaway: Broadway & Beyond, an intimate outdoor concert featuring music from across her remarkable career.Callaway tells Lisa that audiences can expect Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, “Memory” from Cats and songs from Anastasia, along with stories about the unexpected road that brought her from the quiet kid singing alone at home to stages around the world.For tickets, visit https://harmonyinthewoods.org/

August 5, 202628 min

When the Dream Changes: Russ Cooke's Second Chance

What happens when the future you've spent your entire life chasing disappears overnight?For Russ Cooke, that question became painfully real after a concussion during New York Jets training camp ended the football career he had spent years pursuing. One day he was preparing to play in the National Football League. The next, he was back home pumping gas, wondering how everything had changed so quickly.In this encore episode of HarmonyTALK, host Todd Stephens revisits one of our favorite conversations about resilience, reinvention, and discovering purpose after disappointment.Russ shares the emotional journey of rebuilding his identity after football, the lessons he learned while starting over, and why losing one dream ultimately led him to a far greater calling.Today, as founder of NDUR for Athletes, Russ is helping schools, coaches, parents, and student-athletes redefine what success looks like. Through an innovative 360-degree wellness system, NDUR combines mental wellness, leadership development, mentorship, career readiness, financial literacy, and AI-powered engagement tools to support the whole athlete, not simply athletic performance.As anxiety, depression, and burnout continue to rise among young athletes, Russ believes the conversation surrounding sports must evolve. Championships matter. Character matters more.Throughout the conversation, Russ reflects on perseverance, leadership, identity, and why some of life's greatest opportunities arrive only after our original plans fall apart.

July 29, 202627 min

On Stage with Bywater Call

Just moments after closing Opening Night of the 2026 Harmony in the Woods concert season, Meghan Parnell and Dave Barnes of Bywater Call returned to the stage, not for an encore, but for a honest conversation with HarmonyTALK host Greg Frigoletto.The result is an interview that feels every bit as genuine as the band's music.Over the past several years, the Toronto-based, seven-piece band has quietly become one of the most exciting live acts on the international roots music scene. Blending Southern soul, blues, roots rock, and powerful horn arrangements, Bywater Call delivers performances that are both emotionally charged and musically fearless. At the center is Meghan Parnell's commanding voice, complemented by Dave Barnes' expressive guitar work and the remarkable chemistry of a band that has spent years earning every fan one performance at a time.Their music refuses to be confined to a single genre.Influenced by artists including The Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Otis Redding, Little Feat, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Wood Brothers, Bywater Call moves effortlessly from deeply personal ballads to high-energy anthems that showcase the full strength of the seven-piece ensemble. Every song reflects the highs and lows of life, exploring love, loss, resilience, hope, and everything in between.That authenticity has earned the band growing international recognition. Following extensive touring throughout Europe, Bywater Call was nominated for the 2025 UK Blues Award for International Blues Artist of the Year. This year, the band once again landed among the Top 20 finalists alongside many of the biggest names in contemporary blues.In this episode, Meghan and Dave reflect on how the band found its sound, what keeps seven musicians connected through thousands of miles on the road, and why live performance continues to shape everything they create.Recorded immediately after their Harmony in the Woods performance, this conversation captures something listeners rarely hear: artists reflecting on a show while the music is still echoing in the air.If this conversation inspires you to experience live music under the trees, the Harmony in the Woods summer concert season continues through Sept. 5 with an outstanding lineup of nationally touring artists spanning blues, Americana, folk, jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, world music, and more. Visit HarmonyInTheWoods.org for the complete schedule and tickets.

July 22, 202623 min

Rebecca Davis: Teaching Hope Through Dance

When Dance Changes Everything: Rebecca Davis and the Children Who Learned They MatterRebecca Davis thought dance would become her career. Instead, it became her calling.In this special HarmonyTALK encore presentation, host Lisa Champeau revisits one of the podcast's most inspiring conversations with the founder of MindLeaps, a nonprofit organization that has transformed the lives of thousands of vulnerable children around the globe through dance and education.Rebecca's journey began in Canada, where she spent years training as a dancer. But everything shifted when she realized movement could become much more than an art form. It could become a bridge to education, confidence and hope for children living in some of the world's most difficult circumstances.Today, MindLeaps serves street children and underserved youth in Rwanda, Guinea, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and other developing communities, using a unique dance curriculum to strengthen cognitive and social-emotional skills while preparing young people for success in school and in life.During this heartfelt conversation, Rebecca shares remarkable stories that seem almost impossible to imagine. Children from divided ethnic communities or war-torn villages finding common ground through movement. Young people who had been told by society they didn't matter discovering that they do.Lisa and Rebecca also explore what leadership looks like when it is rooted in compassion, why creativity can become one of the world's most powerful educational tools, and how one person's willingness to follow an unexpected path continues to create opportunities for children around the world.  Thoughtful, moving, and hopeful, this encore conversation reminds us that sometimes changing the world begins with helping one child believe in themselves.

July 15, 202632 min

Mission Driven: Lindsey Chrismon's Flight from Army Trailblazer to AI Innovator

Some dreams begin with a destination.Others become a lifelong way of leading.As a young girl growing up in Montville, New Jersey, Lindsey Chrismon set her sights on one place: West Point. It was an ambitious goal, one that would shape nearly every chapter that followed.In this encore presentation of one of HarmonyTALK's favorite conversations, host Greg Frigoletto sits down with Lindsey to explore an extraordinary journey defined not simply by achievement, but by purpose.That purpose carried her from the halls of the United States Military Academy to becoming the first woman to pilot the Army's elite AH-6M Little Bird helicopter. It guided her through leadership roles in one of the world's most demanding organizations, into Harvard Business School, and ultimately toward founding Oply, an AI-powered company transforming how homeowners care for their homes.But this conversation is not about résumés.It is about the moments that shape a life.Lindsey reflects on growing up with a dream that many people thought was too ambitious, discovering confidence through challenge, and learning that leadership is earned one decision at a time. She shares what it felt like to break barriers in military aviation, why service continues to guide her work, and how entrepreneurship became another opportunity to solve meaningful problems for others.Greg and Lindsey also explore the surprisingly human side of innovation. The result is technology that feels less like science fiction and more like thoughtful service.Throughout the conversation, Lindsey returns to one central idea. Leadership is not about titles or recognition. It is about helping people move forward with confidence, whether you're leading soldiers, classmates, colleagues, or customers.

July 8, 202629 min

The Magic Behind the Music: Dan Micciche Conducts the Heart of WICKED

Some of Broadway's biggest stars never step into the spotlight.They stand in the orchestra pit.In this encore episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau welcomes Dan Micciche, Music Director and Conductor of WICKED on Broadway, for a fascinating conversation about the artistry, discipline, and teamwork required to keep one of the most successful musicals in theater history performing at its highest level, night after night.For more than nine years, Dan has helped guide the musical heartbeat of WICKED, leading an orchestra, collaborating with cast and crew, coaching performers, and ensuring every audience experiences the same unforgettable magic that has made the show a global phenomenon.But his Broadway story began long before he raised the conductor's baton.Dan reflects on his remarkable journey from becoming the youngest actor to portray Mary Sunshine in CHICAGO to discovering a new passion behind the podium. Along the way, he shares how embracing unexpected opportunities opened doors he never imagined and ultimately led him to one of Broadway's most coveted leadership roles.Lisa and Dan also pull back the curtain on the collaborative spirit that defines live theater. They explore what audiences never see, from preparing replacement casts and maintaining musical excellence to balancing consistency with the spontaneity that makes every performance unique.Beyond Broadway, Dan is equally passionate about mentoring the next generation of performers through the International Music Theatre Academy and Hit It Productions, helping young artists develop both their craft and the confidence to pursue ambitious dreams.Whether you're a lifelong theater lover, an aspiring performer, or simply curious about what happens behind the curtain, this conversation offers an inspiring look at the dedication, leadership, and love of music that keep Broadway shining.As captivating today as when it first aired, this encore presentation reminds us that while audiences may remember the stars on stage, there is an entire community of artists working together to make every magical moment possible.

July 1, 202629 min

Chasing the Sound Between Here and Home

The Harmony in the Woods summer concert opens its sixth season this weekend in Hawley, Pennsylvania, welcoming world-class musicians from around the globe to its intimate outdoor amphitheater nestled among the trees, including today’s HarmonyTALK guest Taylor Ashton.This year's 23-concert season, which opens Friday, July 3, with Toronto's acclaimed Bywater Call, runs every weekend through September 5th and celebrates roots, rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Americana, global music and more. Taylor Ashton will bring his thoughtful blend of folk, Americana, banjo, guitar, and lyrical storytelling to Harmony in the Woods on Friday, August 7.In this heartfelt episode of HarmonyTALK, host Greg Frigoletto sits down with Taylor to explore the unexpected journey that reshaped both his music and his understanding of human connection.Taylor left his native Canada for New York City, believing the next chapter of his musical life was just beginning.Then the world stopped.His debut record arrived just as COVID shut down concerts, venues, and nearly every opportunity for musicians to connect with listeners. Like so many artists, he found himself wondering how to keep creating when the audience had disappeared.Rather than waiting for life to return to normal, Taylor packed up his microphones, instruments, and recording equipment and set off on an extraordinary journey across America.Over thousands of miles, he recorded songs wherever inspiration appeared. In forests. On front porches. In parks. Beside rivers. Behind cabins. In backyards shared by friends old and new.Those recordings became Stranger to the Feeling, an album that is every bit as much about friendship and community as it is about music.Greg and Taylor explore what happens when creativity refuses to stay still, how travel changes the stories we tell, and how some of life's most meaningful moments happen far from the places we planned to find them. Listeners will also get a preview of the intimate performance Taylor will bring to Harmony in the Woods stage on Friday, August 7.Whether you're a music lover, songwriter, traveler, or simply someone who understands what it means to begin again, this conversation is a reminder that even after seasons of isolation, connection has a way of finding us.For tickets to Taylor Ashton's August 7 performance and the complete Harmony in the Woods summer lineup, visit harmonyinthewoods.org.

June 29, 202629 min

Sowing Scenes and Reaping Applause: Tannis Kowalchuk’s Agri-Cultural Revolution

Most people spend a lifetime trying to balance their passions.Tannis Kowalchuk planted hers in the same field.In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with the artistic director of Farm Arts Collective and co-owner of Willow Wisp Organic Farm along Pennsylvania's Delaware River.A performer at heart, Tannis always knew she belonged on a stage. Then she met a farmer. What followed was a remarkable journey that combined two seemingly different worlds into one life's mission.Today, Tannis is an actor, director, producer, farmer, educator, and climate advocate whose work has transformed a working organic and solar farm into a destination for original theater and community dialogue.Her productions are performed right on the farm, where audiences gather among fields, barns, and open skies to experience stories rooted in the realities of rural life. This summer, she directs Johnny Appleseed: An Historical Fantasia, the Farm Arts Collective's newest original production.During the conversation, Tannis shares how farming changed the way she sees the world, why climate change has become one of the most urgent topics facing agriculture, and how theater can help people understand challenges that affect all of us.As she explains:"Climate change and new weather events are the talk of the farming community. First, these devastating events affect farmers, then they affect the eaters. And the eaters are all of us."Tannis also offers thoughtful advice for aspiring artists, emphasizing the importance of mastering your craft, building relationships with mentors and collaborators, and staying committed to the work.Insightful, inspiring, and deeply original, this episode explores what happens when creativity, purpose, and community all take root in the same place.@Farm Arts Collective @Willow Wisp Organic Farm @Lisa Champeau

June 17, 202625 min

From a Small-Town Stage to the World's Greatest Opera Houses

From Rural Pennsylvania to the World's Greatest Opera HousesFor most kids who grow up in a small rural town, the world's great opera houses can feel unimaginably far away.For Melanie Henley Heyn, they became home.In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with the internationally acclaimed opera singer whose journey began at age ten in a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors and eventually carried her from Wayne County in Northeastern Pennsylvania to stages across Europe and beyond.Fresh off a performance at The Cooperage Project in Honesdale, Melanie reflects on the winding path from small-town dreamer to professional artist, the discipline required to pursue a career in opera, and why she believes great art has the power to bring people together rather than drive them apart.The conversation explores the realities of pursuing one of the world's most demanding art forms, overcoming self-doubt, and learning to trust your own voice.Melanie also shares her belief that artists have a responsibility to help people see beyond labels and assumptions, finding connection through stories that reveal both the beauty and complexity of human nature.Filled with warmth, humor, honesty, and inspiration, this episode offers an intimate look at a remarkable artistic journey that began in rural Pennsylvania and continues to unfold on stages around the world.

June 10, 202634 min

The Truth Hunter

What Happens When a Reporter Stops Looking Away?For most people, curiosity lasts a few moments.For Matt Birkbeck, it became a life's work.Long before true crime podcasts dominated streaming platforms and documentary series filled television schedules, Birkbeck was chasing leads, knocking on doors, digging through court records, and asking questions others overlooked.His reporting led him deep into stories involving organized crime, political corruption, missing persons, financial fraud, and some of the most notorious figures in modern American history.In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Greg Frigoletto sits down with the award-winning investigative journalist and bestselling author whose work helped uncover the stories behind Mafia kingpin Russell Bufalino, mob boss William "Big Billy" D'Elia, Robert Durst, and Suzanne Sevakis, whose tragic story later became the global Netflix documentary Girl in the Picture.The conversation explores what motivates someone to spend a lifetime pursuing difficult truths, the emotional toll of living inside dark stories, and the patience required to earn trust from people who often have every reason not to talk.Birkbeck also discusses his latest creative chapter, The Wicked, a historical thriller inspired by the Molly Maguires and the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. After decades devoted exclusively to facts, documents, and evidence, he explains why fiction offered a different kind of freedom while still satisfying his instinct to investigate.From New York City and Hollywood, to the Poconos and Pittston, PA, and beyond,  Birkbeck's career has been driven by one simple question:What story has not been told yet?

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