Story Matters with Curt Mega

Welcome to Story Matters, a weekly podcast about stories and the artists who tell them, hosted by Curt Mega. Topics will cover all aspects of storytelling including film, television, theatre, Broadway, acting, performing, creating, fandom, nerd culture, digital content, music, writing, comedy, improv, design, production, poetry, visual arts, experimental arts and everything in-between with special guests and original content.  Website: www.storymatterspodcast.com Email: storymatterspodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @storymatterspodFacebook: www.facebook.com/storymatterspodcast

Welcome to Story Matters, a new weekly podcast about stories and the artists who tell them. Join me on this new, creative journey as we go backstage of the creative process and find out what drives storytellers to create the stories they tell.  You can email me at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and stories! Website: www.storymatterspodcast.com SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/storymatterspodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/storymatterspodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/storymatterspod  

Welcome to the very first official episode of Story Matters! In this episode, I talk about the inspiration behind creating the show, becoming the next great American novelist at the age of six and using Ernie from Sesame Street as a stunt double for a violent scene in my feature film directorial debut. Enjoy! You can email me your thoughts, feedback, questions and stories at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com and be sure to like us on Facebook and follow on Twitter at @storymatterspod 

Riker Lynch is a man of many talents. Glee Warbler, Rockstar, Dancing with the Stars alumni and blossoming actor. In this episode, Curt sits down in Riker's dining room at the Lynch home in Southern California to talk Glee, Warblers, social media, the new yet-to-be-released R5 album, his upcoming films Voyeur and Colossal Youth, storytelling through music, creating comedy and more! You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! He'd love to hear from you!

It's been a strange week in America and a tough year for the world as a whole. We are on the brink of a new stage of our country as Americans and I know many of you out there are uncertain about what that means or what we can do about it... I know I sure have been. I am sometimes struck by the feeling of helplessness against the swelling tide of the world's problems. What can we possibly do? What does it matter what kind of things I put out into the universe? Who's even listening? The world is listening and it needs good stories more than ever. Story has the ability to transform us, change us, inspire us. Your creative voice matters more than ever to keep the powers that be in check and to spread love, light, compassion, and empathy and tell the stories of the forgotten and unheard. We are storytellers and our voice matters. 

In this episode, I talk about the time that I was (almost) invited to the Teen Choice Award's gifting suite, my addiction to social media, ruining Chord Overstreet's red carpet moment and discovering how saying one number on a little show called Glee would profoundly change the course of my life. Enjoy!  You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! 

In this episode, I had the joy of hosting a special Story Matters meetup live from Pearl Studios in New York City where we talked BroadwayCon, Broadway as a medium of story, why it matters to each of us on a personal level and what makes it such a unique and transformative art form. Enjoy! 

In this episode, I sit down with the amazing Tessa Netting (Billy Elliot, Bunk'd, Voice Over Actress, Maker of Incredible Parodies and YouTuber extraordinaire) and talk about her journey as an artist from Broadway to YouTube sensation, fantasy, fandom, audience ownership of the stories they love, and the power and joy of creating your own world to escape reality. You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas!

My journey from Texas to Los Angeles to becoming a Warbler on the set of Glee was strange, wonderful, crazy, and bizarre. In this episode, I talk about my journey coming to LA, living in a tiny shed covered in fleas, being chased by an angry pitbull, my meth dealing neighbors, mopping the floors of Starbucks, winning a nationwide talent search on Myspace and auditioning for the role of Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet) on the hit Fox show Glee.  You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! 

In this episode, I sit down with the fiercely talented Mary Kate Wiles (Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Party, Spies are Forever, I Ship It, School of Thrones, Squaresville, Muzzled the Musical, Hello My Name is Frank, The Sound and the Shadow, Kissing in the Rain and MANY MORE!) to talk about her journey as an artist, creator, YouTuber, producer and all around amazing artist! You can currently catch Mary Kate in the new hit series from Shipwrecked Comedy Poe Party at YouTube.com/SHIPWRECKEDCOMEDY, support her work on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/mkwiles, subscribe to her channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/emkaysmiles, and follow her both on Twitter and Instagram at @mkwiles! We also talk about rejection, the reality of trying to pay the bills while you attempt to be a storyteller and the act of making your own work for the sake of doing something you love that’s not about getting hired and networking, but purely for the sake of creative passion. You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! 

In this special Broadway-themed bonus episode of the podcast, I sit down with the awesome Tessa Netting (Broadway's Billy Elliot, Bunk'd, YouTube) for a special bonus episode to talk about Broadway, Hamilton, Les Mis, Rent, Billy Elliot, and other shows that changed our life and storytelling through the medium of theatre. Enjoy! You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! And visit the show's website at www.storymatterspodcast.com!

In this episode, I sit down Joey Richter (Starkid, Tin Can Brothers, Henry Danger, Jessie, School of Thrones, Muzzled the Musical, I Ship It, Spies are Forever) to talk about the 2017 Oscar Best Picture nominations! We also talk about our favorite films from 2016, our take on the film industry as a whole and what films and we hope will win that little gold statue! Enjoy!  You can support the show on PATREON at Patreon.com/storymatters and if you like the show, click the rating button on iTunes and leave us a rating and review! You can also email Curt directly at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com with your feedback, thoughts, stories and ideas! You can listen to all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! Music: The theme music of the 84th Academy Awards. Composed by German composer Hans Zimmer. 

In this special OSCARS EPISODE, Joey Richter (Tin Can Brothers, Starkid) joins me once again to talk all things Academy Awards and share our takes on this year's nine nominees (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Shape of Water, The Post, Phantom Thread, Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Lady Bird, and Get Out). We also discuss some of our favorite films left out of the running for best picture and take a look back at 2017 from a cinematic perspective and what it means going forward for filmmakers, creators, and storytellers both in front of and behind the camera. I had such a blast talking Oscars LAST year with Joey so please join me on this official Story Matters tradition as Joey and I take on THE 2018 ACADEMY AWARDS! Support Story Matters on Patreon at Patreon.com/storymatters! Email me at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com Twitter:@storymatterspod Instagram:@storymatterspod Facebook: Story Matters Podcast

Jon Cozart joins the show to take a deep dive with us into the world of Amadeus, the 1984 Academy Award winning musical biopic directed by Milos Forman about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as we cap off our exploration of the musical biopic genre with what is considered by many as the greatest biopic of all time! We also examine how this film speaks directly to our culture today (specifically us as artists), our own personal struggle with jealousy, ego, the fear of not being good enough and the madness that is the creative process.  You can find all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com! 

Story Matters alum Joey Richter returns for the 3rd year to take a deep dive into THE ACADEMY AWARDS! We break down the wins and losses, the snubs and successes, and we ask the question... what sort of impact will this year's awards have on future generation of filmmakers and artists? You can find all episodes of the podcast at www.storymatterspodcast.com and leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear from you! Email us at storymatterspodcast@gmail.com!  

Joey Richter (from Tin Can Brothers, Team Starkid, Jesse on Disney Channel and more) joins us for the 4th year in a row for our 2020 ACADEMY AWARDS OSCAR SPECTACULAR! We dive into each of the nominated films along with the main categories. So put on your best tux or gown, hop in a limo and join us on the RED CARPET for this year's STORY MATTERS OSCARS PODCAST! Find all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram Follow the show on Twitter Email your feedback for the podcast by emailing storymatterspodcast@gmail.com

In this special installment of the podcast, my Warbler bros, Riker Lynch, Dominic Tracy, Jon Hall, Telly Leung, Eddy Martin, Brock Baker and Tim Davis join me to reflect on our time working on Glee, how the experience has impacted out lives and what we've been up to since then!  Find all episodes of the show at www.storymatterspodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram Follow the show on Twitter Email your feedback for the podcast by emailing storymatterspodcast@gmail.com

Joey Richter joins me for our annual Oscars roundtable as we talk about the films that marked the surreal, bizarre and crazy year that was 2020. 

Director James Tolbert joins me to chat about directing the newest Starkid musical, VHS Christmas Carols!  Check out the VHS Christmas Carols digital ticket, available now through the end of 2023! For live episodes, join me on Twitch at Twitch.TV/curtmega Join my Patreon.com/curtmega Follow me on IG, TikTok, Twitter (X), and Threads: @curtmega   

Janaya Mahealani Jones, star of the newest Starkid musical 'VHS Christmas Carols', joins me to chat about the show! Check out the VHS Christmas Carols digital ticket, available now through the end of 2023! For live episodes, join me on Twitch at Twitch.TV/curtmega Join my Patreon.com/curtmega Follow me on IG, TikTok, Twitter (X), and Threads: @curtmega