
Dani Martineck: Pronouns Matter
In the moment we're in, I myself, as an individual, have developed certain habits in ways of being where ... if I am misgendered like it happened at the beginning of this conversation, to me, it becomes a learning opportunity. https://media.blubrry.com/firstonlinewithfran/b/content.blubrry.com/firstonlinewithfran/Dani_Martineck.mp3 Dani Martineck is a New York-based non-binary actor, writer, and award-winning audiobook narrator with a background in experimental psychology. I'm a storyteller. I've found that in communicating truthfully through the stories I tell, other people feel seen and understood, and it just radiates this ripple of openheartedness outward to places I'll never know. they/them - what's this? Dani is here to celebrate moments of connection that bridge our experiential differences and create radical empathy. They bring their experience as a storyteller (as an actor, writer, and honor-winning audiobook narrator), their experience as someone with their own daily meditation practice, and their experience as one who lives between several binaries and has found meaning there to their offerings to you. Girl Tales is a podcast featuring reimagined fairytales. Damsels in distress? Princesses in need of protection? You won’t find those here. The girls in our stories take control of their own destinies, turning your favorite fairytales into exciting new adventures. Written by women, non-binary, … [Read More...]
Featured News
Nicky Beer: Real Phonies & Genuine Fakes, an exploration of our divided selves
Persona poetry is taking on a voice that isn’t yours and finding a way to speak your truths through that voice….to pursue a voice that isn’t necessarily heroic or very nice; it allows you to be transgressive in ways that you don’t feel comfortable speaking as yourself. It’s an incredible vehicle for play in poetry […]

Erika L. Ewing: Fashioning Change
When we’re talking about the power of The Arts — the healing, the transformative powers — we’re really talking about the fact that we’re human. We’re humanizing the experience of others. So, we lead with empathy, and we lead in such a way that we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. It’s more than meeting […]

Moise Morancy: Returning the Favor
Artists have a responsibility to reflect the times . . . my experience as a young Black male looks through the experiences of an African-American male, but I’m a Haitian-American, so then there’s all those different dynamics that I’m taking from my Haitian culture, and I’m bringing these things in, and I’m taking from my […]
Margarita Espada: Teatro Yerbabruja, a Conduit for Change
The immigrant stories that are here. . . when they see in us the possibility that it’s real. That’s why I focus on a specific community because we know the challenges . . . so young artists they see in us, [and] know that [change] is possible and we are here to support them. Margarita […]
Coni Koepfinger & Dan Carter: LIVE FROM THE BARDO: My Dinner With Mary
The Greeks believed that theatre was threefold: to entertain, to educate, and exalt the human spirit. And if we’re going to exalt the human spirit we’re gonna have to understand that we can only do that through love. ~Coni Koepfinger Coni Koepfinger, a 2021 recipient of the Olwen Wymark Award by the Writer’s Guild of Great […]
The First 100 Stories Campaign

First Online With Fran: The First 100 Stories Campaign National Arts in Education Week, September 8 -14. In July 2010, Congress designated the second week of September as National Arts In Education Week to promote and showcase the immense role arts education has in producing engaged, successful, and college and career-ready students. To that end, First Online with Fran is launching The First 100 Stories Campaign. The Arts continue to be cut from school curriculums across the nation. Despite arts advocacy groups’ efforts to prevent the decline of arts inclusion, the budgetary solution remains to be that the arts are perceived as extra-curricular and disposable. In Chris Cleave’s novel Little Bee, the central character decided to right a wrong by collecting stories: “One story makes you weak. But as soon as we have one-hundred stories, you will be strong.” Similarly, we can do the same for the Arts. Here’s how: Let’s hear it from you: Teachers! Students! Graduates! Parents! … Submit Your Testimonial...
Latest Testimonial
There’s No Place Like Art!
First Online With Fran’s First Podcast There’s No Place Like Art… The Arts are imperative — a life journey, a life experience that is like no other. The Arts brings people together all in one space. The plays I’ve written have touched lives — they’ve changed lives and that’s what Art does. ~Dan McCormick, Playwright […]
More Testimonials
- Testimonial #47: Katherine Elliot, Actor/Producer The Tempest Ladies
- Testimonial #46: Erik Abbott, Theatre Artist, Producer, Scholar, Critic and Teacher, Actors Repertory Theatre Luxembourg
- Testimonial #45 Adam Crane: StringQuest.com
- Testimonial #44: Victoria Orvañanos Archer, Writer Televisa
- Testimonial #43: Julie Angelos, Staff Writer at Jbulie’s blog/an Online Journal
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