Fast Forward https://mtf.podbean.com Fast Forward is a podcast about the futures artists are already building.

MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Produced by MTF, Fast Forward brings artists, thinkers, and cross-sector collaborators into conversation to explore how creative practice moves beyond traditional development pipelines and into the world at large.

Each episode asks us to fast forward to a future where artists are seen as essential contributors to society, not just culture makers, but collaborators in fields like health, technology, education, and civic life. Through candid dialogue, lived experience, and real-world examples, the podcast examines what becomes possible when storytelling is invited into new spaces.

Fast Forward is for artists, producers, and partners who believe that creative work can shape systems, expand belonging, and build more humane futures. It’s a space for curiosity, experimentation, and bold thinking about how artists live, work, and collaborate.

Because the future of art isn’t coming later. It’s already in motion.

Learn more about MTF at www.mtf.nyc.

]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 19:26:48 -0700 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2026 All rights reserved. Arts 1440 episodic MTF MTF No true https://feed.podbean.com/mtf/feed.xml https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22011457/FastForward_Podcast_Logo_14008d20w.png Fast Forward https://mtf.podbean.com 144 144 013: MTF x Cheeyang Ng & Legendary 013: MTF x Cheeyang Ng & Legendary https://mtf.podbean.com/e/mtf-x-cheeyang-ng-legendary/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/mtf-x-cheeyang-ng-legendary/#comments Fri, 08 May 2026 19:26:48 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/2982a5a6-38ae-3260-b350-2376357d35d5 Cheeyand Ng and Brisa Areli Muñoz sit down to talk taking more risk, the creation journey of Legendary, celebrating the moment, & their relationship with MTF over 12 years.

"Legendary: The Myth of Creation is a solo musical that reimagines the act of myth-making through a queer, diasporic lens. It follows the journey of the Narrator, a queer Asian immigrant living in the U.S., as they navigate the question: Should I have a child? Along the way, they confront what it means to belong: across borders, between binaries, and within family.​

This is not some imagined realm. It is our world, where ancient legends and dominant narratives have long failed to make space for queer bodies. The Narrator asks: Why have our stories excluded us? Why is the world so obsessed with either/or? Through personal memories, Chinese mythology, and a fractured relationship with their father, they begin to deconstruct what legacy, lineage, and love truly mean.

This is not a passive performance. Through circle singing, call and response, and shared storytelling, the audience becomes a vital part of the experience, co-authors of a new myth. By the end of the evening, together, we create a new story: one where queer people don’t just exist in the margins of myth, but are central to its creation.​

Legendary is not just a retelling; it’s a reimagining. A communal ceremony. A collective act of reclamation."

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Cheeyang Ng, Legendary

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> Cheeyand Ng and Brisa Areli Muñoz sit down to talk taking more risk, the creation journey of Legendary, celebrating the moment, & their relationship with MTF over 12 years.

"Legendary: The Myth of Creation is a solo musical that reimagines the act of myth-making through a queer, diasporic lens. It follows the journey of the Narrator, a queer Asian immigrant living in the U.S., as they navigate the question: Should I have a child? Along the way, they confront what it means to belong: across borders, between binaries, and within family.​

This is not some imagined realm. It is our world, where ancient legends and dominant narratives have long failed to make space for queer bodies. The Narrator asks: Why have our stories excluded us? Why is the world so obsessed with either/or? Through personal memories, Chinese mythology, and a fractured relationship with their father, they begin to deconstruct what legacy, lineage, and love truly mean.

This is not a passive performance. Through circle singing, call and response, and shared storytelling, the audience becomes a vital part of the experience, co-authors of a new myth. By the end of the evening, together, we create a new story: one where queer people don’t just exist in the margins of myth, but are central to its creation.​

Legendary is not just a retelling; it’s a reimagining. A communal ceremony. A collective act of reclamation."

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Cheeyang Ng, Legendary

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2659 13 full 012: MTF x Melliot 012: MTF x Melliot https://mtf.podbean.com/e/mtfx-melliot/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/mtfx-melliot/#comments Fri, 01 May 2026 10:59:23 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/3a7f4e9a-74da-3c53-a44c-8885acb790e1 In this episode, Brisa Areli sits down with writing duo Melliot (Mel Hornyak & Elliot Valentine) of Makers Cohort IV! We get into the joy & importance of Queer/Trans art, speculative fiction as a genre, and how they're writing their communities directly into their art. Listen in and learn more about the various project Melliot has been cookin' up!

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Melliot

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> In this episode, Brisa Areli sits down with writing duo Melliot (Mel Hornyak & Elliot Valentine) of Makers Cohort IV! We get into the joy & importance of Queer/Trans art, speculative fiction as a genre, and how they're writing their communities directly into their art. Listen in and learn more about the various project Melliot has been cookin' up!

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Melliot

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2826 12 full 011: MTF x Come See Your Future 011: MTF x Come See Your Future https://mtf.podbean.com/e/011-mtf-x-come-see-your-future/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/011-mtf-x-come-see-your-future/#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:25:31 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/2a2a18df-8538-38ce-8314-44bbeb6ebba7 Brisa Areli and Brandon sit down with EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Andreoli to talk about how technology intersects dramaturgically with their process and new piece in development Come See Your Future.

Come See Your Future is a hybrid musical theatre and virtual reality piece that unfolds in a sci-fi, dystopian world ravaged by climate change. The project explores capitalism’s impact on the environment and how political division inhibits humanity’s ability to live sustainably and find solutions to the climate crisis.

Every audience member steps inside the world of the show in VR as the experience weaves live performance and interactive virtual reality sequences, propelling the story forward. With VR, the audience embodies each character's perspective, creating a form-bending immersive experience.

Learn more about Maria & EmmaLee and Come See Your Future Below!

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Isabella Andreoli & Brandon Powers

Come See Your Future

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> Brisa Areli and Brandon sit down with EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Andreoli to talk about how technology intersects dramaturgically with their process and new piece in development Come See Your Future.

Come See Your Future is a hybrid musical theatre and virtual reality piece that unfolds in a sci-fi, dystopian world ravaged by climate change. The project explores capitalism’s impact on the environment and how political division inhibits humanity’s ability to live sustainably and find solutions to the climate crisis.

Every audience member steps inside the world of the show in VR as the experience weaves live performance and interactive virtual reality sequences, propelling the story forward. With VR, the audience embodies each character's perspective, creating a form-bending immersive experience.

Learn more about Maria & EmmaLee and Come See Your Future Below!

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Isabella Andreoli & Brandon Powers

Come See Your Future

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2565 11 full 010: Technology as a Liberatory Tool 010: Technology as a Liberatory Tool https://mtf.podbean.com/e/10-technology-as-a-liberatory-tool/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/10-technology-as-a-liberatory-tool/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:25:15 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/81117e46-a249-39eb-aea8-0dcb14a7331d This interactive live Fast Forward event invited audiences to explore how musical storytelling extends beyond the stage to influence other sectors. At our Fast Forward: Technology as a Liberatory Tool, we began to investigate how technology can serve artists and creators.

To ground the discussion in lived artistic practice, we’ve engaged two artist case studies. EmmaLee Kidwell and Maria Isabella Andreoli are developing Come See Your Future, a mixed-reality musical that reimagines how audiences experience narrative across physical and digital space. Inyosi Sebenzekhaya is creating Priestess Portals, an evolving work exploring how spiritual technologies and extended reality can merge to generate new forms of ritual, embodiment, and collective transformation. Technologists Aaron Santiago and Dr. Courtney D. Cogburnwill joined the conversation to help audiences better understand how awareness can create agency as we imagine together how technology can be used to fuel the change we want to see in the world.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Isabella Andreoli, INYOSI Sebenzekhaya (b. Nia O. Witherspoon) PhD, Aaron Santiago, & Dr. Courtney D. Cogburn

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> This interactive live Fast Forward event invited audiences to explore how musical storytelling extends beyond the stage to influence other sectors. At our Fast Forward: Technology as a Liberatory Tool, we began to investigate how technology can serve artists and creators.

To ground the discussion in lived artistic practice, we’ve engaged two artist case studies. EmmaLee Kidwell and Maria Isabella Andreoli are developing Come See Your Future, a mixed-reality musical that reimagines how audiences experience narrative across physical and digital space. Inyosi Sebenzekhaya is creating Priestess Portals, an evolving work exploring how spiritual technologies and extended reality can merge to generate new forms of ritual, embodiment, and collective transformation. Technologists Aaron Santiago and Dr. Courtney D. Cogburnwill joined the conversation to help audiences better understand how awareness can create agency as we imagine together how technology can be used to fuel the change we want to see in the world.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | EmmaLee Kidwell & Maria Isabella Andreoli, INYOSI Sebenzekhaya (b. Nia O. Witherspoon) PhD, Aaron Santiago, & Dr. Courtney D. Cogburn

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 5028 10 full 09: The Last Gatekeeper x MTFxR 09: The Last Gatekeeper x MTFxR https://mtf.podbean.com/e/09-the-last-gatekeeper-x-mtfxr/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/09-the-last-gatekeeper-x-mtfxr/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:42:32 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/17f4d4b4-8e35-3c84-9ccf-0278627ff57d To ground us in practical application, MTF dives into the process of developing Germono Toussaint's The Last Gatekeeper as a case study for the use of Technology as a dramaturgical and liberatory tool. "The Last Gatekeeper is an immersive, multi-media, musical theater piece inspired by the writings of West African shaman Malidoma Patrice Somé. The term gatekeeper refers to the indigenous belief that those who express themselves as same-gender-loving maintain the portals between the physical and spiritual world and are connected to both. They are guardians who restore balance and harmony when there is crisis." We get into technologies, both practical & spiritual, and how they can serve the story, the artist, & the development process. 

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers & Germono Toussaint

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> To ground us in practical application, MTF dives into the process of developing Germono Toussaint's The Last Gatekeeper as a case study for the use of Technology as a dramaturgical and liberatory tool. "The Last Gatekeeper is an immersive, multi-media, musical theater piece inspired by the writings of West African shaman Malidoma Patrice Somé. The term gatekeeper refers to the indigenous belief that those who express themselves as same-gender-loving maintain the portals between the physical and spiritual world and are connected to both. They are guardians who restore balance and harmony when there is crisis." We get into technologies, both practical & spiritual, and how they can serve the story, the artist, & the development process. 

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers & Germono Toussaint

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

 

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

 

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

 

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

 

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2653 9 full 08: What You Need to Know About MTFxR 08: What You Need to Know About MTFxR https://mtf.podbean.com/e/08-what-you-need-to-know-about-mtfxr/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/08-what-you-need-to-know-about-mtfxr/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:08:27 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/8c2c7f54-4eef-3b35-9838-841817618c52 Brandon Powers joins us to talk all things MTFxR. We get into technology as a dramaturgical & liberatory tool, definitions, practical examples, fears, & more! 

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers

Shout Out | Kelindah Bee& Melliot

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> Brandon Powers joins us to talk all things MTFxR. We get into technology as a dramaturgical & liberatory tool, definitions, practical examples, fears, & more! 

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers

Shout Out | Kelindah Bee& Melliot

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2444 8 full 07: The Potential to Shift Timelines 07: The Potential to Shift Timelines https://mtf.podbean.com/e/07-the-potential-to-shift-timelines/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/07-the-potential-to-shift-timelines/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:01:08 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/5cc6d89f-5567-335b-b1bb-c6bbf88f00e3 On the other side of our live event/taping, ELC gathers to reflect on launching this new program, what curiosities we still have, and how we can imagine deepening this work. If you have a family member or friend at a senior center who can benefit from this type of work, please let us know at info@mtf.nyc! If you work in insurance and have valuable knowledge to add, we invite you to join the conversation. If you are asking yourself how you can apply this model to your own work, you're in the right place! We are so happy you're here. Thank you for listening.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Andrea Negrete, Abigial Grubb, & Brisa Areli Muñoz

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> On the other side of our live event/taping, ELC gathers to reflect on launching this new program, what curiosities we still have, and how we can imagine deepening this work. If you have a family member or friend at a senior center who can benefit from this type of work, please let us know at info@mtf.nyc! If you work in insurance and have valuable knowledge to add, we invite you to join the conversation. If you are asking yourself how you can apply this model to your own work, you're in the right place! We are so happy you're here. Thank you for listening.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Andrea Negrete, Abigial Grubb, & Brisa Areli Muñoz

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 1663 7 full 06: What MERCEDES Continues to Give 06: What MERCEDES Continues to Give https://mtf.podbean.com/e/06-what-mercedes-continues-to-give/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/06-what-mercedes-continues-to-give/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:49:08 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/81c0acb5-c98f-310f-9de3-47d7108f6809 In episode 6, we circle back to Flako on the other side of our live event to check in on what that experience was like, what's in store for MERCEDES, and more! This conversation wraps up our time at the intersection of Health & Wellness (for now) and we look forward to diving into Technology as a Liberatory Tool! Stay tuned.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez

Shout Outs | ¡Oye! Group, MERCEDES

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> In episode 6, we circle back to Flako on the other side of our live event to check in on what that experience was like, what's in store for MERCEDES, and more! This conversation wraps up our time at the intersection of Health & Wellness (for now) and we look forward to diving into Technology as a Liberatory Tool! Stay tuned.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez

Shout Outs | ¡Oye! Group, MERCEDES

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2229 6 full 05: The Ripple Effect 05: The Ripple Effect https://mtf.podbean.com/e/05-the-ripple-effect/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/05-the-ripple-effect/#comments Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:07:20 -0700 mtf.podbean.com/6f7e44ee-7685-34a6-b6f9-06d58822a5e5 In this episode of Fast Forward, artists Emmanuelle Zagoria and Ben Bonnema reflect on the conversation from MTF’s first Fast Forward: Health & Wellness gathering. Together, they explore what it might look like to build healthier creative ecosystems, imagining how care, sustainability, and collective responsibility could shape the future of artistic work.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Emmanuelle Zagoria and Ben Bonnema 

Learn more about PACBI

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

]]> In this episode of Fast Forward, artists Emmanuelle Zagoria and Ben Bonnema reflect on the conversation from MTF’s first Fast Forward: Health & Wellness gathering. Together, they explore what it might look like to build healthier creative ecosystems, imagining how care, sustainability, and collective responsibility could shape the future of artistic work.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Emmanuelle Zagoria and Ben Bonnema 

Learn more about PACBI

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

]]> MTF true No 2518 5 full 04: Health & Wellness 04: Health & Wellness https://mtf.podbean.com/e/04-health-wellness/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/04-health-wellness/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:58:37 -0800 mtf.podbean.com/547ce249-b1b0-3196-bbb5-03fe95b59934 What happens when musical theater intersects with health, healing, and wellness?

Recorded live at our Fast Forward event this past October (2025), this episode explores how artists are using musical storytelling to engage with some of the most pressing questions around care, mental health, and collective well-being.

Featuring expert voices Lis Chirinos, Sarah Serrano-Esquilin, and Dr. Marc Rothman, plus a live performance by Pedro Fortunato, this episode centers a case study on Mercedes by Modesto Flako Jimenez of Oye Group for collective imagining and dialogue. Make sure you listen to Episode 03 for more context!

Dive into the ways creative practice can open new pathways for empathy, dialogue, and healing. From rethinking how stories about health are told, to exploring how artistic spaces can support personal and community wellness, the discussion invites us to consider what role musical storytelling might play in a healthier, more connected future.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Lis Chirinos, Sarah Serrano-Esquilin, and Dr. Marc Rothman, plus a live performance by Pedro Fortunato

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundat

]]> What happens when musical theater intersects with health, healing, and wellness?

Recorded live at our Fast Forward event this past October (2025), this episode explores how artists are using musical storytelling to engage with some of the most pressing questions around care, mental health, and collective well-being.

Featuring expert voices Lis Chirinos, Sarah Serrano-Esquilin, and Dr. Marc Rothman, plus a live performance by Pedro Fortunato, this episode centers a case study on Mercedes by Modesto Flako Jimenez of Oye Group for collective imagining and dialogue. Make sure you listen to Episode 03 for more context!

Dive into the ways creative practice can open new pathways for empathy, dialogue, and healing. From rethinking how stories about health are told, to exploring how artistic spaces can support personal and community wellness, the discussion invites us to consider what role musical storytelling might play in a healthier, more connected future.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Lis Chirinos, Sarah Serrano-Esquilin, and Dr. Marc Rothman, plus a live performance by Pedro Fortunato

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundat

]]> MTF true No 3686 4 full 03: In the Name of Mercedes 03: In the Name of Mercedes https://mtf.podbean.com/e/03-in-the-name-of-mercedes/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/03-in-the-name-of-mercedes/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:56:51 -0800 mtf.podbean.com/25913de2-80e1-37f1-be1f-944146e6e11a In Episode 3 of Fast Forward, Brisa sits down with Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez for an intimate and expansive conversation about identity, memory, and wellness through artistic practice.

Together, they explore who Flako is as an artist, who Mercedes was, and what MERCEDES the project has become. This is a case study in how creative work can function as healing, reclamation, and emotional processing.

As this season examines Health and Wellness, MERCEDES offers a powerful lens into how art holds grief, legacy, transformation, and care. It is also paving the way for what cross-sectoral partnership can look like! Brisa and Flako unpack the relationship between storytelling and selfhood, and how creative practice can become a site of restoration.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez, MERCEDES, &  

¡Oye Group!

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

]]> In Episode 3 of Fast Forward, Brisa sits down with Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez for an intimate and expansive conversation about identity, memory, and wellness through artistic practice.

Together, they explore who Flako is as an artist, who Mercedes was, and what MERCEDES the project has become. This is a case study in how creative work can function as healing, reclamation, and emotional processing.

As this season examines Health and Wellness, MERCEDES offers a powerful lens into how art holds grief, legacy, transformation, and care. It is also paving the way for what cross-sectoral partnership can look like! Brisa and Flako unpack the relationship between storytelling and selfhood, and how creative practice can become a site of restoration.

------------

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez, MERCEDES, &  

¡Oye Group!

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

]]> MTF true No 2924 3 full 02: If Artists Were Essential 02: If Artists Were Essential https://mtf.podbean.com/e/if-artists-were-essential/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/if-artists-were-essential/#comments Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:09:06 -0800 mtf.podbean.com/05b40f96-f9de-3e89-88f3-292b7d9b2fa8 In Episode 2 of Fast Forward, members of MTF’s Artistic Circle (Brandon Powers, Sidney Erik Wright, and Brisa Areli Muñoz) break down what Fast Forward is and why it matters now. This conversation explores cross-sector collaboration, the future of the arts, and how artists can drive impact beyond traditional entertainment and new work development.

Together, they examine how creative leaders can influence other sectors in society and the impact on the broader creative economy. What would change if artists were treated as essential contributors across industries? What does sustainable artistic impact actually look like?

If you’re interested in arts leadership, cultural strategy, innovation in musical storytelling, and building a more equitable arts ecosystem, this episode lays the foundation.

------------

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers & Sidney Erik Wright 

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> In Episode 2 of Fast Forward, members of MTF’s Artistic Circle (Brandon Powers, Sidney Erik Wright, and Brisa Areli Muñoz) break down what Fast Forward is and why it matters now. This conversation explores cross-sector collaboration, the future of the arts, and how artists can drive impact beyond traditional entertainment and new work development.

Together, they examine how creative leaders can influence other sectors in society and the impact on the broader creative economy. What would change if artists were treated as essential contributors across industries? What does sustainable artistic impact actually look like?

If you’re interested in arts leadership, cultural strategy, innovation in musical storytelling, and building a more equitable arts ecosystem, this episode lays the foundation.

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About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Brandon Powers & Sidney Erik Wright 

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

]]> MTF true No 2289 2 full 01: Before We Fast Forward 01: Before We Fast Forward https://mtf.podbean.com/e/01-before-we-fast-forward/ https://mtf.podbean.com/e/01-before-we-fast-forward/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:25:21 -0800 infoyzc.podbean.com/202b2ae8-1e17-3974-b0bd-01f3c24fd0cb Before we fully Fast Forward, we want to take the time to ground ourselves in where we are and why this work matters now. In this debut episode, MTF's Extended Leadership Circle introduces the org and sets the stage for what Fast Forward is here to do: imagine bold futures for storytelling, center artists as essential contributors to society, and explore how creative practice moves across sectors and communities. You’ll hear the origin story behind MTF, the values shaping this next era, and the questions that will guide the conversations to come. Whether you’re an artist, collaborator, or curious listener, this episode invites you into the vision and the journey ahead.

About MTF MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit: Website: www.mtf.nyc Instagram: @mtfmusicals YouTube Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Abigail Grubb & Andrea Negrete 

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

]]> Before we fully Fast Forward, we want to take the time to ground ourselves in where we are and why this work matters now. In this debut episode, MTF's Extended Leadership Circle introduces the org and sets the stage for what Fast Forward is here to do: imagine bold futures for storytelling, center artists as essential contributors to society, and explore how creative practice moves across sectors and communities. You’ll hear the origin story behind MTF, the values shaping this next era, and the questions that will guide the conversations to come. Whether you’re an artist, collaborator, or curious listener, this episode invites you into the vision and the journey ahead.

About MTF
MTF equips artists to create musical stories as a collective force for justice, healing, and radical imagination.

Stay in Orbit:
Website: www.mtf.nyc
Instagram: @mtfmusicals
YouTube
Give Back

----------

CREDITS

Produced by | MTF Musicals 

Hosted by | Brisa Areli Muñoz 

Featuring | Abigail Grubb & Andrea Negrete 

Production 

Creative Director | Andrea Negrete

DP | Andrew Young 

Editing | Andrew Young 

Sound Mixing | Falan Nuhring

MTF Team

Abigail Grubb | Director of Interdependence & Collective Care

Andrea Negrete | Director of Access & Advocacy

AriDy Nox | Director of Decolonization & Sustainability

Brisa Areli Muñoz | Director of Artistic Innovation & Emergent Magic

Brandon Powers | Artistic Innovation Lead

Falan Nuhring | Coordinator of Connectivity & Systems

Sidney Erik Wright | Artistic Programs Lead

MTF Board of Directors

Amy Goldwasser

Ariel Estrada

Catherine Pulley-Dennison

Cheyenne Myrie

Isabel Quinzaños Alonso

M Von Nida

Special Thanks To 

The MTF Community & MTF Makers Past and Present

Kelindah Bee | Producer of Fast Forward Live Tapings 

Sol & Yue Productions

Shakina Nayfack | Founding Artistic Director

Mei Ann Teo | Former Artistic Director

Walter

MTF’s Institutional Support

The Mellon Foundation

Joseph F. Savage Jr. Charitable Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation

The Jerome Foundation

Fast Forward is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

 

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