Divas, Ingénues & Vixens Podcast

She was never meant to be heard—until the music gave her a voice.

 

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife exists at the edge of the story—unnamed, misunderstood, and often dismissed.

But in Carlisle Floyd’s operatic adaptation, something changes.

She sings.

In this episode, Amity explores what happens when a woman defined by silence is finally given a voice—through the music of Of Mice and Men and the deeply nuanced performance of soprano Sara Gartland.

This is not just a retelling of a familiar story.
It’s an invitation to hear it differently.

 

OF MICE AND MEN in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre performed by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City May 1, 2 and 3, 2026 Get your tickets to see the show at www.kcopera.org

Play from your heart . . . Everything else follows!

 

What does it mean to make music that is honest… grounded… and truly your own?

In this episode, Amity Bryson sits down with Amanda Fish to explore the journey from precision to presence—what happens when an artist stops chasing perfection and starts playing from the heart.

From the rich, experimental “laboratory” of the Kansas City music scene to the deeply personal process of songwriting, Amanda reflects on building a career rooted in authenticity, humility, and creative evolution.

But this conversation doesn’t stop with one artist.

Alongside Amanda is emerging musician Haley Burke, offering a powerful, real-time glimpse into mentorship, legacy, and what it means to pass artistry forward. In a genre built on lineage and lived experience, this episode asks: how do we honor tradition while still claiming our own voice?

This is a conversation about music.
About leadership.
And about making space—for yourself, and for the next artist to rise.

Three voices. Three distinct paths. One unforgettable night.

In this episode, I sit down with Holly Crays, Leah Sproul, and Damaris—three artists bringing their own sound, story, and spirit to the Lyrical Belles stage at Knuckleheads on April 23.

Rooted in country and Americana but shaped by their own journeys, these are artists on the rise—each stepping onto a “bucket list” stage.

Come meet the voices… and then hear them live.

Tickets available at KnuckleheadsKC.com

Episode 50.
Fifty voices. One question: what makes a voice unforgettable?

In this special episode of Divas, Ingénues & Vixens, I take you through a curated list of 50 women whose artistry has shaped how I listen—across opera, Broadway, folk, pop, jazz, gospel, and the vibrant music community of Kansas City.

But this isn’t just a list.

It’s a game.
A reveal.
A conversation between voices across generations.

From icons to emerging artists, from global stages to local rooms, each voice offers a clue—until we arrive at the one who holds them all.

Listen closely. You might hear more than you expect.

In this deeply personal episode, Amity Bryson sits down with soprano Sarah Tannehill Anderson to reflect on a career shaped not only by extraordinary singing, but by intention, collaboration, and quiet artistic force.

Through the archetypes of the Ingénue, the Vixen, and the Diva, Sarah revisits the moments that defined her journey—from early discovery to artistic risk to the spaces where everything aligned. The result is a conversation rich with memory, insight, and unmistakable joy.

As Sarah prepares for her final professional performance, we celebrate not an ending, but a voice that continues to evolve and echo.

Join her in the World Premiere of My Favorite Things, a joint production by Bach Aria Soloists and Kansas City Actors Theatre, on April 11 at 7:30 pm at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS.

Tickets are available at BachAriaSoloists.com or KCActors.org.