Laura Loves NY Celebrates 75 Episodes

Two years ago, I was trying to figure out how to create content. I was studying with Bonnie Gillespie, indie casting direct and writer of Self-Management for Actors, and one of Bonnie's big messages is: "Make your own content." And at the time, so many of the actors and creatives I admired were saying the same thing: "Make your own work," so I started thinking about how I could do that.

I've always loved documenting events and experiences. Working Off Broadway, I'd take pix backstage or of the stage before the show. 

Running around from my support job to auditions to classes, I'd see something beautiful and artsy and take a pic. And friends who couldn't make it to the city would often say, "I'd love to see a day in the life of YOUR life!" So I started filming some of the spots I loved. And then I wanted to interview some of the cool people I've worked with and find out what they love about NY too. Voila! "Laura Loves NY" was born!

I've interviewed Broadway and Off Broadway folks, TV actors, international filmmakers, composers, writers, herbalists, comedians, entrepreneurs, a marathon runner, and a puppeteer...



I've done some solo segments where I share a little history about a place or park in the city.

When quarantine hit, I wasn't sure how I'd keep my show going, but thanks to Zoom, I can still do my interviews and include fun photos and videos of NY. I recently interviewed Hollywood actress, Deb Snyder, because I'd met her in an online masterclass and she'd share some of her stories in NY. I'd been waiting to have her on my show once she revisited the city, but with the coronavirus holding all that up, I figured we could accomplish a lot on Zoom, and we did! I released her episode last week.

I'm currently editing an interview with "Constance Cooks," a gal who does cooking shows on Instagram while focusing on local food sources in NY.

I gather all the footage and film exterior shots on my iphone when I can. Then I edit everything, adding music, photos and doing Voice Over segments to help tell the stories. This has turned into a passion, to be sure! 

Hope to see you on my next adventure!

Laura Loves NY interview with Deb Snyder

You've probably seen Deb all over TV. She was recently in "Big Little Lies" and on the Christmas commercial for Bombas socks. She's also got a commercial for McDonald's coming up.

I met Deb in Bonnie Gillespie's masterclass, and we immediately clicked. She's been incredibly supportive of my webseries, Laura Loves NY, and I'd always say, "If you ever get to NY, I'd love to interview you!"

When the coronavirus hit, and we all were quarantined, I started to think, "Why not interview Deb now?" Her history with NY is rich with adventures in theatre and film, and I wanted to share her insights. So I called her up and said, "What do you think of doing a Zoom interview?" And like the true improv performer she is, Deb was all in!

We spent 90 minutes talking about theatre and film and TV and LIFE, and I wish I could share every minute of it with you, but in trying to be considerate of time, I edited down our interview to 20 minutes. There's so much great advice for actors, which I might share at another time, but the big lessons I learned from her bookings is that improv seemed to help every time! She also really knows the craft and has her masters degree in acting.

Watching her work in Ang Lee's film, "Pushing Hands," her starring role as the disgruntled wife and daughter-in-law could not have been easy, and in less sensitive hands, that character would've been reviled.

I love how Deb brings so many colors and layers to even her guest star roles. Her story of working on "Big Little Lies" is such a treat and a huge lesson in how to be flexible and play on set while rolling with the punches that come with editing.

"It's a journey, baby," she says. Hope you enjoy it!