Theater & More: ‘How I Learned the Business of Creativity’

In the anticipation of witnessing “Parks and Recreation” star Amy Poehler in “How I Learned the Business of Creativity,” I expected a night of comedy; the idea that a comedian such as Poehler could buckle down and talk business evaded me.

Despite my ill-preparedness for the format of the evening, however, I appreciated the approach of American Public Media’s “Marketplace,” discussing business in an informal, non-technical manner which made the night simultaneously digestible and entertaining.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Marketplace,” the radio show has been touring and hosting discussions across the country and wrapped up with their panel Saturday in Royce Hall. Exploring the divergence of two worlds in “How I Learned the Business of Creativity,” the event featured not only Poehler but also “All in the Family” television producer Norman Lear, “The Black List” founder and CEO Franklin Leonard and president and chief operating officer of SpaceX Gwynne Shotwell.

Cheekily thanking sponsors and introducing host Kai Ryssdal with his own catchphrase, “let’s do the numbers,” vice president and executive producer of “Marketplace” Deborah Clark made it clear that a sense of humor was reason enough for the continued success of the radio show.

As Ryssdal introduced Lear for the first half of the conversation about the business of creativity, the audience broke out into applause that only grew louder when Poehler joined him on the couch.

In exploring the relationship between Poehler and Lear, Poehler spoke of her admiration for “All in the Family” and Lear’s work, citing the common name between her son and the show’s protagonist Archie.

Discussing her first encounter with Lear, the commonalities between her work and his and the changes that have occurred in American television between their active careers, Poehler demonstrated her characteristic ability to transition smoothly between her persona as comedian and her serious nature as a professional in the world of television.

In discussing “Yes Please” and “Even This I Get to Experience,” the books Poehler and Lear recently released respectively, Poehler discussed her appreciation for those who work as both successful comedians and functional bosses, while Lear spoke of working with talent and his approach to breathing life into his own creative ideas.

The audience was gratified with clips of “All in the Family” as well as one of my favorite recurring Saturday Night Live sketches, Poehler’s Hillary Clinton impression. Poehler spoke of embracing the side of influential figures that she believes is shadowed and making a game out of it. Believing Clinton to be “more fun” than she is portrayed as, Poehler focused on channeling that concept into her bits.

Having captured the audience in spite of Lear and Poehler’s departure, Ryssdal introduced Leonard and Shotwell for the second half of the show, discussing the creative aspect of business.

Leonard’s “The Black List,” an annual publication of promising unpublished screenplays, has propelled the production of more than 250 films, all of which have earned about 200 Academy Award nominations and 37 winners. Pioneering this idea at a crossroads in his life, Leonard spoke of his passion for pushing the fresh ideas of others into the spotlight.

Shotwell, who is responsible for managing operations and relations to support company growth at SpaceX, an aerospace technology company, spoke of her time at the company and the diminishing time between the present and the exploration of Mars by humans. Delivering a fresh perspective on engineering and the necessity of creativity in the field, Shotwell earned a round of applause from the students seated in the upper sections of the auditorium.

Leaving the hall, I was pleasantly surprised to have sidelined thought-provoking discussions between lead innovators. The panel had imparted a greater understanding of the undercover creative operatives in the science industry, as well as the immense workload shadowed by the laughs garnered in a cherished sitcom.

– Emaan Baqai