Ghostlight
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Podcast Overview
<p><b>What does it actually take to build a sustainable life in the arts?</b></p><p></p><p>Ghostlight is a podcast about the intersection of creativity, business, identity, and survival. Hosted by entrepreneur and theater artist Benjamin Reed, each episode features candid conversations with performers, playwrights, directors, producers, and builders navigating the realities of creative work.</p><p></p><p>Together, they explore the mechanics behind artistic careers: money, leverage, burnout, storytelling, ambition, audience building, self-worth, and the challenge of creating meaningful work without destroying yourself in the process.</p><p></p><p><b>Because making art is one thing. Building a life around it is another.</b></p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
2/17/2025
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Recent Episodes
July 7, 2026
Brooke Benson: Money Coach for Creatives
<p>Money doesn’t have to be the enemy of creativity.<br /></p><p>This week on <i>Ghostlight</i>, Benjamin Reed sits down with actor, entrepreneur, and <b>Not Starving Artists</b> founder Brooke Benson for a conversation about the relationship between art, money, and the stories we tell ourselves about both.<br /></p><p>Brooke shares how financial anxiety led her to rethink traditional budgeting, why so many artists struggle with money mindset, and how creating financial stability can actually unlock greater creative freedom. <br /><br />Together, Benjamin and Brooke explore entrepreneurship, multiple streams of income, the realities facing today’s artists, and what it might take to build a healthier, more sustainable arts ecosystem.<br /></p><p>Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, freelancer, or simply someone who has ever felt overwhelmed by money, this episode offers practical insights alongside a hopeful vision for the future.<br /></p><p><b>In this episode:</b></p><p>• The origin of Not Starving Artists<br />• Why budgeting often fails creative minds<br />• The connection between financial stability and artistic risk-taking<br />• Entrepreneurship as a creative practice<br />• Multiple streams of income without losing your artistic identity<br />• Why mindset matters as much as math<br />• The future of nonprofit theatre and sustainable artistic careers<br />• Practical financial habits every creative should know</p><p><br /><b>Chapters</b></p><p>00:00 – Meet Brooke Benson<br />00:30 – The Birth of Not Starving Artists<br />03:40 – When Saving Money Isn’t Enough<br />06:25 – The Mindset Behind Financial Freedom<br />12:35 – Building a Business While Building an Acting Career<br />20:20 – Why Creativity Makes Better Entrepreneurs<br />25:10 – Changing the Stories We Tell About Money<br />31:10 – Does Financial Stability Make Better Artists?<br />34:00 – The Money Flow Method<br />41:30 – Simple Financial Habits That Compound<br />45:15 – The Future of the Starving Artist<br />57:15 – Brooke’s Advice to Every Young Artist<br />58:50 – Where to Find Brooke<br /><br /><b>About Brooke Benson</b></p><p>Brooke Benson is an Equity actor, money coach, and founder of Not Starving Artists. Through one-on-one coaching, online courses, and her podcast, she helps artists and creative professionals build financial confidence without sacrificing the lives they’re trying to create.</p><p>Connect with Brooke:</p><p>Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://notstarvingartists.com" target="_blank">https://notstarvingartists.com</a></p><p>Instagram: @notstarvingartists</p><p>Podcast: <i>The Not Starving Artist Podcast</i></p><hr /><p><i>Ghostlight</i> is a podcast about how art helps us relate to ourselves, each other, and the world.</p><p>Hosted by Benjamin Reed.</p>
June 30, 2026
225. Ben Grimes: Serving is a Core Value
<p><b>Episode 225: Ben Grimes: Serving Is a Core Value</b></p><p>Actor. Army veteran. Founder. Artistic Director.</p><p></p><p>Ben Grimes has spent much of his life moving between worlds: from a performing arts high school in Arkansas, to the hustle and bustle of New York City, to military service in Iraq, and now to leading one of Kentucky’s most impactful theater organizations.</p><p></p><p>In this conversation, Benjamin and Ben explore how theater became a tool for self-discovery, why service remains one of Ben’s core values, and what the military taught him about leadership, purpose, and community. </p><p></p><p>They discuss the surprising connection between Shakespeare and trauma recovery, the scars we carry through life, and the role storytelling can play in healing.</p><p></p><p>The conversation also examines the future of American theater: resident companies, community engagement, artist compensation, nonprofit sustainability, and Ben’s vision for Market House Theatre as a cultural anchor for western Kentucky.</p><p></p><p>At its heart, this episode asks a simple question:</p><p><b>What happens when we gather in a room together and truly pay attention?</b></p><h3><b>Topics Discussed</b></h3><ul><li>Growing up as a military brat and finding identity through theater</li><li>Why acting became a path to self-discovery</li><li>The challenges of pursuing a career in New York City</li><li>Military service, leadership, and life after the Army</li><li>Shakespeare, PTSD, and the healing power of storytelling</li><li>Trauma, empathy, and the scars we carry</li><li>The rise and fall of resident acting companies</li><li>Community theater vs. professional theater</li><li>How nonprofit theaters actually work</li><li>Endowments, sustainability, and arts funding</li><li>Building Market House Theatre’s future</li><li>Why theater remains a powerful tool for community building</li></ul><h3><b>About Ben Grimes</b></h3><p>Ben Grimes is the Artistic Director of Market House Theatre in Paducah, Kentucky. An actor, Army veteran, arts administrator, and founder of Riverside Actors Theatre, his work centers on storytelling, service, and the transformative power of the arts.</p><p></p><h3><b>Chapters</b></h3><p><b>00:00 Finding Identity Through Theater</b><br />Ben’s childhood, ADHD, and discovering drama.</p><p><b>06:32 When Acting Wasn’t Enough</b><br />New York City, artistic ambition, and joining the Army.</p><p><b>15:45 Service as a Core Value</b><br />How military service reshaped Ben’s perspective.</p><p><b>19:05 Can Shakespeare Heal Trauma?</b><br />PTSD, storytelling, and the science behind theater’s impact.</p><p><b>29:01 Building a Theater for Healing</b><br />The Breach, Riverside Actors Theatre, and therapeutic arts.</p><p><b>37:28 What Is Professional Theater Anymore?</b><br />Resident companies, community theater, and artist compensation.</p><p><b>46:46 The Future of Market House Theatre</b><br />Ben’s vision for western Kentucky.</p><p><b>56:31 Theater as a Gym for Empathy</b><br />Why communities still need shared artistic experiences.</p>
June 22, 2026
224. Jenny Bennett: Hope is a Discipline
<p>What does it mean to spend a lifetime making theatre?</p><p></p><p>Actor, director, educator, and fourth-generation theatre artist Jenny Bennett joins Ghostlight host Benjamin Reed to explore the power of presence, communication, and community. From growing up backstage in Michigan to building a theatre company in Taiwan, Jenny reflects on the experiences that shaped her artistic vision and her belief that meaningful communication begins with listening.</p><p></p><p>Together, Bennett and Reed discuss actor training, directing, language acquisition through theatre, the economics of the arts, why live performance still matters, and the unique ability of storytelling to bring people together across cultures and differences.</p><p></p><p>Along the way, Jenny shares lessons from a life in the theatre, why the best collaborators aren’t always the most talented people in the room, and why she believes that hope is not a feeling, but a discipline.</p><p></p><p><b>Topics:</b> Theatre, directing, acting, Taiwan, communication, community, arts funding, Shakespeare, collaboration, storytelling, attention, hope.</p>
37 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Ghostlight?
<p><b>What does it actually take to build a sustainable life in the arts?</b></p><p></p><p>Ghostlight is a podcast about the intersection of creativity, business, identity, and survival. Hosted by entrepreneur and theater artist Benjamin Reed, each episode features candid conversations with performers, playwrights, directors, producers, and builders navigating the realities of creative work.</p><p></p><p>Together, they explore the mechanics behind artistic careers: money, leverage, burnout, storytelling, ambition, audience building, self-worth, and the challenge of creating meaningful work without destroying yourself in the process.</p><p></p><p><b>Because making art is one thing. Building a life around it is another.</b></p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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