Arts Calling Podcast | Down-to-earth conversations with independent artists about craft, community, and a life well-lived.
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Hi there,
We’re back! Today I am delighted to be arts calling writer/performer Jen Ponton! (jenponton.com)
About our guest:
JEN PONTON (writer/performer SUGARCOATED) returns triumphantly to the New York stage with Sugarcoated, her autobiographical solo show, in its New York premiere. Last seen off-Broadway in Halley Feiffer’s How To Make Friends and then Kill Them (Rattlestick, 2013), Jen has spent the past decade building a vibrant career in film and television. Highlights include Dietland, 30 Rock, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange is the New Black, Law & Order: SVU, and Blue Bloods, among many others. Jen also starred in Ash Christian’s Love on the Run alongside Frances Fisher, Annaleigh Ashford, and Steve Howey. She has since appeared in Rebecca Miller’s She Came to Me and Todd Solondz’s Wiener-Dog opposite Greta Gerwig and Kieran Culkin.
Off-screen, Jen is a passionate creator. Her works include the storytelling podcast All the Fucks with co-host Lillian Bustle, a nostalgia-packed puppet sitcom, and her TEDx Talk, “Hollywood’s Fatphobia Problem.” Her collaboration with Sugarcoated director Tessa Slovis began with Tessa’s film Pizza Party, wherein the two found an immediate connection through their commitment to bold activism through storytelling. Explore more about Sugarcoated at jenponton.com.
Maiden Mother Crone: an evening of poignant storytelling as two extraordinary solo shows, THE LONGER MY MOTHER IS DEAD THE MORE I LIKE HER by Deborah Unger and SUGARCOATED by Jen Ponton, take center stage at The Pete at The Flea from February 12–23, 2025.
ABOUT SUGARCOATED: Jen Ponton takes audiences on a visceral journey through the polished facade women are often forced to wear. With biting humor and profound vulnerability, Sugarcoated strips away societal expectations, revealing raw truths about trauma, survival, and self-empowerment. Best known for her role on AMC’s Dietland, Ponton has made waves in TV, film, and theater. Sugarcoated, which premiered at the Denver Fringe Festival, is a testament to her fearless approach to storytelling and her commitment to exploring the untold narratives of women.
MAIDEN MOTHER CRONE plays the following schedule through Sunday, February 23:
Preview Performances: February 12 & 13 at 7 PM
Opening Night: February 14 at 7 PM
February 15 (2 PM & 7 PM, with matinee talkback)
February 16 (2 PM) February 19–21 (7 PM)
February 22 (2 PM & 7 PM, with matinee talkback)
February 23 (2 PM)
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at maidenmothercroneshow.com or in person at the theater ½ hours before the performance.
Venue: The Pete at The Flea, 20 Thomas Street, New York, NY 10007
Running Time: 2h15 mins (with intermission)
Website: maidenmothercroneshow.com
Thanks for this amazing conversation, Jen! All the best!
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Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro.
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Much love,
j