Ep. 57: Artists as First Responders (Ft. The Bengsons)

In every episode, the culture critics at Token Theatre Friends bring their fresh perspectives to the performing arts on their podcast and video series. You can find the podcast on Spotify, iTunes, and Stitcher (look for the all-red logo). The video series is available on YouTube. The TTF theme song is by Sean Mason (with vocals by Angela Ramos). The video animation is by Brad Ogden, with logos by Jason Simon.

In this episode, Jose speaks to The Bengsons about Sovereignty Hymns, a series of spirituals they wrote in which they address a woman’s right to choose when it comes to reproductive liberty. The Hymns were first released by La Jolla Playhouse shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022. Driven by powerful personal stories and The Bengsons’ exhilarating compositions, the songs became the alarm that reminds us that, as Abigail says, artists can be first responders. As always, a conversation with Abigail and Shaun is a balm for the soul, so enjoy and bask in their wisdom and light.