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[0:05] Jan Svendsen: Welcome to the Broadway Gives Back Podcast.

[0:07] Jan Svendsen: I'm your host, Jan Svendsen.

[0:10] Jan Svendsen: This podcast spotlights Broadway actors, shows, and organizations in their pursuit of social impact and philanthropy.

[0:17] Jan Svendsen: Join us as some of the brightest lights on Broadway share their stories about their favorite charities and how they got involved and the people and the causes who benefited from these philanthropic efforts.

[0:33] Jan Svendsen: On this episode of the Broadway Gives Back Podcast, we're welcoming a true force at the intersection of publishing, Broadway, and philanthropy.

[0:41] Jan Svendsen: As editor-in-chief of Town & Country Magazine and the editorial director of Elle Decor, as well as the author of two best-selling books, Stellene Volandes is the epitome of style.

[0:52] Jan Svendsen: But she is also at the heart of the annual Town & Country Philanthropy Summit and the magazine's summer issue, which is devoted to philanthropy.

[1:01] Jan Svendsen: I've gotten to know Stellene because she is a huge Broadway fan and incorporates Broadway into the content of Town & Country whenever possible, especially when it comes to philanthropy and featuring and honoring stage luminaries such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bradley Cooper, Glenn Close, Sarah Jones, Judith Light, Mandy Patinkin, Leslie Odom Jr., Sutton Foster, Cate Blanchett, and I could go on and on.

[1:27] Jan Svendsen: We've worked together on many Town & Country philanthropy summits, and I'm thrilled to have her here today.

[1:33] Jan Svendsen: Stellene, welcome to the Broadway Gives Back Podcast.

[1:47] Stellene Volandes: Well, let's talk about that community because I know we sit and talk about Broadway all the time when we're together, and you are, you know, a true Broadway fan in every sense of the word.

[1:58] Stellene Volandes: Um, and I know that jewelry is also one of your passions, but let's talk about Broadway for today.

[2:04] Stellene Volandes: Yeah, so start like let's roll this all the way back.

[2:06] Stellene Volandes: What was your first Broadway experience?

[2:08] Stellene Volandes: Do you remember your first show or your first experience with theater?

[2:12] Stellene Volandes: Um, so if we're going all the way back to see where this love of theater began.

[2:19] Stellene Volandes: Um, all the way back.

[2:21] Stellene Volandes: All the way back, all the way back.

[2:23] Stellene Volandes: I had an uncle who was an actor in New York, and he started taking me to shows really early.

[2:31] Stellene Volandes: Um, so I saw, um, you know, I remember seeing things like Merlin, which I don't even know how long it lasted.

[2:41] Stellene Volandes: Um, I saw The Whiz really early.

[2:44] Stellene Volandes: I mean, I remember I saw Frankenstein, like I know it opened and closed the same night.

[2:49] Stellene Volandes: I remember seeing that.

[2:51] Stellene Volandes: And, um, I saw The King and I with Yul Brynner.

[2:54] Stellene Volandes: Um, so he really took me to the theater and he took me often.

[3:00] Stellene Volandes: And I think that is something that I really believe in in theater is and should be, and I hope we can, you know, continue to work together to find out how we can make this happen.

[3:17] Stellene Volandes: It should be a part of a New York life.

[3:20] Stellene Volandes: Um, you know, I think that we have incredible opportunities to go to the theater a few times a week, and it's not easy for everybody to do that.

[3:31] Stellene Volandes: And I hope we can continue to think about how we can make that happen.

[3:36] Stellene Volandes: But theater is a part of my regular life in New York City.

[3:51] Stellene Volandes: Right.

[3:52] Stellene Volandes: And as a way to remember what normal life was like.

[3:56] Stellene Volandes: And I realized that theater was a part of my life several times a week.

[4:03] Stellene Volandes: And I happened to, you know, Facebook popped up a memory the other day.

[4:09] Stellene Volandes: And I had been walking on the West Side.

[4:13] Stellene Volandes: It must have been sort of, I don't know, shopping for something for Thanksgiving for my family or something.

[4:19] Stellene Volandes: And I walked into Lincoln Center and bought a ticket to see Junk, like just spur of the moment.

[4:26] Stellene Volandes: And those kinds of moments are what make New York and what make theater so wonderful.

[4:34] Stellene Volandes: You know, I remember sort of being at the TNC offices, and if the day was particularly stressful, I would sort of think, okay, what can I go and see tonight?

[4:45] Stellene Volandes: And theater would make that day better.

[4:50] Stellene Volandes: And, you know, theater makes New York better, it makes us better.

[4:54] Stellene Volandes: And the fact that it was a part of my life regularly from an early age, I think is what really, um, sort of set the stage, so to speak, um, for my feelings about it, which, um, I love it, but I love, I love theater, but I love the theater community.

[5:18] Stellene Volandes: And I think through Town & Country I've been lucky enough to get to know a lot of people in the theater community.

[5:26] Stellene Volandes: And it is as close a group as I could have dreamed of, and as magical a group as I could have dreamed of.

[5:36] Stellene Volandes: So, you know, now theater is I think something even more to me than it was growing up.

[5:44] Stellene Volandes: And, you know, I was your sort of stereotypical high school theater geek, and, um, you know, was in lots of shows.

[5:54] Jan Svendsen: Wait, wait, I have to ask.

[5:56] Jan Svendsen: So what was give us one memorable role that you were in?

[5:59] Stellene Volandes: Um, well, I was Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes.

[6:03] Stellene Volandes: That was my big moment.

[6:07] Stellene Volandes: And I had a wonderful theater teacher, Jennifer Jones, who's Jennifer Jones Cavanaugh now.

[6:13] Stellene Volandes: She's a professor in Denver.

[6:16] Stellene Volandes: And she, you know, she also, I mean, I had my uncle who exposed me to so many different kinds of theater, and then Jennifer Jones, you know, we read Christopher Durang plays, and I remember going to see Agnes of God with her, and I saw Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune.

[6:36] Stellene Volandes: I mean, she just, we went to go see, you know, drama and musicals, and, you know, small things at Playwright's Horizons and big things on Broadway, and, um, and again, that sense that that theater is something that should be a regular part of a New Yorker's life, and hopefully we can find ways to make that true.

[7:04] Jan Svendsen: I wish I were my old job because you'd be like the perfect spokesperson for marketing Broadway.

[7:09] Stellene Volandes: Um, no, but I agree with you.

[7:10] Stellene Volandes: I think that, you know, and probably everybody listening to this podcast, you know, there's a reason we all love theater and we all love Broadway.

[7:16] Stellene Volandes: Um, it's good and it's good for you.

[7:18] Jan Svendsen: Um, so you know, let's talk a little bit about the intersection of Broadway philanthropy.

[7:24] Jan Svendsen: You started talking about the community of Broadway, which for sure is a community.

[7:29] Jan Svendsen: And you know, I've been in the entertainment field and been involved with other genres, and the Broadway family, the Broadway community is so strong.

[7:38] Stellene Volandes: Yeah.

[7:38] Stellene Volandes: Um, maybe the only other community sort of like that would be country music.

[7:43] Jan Svendsen: But um, so let's talk about philanthropy in Broadway.

[7:47] Jan Svendsen: And you know, from your perspective, as you sit there as editor-in-chief of Town & Country, but also as a theater fan, a Broadway fan, you know, what are your opinions about that intersection of Broadway folks and doing social good?

[8:01] Stellene Volandes: Well, I think I like the term social good um more than I like the word philanthropy, um, even though, you know, philanthropy is a Greek word and its roots are just really the love of your fellow man.

[8:16] Jan Svendsen: And I think, wait, I just want to intersect here that Stellene is actually of Greek origin, so that makes sense.

[8:23] Stellene Volandes: And um, well, and I think let's sort of focus in on the word community, because how I view philanthropy is very much tied to the way I grew up.

[8:39] Stellene Volandes: And when I grew up in a very, very tight Greek community in Brooklyn, and no one used the word philanthropy.

[8:48] Stellene Volandes: We all just knew that we had an obligation to support the other members of the community in any way that we could.

[9:00] Stellene Volandes: You know, and yes, for some people in the community, it was about donating money, but for other people, it was about, you know, making food.

[9:09] Stellene Volandes: And for some people, it was just about sort of showing up at a fundraiser and being there to open, you know, the building and to close it, and whatever anybody could do to help other members of the community or to help the community itself, you did.

[9:28] Stellene Volandes: And it was a sense of it's the right thing to do, but it's also just what you do as a member of this community.

[9:38] Stellene Volandes: And I think that when I think about philanthropy, I think of that writ large.

[9:44] Stellene Volandes: You know, philanthropy is really just answering the question, what can I do?

[9:49] Stellene Volandes: And sometimes I think when we hear the word philanthropy now, we think about big checks.

[9:55] Stellene Volandes: And there's definitely the need for that, and whoever can do that should do that, and they do.

[10:03] Stellene Volandes: But I think that we can all do something.

[10:07] Stellene Volandes: And so when I think about especially right now, and the theater and Broadway community, you know, in this pandemic, when it has, you know, it has just all stopped.

[10:32] Stellene Volandes: Um, I I'm not sure people quite grasp how dire the situation is and and will continue to be for a while. So my sense is that if you love going to s a show or you know, you loved watching Hamilton even on Disney, that that is proof that this art impacts you and it means something to you. So the idea really is just what can you do? And and you know, yes, give money where you can. Yes, um, you know, seek out opportunities with something like the Actors Fund to see what um you know what they need time-wise, but even you know, even talking about shows you have loved on your social media account, you know, if if you can't give time, if you can't give money, then giving attention to this community and reminding people how powerful it is for me is also an act of giving. And and I think it's important to let a lot of people know that there is something all of us can do. Um and and this community needs whatever we can do for it.

[11:56] Jan Svendsen: Right. And this community supports each other in the in all those ways you just talked about in your upbringing. I feel like as you were saying that, I was thinking about just the Broadway community. And in many ways, I guess we're like the Greek community, you know, where we we do, it's just part of what you do. You take care of each other, right? In good times you go see each other's shows, you you know, buy buy each other drinks at Joe Allen, but sort of how do you translate that it you know, to translate an intense community like that virtually is very difficult, and so I think we all need to continue to think about ways that we can replicate that support and that camaraderie while we can't be together.

[12:43] Stellene Volandes: I think that's very true, and I guess we should be thinking that about that for at least the next several months, if not another year. Um let's pivot a little bit and let's talk about town and country. Tell us first of all, how did you um how did you become the editor in chief of town and country and a little bit about your background? And then, you know, you really um it's funny when I started talking to you and I heard about town and country, I thought, town and country, and it seems so old fashioned to me. And then I realized that it's definitely not your mother's or your grandmother's town and country. And you've really made such a huge impact on the brand and on the content of the magazine. Um, but tell us a little bit about how you got there and what your visions um were and still are and continue to be for the brand, and also how you instill that philanthropic, I don't use that when I use that word, but social responsibility aspects into the brand.

[13:37] Stellene Volandes: Sure. So I came to Town and Country in 2011 as an editor. Um, I was hired by Jay Fieldon, um, who had himself just been hired, um, and he had been hired really to modernize the magazine and to to sort of bring it into a a new era. And I worked really closely with Jay, um, and then he was um uh moved to Esquire and became the editor-in-chief of Esquire in 2016, and I got uh promoted to editor-in-chief of Town and Country. So I've been with the magazine since 2011, and I feel deeply connected to the magazine, and um it it's for several reasons. First, because I think that you know, you you mentioned that there was this perception of town and country, and and that perception was was warranted for sure.

Um, but if you look back to TNC in the 60s, and um if you look back to TNC, you know, sort of it's it's 175 years old next year. And what we're doing now, though people are sometimes, oh wow, you've changed the magazine so much, we actually haven't. If you look back at what town and country was, let's say in the 60s, it was very much what town and country is now. The difference is that you know, the the characters have changed, the concerns have changed. Um, but I I read this summer a line, and I I think this is very true, is that the symbols of status may change, the obsession with it does not. Um, and I think what we've done at TNC now is to recognize that that obsession with status sometimes leads to to good things and sometimes to not so good things.

And so we cover a world um and we recognize that there is sometimes absurdity in that world, and and we're not afraid to point that out. And I think that that, you know, while at the same time recognizing that we are also a magazine that people come to because we we believe in the power of beauty. And the the difference is that we approach those beautiful things, whether it be jewelry or fashion or architecture or new hotel or food, we approach it with intelligence, knowledge, our editors are authorities in their field, and sometimes with skepticism. And I think what the overarching reason that I believe so deeply in town and country is because of how much our readers trust us. We love it, but we're also always making sure that we're moving it and evolving it.

And I think that that's really been the key to why it doesn't feel old-fashioned is because our goal always is to make it feel timeless because that is very much town and country, but it needs to feel timely, and it needs to continue to evolve as our points of view evolve, as our knowledge evolves, and as our world evolves.

[17:08] Jan Svendsen: Well, that's great. But part of the heritage of town and country has always been philanthropy, and I'll use that word very purposely here.

[17:25] Stellene Volandes: Yes. And I think what you've done is you've taken that philanthropic component that town and country's always had, and you've kind of morphed it a little bit more into social impact, social responsibility, so that's more relevant to where we are today. So I wondered if you could just talk a little bit about how you instill that social responsibility into the town and country brand and talk a little bit about the philanthropy summits because they're just incredible. I you get the most amazing talent. And um, you know, uh being in this business for a long time, I you know how much I love your town and country philanthropy summits. I've been to all of them. Um they're really truly spectacular, and um they make you you learn a lot and you also feel really good when you leave. Um, but talk about that that that existence, that that merging of the brand with philanthropy.

[18:15] Stellene Volandes: Sure. So the the brand, as you said, has a long history with the idea of giving back. Um, you know, I mean, of course, there is the the quote, um, to whom much is given, much is expected and required. And um I think that town and country has always felt that. I think that Pamela Fiore, who was a longtime editor-in-chief of Town and Country beloved, beloved um editor-in-chief, and she really um began to involve the magazine in much more um sort of high-profile um giving back efforts. And if if you look at Pamela's um town and country philanthropy and giving back, and those who were giving back um were what were very important, you know, they were on the cover, there was you know, sections devoted to you know uh where to give back.

So it it's been a part of the magazine for a long time. I think that what happened when when Jay uh became editor-in-chief, we started the summit. And I think that the once we started the summit, the we we really began to uh become acquainted with the world of of giving, and so that became such an important part of each issue. But the summit allowed us for one day and and now really throughout the year, um, which is the summit has really developed into a much bigger program. It allowed us to think back on each year and to consider what are the topics that need most attention and care this year. And I I think what has made the summit so powerful is that it has and and will continue to evolve.

And I think that, you know, who we have up on that stage, you know, uh when I think back to moments like you know, having Ava Derbernay and the exonerated five open the summit to have um, you know, to have Lynn and the whole Miranda family to have, you know, this year we had Robert F. Smith and Darren Walker and and you know, and Matthew McConaughey, um, and the Parkland kids, that was yes, absolutely, absolutely.

[20:47] Stellene Volandes: And Emma Gonzalez actually was at the virtual summit this year as well. So to have people who are, you know, going back to sort of what I said before, you know, Emma Gonzalez gave her her passion and her beliefs and her advocacy and her activism. And that's philanthropy too. And I think that what the summit allows us to do is to certainly think about how private funds impact social good. And certainly there, you know, we talk a lot about that because we want you know people who are at the summit and people reading the magazine who can give to understand how to give well. Um, but we've also had the opportunity to present many different ways of giving back. And I think that that also is very much a part of the magazine.

And so when we feature people in the magazine, it's for our readers to understand where the needs are, um, and but also to understand how they can give back, um, whether it's you know, with their money, with their time, or with their attention. And you know, we also feel responsible in giving attention to people that we feel need and deserve it.

[22:21] Jan Svendsen: I love what you just said, how to give well. I've never thought that expression, but that's a great way of putting it. Um, let's talk about some of the Broadway folks that have been at the summits throughout the years. Um, you mentioned the Miranda family, and that was extremely moving, and they definitely represent like how to give well and helped people understand how they could also give well. Um, I was also thinking about Sutton Foster um talking about empowering young women and the arts and how important the arts were. Do you remember that one?

[22:54] Stellene Volandes: Of course. I do, I do, yes, I do. And actually, Sutton is in our December issue as well. Um and and that's you know what what happens at the summit is relationships and alliances are formed as well. And and each year the summit changes and it will continue to change. It's it it's why it does have impact is because we we think about it and and how we make it. Um and we're we're constantly thinking about it.

[23:25] Jan Svendsen: Well, one of the if there's anything silver lining coming out of the pandemic is that um your summits are now virtual, so more and more people can be part of that and they are extremely informative and moving um and so interesting. Um so I I think that the just by nature of where we are in the world right now, having the opportunity to have more access to those summits is a really great thing.

[23:48] Stellene Volandes: Yeah, no, I mean the idea of you know, virtual versus live perform, you know, performance or event, you know, certainly for for Broadway has been a topic of conversation. And um this year as we approached the date of the live summit, uh, you know, I kept hoping against hope that we were gonna be able to have it. And, you know, I was thinking back to those moments, um like the Miranda family up on stage, like John Legend and Valerie Jarrett up on stage, like you know, um uh Sarah Jones. I were you I don't know if you were there for for that panel where she went into character um and you know, or Judith Light interviewing Elizabeth Taylor's grandchildren on a family legacy of philanthropy. I mean, those live moments are etched in my brain and so when we switched to virtual I you know I didn't know how it would go um and it was extraordinary because the message was amplified and I was talking to a theater company this morning and talking about sort of after live theater is back you know what do we learn from these moments and you know that that thrill of a live performance I mean is is everything but the opportunities that we have realized in this virtual experience um offer offer something too and I think we used to feel like it was either live or virtual and they were almost like enemies and now we realize how powerful they can be as allies.

[25:39] Jan Svendsen: Well put well put so what causes are most near and dear to your heart and I'm asking also in sort of the general sense but also in the theater sense are there certain causes that you support or or certain um it doesn't even have to be a specific organization if you don't want to name that but you know sort of what direction would you go in I know that for for me arts education and making sure the arts are available to underserved and at-risk kids is really important so I just wonder sort of what what direction um and and where your heart is on that.

[26:11] Stellene Volandes: Well absolutely I know again sort of being exposed to theater as a sort of you know throughout my life really um made you know it it changed my life I mean it it absolutely did so so arts education and and theater companies that that provide um theater for a wide audience um the public theater is something that's that's close to my heart and and their programming certainly addresses that and then um the Actors Fund and and Broadway Cares are both organizations that I have tried to um give back in in every way I could you know whether it's through um donating whatever I could through um you know giving them attention and exposure you know on my own social media or online um and then for me supporting the community um both both personally through being there for friends and also um through reminding everyone that New York is not New York without this community and and I think that um that is something that needs to be said over and over and over again.

[27:35] Jan Svendsen: Absolutely and I'm sitting here in Los Angeles right now in my pandemic hideaway but I um I feel you know I've been bi-coastal for for many years but um you know I New York is absolutely you know needs the theater in so many ways but theater is more than just New York and that's something I always think about especially as I'm looking out the window at palm trees but I grew up here in LA going to theater and yeah my story is very similar in some ways is that you know I started going very early on. My mom took me to all kinds of cultural um you know events and and theater was definitely one of them, and it just made me a more well-rounded person. Um, and it's part of it's it's in the DNA, and I think that that's true for you know wherever you live, not just New York.

[28:21] Stellene Volandes: You know, you spoke about your mom taking you to theater and and other events, and I spoke about my uncle and my teachers, and I think it's important to remember what an impact those experiences have on somebody. And so another way of giving back is sharing our love for the theater with people in our lives that maybe you know are are not converts yet, or you know, young people in our lives that um that we think would would enjoy it. Um I I think sharing is is integral uh to giving well, and I think that um bringing people into this community is is a wonderful way of making sure that this community goes on and is vital always.

[29:18] Jan Svendsen: I love that you said that. That was beautiful. Um thank you so much, Stellene, for being part of this podcast and and sharing your views. And I I you know, I wanted to talk to you for multiple reasons. One is um, you know, as I'm thinking about this podcast, you know, you are a such a big Broadway fan, and I wanted to have a fan as part of, but you also do so much on the platforms that you have, um, whether it be your own personal platform or your professional platform through Town & Country. So I just felt like it was the perfect um the perfect person to have on the podcast. So I really appreciate you being here.

[29:53] Stellene Volandes: Absolutely well. Well, I am a fan of yours, and I'm sure of many people listening. And thank you to the theater community. It really is a very, very special group.

[30:10] Jan Svendsen: Thanks for listening to this episode of Broadway Gives Back. Broadway Gives Back is part of the Broadway Podcast Network, produced by Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales with Brittany Bigelow, and music by Eric Becker at Broderick Street Music. Special thanks to my producing partner, writer, and friend, Jim Lochner, and to Katie and Yo at BPN, Julian Hills from the Bulldog Agency, the Charity Network, and to my fiancé, Glenn Weiss, who is always my consultant. If you like what you hear, don't forget to subscribe and rate this podcast wherever you stream your podcasts. You can also follow Broadway Gives Back on Facebook and Instagram at Broadway Gives Back Podcast and on Twitter at Broadway Gives. To learn more, visit BPN.fm slash Broadway Gives Back.