Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Bernard Telsey graduated from New York University in 1981 with a degree in Theater Administration and Acting. Soon after, he co-founded MCC Theater with Robert LuPone. Simultaneously, Telsey began working at Meg Simon and Fran Kumin’s office as an assistant for six years, and then as a casting director at Risa Bramon & Billy Hopkins Casting. He opened his own casting office in 1988. Since then, he, along with his staff of casting directors, associates, and assistants, have cast such Broadway shows as Rent, Wicked, Hamilton, Hairspray, In the Heights, The Color Purple. Recent productions include Days of Wine and Roses, Kimberly Akimbo, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Parade, Some Like it Hot, and the upcoming Cabaret, The Notebook, Lempicka, and The Mother Play including countless national tours, Off-Broadway productions, and regional theater productions across the country. Film credits include the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, The Color Purple and Mean Girls: the Musical. Other films include Theater Camp, The Little Mermaid, Tik, Tik...Boom, Mary Poppins Returns, In the Heights, The Greatest Showman, Into the Woods, A Most Violent Year, Pieces of April, Margin Call, Sex and the City 1 & 2, Rachel Getting Married, Across the Universe. Telsey’s current television projects include “And Just Like That”, “Only Murders in the Building”, “The Gilded Age” “Tracker” and “Death And Other Details”. Previous credits include “Schmigadoon”, “Fosse/Verdon”, “This Is Us”, “We Crashed” “Jesus Christ Superstar Live”, “Smash” and “The Big C”. Telsey won an Emmy Award for casting the pilot of “Ugly Betty” and was nominated for “Only Murders in the Building”, “Fosse/Verdon,” “This Is Us,” “Grease! Live”, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “The Big C.” He won an Independent Spirit Award for casting Margin Call and was the 2016 recipient of the Casting Society of America’s Hoyt Bowers Award for his contributions to the profession. His staff has cumulatively won over 20 Artios Awards for excellence in casting. Telsey served as the New York Vice President of the Casting Society of America and sat on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He remains one of the Artistic Directors of MCC Theater with William Cantler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gordon Greenberg has directed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in London’s West End, written for television and stage, and developed, directed and produced new works for arts institutions across America. Current Directing/Writing projects include The Heart of Rock and Roll , which opens on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre in April, 2024, following its record breaking run at The Old Globe, the hit Off-Broadway show Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors (Director & Co-Writer, with Steve Rosen, New World Stages & podcast starring John Stamos, Laura Benanti, & Annaleigh Ashford), a new musical about Picasso (directing & co-writing with Stephen Schwartz & Caridad Svich), the NBC television series Most Talkative (Co-Executive Producer/Writer, NBC, Blumhouse, Andy Cohen), Crime and Punishment, A Comedy (directing & co-writing with Steve Rosen) for the Old Globe, a London revival of The Baker’s Wife (Menier Choclate Factory, 2024), Single White Female (A.T.G.), The Wedding Banquet (Ang Lee, Hua Musicals, Taiwan), Ghost Tour, The Play, and the new comedy podcast series Rolling Calls starring Julie Halston & Richard Kind (co-writer, Steve Rosen). His acclaimed revival of Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf starring Calista Flockhart and Zachary Quinto at the Geffen Playhouse won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Revival. Variety called it “Inspired”, the L.A. Times called it “Unerringly good…Qunto & Flockhart expose something infinitely fragile in Edward Albee’s shatterproof play”, Entertainment Weekly called it “A riveting production…brilliantly staged by Gordon Greenberg”, and the Wall Street Journal called it “Intriguing…Here, unusually, there is the suggestion that the oncoming dawn may truly presage a fragile new beginning.”  Other directing work includes the revisal of Working (Drama Desk Award, adapted with Stephen Schwartz and Lin-Manuel Miranda), Jacques Brel…(Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Award noms), Terms of Endearment with Alfred Molina & Calista Flockhart (Geffen Playhouse for Greg Berlanti), the stage adaptation of Tangled (Disney), Johnny Baseball (Williamstown), Stars of David by Jeanine Tesori, Tom Kitt, Tony Kushner (Daryl Roth), Pirates! (created with Nell Benjamin, Huntington, Paper Mill, Goodspeed, MUNY), Band Geeks! (also co-writer, Goodspeed, NEA grant), The Baker’s Wife (Paper Mill, Goodspeed), 1776 (Paper Mill), Floyd Collins (Signature), the Klezmer-Rock reimagining of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Yentl (Asolo Rep), Blue Sky Boys by Deborah Breevort (Capital Rep.), the professional premiere of Edges The Musical (Capital Rep.), the acclaimed reimagining of Jesus Christ, Superstar starring Billy Porter (Helen Hayes, St. Louis MUNY), the U.S. national tour of Guys & Dolls, Disney’s Believe, the Disney Fantasy Christening (with Neil Patrick Harris & Jerry Seinfeld), West Side Story (MUNY, Circle Award nom), Happy Days, A New Musical (Paper Mill, Goodspeed, U.S. National Tour), Vanities, A New Musical (Theatreworks Palo Alto - San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Award), We The People (Lucille Lortel Theatre & Paper Mill Playhouse), Rags (Roundabout, workshop), and the all-female workshop of Man of La Mancha (Mirvish, Toronto), Other writing work includes, for television, Herbie Rebooted for Disney, Emerald City Music Hall, an original movie musical for Nickelodeon Television and Scramble Band, an original movie musical for the Disney Channel, The Single Girls Guide (co-writer Tommy Newman) for Dallas Theatre Center, Ars Nova, Capital Rep, the podcast Theatre Camp (with Jonathan Marc Sherman) for Sirius XM, Killing Time (with Steve Rosen), an At Home Play Commission from The Old Globe, and the new book of Meet Me In St. Louis for the St. Louis MUNY's 100th Anniversary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ANN HARADA originated the role of Christmas Eve in Avenue Q on Broadway and in the West End. Other Broadway: Cinderella, Into the Woods, 9 to 5, M Butterfly, Seussical, Les Miserables. Selected Off-Broadway: Dear World, Fairycakes, Emojiland, Dropping Gumballs on Luke Wilson, Pacific Overtures, Brooklynite and Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Regionally: Babbitt (LaJolla Playhouse), The Closet (Williamstown), Matilda, Beauty and the Beast, & Mamma Mia (MUNY). Recent film: Jerry and Marge Go Large and Disenchanted. Add’l film: Sisters, Admission, and Hope Springs. She is one of the stars of the musical series Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+) Add’l TV: Gotham, Blue Bloods (recurring), Younger, Jim Gaffigan Show, The Good Wife, 30 Rock, House of Cards, Master of None, and Smash. Insta/Threads: @iamannharada, X:@annharada  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Camryn Manheim is an actor, author, and activist. She is best known for her Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning role as the feisty defense attorney Ellenor Frutt on the legal drama series, The Practice. In her long career that spans over 40 years, she has appeared in over 60 television shows, 40 movies, and countless plays. Currently, you can see her on location in the streets of New York City playing Lieutenant Kate Dixon on Law & Order.   Her other notable credits include: Ghost Whisperer, Stumptown, The L Word, Ally McBeal, Criminal Minds, Person of Interest, Two and a Half Men, Will & Grace, Utopia, The Magicians, Waco, How I Met Your Mother, Cop Car, Elvis, An Unfinished Life, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, Happiness, The Laramie Project, Dark Water, and The Road to Wellville. In 2015, Camryn made her Broadway debut in Deaf West’s Tony-nominated production of Spring Awakening. Manheim received her B.F.A from UC Santa Cruz and her M.F.A from New York University. In 1999 Manheim fulfilled a lifelong dream and became a New York Times best-selling author with her book, Wake Up, I'm Fat!  When she’s not filming, she teaches and lectures all over the United States and abroad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daisy Prince’s directing work includes the Original Off-Broadway production of The Last Five Years and the Original Off-Broadway production of Songs for a New World, both by Jason Robert Brown; It's Only Life: The Songs of John Bucchino at Rubicon Theatre (Los Angeles Ovation Award and Independent Award, Best Direction) also at Theatre Row for SPF and American Songbook at Lincoln Center; Jessica Molaskey's Pentimento with John Pizzarelli, Christine Ebersole, and Frank McCourt at The 92 Street Y. Daisy's concert staging includes Jason Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim at Town Hall 50th SubCulture Residency Concert June 2019, NYSF Public Theater, PUBLIC SINGS!, Jazz at Lincoln Center's American Songbook Lance Horne: First Things Last, Lyrics and Lyricists at 92nd St. Y, The Genius of Autism, Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Tom Kitt: An Evening at Stella Del Mare at Joe's Pub. As a performer, Daisy's credits include Merrily We Roll Along (Meg, Original Broadway Cast), Follies in Concert (Young Phyllis, Lincoln Center); Pal Joey (Linda English, Encores! City Center), Michael John LaChiusa's The Petrified Prince (Elise, NYSF Public Theater), and featured performer with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Her recordings include all the above and Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino. In addition, she co-produced three plays with Bonnie Metzgar and Thalia Field as House Frau, inc. at BACA downtown. Daisy is a graduate of Brown University, has spent 20 years teaching as part of the New York City faculty of Syracuse University's The Tepper Semester, and is a proud member of the SDC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Max Burkholder stars as the lead of Seth MacFarlane’s critically acclaimed series TED, a prequel to the hit film franchise. He plays the leading role of “John Bennet” (the younger version of Mark Wahlberg’s character from the films), a good-hearted teenager who is still in his awkward teenage phase. With Ted’s help, John hilariously navigates adolescence, dealing with everything from first dates to high school bullies. Premiering on January 11, 2024, Ted launched as Peacock’s most-watched original title ever through its first three days on the platform. Burkholder is perhaps best known for his portrayal of “Max Braverman” in NBC’s long running award-winning series PARENTHOOD, from producers Jason Katims, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Here Max raised awareness while portraying a young boy with Asperger’s syndrome. After the second episode aired, Asperger’s was one of the most frequently searched terms on Google. He also played the lead role in Paramount TV’s WHEN THE STREET LIGHTS GO ON for DGA, Oscar, IDA, and Emmy-nominated director Brett Morgen. His notable recurring roles include HBO’s IN TREATMENT and BROTHERS AND SISTERS. In film, Burkholder starred in Debra Eisenstadt’s hit Sundance comedy BLUSH opposite Wendy McLendon-Covey; and in the title role of BENJAMIN, alongside comedy veterans Rob Corddry, Kevin Pollak and Dave Foley.  Burkholder began his career at a very young age in films including DADDY DAY CARE directed by Steve Carr, FRIENDS WITH MONEY directed by Nicole Holofcener, and a starring role in the Michael Bay-produced hit feature THE PURGE opposite Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey.  In the world of voiceover, Burkholder has voiced characters on a number of hit series including Amazon Prime’s INVINCIBLE, FAMILY GUY, THE CLEVELAND SHOW, AMERICAN DAD and THE LAND BEFORE TIME. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christopher Fitzgerald is an actor and singer known for his role as Boq in the musical Wicked, Igor in the musical Young Frankenstein, and Ogie Anhorn in the musical Waitress - he also starred on Broadway in Spamalot, Company, Act Of God and Amour. He earned Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award nominations for his performances in Waitress and Young Frankenstein and won the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance in Waitress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Cyril Creighton is currently seen as “Howard Morris" on Hulu’s "Only Murders in the Building” opposite Steve Martin, Martin Short & Selena Gomez. Other TV credits include the final season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Dexter: New Blood,” “A League of Their Own,” "Dash & Lily," "High Maintenance," "Bob's Burgers,” "AJ & the Queen," "2 Broke Girls," "New Amsterdam," "Graves," "Blue Bloods," "Nurse Jackie," "Orange is the New Black," "30 Rock,” and more. Creighton played abuse survivor "Joe Crowley" in "Spotlight," the 2016 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture and won the Robert Altman Award at the Indie Spirit Awards as part of the film's ensemble. Other Film credits include Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction," Steven Spielberg's "The Post," "Game Night," "Paper Spiders," and "The Outside Story." On stage he has been seen in Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss (Playwrights Horizons), Jordan Harrison’s The Amateurs (The Vineyard Theatre) and four World Premieres by The Debate Society (Cape Disappointment, You’re Welcome, Buddy Cop 2 and Blood Play.) He wrote, created and starred in the WGA Award winning web series "Jack in a Box”, which was inspired by working in a theatre box office for 12+ years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Annie Parisse can be seen in the recently released feature GIVING BIRTH TO A BUTTERFLY as well as a leading role in the forthcoming feature THREE BIRTHDAYS along with ERIC LARUE, marking the directorial debut for Academy Award Nominee Michael Shannon.  Parisse was seen on FX’s MRS AMERICA for FX and was a Series Lead on Netflix’s FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE created by Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco. Additional credits include the Hulu series, THE LOOMING TOWER opposite Jeff Daniels, THE FIRST opposite Sean Penn, as well as HBO’s original film PATERNO opposite Al Pacino. Annie also starred on the hit HBO Series, VINYL produced by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger. Her work includes, series regular roles on THE FOLLOWING for FOX opposite Kevin Bacon, LAW & ORDER, RUBICON for AMC and her incredible arc in the HBO mini series, THE PACIFIC for Steven Spielberg. Other notable television work includes HOUSE OF CARDS, THE BIG C, PERSON OF INTEREST and UNFORGETTABLE.  Annie made her Broadway debut in the revival of Craig Lucas's PRELUDE TO A KISS directed by Daniel Sullivan and she starred in CLYBOURNE PARK, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Off Broadway she starred as the title role in the Pulitzer Prize nominated BECKY SHAW garnering a Lortel Nomination for her performance. Additional credits include: LONG LOST at MTC, THE LAYOVER at 2nd Stage, Playwrights Horizons's ANTLIA PNEUMATICA, Shakespeare in the Park's ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL and MEASURE FOR MEASURE, THE INTERNATIONALIST (Drama Desk Nomination), MONSTER, and THE CREDEAUX CANVAS at Playwrights Horizons.  Annie's feature work includes the independent feature WILD CANARIES (SXSW Grand Jury Nomination), AND SO IT GOES directed by Rob Reiner, PRICE CHECK, ONE FOR THE MONEY, MY OWN LOVE SONG with Rene Zellweger and Forest Whitaker, HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS opposite Kate Hudson and MONSTER-IN-LAW with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez.  Parisse hails from Anchorage, Alaska and resides in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Edwards is probably best known as Dr. Mark Greene on the series “ER.” Edwards has received four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Edwards has won three Screen Actor's Guild Awards (Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 and Best Ensemble Cast in 1998 and 1999.) He won the Golden Globe Award in 1998. In the theater Edwards was seen on Broadway in Children of a Lesser God, Classic Stage Company’s Month in the Country, WPA Shem Bitterman’s Frozen, Williamstown Theater festival Harvey and Joyce Carol Oates’s Black. Edwards has starred in more than twenty features, including his memorable turn as "Goose" in the blockbuster feature Top Gun. Other feature film credits include; Consumed, Experimenter, Big Sur, Motherhood with Uma Thurman, Flipped directed by Rob Reiner, and Zodiac directed by David Fincher. Thunderbirds, Forgotten, Playing by Heart, The Client, Miracle Mile, Mr. North, Hawks, Pet Semetary II, Delta Heat, Landslide, The Sure Thing, Gotcha, Revenge of the Nerds, Heart Like a Wheel, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Edwards recently starred in both the Apple series “WeCrashed” and the Netflix mini-series “Inventing Anna”, created by Shonda Rhimes. Other television credits include ”Law and Order True Crimes: the Menendez Murders”, “Zero Hour”, “Girls”, “Blue Bloods”, “Billions”, “Northern Exposure” and “It Takes Two” as well as the telefilms “In Cold Blood”, “El Diablo”, “Hometown Boy Makes Good”, “Going for the Gold: The Bill Johnson Story”, “High School USA” and “The Killing of Randy Webster”. Edwards made his feature directing debut with My Dead Boyfriend in 2016. He also directed several episodes of “ER”. Edwards was an Executive Producer of the HBO biopic “Temple Grandin”, which won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GABBY BEANS is a Tony Award nominated actress. Some of her recent TV credits include Apple's "Presumed Innocent", HBO’s “Succession,” CBS’ “Blue Bloods”, CBS’s “The Good Fight,” Netflix’s “House of Cards,” and Showtime’s “Ray Donovan.” Theater credits include Jonah at Roundabout Theater, The Skin of Our Teeth at Lincoln Center (Tony Award Nomination for Best Lead Actress), I’m Revolting at the Atlantic Theater Company, Anatomy of a Suicide at the Atlantic Theater Company, and Mary Seacole at LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HANNAH CRUZ stars in The Connector at MCC. Other theater credits include Only Gold (Camille, MCC)., Suffs (Ruza, The Public). Tour: Hamilton (IRNE Best Actress, Eliza), Bullets over Broadway (Ellen). Regional: The Da Vinci Code (American Premiere, Ogunquit Playhouse, Sophie Neveu) and Young Frankenstein (OP, Inga). Insta @thisishannahcruz.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jelani Remy Broadway: Back To The Future, Ain’t Too Proud, The Lion King.  Other theater credits include: High School Musical, Smokey Joe’s Café, AppleBoys, Oscar Michaeux Suite, Love Around the Block, Cabaret, Mozart: Her Story. Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star and Chita Rivera Award recipient. BCEFA NextGen Advocate.  @itsjelaniremy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coral Peña stars as Aleida Rosales in the critically acclaimed AppleTV+ series "For all Mankind." Coral entered the show for the show’s sophomore season and each year the storyline for her character has gained more significance and Coral’s performance is receiving great praise. Coral starred in the play "Our Dear Dead Drug Lord" at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles and can be seen in the indie Thelma opposite Fred Hechinger which will be premiering at Sundance in 2024. She can also be seen in the indie Story Ave opposite Asante Blackk and Luis Guzmán which premiered out of SXSW and had its theatrical release late in 2022. Previously, she appeared alongside Meryl Streep, in Steven Spielberg's The Post and in the Amazon film Chemical Hearts, opposite Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOE MANTELLO (Director). Broadway directing credits include: Grey House, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Hillary and Clinton, Three Tall Women, The Boys in the Band, Blackbird, The Humans, Airline Highway, The Last Ship, Casa Valentina, I’ll Eat You Last, The Other Place, Other Desert Cities, Pal Joey, 9 to 5, Laugh Whore, November, The Ritz, Three Days of Rain, The Odd Couple, Glengarry Glen Ross, Wicked, Assassins (Tony Award), Take Me Out (Tony Award), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Love! Valour! Compassion!  Off-Broadway: Here We Are, Dogfight, The Pride, A Man of No Importance, The Vagina Monologues, bash, Corpus Christi.  As an actor he has appeared in American Horror Story: NYC (FX), Hollywood, The Watcher (Netflix), The Normal Heart (HBO, Emmy Nom.) and upcoming FEUD Season 2: Capote vs. The Swans (FX) Broadway: The Glass Menagerie, The Normal Heart (Tony nom.), Angels in America (Tony nom.)  Recipient of Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Clarence Derwent, Obie, Joe A. Callaway and SDCF “Mr. Abbott" awards. Member of the Theatre Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sharon Brous is the founding and senior rabbi of IKAR, a trail-blazing Jewish community based in Los Angeles. A leading voice at the intersection of faith and justice in America, she has been named #1 Most Influential Rabbi in the U.S. by Newsweek/The Daily Beast. She blessed both President Obama and President Biden at their National Inaugural Prayer Services, and her TED Talk “Reclaiming Religion” has been viewed 1.5 million times. Brous’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post. She lives with her husband, David Light, and their children in California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Barbara Barrie has had a distinguished career in film, television and theatre. On Broadway, she has appeared in Company (Tony Award nomination), The Selling of the President, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, California Suite, Torch Song Trilogy, and, most recently, in the Broadway transfer of Significant Other, for which she received the Actors' Equity Association Award for the Best Performance in a Supporting Role by a Veteran Actor. Her notable off-Broadway credits include I Remember Mama (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), The Vagina Monologues, Current Events, After-Play, The Crucible, The Beaux' Stratagem, Love Letters, Isn't It Romantic? and The Killdeer (Obie Award and Drama Desk Award). Her best known television series appearances include "Law & Order" (Emmy Award nomination), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Emmy Award nomination), "Breaking Away" (Emmy Award nomination), "Suddenly Susan," "Enlightened," "Nurse Jackie," "Once and Again," "Barney Miller," "Thirtysomething" and "Family Ties." Her mini-series and television movie credits include "Scarlett," "Roots: The Next Generation," "A Chance of Snow," "My Left Breast," "The Odd Couple: Together Again," "Tell Me My Name," "To Race the Wind," "American Love Affair," and "Barefoot in the Park." Film credits include ""Somewhere Only We Know," One Potato, Two Potato" (Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival), "Breaking Away" (Academy Award nomination), "Judy Berlin" (Independent Spirit Award nomination), "Frame of Mind," "Second Best," "Hercules," "Private Benjamin," "The Bell Jar" and "Thirty Days." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zach Schonfeld is a freelance writer, journalist, and critic based in New York. He writes about culture for Pitchfork, Vulture, Spin Magazine, and many other publications. He was formerly a senior writer for Newsweek, where he was on staff for five years. His first book, Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth, was published in 2020 as part of the 33 1/3 series. How Coppola Became Cage is his second book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Schwab, is a screenwriter based in New York City. Since 2014, Mr. Schwab has been an adjunct professor of screen writing at the Graduate Film school at Columbia University. He has also taught at the French National Film School, La Femis, and also at Sundance Colabs. Mr. Schwab received his MFA in Film from the Columbia University School of the Art where his thesis script, MR. VERNER'S PYGMY, was purchased by Scott Rudin. Since then Mr. Schwab has written for, among others, Warner Brothers, Animal Logic, Hollywood Pictures, Propaganda, HD Net Films, and Paramount Pictures. Mr. Schwab was the 2014 Sundance/Sloan Commissioning Grantee for his script, FRANCIS TURNBULL – which was also selected for the 2013 Hampton Film Festival writer’s lab. FRANCIS TURNBULL is being produced by Oren Moverman (THE MESSENGER, LOVE AND MERCY, TIME OUT OF MIND) and Wren Arthur (PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION). Jennifer Fox (THE TALE, BEIRUT: THE LAST HOME MOVIE) will direct. Mr. Schwab recently completed KACZYNSKI, a TV pilot about the Unabomber for SightUnseen pictures. Oren Moveman will direct.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JULIE BENKO is an actor, singer, and writer based in New York City. She recently marched her band out on Broadway as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, joining the annals of theatrical lore for her sensational understudy-to-star trajectory in the show. Between her tenure as the standby, alternate, and full-time Fanny, she played the role over 180 times and received numerous accolades for her interpretation, including Theatre World’s Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theatre She was also called the 2022 “Breakout Star for Theater” in The New York Times, named among “10 Broadway Stars to Watch for 2023” by Variety, honored as one of “40 Under 40” for Crain’s New York Business, hailed by CBS Mornings as “Broadway’s breakout star,” and profiled in numerous national media outlets such as The New York Times and Time. This fall, she is originating her first role on Broadway, playing Ruth in the long-gestating Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical Harmony. Her recent album Hand in Hand (Club44 Records), a duo effort with her pianist-composer spouse Jason Yeager, won the BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award for “Best Commercial Album” and received a MAC Award nomination for “Best Major Album.” Her debut jazz album is Introducing Julie Benko. She has played leading roles in many Off-Broadway and regional productions and enjoys a vibrant concert career, having headlined sold-out shows at Birdland, 54 Below, and many other venues around the country. She won first prize and the Johnny Mercer Award in the national American Traditions Vocal Competition and holds a BFA in Drama and an MFA in Acting (yes, both) from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. As a writer, Julie has worked across mediums. In 2020, she wrote, directed, and starred in her first short, The Newlywed’s Guide to Physical Intimacy,which has won praise in numerous international festivals. Her first full-length play, The District, was named a semifinalist at the 2022 Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. Her new holiday EP, Christmas with You, is available from Club44 Records. JulieBenko.com. Instagram/TikTok @JujujulieBee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices