Black Hair in the Big Leagues

Author of Stash, Laura Cathcart Robbins visits Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas Weiss. She takes us on the journey of how her addiction began, the agony of rehab, and how she returned to the world and persisted in living a life of sobriety, and living to tell the story. Laura is a freelance writer, speaker, and host of The Only One In The Room podcast, a 2022 TEDx speaker, and an LA Moth StorySlam winner. Buy her book. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Stash/Laura-Cathcart-Robbins/9781668005347 Follow her. @lauracathcartrobbins, www.lauracathcartrobbins.com More info on your host: @salishathomas, www.salishathomas.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie Alexandria drops by Black Hair in the Big Leagues with Host, Salisha Thomas Weiss! She was awarded Top 40 under 40 at Stony Brooke University, she is an award-winning journalist and writer/producer at MSNBC! Stephanie sings, acts, has a great sense of humor and is a beacon of confidence. Follow her online @stephanie_alexandria Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Sims Jr. visits long time friend Salisha Thomas on Black Hair in the Big Leagues! Currently on tour with The Wiz and about to make his Broadway debut in the Marquis Theater in The Wiz Revival, Matthew Sims Jr. is the most hilarious, full of life, well rounded performer having done commercials, tv/film, cruise lines, plenty of Regional Theater, Broadway Inspirational Voices, singing with John Legend, and more! He's also been on tour with The Book of Mormon, and the Wiz. Go see The Wiz on Broadway for a limited run beginning March 29th at the Marquis Theater in Times Square! Follow Matthew @matthewsimsjr and www.matthewsimsjr.com Follow host, Salisha Thomas @salishathomas and www.salishathomas.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Hair in the Big Leagues welcomes the incomparable Gabrielle Beckford to the show! Host, Salisha Thomas sits down with former cast mate of Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway, Gabrielle Beckford. Gabrielle made a splash with her Broadway debut as the character, Rapunzel; smashing stereotypes and while giving a new twist to a classic. Hearing her story of wanting to see herself in the characters of the stories she watched growing up and how she gets to BE the representation that she wished she had, is nothing short of inspiring. See Gabrielle Beckford LIVE this February 5, 2024 at Chelsea Table and Stage as she makes her solo debut in New York City. Produced by Salisha Thomas, this production will be live in person as well as streaming worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Hair in the Big Leagues welcome back Aisha Jackson! If you don't know, she was one of the first episodes to kick off the entire podcast (EP 2)!!! In this episode, Host, Salisha Thomas sits down with Aisha in the dressing room of The Marquis Theatre on Broadway during loadout...aka after Once Upon a One More Time (the musical powered with the music of Britney Spears) had taken it's final bow. A truncated version of this episode is available on youtube at www.youtube.com/itsmesalish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phylicia Pearl Mpasi from the upcoming Blockbuster hit, The Color Purple graces us with her presence here on Black Hair in the Big Leagues. Recorded just DAYS before the release of what's sure to be her star turn, Phylicia sits down with host, Salisha Thomas and talks about her journey from The Lion King on tour and on Broadway to writing for the TV show, The Rise of the Pink Ladies, to landing the role of the century: Young Celie in The Color Purple. Phylicia talks about declaring what she wanted, writing it down, having a fierce belief in herself and her dreams, and walking with purpose as she watched (and is watching) it all come to pass. This episode will leave you feeling inspired and on fire to enter the new year with the excitement of what's possible for your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

American Idol's Justin Guarini stops by Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas Weiss for an episode of laughter and nostalgia. Justin recently closed his run as Prince Charming in Once Upon a One More Time at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway. In addition to performing live in front of 30 Million viewers during American Idol season 1 and landing in the top two, Justin has also gone on to have an impressive career on Broadway, headlining 7 shows. He is the author of Audition Secrets and you may have caught him in a series of Dr. Pepper commercials as Lil Sweet. Book Justin for coaching, workshops, speaking and more at www.JustinGuarini.com and follow him on social media @justinguarini. For the video version of this episode, click here. Follow host, Salisha Thomas Weiss @salishathomas or go to www.salishathomas.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello! Salisha Thomas here! And I'm excited to share that I making my Theater producing debut of a play written by this week's guest on Black Hair in the Big Leagues: Gail Burton! Gail is a thought leader, public intellectual, director, and a writer. She is a trained and experienced practitioner of the techniques developed to affect radical social change and help bring about social jutice, peace, and empowerment of people whos voices have too often been silenced. Her life's work has been focused on social activism and the uses of theater for radical social transformation. The piece that Gail Burton is currently writing is called Truth: a Biofictional Choreopoem. And we have a crowdfund where we are aiming to raise $55,000. It's only been one week and we've already raised more than half of the money! This is HUGE! Be a part of our story, and donate to our crowdfund (and check out the project!) at http://www.truthplay.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martina Sykes is Royalty among us. She was in Motown the Musical on tour and on Broadway, Raindogs, Rent, Hairspray, and is currently on tour with Lion King as Shenzi! Her brother is Ephraim Sykes, also a major talent in the industry so clearly the Sykes Family has something special running through their veins. She created a nonprofit called the HeART Mission as well as The Sykes Scholarship. Welcome to Black Hair in the Big Leagues Martina Sykes! Follow her @ladysykes1 Follow host, Salisha Thomas Weiss @salishathomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host, Salisha Thomas sits down with Actress turned Businesswoman Shalita Grant on this week's episode of Black Hair in the Big Leagues. She is the founder and creator of Four Naturals Hair products. Her acting credits include (but are not limited to) TV shows NCIS, Santa Clarita diet, Mercy Street, and You. She was nominated for a Tony award for her role in Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike. After a physically damaging experience to her hair on set of a hit TV show, she left the show and made a product that has changed the game for her. Now she's on a mission to help others! Check out Four Naturals HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The one and only Jocelyn Bioh graces Black Hair in the Big Leagues with her presence this week for our 100th Episode!!!!!!! She is the woman who wrote School Girls: The African Mean Girls Play, and Nollywood. She's a playwright with Manhattan Theater Club and Atlantic Theatre Company. She's a resident playwright at Lincoln Center. She adapted Marry Wives for Shakespeare in the Park which was turned into a documentary on HBO Max. The musical soon to hit Broadway starring Amber Iman called Goddess, was written by Jocelyn Bioh. In addition to her incredible contributions to the art in New York and beyond, she is also an actor and has performed on and off Broadway (OBC for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.) Ohio State and Columbia University grad, Jocelyn Bioh is one of the founders of the Black Women on Broadway instagram account. Follow her @blackwomenonbroadway, @jjbioh Follow host, Salisha Thomas Weiss @salishathomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Black Hair in the Big Leagues, host Salisha Thomas sits down with celebrity stylist, Sophie Rose (Gutterman). She's been in the hair industry for over 10 years, is California based (but travels), and has worked for Italian Vogue, Hollywood Reporter, Harper's Baazar, Maybelline, Christian Dior, Karlie Kloss, Gwyneth Paltrow, and more! Sophie has styled hosts on ESPN and MTV, and done hair on Red Table Talk, Good Morning America, and the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The list goes on and on! She loves using Zotos Professional on her clients (including Salisha!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aurelia Michael Holmgren joins the Black Hair in the Big Leagues lineup with host, Salisha Thomas Weiss. Aurelia is a Motivational Speaker, Dancer, a body builder, a major voiceover artist (booking gigs like McDonald's, Hulu, and Netflix!) and the creator of Voice On Demand. She swung the Donna Sumer Musical on Broadway. She's the associate choreographer for the upcoming Wonderful World coming soon to Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was recorded during the Broadway Revival run of 1776 with a full cast of Women and Nonbinary actors and a whole lot of People of Color. Originally, 1776, a show about the making of the Declaration of Independence was performed by a cast of all white men (and a couple of women to play their wives). In this episode of Black Hair in the Big Leagues, Salome B Smith and Imani Pearl Williams joins host, Salisha Thomas. Imani Pearl Williams (she/her) toured with Pippin and Pretty Woman and made her broadway debut in 1776! Salome B Smith played Crystal in the off Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors and also made her broadway debut in 1776! We welcome them both to Black Hair in the Big Leagues! Follow them @imanipearlz @siloam_12 Host, Salisha Thomas (Weiss) @salishathomas, www.salishathomas.com Also, if you're interested in trying Innersense Organic Beauty as mentioned in the first half of this episode, click HERE and use code SALISHA15 to get 15% off your first order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg and Joanne Starkman join the lineup for Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas making history as the show's first guests who are not people of Color. And it is not by mistake. Greg and Joanne are the creators of a product line called INNERSENSE Organic Beauty. Innersense is all clean ingredients, there isn't a bunch of crap in it, and you get a LOT of bang for your buck. The bottles seem to last longer than expected; Because they aren't watered down, a little goes a long way! Innersense works on ALL hair types. Just ask Salisha, it's her new favorite product. By using it regularly, you truly can reach your curl potential. It brings the BEST out of them! Check out their website for more information on the company and to buy your own! Want 15% off your first order? Click here and use the code: SALISHA15 at check out. We hope you love them as much as we do. Follow Innersense on IG @innersenseorganicbeauty and go to their website: at www.innersensebeauty.com. Follow Host, Salisha Thomas @salishathomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The One and Only Curl Doctor, Shai Amiel graces us with his presence this week on Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas. Shai has been in the business of hair (and in particular, CURLS) for over 20 years and it shows in his work. Getting in his chair at Capella Salon in Studio City is the equivalent of seeing the original Broadway cast of Hamilton: it feels like a moment in time, like history, a PRIVILEGE. Enjoy this episode as he humbly breaks it down on how to care for your tresses and how he decides which products are good (and healthy!!) to use on hair (hint: he prefers products with CLEAN ingredients) and which ones are big no no's and why. But don't just take our word for it here. Go and check out his page on Instagram @shaiamiel. He's got a ton of before and after photos that will have you scrolling for hours. (And yes, your host, Salisha Thomas is on there too.) At the time of this recording, host Salisha Thomas had JUST been introduced to the world of "Clean" hair products. And now, as of today many months later, she swears by Innersense. If you'd like a 15% discount on your first order of Innersense products, go to www.innersensebeauty.com and type in code: SALISHA15 at checkout. For 15% off your first order of Innersense Organic Beauty products, CLICK HERE! and type in code SALISHA15 for 15% off your first online purchase. Follow Salisha @salishathomas or go to www.salishathomas.com Follow Shai @shaiamiel or get an appointment at Capella Salon in Studio City, California. (TIP: Make your appointment in ADVANCE!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the 'And Peggy' cast of Hamilton on tour, Marja Harmon who's currently starring as Angelica Schuyler visits Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas! Marja is a light! A graduate of USC, she was in God Friended Me, Jessica Jones, and Madam Secretary. She's toured with The Lion King as Nala, and was on Broadway in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof and The Book of Mormon. Yes, she is the bomb. Follow Marja on Instagram at @missmarjaharmony or check her out on the Hamilton tour currently touring the country! Follow host, Salisha Thomas @salishathomas or on www.salishathomas.com. Black Hair in the Big Leagues is a part of The Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Broadway Star and founder of BIA, Black Hair in the Big Leagues welcomes Michelle West to the show!!!!! She's performed in Regional Theaters all over the country including Sacramento Music Circus, Walnut Street; She's Toured with Memphis and Aladdin, and made her Broadway debut in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. During her time as a Swing in Tina, she built a Fitness and Nutrition Coaching Business called BIA. Check her out at www.bianutrition.com/connect and on instagram @chelleywest. Check out host, Salisha Thomas at @salishathomas! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome stylist to the stars, Kendall Dorsey to Black Hair in the Big Leagues today! Kendall Dorsey’s cliental includes Saweetie, Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys, Solange, Lizzo, and so many more and recently created Rihanna’s iconic “traditional Aaliyah inspired sweep” style. Kendall is an expert on curly hair and and a Color Wow ambassador! Follow Kendall on IG @kendalldorsey1 Follow Host Salisha Thomas @salishathomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emancipation, The Watchmen, Lovecraft Country and now Oscar shortlisted celebrity stylist Andrea "Mona" Bowman stops by Black Hair in the Big Leagues with host, Salisha Thomas. Other credits of Andrea's include working with Regina King, Anna Kendrick, working on Respect, Gifted, Just Mercy, Women of the Movement and Pitch Perfect 3. In this episode, Andrea discusses how her love for hair and helping others with their found her. She talks about hair health, and how when she was an underclassmen in college, one of the upper classmen teamed up with her forming a badass collaboration. Follow her Oscar journey on IG @andreamonab Follow host, Salisha Thomas @salishathomas or on www.salishathomas.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices