Break A Bat! where Baseball Meets Broadway

From September 2020. Orfeh steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 50! From pop stardom to Tony and Drama Desk nominations, Orfeh's accomplishments in show business now span more than three decades. She got her start in the performing world as one half of the pop group Or-N-More in the early ’90s, before making her Broadway debut in Footloose in 1999. She’s since gone onto establish herself as a household name in the Broadway community through her powerful voice and memorable performances in Saturday Night Fever, Legally Blonde, and most recently, Pretty Woman. This raw and candid chat covers everything from the highs and lows of baseball and show business, her success in the recording studio and on Broadway, the Double Play combo she's formed on stage with her husband Andy Karl, and even the subject of Jeter & A-Rod! Connect with Orfeh on Instagram: @orfeh and Twitter: @official_orfeh Subscribe to Orfeh and Andy Karl's YouTube Channel here. Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With spring training right around the corner, here's an archive release from June 2020! Johnny Damon steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 37! Damon's big league career spanned 18 seasons, in which he cemented a legacy as one of the top outfielders of his generation, and one of the greatest leadoff hitters of all-time. More than 15,000 players have dawned a Major League Baseball uniform throughout history, and Damon ranks 32nd all-time in Runs Scored (1,668), 49th in Doubles (522), 55th in Hits (2,769), and 68th in Stolen Bases (408) - feats which remain gold standards for any performer. However, as Damon touches on in this episode, his ultimate measure of success was winning championships, and he holds the distinction of being one of only four players to win World Series Championships as both a member of the Boston Red Sox (2004) and New York Yankees (2009). There was no bigger contributor to either team, and our conversation covered so many of the stories behind his success. Damon's career mirrors those of many Broadway greats, whether it be proving himself as a performer under the brightest of Broadway lights, handling career crossroads, and thriving in different types of roles on a team or cast. We even played some Baseball meets Broadway trivia in this week's 7th Inning Stretch! Off the field, Damon continues to do some tremendous work with his own foundation. The Johnny Damon Foundation aims to raise and donate funds to charitable organizations and assists local and national programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for disadvantaged children at risk. You can find more information about the foundation on its Website. Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images Connect with Johnny Damon on Instagram: @johnnydamon and Twitter: @JohnnyDamon Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From September 2021. LOOKOUT! New York's own Victoria Konefal steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 102! Konefal is best known for bringing Ciara Brady to life in NBC's Days of Our Lives and has enjoyed rousing success ever since the launch of the show's miniseries Beyond Salem which is now available on Peacock. This summer, she earned her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series for her work on "DOOL," and has some epic stories to go along with her impressive back of the baseball card. Konefal embodies what it means to be a New Yorker with her undying spirit, realness, and personality that was such a pleasure to have on the show. This week she takes us through her eventful summer and start to the fall, the roots of her passion for both performing and the New York Yankees growing up in Brooklyn, and even her longstanding Friends fandom that would make Dr. Drake Ramoray proud. Fastball Derby was also in full swing, as Konefal brought the perfect blend of laughs and insight to this free-flowing chat that's a true grand slam. Connect with Victoria Konefal on Instagram: @victoriakonefal Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From August 2021. You know it’s a great day in The Batter’s Box when you're talking about The Muppets, the New York Yankees, and Broadway all within the same hour. However, one might venture that’s par for the course when the legendary Fran Brill steps up to the plate! Brill’s career as an actress on stage and screen spanned more than 40 years. As one of the original Muppet performers, her body of work is marked by a phenomenal ability to create characters, brilliant comedic wit, and ultimately, as a pioneer. She was the very first female performer hired by Jim Henson and she helped pave the way for women puppeteers everywhere. Her many credits with The Muppets include The Muppet Show, The Jim Henson Hour, and of course, Sesame Street, where she brought Prairie Dawn and Zoe to life and into the hearts of children all across the globe. This week, Brill dives deep with host Al Malafronte to look back on the legacy she’s authored and how it still remains as prominent as ever. It's with good reason that her work has endured through the years, as the way she brought such a huge part of herself to Prairie Dawn ranks up there with any example of character development in Muppet history. There are also many never-been-told stories in this conversation, spanning anything from her first Muppet project (The Great Santa Claus Switch) to nearly losing Zoe on a train to the pre-game ritual she shared with Steve Whitmire before each Sesame Street shooting day. Brill also candidly discusses her decision to retire in 2014, which parallels Mickey Mantle’s choice to step away from baseball amid a changing game and guard of teammates. A big sports fan in her own right, she also offers her takes on Alex Rodriguez’s behavior off the field, and discusses some of her favorite moments at the ballpark. Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From August 2021. Adam Pascal steps into The Batter’s Box for Episode 97! Pascal is widely considered to be one of the most respected players in the game here on Broadway, having played for multiple championship casts that have helped shape the fabric of theatre over the past two and a half decades. Whether it’s the stage or screen adaptation of RENT, the Broadway productions of Aida, Memphis, Something Rotten, Chicago, or Disaster!, the back of Pascal’s baseball card is a sight to behold. He’s played on multiple Tony Award-winning teams that have taken home the Best Musical trophy and his individual accolades are highlighted by a Tony nomination and Theatre World Award. Pascal is currently in the midst of an exciting career retrospective that’s available to stream exclusively on Stellar titled Adam Pascal… So Far. This week he joins host Al Malafronte to not only discuss some of the songs and stories that help shape the retrospective but so much more. Be it giving up his rockstar dreams he had as a kid growing up on Long Island, the best bagels in Huntington, or a "memorable trip" to the old Yankee Stadium, Pascal does not hold back in an incredibly candid (and hilarious) chat. Connect with Adam Pascal on Instagram: @adampascal Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From July 2020. Katie Rose Clarke steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 42! Clarke's career on Broadway now spans more than a decade and a half, with credits including The Light in the Piazza, Wicked, Allegiance, and Miss Saigon. Part of what makes her talent play in such a big way on Broadway is that she's able to take on many different types of roles, and more importantly, do so in an All-Star caliber fashion. Our chat rehashes so many of her great career highlights, her development as both a person and a performer, and even the similarities between baseball and Broadway's passionate fanbases. This episode also touches on the very exciting production of The Heart of Rock & Roll - a new musical inspired by the music of Huey Lewis and the News. Throughout 2018 and 2019, Clarke starred in the show's critically-acclaimed out of town run and workshops, and could potentially serve as a big-time catalyst for Broadway's triumphant return in 2021. Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Connect with Katie Rose Clarke on Instagram: @katieroseclarke Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of the 30th Anniversary of The Muppet Christmas Carol, here's an archive release from November 2020! Steve Whitmire steps into The Batter’s Box for Episode 60! Here on Broadway, we have a deep appreciation for artists who master the ability to create characters. Over the course of a 40-plus year career in show business, few have done this better than Steve Whitmire. Whitmire got his start with The Muppets in 1978 as a lead puppeteer alongside Jim Henson on The Muppet Show. It was there he originated the wise-cracking New Yorker, Rizzo the Rat, and he would then go on to perform in nearly every Henson project thereafter including Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and all of the major Muppet films. After Jim Henson’s passing in 1990, Whitmire was tapped as the man to succeed him as the performer of Kermit the Frog, as well as Ernie on Sesame Street. Whitmire’s incredible body of work shines particularly bright here in New York City, and what makes this chat unique from some of Whitmire’s previous interviews is the special focus on various projects he helped create in the Big Apple. Whether it be working on one of the ultimate films about Broadway in The Muppets Take Manhattan, Sesame Street, or the many Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades that he performed in, his stories and insight are truly incredible. One story that provided some particularly big laughs actually came via Whitmire's time at Yankee Stadium, when he was invited to perform with Kermit at Yankees' Opening Day in 2012. He also dives deep into how he channeled the necessary technique and craft in order to not only perform Kermit, Ernie, and Rizzo, but develop them as living entities in the world.  Another key talking point in our conversation was the current state of The Muppets. While Whitmire was performing his characters through 2016, he was truly one of the key players in keeping Jim Henson’s legacy and lineage tradition alive with The Muppets. Today, Whitmire’s thoughts on what it would take to bring the franchise back to what it was built upon echo those of other prominent creatives who worked closest with Jim Henson, and really hits home for those who believe in the purity of the characters. He even discusses a definitive project he’s developed that could very well re-introduce The Muppets to a new generation of viewers under a promising new executive at The Muppets Studio. While Whitmire has accomplished nearly everything one can in puppetry, he still continues to do phenomenal work with his own character Weldon the I.T. Guy on the CAVE-iN series, in which he created and also stars. The series serves as a live streaming platform for viewers to interact with his character and very much captures the brilliance of his work that he’s become known for throughout his distinguished career. Connect with Steve Whitmire on Instagram: @steve_whitmire, Facebook, and on his website. Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From December 2021. Exactly 100 episodes since her first at-bat, Ashely Williams is BACK in The Batter’s Box! Be it through her work as an actress, director, producer, and of course, the light that she is as a person - Ashley checks all the boxes when it comes to being an All-Star hitter both on and offscreen. She also helped our podcast find its voice during its earliest days two years ago and remains one of our very favorite guests to date for good reason. This holiday season presents a very special occasion for fans of Ashley’s, as she’s starring in not one but two Hallmark Channel films! In a true family affair, the films feature Ashley appearing alongside her real-life sister (and our fellow friend of the show!), Kimberly Williams-Paisley, as the two fulfill their onscreen dreams of working together on a project that was more than five years in the making. Each leads their own film: Kimberly's is Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday and premieres this Sunday, December 5th at 8:00 p.m. EST, and Ashley's is Sister Swap: Christmas in the City, which premieres on Sunday, December 12th at the same time. From start to finish, this was yet another insanely fun conversation with Ashley on the Baseball meets Broadway front, as we also touched on Yankee Stadium sushi, Dodger Dogs, and even ’80’s dance parties with a certain three-time Cy Young Award winner! Pull up an ice block, lend an ear, and enjoy this latest installment of the party! Connect with Ashley Williams on Instagram: @ashleywilliamsandcompany Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From November 2021. Nikki DeLoach is kicking off the holidays in The Batter’s Box! DeLoach's latest film Five More Minutes premieres on November 20th at 10 p.m. ET, as she helps headline Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ annual Miracles of Christmas lineup. In addition to her home runs as a leading lady on-screen, you can also enjoy her work as a writer in Christmas for Keeps, which premieres on December 18th as part of the same lineup. DeLoach got her start in show business on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1993 when she was just 14 years old and now has career highlights that span anything from her leading role in MTV’s Awkward to serving as a Celebrity Champion and spokesperson for The Alzheimer’s Association. This week, she joins host Al Malafronte for some World Series talk, Broadway chatter, and to discuss the incredible backstories behind her two latest projects. One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation came when we touched on her decision to join the Hallmark family, as it was largely rooted in the struggle that many athletes and entertainers face when it comes to not wanting to be treated as a commodity. DeLoach is as real as they come and this chat certainly showcases that. Connect with Nikki DeLoach on Instagram: @nikdeloach Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From December 2020. Alex Ochoa steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 62! Ochoa's baseball career spanned eight Major League seasons from 1995-2002 and another six seasons in Japan from 2003-2007. In retirement, he's still involved in baseball on the business side as an agent for the Boras Corp in his hometown Miami. In this episode, Ochoa and host Al Malafronte talk about the current state of baseball and Broadway, the Hamilton movie, as well as many of the highlights from his time playing the game he still loves as much as ever. Some of Ochoa's fondest memories on the field go back to his time on Broadway, having played with the New York Mets from 1995-1997. Ochoa is among one of only ten players in franchise history to hit for the cycle, a feat he accomplished on July 3, 1996. We also rehash some of the adjustments he made as a performer, which served him better than ever in 2002 as a member of the World Champion Anaheim Angels. One particularly interesting chapter of Ochoa's career came when he made the decision to leave Major League Baseball to play in Japan, as some of the stories and perspective he shared from that time made for an incredible conversation. A conversation not just about baseball, but also personal development that could serve anyone aspiring to succeed either on stage, screen, or at the stadium. Connect with Alex Ochoa on Instagram: @aocho9 Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From November 2021. Taylor Cole is making spirits bright in The Batter's Box, as our Holiday Block Party continues! Cole's latest holiday film Making Spirits Bright premieres on Saturday, November 27th at 6 pm ET on our beloved Hallmark Channel. A longtime staple of the network's annual Countdown to Christmas, Cole is also a tremendous athlete and sports fan going back to her days as a kid in Arlington, Texas. Be it through her family's connection to the Texas Rangers or her unconventional entry into show business, Cole's stories and insight brought some awesome life to the party! Connect with Taylor Cole on Instagram: @taylorquinncole Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From October 2020. Xavier Nady steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 57! Nady was the last man to perform the role of starting left fielder at one of Broadway's most historic theaters, The House That Ruth Built, as a member of the 2008 New York Yankees cast that helped close out the old Yankee Stadium. Nady's big league career spanned 12 seasons, three of which were spent on the stages of New York City as a member of the Mets in 2006, and the Yankees from 2008-2009. His 2008 season was particularly special, as he posted the best numbers of his career with a .305 Batting Average, 25 Homeruns, 97 Runs Batted In, and an OPS of .867. He'd go onto retire as a 2-time World Series Champion as a member of the 2009 Yankees and 2012 San Francisco Giants. As discussed in our chat, Nady is still involved in the game of baseball as a member of super-agent Scott Boras' scouting and recruiting team for young players. This episode also has a heavy emphasis on his time playing in New York, which was not without highlights such as the Yankees' 2009 World Championship squad, SNL after-parties, and A-Rod's "fascination" with Nady's wardrobe...Nady also took a particular liking to Broadway musicals during his tenure here and discusses anything from his special connection to The Lion King, Tina Fey bringing Mean Girls to the stage, and his favorite pre-theatre dinners. Xavier Nady is truly one of baseball's good and funniest guys, and that shines through in this conversation! Connect with Xavier Nady on Instagram: @xaviernady4 Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Episode photo: Jeff Zelevasnky/Getty Images North America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From November 2021. Amy Robach steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 108! Be it through her work on ABC's Good Morning America, GMA3, or 20/20, you can always count on Robach to bring a smile to your face, tell it like it is, and inspire you on so many levels. She's just authored her very first children's book alongside her husband Andrew Shue titled Better Together, a sweet tale inspired by their own blended family that's all about finding common ground and learning to appreciate each others' differences. This week, she joins host Al Malafronte to discuss some of the wonderful stories and inspiration that helped guide her in writing the book, along with some of the poignant takeaways she hopes to leave with readers of all ages. The book is published by the fine folks at Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and is now available for purchase here or wherever you get your books! As Better Together showcases, one of Robach's greatest attributes is her passion for storytelling. It's no coincidence that this passion is largely rooted in her performing background going back to her high school days as an avid student of theatre. Like many in our audience, her love of Broadway is complemented by a tremendous sports fandom, and this conversation couldn't have come at a better time - as her hometown Atlanta Braves were on the cusp of winning their first World Series title since 1995! A Breast Cancer Survivor, she also touches on some of the powerful ways in which she's used her platform to raise awareness for early detection and to provide support to women facing the same challenges she did. Connect with Amy Robach on Instagram: @ajrobach Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From December 2020. Michael Park steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 63! For nearly three decades, Park's work as an actor has earned him tremendous critical and popular acclaim. Here on Broadway, Park's credits have spanned anything from Smokey Joe's Cafe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tuck Everlasting, and most recently, Dear Evan Hansen. On-screen he's best known for his work on Stranger Things, You, and As the World Turns - a performance that earned him back-to-back Daytime Emmy Awards in 2010 and 2011 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In addition to everything Park has accomplished in his acting career, he's also a lifelong baseball fan with a special love for the New York Yankees. It was particularly interesting to hear how his love and knowledge of baseball has played into some of his most prominent work, as discussed with host Al Malafronte and production assistant Erin Connors. Park even touches on a new project he's been writing during the pandemic that focuses on America's Pastime. The man who taught us the hard way, but the right way to break in a glove as Larry Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen brought a really fun vibe to this free-flowing conversation that can be appreciated by sports and theatre fans alike. Connect with Michael Park on Instagram: @park24hrs and Twitter: @park24hrs Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From August 2020. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer steps into The Batter’s Box for Episode 45! Kritzer's Broadway career began in 2004 when she made her debut in the Tony-winning Hairspray, and has since gone onto appear in Legally Blonde, Elf, Something Rotten!, and of course her most recent credit as Delia Deetz in the Tony-nominated Beetlejuice. For the folks at home that have followed Break a Bat! since our earliest days in the spring of 2019, you probably know that so much of the inspiration behind creating this podcast came from an upcoming birthday trip to see Beetlejuice on Broadway. That trip just happened to fall on the night of the famous ‘Broadway Blackout’ on July 13, 2019, when 26 of 30 shows went dark due to a midtown power outage on a hot summer night. However, Beetlejuice still had the juice at the Winter Garden Theatre, and host Al Malafronte and his original co-host Scotty Katzmann would go onto enjoy what ended up being one of their favorite Broadway performances of all-time.  This fond memory is largely attested to Kritzer, and her brilliant comedic performance in the show. Kritzer joined both Malafronte and Katzmann to re-hash not only that historic night on Broadway, but also the incredible success she's endured as a lead in one of Broadway’s most beloved shows, and some of the epic behind the scenes stories that came along with it. Kritzer also just happens to be a tremendous baseball fan, and her love and knowledge of sports talk radio translated so well into the conversation she had with the boys about her love of the game, favorite ballpark memories, and the parallels she sees between both sports and theatre. She even tackles the subject of what would best serve the performers involved in this uncertain baseball season, and the re-opening of Broadway in 2021 --- which may just include Beetlejuice! Connect with Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer on Instagram: @lesliekritzer and Twitter: @lesliekritzer Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte and Scotty Katzmann Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network  Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices