Curtain Call Podcast

Today, we have both a returning guest and a returning show…although not what you’d expect. Listeners of this podcast will remember Jonathan Andrew Hume from the original London Cast of the Olivier Award winning best musical “Come From Away” as one of the Kevins. He was brilliant in that show…and when I was offered a chance to speak to the incoming cast for the revival of Guys and Dolls at The Bridge Theatre right near Tower Bridge in London…I jumped at the chance and asked if I could speak to Jonathan. He’s just one of the loveliest guys in the business…pun intended. Guys and Dolls Official Website (and Tickets) Jonathan Andrew Home on Insta Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is PART ONE of a TWO-PARTER. Listen to The Wrong Cat Died via the links below for the companion episode to this episode. Mike Abrams is the creator and host of the theatre podcast “The Wrong Cat Died’. Originally conceived as a 10-part mini series, he’s now over 150 episodes in and going strong. We’ve decided to have each other on…well…each other’s podcasts. It’s something neither of us have done, but thought it would be great to share audiences as we know our listeners, if not already listening to the other’s podcast, will totally get them and love them. The Wrong Cat Died is an original podcast on the Broadway Podcast Network...where Mike and I met in 2020 during lockdown. The podcast posits that in the musical Cats, Grizabella, the cast chosen to go to the Heaviside Lair , was actually the wrong choice. Only one cat gets chosen. The cat that is deemed most worthy by Old Deuteronomy. Mike’s theory is that Griz wasn’t the worthiest cat, and 150 episodes and thousand stories told by original cast members from dozens and dozens of productions from around the globe…it’s clear that the answer to the question “was Grizablla the correct choice?” is still unclear. The Wrong Cat Died Official Website Broadway Podcast Network Website Listen on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is an attempt to answer the age old theatre questions; “Is it possible to remove expectations and worry over results and create theater that is pure execution? Is there a way to insure that every artist works only from their instinct in creating a play?” Hmm… So what if an evening was created by randomly pairing artists and have them create new plays under a nearly impossible timeline. Would it remove the luxury of thinking and engage their every artistic instinct necessary to pull off creating a show that didn’t exist before 9am that morning? This episode, I speak to Markus Flannagan, creator and producer of Same Day Plays, making their inaugural appearance at The Questors Theatre in Ealing, London. Same Day Plays Official Website The Questors Theatre Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, i chat to Olivier Award nominee Anoushka Lucas - actree, playwright, singer, songwriter, composer...I mean, she's defining multi-hyphenate We first had Anoushka on the podcast in 2016 when she starred in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regents Park Open Air Theatre - a critically acclaimed production which I saw twice, as once wasn't enough. And she's about to be heard again in Part II of a musical that started life in lockdown: U.Me U.Me: The Complete Musical tells the story of Rose and Ryo, two young strangers who meet online and fall in love during the pandemic, resulting in Ryo flying across the world from Japan to London for Rose. In Part Two, we meet Rose and Ryo again – the relationship takes an unexpected turn and Rose has to take on the deepest challenge of her life.  U. Me: The Complete Musical Official Page The Crucible Official Page Anoushka Lucas Official Website @johnschwab on all the socials Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To kick off 2024, and what seems like a year of non-stop elections…USA Presidential elections, General Election here in the UK as well as a Russian Election (if you can actually call it that)...less of that, the better, I watched 1979 at the Finborough Theatre. A scathing satire of the Canadian political landscape, and a snapshot of the 6 month reign of the infuriatingly righteous Prime Minister Joe Clark - who, in an effort to not anger anyone, actually ends up angering everyone! We sit down with producer Sarah Lawrie and actors Samantha Coughlan, Joseph May and Ian Porter on stage at West London's Finborough Theatre. The show runs until the 27th of January 1979 Tickets - Official Website 1979 on Insta 1979 on X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we bring you another dose of cheer in the form of our annual Christmas podcast. In the past, I have asked some of my theatrical friends to read out a classic Christmas story, with past readers such as West End stalwart Siobhan Harrison and The Walking Dead star Eleanor Matsura. This year, we have a special treat.   On the 1st of December, my family was asked to put together a series of readings as part of a Christmas Carol concert for a charity close to our hearts, Allergy UK. It took place in Christ Church Petts Wood, southeast London and it was a great way to kick off the festive season. I thought it would be a great idea to get some of my friends to read parodies of the Clement Clarke Moore poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (A Visit from Saint Nicholas)”. The three actors I asked (Ed Stoppard, David Bedella & Myanna Buring) said “yes” straight away, and I couldn’t be more pleased. To end the episode, we have Jack Schwab (I know...nepobaby!) singing his Christmas single (co-written with me) "Winter Blue"...available to listen to on all good music streaming platforms. Have a wonderful holiday season and a blessed 2024 Allergy UK Christmas Carol Concert Video Winter Blue on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I’m chatting with a dear friend of mine Lourdes Faberes. You may have seen Lourdes in Sandman or The Power or No Time to Die or Good Omens or…I could go on!!!! She’s an incredible actor. Lourdes is currently appearing in untitled f**k m*ss s**gon play at The Young Vic in London. Kimber Lee’s hard-hitting, but hilarious play is running now until the 4th of November. The play had its initial run at the Manchester International Festival earlier this year and has garnered great notices since opening last month. It's a play that deals with generational trauma and enforced stereotypes amongst Asian cultures in popular entertainment - from Pucini to Boublil and Schoenberg.   Lourdes Twitter (X) Profile Lourdes Insta Profile www.youngvic.org  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I sat down with Sharlene Hector, who plays Thought 1. But you may recognize the voice as Sharlene is the lead vocalist for the band Basement Jaxx and appeared in the West End production of Hairspray.. But Sharlene can also be heard providing backing vocals for artists such as Alicia Keys, Primal Scream, Josh Groban and many, many more.  We were joined by Tendai Humphrey Sitima (Thought 4) who is also a musician in his own right and could previously be seen in the West End Smash “The Play That Goes Wrong” Official Website / Tickets Broadway Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I am talking to a photographer who really is changing the game when it comes to headshots and self-tapes.  When I came across Charlie Frances and his AKTA photography, that is A-K-T-A and their model of a “pay what you can” for those who see a professional headshot as a barrier to entry, I had to do some research. And if their website aktaphotography.com is anything to go by, Charlie and his team are only going to go from strength to strength. Akta Photography Website The Reel Voice Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a new show in town, but born a few years ago… pretty much like the main character in this astonishing musical. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse: Elephant (not to be confused with the Southwark Playhouse Borough) . First appearing in London in 2019 at its sister theatre, Jethro Compton and Darren Clark’s musical is a fresh take on an old tale by F Scott Fitzgerald. From the get go, the music and acting, not to mention direction, design, stage management and sound mixing are just off-the-charts good. I just had to sit down and chat with the two central characters…I cannot call them leads, as this is truly and ensemble piece. Jamie Parker and Molly Osborne who play the titular character and the love of his life, Elowen Keene are an absolute delight on stage and  in person. Official Show Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cedering Fox is an internationally accomplished voice over artist. However, her most incredible achievement is Founding Word Theatre way back in 2003. Along with Kirsty Peart here in the UK, Word Theatre and Cedering have been casting top film, TV and theatre actors in readings of works by the world’s finest contemporary authors. Theatre talents such as Olivia Williams, Damien Lewis, Elizabeth McGovern, Rae Dawn Chong, Rashan Stone, Gemma Chan, Maureen Lipman, Zachary Quinto, Danny Sapani and a hundred more! Word Theatre Website: https://wordtheatre.org/ Insta: @wordtheatre Twitter @wordtheatre John Schwab Twitter and Insta: @johnschwab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I’m chatting with cast and some of the creative team behind the world premiere of Eric Henry Sanders’ play Maybe Probably - a play about two couples as they navigate the hilarious waters of preparing to have a baby, or recently having one. We’re all either the product of this or have gone through it ourselves. Sanders isn’t new to London and UK theatre, with his work being seen in London and the Edinburgh Fringe. He’s also worked with Maybe, Probably’s director Lydia Parker. AND…it turns out that one of the cast members was coincidentally in Sander’s first play. I sat down with Sanders and Parker, as well as cast members Christy Meyer, Maria Teresa Creasey, and Lance Fuller. They spoke of the joys of returning to the theatre, especially in a comedy and the process of discovering just what they could bring to the production for their personal experiences. For Tickets and Info, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cottage is a gripping comic drama that has so many themes bubbling underneath the facade of two men meeting up in a public toilet. It goes beyond a queer story and commands the audience’s attention and asks questions of the viewer’s thoughts into human relationships and their deeply complicated makeup - no matter what sexual preference one might have. Cottage’s playwight, Ben Willows, sat down with me, in separate rooms becuase he’s already in Edinburgh performing in a show, to talk about where the idea came for the play and it’s journey so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier in the year, i was honoured to be asked to judge the 2022 Durham Drama Festival at Durham University in the UK. It was an incredible 3 days of workshops, talks, networking events…but most importantly new theatre written, directed and performed by the incredible talent pool of students at Durham Uni. One of the stand out plays was Em Oliver’s “Beautiful Nothing”. A one-woman show bringing into sharp focus how evil the internet can be towards women and the pitfalls that lie therein. It was a great piece of theatre and I wasn’t at all surprised to hear that it was going to the Fringe Festival this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Ben Mole has put together an incredible ensemble cast for his latest project, "Code of Silence" - a feature film surrounding the events that led to the arrest and incarceration of the legendary London gangland bosses, the Kray Twins, Imagine my shock at hearing good friend, the American actor Ronan Summers, was the next to follow in some pretty big footsteps in taking on the role of BOTH…yes, BOTH, of the Kray Twins in the film. Appearing in this episode Ronan Summers, Actor. Ben Mole, Director John Schwab, Host. Krays: Code of Silence is on DVD and digital from 27th December (101 Films)  (Digital includes. iTunes, Amazon, Sky Store and Virgin) Curtain Call Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

in our Pioneer series, we’re going to be highlighting the companies that are getting the live events industries back to business and who’ve been supporting the freelancers and professionals that found themselves unable to make a living in the sector due to the pandemic. Andrew Bishop - of BishopSound - is a fascinating first guest in our Pioneer Series. I do mention in this episode that I could have spoken with him for at least another hour or two. He has amazing stories that only scratch the surface of his experience in the live events sector. BishopSound Website Curtain Call Website WeMakeEvents Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Parker is a musical director, composer, conductor...you name it, if it has anything to do with music or musicals, Alex is all over it..and now he has his own orchestra, to boot! Alex is the musical director on a massive concert presentation of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical Sunset Boulevard in the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Sunset Boulevard is perhaps on of ALW’s most beloved scores, and in my opinion the most complete musical in his canon. And this concert version promises to be a BLAST with Mazz Murray as Norma Desmond, Ramin Karimloo playing Joe Gillis. And a musical wouldn’t be complete without a Strallen sister, so Zizi steps in to play Betty Shaefer. AND, get this, with a 40...that is right, 40-piece orchestra. Luminaire Orchestra Website Curtain Call Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Norlen is a New York-based artist and performer, most recently on stage in the national touring company of Broadway’s Kinky Boots. During lockdown, when Andrew was at a loss as to what his performing career was going to look like when things opened up, if indeed they were ever going to open up, and when he’d ever get back to see the people he loved and worked with...he felt he needed to do something to both get creative, express himself and serve as a catharsis to acknowledge and work through the feelings he and his fellow professionals were experiencing. His book When The Lights Are Bright Again started as a little seed of an idea and grew into a book with stunning photography from Broadway photographer Matthew Murphy and over 200 contributions from theatre veterans, theatregoers, theatre dreamers, ushers, designers, creatives...they’re all in there. When The Lights Are Bright Again Website Curtain Call Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July 2012, a gunman opened fire on a cinema audience that had just sat down to watch a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora Colorado killing 12. Writer/Director Kate Barton, actors Hannah Schunk-Hockings, David Austin Barnes as well as original designer Matthew Jennings take us through the journey of the verbatim play Screen 9 so far, and how they’re looking forward to their run at The Pleasance Theatre in London. Official Site for Screen 9 at The Pleasance Curtain Call Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Come From Away team didn’t want to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the events of September 11th 2001, without sitting down with the current West End company and really drilling down into their personal experiences of that day.  Come From Away tells the story of how the inhabitants of a small, rural community on a Canadian Island came to be involved in a musical that transformed one of the most tragic days in human history into one of the biggest shows in modern times. In this episode you’ll meet cast members: Alice Fearn Kate Graham Jonathan Andrew Hume. Gemma Knight Jones Harry Morrison Sam Oladeinde Come From Away Official Site Broadway Podcast Network Official Site Curtain Call Official Site T: @curtaincall I: @curtaincall F: CurtainCall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices