Dear Multi-hyphenate

“I think one of the reasons I wanted to be a multi-hyphenate and wear all the hats in SUFFS was to hopefully, if I could, inspire others to show, specially young women,that’s an avenue available to us as well… and the multi-hyphenate male artist is sort of a moniker that goes unquestioned.” On this episode of Dear Multi-Hyphenate, we have one of Broadway’s hottest writers, Shaina Taub, writer and star of SUFFS on Broadway. A true multi-hyphenate, we discuss: The responsibility of starring in a musical you wrote. Any ghostly visits from Alice Paul? Sacrifice. The creation of SUFFS. Lessons learned. Establishing boundaries. Organizational tips. Facing a dying nation and the progress we’ve made. Shaina Taub is an American actress, singer, musician, and Tony Award-winning composer.Taub composed and starred in three adaptations of Shakespeare plays for The Public Theater's Public Works program: Twelfth Night in both 2016 and 2018 and As You Like It in 2017. Taub has appeared Off-Broadway in the revival of the revue show Old Hats in 2016, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 as Princess Mary (2013), and Hadestown as a Fate (2016). She played the role of Emma Goldman in the Ragtime on Ellis Island concert and performed at Joe's Pub in Manhattan monthly during a solo residency. In 2022, her original musical Suffs, based on suffragists and their American women's suffrage movement, premiered off-Broadway at The Public Theater. Taub wrote the book, music, and lyrics, and also starred as Alice Paul. The show transferred to Broadway in April 2024 to positive reviews. Taub won Tony Awards in 2024 for Best Book and Best Score. Alongside Elton John on music, Taub penned the lyrics for the 2022 musical adaptation of the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, based on Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel of the same name. It enjoyed a limited run in Chicago in 2022, and a new production is opened in London's West End in October 2024. In November, she reprised the role of Emma Goldman in New York City Center’s Ragtime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You know – when you have multiple mini successes in a row, just how affirming that can be. And how for me, personally, it spills into the rest of my day, the rest of the week – there’s a part of me that wishes that career successes didn’t affect my mood that much, but it’s absolutely true that it does – and then I feel like it begets more success in just every other aspect of my life.”   In this episode we discuss… Soda. Especially the ones from EPCOT. Jobs vs. Careers. How to pitch a project. Letting people know what you’re good at.  Reality television. Process vs. Product The Writer’s Strike How other people perceive you.  J. W. Crump is a Carolina-born, LGBTQ writer, game creator, and comedian represented by Authentic Talent and Literary Management. A seasoned game show producer and host, he developed a game show for Whoopi Goldberg’s production company in 2023 and has hosted over 250 live game shows. He served as Senior Producer and Head Writer for over 50 three-hour game shows for Microsoft's live streaming TV network. His expertise spans live and televised game content, from writing and producing all content for the ESPN Table Hockey international tournament to creating over 50 original segments for TBS’s Gods of the Game. He also worked on ViceTV’s Super Maximum Retro Show, designing all gaming segments and scripting an entire episode solo. Beyond game shows, Crump created the award-winning web series Kylie Jenner's Beauty Tips, which amassed over one million views. He produced Gas Station Horror, a Sony Pictures-sponsored B-horror comedy show, for seven years. His pilot, Ian Owes U, was an official selection at the New York Television Festival. Most recently, he wrapped six years with Pod Ledom, a comedic America’s Next Top Model retrospective podcast with over 2M listens and 700 five-star reviews. @themichaelkushner @dearmultihyphenate @jw_crump Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You have to say yes to everything. You have to put yourself in every room you can. It's not learning from one person, it’s going to learn from as many people as possible. Noone is going to hand it to you on a silver platter.” In this episode we discuss… Making his Broadway debut at 10 years old. Becoming Rob Ashford's assistant. A mortifying debut and successful second chance on So You Think You Can Dance. Stepping up and problem solving. Producing, directing, and choreographing. Drag the Musical Spencer's Broadway journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Starting at the age of 7 on the national tour of The Will Rogers Follies, he made his Broadway debut at age 11 and went on to perform in 5 Broadway shows. After transitioning to choreography, he worked on 4 more Broadway productions, including the Tony-winning Hedwig. His 10-year stint on "So You Think You Can Dance" led to multiple Emmy nominations and he's choreographed for top TV shows as well as the Oscars, Tonys, and Grammys. Recently, he has added directing to his resume with a successful production of the cult classic Reefer Madness in LA, with Hollywood stars like Kristen Bell, Matthew Morrison, and Rachel Bloom making weekly cameo appearances. The musical will hopefully make its way to NYC and the UK. https://www.spencer-liff.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where does a playwright start from? Would a playwright identify as a multi-hyphenate if they span genre, style, and medium of writing? How does a playwright break into both Broadway and the West End? Lindsey Ferrentino is one of our contemporary prolific voices in playwriting and she’s full of inspiring nuggets that will get anyone to put their ideas on paper.  In this episode we also discuss her upcoming play THE FEAR OF 13. Based on the extraordinary true story of Nick Yarris, Academy Award winner Adrien Brody makes his London theatre debut at the Donmar Warehouse in the world premiere of THE FEAR OF 13; a new play by Lindsey Ferrentino (Ugly Lies the Bone) directed by Justin Martin (Prima Facie).  Lindsey Ferrentino is an American playwright with three world premieres in the 2024 season. In May, she opened The Artist in the UK (co-adapted with Drew McConie, Theatre Royal Plymouth,) and this August, she will premiere the new musical The Queen of Versailles (book by Lindsey Ferrentino, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, starring Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham, The Colonial Theater). Her other produced plays include Ugly Lies the Bone (The Lyttleton - National Theatre, UK, Roundabout Theatre Company, NY, over 100 productions worldwide), Amy and the Orphans (Roundabout Theatre Company), This Flat Earth (Playwrights Horizons), The Year to Come (La Jolla Playhouse) — among others. Her plays have been translated into Spanish, German, and Portuguese and have been produced across the US, in London, Germany, Spain, and Venezuela. This winter, Lindsey will direct her first feature film - an adaptation of her play Amy and the Orphans for Jason Bateman’s Aggregate Films. She has various film projects in development at Netflix and Sony Pictures — with producers including Higher Ground, 3 Dot Entertainment, Dylan Clark Productions, Defiant by Nature. Lindsey is the recipient of The Arc’s prize for Entertainment Industry Excellence for her writing centered on disability inclusion. Other prizes include: the Kesserling, ASCAP Cole Porter Playwriting Prize, Paul Newman Drama Award, Laurents/Hatcher Award, NYU Distinguished Alumna Award, and Hunter College’s 40 Under 40 Distinguished Alumna. Lindsey is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Felker & Associates. You can purchase tickets to The Fear of 13 here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people go to college for theatre so one can become an educated actor. Through technique and tools, this will help the actor sustain a healthy and rich career. But what are students getting in terms of theatre business? My NYU student, Natalie Rebenkoff, graduated and took off with flying colors by digging into her multi-hyphenate potential and producing her first piece of work, The Nursery, an unpublished Clifford Odets one-act. The production co-stars Cameron Monaghan from the ever popular television show, Shameless. So how does one graduate and produce their own work? What comes easy? What comes hard? What do we learn along the way? This episode is a great resource for actors who are deep in learning their technique but can also understand how to produce their own work – and not let each artform distract the other.  Natalie Rebenkoff is a New York-based actor, writer, and producer from Hermosa Beach, California. Her recent theater credits include Smokeshow (Edinburgh Fringe), Hamlet (RADA), MotherBoard (Experimental Theatre Wing), and I’m Sorry for Your Troubles (Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute). Her film credits include Don’t Look Up opposite Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. She would like to thank Walt Odets, Robert Ellerman, her family, and friends for all the support in bringing The Nursery to life and is excited to finally share this story. Cameron Monaghan is an American actor, writer, director, and photographer. With a career of over 25 years, he is perhaps best known for his series regular roles as Ian on ‘Shameless’ and ‘The Joker’ on Gotham. In addition, he stars in the ‘Star Wars: Jedi’ game series. Supporting roles include ‘The Giver’ with Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges, ‘Paradise Highway’ with Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman, and the lead role in ‘Jamie Marks is dead’ which premiered at Sundance, amongst countless other projects. He studied screenwriting at SNHU and has attended directing courses at the Australian Film and Television School (AFTRS), The Actors Studio at Pinewood UK, and Marjorie Ballentine Theatre Company. He most currently filmed TRON: ARES for Disney. Clifford Odets' The Nursery will be staged Off-Broadway October 10-12 at The Sam Theatre, with Stella Diji directing. The unpublished one-act will be presented by Point 5 Collective, in collaboration with The Lee Strasberg Creative Center.  Set in the 1950s, The Nursery follows an upper-middle class couple who are forced to confront the long-simmering fault lines in their troubled marriage. When the suppressed emotions of their union explode during a pivotal conversation, the strength of their love is tested. The Nursery was discovered in the archives of The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Visit TheNurseryPlay.com for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is absolutely loving HULU’s Only Murders in the Building? I am! On this episode of Dear Multi-Hyphenate, we have the loveable Michael Cyril Creighton who plays Howard Morris on Only Murders in the Building on HULU. We discuss how Michael was compelled to create his own work and how it created a domino effect of constant work in the industry. It’s all about writing what you know, and Michael certainly proves that theory. How did he end up from working the box office to working on some of the most successful tv shows and films of all time? TELEVISION: Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” (Series Regular), Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (recurring) Showtime’s “Dexter: New Blood” (recurring), Netflix’s “Dash & Lily” (recurring), HBO's "High Maintenance" (recurring), EPIX's "Graves" (recurring), Amazon’s “A League of Their Own”, Netflix’s “AJ & the Queen”, FOX's "Bob's Burgers," Showtime's "Billions," "Horace and Pete," FOX’s “Bob’s Burgers,” CBS's "The Good Fight," Adult Swim's "Neon Joe Werewolf Hunter," Showtime's "Nurse Jackie," Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black,” NBC’s “30 Rock,” FX’s “Louie,” CBS's "2 Broke Girls," CBS’s “Person of Interest," FX's "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll," LOGO’s “Jeffery & Cole Casserole.” FILM: Cord Jeffereson’s “American Fiction,” Steven Spielberg's "The Post," "Game Night," "Spotlight," "Can You Ever Forgive Me?," “Seneca,” "Home Again," "Coin Heist," "Sleeping With Other People," "Fits and Starts," "3rd Street Blackout," “Towheads,” “How To Follow Strangers,” “Paper Spiders” and “The Outside Story.” THEATRE: Jordan Harrison's The Amateurs (Vineyard Theatre), Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss (Playwrights Horizons), Blood Play, Buddy Cop 2, You're Welcome and Cape Disappointment (all with The Debate Society), Joshua Conkel's MilkMilkLemonade and more. I was a founding member of the New York Neo-Futurists and performed weekly in “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind.” WEB: Michael created a web series called “Jack in a Box,” which he starred in, produced, wrote and co-directed. The series ran from 2009-2012 and consisted of 31 episodes, dozens of cupcakes and a fair amount of funny-sad humor. It was written about in several publications and on several websites, including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Time Out New York, Le Monde Paris, The New York Daily News, The AV Club and Michael was named a “Digital All Star” by Backstage. The series won Best Web Pilot at the 2010 New York Television Festival and was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original New Media two consecutive years in a row (2012 & won in 2013). Other work on the web includes "High Maintenance," "The Outs," "Very Mary-Kate," "Eat Our Feelings" and more. Proud member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity and the Writers Guild. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Dear Multi-Hyphenate! It is Season Two and let’s kick it off with superstar multi-hyphenate Lea Delaria. In this episode we discuss all about how and when to identify as a certain type of artist, unheard stories of working with Lea’s idols, hysterical and inspiring stories about projects like POTUS and Orange is the New Black, and of course Lea’s new brunch show at 54 Below… Brunch is Gay, currently running one Sunday a month at 54 Below.  Lea was the first openly gay comic on television in America, and is an accomplished Jazz performer who has performed in concert venues all over the world. She is best known as ‘Big Boo’ from Orange is the New Black (3 SAG Awards). Lea can currently be seen in the indie feature film Potato Dreams of America, and in the Indigo Girls jukebox feature film, Glitter & Doom. Lea recently starred in the Off-Broadway Revival of Tennessee Williams' play, The Night of the Iguana, directed by Emily Mann. TV credits include Girls5Eva, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, East New York,The Blacklist, Physical, Reprisal, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Shameless, and Broad City. Film credits include Cars 3, Support The Girls, and First Wives Club. Broadway credits, POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (Bernadette), The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott) and On The Town (Hildy), Obie and Theatre World Awards. @realleadelaria www.leadelaria.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The advice that I would give myself now is not that different than what I believed was true 30 or 40 years ago, which is the thing that makes you different… the thing that makes you unique, idiosyncratic, weird… that is your superpower as a writer. Maybe as a human being, but particularly as an artist or a writer.” – Tony Winner David Henry Hwang In David Henry Hwang’s play Yellow Face, he explores the Chinese concept of face, an idea that correlates directly to multi-hyphenating. Which is the face we are currently wearing? Which is the one we want the world to believe about us? Which one do we believe the most for ourselves? Hwang is a giant among us – his resume spans years from hits, to flops, to plays, to operas, to films to brilliant works penetrating the cultural zeitgeist. In this episode, we discuss multi-hyphenating, making choices in our plays, the weight of other people’s opinions, the concept of face, and the state of creating art today. This episode is wonderful for any episode, especially playwrights and soon-to-be playwrights as it is a masterclass of inspiration from one of our great living writers.  David Henry Hwang’s stage work includes the plays M. Butterfly, Chinglish, Yellow Face, Golden Child, The Dance and the Railroad, and FOB, as well as the Broadway musicals Aida, Flower Drum Song, and Disney’s Tarzan. M. Butterfly was revived on Broadway in 2017. His newest musical, Soft Power, a collaboration with composer Jeanine Tesori, received four Outer Critics Honors, a 2020 Grammy nomination and was a Finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Yellow Face was revived on Broadway in Fall of 2024, starring Daniel Dae Kim. Called America’s most-produced living opera librettist by Opera News, Hwang has written thirteen libretti, including five with composer Philip Glass. An American Soldier (with Huang Ruo) will receive its New York premiere at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in May 2024. Ainadamar (with Osvaldo Golijov) will be seen at the Metropolitan Opera in Fall 2024. His screenplays include M. Butterfly and he is penning an Anna May Wong biopic to star actress Gemma Chan as well as a musical feature for Paramount Pictures. For television, he was a Writer/Consulting Producer for the Golden Globe-winning television series The Affair and is currently creating and show running a new television series, Billion Dollar Whale. He also co-wrote the Gold Record “Solo” with the late pop music icon Prince.  David Henry Hwang is a Tony Award winner and three-time nominee, a three-time OBIE Award winner, a Grammy Award winner who has been twice nominated, and a three-time Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. A professor at Columbia University School of the Arts, Hwang is a Trustee of the American Theatre Wing, where he served as Chair, and sits on the Council of the Dramatist Guild. Recent honors include his 2022 induction onto the Lucille Lortel Playwrights’ Sidewalk, his 2021 election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and his 2018 induction into the Theatre Hall of Fame.  In 2016, The David Henry Hwang Society was founded by William C. Boles (Rollins College), Martha Johnson (University of Minnesota), and Esther Kim Lee (University of Maryland). The DHH Society is devoted to the scholarly examination of plays by David Henry Hwang.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I love self tapes in the post pandemic world.” Why? Why does Adam love self tapes when so many other actors don’t? How can we embrace them? In fact, how can we embrace and adapt post-pandemic practices into our lives? Let’s face it – the industry looks different. So, we have to shift. And Adam DeCarlo has done a great job at doing just that.  Adam DeCarlo is an award-winning actor and filmmaker based in NYC. Adam was born and raised in Orange County, California; where he began studying acting at the Tony Award-Winning regional theatre, South Coast Repertory. After graduating High School, he studied as a Theatre major at Fullerton College, where he performed in many of their productions and served as a Theatre Arts Ambassador for the department for two years. He then transferred to the University of California, Riverside (UCR) where he continued to study theatre and graduated with a BA, as a double major in Theatre and Media/Cultural Studies. Upon graduating from UCR, Adam moved to New York City and studied at the renowned Circle in the Square Theatre School. While living in NYC, he has appeared on several hit TV shows on Netflix, FOX, HULU, HBO, and A&E. Adam is the writer & director of two award-winning short films, ‘Lost & Found’ & ‘Skeletons’. Proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What ever jobs you have on your path to where you're trying to get to to your vision all matter. And the fact that we call these things a side hustle or we talk about ‘the unwanted jobs' and all of those types of descriptions… it's not empowering people.” -- Jodi Carter When it comes to being an artist, what is the first thing we have to know about money?  According to Jodi Carter, it’s a new language. A wow, do we discover a new language in this episode. This episode is deeply, deeply personal and Michael and Jodi truly get into a vulnerable conversation about money. It might be something all artists can relate to.  What is “ifcome” and how does it change our perspective of money managing? How do we work around the starving artist paradigm? The pressure to say yes and show up. Is it healthy? The myth of uncertainty and the myth of someday. Things we make up to ourselves when it comes to money.  A big financial hug. Jodi Carter, CPA, has spent decades helping individuals, couples, and families – from all different financial levels and circumstances – make countless choices. This unique view sparked her desire to reach people how to live their best lives. Jodi founded Financial Insight Training to help people shift their lives from stress to freedom. As a lifelong supporter of the arts, Jodi knew she has to create a program specifically tailored to the unique needs of artists, who live with fluctuating income and need specialized guidance for managing their finances. The IfCome® Paradigm is the framework for creative people to live as thriving artists.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If I were king of the mountain and I got to say how all arts education was – I would actually say the idea of being curiously creative is key; testing out all the ideas and options.” – Scott Barnhardt This is a wildly fun and informative podcast for artists of all ages – especially those looking into studying theatre in college. Here’s what you’ll find in this episode: The college audition mindset The falsehoods of being a “starving artist” What is true about being a “starving artist”? Lucrative ways of working in the theatre Leaning into the type of artist you want to be known as The worth of a college degree SCOTT BARNHARDT is a musical theatre actor, theatre maker, writer, educator and Independent Education Consultant (IEC). He is also the owner and creator of The Creative College Journey, a bespoke approach to college guidance working exclusively with creative applicants (writers, filmmakers, actors, dancers)—helping families handle both the academic and artistic aspects of a college application with the goal to lower stress and increase clarity and enjoyment throughout the process. As a teacher and administrator, he most recently served as Lead Faculty for the Contemporary Musical Theatre + Film BFA program at Hussian College Los Angeles, and before that as the Director of Musical Theatre at the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA). He is a graduate of Wagner College (BA, Theatre/Speech) and UCLA (MFA, Playwriting). His acting credits include the original Broadway cast of The Book of Mormon (Elder Harris/Elder Thomas, u/s Elder McKinley, Asst. Dance Captain) and the Deaf West Broadway Revival of Big River at Roundabout. Other NYC: Yank! (The Old Globe Workshop), Bye Bye Birdie (City Center Encores!). National tours: The Boy Friend directed by Julie Andrews, Deaf West's Big River, the Detroit company of White Christmas and the Japanese tour of Disney on Classic with the Tokyo Philharmonic. At OCSA, along with teaching audition prep and a class called Mind|Body|Voice, he directed the virtual production of Now. Here. This. (the first full-length musical to be shot and presented entirely during quarantine), Evita (in association with Musical Theatre West), the High School premiere of Jasper in Deadland, The Drowsy Chaperone, Xanadu, 9-to-5 (alongside Jessica Lea Patty). He was also seen in concert with students at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Coming Home with Krysta Rodriguez and Scott Barnhardt. Scott has taught workshops, master classes and built programming for UCLA, The Grammy Foundation, Professional School for the Arts, American Ballet Theatre, University of Michigan, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, MTCA of OC, Cal State Fullerton, Broadway Dreams, Broadway Classroom, International Thespian Festival, EdTA Professional Development, Florida Thespian Festival and The Performing Arts Project among others. Awards and grants include the 2004 Tony Honor (Big River), Grammy Citation for Best Cast Album (The Book of Mormon), Tim Robbins Playwriting Award, Sono Osato Scholarship, Caroline H. Newhouse Scholarship and the George Burns & Gracie Allen Fellowship in Comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Collaboration is the most crucial thing you can do. Even if you are writing a solo show for yourself, for your family’s story, show it to somebody – share it with somebody.” - Rob Madge Rob Madge is about to open their solo play on Broadway – so how did it go from home videos to fringe to West End to Broadway? Listen to this amazing episode and learn all about the new play My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?). This is the second part to Dear Multi-Hyphenate's 100th Episode celebration! Transitioning from a child actor into an adult actor. How does a show go from Fringe to Broadway? Handling the weight of Broadway with humor. Sense of play.  Rob Madge is a theatre maker, writer and actor. They began working professionally in theatre at the age of 9, having spent the majority of their childhood forcing their family to help them put on shows in the living room, most of which are now documented on Rob’s social media channels. Rob is best known for their show My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) which was nominated for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play at the 2023 Olivier Awards. Following this ongoing success, Rob won Best Creative Debut at The Stage Debut Awards, 2023 and the Attitude Award for Best Theatre Production, 2023. Most recent credits as a performer: Peter Pan (London Palladium). Theatre credits as a performer include: My Son’s A Queer (Writer/Performer: Turbine Theatre, Edinburgh, West End); Jack and the Beanstalk (London Palladium); Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), Macbeth (Gielgud Theatre), Oliver! (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Les Misérables (25th Anniversary International Tour and Concert), Matilda the Musical (Courtyard Theatre, RSC), Bedknobs & Broomsticks (UK Tour/World Premiere),Timpson the Musical, Held Momentarily, Leave A Light On, Roles We’ll Never Play. TV credits include: The Sarah Jane Adventures, That Mitchell and Webb Look, The Armstrong and Miller Show, Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, Poirot: Appointment with Death. Rob’s debut play My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) played to sold out audiences at the Turbine Theatre in 2021 and won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off-West End Production. My Son’s a Queer is headlined the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Underbelly (George Square) in 2022, and debuted to five-star reviews at the Garrick and Ambassadors in the West End. The play script is published by Nick Hern Books. Rob graduated with a Masters in Musical Theatre from the Royal Academy of Music, being awarded the DipRAM. Rob writes and performs their own skits on their social media channels which, as a result, have amassed a following of over 300,000 collectively, with over 11.3 million likes. Twitter: @rob_madge_02 Instagram: @robmadge02 TikTok: @rob_madge_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The greatest success for actors comes … when they sort of let go of the idea that there's something that they need to be and they relax into the idea that who they are is the gift and they just need to bring that to the work.” - Busy Philipps Happy 100th episode of Dear Multi-Hyphenate! We are celebrating with two parts of a big 100th episode celebration. Let’s start with the amazing Busy Philipps as we discuss… An artist’s superpower Rise to stardom Knowing yourself Bad rep, good rep How Tina Fey supported Busy Mean Girls… and so much more. Busy Philipps has starred in numerous movies and television since her breakout role in “Freaks and Geeks” in 1999. In 2018, Philipps released a collection of humorous autobiographical essays in her book, “This Will Only Hurt a Little,” that was immediately a New York Times bestseller, offering unfiltered and candid stories about her life. Currently, Philipps stars in the hit comedy series “Girls5eva” opposite Sara Bareilles, which Netflix recently picked up for a third season. Produced by Tina Fey, the acclaimed series centers on a one-hit wonder girl group from the '90s who try for another chance at pop stardom. Philipps can also be seen in “Mean Girls” playing Regina George’s Mom — a fan favorite. Recently, she also appeared in a scene-stealing recurring turn in three episodes of Freeform’s hit comedy series “Single Drunk Female.” In 2020, Philipps launched her podcast “Busy Phillipps is Doing Her Best” with her creative partner, Caissie St. Onge, featuring conversations reflecting on when setbacks led to better opportunities. @busyphilipps Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If I had just focused on this one thing, I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to experience the life that I’ve had, which has been pretty sick.” -- Jordan Kai Burnett In this episode we discuss… Agism in the industry Is there a French Woods and Stage Door competition? Humping dogs! Are we ever too young to do a show in youth theatre? Allowing yourself to be a theatre nerd! What happens to your personal life when you open yourself up to new artistic experiences. Paying your bills based on your art. Checking off boxes. Maintaining family expectations. How acting has taken a backseat in performances today. JKB just finished the sold-out run in the world premiere production of Gene & Gilda, playing their comedy idol – Gilda Radner. They just returned from their Las Vegas debut starring as the Emcee for Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike Live which played at both the Hard Rock and legendary Sahara Hotel & Casino. They were featured in the same role for Finding Magic Mike on HBOMAX. Favorite credits include: Romy & Michele: the Musical - Heather Mooney (5th Avenue Theater, Seattle - Gregory Award Nom, best supporting actress in a musical) Found - Denise (West Coast Premiere, IAMA Theater Company directed by Moritz Von Stuelpnagel.) Scissorhands: The Musical as Scissorhands, in Los Angeles. Was lucky enough to work side by side with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on their Romeo & Juliet Project as Benvolia. Co-creator of Daisy & Jordan's Sunday Brunch of Shame with comedy partner, Tony Award winner, Daisy Eagan. A graduate of Emerson College and a student of both The Groundlings and the Upright Citizens Brigade. @JkaiB jkaib.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I don’t give you a trophy for showing up. I don’t applaud a bird for flying or a fish for swimming. You chose to be here and so you got to eat a little sand from the sandbox because it builds up your immunity.” In this episode we discuss… What do you do when you start to become a leader? What happens after you’re told no? What is good teaching? Hope Boykin, a two-time "Bessie Award" winner, is an acclaimed dancer, choreographer and artistic advisor known for her 20-year tenure with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and her choreography for various companies worldwide. With a passion for pushing artistic boundaries, she has co-directed Off-Broadway and regional theater productions, while her virtual works have earned acclaim from institutions like Carolina Performing Arts and theGuggenheim Works And Process Virtual Commissions initiative. As a motivating force, Hope has served as a keynote speaker for Lincoln Center Activate and received a grant for her Covid Safe residency #BoykinBubble. Hercreative endeavors extend to filmmaking, including the Emmy-nominated short film "Beauty Size & Color." Frompremiering "An Evening of Hope" at 92nd Street Y to directing performances like "The Other Side" for the KennedyCenter, Hope's artistry knows no limits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s really, really important for them to see cabaret, go and see other people… go and see who’s good, go and see who’s bad, go and see what they want to portray because what I have noticed in the past, a lot of young people do a cabaret and you say, “What have you seen, what inspired you?” And a lot of them say, “Well, I haven’t been.” - Tony Winner Frances Ruffelle Frankie and Beausy are an adorable couple… and they work with each other professionally. So, what’s that like? How do you collaborate with your partner and not want to choke them!? In this episode, we discuss… Individuality in the theatre Successful and organic networking How to work with your romantic partner Frankie and Norman’s upcoming show at 54 Below Frances Ruffelle (Frankie) originated the role of Eponine in Les Misérables in London and on Broadway, winning the coveted Tony® Award. Frances has performed in many musicals and plays, including as Roxie in Chicago, Queenie in The Wild Party, and Piaf in Pam Gem’s Piaf. Frances is also a recording artist, composer, and writer. Norman Bowman (Beausy) is currently appearing as Sam in Mamma Mia! in the West End having just finished filming the role of Sir William Herbert in feature film Firebrand alongside Jude Law’s Henry VIII. Other leading roles include Marius in Les Misérables, Danny in Grease, Munkustrap in Cats, and Sky in Guys and Dolls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Trail blazers very rarely get to reap the benefits of the very trail they helped blaze.”  This conversation with Jai Rodriguez is a perfect conversation when it comes to being a multi-hyphenate. What happens if we get pigeon holed into one thing? Jai had a tough time breaking out of what people thought they knew about him or what he could do after Queer Eye. So how did he lean into the full rounded multi-hyphenate he is now? In this episode we discuss… How he landed the original cast of Queer Eye on Bravo. The multi-hyphenate life he was leading while being a TV star. How he broke out of what people thought they knew about him. Gatekeeping.  Understanding the type of life and career you want to exist simulatenously. Avoiding bad professional relationships. Jai's upcoming 54 Below show, A Thousand Sweet Kisses Emmy Award winner and Broadway veteran Jai Rodriguez returns home to the NYC stage after 17 years, with his new cabaret show A Thousand Sweet Kisses, chronicling his hilarious journey through love, sex and relationships. Purchase tickets here.  Best known as the “Culture Guy” in the groundbreaking original “Queer Eye,” theater audiences first met Jai at the age of 18 when he played Angel in RENT, making him the youngest person ever cast in a leading role in that show. While in NYC, Jai appeared at Lincoln Center in Spinning Into Butter, as Carmen Ghia in The Producers and as Zanna in the cult classic Zanna, Don’t! While performing eight shows a week, Jai became a fixture in nightlife with his popular post modern pop cabaret night at XL called Twisted Cabaret. Since then Jai has become a regular fixture in TV and film guest starring on shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Rookie,” “The Magicians,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Fantasy Island,” and as the scene stealing Geoffrey in “Malibu Country” opposite Reba and Lily Tomlin to name a few. Most recently Jai was in the Judd Apatow film BROS and is in “Uncoupled,” which is about to shoot its second season. A Thousand Sweet Kisses is a hilarious and touching musical cabaret featuring Broadway and pop classics as well as never before told behind the scenes stories. Each night will feature a different surprise guest dueting “I’ll Cover You” from RENT with him. Join us for Jai’s unforgettable return to the NYC stage! Featuring special guests Claybourne Elder (Company, “The Gilded Age”) on October 26, Orfeh (Tony Award® and Grammy nominee, Legally Blonde) on October 27, and Dan Amboyer (“Younger,” “Uncoupled”) on October 28. The performance on October 27 will also be livestreamed. For tickets and more information, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s fascinating how other people, because they don’t feel comfortable with the changes you’re making, feel more comfortable if you are just one thing.” - Sarah Looper, Episode 95 of Dear Multi-Hyphenate If Sarah Looper is anything – she’s herself… but it took a second to get there. After questioning if she was too much because other people told her she was, she finally let that go and became the best artist she can be. She is finding her voice connecting with thousands of people on TikTok educating viewers on the wonders of food and wine through a hysterical and relatable approach. In this episode we discuss… Discovering your own confidence The wonders of wine! Being too this, being too that Overcoming negative experiences Building community through wine.  Taking risks and being specific. What is success? Sarah has been in the wine and food world for over twenty-five years. She is a Master Sommelier candidate, a Certified Wine Educator, a Certified Specialist of Wine, and a graduate of the WSET Diploma program. Her passion for wine lies firmly in educating and sharing her knowledge in an open, friendly, and non-judgemental atmosphere. She has been a wine educator for 15 years. She was a lead wine educator at New York City's Murray's Cheese for 9 years and taught specialized Italian wine classes at Astor Center for 4 years. She is an advanced gelato maker and she cooks at home most nights seeking to put her own stamp on classic and regional fare ranging from French haute cuisine to Szechuan. Whenever possible she collects and drinks Champagne, Barolo and German Kabinett Riesling but is an equal opportunity drinker. Sarah is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in History and a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America's Baking and Pastry program. She can be found on Instagram @loopersomm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“At its core, fundamentally being a multi-hyphenate is, to me, about exploration and not limiting yourself to one particular thing just because your natural strengths lie in that one particular thing.” -- Shivani Desai In this episode, we discuss… The importance of keeping hobbies separate from our hyphens. Starting a new small business.  How multi-hyphenating helped get Michael out of a depressive episode. The importance of workflow.  The common traps of netweaving.  Leaning out and not overpitching yourself.  Small, yet important business tactics. When to appropriately accommodate for your clients.  It feels like everyday we wake up to news that is painful to read. That is why Shivani believes that art is so crucial in reminding us of the beauty that also exists in this world. She feels so connected to her purpose when she brings people hope, and comfort, and a smile through her work. That is why she’s an actor. Shivani Desai is a 25 year old actor from India currently living in Singapore. Having grown up watching Bollywood cinema, her interest in the arts was sparked at a young age and she has relentlessly pursued the path of making art for a living ever since. Now a working actor, Shivani has starred in short films, TV shows, original plays, music videos, documentaries, and commercials while also working as a model for local magazines and making guest appearances on reality shows and podcasts. Apart from acting, Shivani also runs her own coaching business full-time. Born out of a desire to help actors who live in non-major markets who don’t have access to same business coaching that their fellow actors in LA, NYC, or London do, she transitions actors stuck in the weird limbo between new actor and working actor into kickass business-savvy actors who operate globally. Shivani’s latest venture as an event developer involves taking on the mammoth task of organising an actor’s conference in Las Vegas this November. With this, she feels like she has flourished fully into a multi-hyphenate who is no longer bound by traditional definitions of what it means to be a working professional in the creative field. To her, film and theatre signify the desire to affect change, a means to living truthfully, and an unwavering commitment to the process. Apart from acting, Shivani also enjoys self-portrait photography, cooking and baking, and acrylic painting. You can find Shivani on Instagram @itsshivanidesai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The minute we think we know everything, or do everything… we become irrelevant.” – Jamie Forshaw What happens when we stop learning? What happens when we stop exploring? That’s what makes Jamie Forshaw’s artistry as a producer with Madison Wells Live extremely personal and special – he doesn’t stop exploring. We as artists always have to keep exploring… and sometimes that exploration heals us from a nervous breakdown or have massive commercial hits on Broadway.  In this episode we discuss… Why we do what we do Exploration What happens when you meet an idol respectfully? Art healing a nervous breakdown Do coincidences exist? How does a piece speak to Jamie when he is producing a project? Developing The Thing About Jellyfish and Jenkins Show doctors! Not every show needs to go to Broadway Finding the right theatre for a show Jamie Forshaw (Producer) leads Madison Wells Live as their Executive Producer. Under his oversight, Madison Wells Live has developed a robust-but-curated slate of stage productions focused on essential, artist-driven storytelling. Broadway credits include Shucked, The Old Man and the Pool, Company (Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical''), Hadestown (Tony Award for “Best Musical''), Pass Over and The Inheritance (Tony Award for “Best Play”). West End: The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Olivier nomination for “Best New Play”). Off-Broadway: Seven Deadly Sins (Drama Desk Award for “Best Unique Theatrical Experience”). Regional: Swept Away. Over the course of his 20+ year career working with an array of internationally recognized producers, including Cameron Mackintosh, Thomas Schumacher, and Michael Cohl, Forshaw has become a sought-after specialist in managing high profile, multi-million dollar budgeted global theater productions. He most recently served as V.P. of Production at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, where he oversaw its full global roster of First-Class productions. Mr. Forshaw holds an M.F.A. from Columbia University in Theatre Management and Producing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices