Natasha Yvette Williams is currently originating the role of Sweet Sue in the brand new production of “Some Like It Hot” on Broadway. She gets real as she opens up about why she doesn’t consider herself a singer, admitting that she’s still a little insecure about her singing, but despite dealing with imposter syndrome, Natasha remains positive by constantly reminding herself that everything is a challenge, a lesson, and a blessing. She also shares where she used to get validation and why all the validation she needs now comes from her. Being a part of “Some Like It Hot”, she continues her goal to develop a great relationship with each and every other cast member and see how it unfolds on stage. Natasha recalls watching Lily Tomlin in “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” which sparked something in her to join the musical theatre, and why she wants to have the same impact on other people whenever she performs. Natasha Yvette Williams is an actress who has starred in Broadway shows, including “The Color Purple”, “A Night with Janice Joplin”, “Waitress”, “Chicago”, “Chicken and Biscuits”, and “Porgy and Bess”. Her national credits include “Waitress”, “Xanadu”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, and “All Shook Up”. Natasha has also starred in several tv shows and movies such as “Harlem”, “I Take Thee Zoe”, and “Better Late Than Never” among others. You can also catch her in “Alice”, the Disney Plus’ “Better Late Than Never”, and the Netflix series “Partner Track”. She’s currently on stage originating the role of Sweet Sue in the latest production of “Some Like It Hot”. Connect with Natasha: Instagram: @natashayvettewilliams Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Fisher is currently starring in the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway. Being drawn to art and performing from a young age, it's no surprise that he ended up in the industry. Apart from performing, the actor shares his love for gaming and what it's like to be a professional eSports athlete, including his day-to-day work in the gaming space. Jordan talks about what's different about this production of Sweeney this time and their take on the piece, which will look, feel and sound familiar but bigger and larger at the same time—the most realistic telling of the story, if you will. Jordan Fisher is an actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and gamer who has done numerous projects in the TV, movie, theatre, and gaming industry. He can be seen in Netflix’s "Work It" and "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before" sequel, The CW’s "The Flash", and most recently, Netflix’s "Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between" and HBO’s "Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience". Apart from acting, he's an avid gamer and has commentated for the 2019 Fortnite World Cup. Jordan was also the first Black actor to portray the title character of Evan in "Dear Evan Hansen" and Mark in the Emmy-nominated "Rent: Live". He was also named a breakout star by MTV and People Magazine for Fox’s Emmy-winning broadcast "Grease Live!" and won ABC’s 25th season of Dancing with the Stars. He collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda wherein he performed a duet with him for Disney’s "Moana" soundtrack and joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical, "Hamilton". Jordan is part of the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway on March 26, 2023, and you can also catch him streaming on Twitch. Connect with Jordan: Instagram: @jordanfisher, @jordanfishergaming Twitch: @jordanfisher Twitter: @jordanfisher YouTube: @@jordanfisher TikTok: @jordan_fisher Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the recent passing of Lucy Simon, playing the role of Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" is both special and bittersweet for Sierra Boggess and the rest of the cast. Despite people telling her to switch to vocal performance, Sierra stayed as a musical theatre major so she can “graduate a triple threat.” She recalls how she got to do Phantom in Las Vegas which changed the trajectory of her career. She considers leaning into acting as the most important aspect no matter what you're doing and always considers her character's need at the moment to help her with how she's going to sing or dance. Being a part of "The Secret Garden" now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, Sierra talks about the different messages of the show, her relationship with Lucy and how they’re honoring her, and the contrast between working with adults and kids. She also gets real about her beliefs, her relationship with fans, knowing what your truth is and why you shouldn't let anyone take your love of performing away. Sierra Boggess is an Olivier-nominated actress who made her Broadway debut in 2007, originating the role of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" wherein she received Drama Desk and Drama League nominations. She's also best known for her re-inventing the coveted role of Christine Daae in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "The Phantom of the Opera". In fact, Lord Webber himself went on record to say that she’s the best Christine. Her other stage credits include "It Shoulda Been You", "School of Rock", "Master Class", "Love, Loss, and What I Wore", and "Music in the Air". She also starred in London West End's "Les Miserables", and "Love Never Dies". Currently, Sierra is playing Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre. Connect with Sierra: Website: www.sierraboggess.com Instagram: @officialsierraboggess Get tickets to The Secret Garden: http://ahmansontheatre.org Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marla Mindelle is currently making people laugh playing an over the top Celine Dion in the off-Broadway production of "Titanique". At an early age, she already knew that a career in musical theatre was all she ever wanted to do, thanks to her father (who was a musical theatre composer) and all the obscure musical theatre records she consumed. She chronicles her life from booking her first show and her experience as an actress to moving to Los Angeles to become a television and film writer. For Marla, writing as a career is harder than acting, proven by her humble beginnings in L.A. where she also worked at a "ratchet" dinner theatre venue doing movie and musical parodies. Ironically, this is also where the idea for "Titanique" was born. She shares the musical's (long) journey to success, including getting Celine Dion's team's blessing and keeping the script fresh and up-to-date, and how timing and the team's goal of making each other and the audience genuinely cackle are a huge part of its success. Marla Mindelle is an actress, writer, and composer who made her Broadway debut in "South Pacific" and originated the role of Sister Mary Robert in "Sister Act" as well as the role of the evil stepsister Gabrielle in the 2013 revival of "Cinderella". She also played Kitty in the first national tour of “The Drowsy Chaperone” and the evil boss Olivia in the Emmy-nominated series "Special" on Netflix. Her other tv and film credits include “The Nomads”, “Life in Pieces”, and “The Devil’s B*tch”. As a writer and composer, she has had multiple writing projects sold and is in the works. Currently, she can be seen on stage playing Celine Dion in "Titanique" at the Daryl Roth Theatre, a musical she also co-wrote. Connect with Marla: Website: www.marlamindelle.com Instagram: @marlamindelle, @titaniquemusical Get tickets to Titanique Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Horn's life story is an incredible testament that you can use humor as a way of survival—well, that and a little bit of luck. From getting separated from his twin and sneaking out of an orphanage when he was a little over 13 to renting an apartment in New York that was possibly run by the mob and eventually moving to LA to pursue a career in writing, his life is anything but boring. Robert talks about how he got his first gig and how it was kismet, what a showrunner really does and why it's great training for theatre, and his myopic approach when it comes to writing jokes. He looks back on his life in New York City during the 70’s, which included working all sorts of jobs, including writing monologues for actors and working as a phone sex operator.  Robert has two productions currently on stage - the first is Disney’s “Hercules”, currently open at the Papermill Playhouse, the other is “Shucked”, which begins previews on March 8th. With his long list of works and achievements, Robert reminds us that we should never stop learning how to laugh at ourselves and follow our instincts.  Robert Horn is a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and New York Drama Critics' Circle award-winning book writer. His career started in film and television where he worked as a writer on the CBS series "Designing Women" and as a writer and producer on the Fox series "Living Single". Following that, he created and Executive Produced the CBS series "High Society". He was also signed to an overall production deal with Warner Brothers Studios, where he developed, wrote, and executive-produced numerous network pilots and series. He also signed a script deal at Sony Studios and an overall pilot deal at ABC studios. Together with Bob Boyett, he created and wrote the FX series “Partners”. Robert's Broadway credits include "Dame Edna", "13 The Musical", "Back With A Vengeance", and "Tootsie" among others.  Connect with Robert: Instagram: @rhorn1 Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Everybody wants to be Beyoncé, but does everybody wanna put in the work?" is just one of Jelani's many foods for thought in this episode. He shares where his love for theatre started, being a jack-of-all-trades type of person growing up, making it into Broadway and what it's like meeting a new generation of artists today that aspire to have the same profession. Jelani recalls his "The Lion King" journey, from the first time he saw the show to having a full circle moment of playing the role of Simba for years. This experience was eye-opening for him... becoming an inspiration and making connections with people. He was a standby when he first got the job for "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" and enjoyed being a swing because while it can be a lot of pressure sometimes, it also helps him explore and test his abilities. Jelani also shares his experience with accidents on stage and why the show must go on, Broadway as a sport, and that “no” doesn’t no, it just means not right now, so if you’re an aspiring actor, make sure to stay ready and always be prepared. Jelani Remy is an actor best known for his role as Simba in the Broadway, National Tour, and Vegas company of Disney's "The Lion King". He was also part of Disney's "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2", "Parade", "Cabaret", Broadway's "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" where he played the role of Eddie Kendricks, “The Apple Boys”, and the Off-Broadway production of "Smokey Joe's Cafe" among others. Jelani will be the guest in the upcoming Broadway Lecture Series at StageWorks at Studio 237 on March 11, 2023. Connect with Jelani: Instagram: @itsjelaniremy Check out the Broadway Lecture Series: broadwaylectureseries.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie and Diane are both co-founders of The Museum of Broadway in Times Square which opened November, 2022. Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti have teamed up in 2022 to bring the best of the Broadway and experiential worlds in the form of The Museum of Broadway in Times Square. Julie and Diane have known each other for decades now and the two chronicle their journey from being in the same sorority to finally working together on many successful projects. Having worked on fan experiences, Diane explains what it's like building sets of popular tv shows and movies and the overall process of building a set. Julie, on the other hand, talks about an event staffing agency she started in 2009 to help Broadway performers, which then pushed her to pursue her dream of being on the producing end of Broadway. This shift was also the beginning of Diane and Julie's partnerships. With a similar mindset of creating something that doesn’t exist yet, it’s no surprise that the two would work together to create a museum dedicated to Broadway. Julie and Diane share how it all started, the challenges they came across along the way, and how they made it an immersive experience for the visitors. Following its success, the two share their standout, pinch-me moments, including a visit from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the overall positive reception from people—a true mark that they have created something impactful and lasting for the theatre community. Julie Boardman is a two-time Tony Award-winning producer who is currently a co-producer on the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl" and “A Doll’s House”. Her other Broadway credits include "An American in Paris", "Carousel", "Company", "Dames at Sea", "Head Over Heels", "Hughie", "Indecent", and "The Inheritance". Her tour credits include "An American in Paris", "Dreamgirls", and "Peter and the Starcatcher". Apart from being a Tony voter and member of The Broadway League, Julie is also on the Theatre Committee at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Leadership Council for the Costume Industry Coalition among others. Her company, Boardman Productions, has worked with numerous leading brands including Nike, Maybelline, Vogue, Victoria’s Secret, Microsoft, Diet Coke, Samsung, Game of Thrones, and Disney’s The Lion King on their activations and fan experiences. Diane Nicoletti is a creative director, producer, and entrepreneur, who has produced some of the biggest events in fan experiences for two decades now, including the Game of Thrones Fan Experience, Gretzky's Retirement Gala, and brand activations at the Super Bowl, Comic-Con, CES, and SXSW. She's also the founder of the award-winning experiential marketing agency, Rubik Marketing, and has had the privilege of working on amazing properties like Game of Thrones, Deadpool, Frozen Hotel Transylvania, Dumbo, Shark Tank, The Muppets, How To Train Your Dragon, American Horror Story, Ghostbusters, among many others. Connect with Julie and Diane: Museum of Broadway: www.themuseumofbroadway.com Instagram: @museumofbroadway Julie’s Instagram: @msjulieboardman Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Infected by her mom's love for Broadway shows, Ilana was introduced to the world of theatre at an early age. After getting a haircut by one of the most handsome people she's ever seen when she was 18 years old, she ended up at his acting studio in New York and walked into a room of people performing a private moment exercise, which changed everything in her life from that moment on, including her college major. Chance after chance, and with the luck of being surrounded by other talented people, Ilana highlights the importance of having an artistic community where you can "fail beautifully over and over again." Apart from acting, Ilana also entered the podcast universe in 2016. According to her supportive friends, there’s something about her that makes it easy for people to open up about all sorts of things. Today, she hosts a couple of podcast shows, which to her have become a great avenue and a safe space for people to share stories, and complex issues. This, and her love for creating art with others, tie in neatly with what motivates her in life: connecting. Ilana Levine is an actress best known for her role as Lucy Van Pelt in the Broadway revival of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". She also starred on Broadway's “Jake’s Women”, "Wrong Mountain" and "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" and performed at the Tony Awards. Ilana also appeared in many television shows and movies, including the infamous Seinfeld episode, "The Contest", "Law & Order", "Tanner '88", "Damages", "Tanner and Tanner", "Failure to Launch", "Friends with Kids", "The Nanny Diaries", and "Confessions of a Shopaholic" among others. In 2016, she started hosting the podcast show, “Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine”. Today, she also hosts the podcast shows, “And the Award Goes To... Hosted by Ilana Levine” and “How To Be More Chill”. Connect with Ilana: Listen to And the Award Goes To: bpn.fm/atagt Listen to How to Be More Chill: bpn.fm/howtobemorechill Instagram: @littleknownfactspodcast Twitter: @ilanalevine Website: littleknownfactspodcast.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Driven to inspire other people with art, Brandon Victor Dixon has been sharing his talent with the world for decades now. And this month, the actor slash theatrical producer is part of the much-anticipated world premiere of the award-winning "MacGyver: The Musical’s" album which will be released on January 27th. Apart from theatre, Brandon is also doing advocacy work. He talks about the We Are Foundation which he created, and how he uses it to bridge gaps between art and us as communities. He brings up a good point on human behavior, what makes it for some people to be kind, and how art can be a gateway to understanding and helping them. In choosing a role or a piece, he considers the tools that can make his role and the exchange between him and the audience the most effective. He adds that the pieces choose him and come into his life at a time when he needs them the most. When he was just starting, Brandon had to pause his graduation to go on a national tour, come back, finish school, and then originate a role on Broadway for which he got a Tony nomination. He recalls his audition process for the role of Simba, why he thinks he shouldn't have been cast, and how he overcame his doubts and the challenges he encountered as it was happening. As one of the stars in the world premiere album of “MacGyver: The Musical”, Brandon talks about his character, doing comedy, and how his process usually adapts to the show his doing. Brandon reflects on his role as Haywood Patterson in “The Scottsboro Boys”, why he considers it his favorite role, and how it ultimately goes back to his advocacy: to change and help people with the power of art. Brandon Victor Dixon is an actor, singer, advocate, and theatrical producer known for his Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical "The Color Purple" and Eubie Blake in "Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed". Apart from originating both roles, he also originated the leading role of Berry Gordy Jr. in Broadway's "Motown: The Musical", which earned a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2016, Brandon assumed the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway company of "Hamilton". He also played the role of Hayward Patterson in "The Scottsboro Boys" both Off-Broadway and in London's West End, and was nominated for a 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. As a producer, his credits include Broadway revivals of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch which won the 2014 Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical, and "Of Mice and Men". In 2018, he played Judas in NBC's live concert version of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar" where he received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. His other stage credits include "Chicago", "The Lion King", "The Color Purple", "Rent", and "Shuffle Along" among others. His tv credits include "Power", "She's Gotta Have It", "Modern Love", and "The Best Man: The Final Chapters". Brandon is part of the much-anticipated album of the award-winning "MacGyver: The Musical’" which will be released on January 27th, 2023. Connect with Brandon: Instagram: @brandonvdixon Twitter: @brandonvdixon Website: www.brandonvictordixon.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can take the boy out of Oregon, but you can't take the Oregon out of the boy. Or something like that. After growing up on the west coast and spending some time in LA, Squigs - Broadway's modern day Al Hirschfeld, found his way to NYC both acting and supplementing his income creating some of the most sought after caricatures of the Broadway community. After growing up watching feeling his dad was an artist by being able to create and fix almost anything, Squigs's natural ability to draw led him down a path he never expected, all the way to designing the upcoming key art for the J.P. Morgan Squash Tournament of Champions (where they setup a squash court inside Grand Central Station!). As co-creator of the Lights of Broadway trading cards, he's certainly busy creating some of the most sought after illustrations of our day. Oh, and if you like Broadway... and cooking... and dad jokes... or any of the three, make sure to check out Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway, a hilarious cookbook co-authored by Gideon Glick and Adam D. Roberts, illustrated by Squigs himself. Justin "Squigs" Robertson is an acclaimed illustrator and caricaturist specializing in capturing the ephemeral and collaborative art form of theatre. He has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the "Line King's Heirs", carrying on the theatrical caricature traditions exemplified by legendary Times artist Al Hirschfeld. His illustrations have been seen regularly since 2010 as the Broadway Ink feature on Broadway.com. They have also appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Variety, the Playbill Broadway Yearbook, Jennifer Ashley Tepper's Untold Stories of Broadway series, and in promotional campaigns for Actors' Equity Association (including their "Ask If It's Equity" efforts and the cover of their centennial book Performance of the Century), Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS, the Theatre World Awards, and theatrical productions in New York, London, and around the world. He was born and raised in Oregon, lived in Los Angeles for many years, and now calls New York City his home. Connect with Squigs: Get the cookbook Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway: https://amzn.to/3QqPTTC Check out the Lights of Broadway cards IG: @squigsrobertson Facebook: Squigs Knows His Lines Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/squigs Web: SquigsOnline.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie Izzard is a Tony Award nominated, Emmy Award winning actress who quickly rose to fame in the 90s as a phenomenal standup comedian - producing two of my all time favorite specials Glorious and Dress to Kill. Among her 41 film credits include The Avengers, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, and Rock Dog. She has around 40 TV credits, is a politician, activist, philanthropist, historian, linguist, has lent her voices to video games and now along with her brother Mark have adapted Great Expectations, the Charles Dickens classic, into a 2 act play now showing at the Greenwich House Theater in NYC where she plays 19 different characters. This episode covers why Eddie ran for Parliament (yes, THE Parliament), how she finds her comedic seams that glue her standup together, why running marathons became a hobby, and what it means that she is exactly 150 years younger than Charles Dickens (spoiler, it doesn't mean much!). After losing her mom at a very young age, Eddie turned to the theatre in what she believes is the need to feel the love from the audience - a substitution for the missing affection from her mother. Connect with Eddie: Get tickets to Great Expectations Twitter: @eddieizzard IG: @eddieizzard FB: /eddieizzard Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2022 - the first full year of theatre since Broadway shutdown in 2020. It was full of highs and lows, but one thing's for certain we're glad Broadway is back! Once again, Diana Salameh, Vice President of Brand Integration at Serino Coyne, co-hosts the final episode of the year. Serino Coyne is the nation's longest-running theatrical advertising agency, so Diana's brings some fun insider insight to how this strange business of show actually goes down. Spoiler alert - I've never seen a single production of Into the Woods, and she's never seen the Back to the Future movies. Um, that's not right. Connect with Diana: Instagram: @_dianasalameh Twitter: @_dianasalameh Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having been together for over 14 years as real life partners, Michael Urie and Ryan Spahn now get to share the stage together as scene partners in parts specifically written for the two of them. Interestingly enough, this episode contains as much hidden relationship advice as it does theater advice and stories, as we dive into what really makes them successful as a couple after all this time, especially both being in such a tumultuous, competitive profession. They also share how they turned pandemic lemons into pandemic lemonade by experimenting with Zoom multicam, aka two cell phones in two different rooms, to make their at-home performances have a little extra pizzaz -- which them led them through the change opportunity rabbit hole that put them on stage together now. More about Michael Urie STC: Hamlet, Will on the Hill (2022). NEW YORK: Broadway: Chicken & Biscuits, Grand Horizons, Torch Song, How To Succeed in Business... Off-Broadway: Performer: Buyer & Cellar, The Government Inspector, Angels in America, The Temperamentals, A Bright Room Called Day, The Cherry Orchard. Director: Bright Colors and Bold Patterns. Producer: Happy Birthday Doug (both written and performed by Drew Droege and both available on BroadwayHD). Co-Founder/Co-Producer: Pride Plays, an LGBTQIA theater festival. TV: Ugly Betty, Younger, Modern Family, Good Wife/Fight, Hot in Cleveland. FILM: Single All The Way, Swan Song, Lavender, Decoy Bride, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, He’s Way More Famous Than You (also directed). UPCOMING: TV: Shrinking, Krapopolis. FILM: Jerseys Boys Live.  More about Ryan Spahn STC: Hamlet. NEW YORK: Off-Broadway: Good Enemy;Jane Anger;Lessons in Survival;Mr. Toole;How To Load aMusket;Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow; Daniel’s Husband; Summer & Smoke; Still at Risk; Exit Strategy; Gloria. REGIONAL: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Goodman Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Philadelphia Theatre Company. FILM: September 17th, The Raging Heart of Maggie Acker, Shirley, Abducted, Nora Highland (writer/director), He’s Way More Famous Than You (co-writer), Grantham & Rose (writer), Woven (co-writer). TV: Chicago P.D., Modern Love, The Bite, The Blacklist. PERSONAL: he/him | Ryan’s writing has been published by Rotten Tomatoes, Talkhouse, USA Today, and D.C.’s Metro Weekly. | Training: The Juilliard School. Connect with Michael and Ryan: Listen to Michael's original episode #148 IG: @MichaelUrieLikesIt, @RyanSpahn Twitter: @MichaelUrie, @Ryan_Spahn Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a Broadway career spanning over 50 years, Tovah Feldshuh takes us through her journey as she shares her life as an actress, wife, and mother. While she loves politics, it's her love of people that motivates her to fight for what she believes in and help in every way that she can. Initially determined to go to Harvard Law School to stay close to her father, her brother encouraged her to apply for the McKnight Fellowship in acting and was eventually chosen as one of the four to attend the fellowship. This trajectory change was the beginning of Tovah's pursuit of becoming an actor, which to her is "so much cheaper than therapy". Tovah talks about her role as Mrs. Brice in "Funny Girl" and bringing a level of humanity and relatability to her character, and her memoir, “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I've Played” which explores mother-daughter relationships, and her complex relationship with her mother. Married for 46 years, she shares what makes their marriage work. Tovah intends to keep acting for as long as she can, mainly motivated by her love of people and making connections. Tovah Feldshuh is an actress, singer, and playwright who's been a Broadway star for more than four decades now, which earned her Tony Award nominations and two Emmy Award nominations. She made her Broadway debut in the 1973 musical "Cyrrano". Her other stage credits include "Saravá", "Lend Me a Tenor", "Golda's Balcony", “Dreyfus in Rehearsal”, “Lend Me a Tenor”, “Golda’s Balcony”, "Irena's Vow", "Pippin", and "Yentl". She made her cabaret debut with her act, "Tovah: Crossovah! From Broadway to Cabaret", followed by "Tovah: Out of Her Mind!" and was selected as Best Cabaret Artist of 2000 by the Boston Globe. Tovah has also appeared in numerous tv shows, including "Ryan's Hope", "Holocaust", "Mariah", "As the World Turns", "Law & Order", "Flesh and Bone", "The Walking Dead", "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", and "Star Wars Resistance". Her film credits include "Kissing Jessica Stein", "Just My Luck", "She's Funny That Way", and "Armageddon Time". Tovah is currently playing Mrs. Brice in the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl", and is the author of the memoir, “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I've Played”. Connect with Tovah: Instagram: @tovahfeld Website: www.tovahfeldshuh.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For a person who claims she can’t really sing or dance, Julie Halston sure has done a lot of Broadway musicals (and rightfully so!). Even during the pandemic, she remained booked and busy despite the circumstances. She even took to the internet to keep the fans entertained (after some persuasion and help from her friend, Jim) with over 40 episodes of her hit web series called “Virtual Halston”. Julie tells the story of starting a theatre company with Charles Busch, and starring in a little play he wrote entitled, "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" which ended up playing Off-Broadway for six years and opened up countless more opportunities for her. Her love for theatre and acting can be traced all the way back from when she was nine years old and that one afternoon her mom took her and her sisters to watch "West Side Story". She shares how she trained by doing, her three Cs of comedy: confidence, clarity, and commitment, the difference between a one-person show and a straight standup comedy routine, and her late husband's tip when you land that one punchline which is to take a look at the audience. With the cultural change happening today, Julie reflects on its relationship with comedy and how it makes it very tricky, especially when it comes to controversial topics. Apart from cultural change, Julie discusses current New York theatre problems, a possible resurgence in Off-Broadway, the need for public officials to value the arts, and how connecting with other people motivates her to keep doing what she’s doing. Julie Halston is a comedian and actress who recently received the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for raising awareness and funds for The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. She first achieved recognition as an actress through her co-starring performances in the comedy plays of writer-performer, Charles Busch. "Julie Halston's Lifetime of Comedy", a series of one-woman comedy shows that she wrote had a successful Off-Broadway production and earned her an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Best Play and a CBS network development deal. Julie was recently seen on Broadway playing Rita Marshall in “Tootsie”. Her other Broadway credits include “On The Town”, “You Can’t Take It With You”, “Anything Goes”, “Hairspray”, “Twentieth Century”, “Gypsy”, “The Women”, and “The Man Who Came To Dinner”. She's a founding member of Charles Bush's theatre company and has collaborated with Charles on numerous productions, including “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” and “The Divine Sister”. Her tv credits include “Gossip Girl”, “The Good Fight”, “Almost Family”, “Divorce”, and “Law & Order” among others. She is also reprising her role as Bitsy Von Muffling in the “Sex and the City” reboot, “And Just Like That…” During the pandemic, she launched a web series, “Virtual Halston”, and garnered popular acclaim with over 40 episodes on YouTube. Today, Julie plays an asshole talent agent owner in Broadway Podcast Network’s new series, "Rolling Calls." Connect with Julie: Instagram: @actressjuliehalston Twitter: @juliehalston Facebook: @juliehalston Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth A. Davis is currently gracing the Broadway stage as Thomas Jefferson in “1776”, where she has the unique opportunity to showcase her actual violin skills at the same time. She talks about what it's like performing eight shows a week while pregnant, and the financial and societal expectations that come with it. Elizabeth's love for music started at a very early age, sharing that she started playing an instrument with a butter box with a ruler in it when she was three years old. She reflects on how music was an important part of her family's life, and why she played not because she had an inkling it would be her trajectory but for the discipline of it. Playing as Thomas Jefferson, she shares that the pieces that she's playing on stage were pieces that Jefferson himself played, how she auditioned and how they were particular about casting actors who can play instruments very well, and why she considers "1776" a true musical theatre. She admits that singing on stage still terrifies her, and while she thought she wasn't a good enough violinist or a vocalist to major in them, she knew that she was a storyteller and got her degrees in classical theatre performance instead. As a storyteller, Elizabeth reflects on why the act of acting is a total defiance of death, why she aims to live her life as a thank you, and why failure is your friend and something that is not to be feared. Elizabeth A. Davis is a multi-talented, multi-hyphenate actress who received a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of Reza in the Broadway production of "Once". She has over 30 Off-Broadway credits, including "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui", "Women on Fire: Stories from the Frontlines", "Zorba", "Rain", "Allegro", "The Caucasian Chalk Circle", and "The 39 Steps". She's appeared in several TV shows such as "Fringe", "Blue Bloods", “The Jim Gaffigan Show”, and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". She has also written original musicals and short plays, and sung on Ben Platt's album, "Sing to Me Instead". Elizabeth is playing Thomas Jefferson in Broadway's "1776", where she sings and plays the violin on stage. Connect with Elizabeth: Website: www.elizabethadavis.com Instagram: @elizabetadavis Twitter: @ElizabetADavis Facebook: @officialelizabethadavis Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded Nov 17th, 2022, listen to exclusive interview with the cast of & Juliet from the red carpet on opening night! Interviews include: Lorna Courtney (Juliet) Betsy Wolfe (Anne Hathaway) Stark Sands (William Shakespeare) Justin David Sullivan (May) Melanie La Barrie (Angelique) Paulo Szot (Lance) Phillippe Arroyo (Francois) Ben Jackson Walker (Romeo) Alaina Vi Maderal (Gwynn/swing) Jasmine Rafael (Imogen) Joe Moeller (Henry, u/s Shakes, u/s Lance) Megan Kate (Lucy, u/s Angelique, u/s Anne) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jefferson Mays is currently on Broadway in his original interpretation of "A Christmas Carol" doing perhaps what he does best: playing multiple roles in a single show. Jefferson recalls the strange beginning of how it all started, which was when he and his wife ran smack into Matt Schackman, the Artistic Director of Geffen Playhouse, as they were walking their dogs. He was eventually inspired to base their version on Dickens’ original, one-man version. Jefferson also has his parents to thank for reading "A Christmas Carol" to him and his siblings when they were young, which sparked his love for performing and storytelling, thinking it was theatre in its purest form. Decades of experience later, he reflects on how this year has been the year of the understudy and swing, and how their talent and heroism changed his whole idea of what a company means. While performing on stage brings him joy, it's those moments off stage that makes him appreciate the magic of theatre even more. Jefferson admits to gravitating towards storytelling, sharing that this allows him to explore characters and their complexity endlessly. And while he doesn't have a list of roles to play before he reaches a certain age, he enjoys getting "mugged or ambushed by a production" for different kinds of roles. He shares what it's like to grow up with older siblings and the privileges that come with it, hearing the voices of his parents when he's performing on stage, and how his sense of curiosity and wonder motivates him to keep performing. Jefferson Mays is an actor and a three-time Tony Award nominee for his performances in "Oslo", "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder", and "I Am My Own Wife" a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, where he played over 40 different roles and won for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. His other stage credits include "The Front Page", "The Best Man", "Pygmalion", and "Journey's End". His TV credits include "The Americans", "Westworld", "Nurse Jackie", "Law and Order: SVU", "The Closer", "Julia", "Perry Mason", "Hacks" and a guest role on "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt". He was most currently seen on Broadway's "The Music Man", and recently completed his one-man rendition of "A Christmas Carol" and is now bringing the same show to Broadway. He has also appeared in numerous films, including "Inherent Vice", "Ned Rifle", "Showing Up", "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs", "Kinsey" "Rebel in the Rye", and "The Giver" among others. Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing brings people together more than music and performing; Michael Mott got the best of both worlds as he prepares for his second annual holiday show, "Michael Mott & Friends,” happening in December, along with the release of a brand new single performed by the incomparable Jessica Vosk. Michael was also a professional actor for seven years and while he was grateful for all the work, he realized he was never fully happy. This led him to apply to the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, which subsequently changed his life.. Aside from acting, he's also a successful composer and has always been passionate about music. He talks about finding his own style, writing for another person, his issues with the current things on Broadway, the craft that goes into making a musical theatre song, and the indescribable feeling and comfort music brings him that he wants to give back to listeners. A decade later, amongst all his writing and composing success, he even finds himself accepting roles again.  Michael Mott is an award-winning composer, lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer who's also recognized internationally for his talent. He graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre Performance and is currently living and working in New York. Michael had a successful acting career in the late 2000s, performing in many Off-Broadway, regional and national touring shows, including "Milk and Honey", "I'd Rather Be Right", "Kiss Me, Kate", "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?", "9 to 5", "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline", and "Miracle on 34th Street". In 2012, he decided to pursue writing and was accepted into the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer’s Workshop. Since then, Michael has written numerous original musicals, including "In The Light", "A Faustian Tale" (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), "The Fairy's Tale" (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), "Mob Wife", "A Mafia Comedy" (book by Corey Skaggs) and "Riding Out The Storm" (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was also commissioned to write the music and lyrics to "Lucifer". Apart from writing music, Michael is also known for his recording studio works which include the LPs "Where The Sky Ends", "In The Light, A Faustian Tale", which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts, and "Abandoned Heart". His EPs include "The Only One", "Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes" and "Gone: The Remixes" while his singles include "Christmas, Will You Stay?" (feat. Laura Osnes), "The Impossible" (feat. Matt Bloyd), "Fly High" (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award-winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including "Get Behind My Love" and "Jingle My Bells" which won Best Original Song at the 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award. He will be releasing a new song with Jessica Vosk on December 2nd, 2022, and having his second annual holiday show, "Michael Mott & Friends" at The Green Room 42 in NYC on December 3rd, 2022. Connect with Michael: Website: www.michaelmott.net Instagram: @Michael_Mott TikTok: @Michael_Mott Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anika Larsen is having a great time as she takes the challenge of both playing the mom on Broadway's "Almost Famous" and being the mom of two boys offstage. Anika's passion for saving the planet is contagious, and as a member of the Broadway Green Alliance and ambassador for Global Goals for Sustainability, she's making sure she can show and tell her children that she really tried to do what she can to pass on a healthy planet. Growing up with 9 brothers and sisters became a defining characteristic of her life and how it made her the compulsive team player that she is today. Juggling working and being a mom in real life, Anika reflects on the good and the bad things that come along with it, and how she languished during the height of the pandemic as a stay-at-home mom. She opens up about being a better mom because she's working, and the beautiful, symbiotic relationship between her home life and stage life now that she’s playing a mom in “Almost Famous”. There was a point early in Anika's career when she didn't work for two years, which she considers an invaluable lesson. All the hardships that have happened to her made her smart not just about money but her future as well, and while for her the worst part of being in the industry is the unpredictability of it, she wouldn't trade it for anything. Anika Larsen is an actress who has performed on the Broadway stage in well-received shows like “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” wherein she won Drama Desk Award's Outstanding Feature Actress in a Musical and received a Tony nomination. She also originated the role of Roberta in the cult Off-Broadway musical, "Zanna, Don't!", for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her other stage credits include "Xanadu", "All Shook Up", "Avenue Q", "Chess", and “Rent” where she made her Broadway debut in 2000. She’s a member of the Broadway Green Alliance, a passionate ambassador for the Global Goals for Sustainability, a member of Actor’s Equity, and serves on the board at the New York City Children's Theater. Anika has an album of lullabies, “Sing You to Sleep” which you can listen to on different streaming platforms, including Spotify. She could now be seen on stage as rock Elaine Miller in Broadway’s “Almost Famous”. Connect with Anika: Website: anikalarsen.biz Facebook: @anika.larsen.nyc Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices