Why I‘ll Never Make It

Cabarets have been an integral part of New York City's cultural fabric for over a century, offering a unique blend of entertainment, social commentary, and artistic expression. From the early 1900s to the present day, cabarets have served as a hub for artistic experimentation and innovation. They have also served as a launching pad for many Broadway stars, including Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Audra McDonald, and others who got their start honing skills and building a loyal fan base before transitioning to the Broadway stage. The intimacy and informality of cabaret performances have allowed performers to develop their craft and connect with audiences in a way that is impossible in larger, more formal venues. And here in New York there’s been one man in particular helping artists find their voice onstage.  Sidney Myer has been a cabaret booking manager for four decades at venues like Don’t Tell Mama, Rose’s Turn, and Panache. He’s also a performer himself, having won MAC and Bistro Awards (MAC stands for Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs). As Sidney can attest to, cabarets offer performers a chance to showcase their vocal talents and connect with audiences on a personal level. They have given voice to marginalized communities, including African Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and immigrants. Through this cabarets have played a significant role in shaping New York’s cultural identity as well as giving a home to many artists like Sidney. STORY #1 - the struggles he faced at an all male prep school, especially when he happened to say he liked Judy Garland instead of the TV show Bonanza STORY #2 - the random set of events that led up to his first acting experience in summer stock theater STORY #3 - a very special act that he recruited to open up a new nightclub Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, after more than five years, Why I’ll Never Make It is taking a big leap forward as a Podcast, joining the highly respected and expansive Broadway Podcast Network. So over the coming weeks, you’ll notice some changes to the podcast format. You’ll hear that short ID tag before every episode, and there will also be something that this podcast has never had: advertisements.  For years I have remained a tried and true independent podcaster, but with the ever-increasing costs of producing a podcast, this move to the Broadway Podcast Network is an exciting new chapter in growing this podcast and helping sustain it for many seasons to come. You can still support Why I’ll Never Make It through monthly or yearly subscriptions and get early access to ad-free episodes and bonus content, but now just being a listener also helps support this podcast as well. So I’m grateful for either way you want to be a part of Why I’ll Never Make It.  Thank you so much for listening to this podcast, and I hope you will continue to enjoy the guests and conversations throughout the rest of this season and beyond. Why I’ll Never Make It is actually starting to make it a bit, and I can’t wait to see what happens next! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous guest Michael Kushner loves to use the term multi-hyphenate to illustrate the many ways we can express our creative selves. Well, Corrie Legge describes herself as a multi-passionate actor, having performed in television, film, theater, commercials, video games, audiobooks, and more. She's also a filmmaker and a coach, helping others to build thriving creative careers without having to sacrifice a fulfilling personal life in the process. Corrie and I spoke earlier this year about a particular struggle she faced that actually led her into work as a voiceover artist, which she now balances with her other role of being a mother. But we start off talking about back-to-back experiences that made her question even pursuing a career in theater altogether.  STORY #1 - Back-to-back negative experiences in theater & not taking those experiences personally EXTRAS - Letting go of fear in performance and auditions STORY #2 - How an adopted dog led her into voiceover work STORY #3 - Balancing motherhood and a career as an artist & how parenthood has made her a better actor Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writing is by its very nature, a solitary practice. Whether with pen and paper or in front of a computer screen, it is generally time spent alone, creating a world of characters and stories. Acting, on the other hand is generally a collaborative and shared effort in bringing those characters and stories to life. Psychologist Marti Olsen Laney says that writing and speaking use different pathways in the brain. Extroverts tend to speak more easily in front of others, while the writing pathways simply seem to flow more fluently and easily for introverts. So it is always a unique combination when a playwright becomes an actor or vice versa. Jack began his theater career as an actor, but now primarily writes plays like Jericho and Poetic License, both critically-praised works for their dialogue. In our conversation, we talk about these two plays as well as some of the hard lessons he’s learned in producing plays in general. We also discuss the parallels between acting and writing, and how each one has helped improve the other. But like any creative endeavor, it’s a back-and-forth process of elimination, that includes being able to take feedback and comments. So with this episode I’m going to start sharing comments I get from listeners like you. Because whether its podcasting or playwriting, it’s important to highlight and expand upon what works and either improve or outright eliminate what doesn’t. STORY #1 - Learning from a harsh but accurate NY Times review STORY #2 - A high-profile play reading that didn't go as Jack had hoped & the collaborative nature of playwriting STORY #3 - Jack makes a major mistake as an actor...in his own play EXTRAS - Working with directors as a playwright (and actor) Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It took 35 years, but Phantom of the Opera has finally left Broadway. It was a show that I first discovered in high school, and I went on to perform “Music of the Night” several times in high school and college. So when I moved to New York in 2008, Phantom was certainly at the top of my list of musicals that I wanted to audition for. I did actually get to audition for Raoul as well as Monsieurs Fermin and Andre, with multiple packets of music and sides, but it just wasn’t meant to be. #whyillnevermakeit However, I’ve known and worked with several people who have gone on to perform in this amazing show. One of those is Jeremy Stolle, who was with the show for 15 years. He joined me at the end of last season to share his experiences with the show. And with the closing of Phantom, I wanted to revisit that conversation and share some highlights as he talked about playing the role of Raoul and the Phantom himself. Help support this podcast! Well, I may have never made it into Phantom, but you can help this podcast make it every week by become a monthly or yearly subscriber. You'll get the full conversations of previous and future episodes (which include Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to these episodes without any pesky promotions to listen to. Though producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, I’m essentially a one-man operation, and it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. So your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe as a WINMI Producer to get early access and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support, but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for easier access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones, and it is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. Background music in this episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a study that came out the year before the pandemic called “Quantifying and Predicting Success in Show Business.” It starts off by saying that the unemployment rate for actors hovers around 90% —now, this was before Covid, when unemployment shot up to 100% for all actors. More recent statistics, however, show us bouncing back with about 85% of actors unemployed at any given time, while only 12.08% earn more than $1000 a year. Now, any actor who’s been around for a while has probably heard these doomsday numbers before. This is why being a multi-hyphenate can be extremely beneficial, not only for us professionally but personally as well. Michael Kushner is an expert at multi-hyphenating—he's producer, director, podcaster, actor, photographer, and educator. Earlier this year he added author to that list, when he released his first book titled How to Be a Multi-Hyphenate in the Theatre Business. It’s full of conversations, advice, and tips from his wonderful podcast called Dear Multi-Hyphenate. More importantly, though, he’s the partner, and soon to be husband of another former guest of this podcast, Remy Germinario, and so it’s great to bring Michael here to talk about his own career—the challenges he’s faced in figuring out its many paths and what it’s taught him about his own value and worth as an artist.  INTRO - Michael and Patrick discuss his upcoming marriage STORY #1 - Almost making his New York City debut STORY #2 - The long-term effect of Covid on his life and work  STORY #3 - Why people think he's given up acting (even though he hasn't) EXTRAS - Creating and producing his own one-man show & what led him to write a book about being a multi-hyphenate BONUS SEGMENT - Michael's audition story for 13 the Musical on Broadway BONUS SEGMENT - Michael answers the Final Five questions Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, I went googling for articles about downsizing and simplifying my life, and I found this one called Simple Living Manifesto, which sounded great. But then the title of the blog post was “72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life“ — who has time for 72 ideas?? That doesn’t sound simple to me. But in all fairness, the writer did give a short list before going into that very long list of ideas. And on the shortlist, they were only two steps: 1) identify what’s most important to you and 2) eliminate everything else.  But figuring out what’s important to us can sometimes be a little difficult, and today’s guest is Jocelyn Jones, who has spent her career figuring out ways to simplify the way we actors move and interact on stage, and how we use our energy in performance. has been an in-demand acting teacher for over thirty years. From A-list movie stars to hand-picked beginners, and she is here with us today offering insights that can enhance our confidence, guide us in own unique perspective, and leave us with some inspirational nuggets of wisdom. She’ll also be sharing insights from her most recent bestselling book Artist: Awakening the Spirit Within, which provides a blueprint for awakening and connecting to the spirit within each of us. And this is useful for all individuals, whether you’re in the arts or not. Because, as Jocelyn believes, each of us has artistry and creativity within us that should be respected and cared for.  STORY #1 - Overcoming loneliness and connecting with nature as a child EXTRAS - Can anyone be a good actor? STORY #2 - Discovering her own way of learning as the result of dyslexia  STORY #3 - Overcoming age stereotypes by producing work in her 70's Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music director Julianne Merrill and broadcast technology director Jessica Ryan join the podcast for Women's History Month, to talk about Maestra and their annual Amplify concert.   Maestra was founded by composer Georgia Stitt (who has been on this podcast before), and Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (also a former guest) hosts the third annual evening of music by Maestras like Cyndi Lauper, Debra Monk, Brenda Russell, and Lucy Simon. Their music performed by some of Broadway’s brightest stars, including: Abby Mueller, Andy Kelso, Alysha Umphress, Bre Jackson, and Blake Stadnik (yet another former WINMI guest). Amplify is a hybrid event, with in-person performances at in New York City and a virtual simulcast with online-only features by our partners at All Together Now (Jessica's company) available worldwide on March 27, 2023. Learn more about Maestra and how you can help them Amplify women musicians. Jessica mentioned Broadway statistics on female composers, find them here on Maestra's website. STORY #1 - What drew Jessica and Julianne to the arts STORY #2 - The intersection of technology and the arts and how Actors Equity is (not) helping theaters embrace the digital age STORY #3 - Maestra's mission and impact & the Amplify concert Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As collaborative as theater can be, there are sometimes when the creative process can be more like herding cats—with no clear direction as everyone tries to get on the same page…hopefully. And that’s Broadway or community theater, a web series or major motion picture. I’ve certainly been in shows that started off a bit chaotic but got better as the cast and creative team could unify around a singular vision for the show. But today’s guest has a few stories about the various ways shows come together, some more successful than others.  Lisa Howard began her Broadway career almost 20 years ago with a little show with a big name: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Since then she’s gone on to originate roles in three other Broadway shows and will be talking about two of them in this episode. The first is 9 to 5, which she calls one of the roughest rehearsal periods she’s ever gone through, followed up by Escape to Margaritaville, a fun show for the cast that didn’t find as much fun here in New York City. And we end with a discussion of a topic that she says comes up in every interview--but for this podcast, she wanted to talk about it on her own terms rather than it being something someone else found brave or unusual. INTRO - performing in 42ND STREET at Goodspeed & what made SPELLING BEE so much fun STORY #1 - 9 TO 5's rough and challenging rehearsal process STORY #2 - Escape to Margaritaville was fun for the cast but not audiences  STORY #3 - how being plus-sized is portrayed onstage and in interviews Audio clips in this episode were used from Ghostlight Records and 2005 Tony Awards. Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the important aspects of Black History Month is that it’s not just about what happened 50, 100, 200 years ago. It’s also about the present, the world around us and what’s happening now to bring greater representation and celebration of African-American accomplishments and contributions. Of course, we should recognize and respect what has come before us. Black history is an integral part of American history and culture. But it’s also important to recognize the lives and experiences of those we meet and work with everyday. Sharon Catherine Brown, or ShayCat as I came to know her during our recent production of Anne of Green Gables, is someone with such a rich history of experiences and a wealth of knowledge and insight from her 45 years as an actress and singer on both stage and screen, notably in TV shows with all-black casts like Good Times, The Jeffersons, and A Different World. It is a surety of herself and confidence in her actions that makes her someone to admire and applaud. Not because she’s better than you or me, not because she’s got it all together (which she'd be the first person to admit that's not the case), but rather because she is one of us, she’s gone through her own challenges and felt the ups and downs of this career and has come through them a better performer and a better person. STORY #3 - a actor's nightmare experience onstage in Flora, The Red Menace EXTRAS - the milestone TV shows she was a part of with all-black casts & the importance of knowing our worth as actors Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One essential ingredient to any actors career is experience. It allows us to develop our craft and hone our skills over time. With each performance, we refine techniques, learn from mistakes, and develop greater emotional and psychological depth in our performances. But this growth in credibility and authenticity in acting comes as much from our offstage lives as it does from our onstage experiences. And today’s guest shares both personal and professional challenges that have shaped her not only into a great actress, but an amazing person as well. Sharon Catherine Brown has appeared in films like A Chorus Line and Sister Act 2, in soap operas like Generations, and sitcoms like The Jeffersons, Good Times, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But theater is where she got her start and remains her first love. From Broadway productions of Dreamgirls and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to the national tours of The Wiz, Rent, and Jekyll & Hyde, ShayCat (as she’s known to friends) has the kind of experiences and resume that any actor would love to have. She and I met this past year doing a new musical version of the classic novel, Anne of Green Gables. And in part one of our conversation, she shares with us the long line of performers in her family (namely Johnny Brown, her father), a harrowing experience in her first Broadway show (Maggie Flynn), and the moment she knew she was born to be a drama queen. STORY #1 - Coming from a long line of Broadway performers STORY #2 - The moment she knew she was a drama queen  EXTRAS - Performing difficult scenes with children as well as adults and Productions needing to cast big names to get an audience Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the joys that can come from being an actor, besides getting to perform on stage and feeling the energy of a live audience, is that of working and collaborating with other wonderful actors onstage as well as building friendships off stage. Throughout the past six seasons, I’ve had the pleasure of bringing on some of these wonderful castmates, and not only share their stories, but get to learn a little more about them as well. This past year I was cast in my second production of 42nd Street, this time at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. You heard from Kate Baldwin last season, and so for the first episode of this season, I wanted to bring on another wonderful performer from that production.  Blake Stadnik is probably most well known for his role as Jack Damon in NBC’s This Is Us, but he’s actually been performing since childhood thanks to his mother, who introduced him to dancing and performing after he lost the majority of his eyesight due to Stargardt’s Disease. He went on, though, to get his BFA in musical theater from Penn State University. In our conversation, Blake will talk more about this disease and how it’s impacted his life on and off stage. We’ll also discuss the responsibilities of being an actor, and how Blake has had to remind himself at times why he is a performer. Lastly, he shares the tragic events that led to his father’s passing, the impact of that loss, and the ways in which he carries on his father’s legacy. STORY #1 - Not getting cast because of his disability STORY #2 - Blake's internal struggle with selfishness for being an actor  STORY #3 - Losing his father just as he was about to start This Is Us Subscribe to WINMI Listen to the full interview (with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions) as well as get early access to every episode, by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have early access to these extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Season Seven of Why I’ll Never Make It, an award-winning theater podcast. After a few weeks off, I’m so excited to be back for another year of great guests and wonderful discussions. Some of these artists are just getting started in the business, while others are Tony-nominated actors and directors.  I’m your host and producer, Patrick Oliver Jones, an actor and singer living in New York City with more than 30 years of experience. This season I’ll be talking with guests every other week as they share meaningful stories and experiences that have affected them and their careers. The defining moments uncover personal setbacks as well as professional failures.  As always your support of this podcast is both needed and appreciated. One of my ongoing efforts is to transcribe each episode for more accessibility to deaf and hard of hearing artists. But that takes time and money, something in short supply as a one-man production team, so please consider a one-time donation or monthly subscription: Donors will get a shoutout on the podcast. Subscribers get the added benefit of bonus content as well as early access to every episode. Subscriber episodes include the full interview along with Audition Stories and the Final Five questions.  So as you can see there’s a lot to look forward to in 2023! Join me on Mondays every other week for engaging stories and candid conversations as we talk more about Why I’ll Never Make It.  Follow WINMI: Instagram | Twitter | YouTube   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each of us has an inner voice that can be very loud and persuasive. Hopefully, it’s pushing us to do better and reminding us of all we can accomplish. But sometimes it leads us to believe that the theater industry is too hard and constantly tells us we’re not good enough or don’t deserve an amazing acting career. With an inner critic like that it’s gonna be really difficult to motivate ourselves to keep going, to go to that next audition. The very title of this podcast is an example of the ways in which we can stifle our own potential. Yes, training and talent are certainly important too, but it’s our mindset that is the key to using our training and talent to their fullest extent. So as we start off this new year, I’m continuing where we left off last week with Brooke McNamara by talking with another psychologist, Alisa Hurwitz. In this episode from 2020, we dive into why mindset is so important, and how we actors can better handle rejection and the challenges we face in this business. Support this podcast in one of two ways: Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes   Make a one-time Donation to the podcast   Timeline of this episode's conversation: 04:25 - Setting Realistic and Aspirational Goals  15:59 - Defining Success as an Actor 20:17 - The Peter Principle 24:45 - Comparing Ourselves to Others 27:03 - Our Performance Onstage and Online 32:51 - Strategies of How to Push Forward in Life and Career 35:43 - The (Not-So) Secret of Positive Thinking   Her moniker Dr. Drama comes from her many analytical interviews, discussions, and articles on theater, specifically her lifelong passion for musical theater. She’s even consulted on regional and off Broadway productions on elements related to psychological concepts and mental health issues. So she is the perfect person to help us face some of the realities of this make-believe world of theater, a profession that can bring us tremendous joy but also disappointment and frustration. Follow Alisa: Website / Instagram / Twitter  Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Website  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year! Thank you for listening to Why I’ll Never Make It! The next season is just a few weeks away and I wanted to start off the year by going back to conversations I had to with two psychologists in 2020. I think their insights are a good reminder for us as we continue to grow and better ourselves as artists. The first one you’ll hear from is Brooke MacNamara, Ph.D. We talk about the amount of training, coaching, and practice it takes to continually hone our craft as performers. One often talked about strategy is called the 10,000 Hours Rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, who you’ll also be hearing from throughout this discussion. But Dr. MacNamara, has done research that shows the importance of quality over quantity. In his 2008 book Outliers: The Story of Success, Gladwell proposes this 10,000 Hours Rule based on a study of violinists conducted by psychologist Anders Ericcson. And the rule is pretty simple: mastery comes after someone practices one skill, like playing the violin, and according to Gladwell “10,000 hours is the magic number of greatness.” This rewind episode focuses on this rule, its implications, and how or if it can even be applied to us as artists. Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes   Make a one-time Donation to the podcast ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones, and it is a production of WINMI Media. Background music in this episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy birthday and thank you for joining me as Why I’ll Never Make It turns 5 years old today! It was on December 28, 2017 that this theater podcast began from very humble beginnings and has slowly gained attention and even some accolades in the past five years of talking with actors and creative professionals. There’s a certain kind of magic in the art of theatre, as the Tony award-winning actor Brian Stokes Mitchell once said, ”It has the power to transform an audience, an individual, or en masse, to transform them and give them an epiphanic experience that changes their life, opens their hearts and their minds and the way they think.” The same can be said of podcasting as well. Why I’ll Never Make It strives to engage and enlighten with every episode as I have insightful and meaningful conversations with artists who truly share from the heart about their own experiences and challenges in this industry. And in this anniversary episode I’ll be sharing some of those former guests of the past year as well as provide an overview for what this podcast has accomplished in 2022. Please consider a monthly subscription to bonus episodes OR a one-time donation, which will help offset the cost of producing this podcast. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your support is so very much appreciated! Guests mentioned and featured in this retrospective episode... Matt Vinson and Matte O'Brien - writers of Anne of Green Gables Kate Baldwin - Tony-nominated actress Barton Cowperthwaite - dancer and actor on stage and screen Elizabeth Swain - acting teacher and Broadway actress Steven Warner - former child actor and professional ice skater Brian Patacca - podcaster and life coach for actors Briana Packen - actress and movement coach Al Blackstone - Emmy-winning director and choreographer Judy Tenuta - award-winning comedian Muriel Miguel - Artistic Director of Native American Spiderwoman Theater Company ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in October of this year we lost a beloved star of the stage and screen, Angela Lansbury. Her performing career spanned 80 years in which she received six Tony Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, and one Laurence Olivier Award. And despite her years in television and movies (her last film role was Glass Onion in 2022), theater was always her first love, having appeared in 14 Broadway productions and four national tours. But as you’ll hear in this special episode (with a big help from fellow podcaster Dan Delgado), it was a long and bumpy journey towards the role in Mame that would cement her Broadway career and earn her that first Tony Award. You'll hear from composer Jerry Herman and from Angela Lansbury herself in this unlikely audition story of how a character actress from the movies became a leading lady on Broadway. Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes   OR Make a one-time Donation to the podcast Subscriptions and donations help support the production of this podcast, not only improving audio and recording capabilities, but it also helps create transcripts like the one available for this episode.   Episode research and sources: "Look Back at Angela Lansbury in the Original Broadway Production of Mame" - Playbill "How Angela Became Mame" - Medium But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame! by Richard Tyler Jordan (2004) Anyone Can Whistle - Wikipedia MAME - Wikipedia Sound bites came from these full interviews: Angela Lansbury Discusses Mame - Television Academy Broadway MAME - Sony MasterWorks Broadway ANYONE CAN WHISTLE - Sony MasterWorks Jerry Herman with Barbara Walters on 20/20 (1984) Lansbury with Barbara Walters (1985) Herman Interview for Musical Theater Guild Herman on NPR  “Open a New Window” - 1971 Tonys Awards "We Need a Little Christmas" Piano Version - Steven C Opening Night of MAME in 1966 - Fred Robbins, radio reporter At times certain reports or articles conflicted on particular details or order of events, so best efforts were made to rely on the most reliable sources and err on the side of those who knew more about the events surrounding Lansbury's journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in September of this year, news came out that both shook and shocked the Broadway theater world: Phantom of the Opera will be closing and have its final performance in February 2023. After 35 years, the longest running Broadway show in history, this iconic show was going to be leaving the Majestic Theater for good. That closing date has since been updated to April 16th, no doubt due to the increase in ticket sales after that initial closing announcement, nonetheless the end of an era is near. I’ve worked with many a performer who have never known a Broadway without Andrew Lloyd Webber and Phantom of the Opera. This show was the first musical I ever really fell in love with, I mean that cast recording album has sold millions of copies (with an all-new, eight-disc Global Edition recently released). I certainly listened to that original cast recording with Michael Crawford ad nauseam in high school, and it was a big inspiration for me wanting to not only pursue theater but actually set my sights on a Broadway career, which has yet to come to fruition. But my guest today has been on Broadway with this show for 15 years, and he’ll be sharing some fascinating and funny stories from his long tenure with Phantom of the Opera. Jeremy Stolle is the final guest for season 6, and he and I first met doing Gaston at Disney World down in Florida. Now, if that sounds familiar to you, Will Swenson is another Broadway actor who’s been on the podcast, and he and I also shared Gaston duties during my time at Disney World. But Jeremy left Disney and came to New York a little bit before me, and during his years with Phantom has performed the featured part of Passarino in the ensemble, the supporting role of Piangi, and has also played the two leading roles of Raoul as well as the Phantom himself. We talk about what has kept him at the show for so long and the various opportunities, experiences, and mishaps it’s given him these past 15 years.  Support this podcast in one of two ways: Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes   Make a one-time Donation to the podcast   Timeline of this episode's conversation: 01:49 - Jeremy and Patrick discuss their Gaston beginnings  07:07 - Jeremy struggled when he first came to NYC 09:43 - Personal histories with Phantom 19:55 - Story #1: Phantom and the infamous swoosh 28:18 - The pressures of playing the Phantom 33:14 - Story #2: Raoul and the cheeky bow 39:08 - The differences between Phantom and Raoul 43:14 - Story #3: Meeting his idol, Anthony Warlow 48:48 - Sharing a dressing room with Denzel Washington     Jeremy Stolle Has an Idea... Well, in this week’s audition story Jeremy talks about one of the many times he has auditioned for Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. Although this time he tried a different take on the character, with hilarious results. To get bonus episodes with Audition Stories and more, become a monthly or yearly subscriber and earn the title of WINMI Producer. You’ll be helping maintain and sustain this podcast while also getting extra conversations with guests like Jeremy. You could even give it as a gift...now there's an idea :)   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones, and it is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. Background music in this episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the past 30 years there’s been a growing list of pop and rock musicians trying their hand at musical theater. And they range in style and scope from artists like Cindy Lauper, Dolly Parton, and Elton John to rock bands like The Who, Green Day, and The Go-Go’s. Well, today’s guest has been venturing into musical theater and is from a band you may not have heard of, but their name is certainly one you’re not likely to forget: The Slants. Simon Tam, founder and bassist of the all-Asian rock band, has recently begun a transition from rock star to musical writer, and he shares why this new artistic endeavor is so important to him. But his path up till now has taken some surprising turns... We talk about the bullying he faced as a child just because he’s Chinese. He gives the reasons why he and the band turned down not one but two million-dollar contracts. And then there's the famous eight-year trademark battle that ultimately landed him and the band’s name at the Supreme Court. It’s what has branded Simon as a Troublemaker -- a name he now wears as a badge of honor.   Stop Bullying Bullying has been part of school, and even workplaces, for years. Sometimes it involves physical attacks and intimidation or verbal attacks like what Simon had to deal with when he was young (name calling, teasing, and taunting). But it can also be indirect, such as spreading rumors or trying to make others reject someone. More recently, though, technology and social media have created a new venue for bullying that has expanded its reach. Cyberbullying happens online like YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat, where bullies can send hurtful, ongoing messages 24 hours a day. Adult bullying is a thing, too.  Preventing and stopping bullying involves a commitment to creating a safe environment where children can thrive, socially and academically, without being afraid. The same can be said of theaters, rehearsal rooms, on-set, and backstage as well and the importance of providing dependable, non-toxic conditions to do the best work possible. Studies done from the early 2000s found that 30 percent of Americans will be bullied over the course of their careers.      Audition Story The Slants took band membership very seriously, and Simon used to make candidates applying for my band fill out a 4 page questionnaire, then audition on stage in an empty venue while being filmed. With a monthly or yearly subscription you not only help WINMI Podcast production, but you also get to listen to more in-depth and behind-the-scenes stories like this one -- all on your favorite podcast app. Become a WINMI Producer today! The Slants Foundation In 2018, members of Asian-American dance rock band The Slants decided to expand their cultural work by using their platform, resources, and experience to better serve the community. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to changing culture using arts and activism. They seek to amplify underrepresented voices, especially those within the Asian-American community and those addressing controversial and timely issues through a social justice lens. If you're an AAPI artist or what to join their cause, please learn more about The Slants Foundation.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones, and it is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. Background music in this episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to be famous or do you want to be an actor? Very few truly achieve both. For most of us it’s a choice, and the direction we choose impacts the roles and opportunities that we pursue going forward. Today’s guest has been presented with both during his career and came to discover which one mattered more to him.  Bettering Ourselves, Bettering Our Careers (Part 3) In the early 2000s, Ben Curtis was training to be a serious actor at NYU, but one commercial audition for Dell computers completely changed the trajectory of his life and career. He became the face of the computer company, performing in about 26 national commercials over the span of four years.  Ben shares with us the lessons he learned from reaching a level of fame that he never imagined, but he also talks about how it led him down some dark paths that took him years to resolve and come out of. 02:28 - Welcome and Ben talks about coming to NYC 06:02 - Story #1: Becoming the Dell Dude 11:01 - The business of commercial acting 16:34 - When Ben realized he was "famous" 21:31 - Story #2: The reality check of getting arrested 33:55 - Story #3: Surviving 9/11 through drugs and alcohol 41:14 - Lessons he has learned and now shares with other men Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes   OR Make a one-time Donation to the podcast ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube   Dude, You're Getting Well  Ben's mission with the podcast is to share the real challenges that leaders, innovators, and influencers face every day as humans -- to show that it's okay to be human and have hard days, that all people experience pain and challenges. He wants to shed light on how we overcome these odds, the tools that we can use for self-care and sur-thrival, all while growing our vision and sharing these lessons with others.     Audition Story In this week’s bonus episode, Ben shares an experience back in Chattanooga when he had to choose between playing on the school’s soccer team or doing theater. He couldn’t do both. While you can probably guess which one he chose, as often happens it didn’t quite turn out quite the way he had hoped. Subscribe to WINMI and get access to this and other bonus episodes. Final Five Questions In this interview, Ben shared his journey from fame to failure and points in-between. And the conversation continues on the WINMI Blog as he answers five final questions about “making it” and useful advice he's received. Discover even more about Ben here.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices