Tony Award-winning performer Lena Hall joins Heather and Alan for a wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation about discovering her true creative voice—literally and metaphorically. From her roots as a ballerina bred by artistic parents, to reinventing herself after vocal surgery, Lena shares how a mix of chance, grit, and gutsy choices helped her chart a bold path in musical theater, TV, and rock music. Whether she’s fronting a band, redefining her Broadway persona, or belting out Radiohead in her latest TV role, Lena proves that creative success comes from embracing the unexpected—and never losing your sense of play.

You’ll hear about her journey through roles in Cats, Kinky Boots, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, her stint on All My Children as a hooker-turned-potential-series-regular, and the life-changing audition that landed her a role opposite Jon Hamm in Your Friends and Neighbors. Lena opens up about perimenopause, social media pressures, creative burnout, and how she’s learned to stop taking rejection personally—well, mostly.

Key Takeaways:

Lena’s vocal transformation after tonsil surgery that unlocked a whole new range and sound

Why she left ballet and the Broadway grind to find a truer, edgier artistic path

Her surprising and circuitous road back to Broadway—and then into TV and film

How taking bold, creative risks (like bringing her own amp to an audition) led to breakout roles

The importance of having financial and creative buffers to survive the industry’s constant rejection

How Lena navigates social media with a “learned skin,” not just a thick one

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