On this episode I talked with Carly her early experiences in theater, starting at age ten with a role in a YMCA production of "Alice in Wonderland," which ignited her passion for performing, her role as Annie in a community theater production, which solidified her desire to pursue a career in the arts, her diverse musical skills which she credited to her parents' encouragement to explore different instruments and styles, being part of workshops for “Anne of Green Gables” and “Sweetwater” and what it’s like to work on beginning stages of a show and develop characters, her experience on the Theaterworks tours of “The Civil War” and “A Christmas Carol” and how those experiences prepared her for the National tour of “Wicked”, her unexpected journey to audition for the role of Elphaba in "Wicked," her initial believing she was better suited for Glinda than Elphaba, her reaction when she booked the Elphaba standby on tour, what her rehearsal process for the tour looked like, making her Elphaba debut in the same city she first saw “Wicked” on stage in, her interpretation of Elphaba, Elphaba’s growth throughout the timespan of the show, what she does backstage when she’s not on, her dream roles, and much more! 

On this episode I talked with Nick about his initial interest in producing and directing before discovering his passion for acting, the importance of storytelling in theater and the supportive role of educators in nurturing talent, his experiences with a high school teacher who recognized his potential and provided him with opportunities, the potential for innovation in the industry, emphasizing a forward-thinking approach to audience engagement, some of the casting challenges re: age Nick faced in the industry, the importance of self-initiative and the need for artists to create their own opportunities, the emotional impact of theater, the collaborative nature of theater, the importance of taking risks and how improvisation has played a role in fostering trust among performers, Nick’s plans for future productions in Los Angeles, and much more!

 On this episode I talked with Zoe about her journey into theater, beginning with her early involvement in school plays and community theater, her first performance as Glinda in a mini "Wizard of Oz" production, her training in the performing arts, from voice lessons to dance classes to summer camps, singing vs. dancing, her audition process for the national tour of "Waitress," which and getting to be part of a tour bringing back LIVE theatre after 2020, how she made the character of Dawn her own when understudying her, what she learned on tour with “Waitress” that helped her with “The Prom” tour and is helping her on the “Back To The Future” tour, understudying both Alyssa and Emma in “The Prom” and making her debut as Alyssa in Los Angeles, adapting her learning process in order to understudy roles in shows, touring with “Back To The Future”, seeing the effects that happen on stage come to life before her eyes, her process for learning choreography in dance heavy shows, how she would convince people to see “Back To The Future” on tour, dream roles, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Kendyl about her evolution from aspiring ballerina to a multifaceted performer, her passion for musical theater and the influence of her mentors, when she discovered her love for acting through a local production of Aladdin Jr, which allowed her to combine her skills in dance, singing, and acting, her training in diverse dance styles and vocal genres, as well as experiences with traditional Japanese dance and aerial silks, Kendyl's time at the Boston Conservatory which was marked by challenges, including balancing auditions with attendance policies, ultimately deciding to leave to pursue the opportunity to go on tour with Hamilton, her progression on the Hamilton tour from a dance swing, to a standby for all three Schuyler sisters, to her current lead role as Eliza, the importance of self-advocacy, the emotional complexities of performing, particularly in vulnerable roles, advice she would give to up and coming performers, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Madison about her journey in musical theater, her family's artistic background and the importance of practical experience, attending a performing arts middle school, landing her first professional role at 16, the way pro shots help to make theatre more accessible, her experiences with Off-Broadway productions such as The Fantasticks where she starred as Luisa, joining long-running shows and the creative freedom offered by small theatre’s, the influence of audience perception and the evolving nature of performers, working on The Baker’s Wife at Theatre Row where she played Genevieve, a memorable rehearsal experience that underscored the emotional depth of the songs, the privilege of performing lesser-known works in Manhattan. her audition process for "Wicked," her favorite costumes, the meticulous backstage choreography, coming down in the bubble as Glinda at the top of the show, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Erica about her journey into theater, being inspired by magical worlds in books like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, her desire to perform, being influenced by memorable performances like Meryl Streep in "Mamma Mia!”, seeing "The Lion King" tour in Honolulu as a child, her school trip to New York in middle school, where she saw both "Memphis" and "Wicked,” the influence Jennifer Lawrence’s acting in The Hunger Games had on her and wanting to play Katniss if The Hunger Games ever became a musical, her experience at The University Of Michigan including productions she was in of "The Wolves" and "Merrily We Roll Along,” her audition process for “Wicked,” joining the cast with multiple other new leads and how that made the rehearsal process special, how she makes the character of Nessarose her own as well as how she’s similar and different to Nessarose, her dream roles, creating her own Percy Jackson Podcast called “Seaweed Brain Podcast” where she and her co-host have interviewed cast members from the new show, and much more! 

On this episode I talked with Austen about her upbringing in a theater family and her initial hesitance to pursue a career in the arts, despite her passion for world-building, pivotal moments from her high school years that solidified her love for theater, influenced by iconic productions like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Wicked’, the significance of experiential gift-giving, her transformative experience studying Shakespeare in London which deepened her understanding of acting and the relevance of language in performance, the challenges of sustaining performances over extended contracts, her experience understudying multiple roles in Days of Rage off-Broadway, the impact of audience reactions during live theatre, the Diana the Musical timeline, filming Diana for Netflix without a live audience, her audition for Glinda on the national tour of Wicked, Glinda’s complexity and the necessity of staying present during performances to maintain authenticity, how she’s similar to Glinda and how she’s different from Glinda, the organization Arts Ignite and the importance of bringing the arts to everyone, her original music, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Laura Sky about when she first discovered her passion for theatre, how she became a well-rounded performer growing up, being accepted into Harvard and making history as one of the first women to perform in their historic Hasty Pudding Theatricals (the oldest theater group in the country), studying at Texas State University and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, how studying Shakespeare has helped her as an actress, originating the roles of Lila in White Rose and Marie Van Goethem in The Little Dancer off-Broadway, starring as June in Gypsy at Goodspeed Playhouse, her experience as Ermengarde on the tour of Hello Dolly!, her audition experience for Back To The Future on tour where she plays Linda McFly and understudies Lorraine, tackling comedy on stage, what cities she’s looking forward to visiting on tour, and more! 

On this episode I talked with Tilly about her lifelong connection to dance, childhood aspirations to join Alvin Ailey, and her transformative decision to pursue musical theater, how choreographer Sonya Tayeh influenced her transition into musical theatre, her passion for storytelling through dance, her favorite projects, her Broadway debut in Moulin Rouge, her initial insecurities about singing, booking Moulin Rouge as a vacation swing, her love for the various tracks she played in Moulin Rouge and how the show helped her towards building confidence when it came to singing, how she became involved with The Outsiders and the choreography process for the show, creating the character Ace in The Outsiders, advice she’d give to dancers who want to be on Broadway, winning the Chita Rivera Awards, The Outsiders’ recent recognition at the Tony Awards, the fan support The Outsiders has received, dream roles, and much more! 

On this episode I talked with Victor about his early memories of theatre, including watching "Peter Pan" in a park and being captivated by "Phantom of the Opera.”, his experience at the Boston Conservatory, where he appreciated the comprehensive training and the merger with Berklee College of Music, strengthening his assets as a performer by learning to dance, which enriched his skills as an actor and singer, his experiences in regional theater, particularly in "A Chorus Line," where he formed deep connections with the cast and audience, his audition process for "The Outsiders," the preparation involved in character development, the unique experience of playing both Sodapop and Darrel in the show and the audience's response to seeing actors in different roles, “The Outsiders’” Tony Award wins and it’s universal appeal which makes the story popular, his dream roles in theatre, the importance of self-confidence within the industry, and more!