Backstage with Becca B.

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! 

On this episode I talked with Melody about her passion for theater and her dream to be a Broadway dancer, both the challenges and growth she experienced in both dance and singing, her experience on her first National Tour of Finding Neverland where she played Peter Pan, the ins and outs of a non-equity tour including one night stops and small stages that don’t fit the entire set, the lasting friendships she formed with her tour mates, some of whom will be her future roommates and colleagues, her lifelong passion for the musical Cats and how it influenced her as a young dancer and inspired her to pursue her dreams, the challenges and emotional rollercoaster of her auditions for the show, from the initial disappointment of not being called back to the unexpected opportunity that eventually led to her joining the production, her dream of playing Victoria in Cats, her Broadway debut in The Outsiders where she plays Beverly and understudies both Marcia and Cherry, how she has prepared to understudy two roles, Tony Awards Day, The Outsiders winning best musical, self-confidence, and much more! 

On this episode I talked with Caden about his journey to becoming a theater performer, his childhood involvement in summer camps and regional theater productions, his decision to attend T. Schreiber's Acting Conservatory in New York, his passion for Shakespeare, the possibility of being in Shakespeare in The Park one day, studying improv and the transformative effects of improv on acting and theater, his audition process for the role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future on tour alongside his preparation to take on the role, which cities he’s looking forward to visiting on tour, his favorite scenes in Back To The Future The Musical, his dream movie-to-musical adaptions, advice he’d give to young performers, and much more! 

On this episode I talked with SarahGrace about various aspects of her career journey, including her childhood dream of becoming an actor, her dedication to dance, singing, and acting that helped her become a well-rounded performer, living in Tokyo during her childhood and the impact it had on her formative years, her audition process for the National Tour of Phantom Of The Opera where she played Meg Giry, how she prepared to head out on the road for a National Tour, the process of making the character of Meg her own, how her acting changed based on who was playing Christine opposite her, vocal stamina when singing such high notes, what made her want to audition for The Outsiders and what the audition was like for her, making her Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of a show and creating the character of Marcia for the stage, the unique elements of the show, such as the rain and blood effects, her favorite scenes and the challenges of mastering certain scenes, performing at the Tony Awards, the show’s Tony Award win for Best Musical, recording the cast album, why people should come see The Outsiders on Broadway, dream roles, and MUCH MORE! 

On this episode I talked with Jason about his journey as an actor, from his early ambitions to his multifaceted artistic career, filming Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies where he played Buddy Aldridge, what it was like filming music numbers for the show and how long they took, how he is similar to Buddy, his audition for The Outsiders where he originally went in for Bob Sheldon before going in for Sodapop, how his portrayal of Sodapop has changed since the La Jolla Playhouse run, getting to make his Broadway debut, the intricate staging of the show, his favorite scenes, the profound emotional impact of The Outsiders, how Sodapop Curtis was inspired by S.E. Hinton’s cousin, the milestones that come with being part of an original Broadway cast, nuances of confidence in the industry, imposter syndrome and the necessity of a supportive network to foster self-assurance, his music which can be found on all streaming platforms, and more!

 On this episode I talked with Kevin about his journey into theater, the multifaceted influences that contributed to his artistic development, from his family's love for music to his athletic background, his thought process behind choosing Carnegie Mellon University for drama school, his love and passion for writing his own music, his audition experience for The Outsiders on Broadway and his love for the book which the show does a good job matching the tone of, the impact of reading The Outsiders in school and how the black and white aesthetic and themes resonated with him, writing a poem about masculinity and fathers and sons during a trip to Atlanta, which he later shared with his cast during rehearsals for The Outsiders, the evolution of portraying the character of Bob from La Jolla Playhouse to Broadway, the challenges of creating a complex character and the learning experiences gained, how he prepared to make his Broadway debut, self confidence in this industry, and much more!

I talked with Emma Pittman about her early exposure to theatre, how she became a well-rounded performer who can tackle singing, acting, and dancing on stage, entering Broadway.com’s contest “The Search For Roxie” and winning the show, getting to make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago, her fresh take on Roxie Hart, what made her want to audition for Back To The Future on Broadway, learning the choreography for a dance heavy show, her audition process for The Outsiders and previously being a fan of the book & movie, adapting a complex narrative to a different medium, the realistic portrayal of the diverse characters The Outsiders, meeting S.E. Hinton (the author of The Outsiders), recording the cast album (OUT NOW), the creative and technical aspects of bringing the musical to fruition, and more!