Backstage with Becca B.

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! 

On this episode I talked about Liana's early passion for theater, her decision to attend NYU for theater school, her subsequent role in the national tour of Mamma Mia where she played Sophie Sheridan, making a well-known character her own on both Broadway and tour, playing Katherine Plumber in Newsies on Broadway, the insane choreography and dances in Newsies, auditioning for Nessrose in Wicked and booking the tour, studying comedy and improv, her involvement in sketch comedy, the underrated musical Bright Star where she played Margo Crawford, her current role as Lorraine in Back To The Future on Broadway, her experience transitioning from rehearsals to the stage with the intricate effects of the production, bringing the show to a new generation and the heartwarming experience of witnessing parents share their love for the film with their kids, meeting Lea Thompson, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Natalie about her passion for acting and childhood memories, the importance of regional theater in providing opportunities for aspiring actors, her audition experience for Wicked, the emotional rollercoaster of waiting and self-doubt during the process, how she prepared to make her Broadway debut, self-confidence, maintaining a healthy lifestyle while performing 8 times a week on Broadway, performing on a raked stage with a wheelchair, the intricacies of Nessarose’s character arc, portraying Nessa’s transformation and the importance of eliciting empathy from the audience, dream roles, favorite Jonas Brothers songs, and MORE! 

On this episode I talked with Coby about how he discovered his passion for theatre, the atmosphere of the theater community, his experiences at performing arts high school and UCLA, becoming a well-rounded and versatile performer, playing Moritz on the Spring Awakening national tour and the show’s impact on both the cast and the audience, the changing perception of understudies and standbys in the theater industry, how audiences are now celebrating the individuality of each performer they see in a show, his Broadway debut in Brighton Beach Memoirs, taking on the role of Cunningham (standby) in Book of Mormon and the importance of tackling comedy as an actor, understudying Roy and Richard in The Shark Is Broken on Broadway and working with Alex Brightman, Collin Donnell, and Ian Shaw, the importance of being prepared at any moment to deliver a stellar performance, timing, playing Papi in The Band’s Visit on tour, self-confidence as a working actor in the entertainment industry, stepping into Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway where he was welcomed with open arms, his rehearsal process for Merrily, learning the role of Charley, potential upcoming Charley dates, dream roles, and much more!

On this episode I talked with Jordan about when her passion for theatre and performing started, the moment she knew she wanted to make theatre a career for herself, growing up on the east coast and whether she went to theatre shows often, becoming a well-rounded performer, playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid at B’way Method Academy, workshopping shows, what peaks her interest when reading a script for a play or musical, playing Kizette in Lempicka at La Jolla Playhouse, her audition process for Younger Allie in The Notebook, her experience premiering the show at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, when she found out out that the show would be transferring to Broadway, the preparation that goes into making one’s Broadway debut, making the role of Allie her own, developing chemistry for the show, funny moments on stage, and MUCH MORE!