Backstage With...

Backstage With...

By Mikey WorrallArtsPerforming Arts
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Backstage With... episodes

  • Alice Fearn (Wicked, Into the Woods, Shrek)

    Alice Fearn has just begun her second year as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked. She joined the show as Standby Elphaba in the 10th Anniversary cast in 2016.

    I went to meet Alice at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London on the last day of the heatwave so her dressing room was sweltering. She had about five fans on and a couple of air con units so we just about survived.

    Alice grew up in Cumbria and has appeared in shows including Into the Woods, Shrek the musical and Annie Get Your Gun.

    She’s recently talked about understudies getting more credit when they step in to cover leading roles - something we discussed at length.

    My thanks to Tess and James at Jo Allan PR and What Goes On Media.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • John McCrea (Everybody's Talking About Jamie)
    John McCrea is the breakout West End star of the last year. He’s currently strutting in heels as Jamie New in one of the most recent new British musicals to hit the West End, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.    John created the role of Jamie in the first workshop of the show in 2014. It transferred to London at the end of last year after its world premiere in Sheffield.    I went to meet John at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. We talked about how the show was developed, how he found ‘his Jamie’ and how he feels about bidding farewell to his on-stage mother, Josie Walker who left the show at the weekend.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • Gina Beck (Matilda, Wicked, Les Misérables)
    Gina Beck is one of British musical theatre’s best known sopranos.   She played Cosette in the 21st Anniversary cast of Les Miserables, did two years as Christine in Phantom of the Opera, played Glinda in Wicked for two years in London before joining the US Tour and is now playing Miss Honey in Matilda - a part she auditioned for just six weeks after having a baby.    Gina said she was worried she wouldn’t have any fun stories to tell but, as you’ll hear, that just isn’t true.   There’s the time a wigs mistress was sent on a quest for eyelash glue for Patti LuPone and the dinner with Andrew Lloyd Webber where she was too scared to eat anything in case he asked her a question.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  • Emma Williams (An Officer and a Gentleman, Mrs Henderson Presents, Love Story)
    Emma Williams is currently on tour in An Officer and a Gentleman. Emma plays Paula, the role played by Debra Winger in the 1982 film.   Emma’s been working as an actress since she was a teenager when she starred alongside Steve Coogan in the film The Parole Officer.   A lengthy list of musical theatre credits to her name, this show is a departure from the work she is known for.    We recently caught up at the Wycombe Swan, a week or so after Emma got married. She and her new husband, James (a drummer), are both on tour with different shows.    An Officer and a Gentleman the musical is touring the UK until 15th September 2018.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  • Dianne Pilkington (Young Frankenstein, Wicked, Mamma Mia!)
    Dianne Pilkington is currently starring as Elizabeth Benning in Young Frankenstein in the West End.   We chatted over a cup of tea in her dressing room in the run up to the Olivier Awards.   She talked about her pre-show rituals, how she learned to cope with Wickedmania, and her 20 years in musical theatre.   Dianne also showed me the vintage bed-come-sofa she inherited from Lily James which now has Matthew Horne’s gold bedspread on it. It sounds odd but it suits her character in this show perfectly.    Young Frankenstein is booking at the Garrick Theatre until September 2018.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  • Katy Lipson (Aria Entertainment Producer)
    Producer Katy Lipson has been behind some of the most talked about productions of the last few years. As artistic director of the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester she has produced a catalogue of shows, some of which have gone on to transfer to London, including Yank!, Hair and Pippin.    She’s a big supporter of new material having produced From Page to Stage, a season of new musicals, as well as the UK premieres of Yank!, Toxic Avenger the musical and The Addams Family.    In this episode we talked about her ambitions for new material, the shows she’d love to revive and her friendship with Broadway composer and lyricist Andrew Lippa. She also used this interview to call on venues like the Royal Court, Young Vic and National Theatre to support and produce more new musicals.     Katy’s production of Pippin is currently running at the Southwark Playhouse in London until 24th March.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • Rachael Wooding (Fat Friends, Hairspray, Evita)

    Rachael Wooding is currently on the road in the UK tour of Fat Friends the musical. Her extensive CV lists shows like We Will Rock You, which she did twice, Hairspray and the title role in Evita. We talked for ages all about the shows she’s done. But we started, in true British style, by talking about the traffic and problems on our journeys into Leeds where we met at Leeds Grand Theatre back in November. 

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  • Matthew Seadon-Young (Big Fish, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Urinetown)

    Matthew Seadon-Young is currently starring alongside Kelsey Grammer in Big Fish the musical. His credits include Gerry Goffin in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Tony in Billy Elliot and Bobby in Urinetown. We talked about what it’s like playing opposite your idols, how far you can push yourself when there are no understudies, and being interrogated by security officials at the Oscars. In this episode we’re backstage in Kelsey Grammer’s dressing room, which has the loudest air conditioning you’ve ever heard. Big Fish the musical is running at The Other Palace until 31st December.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • Jodie Prenger (Fat Friends, Oliver!, Spamalot)

    I don’t think I have ever laughed as much in an interview as I did while chatting to Jodie Prenger. She is undoubtedly one of the nicest people in showbiz.

    Jodie won the role of Nancy in the 2008 programme I’d Do Anything. She’s since taken on roles in Spamalot, One Man Two Guv’nors and Calamity Jane.

    She’s currently starring in Fat Friends - a new musical by Kay Mellor and Nick Lloyd Webber (you might have heard of his father…).

    In this episode we're backstage in her dressing room at the Leeds Grand Theatre and as people dash in and out before the show starts, we chatted about her love of comedy, how she deals with divas, and why this show is her ‘electric blanket’.

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 min
  • James Meunier (Sunset Boulevard)

    James Meunier is currently touring the UK in Sunset Boulevard.

    James is a musical theatre singer and actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has since appeared in a variety of theatre productions in the UK and across the world.

    He's also sung with Elton John at the Royal Albert Hall and performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

    In this episode he talks to Mikey Worrall about getting emotional at a car chase, the song that’s followed him through his career and what it’s like to understudy a star.

     

     

    Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min

About Backstage With...

From the publisher's feed

Conversations with your favourite theatre actors and creatives.


Industry secrets, eyebrow raising stories and behind the scenes access.


Hosted by Mikey Worrall.

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