On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am chatting with award winning comedian Wendy Liebman. We discuss how Wendy uses her humor to get through tough times. We also talk about Wendy's venture into writing a musical comedy.

Wendy was a semi-finalist on America's Got Talent in 2014, Season 9. She has also been seen on David Letterman, NBC’s The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, CBS’ The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and has had comedy specials on both Showtime and HBO. Her comedy special Taller on TV is available on Amazon Prime.

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am chatting with actress, singer and impressionist Christina Bianco. We play a DIVAlicious game with "Don't Rain On My Parade” (featuring "special guests" Barbra Streisand, Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LuPone, Liza Minnelli, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, & Julie Andrews) + we discuss Christina's triumphant run in Funny Girl at Paris' Théâtre Marigny & her eventual return to Birdland!

***This interview was recorded at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic. At the time of recording, we did not know if Christina's Birdland show Swinging Back to Birdland, originally scheduled for April 20, 2020, was going to take place. As of publication, her show has been postponed and we are awaiting a new date****

Christina Bianco’s singular voice and comedic charm have brought audiences around the world to their feet. Bianco captured international acclaim as a YouTube sensation with her ‘diva’ impression videos, gaining over 24 million views. Dubbed ‘the girl of a thousand voices,’ Christina has performed on major television programs such as The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Meredith Vieira Show, The Queen Latifah Show & The Today Show, in the US alone.

A Two-Time Drama Desk Award nominee, Christina made her West End debut starring in The Menier Chocolate Factory’s hailed production of Forbidden Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre in London. New York credits include The Marvelous Wonderettes, the one-woman, multi-character comedy, Application Pending (Drama Desk Award Nomination), Newsical the Musical, and Forbidden Broadway; Goes To Rehab (Drama Desk Award Nomination). Christina originated the role of Dora in the long-running National Tour of Dora The Explorer Live, including two sold-out runs at Radio City Music Hall.

As a concert artist, with regular NYC appearances at Birdland, Feinstein’s and Town Hall, Christina has performed her critically acclaimed solo shows to sold out crowds across the U.S. and on luxury international cruise ships. Abroad, she’s enjoyed extended runs headlining at London’s Hippodrome, Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, The Charing Cross Theatre and at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as a 13 city, UK solo tour titled, Me Myself And Everyone Else, and made concert debuts in Australia, Switzerland, Spain and South Africa.

Television credits include the POP TV sitcom Impress Me, Hallmark’s, Signed, Sealed, Delivered and VH1’s I Love The 2000’s.

Christina frequently performs with major US and Canadian symphonies. She recently debuted her solo symphony show, The Woman Of A Thousand Voices, with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Jack Everly.

Christina is a life long New Yorker and resides in Manhattan with her husband and their loveable schnoodle, Jeff. 

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am chatting with actress and author Jenna Gavigan. We talk about her Broadway debut alongside the legendary Bernadette Peters + the release of her books Lulu The Broadway Mouse & her newest release, Lulu The Broadway Mouse: The Show Must Go On. We also play a game inspired by "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music."

I'm a fourth generation New Yorker and proud of it! (Shout out to my ancestors who spent weeks crossing an ocean only to get to America to work jobs they didn't like, so I could spend my life doing what I love. Their photos hang above my desk and I thank them daily).

As an actor, I've also lived in Los Angeles, but prefer New York. (Note: I would move back to L.A. in a heartbeat for a gig/call me if you're stuck in traffic; I will help you navigate canyon roads).

I hold a B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia University. While there I focused on fiction, television and screenwriting. I'm bossy, detail-oriented, and good at multi-tasking, so my ultimate goal is to be a television showrunner/mom.

Likes/Loves/Obsessions:

-Housekeeping, especially laundry.

-Cooking, especially Italian food.

-Babies.

-The theatre, especially "the Broad-WAY," as my Grandma calls it.

-Who Do You Think You Are and Finding Your Roots.

-WINE. (Which I lovingly call "juice.")

-Candles. Beeswax candles (allegedly) purify the air.

-Dateline, 48 Hours, any crime show will do.

-Basic grammar and spelling. (Even if your iPhone tells you otherwise, please don't use apostrophes to pluralize words!)

-My skin and spending far too much money on facials. 

-Old stuff, particularly if it's from England, Paris, or the East Coast of the United States.

-My family.

-House slippers.

-My friends.

-Ayurveda.

-My husband. (Used to be obsessed with engagement rings, but I have one now, thank you!)

-Cheese. I've never met a cheese I didn't like. 

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am chatting with actor/choreographer/educator Brandon Leffler about what it was like to be on the My Fair Lady National Tour and have it suddenly stop due to COVID19.

Originally from Mayfield, Ohio. Brandon Leffler is an actor, choreographer and educator for private studios nationwide as well as Broadway Dance Center, The Male Dancer Conference, Man in Motion, Broadway Connection, Broadway Classroom and Ballet Austin. 

Broadway and Off-Broadway performing credits include: On The Town, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Wicked, Trip of Love, Fanny, The Golden Apple and Anyone Can Whistle. Brandon has also been seen across the United States with the national tours of My Fair Lady, Wicked, A Chorus Line, and Cats. 

Dance Labs and pre-Broadway workshops have given Brandon an inside look at the creative process of many Broadway shows including: The Cher Show, Clueless: The Musical, Carousel, On The Town and Cinderella. 

Concert dance has been a huge part of Brandon’s journey, working with companies such as Ballet Austin, Verb Ballets, Collage Dance Collective, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Dancing Wheels and dre.dance. 

​TV credits include: National promo commercials for Wicked: The Musical and Chicago: The Musical, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, Gossip Girl, the Tony Awards, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am chatting with television producer, director & screenwriter Stan Zimmerman. We will be talking about writing for TV hits like The Golden Girls, Gilmore Girls, & Roseanne as well as his forthcoming book The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore + all his theatrical endeavors!

****This interview was recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some events mentioned may have been postponed.****

After attending Cranbrook Summer Theatre School for five seasons and Hampton Playhouse for two, Stan headed to New York to get his BFA at NYU/Circle-in-the-Square drama program. He appeared on Broadway dancing behind Rudolph Nureyev and the Joffrey Ballet in Homage to Diaghilev at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. Stan worked in casting before moving to Los Angeles, where he's been part of one of the longest running comedy writing teams, Zimmerman & Berg.

Along with James Berg, Stan's worked on many television series, including season one of The Golden Girls, Brothers, Fame, Hooperman, Something Wilder, Roseanne, Wanda at Large and the highly successful fifth season of Gilmore Girls. They penned the "Norman Mailer, I'm Pregnant" episode. Z&B (as they're also known) have 2 WGA nominations to their credit -- "Rose's Mother" from The Golden Girls and the other for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the infamous lesbian kiss episode of Roseanne.

Besides writing & producing many television pilots, Z&B rewrote the Emmy and Peabody award winning Annie for ABC. They have also written for film, including both Brady Bunch movies. The Brady Bunch Movie was honored by American Cinematheque. The Q&A panel with Jim, Stan, Shelley Long, Gary Cole and director Betty Thomas can be seen on youtube.com. Z&B created and exec produced two seasons of Rita Rocks, a half hour comedy series on Lifetime starring Nicole Sullivan and Tisha Campbell-Martin. They're much talked about new pilot script -- Silver Foxes, a gay men's Golden Girls, had an epic reading with George Takei, Leslie Jordan, Bruce Vilanch, Todd Sherry, Cheri Oteri, Daniele Gaither & Melissa Peterman.

Stan conceived, adapted and directed, SUICIDE NOTES: In Their Own Words, which won a Hollywood Fringe Festival 2015 Encore Producers' Award. The show starred Oliva d'Abo, Allie Gonino, Peter Onorati, Brendan Robinson. It's a one hour theatre piece in the vein of The Vagina Monlogoues. There was a benefit/reading of the play, now entitled Right Before I Go, Monday Dec 4 2017 at NYC's Town Hall. The all-star cast included: Ellen Burstyn, Judith Light, Michael Cerveris, Hari Nef, Maulik Pancholy, Alice Ripley, Lois Smith, Amber Tamblyn, Raviv Ullman and Vanessa Williams. A one night benefit of the play was performed at The Ratner Museum in Bethseda, Maryland June 2018 and in Orlando at The Mezz in Sept on International Suicide Prevention Day. Stan performed in the piece as "The Narrator" in Orlando and for a two night engagement at Claremont High School in Oct. That show was performed by high school students, faculty and school board members. He returned to Bethesda July 2019 to perform again, but this time with a mostly teen cast from The Achieve Project.

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am recording at The Houdini Museum in NYC with the illustrious and timeless Mary Beth Peil. She is known to millions for her roles on Dawson's Creek & The Good Wife, but Mary Beth Peil has a rich history on both the theatrical and operatic stages.

Mary Beth Peil can currently be seen in the 5-Time Emmy Award winning series, AFTER FOREVER, on Amazon Prime, created by Kevin Spirtas and Michael Slade. Mary Beth Peil appears in Season 2, Episode 4.

AFTER FOREVER takes a look at how to move forward after losing the love of your life. Focusing on a group of friends, both gay & straight, in their 40s and 50s, AFTER FOREVER takes storytelling to a new level. Each episode is about 10 minutes in length, so you can easily binge both season and still go out for the night.

Mary Beth Peil can also be seen in the CW's Katy Keene in the role of Mrs. Lacy.

Mary Beth Peil started her professional career touring with Boris Goldovsky's opera company and the Metropolitan Opera's national company in Mozart and da Ponte's The Marriage of Figaro. She also sang with the New York City Opera.

After a starring turn in an out of town production of Kiss Me, Kate, Mary Beth Peil found herself on the national tour The King and I, as the twelfth and final Anna Leonowens opposite Yul Brynner. The production toured the United States, closing on Broadway shortly before Brynner's death in 1985. Mary Beth was nominated for a Tony Award for “Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.”

Her other theatrical credits include: Sweeney Todd at the Kennedy Center, the Broadway revival of Nine where she played The Mother to Antonio Banderas' Guido, Roundabout Theatre’s Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, the Lincoln Center Theater production of the Broadway musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, based upon the movie of the same name, Stephen Sondheim's Follies and most recently Broadway’s Anastasia as Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, in which Mary Beth was nominated for a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award in the category of “Best Featured Actress in a Musical.”

In addition to her stage work, Mary Beth Peil is known to millions of TV viewers for her roles on the CW’s Dawson’s Creek (as Grams, the grandmother to Michelle Williams’ character) & CBS’ The Good Wife, where she played Jackie Florrick, the mother of Chris Noth’s character. Additionally, Mary Beth has been seen in Showtime’s The Reagans as Nancy Reagan’s mother, NBC’s Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, Fringe, and The VIllage.

Mary Beth has also had appeared in such films as The Odd Couple II, playing Jack Lemmon’s love interest, Jersey Girl, The Stepford Wives, Shortbus, Mirrors, and many others.

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am recording at The Houdini Museum in NYC with the creative team of Nice T!ts Celebrity Reading: Amy Marcs (Writer/Performer), Peter Michael Marino (Original Direction), and Coco Cohn (Celebrity Reading Director).

Amy Marcs' hit solo comedy show about breast cancer, Nice T!ts has been reconstructed into a Celebrity Reading featuring stars from Broadway and Television, performed in a similar styling to The Vagina Monologues & Love Loss and What I Wore.

I have been a fan of Amy's show since 2016. Nice T!ts is a poignant and important show about Breast Cancer, survivorship, and strength. While the show focuses on a serious topic, the story is interspersed with lots of humor, humor that has helped Amy get through one of her toughest battles in life.

Starting out as a one-woman solo show, Nice T!ts has gone through many transformations including its latest incarnation as a celebrity reading, After two sold-out celebrity readings (its 2019 premiere and February 2020), Nice T!ts: Celebrity Reading, is back again on April 20 at 7pm at The Triad Theater in NYC.

Nice T!ts Celebrity Reading will take place at The Triad Theater (158 West 72nd Street) on April 20, 2020 at 7pm.

***Due to COVID-19 Pandemic the March 30, 2020 performance of Nice T!ts Celebrity Reading has been postponed. Performances will resume with the April 20, 2020 performance.***

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am recording at The Houdini Museum in NYC with writer, actress, and singer Laiona Michelle.

After a triumphant debut in 2018 at the George Street Playhouse, of Laiona's original musical Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musical, Laiona Michelle will be returning to George Street Playhouse for a one-night only concert to celebrate Black History Month & Women's History Month, paying special tribute to the life and music of the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone. The evening will feature some of Nina's most iconic hits including "Feeling Good," "My Baby Just Cares," and "Little Girl Blue" + a selection of Broadway classics.

***Due to COVID-19 Pandemic An Evening with Laiona Michelle has been postponed. As soon as a new date is announced, I will post it here along with a ticket link.***

Laiona & I also discuss the projected 2021 NYC premiere of her original musical Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musical as well as the development of her Broadway-bound original musical Mandela, a new musical developed in partnership with the Mandela Family, music & lyrics by brothers, Greg Dean Borowsky and Shaun Borowsky, and book by Laiona Michelle.

Laiona Michelle, a native of Springfield, MA, made her Broadway debut as Nanna, a principle role, in the hit musical, Amazing Grace, which opened at the Nederlander on July 16, 2015. Prior to her Broadway debut, Laiona had been on the road, cast in the first national tour of the musical, Book of Mormon, which won nine Tony Awards in 2011.

Laiona’s passion as an actor took a different turn during the run of Amazing Grace, which was written by a first-time playwright. That story captivated the writer’s side of her. And what began with a thought, turned to obsession, and led to a re- discovery of her writing skills, one she now continues to perfect. In 2018, Little Girl Blue – The Nina Simone Musical made its way to the George Street Playhouse, where it had a limited run engagement and played to sold-out audiences, standing ovations and stellar reviews. She has since been commissioned by the Mandela estate to collaborate on a new, Broadway bound, Mandela Musical, based on the South African activist, imprisoned for 27-years, and who was eventually released to become that nation’s president. The musical features music and lyrics by Shaun and Greg Dean Borowsky, and book by Laiona Michelle. It is being produced in partnership with the Mandela family itself, and is scheduled for a New York theatrical – date to be announced.

As an actor, she has been nominated for a number of awards including the Independent Reviewers of New England, Best Lead Actress award (2001, Stonewall Jackson’s House), Laiona is the recipient of the Barrymore and Carbonell Awards (2004, Constant Star), The NAACP Hollywood award (2005, Constant Star) and she was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award (2005, Yellowman).

In addition to her stage work, Laiona has also made appearances on network and cable television in Showtime’s Lift, ABC’s All My Children, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: CI, The Blacklist as well as Amazon’s, Sneaky Pete (Bryan Cranston and Giovanni Ribisi).

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am recording at The Houdini Museum in NYC with award winning cabarettist performer Molly Pope.

Molly is returning to Joe's Pub with a brand new show called Polly Mope. Polly Mope is a wry look inside what can happen when you find yourself stuck alone with yourself on a long, sleepless night. How do you get through the night? Molly Pope faces the literal and the metaphorical question on a nightlong musical mental agility course. Locked in her 6th floor walk-up, this solo musical delves into what she’ll do to make it to the dawn; coping with being a human person, the bi-polarcoaster, and wind chimes.

Molly Pope brings her neo-retro musical sensibility to original songs written with Jim Andralis & Larry Krone, Lance Horne, Erato Kremmyda, Brian Nash, Martha Redbone, and music director/collaborator Matt Aument.

***Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Molly's show has been postponed. When a new date is announced, I will post it here along with a ticket link.+++

Molly Pope is a critically-acclaimed cabarettist whose shows have played Joe’s Pub, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Feinstein’s at the Regency, Ars Nova, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, OBERON (A.R.T.), Teatro ZinZanni (Joe's Pub Seattle), and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia. Hailed as “One of downtown cabaret's most adventurous performers" by the New York Times, she is the recipient of both the 2016 Bistro Award for Creative Cabaret Artistry and the 2016 MAC Award for Musical Comedy. She has been named a Time Out New York “Top Ten Cabaret Act of 2008” and 2012 and a Village Voice Best of NYC 2011 for “Best Singer To Turn Life Into A Cabaret.”

Most recently she recorded her first album, An Audience with Molly Pope, live at Joe's Pub. She has also performed at The Cafe Carlyle (Tales From The Jazz Age), the Afterglow Festival in Provincetown, The Amber Zone at Sid Gold's Request Room, Our Hit Parade at Joe’s Pub, Greenwich House Music School’s “Uncharted Series" and as a resident artist at The Kimmel Center (Philadelphia) and The Orchard Project. Stage credits include FOUND (Atlantic Theater Co, Philadelphia Theater Co), Horseplay, or the Fickle Mistress (LaMama ETC/Theatre Askew), Dan Fishback’s The Material World (Dixon Place). 

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am recording at The Green Room 42 with Broadway World's Top Female Cabaret Artist Joan Ryan and Award Winning Director Will Nunziata. Today we are talking about Joan's new one-woman show which will be debuting at The Green Room 42 on Saturday March 7 at 9:30pm.

Joan Ryan, winner of BroadwayWorld’s Top Artist Award and star of the hit cult musical Ruthless!, is thrilled to debut her brand new one-woman-show which will leave you laughing one moment and in tears the next through her theatre, television, and life anecdotes both funny and poignant, this is a true theatre piece.

Joan Ryan is the winner of BroadwayWorld’s Top Female Cabaret Artist. Her four-octave range led to a recent appearance at famed Carnegie Hall followed by a performance at Lincoln Center. Starring roles include LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, FOOTLOOSE, LES MISERABLES, NUNSENSE, TRIUMPH OF LOVE, ANGRY HOUSEWIVES, NITE CLUB CONFIDENTIAL. Joan originated the role of Judy Denmark/Ginger Del Marco in RUTHLESS! for which she was costumed by fashion icon Bob Mackie. Joan’s self-titled debut solo recording remains a best-selling CD. Her other recordings include the cast albums of RUTHLESS!, SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION, STROUSE, SCHWARTZ AND SCHWARTZ, LERNER-LOEWE AND LANE, DREAM: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY MERCER and JEROME KERN: LIFE UPON THE WICKED STAGE. Television audiences know Joan from her long-running role as Tina Pallodrino, on SAVED BY THE BELL. She spent two years in the role of Kathleen Houghton, everyone’s favorite psychiatrist, on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Joan has also been featured on THE TODAY SHOW, THE TONIGHT SHOW and numerous guest starring TV roles. Variety shows include FOREVER YOUNG with Jason Alexander and ONE NIGHT ONLY with Steve Carell, Forest Whitaker and Eric McCormack. Her recent return to New York City has been met with both critical and public acclaim and she also continues to sell out concerts around the country. Her newest show BRAVA BROADWAY Celebrating The Great Ladies Of Musical Theatre premiered in Las Vegas in February, 2019.

Will Nunziata is a New York City based theatre and concert director.​ He is the concert director for:

• ​Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho
• Soul Train Award winner Nicole Henry
• Broadway’s Haley Swindal
• Tony Award winner Lillias White

With regard to theatre, Will recently directed the first revival of the 1974 Tony-winning musical “Over Here.” The production starred Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte and Broadway’s Jessica Hendy, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, and Haley Swindal.

​Will also directed the first revival of the Kander and Ebb musical "The Act" starring Julia Murney, Randy Graff, Cady Huffman, Anna Chlumsky, Mamie Parris, Stacie Bono, and Karen Mason.

He has recently conceived and directed a number of theatre projects including the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway revue “Our Guy, Cy: The Songs of Cy Coleman.” The revue starred four Tony Award winners — Lillias White, Cady Huffman, Randy Graff, and Judy Kaye — who all worked with the late-great composer Cy Coleman.

​Co-conceived with and starring Tony Award winner Cady Huffman, he co-conceived, wrote, and directed the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway run of  “Miss Peggy Lee: In Her Own Words and Music.”

​​Will graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC).

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Theme Song by Bobby Cronin

Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell

Edited by Drew Kaufman

Outro Music Underscore by CueTique