Eila & Bruce bring you the fourth installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Director of a Musical, Costume Design of a Musical, Lead Actress of a Play, Lead Actor of a Play, Lighting Design of a Play, and Revival of a Musical.

Laura Donnelly, Mia Farrow, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Sadie Sink, Sarah Snook, George Clooney, Cole Escola, Jon Michael Hill, Daniel Day Kim, Harry Lennix, Louis McCartney, Saheem Ali, Michael Arden, David Cromer, Christopher Gattelli, Jamie Lloyd, Dede Ayite, Gregg Barnes, Clint Ramos, Paul Tazewell, Catherine Zuber, David Bengali, Heather Gilbert, Natasha Chivers, Jon Clark, Natasha Katz, Hannah Wasileski, Nick Schlieper, Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Sunset Boulevard, The Hills of California, The Roomate, Purpose, John Proctor is the Villain, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Good Night and Good Luck, Oh, Mary!, Yellow Face, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Buena Vista Social Club, Maybe Happy Ending, Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes Her, Boop! The Musical, Just in Time

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Burke Swanson visited Behind the Awards to give us the low down on his show Stranger Things: The First Shadow.  Burke shares his first hand experience in the creation of the magical theater experience and what it is like to step into the shoes of James Hopper Jr.

Also in this episode - Tony Nominated Sound Designer Dan Moses Schreier gives Behind the Awards a glimpse into what it takes to create the environment that is Floyd Collins at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center.

Burke made his Broadway debut, immediately following his graduation from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), when he originated the role of “Jack” in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo, which opened in October 2019. He most recently wrapped up the First National Tour of Back to the Future: The Musical where he starred as “George McFly”.  He is now returning to Broadway as James Hopper Jr in Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Tony Nominee Joy Woods stops by Behind the Awards to talk about playing Louise in Gypsy alongside Audra McDonald. Danny Burstein, and her Notebook co-star Jordan Tyson.  Joy shares her way into the title role through Director George C Wolfe’s stories during rehearsal and her meteoric rise from Little Shop to Six to being a Tony Nominee.

Also in this episode - Millie Shapiro and Keri Rene Fuller from Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse now running at The New Group join us to give listeners a looking into the show and their characters.

Joy Woods originated the role of Middle Allie in The Notebook on Broadway as well as at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and received The Joseph Jefferson Award for Performer in a Supporting Role – Musical for her performance. Previously, Woods made her Broadway debut as Catherine Parr in Six: The Musical. In 2023, Woods starred as Martha Mills in the Off-Broadway revival of I Can Get it For You Wholesale. The production won the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Woods made her Off-Broadway debut in 2019, originating the role of Chiffon in the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. She then returned to the show in 2023 as Audrey. Woods resides in New York and graduated from the AMDA College of the Performing Arts.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Tony Nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers joins behind the Awards to give a deep dive into Boop The Musical where she is making her Broadway Debut.  Jasmine also shares the process of working with Jerry Mitchell on the workshop and then into the out of town as well as working with David Foster.

Also in this episode - Octavia Spencer’s 2012 Oscar win for The Help

Jasmine, in her acclaimed Broadway debut, has earned nominations for the Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama League Awards, and Chita Rivera Awards — and winning a Theatre World Award. She originated the role of Betty Boop in the pre-Broadway Chicago run. Additional credits include Anita in Jelly’s Last Jam (Pasadena Playhouse), Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls (National Tour), Melody Green in The Wanderer (Paper Mill Playhouse), and Francis in Becoming Nancy (Alliance Theatre). A Jimmy Awards finalist, she studied musical theater at the Manhattan School of Music.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with Eila and Bruce:

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Eila & Bruce bring you the third installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Featured Actress in a Musical, Book of a Musical, Scenic Design of a Play, Best Revival of a Play, and Sound Design of a Musical

Natalie Venetia Belcon, Julia Knitel, Gracie Lawrence, Justina Machado, Joy Woods, Will Aronson, Hue Park, David Cumming Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, Zoe Roberts, Itamar Moses, Marco Pennette, Marco Ramirez, David Bergman, Marg Horwell, Miriam Buether, 59 Productions, Marsha Ginsberg, Rob Howell, Scott Pask, Jonathan Deans, Adam Fisher, Peter Hylenski, Dan Moses Schreier, Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, Just in Time, Real Women Have Curves, Gypsy, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat, Death Becomes Her, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, English, The Hills of California, Good Night and Good Luck, Sunset Boulevard, Floyd Collins, Eureka Day, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Romeo & Juliet, Yellow Face

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with Eila and Bruce:

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Death Becomes Her Writer Marco Pennette joins Behind the Awards to chat about making his Broadway Debut in this musical comedy.  From his TV work on such shows as Ugly Betty, Caroline in the City, and Kate & Allie to being Hal Prince’s intern Marco has stories for days including the touching relationship he had with Linda Lavin.  Death Becomes Her stated 8 years ago with the help of his friend Kristin Chenoweth. 

Also in this episode - Isabelle Sanford’s Emmy Win and a review of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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2 time Lortel Winner Francis Jue dropped by Behind the Awards to chat about his role in Yellow Face and working with David Henry Wong.  Francis shares his 20 year journey with the piece as well as storing in the tour of M Butterfly and The King and I at The MUNY.  Catch Yellow Face on PBS May 16th 2025.

Also in this episode - Lady Gaga’s 2019 Oscar win for Best Song Shallow from A Star is Born. Review of Pirates! A Penzance Musical.

Francis Jue earned Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards for the NYC debut of Yellow Face at the Public Theater. Broadway: Pacific Overtures, Thoroughly Modern Millie, M. Butterfly. Recent theatre credits include Cambodian Rock Band (Lortel Award), Twilight: Los Angeles 1992, Once Upon a Mattress, Babbitt, Good Enemy, Soft Power (Outer Critics Circle Award), Wild Goose Dreams (Obie Award). Film/TV includes Our Son, White Noise, Joyful Noise, Madam Secretary, New Amsterdam, Law & Order: SVU, Hightown.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with Eila and Bruce:

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Eila & Bruce bring you the second installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Featured Actress in a Play, Lighting Design of a Musical, Costume Design of a Play, Best Original Score and Director of a Play.

Tala Ashe, Jessica Hect, Marjan Neshat, Fina Strazza, Kara Young, Jack Knowles, Tyler Micoleau, Ben Stanton, Rudy Horne Sun, Scott Zielinski, Justin Townsend, Brenda, Abbandandolo, Marg Horwell, Rob Howell, Holly Pierson, Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Erik Della Penna, David Yazbeck, Noel Carey, Julia Mattison, Will Aronson, Hue Park, David Cumming, Natasha Hodgson, Zoe Roberts, Joy Huerta, Benjamin Valez, Knud Adams, Sam Mendes, Sam Pinkleton, Danya Taymor, Kip Williams, English, Eureka Day, John Proctor is the Villain, Purpose, Sunset Boulevard, Buena Vista Social Club, Maybe Happy Ending, Floyd Collins, Death Becomes Her, Good Night and Good Luck, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Hills of California, Oh Mary!, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Dead Outlaw, Operation Mincemeat, Real Women Have Curves.

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The cast of Operation Mincemeat joins Behind the Awards to do a deep dive of the musical from inception to Broadway.  David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone, and Zoe Roberts give us the behind the scenes secrets of the show.  Staring at The Fringe to Oliver Award winning run on the West End this show gives the audience a history lesson of World War II in the most physical comedy way possible. 

Also in this episode - Harriet Harris 2002 Tony Win for Thoroughly Modern Millie and a review of Just in Time starring Jonathan Groff.

The year is 1943 and right now we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.

Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II.

Bursting at the seams with the kind of chaos you couldn’t invent, the question is: how did a dead body, a fake love letter, and - of all people - Ian Fleming come together to wrong-foot Hitler?

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with Eila and Bruce:

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Natalie Venetia Belcon brings her Lortel Winning performance of Omara to the Schoenfeld Theater.  Buena Vista Social Club has the 2025 Broadway season a flurry and Behind the Awards gets the scoop for the star.  Natalie Venetia Belcon also is known for creating the role of Gary Coleman in the Tony Winning Avenue Q.

Also in this episode- Andrea Martin’s 1993 Tony win for My Favorite Year and Real Women Have Curves show stopping preview experience.

Natalie Venetia Belcon won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical for portraying the legendary Omara Portuondo in the one of a kind Buena Vista Social Club and to have been nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Broadway: Matilda (Mrs. Phelps), Avenue Q (original cast as Gary Coleman), Rent (Joanne). Off-Broadway: Ahrens and Flaherty’s The Glorious Ones at Lincoln Center. National Tour: Wicked (Madame Morrible). Regional: Ahrens and Flaherty’s new musical, Knoxville (adapted by Frank Galati) at AsoloRepertory Theatre, Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Belcon has had recurring and guest starring roles on a number of TV shows and featured roles in a few films.  PBS Great Performances: Play On!

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Connect with Eila and Bruce:

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