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Director David Staller joins Behind the Awards to chat about his current Off Broadway production of Pygmalion now playing at Theater Row. Staller, a noted Shaw expert enlightens us about Shaws humble beginnings and how Pygmalion evolved into the wildly popular My Fair Lady.
For Tickets - https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/bernard-shaws-pygmalion/?_gl=1*mozafk*_gcl_au*MTk0NzcyOTQ0OC4xNzYyOTYwNjI4
Also in this episode - Reunions Starring Celina Kennedy & Chip Zien. Jodie Foster,Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep at the Oscars.
David Staller is the founding artistic director of New York’s Gingold Theatrical Group, which produces the monthly juggernaut series, PROJECT SHAW, at Symphony Space, now in its 14th year. Created in 2006 to champion human rights and free speech using the work and humanitarian precepts of Shaw as its platform, GTG is the only organization to have produced performances of all of Shaw’s 65 plays, all directed by Staller. He has also directed full off-Broadway productions of HEARTBREAK HOUSE, MAN AND SUPERMAN, MAJOR BARBARA, YOU NEVER CAN TELL, and WIDOWERS’ HOUSES which were all filmed by the NY Library for Performing Arts archives at Lincoln Center. He oversees the annual Shaw New York Festival, which includes full productions, new play development workshops, seminars and symposiums, and educational programs. He has also produced and directed many plays and special events around the world and is frequently invited upon the international theatre and socio-political scene as a speaker about equal human rights and all things Shaw. He also teaches at SUNY Stony Brook and the Acting Shaw classes sponsored through GTG.
He has produced and directed many plays, concerts and special productions in New York and around the world, including (for the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences) the French National event at the Deauville Film Festival honoring the 50th anniversary of the D-Day Allied Invasion.
Through GTG, David has also helmed several educational programs, most notably at Baruch College and with inner-city teens at Lighthouse International. Currently, he is partnering with Prof. Andrew Flescher at SUNY Stony Brook teaching ‘Drama in English: George Bernard Shaw, Provocateur.’
He studied acting and directing with Stella Adler and Uta Hagen in New York, Lee Strasberg in Los Angeles, and at RADA in London. As a teenager, he was in the apprentice Joffrey Ballet Company in New York. He then joined the Rostropovich master ‘cello class at USC. While studying at USC, he became ‘script doctor’ for several film and television production companies. Coming back to New York, he returned to acting, appearing in three Broadway plays (EVITA, CABARET, and HELLO, DOLLY!), almost 50 off-Broadway plays, and many regional theatre productions. He was given a Drama League ‘distinguished performer’ citation for his performance in GASLIGHT at the Irish Repertory Theatre Company in New York. He has appeared in many television shows and commercials, particularly voice-overs. He has also had a successful career as a cabaret and concert headliner. He performed his one-man show, NOEL & COLE, at Carnegie Hall in 1993. During all of this, he continued writing and became a scriptwriter for Turner Entertainment. David is also a long-time member of The Actors Company Theatre in New York.
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 Laura Bell Bundy joins behind the awards to chat about her newest role as Romy White in Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion the Musical now playing at Stage 42. LBB gives us an in-depth look at re-creating iconic movie roles for the stage such as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Amber VonTussle in Hairspray. She also gets personal and discusses what it takes to balance her career and motherhood. LBB joins her Hairspray pals, Kerry Butler and Marissa Jaret Winokur on tour with their show Mamma I’m A Big Girl Now. Check the site below for dates near you - https://www.mamaimabiggirlnow.com/
Also in this episode - Director, Producer, Writer and Cultural Leader Roxanne Messina Captor talks about her work with Gavin Newsom and the California Arts Council. Plus she gives a teaser on two exciting upcoming projects.
Follow her projects at - https://roxannemessinacaptor.com/
Laura Bell Bundy is a Tony nominated Broadway actress and Billboard top 5 recording artist. Bundy made her debut at age 9 in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, since then she has originated the stage roles: Tina in Ruthless (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations), Amber in Broadway's Hairspray, most notably Elle Woods in Legally Blonde The Musical (Tony nomination) and Sylvia in Broadway's The Cottage. She also played Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. Bundy has appeared in or starred in numerous films and over 100 episodes of television including roles on Call Me Kat, The New Fairly Odd Parents, Perfect Harmony, How I Met Your Mother/Father, Hart of Dixie, American Gods, Anger Management, Good Behavior, Scream Queens, Documentary Now, Dream Girls, Jumanji and upcoming film Miracle on 74th Street. Bundy has recorded multiple albums as a Universal Music Group & Big Machine Label artist which garnered her a CMT nomination, and a Billboard Top Five Album. She was a Sony Publishing song-writer from 2009 to 2014, and has toured the world doing concerts of her original music opening for Rascal Flats, Blake Shelton, Dwight Yoakam, and others. Her latest album Women of Tomorrow released by ONErpm. When Laura Bell is not performing, she lives on her farm/vineyard in New Jersey with her animals. Her most favorite job is being Huck's mom. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & Tik Tok: @laurabellbundy
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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Matt Jones, star of Breaking Bad, Mom, Bob Hearts Abishola joins Behind the Awards to talk about his upcoming film Once More Like Rain Man. Listen to hear about the early days of Breaking Bad and his VoiceOver work with Nickelodeon and the video game Fantasy Fantasy.
For for about the film visit:
https://www.omlrmovie.com
https://oceanofentertainment.com/
Also in this episode - Bat Boy the Musical at NY City Center Encores
Matt Jones - Known for his portrayals of Brandon "Badger" Mayhew on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad, Baxter on the CBS sitcom Mom, and Ned Dorneget in NCIS. He stars as Douglas Wheeler on the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, and is also known for his voice roles as Gunther Magnuson in Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil (2010–2012), Hector Flanagan in Sanjay and Craig (2013–2016), Nuber in F Is for Family (2018–2020), Pig in Pig Goat Banana Cricket (2015–2018), and Wedge in the video game Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020).
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Claire-Marie Hall - Operation Claire-Marie
Claire-Marie Hall comes back to Behind the Awards solo this time to chat about her experience on the Operation Mincemeat train. From her teenage theater student start to starring in Les Miserables on The West End to Broadway Claire-Marie’s star rise has taken a path she least expected.
Also in this episode - Jack Nicholson & Robin Williams at The Critic Choice Awards. A Review of Liberation now playing on Broadway at The James Earl Jones.
Claire-Marie trained at Mountview Academy.
Further theatre credits include
Theatre: Jean Leslie in Operation Mincemeat (Southwark Playhouse & Riverside Studios), Cosette in Les Miserables (West End), U/S Dea in The Grinning Man (West End), Cynthia Houston/Mama Mega in Spies Are Forever – West End Concert (Tin Can Bros/Lambert Jackson), Gabriella Montez in High School Musical (Hammersmith Apollo & National Tour), Tuptim in The King & I (National Tour), Innkeeper’s Wife in The Wicker Husband (Watermill Theatre), The Colours (Soho Theatre), On Hostile Ground (Northampton Royal & Derngate), The Wonderful Storybook (Theatre Peckham), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Outdoor Tour, Scoot Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (Frinton Summer Theatre), The Sorrows Of Satan (Tristan Bates Theatre), Between Empires (St James’ Theatre & Edinburgh Festival) and Aladdin (First Family Entertainment, Jordan Productions & Hackney Empire)
Film and TV: Just Up Your Street and Aladdin (BBC Wales)
Radio: When The Dog Dies and My Brilliant Divorce (BBC Radio 4)
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jenny Anderson - Behind Her Candid Camera
Photographer Jenny Anderson stops by Behind the Awards to discuss her new book The In-Between: Intimate and Candid Moments of Broadway Stars. With a forward by Ariana DeBose this book is a must have for theater fans. Jenny also shares how a hobby turned into a career; from working at Broadway.com as photo editor to her own freelance work. Jenny photographed such stars as Glenn Close, Sara Bareilles, Gavin Creel, Myles Frost and so many more.
Also in this episode - The 89th Academy Awards. The Oscar mix up where Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway announced La La Land as Best Picture instead of Moonlight.
Jenny Anderson is a Mississippi native and Ole Miss Alum who has lived and worked as a photographer in New York City for the last eighteen years. For six years, she served as the photo editor for Broadway.com and is currently a contributing photographer for ABC/Disney Television, and Getty Images. Her work covering the Broadway community-from rehearsals and show openings to editorial work and the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards with some of the stage's biggest stars-has been featured in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Town & Country, InStyle, People, and other global publications.
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stage, Screen and Film star Elizabeth Marvel joins Behind the Awards to discuss her brand new play And Then We Were No More at LaMaMa. From House of Cards to Homeland to Fargo Elizabeth is no stranger to roles with stature. Look for Elizabeth in the upcoming film The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shed.
Also in this episode - Paul McCrane’s 2011 Emmy win and his roles on Fame and ER.
ELIZABETH MARVEL Broadway: King Lear, Picnic, Top Girls (Drama League Award), Taking Sides, Edward Albee’s Seascape, An American Daughter, The Seagull, Other Desert Cities (Drama League nom). Off-Broadway: Five Models in Ruins, Sabbath’s Theater; Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Drama League, Lortel noms); Julius Caesar (Drama League nom); The Little Foxes (Drama League, Lortel nom); Obie awards for Hedda Gabler, A Streetcar Named Desire, Thérèse Raquin and Misalliance; Fifty Words (Drama Desk nom); Troilus and Cressida. Regional: American Rep., Stratford Theatre Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival. TV: “Presumed Innocent,” “Mrs. Davis”; ” Love & Death,” “The Dropout,” “Unbelievable,” “Homeland,” “House of Cards,” “Law Order: SVU.” Film: G20, The Color Purple, News of the World, The Meyerowitz Stories, The Land of Steady Habits, The Bourne Legacy, Lincoln, and the upcoming Untitled Steven Spielberg Film. Training: Juilliard.
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Star of TV’s Will Trent and Broadway’s A Strange Loop comes back to Behind the Awards to chat about his splash into TV and his dreams for the future.
Also in this episode - Kieran Culkin’s 2025 Oscar win for A Real Pain
Antwayn Hopper is a two-time Obie Award-winning actor, singer, and performer known for his work in stage, film, and television. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, Hopper was part of the original cast of the Tony Award-winning A Strange Loop (#6, Inwood Daddy) with NY Times' praising his powerful performance and was nominated for a 2024 Audelco Award for his portrayal of Macavity in CATS: The Jellicle Ball (PAC). In 2023, he was honored with the Edie Windsor LGBT Trailblazer Award. Other notable highlights: Memphis in Billy Porter's The Life at New York City Center, which earned a spot in The New York Times '23 Unforgettable Theater Moments of 2022'. In 2024, he was invited by Elvis Costello to perform in A Face In The Crowd at The Gramercy, receiving rave reviews from SPIN Magazine. Hopper's film credits include A Thousand and One (2023 Sundance Grand Jury Prize), with Teyana Taylor. On TV, he appeared as Woodson (recurring) Andre Holland's Asst. in THE KNICK (Cinemax). Last Season, Antwayn played Hakim Saran, the Season's Villain-for FBI(CBS). Currently, he stars as Rafael Wexford on WILL TRENT (ABC).
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Behind the Awards welcomes back T.R. Knight to deep drive Victor Creel, the magic that goes into creating Stranger Things on Broadway and the struggles with being the father of a demon. T.R. also discusses his beloved roll of George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy.
Also in this episode - Lucille Ball at the 25th Emmy Awards & Wicked For Good Trailer.
T.R. Knight’s Broadway credits include A Life in the Theatre, It’s Only A Play, Noises Off and Tartuffe. Off-Broadway credits include The Merchant of Venice, Pocatello, Romeo and Juliet, and Scattergood, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination. Other theater credits include Parade at the Mark Taper and Amadeus at the Guthrie. His television credits include The Flight Attendant Genius: Picasso, Genius: Einstein, Stephen King’s 11.22.63, and The Comey Rule. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Grey’s Anatomy. Film credits include 42 and Forge.
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Choreographer Dominique Kelley chats with Behind the Awards about his hit Broadway Debut with Great Gatsby which is now playing around the world and is a viral sensation. Dominique discusses Dancing with Stars, working with Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher and Beyonce as well as being the youngest dancer at 15 on the tour of Bring in da Noise Bring in da Funk with George C Wolfe.
Also in this episode - Trammel Tillman’s 2025 Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Severance, plus Eila & Bruce chat about the 2025 Emmy Awards.
Dominique Kelley, originally from Bridgeport, CT, is a powerhouse choreographer in the world of musical theater, television, live performance, sports entertainment and beyond, boasting 30+ years of industry experience. An avid tap dancer and percussionist, Dominique tries to fuse rhythm patterns with classical movement to create a visual and aural experience in many contrasting genres of dance movement.'
"Black and Blue" was his first Broadway tour at age 13, and then “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk national tour at 15, and ever since he has had a love of performing, choreographing, and movement coaching. At the ripe old age of 16, he co-choreographed his first musical named “Wild Women Blues” in Germany starring the incomparable, Linda Hopkins. This two-time Henry Award and two-time Broadway World Award winner later choreographed the illustrious Oklahoma! (DCPA), the world premiere of “Rattlesnake Kate” (DCPA), “Indecent” (DCPA) , “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert”(ZACH), “Singin’ in The Rain”(ZACH), “Ain’t Misbehavin” (ERT) (Rubicon) and “Sophisticated Ladies”(ZACH).
Taking his love of musical theater and commercial dance, he has also created movement for movies such as Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, “Jump The Broom”, and “Gone With the Bullets”, China’s first ever 3D blockbuster film. He has also done movement coaching for such icons as Meryl Streep, Jennifer Holiday, Joaquin Phoenix, Serena Williams, Queen Latifah, Ne-Yo, Stephanie Mills, and Chris Martin.
“Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special”, “Dancing with the Stars”, “So You Think You Can Dance”, “Perry Mason”, “Come Dance with Me”, “Alter Ego”, “I Can See Your Voice”, “Flirty Dancing”, “The Masked Singer”, “American Music Awards” and “Bar Rescue” are a few of the television shows he has lent his artistic talents to.
No stranger to stage and live performance, he has collaborated with recording artists such as Beyonce’, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, P!nk, Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani, Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs, Miley Cyrus, Frank Ocean, Nelly, Cee Lo Green, B.o.B, and Flo Rida,. Not leaving out sports entertainment, he has choreographed for the NFL’s Pro Bowl Game for 16 years and has been one of the main choreographers for such sports teams as the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angles Chargers, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, New York City Knicks, Boston Celtics, LA Clippers, and various cheer and dance teams around the country. Dominique’s goal and endeavor is to bring movement and dance artistry to every facet of the entertainment industry.
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Broadway & TV Star Donald Webber Jr. joins Behind the Awards on heels of closing Glengarry Glenross in which he starred with Bob Odenkirk, Kieran Culkin, Bill Burr and Michael McKean. This past season he also starred in Our Town and appeared on the Apple TV show Severance. He also tells us about how a random “what are you doing this weekend” from his friend Leslie Odom Jr led him to Berry Gordy’s house and Motown the Musical.
Also in this episode - Cristin Milioti’s 2025 Emmy win for Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie for The Penguin and a review of Punch.
DONALD WEBBER JR. Broadway: Our Town as ‘Simon Stimson’, Purlie Victorious, Hamilton, Motown: the Musical (OBC), and Holler If Ya Hear Me (OBC). TV/Film: “Severance” (2 Seasons on AppleTV+), “The Punisher” (Netflix), “The WIZ: Live!” (NBC), “Da Bronx U.S.A.” (Music in Media Nomination & Oscar ‘Best Song’ shortlist), “Killing Me Softly With His Song” (Music in Media Nomination). OTHER STAGE CREDITS: The Preacher’s Wife (Alliance Theatre), Children of Eden (Lincoln Center; Manhattan Concert Productions), the National Tour of Hamilton (‘Aaron Burr’), Jersey Boys, Born For This, Renascence, Whorl Inside A Loop, Bella: An American Tall Tale. University of Southern California, BFA Acting.
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:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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