Going For Broadway Podcast

In this episode of Going for Broadway, Eryn is joined by the award-winning, Dr. Roy Fluhrer. Dr. Fluhrer was born into theater, sleeping in a theater trunk as a baby while his parents performed. He is currently the director of the Greenville County School District’s Fine Arts Center, has worked as the artistic director of the Toledo Repertoire Theater, vice chancellor of the North Carolina School for the Arts, and chairman of the theater department at the University of Idaho. Even though he grew up in the theater, his love for theater didn’t shine through until the age of 13, when he was forced by his mother to attend a performance of Henry VIII.

Dr. Fluhrer talks about his work at the Fine Arts Center and their mission of encouraging talented students to pursue their path through the fine arts. He shares what he looks for in an audition and how he can tell whether it’s a good fit after the first 10 seconds. Eryn and Dr. Fluhrer discuss child actors on stage and different aspects of young acting.

Dr. Fluhrer explains his philosophy of failure being a learning opportunity. He adds great advice and insights about pursuing your career in areas of your strengths or weaknesses and nurturing your abilities. Dr. Fluhrer discusses different methods used in the fine arts, and being able to use and understand the method appropriately. Eryn and Dr. Fluhrer wrap up with focusing and being willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.

On this Going for Broadway Episode, Eryn is joined with Chante Carmel. Currently in Motown the Musical on tour, Chante talks about all of her experience and journeys leading up to today. Chante has always had a passion for music and would tour with her dad’s choir at a very young age. Once she got the taste for touring and traveling the world, she never looked back.

She has continued to do a couple more national tours such as Rent, and talked about her path that led her into this show. Eryn and Chante also talk about her time working and performing on the Disney Cruiseline. She says that her transition into the film world was tough but she has found a way to balance out her busy work life and be prepared for everything that she does.

Chante finishes by saying that even though this acting business is hard, you must always hold on to your belief, fate, and what you want. She tells parents to never stop supporting their child and their dream as her parents have done to her.

Eryn talks with Adam Jacobs on this episode today. Eryn recently saw Adam in Aladdin on Broadway, and was thrilled to discuss with him what paths brought him all of his success today. He got the acting bug in high school and had many mentors that encouraged him to go on with his career and interest in the arts. He knew for sure when he felt the encouragement and the applause from the audience that this was what he wanted to do.

Adam goes through his training at university, his learning experiences in summer programs, and how this work as brought him his success today. He goes into the lifestyle of touring nationally with Les Mis, as well as his work on Broadway. He explains the differences of rehearsing and learning a show that has been running and is very established already, such as Lion King, versus being in the original cast of a production.

To wrap up the show, Adam talks about how the actor must tap into the magical part of himself to stay positive and keep on working. He tells parents not to be too worried and how the skills they can develop in college can be a great base and be transferred into any other career.

On this Going for Broadway episode, Eryn has one of her fellow actors join her, Evan Harris. Evan has been acting locally since 1995 and has worked with The Greenville Little Theatre, Centre Stage, The South Carolina Children’s Theatre, The Warehouse Theatre and the Upstate Shakespeare Festival. He has studied acting with The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC and is a member of the Laughing Stock Improv Group.

Evan and Eryn discuss his comedic nature and how it is what sticks with him always. He mentions that one should know what their type is and what would work for you to audition for, as well as taking a shot at what may not be your strongest niche to help you grow and expand.

Alongside balancing out his work life and doing community theatre, Evan has his own podcast and works as a writer and an actor on multiple web or YouTube series.

Evan’s big word of advice to aspiring actors is to always continue to learn, get new material, and work to get better every day. He emphasizes that people should always be easy to work with in order to keep on working.

On this episode of Going for Broadway, Eryn talks with Darius Wright about his journey towards going on tour with Matilda currently.

Growing up, Darius never really knew that working in musical theatre was an actually thing. But as he goes through college with the help of some colleagues, he was able to figure out his dream. Darius talks about his training at Oklahoma City University and performing at regional theatres.

Eryn and Darius talk a lot about how he was able to be on the tour of Matilda and what it is like touring nationally with a show. He goes through the audition and call back processes he went through and how he was able to land the role in the ensemble as well as cover for Michael Wormwood and the Escape Artist.

The show concludes talking about the ways Darius continues to train and discover as he goes on to working in different aspects of the performance arts in the future. He thinks that actors should accept the way that they are as a person both physically and mentally and being patient for the right role to come.

On episode 1 of Going for Broadway, Eryn is joined by long-time friend and fellow actor, Brian C. Coker. Brian has been acting since his teenage years, and is well-known in the upstate South Carolina community theaters, and even starred in Eryn’s first play with her. He loves to make people laugh, especially kids, but theater is his first love. Brian’s dream of acting began after watching The Carol Burnett Show as a kid, and was inspired by Tim Conway’s power to make his costars laugh. He didn’t study acting, with the exception of a class his 8th grade teacher recommended, but has 20 years of experience that has shaped his career.

Brian shares his opinion on whether his improv-style sense of humor can be learned and lists the key players that inspired his style. He demos some of his character voices and discusses his start in mimicking. Brian shares his insights on always learning and growing and how he enjoys watching new talent perform on stage. He also talks about his most recent on-stage roll in Into The Woods.

The show wraps up with Brian discussing his love for the stage as he provides insightful tips and advice for stage and film acting. Brian tells aspiring actors to keep taking chances and learning from their mistakes, and gives parents a push to be the loving and encouraging parents that young actors need.