Telling stories in the theater is evolving. There are intimacy coordinators and EDI consultants like me. But the real change is happening by the real people having real conversations and real growth with each other in real time. These productions aren’t just opportunities for the audience to grow and gain a different perspective—we, as actors, get to do this as well! And when I collaborated with Carlee Fallon and Carolyn Saxon, I just knew I wanted to be able to share their story. Today I’m talking with these two amazing women about all things inclusion, the theater, and bravely having those uncomfortable conversations to grow as humans. I know you’ll love these two—so please, enjoy the show!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://inclusivestages.com/post/transitioning-type-casting-learning-from-each-other-offstage

Connect with Carlee:
Instagram

Connect with Carolyn:
Lyric Stage
Greater Boston Stage
Facebook

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Creating inclusive spaces in rehearsal rooms is just one piece of the puzzle. But it has a huge ripple effect! Who wouldn’t want to feel heard, seen, and valued, right? (And this doesn’t just go for the actors, friends…) Part of my mission with this podcast is to share what I’ve learned—and continue to learn—on my journey as an EDI consultant. So today, I’m walking you through my CULTURE Roadmap. This roadmap helps establish the culture of the rehearsal and performance spaces for every single show I work with. I hope you find this helpful and I cannot wait to connect after the show!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://www.inclusivestages.com/post/how-to-create-an-inclusive-rehearsal-room-culture

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Disability representation in theater is still a misunderstood and even avoided topic. But I’m hoping to change that with today’s conversation. Meet Brennan Srisirikul, a talented disabled actor, producer, and advocate! We bonded over coffee and the fact that, while progress has been made when it comes to disability and theater, there’s still work to do. We discuss everything from how we can tell disabled stories better, auditioning as a disabled person, and how to navigate the topic of disability with kindness. In this vulnerable interview, Brennan makes a beautiful point—disability breeds so much creativity. I know you’re going to love Brennan and this interview, so please—press play and enjoy the show!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://www.inclusivestages.com/post/beyond-accessibility-disability-representation-in-theater-with-brennan-srisirikul

Connect with Brennan:
Website
TikTok
Twitter/X

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Being a “consent-forward artist” or birthing a “care-forward creative space” sounds lovely, but it’s a BIG job. The theater industry has historically had a “just push through” mentality. Thankfully, we’ve seen that begin to shift in the last few years, but not without some damage being done. Leigh Barrett is a beloved Boston-based actor, singer, and director, and she knows all too well the labor of changing what leadership looks like. In this episode, Leigh and I discuss how we (as actors, directors, and theater lovers) can bring more connection and conversation to a production—or even simply bring balance into our own lives. Leigh and I get into all this and more. Press play and enjoy the show!

In this episode, you will:

1. Discover how Leigh has taken her experiences as an actor and used them to be an incredible leader and director.
2. Uncover the freedom Leigh discovered in being her FULL, authentic self!
3. Learn what it’s like to balance being a mother and an actor.

Full show notes here!

Mentioned Resources
The Last Five Years

Connect with Leigh:
Website

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

How often do you get asked about your lived experiences? All those moments added up to create the person you are today, yet not all of us are fortunate enough to have people in our world willing to ask questions and listen to what we have to share. But Aaron Michael Ray saw a way to encourage, facilitate, and help all of us heal from conversations just like that.

I’m so excited to bring you this interview with my friend Aaron. He’s just coming off of the Come From Away Tour, which much of our conversation centers around. It was a call with that entire production that initially sparked the Conversations From Away podcast. The podcast was created to highlight the theater industry's social injustices and bring people together to fight for necessary change. Please enjoy this conversation with Aaron Michael Ray, and stay until the end to see where you can see him on stage next!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://inclusivestages.com/post/tour-life-edi-conversations-with-aaron-michael-ray

Connect with Aaron:
Conversations From Away Podcast
A Strange Loop
A Wonderful World

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

In order to tell a story, we need all aspects of the story. And that includes the difficult and tricky parts, the villains, the hurt. This conversation is real. It’s raw. It’s incredibly vulnerable. I’m joined by Victoria Omeregie and Jon Vellante in this first roundtable episode. I can’t think of two better actors for this conversation. I had the pleasure of working with them for Fairview at Speakeasy Stage in Boston. I hope you’ll join us as we discuss what it takes both on stage—but, more importantly, what it takes off-stage from the human being performing these really tough roles. (Spoiler alert: you will hear us share details about Fairview!)

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://www.inclusivestages.com/post/Setting-boundaries-in-the-theater

Connect with Victoria:
Website
Fat Ham at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta

Connect with Jon:
Website
Instagram

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Welcome to my first solo podcast episode! I’m discussing DEI work gone wrong and why I prefer to say EDI work. Words matter and there’s a very subtle difference between the two acronyms. I’ll share about the unique considerations for EDI work for the arts. But this episode is mostly focused on the 5 signs of bad DEI work we should all be aware of and my 5 commitments to you for the work we’re going to do with this podcast. What is DEI and EDI work truly about? What do shame, guilt, and vulnerability have to do with this? Why does bad DEI work simply not work? And what can we do about it? 

I’ll be sharing all this and more in this episode! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to find me after the show!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://inclusivestages.com/post/dangers-of-dei-work-gone-wrong

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Have you ever stopped to think about the people—the actual humans—whose bodies are telling stories on stage? Or about the history of musical theater? How about the implicit bias that goes into what we see on stage? When I began doing EDI work for theater and the arts, I couldn’t find many resources about the topic of inclusion and Broadway musicals. That is… until I found the book called Broadway Bodies: A Critical History of Conformity. 

You’ll meet author, dancer, and scholar Ryan Donovan in this episode. In this thoughtful conversation, we discussed some of our favorite shows and performers, the kinds of discrimination performers face in the industry, and what’s still left to be realized on stage. I know you're going to love this conversation, whether you're a theater artist, audience member, or just interested in learning more about the history of Broadway. But actors—I think you’ll feel very very seen in this conversation.

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://inclusivestages.com/post/broadway-bodies-industry-bias-and-dreamgirls-with-ryan-donovan

Connect with Ryan:
Website

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Being a multiracial actor is a unique experience. You feel pulled in several directions quite often and don’t always see a spot for someone like you on the screen or stage. I’m so grateful to have Corbin Bleu joining me for this conversation about this very topic! Not only am I a fan, we recently had the chance to work together on the world premiere of Summer Stock at the Goodspeed Opera House. Corbin shares so many great insights for actors, and specific advice for taking care of yourself while being part of this wild industry. I know you'll love everything he has to say, so without further ado, let’s get to the show!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://www.inclusivestages.com/post/the-power-of-support-color-conscious-storytelling-with-corbin-bleu

Connect with Corbin:
Instagram
TikTok

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.

Other industries have people who can help employees and employers navigate conflict or difficult conversations, so why doesn’t the theater industry? Inclusion consultants (or EDI consultants) aren’t new, but it’s a newer role in theaters and the arts. Today, I’m sharing more about my work in this industry, how I got here, and what I’m doing to further this work and help even more people! Inclusive Stages isn’t just the name of this podcast—it’s a brand, a framework, and a movement. And it’s here to be the help we’ve needed for so long in performance and rehearsal spaces. Together, we’re going to change the industry—one stage at a time!

Grab the links and mentioned resources at

https://www.inclusivestages.com/post/inclusion-consultants-why-every-show-needs-one

Connect with Kira:
@kiratroilo
@artandsoulconsulting
@inclusivestages
"'Black Hair'" Is Hair: An Entertainment Industry Guide
Website
Become a Patron
Join our mailing list - scroll to the bottom of the page


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.