Live with Rye-The Podcast!

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast! 

I am thrilled you are listening! Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts, as it helps support this show and contribute to its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 18 - Jeffrey Seller,The Lead Producer of HAMILTON and RENT, On Writing His New Memoir "Theater Kid" and Why It's The Book We All Need In Our  Life! 

Oh, and Jeffrey is the man who also invented the "Broadway Lottery System" we know and love too! 

What was it like writing a memoir of your life and taking "center stage" when you're known for putting others "center stage" as the producer?  How do you become a producer today? Which Broadway heroes provided their voices for Jeffrey's audiobook?  

We dig into all of it and more in this episode, so take a listen!

**This was a bucket list interview to talk to the legendary Jeffrey Seller, the man who brought us Jonathan Larson's RENT, a musical that changed all of our lives. ** I've been following him for years, and as I've started my journey in producing, Jeffrey Seller has been a major inspiration. I'm not lying when I say i DEVOURED this book and I am sure you will too! Every musical theater nerd, fan, or professional will LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! ** 

ABOUT THEATER KID:   

A coming-of-age tale from one of the most successful American producers of our time, Jeffrey Seller, who is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent.

ABOUT JEFFREY SELLER: 

Jeffrey Seller is one of the most successful American producers of our time. He produced the Tony Award–winning musicals Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, and Hamilton. His shows have garnered twenty-two Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical, and his Broadway productions and tours have grossed over $4.6 billion and reached more than 43 million attendees. Jeffrey is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. He also revolutionized theater accessibility with the $20 ticket lottery for Rent, making theater affordable for all.

To purchase "THEATER KID," visit https://www.jeffreyseller.com or visit your local bookstore. You can also purchase it here in NYC at The Drama Book Shop too.   

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WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast! 

I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 17 - Chris Collins-Pisano and Nicole Vanessa Ortiz Talk Starring in This New Version of Forbidden Broadway- Merrily We Stole A Song 

What's it like starring in the most popular spoof musical of all time that has been running since the 70's? I chat with Chris and Nicole about this experience. Chris was in the 2020 version and Nicole is new to the Forbidden Broadway family. What is their favorite song? What do they do backstage? How did the audience react? 

We dig into all of it! 

ABOUT FORBIDDEN BROADWAY- 

Broadway's loyal opposition, Gerard Alessandrini, returns with a new edition of his beloved satirical revue Forbidden Broadway, which has ribbed the Great White Way since 1982. 

Among the targets this time are Hell’s Kitchen, Stereophonic, The Outsiders, The Great Gatsby, Back to the Future, The Wiz, and Merrily We Roll Along. You can also expect sendups of Roger Bart, Patti LuPone, Daniel Radcliffe, Ariana DeBose, Jeremy Jordan, and the 2024 Tony Awards® as well as selections from the recent hit, Forbidden Sondheim. 

It's never been more fun poking fun at your favorite musicals and stars! A New York sensation for over 40 years, a talented quartet of comic chameleons throw out pointed parodies at a dizzying pace.

Whether you are a seasoned theatre-goer or new to it all, the Tony Award® winning Forbidden Broadway is your one-stop ticket to non-stop laughs: a hip and fresh view of theatre's tried and true that will leave you begging for more! 

Forbidden Broadway is the recipient of a Special Tony Award®, an Obie Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Off Broadway Musical!

“THERE’S NO BROADWAY LIKE
   ‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY’!”
— Entertainment Weekly
 

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WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast! 

I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 16 - WILL NUNZIATA, Director of Off-Broadway's  White Rose, New Musical Figaro, and Creative Extraordinaire  

ABOUT WILL NUNZIATA

WILL NUNZIATA is a NYC-based award-winning director, writer, and creator of theatre, concert, television, and film. Film: The Old Guitarist (Writer, Director). Awards: London Movie Awards (Best Short Film, Best Director), New York Movie Awards (Best First Time Director of a Short), Paris Film Awards (Best First Time Director of a Short), among others.. Screenplay: Lillith (Winner of Best Original Screenplay, 2023 Hollywood Blood Horror Festival and Winner of Best Horror Screenplay, 2024 New York Screenplay Competition). Theatre: Figaro: An Original Musical (Director, Co-Book Writer - West End 2025), White Rose: The Musical (Director - off-Broadway 2024, West End 2025), An Entirely Ordinary Town: A New Musical (Director), Faygele: A New Play (Director), By The End Of Tonight (Director), Little Black Book: A New Musical (Co-Creator). Miss Peggy Lee (Director, Writer, Co-Conceiver) starring Tony Award winner Cady Huffman. Award: Broadway World Best Director. Concerts: Will has written and directed shows for Tony Award winner Lillias White, Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho, Grammy Award nominee Clint Holmes, to name a few. For twenty years Will performed professionally, singing across the country and around the world with his twin brother, singer-songwriter Anthony Nunziata, culminating in co-headlining Carnegie Hall with the NY Pops Symphony Orchestra. Will is a proud graduate of Boston College and member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Union.. For more, please visit www.WillNunziata.com and @willnunzofficial on Instagram.

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

✨Website: www.RyeMyers.com 

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👉Youtube: @rye_myers

👉TikTok: @rye_myers 

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast! 

I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 15 - MARC SUMMERS, Host of Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" and Food Network's "Unwrapped", On His New One Man Show "The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers" at New World Stages.  

ABOUT MARC SUMMERS

With one of the most diverse and eclectic careers in the entertainment industry, Marc is probably best known for putting Nickelodeon on the map as the host of “Double Dare.” He also hosted “What Would You Do?” as well as the first live special on Nickelodeon launching the Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando, Florida. Marc has hosted two talk shows on Lifetime, “History IQ” on The History Channel, as well as “Unwrapped,” one of the longest-running shows on Food Network. He was the original host of Next Food Network Star” when Guy Fieri won, and he has also covered many news stories while appearing as a regular on ABC’s “Home Show.”

Marc was the Executive Producer of both “Dinner Impossible” and “Restaurant Impossible,” as well as a shark special on Discovery. He is also a frequent guest on “Guy’s Grocery Games” and has been in several episodes of “Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives.” Marc has appeared on OPRAH three times, with Howard Stern twice, and in a classic episode of “The Tonight Show” with guest Burt Reynolds. Google it – It is all spontaneous!

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

✨Website: www.RyeMyers.com 

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WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast. I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 14 - #TBT Episode with Special Guest ADRIENNE WALKER

 Unless otherwise noted, this interview is a throwback with some of the best and brightest in the Broadway & Entertainment industry who I chatted with virtually on my virtual talk show series "Live with Rye!". Some events, dates, places, and things discussed may have already happened. 

ABOUT ADRIENNE WALKER:

From Adrienne: I’m an actor and vocalist based in New York, NY. A native of Jonesboro, GA, a suburb outside of Atlanta. I grew up singing in church and school choirs realized I loved performing and so I decided to make a career out of it - in opera. I received my undergraduate degree in vocal performance at the historic Spelman College in Atlanta, GA and my masters of the same at The Chicago Conservatory of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. However, upon completing my graduate degree I changed course and started a career in musical theatre.

My life changed when I relocated to New York in 2016 for my Broadway debut starring as Nala in Disney’s The Lion King. I took a brief hiatus from The Lion King to play the role of Hattie in Roundabout Theatre’s Broadway revival of Kiss Me Kate alongside Tony nominated Kelli O’Hara and Disney’s High School Musical star Corbin Bleu.

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

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You can watch this and all the other #TBT episodes on YouTube by clicking here!

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast. I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 13 - #TBT Episode with Special Guest YANNICK BISSON

 Unless otherwise noted, this interview is a throwback with some of the best and brightest in the Broadway & Entertainment industry who I chatted with virtually on my virtual talk show series "Live with Rye!". Some events, dates, places, and things discussed may have already happened. 

ABOUT YANNICK BISSON:

Yannick Bisson was born on May 16, 1969 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He is an actor and producer, known for Murdoch Mysteries (2008), Anything for Jackson (2020) and Year by the Sea (2016). He has been married to Chantal Craig since May 26, 1990. 

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

✨Website: www.RyeMyers.com 

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👉Youtube: @rye_myers

👉TikTok: @rye_myers 

You can watch this and all the other #TBT episodes on YouTube by clicking here!

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast. I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 12 - #TBT Episode with Special Guest DREW SEELEY

 Unless otherwise noted, this interview is a throwback with some of the best and brightest in the Broadway & Entertainment industry who I chatted with virtually on my virtual talk show series "Live with Rye!". Some events, dates, places, and things discussed may have already happened. 

ABOUT DREW SEELEY:

Drew Seeley began his journey performing at age 11, when he joined the ensemble of Harold Prince's Showboat revival in Toronto. Twenty years later, he closed Jersey Boys on Broadway as the final 'Bob Gaudio.' Other credits include Broadway's The Little Mermaid as 'Prince Eric,' the North & South American tours of High School Musical: The Concert as 'Troy Bolton,' and Another Cinderella Story, starring as 'Joey Parker' opposite Selena Gomez. Other film and television credits include Glory Daze, Lovestruck: The Musical, Shooter, One Tree Hill, The Closer, The Suite Life, Freshman Father, Lethal Admirer and Christmas By The Book.As a songwriter, Drew has written and performed on 10+ Disney soundtracks, penned singles for artists from Demark to South Korea, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for co-writing 6X platinum High School Musical's 'Getcha Head in the Game.' His albums 'The Resolution' and 'DownTime' are available on Spotify and through his website, www.DrewSeeley.comDrew lives in sunny California with his dog, Astro, and his amazing wife, actress Amy Paffrath!

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

✨Website: www.RyeMyers.com 

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You can watch this and all the other #TBT episodes on YouTube by clicking here!

TBT EPISODE: Interview with Broadway Star ETHAN SLATER

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast. I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 11 - #TBT Episode with Special Guest ETHAN SLATER

 Unless otherwise noted, this interview is a throwback with some of the best and brightest in the Broadway & Entertainment industry who I chatted with virtually on my virtual talk show series "Live with Rye!". Some events, dates, places, and things discussed may have already happened. 

ABOUT ETHAN SLATER:

Ethan is an actor and a writer. He recently starred as SpongeBob in The SpongeBob Musical on Broadway (and now on Paramount Plus!), for which he won Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, TheaterWorld Awards (and more) and earned a Tony Nomination. You can also see him on TV in things like Fosse/Verdon, Murphy Brown, Law and Order: SVU and more. As a writer, he has a number of things in development including the musical Edge of the World written with Nick Blaemire (the concept album starring Norbert Leo Butz, Lilli Cooper and Ethan is available wherever you listen to music), the upcoming films the Interveners (with Nadja Leonhard-Hooper), Silent Mode (with Marshall Pailet), and more. You can check out more of his music on Spotify or wherever you listen. 

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

✨Website: www.RyeMyers.com 

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You can watch this and all the other #TBT episodes on YouTube by clicking here!

I am giving you everything you need to know about my experience at the SMASH open rehearsal I attended today! I was one of the lucky few selected through the free lottery to see the open rehearsal of "SMASH" at Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. 

I am breaking down my favorite moments, what songs are in the show, which ones didn't make the cut, what changes have been made, and SO much more! 

Be sure to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and leave a 5 STAR rating and review. 

Keep up with me on social media @rye_myers and at www.RyeMyers.com

WELCOME to Live with Rye! - The Podcast. I am thrilled you are listening! Make sure to LEAVE A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RATING & REVIEW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to support this show and helps in its growth.  I appreciate the support more than you know. 😉

Season 2: Ep. 10- #TBT Interview with JIM MCCARTHY CEO of Goldstar and Stellar 

 Unless otherwise noted, this interview is a throwback with some of the best and brightest in the Broadway & Entertainment industry who I chatted with virtually on my virtual talk show series "Live with Rye!". Some events, dates, places, and things discussed may have already happened.

ABOUT JIM MCCARTHY :

ABOUT JIM MCCARTHY: Jim McCarthy is the Co-Founder and CEO of Goldstar and the Co-Founder of Stellar. More than 10 million people go to Goldstar to discover live events nationwide. For nearly 20 years, Goldstar has been an essential marketing tool for 5,000 live entertainment organizers looking to find new audiences, increase revenue and sell out shows. When the COVID-19 crisis shut down the live entertainment industry in March 2020, Jim led the charge to develop Stellar, the first-ever Total Show Management System (TSM) to help producers create and sell high quality-live streaming events. In August 2020, Stellar started welcoming creators and audiences in beta. An e-commerce veteran, Jim has spent his entire career in high-growth businesses and freely shares his knowledge and insight with others.

He's the editor and main contributor to SellingOut.com, a website for live entertainment and arts marketers. He's the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway, the sold-out annual event dedicated to the question: What's the Best Broadway Can Be? He's spoken at conferences all over the world, including TED, SXSW, INTIX and more. His articles have been in Forbes, Fast Company and Business Insider. About Jim, Bob Lefsetz has said, "Jim McCarthy is smart, he'd win in any world, not only via his brain, but his hard work and dedication."

He's the organizer of the Pasadena Entrepreneurs' MasterMind Meetup, which Pasadena Business Now noted, "Jim McCarthy, CEO of Goldstar, discussed his personal philosophy of business and leadership. His stories of humanity and giving brought tears to many eyes and motivated all to do more for more. It was clear to all why Jim's MasterMind groups have a many-month waiting list to learn from him and his vision and insight." Jim is a very active member on the Board of Directors of the Pasadena Playhouse. He studied English at Harvard University and received an MBA at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Jim has a black belt in Northern Eagle Claw Kung Fu. And, he hosts a very popular podcast dedicated to his pursuit of great whiskey.

Follow Jim McCarthy on Twitter at https://www.Twitter.com/goldstarjim

✨ If you got value from this podcast, please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast and leave a review! It helps with the podcast grow!  ✨

Keep up with me and follow along with me below:

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