The Art of Kindness: Pop Culture & Positivity with Robert Peterpaul

Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss the challenges of vulnerability in today's world, acts of kindness from Jennifer Lawrence on the set of No Hard Feelings, giving yourself grace as an artist and much more.

Celebrated stage and screen actress Laura Benanti burst onto the scene at 18-years-old with a captivating performance as Maria in "The Sound of Music," on Broadway. Her talent was undeniable, setting the stage for a remarkable career. About a year after do-re-mi-ing... she earned a Tony Award nomination for her role in Swing! on Broadway. From there flowed a cascade of phenomenal performances and glittering awards, racking up 5 Tony noms total. She notably won the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Tony Award in 2008 for a revelatory portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee opposite Patti LuPone's Mama Rose in Stephen Sondheim's Gypsy. Other Broadway highlights include: her acclaimed starring role in of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; originating the role of Julia in The Wedding Singer, starring opposite Antonio Banderas in Nine, and her acclaimed performance of Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. Most recently the star lit up Broadway in She Loves Me, My Fair Lady and Meteor Shower, which also starred her future TV collaborator Amy Schumer.

Laura recently worked with Schumer onscreen in Hulu's Life & Beth... which brings us to her illustrious career on screen. I simply don't have time to name everything, but I'm gonna run by a bunch - let me just take a breath. *Inhale.* Ok... Laura’s past television credits include staple shows like Law and Order: SVU, Royal Pains, The Big C, Nashville, and Elementary. She's had arcs on series like Supergirl, The Good Wife and Nurse Jackie. You may recognize her as Quinn on TV Land's hit show Younger and for her role in HBO Max's Gossip Girl reboot. Or perhaps she's Melania to you, thanks to Late Night with Stephen Colbert.

On the film front, Laura's appeared in movies like Worth and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tick, tick... BOOM! on Netflix. She starred opposite Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish in the comedy Here Today. She also created and executive produced Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 for HBO Max... or I guess MAX now? Which has such a beautiful origin story that we discuss. We also discuss Laura's latest movie No Hard Feelings, where she stars opposite the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Feldman and Matthew Broderick.

I mean from countless additional regional theatre credits to touring prestigious venues around the country with her concerts, Laura's resume is truly longer than a CVS receipt.

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Join The Art of Kindness podcast LIVE inside rehearsals for the 2023 Jimmy Awards (The National High School Musical Theatre Awards) at The Juilliard School in New York City. From inspiring interviews to performance sneak peeks, we have an all-access pass to the talent of tomorrow!

Host Robert Peterpaul speaks with Jimmy's founder and director Van Kaplan, choreographer Kiesha LaLama, President of The Broadway League Charlotte St. Martin, and high school nominees: Omar Andre Real (Palm Springs, CA), Helena Engberg (Columbus, OH), Lance Toppin (Charlotte, NC), Hannah Jenkins (San Antonio, TX), Will Gonzalez (Chicago, IL), Samantha Nelson (Orlando, FL), Kaitlyn Majewski (Pittsburgh, PA), and Christian Strong (Columbus, OH).

About the Jimmy Awards:

The Broadway League Foundation presents the 14th annual Jimmy Awards​ ​ceremony taking place on Monday, June 26, 2023 at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre.​ ​This year’s host is star of stage, television, and film, Corbin Bleu (High School Musical). The Jimmy Awards​ ​features dynamic ensemble and solo performances and culminates with the​ ​presentation of a Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor​ ​award, as well as other honors and scholarships. Winners will be chosen by a panel of​ ​industry experts.​ ​This year there are 96 nominees from 48 high school musical theatre awards​ ​competitions across the U.S. For more visit: www.jimmyawards.com

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Join Robert Peterpaul of The Art of Kindness podcast and Alan Seales of The Theatre Podcast as they recap their night at the 2023 Tony Awards! Hear from all the winners they were honored to speak with in the press room, including: Jodie Comer (Prima Facie), Sean Hayes (Good Night, Oscar) , J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot), Victoria Clark (Kimberly Akimbo), Bonnie Milligan (Kimberly Akimbo), Brandon Uranowitz (Leopoldstadt), Michael Arden (Parade), Tom Stoppard (Leopoldstadt) and many more! Buckle up, friends! #kermitandhermit

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Check out The Theatre Podcast

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Surprise! Hi AOK listeners! Join me, Cassie Peterpaul, as I take over the podcast to celebrate Rob's birthday with special guests Amanda Adamo and Ashley DePascale! In this episode, we explore educational theatre, infusing kindness into the rehearsal process, and show appreciation for the talented podcaster, Robert Peterpaul. Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Rob himself, offering unique insights into his podcasting journey.

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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Support the show!

(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok)

Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Broadway star Javier Muñoz joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to kick off Pride month and reflect on: acts of kindness in Hamilton, working on the new musical album My Heart Says Go alongside Jessie Mueller, making theatre accessible, self-acceptance and much more.

Javier Muñoz is an actor and activist whose impressive body of work spans theater, film and television. He is best known for starring and co-creating the role of "Alexander Hamilton'' in the hit musical HAMILTON on Broadway for two years after Lin-Manuel Miranda departed the show (and was his alternate prior to that). He got his break starring as “Usnavi” in IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway, also created by Miranda.

Javier starred in the dark comedy indie feature, MONUMENTS, opposite David Sullivan & Marguerite Moreau, the indie feature LOVE RECONSIDERED and stars in THREE MONTHS, opposite Troy Sivan and Judy Greer, on Paramount+. He voices a lead character in the Disney Jr. animated series, Eureka! Other TV credits include recurring role on Shadowhunters, Blindspot and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Javier is also an outspoken activist for LGBTQ+ rights, a Global Ambassador for (RED), which fights to end HIV/AIDS, and supporter of GMHC.

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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@javiermofficial

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Television writer, author and Executive Producer Sonja Warfield joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss The Gilded Age, the WGA writer's strike, and more.

Sonja Warfield has churned out an impressive 20-year career in the entertainment industry. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Sonja was far from the lights of Hollywood, and yet surrounded by stardom. Fun fact: her father Paul Warfield is an NFL Hall of Famer. Sonja’s own star has shone bright over the years, with her writing on a diverse range of shows, including: Will & Grace, Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie; BET’s Zoe Ever After, which featured pop star Brandy; the animated series She-Ra for Dreamworks/Netflix, where she also penned an original song; and the ABC comedy Jake in Progress. She’s developed and written pilots/projects for ABC, NBC, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Lifetime, Universal TV, Sony Pictures Television and HBO. Speaking of… she’s currently a writer and Executive Producer for HBO’s hit series The Gilded Age.

In addition to writing for television and film, Sonja is author of the empowering book Get Your Butt Off My Couch (And Your Hand Outta My Wallet), a woman’s guide to getting rid of her deadbeat husband, boyfriend or boo-thing. Sonja is the mother of a college student who’s following their own creative passion. When she isn’t writing scripts or trying to reach the top of the leaderboard on her Peloton, Sonja is a part-time stand-up comedian. She’s performed at The World Famous Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory and The Ice House. These days, though, she performs mostly in her kitchen. Sonja has a B.A. in Cinema/Television-Critical Studies from the University of Southern California where she has taught television writing.

More on the Writer's Strike:

wga.org

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sonjawarfield.com

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(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok)

Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Rob McClure joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss kindness on and off Broadway, his beautiful full-circle moment during Beetlejuice, being kind to yourself and much more in one of our favorite chats ever... 2 Robs, 1 pod! (*chants*)

Rob McClure is an actor and singer, who’s become a magical fixture on the Broadway scene. Growing up in NJ, Rob was a bonafide theatre kid, winning the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award his senior year. Consequently his first professional gig was at the Playhouse shortly after graduation. Rob made his Broadway debut in 2002 as an understudy in I'm Not Rappaport. From 2006 to 2009, he went on to play several roles in Avenue Q, both on Broadway and on the show's national tour. He spent the next three years working on a musical that would put him centerstage: Chaplin. The title role earned him a Theatre World Award and his first Tony Award nomination. 

Following Chaplin, Rob racked up a list of dazzling Broadway credits - not to mention various concerts and regional credits in between. You may have seen him in Honeymoon in Vegas or Noises Off. Or perhaps you caught his portrayal of Nick Bottom in Something Rotten on Broadway, which he continued for the first national tour alongside his wife Maggie Lakis. I’m such a sucker for a theatre love story. I most recently watched him day-ooo-ing his heart out in Beetlejuice on Broadway.

Rob last lit up Broadway as the lead role in Mrs. Doubtfire… a marathon performance that earned him his second Tony nomination. Speaking of… it was just announced that the writer’s strike will be affecting the Tony’s live telecast this year. Please stay tuned after the interview for your kindness tip of the week where we’ll chat a bit more about the writer’s strike.

Back to Rob! His screen credits include: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Good Fight, and Blue Bloods.

One of the things I love most about him is the childlike sense of play and wonderment he seems to exude throughout all his projects. We cover so much ground from balancing your passions and your personal life to keep your mindset in a positive space. Of course Rob regales us with tons of fun Broadway stories along the way.

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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The legendary Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) tells The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul his advice for achieving dreams live from New York, New York's opening night on Broadway. Enjoy this special short episode to celebrate 80 EPISODES of The AOK!

Not that he needs a bio, but... LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA is a Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy and Tony award-winning songwriter, actor, director and producer. Creator and original star of Broadway’s Tony-winning Hamilton and In the Heights. His additional Broadway credits include Freestyle Love Supreme (Co-Founder, Producer, 2020 Special Tony Award Recipient), Bring It On: The Musical (co-composer/co-lyricist, Tony nomination for Best Musical), and West Side Story (2009 revival, Spanish translations). Miranda is the recipient of the 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award, the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors and the 2019 Portrait of a Nation Prize. He has received stars on both the Puerto Rico Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mr. Miranda, and the Miranda Family, are active supporters of initiatives that increase people of color’s representation throughout the arts and government, ensure access to women’s reproductive health, and promote resilience in Puerto Rico. TV/Film credits include: tick, tick… BOOM!, Vivo, In the Heights, Hamilton (2021 Emmy Award), His Dark Materials, “Fosse/Verdon,” We The People, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2018 Emmy Nomination, Guest Actor), “Saturday Night Live” (2017 Emmy Nomination, Guest Actor), Sesame Street, The Electric Company, House, DuckTales, 200 Cartas, Moana (2017 Oscar nomination, Grammy Award for Best Original Song), Mary Poppins Returns and Encanto (2022 Oscar nomination for Best Original Song).

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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Support the show!

(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok)

Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Happy May! TikTok Star Jesús Morales, a.k.a. Juixxe, joins the Art of Kindness podcast with Robert Peterpaul to discuss surprising street vendors with acts of kindness, partnering with Modelo for a major surprise and more.

Modelo partnered with Juixxe, a changemaker known for gifting hundreds of thousands of dollars to street vendors who struggled during the pandemic, to honor the roots of its new product. Furthering his commitment to being a force for good, Modelo and Juixxe bought out hard working, Southern California-based street vendors’ carts earlier this month. Modelo flew and hosted the merchants in Las Vegas to be among the first to try the new beverage – that they helped inspire – at the Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas launch celebration.

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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@juixxe

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Support the show!

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

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Bellamy Young, Tony Goldwyn, Donna Murphy, Robin de Jesús and more talk LIVE with The Art of Kindness and Broadway Podcast Network's Robert Peterpaul on The Thanksgiving Play Broadway opening night red carpet. From sharing early school show memories to kindness tips - you won't want to miss this one!

This episode features: Scandal stars Bellamy Young and Tony Goldwyn, Broadway icon Donna Murphy (Tangled), Broadway star and friend of the pod Ilana Levine (You're A Good Man Charlie Brown), Robin De Jesús (tick, tick... BOOM!), Andréa Burns (In The Heights), Simone Recasner (The Big Leap), Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu (Passover), and The Thanksgiving Play writer Larissa FastHorse and director Rachel Chavkin.

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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Support the show!

(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok)

Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices