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

The Art of Kindness podcast returns for a positively D-E-L-I-G-H-T-F-U-L bonus episode LIVE from press day in NYC of the Kennedy Center's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Host Robert Peterpaul talks with the all-star cast, including: Kevin McHale (Glee, American Horror Stories) as William Barfee, Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet, Aladdin) as Chip Tolentino, Alex Joseph Grayson (Parade, Into the Woods), Noah Galvin (Dear Evan Hansen, Booksmart) as Leaf Coneybear, Leana Rae Concepcion (Merrily We Roll Along) as Marcy Park, Beanie Feldstein (Drive-Away Dolls, Booksmart) as Logan Schwartzandgrubenierre, Nina White (Queen of Versailles, Kimberly Akimbo) as Olive Ostrovsky, Taran Killam (Spamalot, Saturday Night Live) as Vice Principal Douglas Panch and Tony Award® winner Bonnie Milligan (Kimberly Akimbo, Encores! Titanic) as Rona Lisa Peretti.

Directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford (Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen) with musical direction by Roberto Sinha (New York, New York; Hamilton), Spelling runs at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from October 11 - 20. Click here for more I-N-F-O!

Special shoutout to Broadway Podcast Network sound wizard Sarah Goodman. Hear you soon!

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Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez.

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Prolific director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, A Simple Favor) joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul season 3 finale to discuss creating kind environments on set, his hilarious new film Jackpot starring Awkwafina, John Cena and Simu Liu (who surprises him), championing female-driven roles, Bridesmaids the musical and more.

Paul Feig is a DGA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, producer, author, and founder of production company Feigco Entertainment. He most recently served as the director, producer, and co-writer of The School for Good and Evil, which debuted as the #1 film on Netflix in 88 countries worldwide upon release. Up next, Feig directed and produced the action-comedy film Jackpot starring John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu for Amazon MGM Studios, which will be released on August 15, 2024. Additionally, he recently wrapped production on A Simple Favor 2, a sequel to the 2018 thriller of the same name. He has a proven track record of films that have grossed over one billion dollars worldwide including Bridesmaids, Last Christmas, The Heat, Ghostbusters, Spy, and A Simple Favor. Feig created and launched his own award-winning gin brand, Artingstall’s., which won Best Gin and Double Gold at the 2019 WSWA competition, and a cocktail book titled “Cocktail Time!” that was released by William Morrow.

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@paulfeig

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Support the show!

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

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music:

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

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Emmy winner and Tony-nominee Kevin Del Aguila joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss joining the cast of Little Shop of Horrors, backstage antics, writing children's television with kindness, his viral Some Like It Hot moment and more.

Kevin Del Aguila currently plays Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors. He received a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Osgood in Some Like It Hot on Broadway. Other Broadway credits: Frozen (Oaken), Peter and the Starcatcher (Smee), Rocky (everybody in Philadelphia). Off-Broadway: Love’s Labour’s Lost (Shakespeare in the Park), Jacques Brel, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater (Encores!). Film/TV: “Peg+Cat,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Deadbeat” and Disney’s Frozen. In his spare time, Kevin is an Emmy-winning TV writer, lyricist for the stage and screen, and book-writer of the musicals Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, Madagascar and Altar Boyz.

Follow Kevin:

@kevinoftheeagle

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Support the show!

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

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music:

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

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Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss her self-kindness checklist and much more.

This interview was originally recorded in July of 2021.

Laurie Hernandez

Laurie Hernandez is a two-time Olympic medalist, earning gold and silver at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 as part of the Final Five US women's gymnastics team. During a break from competition, she authored two New York Times bestselling books and dazzled us on 'Dancing with the Stars.' Laurie is also a UNICEF USA Ambassador, advocating for children's rights and well-being. Now a retired gymnast, Laurie serves as a commentator for this year's Olympics, bringing her expertise and insight to the sport she loves. She is a true beacon of light and an inspiration to all. 

Follow Laurie:

@lauriehernandez

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Support the show!

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

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music:

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

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Actor Noah J. Ricketts joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss playing Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby with empathy, how an airbnb led to him signing on to Gatsby, kindness vs. niceness and much more.

Noah J. Ricketts stars as Frankie in the Golden Globe, SAG and Critics Choice-nominated Showtime series “Fellow Travelers.” Additional TV/Film: “American Gods” (Starz), “High Fidelity” (Hulu); Summoning Sylvia. Broadway: Kristoff in Disney’s Frozen, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and of course The Great Gatsby. Off-Broadway: Omar in To My Girls. CCM Graduate. @noahjrkts

Follow Noah:

@noahjrkts

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Support the show!

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

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music:

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

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Tony and Grammy Award-winner Jessie Mueller joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss her incredible career, how Chita Rivera changed her life with an act of kindness, navigating negative voices in her head when she’s recording an album or just in life, and much more.

*This episode was originally recorded in July of 2023*

Jessie Mueller is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer. She was last seen on Broadway in Tracy Lett’s The Minutes. Other recent credits include the Kennedy Center’s Guys & Dolls, The Music Man, Julie Jordan in the Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (Tony & Grammy nominations, Drama Desk Award), originating the roles of both Jenna in Waitress, for which she received Tony, Drama Desk & Grammy noms, and Carole King in Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, for which she won Tony, Grammy & Drama Desk Awards. I saw her in Waitress and Beautiful and she was well… BEAUTIFUL! She’s done concert appearances at Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Lyric Opera, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.  

Jessie is also no stranger to shining bright in the Film and Television world. You can watch her in Steven Spielberg’s The Post, Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, Hulu’s Candy, and Lifetime’s Patsy & Loretta. Like Javier Munoz who was previously on the AOK (go listen if you haven’t already), Jessie is in the new musical concept album My Heart Says Go - which you can stream everywhere.

Jessie is an Arts Education champion for groups such as Rosie’s Theatre Kids (rosiestheaterkids.org) and a long-time supporter of The Entertainment Community Fund (entertainmentcommunity.org) & Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids (broadwaycares.org).

Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us:

[email protected]

Follow 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 July! Josh Groban and more stars chat with The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul live from the Jimmy Awards. Robert talks advice for dreamers, kindness tips and much more.

Guests in this episode include: multi-platinum singer Josh Groban (Sweeney Todd), Back to the Future star Casey Likes, Dear Evan Hansen star Andrew Barth Feldman, Kenny Ortega (High School Musical, Hocus Pocus), Tony-winner James Monroe Iglehart, Telly Leung (Aladdin), Adam J. Levy (Moulin Rouge), Christopher Wheeldon (MJ), Ross Rayburn, Casting Director Stephanie Klapper, Jimmys directors Van Kapplan, Keisha LaLama and Jimmys alum: English Bernhardt (Mean Girls), Stephen Telsey (Harmony), Kendall Becerra, Langston Lee, Lauren Marchand, and Nicholas Barron.

We also hear from "Inspiring Teacher" Award winners: Jacqueline McLean, Le Roy Jr. Sr. High School (Rochester, NY) and Paul Fillingim, Ronald Reagan High School (San Antonio, TX). The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) is a celebration of student achievement in high school musical theatre across the country culminating in the annual Jimmy Awards® ceremony. 

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Support the show!

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

Music:

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

This episode was edited by Carli Sanger.

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In celebration of Pride month, join us as we reflect on some poignant moments from past The Art of Kindness podcast episodes. Free yourself to see yourself with stars Javier Muñoz (Hamilton), Nina West (RuPaul's Drag Race), Tony-winner J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot), TV producer Liz Tigelaar (Little Fires Everywhere), T. Oliver Reid (Hadestown, Black Theatre Coalition), Broadway's Claybourne Elder (Company) and comedian Kalen Allen (The Ellen Show). We hope their stories empower you this month and beyond!

Be sure to also check out the amazing work our friends at Born This Way Foundation are up to: https://bornthisway.foundation/

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Support the show!

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

Music:

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

This episode was edited by Carli Sanger.

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Join The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul live from the 2024 Drama Desk Awards at NYU Skirball in New York City. The Drama Desk Awards, recognizing the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway, were hosted by Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveit (Sweeney Todd) with Stereophonic emerging as the most-winning production of the season.

In this episode you'll hear from stars like Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Spamalot), Shaina Taub (Suffs), Corbin Bleu (Little Shop, High School Musical), Brody Grant (The Outsiders), Liam Pearce (How to Dance in Ohio), Cole Escola (Oh, Mary!), the cast and crew of Stereophonic and many more live from the red carpet.

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Support the show!

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

Music:

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

This episode was edited by Carli Sanger.

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Happy dance! Join the Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul live from the red carpet of the 2024 Chita Rivera Awards at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, featuring Broadway legends like Bernadette Peters (ahh!).

In this episode, you will hear Robert chat with: Golden Globe winner Debbie Allen (Grey's Anatomy), Norm Lewis, Diana Byer, David Peterson, Joe Laneteri, The Who's Tommy choreographer Lorin Latarro and star Ali Louis Bourzgui, Water for Elephants choreographers Jesse Rob and Shayna Carol, Marina Tamayo, The Outsiders dancer Tilly Evans-Krueger, Suffs choreographer Mayte Natalio, Hell's Kitchen stars Shoshanna Bean, Onyxx Noel and Timothy Edwards, choreographers Rick and Jeff Kuperman, iconic shoe designer Phil LaDuca, and Bernadette Peters, who received the evening's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Chita Rivera Awards is a star-studded annual event, recognizing dance and choreographic excellence on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in film. The evening nurtures an ongoing sense of community by honoring the past, celebrating the present and investing in the future generations.

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Support the show!

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

Music:

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

This episode was edited by Carli Sanger.

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