The Broadway Your Way Podcast

To celebrate my upcoming trip to Las Vegas, I wanted to bring on today’s guest to share some insight into what it’s like to perform in one of the hottest productions on the strip: MJ ONE by Cirque du Soleil! Ashley Lafferty is a dancer in the show, and it’s no secret that the cast and crew are always having a blast each and every performance. Hear what it’s like to perform with some of the greatest music hits of all time, and what being a dancer for Cirque du Soleil has been like for her!

TUTS’ final production of their 2023/2024 season is Disney’s NEWSIES - and boy, the NEWSIES fandom is coming in hot and ready to get those seats! In honor of their opening night, I share my conversation with Luis-Pablo Garcia, who plays “Crutchie” in the show. We discuss his time in Houston so far, and what’s it like to join the NEWSIES family! The show runs from May 21st to June 2nd, so get those tickets ASAP!

In the second part of this AAPI Heritage Month special, I am joined by Stephanie Jae Park, Marc delaCruz, and Preston Mui from Broadway’s “Hamilton”! You’ll hear more about their stories - and most importantly, what it means for them to represent the Asian-American/Pacific Islander community in the musical. (PS: This is my last episode as the sole podcast host - please welcome Ciara Lieberman as cohost of the podcast!)

It’s officially AAPI History Month, and to bring you into the world of Asians in the theater are three cast members from the Broadway musical “Hamilton”! Stephanie plays “Eliza”, Marc is a standby, and Preston plays in the ensemble. All three actors discuss their time with the show so far - and what it’s like to not throw away their shot at being in one of Broadway’s biggest hits.

Lily Santiago can currently be seen in MARY JANE on Broadway, alongside Rachel McAdams! In today’s episode, you’ll hear all about her journey from performing in Shakespeare pieces, to her role in NBC’s “La Brea” which is currently in its third season. You’ll also hear us dish out on Rachel McAdams, and what it’s been like for Lily to work alongside her throughout the process! Be sure to catch MARY JANE at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater on Broadway.

David Benoit is no stranger to the Broadway and touring scene, having been in some of the most successful and iconic musicals of our generation. With shows such as “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables” under his belt, he is no stranger to tackling formidable male roles. However, a role like “Mr. Burke” in the original musical “Girl From the North Country” doesn’t come a long too often, so he stopped by the podcast to chat all about it! The show plays the Hobby Center from April 30th to May 5th.

Welcome to part two of interview with Matt and Allsun, both of whom are making their Broadway debut in WICKED on Broadway! They are arguably one of the most important players in the show - swings. They cover an insane amount of leading roles, as well as many ensemble tracks. In part two, you’ll hear more about the importance of playing as a team, as well as some memorable stories from being in one of the longest-running productions in Broadway history!

“Wicked” on Broadway recently hit 20 years, and if you've seen the show, you already know why! The musical tells the backstory of the “The Wizard of Oz”, and it does it effortlessly and beautifully. In today's episode, I chat with two actors who help the show run smoothly show after show - these are your Broadway swings, Matt Farcher and Allsun O'Malley! This marks Matt’s second Broadway show, and Allsun’s Broadway debut, and they talk everything from audition processes to mid-show swing-ons! These are the people that save a show when another cast member has an injury, or when someone is on vacation. Without them, the show can't go on.

Cher is an icon - in both fashion and music! In memorable theater style, she is honored and celebrated in the hit musical “The Cher Show”, which plays the Hobby Center beginning April 16th! Today’s episode, brought to you by Theatre Under the Stars, brings you closer to two stars of the production, Ella Perez and Lorenzo Pugliese! They play “Babe” and “Sonny Bono”, respectively. We talk about everything about life on tour - you’ll even get to hear what it’s like to perform one-night shows, then packing up and moving out to a different city in less than 24 hours. Be sure to grab your tickets by visiting www.tuts.com - you don’t want to miss it!