Andrew charts the history of HIV & AIDS, discusses how he discovered he was HIV+ and who gave it to him, creating both the Finborough and West End productions of William M. Hoffman’s first AIDS play, As Is, how he told his friends and the response from the theatre industry after coming out as HIV+ during West End Eurovision and the many issues he faces living with HIV today. Music: All music except the Show People theme-tune is composed by Matthew Strachan for both the Finborough Theatre and West End productions of As Is by William M. Hoffman.

Kumiko Mendl has worked as an actor, teacher, storyteller and director and is Artistic Director of Yellow Earth, the award winning British East Asian theatre company. She led on the companies education and outreach programme before becoming Artistic Director in 2011 and set up the first BEA acting summer school; Yellow Earth Academy in 2010 to encourage more BEA’s into the industry. She is also co-founder and co AD of A Thousand Cranes and artistic associate at Artsdepot. Andrew and Kumiko discuss her career from growing up in Watford, discovering her passion for mime and subsequently training at Jacques LaCoq. The two amble through the various important acting, directing and other jobs that she would go on to do including appearing at the National Theatre, Carol Churchill’s Top Girls, appearing as a life-model and how she and others founded Yellow Earth Theatre – a company dedicated to creating work for British East Asian artists, her involvement with A Thousand Cranes, setting up the UK’s first BEA summer school and the many different challenges that she and other British East Asians face in today’s industry.

Episode features include:

The Soapbox: Andrew and Kumiko discuss the many unfair challenges that face being an East Asian performer in the performing arts industry and surrounding issues such the use of yellow-face, white-washing, colour-blind and colour-conscious casting and dispel the myth that there aren’t enough East Asian performers in the UK.

Dramatic News: Andrew covers the latest news headlines including stories relating to Kevin Spacey, The King & I and Evita.

The Platform: Our featured composer is Joe Purdue with a song called Still So Close performed by Lewis Greenslade and Sarah Joyce from his Tolkien inspired musical Unfolding Tales.

oin host Andrew Keates as he and Anna Jane Casey cover her extraordinary career from leaving Lancashire to joining the West End production of Cats at the age of sixteen to being the world’s greatest showbiz mum and her recent appearances as Mrs Wilkinson in the UK tour of Billy Elliott, Mavis in the West End production of Stepping Out plus her many other iconic roles and breathtaking appearances. AJ didn’t go to drama school and instead learnt her craft in countless stage productions including playing in Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease and West Side Story, where she met her husband Graham McDuff. Anna discusses her many other credits including Wild, Wild, Women, Velma in Chicago, Edith Piaf in Piaf, Dot in Sunday in the Park with George (and why she didn’t go onto do the later West End and Broadway productions), Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, frequently singing at the Royal Albert Hall (including with Family Guy creator Seth Macfarlene), Forbidden Broadway and is even brought to tears recollecting her involvement in Daniel Evan’s recent new British musical, Flowers For Mrs. Harris with Clare Burt.

Episode features include:

The Soapbox: Andrew and AJ discuss ageism including frustrations with casting actors who are too young for leading roles – is it because younger performers are cheaper? Why do great actors seem to be forgotten about once they reach their 40s? The importance of understanding company etiquette and how to lead a company when you are a leading lady and the advice she gave Ruthie Henshall before she took over her role in Billy Elliott and some of the little things Amanda Holden did for her during her time in Stepping Out.

Theatrical Tips including the 50th Anniversary production of Hair at the Vaults Theatre, the brand new West End production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre and Privates on Parade starring Simon Green and Sam Curry at the Union Theatre.

The Platform: Our featured composer is Ed Zanders and a song from his London Underground inspired musical performed by Eleanor Walsh and a concert orchestra.

Rob Houchen joins the Show People Podcast just days before the launch of his brand new EP, ‘Within Reach’ an album of his own writing influenced by artists such as Luther Vandross & Stevie Wonder to Adele & Sam Smith.

This episode features two of his songs including Safe and Sound and the studio version of Warning Signs. Rob is best known for playing the role of Marius in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre for just under three years, as well as Tony in the BBC documentary about West Side Story. Rob discusses his passion for art, growing up in Norwich, goes into great detail about his time training in Musical Theatre at the Guildford School of Acting as well as his experiences of appearing in the world’s longest running musical.

Episode features include: The Soapbox: Andrew and Rob discuss the trail and tribulations of Twitter. Do artists need to be on Twitter? Do we need to watch what we tweet? Dramatic News: Andrew shares the latest dramatic news, including the recent award nomination from the Community Theatre Awards for favourite radio show/podcast.

The Platform: Today’s episode is a special episode that focuses on the original work of our special guest Rob Houchen and his new Album, ‘Within Reach’.

Kim Ismay joins The Show People Podcast almost immediately after stepping off a plane and getting back to the UK after appearing all over the world as Madam Morrible in the international tour of the musical Wicked. This episode is both hysterical and inspiring as Andrew probes Kim all about her many credits, including appearing in Mamma Mia as Tanya for many years, plus iconic productions such as Acorn Antiques, The Rocky Horror Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Lautrec, About Bill and even an episode of Strange But True! She’ll also go into great detail about being a ‘character actress’, typecasting and even a story involving a #ghostcat…

The Soapbox: Andrew and Kim discuss theatre etiquette, including their worst experiences of audience behaviour, the trials and tribulations of the stage door, the worst kinds of food to bring to the theatre and their views on how audiences should behave during a performance.

Theatrical Tips: Andrew shares some theatrical tips of things to pop into your diary this October 2017.

The Platform: We feature a song by composer Alexander Bermange (Radio 4, BBC World Service) from his new album Wit and Whimsy called, ‘I Wish That My Life Were Like a Musical’ performed by Gina Beck, who is currently appearing as Miss Honey in Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre.

Steve Furst joins director and host Andrew Keates. Steve Furst is an actor, comedian, voice-over artist and cabaret artist. Just some of his credits include the famous Orange cinema ads, Little Britain, Made in Dagenham, Matilda, The Lenny Beige Show, Toast, Friday Night Dinner and many more.

Episode features include:

The Soapbox: Andrew and Steve discuss West End ticket prices and how they impact audiences, fringe theatre and whether profits could reach performers in productions.

Dramatic News: Stories include news from the Kings Head Theatre, details of the new Tina Turner Musical, a touring production of Art and an update about our Show People listeners.

The Platform: We feature composer Matthew Strachan and his song Foolish from his musical About Bill, performed by West End leading lady Kim Ismay.

In this episode of the Show People Podcast we are joined by actress and national treasure Annette Badland. Annette trained at East 15 and is known for a lifetime of iconic roles in television, film, radio and theatre. Just some highlights from her career covered in today’s show include Bergerac, Doctor Who, The Demon Headmaster, The Queen’s Nose, Coronation Street, Bad Girls, Little Crackers and many others. Andrew pays particular attention to her time working in Jim Cartwright’s The Rise And Fall of Little Voice, EastEnders and exploring the timeline of her life and career from her early days as a girl taking her LAMDA exams to what she hopes many will remember her for, not to mention setting her some Show People challenges, including revisiting many some familiar characters for the first time in years.

Episodes features include:

The Soapbox: Andrew and Annette discuss the importance of children’s television and theatre and Annette’s recent lobbying of parliament.

Dramatic News: We cover the sad loss of Sir Peter Hall and the new RSC season.

The Platform: We feature composer Chris Passey and his song Worthy Lyrics, performed by Colleen Ballinger, who many will know as Miranda Sings.

This episode comes from a very hot dressing room at the Gielgud Theatre occupied by our host Andrew Keates and his special guest Mr. Fra Fee. Fra is currently appearing in The Ferryman and many will know him from both the West End and movie versions of Les Miserables as well as productions of Candide, A Winter's Tale, Follies, A Man of No Importance, Wind in the Willows and many others.

Together they discuss Fra's life and career as well as getting on the Show People soapbox to discuss if Musical Theatre performers experience prejudice when they perform in projects other than musicals, Andrew get's his theatrical tips out for things to see and do this September 2017, there's music from undiscovered composer Gavin Brock with a track called 'In The Life Of a Nerd' performed by Bradley Riches from Terror in the Sweet Shop and Fra has the occasional breakdown due to some Show People challenges and background music.

Please support the podcast by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk.