The Theater Enthusiast Podcast

This episode we are joined by actress Kerstin Anderson!  Kerstin Anderson made her Broadway debut in My Fair Lady as the understudy then alternate of Eliza Dolittle.  She also played the role of Maria in the Sound of Music national tour directed by Jack O'Brien.  She was last seen in Lincoln Center's concert of A Little Night Music and her other credits include Cult of Love at Berkeley Rep, Unknown Solider at Playwrights Horizons and Arena Stage and Doubt at Westport Playhouse. Kerstin also is a teaching artist and if you are interested in working with her, contact her via her website or DM her on Instagram!

We chat with Kerstin about her experience leading a national tour, working as an understudy then alternate in My Fair Lady, what excites her about teaching and much more!

This episode we are so excited to welcome actor Andy Karl!  Andy is an Olivier winning and Tony nominated performer who just finished the Australian run of Groundhog Day where he also starred in the show in London and Broadway, and will next be seen off-Broadway in Teeth at New World Stages! His other credits include Rocky, Legally Blonde, 9 to 5, Pretty Woman, On the Twentieth Century, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Into the Woods, Alter Boyz and Jersey Boys. You also know him as Sgt. Mike Dodds on Law and Order SVU!

We talk with Andy about his Groundhog Day journey, what got him into performing, his excitement about his upcoming show Teeth and much more!

This episode we are joined by actor Ben Rappaport!  Ben has appeared on Broadway in Picnic, Fiddler on the Roof and most recently Goodnight, Oscar opposite Tony winner Sean Hayes! Ben has also been seen on TV in Younger, For the People, Ozark, The Good Wife, Inventing Anna, Mr Robot, and (my personal favorite) Outsourced. You can catch him next on the new NBC series Grosse Point Garden Society and the upcoming movie Albany Road opposite Renée Elise Goldsberry!

We talk with about what got him into performing, working theater refreshments, his amazing career on stage and screen, giving a little history lesson on the Belasco Theatre and much more!

This episode we are joined by actor Shereen Ahmed!  Shereen made her Broadway debut in My Fair Lady where she became the first woman of color to play the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway!  She later would tour with My Fair Lady across the country as Eliza.  She was most recently seen in Nine at The Kennedy Center and her other credits include A Man of No Importance at Class Stage Company, The Light in the Piazza New York City Center Encores! and The Age of Innocence at The Old Globe.

We chat with Shereen about her journey to making her Broadway debut, her "master classes" in watching her fellow performers work, finding new ways to use her voice and much more!

This episode we are joined by actor, writer, director and producer Noah Weisberg!  Noah is currently starring in Cellino v Barnes at The Asylum NYC!  His credits included the national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Willy Wonka, on Broadway in Legally Blonde, Enron and South Pacific.  You've seen him on TV in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Super Pumped, Law & Order, Modern Family and so many other shows…! He also has a production company called Shermerville and you can check out his short films Thank You Kindly and What’s Life Got to Do with It!

This episode we are joined by Lucille Lortel Award winning director, Annie Tippe!  Annie is known for her directing work with Dave Malloy's Octet, Ghost Quartet, Cowboy Bob, and most recently Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares and Dave Malloy's Three Houses (currently playing at Signature Theatre until June 16th!).  Annie has also directed short films such as Help Me Mary and Egg Timer.  We talk with Annie about how she got her start, her directing style, what it's like working on new works and much more!

This episode we are joined by two time Obie Award winner, Brenda Wehle!  Brenda is currently starring in Mary Jane at MTC and has a long career not only in theater but tv and film as well.  We talk with Brenda about Mary Jane, her experience with the show and what she hopes the audience takes away from it.  We also talk to her about some of her career highlights, the importance of theater etiquette and much more!

Don't miss seeing Brenda in Mary Jane at MTC until June 30th!

This episode we are joined by actress Michelle Ray!  Michelle is just got back from touring the country in the national tour of Book of Mormon and is making her director debut at 54 Below with the new musical Masked.  Michelle graduated from Pace University with a degree in Arts and Entertainment Business Management/ Directing.  We talk with Michelle about her career, survival jobs and how important it was for her to get her degree in Arts and Entertainment Business Management and how it has helped in her career as a performer.  

This episode we are joined by Isra Elsalihie!  Isra is an award winning Iraqi-Swedish actor and writer.  She also teaches acting at Second City in NYC!  We talk with her about her journey to coming to NY, the importance of knowing what you need for an Artist Visa, what got her into writing, her teaching style and much more! 

We had a great time talking with Isra and can't wait to have her back on!  To learn more about Isra, visit her website at https://israelsalihie.com/ and follow her on social media at @isra.elsalihie. 

This episode we are joined by actor Matt DeAngelis!  Matt is known for his roles in Waitress, American Idiot, Once, Hair and most recently Swept Away.  We talk with Matt about his career but more importantly we speak with him about his upcoming gala The Janice Jam: Broadway for Breast Cancer.  

THE JANICE JAM: BROADWAY FOR BREAST CANCER is an annual event from Matt who lost his mother, Janice, in 2022 to metastatic breast cancer.  To honor her and the countless people affected by this disease, he, alongside a group of friends and Broadway industry colleagues, is culling another evening of Celebration, Remembrance, and Awareness, that will have guests singing, dancing, and helping bring funding to this very special cause. This event serves as an annual celebration of Janice, her love for theater, and raising money for the millions of people affected by breast and other types of cancer.

This annual concert will benefit Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), and will take place at Haswell Green’s (240 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019) on Monday, May 13th, 2024 at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6pm). This year’s event invites guests to one of the most power-packed and exciting benefit concert events of the year, with 100% of net proceeds funding metastatic breast cancer research grants through BCRF, the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide

 Make sure to check out Matt's social media @mattdeangelis22 for tickets!