Theater People

One of our favorite guests comes back! Can you believe Annaleigh was the third ever guest of the Theater People Podcast? Since we last spoke, this hilarious spitfire has gotten married, won a TONY AWARD, earned rave reviews for her work on the hit Showtime series "Masters of Sex," and has released a Live album called "Lost in the Stars." She's currently starring alongside Matthew Broderick and Julie White in the Broadway revival of "Sylvia." She's hilarious and lovely, it was terrific to have the opportunity to catch up with her.

The youngest female Tony Award winner is back! For this episode we catch up with Daisy who has just relocated from LA to NYC where she is living the theater auditioner life for the first time in nearly 12 years. She shares stories we didn't get the first time--including working with Christopher Walken on the Broadway production of James Joyce's The Dead. She also tells all about her upcoming show 'Daisy and Jordan: Rejected Bond Girls' which premieres Sunday, November 15 at 54 Below.

For our 50th episode (!!!) we present the absolutely darling Kate Baldwin. Kate is currently starring in the brand new ABSOLUTELY AMAZING musical "Songbird" which is now playing at 59 East 59th Street Theater. The show features a blue grass / honky tonk / country / rock and roll score by Lauren Pritchard, and it has to be heard to be believed. We can't say it enough, get your tickets.Kate is perhaps best know for her work in "Finian's Rainbow" (Tony nomination), "Big Fish," and the off-Broadway production of Michael John Lachuisa's "Giant." She was such a pleasure to chat with. Enjoy!

Tony winner Lena Hall shares hilarious and inspiring stories from her 10-plus years as a working actor and musician in New York City. She talks making her Broadway debut in "Cats" at 19 years old, working alongside the great Jerry Mitchell in "Kinky Boots," and tell all about how she landed the career changing--and Tony winning--role of Yitzhak in last year's "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."

The always fabulous and tremendously busy Lesli Margherita made time to catch up with us while rehearsing "Dames At Sea" during the day and performing in "Matilda" at night. What a gal! This is the first in a new series we're launching where we catch up with previous guests in mini episode form!

This week we're bringing you a special mini episode with a focus on the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway play "Hamlet in Bed," now playing at the Rattlestick Playwrights's Theater. The play is a two-hander starring Michael Laurence (who also wrote the play) and Annette O'Toole, and we have them both! Ticket information is available at www.rattlestick.org

Too funny, brilliant, and downright entertaining for 1 episode, Tony winner Laura Benanti is back for part 2. In this episode we discuss "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," her work on TV, including the hugely popular "Sound of Music Live," her working alongside the Radio City Rockettes in last years's "Spring Spectacular," her live album, and her upcoming book. Oh, and we also talk about that time in high school when she dressed up as Fosca form Stephen Sondheim's "Passion" and went trick or treating for Unicef.

Laura's interview was so funny, and honest, and inspiring, that we just couldn't stop asking her questions--so we had to make it a two-parter! You loved her in "The Sound of Music," "Swing" (Tony nomination), "Into The Woods," (Tony nomination), "Nine," Gypsy" (Tony WIN), "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (Tony nomination), NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" And so many other things. In a word, she's AH-mazing.

Co-Directors Michael Mayer and Dick Scanlan tell all about their new hit play "Whorl Inside A Loop." Co-written by Scanlan and Sheire Rene Scott, the play is loosely based on Scanlan and Scott's experience working with prison inmates on writing and performing monologues about the circumstances that landed the inmates in jail. Currently playing at Second Stage Theater, the new work is a New York Times Critic's pick.

The 'Hand To God' Tony nominee shares stories from the 10-plus years it took her to become an overnight success. Having come to NYC to be a banker, she stumbled upon acting almost by chance. From commercials to Beyonce and Kevin Bacon, to guesting on over 15 network TV shows, to her star-making turn as Margery in 'Hand To God,' this woman has done it all, and she shares GREAT advice for actors!