Theater People

THEATER PEOPLE!!! We are SO excited to bring you this first-ever cast reunion episode! We are thrilled to welcome Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, and Alex Boniello to the podcast to discuss the Tony nominated Deaf West production of "Spring Awakening". We recorded this interview with the three of them the day after the Tony nominations were announced, so there was a lot of excitement in the room! We chatted about how they all came to be involved with the show, the excitement and challenges of working alongside deaf actors, and how it feels for their show to have been nominated for a Tony in a season full of stand out shows. So Fun! Enjoy!

It's no secret that 'Bright Star,' the new musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, is one of my favorites of the season. And there is no question that the show's leading lady, today's guest Carmen Cuasck, is delivering one of this season's most powerful performances in the role of Alice. In describing Carmen's performance, I use all the cliché words - astonishing, breathtaking, riveting. I remember SQUEEZING producer Mike’s arm every time she opened her mouth to sing. I knew nothing about her before seeing the show and I was instantly obsessed. She’s nominated for a Tony Award this year for her work and, without being controversial, I will have it be known that I’m really pulling for her. I was so excited to meet her and I’m delighted to share this conversation with you guys. Enjoy!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!Remember last summer when The Heavens opened up and sent Tony winner and (now) five-time Tony nominee Laura Benanti to our show? Remember when I, sort of jokingly, said that she and her mom should come back for a special Mother's Day episode and Laura promised that they would? Well you guys, Ms. Benanti has made good on her promise and this week we are DELIGHTED to bring you our special Mother’s Day interview with Laura and her beautiful and hilarious mother Linda Benanti. We talk about 'She Loves Me' and Laura’s FIFTH Tony nomination, but mostly I just try to get Linda to tell me all of the embarrassing stories about Laura from her childhood. Getting to sit with this Broadway mega-star—who is truly one of the kindest and loveliest humans I’ve ever met—and her equally kind and lovely mother in her dressing room at Studio 54, which, by the way, is bigger than my apartment, was just the most amazing way to spend an afternoon. Oh! We shot some video of Linda and Laura talking about their most embarrassing moments on stage. We’ll have that up on our website this week. Enjoy! and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

You guys!!! it’s been a while since I’ve gotten butterflies before an interview, but I have to say, I was NERVOUS before meeting today’s guest, Laura Michelle Kelly. I mean, you know, she was the ORIGINAL west end Marry Poppins, She won an Olivier, she was in the 'Sweeney Todd' movie, she British, beautiful and perfect. But then, of course, she was disarmingly charming and friendly. Her dressing room at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater where she is currently starring in 'Finding Neverland,' is a little magic fairy kingdom with tents and tepees and maps of Neverland. I never wanted to leave. Laura made her West End debut as a baguette—yes, the bread—in the West End production of 'Beauty and the Beas't when she was 16 years old. In the West End, She went on to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 'Whistle Down the Wind,' as well as 'Sped the Plow,' 'Lord of the Rings,' and of course 'Mary Poppins,' for which she won her Olivier. She made her Broadway debut as Hodel in the 2004 production of 'Fiddler on the Roof,' She later took over the role of Mary in the Broadway production of 'Mary Poppins,' and now she’s back on Broadway in the as Sylvia, the role she created last season in the smash hit 'Finding Neverland.' She was such a delight. Enjoy!

Emmy winner and three-time Tony nominee Martha Plimpton is back! Since she was last with us, she has landed the leading role on the new hit ABC sitcom "The Real O'Neals." She has also continued her work as advocate and activist for women's health and reproductive rights. She joins us today to talk about her new TV show, past work on Broadway, and the annual fundraiser called Broadway Acts for Women--happening this Sunday at Feinstein's / 54 Below-- put on by her organization A is For.

You Guys! We're not going to beat around the bush here, we are OBSESSED with the new Steve Martin & Edie Brickell musical 'Bright Star.' And we are THRILLED to welcome one of the show's stars, Paul Alexander Nolan, to the podcast this week. Paul made his Broadway debut in 2012 in the title role of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' He went on to replace as Guy in the Tony winning Broadway production of 'Once', and just last year starred in the short Lived 'Dr. Zhivago.' Go see Bright Star, you guys, Paul is great in it and the show is so magical and unique. It was such a pleasure to get to basically chew his ear off about it. Here’s our conversation. Ooh, we use a TON of music from the original cast recording of 'Bright Star' in the episode. The album is now available for pre-order from Ghostlight Records. The album is officially released on April 29th.

You Guys! We're not going to beat around the bush here, we are OBSESSED with the new Steve Martin & Edie Brickell musical 'Bright Star.' And we are THRILLED to welcome one of the show's stars, Paul Nolan, to the podcast this week. Paul made his Broadway debut in 2012 in the title role of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' He went on to replace as Guy in the Tony winning Broadway production of 'Once', and just last year starred in the short Lived 'Dr. Zhivago.' Go see Bright Star, you guys, Paul is great in it and the show is so magical and unique. It was such a pleasure to get to basically chew his ear off about it. Here’s our conversation. Ooh, we use a TON of music from the original cast recording of 'Bright Star' in the episode. The album is now available for pre-order from Ghostlight Records. The album is officially released on April 29th.

I recently described today's guest, the great Danny Burstein, as a glow worm. On stage, the man, truly, is lit from within. If you've ever seen him in anything,you know what I'm talking about. Whether the role is large or small, passionate or passive, when he's on stage, you can't take your eyes off of him, and you wouldn't want to--he's just magnetic that way. Danny began his career in New York in the early 90s taking a lot of small roles and understudy gigs. Then, a few years on, he made the terrifying decision that actors sometimes do--not to take any work that didn't challenge him artistically and advance him towards a more fulfilling career. Of course, we all know the rest. He went on to earn five Tony Award nominations for his work in such shows as 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'South Pacific,' 'Follies,' 'Golden Boy,' and 'Cabaret.' This season he's back on Broadway wowing audiences 8 times a week as Tevye in the stunning Bartlett Sher production of 'Fiddler on the Roof,' currently playing at the Broadway Theater. I know I say this a lot, but it really was an honor to get to sit with this man for forty minutes in his dressing room and talk about his amazing body of work. Enjoy!!!

You guys, I have to say that interviewing today’s guest, Andrea Burns, was one of the most fun hours I’ve ever spent in a theater. First of all, she had heard of our little podcast before, which i LOVED, but second, she was just completely game to share her stories and answer my sometimes ridiculously vague questions. I first fell in love with Andrea as Daniela the fabulous and maybe just a little bit gossipy hair dresser in "In The Heights" and I was completely blown away by her as Glosria Fajardo—Gloria Estefan’s mother—in this season’s "On Your Feet." Of course Andrea's long list of credits really begins with Jason Robert Brown’s groundbreaking "Songs for a New World" back in 1995. Also, did you know that those two went to summer camp together? Oh, last thing—I LOVE recording these interviews in dressing rooms before showtime because I think it really offers our listeners a sense of what it’s like backstage before the show starts. And that includes some interruptions and sound checks and other shenanigans. Rather than editing around that, I’ve left it all in because I love it. I hope you do too. Ok, here’s our conversation.

You guys, we are so excited to welcome choreographer Spencer Liff to the podcast this week. Like a lot of people, I first became aware of Spencer for his Emmy nominated work as a choreographer on the hit show 'So You Think You Can Dance--' I had no idea that he’s totally a Broadway guy! Spencer made his Broadway debut at age 11 in the musical 'Big'. He went on to appear in 'The Wedding Singer,' 'Cry Baby,' 'Equis,' and' 9 to 5', taking on more and more responsibility along the way. He was the Associate Choreographer and Dance captain for 'Cry Baby' and was the Dance Captain on 'Equis'. After hitting it big on so You Think You Can Dance, he came back to Broadway to provide the musical staging for the Neil Patrick Harris led 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch', and was then hired to choreograph the Deaf West Production of 'Spring Awakening', which ultimately transferred to Broadway earlier this season. He was recently tapped by James Lapine himself to choreograph the upcoming revival of the much loved musical 'Falsettos'. It was such a delight to spend a Sunday morning chatting with this guy.