Today marks the debut of The Ensemblist, a new audio podcast for those curious about how Broadway really works. Interviewing musical theatre's unsung heroes, the podcast explores the unique aspects of these performers' lives, both on and off the stage.
Simply put: an ensemblist is a chorus member. They may die on a barricade, tap dance on a giant dime, or soar over the audience dressed as a flying monkey, but each is a talented performer with an amazing story to share: combining training, passion, and talent with being in the right place at just the right time.
The Ensemblist is an inside look at the experience of being a Broadway performer- from the first rehearsal through performing eight shows a week and beyond. Whether you're an experienced theatre professional or just a passionate fan, The Ensemblist will give you the opportunity to get to know new performers and the great work they do onstage, while also shedding light on some of the hidden innerworkings of Broadway.
Created and hosted by
Mo Brady (The Addams Family, SMASH) and
Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Chicago, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), The Ensemblist will delve into everything from split tracks and universal swings to replacements, pre-production and more.
The first episode, "Dance Partners," features interviews with amazing dancers who have created movement for the Broadway stage together, and with choreographers who are known for their great partnering work. Guests include
Cameron Adams and
Marty Lawson (Cry-Baby, Shrek the Musical, Promises, Promises),
Stephanie Gibson and
Peter Nelson (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella) and choreographer
Mark Stuart (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown).
In episode two, "Swings," we speak to four of Broadway's hardest-working performers about what it takes to be a swing, and look at some of the unique requirements of the job. The episode includes interviews with
Sara Andreas (Catch Me If You Can),
Christopher Rice (The Book of Mormon),
Samantha Shafer (West Side Story, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and
Clay Thomson (Matilda The Musical, Newsies).
Future episodes will concentrate on a different aspect of the ensemblist's life and feature guests from current, past and future Broadway productions. New episodes of The Ensemblist can be downloaded every two weeks through the iTunes store by searching for "The Ensemblist." Alternately, episodes can be downloaded directly from Podbean at
theensemblist.podbean.com.
The website,
TheEnsemblist.com, features stories, Q&As, and blog posts from those in the know about life as an ensemblist, plus cool stuff the team can't NOT share. For more information, visit
TheEnsemblist.com. You can also follow The Ensemblist on Twitter: @theensemblist, and on Facebook:
facebook.com/theensemblist.
Photo Credit: Kevin Thomas Garcia
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