On Monday, July 10, the Theater People podcast welcomes two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes and Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG. For the first part of the episode, host Patrick Hinds chats with Osnes (who is making her fourth appearance on Theater People) about her work in BANDSTAND. Osnes, who has been with the show since it's very first reading, shares stories about how the show has developed, why she turned down other roles to stay with the piece, and a personal family story about why she feels so connected to the role.
On Monday, June 26th, the Theater People podcast welcome's ANASTASIA star Derek Klena. For the podcast, Klena tells all about creating the role of Dmitri in the new Broadway production alongside his friend and CARRIE: THE MUSICAL co-star Christy Altomare.
On Tuesday, May 23rd the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony winner and Broadway legend Betty Buckley. For the episode, Buckley shares hilarious and fascinating stories from her nearly five decades as a Broadway and West End star. She also shares cuts from her new album STORY SONGS.
On Monday, May 8 the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony Award winner Gabriel Ebert. Ebert is currently starring alongside Harvey Fierstein in the critically acclaimed gay history play Gently Down the Stream which was written by Martin Sherrman (BENT, THE BOY FROM OZ). Gently Down the Stream plays at the Martinson Theater at The Public Theater through May 21st.
On Monday, May 1st Theater People podcast welcomes MISS SAIGON star Eva Noblezada. For the episode, Noblezada shares her story of being discovered by casting director Tara Rubin at the 2013 National High School Musical Theater Awards (AKA The Jimmy Awards) and being fast-tracked to audition for the West End revival of MISS SAIGON.
On Monday, April 24 the Theater People podcast welcome's COME FROM AWAY star Jenn Colella. For the episode, Colella recounts her experience with the new Broadway musical--based on true events--from winning the role to meeting and befriending her real-life counterpart. She also shares fascinating stories from her previous work on Broadway.
Audiences may know Nikka Graff Lanzarone from her role in the recent Off-Broadway production of SWEET CHARITY, or as the co-creator and host of the Broadway-centric podcast THE ENSEMBLIST, in which she and her co-host Mo Brady delve into each facet of creating a Broadway show with an emphasis on all those names that aren't above the title.
Now, the multifaceted talent prepares to make her Feinstein's/54 Below debut on February 23, with a show she's co-created called HERO WORSHIP. Before descending to the sublevel venue, Lanzarone, billing the concert as an "eclectic whirl through the songs and performers who shaped [her] into the human she is," discussed with BroadwayWorld how she found her way into the show conceptually. She also shared details of what it was like to be a part of the feminist interpretation of SWEET CHARITY in the aftermath of the election, and how she hopes her podcast breaks down the stigma of ensemble work on Broadway.
On Monday, February 13th, Theater People podcast welcomes Tony-winner LaChanze. For the episode, LaChanze talks about how growing up in Connecticut afforded her the opportunity to make frequent trips into New York City where she saw such shows as the original CHICAGO and EVITA with Patti LuPone.
THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BROADWAY, VOLUME 3 from DRESS CIRCLE PUBLISHING - the latest in a series by acclaimed historian and producer JENNIFER ASHLEY TEPPER - is released today, November 15 at www.dresscirclepublishing.com.
On Monday, November 14, the Theater People podcast welcome's Tony nominee Brandon Uranowitz. He made his Broadway debut in 2011's BABY IT'S YOU. He earned a Tony nomination for his turn as Adam Hochberg in last year's AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, and he can currently be seen in the role of Mendel in William Finn and James Lapine's critically acclaimed revival of FALSETTOS. For the episode, Uranowitz discusses the six months of auditions he went through to win the role of Mendel, how James Lapine was lovingly hard on him during the show's rehearsal process, and shares a memory of accompanying Katie Holmes on a shopping spree during his pre-Broadway days when he worked as a sales associate.
On Monday, Theater People podcast welcome's HAMILTON'S Mandy Gonzalez. She made her Broadway debut in 2000 in AIDA as the Amnneris standby. She eventually took the role over full-time. She went on to originate roles in DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and LENNON before winning her breakout role as Nina in Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS, a role she originated in the show's pre-Off Broadway days. She went on to take over the role of Elphaba in WICKED and can now be seen eight times a week in the hottest show on Broadway, HAMILTON.
On Monday, October 17 the Theater People podcast welcome's Broadway favorite Jay Armstrong Johnson. Armstrong made his Broadway debut in 2009 in HAIR. He next stood-by for Aaron Tveit in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. He originated the role of Greg Wihote in the 2013 Broadway production of HANDS ON A HARDBODY and then starred as chip in the critically acclaimed 2014 revival of ON THE TOWN. For the episode, Johnson talks about how discovering theater at a young age changed his life for the better, how he was able to make Broadway producers take him seriously as a leading man, and shares some of the music from his new album 'Jay Armstrong Johnson: Live at Feinstein's / 54 Below.'
On Monday, October 3rd, Theater People podcast welcomes three-time Tony nominee Rebecca Luker. For the episode, Luker shares stories from her nearly three decades on Broadway, offers advice for actors just starting out, and offers her thoughts on 2016 Presidential election.
Navigating social media use by performers is new territory for the live entertainment world, but rules and regulations are starting crop up for the theatre crowd.
On Monday, September 18 the Theater People podcast welcomes Tony and Emmy Award winning director Thomas Kail. For the episode, Kail discusses creating the smash hit musical HAMILTON alongside his longtime collaborator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Known as 'the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out,' The Ensemblist podcast has become the champion of the unsung performance heroes and inner workings of the theatre world. Co-created and co-hosted by Nikka Graff Lanzarote (Chicago, Women on the Verge) and Mo Brady (SMASH, The Addams Family), the podcast has covered everything from the Gypsy Robe ceremony, to the audition process, to what it's like to be a Broadway babysitter during its first three years on the air. Now, following a successful first season covering the 'Ensemblist Essentials,' this past spring, The Ensemblist is entering into its second season (check out the first episode below!) and I sat down to talk with Nikka and Mo about how the podcast has grown, what it looks like to balance careers in the arts with being podcast masters, which Broadway ensemble they'd like to join, and more-check out the full interview below!
