On Monday, December 29, Theater People podcast welcomes beloved Broadway belter, Lindsay Mendez. Mendez, who is well known for having taken on the role of Elphaba in the Broadway mega-hit WICKED for the show's 10th anniversary, made her Broadway debut as Jan in the 2007 Kathleen Marshall helmed GREASE. She was seen on Broadway in the 2010 Roundabout Theater production of EVERYDAY RAPTURE, as well as the 2011 Broadway revival of GODSPELL before being hand picked by famed director Joe Mantello to star in the off-Broadway Pasek and Paul musical DOGFIGHT at Second Stage. She also memorably appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in Miranda's short musical 21 CHUMP STREET which was commissioned by the NPR show 'This American Life' and performed at BAM.
To celebrate their first year of podcasting, the Theater People Podcast is counting down its Top-10 moments. As he has done before, host Patrick Hinds is giving the BroadwayWorld readers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what happens before, during, and after the the tape is rolling.
On Monday, December 15, the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony winning Actress LaChanze. LaChanze, currently starring in Tom Yorkey/Brian Kitt hit musical IF/THEN discusses her role in the show and why this particular character drew her back to Broadway after an eight year break. She also discusses being a working single mom and her delight in working alongside co-stars Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, and Jen Colella.
On Monday, December 8, the Theater People Podcast welcomes Mary Testa. Over the course of Testa's nearly four decades in the New York Theater she's racked up 12 Broadway credits, 26 Off-Broadway credits, two Tony nominations, two Obie Awards, four Drama Desk nominations and an honorary Drama Desk for her years of outstanding performances on and off Broadway.
On Monday, December 1, the Theater People Podcast welcomes ON THE TOWN star Alysha Umphress. Umphress shares fascinating stories from her journey with the project including her decision, after a slew of ensemble roles in Broadway shows, to only be seen for principal parts which led to this opportunity.
On Monday, November 17, the Theater People Podcast welcomes SIDE SHOW star Erin Davie. Davie shares stories about her six year journey with the production, working with director Bill Condon on updating and reimagining the show, memories from having seen the original production on Broadway, and how she and co-star Emily Padget found their Daisy and Violet.
On Monday, November 3, The Theater People Podcast welcomes celebrates Broadway debuts with actresses Margo Seibert (ROCKY THE MUSICAL) and Amber Iman (SOUL DOCTOR). Both actresses discuss landing leading roles for their first Broadway jobs.
On Monday, October 20th, the Theater People Podcast welcomes three time Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger. Topics discussed include her Broadway debut in the popular 2005 musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, her critically acclaimed turns in the Broadway productions of PETER AND THE STAR CATCHER and last year's THE GLASS MENAGERIE. She also talks about taking on the new play THE OLDEST BOY, currently in previews at the Mitzi Newhouse theater at Lincoln Theater, and the exciting experience of working for the first time on a play with two women at the helm--the playwright Sarah Ruhl, and director Rebecca Taichman.
I first met the Genius Lin-Manuel Miranda (I will never stop calling him that) back in 2003 when I was trying to get some traction as a freelance writer. My friend Tommy Kail asked me if I wanted to interview a young writer/composer he was working with on a new hip hop musical called IN THE HEIGHTS. It was just a one-act being workshopped in the basement theater of the Drama Bookshop, but the show's main character was gay (obviously a lot has changed over the years) and he thought that would interest me. It did, so we set up an interview.
On Monday, October 6th the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony, Emmy, Drama Desk, Obie winner and Pulitzer Prize nominee Lin-Manuel Miranda. Topics discussed include Miranda's upcoming new musical HAMILTON--which makes it's world premiere at the Public Theater in January, the Tony winning IN THE HEIGHTS, BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL, AND 21 CHUMP STREET--The short musical Miranda wrote for NPR's 'This American Life.'
As I said in the initial episode, But, Wait! What? will be a blog and video series that brings you interviews, commentary, and conversations about things from all corners of the pop culture world. In our first video, I discussed the Fall TV season with the creators of the web comedy THE RESIDUALS (they are in the last week of their Season 2 KickStarter, check it out), and this week I talk to Patrick Hinds, the host of the Theater People Podcast, about the star-studded fall season on Broadway.
On Monday, September 22 the Theater People Podcast welcomes the multi-talented Telly Leung. Topics discussed include his work on the musical TV show GLEE, his work on Broadway including FLOWER DRUM SONG, the groundbreaking 2004 revival of Stephen Sondheim' PACIFIC OVERTURES, RENT, and GODSPELL, and his new role as a producer on the rock musical short film GRIND starring Anthony Rapp.
On Monday, September 8th the Theater People Podcast welcomes the multi-talented Ellyn Marie Marsh. Topics discussed include her two Broadway heartbreaks: being cast as a replacement in the role of Hatchet Face Mona in CRY BABY, but never even making it into rehearsal because the show closed just after previews; and being cast as an understudy in ENRON, but never making it to the stage because the show suffered a similar fate.
On Monday, August 18th the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony-winner Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell discusses directing and choreographing the Tony winning mega-hit KINKY BOOTS. He also discusses making his director/choreographer debut with the popular LEGALLY BLONDE as well as his collaborations with the great Jack O'Brien on HAIRSPRAY, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, THE FULL MONTY and others. The episode is available now for iTunes subscribers.
At the beginning of this year, a new theatre-centric podcast debuted, and has been supplying extremely insightful and heartfelt stories ever since. One of the show's charms is the amount of love and appreciation that host Patrick Hinds shows each guest. For their most recent episode, Hinds interviewed Tony-winner Karen Olivo, and what resulted was a moving hour of conversation. Olivo has been one of Broadway's most talented stars for over a decade, but in 2013, she decide to 'retire' and leave New York City.
On Monday, August 4th the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony-winner Karen Olivo. Olivo made headlines in 2013 when she announced on her blog that she would be taking a step back from acting and leaving New York City in order to move to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue other interests and passions.
On Monday, July 21st the Theater People Podcast welcomes two-time Tony-nominee Robin de Jesus. De Jesus discusses making his professional acting debut in the cult-hit indie film CAMP, making his Broadway debut as an understudy in RENT, creating the role of Sonny in the groundbreaking IN TH EHEIGHTS, co-starring as Jacob in the 2010 revival of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES alongside Kelsey Grammer, and receiving Tony nominations for the latter two roles.
On Monday, July 7th, the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony Award-winner Tonya Pinkins. Pinkins is currently co-starring on Broadway in HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, a mostly rapped-through musical featuring the music, lyrics, and poetry of Tupac Shakur.
On Monday, June 30th the Theater People Podcast welcomes 'Matilda' star Lesli Margherita. Topics discussed include her Olivier award winning turn as Inez in 'Zorro The Musical' in London's West End, the day her friend Eden Espinosa called her to insist that Lesli be seen for the role of Mrs. Wormwood in 'Matilda', and her emotional Broadway debut in the show. The episode is available now to iTunes subscribers.
On Monday, June 16th the Theater People Podcast welcomes 'If/Then' and 'Rent' star Anthony Rapp. Topics discussed include Rapp's two year journey helping to bring 'If/Then' to the Broadway stage (he's been with the show since even before the workshop phase), collaborating with the show's creators Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt to create the character of Lucas, and reuniting with friend and 'Rent' co-star Idina Menzel (he has high praise for her work ethic, talent, and ability to maintain her status as one of Broadway's few 'marquee names').
