Episodes

16
Oct. 17, 2024

Ep. 167 with Wicked's Madison Claire Parks

On this episode I talked with Madison about her journey in musical theater, her family's artistic background and the importance of practical experience, attending a performing arts middle school, landing her first professional role at 16, the way pro shots help to make theatre more accessible, her experiences with Off-Broadway productions such as The Fantasticks where she starred as Luisa, joining long-running shows and the creative freedom offered by small theatre’s, the influence of audience p...
15
Oct. 12, 2024

Ep. 166 with Wicked's Erica Ito

On this episode I talked with Erica about her journey into theater, being inspired by magical worlds in books like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, her desire to perform, being influenced by memorable performances like Meryl Streep in "Mamma Mia!”, seeing "The Lion King" tour in Honolulu as a child, her school trip to New York in middle school, where she saw both "Memphis" and "Wicked,” the influence Jennifer Lawrence’s acting in The Hunger Games had on her and wanting to play Katniss if The Hung...
14
Oct. 3, 2024

Ep. 165 with Wicked's Austen Danielle Bohmer

On this episode I talked with Austen about her upbringing in a theater family and her initial hesitance to pursue a career in the arts, despite her passion for world-building, pivotal moments from her high school years that solidified her love for theater, influenced by iconic productions like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Wicked’, the significance of experiential gift-giving, her transformative experience studying Shakespeare in London which deepened her understanding of acting and the relevance ...
13
Sept. 30, 2024

Ep. 164 with Back To The Future's Laura Sky Herman

On this episode I talked with Laura Sky about when she first discovered her passion for theatre, how she became a well-rounded performer growing up, being accepted into Harvard and making history as one of the first women to perform in their historic Hasty Pudding Theatricals (the oldest theater group in the country), studying at Texas State University and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, how studying Shakespeare has helped her as an actress, originating the roles of Lila in White Rose and Marie V...
12
Sept. 26, 2024

Ep. 163 with The Outsiders' Tilly Evans-Krueger

On this episode I talked with Tilly about her lifelong connection to dance, childhood aspirations to join Alvin Ailey, and her transformative decision to pursue musical theater, how choreographer Sonya Tayeh influenced her transition into musical theatre, her passion for storytelling through dance, her favorite projects, her Broadway debut in Moulin Rouge, her initial insecurities about singing, booking Moulin Rouge as a vacation swing, her love for the various tracks she played in Moulin Rouge ...
11
Sept. 22, 2024

Ep. 162 with The Outsiders' Victor Carrillo Tracey

On this episode I talked with Victor about his early memories of theatre, including watching "Peter Pan" in a park and being captivated by "Phantom of the Opera.”, his experience at the Boston Conservatory, where he appreciated the comprehensive training and the merger with Berklee College of Music, strengthening his assets as a performer by learning to dance, which enriched his skills as an actor and singer, his experiences in regional theater, particularly in "A Chorus Line," where he formed d...
10
Aug. 23, 2024

Ep. 161 with The Outsiders' Melody Rose

On this episode I talked with Melody about her passion for theater and her dream to be a Broadway dancer, both the challenges and growth she experienced in both dance and singing, her experience on her first National Tour of Finding Neverland where she played Peter Pan, the ins and outs of a non-equity tour including one night stops and small stages that don’t fit the entire set, the lasting friendships she formed with her tour mates, some of whom will be her future roommates and colleagues, her...
12
Aug. 8, 2024

Ep. 160 with Back To The Future's Caden Brauch

On this episode I talked with Caden about his journey to becoming a theater performer, his childhood involvement in summer camps and regional theater productions, his decision to attend T. Schreiber's Acting Conservatory in New York, his passion for Shakespeare, the possibility of being in Shakespeare in The Park one day, studying improv and the transformative effects of improv on acting and theater, his audition process for the role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future on tour alongside his pre...
11
Aug. 2, 2024

Ep. 159 with The Outsiders' SarahGrace Mariani

On this episode I talked with SarahGrace about various aspects of her career journey, including her childhood dream of becoming an actor, her dedication to dance, singing, and acting that helped her become a well-rounded performer, living in Tokyo during her childhood and the impact it had on her formative years, her audition process for the National Tour of Phantom Of The Opera where she played Meg Giry, how she prepared to head out on the road for a National Tour, the process of making the cha...
10
June 16, 2024

Ep. 158 with The Outsiders' Jason Schmidt

On this episode I talked with Jason about his journey as an actor, from his early ambitions to his multifaceted artistic career, filming Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies where he played Buddy Aldridge, what it was like filming music numbers for the show and how long they took, how he is similar to Buddy, his audition for The Outsiders where he originally went in for Bob Sheldon before going in for Sodapop, how his portrayal of Sodapop has changed since the La Jolla Playhouse run, getting to make ...
9
June 12, 2024

Ep. 157 with The Outsiders' Kevin William Paul

On this episode I talked with Kevin about his journey into theater, the multifaceted influences that contributed to his artistic development, from his family's love for music to his athletic background, his thought process behind choosing Carnegie Mellon University for drama school, his love and passion for writing his own music, his audition experience for The Outsiders on Broadway and his love for the book which the show does a good job matching the tone of, the impact of reading The Outsiders...
8
May 22, 2024

Ep. 156 with The Outsiders' Emma Pittman

I talked with Emma Pittman about her early exposure to theatre, how she became a well-rounded performer who can tackle singing, acting, and dancing on stage, entering Broadway.com’s contest “The Search For Roxie” and winning the show, getting to make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago, her fresh take on Roxie Hart, what made her want to audition for Back To The Future on Broadway, learning the choreography for a dance heavy show, her audition process for The Outsiders and previously bei...
7
May 16, 2024

Ep. 155 with Back To The Future's Liana Hunt

On this episode I talked about Liana's early passion for theater, her decision to attend NYU for theater school, her subsequent role in the national tour of Mamma Mia where she played Sophie Sheridan, making a well-known character her own on both Broadway and tour, playing Katherine Plumber in Newsies on Broadway, the insane choreography and dances in Newsies, auditioning for Nessrose in Wicked and booking the tour, studying comedy and improv, her involvement in sketch comedy, the underrated mus...
6
May 14, 2024

Ep. 154 with Wicked's Natalie Ortega

On this episode I talked with Natalie about her passion for acting and childhood memories, the importance of regional theater in providing opportunities for aspiring actors, her audition experience for Wicked, the emotional rollercoaster of waiting and self-doubt during the process, how she prepared to make her Broadway debut, self-confidence, maintaining a healthy lifestyle while performing 8 times a week on Broadway, performing on a raked stage with a wheelchair, the intricacies of Nessarose’s...
5
May 5, 2024

Ep. 153 with Broadway's Coby Getzug

On this episode I talked with Coby about how he discovered his passion for theatre, the atmosphere of the theater community, his experiences at performing arts high school and UCLA, becoming a well-rounded and versatile performer, playing Moritz on the Spring Awakening national tour and the show’s impact on both the cast and the audience, the changing perception of understudies and standbys in the theater industry, how audiences are now celebrating the individuality of each performer they see in...
4
April 24, 2024

Ep. 152 with The Notebook's Jordan Tyson

On this episode I talked with Jordan about when her passion for theatre and performing started, the moment she knew she wanted to make theatre a career for herself, growing up on the east coast and whether she went to theatre shows often, becoming a well-rounded performer, playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid at B’way Method Academy, workshopping shows, what peaks her interest when reading a script for a play or musical, playing Kizette in Lempicka at La Jolla Playhouse, her audition process for ...
3
March 9, 2024

Ep. 151 with How To Dance in Ohio's Amelia Fei

On this episode I talked with Amelia about her journey to becoming a theater performer, growing up in Taiwan, the influence of "Phantom of the Opera" on her career, her move to NYC and going to school at AMDA, working at the Majestic theatre as an usher and the first time she heard about the show “How To Dance In Ohio”, auditioning for "How to Dance in Ohio,” connecting to the character of Caroline who’s based off of a real life person, the complexities of Caroline’s storyline in “How To Dance I...
2
March 1, 2024

Ep. 150 with Les Miserables' Delaney Guyer

On this episode I talked with Delaney about her early experiences in theater, the impact youth theatre had on her life, the challenges of college auditions, her audition for Les Misérables, getting cast as Cosette, the emotional experiences of portraying roles in Les Misérables, the Broadway caliber talent on the @lesmizus tour, vocal care and health while on tour, working on self-confidence in the industry, her dream roles, Delaney's new musical she’s writing, "Stone Cold," and much more!
1
Jan. 25, 2024

Ep. 149 with Broadway's Mary Kate Moore

On this episode I talked with Kate about when she realized she could work professionally as a theatre performer, choosing to go to school at OCU to study theatre, her most valuable takeaway from going to school there, playing Grizabella in Cats The Musical on a Cruise, joining the 2016-2017 tour of “Into The Woods”, working with actors and actresses she admires, the intricacies of playing characters in "Into the Woods" and "Les Misérables," focusing on the emotional depth and vulnerability requi...
20
Jan. 22, 2024

Ep. 148 with Broadway's Jordan Dobson

On this episode I talked with Jordan about discusses his journey to becoming an actor, including his inspiration from watching conductors in shows like Wicked, his Broadway debut in West Side Story, how he became the standby for Tony, why he chooses to advocate for the normalization of having alternates and covers for roles on Broadway, working on the Maestro with Bradley Cooper and how his background in theater helped him adapt to screen acting, his experience playing Orpheus in Hadestown and h...
19
Dec. 22, 2023

Ep. 147 with Los Angeles' Dionne Gipson

On this episode I talk with LA theatre legend Dionne Gipson about when she knew she wanted to be a performer, the moment people discovered she could sing growing up, her music inspirations like The Clark Sisters, Donny Hathaway, Whitney Houston, Prince, and more, what inspired her to go to graduate school for theatre, booking Dream Girls at 14th St. Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia, going on tours with artists like Keith Sweat, signing to a major music label with her rock band ‘Edith’s Wish’, what ...
18
Dec. 12, 2023

Ep. 146 with Ballad of Songbirds' Vaughan Reilly

On this episode I talked with Vaughan Reilly about the moment she realized she wanted to be an actress, how her mom inspired her growing up, her roles on stage in regional theatre productions, some of her absolute favorite shows including Beetlejuice which she one day hopes to star in, her audition process for The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the preparation process for a movie as big as The Hunger Games, how the cast bonded on set, singing LIVE in the movie, why Ballad of Songb...
17
Nov. 27, 2023

Ep. 145 with Mamma Mia's Grant Reynolds

On this episode I talked with Grant Reynolds about when he knew he wanted to be a theatre performer, the first professional theatre show he saw, his favorite style of dance, why he chose to study at Carnegie Melon University and what his greatest takeaway there was, why he likes being in shows that challenge traditional theatre, performing at The Muny, his audition process for Sky in Mamma Mia, how quickly the cast managed to bond during rehearsal and how that bond strengthens their performance ...
16
Oct. 27, 2023

Ep. 144 with Hadestown's Amaya Braganza

On this episode I talked with Amaya about making her Broadway debut at age 10 as July in Annie, being a part of the prestegious Broadway cast of The King & I at Lincoln Center and soon after toured with The King & I, her singing group with her two sisters called The Braganza Sisters and how they came up with the idea to form a group, her audition process for Hadestown on tour where she is the second Filipino to play the part of Eurydice, seeing Eva as Eurdyice before being cast in the show and h...