The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

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Ep250 - Brandon Victor Dixon: Driving Change Using the Arts Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

Driven to inspire other people with art, Brandon Victor Dixon has been sharing his talent with the world for decades now. And this month, the actor slash theatrical producer is part of the much-anticipated world premiere of the award-winning "MacGyver: The Musical’s" album which will be released on January 27th. Apart from theatre, Brandon is also doing advocacy work. He talks about the We Are Foundation which he created, and how he uses it to bridge gaps between art and us as communities. He brings up a good point on human behavior, what makes it for some people to be kind, and how art can be a gateway to understanding and helping them. In choosing a role or a piece, he considers the tools that can make his role and the exchange between him and the audience the most effective. He adds that the pieces choose him and come into his life at a time when he needs them the most. When he was just starting, Brandon had to pause his graduation to go on a national tour, come back, finish school, and then originate a role on Broadway for which he got a Tony nomination. He recalls his audition process for the role of Simba, why he thinks he shouldn't have been cast, and how he overcame his doubts and the challenges he encountered as it was happening. As one of the stars in the world premiere album of “MacGyver: The Musical”, Brandon talks about his character, doing comedy, and how his process usually adapts to the show his doing. Brandon reflects on his role as Haywood Patterson in “The Scottsboro Boys”, why he considers it his favorite role, and how it ultimately goes back to his advocacy: to change and help people with the power of art.

Brandon Victor Dixon is an actor, singer, advocate, and theatrical producer known for his Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical "The Color Purple" and Eubie Blake in "Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed". Apart from originating both roles, he also originated the leading role of Berry Gordy Jr. in Broadway's "Motown: The Musical", which earned a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2016, Brandon assumed the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway company of "Hamilton". He also played the role of Hayward Patterson in "The Scottsboro Boys" both Off-Broadway and in London's West End, and was nominated for a 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. As a producer, his credits include Broadway revivals of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch which won the 2014 Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical, and "Of Mice and Men". In 2018, he played Judas in NBC's live concert version of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar" where he received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. His other stage credits include "Chicago", "The Lion King", "The Color Purple", "Rent", and "Shuffle Along" among others. His tv credits include "Power", "She's Gotta Have It", "Modern Love", and "The Best Man: The Final Chapters". Brandon is part of the much-anticipated album of the award-winning "MacGyver: The Musical’" which will be released on January 27th, 2023.

Connect with Brandon:

Instagram: @brandonvdixon
Twitter: @brandonvdixon
Website: www.brandonvictordixon.com

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TheTheatrePodcast.com
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Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep249 - Squigs (aka Justin Robertson): Illustrating for the Acting World Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

You can take the boy out of Oregon, but you can't take the Oregon out of the boy. Or something like that.

After growing up on the west coast and spending some time in LA, Squigs - Broadway's modern day Al Hirschfeld, found his way to NYC both acting and supplementing his income creating some of the most sought after caricatures of the Broadway community. After growing up watching feeling his dad was an artist by being able to create and fix almost anything, Squigs's natural ability to draw led him down a path he never expected, all the way to designing the upcoming key art for the J.P. Morgan Squash Tournament of Champions (where they setup a squash court inside Grand Central Station!). As co-creator of the Lights of Broadway trading cards, he's certainly busy creating some of the most sought after illustrations of our day. Oh, and if you like Broadway... and cooking... and dad jokes... or any of the three, make sure to check out Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway, a hilarious cookbook co-authored by Gideon Glick and Adam D. Roberts, illustrated by Squigs himself.

Justin "Squigs" Robertson is an acclaimed illustrator and caricaturist specializing in capturing the ephemeral and collaborative art form of theatre. He has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the "Line King's Heirs", carrying on the theatrical caricature traditions exemplified by legendary Times artist Al Hirschfeld. His illustrations have been seen regularly since 2010 as the Broadway Ink feature on Broadway.com. They have also appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Variety, the Playbill Broadway Yearbook, Jennifer Ashley Tepper's Untold Stories of Broadway series, and in promotional campaigns for Actors' Equity Association (including their "Ask If It's Equity" efforts and the cover of their centennial book Performance of the Century), Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS, the Theatre World Awards, and theatrical productions in New York, London, and around the world. He was born and raised in Oregon, lived in Los Angeles for many years, and now calls New York City his home.

Connect with Squigs:

Get the cookbook Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway: https://amzn.to/3QqPTTC
Check out the Lights of Broadway cards
IG: @squigsrobertson
Facebook: Squigs Knows His Lines
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/squigs
Web: SquigsOnline.com

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Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep248 - Eddie Izzard: Living up to Great Expectations Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

Eddie Izzard is a Tony Award nominated, Emmy Award winning actress who quickly rose to fame in the 90s as a phenomenal standup comedian - producing two of my all time favorite specials Glorious and Dress to Kill. Among her 41 film credits include The Avengers, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, and Rock Dog. She has around 40 TV credits, is a politician, activist, philanthropist, historian, linguist, has lent her voices to video games and now along with her brother Mark have adapted Great Expectations, the Charles Dickens classic, into a 2 act play now showing at the Greenwich House Theater in NYC where she plays 19 different characters.

This episode covers why Eddie ran for Parliament (yes, THE Parliament), how she finds her comedic seams that glue her standup together, why running marathons became a hobby, and what it means that she is exactly 150 years younger than Charles Dickens (spoiler, it doesn't mean much!). After losing her mom at a very young age, Eddie turned to the theatre in what she believes is the need to feel the love from the audience - a substitution for the missing affection from her mother.

Connect with Eddie:

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TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
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TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep247 - 2022 Wrap Up with Alan Seales and Diana Salameh Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

2022 - the first full year of theatre since Broadway shutdown in 2020. It was full of highs and lows, but one thing's for certain we're glad Broadway is back! Once again, Diana Salameh, Vice President of Brand Integration at Serino Coyne, co-hosts the final episode of the year. Serino Coyne is the nation's longest-running theatrical advertising agency, so Diana brings some fun insider insight to how this strange business of show actually goes down.

Spoiler alert - I've never seen a single production of Into the Woods, and she's never seen the Back to the Future movies. Um, that's not right.

Connect with Diana:

Instagram: @_dianasalameh
Twitter: @_dianasalameh

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep246 - Michael Urie & Ryan Spahn: Partners in Life and on Stage Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

Having been together for over 14 years as real life partners, Michael Urie and Ryan Spahn now get to share the stage together as scene partners in parts specifically written for the two of them. Interestingly enough, this episode contains as much hidden relationship advice as it does theater advice and stories, as we dive into what really makes them successful as a couple after all this time, especially both being in such a tumultuous, competitive profession. They also share how they turned pandemic lemons into pandemic lemonade by experimenting with Zoom multicam, aka two cell phones in two different rooms, to make their at-home performances have a little extra pizzaz -- which them led them through the change opportunity rabbit hole that put them on stage together now.

More about Michael Urie

STC: Hamlet, Will on the Hill (2022). NEW YORK: Broadway: Chicken & Biscuits, Grand Horizons, Torch Song, How To Succeed in Business... Off-Broadway: Performer: Buyer & Cellar, The Government Inspector, Angels in America, The Temperamentals, A Bright Room Called Day, The Cherry Orchard. Director: Bright Colors and Bold Patterns. Producer: Happy Birthday Doug (both written and performed by Drew Droege and both available on BroadwayHD). Co-Founder/Co-Producer: Pride Plays, an LGBTQIA theater festival. TV: Ugly Betty, Younger, Modern Family, Good Wife/Fight, Hot in Cleveland. FILM: Single All The Way, Swan Song, Lavender, Decoy Bride, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, He’s Way More Famous Than You (also directed). UPCOMING: TV: Shrinking, Krapopolis. FILM: Jerseys Boys Live.

More about Ryan Spahn

STC: Hamlet. NEW YORK: Off-Broadway: Good Enemy;Jane Anger;Lessons in Survival;Mr. Toole;How To Load aMusket;Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow; Daniel’s Husband; Summer & Smoke; Still at Risk; Exit Strategy; Gloria. REGIONAL: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Goodman Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Philadelphia Theatre Company. FILM: September 17th, The Raging Heart of Maggie Acker, Shirley, Abducted, Nora Highland (writer/director), He’s Way More Famous Than You (co-writer), Grantham & Rose (writer), Woven (co-writer). TV: Chicago P.D., Modern Love, The Bite, The Blacklist. PERSONAL: he/him | Ryan’s writing has been published by Rotten Tomatoes, Talkhouse, USA Today, and D.C.’s Metro Weekly. | Training: The Juilliard School.

Connect with Michael and Ryan:

Listen to Michael's original episode #148
IG: @MichaelUrieLikesIt, @RyanSpahn
Twitter: @MichaelUrie, @Ryan_Spahn

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep245 - Tovah Feldshuh: Bringing Real Mom Love to to Lea Michele and Julie Benko Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

With a Broadway career spanning over 50 years, Tovah Feldshuh takes us through her journey as she shares her life as an actress, wife, and mother. While she loves politics, it's her love of people that motivates her to fight for what she believes in and help in every way that she can. Initially determined to go to Harvard Law School to stay close to her father, her brother encouraged her to apply for the McKnight Fellowship in acting and was eventually chosen as one of the four to attend the fellowship. This trajectory change was the beginning of Tovah's pursuit of becoming an actor, which to her is "so much cheaper than therapy". Tovah talks about her role as Mrs. Brice in "Funny Girl" and bringing a level of humanity and relatability to her character, and her memoir, “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I've Played” which explores mother-daughter relationships, and her complex relationship with her mother. Married for 46 years, she shares what makes their marriage work. Tovah intends to keep acting for as long as she can, mainly motivated by her love of people and making connections.

Tovah Feldshuh is an actress, singer, and playwright who's been a Broadway star for more than four decades now, which earned her Tony Award nominations and two Emmy Award nominations. She made her Broadway debut in the 1973 musical "Cyrrano". Her other stage credits include "Saravá", "Lend Me a Tenor", "Golda's Balcony", “Dreyfus in Rehearsal”, “Lend Me a Tenor”, “Golda’s Balcony”, "Irena's Vow", "Pippin", and "Yentl". She made her cabaret debut with her act, "Tovah: Crossovah! From Broadway to Cabaret", followed by "Tovah: Out of Her Mind!" and was selected as Best Cabaret Artist of 2000 by the Boston Globe. Tovah has also appeared in numerous tv shows, including "Ryan's Hope", "Holocaust", "Mariah", "As the World Turns", "Law & Order", "Flesh and Bone", "The Walking Dead", "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", and "Star Wars Resistance". Her film credits include "Kissing Jessica Stein", "Just My Luck", "She's Funny That Way", and "Armageddon Time". Tovah is currently playing Mrs. Brice in the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl", and is the author of the memoir, “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I've Played”.

Connect with Tovah:

Instagram: @tovahfeld
Website: www.tovahfeldshuh.com

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep244 - Julie Halston: Confidence, Clarity, and Commitment Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

For a person who claims she can’t really sing or dance, Julie Halston sure has done a lot of Broadway musicals (and rightfully so!). Even during the pandemic, she remained booked and busy despite the circumstances. She even took to the internet to keep the fans entertained (after some persuasion and help from her friend, Jim) with over 40 episodes of her hit web series called “Virtual Halston”. Julie tells the story of starting a theatre company with Charles Busch, and starring in a little play he wrote entitled, "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" which ended up playing Off-Broadway for six years and opened up countless more opportunities for her. Her love for theatre and acting can be traced all the way back from when she was nine years old and that one afternoon her mom took her and her sisters to watch "West Side Story". She shares how she trained by doing, her three Cs of comedy: confidence, clarity, and commitment, the difference between a one-person show and a straight standup comedy routine, and her late husband's tip when you land that one punchline which is to take a look at the audience. With the cultural change happening today, Julie reflects on its relationship with comedy and how it makes it very tricky, especially when it comes to controversial topics. Apart from cultural change, Julie discusses current New York theatre problems, a possible resurgence in Off-Broadway, the need for public officials to value the arts, and how connecting with other people motivates her to keep doing what she’s doing.

Julie Halston is a comedian and actress who recently received the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for raising awareness and funds for The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. She first achieved recognition as an actress through her co-starring performances in the comedy plays of writer-performer, Charles Busch. "Julie Halston's Lifetime of Comedy", a series of one-woman comedy shows that she wrote had a successful Off-Broadway production and earned her an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Best Play and a CBS network development deal. Julie was recently seen on Broadway playing Rita Marshall in “Tootsie”. Her other Broadway credits include “On The Town”, “You Can’t Take It With You”, “Anything Goes”, “Hairspray”, “Twentieth Century”, “Gypsy”, “The Women”, and “The Man Who Came To Dinner”. She's a founding member of Charles Bush's theatre company and has collaborated with Charles on numerous productions, including “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” and “The Divine Sister”. Her tv credits include “Gossip Girl”, “The Good Fight”, “Almost Family”, “Divorce”, and “Law & Order” among others. She is also reprising her role as Bitsy Von Muffling in the “Sex and the City” reboot, “And Just Like That…” During the pandemic, she launched a web series, “Virtual Halston”, and garnered popular acclaim with over 40 episodes on YouTube. Today, Julie plays an asshole talent agent owner in Broadway Podcast Network’s new series, "Rolling Calls."

Connect with Julie:

Instagram: @actressjuliehalston
Twitter: @juliehalston
Facebook: @juliehalston

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Ep243 - Elizabeth A. Davis: Defying Death Through Theatre Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Elizabeth A. Davis is currently gracing the Broadway stage as Thomas Jefferson in “1776”, where she has the unique opportunity to showcase her actual violin skills at the same time. She talks about what it's like performing eight shows a week while pregnant, and the financial and societal expectations that come with it. Elizabeth's love for music started at a very early age, sharing that she started playing an instrument with a butter box with a ruler in it when she was three years old. She reflects on how music was an important part of her family's life, and why she played not because she had an inkling it would be her trajectory but for the discipline of it. Playing as Thomas Jefferson, she shares that the pieces that she's playing on stage were pieces that Jefferson himself played, how she auditioned and how they were particular about casting actors who can play instruments very well, and why she considers "1776" a true musical theatre. She admits that singing on stage still terrifies her, and while she thought she wasn't a good enough violinist or a vocalist to major in them, she knew that she was a storyteller and got her degrees in classical theatre performance instead. As a storyteller, Elizabeth reflects on why the act of acting is a total defiance of death, why she aims to live her life as a thank you, and why failure is your friend and something that is not to be feared.

Elizabeth A. Davis is a multi-talented, multi-hyphenate actress who received a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of Reza in the Broadway production of "Once". She has over 30 Off-Broadway credits, including "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui", "Women on Fire: Stories from the Frontlines", "Zorba", "Rain", "Allegro", "The Caucasian Chalk Circle", and "The 39 Steps". She's appeared in several TV shows such as "Fringe", "Blue Bloods", “The Jim Gaffigan Show”, and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". She has also written original musicals and short plays, and sung on Ben Platt's album, "Sing to Me Instead". Elizabeth is playing Thomas Jefferson in Broadway's "1776", where she sings and plays the violin on stage.

Connect with Elizabeth:

Website: www.elizabethadavis.com
Instagram: @elizabetadavis
Twitter: @ElizabetADavis
Facebook: @officialelizabethadavis

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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Bonus - "& Juliet" (exclusive) Red Carpet Opening Night Interviews Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Recorded Nov 17th, 2022, listen to exclusive interview with the cast of & Juliet from the red carpet on opening night!

Interviews include:

Lorna Courtney (Juliet)
Betsy Wolfe (Anne Hathaway)
Stark Sands (William Shakespeare)
Justin David Sullivan (May)
Melanie La Barrie (Angelique)
Paulo Szot (Lance)
Phillippe Arroyo (Francois)
Ben Jackson Walker (Romeo)
Alaina Vi Maderal (Gwynn/swing)
Jasmine Rafael (Imogen)
Joe Moeller (Henry, u/s Shakes, u/s Lance)
Megan Kate (Lucy, u/s Angelique, u/s Anne)

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Ep242 - Jefferson Mays: Making Storytelling Cool Again Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Jefferson Mays is currently on Broadway in his original interpretation of "A Christmas Carol" doing perhaps what he does best: playing multiple roles in a single show. Jefferson recalls the strange beginning of how it all started, which was when he and his wife ran smack into Matt Schackman, the Artistic Director of Geffen Playhouse, as they were walking their dogs. He was eventually inspired to base their version on Dickens’ original, one-man version. Jefferson also has his parents to thank for reading "A Christmas Carol" to him and his siblings when they were young, which sparked his love for performing and storytelling, thinking it was theatre in its purest form. Decades of experience later, he reflects on how this year has been the year of the understudy and swing, and how their talent and heroism changed his whole idea of what a company means. While performing on stage brings him joy, it's those moments off stage that makes him appreciate the magic of theatre even more. Jefferson admits to gravitating towards storytelling, sharing that this allows him to explore characters and their complexity endlessly. And while he doesn't have a list of roles to play before he reaches a certain age, he enjoys getting "mugged or ambushed by a production" for different kinds of roles. He shares what it's like to grow up with older siblings and the privileges that come with it, hearing the voices of his parents when he's performing on stage, and how his sense of curiosity and wonder motivates him to keep performing.

Jefferson Mays is an actor and a three-time Tony Award nominee for his performances in "Oslo", "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder", and "I Am My Own Wife" a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, where he played over 40 different roles and won for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. His other stage credits include "The Front Page", "The Best Man", "Pygmalion", and "Journey's End". His TV credits include "The Americans", "Westworld", "Nurse Jackie", "Law and Order: SVU", "The Closer", "Julia", "Perry Mason", "Hacks" and a guest role on "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt". He was most currently seen on Broadway's "The Music Man", and recently completed his one-man rendition of "A Christmas Carol" and is now bringing the same show to Broadway. He has also appeared in numerous films, including "Inherent Vice", "Ned Rifle", "Showing Up", "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs", "Kinsey" "Rebel in the Rye", and "The Giver" among others.

Connect with The Theatre Podcast:

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.

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