Actors: On Process

Recent Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Award winner John-Andrew Morrison joins me to speak about an unexpected encore at DREAMGIRLS on Broadway, spending too much time in the theater department as a pre-law major at Brandeis University, what led to his graduate studies at the University of California, San Diego, a disastrous showcase season, important advice from the now artistic director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Maria Manuela Goyanes, corporate jobs, and what led to a pivot in his career that made way for the developmental process of A STRANGE LOOP, & what he’s most looking forward to about returning to the piece when it’s safe to be making theater again.Recommended viewing: https://youtu.be/ZDLCvVBUBTM  

Tony Award nominee Cailtin Kinnunen joins me on Zoom to discuss her big move to New York City, the benefits of being homeschooled, how she celebrated her sixteenth birthday, & how she and I became friends. We also trade stories and compare moments of panic onstage, discuss the familial bonds she built in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, how THE PROM became the gift that keeps on giving, and how she has used her time this year to reflect and recalibrate after a busy and hectic 2019. 

Patrice sits down with me, via Zoom, to chat about her extraordinary childhood, when theatre began to speak to her, majoring in engineering at Cornell University before securing her family’s blessing to pursue theatre, how Kristin Linklater’s voice work changed her life, the importance of not lying in the audition room, her work as an educator, how her relationship with Mfoniso Udofia came to be, her unbelievable audition for HALFWAY BITCHES GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN, finding and locating her two most recent roles as Wanda Wheels and Abasiama Ufot, & falling in love with Sir Patrick Stewart. 

Before the pandemic, I sat down with Daniel Jenkins in his apartment to talk about growing up as a self-proclaimed ‘nerd’, a day in the life as an apprentice at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, transitioning to New York and his starring role as Huckleberry Finn in the original Broadway company of BIG RIVER as well as his return to the musical almost twenty years later. We discuss stories from the auditions and processes for BIG, John Doyle’s production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, and STAGE KISS including dancing with Rebecca Taichman, frequent collaborations with Bartlett Sher, as well as our mutual appreciation and admiration for the late Michael Friedman.

Kuhoo Verma joins me on Zoom to discuss her deep admiration for Elton John and Tim Rice musicals, the importance of private voice lessons in her training, the qualities that make a great teacher, the long lasting value of her earliest auditions in New York City, the ongoing work in learning how best to prepare for auditions, how to feel comfortable on film sets, and how we can all trust our unconscious learning, while also providing an in-depth look at how she crafted Velma in OCTET, as well as a special sneak peek at some never-before heard material, all with an extremely large dose of positivity. Recommended listening: https://rb.gy/cw1lln

Austin chats with me about what it was like to be performing in a new Broadway musical at the time of the shutdown, the benefits of not going the conservatory route, multiple auditions for the musical HAMILTON, learning how to step into Alexander Hamilton’s shoes, what he’s missing the most about playing Joe Scott in GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, as well as a short passage from Conor McPherson’s stunning script. 

Five months into the Broadway Shut Down due to the ongoing pandemic, Andréa sits down with me on Zoom to talk about growing up in a bi-cultural and bi-lingual household in Miami; finding her first best friend, two-time Tony winner, Katie Finneran; learning her value as actor; the origins of SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD; working with Stephen Sondheim; and being in the room when all of the pieces came together during the developmental process of IN THE HEIGHTS. Recommended Viewing:https://rb.gy/osqz5jhttps://rb.gy/xtcd42

Emily Cass McDonnell talks about growing up in Boulder, Colorado, how Creative Dream Work informs her as she builds a character, crafting a “bit” with Alan Alda on the way to the set of MARRIAGE STORY, & she also shares two monologues from her most recent stage appearances: Annie Baker’s THE ANTIPODES & Lucas Hnath’s THE THIN PLACE. 

Joaquina joins me on Zoom to chat about who she was growing up in Atlanta, the high school production of SARAFINA! that propelled her towards a career in the theater, “The Dark Year” at The Juilliard School, being cut at an open call for the musical RENT, and what drew her to audition for, and ultimately star as, Kaneisha in Jeremy O. Harris’ SLAVE PLAY.

Conrad Ricamora joins me on Zoom to chat about his unlikely undergraduate education, a lesson he took away from his time playing sports, the importance of opening doors for himself, his crazy exciting audition for HERE LIES LOVE, the magical night that I was in audience for RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S THE KING AND I at Lincoln Center Theater, as well as crafting his most recent on-stage role in SOFT POWER and his extraordinary collaboration with Leigh Silverman, David Henry Hwang, and Jeanine Tesori. 

Kyle met me in the recording booth at Ripley Grier Studios for our interview. We talked about his almost-law career, the importance of high school academics, guidance from a legendary “fairy-godmother” named Phylicia Rashad, grappling with fear, the joy of performing Shakespeare in the Park, as well as the process of finding and locating a character.

I sit down with Hannah Corneau in her dressing room at the Gershwin Theatre where she’s currently playing Elphaba in WICKED. She tells me about abandoning fear at thirteen years old, the joy of community theatre, the pride of playing Sally Bowles in college, & receiving the call with the news that she would be the next Elphaba on Broadway.

I met up with Greg Keller in Union Square to discuss his ebullient and shy childhood, important lessons he learned in graduate school, advice from Austin Pendleton, “extreme unconscious learning,” and a performance from Bernadette Peters he’ll never forget.

Maria invites me to her apartment & tells me about her legendary high school performance as the Emcee in CABARET, her love of Sondheim and desire to work on a musical, tools and techniques for breaking down a script, and her time at UCSD which led to meeting Les Waters & other important future collaborators.

I sit down with Paul Sparks to talk about growing up in Oklahoma, the fact that he can tap dance, his aversion to fakery in the audition room, what he would tell Edward Albee if he could go back in time, & why it’s a joyous thing to make theatre.

Telly sits down in his apartment to talk about his special edition of the CATS vocal selections book, Billy Porter’s gift to him, stepping into the title role of ALADDIN in three and a half weeks, & what it was like to be in the room with Stephen Sondheim on the first day of rehearsal for PACIFIC OVERTURES.

I sit down with Frederick Weller to talk about his role in Aaron Sorkin's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, growing up in New Orleans, the lesson he learned from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, his training at Juilliard, and some advice he recently received from Spike Lee.

Theresa McCarthy sits down to discuss the many fruitful collaborations that have helped shape her career, the rehearsal processes for the original productions of both Floyd Collins and Titanic, and how she has fooled many composers and musical directors throughout her career.

Maulik Pancholy discusses some of his earliest memories of performing as a kid, multiple auditions for the Yale School of Drama, success in Los Angeles, advice from F. Murray Abraham, and his debut novel arriving in stores this fall, "The Best At It."

Live from her bathroom, Jessica Hecht talks about her mischievous youth, training, audition process for Fiddler on the Roof, and the ways in which she has crafted many of her celebrated performances throughout her Tony-nominated career.