Pepperfox Podcast

Bre and Sally talk about the humble beginnings of the wildly successful Hale Centre Theatre in Utah, and the principles it took to get their creative endeavor off the ground.One of the most inspiring episodes yet! Full show notes here.

Bre and Dallyn talk about following inspiration and how that has led him to big opportunities. From solo recording albums to the Les Miserables Tour to The Phantom of the Opera Tour, Dallyn has so much to share about what has helped him along the way.Full Show Notes here.

As actors, getting used to our image is part of our job. LOVING our image will only strengthen our game. Bre and Life Coach, Melinda Welch discuss actual tangible things we can do to love our photos more and ourselves more. We hone in on the power actors harness with gratitude and how understanding our brains will help us audition and perform better. This is a woman-power episode you won’t want to miss!Melinda Cole Welch is a life-long teacher and learner. Melinda is a certified Life Coach and focuses on improving mental health for anyone who wants a coach, but especially within the LGBTQ community. She graduated from Weber State and worked as a secondary teacher teaching drama, speech, debate and musical theatre.Melinda loves musical theater and has been involved as an actor, director, or choreographer for decades. She has performed mostly along the Wasatch front from Ogden to SLC. Melinda enjoys travel, going to lunch, road biking, reading all the books, baking, movies and spending time with her big family.melindawelchcoaching.com Full Show Notes Here.

Bre and Monica talk about the ins and outs of the Utah Film scene. How to get an agent, and what a day to day schedule looks like for a full time actress. Former Karate kid turned full time film actress - Monica Moore Smith thrives on the unpredictably of her life. She caught the acting bug in her teens doing musical theatre, but fell in love with film after acting in the viral Bullying - Stop It Mormon Message. Since then she starred in cult classic Saturday's Warrior, the now streaming Romance in the Outfield, and working on a sequel to her feature film Twice the Dream. You can also catch her in Battle Of The Ages on BYUtv, playing a few different roles. She stays up to date on social media sharing her successes and struggles along the way. A British telly aficionado, baked Cheeto loving, cat lady at heart, she hopes to show that anyone can do what they love if they put in the work.MonicaMooreSmith.com

Bre and Savannah chat about her time on the West End with “Wicked”! We breakdown Savannah’s acting philosophy and talk about how her life has changed since having her son. An established West End leading lady, Savannah Stevenson is best known for playing Glinda in the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London. Savannah is also an acting coach and masterclass facilitator, wife to Nate and new mum to Ezra. Her further West End credits include Guenevere in Camelot at the London Palladium, Sybil Evers in Chariots of Fire, the Original Cast of Mary Poppins directed by Sir Richard Eyre, The Menier Chocolate Factory's major revival of Aspects of Love by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Gone with the Wind, both directed by Sir Trevor Nunn. She trained at The Guildford School of Acting, winning a scholarship to the three-year degree course and graduating with First Class Honours in Performance and the Principals Award.She has been involved in workshops for new stage adaptations including Hugo by Brian Selznick, Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One, Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Lincoln Centre's production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown directed by Barlett Sher. She was chosen after worldwide auditions to play Mary, Mother of Jesus in The Bible Videos for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, filmed on location in Utah, USA. Get coached by Savannah! Visit her website here:www.savannahstevenson.com Full show notes here.www.pepperfoxphoto.com/pod/savannahstevenson

The most intriguing episode yet! We are dispelling all the myths about our vocal cords with Dr. Brett Myers, the assistant professor at the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of Utah. From the most basic of inquiries, to things even seasoned singers wouldn’t know about their voice box, this episode will have you saying, “ah-haaaa!”Email Dr. Myers for a scope appointment: Brett.Myers@hsc.utah.edu Full Show Notes Here.

Part 3 of 3 in the Bingham family series. Child actors would not exist without the loving empowerment of parents. Shantel Bingham shares her philosophy of raising kids that has helped them realize their dreams and given them incredible opportunities in the professional acting world.Don’t miss Episodes 45 and 46 where Bre interviews her two daughters Victoria and Natalia.Full Show Notes here.

Part 2 of 3, with the youngest guest ever on the podcast! Victoria has some incredible experiences for a 9 year old! She tells me all about getting the to play Young Anastasia in the first Anastasia National Tour. A native to Utah, Tori has been a part of numerous theater productions and performed across the nation. Victoria can currently be seen in the first national tour of Anastasia as Little Anastasia.When Victoria isn’t being home schooled or improving her performance talents she enjoys playing with her sister Natalia, drawing, swimming, practicing Ventriloquism, being outdoors and playing with her friends. Full show notes here.

Part 1 of 3, this is the first interview of the incredibly talented Bingham family. Want to know what it’s like to do a national tour and a professional production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, all before you have a driver’s license? This interview with Natalia Bingham is for you. Tune in for the next couple days for Part 2 with her little sister Victoria about the first national tour of Anastasia and Part 3 with, Shantel, their mother, to take a peek into what a it’s like to parent two professional actresses. Natalia Bingham recently relocated to NYC to pursue her acting career full time. A native to Utah, she has been a part of numerous theater productions and performed across the nation. Most recently Natalia stared in the national tour of the School Of Rock.Natalia trains vocally with Amanda Flynn and receives acting performance coaching from Kat Ramsburg.  She has danced competitively with the Utah Dance Academy since the age of three and is currently training at Dance Molinari and Thommie Taps in NYC.Natalia has participated in several vocal, performance and acting master classes in California, Utah and New York.  She studies bass guitar with Rick Rea at Ziegfeld Performing Arts Studio and started learning piano and violin at the age of five.When Natalia isn’t improving her performance talents she enjoys playing with her sister Victoria, swimming, reading, being outdoors and playing with her friends.

Bre and Director John Sweeney breakdown audition pet peeves, and the importance of being instead of acting.Originally from Philadelphia, PA, John has performed and directed on stagein nearly 200 productions over 40 years in theatres across the countryincluding North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly MA, Theatre IV inRichmond, VA, Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, Utah and The Source inWashington, DC. Some of his favorite shows as a performer have been,‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’, ‘Big River’, ‘Lucky Stiff’, ‘Evita’, ‘Phantom’, ‘TheOdd Couple’ and ‘I Hate Hamlet’. John has had the great fortune to performwith many Broadway stars, such as, Kristin Chenoweth, Cathy Rigby, MarcKudisch, Kathleen Rowe McAllen, and Adam Dietlein, among others. Inaddition, he has directed more than 30 productions over the last 25 years,including the last 17 years as director of Hale Centre Theatre’s nationallyacclaimed production of ‘A Christmas Carol’. In 2004, HCT’s production of‘A Christmas Carol’ was named one of America’s most cherished Christmastraditions. Over the last 20 years, while living in Utah, he has become oneof the most sought after directors in the Salt Lake Valley having directedsuch shows as, ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘A Tale ofTwo Cities’, ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘The Last 5 Years’, ‘ToKill a Mockingbird’, ‘Big Fish’, and ‘Phantom’ among others. He currentlyresides in South Jordan, Utah, with his 13-year old son, JJ, his 8-year olddaughter, Charlotte, and his wife, Ally Sweeney, who works as aprofessional artist and painter.

Performing in shows can definitely take a toll on our mental health. Going on an emotional journey is something we do on the nightly, as actors. So when we come back to reality, how do we cope? Actor Jeffrey Whitlock and Bre discuss the ins and outs of the dangers to our mental health as performers. Full Show link here.

Bre and Becca talk about Becca’s extensive experience as a Broadway and tour swing. We talk about the “aha moment” that made Becca irrestistable to work with.Becca is from Carmel, IN. She grew up dancing at a studio where the owner had been on Broadway. He introduced me to the musical theatre world. She went on to perform on my high school dance teams and did competitive show choir! She went to BYU and graduated with a BFA in musical theatre. While at BYU she performed in the Young Ambassadors which toured to South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, China, and Hong Kong. She performed in the BYU productions of Peter Pan and The Light in the Piazza. After graduating she moved to New York City. Her first job was the lab/workshop for the Untitled Prom Musical (which then became The Prom). She was a swing, u/s Katherine, u/s Medda on the national tour of Newsies. She did the out of town tryout of The Prom at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. She then made my Broadway debut in Bandstand as a swing and understudied Laura Osnes in the role of Julia Trojan. The day after Bandstand closed she started rehearsal for Mean Girls. They went out of town to The National Theatre and then to Broadway. She started as a swing, u/s Cady, u/s Regina, and assistant dance captain. Now she is full time onstage in the ensemble, u/s Cady, u/s Regina, u/s Karen, and the dance captain! She’s currently sheltering with my parent in Indiana. Full show notes here.

Bre and KJ breakdown what it means to be a Black man in theatre. We talk about how race factors in to type and how we can change society by reflecting our ideals in our art. Don't miss this episode! Kelvin “KJ” Rhodes is an actor, singer, mover and writer based in Orange County, CA. He has an BFAin Theatre Performance from University of Central Oklahoma and an MFA in Acting from Cal StateFullerton. Since graduating in 2017 with his MFA being a part of this podcast makes his 24th project post-graduation. Though Covid-19 has impacted his stage work, as most of it was traveling out of state, he isusing this time, to work on his book of poetry and hone his voiceover skills. “I would like to thank God,my ma, brother, and my sister for the constant support.” Full show notes here.  

Bre and Alicia talk about her experiences as a Black performer and entrepreneur in Utah. Alicia Washington is a Utah native with a passion for the arts and for social justice. A graduate from Weber State University in Musical Theatre, she also studied performance with The Second City Improv and SITI Company.In 2012, Alicia founded Good Company Theatre in Ogden, Utah. The live theatre venue develops and promotes high quality eclectic productions forging new relationships between audiences, performers and spaces in the process. To date, GCT is the only independent theatre in Utah that is owned and operated by black women. Along with her work at GCT, Alicia serves on the Weber State University Lindquist College of Arts and Humanities Advisory Board. She also co-created the Town Hall Conversations on Race that occur biannually in Ogden City. Additionally, Alicia volunteers with The Inclusion Center, Salt Lake City-based human relations organization dedicated to overcoming hatred, bias and exclusionary practices. Alicia is currently serving a two year term as an Honorary Commander for Hill Air Force Base. Most recently, Alicia, along with  many Ogden community leaders, created a COVID19 Task Force which focuses on providing healthcare aid and access to Multicultural communities and Marginalized people.  Outside of the above mentioned involvements, Alicia works as a freelance theatre director, costume designer, and plus-sized fashion model. Support Good Company Theatre HERE!

Having started at the age of 4, Oyoyo Joi discovered her love for the stage in her very first production Big River. Ever since then, she has developed and cultivated that love along with her talent. She studied voice since childhood, and trained vigorously to become a triple threat while in the Music, Dance Theater program at Brigham Young University.  Because of her level of talent, Oyoyo was selected as a lead company singer and dancer for BYU's elite musical theater group. She toured nationally and internationally for three years, performing in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Cuba as well as throughout the USA.     Oyoyo Joi is the 7th of 8 children who are all involved in professional music. Their experience and influence gave Oyoyo the work ethic and drive that helped her land her first Broadway role without any representation in the Tony award winning “The Book of Mormon.”Whether stepping into the lead role in “Memphis,”  starring in “Once on This Island"; or dancing in the ensemble of “The Wiz,”  Oyoyo is gracious, accepting and supportive.  Her magnetic charm and personality compliments every cast she is a part of. The versitility in her vocals is apparent in every show, and she always leaves her heart on the dance floor. *Please subscribe to her YouTube channelFollow Oyoyo on Instagram! Full show notes here.

Racism in alive and well in the theatre and film world. And we have the power to stop it. Addison and Bre talk about where they see racism in theatre and some tips for all you beginner allies out there.In this episode, we welcome our POC brothers and sisters to share their stories. If you are a POC and would like to record a voice memo on your phone and submit it to a future episode, please email all files to bre@pepperfoxphoto.com. It can be anonymous, or you can submit with your name and city. You can also type out your story and Bre will read it, if you would like to retain full privacy. Help us #shareblackstories Full show notes here.

The world of actor/musician shows is getting bigger and bigger. Learn how this incredible master of 11 instruments navigates his life in New York City. Full show notes here.

We talk about the journey to from Utah to Mean Girls Broadway! Jake has an incredible positivity and a powerful work ethic.Show notes here.

We’re switching things up this week with a sneak peek into the mind of Hale Centre Theatre’s resident artist, Madeline Ashton. You will be awed at what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite shows!Full show notes here.

Having a family while keeping up your performing game is no walk in the park. But the Morris's are an incredible team. We dive into daily life and why live theatre is worth the constant sacrifice. www.tayandbay.com Full show notes here.

This week we talk to actress, DeLaney Westfall about her journey to Broadway and being open-minded about her type has opened up wonderful opportunities. Full show notes here.

What even is an Intimacy Choreographer and why would you use one? Special guest Liz Whittaker breaks the process down and explains why intimacy training is the new standard of safety in the theatre world. Click here for full show notes.

Bre breaks down how the world can be yours, if you simply ask. Special guest, Chase Ramsey, talks through his career of film and theatre and the power of asking for your dreams. www.chase-ramsey.com Full show notes here.

Special Guest, Kalyn West explains the importance of supporting your fellow actors. We talk about what it was like to have her Broadway debut in, “The Prom” and about the transition to the “Mean Girls” tour. Full show notes here.

Today we're going to take all the icky out of networking and break down how to really get jobs. We discuss 4 cornerstones of good networking and then give you real life examples from Bre's life. Full show notes here.

Cory Stephens is a GOOD TIME. How do you deal when your phyiscal appearance and skillset and personality don’t coincide with just one character type? We discuss the ins and outs of Disney Cruise Line life, understanding character type, and what being a choreographer and actor has taught him about casting. You won’t want to miss this one! View full show notes here.

Addison and Bre discuss their 5 tips for artists’ mental health. Quarantine can be a real bummer, but we’ve got your backs. Full show notes here.

Adam has been in the theatrical world since he was born. We talk about childhood, making the jump to the international tour of “Beauty and the Beast”, building a career in New York, “Beautiful” on Broadway and his move back to Utah. Click for full show notes.

Hey! We know you're in need of some entertainment for the quarantine! So we're on it. We will be releasing a few episodes a week to keep you company, as opposed to our usual one. Today we give you recommendations for our favorite Podcasts and review the movie, Judy. See full notes here.

Erin Carlson talks about her audition coaching program, Audition Advantage, and her new ventures breathing new life in to Harman Theatre in West Valley City. Erin is one of the best in the biz and has so much insight into castability and audition strategy. You won’t want to miss this incredible episode!Full show notes CLICK HERE.

If you’ve ever seen a show at Hale Centre Theatre and left with your jaw on the floor, it’s probably because of the design genius of Kacey Udy. His set designs are beautiful and innovative. We get into the nitty-gritty of one of his larger projects: the state-of-the-art HCT Sandy location with 2 gorgeous theatres and all the bells and whistles!“You have to be willing to be that vulnerable to throw out the craziest of ideas if you want something new…We can replicate all day long, but being original takes courage and it also takes ability to know—I’m gonna fail sometimes.”—Kacey Udy See full show notes here.

This week we talk about our recent trip to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Then we dive in to our tips for getting the most out of your next headshot session! Show Notes here.

A follow up to Episode 12, continuing the conversation about sexual abuse and grooming behaviors in the theatre space with expert, Emily Woods. We give tools for parents talking to children about predators, how we can help kids in our cast feel included without crossing boundaries, very practical solutions for kids to get out of sticky situations, and how to navigate kids social media. Full show notes here.

Join Addison and Bre as they break down what it even means to be "creative" and how being creative will help you lead a more fulfilling life. Full show notes here.

As actors, we focus a lot on getting the role. But what about after? What about the day we get our scripts and the days leading up to your first rehearsal? Tamari Dunbar is a master of the actor process and she breaks it down for us. We talk about the importance of theatre in raising a family and what theatre teaches us about life and relationships. Show notes here.

We heard you, and we obliged. Hear Bre and Addisons' official "Cats" review! Learn how Addison and Bre like to make resolutions and keep them throughout the year. We know that 2020 will be your best yet! See example of Bre's Vision Boards HERE.

Building a theatre program from the ground up is no easy feat, but this married couple will inspire you to do the hard things in order to fulfill your purpose in life. We talk following your gut, family life and the Hawaii film scene.

Fresh off filming Power Rangers, Colby Strong and Bre talk about the differences in film and theatre. Click for show notes.  

Fresh of a season down at Tuacahn, Jon shares his audition process and what daily life is like as an actor in New York.Click for complete show notes.

Wanna work for a Disney Park? I’ve got your girl! Join Bre and Karina as they talk about all of your most common questions! We talk audition process, day-to-day and words of advice! Click HERE for Show Notes

Join Bre and Addison as we take a vacation from the usual content! Because everyone needs a little more pixie dust in their lives.We answer all your questions about visiting Disneyland from Instagram and Facebook! Learn how to pick out your perfect hotel, how to make taking kids easier, how to interact with a character, and all our favorite foods.Click for Show Notes

This episode is super personal and important to Bre. If you are under 16, please get a parent's permission before listening :) Educate Empower Kids Website

In this episode, Bre interviews National Tour Cast Member, Matthew Davies. Learn how Matthew has rolled with the punches to book tours, and how he took care of his mental health with a rigorous schedule. How to take control your character type to open up your mind to new opportunities. And how performing in Utah prepared him to audition and live in New York City.Born and raised in Utah, Matthew grew up performing in community theatre in Davis County. During middle school Matthew started dancing for Radio Disney where he performed across the state of Utah for movie premiers, and large corporate events. Matthew later received his BFA in Music Dance Theatre from Brigham Young University. While at BYU he was a featured soloist and toured the Western United States, China, South Africa and Zimbabwe with the BYU Young Ambassadors and Contemporary Dance Theatre.Matthew has spent the majority of the last two years on the national tours of Cinderella and Finding Neverland, where he served as dance captain. He has performed at theaters across the country including Music Theatre Wichita, The MUNY, North Carolina Theatre, The Gulfshore Playhouse and The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center.Some favorite theatrical roles include Race (Newsies), Matt (The Fantasticks), Pepper (Mamma Mia), Frank (7 Brides for 7 Brothers), Mungojerrie (Cats), and Neleus (Mary Poppins.) When he isn't performing, Matthew enjoys tennis, DIY house projects, and a Netflix binge. Show Notes Click Here

Learn how theatre and film actor, Anthony Lovato, launched his Voice Over career. Learn the basics in Voice Over. and what tools you need to get started. We explore the different genres of voice over, VO jargon, online resources, and even equipment.Anthony has been dabbling as an actor for the past 30 years, but professionally for the past 5 years. He does stage, screen and voice over. After being the voice of the company he worked for and recording everything they needed done for the company, he realized that he could actually make a living at this, especially because he loved it. He put in his two week notice and hasn't looked back since. He has been on dozens of radio commercials and has 9 audiobooks on Audible and Amazon with a 10th one on the way. He also is a host of his own podcast called The Orion Way Of Life where he helps men find their purpose in life and change the conversation around masculinity in the world today.Complete Show Notes Here

Join Bre as she interviews this incredible Chicago actress, Jacquelyne Jones! Winner of the Jeff Award for her performance in Sweeney Todd, she is now reprising her role with Utah Rep at UVU’s Noorda. Learn about the inclusive community she’s found performing in Chicago, how she made the decision to join Actor’s Equity and how Jacqueline and husband/actor, Drew make their creative lifestyles work. Click for Show Notes!

Learn about what this Utah actor did to tear down racism and how all of us can do better. We talk about how Seung was drawn to musical theatre, how some traumatic experiences left tainted the art form for him and what he’s doing about it today. Get tickets to Thoroughly Modern Millie at HCTO with Seung!

Join Bre as she talks to Vocal Pedagogy Master, Maddie Tarbox.Learn from this Master actress and vocalist about how to find your own voice, how important small and constant practice can be for the anatomy of your vocal chordshow Maddie and husband, Connor, keep the balance in their crazy performing lives, and the biggest “ah-ha!” moment that Maddie has had in her Vocal Pedagogy grad program. Click for Show Notes!

Learn how he landed the “Book of Mormon” Tour, how he survived his first few years out in LA, how he got an agent, what he’s learned about how his look affects his casting, and his solution to create his own show when he was not performing. “If I’m not able to make the art when I want to, then I’ll just make my own art.”—Luke Monday Follow Luke on InstagramAnd check out his website!

Learn how film and theatre actress, Lizzy and husband, Spencer, make a creative lifestyle work as actors, and entrepreneurs. Find out what Lizzy’s learned acting in LA, and how this unconventional family makes the big decisions.Show Notes

In todays’ episode Bre finds out what got Jim involved in theatre in the first place. Learn about Bre’s big breakthrough with Jim at Weber State University. Jim teaches you how to have complete ownership of a song, shares his personal audition pet peeves, and 3 ways you can be a better actor TODAY.SHOW NOTES 

Bre and husband, Addison, just returned from an EPIC dream trip to NYC. Together we share our pro-tips, how to save some dollars, food you cannot miss, and our honest opinions on the 8 Broadway shows we saw! Special guest: actor and illustrator, Addison Welch.Find all the links and shownotes here.