Podcast appearances and mentions of Andy Blankenbuehler

In Jennifer Geller's second episode, she talks about how heartbroken she was not to book Hamilton Chicago after being personally invited to audition by Andy Blankenbuehler. But when she eventually booked Hamilton's first national tour, Andy reminded her it was all about trusting the process. Easier said than done, but a good lesson nonetheless. Jennifer also goes in on how the the ensemble is an extension of Burr's mind, especially during "The Room Where it Happens" (it's fascinating, you have to hear this) and explains how Hamilton's purposeful choreography and storytelling spoils performers forever. Plus, we talk about Hamilton coming back to Broadway after the COVID-19 lockdown and how we both used to be insufferable nightmares who didn't have any work/life balance but we've both moved on from that nonsense and have changed for the better (thank god). Jennifer on Instagram J.E.T Fitness Training /// Gillian's Website The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

Shonica Gooden (Hamilton Broadway's Woman 4) was born and raised in Atlanta, where she focused on what was supposed to be a thriving modern dance career. She had zero interest in musical theatre and didn't see herself as a triple threat. Luckily, her teachers at DanceMakers of Atlanta did see her as a triple threat and strongly encouraged Shonica to audition for Bring It On. This led to callbacks and work sessions with Alex Lacamoire and Andy Blankenbuehler, and it would prove to be the start of a beautiful friendship with The Cabinet.  Shonica had the incredibly unique experience working with Andy Blankenbuehler in the pre-production phase of Hamilton, and she was one of the dancers Andy called to help him visualize what would end up being the choreography in the show. It was a shock to everyone (especially Andy) when Shonica turned down the opportunity to be a swing when Hamilton was transferring to Broadway. As Shonica explains, it was a terrifying decision that ended up being the right move. Plus, Shonica talks about being a mother on Broadway including not feeling guilty about having a child, what needs to change in the industry, refusing to make excuses, and teaching her son that being busy is normal because she's not giving up her career anytime soon.  Shonica on Instagram The Black Artists Dance Collective Mutha Podcast /// Gillian's Website The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next in his regular Connect Radio theatre reviews. This week Vidar is reviewing Lin-Manuel Miranda's multi award-winning cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton as the 2023/2024 touring production visited the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre with description by Professional Audio Describers Julia Grundy and Jonathan Nash. About Hamilton: Hamilton is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the very foundations of the America we know today. The score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway – the story of America then, as told by America now. Hamilton has book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire and is based on Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. Winner of 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical, 7 Olivier Awards, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. For more about the 2023 /2024 tour and details of performances near you do visit the Hamilton website - https://hamiltonmusical.com/uk-tour/ (Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)

HAMILTON  Book, Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Based on Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow Works Consulted & Reference :Hamilton (Original Libretto) by Lin-Manuel MirandaHamilton: The Revolution by Jeremy McCarter & Liin-Manuel Miranda Alexander Hamilton by Ron ChernowMusic Credits:"Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Orchestra & Donald Pippin"The Speed Test" from Thoroughly Modern Millie  (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music by Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Dick Scanlan | Performed by Marc Kudisch, Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan & Ensemble"Why God Why" from Miss Saigon: The Definitive Live Recording  (Original Cast Recording  / Deluxe)  | Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby Jr.  | Performed by Alistair Brammer"Back to Before" from Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Performed by Marin Mazzie"Chromolume #7 / Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park with George (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Performed by Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Judith Moore, Cris Groenendaal, Charles Kimbrough, William Parry, Nancy Opel, Robert Westenberg, Dana Ivey, Kurt Knudson, Barbara Bryne"What's Inside" from Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles | Performed by Jessie Mueller & Ensemble"Wait for It" from  Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Performed by Leslie Odom Jr.,  Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton"Maria" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording)  | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Evadne Baker, Anna Lee, Portia Nelson, Marni Nixon"My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording) | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Julie Andrews"Corner of the Sky" from Pippin (New Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Performed by Matthew James Thomas“What Comes Next?” from Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Performed by Jonathan Groff

Jessica Hendy A Broadway veteran, best known for her roles in CATS and Amneris in Aida. Prior to her Broadway Debut, Hendy was featured on the national tour of Jospeh and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as Napthali's Wife and the Narrator. She then made her Broadway Debut in 1999 in the ensemble of CATS and understudying Grizabella. She went on to star on the national tour of Cats in the role. Her next Broadway show was Aida, playing the outlandish, opulent Amneris. Hendy was also featured in the Original Broadway Cast of the musical Amour. Coming around full circle, Hendy most recently starred as Grizabella in the Andy Blankenbuehler helmed Broadway Revival of CATS. BRIANNA KOTHARI BARNES AN ACCOMPLISHED ACTRESS, COMPOSER/LYRICIST, AND PLAYWRIGHT, BRIANNA BELIEVES IN USING EVERY TOOL IN HER BELT TO TELL STORIES THAT INSPIRE TRANSFORMATION. SHE IS A MULTI-HYPHENATE FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. BRIANNA MAKES NO APOLOGIES FOR THE AMOUNT OF IRONS IN HER FIRE. HER CREATE-YOUR-OWN-WORK PHILOSOPHY HAS SERVED HER WELL IN HER 7 YEARS BASED IN NYC. A GRADUATE OF THE ESTEEMED MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI-COLLEGE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC (CCM), BRIANNA HAS PERFORMED AS A PRINCIPAL, ENSEMBLE MEMBER, AND UNDERSTUDY/SWING IN MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY (FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE, THEATRE ASPEN, THE WICK THEATRE, CAPITAL REPERTORY THEATER, JOHN W. ENGEMAN THEATER) AS WELL AS STARRED AS LUCY IN THE NATIONAL TOUR OF A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. BUT IT'S BRIANNA'S WRITING THAT HAS GIVEN HER AN EDGE AS A RISING COMPOSER/LYRICIST IN THE NEW YORK THEATER COMMUNITY. Walking With Bubbles Meet Jessica -  A Broadway actress and single mother. As she and her young son ‘Bubbles' wait for their playdate in Central Park they are approached by a homeless man - Meet Bubbles' father.  From the lights of Broadway to the depths of her husband's mental illness, Walking With Bubbles explores how far a mother will go to protect her son, her loved ones, and ultimately, herself.

Amanda Braun is on the podcast this and next week! Amanda first joined Hamilton as a swing in the original cast of the first national tour. After a short break from the Angelica Tour, she returned to Hamilton as a universal swing for two years (a VERY long time to do what is possibly the hardest gig in theatre), and is currently a swing on Broadway. Pretty impressive for someone who saw Hamilton at The Public and convinced herself the choreography was too hard for her to ever be cast in the show! Amanda started dancing at three years old and thrives on expertly navigating any challenge that is thrown her way. From taking childhood dance lessons from Stephanie Klemons, to doing her sophomore year of college online because she was on tour with Catch Me If You Can, to working with Andy Blankenbuehler on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Amanda has an arsenal of knowledge and experience.  Center Stage Dance and Theatre School Amanda on Instagram /// Gillian's Website The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

Continuando con nuestra idea de dedicar un musical de tono navideño a nuestros “Cuentame…” del mes de Diciembre, tras “Mame” en 2020, “White Christmas” en 2021 y “Oliver” en 2022, este 2023 lo dedicamos a “ANNIE”, la pequeña huérfana salida de una tira cómica, publicada en el diario New York Daily News desde 1924 hasta 2010. Annie ha conocido muchas adaptaciones tanto en programas de radio, como en películas, telemovies y por supuesto al musical que hoy vamos a comentar. Estrenado en Broadway en 1977 con enorme éxito se sigue reponiendo con cierta asiduidad e incluso lo hemos visto en España, donde aparece de cuando en cuando de gira por la península. La grabación que hemos utilizado para el podcast es principalmente la de la producción de Broadway de 2012 dirigida por James Lapine con coreografías de Andy Blankenbuehler, con Lilla Crawford como Annie, Katie Finneran como Miss Hannigan, Anthony Warlow como Oliver Warbucks, Brynn O’Malley como Grace Farrell, Clarke Thorell como Rooster Hannigan, y J. Elaine Marcos como Lily St. Regis. 00h 00’00” Maybe / Tomorrow – Audra McDonald 00h 01’59” Presentación 00h 03’23” Cabecera 00h 04’29” Introducción 00h 05’24” Overture 00h 09’36” Maybe 00h 12’50” It’s a hard knock life 00h 15’36” It’s a hard knock life (Reprise) 00h 16’56” Tomorrow 00h 20’18” We’d like to thank you, Herbert Hoover 00h 23’07” Little girls 00h 25’56” Little girls (Reprise) 00h 26’53” I think I’m gonna like it here 00h 31’09” N.Y.C. 00h 38’26” Easy Street 00h 42’16” You won’t be an orphan for long / Finale Act One 00h 44’47” Entr’acte / Maybe (Reprise) 00h 46’16” You’re never fully dressed without a smile 00h 50’34” Easy Street (Reprise) 00h 51’57” Tomorrow (Cabinet Reprise) 00h 56’20” Something was missing 01h 00’35” Annie / We got Annie 01h 02’29” I don’t need anything but you 01h 05’19” Maybe (Second reprise) 01h 08’00” A new deal for Christmas 01h 11’26” Curiosidades y anécdotas 01h 13’26” Why should I change a thing 01h 17’52” You make me happy 01h 22’22” Don’t mes with mother 01h 26’48” Te necesito solo a ti / Annie 01h 31’06” Let’s go to the movies 01h 36’16” Firme 01h 38’51” Tonto – Sandy 01h 43’16” Easy Street 01h 49’21” Little girls 01h 52’43” Tomorrow is now 01h 54’45” It’s Christmas 01h 58’21” Bows

To celebrate 200 episodes of In The Frame, we're joined by The Schuyler Sisters!Shan Ako, Simbi Akande and Ava Brennan are starring as Eliza, Peggy and Angelica in the West End production of Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton opened on Broadway in 2015 before transferring to the West End two years later. The London production picked up seven Olivier Awards, including Best new Musical. Shan Ako is in her second year with Hamilton, starring as Eliza Hamilton. She previously played Éponine in Les Misérables (West End production & all-star staged concert) with her other theatre credits including the workshops of Rock Follies and Mandela as well as Children of Eden in Concert (West End), Whitney: Queen of the Night (UK & Europe Tour) and The Magic of Motown (UK Tour). Simbi Akande joined Hamilton this year as Peggy Schuyler & Maria Reynolds. Her theatre credits include: Mother Goose (Duke of York & UK Tour), The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Dominion Theatre), The Light in the Piazza (Royal Festival Hall & LA Opera), Violet (Charing Cross Theatre), Putting It Together (Hope Mill Theatre), Company (Aberdeen Arts Centre), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), Ghost (UK Tour) and Show Boat (Gillian Lynne Theatre). Ava Brennan recently returned to Hamilton as Angelica Schuyler, having previously played the role. Ava's recently played June in The Secret Life of Bees (Almeida Theatre) and Fatine in Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre), with her other credits including Alline Bullock/cover Tina in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (West End), Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol (Old Vic), Nala in Disney's The Lion King (UK tour, Hamburg & West End), Dynamite in Hairspray (Theater St. Gallen) and Nehebka/cover Aida in Aida (German Tour).Hosted by Andrew Tomlins  @AndrewTomlins32  Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Guest: Kristen Brooks SandlerDirector, Choreographer, CreatrixFounder & Artistic Director of Thistle DanceToday marks our first interview episode with an incredible guest who challenges what sustainable, collaborative, inclusive, consent-based work can look like. Not only does she share how she holds space for both the person and the artist but the collaborative framework she believes (and we do too) has the power to make a bigger impact on our industry at large if we all chose to meet each other with more transparent authenticity.Kristen (she / her) is an award winning director and choreographer whose work can be seen on screen and stage. Purple haired & proudly queer, she is committed to physical storytelling, believing in movement as the language that bridges the gap between audience and artistry. On stage, she has directed & choreographed musicals, immersive work and original dance creations at regional & international theaters. Her screen credits include work on set with Nickelodeon and Hallmark, & her films have been featured in festivals in over 30 countries. Her first original creation, won Best Dance and Physical Theater at the Capital Fringe Festival, and she has since been nominated for many awards, including a New York Innovative Theater Award for Best Choreography.Her company, Thistle Dance, uses movement as the primary language to conjure wonderfully strange creations challenging our codified perception of history and lore. The company is currently in their second year of creating the immersive experience “UNBOUND” in partnership with the New York Public Library, opening in October.Before leading her own rehearsal rooms, Kristen worked as a performer alongside such creators as Andy Blankenbuehler, Savion Glover, Karma Camp & Connor Gallagher. Follow & Learn More:IG: @kristenbrooks19 & @thistle_danceWebsite: https://www.kristenbrookssandler.com/ & https://www.thistledanceinc.com/RSVP for your FREE tickets to "The Art of Sin" at the Jefferson Market Library running 3 shows per night Friday October 13th / 20th / 27th: https://www.thistledanceinc.com/tickets Support the Show.M.O.V.E. with Eileen + Amy is a Kaia Evolutions Podcast.New episodes air on Wednesdays when in season.To learn more about Eileen + Amy, be sure to follow them on instagram at @ekielty + @amyreah and keep up to date on the podcast at @movewitheileenandamy. For more information about Kaia Evolutions, a culmination of Eileen's life's work and a love letter to her sister, Katie, who died by suicide in 2019 - visit https://www.kaiaevolutions.com/ or follow on instagram at @kaia.evolutions If you want to share part of your dancer / movement artist journey with us, email us at movepod@kaiaevolutions.comThank you for moving with us.-Eileen + Amy*If you or anyone you know is in need of support, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255 OR text 988. You are not alone.

Speaking with Al Blackstone was a delight!  Many of you know Al from So You Think You Can Dance, but his credits show that he has long been in the game.  Thank you Al for sharing your time and knowledge with all of us!AL BLACKSTONE (short for Albert) is an Emmy-winning director, choreographer, and educator based in New York City. He loves to tell stories and believes deeply in the power of dance, community, and kindness. Born and raised in a dance studio, his passion for bringing people together to experience something meaningful has driven him to create work for concert, film, television, theater, ships, basements, parks, and many many stages. This includes original dance narratives such as Freddie Falls in Love (Joyce Theater), Happy We'll Be (Roseland Ballroom), Elephant in the Room (Arts on Site), NORMA (Steps on Broadway) and Brown Eyed Girl (2011 Capezio A.C.E. Award for Choreographic Excellence). Al has directed/choreographed reinventions of classic musicals such as An American in Paris (Cape Playhouse), Pippin (Music Theater Wichita) and Annie (Axelrod Performing Arts Center) and has choreographed dozens more around the coun- try and Off-Broadway. In 2020 Al won an Emmy for his work on the iconic television show So You Think You Can Dance where he has been making dances since 2016. Additional network television credits include Good Morning America and The Macy!s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He continues to create self-produced short films including La Vista, The Suburbs, and A Good Thought (up- coming with playwright Rachel Bonds). In 2019 he choreographed the film Double Exposure (On the Rocks Films) and the next year he was chosen by the Irving Berlin Estate to direct and choreograph Isn't It A Lovely Day to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the classic musical Top Hat. Most recently, in 2023 he assisted choreographer Mandy Moore (La La Land) on the dance sequences for the upcoming film IF directed by John Krasinksi and starring Ryan Reynolds. He also danced in the film. As an educator Al is deeply indebted to the many brilliant teachers he has encountered throughout his life including his parents Richard and Denise Blackstone, Doug Caldwell, Frank Hatchett, Sheila Barker, and Andy Blankenbuehler. Their wisdom inform and inspire his own classes which have been shared with dancers all over the world for more than two decades. He has been on faculty at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and JUMP Dance Convention and in 2019 he was featured in the documentary film Uprooted which sheds light on the African roots of jazz dance in America. He has been a guest artist at many universities including The University of the Arts, Pace University, Point Park University., and Marymount Manhattan. Al is proud to be a part of the New York dance community including being a board member at Arts On Site a woman-owned arts organization dedicated to providing artists with opportunities to create and perform new work. In 2020 collaborated with his husband designer Abraham Lule on MOMEN NYC, a project that highlights and celebrates the power of dance through live events, workshops, and virtual offerings for adult dancers. Their weekend work- shop MOMEN&FRIENDS has brought hundreds of dancers together from around the world to form deep and lasting dance memories. He lives in Queens and has kept a journal since he was twelve. Thank you for listening Jam Fam! Make sure you follow us across social media and don't forget to like and subscribe anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts!Facebook: JAM Joe and Michelle's Dance PodcastInstagram: jam_dance_podcastTwitter: @jamdancepodcastEmail: jamdancepodcast@gmail.com

A transcript of this episode is available here: thedanceedit.com/transcript-episode-135Visit/add to the Dance Media Events Calendar: dancemediacalendar.comGet the latest dance news direct by subscribing to our free newsletters. Find the ones that match your interests: dancemagazine.com/subscribeLinks referenced in/relevant to episode 135:-CBS 17 coverage of the death of a young dancer during a Raleigh parade: cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/raleigh-dance-company-devastated-after-girl-killed-in-christmas-parade-many-young-ones-saw-deadly-incident-GoFundMe to create a nonprofit in her honor: gofundme.com/f/38wzr-hailey-brooks-Diapason magazine story on the John Neumeier "Othello" turmoil at Royal Danish Ballet [in French]: diapasonmag.fr/a-la-une/juge-raciste-un-ballet-de-john-neumeier-annule-a-copenhague-32071.html-Pointe feature on the Five Moons ballerinas' $1 coin: pointemagazine.com/five-moons-ballerinas-dollar-coin-Dance Magazine interview with Andy Blankenbuehler about "Only Gold": dancemagazine.com/andy-blankenbuehler-only-gold-Washington Post interview with Blankenbuehler: washingtonpost.com/theater-dance/2022/11/17/hamilton-choreographer-blankenbuehler-new-show

Legendary Broadway Performer, Verdon Fosse Legacy Teacher and renowned Choreographer, Mary Ann Lamb shares her vastly rich performance background, her advice for how to keep a role fresh and exciting and her process for originated a new character role! Mary Ann has been in 11 Broadway shows including Fosse, Chicago, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and Starlight Express. She has also graced the silver screen dancing alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago, as well as performing in Rock of Ages and The In Crowd. As a Musical Theatre veteran, Mary Ann shares her knowledge and passion with students through the art of teaching having taught at some of the most prestigious Universities in the US and furthermore, at the Jacques d'Amboise National Dance Institute. Mary Ann learned from and worked alongside the likes of Ann Reinking, Jerome Robbins and Gwen Verdon to name a few. She was the associate choreographer to Susan Misner and Andy Blankenbuehler for the hit TV show Fosse/Verdon coaching both Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams and also worked on the preproduction of Nexflix's Halston. Discover from Mary Ann how YOU can keep the Verdon Fosse Legacy alive with specialized Teacher Training opportunities! Instagram: @_maryannlamb_ Mentioned Links The Verdon Fosse Legacy Show some love and be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the A Dancer's Guide Podcast on your favorite podcast app! Visit adancersguide.com for more information on topics discussed in this episode Follow A Dancer's Guide on social media Instagram: @adancersguideofficial Interested in Sponsoring this Podcast? Email adancersguide00@gmail.com & let's chat! What Dance related topics do you want to hear about the most? Tell us by completing the A Dancer's Guide SURVEY! Special thanks to all of our listeners!

Sam Wasson, the New York Times best-selling author behind Fosse; Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, “Breakfast at Tiffany's,” and the Dawn of the Modern Woman; Improv Nation: How We Made a Great American Art ...and more visits The Hamilcast to talk about his early college connections with Hamilton creatives—and how it helped lead to Tommy Kail, Alex Lacamoire, Andy Blankenbuehler and Lin-Manuel Miranda teaming back up to adapt his book Fosse into the award winning FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon. Sam Wasson Purchase Sam Wasson's Books Fosse/Verdon on Hulu  Gillian on Twitter Gillian on Instagram The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

HAMILTON COMPOSER: Lin-Manuel Miranda LYRICIST: Lin-Manuel Miranda BOOK: Lin-Manuel Miranda DIRECTOR: Thomas Kail CHOREOGRAPHER: Andy Blankenbuehler  PRINCIPLE CAST: Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Leslie Odom Jr. (Burr), Phillipa Soo (Eliza) OPENING DATE: August 6th, 2015 CLOSING DATE: Still Playing as of this writing PERFORMANCES: +1900 SYNOPSIS: The life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton is explored from his immigration to the United States through his murder by political rival Aaron Burr.  W. Jerome Stevenson argues Hamilton's significance as a twenty-first century musical which was able to maintain mass appeal to the public amid a flurry of tourist-oriented Broadway productions. Hamilton's original score and historical storyline update the structure of a traditional book musical by fusing the narrative with rap and hip hop and reimagining white figures as people of color. The Lin Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Andy Blankenbuehler production set off a global revolution with its contemporary score but was later brought under scrutiny for its lack of accurate representation of Afro-Caribbean and African-American voices. W. Jerome Stevenson is an Instructor of Performance for the Helmerich School of Drama at the University of Oklahoma and served as the Producing Artistic Director of the Pollard Theatre Company in Oklahoma until 2020. Stevenson is an accomplished director and a proud member of Actor's Equity Association and serves as adjunct theatre faculty at Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Universities. Stevenson's numerous directing credits include Hairspray, Green Day's American Idiot, Crowns, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In addition to a variety of work in radio, television, and film, Jerome was the recipient of a 2018 Oklahoma Governor Arts Award for Community Service. SOURCES Hamilton, Original Broadway Cast Recording. Atlantic (2016) Hamilton, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr., directed by Thomas Kail. Walt Disney Pictures (2020) Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway, starring Lin Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr., directed by Elio Espana. Symettrica Entertainment (2017) Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, published by Grand Central Publishing (2016) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Everything Gillian Lynne did was on a piano or flute and everything Andy Blankenbuehler did was on a drumbeat." This episode features Caitlin Bond who was Victoria on the 6th US CATS National Tour before the pandemic. Hear Caitlin discuss her ballet dance background, her emotional experience in the final show before the pandemic, how shocked she was learning the story of CATS during rehearsals, and her passionate argument for Gus as her Jellicle choice. Plus, hear Caitlin share how she learned about the sexual nature of Victoria's story. Check out Caitlin on Instagram & Tik Tok: @caitlinbond5 Check out Caitlin's website: www.caitlinbond.net Produced by: Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network Instagram & Twitter: @TheWrongCatDied Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chip Abbott / @chipstergram Chip Abbott is a NYC based choreographer, director, and dancer who's performance career spans the worlds of concert dance, commercial dance, and Broadway. Chip served as assistant choreographer, dance captain, and swing to Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse on the Broadway Revival of On The Town (Tony nominee for best choreography) and he was also seen on Broadway in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His choreography was most recently seen at ACT of CT in their world premiere of a newly adapted version of Working, under the artistic advisement of Stephen Schwartz. As a director, Chip created two IAAPA Brass Ring Award winning shows Dance, Dance, Dance, Heartbeat (Best Theatrical Production Worldwide) and The Enchanted Journey (Most Creative Christmas Show) both produced by RWS Entertainment Group at HersheyPark. Chip has directed numerous shows for HersheyPark and Azamara Club Cruises in addition to choreographing for Step One Dance Company on Holland America Line and The Little Mermaid at Red Mountain Theatre Company. Chip was associate director/choreographer to Tony Yazbeck on the YoungArts Gala 2017 and assistant choreographer to Joshua Bergasse for Bernstein at 100 Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as Bernstein at 100 Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra and starring Misty Copeland. Additionally, Chip was associate choreographer of On the Town at San Francisco Symphony (Bergasse choreography re-staged.) Other performance credits include NYC theatre: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. 1st national tours: R+H's Cinderella, Andy Blankenbuehler's Joseph… Dreamcoat. TV/Film: Isn't It Romantic?!, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, Avon's “Boss Life,” British Vogue, and MAC Cosmetics. Chip is a member of guest faculty at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City and has taught master classes in many schools across the country including PACE University, Oklahoma City University, Point Park University, the Boston Conservatory, and University of Central Oklahoma. Proud graduate of Oklahoma City University. ChipAbbott.com https://vimeo.com/380981797 Also, if you are curious, here's a preview of season 1 Gilded Age. Excited to be back for season 2! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKj1cMz3yfI Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com/free-trial www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chip Abbott / @chipstergram Chip Abbott is a NYC based choreographer, director, and dancer who's performance career spans the worlds of concert dance, commercial dance, and Broadway. Chip served as assistant choreographer, dance captain, and swing to Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse on the Broadway Revival of On The Town (Tony nominee for best choreography) and he was also seen on Broadway in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His choreography was most recently seen at ACT of CT in their world premiere of a newly adapted version of Working, under the artistic advisement of Stephen Schwartz. As a director, Chip created two IAAPA Brass Ring Award winning shows Dance, Dance, Dance, Heartbeat (Best Theatrical Production Worldwide) and The Enchanted Journey (Most Creative Christmas Show) both produced by RWS Entertainment Group at HersheyPark. Chip has directed numerous shows for HersheyPark and Azamara Club Cruises in addition to choreographing for Step One Dance Company on Holland America Line and The Little Mermaid at Red Mountain Theatre Company. Chip was associate director/choreographer to Tony Yazbeck on the YoungArts Gala 2017 and assistant choreographer to Joshua Bergasse for Bernstein at 100 Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as Bernstein at 100 Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra and starring Misty Copeland. Additionally, Chip was associate choreographer of On the Town at San Francisco Symphony (Bergasse choreography re-staged.) Other performance credits include NYC theatre: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. 1st national tours: R+H's Cinderella, Andy Blankenbuehler's Joseph… Dreamcoat. TV/Film: Isn't It Romantic?!, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, Avon's “Boss Life,” British Vogue, and MAC Cosmetics. Chip is a member of guest faculty at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City and has taught master classes in many schools across the country including PACE University, Oklahoma City University, Point Park University, the Boston Conservatory, and University of Central Oklahoma. Proud graduate of Oklahoma City University. ChipAbbott.com https://vimeo.com/380981797 Also, if you are curious, here's a preview of season 1 Gilded Age. Excited to be back for season 2! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKj1cMz3yfI Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com/free-trial www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chai with Rai (Ep.26). In conversation with Brinda Guha where we sat and discussed the lineage and history of Classical Indian Dance, from her journey of Kathak to Manipuri to Flamenco. We discussed Brinda's work, the codifying of Classical Dance, Culture Appropriation and her thoughts on Activism.  We had to rush this episode and fit a lot of topics in but I am grateful to have Brinda on here to share her perspective and educate on so many things. I hope you enjoy this Cuppa Filled episode.  A bit about Brinda: Brinda is a Dancer, Actress, model, Choreographer, Curator (WiseFruit) and Artistic Director ( Kalamandir School of Dance) based in America. Her Background in Dance began from the North Indian Classical Dance style Kathak under the tutelage of her mother Smt. Malabika Guha. Alongside that Learning Flamenco from Dionisia Garcia of Flamenco NYC. She also studied other forms of Classical Indian dance, including Manipuri East Indian Classical dance from Smt. Kalavati Devi and her daughter, Bimbavati Devi. Brinda currently dances with Soles of Duende, a multicultural percussive trio rooted in the rhythms of Tap (Amanda Castro), Flamenco (Arielle Rosales), and Kathak (Guha). She is also the artistic director of Kalamandir Dance Company, main faculty of Kalamandir School of Dance Inc., curator at Wise Fruit NYC,  which has had over 10 showcases and raised money for Plant Parenthood and Action fund. And is also an administrator at Dance/NYC.  Her choreographic works have been showcased at Brooklyn Dance Festival, NYCDA Dance Festival, Young Choreographer's Festival, Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester Showcase, Gowanus Arts Center, Secret Theater, Dixon Place, Grounds for Sculpture, George St. Playhouse, NJ State Theater, Funktion Dance Complex, The Knockdown Center, Hammerstein Ballroom, Madison Square Garden, and much more. he has set work with Andy Blankenbuehler, Justin Conte, Phil Orsano, Derek Mitchell, Neil Schwartz, Ashle Dawson, Kumari Suraj, Lauren Cox, Carlos Neto, Omari Mizrahi, Myriam Gadri, Ginger Cox & Subhasis Das.  Brinda's acting credits include “Pagla Ghora”, directed by celebrated Bollywood filmmaker, Amol Palekar. She later debuted a lead role at the South Asian Theater Festival's staging of “Red Oleanders” and “The Little Clay Cart” (2009, 2010). Brinda has performed in small theater productions since, including the lead in Gargi Mukherjee's "Our Voices", as well as in a segment directed by Subhasis Das for 2015's South Asian Theater Festival's Theater In Break installment of "Ami Chitragada", which ultimately traveled to five venues over the course of 2017.  To watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/d-xuQGS6_6E  Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/  Guest: https://www.instagram.com/brindaguha/ & https://www.instagram.com/kalamandirdanceco/ & https://www.instagram.com/wisefruitnyc/  Links: Myself: https://linktr.ee/raimuitfum  Guest: https://www.brindaguha.com/ Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.  

“The story of Jazz Dance is the story of America.” My guests today are the creators of the acclaimed new film documentary: Uprooted – The Journey of Jazz Dance, which has been winning awards at film festivals around the world, and in the US can currently be seen on HBO Max.   All three of the film's creators are from the UK, they all have extensive training and backgrounds in dance, and with this movie they are all making their feature length film debuts. The film's director is Khadifa Wong who trained as a dancer and actress but became frustrated by the lack of opportunities for performers of color, and then realized that her true passion lay behind the camera. Producer, Lisa Donmall-Reeve, migrated to film following a very successful twenty year career as a performer that included playing many leading roles on London's West End. And dancer, choreographer and educator, Zak Nemorin - who conceived the film - has appeared in seventeen West End musicals and is the Head of Jazz Dance at Millennium Performing Arts in London. To create the film they interviewed 70 experts - dancers, choreographers, educators and historians - regarding the history of Jazz dance as well as the evolution of its many roots and branches, including Debbie Allen, Josh Bergasse, Al Blackstone, Andy Blankenbuehler, Bob Boross, Camile Brown, Warren Carlyle, Graciela Danielle, George Faison, Thomas De Frantz, Karen Hubbard, Saleemah Knight, Bonnie Langford, Martine Mattox, Jerry Mitchell, Mandy Moore, Walter Painter, Travis Payne, Arlene Phillips, Chita Rivera, Susan Stroman, and Chet Walker to name only a few. Along the way they explore where Jazz dance originated and how it became the dance language of Broadway.  I highly recommend it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Colgan talks about the work that led him to create his own individualized study to be able to spend his life in dance and theater, learning still-in-development Hamilton numbers from Andy Blankenbuehler, his Hamilton audition process, his role as a Universal Swing in Hamilton, what it's been like to travel and work in the industry in COVID times.     Phil Colgan Phil on Instagram Phil on Twitter Phil on YouTube Gillian on Twitter Gillian on Instagram The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps     *check The Hamilcast website for episode transcripts (coming soon)

Andy Blankenbuehler, Susan Stroman, Chita Rivera, Debbie Allen, Graciela Daniele and more in Khadifa Wong's directorial debut tracing Jazz dance from Africa to America today. Connect with Tonya via her community phone number at +1 917-724-8998! Produced by Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales, edited by Catherine Devine, music by Cat Dail. A proud member of the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Birthday to: Janet Collins, Genevieve Stebbins, Myra Chouteau, Carolyn Carlson, and Andy Blankenbuehler! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dawn-davis-loring/support

Join Salisha and her guest, Matthew Tiberi, as they discuss life in the theater. Matthew is a swing in the current production of Once Upon A One More Time. Matthew Tiberi made his Broadway debut as a swing in Finding Neverland in 2015. He was previously part of the original cast of the national tour of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young and directed/choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler. Regional credits include: Singing In The Rain (Don Lockwood, STONC), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Adam/Felicia, Fiddlehead Theatre Company), Mary Poppins (Von Hussler, NCT), Mary Poppins (Policeman, KC Starlight), Footloose (Chuck Cranston, The Fireside), CATS (Mungojerrie, WPPAC), 9 to 5 (Bob Enright, MGR). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm sitting in a restaurant with a revolutionary idea scribbled on the back of a napkin. It's the early 2000s and I'm still in the technology industry at this point, so we're coming up with ideas for this crazy software application we want to create. It's never been done before and feels like it could change everything! We're talking about a ColdFusion back end, a Flash front end, throwing data back and forth very quickly... it'd be the first time you could have a Rich Internet Application. {Fancy stuff back then.} As we're sitting there brainstorming my new friend Mark says, “Hang on, can we really do this? No one's actually executed something like this.” Two seconds later, we find ourselves thinking, “Why not us? Why don't we be the ones to do it?” That software idea we brought to life launched a company that lasted for 16 years! And my special guest on the Storytelling School Podcast, Douglas Lyons, is all about bringing ideas that no one else has thought of to life in different forms. What is the thought process behind birthing an idea that didn't exist before? What is the only original thing about ideas? And what the hell do mosquito bites have to do with storytelling? In this episode, I speak with Douglas about all of that, being successful without the usual “bells and whistles” of training, normalizing and giving representation to Black culture on Broadway, and more. You'll hear his words of wisdom if you feel like your voice and perspective don't matter. And you'll discover how to know which stories to stick with and the power of figuring out your “why” for creating a story. What you will learn in this episode: What principles to keep in mind as you create a story Why naming your characters is so important How your stories can heal, affect change, and live on long after you're gone Who is Douglas? Douglas Lyons is a director, actor, writer, playwright, and composer-lyricist. He's one of the writers and composers of Apple TV's 2022 Fraggle Rock series and made his playwriting debut with Chicken and Biscuits, which starred Michael Urie and Norm Lewis. His other writing credits include Polkadots at the Atlantic Theater Company, Beau at the Adirondack Theatre Festival, and Five Points with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. As an actor, Douglas was part of the original cast of the Broadway production The Book of Mormon and Beautiful. He also did tours of Rent and Dreamgirls. His music and lyrics have been featured on CBS's Sunday Morning Show and BET Plus, as well as in Lincoln Center's Broadway Songbook Series and Carnegie Hall's Voices of Hope Festival. And along with his musical writing partner Ethan D. Pakchar, he was a finalist for the 2020 Jonathan Larson Grant. Links and Resources: @Chocolatehipster on Instagram @DouglasSings on Twitter Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/4u1Fk93JKM4 Hailed as “a star performer,” Bart Shatto has made his mark on Broadway, TV, Concert, and beyond. A member of the original Broadway casts of Tony-nominated "Hands on a Hardbody” and "The Civil War,” he has also been seen on Broadway in “War Paint,” the iconic role of Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables” and as originating the role of Quincey Morris in “Dracula.” Helen-Hayes nominated for the Ford's Theatre production of "The Civil War," he has worked with award-winning directors Michael Greif, Andy Blankenbuehler, Des McAnuff, Jerry Zaks, Jason Moore, Neil Pepe, Jeff Calhoun, Richard Maltby Jr. and Gabriel Barre. Regionally, he has performed at renowned regional theaters including Papermill Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre, Ford's Theatre and the Barter Theatre, and more. As a voiceover artist, Bart can be heard as the voice of "Gaspard's Papa" in the animated series for Disney Jr. "Gaspard and Lisa". As a singer, he is a veteran member of the Gold/Platinum-selling symphonic progressive rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, who have sold over 10 million concert tickets, and 10 million concert albums, and play to 1 million fans each season. Billboard Magazine ranked TSO the top 25 touring artists of the decade. Cast albums include Stephen Schwartz's "Children of Eden" and "Tara Tremendous" (also released by Broadway Records in 2017). Bart's solo show “Back to Broadway: Heroes, Villains and Dreamers” will be produced at Feinsteins/54 Below later this year.  He resides in New Jersey with his wife, Dr. Amy Bladen PhD, and their German Shepard, Maverick. https://www.bartshatto.com

A fun episode with Chip Abbott!Chip Abbott is a NYC based choreographer, director, and dancer who's performance career spans the worlds of concert dance, commercial dance, and Broadway. Chip served as assistant choreographer, dance captain, and swing to Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse on the Broadway Revival of On The Town (Tony nominee for best choreography) and he was also seen on Broadway in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  His choreography was most recently seen at ACT of CT in their world premiere of a newly adapted  version of Working, under the artistic advisement of Stephen Schwartz. As a director, Chip created two IAAPA Brass Ring Award winning shows Dance, Dance, Dance, Heartbeat  (Best Theatrical Production Worldwide) and The Enchanted Journey (Most Creative  Christmas Show) both produced by RWS Entertainment Group at HersheyPark. Chip has directed numerous shows for HersheyPark and Azamara Club Cruises in addition to choreographing for Step One Dance Company on Holland America Line and The Little Mermaid at Red Mountain Theatre Company. Chip was associate director/choreographer to Tony Yazbeck on the YoungArts Gala 2017 and assistant choreographer to Joshua Bergasse for Bernstein at 100 Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as Bernstein at 100 Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra and starring Misty Copeland.  Additionally, Chip was associate choreographer of On the Town at San Francisco Symphony (Bergasse choreography re-staged.)  Other performance credits include NYC theatre: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. 1st national tours: R+H's Cinderella, Andy Blankenbuehler's Joseph… Dreamcoat. TV/Film:  Isn't It Romantic?!, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, Avon's “Boss Life,” British Vogue, and MAC Cosmetics. Chip is a member of guest faculty at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City and has taught master classes in many schools across the country including PACE University, Oklahoma City University,  Point Park University, the Boston Conservatory, and University of Central Oklahoma.  Proud graduate of Oklahoma City University.Follow Chip on Instagram: @chipstergramFollow us on Instagram: @jam_dance_podcastFollow us on Facebook: JAM Joe and Michelle's Dance Podcast

In this special bonus episode, join me as I speak with the playwright of Chicken & Biscuits on Broadway, Douglas Lyons. Douglas Lyons is an award-winning actor, director, composer-lyricist and teacher. TV writing: "Fraggle Rock" (Apple TV). Theatre: the Off-Broadway Alliance-winning Polkadots (Atlantic Theater Company), Beau (Adirondack Theatre Festival), and Five Points (Theater Latte Da), now in development with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. Broadway acting: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (original cast), The Book of Mormon. Tours: Rent, Dreamgirls, and The Book of Mormon first national. DouglasLyons.net @Chocolatehipster Music: www.purple-planet.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gabe-moses/support

In the second part of our conversation with Douglas Lyons, playwright of Chicken & Biscuits, we chat all about seeing a play through a playwrights perspective, who this play was written for, why this play is different from any Broadway play before it, and so much more! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, we'd love it if you could share your love in a review! ABOUT DOUGLAS LYONS is an award-winning actor, director, composer-lyricist and teacher. TV writing: “Fraggle Rock” (Apple TV). Theatre: the Off-Broadway Alliance-winning Polkadots (Atlantic Theater Company), Beau (Adirondack Theatre Festival) and Five Points (Theater Latte Da), now in development with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. Broadway acting: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (original cast), The Book of Mormon. Tours: Rent, Dreamgirls and The Book of Mormon first national. Douglas wouldn't be here without Velman and Tilden Lyons, who raised him to be unapologetically fearless. Big love to WME, Grandview, CLA, SRDA, Ethan Pakchar, this incredible cast, producing and creative team. Gaynl, this one's for you. DouglasLyons.net Connect with Douglas! @DouglasSings / @ChocolateHipster / www.douglaslyons.net MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Chicken & Biscuits on Instagram: instagram.com/chickenandbiscuitsbway Chicken & Biscuits on Facebook: facebook.com/chickenandbiscuitsbway Get Your Tickets: chickenandbiscuitsbway.com The Man Enough Podcast FANTI Podcast The Read Podcast --- Come say hi to us! Facebook: @PageToStagePodcast @BroadwayPodcastNetwork Instagram: @PageToStagePodcast @TheMaryDina @BrianSedita @BroadwayPodcastNetwork Twitter: @TheMaryDina @BwayPodNetwork YouTube: @PageToStagePodcast @BroadwayPodcastNetwork #PageToStagePodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first part of our conversation with Douglas Lyons, playwright of Chicken & Biscuits, we chat all about the process of bringing the show to Broadway, casting, getting your work seen as an artist, and so much more! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, we'd love it if you could share your love in a review! ABOUT DOUGLAS LYONS is an award-winning actor, director, composer-lyricist and teacher. TV writing: “Fraggle Rock” (Apple TV). Theatre: the Off-Broadway Alliance-winning Polkadots (Atlantic Theater Company), Beau (Adirondack Theatre Festival) and Five Points (Theater Latte Da), now in development with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. Broadway acting: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (original cast), The Book of Mormon. Tours: Rent, Dreamgirls and The Book of Mormon first national. Douglas wouldn't be here without Velman and Tilden Lyons, who raised him to be unapologetically fearless. Big love to WME, Grandview, CLA, SRDA, Ethan Pakchar, this incredible cast, producing and creative team. Gaynl, this one's for you. DouglasLyons.net Connect with Douglas! @DouglasSings / @ChocolateHipster / www.douglaslyons.net MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Chicken & Biscuits on Instagram: instagram.com/chickenandbiscuitsbway Chicken & Biscuits on Facebook: facebook.com/chickenandbiscuitsbway Get Your Tickets: chickenandbiscuitsbway.com --- Come say hi to us! Facebook: @PageToStagePodcast @BroadwayPodcastNetwork Instagram: @PageToStagePodcast @TheMaryDina @BrianSedita @BroadwayPodcastNetwork Twitter: @TheMaryDina @BwayPodNetwork YouTube: @PageToStagePodcast @BroadwayPodcastNetwork #PageToStagePodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Douglas Lyons  was gracious enough to take a moment to chat with Lisa  just two days before making his Broadway debut as a playwright with his new family comedy Chicken and Biscuits, there are 25 Broadway debuts in this show which has its first preview TONIGHT Thursday September 23rd, 2021 at Circle in The Square . Lisa and Douglas dig in and talk about navigating rejection, imposter syndrome, moving and healing audiences and the power of stories and family. Douglas Lyons is no stranger to the Broadway stage and in addition to his talents as a playwright, he is an accomplished actor, writer, director, composer and teacher. His Broadway acting credits include the original cast of Beautiful and The Book of Mormon and National Tours of  Rent and Dreamgirls. His writing credits include Fraggle Rock on Apple TV, Polkadots Off Broadway and Five Points which is now in development with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. As a composer/lyricist, he is half of the writing team Lyons & Pakchar. Their work has been featured on CBS's “Sunday Morning Show,” Carnegie Hall's “Voices of Hope Festival,” Lincoln Center's “Broadway Songbook Series,” and more. Douglas is the founder of The Next Wave Initiative, a scholarship program dedicated to supporting the future of Black Theater artists. Instagram: @chocolatehipsterTwitter: @douglassings

Host Luisa Lyons chats with Richard J. Hinds, associate choreographer on Come From Away and the current Broadway revival of Company. Topics include why Richard was drawn to the creative side of musical theatre and his journey to Broadway, Andy Blankenbuehler's role in Richard's career, working with Kelly Devine, setting High School Musical on tour in the UK, US, Australia, and on ice(!), the role of an associate director and choreographer, working in television v. theatre, the filming of Newsies and Come From Away, and more! Richard's Broadway credits include Company (Associate Chor.), Come From Away (Associate Chor.), Disney's Newsies (Associate Dir.), Jekyll & Hyde (Associate Dir./Chor.) and Il Divo: A Musical Affair (Assistant Dir.). He worked on the Off-Broadway production of Here Lies Love (Associate Dir./Chor.) and the National Tours of 9 to 5 (Associate Dir.) and  Disney's High School Musical (Associate Chor.). Richard's television credits include Encore! (Disney+), Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, America's Got Talent, The Bethenny Show, Bring It and Good Afternoon America. Richard is represented by bloc Talent Agency. Learn more at www.richardjhinds.com. Follow on Instagram. Filmed Live Musicals is the most comprehensive online searchable database for musicals that have been filmed live on stage. Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook & Twitter. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to content, no matter how much you pledge. Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons. Luisa is an Australian actor, writer, & musician. She holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech & Drama & now lives, works, & plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook. Enjoyed this podcast? Leave a review & help spread the word!

Tune in to the third part in my series with Andy Blankenbuehler to get a sense of what challenges arose from this pandemic and how those challenges are being faced, as well as to hear Andy's perspective on how the societal shifts that we have seen over the last year are changing the way we tell stories. Please enjoy

It seems that so many issues have come out of the woodwork over the last year. Some were new, others, not so much. No matter what the issues are, it seems that we have choices regarding how we respond to these issues, and the information within them. We can either turn a blind eye and say “everything was working fine before this issue was brought to light, so why do anything about it?” or we can confront the issues head on by acknowledging their complexity and magnitude, and ultimately learning and understanding what kind of change is possible. Tune in this week to “out of sight, out of mind” to ponder our responsibilities to self and society while confronting new or resurgent issues in this crazy time. Also, mark your calendars for This Friday, the final episode in my series with Tony Award winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler will finally release! Be sure to spread the word, you and your friends won't want to miss it.

IN THE HEIGHTS Book by Quíara Alegría Hudes | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | | Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda  Episode Segments:2:20 – Speed Test5:20 – Why God Why8:37 – Back to Before15:52 – Putting It Together28:35 – What's Inside46:53 – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?1:00:48 – We Go Together1:08:52 – Our Favorite Things1:18:47 – Corner of the Sky1:21:43 – What Comes Next?Works Consulted & Reference :In the Heights (Original Libretto) by Quiara Alegría HudesIn the Heights: Finding Home by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Jeremy McCarterIn the Heights (Screenplay) by Quiara Alegría HudesMusic Credits:"Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Orchestra & Donald Pippin"The Speed Test" from Thoroughly Modern Millie  (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music by Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Dick Scanlan | Performed by Marc Kudisch, Sutton Foster, Anne L. Nathan & Ensemble"Why God Why" from Miss Saigon: The Definitive Live Recording  (Original Cast Recording  / Deluxe)  | Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby Jr.  | Performed by Alistair Brammer"Back to Before" from Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens | Performed by Marin Mazzie"Chromolume #7 / Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park with George (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim | Performed by Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Judith Moore, Cris Groenendaal, Charles Kimbrough, William Parry, Nancy Opel, Robert Westenberg, Dana Ivey, Kurt Knudson, Barbara Bryne"What's Inside" from Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles | Performed by Jessie Mueller & Ensemble"Breathe” from In the Heights (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Performed by Mandy Gonzalez"Maria" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording)  | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Evadne Baker, Anna Lee, Portia Nelson, Marni Nixon“We Go Together” from Grease (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Music & Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey | Performed by John Travolta, Olivia Newton John & Cast"My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording) | Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Performed by Julie Andrews"Corner of the Sky" from Pippin (New Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Performed by Matthew James Thomas“What Comes Next?” from Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda | Performed by Jonathan Groff

"It's kind of just a show of introductions." This episode features Justin Geiss who played Pouncival & Mungojerrie in the most recent CATS National Tour. Hear Justin talk about how he was obsessed with the show growing up as a dancer, his fun story with Andy Blankenbuehler during his audition, and how he defends Macavity as his Jellicle choice. Plus, Justin discusses how Harry Potter influenced the way he played certain Cats. Check out Justin on Instagram: @jutin_geese Check out Justin's Podcast Whispers From Below on Instagram: @whispersfrombelow Check out Justin's Podcast Whispers From Below: www.whispersfrombelow.com Produced by: Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network Instagram & Twitter: @TheWrongCatDied Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weeks episode featuring my conversation with Tony Award winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, I wanted to learn a little bit more about Andy's choreographic process. Tune in to hear about Andy's process while choreographing a show, and you might be lucky enough to get some behind the scenes information and knowledge surrounding the inner workings of "Hamilton". Please enjoy. 

This week, an exciting series comprised of three episodes releases. My guest? None other than director and Tony Award winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. You may be familiar with Andy's work if you have seen a little musical called "Hamilton", or if you have seen the broadway shows "In The Heights" and Bandstand". Even if you aren't an active musical theater patron, you may recognize his work on the major motion picture adaptation of the legendary musical "Cats". Tune in to get a sense of what this past year has looked like on Broadway, what reopening theaters for live performances will entail, and how Andy sees the future of storytelling through choreography. Please enjoy. 

"You will all pick for the same reason that I already know that she is the one that should be picked" This episode features Tricia Tanguy who played Grizabella in the 2007 5th US National Tour and then again over 10 years later in the 2019 6th US Tour. Hear Tricia discuss what it was like learn the show from some of the original CATS team, how Andy Blankenbuehler uses the ensemble to tell the CATS relationships with each other, and her theory about how Old Deuteronomy has his mind made up on the Jellicle choice before the show even starts. Plus, hear Tricia's theory on Victoria being the daughter of Griz and Munk. Check out Tricia on Instagram: @triciatanguy Check out Tricia's website: www.triciatanguy.com Produced by: Alan Seales & Broadway Podcast Network Instagram & Twitter: @TheWrongCatDied Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theatre First Episode 275Stream podcast episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly).Hamilton (Lyric Theatre, Sydney Australia)) HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. A record-breaking masterpiece that has “transformed theatre and the way we think about history.” – The New York Times The Tony®, Grammy®, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize winning musical is now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow's acclaimed biography. HAMILTON has also received an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Centre Honours.For more information visit: https://hamiltonmusical.com.au Theatre First RSS feed: https://rss.acast.com/theatre-first  Subscribe, rate and review Theatre First at all good podcatcher apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, CastBox.FM, Podbean, ACast etc. If you're enjoying Theatre First podcast, please share and tell your friends. Your support would be appreciated...thank you. #theatre #stage #reviews #melbourne #australia  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lili Froehlich is currently a swing/dance captain for the National Tour of Hamilton. Lili made her Broadway debut in the original company of the revival of Cats choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler. She also performed in the National Tour of Blankenbuehler’s Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat. In this episode, Lili discusses her internship with Andy, meeting Lin-Manuel Miranda for the first time, and how being human matters more than you might think.

This conversation with Shockwave is deep and very important to listen about the expectations that we have as humans in which we have the power to improve in society. In this episode you will learn about:Where your street dance movements come from.The importance of you knowing where styles originated.How you can improve society expectations by being yourself and not following the leader.How some trends become toxic instead of creating unity.How artists can create more money by working together to create a better financial industry. Favorite Quote: “The great thinker talks about ideas, the average thinker talks about events, the small thinker talks about people .” Shockwave has experience learning from freestyle popping legends and he is able to teach where those movements come from. About Shockwave:Shockwave is a  Los Angeles born dancer who expresses through physical and spiritual energy with respect to tradition. He strives to instill belief in one’s self and unlock creativity while preserving the culture of art forms.Through foundation, perspective and vision, he looks to inspire others to feel what can’t be expressed through words and be more than what society dictates, for the new generation, and to those who dance for a lifetime. Follow Shockwave:Instagram Facebook Shockwave - Soul Levels (by Beatslaya) Text: ANNIVERSARY to (323) 524-9857 to view our WATCH PARTY for our 20th Anniversary Maxt Out Dance Competition online! Follow us:Learn more: Dance Your LifeLearn more: Maxt Out Dance CompetitionInstagram @maxtoutdanceMaxt Out on FacebookTikTok @maxtoutdanceSign-up for our FREE Maxt Out at Home Dance Classes!Follow Joanna:Learn more The Get Up GirlJoanna Vargas on InstagramJoanna Vargas on FacebookTikTok @joannavargasofficialOperation Underground Railroad – OURRescue.org

Michael Balderrama is a Choreographer, Director, Producer, Artist and Philanthropist. He is a Drama Desk and ACCA award winner. He has been part of almost a dozen Broadway shows, both on stage and on the creative side. He is currently Associate Global Supervising Choreographer for Hamilton and Associate Choreographer for the upcoming MJ Musical. Some favorite credits…In the Heights (Lin-Manuel understudy) Movin’ Out, Willie Lopez in Ghost. He has also choreographed, performed for and/or worked with Michael Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Sutton Foster, Andy Blankenbuehler, Christopher Wheeldon, Twyla Tharp, Julie Taymor, Maurice Hines, and so many more…@baldy_michael@lizkimball Take Your Career to the Next Level!Work 1-on-1 with Dane, host of You Booked It.

On this weeks "Theater Talks", I am excited to announce that we have professional choreographer and director Brandon Powers joining us! Brandon is someone I have wanted to get on the show since I started because of his work as a professional artist and his amazing advice for those interested in the industry. Brandon has worked on the hit Broadway show Bandstand with Tony Award-winning Andy Blankenbuehler during its development and premiere, and continues to grace the theater world with his talents. Tune into this weeks episode to hear more about Brandon's experience working on a professional show, his upbringing as a dancer, his advice for young professionals, and how he is taking over Tik Tok as "Tik Tok Theater Dad"! Check out Brandon's social media for more! Tik Tok: brandon_powers Insta: @bpow33 Arts Unravaled I Instagram: ArtsUnraveled Rachel's Social: Tik Tok: rachel.ann.thomas (help me reach 40K!) Website: rachelannthomas.com Instagram: rachel_ann_97

What can we learn from musicals like Hamilton?   TONS! Join Matthew Downing and Stephanie Klemons as they dive into Hamilton (the musical), choreography, Katie's Art Project, and what makes a beneficial learning experience.  Stephanie shares plenty of stories, behind the scenes insight about Hamilton, the intricate process of choreography, and benefits of art towards healing. Stephanie is an award-winning performer, choreographer and director who has worked on the pre-Broadway and Broadway productions of HAMILTON, IN THE HEIGHTS, BRING IT ON and IF/THEN. Her body of work can be seen currently on Broadway and around the world as the Associate and Supervising Choreographer of HAMILTON. Stephanie is most proud of her Non-Profit, Katie’s art project, started ten years ago, which connects kids facing life-threatening and terminal Illness with artists to collaborate on an art, dance and music project. Shout outs: Andy Blankenbuehler and Brandon Schneider Music:   Believin Stephen

Fellow Broadway podcast enthusiast, Philip Tour's Aaron J. Albano, adds The Hamilcast to his hitlist and tells the story of how he found his love for theatre early, following the path he was drawn toward despite other expectations from loved ones, why he didn't see Hamilton at The Public, and Aaron describes what it's like to be in an Andy Blankenbuehler room.  The Ensemblist Broadwaysted! Children's Musical Theater San Jose I'll Be Here - Wild Party Smash on NBC Allegiance Aaron J. Albano on Twitter Aaron J. Albano on Instagram Gillian on Twitter Gillian on Instagram The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

“Me and My Baby” premiered on April 23rd, 2019. It was written by Debora Cahn, and directed by Adam Bernstein. In this episode we are treated to our first numbers not originally choreographed by Bob Fosse: the opening dream sequence to “Wilkommen” and the Jack Cole revue number, both choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler. Portraying a bevy of beautiful secretaries are Mackenzie Bell, Anna Noble, Sam Farrow, Mindy Wallace and sisters Leigh-Ann and Sara Esty. In a flashback to Gwen’s early career in Los Angeles, we also see a quintet of Broadway’s best: Adrian Lee, Ricky Ubeda, Ryan Steele and Reed Luplau, all centered around the flawless Eliza Ohman.  While the titular song from Chicago does not appear in the episode, the featured music that does all comes from the musical Cabaret, with music and lyrics by Kander & Ebb. We are treated to Ethan Slater portraying the legendary Joel Grey in “Wilkommen” and “Two Ladies” accompanied audibly by Alysha Umphress and Morgan Weed, and visually by Lindsay Dunn and Kaitlyn Edgar, as well as footage of Kelli Barrett singing “Mein Herr” from a previous episode. Bob ends his vacation early to begin the editing process of the Cabaret film, but is not happy to find that the editing team has already created an “unwatchable” rough cut that makes him feel like the world is falling apart. Bouncing into Gwen’s apartment with Chinese food, he asks Gwen to join him in the editing room because he’s “feeling a little lost right now.” However, Gwen isn’t available to assist Bob because she’s going to be in rehearsals for a play - a straight play - called Children! Children!  The two play power struggle with their daughter Nicole, both claiming that they can’t be responsible for her while they are working. When Gwen passes her off to Bob for a dinner meeting with her manager Mel, Bob passes her off to his friend Paddy. When Gwen finds out, she explodes at Bob who considers watching his own daughter a favor. Being taken advantage of by Bob reminds Gwen of her teenage self living in Culver City, California, when caught the eye of James Henaghen, a prominent theatre critic who rapes, impregates and then agrees to marry the young Verdon. Filling in for her deadbeat husband, he reviews a performance of the Jack Cole dancers and realizes she needs to perform for him, leaving her bastard infant son with her parents to go on tour. In addition to playing wife and mother to Bob, the writers of Children! Children! want Gwen, two-time Tony Award winner, to audition for the role. She pretends to love the audition process: “it’s like a first date with a new crush,” and gets the part, although Mel confides in her that she was “not everyone’s first choice.” In rehearsal Gwen gets singled out with more notes and adjustments than she’s used to, a sharp juxtaposition to how she was lauded for her performance in Can Can. Feeling inept at her work in the rehearsal room, Gwen offers her services in Bob’s editing bay where she is subservient but shines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Cornish Smith was most recently seen on Broadway in the Original Revival Cast of Kiss Me, Kate!, where she was a featured dancer in the ensemble and covered Lois Lane/Bianca. Christine is most well known for her portrayal of Bombalurina in the OBC revival of CATS, where she was nominated for a 2017 Chita Rivera Award for Best female performance in a Broadway Musical. She was also seen in the OBC of My Fair Lady in 2018 at Lincoln Center. A cum laude graduate of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, other credits include: Laurey Williams in Susan Stroman’s Oklahoma! at the MUNY, Sheila Bryant in A Chorus Line at the Riverside Theater, original revival tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat helmed by Andy Blankenbuehler, and more. She has also performed as a principal vocalist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Niagra Symphony Orchestra, as well as was a finalist in Kurt Weill’s Lotte Lenya Vocal Competition in 2014. She appeared in the 25th Anniversary Concert performance of Crazy For You at Lincoln Center and has also appeared on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver, “Good Morning, America”, “The Today Show”, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”, and “The Tony Awards". Christine is a teacher for CLI studios, Institute of American Musical Theater, Broadway Workshop, Broadway Classroom, among other programs. She has been featured on Playbill.com, Broadway.com, Inside Dance Magazine, and BroadwayBox as one of the "Incredible Debuts" of the 2016 Broadway season. @christinecornishchristinecornishsmith.com SFX by Zapsplat

Andrew Wilson has lived an extraordinary life; growing up in Grove City PA, Andrew shares his inspiration and memories on the road to Broadway. He talks about the people and events in his early life that inspired and challenged him. Alex and Lisa have some of those questions that we love to hear about: what is the life of a dancer? What inspires you, what gives you joy? Andrew generously shares many of the lessons of a life in the arts, This is a podcast you CANNOT MISS! Andrew Wilson has a fantastic bio: Andrew lives in New York City, where he is a faculty member at the world-renowned Broadway Dance Center, teaching theater dance and acrobatics. He was recently seen on Broadway playing the role of Tumblebrutus in the Andy Blankenbuehler-helmed revival of CATS. He served as the dance captain and swing for the 1st National Tour of Newsies The Musical, and reprised his role of dance captain and featured Newsie in the live-capture of Newsies for Netflix and Disney+. Other touring credits include Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, CATS 25th Anniversary International Tour and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. For Disney Cruise Line, he was in the opening casts of the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy, as well as opening over 11 shows for them, including Toy Story: the Musical, Aladdin, Villains Tonight andDisney’s Believe. Regionally, he has worked at Casa Mañana, Pittsburgh CLO, the MUNY, Sacramento Music Circus, Riverside, TUTS, La Mirada and Disneyland. He has also performed on SNL, Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Access Hollywood, and has performed across the county for numerous corporate industrials. Other New York City credits include being a featured dancer for the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center, performing Peter Pan at Madison Square Garden and the dancing in the Disney On Broadway 25th Anniversary Gala at the New Amsterdam Theater. He has danced and acted in national commercials for CNN, FX, Gaiam and was the motion-capture “Mr. Peanut” for Super Bowl LIII commercial spots. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/applausethepodcast/message

Christine Cornish Smith is a New York City based dancer, singer and actor. She was most recently seen in the Original Broadway Cast revival of Kiss Me, Kate!, where she was a featured dancer in the ensemble and covered Lois Lane/Bianca. Christine is most well known for her portrayal of Bombalurina in the OBC revival of CATS, and was also seen in the OBC of My Fair Lady at the Lincoln Center Theater.  Other credits include: the original work of Agnes DeMille in Oklahoma! at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, original revival tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat helmed by director/choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, Laurey Williams in Susan Stroman’s Oklahoma! at the MUNY, Sheila Bryant in A Chorus Line at the Riverside Theater, and Goodspeed Opera House. She has also performed as a principal vocalist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Niagra Symphony Orchestra, as well as was a finalist in the prestigious Kurt Weill’s Lotte Lenya Vocal Competition in 2014. She appeared in the 25th Anniversary Concert performance of Crazy For You at Lincoln Center, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman and has also appeared on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver, “Good Morning, America”, “The Today Show”, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”, and “The Tony Awards”. She has been featured on Playbill.com, Broadway.com, Inside Dance Magazine, and BroadwayBox as one of the “Incredible Debuts” of the 2016 Broadway season. Visit her website at www.ChristineCornishSmith.com and follow her on instagram @ChristineCornish. In this episode, NYC-based actress and host Maggie Bera chats with Christine about her musical theatre training at CCM, her transition to New York City, survival jobs, agents, auditions, rejection, and making her Broadway debut in Cats. 

In part two of my conversation celebrating the release of #Hamilfilm on Disney+ with Lin-Manuel Miranda: Lin takes questions from the Patreon Peeps, talks a bit about his upcoming projects, shares some advice for writers, and performs a previously unheard draft of Hamilton's final duel a cappella. Hamilton on Disney+ Lin-Manuel Miranda on The Hamilcast (2017-2020) Andy Blankenbuehler on The Hamilcast (2020) The Cabinet on The Hamilcast (2017-2020) D.O.A. - JAY-Z Word Crimes - Weird Al Yankovic Find The Key - Jonathan Larson On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft The Empty Bowl 'Ten Dollar Tobi' shirt Lin-Manuel on Twitter Gillian on Twitter Gillian on Instagram The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his first return to The Hamilcast to celebrate the release of the #Hamilfilm on Disney+. In part one, we reflect on what led us to this moment, Lin shares how he is feeling now that most of the world has access to Hamilton, he takes us on the journey of getting the film ready in time to release 15 months early, and we share a lot of laughs as Lin recalls some of his favorite moments on stage with the original Broadway cast.   Hamilton on Disney+ Lin-Manuel Miranda on The Hamilcast (2017-2020) Andy Blankenbuehler on The Hamilcast (2020) Chris Jackson on The Hamilcast (2017-2020) The Cabinet on The Hamilcast (2017-2020) GMA Announcement Into The Unknown: Making Frozen 2 The Time Philip Seymour Hoffman Stood Up for Patrick Fugit While Making ‘Almost Famous' We Are Freestyle Love Supreme  Walking My Baby Back Home At the Ballet Dance at the Gym Lin-Manuel on Twitter Gillian on Twitter Gillian on Instagram The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps

Ariana DeBose is a Tony-nominated actress known for her varying roles on stage as well as on screen. DeBose is perhaps best known for her role as “Disco Donna” in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her a 2018 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. For the same role, she was nominated for a Drama League Award for “Distinguished Performance” and won a Chita Rivera Award for “Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show.”  DeBose recently wrapped production on Ryan Murphy's Netflix adaptation of the hit-Broadway musical THE PROM, where she stars as Alyssa alongside Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corden. In December, DeBose will be seen in Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated reimagining of the Academy Award-winning musical WEST SIDE STORY. DeBose was chosen from thousands of actresses to portray the iconic role of Anita, which earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in 1962.  In 2015, DeBose appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the groundbreaking, Tony-winning musical Hamilton as a member of the original cast in both the Broadway and off-Broadway productions. A film version of the production will be released on Disney+ in July. After her departure from Hamilton in 2016, DeBose completed a run as Jane in the original Broadway cast of A Bronx Tale. Her additional theater credits include: Leading Player in the Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin​, Mary Wilson of the Supremes in ​Motown The Musical, ​Nautica in Andy Blankenbuehler’s ​Bring It On: The Musical and ensemble in Stephen Sondheim's ​Company.​ Other credits include: ​The Breaks ​(VH1), ​Blue Bloods (CBS), OLTL’s Star Crossed Lovers Series and Season 6 of ​So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), where she was a top-20 finalist. 

In part three of my conversation with Andy Blankenbuehler, Andy is taking your questions. He digs deep into his favorite moments of the show, reveals more Easter eggs, and Andy reflects on the moments of Hamilton we never saw that were staged--but later cut.   Gone With The Wind scene  Bandstand Kate Nash The Cabinet on The Hamilcast   Andy on Twitter Andy on Instagram  

I'm back with Andy Blankenbuehler for part two of our incredible conversation. This week we are talking about some of Andy's proudest moments in the show, and the sky's the limit. We talk about having no chill whatsoever, we learn what makes a moment feel like morning, Andy talks Fosse and his date night Gwen Verdon!   Mr. Bojangles - Andy Blankenbuehler PORCUPINE RACETRACK The Sopranos: The Knight in White Satin Armor The Cabinet episodes on The Hamilcast

Andy Blankenbuhler is joining me for the next three episodes. In part one Andy takes us back to  some of the most important moments in his process of creating what we see on stage. He tells us about all-nighters, the moments it clicked, seeing the numbers and, in a moment I've waited years for, a step by step breakdown of Yorktown. Episode #110: Stephanie Klemons Sing, Sing, Sing White Nights   The Cabinet on The Hamilcast

Katherine McNamara, named one of Vanity Fair's "Breakout Bunch," is an accomplished actor, dancer, singer/songwriter and was awarded the 2018 People's Choice Award for Top Female Television Actress for her leading role of 'Clary Fray' in the Freeform series, Shadowhunters (2016) ; a book-to-screen adaptation of the bestselling "The Mortal Instruments." The series premiered to stellar ratings, being the #1 series debut in more than two years, and helped launch the re-brand of the channel alongside fan favorite Pretty Little Liars (2010). Kat was nominated twice for a Teen Choice Award for "Choice Sci-Fi TV Actress" and won the People's Choice Top Television Actress Award on the The E! People's Choice Awards (2018). In 2015, McNamara closed out a lightning year, portraying another fierce female role as 'Sonya' in the second installment of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) trilogy, Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) (2018) alongside Dylan O'Brien and Kaya Scodelario. Most recently, she was cast as Mia, a tough street fighter, in the CW series Arrow (2012) with Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards. McNamara began her professional career on Broadway, at the age of 13, as the principle character "Fredrika Armfeldt" in Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music", starring opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. She was fortunate to continue on as "Fredrika" with the second ALNM Broadway cast of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch. Her other theater roles include "Esther Jane" in the per-Broadway world premiere of "A Christmas Story, the Musical!", as well as "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Crucible", "Inherit the Wind", "Annie", "The Secret Garden" and "Galileo". She has also been cast in a number of Equity workshops/readings, including "Little Dancer" and "Pan" (aka "Fly") with Laura Osnes, which was created by the "In the Heights" creative team - Jeffrey Seller, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler. McNamara's love for acting stretches beyond the stage, with credits in television and film productions. Television credits include Happy Together (2018) (2018), Glee (2009) (2009), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) (1999), Drop Dead Diva (2009) (2009), 30 Rock (2006) (2006), Late Show with David Letterman (1993) (1995), Good Morning America (1975) (1975) and PBS's Great Performances: Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (2010) . McNamara starred in Disney Channel's Girl Vs. Monster (2012) with Olivia Holt which attracted more than 5 million viewers and had recurring roles on Jessie (2011) as "Bryn Breitbart" and on Kickin' It (2011) as the mean girl from Swathmore Academy, "Claire". She filmed the much anticipated Disney pilot, Madison High (2012), where she portrayed "Cherri O'Keefe", resident fashionista and creator of Madison High's popular gossip blog. She can also be seen in the highly acclaimed Freeform series, The Fosters (2013). McNamara made her big screen debut film in Warner Brothers picture New Year's Eve (2011), where she portrays "Lily Bowman". Besides the Maze Runner series, Kat also starred in Universal's R.L.Stein film R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls (2015) opposite Dove Cameron as well as the independent bullying film, Contest (2013) with Kenton Duty . The film dives into the dark world of high school bullying and found a home on Cartoon Network as part of their anti-bullying initiative. Other film projects include Katherine starring as "Becky Thatcher" in the re-make of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014), alongside Joel Courtney and Jake T. Austin, which was released in 2013, Disney's family-friendly Little Savages (2016), A Sort of Homecoming (2015) opposite Laura Marano, Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? (2016) with Cloris Leachman, Natural Selection (2016) with Anthony Michael Hall, A Wife's Nightmare (2014) with Jennifer Beals and Indiscretion (2016) with Mira Sorvino, Christopher Backus and Cary Elwes. She recently finished filming a cameo in the new Charlie Day comedy, El Tonto. The triple threat has added music to her resume. Katherine plays the guitar and piano and enjoys singing and songwriting. She has several songs featured in films/television, including her original song "Chatter" on the "Contest" soundtrack, "Wait for You" in "A Sort of Homecoming" and "Ember" in the Shadowhunters series. Besides working on music, McNamara wants to expand her creative repertoire to include directing. Katherine is also an advocate for education. At the age of 14, McNamara graduated with top honors from high school and then quickly graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Business (emphasis in Finance) from Drexel University's Le Bow School of Business at the age of 17. She is now pursuing a Master of Science in Literature at John Hopkins University as part of their Advanced Academics Graduate Degree program. McNamara is an award winning dancer and has a passion for all forms including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, waltz and even hula. She was a member of the Actors Equity Young Performers Committee and is a reader for the Blank Theater's New Play Development Reading Committee and recurring performer in their Living Room Series. Katherine is committed to giving back to the community as well. She is an ambassador for Girl Up, the United Nation's girl empowerment organization, a spokesperson for Stomp Out Bullying, an avid supporter of the MS Society, a member of the Lollipop Theater Network, a lifetime Girl Scout and a volunteer for the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. She also supports St. Jude's Children's Hospital, the Big Slick benefiting Kansas City Children's Hospital, and Michelle Obama's Global Girls' Alliance, an organization that helps young women around the world achieved their potential. She currently resides in Los Angeles and her hometown is Kansas City, Missouri.

Katherine McNamara, named one of Vanity Fair's "Breakout Bunch," is an accomplished actor, dancer, singer/songwriter and was awarded the 2018 People's Choice Award for Top Female Television Actress for her leading role of 'Clary Fray' in the Freeform series, Shadowhunters (2016) ; a book-to-screen adaptation of the bestselling "The Mortal Instruments." The series premiered to stellar ratings, being the #1 series debut in more than two years, and helped launch the re-brand of the channel alongside fan favorite Pretty Little Liars (2010). Kat was nominated twice for a Teen Choice Award for "Choice Sci-Fi TV Actress" and won the People's Choice Top Television Actress Award on the The E! People's Choice Awards (2018). In 2015, McNamara closed out a lightning year, portraying another fierce female role as 'Sonya' in the second installment of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) trilogy, Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) (2018) alongside Dylan O'Brien and Kaya Scodelario. Most recently, she was cast as Mia, a tough street fighter, in the CW series Arrow (2012) with Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards. McNamara began her professional career on Broadway, at the age of 13, as the principle character "Fredrika Armfeldt" in Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music", starring opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. She was fortunate to continue on as "Fredrika" with the second ALNM Broadway cast of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch. Her other theater roles include "Esther Jane" in the per-Broadway world premiere of "A Christmas Story, the Musical!", as well as "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Crucible", "Inherit the Wind", "Annie", "The Secret Garden" and "Galileo". She has also been cast in a number of Equity workshops/readings, including "Little Dancer" and "Pan" (aka "Fly") with Laura Osnes, which was created by the "In the Heights" creative team - Jeffrey Seller, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler. McNamara's love for acting stretches beyond the stage, with credits in television and film productions. Television credits include Happy Together (2018) (2018), Glee (2009) (2009), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) (1999), Drop Dead Diva (2009) (2009), 30 Rock (2006) (2006), Late Show with David Letterman (1993) (1995), Good Morning America (1975) (1975) and PBS's Great Performances: Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (2010) . McNamara starred in Disney Channel's Girl Vs. Monster (2012) with Olivia Holt which attracted more than 5 million viewers and had recurring roles on Jessie (2011) as "Bryn Breitbart" and on Kickin' It (2011) as the mean girl from Swathmore Academy, "Claire". She filmed the much anticipated Disney pilot, Madison High (2012), where she portrayed "Cherri O'Keefe", resident fashionista and creator of Madison High's popular gossip blog. She can also be seen in the highly acclaimed Freeform series, The Fosters (2013). McNamara made her big screen debut film in Warner Brothers picture New Year's Eve (2011), where she portrays "Lily Bowman". Besides the Maze Runner series, Kat also starred in Universal's R.L.Stein film R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls (2015) opposite Dove Cameron as well as the independent bullying film, Contest (2013) with Kenton Duty . The film dives into the dark world of high school bullying and found a home on Cartoon Network as part of their anti-bullying initiative. Other film projects include Katherine starring as "Becky Thatcher" in the re-make of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014), alongside Joel Courtney and Jake T. Austin, which was released in 2013, Disney's family-friendly Little Savages (2016), A Sort of Homecoming (2015) opposite Laura Marano, Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? (2016) with Cloris Leachman, Natural Selection (2016) with Anthony Michael Hall, A Wife's Nightmare (2014) with Jennifer Beals and Indiscretion (2016) with Mira Sorvino, Christopher Backus and Cary Elwes. She recently finished filming a cameo in the new Charlie Day comedy, El Tonto. The triple threat has added music to her resume. Katherine plays the guitar and piano and enjoys singing and songwriting. She has several songs featured in films/television, including her original song "Chatter" on the "Contest" soundtrack, "Wait for You" in "A Sort of Homecoming" and "Ember" in the Shadowhunters series. Besides working on music, McNamara wants to expand her creative repertoire to include directing. Katherine is also an advocate for education. At the age of 14, McNamara graduated with top honors from high school and then quickly graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Business (emphasis in Finance) from Drexel University's Le Bow School of Business at the age of 17. She is now pursuing a Master of Science in Literature at John Hopkins University as part of their Advanced Academics Graduate Degree program. McNamara is an award winning dancer and has a passion for all forms including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, waltz and even hula. She was a member of the Actors Equity Young Performers Committee and is a reader for the Blank Theater's New Play Development Reading Committee and recurring performer in their Living Room Series. Katherine is committed to giving back to the community as well. She is an ambassador for Girl Up, the United Nation's girl empowerment organization, a spokesperson for Stomp Out Bullying, an avid supporter of the MS Society, a member of the Lollipop Theater Network, a lifetime Girl Scout and a volunteer for the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. She also supports St. Jude's Children's Hospital, the Big Slick benefiting Kansas City Children's Hospital, and Michelle Obama's Global Girls' Alliance, an organization that helps young women around the world achieved their potential. She currently resides in Los Angeles and her hometown is Kansas City, Missouri.

Thank you for listening to this episode. We hope you enjoy it! A note about this week's episode: This is a recorded conversation from Broadway Podcast Network HQ at BroadwayCon 2020. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this conversation where we'll talk about her role as Associate Choreographer for the Broadway production of SIX. Eliza Ohman is a New York City based performer and the US Associate Choreographer for SIX: The Musical. Most recently seen in the Chita Rivera Award winning Original Broadway Company of King Kong and previously Dance Captain and Universal Swing in Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway, she had the great privilege of working closely with the original creative team and assisted in setting Hamilton’s 2nd National Tour. As Dance Captain she taught new company members the show, ran rehearsals for the offstage company, and assisted in the auditions for all four North American productions. Eliza began dancing at the age of 3 in her home state of Colorado. She trained at a local studio and toured nationally with Prof. Robert L. Reed’s tap company the St. Louis Hoofers Club. After high school she moved to New York City where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Media, Culture, and the Arts from The King’s College and received further training from the Professional Semester Program at Broadway Dance Center. Through BDC’s program she gained representation from Clear Talent Group and booked her first NYC job in the Ensemble of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  In addition to theatre, Eliza also works commercially. Some career favorites include the Emmy award winning Fosse/Verdon (FX), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon), Saturday Night Live (NBC), Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC), America’s Got Talent (NBC), Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), and more! She’s danced in a number of music videos, one of her favorites being Carly Rae Jepsen’s “I Really Like You”—a day where she spent the morning teaching Carly Rae, Tom Hanks, and Justin Bieber the choreography, and the afternoon filming outside in New York City on the coldest recorded day of 2016. Through all these experiences, Eliza has developed close relationships with award winning director/choreographers such as Andy Blankenbuehler, Thomas Kail, Marguerite Derricks, Kat Burns, Linda Haberman, Denis Jones, Noemie Lafrance, Susan Misner, and Drew McOnie. These experiences encourage Eliza to remain as diverse as possible in both her training and teaching. She’s an enthusiastic teacher who focuses on the importance of storytelling through dance. She’s taught at studios/programs around the country, but most recently at Broadway Dance Center, Marymount Manhattan College, and is a guest faculty member for Intrigue Dance Intensive.  Always looking to grow as an artist, Eliza continues to train, teach, and perform in New York. Instagram - @elizaohman.  Keep up with Eliza on Instagram: @elizaohman Want more of Page To Stage?! Follow us on Social! @PageToStage on Instagram and Facebook MARY DINA: Instagram or Twitter BRIAN SEDITA: Instagram or Website BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK: Website or Instagram #PageToStagePodcast

Our first Play-by-Play reading of the 2019–2020 season is "The Anatomy of Love" by Ted Malawer. Mr. Malawer talks about how he gradually makes a play less personal for him and more personal for the characters that inhabit it. **TED MALAWER (playwright) is a recent graduate of the Juilliard Playwriters Program. He has received Lincoln Center’s Lecomte du Nouy Prize and The Kennedy Center’s Blanche and Irving Laurie Award. His theatrical work has been developed and commissioned by T Magazine/The New York Times, The Public, NYTW, Atlantic Theater Company, MCC, and others. TV writer-producer credits include shows for Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, NBC, Freeform and Disney+, where he developed an original pilot. Malawer has also written several novels, including the Mystic City series for Penguin Random House. A former opera singer, Malawer is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, a graduate of The Juilliard School-Columbia University Exchange Program, and received his master’s from Fordham University. He is currently adapting the novel Red, White & Royal Blue into a film for Amazon, and writing an original musical with Kate Nash and Andy Blankenbuehler.Support the show (https://www.pioneertheatre.org/donate/)

It's Thursday, and theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom with another review of the Maryland stage. This week, Judy spotlights the North American tour of Cats, currently on stage at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore. Cats is Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical staging of poet T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The show opened in London in 1981 and a year later pounced on Broadway, where it ran for a record-breaking eighteen years. The 2016 revival of the Tony Award-winning musical is now on a North American Tour, with original direction by Trevor Nunn and choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler; set and costume designs are by John Napier. The cast features Keri Rene Fuller as Grizabella, Adam Vanek as Alonzo, and Mariah Reives as Cassandra. Cats continues at the Hippodrome through January 26th. Ticket info here.

Douglas Lyons is an actor, writer, director, composer and playwright. Broadway: Beautiful (Original Cast) and The Book of Mormon. Tours: Rent, Dreamgirls and The Book of Mormon 1st’ National. As a writer: Polkadots (Off Broadway Alliance Winner Best Family Show, Atlantic Theater Company). Five Points (MN Theatre Award Nominee for Exceptional New Work, Theatre Latte Da), currently in development with Hamilton‘s Andy Blankenbuehler. Beau (Adirondack Theatre Festival, album now out on Sony Masterworks), Pete(Her)Pan (Pace New Musicals). Upcoming: Chicken & Biscuits at The Queens Theatre. With composer Ethan Pakchar his lyrics have played Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, Bucks County Playhouse, The Old Globe, Goodspeed Musicals, Seattle Rep, and more. He’s currently in residence at The Directors Company. @DouglasSings Connect with Douglas! @DouglasSings / @ChocolateHipster / www.douglaslyons.net Go check out the World Premiere album of Beau. Get your tickets to Chicken & Biscuits here!! Attention Theatre Lovers: We will be at BroadwayCon 2020!! Come see our live podcast with Eliza Ohman (Six, Hamilton, King Kong) on Saturday, January 25th at 4:15pm! :-) Follow us: PAGE TO STAGE: Instagram or Facebook MARY DINA: Instagram or Twitter BRIAN SEDITA: Instagram or Website BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK: Website or Instagram #PageToStagePodcast

Austin Scott (Hamilton Broadway's Alexander Hamilton) is on the pod this and next week! This week we're talking all about the Cabinet Battles, we show love for Andy Blankenbuehler and Thomas Kail, and learn why people at the Richard Rodgers confuse Austin for Nik Walker. We also have a super real conversation about slavery and the many flaws of The Founding Fathers. “They Found Hell” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5113926/ “Prep School” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577668/ Does the Dog Die? https://www.doesthedogdie.com/ Freestyle Love Supreme now on Broadway! https://freestylelovesupreme.com/ The Reynolds Pamphlet https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-21-02-0138-0002 Hamilton's “Best of Wives, Best of Women” letter https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-0001-0248 As plantations talk more honestly about slavery, some visitors are pushing back via The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/09/08/plantations-are-talking-more-about-slavery-grappling-with-visitors-who-talk-back/

Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, Cats, coming to State Theatre New Jersey May 8-10. Associate Choreographer Kim Craven discusses what it was like working with Andy Blankenbuehler on re-inventing the show and her transition from the ballet world to the musical theater world. Check out the event page for all the details: http://bit.ly/2Te4nbX

As we prepare to celebrate America's July 4th Independence Day holiday tomorrow, it's fitting that theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins us today with her review of a little musical that's rolled into Baltimore that tells the story of one of the nation's most celebrated Founding Fathers.The touring production of Hamilton -- the multiple Tony Award-winning musical that was created and launched on Broadway in 2015 by Lin-Manuel Miranda -- opened June 25th at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre. Miranda's hit show, a sung-and-rapped-through musical bio of Alexander Hamilton that earned the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, was inspired by Ron Chernow's best-selling 2004 biography, Alexander Hamilton. This touring production of Hamilton is the third to traverse the U.S. since the musical's debut. Its cast at the Hippodrome includes Edred Utomi in the title role, Hannah Cruz as Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, and Josh Tower as Aaron Burr. The musical is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and music supervision and orchestration by Alex Lacamoire.Hamilton continues at the Hippodrome until Sunday, July 21st. For information about general admission tickets, click here. To register for the $10 Hamilton ticket lottery program, click here.

Over the next five weeks, you’ll hear one at a time from the complete ensemble of the newest Tony Award winner for Best Musical about the characters they’ve created and the careers that got them there.  Ahmad Simmons has performed in three original Broadway companies in the last four years: Cats, Carousel and now Hadestown. In addition to performing choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and Justin Peck, he was also featured this spring playing Ben Vereen on the F/X miniseries Fosse/Verdon. In Hadestown, he plays Worker #4 as well as understudying the roles of Hermes and Orpheus. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Vassel, Hamilton's Associate & Supervising Director, is back this week to talk moving from The Public to Broadway, the joy and misery of tech, and how The Cabinet (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler) established and continue to keep an extraordinary amount of trust among eeryone working on the show. Oh! And PDV raps cut lyrics from two songs, with explicit permission from Lin-Manuel, who texted us during the recording.   The Room Where It Happens (Off-Broadway): https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-the-room-where-it-happens-off-broadway-lyrics   What'd I Miss? (Off-Broadway): https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-whatd-i-miss-off-broadway-lyrics  

The master himself, Stephen King, has said PET SEMATARY “is a scary movie. Be warned.” It explores grief, emotion, guilt and love. You could say it's a family film -- in a terrifying, don't bring your little ones kind of way.LA Times film writer Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) is joined by one of PET SEMATARY's stars -- actress and filmmaker Amy Seimetz -- who talks about elevating a horror picture to an art film, creating female characters typically not seen on screen, and finding your own people in the indie film world. Then, fans of iconic Broadway and the movie musical: We have your number. Olsen talks to Andy Blankenbuehler, the choreographer of Hamilton, who also choreographed Fosse/Verdon, the new FX miniseries that chronicles the creative and romantic partnership between Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon.

Mike Moise, Hamilton's Assistant Conductor, is super fun and full of energy. He started his music career at four years old by plunking out Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera BY EAR and by the end of his first episode Mike tells us the story of playing Andy Blankenbuehler's Cats for ALW himself. But before that, Mike tells the story of how he had lived in NYC for less than a week before Sir Alex Lacamoire called him in to audition for Hamilton. 

It's Thursday, and that means our theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, joins us with her review of a little musical you might have heard of: Hamilton. The popular show, now on stage at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., uses rap, hip-hop, R----B, and a variety of other musical styles to tell the story of the American Revolution through the lens of one its most charismatic and ill-fated architects.Winner of 11 Tony Awards and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (among other honors), the musical by playwright, actor and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired by Ron Chernow's best-selling 2005 biography of the founder, Alexander Hamilton. Miranda's three-hour-long musical rendition premiered on Broadway in August 2015.Featuring 46 songs and a racially and ethnically diverse cast, Hamilton recounts the story of Alexander Hamilton (played by Austin Scott), his rise to power as the new nation's first Treasury Secretary, his contentious relations with his fellow Founding Fathers, and their dramatic struggle to craft a new, independent government for the United States of America. The version of Miranda's show that has finally reached the Washington area premiered in San Francisco and is one of five off-Broadway versions of Hamilton currently being performed across the U.S. and Britain. The show is directed at the Kennedy Center by Thomas Kail, with music supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire and choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler.Hamilton continues at the The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC through September 16th.

Stephanie Klemons, Hamilton's Associate Choreographer (and so much more) is finally here! Over two pints of Sam Adams, Stephanie goes in on what it was like to be part of Hamilton coming together from the very beginning and goes in on so many Hamilton staging secrets and Easter eggs that you are going to LOVE. She also tells me how and why the choreography changes from stage to stage (and why you'll never notice it), what it's like to be Andy Blankenbuehler's "variation maker," being a strong woman on a male dominated creative team, and her thoughts on Hamilton's incredibly impactful Tony performance. Not to mention the Super Bowl commercial, In the Heights, Katie's Art Project, and her stunning curly hair.  Katie's Art Project: https://www.katiesartproject.org/ In the Heights at The Kennedy Center: http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/TSBCA  

This week we bring you the tale of 2012's Bring It On: The Musical. Bring It On was created from the ground up by some of the greatest talents working in theater today: Andy Blankenbuehler (director / choreographer), Lin-Manuel Miranda (music, lyrics), Tom Kitt (Music), Amanda Green (Music, Lyrics), Alex Lacamoire (Orchestrations), and David Korins (scenic design). For the episode, we'll find out how the show developed from a cult hit film to a Tony-nominated fan favorite which broke the mold with its characters and made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records.  This episode features brand new interviews with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andy Blankenbuehler, Tom Kitt, Amanda Green, Taylor Louderman, Adrienne Warren, Gregory Haney, Helene Yorke, and the show's cheer and Stunt coordinator Jessica McDermott.

Ep.59 Guest: Andy Blankenbuehler Broadway’s Backbone is a podcast dedicated to the men and woman of the ensemble: The chorus of dancers, singers, and actors that are the foundation of every Broadway musical. These often-unsung gypsies are the hardest working people on the boards and are Broadways backbone. Each episode interviews a Broadway vet about their life, career and dreams, but also delves into the real topics that aren’t always shared. The life of a gypsy maybe full of passion, but not always filled with glamour. Each guest shares intimate details about their journey. There is no mud slinging, but a little dirt. I, Brad Bradley, a Broadway Performer, host it. I have worked with most of the guests and know what questions to ask. It’s a real look into the life that so many kids dream of, me being one of those kids. There is so much out there about the stars of theatre, the award winner, but 75% of the show is the ensemble. We are like water to the body. Not everyone get the last bow at curtain call, but that doesn’t mean they are any less important. I’ve spent the last several years working in regional theatre and stock and the kids are so interested in my Broadway career. I realized if they thought I was interesting, they should meet my friends. This is for them. This podcast is in honor of the folks of the ensemble and the people who plan to be them.

It's a 2017 Tony Extravaganza! In this two-part episode, we have two of this year's most loved nominees! Up first, two-time Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler ("In the Heights" "Hamilton) talks this year's "Bandstand" which he directed and choreographed. He is nominated for his choreography. In the second part of the show, we chat with Johanna Day about her work and Tony nomination for her work in this year's Pulitzer Prize winning "Sweat." I LOVED chatting with these two! Enjoy!

That's right, HERCULES MULLIGAN! We had so much fun talking to J. Quinton Johnson who is currently playing Hercules Mulligan/James Madison in Hamilton on Broadway. Q is awesome for many reasons, but one of them is because he is a full on Hamilnerd just like us. In the first half of our chat, Q geeks out over Lin Manuel Miranda's musical isms, talks about his love for Christopher Jackson, and tells an Andy Blankenbuehler story that will blow your mind. 

Hamilton swing extraordinaire Karla Garcia is on the podcast this week and we get into more of that #SwingLife. We learn about the cast nicknames for roles (The Dead Mother track, anyone?), what it was like to choreograph and win Gypsy of the Year 2016, and how Karla is totally on that Andy Blankenbuehler path.    Hamilton performs “America” - Gypsy of the Year 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJf3YQoknn8 Credit: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS/YouTube Digital #Ham4Ham 2/27/16 -- The Taglish Commandments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poroeR2bBf4 Credit: Hamilton: An American Musical/YouTube Hamilton Ham4Ham 11/11/15 with Lea Salonga & Lin-Manuel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6CwjP2urAU Credit: Howard Sherman/YouTube

Side by side with names like Andy Blankenbuehler and Mia Michaels, Logan Epstein shares how she builds relationships, why she chose PACE University, and practical things to do while creating your dance career. 

Georgina Pazcoguin, now playing Victoriathe Cat in Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical CATS joins host Robin Milling. For the sake of familiarity, Gina met Robin for an informal chat in Central Park with her adorable black Labs in tow, Jett and Marco, to talk about her turn as the white cat. Gina tells Robin walking in the park is essential for her to wind down on her days off from her hectic Broadway schedule; doing eight shows a week. A day in the life of CATS for Gina begins with ballet class where she puts on her pointe shoes so she can keep herself in shape for the vigorous Andy Blankenbuehler dance work-out followed by acupuncture and physical therapy. On hiatus as a soloist for The New York City Ballet, she had to learn how to apply her own Victoria make-up which proved to be a learning curve for the self-described “rogue ballerina.” While still working with NYC Ballet, she practiced in her dressing room psyching herself up with songs like Cat Scratch Fever and What's New cat. Cat themes are all the rage backstage at the Neil Simon Theater where becoming a cat entailed studying videos and channeling your inner feline nature. Gina tells Robin she modelled Victoria after a close friend's cat named Emma, “she is this beautiful white-gray cat who is kind of like a dog. She come when you call. She is a little shy. And kind of my inspiration for Victoria.” Listen here for more behind-the-scenes stories including “owning her body in a white unitard” and a very special opening night gift Gina gave her CATS cast mates. Visit Georgina on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/public/Georgina-Pazcoguin