Podcasts about nikka graff lanzarone

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/0VwWSMzug9A Will Nunziata is a New York City based director and creator of theatre, film, and television. He is the 2019 recipient of BroadwayWorld's Best Director Award. Recently, Will directed the first NYC revival of the Tony-winning musical “Over Here” starring Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte and Broadway stars Haley Swindal, Jessica Hendy, and Nikka Graff Lanzarone; the first NYC revival of the Kander and Ebb musical "The Act" starring Tony Award winners Randy Graff and Cady Huffman, Broadway's Julia Murney, Karen Mason, Mamie Parris, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, “Veep”'s Anna Chlumsky; and conceived and directed the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway revue “Our Guy, Cy: The Songs of Cy Coleman” starring four Tony Award winners — Lillias White, Cady Huffman, Randy Graff, and Judy Kaye — all of whom worked with the late-great composer Cy Coleman. Co-conceived with and starring Tony Award winner Cady Huffman, Will co-conceived, wrote, and directed the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway run of  “Miss Peggy Lee: In Her Own Words and Music" for which he won the 2019 BroadwayWorld Award for Best Director for his work on the show. As a concert director, he has written and directed concerts for Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award winning artists including Lillias White, Jackie Evancho, Clint Holmes, and Nicole Henry (to name a few). Will is also developing three television situational comedies, and recently released his first short film titled “The Old Guitarist” starring his friend, the legendary actor of “Sopranos” fame, Dominic Chianese. It has already garnered Will accolades including "Best 1st Time Director" by the New York Best Actor & Best Director Awards. WillNunziata.com

Ilene Graff is a Native New Yorker and an actress, teacher, host, wife, mom, do-gooder, game show champ, brilliant cook, regular crossword puzzle clue, and Grammy®-nominated recording artist. She joined the podcast to talk about being in the original Broadway cast of Grease, starring in the sitcom Mr. Belvedere, working with Harry Connick Jr and Glenn Close in South Pacific and with Charles Grodin in Charley's Aunt and so many other projects. A fascinating interview with an accomplished actress and singer. Link to Ilene's Webpage: https://www.ilenegraff.com/ Link to "Grease: Tell Me More, Tell Me More" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641607580/?tag=broadwaywor01-20 Link to "The Devil Wears Prada" the show Ilene's daughter, Nikka Graff Lanzarone is in https://devilwearspradamusical.com/ Link to The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) https://entertainmentcommunity.org/ Show Host: Toni Marcolini https://twitter.com/amarcolinilaw?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/tmarcoliniesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-ann-marcolini-a1379b14/ Follow Plin-Mar Productions: https://www.instagram.com/plinmarproductionsllc/ https://twitter.com/PlinMarProd https://www.facebook.com/Plin-Mar-Productions-LLC-538255553017186 Follow the podcast for clips: https://www.instagram.com/imiytk/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100024005523298

What does mental health look like in one of the most cutthroat industries in the world?  Can a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis ever be a good thing? And must the show always go on?  In this week's episode, actress Nikka Graff Lanzarone talks mental stamina, why certain mental health conditions go underdiagnosed in women and the “epiphany” of being diagnosed with ADHD at 37. “There's also like a certain amount of grieving that comes with [being diagnosed], that you're like, ‘Oh, so it didn't have to be like this my whole life. Cool.'” Nikka also explores how her battle with depression and anxiety shaped her as a performer, and the natural therapy of dance. “When you're dancing, you don't have to deal with any of that. All you have to do is say whatever it is you're trying to say and you don't have to talk. … I get a break from having to be myself and dealing with my s*** for two and a half hours. I get a break from me.” For Nikka, an important facet of her acting career is something that goes hand in hand with mental health – the work she does as a labor advocate.  “We are desperately trying to change that [‘show must go on'] culture. I'm an elected official in my union also and part of like a grassroots progressive organization that [asks], but why  … why? It doesn't have to be this way. Who said it had to be this way?” In This Episode Nikka's showbiz family and how she got her start (02:31) The journey to Nikka's recent ADHD diagnosis “epiphany” (10:10) How ADHD affects men and women differently, and why it goes undiagnosed in many women (12:29) Connecting with family members who don't have mental health conditions, and the “relief” of starting medication (14:35) The role of mental stamina in an emotionally and physically taxing industry (20:45) Nikka's labor advocacy and the myth of “the show must go on” (28:57) Performance as therapy (33:11) The impact of COVID-19 on Broadway and Nikka's mental health (36:03) Dealing with anxiety as a performer (43:39)   Our Guest Actress Nikka Graff Lanzarone is a showbiz veteran with credits ranging from Velma Kelly in Broadway's “Chicago” to hit TV shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Inventing Anna.”  As a labor advocate, Nikka serves as a councilor of Actors' Equity Association and is a delegate to the New York City Central Labor Council. She is also on the board of the Actors' Equity Foundation and is a core member of #FairWageOnstage.   Resources & Links Off The Cuff On YouTube On Apple Podcasts On Spotify On Instagram Danny LoPriore on Instagram   Nikka Graff Lanzarone On Twitter On Instagram On IMDb #FairWageOnstage   More On Mental Health National Suicide Prevention Lifeline National Helpline Database Why ADHD in Women is Routinely Dismissed

Warning: This episode features strong language, ambient sirens, and unnerving, spooky atmospherics. Listener discretion advised.  Unseen Presents: City of Ghosts, a supernatural Neo-noir about corruption, murder, and the things that haunt us as we go through our day-to-day life. Listen to all ten episodes of their first season, out now! Eleanor “El” Rivkin is a private information broker in New York City with a history of psychiatric problems. She makes a living buying and selling information for the City's elite. Today, she is introduced to a mysterious man in a department store with a task that's out of her usual scope. City of Ghosts was co-created by Carina Green and Ryan Patch. To see a script and get more information on the cast and crew, visit us at cityofghostspodcast.com. Follow us on social media here: Twitter: @cityofghostpod Instagram: @cityofghostspodcast STARRING: Brigette Lundy-Paine as El, Erin Darke as Talia, Moises Arias as Prizrak, James Scully as James, Navid Negahban as Massoud, Golshifteh Farahani as Sahar, Will Kinnear as The Congressman, Michael Selkirk as The Cab Driver, Nikka Graff Lanzarone as The Club Hostess, and additional ghost voices provided by Audrey Bennett Written by Carina Green, directed by Ryan Patch, produced by Ryan Patch & Joanne Vo. Main Theme by Sam Estes. Sound Design by Rick Rush & the Ott House Audio Team .Casting by Daryl Eisenberg, CSA & Ally Beans, CSA of Eisenberg/Bean Casting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nikka Graff Lanzrone is a musical theater performer who has starred in all different types of shows in the Big Apple. Her Broadway debut was in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. In this show, she starred alongside icons in the community such as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Patti LuPone, and Laura Benati. Her most recent show that Nikka did on Broadway was the current revival of the hit Broadway musical, Chicago where she played the rebellious Velma Kelly. (The role played by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the film) Getting to perform songs like All that Jazz and Cell Block Tango while doing Fossee choreography on a Broadway stage was a huge dream of hers and is something that she'll never forget.  Fun Fact: Nikka's parents are also Broadway performers. They met originally doing Grease together (in the original company) and her mom, Ilene Graff was the first Sandy replacement.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jayme-starr/support

The hunt (for the greatest knowledge of lesser-known Broadway music) continues on this episode of Game Show. Join guests Tracee Beazer Barrett, Katie Finneran, Richard Maltby, Nikka Graff Lanzarone & Max Von Essen as they put their knowledge to the test. Play along at home! Our guests played today's game in recognition of: Dramatist Guild Foundation The Loveland foundation The Trevor Project Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Rutgers Presbyterian Church – Thursday Night Meals Find more episodes, watch the video versions, and get more information about The Great Broadway Gameshow Competition by visiting bpn.fm/gameshow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SEASON 4 EPISODE 1 To kick off the new season Tarryn is joined by Broadways Nikka Graff Lanzarone who shared her audition room experiences and advice. About the Guest: Nikka Graff Lanzarone is a New York City-based performer, writer, podcaster, labor leader, writer, animal lover, nerd, spouse, mental health advocate, and yoga teacher. She believes in making everyone feel heard and telling as many stories as possible. She has been lucky enough to do this on and off-Broadway (Chicago, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Sweet Charity, Hello Again, etc), on stages all over the country (The Jungle Book, My Paris, A Chorus Line, etc), and even a little bit onscreen (Mrs. Maisel, SMASH, Live from Lincoln Center, Unforgettable, Divorce, etc). 
Be Excellent To Each Other. Connect with the Guest: nikka-graff-lanzarone.com / @nikkalanz Connect with The Podcast https://hopeigetitpodcast.wixsite.com/ihopeigetit Instagram @hopigetitpod/ @Tarrynsteyn Twitter @IHopeIGetItPod1 Facebook @IHopeIGetIt I Hope I Get It Podcast is created and produced by Citizen Femme Productions. Cover Art created by Tarryn Steyn Theme Music created by Steven Steyn

Talia calls El with a potential job. Prizrak and El follow an investigation trail Sahar left behind as El also discovers how to control her new powers.*City of Ghosts was co-created by Carina Green and Ryan Patch. To see a script and get more information on the cast and crew, visit us at cityofghostspodcast.com.*Follow us on social media here:Twitter: @cityofghostpodInstagram: @cityofghostspodcast || STARRING: || Brigette Lundy-Paine as El, Erin Darke as Talia, Moises Arias as Prizrak, Golshifteh Farahani as Sahar, Rich Sommer as Max, Nikka Graff Lanzarone as Alice & Ann Walcott, Ellen Harvey as Marion Walcott, Bill Hoag as Joe Costa, Michael Selkirk as Greg Fazzio, Iris Bahr as Clara, Tracy Vo as the Nost Neighbor, and additional ghost voices provided by Audrey Bennett. || Written by Carina Green, directed by Ryan Patch, produced by Ryan Patch & Joanne Vo |||| Main Theme by Sam Estes | Sound Design by Rick Rush & the Ott House Audio Team | Casting by Daryl Eisenberg, CSA & Ally Beans, CSA of Eisenberg/Beans Casting || See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eleanor “El” Rivkin is a private information broker in New York City with a history of psychiatric problems. She makes a living buying and selling information for the City's elite. Today, she is introduced to a mysterious man in a department store with a task that's out of her usual scope. ||* City of Ghosts was co-created by Carina Green and Ryan Patch. To see a script and get more information on the cast and crew, visit us at cityofghostspodcast.com. *Follow us on social media here:Twitter: @cityofghostpodInstagram: @cityofghostspodcast|| STARRING: ||Brigette Lundy-Paine as El, Erin Darke as Talia, Moises Arias as Prizrak, James Scully as James, Navid Negahban as Massoud, Golshifteh Farahani as Sahar, Will Kinnear as The Congressman, Michael Selkirk as The Cab Driver, Nikka Graff Lanzarone as The Club Hostess, and additional ghost voices provided by Audrey Bennett|| Written by Carina Green, directed by Ryan Patch, produced by Ryan Patch & Joanne Vo |||| Main Theme by Sam Estes | Sound Design by Rick Rush & the Ott House Audio Team | Casting by Daryl Eisenberg, CSA & Ally Beans, CSA of Eisenberg/Bean Casting || See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Travel back in time. Way, way back to a long ago year called 2013, when an overly caffeinated 30-something with a single Broadway credit was looking for a way to stay connected to the community of performers he so dearly wanted to be a part of. It was out of that desire to celebrate, to advocate and to connect that our experiment called The Ensemblist was born. And here we are almost eight years later, sharing with you our 500th episode.  What we found is that for every person who has stepped onstage as part of a theatrical ensemble, there are a multitude of stories to share. Over the years, we’ve expanded our mission - from simply sharing the unknown stories of working in theatre ensembles to make connections between those stories to document and celebrate our collective history.  To commemorate our 500th episode, we asked our podcast collaborators both past and present to share their favorite stories of working on and listening to The Ensemblist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the 13th episode of Broadway Babies! In this SUPERSIZED episode, Noelle and Stephanie welcome the dynamic mother/daughter duo Ilene Graff and Nikka Graff Lanzarone! ILENE GRAFF is a Grammy-nominated recording artist (for her CD BABY’S BROADWAY LULLABIES) who is best known as the mom on the TV comedy, MR. BELVEDERE. Broadway work includes runs in PROMISES, PROMISES (pit singer; Fran Kubelik), the original production of GREASE (Sandy) and creating the role of Cleo in the Cy Coleman-Michael Stewart musical, I LOVE MY WIFE. She also co-starred with Glenn Close in the Disney film version of SOUTH PACIFIC. Ilene has performed for Crystal Cruises, has sold out concerts at New York’s legendary Birdland, Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club, Feinstein’s at Vitello’s in Los Angeles, and along with her family The Graffs, at New York’s Feinstein’s/54 Below. Ilene and her daughter Nikka have also done their duet cabaret show, “Together Again for the First Time” both at Feinstein’s 54 Below and Feinstein’s at Vitello’s. Ilene’s husband, ASCAP Award-winning composer Ben Lanzarone, is her musical director, arranger, co-producer and accompanist. They are the proud parents of Nikka Graff Lanzarone, an accomplished musical theatre performer. NIKKA GRAFF LANZARONE is a NYC-based performer who really likes telling stories. She has been lucky enough to do that on Broadway (Chicago, Women on the Verge…), Off-Broadway (Sweet Charity, Hello Again, Seussical), on stages all over the country (Peep Show, My Paris, The Jungle Book, A Chorus Line, Into the Woods to name a few), a few screens here and there (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Divorce,” “Unforgettable,” “Smash,” “Live from Lincoln Center.”), and on the occasional recording. She is also a labor leader, wife, podcaster, mental health advocate, and great lover of assembling IKEA furniture. She thinks Bill and Ted got it right: Be excellent to each other. nikka-graff-lanzarone.com / @nikkalanz -- Stephanie Andersen (Bare: A Pop Opera, Original Cast, Cast Recording and Revival) and Noelle Hannibal (Hair: 20th Anniversary Production, Star Trek, Buffy) and are professional performers and fangirls with a deep and never-ending love for musical theatre. Join them as they chat about all things Broadway on this special podcast which will feature interviews with some of Broadway's most beloved stars. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/broadway-babies/support

Whether you've seen her in a small cast revisical, or you don't see her at all cuz' she's quietly fighting for your rights as an Elected Official in our union! Nikka Graff Lanzarone is here to help. Completely open about her depression, Nikka came to coach me on my practice run at BPN and it was such a great interview i'm launching my podcast with her. You can find Nikka on Insta at @nikkalanz & @slightlydeadpod You can find Sheri on Insta @rocktheaudition or visit her website www.rock-the-audition.com To find more info about the podcast via bpn.fm/CauseAnEffect Produced by Dori Berinstein, Alan Seales, and Brittany Bigelow. Edited by Kyle Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to our re-release of season 4 of The Ensemblist: Broadway at Every Stage. In this series, co-creators Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone sat down with six seasoned Broadway actors to dive into their decades-long careers. They discussed getting started in the theatre, the ups and downs of show business, and the longevity of their careers. This week, we’re sharing our conversation with Kevin Carolan. Perhaps best known for his performance in Newsies, Kevin’s many credits include Dirty Blonde, The Ritz, and the national tour of Chicago. At the time of the Coronavirus shutdown, Kevin was playing Claude & Others in the national tour of Come From Away. In this episode, Kevin chats all about his career - from summer stock to regional theatre, pre-Broadway tryouts, tours, Broadway & beyond. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October 2017, The Ensemblist launched its fourth full season: Broadway at Every Stage. In this series, co-creators Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone sat down with six seasoned Broadway actors to dive into their decades-long careers. They discussed getting started in the theatre, the ups and downs of show business, and the longevity of their careers. Over the next six weeks, we’ll be sharing some of the best moments from this series. First up is Adinah Alexander. Adinah made her Broadway debut in Parade in 1998, two decades after moving to New York City. She’s since performed in the original casts of Urban Cowboy, Wicked, The Wedding Singer, and most recently, Kinky Boots. From piano bars to Off-Broadway’s The No Frills Revue, from mega-flops to mega-hits, Adinah told us all about her extraordinary career. Here’s our conversation… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month, we are resharing our favorite episodes from our 2017 season on Ensemblist Essentials. Think of them as the essential essentials. That spring, our co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I spoke to some of Broadway’s most venerable performers about the most monumental moments in the creation of a Broadway musical.  In this episode, we spoke to an incredible six performers about what makes an opening night on Broadway so garsh darn special. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear from Jenifer Foote, Tyler Hanes, Bre Jackson, Anastacia McCleskey, Linda Mugleston and Eric Ulloa. Enjoy... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month, we are resharing our favorite episodes from our 2017 season on Ensemblist Essentials. Think of them as the essential essentials. That spring, our co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I spoke to some of Broadway’s most venerable performers about the most monumental moments in the creation of a Broadway musical.  In this episode, we spoke to three Broadway performers about “pre-production,” the process that choreographers use to develop their musical staging for a show. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear from Paige Faure, Dionne Figgins and Adam Perry. Enjoy… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way back in 2014, co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I sat down with Lin-Manuel Miranda. This was before Hamilton, before Moana, before Mary Poppins Returns, before DuckTales when he was merely a Tony Award winning composer with three Broadway shows under his belt. When we talked with him he shared why he chooses to deploy an ensemble, the process of writing In The Heights (now in production as a motion picture) and his first steps in writing the opening for Hamilton. This was five years ago, so it doesn’t have the audio quality of our current episodes. However, Lin is such a sweetheart on mic and is dropping such great truth bombs about ensembles but we felt it was finally time to take the full interview out of the vaults and share it with you. Here, in his own words, is Lin-Manuel Miranda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the re-release of The History of the Ensemble, our second full season of The Ensemblist. Back in 2016, co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I took a deep dive through the history of the ensemble, exploring how the ensemblist experience has changed and been changed by some of theatre’s most influential musicals. This week, we’re heading back to 1984 to take a look at one of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest artistic feats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, but one thing that is for certain is that musicals unite us. Somehow, the alchemy that is a musical can help us feel seen, heard and valued. So we here at The Ensemblist are creating some comfort food for uncomfortable times - taking to some of our favorite musical theatre performers about their favorite musicals. We couldn't think of a better person to launch this mini-series with than our co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone. She joined me over the phone from her home in Brooklyn to talk about her favorite musical, the 1975 seminal hit A Chorus Line. Here's our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here at The Ensemblist, we have always striven to celebrate the hard work and passion of Broadway ensemblists. And in our second full season, which first aired in 2016, our co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I took a journey through Broadway’s past to learn about its future. We explored how the ensemblist experience has changed and been changed by some of the theatre’s most influential shows, writers, and subject matter. And so in this new mini-series, I will be sharing some of the best moments from that mini-series we made four years ago. Our plan is to release these re-edited versions from our season on The History of The Ensemble once a week for the next five weeks, so stay tuned for our episode on South Pacific in your podcast feeds next week. Thank you to Jennifer Ashley Tepper for allowing us to reshare her stories with us this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, on the Broadway Podcast Network, I am recording at The Green Room 42 with Broadway World's Top Female Cabaret Artist Joan Ryan and Award Winning Director Will Nunziata. Today we are talking about Joan's new one-woman show which will be debuting at The Green Room 42 on Saturday March 7 at 9:30pm. For tickets visit https://bit.ly/2vb9VMu Joan Ryan, winner of BroadwayWorld’s Top Artist Award and star of the hit cult musical Ruthless!, is thrilled to debut her brand new one-woman-show which will leave you laughing one moment and in tears the next through her theatre, television, and life anecdotes both funny and poignant, this is a true theatre piece. Like what you hear? Then become a member of my Patreon Page for exclusive behind-the-scene perks! For more "Call Me Adam" interviews visit: https://callmeadam.com  Theme Song by Bobby Cronin (https://bit.ly/2MaADvQ)  Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell (https://bit.ly/2YNI9CY)  Edited by Drew Kaufman (https://bit.ly/2OXqOnw) More on Joan: Joan Ryan is the winner of BroadwayWorld’s Top Female Cabaret Artist. Her four-octave range led to a recent appearance at famed Carnegie Hall followed by a performance at Lincoln Center. Starring roles include LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, FOOTLOOSE, LES MISERABLES, NUNSENSE, TRIUMPH OF LOVE, ANGRY HOUSEWIVES, NITE CLUB CONFIDENTIAL. Joan originated the role of Judy Denmark/Ginger Del Marco in RUTHLESS! for which she was costumed by fashion icon Bob Mackie. Joan’s self-titled debut solo recording remains a best-selling CD. Her other recordings include the cast albums of RUTHLESS!, SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION, STROUSE, SCHWARTZ AND SCHWARTZ, LERNER-LOEWE AND LANE, DREAM: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY MERCER and JEROME KERN: LIFE UPON THE WICKED STAGE. Television audiences know Joan from her long-running role as Tina Pallodrino, on SAVED BY THE BELL. She spent two years in the role of Kathleen Houghton, everyone’s favorite psychiatrist, on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Joan has also been featured on THE TODAY SHOW, THE TONIGHT SHOW and numerous guest starring TV roles. Variety shows include FOREVER YOUNG with Jason Alexander and ONE NIGHT ONLY with Steve Carell, Forest Whitaker and Eric McCormack. Her recent return to New York City has been met with both critical and public acclaim and she also continues to sell out concerts around the country. Her newest show BRAVA BROADWAY Celebrating The Great Ladies Of Musical Theatre premiered in Las Vegas in February, 2019. More on Will: Will Nunziata is a New York City based theatre and concert director.​ He is the concert director for: ​Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho Soul Train Award winner Nicole Henry Broadway’s Haley Swindal Tony Award winner Lillias White With regard to theatre, Will recently directed the first revival of the 1974 Tony-winning musical “Over Here.” The production starred Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte and Broadway’s Jessica Hendy, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, and Haley Swindal. ​Will also directed the first revival of the Kander and Ebb musical "The Act" starring Julia Murney, Randy Graff, Cady Huffman, Anna Chlumsky, Mamie Parris, Stacie Bono, and Karen Mason. He has recently conceived and directed a number of theatre projects including the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway revue “Our Guy, Cy: The Songs of Cy Coleman.” The revue starred four Tony Award winners — Lillias White, Cady Huffman, Randy Graff, and Judy Kaye — who all worked with the late-great composer Cy Coleman. ​Co-conceived with and starring Tony Award winner Cady Huffman, he co-conceived, wrote, and directed the critically-acclaimed off-Broadway run of  “Miss Peggy Lee: In Her Own Words and Music.” ​​Will graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC).

From Nellie Forbush to Evan Hansen, the librettos of Broadway musicals have been filled with complex characters for almost a century. And while those roles were originated and revived by astonishing actors, much of what makes those characters so fascinating is on the page, meaning written into the script itself.  That’s what makes the work of our guests for this mini-series so remarkable. They’ve taken small supporting parts and turned them into fully realized characters - feeling just as developed and grounded as the leading counterparts. And what makes them even more remarkable is that they are often doing this for multiple characters within the same show.  Jennifer Smith is a legend of the Broadway stage. In the last 35 years, she originated and understudies more than 40 roles on Broadway. Back in 2016, she joined Ensemblist co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I in the studio to talk about creating ensemble roles in four of her Broadway shows: Tuck Everlasting, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Producers and Victor/Victoria. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikka is getting ready to perform two shows at Feinstein's/54 Below with her mother and stage alum Ilene Graff. Nikka has previously been on Broadway in Chicago and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. She is also the co-creator and host of The Ensemblist, an acclaimed podcast honoring and sharing experiences of the hardest working members of the theatrical community, chorus members. Be sure to follow her on social media @NikkaLanz.(Hosts: Beth Stevens, Andy Lefkowitz, Caitlin Moynihan)

The musical theatre podcast Something New premiered on January 14th, 2013. To commemorate the five-year anniversary, producer and host Joel B. New has released highlights from the series finale, which took place in concert on September 30th, 2017 at the Duplex in New York City. Ticket sales supported the Dramatists Guild Foundation. The performer lineup consisted entirely of previous guests from the show, spanning all five seasons: Bill Coyne, Liz Asti, Jen Waldman, Liz Ulmer, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Robbie Rozelle, Joshua Hinck, Kate Steinberg, Lauren Ruff, Ryan Bauer Walsh, Dan Radzikowski, Michael Kushner, and Gay Marshall. Featuring Daniel Kim on guitar, Jess Winderweedle on percussion, and Mr. New on piano and ukulele.

Nikka Graff Lanzarone comes from a long line of  Broadway performers and Tony Award winners. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she spent her youth figuring out how to get to New York City. Nikka was always clear from a young age that she needed to live where there was a Broadway and to Broadway she arrived. Cast in the Pedro Almodovar musical, "Women on the Verge," Nikka quickly became a beloved member of the Broadway community and her one woman show, "Hero Worship," made her an immediate darling of the Cabaret world. She and Mo Brady co-host "The Ensemblist," a Broadway podcast that shines a light on all the people who make a Broadway show happen, both on stage and off. Nikka Graff Lanzarone is a New York City-based performer, writer, podcaster, cat lady, lover of the Internet, wife, and nerd. She’s appeared on Broadway in Chicago (Velma Kelly)andWomen on the Verge… (Marisa) and Off-Broadway in Sweet Charity (Ursula, New Group) Hello Again (The Whore, Transport Group), Zorba (Encores!), and Seussical (Lucille Lortel Theatre). Favorite regional credits include My Paris (Long Wharf), The Jungle Book (Goodman/Huntington Theatres), A Chorus Line(Paper Mill Playhouse) and Into the Woods (Baltimore Centerstage/Westport Country Playhouse). She also did a stint as a Vegas showgirl in Jerry Mitchell’s Peep Show. Film: Bandslam. TV: “Unforgettable,” “Smash,”“Live from Lincoln Center.” Recordings: “Women on the Verge…” and “Seussical” cast albums. Her podcast, The Ensemblist, is changing the conversation about what it means to make a successful life in the theatre. Follow @nikkalanz on social media. More: nikka-graff-lanzarone.com.

Broadway favorite Nikka Graff Lanzarone talks about the New Group production of Sweet Charity, making her Broadway debut in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and stepping into the iconic role of Chicago's Velma Kelly on Broadway. She also talks about her podcast, The Ensemblist, her family's show business legacy, why she still loves living in New York City.

Happy Friday, Theater People!. As many of you know, the fabulous "The Ensemblist" podcast has recently launched their new season. Hosts Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone tell us all about it!

JBN talks to you about his upcoming NY Theatre Barn concert while he walks his dog, he has a loopy catchup session with his star Nikka Graff Lanzarone, he chats with "Mackenzie" director Laura Brandel and music director Gillian Berkowitz as they walk through Times Square, he treats his cast to a Buzzfeed Quiz on the subway, and he stands in for a singer at the sitzprobe. Enjoy and come to the concert tonight! Monday, July 20th @ 7:30PM @ the D Lounge, produced by New York Theatre Barn. Visit nytheatrebarn.org for tix and more info.

Here's our chance to share one of our favorite theater podcasts! Broadway actors Mo Brady ('The Adams Family') and Nikka Graff Lanzarone ('Women on the Verge...' and 'Chicago') talk with us about 'The Ensemblist' podcast and how they show Broadway from the inside out.

“Something New" went to 54 Below to wrap up its second season with a special live concert. Award-winning songwriter and host Joel B. New invited some of his favorite guests to join him and share some of their stories, take a Broadway quiz (with audience prizes!), and bring his songs to life onstage. Featuring the vocal stylings of Drew Gasparini, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Amy Jo Jackson, Bill Coyne, Avital Asuleen, Dan Radzikowski, David Hudson, Hansel Tan, Jamie Buxton, Jenny Neale, Justin Daniel, Kate Steinberg, Mariand Torres, Matt Wilson, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, and Tiffan Borelli. With Daniel Kim on guitar, Jessica Winderweedle on drums, Joel B. New on piano, and Lloyd Kikoler on bass, Directed by Lori Wolter Hudson. Recorded live at 54 Below in NYC on Monday, August 25th, 2014.

JBN sits down with Nikka Graff Lanzarone, a performer who has been seen on stages all over the country, most recently as a seven-foot-tall peacock in "The Jungle Book" at the Goodman and Huntington Theatres, and on Broadway in the shows "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "Chicago." In NYC, she was also seen as The Whore in the Transport Group's revival of Hello Again, with her family at 54 Below, and in her own solo show at Joe's Pub. She is also a renegade occasional stylist. When not doing any of those other things, she co-created and co-hosts a Broadway-themed podcast called The Ensemblist with her partner Mo Brady, which turns Broadway inside out (theensemblist.com, nikka-graff-lanzarone.com). Music and lyrics by Joel B. New, accompanied by Sam Shull. Recorded live @ TruVoice Studios NYC on Friday, February 21st, 2014.