Living the Dream with Rory O'Malley

Rachel Bloom (CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND) is a Golden Globe Award winning actress for playing Rebecca Bunch on her hit TV show. She talks Rory through how she went from musical theatre lover to sketch comedian to creating and starring in her own musical TV comedy series which is just starting to film it’s fourth and final season. Rachel emphasizes that the story we play in our head is what defines us so...

Bobby Steggert (BIG FISH, RAGTIME, YANK) tells Rory why he decided to walk away from an incredibly successful acting career and pursue a masters degree in social work. Bobby has accomplished many things in the industry including being nominated for a Tony Award, but he felt compeled to make a difference in the world more directly than just throught the stage. Listen to his thoughts on defining suc...

Susan Blackwell ([title of show], SIDE BY SIDE BY SUSAN BLACKWELL) tells Rory the incredible story of how [title of show] started around a kitchen table, then went downtown and made it all the way to Broadway. All along the way, Susan maintained her "survival job" and learned how to be grateful for it. Susan talks about how her song DIE VAMPIRE, DIE came from fighting the demons in our head that t...

Mandy Gonzalez (IN THE HEIGHTS, HAMILTON) talks with Rory from her dressing room in the Richard Rodgers Theatre where she currently brings down the house playing "Angelica" in HAMILTON. The same dressing room she had for IN THE HEIGHTS. Mandy has an incredible story that starts with the unlikely union of her parents, leaving college at 19 to become a back up singer for Bette Midler, and performing...

Andrew Rannells (THE BOOK OF MORMON, GIRLS, FALSETTOS) is a two time Tony nominated actor and star of TV and film. Andrew shares his stories about rejection, jealousy and working in the Warner Brothers gift shop. Rory and Andrew talk about their shared experience of opening THE BOOK OF MORMON on Broadway and how it changed everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producer Craig Zadan (CHICAGO, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE) tells Rory what his definition of being a producer is and how he excelled as one on Broadway and in TV & film. Craig talks about the successes and challenges of producing live musicals for TV and of course... producing SMASH. He weaves us through his career starting from working for Joe Papp at The Public Theater, to producing the Oscars....

The hilarious Kate Flannery (THE OFFICE) tells Rory how her early dream of playing the title role in ANNIE started it all. She grew up in Philly, the youngest in a large Irish family. Her aunt ended up buying her a plane ticket to Chicago to introduce her Second City and it changed her life. Kate became a success in Hollywood by working hard every step of the way, and even kept her waitress job du...

Patti Murin (FROZEN, LYSISTRATA JONES) talks with Rory about what if feels like to lead a big juggernaut blockbuster show. She is incredibly open about her struggles with anxiety and depression and has changed the way the Broadway community talks about dealing with mental illness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story, All Shook Up) talks about his career path from rural Washington state to Broadway and then Hollywood. Cheyenne gives his takes on how to deal with rejection, body image issues and what its like to be a leading man gay actor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony nominee (SWEET CHARITY) and TV/Film star (ANCHORMAN, BAD MOMS, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN) Christina Applegate talks with Rory about her career that started when she was three years old. She's taken on every part of this business with confidence and humor. She tells Rory her story of how she made her Broadway debut despite breaking her foot!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

Leslie (Tony Award Winner for HAMILTON) and Rory talk about their college years together at Carnegie Mellon University and his book "Failing Up." Leslie chats about his mentors, his philosophy on the business and how he maintains a healthy family life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Siobhan talks to Rory about making her way from the London theatre scene to SUNSET BOULEVARD on Broadway opposite Glenn Close and eventually to Los Angeles. Siobhan has had a very unique experience during her career including reality tv shows, taking time off to study fashion, and a serious health scare. She has found a way to stay centered through all of it by having a meditation practice. Learn...

Wes Taylor (ROCK OF AGES, ADDAMS FAMILY, SMASH) talks about his early success right out of college and how it had its pros and cons. He immediately had a great role on Broadway but realized years later that the business doesn't usually operate that way. Wes and Rory have an honest conversation about being up for the same role and how they managed their disappointment with that specific project. We...

Taran (SNL, HAMILTON, KILLING GUNTHER) and Rory talk about their shared experience of playing King George III in HAMILTON on Broadway. Taran walks us through his years in Groundlings, through his audition for SNL and his experience on that iconic show. He also explains how he and his equally successful wife, Cobie Smulders, balance work life and family. Taran talks about his latest project, the fi...

Jimmy is the host of the very successful podcast NEVER NOT FUNNY and his new podcast PLAYING GAMES with JIMMY PARDO. Jimmy started as a stage actor but found his calling in standup comedy and began touring the country eventually ending up at The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. He tells Rory about his early days in the business and how juggles his comedy career and family life. Jimmy has a real lo...

Nicole Parker (MADtv, WICKED, FAME BECOMES ME) talks with Rory about her path to success in the improv and sketch comedy world which landed her in the cast of MADtv and set her in stone in the eyes of the industry as a comedic actress, even though her first passion for performing came from musical theater. Nicole eventually made her way to Broadway and even performed as Elphaba but she has found h...

Edi Patterson (VICE PRINCIPALS on HBO) talks with Rory about coming up in the comedy world through the Groundlings and how she became a master at improvisation and sketch. Edi and Rory worked together on the TV show PARTNERS with Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence, and quickly became pals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amber Iman (HAMILTON, SOUL DOCTOR, SHUFFLE ALONG) talks with Rory about growing up in the Atlanta theater scene with her actress mother. Amber went to Howard University on a full academic scholarship and then went back to her hometown to get her start but after years of "playing it safe" was give an ultimatum by loved ones to break out of her comfort zone and move to the big apple. Rory and Amber...

Rory answers listener's questions and replays his converation with his buddy Josh Gad. Josh is currently starring in the movie MARSHALL about Thurgood Marshall and will be seen later this year in THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Greenberg is the Emmy Award winning casting director for MODERN FAMILY, CHEERS, FRASIER and many more groundbreaking hit TV series. He got his start in the business as a stage actor and made his way in casting through the LA theatre scene. Jeff's stories about casting Kirstie Alley in CHEERS and letting Lisa Kudrow go from FRASIER (she booked FRIENDS the next year) are priceless examples of t...

Barrett Foa (NCIS:LA, Avenue Q, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) was born and raised in NYC so his love for theater naturally led him to Broadway, but winding up on one of TV’s longest running TV shows was a little more of a surprise. Barrett explains how he moved to LA and within weeks found himself on NCIS: LA and how he has navigated the transition from Broadway to TV. Learn more abo...

Mo Brady (The Addams Family, Smash, The Ensemblist) talks with Rory about his move from Broadway ensemble to Video and Social Media Producer for a major charity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Mo explains how he came to embrace a change in career and “hung up his tap shoes”. His podcast, The Ensemblist has given him an outlet to continue in the performing world and share stories of his fellow...

Marilu Henner (Taxi, Evening Shade, Chicago on Broadway) talks to Rory about her amazing career and how she went from the first ever production of Grease to TV star, to Broadway star and then health & wellness book mogul. Marilu has done it all and remembers every single bit of it due to her Highly Superior Auto-Biographical Memory that gives her the ability to know what she was doing every single...

Joseph Leo Bwarie, who played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway and all over the country, reminisces with Rory about the old days while seated in the very theater where they met many years ago. Joe is talking over as co-Artistic Director for the Garry Marshall Theatre where both he and Rory got their start in Happy Days the Musical working for their mentor, Garry Marshall. Joe walks us thro...

Meet Hamiltour’s Eliza! The super talented Solea talks about booking this dream job just six weeks after graduating from college. Solea is an incredibly sweet and humble young woman who initially had a hard time believing it when they asked her to play Eliza, but has learned to embrace it and remember that she worked hard for it. Her boyfriend Ryan Vasquez is also a cast member on the tour and rec...