Theater People

I am so excited to announce that Theater People has partnered with the fab folks at TodayTix to create a brand new podcast called Broadway Backstory. Each episode tells the story of how a show develops from an idea to a full Broadway production. We get the behind-the-scenes story directly from the people who lived it - the concievers, actors, directors, producers, composers, and more. Season 1 wil...

I"m a little obsessed with today's guest, Jay Armstrong Johnson. I loved him in "Hands on a Hardbody" and "On the Town" and I think I've listened to his new album "Jay Armstrong Johnson Live at Feinstein's / 54 Below" like 100 times. It's that good. He made his Broadway debut in 2009 in "Hair" and went on to standby for Aaron Tveit i...

The Legendary three-time Tony nominee talks "Fun Home," The secrets to having a long career, and we even talk politics! Rebecca made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of "The Phantom of the Opera"--She was a Christine standby before eventually taking over the role full time. Other highlights from her amazing career on Broadway include Lily in "The Secret Gar...

It was such a thrill to chat with the Tony winning "Hamilton" director all about the magic of that show! We also go all the way back to the beginning and talk "In the Heights," "Lombardi," and the short lived "Magic/Bird." And we, of course, talk "Grease Live" for which Thomas just won the Emmy Award for directing!

The handsome, charming, and SMART Jose Llana talks lying his way into his first NYC audition (the most adorable story every), starring in two productions of "The King and I" on Broadway, the productions of "Flower Drum Song," Spelling Bee," and his new album "Altitude."

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!

YOU GUYS! I’m still hyperventilating over the fact that I got to sit in a room with Will Chase and Rob McClure. These two gorgeous and hilarious men are currently starring in the absolutely fabulous "Something Rotten" currently running at the St. James Theater. I have to say, I’ve seen the show three times now and it NEVER gets old. With Rob McClure in the leading role of Nick Bottom--a...

You guys, I’m gonna use a word that I don’t think I’ve ever used before to describe a guest. Are you ready? Debonair. That’s right, today’s guest, Jeremy Kushnier, is best described as… debonair.....He’s handsome and charming and has one of those, like, gorgeous deep voices. And he’s funny and humble and is just one of those guys who has great insightful stories and ideas who you could just talk t...

It is such a pleasure to welcome three-time Tony winning Producer Kevin McCollum to our show! Kevin is well known in the industry for being the kind of producer that can spot something special miles--and years--away from being a fully formed product. This is the guys who, waaaaaaaaaay back in the early 90s saw a very early workshop of RENT and made a promise to Jonathan Larson--AT THE WORKSHOP&apo...

We are SO excited to welcome Carmen Cusack back to the podcast! Since we last spoke with her, Carmen received her first Tony nomination for her work in the FABULOUS "Bright Star." For this episode, we talk about the wonderful craziness of the Tony Awards season, saying goodbye to "Bright Star" performing at the DNC, and her upcoming sold out solo shows at Feinstein's / 54...

Hello Theater People! So, the plan was for us to take two weeks off and have a little bit of a summer break. But then we did this great interview with this young actress named Allison Semmes. She was playing Dianna Ross in "Motown The Musical" on Broadway. The day before out interview, the show got it’s closing notice. It was limited engagement on Broadway anyway, but now the show was cl...

SURPRISE EPISODE! Happy Friday, Theater People! We're so excited to bring you this mini bonus episode featuring Broadway powerhouses Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley! Alice and Emily first met in 1998 when they were cast as the conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton in the 1998 production of Side Show. Though they'd each go on to have separate thriving careers, they joined forces for the...

You guys, I just have to go ahead and admit it, I have a full on Broadway crush on today’s guest, THREE time Tony nominee, Christopher Fitzgerald. I know, I know, I know, it’s probably inappropriate to call a full grown man adorable, but I can’t help it, he’s so…..Adorable. Of course, he’s also insanely talented. If you’re one of the lucky ones who has gotten to see the new musical, "Waitress...

You guys, I’m SO excited to share our interview with Tony winner James Monroe Igleheart with you today. This guy is so smart and warm and funny, I could have talked to him for hours. He made his Broadway debut in 2007 as a replacement in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and then went on to co-star as Bobby in 2009’s Tony Award winning best musical, "Memphis." In 201...

YOU GUYS!! The day has finally arrived! We are SO thrilled to share this hilarious and heart warming interview with Betsy Wolfe with all of you! Betsy made her Broadway debut in the 2007 production of "110 In The Shade" (which she got through an OPEN CALL! Open calls really work sometimes, you guys!). Her next Broadway gig was alongside our pal Lindsay Mendez backing up Sherie Rene Scott...

Theater People! I'm STILL in a state of shock that the Tony winning powerhouse that is Alice Ripley agreed to sit down for an interview with me! I was SO nervous--I stammered like a fool and kept telling her what an honor it was. Ugh. ANYWAY, she was amazing! Such a delight and so so kind We met in her dressing room and talked ALL about :American Psycho". I'm completely OBSESSED wit...

You Guys! Jenn Damiano (she told me to call her Jenn, so.....) has to be one of the kindest, funniest, most humble humans I've ever met. Most recently Jenn starred in the fabulous, hilarious, legitimately scary, and gone-way-too-soon "American Psycho." She made her Broadway debut at the age of 15 in the groundbreaking and Tony winning "Spring Awakening." She earned a Tony...

THEATER PEOPLE!!! We are SO excited to bring you this first-ever cast reunion episode! We are thrilled to welcome Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, and Alex Boniello to the podcast to discuss the Tony nominated Deaf West production of "Spring Awakening". We recorded this interview with the three of them the day after the Tony nominations were announced, so there was a lot of excitement in...

It's no secret that 'Bright Star,' the new musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, is one of my favorites of the season. And there is no question that the show's leading lady, today's guest Carmen Cuasck, is delivering one of this season's most powerful performances in the role of Alice. In describing Carmen's performance, I use all the cliché words - astonish...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!Remember last summer when The Heavens opened up and sent Tony winner and (now) five-time Tony nominee Laura Benanti to our show? Remember when I, sort of jokingly, said that she and her mom should come back for a special Mother's Day episode and Laura promised that they would? Well you guys, Ms. Benanti has made good on her promise and this week we are DELIGHTED to b...

You guys!!! it’s been a while since I’ve gotten butterflies before an interview, but I have to say, I was NERVOUS before meeting today’s guest, Laura Michelle Kelly. I mean, you know, she was the ORIGINAL west end Marry Poppins, She won an Olivier, she was in the 'Sweeney Todd' movie, she British, beautiful and perfect. But then, of course, she was disarmingly charming and friendly. Her...

Emmy winner and three-time Tony nominee Martha Plimpton is back! Since she was last with us, she has landed the leading role on the new hit ABC sitcom "The Real O'Neals." She has also continued her work as advocate and activist for women's health and reproductive rights. She joins us today to talk about her new TV show, past work on Broadway, and the annual fundraiser called Br...

You Guys! We're not going to beat around the bush here, we are OBSESSED with the new Steve Martin & Edie Brickell musical 'Bright Star.' And we are THRILLED to welcome one of the show's stars, Paul Alexander Nolan, to the podcast this week. Paul made his Broadway debut in 2012 in the title role of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' He went o...

I recently described today's guest, the great Danny Burstein, as a glow worm. On stage, the man, truly, is lit from within. If you've ever seen him in anything,you know what I'm talking about. Whether the role is large or small, passionate or passive, when he's on stage, you can't take your eyes off of him, and you wouldn't want to--he's just magnetic that way. D...

You guys, I have to say that interviewing today’s guest, Andrea Burns, was one of the most fun hours I’ve ever spent in a theater. First of all, she had heard of our little podcast before, which i LOVED, but second, she was just completely game to share her stories and answer my sometimes ridiculously vague questions. I first fell in love with Andrea as Daniela the fabulous and maybe just a little...