Behind the Awards with Eila Mell & Bruce Gotlieb

Tony winner Robert Horn takes a rehearsal break to share all he has going on across the pond.  From Shucked to Disney’s Hercules Robert is taking London by storm.  Robert takes us back to the start of his career as a TV writer on Designing Women and Living Single, which opened the door for his Broadway dreams. Also in this episode - Eila & Bruce celebrate their 100th episode! Plus Pen Pals starrin...

Tony Nominee Writer/Director joins Behind the Awards to discuss the creation of The Picture of Dorian Gray alongside Sarah Snook.  Kip shares how his vision married technology and art to create Oscar Wilde’s novel for this generation. Also in this episode - Eila & Bruce discuss the announcement of Darren Criss and Renee Else Goldsberry as the hosts of The Tony Awards streaming on PlutoTV at 6:40pm...

Eila & Bruce bring you the fifth and final installment of their 2025 Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Best Musical, Best Play, Scenic Design of a Musical, Lead Actor of a Musical, Lead Actress of a Musical. Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty, Jasmine Amy Rogers, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Simard, Darren C...

5 time Tony Nominee Ben Stanton stops by Behind the Awards to share his process on lighting such shows as Maybe Happy Ending, The Notebook and Spring Awakening.  Ben goes into detail about the innovative tech that went into Maybe Happy Ending and his collaboration with the video design. Also in this episode - 2026 Broadway Season announcements are in full swing. Revivals of Ragtime, Chess and Mamm...

Just in Time’s Caesar Samayao visited Behind the Awards to discuss his multiple roles in the show including the legendary Don Kurshnier.  Caesar recounts his time creating his track in Come From Away, The Pee Wee Herman Show and How to Dance to Ohio.   Also in this episode - Real Women Have Curves Tony Nominee Benjamin Velez comes back to Behind the Awards to share what the process has been like s...

Emily Bergl takes a break from Just in Time: The Bobby Darin Musical to break down the two characters she originates in the show.  Emily gives us the low down of working with Jonathan Groff as well as working on such TV Series as; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Shameless, Desperate Housewives and Gilmore Girls. Also in this episode - Tony Nominated Just in Time Orchestrators Andrew Resnick & Michael T...

Eila & Bruce bring you the fourth installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Director of a Musical, Costume Design of a Musical, Lead Actress of a Play, Lead Actor of a Play, Lighting Design of a Play, and Revival of a Musical. Laura Donnelly, Mia Farrow, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Sadie...

Burke Swanson visited Behind the Awards to give us the low down on his show Stranger Things: The First Shadow.  Burke shares his first hand experience in the creation of the magical theater experience and what it is like to step into the shoes of James Hopper Jr. Also in this episode - Tony Nominated Sound Designer Dan Moses Schreier gives Behind the Awards a glimpse into what it takes to create t...

Tony Nominee Joy Woods stops by Behind the Awards to talk about playing Louise in Gypsy alongside Audra McDonald. Danny Burstein, and her Notebook co-star Jordan Tyson.  Joy shares her way into the title role through Director George C Wolfe’s stories during rehearsal and her meteoric rise from Little Shop to Six to being a Tony Nominee. Also in this episode - Millie Shapiro and Keri Rene Fuller fr...

Tony Nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers joins behind the Awards to give a deep dive into Boop The Musical where she is making her Broadway Debut.  Jasmine also shares the process of working with Jerry Mitchell on the workshop and then into the out of town as well as working with David Foster. Also in this episode - Octavia Spencer’s 2012 Oscar win for The Help Jasmine, in her acclaimed Broadway debut, has...

Eila & Bruce bring you the third installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Featured Actress in a Musical, Book of a Musical, Scenic Design of a Play, Best Revival of a Play, and Sound Design of a Musical Natalie Venetia Belcon, Julia Knitel, Gracie Lawrence, Justina Machado, Joy Woods, Wi...

Death Becomes Her Writer Marco Pennette joins Behind the Awards to chat about making his Broadway Debut in this musical comedy.  From his TV work on such shows as Ugly Betty, Caroline in the City, and Kate & Allie to being Hal Prince’s intern Marco has stories for days including the touching relationship he had with Linda Lavin.  Death Becomes Her stated 8 years ago with the help of his friend Kri...

2 time Lortel Winner Francis Jue dropped by Behind the Awards to chat about his role in Yellow Face and working with David Henry Wong.  Francis shares his 20 year journey with the piece as well as storing in the tour of M Butterfly and The King and I at The MUNY.  Catch Yellow Face on PBS May 16th 2025. Also in this episode - Lady Gaga’s 2019 Oscar win for Best Song Shallow from A Star is Born. Re...

Eila & Bruce bring you the second installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Featured Actress in a Play, Lighting Design of a Musical, Costume Design of a Play, Best Original Score and Director of a Play. Tala Ashe, Jessica Hect, Marjan Neshat, Fina Strazza, Kara Young, Jack Knowles, Tyler...

The cast of Operation Mincemeat joins Behind the Awards to do a deep dive of the musical from inception to Broadway.  David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone, and Zoe Roberts give us the behind the scenes secrets of the show.  Staring at The Fringe to Oliver Award winning run on the West End this show gives the audience a history lesson of World War II in the most physical co...

Natalie Venetia Belcon brings her Lortel Winning performance of Omara to the Schoenfeld Theater.  Buena Vista Social Club has the 2025 Broadway season a flurry and Behind the Awards gets the scoop for the star.  Natalie Venetia Belcon also is known for creating the role of Gary Coleman in the Tony Winning Avenue Q. Also in this episode- Andrea Martin’s 1993 Tony win for My Favorite Year and Real W...

Tony Nominated Director/Choreographer Camille A Brown stops by Behind the Awards to discuss Gypsy, Hells Kitchen, For Colored Girls and her journey to Broadway.   Also in this episode - Bebe Neuwirth 1997 Tony win for her portrayal of Velma Kelly in Chicago and a review of Purpose Four Time Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, currently nominated for her choreography in Hells Kitchen on Broadway,...

Eila & Bruce bring you the first installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories: Best Choreography; Best Sound Design of a Play; Best Orchestrations; Featured Actor in a Play; and Featured Actor in a Musical. Glenn Davis, Gabriel Ebert, Francis Jue, Bob Odenkirk, Conrad Ricamore, Brooks Ashmans...

Sunset Blvd Choreographer Fabian Aloise joins us from backstage at Drury Lane Theater where he is currently working on Much Ado About Nothing with Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell to give us the low down on putting the show on its feet.  Fabian breaks down the shows viral TikTok stroll through Shubert Alley.  Fabian gives us the close up on working with Nicole Scherziger and collaboration with Dir...

Dead Outlaw star Julia Knitel gives Behind the Awards a deep dive into all things Dead Outlaw, plus her experience playing Louise in Gypsy with Beth Level and Carol King in Beautiful. Also in this episode - Katie Finneran 2010 Tony win for Promises Promises and a review of Good Night and Good Luck Julie Knitel - Broadway: Beautiful, Bye Bye Birdie. Tour: Beautiful (Carole King), Come From Away (Ja...

Behind the Awards welcomes back their resident awards expert Matt Stashin to play Tony Nominator before the actual nominations are announced. Also in this episode - The World Premier of Cheap Seats from the Theatrical Experience Label-Less created by Lea & Drew Lachey and performed by Diana Hutchinson.  This single can be found anywhere you download music with the full Album available May 1st! Mak...

Director and Creator Zhailon Levingston joins Behind the Awards to share his vision for the upcoming Wonderful Town at New York City Center Encores.  Zhailon also talks about Cats: The Jellicle Ball and the future of the show and his collaboration with Playwright Douglas Lyons. Link to Wonderful Town Tickets - https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2024-2025/wonderful-town/ Also in this episode - Chris...

Tala Ashe unpacks her Lortel Nominated performance as Elham in Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize winning Play English at The Roundabout Theater.  Tala also compares this to her work on Legends of Tomorrow and Smash.   Also in this episode - Heather Headley's 2000 Tony win for Best Actress in a Musical for Disney's Aida plus Dead Outlaw Review. Tala Ashe received a Best Actress Drama Desk Award nominat...

Tony Winner Beth Leavel pays a visit to Behind the Awards to chat all things Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends.  Beth talks about working with Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga and what to expect at the Samuel J Friedman theater.  Beth also talk about working on The Prom. Drowsy Chaperone and Gypsy.  She also gives an answer to the burning question do you go the Yankee game or see Angela Lansbury in Mam...

Teenage Producer/Director Charles Kirsch & Tony Nominee Brad Oscar stop by to talk about their upcoming concert version of the musical Coco.  We also discuss Brad’s current run as the Wizard in Wicked and Apple TV Hit turned musical Schmigadoon. Also in this episode - Nora Ephron presents Meryl Streep with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a review of John Proctor is the Villain 54 SINGS COCO BY AL...