Built For The Stage Podcast

Danny Mahoney / @dannymahoney1 grew up in small-town Ontario and began acting at an early age. He made his professional debut at the age of 13 playing Louis in The King And I. He went on to study drama and psychology at Queen’s University before training at LAMDA in the UK. He has lived in London for 13 years and has recently obtained his British citizenship. Film credits include The Second Best E...

Jamie Bogyo / @JamieBogyo recently concluded his time on the West End in Moulin Rouge playing the lead role of Christian. Training: Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. As Playwright and Screenwriter: Safe Space (RADA Festival – London production in 2022); Macho; Intimacy, Fantasy and Pornography; and The Great Whitehopes. Jamie is proud to be making his professional debut in Moulin Rouge! The Musical....

John Michael Fiumara / @john7michael is currently tearing up the stage with his taps in FUNNY GIRL on Broadway. From John Michael via Bloc Agency: I was born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania! I grew up as a dance competition kid, which is what got me into dancing in front of audiences. It allowed me to become more comfortable, and confident in front of them as well. My first inspiration for d...

Maya Britto / @mayabritto_ is a standby for all three of the Schuyler sisters in the West End production of HAMILTON. Theatre: The Magician's Elephant (RSC); Tokyo Rose (UK Tour/Edinburgh Fringe Festival/NDI); Beyond the Circle (workshop, National Theatre); Becoming Angela (workshop, National Theatre); Arabian Nights (Hoxton Hall). Hamilton marks Maya's West End debut. TV: "British Airways 100"; "...

Joaquin Pedro Valdes / @joaquin.pedro.valdes is a Filipino actor living in the United Kingdom. He started his career at a very young age in the Philippines and has extensively worked in the TV, Concert, Film and Theatre industries in Manila. Some of his work includes Manila premiere productions of INTO THE WOODS, SPRING AWAKENING, KINKY BOOTS, MATILDA, VANYA, SONIA, MASHA & SPIKE, and John Logan's...

Anika Larsen has performed on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Avenue Q, Xanadu, All Shook Up and Rent. Off-Broadway, she was in Zanna, Don’t!, Myths and Hymns, Closer Than Ever, Miracle Brothers, How to Save the World…, Disaster! and Unbroken Circle. Anika is from Cambridge, MA with nine brothers and sisters of different ethnicities and countries. See her now in Almost Famous! http...

Tom Stacy / @tomstacy is an Olivier Award winning Actor & Puppeteer currently appearing in Life of Pi on the West End, where he is also the Movement & Puppetry Associate on the show. Since graduating from Rose Bruford (BA Acting) Tom has performed both nationally and internationally in a number of shows, including, The National Theatre's 'War Horse', as well as Theatre Témoin's 'The Marked' which...

Romy Vuksan / @romyvuksan trained from a young age in all aspects of the performing arts at The Ritz Performing Arts Centre. Originally from Brisbane, Romy moved to Melbourne in 2013 and was awarded a full scholarship to Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance. Since graduating the Full Time Course in 2014, Romy has gone from strength to strength as a performer, working within many facets of the industr...

Julius Thomas III / @juliusthomas3 recently ended his time with Hamilton where he played the title character, Alexander Hamilton. Julius Thomas III is a NAACP Theatre award Nominated actor from Gary, In. He stars as Alexander Hamilton in the smash hit musical, Hamilton. He is one half of the critically acclaimed entertainment team, The Kings of Soul & Swing. Recently Julius has appeared as the lea...

Sophie Naglik / @sophienaglik Sophie Naglik plays Jennifer Parker in the West End production of Back to the Future. In addition to Sophie starting at an early age in the West End's, Matilda, she also began a journey of becoming an amazing singer-song writer. See more below! Sophie on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4C8VdnWpDiTdPb36b14PII?si=nqx8kBxwR1-LMaNNQzyWJQ Sophie on YouTube: https:...

Josh Breckenridge / @j.breckenridge.music Josh Breckenridge is a Southern California native. Joshua Russell Breckenridge began writing music in his early high school years. He left the warmth of the west to earn a BFA from The University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music where he became the recipient of the Laurie Beechman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance. Upon gr...

TANVI VIRMANI / @tanvi_virmani_ Training: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2022. Theatre Includes: The Tempest (Bath Theatre Royal) This is Tanvi’s West End debut in Life of Pi. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Gorti / @jeffgorti Jeff Gorti grew up in North Philly where his love for the performing arts began in the dance studio. Jeff began training in his youth with The Rock School and The Princeton Ballet in Philadelphia. Growing up in Philly as a multi-racial kid, he quickly learned the power of his heritage and began using it to fuel his storytelling. Jeff went on to study Theatre with a minor in...

Colin Barkell / @colinbarkell Colin Barkell saw the VHS of River Dance at a young age and the rest is history. His love for Irish dancing led to him touring the country. While on tour he learned to play guitar which birthed the start of his career in music. Due to his abilities in both Irish dancing and music, he found himself making his Broadway debut in Paradise Square. Listen for more on this w...

Lina Lee / @linalee512 Originally born in Seoul, South Korea, Lina Lee moved to the states when she was about 5 years old living in NOVA just outside of DC. Born to parents in the music industry, Lina started singing as soon as she started to speak. She picked up her first guitar in elementary school, playing along to the country music radio. She danced throughout her teenage years, training in ba...

Krystal Joy Brown/ @krystaljoybrown Krystal Joy Brown is currently starring as Eliza in Hamilton on Broadway where she stops the show each night with mid-song applause during her big number, “Burn”! Aside from this role, she can be seen in season 2 of Power Book III: Raising Kanan which premiered on August 14th on STARZ. Krystal plays Renée Timmons who is an anger management therapist. She can als...

NNAMDI K. NWANKWO / @nnamdinwankwo NNAMDI K. NWANKWO (man in orange) (he/him) is a Chicago-based actor, singer, director, and writer. As a versatile performer, he has performed in various genres of performance like opera, musical theatre, theatre, film, commercial, and voiceover. Recent engagements include “Once on this Island” at Town Hall Arts Center for which he received a Henry Award nominatio...

Leslie Blake Walker / @leslieblakewalker has been crawling to the Broadway stage since being an infant. Learn more about Leslie below and please share this episode with a friend! From Leslie: It all began on the night I was born; the night that Mike Tyson bit off Evander Holyfield’s ear in an epic and legendary battle in Las Vegas, Nevada. Holding his severed ear, Holyfield climbs into his limousi...

Joe Rosko / @builtforthestage is talkin' goals!!! How to best accomplish them. Joe Rosko grew up as a 3-sport athlete, theatre kid that eventually majored in musical theatre and played Division 1 college football at the same time. This life of sports and theatre led him to creating Built for the Stage, Broadway's #1 Fitness Platform. Listen in to our 150th episode to get to know more about Joe and...

JChris joins us on episode 171! Don't miss JChris's 54 Below show coming up on Sept. 18th!    Singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer ​Chris Urquiaga​, known as JChris, is lauded for his exciting performance energy and smooth voice. Hailed as “…the next big thing” by ​Metro Weekly​ magazine, this Latin pop virtuoso is internationally recognized for his pop compositions which are laced with Latin,...

Tia Altinay / @tiaaltinay Tia Altinay is currently starring as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin on Broadway! Tia was also seen on Broadway in A Christmas Story and Mary Poppins. Tia shares her amazing story and gives us all the inspiration we needed on knowing your worth and going for it! If you liked the episode, please share it with a friend! Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! h...

Sarah Sigman / @sarahsigman_ Sarah Sigman recently made her Broadway debut in MJ the Musical! Credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (national tour), On Your Feet! (The Muny), Chicago (national tour). Regional: A Chorus Line (Cape), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (ARLT). Dance Lab NY. Get to know Sarah in this very fun episode as she shares her inspiring story! Sarah's dance reel...

Alexa Magro / @alexa_magro Alexa Magro is currently travelling the country with The Prom tour! More from Alexa! I am a New York City based actor, dancer, singer, and voiceover artist originally from The Woodlands, Texas (Houston Metro). As a youngster, after giving up my short-lived dream of being a mail carrier, it was clear that I was better suited for a career in the entertainment industry. I c...

Tim Dolan / @broadwayupclose Tim Dolan lives a life that is an example for the power of passion, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the power of the arts. What started as an idea, evolved into a masterful business in the face of one adversity after the other. Listen to our story to be inspired by Tim's unwavering pursuit to fulfill a dream. At Broadway Up Close we strive to give you a behind-...

Kara Menendez / @kara.menendez Kara Menendez is a New Jersey native. She began her dance training at the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. Kara went on to further her dance studies at Marymount Manhattan College, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance, with a Ballet Concentration and a Business Minor. Kara has performed works by Emery Lecrone, Paul Taylor, Darrell Moultrie, No...