call and response podcast

We talk with Morgan Siobhan Green about making your voice heard in the rehearsal room, liberating yourself from the black monolithic acting algorithm, and stretching to make room for the next generation.

Prepare for plenty of praise breaks as we talk with Kinky Boots star J. Harrison Ghee about the accessibility of and his strong connection to the Tony-winning musical, his discovery of drag performance as his personal ministry, and The Gospel according to J!

We talk with Lortel nominee and Audelco winner Sharon Washington about her recent writing debut of her autobiographical solo show, originating a role in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, and finding your truth-tellers.

In the premiere episode of season 2, we chat with A Bronx Tale’s leading lady, Christiani Pitts about the assumptions of playing “black” versus “white” characters, her Broadway debut, and the importance of period pieces.

For a special Black History Month episode, we celebrate the legacy of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Two of the esteemed company members, Glenn Allen Sims and Hope Boykin, reflect on what it's like to be a part of the world-renowned dance company.

LIVE from BroadwayCon, it's Call and Response! We chat with Hello Dolly's Christian Dante White, Frozen's Jelani Alladin, Aladdin's Major Attaway, and Great Comet Tony nominee Denée Benton about artistic journeys, industry trends, and what it means to be a black performing artist.

In the season 1 finale, we talk with Tony nominee Denée Benton about her epic Broadway debut turned Tony nomination as Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, her dramaturgical Black Princess Project, and her commitment to continuing the momentum of representation.

We head out of the studio this week to the opening night party of School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play at MCC Theater. We talk with cast members MaameYaa Boafo, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Nabiiyah Be, Zainab Jah, Tony-winning director Rebecca Taichman, and playwright Jocelyn Bioh about working with an all-black female cast, the universal reach of discrimination, and fragmenting the idea of a m...

In this episode, life is beautiful! We talk with AUDELCO nominee Larry Owens about the need for multi-dimensional characters, the freedom (and restrictions) that comes with creating work, and the new universality he created when he played Cabaret’s Emcee.

We talk with Felicia Boswell to talk about how she relates to all of the fierce, passionate characters she plays, why we should tell our stories in absolute truth, and how stories set in the past aren’t all that different from today’s reality.

With nod to our Austin, Texas roots, we talk with Vincent J. Hooper about the importance of creating narratives with nuance, the sanitization of art, and the responsibility we all have in creating authentic representation.

We sit down with Nick Reid, a young creative professional in the industry to talk about the importance of diverse voices in the room, the theatrical sunken place he experienced, and representation on Broadway red carpets.

We have a majestic episode for the King of the Jungle himself! We sat down with Alton Fitzgerald White, the actor who played Mufasa in The Lion King for 4,308 performances, to talk about his time on Pride Rock, his offstage racial profiling experience that informed his onstage work as Ragtime’s Coalhouse, and his new book “My Pride: Mastering Life’s Daily Performance.”

We talk with Zhailon Levingston about shaking up the theatre-making structure, the need for more imagination, and how art is inherently educational.

We sit down with Playbill’s staff photographer, Marc J. Franklin, to talk about his 360-degree, surround experience with theatre, what it's like to photograph Broadway stars, and our commitment to giving visibility to artists of color.

We again visit Webster Avenue to talk with Bronx Tale’s Janelle McDermoth about her journey with a   cappella   music, finding points of synergy between passions, and how we can increase diversity in audiences.

We grande jeté over to American Ballet Theatre to talk with corps de ballet member Gabe Stone Shayer about breaking barriers as a black ballet dancer, immersing yourself into your passion, and how ballet is an art for everyone.

We have a giant episode for a giant performer with giant talent! We talk with Olivier nominee Kyle Scatliffe about expanding the idea of who gets tell which stories, grappling with imposter syndrome, and busting the myth of the monolithic black experience.

We talk with Kirsten Childs about creating new narratives for actors of color, exploring her life experiences through music, and increasing visibility for black musical theatre writers.

We welcome Nikki Renée Daniels to talk about the differences between the opera and musical theatre worlds, what it’s like to be a black soprano, and singing the iconic “Summertime.”

In the wake of Charlottesville, we discuss how black Broadway performers are always maintaining self-care. Hear from Frozen’s Jelani Alladin, Kinky Boots’ Nick Rashad Burroughs, A Bronx Tale’s Janelle McDermoth, Sweeney Todd’s John-Michael Lyles, The Lion King’s Chondra Profit, and The Scottsboro Boys’ Clinton Roane.

We talk with Tony nominee Brenda Braxton about working alongside Michael Bennett as the original Dreamgirls dance captain, what the old school New York theatre scene was like, and her advice for the next generation.

We sit down with composer-lyricist Michael R. Jackson (2016-2017 Dramatist Guild Fellow, 2017 Jonathan Larson Grant Winner, 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist, and a recently announced Lincoln Center Theater Writer in Residence!) to discuss how we define diversity in musical theatre, the purpose of revivals, and the empathy that comes with a night at the theatre.

We take a trip to Webster Avenue as we talk with A Bronx Tale’s Bradley Gibson about a black actor’s double consciousness, the esteemed Ragtime performance on Ellis Island, and his legendary Cerulean suit.

We sit down with Tony nominee Adrienne Warren to talk about why she felt deeply connected to her Shuffle Along characters, why blackness is more than just a trend, and why art as education is necessary.