Alaina Newell

Fourth Wall: the podcast

Arts EN ↓ 30 episodes

Theatre claims to be for everyone, but is it really? From elitist training programs to gatekeeping on Broadway, the industry thrives on exclusivity. Fourth Wall pulls back the curtain on who gets opportunities—onstage, backstage, and beyond. Join Alaina Newell for deep dives, hot takes, and unfiltered conversations on accessibility, casting, and industry bias. If you've ever felt like theatre wasn’t built for you, you’re not alone.🎧 It’s time to break the fourth wall—because theatre should belong to everyone.

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Author

Alaina Newell

Episodes

6: A Tale of Two Deans w/ Harvey Young and George Brown 05.08.2020 40:18

Hiya! For the entire month of August, we’ll be highlighting experiences of diversity in the world of educational theatre- because after all, that first day of fall classes(virtual, hybrid, or otherwise) is right around the corner. To kick us off, we sit down with George Brown and Harvey Young, who are both deans of the fine and performing arts colleges at their respective universities. Listen as w...

5: Crushing Caricatures w/ Katie Ladner 29.07.2020 1:14:55

Well, hello there! We’re so glad you’re here- grab a cold brew and your trusty masterclass notebook because they’re gonna come in handy today… What are the shared experiences of people who identify as plus-sized? How are the stories of plus-sized people being told on stage(and off) and what can we do to separate type from stereotype? Can somebody truly love bread AND zucchini??? Have no fear, beca...

4: Allyship 101 w/ Reneé Rapp 22.07.2020 49:13

Allyship won’t get you a f*cking cookie and it def doesn’t come wrapped up in a little bow. Instead, Allyship is earned- just ask today’s very special guest, Reneé Rapp. This betch is so fetch: she won the 2018 Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress, the 2018 Blumey Award winner for Best Actress, and reigns supreme as Regina motherfreaking George in MEAN GIRLS on the damn Broadway. Today,...

3: Two Sides of the Same Token Part 2 w/ Kyle Dupree 15.07.2020 36:07

As we continue our conversation on tokenism in theatre, we sit down with the sweet, sweet Mr. Kyle Dupree (Nat. Touring casts of CHICAGO, MAMMA MIA, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, as well as Dance Lab NY Spring Cycle 2020, yoga instructor, loving cat dad). Get cozy and press play to hear Kyle’s intimate perspective and personal stories about grounding through family, concealing bandaids onstage, clocking r...

1: Meditating on Melanin w/ Tyler McKenzie 01.07.2020 30:56

For our SERIES PREMIERE (whaaaat???), we called on Broadway Alum Tyler McKenzie( HAMILTON, MAMMA MIA!, MATILDA ) to share his holistic experience as a gay black man in theatre and how we can all participate in proactive change.  Get your fave beverage and turn up the volume because Fourth Wall: the podcast is here to stay. Don’t miss a beat! Follow us on Instagram ( @thisisfourthwall ) to sta...