Why I‘ll Never Make It

The third and final look at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with Michael McBride, a 10-year veteran with the company. Through this organization he not only gained skills and experience in collaborating with some of the best dancers and choreographers on the planet, but he also found the love of his life, Samuel Lee Roberts, a fellow dancer in the company. But it wasn't all smooth sailing fo...

Samantha Figgins is currently in her sixth season with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. But what many people don't know is that this gorgeous dancer suffers from single-sided deafness. As a baby, Figgins contracted spinal meningitis, which caused her to lose all hearing in her right ear. She never gave up on her dance dreams, though, and fought her way through uncomfortable situations, neve...

When it comes to the performing arts and certainly to dance, there are few people more worthy of admiration, of inspiration and imitation than Alvin Ailey. He was both uniquely gifted and qualified to tell the African-American experience which he lived and saw and reacted to through the art of dance.  If you follow me or the podcast on social media, you know that I’m a white man who also grew up i...

At the end of our previous insightful conversation, Douglas Sills gave his answers to the Final Five questions. He shares a story of his mentor who recently passed away as well as his interests finance and veterinarian medicine. After his answer to best advice, I kept the recording going and it opened into a deeper conversation about happiness and feeling (un)motivated. Do you have other ideas for...

His iconic Broadway debut in SCARLET PIMPERNEL may have made Douglas Sills a Broadway star, but his head has never been in the clouds. In today's episode, he has his feet firmly on the ground and shares how he left the business (twice) and what brought him back. His insights are a seasoned look not only at his career but at the kind of person he wants to be. From understanding luck's role in his c...

After our conversation on the previous episode, Mykal and Hannah answer the Final Five questions. They share stories of the individuals who have inspired them as artists as well as their interests in education and geology. They finish with why it's so important to be on time and the proper place for performance in an artist's life. Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at c...

Hannah Elless and Mykal Kilgore (and myself) first met doing a reading of a new musical called THE STAR CHILD. They have each gone on to do three Broadway shows, but they still love that new-car smell of a fresh, unknown piece of theater. In today's conversation they explain why new works are so important, how their big families taught them to collaborate, and what success means to them and how th...

Welcome back to my talk with Andrew Lippa as he answers the Final Five questions. This is a bonus episode to the conversation we had previously, covering topics we didn't get to last time. From political aspirations to advice he gives to aspiring artists, this is a deeper dive into a talented composer and performer. Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodc...

From his first intimate musical, john and jen, to his bigger productions on and off Broadway, Andrew Lippa has been a prolific and award-winning writer. He joins the podcast to talk about his growth along that sometimes bumpy path and what it means to bring a bit of himself into his compositions and lyrics. He shares the disappoints he felt with The Wild Party and Big Fish, the lessons he learned...

After our conversation on the previous episode, Hal Luftig answers the Final Five. He shares his love of teaching and his dream to work with Audra McDonald as well as what he learned from famed Broadway producer Emanuel "Manny" Azenberg. Do you have other ideas for Final Five questions? Let me know at contact.winmipodcast.com. ----------  May this podcast be a resource for you as you discover more...

Welcome to a month-long look at previous Broadway seasons...the nominations, the wins, and the losses.  With four Tony Awards to his name, including two as lead producer, and two Olivier Awards, also as lead producer, Hal Luftig knows and thing or two about theatrical success. But he also knows the pitfalls that come and how not every show finds an audience or makes a lot of money.  Today, he shar...

Welcome to another FINAL FIVE Bonus Episode with Alina Alcántara! After our last conversation about staying motivated and the joy she found in performing, Alina sat down to answer five questions on topics and insights not covered in the previous episode. She also mentioned mutual friend and fellow artist Juan Cantu as someone who inspires her both personally and professionally. If you could have a...

Former flight attendant Alina Alcántara is a New York native of Dominican heritage, who has lived in Florida for most of her life. And in this episode she shares the rocky road to finding her true calling in life as an actor and singer. But even with this love and passion for performing she has her bad days of feeling inferior and unmotivated. So what keeps her going? Her story will inspire you an...

It's been a month-long break, so welcome back to the FINAL FIVE Bonus Episode! After our last conversation, Seán answers five final questions not covered in the previous episode. He talks about his bucket list Sondheim musical and reveals his comedic idol...  If you could have any other job outside of the arts what would it be? What is a bucket list role or show you still hope to do one day? Who d...

Seán Cullen is a Canadian actor, voice artist and stand-up comedian, known for combining improvisation with mimicry and music. He joins me today to share his love of comedy and writing books for his children. But we also dive into the worries and frustrations that come from almost making it and how to bounce back from a canceled show or that inner voice saying we aren't good enough. Follow Seán on...

In the last episode, Rebecca Selkowe reminded us of the groundwork needed to organize and manage our money. Today, she brings it to the present with useful tips and insights we can use during times of crisis like COVID-19. For more on how The Actors Fund can help you (or ways you can donate to them) go to actorsfund.org and for a mental and artistic break from the daily grind go to starsinthehouse...

Since 1955, April 15th has been Tax Day, until this year...the year of COVID-19 and economic uncertainty. With so many unemployed, especially those of us in the arts, what are we to do. How can we manage our money? What money!? In this episode, I'm sharing my conversation a year ago with Rebecca Selkowe, author of DOMINATE YOUR DEBT and head of the Financial Wellness Program at the Actors Fund in...

Overcome with laziness and procrastination, feeling unmotivated, stuck, and just can’t get started? Believe me, you are not alone.  But there is hope when mired in such complacency. However, it may not be the solution you think it is. You and I were taught from an early age that we need to stay busy and keep moving. And while the intent behind those ideals was good, putting them into practice is n...

Well, coronavirus is all people can talk about. It has completely changed our daily lives and interactions with others, especially in the world of theater. So I wanted to address it head on with friend-of-the-podcast Clayton Howe. We share how each of us lost our jobs and what we're doing now to keep going and make it through this extraordinary time in the world.  I also give 5 ways we as artists...

Welcome to another FINAL FIVE Bonus Episode! After our last conversation Tiffany answers five final questions not covered in the previous episode. She talks about how she still hopes to do musical theater one day and opens up about her late father and the lessons he taught her...  If you could have any other job outside of the arts what would it be? What is a bucket list role or show you still hop...

Whether as sidekick or the lady in charge, Tiffany Coyne has made her mark on the popular game show LET'S MAKE A DEAL. She can keep up with Wayne Brady and holds her own in the chaotic fun of each episode. Starting out as a dancer, she had no thoughts or goals toward television. But when the time came and the support of family, she and her husband made the decision to leave their lives in Las Vega...

Welcome to another FINAL FIVE Bonus Episode! After our conversation on Wednesday about opera and directing, Charlotte gave her answers to five questions and topics not covered in the main interview. Also, in honor of Women's History Month, this week's Broadway pioneer is Vinnette Justine Carroll, PhD. As an actress and playwright and later as a director, she holds the distinction of many firsts in...

Charlotte Cohn was born in Denmark and raised in Israel where she served in the Israeli Army as a commanding officer. She was a founding producer of the New York Music Theatre Festival (NYMF) and MainStreet Musicals. Other producing credits include Rated P For Parenthood, The New York Times critics’ pick Handle With Care and Church & State. In this episode she chronicles her journey from commander...

MAESTRA MUSIC was founded by composer/lyricist and music director Georgia Stitt to give support, visibility, and community to the women who make the music in the musical theater industry. Their membership is made up of female-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming composers, music directors, orchestrators, arrangers, copyists, rehearsal pianists and other musicians who are an underrepr...

GEORGIA STITT (georgiastitt.com) is a composer and lyricist whose original musicals include Snow Bird, Big Red Sun, The Water, and Samantha Spade, Ace Detective, which was the National Youth Theatre “Outstanding New Musical” in 2014. She is currently working on the The Big Boom with Hunter Foster and is also preparing to release her third album later this year.    Now I haven’t even gotten to her...