Behind the Awards with Eila Mell & Bruce Gotlieb Broadway Podcast Network

11yr old Tony Winner takes us from The Secret Garden to the The Strange and Unexplained
Daisy Eagan shares the unique experience of being the youngest female winner in Tony history. She recounted working with Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Luker and John Cameron Mitchell who was writing Hedwig & The Angy Inch at the same time. Daisy was shocked to learn of her impact on Broadway star Sutton Foster, and had no idea that Neil Patrick Harris watched her perform from the wings. Now a podcaster herself, Daisy is the host of the popular Strange and Unexplained as well as Dear Daisy.
Also in this episode - Marissa Jaret Winokur 2003 Tony Award win for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for Hairspray. Eila & Bruce discuss Jenifer Lewis & Marc Shaiman and give their thoughts on The Notebook.
Daisy Eagan is a talented actress known for her work on stage, television, and film. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1979, Eagan began her career in acting at a young age. She made her Broadway debut at the age of 11, playing Mary Lennox in the musical adaptation of The Secret Garden. Her performance earned her critical acclaim and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, making her the youngest actress to ever win the award.
Following her success in The Secret Garden, Eagan continued to work in theater. She appeared in the Broadway productions of Les Miserables, James Joyce's The Dead, and the Off-Broadway production of The Wild Party. In addition to her work on stage, Eagan has also appeared on television. She has had recurring roles on shows such as The Unit, Without a Trace, and Girls.
Eagan has also worked in film, appearing in movies such as Ripe, Tony n' Tina's Wedding, and The Night Before. In addition to her acting work, Eagan is also a writer and has written for publications such as The New York Times and The Huffington Post.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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Our day at the Tony’s from rehearsal to show…and awards recap. 

Eila & Bruce share what it was like to be at the Tony awards rehearsal as well as the big show. Listen to hear the who, what, where and wow of the biggest day for Broadway. Plus, who predicted the winners best from our deep dive episodes. 
Also in this episode, Eila & Bruce share one of their favorite speeches of the night. Kecia Lewis winning Featured Actress in a Musical for Hell’s Kitchen. 

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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Jeff & Rick Kuperman give us a deep dive on the process of creating the choreography for The Outsiders. They discuss their unique collaborative relationship as brothers and how that helped form the framework for The Outsiders, a show about brothers. 
Eila and Bruce also discuss Jennifer Aniston SAG award for Outstanding Actress for her work on the morning show and how our Friend got her SAG card doing a Bob’s Big Boy commercial.
Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman (CHOREOGRAPHY). Upcoming: co-directing & choreographing an immersive show with Emursive of Sleep No More. Recent choreo: Alice by Heart (MCC; Lortel, Chita Rivera, and Callaway Awards), Cyrano (Goodspeed/The New Group), Alien/Nation (Williamstown), Phish at MSG, The Count of Monte Cristo (St. Petersburg, Russia), Peter Pan (Beijing, China), The Light Princess (ART/New Victory). Film: Verona, Dicks: The Musical (A24), Silent Retreat (Miramax). TV: “Living with Yourself” (Netflix). As directors: Roll! (Ars Nova), Dispossessed (HERE), Smile (FringeNYC). Education: B.A.s, Harvard & Princeton. kupermanbrothers.com

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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Celia discusses working with Jessica Lang and Jim Parsons and having a role created for her in Paula Vogel’s Mother Play. Celia takes us on a journey of her career including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bell, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Gilded Age. Celia shares what she was doing the morning nominations came out and how she balances being a working actor and motherhood. 
Eila and Bruce also discuss Sarah Jessica Parker’s Golden Globe win for Sex and the City and a career that has spanned 50yrs beginning with Annie on Broadway
CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER. Broadway: To Kill a Mockingbird, Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard, Peter and The Starcatcher, Les Misérables, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: Parallelogram, The Oldest Boy, Merrily We Roll Along, A Small Fire, Bachelorette. Select Film/TV: “The Gilded Age,” “Bull,” “Louie,” “The Good Wife,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Good Behavior,” “Elementary,” Diane, The Visit, Breakable You. Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, three Drama Desk Award wins. Member of The Actors Center. NYCLU Michael Friedman Freedom Award recipient. UMichigan graduate. Training to be an end-of-life doula. 

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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Rumors have it that Stereophonic will bring home the Tony
Feature Friday! Eila & Bruce bring you the sixth 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 Musical, Best Play, Scenic Design of a Musical, Lead Actress of a Musical, Lead Actor of a Musical.
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Mary Jane, Mother Play, Prayer for the French Republic, Stereophonic, Hells Kitchen, Illinoise, The Outsiders, Suffs, Water for Elephants, Brody Grant, Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along, Dorian Harewood, The Notebook, Brian d’Arcy, Days of Wine and Roses, Eddie Redmayne, Cabaret, Eden Espinosa, Lempicka, Maleah Joi Moon, Maryann Plunket, Kelli O’Hara, Gayle Rankin, Back to the Future, Here Lies Love.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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Kenny Leon and his victorious revival!
Director Kenny Leon opens up about the hit revival of Ossie Davis’s Purlie Victorious starring Leslie Odom Jr and Kara Young. Kenny gives us the scoop on his busy upcoming season including Home at the Roundabout Theater, Our Town lead by Jim Parsons & Katie Holmes, and Othello with Denzel Washington & Jake Gyllenhaal. Kenny gives listeners a glimpse into his cinematic directing process for the stage and how he turned the play American Son starring Kerry Washington into a movie for Netflix in 4 days.
Eila and Bruce also discuss Audra McDonald’s Best Featured Actress Tony win for Raisin in the Sun and the Breaking News of her Mama Rose in Gypsy at the newly renovated Majestic Theater.
Kenny Leon is a Tony Award-winning Broadway and television director. His Broadway credits include the Tupac musical Holler If You Hear Me, A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington (Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play), The Mountaintop starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, Stick Fly, August Wilson’s Fences (which garnered ten Tony nominations and won three Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play), Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf. He also directed Smart People for Second Stage. Leon's recent television work includes "Hairspray Live!", and "The Wiz Live!" on NBC. He is the recipient of the 2016 Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing and the 2010 Award for Excellence in Directing from the Drama League. Mr. Leon serves on the board of New York's Public Theater and is Artistic Director of Atlanta's Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company.

Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:

Instagram @behind_the_awards


Eila @eilamell


Bruce @cominghomewithbruce



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