The Business of Show Business

Jamie Body
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast to help unpack the skills, stories, and side hustles behind the entertainment and creative industries. So if you're ready to thrive, not just survive, in the showbiz and arts & culture sectors, you're in the right place. A series of solo shows and interviews to help creatives with the business of show business. Learn how to market yourself as a creative and how to boss your social media and online presence. Great for actors, dancers, singers, producers, writers and those in the creative industries.

  1. 18h ago

    The Real Cost of the Edinburgh Fringe | PR, Marketing, Strategy and Finance

    Over 3,000 shows perform at the Edinburgh Fringe every August. So how do you get a show there — and how do you make it stand out? Jamie Body spends the festival on the ground with the people making it happen: PR Chloé Nelkin of Chloé Nelkin Consulting, Alex Harvey of circus company Ockham's Razor (Collaborator), co-writers Alex Moneypenny and Adam Tuffre (The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth), Emily Weitzman (Furniture Boys), Corey Muizelaar (Behind Closed Doors), Alex Urwin of Kick It Anywhere (The Jolly Fisherman), and Rachel Twigg (Your Choice, Amanda Royce). They talk honestly about money, PR, flyering, venue strategy, star ratings and what happens after August — including the writers who are £18,000 in the red, and the producer who will sell out his entire run and still make a loss. In this episode: - Why PR is about profile, not a guaranteed sell-out - When Fringe planning actually starts (earlier than you think) - Why three stars is a good review - Choosing a venue you can fill over one that looks impressive - The true cost of accommodation, travel, previews and pints - Marketing that comes from the show rather than bolted onto it - How to build a second life for your show once the festival ends The Business of Show Business covers the entertainment industry through a business and career lens, for performers, makers and everyone building a career in the arts.

  2. Aug 5

    "Everyone on the Panel Is Rooting For You" | Auditioning, Producing & High School Musical | TBOSB S7

    How do you go from waiting tables between auditions to co-directing a Disney musical with Jason Donovan and Harry Judd? And once you're the one running the room, what do you actually want to see when a performer walks in to audition? Joseph Houston and William Whelton turned a former Manchester mill, first advertised as a storage space on Gumtree, into Hope Mill Theatre, one of the most talked-about producing houses in the UK. Ten years on, they're producing and co-directing a brand-new production of High School Musical, opening at The Lowry this summer before transferring to the Troubadour Wembley Park. Jamie sits down with them to talk auditioning, producing, and swapping the performer hat for a business hat. "Everyone on that panel is rooting for you to succeed." In this episode: - Why "50% naivety, 50% ambition" built a theatre, and why that's a superpower, not a weakness- The false sense of security that helps performers pivot: people only see what you show them - What producers really think when you walk into the audition room (and the red flags that stand out) - Why an audition is a job interview, and how to make safe, strong choices instead of risky untested ones - The permission slip most performers need: bring your sides in your hand, and just ask - How to wear the producer and director hats at once, and why "there's always a budget" makes the work better, not worse - Why regional theatre matters, and how shows now reach Manchester before London - The business skills nobody teaches performers: take every opportunity, even as a runner - Why your performing career was never a failure, just part of the journey Got a topic you want covered on the show? Send Jamie a DM. And if you're near Manchester or London this year, go and see High School Musical live. Subscribe for honest conversations about the business behind the performing arts, made for performers, creatives and anyone building a sustainable career in this industry. And find out more about High School Musical here - https://highschoolmusicalonstage.com/

  3. Jul 22

    How to Survive Between Acting Jobs (Without Losing Your Craft) | Ellie De Rohan, Mona | TBOSB S7 E2

    Actor and entrepreneur Ellie De Rohan trained at RADA, performed in Kenneth Branagh's King Lear in the West End and on Broadway, and appeared in Death on the Nile, Anatomy of a Scandal and Netflix's Anatomy of a Scandal. She's also the co-founder of Mona, a platform connecting actors to flexible, well-paid work that fits around auditions and performance careers. In this episode of The Business of Show Business, host Jamie Body sits down with Ellie to talk honestly about the reality of an acting career: the dizzying highs of a West End transfer, the nine-month gaps with no work, and how to build a survival job that actually respects your skill set. If you're an actor, dancer, performer or drama school graduate trying to work out how to pay rent without losing your craft, this one's for you. WHAT WE COVER: - Going from RADA graduate to Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, then not working for nine months - Why the "unicorn" straight-out-of-drama-school success story is rarely the full picture - The difference between stage and screen acting and what each demands - How Ellie co-founded Mona and why actors make the best hospitality, promo and events staff - The transferable skills every performer already has (and undervalues) - Managing money, tax and cashflow as a freelance creative - What a healthy, positive relationship with an agent actually looks like - Writing to industry contacts without stepping on your agent's toes - Launching Lisa, Mona's UGC and content creation arm, and navigating brand and advertising legislation - Why you should keep training after drama school, American-style - Taking care of your "muggle self" and your "magic self" Ellie's advice for graduates, plus our Lights Questions Action quickfire round covering her favourite jobs, falling off a stage in New York, and working with Kenneth Branagh. FIND MONA: Website: monacareers.co.uk Instagram: @monacareers ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF SHOW BUSINESS: The Business of Show Business is the podcast unpacking the commercial reality behind creative careers. Hosted by Jamie Body, performer turned industry commentator, journalist and presenter, each episode brings you honest conversations with the people navigating the business side of the arts. Now in Season 7, distributed across 45+ countries. Website: www.jamiebody.com Contact: info@jamiebody.com Subscribe and leave a comment wherever you watch or listen.

  4. Jul 8

    You Are the CEO of Your Own Career | The Business of Show Business S7 E1

    Nobody teaches performers the business side of the industry. You spend years on audition technique, vocal training, dance and craft, then get into the industry and realise no one showed you the other half: how to think of yourself as a business, how to market what you do, and how to make sure the right people know how to find you. In this solo episode kicking off Season 7 of The Business of Show Business, Jamie Body draws on nearly 20 years across theatre, TV, film, arts marketing and industry journalism to unpack the mindset and practical strategies that get you in the room and keep you there.It's not always the most talented person who works. It's the most discoverable, the most consistent, and the one who makes it easiest for the right people to say yes. In this episode: - Why you are the CEO of your own career (and your own marketing manager, PR, finance director and HR) - What your personal brand actually is: what people say about you when you leave the room - How to turn your reach from a 150-seat theatre into a "stage without walls" - The brand audit every performer should do (open an incognito window and Google yourself) - Why you should pick three platforms and "be a triple threat" rather than burning out on six - The "go ugly first" rule and how to beat social media resistance - What to post when you're not working (hint: you're always working) - The brand lens: does it entertain, inspire, start conversation or educate? - The rule of threes for content - Why a goal without a plan is just a wish, and how to work backwards from it - Networking vs canvassing: two ears, one mouth Whether you're a performer, creative, or freelancer trying to build a career that reflects how hard you work, this episode offers a different lens to look through, one that changes how you approach every decision related to your career. Got a topic you want Jamie to explore? Send a DM. Subscribe for new episodes of The Business of Show Business, with conversations featuring performers, casting directors, agents, producers, marketing specialists and PR experts, all answering the same question from different angles: how does this industry actually work, and how can you make it work for you? 🎧 Listen to the full archive wherever you get your podcasts 🌐 thebusinessofshowbusiness.com 📩 info@jamiebody.com 🎧 Listen to the full archive wherever you get your podcasts 🌐 thebusinessofshowbusiness.com 📩 info@jamiebody.com

  5. Jun 10

    The Truth About Being An Actor Nobody Tells You | Alexa Morden/ The 98% Podcast | The Business of Show Business

    What does it actually mean to succeed as an actor? In this episode, journalist and presenter Jamie Body is joined by Alexa Morden — actor, coach, author, and founder of the 98% podcast and CIC — to have the conversation the industry rarely wants you to hear. Alexa breaks down why chasing the traditional idea of "making it" could be holding you back, how to find genuine success and fulfilment at any stage of your acting career, and why being in the 98% of actors who don't earn their main income from acting is nothing to be ashamed of. They also get into the red flags actors need to watch out for — from fake producers and IMDb credit fraud to agencies withholding pay — and why Alexa turned her podcast into a Community Interest Company to keep fighting for actors who have nowhere else to turn. Plus, in Lights, Questions, Action: the role Alexa always wanted, the acting advice she thinks is complete nonsense, and why you absolutely need to be her friend if you're okay with voice notes. 🎙️ Topics covered: Why only 2% of actors earn their main income from acting?Redefining success on your own terms. Internal vs external validation. Control the controllables — a process-focused approach to your career. Industry red flags and the work of the 98% CIC: The myth of blacklisting. Writing Beyond the Spotlight with her father, performance psychologist Dr Steve Ball 📖 Alexa's book Beyond the Spotlight is out now. 🎧 Find the 98% podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. The Business of Show Business is the podcast for performers, creatives, and industry professionals navigating the real world of show business. Hosted by Jamie Body, distributed across 45+ countries. Subscribe for new episodes monthly and leave a comment below — what's your definition of success as a performer?

  6. Jun 5

    Savage House: Director Peter Glanz on Making a Period Drama with Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy

    What does it take to write, direct, produce — and edit — your own feature film? This week on The Business of Show Business, Jamie Body sits down with British-American filmmaker Peter Glanz to talk about his highly anticipated new film Savage House. Set against the chaos of 18th century England — a Pox outbreak, the Jacobite Uprising, and a society obsessed with image and social climbing — Savage House is a darkly funny, madcap satire of greed, class, and power, starring Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy. The film has already landed five-star reviews following its world premiere. In this mini episode, Peter reveals: — How a single image of a nobleman at a candlelit dinner table sparked the entire script — Why 1715 felt like a "black mirror" for our times — The reality of making a period drama on a tight budget — and storyboarding every single frame to make it work — What it was like directing Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy, and the direction he gave Claire that unlocked her performance — Why he edited the entire film on a MacBook Air at home — His honest advice for emerging filmmakers and directors trying to break through Peter's career spans a short film that premiered at both Cannes and Sundance, commercials for Chanel, YSL, Marc Jacobs and Tommy Hilfiger, a Carly Rae Jepsen music video starring Tom Hanks with over 300 million views, and an adaptation for Paramount Pictures. Savage House is his most ambitious project yet. If you love film, filmmaking, British period drama, or the business behind the screen — this one is for you. Savage House is in cinemas now. The Business of Show Business is hosted by Jamie Body and available on all major podcast platforms.

  7. May 27

    From Rejection to Ride the Cyclone: How Grace Galloway Built a Career on Her Own Terms

    Jamie Body sits down with performer and vocal & performance coach Grace Galloway — fresh from her critically acclaimed run in Ride the Cyclone at the Southwark Playhouse — to talk about everything nobody tells you before you leave drama school. Grace opens up about the real mental and emotional demands of a performing career, how she landed Educating Rita at Dundee Rep with a cold email (not an audition), what happened when she chose a holiday in Greece over a producer final, and why she believes the hard part of this industry isn't the job — it's withstanding everything around it. They also dig into vocal health, building a rep that actually works for you, the Ride the Cyclone fandom, and how operating as a vocal coach has made Grace a better performer. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: Why Grace nearly didn't submit a self-tape for Ride the CycloneHow a cold email to an old drama school contact led to her being cast in Educating RitaThe mental health challenges performers don't talk about enough - Vocal health tips that actually work (and why lozenges don't do what you think)How many songs you really need in your rep — and how to use themThe worst career advice Grace ever receivedWhat Grace wishes she'd known leaving drama school 🎟️ Ride the Cyclone returns to the Southwark Playhouse, go and see it. 📲 Follow Grace: Instagram & TikTok: @gracegallowayxx Coaching: @gallowayvocals | gallowayvocals.com 📲 Follow Jamie: Instagram: @bodyjamie Website: jamiebody.com 🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts — and if you enjoy the show, leave a review. It genuinely helps.

  8. May 13

    What It REALLY Takes To Be A Musical Theatre Swing | MT Swing Life on The Business of Show Business

    This week Jamie is joined by Amy West and Matthew Ives — co-creators of MT Swing Life — for The Business of Show Business' first ever trio interview. Amy and Matthew have between them swung, dance captained, and choreographed on shows including Hunger Games, Back to the Future, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Addams Family, Little Big Things and more. They break down exactly what it takes to be a musical theatre swing — from the soft skills (calm under pressure, grace under fire) to the practical tools (cheat sheets, swing Bibles, colour-coded maps, Stage Right software). They also get into the dance captain role, why it's one of the most undervalued and underpaid in the industry, the ADHD superpower in the swing world, and how to position yourself if you want the swing life to find you. Whether you're a performer thinking about swing work, already in a show, or just want to understand what keeps West End productions running night after night — this one's essential viewing. 🔗 Find MT Swing Life: https://www.instagram.com/mtswinglife/ 🌐 Jamie Body: jamiebody.com 📸 Instagram: @bodyjamie The Business of Show Business is the podcast and video series pulling back the curtain on the entertainment industry — the careers, the craft, and the business behind the show. Subscribe for new episodes every other week.

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About

A podcast to help unpack the skills, stories, and side hustles behind the entertainment and creative industries. So if you're ready to thrive, not just survive, in the showbiz and arts & culture sectors, you're in the right place. A series of solo shows and interviews to help creatives with the business of show business. Learn how to market yourself as a creative and how to boss your social media and online presence. Great for actors, dancers, singers, producers, writers and those in the creative industries.

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