The Broadway Husbands Podcast Broadway Podcast Network

What a fun interview with an amazing couple!
In case you aren’t familiar with Jordyn and Ziggy Pollack and their Instagram following, allow us to introduce them and their incredible story. 
Ziggy is a Burlesque performer, makeup artist, costumer, and all around creative genius. Her husband Jordyn as a very successful entrepreneur (and owner of Ziggy’s Naturals) who has a passion for fitness, the outdoors, and cooking. They recently celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary, and their love story has been anything but traditional! Jordan transitioned into a man once they were already engaged. The way these two unique souls have loved and supported and allowed one another to grow into the truest version of themselves- it’s nothing short of inspirational!
We cover all sorts of topics in today’s episode- from Wedding Traditions (When gender roles aren’t clearly defined, who breaks the glass? In what order are you supposed to dance with your parents? Can a dog walk someone down the aisle?) to the recent ban on transgender children from competing in sports (Is it really necessary to tell a child they must compete with the gender that is on their birth certificate?) No topic is off limits. And no answer reached without compassion and an open mind. One of the many things we love about this couple.
This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener:
My brother and I haven’t talked in over a year. We have a lot of history and I want to set some boundaries. I want him in my life, but I’m afraid to reach out because of how he might react. What is the best way to reach out to him and maintain healthy boundaries?
Want to learn more about this couple and their products? Follow them! And use the code Broadway20 to get 20% off your order with Ziggy’s Naturals!

@stylelust

@jojopollack

@ziggysnaturals

And if you’d like to learn more about the Broadway Husbands’ journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands.
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Follow us

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http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just when we thought life didn’t have another surprise in store for us this year… CRASH! That’s right. A literal car crash. On our way to our niece’s graduation, no less, our dear Blue Bell suffered an accident. There we were, all dressed up with graduation banners and presents in tow, dealing with yet another unexpected chapter to 2021. We were incredibly fortunate that no one was hurt. And aside from the disappointment of missing the graduation ceremony, we were able to move past the sadness of the event to do that thing that many people have to do- but no one likes to talk about… Buy a new car! Living in New York, we both skipped this rite of passage for many, many years. And we know that many artists and creatives living in big cities are the same. There are so many unspoken rules about negotiating, payment plans, extras, what time of the month is the best to buy. And unless someone in the know shares this wisdom, the whole process can feel a little overwhelming. So we reached out to our Instagram community for advice and it paid off! In this episode, we walk you through the whole process. (For us, it took a total of six hours to purchase our new car, but everyone’s experience is a little different.) Many parts of the negotiations were more complicated than we imagined. But we had each other. And now we want to help anyone listening so that you can learn from our experience. How about you? Have you learned something from the experience of buying a new car?Did you walk away feeling like you got a great deal- or like you could have done a little better with more information? And- even more importantly- where are you excited about driving this year? We can’t wait to hear all about it. Send us a message! And if you’d like to learn more about our journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands.
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Follow us

http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands

http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our journey to become dads has been fraught with challenges and obstacles- many of which have been too painful to speak openly about until this week. But we have always done our best to present ourselves as we are, dear listeners, and we know that sharing our journey will help others along the way. So here goes. Our most recent embryo transfer in February did not take. Naturally, we were filled with grief and disappointment, as was our surrogate. And grief has a funny way of popping up at different times. Sometimes immediate, sometimes appearing out of nowhere at the most inconvenient of times. Bret tends to process things out loud; Stephen... not so much. As we both process this in our own time we are more grateful than ever to have each other. We’re in this marriage and family for the long haul. And while we have absolutely no control over the timing of these things, our desire to become dads has only increased as a result. We felt like we were collectively holding our breath for weeks just to hold it together. To function at work. To move to our new home. To keep inspiring others around us. And then once we let reality sink in, it helps us to move toward the future. And the future is very exciting! We’re so happy to share with you all that we’ll be performing another transfer SOON. We hope and pray that it’s the final transfer and that we can start the family we’ve been waiting for. — This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: I’ve been seeing a guy for three months now, and it has been going well. He’s divorced with kids, and I know that they are his priority. But then I don’t hear from him for days and then I start to feel like I’m not on top of his list. I’m afraid to bring it up without coming off as needy. We’ve really surprised ourselves with this choice to stay in Texas when our lives have been so New York-centric for many years. We’re proud of this bold choice because it feels true and right for us right now. In what ways have you surprised yourselves recently? We’d love to hear about them and send you a virtual hug. We’re here to uplift one another through the good times and the bad. And if you’d like to learn more about our journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands. Follow us so we can connect!
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Follow us

http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands

http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and here at the Broadway Husbands Podcast, we want to share our own mental health journeys with you- to do our small part to stop the stigma once and for all!
In this episode, we shed light on our struggles with addition, depression, and attention deficit disorder. Since sobriety is a bond we both share- and the thing that allowed us to meet in the first place- we’ve always felt comfort in being honest and transparent with one another about our emotions. And since mental health issues shift over our lifetimes, when you are married, you often have a glimpse into your partner’s childhood and adolescence and see things they hide from the rest of the world. We have become each other’s biggest cheerleaders in our quest for mental well-being. Developing a safe space for big feelings at home has been key for us.
In addition to therapy (which we HIGHLY recommend!) we also reconnect with our bodies by taking deep breaths, reading, and doing one small thing every day- like making your bed- to look back on as an accomplishment. And there are so many resources to help if you’re ever in need. We love the Actors Fund (theactorsfund.org) and all the ways they help performers in all walks of life.
We’ve been watching The Me You Can’t See on Apple+ and have been loving it! Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry discuss mental health issues as a whole, and share their personal journeys with wellness. What tv shows, movies, books, and podcasts are your favorite? We’d love to hear from you!
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Follow us

http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands

http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is an absolute gift. We are still buzzing from our inspirational and healing talk with Shelby Elsbree and Jessica Cohen. If you’re ready to be seen, to address systemic problems in the performing arts industry, and to give your inner artist the biggest hug ever, please tune in. You’ll be so glad you did.
Shelby and Jessica are bright lights in our industry- and in the world! They both enjoyed incredible ballet and performance careers, dancing all over the world as well as on Broadway and National Tours. And in those years immersed in show business, they did two remarkable things: They noticed systemic problems, and followed their hearts to create change and heal our community.
Together they founded Artists Becoming, whose mission is to elevate the standards of well-being across the performing arts industry. They bring the gifts of yoga and meditation to artists of all kinds. Think of them as a full-service emotional support supplement in an often toxic environment. What started as a way to help individuals has now evolved to help institutions as a whole. And you don’t have to speak with Shelby and Jessica more than 30 seconds to know that these giant issues and difficult conversations are in the very best of hands. They care so much about artists and this broken industry we’ve all navigated for a variety of reasons, whether they be low self-worth or a scarcity mindset.
Our conversation with Shelby and Jessica covers a lot of ground, from the current state of our industry to dreams that no longer suit us and how to heal from that- we learned so much today. And what a gift that their words are recorded as a reminder to play again and again. We plan to sign up for one of their courses. How about you? Check out Artistsbecoming.com to learn more. And follow them on Instagram @artistsbecoming
This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener:
What advice do you have for someone trying to transition out of dance?
Shelby made the decision to leave the ballet world on her own terms- not because the industry or an injury told her to retire. How about you? Have you ever walked away from an opportunity or dream knowing you still have something to give? Artists navigate so many complex chapters in their careers. Hundreds of tiny and enormous decisions. And they can feel very isolating, but they don’t have to be. We’re here and would absolutely love to hear your stories!
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Follow us

http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands

http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelli Erdmann and Freeman Butler quite simply bring joy, light, and creativity to the world. And we were overjoyed to be able to interview them on this week’s podcast! You may know Kelli and Freeman from their amazing TikTok and Instagram videos (tiktok: happykelli and instagram @kelladactyl) featuring Kelly’s amazing dance moves and Freeman’s expert art directing and editing. They are just as lovely as you would imagine and this interview still has us smiling!
We loved learning about Kelli and Freeman’s love story. They lived across the country and met on a dating app. Then nearly a year later, they met in New York when Kelli was in Wicked on Broadway. After that fateful day in Times Square, they just knew that even the greatest distance couldn’t keep them apart. They were married six months later. And today, they continue to be are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and supporters.
Like so many of us, Kelli and Freeman found themselves looking for a creative outlet during the pandemic and decided to give this TikTok thing (and some new video editing software) a try. They were an overnight sensation! And now anyone who is anyone wants to the chance to dance with Happykelli! Their videos make us smile every time we see them. And their creativity knows no bounds.
This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener:
After a year of being in quarantine together, working from home, pivoting all of the time, I find myself shutting down with my partner. It’s like I think he should be able to read my mind now after all of this time and if he doesn’t do things exactly how I want I lose my patience. How do I keep myself expressing my emotions to my partner without shutting down? 
TikTok as become Kelli and Freeman’s full-time job- and no one is more surprised about that then they are! What surprises has this pandemic brought in your lives? We’d love to hear about them. Send us a message!
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Follow us

http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands

http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands

http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands 

Bret

http://bretshuford.com

http://instagram.com/bretshuford

http://twitter.com/bretshuford

http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford

http://facebook.com/bretshuford


Stephen

http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna

http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna


We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices