The Ensemblist

Broadway Podcast Network
  • 4.9 (445)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Ensemblist celebrates the performances and careers of ensemble performers, recognizing the unique contributions they bring to the theatrical landscape. Thanks for eight great years of sharing the stories of Broadway’s unsung heroes!

  1. Listen Now - The Magical Making of Disney's Aladdin on Broadway

    09/20/2024 · BONUS

    Listen Now - The Magical Making of Disney's Aladdin on Broadway

    Few musicals have captured the hearts of audiences quite like Disney's ALADDIN. But did you know the beloved stage adaptation of the classic animation almost never came to be? This podcast pulls back the curtain on the untold story of ALADDIN's journey from conception to Broadway triumph. Join 11-time Emmy Award winning entertainment journalist for NY1 and NY1OnStage host Frank DiLella on an in-depth exploration that begins with the initial spark of a stage adaptation. We'll delve into the challenges faced during out-of-town tryouts, the unwavering determination to overcome them, and the celebration of reaching over a decade on Broadway – a remarkable feat in the world of musical theatre. This captivating series features exclusive conversations with the original cast and creative team behind ALADDIN including Alan Menken, Casey Nicholaw, James Monroe Iglehart, Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, Sonya Balsara, Adi Roy and more as they recount their experiences with the show. Whether you're a lifelong Disney fan, a theatre enthusiast, or simply captivated by the magic of storytelling, this series is a must-listen. Unveil the untold story of ALADDIN and discover the passion, resilience, and drive that created a Broadway sensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    11 min
  2. Introducing Singular Sensation: The Podcast

    06/13/2024 · BONUS

    Introducing Singular Sensation: The Podcast

    Join us for an extraordinary deep dive inside the most transformative decade on Broadway through gripping behind-the-scenes accounts of shows such as Sunset Boulevard, Rent, Angels in America, Chicago, The Lion King, and The Producers - shows that changed the history of the American theater. Host Michael Riedel, author of the best-selling book Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway, has created a companion podcast featuring his never-before-heard, taped audio interviews with legendary artists from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Patti LuPone, and so many more. Michael presents the drama behind the decade’s mega-hits and shocking flops, bringing readers into high-stakes premieres, fraught rehearsals, tough contract negotiations, intense Tony Award battles, and more. From the bitter feuds to the surprising collaborations, all the intrigue of a revolutionary era in the Theater District is packed into Singular Sensation. Broadway has triumphs and disasters, but the show always goes on. Enjoy Singular Sensation: The Podcast everywhere you get your podcasts or use http://bpn.fm/singularsensation to listen and learn more, and be sure to get the book here: https://amzn.to/4cNdfO3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    11 min
  3. My First Time (Hamilton - feat. Carleigh Bettiol)

    10/10/2023

    My First Time (Hamilton - feat. Carleigh Bettiol)

    Making one’s Broadway debut is a momentous occasion for every actor lucky enough to do so. Sometimes it happens years into a long run on a seemingly ordinary Tuesday, and other times, it happens on opening night of a highly anticipated Broadway juggernaut. On this episode of My First Time, we invited Carleigh Bettiol into our virtual studio to chat about making her Broadway debut in the original cast of Hamilton in 2015. We discussed how Hamilton came into her life, her incredible memories of working on the show, and how the experience shaped her as an artist. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min

  4. 10/06/2023

    My First Time (Hairspray - feat. Shoshana Bean)

    No bones about it, Shoshana Bean is a force. She’s a Recording artist, having released four studio albums. She’s mastered the art of YouTube, creating and participating in striking collaborations that feature her powerful voice. A Broadway girl by heart, she’s received acclaim for her portrayal of Jenna in the Sara Bareilles musical Waitress. But before Waitress, before Beaches, before Wicked, Sho made her Broadway debut in a little show called Hairspray.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 min
  5. Introducing Dracula the Podcastula

    10/05/2023

    Introducing Dracula the Podcastula

    What do you get when you cross Dracula with a podcast? Bite-sized episodes that will have you howling with laughter! Welcome to the official companion podcast for off-Broadway’s Dracula A Comedy of Terrors, now playing at New World Stages. Hosted by blood curdling Broadway veteran Andrew Keenan-Bolger, this podcast takes you inside the show’s (teeny tiny backstage) world with interviews and games featuring the cast and creatives that helped bring this hilarious comedy to life. So grab a wooden stake, a satchel of garlick, pull out your bloody mary recipe, and settle in under your favorite cape for a podcast guaranteed not to drive you batty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1 min

  6. 10/03/2023

    My First Time (Aladdin - feat. Marisha Wallace)

    Usually, our “My First Time” episodes feature Broadway stars looking back at the very first time they stepped on a Broadway stage. But on this episode we are going to hear about a series of firsts from one of the biggest hearts on Broadway, Marisha Wallace.  Since making her national tour debut in 2012 with The Book of Mormon, her career has been filled with firsts in quick succession: her Broadway debut in Aladdin in 2014, to her 2017 West End debut in Dreamgirls. She joined me in the studio during a brief stop in New York, before returning to London to play Motormouth Maybelle in the new West End revival of Hairspray. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min

  7. 09/29/2023

    My First Time (Wicked - feat. Desi Oakley)

    Nobody has climbed the Broadway ladder with as comprehensively as Desi Oakley. Fresh off a run as Jenna in the national tour of Waitress, when we spoke she was starring in Chicago on Broadway as the iconic role of Roxie Hart. But that stardom comes on the heels of experience, after standing by for the role of Eva Peron on the national tour of Evita, as well as swinging two Broadway musicals: Annie and Wicked, her Broadway debut. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    16 min

  8. 09/22/2023

    My First Time (The Color Purple - feat. Todrick Hall)

    Todrick Hall is a trailblazer in the world of video. His work has always sought to entertain and engage, uniting his love of music, theatre and Disney with unparalleled production quality. Blasting open the possibilities of online video, he’s also created studio albums, live touring productions and award-winning music videos. But Todrick’s first love was Broadway, as is obvious from the number of times he’s trod the broads on the mainstem. Last week, he finished a run as Ogie in Waitress the musical on Broadway. But he’s also played Lola in Kinky Boots, Billy Flynn in Chicago - both here and in London. And in 2007, he made his Broadway debut in the original production of The Color Purple as a replacement in the show’s ensemble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 min
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4.9
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The Ensemblist celebrates the performances and careers of ensemble performers, recognizing the unique contributions they bring to the theatrical landscape. Thanks for eight great years of sharing the stories of Broadway’s unsung heroes!

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