
280 episodes

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales Broadway Musicals & Plays
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- Arts
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4.6 • 113 Ratings
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Intimate, personal conversations with the biggest talents from professional theatre, tv, film, and more. Hear their secrets, what makes them laugh, stresses them out, and how they manage the anxiety of success. We feature both stars and creatives such as producers, stage managers, directors, press and marketing agents, or even the people who own the theaters or productions themselves.
This is a podcast for artists, made by artists. With over 2 decades of experience in film and theatre both as cast and creative, host Alan Seales speaks with Broadway, TV, film and beyond’s biggest talents to learn more about not only how the world of theatre and performing operate, but also what makes it so real and human. In-depth, personal, behind-the-scenes conversations will highlight special details of the industry that most people may not know exist, will always find out what makes the guests love their craft, what makes them tick, and what truly inspires them.
Part of the Broadway Podcast Network.
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NaTasha Yvette Williams: We All Like It Hot!
Natasha Yvette Williams is currently originating the role of Sweet Sue in the brand new production of “Some Like It Hot” on Broadway. She gets real as she opens up about why she doesn’t consider herself a singer, admitting that she’s still a little insecure about her singing, but despite dealing with imposter syndrome, Natasha remains positive by constantly reminding herself that everything is a challenge, a lesson, and a blessing. She also shares where she used to get validation and why all the validation she needs now comes from her. Being a part of “Some Like It Hot”, she continues her goal to develop a great relationship with each and every other cast member and see how it unfolds on stage. Natasha recalls watching Lily Tomlin in “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” which sparked something in her to join the musical theatre, and why she wants to have the same impact on other people whenever she performs.
Natasha Yvette Williams is an actress who has starred in Broadway shows, including “The Color Purple”, “A Night with Janice Joplin”, “Waitress”, “Chicago”, “Chicken and Biscuits”, and “Porgy and Bess”. Her national credits include “Waitress”, “Xanadu”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, and “All Shook Up”. Natasha has also starred in several tv shows and movies such as “Harlem”, “I Take Thee Zoe”, and “Better Late Than Never” among others. You can also catch her in “Alice”, the Disney Plus’ “Better Late Than Never”, and the Netflix series “Partner Track”. She’s currently on stage originating the role of Sweet Sue in the latest production of “Some Like It Hot”.
Connect with Natasha:
Instagram: @natashayvettewilliams
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
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Jordan Fisher: A Professional eSports Athlete on Broadway
Jordan Fisher is currently starring in the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway. Being drawn to art and performing from a young age, it's no surprise that he ended up in the industry. Apart from performing, the actor shares his love for gaming and what it's like to be a professional eSports athlete, including his day-to-day work in the gaming space. Jordan talks about what's different about this production of Sweeney this time and their take on the piece, which will look, feel and sound familiar but bigger and larger at the same time—the most realistic telling of the story, if you will.
Jordan Fisher is an actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and gamer who has done numerous projects in the TV, movie, theatre, and gaming industry. He can be seen in Netflix’s "Work It" and "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before" sequel, The CW’s "The Flash", and most recently, Netflix’s "Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between" and HBO’s "Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience". Apart from acting, he's an avid gamer and has commentated for the 2019 Fortnite World Cup. Jordan was also the first Black actor to portray the title character of Evan in "Dear Evan Hansen" and Mark in the Emmy-nominated "Rent: Live". He was also named a breakout star by MTV and People Magazine for Fox’s Emmy-winning broadcast "Grease Live!" and won ABC’s 25th season of Dancing with the Stars. He collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda wherein he performed a duet with him for Disney’s "Moana" soundtrack and joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical, "Hamilton". Jordan is part of the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway on March 26, 2023, and you can also catch him streaming on Twitch.
Connect with Jordan:
Instagram: @jordanfisher, @jordanfishergaming
Twitch: @jordanfisher
Twitter: @jordanfisher
YouTube: @@jordanfisher
TikTok: @jordan_fisher
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
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Sierra Boggess - Exploring Relationships
With the recent passing of Lucy Simon, playing the role of Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" is both special and bittersweet for Sierra Boggess and the rest of the cast. Despite people telling her to switch to vocal performance, Sierra stayed as a musical theatre major so she can “graduate a triple threat.” She recalls how she got to do Phantom in Las Vegas which changed the trajectory of her career. She considers leaning into acting as the most important aspect no matter what you're doing and always considers her character's need at the moment to help her with how she's going to sing or dance. Being a part of "The Secret Garden" now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, Sierra talks about the different messages of the show, her relationship with Lucy and how they’re honoring her, and the contrast between working with adults and kids. She also gets real about her beliefs, her relationship with fans, knowing what your truth is and why you shouldn't let anyone take your love of performing away.
Sierra Boggess is an Olivier-nominated actress who made her Broadway debut in 2007, originating the role of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" wherein she received Drama Desk and Drama League nominations. She's also best known for her re-inventing the coveted role of Christine Daae in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "The Phantom of the Opera". In fact, Lord Webber himself went on record to say that she’s the best Christine. Her other stage credits include "It Shoulda Been You", "School of Rock", "Master Class", "Love, Loss, and What I Wore", and "Music in the Air". She also starred in London West End's "Les Miserables", and "Love Never Dies". Currently, Sierra is playing Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre.
Connect with Sierra:
Website: www.sierraboggess.com
Instagram: @officialsierraboggess
Get tickets to The Secret Garden: http://ahmansontheatre.org
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
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Marla Mindelle: Writing a Love Letter to Celine Dion
Marla Mindelle is currently making people laugh playing an over the top Celine Dion in the off-Broadway production of "Titanique". At an early age, she already knew that a career in musical theatre was all she ever wanted to do, thanks to her father (who was a musical theatre composer) and all the obscure musical theatre records she consumed. She chronicles her life from booking her first show and her experience as an actress to moving to Los Angeles to become a television and film writer. For Marla, writing as a career is harder than acting, proven by her humble beginnings in L.A. where she also worked at a "ratchet" dinner theatre venue doing movie and musical parodies. Ironically, this is also where the idea for "Titanique" was born. She shares the musical's (long) journey to success, including getting Celine Dion's team's blessing and keeping the script fresh and up-to-date, and how timing and the team's goal of making each other and the audience genuinely cackle are a huge part of its success.
Marla Mindelle is an actress, writer, and composer who made her Broadway debut in "South Pacific" and originated the role of Sister Mary Robert in "Sister Act" as well as the role of the evil stepsister Gabrielle in the 2013 revival of "Cinderella". She also played Kitty in the first national tour of “The Drowsy Chaperone” and the evil boss Olivia in the Emmy-nominated series "Special" on Netflix. Her other tv and film credits include “The Nomads”, “Life in Pieces”, and “The Devil’s B*tch”. As a writer and composer, she has had multiple writing projects sold and is in the works. Currently, she can be seen on stage playing Celine Dion in "Titanique" at the Daryl Roth Theatre, a musical she also co-wrote.
Connect with Marla:
Website: www.marlamindelle.com
Instagram: @marlamindelle, @titaniquemusical
Get tickets to Titanique
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
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Robert Horn: Learning to Laugh at Ourselves
Robert Horn's life story is an incredible testament that you can use humor as a way of survival—well, that and a little bit of luck. From getting separated from his twin and sneaking out of an orphanage when he was a little over 13 to renting an apartment in New York that was possibly run by the mob and eventually moving to LA to pursue a career in writing, his life is anything but boring. Robert talks about how he got his first gig and how it was kismet, what a showrunner really does and why it's great training for theatre, and his myopic approach when it comes to writing jokes. He looks back on his life in New York City during the 70’s, which included working all sorts of jobs, including writing monologues for actors and working as a phone sex operator.
Robert has two productions currently on stage - the first is Disney’s “Hercules”, currently open at the Papermill Playhouse, the other is “Shucked”, which begins previews on March 8th. With his long list of works and achievements, Robert reminds us that we should never stop learning how to laugh at ourselves and follow our instincts.
Robert Horn is a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and New York Drama Critics' Circle award-winning book writer. His career started in film and television where he worked as a writer on the CBS series "Designing Women" and as a writer and producer on the Fox series "Living Single". Following that, he created and Executive Produced the CBS series "High Society". He was also signed to an overall production deal with Warner Brothers Studios, where he developed, wrote, and executive-produced numerous network pilots and series. He also signed a script deal at Sony Studios and an overall pilot deal at ABC studios. Together with Bob Boyett, he created and wrote the FX series “Partners”. Robert's Broadway credits include "Dame Edna", "13 The Musical", "Back With A Vengeance", and "Tootsie" among others.
Connect with Robert:
Instagram: @rhorn1
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
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Jelani Remy: Putting in the Work Like Beyoncé Does
"Everybody wants to be Beyoncé, but does everybody wanna put in the work?" is just one of Jelani's many foods for thought in this episode. He shares where his love for theatre started, being a jack-of-all-trades type of person growing up, making it into Broadway and what it's like meeting a new generation of artists today that aspire to have the same profession. Jelani recalls his "The Lion King" journey, from the first time he saw the show to having a full circle moment of playing the role of Simba for years. This experience was eye-opening for him... becoming an inspiration and making connections with people. He was a standby when he first got the job for "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" and enjoyed being a swing because while it can be a lot of pressure sometimes, it also helps him explore and test his abilities. Jelani also shares his experience with accidents on stage and why the show must go on, Broadway as a sport, and that “no” doesn’t no, it just means not right now, so if you’re an aspiring actor, make sure to stay ready and always be prepared.
Jelani Remy is an actor best known for his role as Simba in the Broadway, National Tour, and Vegas company of Disney's "The Lion King". He was also part of Disney's "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2", "Parade", "Cabaret", Broadway's "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" where he played the role of Eddie Kendricks, “The Apple Boys”, and the Off-Broadway production of "Smokey Joe's Cafe" among others. Jelani will be the guest in the upcoming Broadway Lecture Series at StageWorks at Studio 237 on March 11, 2023.
Connect with Jelani:
Instagram: @itsjelaniremy
Check out the Broadway Lecture Series: broadwaylectureseries.com
Connect with The Theatre Podcast:
Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast
Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast
TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast
Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast
TheTheatrePodcast.com
Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales
Email me at feedback@thetheatrepodcast.com. I want to know what you think.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customer Reviews
True Gem
I tripped over this on social media during Alan’s Hadestown takeover, and I am hooked! I started with Reeve Carney, and look forward to listening to all of them. Alan has the emotional intelligence to bring out the best in each guest, skillfully moving them through their storytelling and never stepping on them. Great stories emerge!
Great Guests, Terrible Interviewer
The podcast has a great premise with a great guest list, but unfortunately, the interviewer / host is not up to par. When the interviewer speaks more than the person being interviewed, there’s an issue. (It makes listening very unenjoyable.)
Take the Patti LuPone episode, for example. If you are lucky enough to have a theatrical legend on your show, you need to let her speak instead of saying what you would “imagine” her answer to be after every question. It was overall a TOUGH listen, especially when the interviewer (who was obviously out of touch with his interviewee) asked about the “‘Evita’ revival” that started the feud between Patti and Glenn Close. Really?! If your facts are that off, it might be time to make some changes in the planning process.
Engaging and authentic!
The Theatre Podcast is my go-to for backstage conversations with Broadway’s best. Alan truly holds space for each guest in the most engaging and delightful way. It’s organic, funny and raw. Love this show.