The Up Here Down Low (Companion Podcast‪)‬ Straw Hut Media

It’s the last episode! Can you believe it? There have been so many amazing guests on the show over the last 8 weeks. True icons from the theatre world and beyond.

On this episode, in honor of the season finale, Maddy and Julian are back with several of those icons to talk about episode 8, the collaborative process of putting this show together, and what the future holds for Lindsey and Miguel.

You'll hear from Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes, Executive Producer and Director Tommy Kail, Showrunner Stephen Levensen, choreographer Sonya Tayeh, actors Andrea Burns and Scott Porter, and of course, songwriters and creators Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

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Today, Maddy and Julian talk with the amazing John Hodgman who plays Lindsay’s father Tom. He’s maybe more well known as a writer. He’s been a regular contributor to the New York Times Magazine, the Daily Show, and This American Life, and he’s been producing his own podcast since 2010, Judge John Hodgman.

He was also the PC in those Apple commercials where Justin Long is the Mac. You remember those? How could I forget? That’s him! Weird.

They talk about what it’s like acting rather than writing, the zhuzh he came up with later for his line about the serial killer scale from episode 2, and how his own parental advice may or may not have left a lasting impression on his son.

After that, they talk with songwriters and creators Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez about the songs in episode 7.

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In this episode, Maddy and Julian sit down with Andrea Burns who plays Miguel’s mother and Norm Lewis who plays the wizard Ciprian.

They talk about Andrea’s longtime friendship with actress Katie Finneran who plays Lindsey’s mom, some of her favorite moments on set, and an emotional scene from this episode that ended up getting cut.

Then they talk with Norm Lewis about what it’s like playing a video game wizard, how he keeps his beautiful voice healthy and full, and whether or not he’s ever partaken in mushrooms.

And as always, they talk about the songs in episode 6 with songwriters and creators Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

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On today’s episode, Maddy and Julian speak with the amazing Tommy Kail, the award-winning director and executive producer, and all around mensch.

They talk about his role in the creation of the show, how the music was intricately woven in with the storytelling, and what’s so special about creating a musical television series.

They also talk with John Reynolds, who plays Derek, Lindsay’s super cool trust fund baby non-boyfriend about negging Mae and his future as a broadway singer.

Plus, they chat with actors Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes, choreographer Sonya Tayeh, and songwriters and creators Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez in our song segment.


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On today’s episode, Maddy and Julian speak with none other than the amazing Brian Stokes Mitchell who plays the children’s book author with a dark side, Mr. McGooch.They talk about performing in an underwater circus with his song “So Many Ways,” the darker hidden messages in many children's books, and some of the big differences between acting on screen versus in the theater.Plus, they have a very special song segment today with choreographer Sonya Tayeh as well as songwriters and creators Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

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On this episode, Julian and Maddy speak with Steven Levenson, writer, showrunner, and executive producer on Up Here. You probably know him from Tick Tick Boom, Fosse/Verdon, Masters of Sex, or Dear Evan Hansen, which he won a Tony for.

They talk with him about watching the original stage production of Up Here back in 2015, how his own struggles with writer’s block compare with Lindsay’s in episode 3, and how a bicoastal writers room created a wacky world of comedy, romance, song, and dance.

They also check in with Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes who play Lindsay and Miguel to talk about signs, the astrological kind. And of course, they talk about the music in episode three with Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez in the song segment.


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