The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Starring opposite each other in the national tour of The Prom, Kaden Kearney and Kalyn West talk about what it’s like to be part of the award-winning musical. With Kalyn being a part of the Broadway cast and Kaden being relatively newer to the scene, the two talk about their experience going on a national tour during a pandemic and the challenges they faced, including rehearsing (and dancing hard!) with their masks on. Kalyn shares her story of how her love for theatre started and moving to New York to pursue her dreams. Kaden recalls their experience watching The Prom on Broadway and begging their manager to get her an audition for the movie when it came out. While not a trained dancer it didn’t stop Kaden from doing musicals and auditioning for The Prom. Kalyn and Kaden also talk about what it was like to develop a rapport and how it was easy for them to work with each other. The two reflect on their experiences with the audiences, and what it feels like to be part of a show that tackles important issues and teaches you empathy.Kalyn has been in many productions, from regional to Broadway. She was on the first national tour of Mean Girls, and some of her credits include Moby Dick and The Prom. Her TV and film credits include Imitation Girl, Blue Bloods, and The Times. Kaden, has recently attended the University of California, Irvine and received their Master's of Fine Arts. They have done a number of shows and some of their credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, One Man Two Guvnors, Agent 355, and the TV series, Prodigal Son.In this episode, we talk about: Kalyn auditioning for The Prom in 2018 and understudying Alyssa Doing self-tape for auditions The rehearsal process during a pandemic and why Kalyn missed it Kaden accidentally going onstage with their mask on Connect with Kaden and Kalyn: Website: www.kalynwest.com Twitter: @kadenokearney Instagram: @kadenokearney & @misskurlykay Find tickets to The Prom 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

Rachel Dratch recently had her Broadway debut in POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, a play by Selina Fillinger. With three decades of experience in the business, Rachel recalls her SNL days where she worked for seven years and compares the pressure that came along with it and how it differs from doing Broadway. She speaks candidly about her love for comedy, particularly improv and sketch, and whether she'll ever try drama on stage or in movies. Rachel also shares why she prefers sticking to the script and rarely improvises on a film, why she decided to leave SNL, and why you should have fun when you're in a "dip".Rachel Dratch is an actress, comedian, and writer, whose latest stage credits include POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, her Broadway debut. She was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for seven years, where she had memorable characters like Debbie Downer, Boston teen Denise, and the "Lovers" professors with Will Ferrell. She was an alumna of the Second City Theater in Chicago, where she performed in four revues on the main stage, two of which she received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Revue. Some of her live comedy credits include ASSSCAT 3000 at the UCB Theater in New York, "Dratch and Fey". Her TV credits include "Frasier," "Ugly Betty," "30 Rock," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and "Shameless," and some of her film credits include "Wine Country," "Click," and "Just Go with It."In this episode, we talk about: Having a minor in Psychology and wanting to be a therapist Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Unexpectedly getting pregnant at 44 Living in Chicago for nine years and getting into The Second City Her memoir, Girl Walks into a Bar . . .: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle Connect with Rachel: Twitter: @TheRealDratch Instagram: @raedratch 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

With two of his plays, Tambo & Bones and Exception to the Rule, being produced simultaneously, Dave Harris shares his chaotic but exciting schedule as he goes back and forth to LA and New York to help and make sure everything is in order on their openings. He talks about his relationship with writing and how switching from a public school to a private one influenced his writing as well as his love for theatre. He reflects on what makes theatre frustrating at times, why he chooses to write from an individual perspective, and how he uses playwriting to address his personal fears. Dave also shares why he’s happiest when he’s doing multiple projects, and why his friends’ imaginations motivate him the most.Dave Harris is a poet, performer, and playwright whose recent works include Tambo & Bones produced at Playwrights Horizons and Center Theatre Group, and Exception to the Rule which will premiere this year at Roundabout Underground. He has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Ollie Award, The Lorraine Hansberry Award, Mark Twain Award from The Kennedy Center, the 2018 Venturous Fellowship from The Lark, and a Cave Canem poetry fellowship. Other works include Summertime, his adapted film that premiered at Sundance in 2020. His first full-length poetry collection, Patricide was also recently published from Button Poetry. His work has also been seen at Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Roundabout Underground, Manhattan Theater Club, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman, Victory Gardens, The Kennedy Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and many more.In this episode, we talk about: His fear of birds and how he got it Getting into the Tow Foundation Playwright Residency Program Joining the Callaloo poetry workshop Reading Stephen King at a young age Playing Elden Ring for a week straight Connect with David: Instagram: @staydancingdave Twitter: @StayDancingDave Web: staydancingdave.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

2022 Tony Nominee(!!) David Morse is reprising his role for Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play How I Learned to Drive, making it's Broadway debut! David recalls his journey from loving theatre in high school to joining the Boston Repertory Company and eventually moving to New York to join the Circle Repertory Company. He also shares what made him change his mind from vowing to never do TV early in his career to becoming an established actor with a long list of TV and film credits. He opens up about how acting and playing different characters helped him get through tough times when he was younger, giving up theatre when he was struggling financially, finding the silver linings and being grateful for the way things turned out despite any shortcomings. David has become an established actor with an incredible TV, film, stage, and acting career, boasting a long list of credits like “The Green Mile” and the Off-Broadway production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “How I Learned to Drive” where he won numerous awards, including an Obie Award and a Drama League Award. He appeared in over 30 productions with the Boston Repertory Company and further his stage career with the Circle Repertory Company in New York before giving TV and film a chance. Some of his other notable credits include movies like “St. Elsewhere”, “12 Monkeys”, “Contact”, “The Hurt Locker”, “Proof of Life”, “Double Vision”, and a number of TV series like “Hack”, “The Chair”, and “House”.In this episode, we talk about:In this episode, we talk about: Auditioning for the Boston Repertory Company Joining Neighborhood Playhouse to study for two years Facing bankruptcy Waking up Richard Donner in his hotel room to get a script from him Doing a one-person play Getting offered a film from Sean Penn 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

A.J. shares how he had to learn Irish step dance for the new Broadway musical, Paradise Square where plays the role of Owen Duignan. He also talks about his acting career which started at a young age, from landing his first professional job for the national tour of the Sound of Music and living in New York to pursue his dreams, to moving back to Ohio after the 9/11 attacks. He also shares a fun anecdote about his years in Professional Children's School, where a girl from his math class turned out to be Scarlett Johannson. A.J. opens up about how there’s still so much to learn about America’s history despite being a history nerd himself, why Broadway feels intimate to him, and why he thinks storytelling is important to help us remember and find empathy.A.J. stars as Owen Duignan in the new musical Paradise Square which opened recently on Broadway at the Barrymore Theater. He has also been seen on Broadway in Bright Star; The Sound of Music; National Tour: Bright Star; La Cage aux Folles, and more. Some of his other Off-Broadway/stage credits include February House (The Public); Brigadoon (Irish Rep); The Suitcase Under the Bed (Mint); Unlock’d (Prospect); A Contemporary American’s Guide to a Successful Marriage (Cherry Lane); Things To Ruin (Second Stage). He was also recently seen in television shows, including CBS's “Bull” as Jerry McConnell and HBO Max's “Julia” as Chef André Soltner. A.J.’s Film and TV credits also include “Hunters”, “The Blacklist”, “Madam Secretary”, “Younger”, and “Homeland”.In this episode, we talk about: Being on tour with The Sound of Music when he was 12 years old Attending the Professional Children’s School Living in New York when 9/11 happened Getting the role of Jean-Michel for La Cage aux Folles right after he graduated Watching Douglas Hodge's Tony-winning performance every night for a year Connect with A.J.: Instagram: @aj_shively Web: ajshively.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

Alyssa May Gold recently made her Broadway debut alongside Mary-Louise Parker and David Morse in the long-anticipated Broadway premiere of How I Learned To Drive. She was previously seen in WP Theater/Second Stage’s acclaimed world premiere of Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, and other New York credits include Arcadia (Broadway), Juliet + Romeo, Julius Caesar, The Maid’s Tragedy (Pocket Universe), Middle of the Night, Lemon Sky (Keen Company), and Brilliant Traces (Art of Warr). Alyssa’s Film and TV credits include “Rebel in the Rye,” “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” “Taking Woodstock,”and “Law &Order: SVU.” She is also the founder of Pocket Universe, a theater/film production company dedicated to reconsidering and re-imagining classic stories and conventions. Upon being asked how she first became involved in theater, Alyssa recalls seeing the Annie movie when she was four years old, and says she hasn’t stopped since. She talks about the inspiration and creation of her production company, Pocket Universe, revealing the meaning behind its title and how it relates to string theory. Alyssa also opens up about the great responsibility she feels to the audience as part of How I Learned To Drive, saying the play “is putting a handout to the people who need to be pulled up through hell back to Earth” – “…that's why there are doctors who do heart surgery, and then there are actors who work on your heart.”In this episode, we talk about: Why she considers this her actual Broadway debut  Playing in the World Series of Poker in Vegas   Her love for science and metaphysical discussions Playing the oldest and the youngest woman in the story, and what makes her track beautiful Why Mama Mia is one of her favorite musicals of all time  Listening to the things that light your heart on fire Connect with Alyssa: IG: @heylyssamay Web: alyssamaygold.com Pocket Universe 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

Actor Simon Bailey hails from London, where his career on the West End is booming. He trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, and his West End credits include Heathers: The Musical, Jersey Boys (Tommy DeVito), The Phantom of the Opera (Raoul), Enjolras in the 21st Anniversary cast of Les Miserables, I Can’t Sing! The X-Factor Musical, Romeo and Juliet -The Musical, Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, We Will Rock You, and more. SImon can be seen now in the West End production of Moulin Rouge as The Duke at the Piccadilly Theatre.Simon reminisces about his experience as part of the original workshop for Heathers: The Musical in London, and shares why it holds such a big place in his heart. He opens up about landing the role of The Duke, why he’s had so much fun building and developing a darker character, and also talks about why he particularly loves the first 10 minutes of the show when he’s able “to look out and see everybody… just completely entranced in this thing.” Simon also reflects on working as an understudy, and why he feels it’s such an important ground to start from and build on. In this episode, we talk about:  The community working on the West End  Attending the National Youth Theatre, and bypassing drama school  Why being an actor now is very different than it was pre-2020 His experience as a swing in We Will Rock You  Creative freedom from Alex Timbers Connect with Simon: IG: @simonbailey1210 Twitter: @SimonBailey1210 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

Michael Maliakel recently made his Broadway debut, following Broadway’s reopening, starring in the title role of Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Additional credits include the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera (Raoul u/s), Anything Can Happen: The Songs of Maury Yeston, Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding (Berkeley Rep), and She Loves Me (PlayMakers Rep). You may have also seen Michael on TV in Bull, and FBI. As a first generation Indian American, Michael reflects on what he calls his “unexpected journey” to a career in the performing arts, including how his love for music brought him to the Peabody Conservatory to earn a degree in opera. He speaks candidly about representation in the industry, noting that as a child he had no real role models or examples for what his performing arts career could be, but trusted his gut and the way music made him feel alive in order to create space for himself and others like him. Michael also opens up about making his Broadway debut as the title character in a hit Disney musical, including the whirlwind audition process which began in the midst of the COVID shutdown, and the “full goosebumps” moment of his first curtain call as Aladdin. In this episode, we talk about:  Attending the American Boychoir School in Princeton Using his facebook profile picture as his headshot at an open call  The interactive and collaborative experience of choral singing, and theater  Touring with Phantom of the Opera as the Raoul understudy  His love for Broadway’s Spring Awakening, and Bridges of Madison County Connect with Michael:IG @michaelmaliakel 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

Combined across the Emmys, Grammys, Olivier and Tony Awards, Patt LuPone has 14 nominations and six wins. Her resume includes 27 Broadway credits, including Eva Perón in the original Broadway production of Evita (1st Tony Award), Anything Goes, Sweeney Todd, Noises Off, Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy (2nd Tony Award), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, War Paint, Working, Oliver!, The Robber Bridegroom, and The Beggar’s Opera. In London she starred in the original casts of Les Misérables, The Cradle Will Rock, Sunset Boulevard, and the West End revival of Company. She also has a long and illustrious career across TV and film, with credits including Driving Miss Daisy, Frasier, Will and Grace, Ugly Betty, 30 Rock, Glee, American Horror Story, Girls, Penny Dreadful, and of course, Life Goes On. She's a voiceover artist, a cabaret performer, a mom, and performs regularly with the New York Philharmonic, all of which mean you can find her singing across 22 different albums. Patti LuPone was the first American to ever win an Olivier Award, has been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, and can now be seen on Broadway in the revival of Company. LuPone recalls her first introduction to the musical Gypsy (playing Louise) in high school, speaking candidly about not understanding the play at the time, and shares how she was initially banned from participating in any of Arthur Laurents work before going on to win a Tony Award for playing Rose. She reflects on going to the “dark side” a lot when COVID shut the industry down, noting it wasn’t that she couldn’t perform but rather that she had nothing to fill that void with, and shares how close-knit and supportive the cast and crew of Company is as a result of the collective trauma and uncertainty they faced together once they resumed rehearsals. LuPone also speaks about the importance of doing her work completely in the rehearsal room, allowing her and the audience to both play and relax once she is onstage, and shares why she looks at the audience every single night. In this episode, we talk about:  Being in one of the first-ever students in Juilliard’s school of drama in the 70’s  Her Marilyn Monroe impression at 3 years old  What it is about laughter from an audience that brings her joy  What she calls the “Italian blast”, and not having a filter  Her “Andrew Lloyd Webber memorial pool” Resenting producers or anybody that underestimates the audience's intelligence Connect with Patti: Twitter: @pattilupone IG: @pattilupone Web: pattilupone.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast 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

Reeve Carney is an actor, singer-songwriter, and musician, who may be best known for originating the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway, and playing Orpheus in the original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. Other notable roles include his portrayal of Dorian Gray in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, and Riff Raff in the Fox musical television film The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again. Reeve is also the lead singer and songwriter of the band Carney, also consisting of his brother Zane, Aiden Moore, and Jon Epcar, who together have toured with The Veronicas, and opened for Arcade Fire and U2. He recently appeared as Tom Ford in the Oscar nominated film House of Gucci, and can currently be seen performing his original music in his residency at The Green Room 42, or captivating audiences eight times a week as Orpheus in Hadestown on Broadway.Reeve chronicles his almost 27 year guitar playing journey, which began at age 12 and led to playing in nightclubs in LA a few years later, where fellow musicians convinced him if he ever wanted to lead a band, he needed to learn how to sing. He recalls meeting Julie Taymor for the first time at one of his band’s shows, and how that meeting set the course for working with Bono and The Edge, and originating the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man on Broadway. Reeve also shares how he became involved with Hadestown, how the character of Orpheus changed significantly between their run at the National Theatre in London and the Broadway opening, and why he said “no” when asked to be a part of the first reading in 2012. In this episode, we talk about:  Growing up in a family of artists  Being mistaken for Macaulay Culkin Getting signed to Interscope Records when he was 22  His electronic effects pedal company called Quarantine Effects USA How Orepheus’s purity of voice is reflected in his character  Connect with Reeve: Check out his Effects Pedal company: https://quarantineeffectsusa.com/ IG: @reevecarney Twitter: @reevecarney Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast 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