The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Hi everyone, over the last year and a half, I have released at least one episode of The Theatre Podcast every single week without fail. Today, I have decided to break this tradition. I am purposely postponing the next episode in order to release this statement.Black Lives Matter. Please know that I see you, I hear you, I stand with you, and I recognize that the current movement is a response to hundreds of years of systematic racism having permeated our culture.I realize that it is no longer enough to be against racism as we all must strive to be anti-racist, and actively take steps to stop racist behavior in a non-violent way. Every journey begins with a first step and for many of us, now is the time. Available below are links to places where you can lend your support. I have done the same. Allow those who are doing their best to be supportive to continue to grow and learn. Remember, fighting your ally only strengthens your enemy. In a few days I will continue to release my episodes as normal, as I feel that art can be used as a tool to heal, and must continue to be created. Everyone please stay safe and care for one another. Antiracism Center Audre Lorde Project Black Lives Matter Black Visions Collective Black Women’s Blueprint Color Of Change Justice for Tony McDade Justice for Breonna Taylor I Run With Maud Equal Justice Initiative (EJI NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund)  RAICES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this interview, please click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Courtney Monsma is an actor, singer and dancer from Queensland, Australia. Most recently Courtney performed in the Australasian tour of Disney’s Aladdin, and also appeared in the Australian tour of MAMMA MIA! understudying the role of Sophie. During her years of training, Courtney played Charity in Sweet Charity, Carmen in The Life; toured with the production of I Love You, You’re Perfect Now Change, and in her final year played Maria in West Side Story. She appeared in Opera Queensland’s Kiss Me Kate and was a 2018 finalist for the prestigious Rob Guest Endowment Award. Courtney is currently playing Katherine Howard as part of the original Australian cast of SIX the Musical.While Courtney was born in Adelaide, Australia, she relocated to Queensland when she was fairly young, and currently resides there. Courtney started as a dancer at a young age, and after seeing her sister perform in a community theater production when she was 8 years old, she quickly followed suit. This is also when she discovered singing, and finally felt, ‘ah yea, this is for me” - she knew this was what she wanted to do with her life. “There’s nothing that compares to the feeling I get when I sing,” she told us. Courtney quickly became involved with the community theater scene, and upon graduating from high school sought a way to hone her skills and pursue performing as a career. She found herself at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and graduated with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre.Portraying Katherine Howard in SIX the Musical is not for the faint of heart, and Courtney reflected on how much she’s grown and learned throughout a journey that's included auditions, rehearsals, and performances. She shares how Howard taught her about getting rid of the white noise in her head, and that there is no time for feeling down on yourself because it only holds you back. Throughout auditions and rehearsals the queens were instructed to never do anything that wasn’t authentic to themselves as individuals. As a result, she has also gained a lot of confidence - confidence that will carry her into her next starring role as Anna in the Australian tour of Frozen. Courtney shares that if it hadn’t been for SIX, she doesn’t think she’d be ready for Frozen. “SIX taught me so much about myself”, she says, both personally and as a performer. In this episode, we talk about:  Realizing at a young age that performing was what she wanted to do with her life Starting SIX and being in a room full of performers she’d always admired from afar Her reality living with anxiety as a actor Her love for NYC, and being there the week SIX was supposed to open  The new sort of pressure she feels as she prepares for Anna in Frozen The time she was able to spend chatting with Patti Murin (Frozen on Broadway’s Anna)  Connect with Courtney:IG: @courtneymonsma 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Brittney Mack is a performer from Chicago, Illinois, who was most recently seen as Anna of Cleves in the North American Tour of SIX the Musical. Her other credits include Rent, The Wiz, Hairspray, Avenue Q, Shrek, In the Heights, Ain’t Misbehavin’, All Shook Up, and Little Shop of Horrors, as well as the national tour of Memphis. She has performed on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and has been seen on the FOX television show Empire. Brittney is making her Broadway debut with her portrayal of Anna of Cleves in SIX the Musical.Born on the south side of Chicago, Britney was one of 5 raised by a single mother and “an incredible tribe of friends.” She shares that one of her favorite things to do as a kid was listen to late night story times - full stories and plays - on the radio. She recalls one show in particular called It’s Your World!, a modern day radio soap opera that played on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, which she would wake up at 5 AM to listen to before school. She believes it was these radio shows that helped spark her imagination. Her mother was always supportive of her dreams to perform, and Britney says, “My mom is the reason why I’m doing what I’m doing.” Brittney attended the Chicago Academy for The Arts, a college prep high school, and later went on to attend The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) both in Los Angeles and New York City. Brittney shares that as an artist she has always been blessed to find steady work. Throughout a performing journey that has taken her all over the world, she recalls revisiting her storage unit in between contracts in order to swap out some clothes and head out for the next production. Brittney had been out to sea on her contract with Royal Caribbean when her grandfather became ill, after which she relocated back to Chicago to be closer to her grandmother. And it was after being on the road with the national tour of Memphis that she found herself in a general audition for Chicago Shakespeare Theater. She shares that it wasn’t until about her 4th audition for them that she really even knew what SIX was all about. She is grateful for this in retrospect, as it could have added unnecessary pressures in the audition room. “It was a blast being in the room,” she said, as they all auditioned in front of and with each other. It was an audition experience like none other, and she’s pretty sure she’ll never have another like it. In this episode, we talk about:  How she’s been spending her time in quarantine  The time she told her mom she wanted to be Gary Coleman in Shirley Temple  Paying for her first year of school at AMDA Being shot by a paintball gun when she first moved to NYC The intensive audition process for SIX the Musical  Her feelings on having a social media presence, and the SIX fan base Connect with Brittney:IG: @brittmack8 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UPDATE 2021, March 19: Congrats to Chloé who just opened Hamilton in Australia as Eliza Hamilton!! To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Chloé Zuel is a singer and performer who has worked as a lead singer across Australia and Internationally including two years at Universal Studios Japan and three months at The Venetian, Macao. She was most recently seen as Anita in West Side Story, and as Sarah in Ragtime. Chloé’s other various credits include the Australian premier production of Beautiful; The Carole King Musical, Hairspray, Legally Blonde the Musical, The Mikado, Les Misérables, Rent, the Australian tour of Little Shop of Horrors and Porgy and Bess. She is currently part of the original Australian cast of SIX the Musical as Catherine of Aragon. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Chloé’s mother had her when she was young, and up until she was 8 years old it was just the two of them. Chloé speaks of her mother with awe and appreciation, as she single handedly supported her early performing arts dreams. She started taking dance classes at age 5, competed regularly in dance competitions, and began singing when she was 12 years old. Chloé calls herself that kid who put all her eggs into one basket - it was always clear in her mind that performing was all she wanted to do. She shares that she used to put on a CD every night and would fall asleep to music. Chloé went on to study and graduate from ED5 International, Australia’s premiere Performing Arts Training Facility, and has been lucky enough to be working steadily ever since. Chloé opens up to us about living with terrible anxiety as a performer. For a little while she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue performing - she forgot why she loved it and why she did it. She says, “When you have anxiety, performing everyday, performing every moment” can be hell. She recalls having panic attacks in the wings during performances of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. As someone who struggles with anxiety, she tells us that she found the audition process for SIX really difficult, as a lot of it required singing, dancing and performing in front of everyone else who was also auditioning. But also shares that from the get go - from auditions - the environment created was always one which was about supporting each other, cheering each other on; about being unique, and appreciating everyone else’s unique qualities. She recalls getting butterflies at their initial launch for SIX, realizing what a special project she was now a part of. And now they are a family. Chloé shares, “There’s a really deep love and respect that we have for each other, and an understanding”.In this episode, we talk about: Her whirlwind journey from West Side Story, into Ragtime, into getting married, back to West Side Story to close it out, and starting SIX rehearsals the next morning  Why she and her husband decided to spend this time in Tasmania  Why she loves performing, and what she feels she gets from it’s magic  Her experience with the other queens on launch day for SIX in Australia  How her anxiety has affected her performing  Her admiration for the writers of SIX, and why she finds it so clever  Her peanut butter addiction Connect with Chloé: IG: @chloezuel Twitter: @chloezuel 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Vidya Makan is a composer, singer, actor, and musician based in Melbourne, Australia, and most recently starred as Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George. Vidya’s other credits include: Lady Capulet in Romeo And Juliet, Green Day’s American Idiot, Merrily We Roll Along and Little Inez in Hairspray. As a composer, Vidya is currently working on My Home Too, a song cycle about Australia and home, while her debut full length musical Woman, inspired by the lives of bohemian artists Gerda Wegener and Lili Elbe is also in development. She is currently part of the original Australian cast of SIX the Musical as Catherine Parr. Vidya’s parents grew up in apartheid South Africa, later moving to Australia in the 1990’s to get away and start their family. She remembers going to the theater frequently with her family as a child, and when talking about her parents, calls her mom an “absolute arts nerd”, while her dad has a “beautiful” singing voice. Vidya started playing the piano when she was 3, and began singing in choirs when she was 5 years old - but was also a self-declared “tom-boy”. Her first dream was to play soccer for Australia, and at 15 years old Vidya received a scholarship to train at the Manchester United Soccer School in England for a week. While in England, she and her father attended a performance of Wicked, and Vidya recalls, “There was something about that show that just got under my skin.” They returned home to Australia, she auditioned for the school musical for the first time - The Wiz - and landed the role of Dorothy. And that was it! From there it was ‘goodbye soccer, hello theater’. Vidya went on to study musical theatre at The Queensland Conservatorium’s Griffith University.  During our conversation, Vidya talks with us about the journey of finding her place in the performing arts industry in Australia. As a woman of color she “hasn’t had the cookie-cutter career because she isn’t the cookie-cutter performer” - as successful musical theater shows that transfer from America to Australia aren't necessarily crafted to showcase more ethnically diverse performers. She shares that a large part of her journey has been about finding those companies (usually with younger people at the helm) where she can be seen just as a woman, outside of type or ethnicity or race. And so it seems SIX the Musical is very naturally the next step in this journey, as casting was “not about anything else other than getting the right person for the role”, boasting diverse casts across all its productions. In this episode, we talk about:  How the postponement of the Australian production of SIX affected her  The outpouring of love and support they have received from the SIX fan base  The importance of being a role model now that she’s in the spotlight How English actress Jameela Jamil’s social media activism against female body shaming has changed her life  Taking the sexualization of women in pop culture/music and turning it on its head in SIX The differences in the performing arts industry in Australia versus America  What she calls a “Muggle Job” Composing her own music, and working on creating an original musical of her own Connect with Vidya: IG: @vidyamakan Web: vidyamakan.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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Kala Gare is a singer, actor, musician and songwriter based out of Melbourne, Australia. Her stage credits include Alice in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Maureen in Rent, Olivia in Twelfth Night, and Anastasia Steele in 50 Shades!. She is also a classically trained musician with musical direction credits, and is the lead singer of an up and coming band called Legacy, which won Best Emerging Band at the Emergenza Festival in 2017. Kala is currently portraying Anne Boleyn in the Australian and New Zealand Tour Production of SIX the musical. Kala, born and raised in Melbourne, grew up in a very musical family. Both of her parents are opera singers, who met at the same university where Kala would eventually find herself studying musical theatre. Kala shared that her parents harbored the love and excitement she has for music because it was “just everywhere” growing up. Kala first trained classically as a vocalist, honing her legit sound, and as she continued with theater, developed other parts like her belting technique. She earned a B.F.A in Music Theatre from the Victorian College of the Arts, where, she shares, she had a love for “cross training” her voice. Kala shares with us that its a “whole new world” once you become a part of the SIX the Musical family. Both on stage and off, SIX is teaching her lessons. She shares, “SIX taught me about standing in your own power as well as standing with other people in their own power, and how we can do that” without competition. In performance, Kala and her cast mates learn to deal with new stimuli every night as they constantly break the fourth wall and interact with the audience. And we also hear from Kala about the challenge of maintaining 100% energy for each of the 9 shows they perform in a week. But through it all, you can hear it in her voice and her words when she shares, “it’s hard to not have a very fun time on that stage.”In this episode, we talk about:  The influence music began having very early on in her life  Realizing the true power of theater, and feeling it is exactly what she is meant to be doing  How they spent their for rehearsal for the SIX tour  The upsides and downsides of having so many fans of the show  How the cast and crew adjusted to the stage door experience  Her music writing process Connect with Kala:IG: @k.gare_ 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Adrianna Hicks is no stranger to the Great White Way, as she returns to Broadway as Catherine of Aragon in SIX the Musical. Her other Broadway credits include the revivals of The Color Purple and Aladdin. Adrianna has performed in regional and touring productions of The Wiz, Ragtime, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, and The Color Purple Revival Tour. Internationally she has performed in productions of Sister Act and Dirty Dancing in Germany, and Legally Blonde in Austria. While in college, Adrianna also landed the opportunity to perform with Michael Buble in his Call Me Irresistible Tour whenever it came through Oklahoma City. Adrianna was born in California, but was raised in Texas where her family relocated to when she was four years old. She remembers being “that kid” who would go to her room, close the door, put on Aladdin, and “perform Princess Jasmine”. She loved singing, dancing and acting, and by participating in the International Thespian Society in high school, she discovered that she could make a career out of doing all three together. Adrianna earned her B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Oklahoma, and after graduating spent over 3 years living and performing in Germany and Austria. Adrianna shares that she never really had a desire to go to New York City. She loved traveling, and having the opportunity to perform overseas. But as she was preparing for her next role in Europe after Dirty Dancing, both of her parents became ill. So she made the decision to come back home after three and a half years, to be with and help take care of her family. It was upon returning home that she had the opportunity to audition for The Color Purple - the show that would finally take her to New York City, and eventually, help her find her way to Catherine of Aragon in SIX the Musical.In this episode, we talk about:  Her whirlwind memory of the day that their Broadway opening night was cancelled  How she has been spending time in quarantine with her brother in Atlanta  Her thoughts on her social media presence  The journey that took her from the stage in Oklahoma to the stage in Germany  How watching Beyonce’s concerts as a child came in handy for her SIX audition  Why performing in The Wiz was an “ah ha” momentConnect with Adrianna: IG: @missadriannahicks Twitter: @msadriannahicks 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Andrea Macasaet has appeared in each North American iteration of SIX the Musical, including productions at the American Repertory Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Ordway Theater, and Citadel Theatre. Throughout Canada she has also performed in productions of Heathers: The Musical, Avenue Q, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Miss Saigon. While she is no stranger to playing Anne Boleyn in SIX the Musical, this production will mark her Broadway debut. Andrea was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She shares that her childhood was full of Filipino singing competitions, where she would use karaoke tracks and her mother would direct her - “Now walk over here and make sure you look at them in the eye.” In the 4th grade, Andrea was first introduced to musical theater when she performed in a local production of The King and I. It was after this production that Andrea began pursuing acting, singing, and dancing. She became a competitive dancer, performed in local theater productions throughout high school, and upon graduation went to study the performing arts in Victoria, British Columbia. Andrea opens up to us about her life around 2016-2018, what she recalls as a really hard few years. Without an agent, and constant rejection, Andrea decided to take a break from theater because she didn’t want her “heart broken anymore”. She had been an employee on and off between shows at LuluLemon for a while, and decided to pursue a career with the company. She went back to school to earn a diploma in Human Relations. But an ad for SIX the Musical on Facebook changed her course. In February 2019, Andrea signed up for an open call for the show in Toronto, and the rest is history. In this episode, we talk about:  The moment in high school which made her realize she wanted to pursue a career in theater Why she decided she needed a break from theater at one time Her experience working for Lululemon, a company she shares was supportive of her The whirlwind that was auditioning for and landing a role in SIX the musical  What it’s like working with creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss The time they watched the Beyonce concert as a cast for research purposes Connect with Andrea:IG: @andrea.cesyl 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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To watch the video version of this episode, click here. Listen to the SIX studio cast recording, or grab the sing-a-long edition!Samantha Pauly has been performing regionally on stage since 2010, including roles in Honeymoon in Vegas, Elf The Musical, Suessical and Godspell. She has played the title role of Eva Peron in Evita three times, one of which allowed her to make her West End debut last year in Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. In 2018 she appeared as Valkeryrie in Bat Out Of Hell, before landing her current role as Katherine Howard in SIX the Musical on Broadway. Samantha was born and raised in Iowa, and attributes her love for singing to watching Disney Movies as a child. But while she loved singing, Samantha didn’t catch the musical theater bug until her junior year of high school. It was this year that she went on a trip with her school choir to New York City, and saw her first shows on Broadway - The Drowsy Chaperone and Wicked. It was also this same year she auditioned for her first school show, The Pajama Game. She began seriously considering pursuing theatre in college, and after winning a scholarship at the Iowa Thespian Festival, she went on to attend Viterbo University and earn her BFA in musical theatre. In recounting the journey that brought her to SIX the musical, Samantha recalls her experience with the National Tour of Bat Out Of Hell in 2018. After 5 weeks of rehearsals and a successful run in Toronto, the tour was abruptly cancelled before they set out on the road. She shares that upon returning to Chicago where she lives with her husband, she became depressed and stopped auditioning for a few months. It was during this break that SIX the musical started reaching out to her. It was also this break that taught her everything happens for a reason. In this episode, we talk about :  How she is handling her time in quarantine with her sister nearby  The bright side of having this break from performing in SIX the musical  What it’s like to be performing eight shows a week during previews, while also continuing rehearsals during the day  Why she decided to call Chicago home  How she ended up performing the “Single Ladies” choreography in an audition for Moulin Rouge! The Musical  Her experiences at the Broadway stage door post show  Connect with Samantha: IG: @sampauly Web: https://www.samanthapauly.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. A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

His favorite four-letter word, in response to both success and failure, is “next”. After recovering from COVID-19, and with his career on pause, this Broadway publicist talks about the future of Broadway.Keith Sherman operates Keith Sherman and Associates, a Times Square Public Relations firm which he founded in 1989. He has an extensive background in theatre - 300 plus shows including, recently, Be More Chill, We Will Rock You and Mike Birbiglia: The New One, as well as the Tony Awards for 18 years. Keith previously represented the New York Times for a decade, and over the years his clientele has expanded to film, TV, music, major global events, organizations, award shows, individuals, fine art, brands and Olympic sports.When asked how he became interested in publicity, Keith recalls Christmas when he was 8 years old, a Jewish boy in New Jersey living next to a Christian family. He received two LP records that year by The Supremes, and fell in love. By age 12 he was reading Variety magazine every Thursday to see what nightclubs The Supremes were playing in around the country. Keith later became an intern at the new Roundabout Theatre Company while in college, eventually accepting a job offer as their Marketing Director. He spent years bouncing around jobs in various press offices, when he finally decided “he could build a better mousetrap”, and founded his own company in 1989. He had found his calling. Keith opens up about his new reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the head of a PR firm for the entertainment industry. What will Broadway look like when it reopens? Keith believes the theater will survive, it will come back, but thinks it “will come back in a different form.” Not only is his career on pause, having had to furlough his employees as well, Keith and his husband have also both recently recovered from the coronavirus. And in light of it all, he remains an optimist.Connect with Keith @keithshermanassociates 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. Thank you to our friends Jukebox The Ghost for our intro and outro music. You can find them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @jukeboxtheghost or via the web via jukeboxtheghost.com.A very special thanks to our patrons who help make this podcast possible!Cheryl Hodges-Selden, Paul Seales, David SealesIf you would like to see your name in this show notes or get a shout out on the pod itself, visit ttp.fm/patreon to become a member and show your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices