Jack Viertel has the kind of knowledge I wish I had about Broadway history, having studied the various journeys of great shows for his book The Secret Life of the American Musical, but he’s also worked with playwrights like August Wilson and Tony Kushner. He’s even conceived the long running Smokey Joe's Café and the critically acclaimed After Midnight and served as dramaturg as well for Hairspray and Dear Evan Hansen. And through his many colleagues over the years he’s learned the fine art of collaboration.  Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while ..read more

Sara Gettelfinger's Broadway debut came in 2000 with the musical Seussical. And she worked steadily on Broadway through the years until she and I met and worked together on The Addams Family national tour in 2011. But then she had to take a break from acting, a break from New York City as well. And except for an Off-Broadway musical in 2014, Sara focused instead on her life and let the career she loved so much take a back seat. She’s now back on Broadway in a new musical, Water for Elephants, that opened at the Imperial Theatre on March 21st. We sat down during the preview process, and she ope ..read more

As we talked about in Part One, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is what put Gabrielle Ruiz on the map. However, it was her theater training and performance abilities that made it possible for her to be cast in the show. In this rewind episode from 2021, we talk more about her time on the stage and what drives her most as an artist. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to th ..read more

In the previous episode, you heard actress and singer Ann Harada share her stories of grinding it out as an Asian actress trying to fit in with what she thought casting directors wanted but then discovered her superpower as an artist, being herself. Now she’s back to share more lessons she’s learned and answer the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. To get more bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music cr ..read more

Ann Harada will be the first to tell you that finding happiness and satisfaction in the acting business didn’t come quickly or easily for her. In fact, her first Broadway credit came as a production assistant, not as an actor. She followed that up with ensemble roles in M. Butterfly and Suessical. But between those two shows was a ten-year gap, and it wasn’t until her next Broadway show that Ann Harada truly made a name for herself as Christmas Eve in Avenue Q. In our conversation, she talks about those lean years before Avenue Q but also how she has had continue working hard and pushing herse ..read more

Last week you heard actress, writer, and entrepreneur Lydia-Renee Darling share her stories of growing up in an immigrant household and then her own experiences of living and working in other countries as an artist. Now she’s back to answer the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode. To get more bonus content like Auditions Stories and listen to these full conversations ad-free, then become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

Lydia-Renee Darling is the very definition of a well rounded, multi hyphenate artist. She got her BFA in musical theater from Webster University in St. Louis and a Masters in writing for stage and broadcast media from the Royal Central School in London. She’s a filmmaker and a playwright and founded her own DEI entertainment marketing and virtual production company called Oh! (My Gosh) Creative. Being someone who has both embraced and been challenged by changes throughout her life, Lydia-Renee shares with us how they serve as a motivation to continually better herself as an artist and an indiv ..read more

As an actor I fully appreciate and recognize that I couldn’t do what I do without a writer doing what they do. Their words and characters are the basis for any work I’ve had in theater, television, or film. The writer’s strike this past summer highlighted just how important they are, because without them there is no entertainment industry. In part one of my conversation with writer Steve Cuden, we talked about the process of creating the musical Jekyll & Hyde with Frank Wildhorn. For this second part of our discussion, we dive into his work in television, where he's written for shows like ..read more

For Season 8, we're diving deep into the world of theater once agin with guests from Broadway, West End, and regional theaters near and far. From seasoned veterans to fresh faces on the scene, each episode is packed with candid conversations and inspiring stories about life in the performing arts industry.  Join me as I sit down with actors, directors, writers, and more to explore the highs and lows of chasing dreams in the spotlight. Subscribers will continue to get audition room horror stories as well as early access to every episode.  I'm also excited to bring back bonus episodes ..read more

Five years ago, "The Band's Visit," a musical defying convention, closed on Broadway after a year and a half of acclaim. Composed by David Yazbek and written by Itamar Moses, it emerged as a masterpiece, transcending Broadway norms. At the 2018 Tony Awards, it earned 11 nominations, winning 10, including Best Musical, beating stiff competition like SpongeBob Squarepants and Frozen. Now, in 2024, amidst current Middle East headlines dividing people, let's revisit this Arab-Israeli musical that explored human connection over 598 performances with an encore presentation of my 2018 interview with ..read more