Sharon Sexton reflects on her time playing Sloane in Bat Out of Hell: The Musical including her single audition for the part, creating the show ("Please can we have a shower in the set?") and how the company celebrated the life and legacy of Meatloaf after his death in January 2022. Follow Sharon on Twitter @SharonSextonIRE and Instagram @shar.sexton Email me: Mikey@backstagewith.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
May 17, 2022•41 min•Ep. 90
Peter Hannah talks about playing the Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in the first major UK production of a Stephen Sondheim musical since the composer/lyricist's death in November 2021. Into the Woods is playing at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, until Sunday 27th February 2022. For tickets: https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/into-the-woods Email me: Mikey@backstagewith.com Follow on Instagram: @backstagewith @mikeyworrall1 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. ...
Feb 24, 2022•41 min•Ep. 89
Carly Mercerdes Dyer on playing Cassie in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve, being on the Beeb at Christmas in Anything Goes (Boxing Day at 6.40pm, on BBC2), and if she'd ever go back to Six after Covid-19 ended her run before it had even begun. #poweredbypastry Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 22, 2021•46 min•Ep. 88
Savannah Stevenson is currently playing Marmee in Little Women at the Park Theatre in north London. Find out which song she was fearful of, why she wants people to leave Little Women wanting to call their mum, and the scene in which she'd love to make a cameo appearance in the film adaptation of Wicked. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 27, 2021•47 min•Ep. 87
The Last Five Years' Jamie on bringing the show to the West End, whether it should be categorised as new or a revival in awards season, and trying to straddle a model building atop a grand piano whilst playing a clock. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 07, 2021•39 min•Ep. 86
What better way to mark International Podcast Day and the week of Wicked UK's 15th anniversary than with a conversation with Wicked podcasters Quincy and Kevin. They are the Broadway connoisseurs behind Sentimental Men, a must-listen for any Wicked fan. Follow them at @SentMenPod. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 30, 2021•39 min•Ep. 85
Samuel Edwards (Billy Crocker in Anything Goes) is here to talk about being back on stage after the pandemic, playing opposite Broadway star and two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster, and why he'll always feel sentimental about Ghost. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 22, 2021•28 min•Ep. 84
Francesca Moody is best known as the original producer of the multi-award-winning Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, which she has produced globally on behalf of DryWrite, most recently in London’s West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre, where it was also recorded and broadcast by NT Live, playing in cinemas throughout the world. Her current and upcoming productions include Leopards, at the Rose Theatre, in Kingston, and Mum at Soho Theatre. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . ...
Sep 19, 2021•19 min•Ep. 83
Lara Martins played Carlotta in Phantom in the West End for a record-breaking six years. She's here to talk about her new album, Canção, which is available to stream now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 08, 2021•41 min•Ep. 82
Two-time Drama Desk award nominee Christina Bianco joins us to talk about starring in the musical podcast series The Ballad of Anne and Mary, playing Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, in Paris, just before lockdown, and how she became Broadway's original YouTuber and Diva Impressionist. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 18, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 81
Two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus talks about creating some of the biggest musicals of the last two decades, conducting the orchestra for the Frozen movies, and arranging and conducting Lady Gaga's performance at the Academy Awards. Stephen's credits include: On Broadway and worldwide: As Music Supervisor/Arranger and/or Orchestrator: Disney’s Frozen; Kinky Boots (Tony Award for Best Orchestrations; Grammy Award); The Book of Mormon (Tony & Drama Desk Awards-Best Orchestrations; Gram...
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 80
The Olivier award-winning star of Hamilton talks about what it was really like in The Room Where It Happened. Giles's book, Hamilton & Me: An Actor's Journal, is available now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 27, 2021•58 min•Ep. 79
Reflecting on the reopening night of Come From Away in the West End. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 23, 2021•8 min•Ep. 78
It sure feels good to be back in your podcast feed. Are you ready for a new series of conversations with your favourite theatre people? First up is Kayi Ushe who's preparing to play Simba in The Lion King when the show reopens in the West End. You may have seen him as Lola on the UK tour of Kinky Boots or during his four-year stint in The Book of Mormon. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 13, 2021•47 min•Ep. 77
Gavin Spokes was playing King George III in the London production of Hamilton when the West End went dark the week before the UK went into lockdown in March. You might have recently seen him wrestling with Mel Giedroyc as Harry in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company , working his way up to a million pounds as the Major in James Graham’s Quiz , or as pollster Andrew Cooper in Channel 4’s Brexit: The Uncivil War . Follow Gavin on Twitter and Instagram . Follow Backstage With... online , ...
Nov 17, 2020•54 min•Ep. 75
Susie McKenna was creative director at Hackney Empire for seven years and wrote, produced and sometimes starred in its pantomimes for 22 years. She is now an associate director at Kiln Theatre, in north west London. Susie's many stage credits include Follies, Cats, The Witches of Eastwick, Woman in White, Ragtime, and Chicago. When the pandemic took hold, Susie was over in New York where her wife - three-time Olivier award winning actress Sharon D. Clarke - was about to begin previews in the tit...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 74
Kiruna Stamell was working as an extra on the film Moulin Rouge in Australia twenty years ago when the director created the part of La Petite Princess just for her. She used her pay check to come to the UK where she’s worked across television, film and theatre. At the start of this year she was in the Jamie Lloyd Company production of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End, which won the Olivier award for Best Revival at the weekend. She was meant to be part of the show’s Ne...
Oct 27, 2020•59 min•Ep. 73
Gavin Lee is an Drama Desk award winner, Olivier award nominee, and two-time Tony nominee. He's best known for creating the role of Bert in the original West End, Broadway and U.S. touring productions of Mary Poppins, and originating the role of Squidward in SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical on Broadway. Follow Gavin on Instagram . Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram , or email Mikey...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 72
Chances are you've seen Melanie La Barrie in at least one show in the last 20 years. She's developed and appeared in a number of shows including the original productions of Mary Poppins, Matilda and & Juliet. She also played Ursula in the London pre-Broadway workshop of The Little Mermaid and on top of all of that somehow found time to complete full contracts in Les Miserables and Wicked. Prior to lockdown, Melanie was playing Nurse in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, a role she'll r...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 71
Daisy Maywood has been in some of the most high profile productions of the last decade such as the Les Mis 25th anniversary concert at the o2, The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall, and the 2013 revival of A Chrous Line at the London Palladium. She was most recently seen as Susan and the Priest in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company at the Gielgud theatre. Follow Daisy on Twitter . Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram and Fac...
Sep 29, 2020•58 min•Ep. 70
This week’s guest lifted the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball alongside the Olympic Gymnast Louis Smith back in 2012. Over the last eight years Flavia has co-created, co-choreographed and starred in four theatre productions with her professional dance partner, Vincent Simone. They've clocked up six tours, two West End transfers, and two Olivier award nominations for family entertainment. Follow Flavia on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram...
Sep 22, 2020•39 min•Ep. 69
Stephen has worked in casting for over 20 years. During that time he’s been the casting director for Mamma Mia! London and UK Tour productions, and has been casting consultant on productions in Germany, Holland, Norway, Italy, Spain and Russia. His many other shows include Jerry Springer – The Opera, Chicago, Hairspray, and Mrs Henderson Presents. He works alongside David Grindrod who used to be Andrew Lloyd Webber’s in-house casting director, and who went on to set up David Grindrod Associates ...
Sep 15, 2020•48 min•Ep. 68
Two-time Olivier award nominee Sophie-Louise Dann is best known for originating roles in West End musicals such as Lend Me a Tenor, Bend it Like Beckham, The Girls (the Calendar Girls musical) and Made in Dagenham. She’s also been in the musical pastiche productions of Forbidden Broadway and Spamilton. You can see her this coming Saturday live in person, or on a livestream, as she returns to the stage at Crazy Coqs, in London, with her solo show May I have a Moment? . Buy tickets here or at Bras...
Sep 08, 2020•47 min•Ep. 67
Harry Francis is an actor, singer and dancer, and a huge theatre fan. He's done five shows at the London Palladium and been in musicals such as A Chorus Line, Cats, The Book of Mormon, Hairspray and Wicked. He’s currently in rehearsals to play Lewis/Theo in Pippin at The Garden Theatre, at The Eagle, in South London, from Tuesday 8th September to Sunday 11th October. Follow Harry on Twitter and Instagram . Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . You can send Mikey...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 66
Louise Dearman is only person in the world to have been cast as Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked. So far in her career she’s starred in shows including Evita, Side Show, Guys and Dolls, Jekyll and Hyde, Grease and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. You can watch her Umbrella Rooms live concert here or head to @UmbrellaRooms on Twitter. Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Louise online , on Twitter ...
Aug 25, 2020•51 min•Ep. 65
In the second part of our Phantom of the Opera special, Mikey speaks to Josh Piterman who was playing the Phantom when the West End went dark. He joined the London cast last autumn and is hoping to return to the when the show reopens at Her Majesty's Theatre with a brand new physical production of the brilliant original. Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Josh online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook...
Aug 18, 2020•34 min•Ep. 64
150 days after the chandelier fell, we're talking about what the future holds for The Phantom of the Opera after the announcement the original production will not reopen after lockdown. A new physical production of the original will reopen at some point in the future, after major renovation work at Her Majesty's Theatre. In this two-part special, Mikey speaks to the most recent actors to play the Phantom and Christine in the West End production. Click here to sign the petition to support the fou...
Aug 11, 2020•36 min•Ep. 63
Jenna Boyd is an original cast member of the Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away. Follow Jenna online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast...
Aug 06, 2020•51 min•Ep. 62
Andrew Lippa is a Drama Desk award-winning composer, lyricist, writer, actor and teacher. His vast body of work includes the off-broadway productions of John and Jen and The Wild Party; new songs for the Broadway version of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, the show for which Kristin Chenoweth won her Tony award; the music and lyrics for stage adaptations of The Addams Family and Big Fish; and the oratorio, I Am Harvey Milk, which he was commissioned to write for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Choru...
Jul 28, 2020•54 min•Ep. 61
The host of New York 1's On Stage joins Mikey to compare what's happening in the theatre industries in the UK and US. Follow Frank online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . You can see his work at ny1.com . Follow Backstage With... online , on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 21, 2020•28 min•Ep. 60
