Season 4, Episode 2. Synopsis: Now that the construction dust has settled, can we learn anything from Broadway’s 23M flop, The Queen of Versailles starring Kristen Chenoweth? Sean and Matt Koplik, host of Broadway Breakdown , have thoughts about the controversies and the social phenomenon surrounding The Queen of Versailles. Contains strong language. Special thanks to Matt Koplik. Be sure to listen to Matt's podcast, Broadway Breakdown: Broadway Breakdown - Podcast - Apple Podcasts Support this ...
May 03, 2026•39 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Season 4, SEASON PREMIERE. Synopsis: Sean talks with Broadway star Andrew Lazar, a veteran of 11 Broadway shows, about his journey of “healing with ALS” and thriving through adversity. Special thanks to Aaron Lazar and The Skin Deep card game. Contains strong language. Support this podcast and listen to bonus content and insider information at STAGE COMBAT AT PATREON patreon.com/StageCombatThePodcast Watch Aaron Lazar's Impossible Dreams Podcast Aaron Lazar: Impossible Dreams - YouTube Hosted by...
Apr 26, 2026•32 min•Season 4Ep. 1
SEASON 3 BONUS: While we're preparing the premiere of Season 4 of Stage Combat the Podcast, Sean's looking back on 5 Eye Opening Moments from Season 3. Listen and let us know what was our most impactful moment of the podcast for you! This episode is dedicated in loving memory of actor Bret Shuford. Special thanks to McKey Carpenter, Jessica Webb, Bobby Steggert and "Laura" for sharing their stories with us. Support this podcast and listen to bonus content and insider information at STAGE COMBAT ...
Apr 12, 2026•35 min•Season 3Ep. 20
SEASON 3 BONUS: Sean's back with an all-new Thanksgiving Catch Up Bonus Episode! We're catching you up on all things Stage Combat the Podcast (BIG news about Season 4?). PLUS Sean's got some choice words about Actors' Equity Association and what it did (or didn't do) with the recently ratified Broadway contract which averted a strike! And he's not holding back! Hear more of Sean's conversation at STAGE COMBAT AT PATREON and his thoughts about whether Equity President Brooke Shield is the right l...
Nov 24, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 19
SEASON 3 Season Finale! Episode Eighteen. "Walking Away From Broadway" Synopsis: At the end of a season of incredible stories, Sean looks to the future and finds inspiration chatting with Bobby Steggert: an actor who experienced a life-changing epiphany while working on a Broadway stage. Content warning: Strong language. Thank you to Bobby Steggert. And thank you to YOU for your support for this Season 3 of the podcast! We could not have done it without you. Hear more of Sean's conversation with...
Feb 24, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 18
SEASON 3 Episode Seventeen. "The Court Watson Story Part Two" (Be sure to Listen to Ep 16 First: The Court Watson Story Part One") Synopsis: Court Watson sets out to tell his story to the media and to hold his former employer accountable for what happened to him on Roanoke Island. Thank you to Court Watson. Content warning: Content dealing with sexual harassment and sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available by contacting the National Sexual Assault...
Feb 11, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 17
SEASON 3 Episode Sixteen. "The Court Watson Story Part One" Synopsis: Sean investigates what happened between Tony award-winning Broadway costume designer, William Ivey Long, and college student, Court Watson, on Roanoke Island some twenty years ago. Thank you to Court Watson and Adam Stocker. Content warning: Content dealing with sexual harassment and sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available by contacting the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-...
Feb 10, 2025•34 min•Season 3Ep. 16
SEASON 3 Episode Fifteen. "Franki Take A Bow" Synopsis: Sean investigates whether the unsafe practices of a college theatre program contributed to a young woman's tragic mental health spiral. Special Guests: Franki Mastrone, Jessica Webb, Professor at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Content warning: Content dealing with sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available by contacting the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Help is also availa...
Jan 28, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 15
SEASON 3 Episode Fourteen. "Sean Has Questions For The Union." Synopsis: After hearing the frustrations of listeners about the lack of action by the actors' union in many of the season's workplace stories, Sean goes looking for answers from the union. Special Guest: Abbey Crowley, Business Representative for the Division for Harassment and Discrimination. Special thank you to Abbey Crowley and Gabriela Geselowitz of Actors' Equity Association. Additional thanks to Eddie Pendergraft, Brass Bass a...
Jan 14, 2025•49 min•Season 3Ep. 14
SEASON 3 Episode Thirteen. "Loving Someone Traumatized By The Industry" Synopsis: Sean's investigating the mental health ripple effect that occurs when an employee is traumatized by an employer. Actor Eddie Pendergraft (the actor from Wicked in Ep 10 "Another Wicked Story"), Eddie’s husband Tony and clinical psychologist Dr. Michelle Sherman are all on board to share their insights. Special thank you to Eddie Pendergraft, Tony Mansker, and Dr. Michelle Sherman. And Carole and Ian. Order Dr. Mich...
Dec 31, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 13
SEASON 3 Episode Twelve. "The 2nd Annual Stage Combat Holiday Special!" Synopsis: Sean's reuniting with some of our guests from Season 3 for the holidays to ask probing questions such as "Would you choose The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree or the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree?" Special thank you to Bret Shuford, Brad Bass, Pamela Bob, McKey Carpenter, Kaylin Seckel, Chryssie Whitehead, Alex Griffith and Justin Gerrish. And Ian. Coming up in 2 weeks: Ep 13 "Loving Someone Traumatized By the Ind...
Dec 17, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 12
SEASON 3 Episode Eleven. "Revealing Your Darkest Secret: ABC News' Matt Gutman" Synopsis: Thinking about the power of disclosing our secrets causes Sean to revisit his 2023 interview with ABC News' Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman. Special thank you to Matt Gutman, LaQuet Sharnell Pringle and Amelia Morse. Coming up in 2 weeks: It's the Stage Combat Holiday Special! Hear more of Sean's conversation with LaQuet and Amelia at STAGE COMBAT AT PATREON. patreon.com/StageCombatThePodcast It's ...
Dec 03, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 11
SEASON 3 Episode Ten. "Another Wicked Story: Eddie" Synopsis: Another actor from Wicked on Broadway comes forward to tell Sean his story about the toxic work environment he experienced there and how it traumatized him for years. Special thank you to Eddie Pendergraft. Hear Wicked actor Brad Bass' account of what he called "witch hunts" backstage at Wicked at STAGE COMBAT AT PATREON. patreon.com/StageCombatThePodcast It's the companion to Season 3. Plus "Sean Goes Off Script" to dive deeper into ...
Nov 19, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 10
SEASON 3 Episode Nine. "The 'F' Word" Synopsis: Sean investigates whether there's a problem with using the "family" word in our workplaces. Special thank you to Bret Shuford, Michael McGurk, Nicole Perry, CorBen Williams, Jeanine Bruen, Michael Passaro, Kirsti Carnahan, Greg Roderick, Juliet Lambert Pratt, Mia Scarpa and Frank Mastrone. Stage Combat The Podcast is member supported programming. If you believe in what we are doing, why not support us by becoming a member at STAGE COMBAT AT PATREON...
Nov 03, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 9
SEASON 3 Episode Eight. "Putting It Out There: Your Mental Health Story On the Stage" Synopsis: Sean meets two very different performers who claimed their mental health stories by creating their own one-person solo shows: Legendary drag queen Varla Jean Merman aka Jeff Roberson and Broadway actor Chryssie Whitehead. Content warning: Content about suicide. Dial or text 988 24/7 to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are in crisis. Follow Varla Jean Merman on Instagram at @varlajeanmerman and o...
Oct 21, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 8
SEASON 3 Episode Seven. "You're Under Investigation: Laura' Story" Synopsis: After hearing Sean's story about the botched workplace investigation at the Goodspeed Opera House, listener Laura shares her own bonkers workplace investigation story that ended with devastating consequences. Content warning: Content about suicide. Dial or text 988 24/7 to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are in crisis. Special thank you to attorney Mark Carey. Stage Combat The Podcast is member supported programm...
Oct 07, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 7
SEASON 3 Episode Six. "Charlie At the Crossroads" Synopsis: Sean meets Charlie, a 23-year-old Boston theatre program student. Two months before his graduation, Charlie has an unfiltered conversation with Sean about his hopes, his dreams, his frustrations and how Stage Combat the Podcast has affected him personally as he sits at the crossroads of his life. Strong language. Thank you to Charlie Zuckerman. Stage Combat The Podcast is member supported programming. If you believe in what we are doing...
Sep 23, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 6
SEASON 3 Episode Five. "Somebody's Going to Get Hurt" Synopsis: Sean asks whether theatre audiences actually understand the dangers that actors face when it comes to staged combat sequences on stage. And do the actors themselves fully understand the risk they are taking on with every performance. Guests: Actor/fight instructor McKey Carpenter; Broadway actor Kaylin Seckel; Boston Conservatory at Berklee fight instructor Angie Jepson. If you're only listening to Stage Combat the Podcast, you're o...
Sep 09, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 5
SEASON 3 Episode Four. "It's All In Your Mind(fulness)" Synopsis: Almost five years after his collapse from a panic attack on the Goodspeed Opera House stage, Sean looks back at his own search for mindfulness and checks in with a few friends along the way to see how their doing it. Special thanks to somatic psychologist Dr. Brian Tierney @thesomaticdoctor; actor and yoga instructor MaryJayne Waddell @maryjaynewaddell; West End actor Alexander Evans @thepilatestenor; Coloring Broadway CEO Andrea ...
Aug 19, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 4
SEASON 3 Episode Three. "Looking for Jeff" Special Double Length Episode. Synopsis: Sean undertakes a compassionate investigation into the tragic 2018 suicide death of Chicago The Musical actor Jeff Loeffelholz. Content warning: strong language; content and conversations about suicide. Dial or text 988 24/7 to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are in crisis. Special thank you to David Sabella, Brian Rardin, Willem Bart Ebbink, Brian Martin, Brien O'Brien, William Harrison and Bridget McCart...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 3
SEASON 3 Episode Two. "How Are We All OK With This?" Part 2. Synopsis: Synopsis: Sean continues to explore the problem with toxic stage managers and investigates whether our jobs can physically make us sick. Content warning: strong language. Editing by Alex Griffitt. Mixing and Sound Design by Justin Gerrish. Written and Directed by Sean Hayden for Haywood Productions, LLC. Produced by Haywood Productions, LLC. Special thank you to Pamela Bob, Bret Shuford and Brad Bass for CLAIMING THEIR STORIE...
Jul 22, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 2
SEASON 3 PREMIERE! Episode One. "How Are We All OK With This?" Part 1. Synopsis: One year after telling his own podcast story of trauma while working at one of the country’s most powerful theatres, Sean explores the stories of listeners who responded to his story. First up: there seems to be a problem with toxic stage managers on Broadway. Content warning: Contains strong language. Editing by Alex Griffitt. Mixing and Sound Design by Justin Gerrish. Written and Directed by Sean Hayden for Haywoo...
Jul 22, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Season 3 Trailer. What happens when actors stop being quiet and start speaking up? Season 3 of Stage Combat the Podcast premiering July 23rd! In 2023, Sean told his story in Season 1 and 2 (in something that sounded like a true crime podcast.) Now it's time to hear your stories! Biweekly we are bringing you provocative stories from performing artists everywhere who just want to be heard. Who want to be seen. Who want to be validated. Just like you. Enjoy this preview of the first 5 minutes of th...
Jun 12, 2024•8 min•Season 3Ep. 1
We’re closing out 2023 and an amazing Season 2 of Stage Combat with a holiday bang! It’s THE STAGE COMBAT HOLIDAY SPECIAL! Get your Santa mug out and fill it with hot chocolate and settle in. We’ve got an hour of holiday music and stories as Sean pops around the country to share holiday greetings with some of our favorite guests from two seasons of Stage Combat! No matter what holiday you celebrate, let’s celebrate each other! And there’s a special announcement about Stage Combat at the end of t...
Dec 12, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 17
BONUS EPISODE. Sean chats with Dr. Alisa Hurwitz, the clinical psychologist who helped us all keep it together in Stage Combat's post show talk backs. As we all struggled to process Sean's story of what really happened behind the scenes at the Goodspeed Opera House, you let us know that you appreciated Dr. Hurwitz's voice of reason, words of compassion and her unique way of "telling it like is." Let's recap two seasons of Stage Combat with Dr. Hurwitz and get to know a little more about her in t...
Nov 28, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 16
BONUS EPISODE! "One Episode/One Listener: Pamela" We had an amazing idea for a podcast episode. What if you could overhear a raw, honest conversation between Sean and one listener. In one episode. Meet Pamela Bob. She's a veteran of several Broadway shows who reached out to us once the podcast was released to let us know how much the podcast has meant to her. Pamela and Sean started talking, and then they just kept talking. About what's seriously wrong with our industry: Being denied a voice. Bu...
Nov 07, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 15
BONUS EPISODE! Sean and his husband Ian (yes that "Ian" from Stage Combat) recap what went into creating and writing 20 episodes of Stage Combat and how the saga of the Goodspeed impacted them as a couple. PLUS there's a mystery guest joining the discussion! Spoiler Alert: Contains spoilers for Seasons 1 and 2 of Stage Combat: A Mental Health Story Edited by Robert Mallory and Alex Griffitt. Podcast icon designed by Fran Pinter-Parrott. Directed by Sean Hayden Produced by Haywood Productions, LL...
Oct 24, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 14
BONUS EPISODE! Most people know ABC News' Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman as a fearless war correspondent who regularly contributes to World News Tonight with David Muir, Good Morning America, 20/20 and Nightline . But behind that fearless persona, Matt was carrying a secret: a history of debilitating panic attacks that he suffered with for over twenty years. In this bonus episode, Sean and Matt talk about their shared history of panic attacks and Matt's own remarkable mental health jou...
Sep 18, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Season 2, Episode 11. SEASON FINALE! Synopsis: Sean finds himself at a crossroads. Podcast icon designed by Fran Pinter-Parrott. Produced by Haywood Productions, LLC. Consulting Producer, Ian Southwood of Southwood Productions, LLC. Special thanks to: The incredible voice actors of Stage Combat! Rebecca Caine appearing as herself. Theatre People Podcast Stage Whisper Podcast The Drama Podcast Beltline to Broadway Podcast Talk Radio Europe Sean Hayden is New York City based attorney, actor and ad...
Aug 29, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Season Two, Episode 10. Synopsis: Sean deals with the aftermath of learning what really happened behind the scenes at the Goodspeed. Post Show Talk Back: Mental health counselor Courtney Loving and trauma specialist discusses complex post-traumatic stress disorder with Sean. A special thank you to the voice actors of Stage Combat! Podcast icon designed by Fran Pinter-Parrott. Produced by Haywood Productions, LLC. Consulting Producer, Ian Southwood of Southwood Productions, LLC. Sean Hayden is Ne...
Aug 25, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 10
