Dr. Martha Beck is a Harvard-trained sociologist, world-renowned coach on harvesting creativity and finding purpose, and New York Times best-selling author across her dozens of books, including The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self, Finding Your Own North Star, and her newest release, Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose. In this episode, Dr. Beck shares how to practice patience in consciousness, the power in both compassionate self-talk and b...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times best-selling author, who began to develop her concept of "whole brain living" after experiencing a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain. She has written several books on her experience and learnings, including My Stroke of Insight and her latest work, Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life. Dr. Taylors Ted Talk was the first talk to go viral. In it she desc...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Andrew Durand has received a Tony Award nomination for his standout performance in DEAD OUTLAW. He plays the title role of Elmer McCurdy in this brilliant, dark musical comedy about a mummified corpse. The show is nominated for 7 Tony Awards including Best New Musical. Andrew's Broadway credits include HEAD OVER HEELS, SHUCKED, INK, WAR HORSE and SPRING AWAKENING. He performed in the West End in THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG and Off-Broadway in THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, GIGANTIC, LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST,...
Jun 02, 2025•58 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Jasmine Amy Rogers is an Outer Critics Circle Award Winner and Tony Award Nominee for her Broadway debut as "Betty Boop" in BOOP! The Musical, directed by Jerry Mitchell. She has also graced the stage across the country as "Anita" in JELLY'S LAST JAM at Pasadena Playhouse, in the National Tour of MEAN GIRLS, as "Melody Green" in THE WANDERER at Papermill Playhouse, and in the world premiere of BECOMING NANCY at Alliance Theatre. In this episode, Jasmine shares her childhood moment that revealed ...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Adrienne Warren is currently starring as "Cathy Hiatt," opposite Nick Jonas, in the highly anticipated Broadway debut of THE LAST FIVE YEARS. She received a Tony Award for her performance as "Tina Turner" in TINA, THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, after originating the role in the West End. Her additional Broadway credits include SHUFFLE ALONG, BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL, THE WIZ, and DREAMGIRLS. She has also starred on TV and film in Hulu’s BLACK CAKE, Sony Pictures’ THE WOMAN KING, and ABC’s WOMEN OF THE...
May 05, 2025•58 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Jonathan Groff is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, who is beloved on Broadway and beyond. He is known on stage for his acclaimed performances in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, HAMILTON, and SPRING AWAKENING, as well as for his roles on TV and in film, including Glee , Looking and the Frozen franchise. Jonathan returns to Broadway as "Bobby Darin" in the new musical JUST IN TIME. In this episode, Jonathan shares what it felt like performing to empty houses before SPRING AWAKENING became a massive h...
Apr 21, 2025•56 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Gabrielle Nevaeh will make her Broadway debut in the highly-anticipated STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW. She is an Emmy-nominated actress who has graced the small screen throughout her teen years, starring in many hit shows, including Nickelodeon's "The Girl Lay Lay" and the revival of the sketch comedy show "All That." Gabrielle is also a singer, producer and clothing designer focused on sustainable fashion. In this episode, Gabrielle shares why being on Broadway is an childhood dream she nev...
Apr 07, 2025•53 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Nathan Lee Graham has illuminated stage and screen for decades. On Broadway, he performed in THE WILD PARTY and PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT. He is known for his roles on screen in the Zoolander movies, Sweet Home Alabama, Hitch, Theater Camp, and currently in Hulu's Mid-Century Modern alongside Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and the late Linda Lavin. In this episode, Nathan shares how powerful women have guided him, learning to perform for a multi-camera sitcom, and why he focuses on always moving ...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr•Season 5Ep. 5
Lizzy McAlpine is set to make her Broadway debut, opposite Jeremy Jordan, in the Lincoln Center Theater production of FLOYD COLLINS. After releasing her critically acclaimed debut album, Give Me a Minute, in 2020, she went on to release two more albums, hit the Billboard 100 charts and go viral on TikTok with her song, "Ceilings." In this episode, Lizzy shares how trusting her instincts has guided her music career and why her love of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA connected her to work on another Adam ...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Darren Criss is an Emmy Award-winning actor, songwriter, and beloved star of stage and screen. He gained a fan following as "Blaine Anderson" on Fox's Glee, and won an Emmy and Golden Globe for his portrayal of "Andrew Cunanan" in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story . He started his career, as both an actor and writer, in the viral hit A VERY POTTER MUSICAL, before making his Broadway debut in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, and continued starring on stage...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Brent Comer is making his splash on the Broadway scene, starring as "Darrel Curtis" in the Tony Award-winning hit THE OUTSIDERS. Before Broadway, he was traveling across the country in the national tour of LES MISÉRABLES. In this episode, Brent shares his love of movies, why he almost quit show business, and how he stays grounded amidst the show's dedicated fandom. The Outsiders Tickets Stephanie Concerts Better Help...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 2
Season Five of Stages Podcast starts with a question and answer episode. We’re joined by a fantastic group of Thespians, all connected through their work with the Educational Theatre Foundation. ETF is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, and home to the International Thespian Society. In this episode, Cristiana, Marsae, Layla, Kenna, McKenzie & Lolly join Marylee and Stephanie to ask questions about working in the theater. Educational Theatre Foundation Join Stages ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 1
James Monroe Iglehart is a Tony Award-winning actor of stage and screen, currently co-directing and starring as Louis Armstrong in the Broadway musical A Wonderful World. You know him from Broadway hits Aladdin (Genie), Spamalot (King Arthur), Hamilton (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), Chicago(Billy Flynn), and Freestyle Love Supreme. Iglehart’s television and film credits include recurring roles in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Maniac,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, "At Home with Amy Seda...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Marla Mindelle is criminally deranged for writing and starring in her second musical, THE BIG GAY JAMBOREE. She co-created and starred as Céline Dion in the hit Off-Broadway show TITANIQUE, which won her the 2023 Lucille Lortel Award and Obie award. On Broadway she perfomed in SISTER ACT (Sister Mary Robert, Outer Circle Critics Nomination), Stepsister Gabrielle in CINDERELLA and SOUTH PACIFIC. Marla starred as Olivia in the Emmy- nominated series, “Special” (Netflix). In this episode, Marla tal...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Julie Halston is one of New York’s busiest actresses and was the recipient of the 2021 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her advocacy on behalf of The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Her Broadway credits are numerous, including Tootsie, Hairspray, Gypsy, Anything Goes, and The Twentieth Century. She received the Richard Seff Award for her acclaimed performance in You Can’t Take it with You and has garnered four Drama Desk nominations for her Broadway and off-Broadway work. Miss Halston was a foun...
Oct 28, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Tony Award winner Joanna Gleason ( Into the Woods, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and actor and fellow podcaster Chris Sarandon ( The Princess Bride, Fright Night, The Nightmare Before Christmas) join us for our Season 4 return! They discuss their favorite dinner conversations on Chris' "Cooking By Heart" podcast, growing into multi-hyphenate performers as a married couple and individual artists, and building family on-set in Joanna's newest venture as the writer and director of her new film, The Grot...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 16
It's Summertime! In this episode, Stephanie and Marylee take a moment to connect and reflect before the Summer break, discussing their Tony Awards experiences -- now both as winners!; why cultural and societal expectations change between generations, how they each found a sense of belonging in the theater community and unique birthday celebrations. See you in the September! Kiss Me Kate Birdland Support Stages Podcast...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Emmy-nominated actor John Stamos is a favorite of stage and screen, known widely for his work on hit shows like "General Hospital, "ER, "Full House," and the sequel on Netflix, "Fuller House." He has also starred on Broadway in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, CABARET, NINE, and BYE BYE BIRDIE, and is beloved for his musical collaboration over the years with The Beach Boys. His memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, is a universal story about love, loss, and the courage to embrace l...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Ryan J. Haddad is an actor, playwright, and autobiographical performer known for his on stage and off. His acclaimed solo play, HI, ARE YOU SINGLE? , premiered at The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival, and he continued his career with The Public, making his off-Broadway debut as a playwright and performer with his autobiographical DARK DISABLED STORIES, which was named a New York Times Critic's Pick. His latest work, HOLD ME IN THE WATER, was recently announced for the Spring 2025 season...
Jun 24, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Tony Award winner Lindsay Mendez has graced the Broadway stage in everything from modern hits like WICKED to theater classics like CAROUSEL. She currently is becoming "old friends" with audiences in the smash success revival of Stephen Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. In this episode, Lindsay shares how she finds vulnerability in each of her characters, what it's like performing on Broadway while pregnant, and the advice that director Maria Friedman, who played "Mary Flynn" in the original prod...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Danya Taymor is a Tony Award-nominated director for her first musical work on Broadway in THE OUTSIDERS. She holds a multifaceted portfolio of work, directing Will Arbery's HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING, Jeremy O. Harris' DADDY, Khat Knotahaiku's GRAVEYARD SHIFT, Antoinette Nwandu's PASS OVER, Danai Gurira's FAMILIAR, Martyna Majok's QUEENS and many more. Danya is a recipient of several awards and fellowships for her work, including the Cullman Award for Extraordinary Creativity from Lincoln Cent...
May 27, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Known as "the voice of Broadway," acclaimed and award-winning performer Betty Buckley has made her mark in iconic roles like "Norma Desmond" in SUNSET BOULEVARD, "Grizabella" in CATS, "Margaret White" in CARRIE, and "Alice Nutting/Edwin Drood" in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, just to name a few. In addition to her remarkable contributions on stage, she has release 16 solo albums and toured across the world. She has recently returned to the big screen in the highly anticipated thriller "Imaginary,"...
May 13, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Tony Nominee Jocelyn Bioh is an Award-winning Ghanian-American playwright and actress. Her most recent play, JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING, is Tony-nominated for Best Play this season. Jocelyn’s work can be seen across screen and stage. SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY, won numerous awards including Lortel and Outer Critics Circle, and earned Drama Desk, Drama League, and Off-Broadway Alliance nominations. As an actress, Bioh received a Drama Desk nomination for IN THE BLOOD, and a L...
May 13, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 10
John Tartaglia has been working as a professional puppeteer since the age of 16, as one of the youngest performers ever to be in the cast of "Sesame Street." He earned a Tony award nomination for his Broadway debut in AVENUE Q, with additional stage credits in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and SHREK THE MUSICAL. John's producing debut came with his Emmy-nominated preschool series, "Johnny and the Sprites" for Disney Junior, followed by creating the acclaimed musical IMAGINOCEAN that was re-imagi...
Apr 29, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 9
The personification of kindness, Jenn Colella, returns to Broadway as "Carrie Chapman Catt" in the new musical SUFFS. She shined on stage in IF/THEN, URBAN COWBOY, HIGH FIDELITY, CHAPLIN: THE MUSICAL, and was nominated for a Tony Award for her work in COME FROM AWAY. In this episode, Jenn discusses what she learned from her start in stand-up comedy, telling the suffragists' story during an election year, becoming a first-time mother, and transmuting fear into love when making choices. Suffs Tick...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara has established herself as one of Broadway's brightest stars and greatest leading ladies. She has starred in FOLLIES, THE PAJAMA GAME, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, THE KING & I, and DAYS OF WINE & ROSES, just to name a few. She received an Emmy Award nomination for her work on "The Accidental Wolf" and can currently be seen on HBO's "The Gilded Age." In this episode, Kelli discusses finding a niche for...
Mar 18, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Tom Broecker has helped bring your favorite sketch comedy characters to life for nearly 30 years, as an Emmy Award-winning costume designer for Saturday Night Live. He has also designed for hit TV series like Showtime's "The Big C," NBC's "30 Rock," HBO's "The Comeback," "House of Cards" on Netflix, the Mean Girls movie and more. In this episode, he discusses how his love for the rehearsal process led him to costume design, the power of being present and going with the flow during a live TV show...
Mar 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer dazzles with an illustrious career on Broadway and beyond, originating roles in hit shows like BEETLEJUICE, SOMETHING ROTTEN!, ELF, and A CATERED AFFAIR. She is also known for her work in LEGALLY BLONDE, HAIRSPRAY, and her currently show-stopping performance as "The Lady of the Lake" in the Broadway revival of Monty Python's SPAMALOT. In this episode, Leslie discusses finding the freedom in loss, recreating an iconic role in her own way, and keeping up with cast text thr...
Feb 19, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Seth Rudetsky is a beloved Broadway music director, writer, and host of "Seth's Big Fat Broadway" and "Seth Speaks" on SiriusXM, where he gets to showcase his vault of musical theater knowledge. He and his husband, James Wesley Jackson, raised millions of dollars, with their live virtual show "Stars in the House," to support the theatre industry during the pandemic shutdown. In this episode, he discusses how he fell in love with musicals, the power of persistence, and the experience of playing t...
Feb 05, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 3
George Brescia is a renowned style expert, TV personality, and author of Change Your Clothes, Change Your Life. In this episode, he discusses how your wardrobe is the "window to your soul," the ways you can make fashion work for you, and why you'll see him doing the Electric Slide on QVC. George Brescia QVC Support the show: http://www.stagespodcast.net...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 2
