“The Cost of Art” premiered on February 27, 2012, and was the first episode in the series NOT written and directed by show creator Theresa Rebeck and Michael Mayer. The episode was written by David Marshall Grant, and directed by Michael Morris. At premiere, the episode was viewed live by 6.6 million, but including DVR recording, was viewed by a total of 9.05 million viewers.   There was a lot of music in this episode: Two original songs (History is Made at Night and I Never Met a Wolf Who...

“Enter Mr. DiMaggio” premiered on February 20, 2012. It was written by Theresa Rebeck, and directed by Michael Mayer. It’s only three weeks until rehearsals begin for the workshop of the new Broadway-bound musical Bombshell. However, other than a great idea (that may or may not have been stolen from composer Tom Hewitt’s assistant Ellis) the writing team only have eight songs and half a book ready to go.  Up and upcoming ensemblist Ivy Lynn wonders if the only reason Derek gave her the part...

Episode 2 is titled, “The Callback,” and it premiered on February 13th, 2012. It was written by Theresa Rebeck, and directed by Michael Mayer, both of whom also wrote and directed the pilot. The episode begins with the Bombshell creative team mulling over they are #TeamIvy or #TeamKaren. Tom and Julia are playing with the show’s structure, moving songs around, as director Derek takes Karen and Ivy through dance auditions. Tom tells Ivy “I would have just given it to you.” Karen stays late for...

The first episode of Smash is aptly named, “Pilot.” The episode premiered on February 6th, 2012. It was written by the show’s creator Theresa Rebeck, and directed by Michael Mayer. The pilot premiered to an audience of 11.44 million people! This episode featured seven songs, three of which were original songs written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman: “Never Give All the Heart,” “The National Pastime,” and the show’s anthem “Let Me Be Your Star.” The other four were covers of “Somewhere Over...

On January 5, 2020, Broadway will dim the lights on one of its most delicious confections: Waitress. During its more than four years and 1,544 regular performances on Broadway, The Ensemblist has shared many stories from its talented company. We share with you today two completely new stories from to podcast as well as some of our favorite Waitress audio from the past year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our recent episodes about Touring Broadway, actors Josh Burrage and Sabrina Imamura shared with us some of the joys and struggles of touring with A Bronx Tale, Newsies and Hamilton. But while they each have significant experience in the road, one thing neither of them were able to speak to was going on the road as a parent.  That’s why I found this Mama’s Talkin Loud so intriguing. Mama’s Talkin Loud is a new parenting podcast hosted two of the co-founders of Broadway Baby Mamas, Cara...

First National Tours are one of the most important calling cards for the Broadway community. Staged in New York City to cross the country, these facsimiles of Broadway shows bring the experience of attending a Mainstem musical to theatrelovers across the country. But how similar are these touring productions to their Broadway counterparts? And what’s the experience for performers who pick up their lives to travel the country in one of the casts? Sabrina Imamura opened the first national tour...

We are in the midst of an unprecedented time right now. As artists, We thrive on human interaction, community, and togetherness. With all of that stripped away, it has been difficult for many of us to find ways to be creative. To find ways to have hope that the theatre industry will rise again. This industry we love so much has its ups and downs, its difficult struggles, and its moments of pure joy. I spoke with three talented ensemblists, and more importantly, excellent humans, about what...

First National Tours are one of the most important calling cards for the Broadway community. Staged in New York City to cross the country, these facsimiles of Broadway shows bring the experience of attending a Mainstem musical to theatrelovers across the country. But how similar are these touring productions to their Broadway counterparts? And what’s the experience for performers who pick up their lives to travel the country in one of the casts? Joshua Michael Burrage has performed with not...

Just last night, television viewers got to see what Broadway audiences fell in love with last year: SpongeBob SquarePants the musical. The big, little musical the could surprised fans of the production when it was announced earlier this fall that it would be taped for broadcast featuring much of the show’s original Broadway cast, including my guest for this episode Lauralyn McClelland. Lauralyn is a veteran of seven Broadway shows, including Rock of Ages, Matilda The Musical, My Fair Lady and...

Jennifer Smith is a legend of the Broadway stage. In the last 35 years, she originated and understudies more than 40 roles on Broadway. Back in 2016, she joined Ensemblist co-creator Nikka Graff Lanzarone and I in the studio to talk about creating ensemble roles in four of her Broadway shows: Tuck Everlasting, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Producers and Victor/Victoria. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The premiere episode of 2023 from The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales - make sure to follow everywhere you get your podcasts. Eddie Izzard is a Tony Award nominated, Emmy Award winning actress who quickly rose to fame in the 90s as a phenomenal standup comedian - producing two of my all time favorite specials Glorious and Dress to Kill. Among her 41 film credits include The Avengers, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, and Rock Dog. She has around 40 TV credits, is a politician, activist,...

Jill Abramovitz slayed Beetlejuice audiences in her duel roles of Maxine Dean and Juno. She’s so incredible that we here at The Ensemblist bestowed her one of our first ever Season Standout awards. We asked this veteran of Broadway’s Cinderella and 9 to 5 into the studio to talk about how she developed those roles into some of the funniest moments in what is already a very funny show. Here’s our conversation… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lightning Thief employs a cast of seven actors to bring the story of Percy Jackson on stage. Much of the show’s small cast is tasked with creating multiple characters, none more than actors Ryan Knowles. Using a versus title facility of voice and movement, he creates strikingly specific characters over and over in the show, including Charon, Hades and many many more. Here’s our conversation… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will shutter its doors after nearly six years on Broadway. Along the way during its 2,418 public performances, The Ensemblist has been lucky to share stories from many of its ensemble members. In honor of its closing, we wanted to share some of our favorites from our early years, as well as a new story to the podcast from one of the show’s touring cast members.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alicia Charles is currently twirling, gliding and tapping her way through Agrabah as part of the ensemble of Aladdin on Broadway. Although she made her debut in the show in early 2017, she was sidelined early into her tenure there when she underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids. How do you recover well enough to sing and dance eight shows a week when there’s a giant scar healing on your abdomen? Well, here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taurean Everett made a splash last season in the ensemble of The Cher Show. He brought the house down as Bob Mackie’s Assistant by wearing only a loincloth and a beaming smile. Taurean was also the lead campaign image for this year’s edition of Broadway Bares. It goes without saying that this is a guy who takes care of his body. However, that fitness was called into question when he was injured in an audition toward the end of the summer. Here’s our conversation… Learn more about your ad...

Closing shows are just part of the big, beautiful cycle of musical theatre. And yet sometimes those closings are so sudden that they defy explanation. Such was the case last fall with the North American tour of Bat Out of Hell - The Musical. While playing its opening stint in Toronto, the show’s producers announced that the multi-city run would shutter its doors before even reaching its second city. Left in the lurch were dozens of performers, including this week’s guest Emilie Battle. Emilie...

Jovan Dansberry made his Broadway debut last season in the ensemble of King Kong. Performing both as one of the show’s dancers and as the manipulator of Kong’s left paw proved to be a monumental challenge, one that took him out of the show for months and ultimately stopped him from closing the Broadway production. But for Jovan, the biggest challenge was not the physical recovery but dealing with the stigma of being an injured performer. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad...

As performers, our bodies are our instruments. We use our physical beings to create sounds, embody characters and tell stories. So when that physical instrument is suffering, how does that affect a performers’ artistry? And, perhaps more importantly, what does it do to a performer’s psyche when they aren’t able to work to the best of their abilities. That’s a conversation I wanted to explore in this new mini-series Hurt and Healed: an honest look into actors’ injuries, recoveries and the...

Chloe Campbell made a name for herself performing in London in four West End musicals. Since making a leap across the pond, she performed in the Chicago company of Hamilton and the national tour of In The Heights. Her Broadway credits include the short-lived Tuck Everlasting and the just-closed production of King Kong. Here’s our conversation... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since making his Broadway debut in the original company of Newsies, Michael Fatica has gone on to perform in five additional Broadway musicals in the last three years, including originating the role of Chubby Man in Groundhog Day. In addition to performing in the national tour of Matilda The Musical, he also spent a chunk of last summer setting the show’s international company in South Africa. Last week, he finished a run as Phil Spector, Sid the Censor and others in Broadway’s The Cher Show....

Making it to Broadway is a dream come true for many. But no matter the show, living that dream will eventually come to an end. Whether your show runs for one month or one decade, eventually every Broadway musical will close. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first Broadway show or your tenth, closing means a future of artistic and financial uncertainty. And yet, closing shows is just part of the big, beautiful cycle of musical theatre. This summer seven Broadway musicals are shuttering their...

Eliza Ohman was in the onstage ensemble and assistant dance captain of King Kong on Broadway. Her onscreen credits dancing in Fosse/Verdon and next season’s opening episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. However, her first Broadway job was as a swing on Hamilton. Working as the dance captain and universal swing, she covered the five female ensemble roles in each of the show’s four North American productions of the show for more than a year. Here’s our conversation… Learn more about your ad...

Stephanie Klemons is the Associate Choreographer and Global Dance Supervisor of Hamilton. She was part of the process as it grew from a small idea to an international phenomenon with six companies world wide. In addition to being a member of the original cast, she now works to cast the multiple productions of Hamilton. She’s also a choreographer in her own right on top of being a wife and mother.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices