The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

This is the second episode of a special 4-part takeover with cast & creatives from Hulu's new musical series UP HERE. Make sure to stream the entire 21 song UP HERE soundtrack everywhere you find your music. Tony-award-winning playwright and screenwriter Steven Levenson is back to let us in on his current project with Hulu, “Up Here”. He recalls how it all started and why it was a terrifying moment for him at the time to turn it into a TV show, why they decided to find an additional executive producer for the show and their deliberate choice to set the show in 1999. Coming from theatre and having written for both movie musicals and TV musicals, Steven discusses the misconceptions and challenging aspects of TV and musicals, and why it is rarely undertaken. He also shares some of his learnings such as finding locations and having a solid plan during production to keep the ground running—a challenging but fun puzzle he likes to solve. While he can’t share the projects he’s currently working on, Steven is excited to get back to stage writing and continue to create something joyful and also have fun while doing so. Steven Levenson is a playwright and screenwriter who won a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for “Dear Evan Hansen”. He has written for “Masters of Sex”, “Fosse/Verdon”, “Dear Evan Hansen”, the movie and the musical, ”Tick, Tick... Boom!”. He has recently adapted Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez’ stage musical “Up Here” for the screen which is currently streaming on Hulu. Songs used in this episode: Can I Ever Know You Please Like Me Can I Ever Know You (Finale) Connect with Steven: Watch UP HERE Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the first episode of a special 4-part takeover with cast & creatives from Hulu's new musical series UP HERE. Make sure to stream the entire 21 song UP HERE soundtrack everywhere you find your music. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez are living proof that two is better than one. They have now co-created a romantic musical comedy called “UP HERE”, streaming exclusively on Hulu. The talented and award-winning duo talk about their humble beginnings and how they crossed paths, all thanks to the BMI workshop. They share the underlying themes of “Up Here”, which includes reestablishing relationships as we go through changes in life that they deeply relate with as a couple. Having the luxury of working together, they look back on their previous projects such as “Coco” “Finding Nemo” and “Frozen”, and how sometimes their work is a reflection of their experiences and what they’re feeling and going through at the moment. Having never worked in television before, the two talk about what the process is like and why it’s been an eye-opening experience for them. Kirsten and Bobby also recall their time working together for WandaVision and why it’s the most fun they’ve ever had working on anything. Ultimately, the power duo’s success can be attributed to two things: the desire to keep getting better and to connect with people. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez are two talented individuals who have collaborated and co-created music and lyrics for movies and television shows, including “Frozen 1” and “Frozen 2”, “Coco”, “Finding Nemo the Musical”, “Wonder Pets”, “Winnie the Pooh”, and “WandaVision”. Kristen is an Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy award-winning songwriter who helped create Broadway's first a capella musical, “In Transit” while Bobby is the world’s only official double EGOT winner who helped create “Avenue Q”, “Book of Mormon” for Broadway and has written for shows like “Phineas and Ferb”, “Scrubs”, and “The Simpsons”. For their latest project, Kristen and Bobby are co-creating a romantic musical comedy called “UP HEREUp Here”, now streaming on Hulu. Songs used in this episode: Can I Ever Know You Tiger Shark Can I Ever Know You (Finale) Connect with Kristen and Bobby: Twitter: @Lyrikris10  Instagram: @kristenampersandlopez TikTok: @k10lopez Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natasha Yvette Williams is currently originating the role of Sweet Sue in the brand new production of “Some Like It Hot” on Broadway. She gets real as she opens up about why she doesn’t consider herself a singer, admitting that she’s still a little insecure about her singing, but despite dealing with imposter syndrome, Natasha remains positive by constantly reminding herself that everything is a challenge, a lesson, and a blessing. She also shares where she used to get validation and why all the validation she needs now comes from her. Being a part of “Some Like It Hot”, she continues her goal to develop a great relationship with each and every other cast member and see how it unfolds on stage. Natasha recalls watching Lily Tomlin in “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” which sparked something in her to join the musical theatre, and why she wants to have the same impact on other people whenever she performs. Natasha Yvette Williams is an actress who has starred in Broadway shows, including “The Color Purple”, “A Night with Janice Joplin”, “Waitress”, “Chicago”, “Chicken and Biscuits”, and “Porgy and Bess”. Her national credits include “Waitress”, “Xanadu”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, and “All Shook Up”. Natasha has also starred in several tv shows and movies such as “Harlem”, “I Take Thee Zoe”, and “Better Late Than Never” among others. You can also catch her in “Alice”, the Disney Plus’ “Better Late Than Never”, and the Netflix series “Partner Track”. She’s currently on stage originating the role of Sweet Sue in the latest production of “Some Like It Hot”. Connect with Natasha: Instagram: @natashayvettewilliams Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Fisher is currently starring in the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway. Being drawn to art and performing from a young age, it's no surprise that he ended up in the industry. Apart from performing, the actor shares his love for gaming and what it's like to be a professional eSports athlete, including his day-to-day work in the gaming space. Jordan talks about what's different about this production of Sweeney this time and their take on the piece, which will look, feel and sound familiar but bigger and larger at the same time—the most realistic telling of the story, if you will. Jordan Fisher is an actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and gamer who has done numerous projects in the TV, movie, theatre, and gaming industry. He can be seen in Netflix’s "Work It" and "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before" sequel, The CW’s "The Flash", and most recently, Netflix’s "Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between" and HBO’s "Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience". Apart from acting, he's an avid gamer and has commentated for the 2019 Fortnite World Cup. Jordan was also the first Black actor to portray the title character of Evan in "Dear Evan Hansen" and Mark in the Emmy-nominated "Rent: Live". He was also named a breakout star by MTV and People Magazine for Fox’s Emmy-winning broadcast "Grease Live!" and won ABC’s 25th season of Dancing with the Stars. He collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda wherein he performed a duet with him for Disney’s "Moana" soundtrack and joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical, "Hamilton". Jordan is part of the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway on March 26, 2023, and you can also catch him streaming on Twitch. Connect with Jordan: Instagram: @jordanfisher, @jordanfishergaming Twitch: @jordanfisher Twitter: @jordanfisher YouTube: @@jordanfisher TikTok: @jordan_fisher Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Fisher is currently starring in the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway. Being drawn to art and performing from a young age, it's no surprise that he ended up in the industry. Apart from performing, the actor shares his love for gaming and what it's like to be a professional eSports athlete, including his day-to-day work in the gaming space. Jordan talks about what's different about this production of Sweeney this time and their take on the piece, which will look, feel and sound familiar but bigger and larger at the same time—the most realistic telling of the story, if you will. Jordan Fisher is an actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and gamer who has done numerous projects in the TV, movie, theatre, and gaming industry. He can be seen in Netflix’s "Work It" and "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before" sequel, The CW’s "The Flash", and most recently, Netflix’s "Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between" and HBO’s "Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience". Apart from acting, he's an avid gamer and has commentated for the 2019 Fortnite World Cup. Jordan was also the first Black actor to portray the title character of Evan in "Dear Evan Hansen" and Mark in the Emmy-nominated "Rent: Live". He was also named a breakout star by MTV and People Magazine for Fox’s Emmy-winning broadcast "Grease Live!" and won ABC’s 25th season of Dancing with the Stars. He collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda wherein he performed a duet with him for Disney’s "Moana" soundtrack and joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical, "Hamilton". Jordan is part of the upcoming production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway on March 26, 2023, and you can also catch him streaming on Twitch. Connect with Jordan: Instagram: @jordanfisher, @jordanfishergaming Twitch: @jordanfisher Twitter: @jordanfisher YouTube: @@jordanfisher TikTok: @jordan_fisher Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the recent passing of Lucy Simon, playing the role of Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" is both special and bittersweet for Sierra Boggess and the rest of the cast. Despite people telling her to switch to vocal performance, Sierra stayed as a musical theatre major so she can “graduate a triple threat.” She recalls how she got to do Phantom in Las Vegas which changed the trajectory of her career. She considers leaning into acting as the most important aspect no matter what you're doing and always considers her character's need at the moment to help her with how she's going to sing or dance. Being a part of "The Secret Garden" now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, Sierra talks about the different messages of the show, her relationship with Lucy and how they’re honoring her, and the contrast between working with adults and kids. She also gets real about her beliefs, her relationship with fans, knowing what your truth is and why you shouldn't let anyone take your love of performing away. Sierra Boggess is an Olivier-nominated actress who made her Broadway debut in 2007, originating the role of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" wherein she received Drama Desk and Drama League nominations. She's also best known for her re-inventing the coveted role of Christine Daae in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "The Phantom of the Opera". In fact, Lord Webber himself went on record to say that she’s the best Christine. Her other stage credits include "It Shoulda Been You", "School of Rock", "Master Class", "Love, Loss, and What I Wore", and "Music in the Air". She also starred in London West End's "Les Miserables", and "Love Never Dies". Currently, Sierra is playing Lily Craven in "The Secret Garden" at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre. Connect with Sierra: Website: www.sierraboggess.com Instagram: @officialsierraboggess Get tickets to The Secret Garden: http://ahmansontheatre.org Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marla Mindelle is currently making people laugh playing an over the top Celine Dion in the off-Broadway production of "Titanique". At an early age, she already knew that a career in musical theatre was all she ever wanted to do, thanks to her father (who was a musical theatre composer) and all the obscure musical theatre records she consumed. She chronicles her life from booking her first show and her experience as an actress to moving to Los Angeles to become a television and film writer. For Marla, writing as a career is harder than acting, proven by her humble beginnings in L.A. where she also worked at a "ratchet" dinner theatre venue doing movie and musical parodies. Ironically, this is also where the idea for "Titanique" was born. She shares the musical's (long) journey to success, including getting Celine Dion's team's blessing and keeping the script fresh and up-to-date, and how timing and the team's goal of making each other and the audience genuinely cackle are a huge part of its success. Marla Mindelle is an actress, writer, and composer who made her Broadway debut in "South Pacific" and originated the role of Sister Mary Robert in "Sister Act" as well as the role of the evil stepsister Gabrielle in the 2013 revival of "Cinderella". She also played Kitty in the first national tour of “The Drowsy Chaperone” and the evil boss Olivia in the Emmy-nominated series "Special" on Netflix. Her other tv and film credits include “The Nomads”, “Life in Pieces”, and “The Devil’s B*tch”. As a writer and composer, she has had multiple writing projects sold and is in the works. Currently, she can be seen on stage playing Celine Dion in "Titanique" at the Daryl Roth Theatre, a musical she also co-wrote. Connect with Marla: Website: www.marlamindelle.com Instagram: @marlamindelle, @titaniquemusical Get tickets to Titanique Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Horn's life story is an incredible testament that you can use humor as a way of survival—well, that and a little bit of luck. From getting separated from his twin and sneaking out of an orphanage when he was a little over 13 to renting an apartment in New York that was possibly run by the mob and eventually moving to LA to pursue a career in writing, his life is anything but boring. Robert talks about how he got his first gig and how it was kismet, what a showrunner really does and why it's great training for theatre, and his myopic approach when it comes to writing jokes. He looks back on his life in New York City during the 70’s, which included working all sorts of jobs, including writing monologues for actors and working as a phone sex operator.  Robert has two productions currently on stage - the first is Disney’s “Hercules”, currently open at the Papermill Playhouse, the other is “Shucked”, which begins previews on March 8th. With his long list of works and achievements, Robert reminds us that we should never stop learning how to laugh at ourselves and follow our instincts.  Robert Horn is a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and New York Drama Critics' Circle award-winning book writer. His career started in film and television where he worked as a writer on the CBS series "Designing Women" and as a writer and producer on the Fox series "Living Single". Following that, he created and Executive Produced the CBS series "High Society". He was also signed to an overall production deal with Warner Brothers Studios, where he developed, wrote, and executive-produced numerous network pilots and series. He also signed a script deal at Sony Studios and an overall pilot deal at ABC studios. Together with Bob Boyett, he created and wrote the FX series “Partners”. Robert's Broadway credits include "Dame Edna", "13 The Musical", "Back With A Vengeance", and "Tootsie" among others.  Connect with Robert: Instagram: @rhorn1 Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Everybody wants to be Beyoncé, but does everybody wanna put in the work?" is just one of Jelani's many foods for thought in this episode. He shares where his love for theatre started, being a jack-of-all-trades type of person growing up, making it into Broadway and what it's like meeting a new generation of artists today that aspire to have the same profession. Jelani recalls his "The Lion King" journey, from the first time he saw the show to having a full circle moment of playing the role of Simba for years. This experience was eye-opening for him... becoming an inspiration and making connections with people. He was a standby when he first got the job for "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" and enjoyed being a swing because while it can be a lot of pressure sometimes, it also helps him explore and test his abilities. Jelani also shares his experience with accidents on stage and why the show must go on, Broadway as a sport, and that “no” doesn’t no, it just means not right now, so if you’re an aspiring actor, make sure to stay ready and always be prepared. Jelani Remy is an actor best known for his role as Simba in the Broadway, National Tour, and Vegas company of Disney's "The Lion King". He was also part of Disney's "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2", "Parade", "Cabaret", Broadway's "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations" where he played the role of Eddie Kendricks, “The Apple Boys”, and the Off-Broadway production of "Smokey Joe's Cafe" among others. Jelani will be the guest in the upcoming Broadway Lecture Series at StageWorks at Studio 237 on March 11, 2023. Connect with Jelani: Instagram: @itsjelaniremy Check out the Broadway Lecture Series: broadwaylectureseries.com Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie and Diane are both co-founders of The Museum of Broadway in Times Square which opened November, 2022. Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti have teamed up in 2022 to bring the best of the Broadway and experiential worlds in the form of The Museum of Broadway in Times Square. Julie and Diane have known each other for decades now and the two chronicle their journey from being in the same sorority to finally working together on many successful projects. Having worked on fan experiences, Diane explains what it's like building sets of popular tv shows and movies and the overall process of building a set. Julie, on the other hand, talks about an event staffing agency she started in 2009 to help Broadway performers, which then pushed her to pursue her dream of being on the producing end of Broadway. This shift was also the beginning of Diane and Julie's partnerships. With a similar mindset of creating something that doesn’t exist yet, it’s no surprise that the two would work together to create a museum dedicated to Broadway. Julie and Diane share how it all started, the challenges they came across along the way, and how they made it an immersive experience for the visitors. Following its success, the two share their standout, pinch-me moments, including a visit from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the overall positive reception from people—a true mark that they have created something impactful and lasting for the theatre community. Julie Boardman is a two-time Tony Award-winning producer who is currently a co-producer on the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl" and “A Doll’s House”. Her other Broadway credits include "An American in Paris", "Carousel", "Company", "Dames at Sea", "Head Over Heels", "Hughie", "Indecent", and "The Inheritance". Her tour credits include "An American in Paris", "Dreamgirls", and "Peter and the Starcatcher". Apart from being a Tony voter and member of The Broadway League, Julie is also on the Theatre Committee at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Leadership Council for the Costume Industry Coalition among others. Her company, Boardman Productions, has worked with numerous leading brands including Nike, Maybelline, Vogue, Victoria’s Secret, Microsoft, Diet Coke, Samsung, Game of Thrones, and Disney’s The Lion King on their activations and fan experiences. Diane Nicoletti is a creative director, producer, and entrepreneur, who has produced some of the biggest events in fan experiences for two decades now, including the Game of Thrones Fan Experience, Gretzky's Retirement Gala, and brand activations at the Super Bowl, Comic-Con, CES, and SXSW. She's also the founder of the award-winning experiential marketing agency, Rubik Marketing, and has had the privilege of working on amazing properties like Game of Thrones, Deadpool, Frozen Hotel Transylvania, Dumbo, Shark Tank, The Muppets, How To Train Your Dragon, American Horror Story, Ghostbusters, among many others. Connect with Julie and Diane: Museum of Broadway: www.themuseumofbroadway.com Instagram: @museumofbroadway Julie’s Instagram: @msjulieboardman Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices