West of Broadway Podcast

On this episode of West of Broadway, Will & Wendy are shifting focus slightly away from celebrating Musical Theater in Los Angeles and on the West Coast to celebrating Musical Theater FROM Los Angeles. With the recent announcement that the Broadway Industry will be staying closed until 2021, it is now more important than ever that we support arts education. Will and Wendy sit down with Director of Sales and Partnerships for PASSDOOR and one of their Visiting Educators, James Tabeek do discuss how they are working to help change the face of tomorrow’s Broadway by educating the young artists of today. PASSDOOR The new virtual platform offers intimate dance classes taught by seasoned Broadway performers. Offering over 40 live dance classes per week for aspiring dancers of all ages and skill levels. The emerging company in the New York theatre scene, announced the launch of their virtual platform which hosts professional-level dance classes taught solely by seasoned Broadway performers. Through the instruction of these notable teaching artists who have appeared in over 100 Broadway shows, students on Passdoor will learn dance techniques, skills and choreography from the comfort of their own home — regardless of personal skill level or age. With Broadway dark due to COVID-19, PassDoor was born out of the necessity to provide out-of-work performers an outlet for their art — the opportunity to train, connect and share their talents with future generations of dancers. Each Passdoor class is capped at 20 students, therefore allowing the instructors to provide direct feedback live. Classes are offered in the Ballet, Ballet Barre, Broadway Choreo, Children’s Theatre Playhouse, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Theatre Dance and Theatre Jazz modalities, formatted for both adults and children. “We formed PassDoor out of a need to help displaced Broadway Dancers due to the Pandemic, but quickly discovered it could be so much more. Not only are we providing a space for current professional artists to create and share their craft, but because everything is online, we have an opportunity to change the face of tomorrow’s Broadway by educating the young artists of today that might not have access to theatre or the arts,” said Megan Sikora, Director of Sales & Partnerships of Passdoor. “The team of teachers PassDoor has assembled are the absolute A-list of Broadway talent. Truly the very best of the best.” ~Denis Jones, two time Tony nominee, Best Choreography "The dancers teaching on PassDoor are among the elite Broadway performers of our time and some of my most favorite dancers in NYC! I’ve repeatedly hired many of them myself to dance on Broadway, network television and many other performances. Their unparalleled talent and experience makes PassDoor absolutely one of a kind." ~Josh Bergasse, Emmy Award winner, Outstanding Choreography Be sure to follow @ONPASSDOOR @MEGANSIKORA and @JAMESTABEEK on Instagram and while you’re at it feel free to follow @Wendy_Rosoff and @WillArmstrongPR. for the latest in West of Broadway news. BroadwayPodcastNetwork.com/podcasts/west-of-broadway is how you can keep up with us and find past and future episodes.  Thanks for joining us, until next time, if you’re looking for us, you can find us Just West of Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will & Wendy get a chance to talk to the captivating and brilliant Adam Epstein about his upcoming 11-week online course presented by the Pasadena Playhouse. 11-week Webinar 60-minute virtual lectures every Tuesday at 5:00PM PST May 12–Jul 21, 2020 The Broadway Musical and America is intended to give students a broad overview of the American musical from Oklahoma to the present. The course situates the form as a distinctly American phenomenon and which both influenced and was influenced by the American political landscape since the end of World War II. The course, which will include special Broadway guests, will survey classic works of musical theater, and we will engage, discuss and think about why the Broadway musical has endured as an important American art form. Hosted by Adam Epstein, a theatrical producer whose productions have received 46 Tony nominations and garnered 12 Tony Awards, one of which Adam himself received as a producer of Hairspray in 2003. Adam’s other credits include A View From a Bridge, The Crucible, Amadeus, The Wedding Singer and Cry-Baby. In the West End, both his productions of Amadeus and Hairspray earned multiple Olivier nominations and Hairspray was awarded a record 11 nominations, winning four, including Best Musical. An adjunct faculty member of NYU, (which is also his alma mater,) Adam has also been a guest lecturer at Harvard, Columbia and the University of Miami. Adam recently graduated with his Master’s degree in American Studies from Brown University, and he is currently working in political journalism and media. You can follow Adam on Instagram @Akepstein and while you're at it feel free to follow @Wendy_Rosoff and @WillArmstrongPR. for the latest in West of Broadway news. BroadwayPodcastNetwork.com/podcasts/west-of-broadway is how you can keep up with us and find past and future episodes.  Thanks for joining us, until next time, if you’re looking for us, you can find us Just West of Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of West of Broadway Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff talk with Broadway star Laura Bell Bundy about absolutely everything! First, Laura Bell shares how her family are navigating the Covid-19 epidemic and her recent personal bout with the disease. Then they discuss Laura Bell's upcoming album and video series centered around women and the challenges facing them today. From an NYU student to young soap opera actress to originating a role in the hit musical Hairspray, Laura Bell shared her early career experiences and how her journey prepared her for her portrayal of Elle woods in Legally Blonde. The evolution of her process is something that is still shaping and informing the roles she portrays to this day. Keep up with Laura Bell Bundy on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tick Tock. Just search for @LauraBellBundy. We hope you enjoy this candid conversation and find inspiration from her insightful approach to life, family and theater. As far as Wendy and Will you can find past episodes of their podcast on the Broadway Podcast Network along side an array of fantastic shows! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of West of Broadway, Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff connect via ZOOM with Producer and Creator of Rock of Ages Musical to find out how he and the cast are doing and to learn about how this unexpected musical hit found it's way all the way to Broadway and back home to Hollywood. Matt Weaver and a tenacious team of creatives took a terrific idea and made it one of Broadways most successful and longest running hits of all time. In this very cool episode, Matt Weaver explains how he staffed and cast the show, found multiple theaters to mount and create the musical, amassed funding and sold the film rights to an unproven project all before opening on Broadway! We also learn how Matt and his team are working to hold things together during this pandemic and how COVID-19 has directly effected one of their beloved cast members. Matt even shares details about his next musical project with Dominique Morisseau, Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Camille A. Brown and Kamilah Forbes. "Soul Train" the musical is currently in development with an opening set for 2021! Rock of Ages Hollywood at the Bourbon Room is set to reopen as soon as the quarantine is lifted and life gets back to normal. Until then, keep up with the cast on Instagram at @RockofAgesHollywood! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our very first video version of West of Broadway, Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff catch up with 2 time Emmy Award-winning choreographer Kathryn (Kat) Burns while she is Sheltering in Place during the coronavirus pandemic. Kathryn discusses her career, shares insight for working performers and pays tribute to the recent loss of her friend and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend colleague, Adam Schlesinger. Links: https://www.instagram.com/katmburns/ https://www.instagram.com/wendy_rosoff/ https://www.instagram.com/willarmstrongpr/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the COVID 19 Pandemic bringing shows and businesses to a stand still, there isn't much theater news to report but Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff wanted to share their conversation with Book of Mormon star Liam Tobin from their Los Angeles run at the Ahmanson Theater. Liam talks about his history with this musical juggernaut and what life is like on the road. After that, friend of the pod, Joseph Corella of 567Broadway shares some tips to inspire us on our fitness journeys. We hope that this episode made you smile. Special thanks to our friends at The Ahmanson Theater and Center Theater Group for helping us connect with Liam and if you are looking for some inspiration and motivation, be sure to check out 567Broadway.com Hope you are all staying safe and healthy and taking this time of extended isolation to rest, recharge. So on behalf of Will & Wendy, good by for now! But, not for long because, if you're looking for us you'll always find us, just West of Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this very special episode of West of Broadway, Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff are discussing the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and what we might do during this time of widespread shutdowns, work stoppages, and self-isolations. The pair discuss theaters going dark from Broadway all the way west to California and how this is affecting members of the theatrical community. As a working actor and teaching artist, Wendy offers some productive suggestions for using possible downtime to get productive and prepared for when life gets back to normal. Here are some of her terrific suggestions: ·     If you happen to be out of work due to the enforced shutdowns, (and you are healthy and have not been exposed to the COVID 19 virus,) consider assisting with elder or childcare. People are going to Facebook and posting their availability. There are also Facebook groups forming to help place people together. Consider helping with Dog Fostering! This is a terrific way to help dogs in need of a forever home collect important data that will assist with adoptions and you will have company at home. Goto : https://www.outtathecage.org/for more information. Will and Wendy also talk about using this “downtime” to get creative and collaborative with other artists. Whether it’s writing, working on auditions, rehearsing, practicing, or addressing projects that you wanted to tackle but never had the time. But before any of that, take a breath and give yourself the gift of self-care and rest. Mind, body and soul have a chance to rest and recharge. Maybe meditate, read, research and find inspiration that may feed your soul. This is also a great time to update your website, update your social presence and great a social media calendar. If you need inspiration, research accounts you like and follow and use current trends to influence your social media posts. Wendy also suggests that all working actors, work on their self-tape skills. This is a great time to prepare for future auditions, and while we are on the subject of auditions… https://www.weaudition.com/ is a fantastic membership based resource for actors who need someone to help with line readings, scene study or just honing their craft. We Audition is also a terrific site to lend your skills as a reader or coach for other actors while you make some extra money. This is a little obvious, but now is a great time to check out all the podcasts that you have been meaning to listen to. https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/ is an amazing resource for theater fans to get an up close and personal look into this amazing world! Or, if you’re so inclined, maybe now is the time to start your own podcast. Will and Wendy recently did an interview for Medium.com offering tips for producing a podcast.  LINK: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/creating-a-bingeable-podcast-as-an-art-form-with-will-armstrong-wendy-rosoff-of-the-west-of-2cb40e4afd8a *Now is also a great time to update your resume and write your long form and short bios, update your mailing lists and your newsletter templates. Finally, use this time to reconnect with friends and family via Skype or Zoom and schedule a date to catch up. The world is telling us to slow down and now is a time to listen and breath and focus on physical and mental health. Thank you all for checking in on us! We hope you enjoyed this irregular episode. Please reach out to us on social and share what you’re doing during this interesting time. Find us on Instagram at: @WestofBroadwayPodcast @WillArmstrongPR and @Wendy_Rosoff and on Facebook @WillandWendy and share your story and catch up on old episodes at https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcast/west-of-broadway/ So, until next time, be well, be safe, wash your hands and remember, if you’re looking for us, you can find us just West of Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of West of Broadway Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff speak with Gedde Watanabe and George Xavier, two cast members of East West Players’ Spring 2020 production of the award-winning Broadway musical Assassins. Will and Wendy first speak with Gedde Watanabe – famous from appearing in John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles, and his stage appearances include the original Broadway production of Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures. Gedde discusses his process and character development as well as his experience working with the East West Players. George, A former student of Wendy's talks about his love for musical theater and his appreciation for working with such an inspiring cast. All performances of Assassins will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in Little Tokyo. Previews are Thursday, March 12th through Sunday, March 15th, with 8pm shows from Thursday to Saturday, and a 2pm matinee show on Sunday. Regular performances are from Friday, March 20th through Sunday, April 5th, with 8pm shows from Thursday to Saturday, and 2pm matinee shows on Saturday and Sunday. Opening night is Thursday, March 19th at 8pm. Tickets are available at: https://eastwestplayers.org/assassins/ East West Players is the nation’s longest-running professional theater of color and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Armstrong & Wendy Rosoff stopped into the rehearsal of Glass Ceilings, a new musical directed by Jessica Gardner and created by the musical writing team of Laura Watkins and Nicholas David Brandt (Comic-Con the Musical.) Glass Ceilings is a new musical about women throughout history whose stories you don’t know, but should. Jessica and Laura talk about the show and what it takes to mount and produce their own labor of love. Opening at The Rockwell on March 5th at 8pm and playing each weekend throughout March. www.glassceilingsmusical.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Armstrong and Wendy Rosoff met up Downtown LA to see the new musical Found Starring Jonah Platt and Jordan Kai Burnett. This IAMA Theater production is playing at the Los Angeles Theater Center until March 23! Listen in as Will and Wendy talk with cast members and discuss their experience before, during intermission, and after the show. Special thanks to Jonah Platt, Jordan Kai Burnett and Parvesh Cheena for taking the time to speak with us! About the show: Found isn’t just based on a true story — it’s based on hundreds of them! When lost and broke Davy, played by Jonah Platt (Fiyero in Wicked on Broadway, NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live with John Legend) happens to find a peculiar note meant for someone else on the windshield of his car, it sparks an outlandish idea to collect the hilarious and revealing notes and letters that surround us every day. Along with friends Denise (Jordan Kai Burnett, seen in the national tour of Seussical and a Scenie award-winner for the title role in Scissorhands at Rockwell Table & Stage) and Mikey D. (Mike Millan of Broadway’s Escape to Margaritaville, national tours of Sister Act and Piece of My Heart), he’s quickly swept up into a wild, comedic mission to share them with the world. Found is a raucous exploration of human connection and the beautiful weirdness in all of us. WHEN: Performances: Feb. 20 – March 23 • Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 20 (opening night) ONLY • Fridays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 21, Feb. 28, March 6, March 13, March 20 • Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 22*, Feb. 29, March 7, March 14, March 21* • Sundays at 4 p.m.: Feb. 23, March 1, March 8, March 15, March 22 • Mondays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 24, March 2*, March 9, March 16, March 23 *Late-night shows of Davy Rothbart’s ‘Found Magazine show,’ as featured on NPR and The Late Show with David Letterman, take place on Saturday, Feb. 22; Monday, March 2; and Saturday, March 21 at 10:30 p.m. WHERE: The Los Angeles Theatre Center 514 S. Spring Street Los Angeles CA 90013 HOW: • 323-380-8843 or www.iamatheatre.com. • Visit IAMA Theatre Company on facebook: facebook.com/iamatheatre/ • Follow on instagram: @iamatheatre @JonahPlatt @JKAIB @Parvey and while your’e at it feel free to follow @Wendy_Rosoff and @WillArmstrongPR. and @westofbroadwaypodcast for the latest in West of Broadway news. BroadwayPodcastNetwork.com/podcasts/west-of-broadway is how you can keep up with us and find past and future episodes.   Thanks for joining us, until next time, if you’re looking for us, you can find us Just West of Broadway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices