When Lightning Strikes!

by Broadway Podcast Network

Broadway’s top talents reveal their lightning bolt moments that set them on the course of their dreams. When Lightning Strikes! Is hosted by Forbes.com and Parade.com contributor Jeryl Brunner. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” - Mark Twain We’ve all had it. Eureka! Your proverbial lightbulb goes off. The heavens open. The seas part. That wondrous, heart thumping, tingly, glorious mic drop moment when you realized what you were meant to do. No matter what it took. Lightning has struck! And from then on nothing is ever, ever the same. Host Jeryl Brunner presents candid, sometimes soul-baring, often funny chats with actors, writers, producers, directors and creatives as they lay down their THIS IS IT! discoveries about why they do what they do and what led them into theater. Learn more about Jeryl at @jeryl_brunner or www.jerylbrunner.com." When Lightning Strikes" theme song by Tom McGovern. Producer and talent booker: Anna Strout. Part of the Broadway Podcast Network.

Episodes

#54 - When Lightning Strikes! with Tony nominee Martyna Majok

29m · Published 07 Jun 20:59

Martyna Majok was recently nominated for a Tony award for her riveting, profound and funny play "Cost of Living." The play delves into the lengths we go to care for others and what it means to fight for ourselves. Presented by Manhattan Theatre Club, "Cost of Living" was nominated for five Tony Awards and has already won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Martyna's work, which also includes the plays "Sanctuary City," "Queens" and "Ironbound," has been performed in theaters around the world. Martyna is currently writing a musical adaptation of "The Great Gatsby," with music by Florence Welch and Thomas Bartlett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#53 - When Lightning Strikes! with NaTasha Yvette Williams

37m · Published 30 May 15:00

NaTasha Yvette Williams was just nominated for a Tony Award originating the role of band leader Sweet Sue in the new Broadway musical Some Like it Hot. She is also featured in the musical's original cast recording. NaTasha's other Broadway credits include Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Chicken and Biscuits, Waitress, Chicago, A Night with Janis Joplin, The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and The Color Purple. You can see NaTasha in the historical thriller Alice, the Disney+ movie Better Nate Than Never and Partner Track on Netflix. NaTasha is also a founding member of Black Theatre United. This episode was recorded on May 23, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#52 - When Lightning Strikes! with Stephen McKinley Henderson

53m · Published 03 May 17:57

A most prolific actor, just a few of Stephen McKinley Henderson's credits include Fences, A Raisin In The Sun, A Doll's House Part 2, Lincoln, Manchester By The Sea, Lady Bird, Dune, Causeway, Beau Is Afraid and the upcoming Dune: Part 2. He was last on Broadway at Second Stages' Helen Hayes Theater in the riveting play Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by Austin Pendleton, Stephen was just nominated for a Tony Award for his riveting performance. Returning to the role that he originated back in 2014, Stephen played Pops, a retired police officer and devoted widowed father, who is doing his best to hold on to his beloved and massive rent-controlled Riverside Drive apartment. This episode was recorded on April 26, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#51 - When Lightning Strikes! with Steven Boyer

44m · Published 27 Apr 20:23

Steven Boyer currently stars in the dazzling hit musical Kimberly Akimbo now playing at the Booth Theatre. He also received a Tony nomination for the play Hand To God. Some of his other credits include Time and the Conways, I'm Not Rappaport, Assassins, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, WeCrashed, Love Life, Borderlands, Hustlers, ChicagoFire, Trial & Error and more! He also plays lead guitar for the band the US Open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#50 - When Lightning Strikes! with Gwendolyn Warnock and Kirjan Waage, co-founders of Wakka Wakka Productions

24m · Published 27 Mar 19:34

Gwendolyn Warnock and Kirjan Waage both wrote and directed The Immortal Jellyfish Girl at 59E59 Theaters. This dazzling out-of-the-box show is presented by Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre. Gwendolyn and Kirjan are part of Wakka Wakka Productions, a non-profit visual theater company based in New York City and Oslo. Their mission is to stretch the limits of the imagination and create daring and unpredictable theater. This episode was recorded on February 13, 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#49 - When Lightning Strikes! With Leo Reich

39m · Published 08 Mar 16:01

A comedian and writer, Leo Reich’s comedy show, Literally Who Cares?!, is currently playing at Greenwich House Theater in New York City. With sold-out runs at both Edinburgh Fringe and London’s Soho Theater, the show, which is directed by Adam Brace and features music composed by Toby Marlow, has been called "biting" and "brilliantly funny." Literally Who Cares?! is a New York Times Critics Pick. For more information visit leoreich.com. This episode was recorded on March 6, 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#48 - When Lightning Strikes! With Mitchell Winter

41m · Published 08 Mar 03:03

Mitchell Winter currently plays Wolf, a little boy, in Wolf Play at MCC Theater. Written by Hansol Jung and directed by Dustin Wills, the play, which had a sold-out run at Soho Rep, is presented by MCC Theater in collaboration with Ma-Yi Theater Company. A graduate of Yale School of Drama, some of Mitchell's other credits include Dracula, The Importance of Being Earnest and Mr. Robot. For more information and tickets visit, mcctheater.org. This episode was recorded on February 28, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#47 - When Lighting Strikes! with Christine Pedi

47m · Published 02 Mar 18:00

Called the “Lady of 1,000 Voices," actress Christine Pedi is known for her fierce impressions of countless performers including Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Liza Minnelli and Elaine Stritch in the hit show Forbidden Broadway. Some of her other credits include Chicago, Talk Radio, Little Me, Dr. Death and The Sopranos.This March Christine stars in The Rewards of Being Frank from New York Classical Theatre. The new play, written by Alice Scovell, is a sequel to Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and will run at Mezzanine Theatre at ART/New York Theatres. (Tickets are complimentary.) Learn more at https://nyclassical.org/frank. This episode was recorded February 22, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#46 - When Lightning Strikes! with Bonnie Milligan

42m · Published 21 Feb 19:45

Bonnie Milligan stars in the hit musical Kimberly Akimbo at the Booth Theater on Broadway. The show began at the Atlantic Theater Company with Milligan winning the Lucille Lortel Award and getting nominated for a Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League award for her enthralling and utterly brilliant performance as Aunt Debra. Bonnie's other credits include Head Over Heels, Kinky Boots and Search Party. Just this month the gorgeous Kimberly Akimbo: Original Broadway Cast Recording debuts on Ghostlight Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#45 - When Lightning Strikes! with guest Jinkx Monsoon

38m · Published 09 Feb 21:03

Actress, vocalist, and comedian Jinkx Monsoon is the first person in history to win Ru Paul’s Drag Race twice, earning the title “Queen of All Queens” on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Jinkx recently made her Broadway debut playing “Matron ‘Mama’ Morton” in the jazzy hit musical Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre. She will be in Chicago through March 12. This episode was recorded on January 31, 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Lightning Strikes! has 74 episodes in total of non- explicit content. Total playtime is 53:42:56. The language of the podcast is English. This podcast has been added on August 16th 2022. It might contain more episodes than the ones shown here. It was last updated on May 14th, 2024 03:40.