Break A Bat! where Baseball Meets Broadway

From December 2020. Alex Ochoa steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 62! Ochoa's baseball career spanned eight Major League seasons from 1995-2002 and another six seasons in Japan from 2003-2007. In retirement, he's still involved in baseball on the business side as an agent for the Boras Corp in his hometown Miami. In this episode, Ochoa and host Al Malafronte talk about the current state of baseball and Broadway, the Hamilton movie, as well as many of the highlights from his time playing the game he still loves as much as ever. Some of Ochoa's fondest memories on the field go back to his time on Broadway, having played with the New York Mets from 1995-1997. Ochoa is among one of only ten players in franchise history to hit for the cycle, a feat he accomplished on July 3, 1996. We also rehash some of the adjustments he made as a performer, which served him better than ever in 2002 as a member of the World Champion Anaheim Angels. One particularly interesting chapter of Ochoa's career came when he made the decision to leave Major League Baseball to play in Japan, as some of the stories and perspective he shared from that time made for an incredible conversation. A conversation not just about baseball, but also personal development that could serve anyone aspiring to succeed either on stage, screen, or at the stadium. Connect with Alex Ochoa on Instagram: @aocho9 Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From November 2021. Taylor Cole is making spirits bright in The Batter's Box, as our Holiday Block Party continues! Cole's latest holiday film Making Spirits Bright premieres on Saturday, November 27th at 6 pm ET on our beloved Hallmark Channel. A longtime staple of the network's annual Countdown to Christmas, Cole is also a tremendous athlete and sports fan going back to her days as a kid in Arlington, Texas. Be it through her family's connection to the Texas Rangers or her unconventional entry into show business, Cole's stories and insight brought some awesome life to the party! Connect with Taylor Cole on Instagram: @taylorquinncole Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From October 2020. Xavier Nady steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 57! Nady was the last man to perform the role of starting left fielder at one of Broadway's most historic theaters, The House That Ruth Built, as a member of the 2008 New York Yankees cast that helped close out the old Yankee Stadium. Nady's big league career spanned 12 seasons, three of which were spent on the stages of New York City as a member of the Mets in 2006, and the Yankees from 2008-2009. His 2008 season was particularly special, as he posted the best numbers of his career with a .305 Batting Average, 25 Homeruns, 97 Runs Batted In, and an OPS of .867. He'd go onto retire as a 2-time World Series Champion as a member of the 2009 Yankees and 2012 San Francisco Giants. As discussed in our chat, Nady is still involved in the game of baseball as a member of super-agent Scott Boras' scouting and recruiting team for young players. This episode also has a heavy emphasis on his time playing in New York, which was not without highlights such as the Yankees' 2009 World Championship squad, SNL after-parties, and A-Rod's "fascination" with Nady's wardrobe...Nady also took a particular liking to Broadway musicals during his tenure here and discusses anything from his special connection to The Lion King, Tina Fey bringing Mean Girls to the stage, and his favorite pre-theatre dinners. Xavier Nady is truly one of baseball's good and funniest guys, and that shines through in this conversation! Connect with Xavier Nady on Instagram: @xaviernady4 Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Episode photo: Jeff Zelevasnky/Getty Images North America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From November 2021. Amy Robach steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 108! Be it through her work on ABC's Good Morning America, GMA3, or 20/20, you can always count on Robach to bring a smile to your face, tell it like it is, and inspire you on so many levels. She's just authored her very first children's book alongside her husband Andrew Shue titled Better Together, a sweet tale inspired by their own blended family that's all about finding common ground and learning to appreciate each others' differences. This week, she joins host Al Malafronte to discuss some of the wonderful stories and inspiration that helped guide her in writing the book, along with some of the poignant takeaways she hopes to leave with readers of all ages. The book is published by the fine folks at Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and is now available for purchase here or wherever you get your books! As Better Together showcases, one of Robach's greatest attributes is her passion for storytelling. It's no coincidence that this passion is largely rooted in her performing background going back to her high school days as an avid student of theatre. Like many in our audience, her love of Broadway is complemented by a tremendous sports fandom, and this conversation couldn't have come at a better time - as her hometown Atlanta Braves were on the cusp of winning their first World Series title since 1995! A Breast Cancer Survivor, she also touches on some of the powerful ways in which she's used her platform to raise awareness for early detection and to provide support to women facing the same challenges she did. Connect with Amy Robach on Instagram: @ajrobach Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From December 2020. Michael Park steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 63! For nearly three decades, Park's work as an actor has earned him tremendous critical and popular acclaim. Here on Broadway, Park's credits have spanned anything from Smokey Joe's Cafe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tuck Everlasting, and most recently, Dear Evan Hansen. On-screen he's best known for his work on Stranger Things, You, and As the World Turns - a performance that earned him back-to-back Daytime Emmy Awards in 2010 and 2011 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In addition to everything Park has accomplished in his acting career, he's also a lifelong baseball fan with a special love for the New York Yankees. It was particularly interesting to hear how his love and knowledge of baseball has played into some of his most prominent work, as discussed with host Al Malafronte and production assistant Erin Connors. Park even touches on a new project he's been writing during the pandemic that focuses on America's Pastime. The man who taught us the hard way, but the right way to break in a glove as Larry Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen brought a really fun vibe to this free-flowing conversation that can be appreciated by sports and theatre fans alike. Connect with Michael Park on Instagram: @park24hrs and Twitter: @park24hrs Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From August 2020. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer steps into The Batter’s Box for Episode 45! Kritzer's Broadway career began in 2004 when she made her debut in the Tony-winning Hairspray, and has since gone onto appear in Legally Blonde, Elf, Something Rotten!, and of course her most recent credit as Delia Deetz in the Tony-nominated Beetlejuice. For the folks at home that have followed Break a Bat! since our earliest days in the spring of 2019, you probably know that so much of the inspiration behind creating this podcast came from an upcoming birthday trip to see Beetlejuice on Broadway. That trip just happened to fall on the night of the famous ‘Broadway Blackout’ on July 13, 2019, when 26 of 30 shows went dark due to a midtown power outage on a hot summer night. However, Beetlejuice still had the juice at the Winter Garden Theatre, and host Al Malafronte and his original co-host Scotty Katzmann would go onto enjoy what ended up being one of their favorite Broadway performances of all-time. This fond memory is largely attested to Kritzer, and her brilliant comedic performance in the show. Kritzer joined both Malafronte and Katzmann to re-hash not only that historic night on Broadway, but also the incredible success she's endured as a lead in one of Broadway’s most beloved shows, and some of the epic behind the scenes stories that came along with it. Kritzer also just happens to be a tremendous baseball fan, and her love and knowledge of sports talk radio translated so well into the conversation she had with the boys about her love of the game, favorite ballpark memories, and the parallels she sees between both sports and theatre. She even tackles the subject of what would best serve the performers involved in this uncertain baseball season, and the re-opening of Broadway in 2021 --- which may just include Beetlejuice! Connect with Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer on Instagram: @lesliekritzer and Twitter: @lesliekritzer Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte and Scotty Katzmann Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From March 2020. Live from the WFAN and CBS Sports Network studios, Al Dukes steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 23! With a radio career spanning nearly 30 years, Dukes serves as the brains and Executive Producer behind Boomer & Gio, the number-one-rated sports talk radio show in morning drive. Dukes made a name for himself in radio with Ron & Fez and then Opie & Anthony before transitioning to sports talk with the then Boomer & Carton show in 2007 as Executive Producer. Over the years, he has also earned acclaim for his work on-air, as his well-known sports musical parodies have become a favorite of listeners and critics alike. In this episode, Dukes discusses everything from what makes good sports talk radio, thinking in terms of songs, and his thoughts on the medium of Broadway. He even plays some baseball meets Broadway trivia in this week's 7th Inning Stretch. Despite all of Dukes' success, he still takes time to help serve his community; efforts that our host Al Malafronte and the Broadway community honored in this episode. Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Connect with Al Dukes on Twitter: @alsboringtweets and on Instagram: @alsboringpics Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From July 2021. In one of our most fun chats to date, Stephanie Styles brings good vibes and big laughs to The Batter's Box! While Styles is known to many for her starring role in the Broadway touring production of Newsies, the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate, and her recurring role on NBC's Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, she also has a large number of varied interests that are on full display in this episode. They truly make her personality shine in a free-flowing conversation that's a real grand slam of a listen. While Styles refers to herself as "sports adjacent" these days, she grew up as a tremendous Astros fan in her hometown of Houston. She took annual trips to Spring Training, attended World Series games, and even toured the country with Hall of Famer Craig Biggio as he chased his historic 3,000th hit. We talked plenty of baseball and its parallels to Broadway, but this conversation also featured a fun third element of our hour together, and that's Styles' well-known love of Disney. She and host Al Malafronte spoke at length about some of their most poignant memories as now-adult Disney fans, and in Styles' case, how it helped launch her career when she got to live out her dream of performing for Disney on Broadway. We also managed to sneak some Baseball meets Broadway (meets Disney meets Muppets?) trivia into this week's 7th Inning Stretch, and Styles certainly brought her big power bat to Fastball Derby! Connect with Stephanie Styles on Instagram: @bystyles Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From August 2020. Ken Singleton steps into The Batter's Box for Episode 47! As a Major League player from 1970-1984, Singleton was a 3-time All-Star that cemented a legacy as one of the greatest switch-hitters of all-time with outstanding career accomplishments that include 2,029 hits, 1,065 Runs Batted In, a .388 lifetime On-base Percentage, and a World Series Championship in 1983. Since 1997, he's served as the TV voice of the New York Yankees - a role he still performs in All-Star caliber fashion all these years later on the YES Network with 8 Emmy Awards to his name. Whether it be dealing with tough directors and managers, taking on leading roles for your team, and playing under the brightest lights, Singleton knows a thing or two about what makes a great performer both on stage and at the stadium. He's also a master storyteller who shared some phenomenal insight with our host Al Malafronte from his now 50+ years in the game. Singleton's outstanding career has not been limited to baseball and broadcasting, as he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Cool Kids Campaign, an organization that is devoted to improving the quality of life for pediatric oncology patients and their families by focusing on the academic, social, and emotional needs brought on by a cancer diagnosis. You can find more information about this wonderful foundation at their website. Special thanks to the fine folks at the YES Network for helping put this episode together! Hosted by Al Malafronte Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Connect with Ken Singleton on Twitter: @29alltime Connect with YES Network on Twitter: @yesnetwork and Instagram: @yesnetwork Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From February 2020. Kate Rockwell steps into The Batter’s Box in Episode 20! One of Broadway’s perennial All-Stars, Rockwell is currently starring as Karen Smith in Mean Girls on Broadway and has mastered theatrical comedy as well as anyone in the game. As Rockwell closes in on her final weeks in the show after nearly two full years of All-Star performances, she looks back fondly on the role that she originated - which has earned her well-deserved acclaim from audiences and critics, as well as Drama Desk and Helen Hayes Award nominations. Rockwell's Broadway credits prior to Mean Girls include Legally Blonde, Hair, Bring It On The Musical, and Rock of Ages; and she has made recent appearances on television in FOX's Almost Family. In this episode, Kate takes the boys through some perspectives and stories from her decade-plus in the industry, including sharing the stage with Yankee great Mark Teixeira while starring in Rock of Ages! She also talks about “getting in the zone” to bring Karen Smith to life in Mean Girls, the escape that both baseball and theatre provide, and the importance of outlets outside of a very challenging industry - as she is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. A signature edition of the 7th Inning Stretch Trivia also ensues, as she and the boys share some big laughs over the Broadway and baseball community likening the Yankees’ All-Star closer/diva Aroldis Chapman to Regina George. In addition to everything Kate brought to the Batter’s Box, this was an extra special recording session for our show because the whole gang was there; as our host, Al Malafronte was joined by producer Alan Seales, and our co-creator Chris Katzmann. Connect with Kate Rockwell on Instagram: @katerockwellnyc You can also follow Kate’s advice and expertise in the wine world on her newly launched Instagram: @broadwaywino Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices