Built For The Stage Podcast

Ross Carpenter / @rosscarpenteruk has recently finished in the West End cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON as Elder Davis and playing the title role in PETER PAN at the Opera House Manchester. Credits include: Angel in Kinky Boots the Musical in Concert (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Elder Grant in The Book Of Mormon (West End), Bobby C in Saturday Night Fever (MMP/Guernsey) & Ensemble/Cover Bertie in Mrs Henderson Presents (Toronto). https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Woodside / @annawoodside is currently the dance captain for the West End production of Frozen! More on Anna: Theatre: White Christmas and We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre); Oklahoma! (Chichester Festival Theatre); Man Of La Mancha, Sunset Boulevard, Carousel and The Wizard Of Oz (London Coliseum); Dick Whittington (London Palladium); The Last Tango (Phoenix Theatre); Cats (London Palladium / Wintergarden, Blackpool); Dance ‘Til Dawn (Aldwych Theatre / UK tour); My Fair Lady (Sheffield Crucible); Candide (Osaka / Tokyo); Shall We Dance (Sadler’s Wells); Guys And Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre); Never Forget (UK tour); Peter Pan (Birmingham Hippodrome); Saturday Night Fever (Victoria Apollo, UK tour / Germany); Fame! (Edinburgh Playhouse / Larnaca, Cyprus); Starlight Express (Victoria Apollo). Television: The Royal Variety Performance (ITV); Parkinson (ITV); Blue Peter (BBC). Film: Artemis Fowl; The Goodbye Girl. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joshua Rivera / @shuarivera is currently the dance captain in the Hamilon Germany cast! Joshua was the first person in the world to perform in Hamilton in TWO languages! Listen to his journey on this episode of Built for the Stage Podcast! https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Lindgren / @amandili was previously seen as Anne Boleyn in SIX on the West End in London! More on Amanda: Amanda graduated from Base23, ‘Stockholm Musical Education’ in Sweden in 2015. Her recent credits include Cover Liat and Ensemble in South Pacific (Chichester Festival Theatre); Ensemble in Cabaret (Gothenburg Opera House, Sweden). Other stage credits include: Cover Tuptim and Ensemble in The King and I (U.K. and International Tour); Cover Gigi and Ensemble in Miss Saigon (U.K. and International Tour); Ensemble in We Will Rock You (Royal Arena Copenhagen, Denmark); Ensemble in Spring Awakening (Stockholm City Theatre, Sweden). Amanda had a leading role in the TV-gala for the 70th birthday of Queen Silvia of Sweden and has participated in several TV-shows and commercials in Sweden. This is Amanda's West End debut and she is thrilled to be one of the Queens in SIX. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Irish / @bencirish, from Portsmouth, England, currently can be seen as Pabbie in the West End production of Frozen! Training: Arts Educational Theatre: 9to5 The Musical (Savoy Theatre, London); Guys and Dolls (The Mill at Sonning); The Toxic Avenger (Arts Theatre, London); GHOST The Musical (Asia tour); Sasha Regan’s All Male HMS Pinafore (UK tour); Ultimate Broadway (Shanghai Culture Square); Sasha Regan’s All Male Pirates of Penzance (UK Tour); Cinderella (Stag Theatre); Great British Musicals (St James Theatre); Dick Whittington (Grove Theatre); West End Heroes (Dominion Theatre); 42nd Street Gala (London Palladium); Three Composers, Three Countries (Landor Theatre); Cinderella (Wakefield Theatre Royal); London the Summer Musical (Sunway Amphitheater, Malaysia); Snow White (Grand Theatre Blackpool); Broadway to Westend (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Jack and the Beanstalk (Malvern Theatre). https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Chua / @natalie_chua1 Training: Sylvia Young Theatre School and The Urdang Academy. Theatre credits include: Understudy Erma in Anything Goes (Barbican Theatre), Ensemble understudy Cynthia and Diva 2 in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK tour),Consuelo and understudy Maria in West Side Story (The Royal Exchange), Spinotti in Bat Out of Hell (International tour and Dominion Theatre); Disco Girl, Understudy Mia, Helen, Oberon and Vinnie in The Donkey Show (Proud Camden), Yoko Ono in The Sessions Live! (UK Arena Tour); Ensemble, understudy Ellen and Gigi in Miss Saigon (The Prince Edward Theatre), Diane Lee in Bare (Union Theatre), Jasmine in Aladdin (Theatre Royal Plymouth), Ensemble in Dick Whittington (Harlow Playhouse). Film/TV credits: Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway; The Entire Universe BBC; Harry Potter; Nurofen Commercial. Other credits: Angelis – Syco Music/Sony BMG. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Chua / @natalie_chua1 Training: Sylvia Young Theatre School and The Urdang Academy. Theatre credits include: Understudy Erma in Anything Goes (Barbican Theatre), Ensemble understudy Cynthia and Diva 2 in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK tour),Consuelo and understudy Maria in West Side Story (The Royal Exchange), Spinotti in Bat Out of Hell (International tour and Dominion Theatre); Disco Girl, Understudy Mia, Helen, Oberon and Vinnie in The Donkey Show (Proud Camden), Yoko Ono in The Sessions Live! (UK Arena Tour); Ensemble, understudy Ellen and Gigi in Miss Saigon (The Prince Edward Theatre), Diane Lee in Bare (Union Theatre), Jasmine in Aladdin (Theatre Royal Plymouth), Ensemble in Dick Whittington (Harlow Playhouse). Film/TV credits: Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway; The Entire Universe BBC; Harry Potter; Nurofen Commercial. Other credits: Angelis – Syco Music/Sony BMG. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexandra Nylund / @alexxinee From our guest: I'm a Swedish speaking Finn, born in Helsinki, Finland. Basically a viking from up North of the world. The population of Finland is only 5,5 million which is like half of the population of New York City. As most of us in this industry, I've always loved film, filmmaking and writing. Most of our home videos from my childhood are filmed by me, directed by me, annoyingly narrated by me. I loved playing with different settings, recreating scenes and I usually choreographed something and made my younger sister perform it with me. At the age of 6 we did our first "movie" in arts class, we had a great teacher, I remember wanting to narrate the sound of the bus doors so badly because I thought I could do the best bus sound everrrr lol. We drew the characters ourselves and recorded their dialogues and every sound effects with the teacher. That's what inspired me to film my own stuff at home. My great grandpa was a writer (wrote plays for theatre and poems and performed) and owned a radio store (I never knew him) otherwise most of my family members have been entrepreneurs or worked at the bank or stuff like that, so I didn't really know anyone who worked in this field and didn't know I could. Whenever I mentioned art related stuff or acting jobs to my grandpa he pretended like he couldn't hear me and asked about my other jobs. He was more academic. I realized the power of Facebook quite early on and contacted people online whenever I was traveling somewhere with my family and told them that I'll be in town and asked them could I please come on set for one day to learn, watch or help out for free. I was so young so people usually just thought it was cute and let me come. I did that in Europe and New York where I got to visit set in Milk Studios. (Alexi Lubomirski) He was absolutely wonderful. One of the best experiences in this industry. That sparked some hope. I've always wanted to act too, but at first it started as modeling, I was scouted for some small shoots then eventually asked to represent Finland and once Sweden in competitions abroad, at the age of 17, Top Model Worldwide (in the UK) and as 18, Miss Model of the World (in China) modeling wasn't really my priority but I thought ok I get to meet people, perform, maybe this will open some doors. I wanted to study film, got into film school, did some modeling on the side, got even more interested in acting. Took me long to find the courage to pursue it because the modeling affected how I was looked at. Thankfully I've always had many hobbies and speak different languages so that helped me open some doors. I could list plenty of skills. Started as an extra and worked my way to better roles. I've played the piano for a few years, sang in the choir, Girl Scouts, figure skating, handball, Savate, kickboxing, etc.... the list goes on so I used that and filmed my own material in the beginning. Then one day while I was working as Security between some jobs within media, I got home, I was exhausted, I saw my parents watch one of my favorite Nordic TV Dramas and something inside me told me to write the casting. I did, didn't think much of it since it was almost Christmas Eve... Well the next day while at a security shift, I noticed a missed call, it was casting, they asked me if I could come in ASAP to try out for a role.... so I said yes, did the casting, they told me they will let me know before Christmas (which was that weekend). They called me the next day after my audition and told me I was exactly what they had been looking for, so I was super excited. That only goes to show that you shouldn't take any no's personally. Once I wasn't even able to be background or extra and now I had my own character. Timing is everything. Keep believing. Visit bpn.fm/builtforthestage for the full description. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Rosko / @builtforthestage Tune in to hear how The Avengers lead to this week's guest accepting his claim to fame as “The Broadway Trainer.” We even get a few off-the-cuff renditions of Shut the Eff Up Alan! Joe Rosko is the founder of Built For The Stage, Broadway’s #1 online fitness training platform, and its accompanying podcast on Broadway Podcast Network (with over 200 episodes to date!). In the past six years, Built For The Stage has trained clients in over 50 Broadway shows and on international stages around the globe. BFTS clients can currently be seen in such Tony-nominated and Tony-winning shows as “Some Like It Hot,” “& Juliet,” “New York, New York,” “Wicked” and “Hamilton." Joe has some terrific fitness and overall wellness tips about preparing for this busy and exciting time leading up to Broadway’s Biggest Night. Joe began his professional career as a trainer and actor at the exact same time in 2007. Since then, it has been his mission to build a bridge between the worlds of fitness and theatre. Joe believed that actors were truly professional athletes but didn't feel as though the theatre community was equipped with the proper resources to train like said athletes. This realization led to the creation of Built for the Stage. Joe and his coaches pride themselves on having the unique abilities to continue a performer’s fitness progress while being in or out of a show. Connect with Joe on his website, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our Instagram DMs at @wasitchance. More about Heather via @vickeryandco on Instagram, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales EPISODE TAKEAWAYS Broadway performers are the Olympians of theater. It’s important to challenge your body in different ways to protect it during such rigorous work as eight shows a week. How the hell did Joe get here? It was the perfect storm of three specific things: He started playing sports at the age of 4 A middle school girlfriend talked him into trying out for the school play An entrepreneurial spirit. Joe studied theater in college and continued to do both theater and sports. While performing in school shows he was also playing football which is a little nuts, if you ask us. Built for the Stage really started in college when he started training fellow actors at the age of 18. Although his fellow athletes gave him a little shit, they were always supportive and sat in the front row when he did a show. Everything in life is mental. It’s all about what you decide to make it. After college training was a “survival” job. He discovered Crossfit in NYC and ended up managing a gym which led to early virtual training. In order to be accessible to Actors, no matter their work status, all of Built for the Stage’s programs have always been virtual. During the pandemic, Joe lowered the cost of the Built for the Stage app and donated proceeds to the Actor’s Fund. While it may look like it’s all rainbows and butterflies it’s not. Joe works countless hours, drives and flies thousands of miles, and puts his whole heart and soul into the work. Although Joe does have a bit of a Midas touch, he embraces failure with the mindset of “never be afraid to ask” and this has helped lead to his massive success. Having a really great niche is game-changing! Built for the Stage Podcast on BPN. Joe is a big believer in the power of no. Stay focused and don’t say yes to things that don’t serve you. https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Craig Manuel / donaldcraig is a an actor, singer, songwriter, and voiceover artist from Lake Charles, Louisiana. He received the Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA, and also holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He is a member of the professional music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon. Donald, a highly accomplished opera singer, has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and other ensembles throughout the city of Chicago. He has performed on various stages throughout Europe in the international tour of Porgy and Bess. Over the past few years, Donald has worked with Disney, performing in mainstage productions aboard the Disney Dream, as well as performing the roles of Scar and Gaston at Hong Kong Disneyland. Donald has also been seen in the West End production of the Phantom of the Opera. Donald is currently in the West End production of Les Miserables! https://builtforthestage.com/ - fill out the form and ask about our next fitness challenge! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices