Why I‘ll Never Make It (Patrick Oliver Jones)

Last week you heard from theater director Des McAnuff as he shared his experiences with three of his biggest shows, Tommy, Jersey Boys, and Big River. We discussed his approach to each of these unique musicals. Well, now Des is back to talk his musicianship and his composition efforts as well as share the lessons and insecurities he’s discovered in the director’s chair by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was in college when I first discovered Lisa Lampanelli, a stand-up comedian, insult comic, actress, and writer who is known for her sharp wit, fearless humor, and ability to push the boundaries of comedy. She has legions of fans around the country and has performed on countless stages across the country, released numerous albums and appeared on various TV specials. So it is an honor to have Lisa on the podcast as we explore her unique style of comedy that made her a staple in the entertainment industry. It's an intimate and no-holds barred conversation of her triumphs, struggles, and setbacks throughout her career in stand-up comedy. INTRO - Her connection to Lisa Howard, and the off-Broadway play she wrote STORY #1 - Why she retired from stand-up and what she's been doing STORY #2 - Food addiction and weight loss (and why not to trust the internet!) STORY #3 - Her connection to the LGBT community and the Gay Men's Health Crisis Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a child, Jocelyn Panton attended a musical theater production that came to her hometown in Canada, and she just knew that’s what she wanted to do one day. Well, she stuck to that dream and has gone on to do television and film, including Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, and the CW’s DC‘s Legends of Tomorrow, among others. But as any actor will tell you, money becomes an important part of our career, whether you actually have it or not. It can inform the decisions we make and the opportunities we can or can’t take advantage of, and at one point Jocelyn was $50,000 in debt because of acting expenses. She shares how she got out of debt, and what it taught her about the hustle needed to stay in this business. But as Jocelyn came to realize, family and personal life can mean so much more and are far more important than “making it” or not. INTRO - Our mutual degrees in Broadcasting STORY #1 - Learning from failure in the pageant world STORY #2 - Being $50,000 in debt from acting expenses STORY #3 - Connecting with herself in a deeper way from being a mom Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an actor I fully appreciate and recognize that I couldn’t do what I do without a writer doing what they do. Their words and characters are the basis for any work I’ve had in theater, television, or film. The writer’s strike this past summer highlighted just how important they are, because without them there is no entertainment industry. In part one of my conversation with writer Steve Cuden, we talked about the process of creating the musical Jekyll & Hyde with Frank Wildhorn. For this second part of our discussion, we dive into his work in television, where he's written for shows like The Avengers, Biker Mice From Mars, Extreme Ghostbusters, and Pocket Dragon Adventures. Steve also gives us a crash course on what it takes to craft an engaging story that not only touches an audience but more importantly means something to the writer personally. Listen to StoryBeat with Steve Cuden and find his books here. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the midst of the devastating impact of the pandemic on the arts, there's a unique perspective rarely explored--that of artists just entering the performing arts world when Covid struck. In this episode, Noah Crandell shares how he not only survived these challenges but also experienced a profound personal and artistic transformation. Noah's visionary approach to theater sets him apart, and we delve into how college programs prepare actors (or fall short) for the real world of acting. Interestingly, he turned down auditions for Hamilton not once, but twice. We'll also uncover the deeper meaning and purpose Noah has found beyond theater, shedding light on why being more than just an actor is essential to him. So, stay tuned for this inspiring conversation about resilience and self-discovery amidst trying times. INTRO - How he caught the acting bug from the Red Sea STORY #1 - Leaving NYC after a terrible year of auditioning STORY #2 - Saying no to Hamilton...twice! STORY #3 - rejecting the notion of always doing something to better your career Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode, you heard from actor and writer Ryan Bauer-Walsh and the creative journey to composing and producing an LGBTQ lullaby album. Well, now Ryan is back to talk about the importance of finding happiness outside of being an actor as well as a humorous discussion on khakis and corduroys by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. --- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber today. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world of Broadway, success can seem like a dazzling dream. But behind every show that makes it to the stage, there are countless moments of uncertainty and setbacks. For writers, especially, the journey from writing a script to getting it produced is anything but predictable. As an actor, I know firsthand that without writers, I wouldn’t have a character to play or lines to say. It’s their words that bring us to life on stage, and one of my greatest joys is collaborating with writers—especially on new works—helping to refine characters and the dialogue that shapes them. And our guest today knows a little something about that unpredictable journey. Chad Beguelin is a six-time Tony nominee and five-time Drama Desk nominee for his lyrics and book writing. And while he may not have any wins yet for his work, his shows have sure have been big hits with audiences, musicals like Aladdin, The Prom, Elf, and The Wedding Singer. However, his career has taken some surprising turns as well. He’s been hung up on by a Broadway producer, he’s tried venturing into motion pictures, and earlier this month he just released his debut novel called Showmance. Through it all, Chad has learned that success in this industry is never guaranteed, and perseverance is everything. But as you’ll hear, even when a show seems poised for greatness, things can unravel in ways no one could predict. ---------- Subscribe to get ad-free access to the full conversations, which include auditions stories. Donate to WINMI and support podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. Contact me directly if you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then I can offer you reduced-price or even free access to the subscription. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Theme music created by Patrick Oliver Jones, and background music is by John Bartmann (used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows of the acting world with today's guest, Luke Yankee, who is no stranger to the trials and triumphs of the industry. As a versatile artist sporting multiple hats, Luke draws inspiration from the incredible legacy of his mother, the legendary Eileen Heckart—a powerhouse who clinched the Oscar, Drama Desk, Golden Globe, and Emmy Awards with a special Tony Honor as well. In this engaging conversation, Luke unveils the behind-the-scenes tales of his journey, sharing the hard-fought lessons and uproarious moments that have shaped his career. From writing a captivating biography and a one-man show about his iconic mother to snagging his own accolades for playwriting, Luke's story is one of passion, resilience, and a deep-rooted connection to the arts. But that's not all—Luke delves into his unexpected roles as a teacher and coach, shedding light on his unique perspective in the bonus final five questions (subscribe here). This episode is a treasure trove of anecdotes, showcasing Luke's love affair with theater and his ingenious ways of navigating the inevitable bumps in the road. INTRO - Hosting conversations with actors STORY #1 - Misadventures in regional theater STORY #2 - Lessoned learned from performing his one-man show STORY #3 - The bovine scene in the barn EXTRA - Anecdote from Broadway production of MAN OF LA MANCHA Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Season 8, we're diving deep into the world of theater once agin with guests from Broadway, West End, and regional theaters near and far. From seasoned veterans to fresh faces on the scene, each episode is packed with candid conversations and inspiring stories about life in the performing arts industry.  Join me as I sit down with actors, directors, writers, and more to explore the highs and lows of chasing dreams in the spotlight. Subscribers will continue to get audition room horror stories as well as early access to every episode.  I'm also excited to bring back bonus episodes featuring the Final Five questions, where they share candid thoughts on life, love, and everything in between. These bite-sized episodes will follow each main interview, offering you even more insight into the personal lives and careers of our esteemed guests.  And just to give you a taste of what to expect this season, here are the final five questions I asked Lisa Howard last season (which was only available to subscribers). In these series of questions she opens up about the unpredictability of this industry and how embracing these challenges and uncertainties is so important as well as what “making it” means to her. Season 8 officially starts Feb 5th with the wonderful playwright and director Steve Cuden with a fascinating tale of how brought Jekyll & Hyde to life with Frank Wildhorn, yet it was another lyricist who actually took it to Broadway. It’s a fascinating look behind the curtain of one the most iconic shows of the last 30 years. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tjasa Ferme is more than an actress; she's a dynamic creator who writes, produces, and stars in her own work. Her artistic vision revolves around transformation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and challenging traditional relationships between actors and audiences. Tjasa shares her journey from Europe as a rock star's daughter and early experiences on the Slovenia stage, to becoming a fearless actress and artistic director in the heart of New York City. We'll dive into three stories that have shaped her life and career... In Slovenia, Tjasa never used a headshot, but that changed once she moved to NYC. She called up an old friend to help her find work as actress, but came to realize the ability to create was within her the whole time. Her theater company Transforma blends science and stage into one theatrical exploration. Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My first conversation is with Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who I am so grateful to have met for the first time in this interview. We had a wonderful discussion about her 2009 production of Ragtime that started at the Kennedy Center in D.C. and then transferred to Broadway later that year. Though that revival had a short run, she did receive a Tony nomination for best direction. The second conversation is with Dan Knetgches, and we have worked together on a couple of shows. The first was Seussical at The Muny in St. Louis, and the other was How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Theater Under the Stars in Houston, where Dan is now the Artistic Director. He and I discuss his 2008 Broadway production of Xanadu, which earned him a Tony nomination for best choreography. It’s directors like Dan and Marcia who put in countless hours of work to bring a show to life, and they deserve our recognition and gratitude, which is what this special episode is all about. Because without them, musical theater wouldn’t be the magical experience that we know and love. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

E Clayton Cornelious has been a part of 10 Broadway shows: in the ensemble, as an understudy and swing, as well as in starring roles, and even as a producer. And in one of those he made an appearance in voiceover. And it is this diversity of work that we will be talking about today. It will shed light on the fact that things haven’t been as easy for him as it may seem. He’s had to overcome some definite obstacles, and gather a bit of persistence along the way. So from the bright lights of Broadway to his own quiet moments of reflection, we'll hear about a career that is always evolving and the resilience it takes to navigate this ever-changing industry. STORY #1 - Coming to NYC at 19 with bags packed thinking he had a job and realizing he still had to audition STORY #2 - When he tore my ACL in 2009 on the Dirty Dancing Tour STORY #3 - Going on tour with Kinky Boots and not really loving it to the point it made him question his place in this industry Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from theater director Schele Williams as she shared her journey from actress to director. We discussed her work in two of this season’s most highly anticipated Broadway shows: The Wiz and The Notebook. Well, now Schele is back to talk about the importance of gratitude and what it means when she puts her name on a theater project by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. Schele mentions Black Theater United in our conversation, learn more about this organization here. ---------- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Broadway season, one of the most heated discussions about the Tony Awards centers the snubs—those notable shows that didn’t get any nominations. This year they include musicals like The Wiz, Harmony, and The Heart of Rock and Roll. Another one of those shows that was left out made history as being the first Broadway musical to cast autistic actors in autistic roles, and it was called How to Dance in Ohio, based on a Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name. And today's guest is one of the stars of the musical, Conor Tague. The musical dates back to early 2018 when the legendary Harold Prince announced he was working on a musical adaptation of the film. But after Prince died the following year, it was Sammi Cannold, a former guest of this podcast, who took over as the show’s director. How to Dance is the real-life story of a group of young autistic adults and their families as they prepare for their first-ever formal dance. They face challenges and changes to their routines, and they experience all the things you go through when it comes to formal dances and asking someone out on a date—the love and stress and excitement of it all. The musical began previews on November of 2023, officially opening the following month, and played through February of this year.  Though completely shut out of the Tony Awards, How to Dance did receive Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Rebekah Greer Melocik) and Outstanding Lead Performance (Liam Pearce). Conor and I talk about his experience with the show, but we also dig into his background and how his autism may be a unique and important part of him, but it’s also just one facet of who he is as person and performer. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the beginning of this season, I spoke with writer and producer Steve Cuden about his early collaborations with composer Frank Wildhorn. He gives us the real story behind the creation of the Jekyll & Hyde musical, which differs from the way Wildhorn tells the tale. We also get into his other writings and how he transitioned into teaching and also podcasting. A few months after his interview with me, he brought me onto his own podcast called StoryBeat, where I discussed my own ups and downs in this career as well as how I approach auditions and performances. So today I’m sharing our conversation where the microphone and questions are turned around on me, and I share more my own story, giving you a behind the scenes look at my own and even this podcast. --- Support Why I’ll Never Make It and find previous episodes by going to whyillnevermakeit.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July of this summer, I did my very first BroadwayCon, which is an annual conference here in New York City about all things Broadway and theater, and while I was there, I got to be a part of events hosted by the Broadway Podcast Network. I conducted live interviews with two actors that I’ve had the pleasure of working with before: Jelani Alladin and Sharon Catherine Brown. Sharon’s interview will actually be featured in a few weeks on my other podcast Closing Night, so follow that theater history podcast on my episode about Jekyll & Hyde. But for today on this podcast, you’ll get to hear from Jelani Alladin as we discuss his time in Frozen and Hercules, and why the musical Violet is so meaningful and important to him. You’ll also get to hear his answers to the final five questions, which I usually reserve for WINMI subscribers, but that’s just some of the little treats you’ll be getting in this special episode live from BroadwayCon 2023.  INTRO - Working together in Boy Meets Girl in 2017 STORY #1 - Making his Broadway debut in Frozen STORY #2 - What he learned and why he got fired from Hercules STORY #3 - He didn't always love singing EXTRA - the final five questions Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week you heard from the award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage as she shared the joys and struggles of being a writer. Well, now Lynn is back to talk about how the industry has changed throughout her decades as a writer as well as sharing one important lesson she learned from August Wilson by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. --- Why I’ll Never Make It is an independent production of WINMI Media and Patrick Oliver Jones. To support the ongoing efforts of this podcast please subscribe or donate. Thank you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theater can serve as a powerful platform for difficult discussions, especially offering a space for nuanced exploration of racial dynamics. It allows audiences to empathize with characters from diverse backgrounds, challenging preconceptions and fostering dialogue. It provides a visceral experience that can elicit strong emotions and provoke introspection. Kerry Sandell and Marci Duncan wrote such a play that was born from their own backgrounds, preconceptions, and even misunderstandings. They took on a difficult subject yet were both open to where it would take them. For the purposes of our conversation today, it’s important to note that Kerry is white and Marci is black. Yet they not only share a common birthplace and are both mothers, but they each have a deep affection and appreciation for the performing arts. And by showcasing diverse perspectives, these two use theater to foster more inclusive storytelling and promote compassion. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few musicals have captured the hearts of audiences quite like Disney's ALADDIN. But did you know the beloved stage adaptation of the classic animation almost never came to be? This podcast pulls back the curtain on the untold story of ALADDIN's journey from conception to Broadway triumph. Join 11-time Emmy Award winning entertainment journalist for NY1 and NY1OnStage host Frank DiLella on an in-depth exploration that begins with the initial spark of a stage adaptation. We'll delve into the challenges faced during out-of-town tryouts, the unwavering determination to overcome them, and the celebration of reaching over a decade on Broadway – a remarkable feat in the world of musical theatre. This captivating series features exclusive conversations with the original cast and creative team behind ALADDIN including Alan Menken, Casey Nicholaw, James Monroe Iglehart, Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, Sonya Balsara, Adi Roy and more as they recount their experiences with the show. Whether you're a lifelong Disney fan, a theatre enthusiast, or simply captivated by the magic of storytelling, this series is a must-listen. Unveil the untold story of ALADDIN and discover the passion, resilience, and drive that created a Broadway sensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lydia-Renee Darling is the very definition of a well rounded, multi hyphenate artist. She got her BFA in musical theater from Webster University in St. Louis and a Masters in writing for stage and broadcast media from the Royal Central School in London. She’s a filmmaker and a playwright and founded her own DEI entertainment marketing and virtual production company called Oh! (My Gosh) Creative. Being someone who has both embraced and been challenged by changes throughout her life, Lydia-Renee shares with us how they serve as a motivation to continually better herself as an artist and an individual.  Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With politics becoming more and more a part of our daily lives, the theater and acting profession are certainly no strangers to it influence and impact. While it can be a force for change and understanding, my guest today talks about the ways in which it can further divide as well. In the first part of my conversation with Clifton Duncan, he shared deeply personal reflections on the complexities of the theater industry's response to the pandemic and the challenges he faced as an individual in the midst of it all. For part two, our conversation turns to a thought-provoking exploration of "groupthink" and the influences of social media on theater and the broader society as a whole. He offers valuable insights into the impact of differing viewpoints, the blurring of what is considered extreme, and the need for open-mindedness in the arts and beyond. Also, in the latter half of this episode are some bonus conversations with Clifton, offering a powerful conclusion to an episode filled with honesty and a quest for deeper understanding and introspection. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a recent opinion piece for The Daily Iowan, a vital point was made about the importance of regional theater. It said “not every production is ultra famous, boasting popular actors in leading rules. But every production is important.” (I even posted about it on WINMI’s instagram feed, which you can follow: @winmipodcast.) The point being made was that Broadway may get all the attention, but it is in venues across the country, including college theaters, where the true heart and soul of theater resides. They bring diverse stories to local communities, they nurture new talent, and ultimately keep the art form vibrant and accessible to so many people of all backgrounds and experiences. And today’s guest has been on a mission to bring live theater to as wide an audience as possible. Rob Melrose faced many challenges in founding the Cutting Ball Theater, which involved a lot of crap, literally, and we’ll discuss his current position at The Alley Theatre and the unique audition of sorts he had to go through to land that leadership role. But what’s truly fascinating is the work he’s done as a writer of new works and translator of existing plays. And by wearing many hats in theater from writer and director to producer, he’s learned valuable lessons not only for his own career but for the theater arts as a whole. Support Cutting Ball in its efforts to remain open by donating here. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week you heard from actor and producer Aaron Ronnie Almani as he shared his creative journey from New York to Isreal and back again. We discussed audition challenges and even personal tragedies he witnessed in Isreal. Well, now Ronnie is back to talk about how to find fulfillment and balance in our creative life by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. ---------- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” This is how renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner defined what it means to be an actor. This principle helps performers build empathy with our characters and forge meaningful connections onstage. But as our guest today reveals, this approach can also be a powerful guide for navigating life offstage. Dwayne Washington, with the help of the prestigious Juilliard School, mastered the craft of acting and singing, but life itself has been one of his greatest teachers. From his time as a retail manager to his work as a high school teacher, Dwayne has grown in unexpected ways. We talk about his time in London as well as his current role in a new Off-Broadway production, That Parenting Musical. And while the personal growth he’s experienced over the years may not always be visible, he has certainly gained a depth and perspective that now enrich his performances as well. Hear the full performance by Simon Estes and Grace Bumbry of "Amonasro" from Aida. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to full conversations with guests, including bonus auditions stories. Donate to WINMI and support podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Theme music created by Patrick Oliver Jones, and background music is by John Bartmann (used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a playwright, Lynn Nottage has crafted fascinating stories and emotionally rich characters. She is a true artist with the credentials to back in up. She has won two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama as well as numerous Off-Broadway awards, not to mention three Tony Award nominations. She joins me WINMI the first episode for Season 9 to talk about her art and a moment when she realized she was born to write, regardless of whether or not she could actually make a living as a writer. It’s a moment that happens in every artist’s life—when the calling outweighs the worries or doubts, when the desire to create is stronger than the fear of failure. --- Why I’ll Never Make It is an independent production of WINMI Media and Patrick Oliver Jones. To support the ongoing efforts of this podcast please subscribe or donate. Thank you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode, you heard theater producer and historian Jack Viertel share stories of how his talents and interests weren’t in acting, his interactions with playwrights like Lanford Wilson, and the process of adapting a novel into a musical. Now he’s back to talk about his new book Broadway Melody as well as share more lessons learned by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from singer and comedian Sarah Hester Ross, who talked about bringing her comedic songs to Vegas piano bars and the vocal injury that almost ended her singing career. Well, now Sarah is back to talk about lessons she’s learned from those dueling pianos and why she feels like she may never truly “make it” by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. ---------- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode, you heard actress and singer Ann Harada share her stories of grinding it out as an Asian actress trying to fit in with what she thought casting directors wanted but then discovered her superpower as an artist, being herself. Now she’s back to share more lessons she’s learned and answer the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. To get more bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Viertel has the kind of knowledge I wish I had about Broadway history, having studied the various journeys of great shows for his book The Secret Life of the American Musical, but he’s also worked with playwrights like August Wilson and Tony Kushner. He’s even conceived the long running Smokey Joe's Café and the critically acclaimed After Midnight and served as dramaturg as well for Hairspray and Dear Evan Hansen. And through his many colleagues over the years he’s learned the fine art of collaboration.  Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meryl Streep once said that "acting is not about being someone different. It is about finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.” She is in essence urging us to discover the common threads in our seemingly diverse experiences. And the final guest of the season has had quite a few experiences these past couple of years. Clifton Duncan is a seasoned performer on stage and screen, with appearances in critically-acclaimed productions on and off Broadway and a TV slate that included work for NBC, Fox, CBS and Starz. But after the pandemic, Clifton’s adherence to “authenticity” meant that opportunities slowly dried up and his agent eventually dropped him. His story in and around the effects and consequences of covid, vaccines, and theater shutdowns may be one you relate to or it may confuse or even anger you. But I hope that you can hear him out as I did and understand where he’s coming from and the place he ultimately came to. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Bauer-Walsh is an actor and artist living in Harlem. Ryan has starred in shows such as Les Miserables and the Billy Elliot national tour and is also known for voiceover as well. After the death of their mother, Ryan created the world's first LGBTQ+ lullaby album with a team of over 50 LGBTQ+ stars and composers, which was shortlisted for a grammy nomination. Ryan also owns Banana Duck Clothing, a hand painted gender-free clothing line. Their art can be seen in homes and businesses around the world, the NYTimes and the National Archives. ---------- Subscribe to get ad-free access to the full conversations, which include auditions stories. Donate to WINMI and support podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. Contact me directly if you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then I can offer you reduced-price or even free access to the subscription. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Theme music created by Patrick Oliver Jones, and background music is by John Bartmann (used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous guest Michael Kushner loves to use the term multi-hyphenate to illustrate the many ways we can express our creative selves. Well, Corrie Legge describes herself as a multi-passionate actor, having performed in television, film, theater, commercials, video games, audiobooks, and more. She's also a filmmaker and a coach, helping others to build thriving creative careers without having to sacrifice a fulfilling personal life in the process. Corrie and I spoke earlier this year about a particular struggle she faced that actually led her into work as a voiceover artist, which she now balances with her other role of being a mother. But we start off talking about back-to-back experiences that made her question even pursuing a career in theater altogether.  STORY #1 - Back-to-back negative experiences in theater & not taking those experiences personally EXTRAS - Letting go of fear in performance and auditions STORY #2 - How an adopted dog led her into voiceover work STORY #3 - Balancing motherhood and a career as an artist & how parenthood has made her a better actor SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We read and hear a lot these days about how actors need to be their own producers and creating their own work. In my own career about the only thing I’m creating are self-tapes, which are truly productions in and of themselves for sure--based on all the requirements and props and lines and technical aspects that are required to just put together a one-minute audition. But actually writing producing directing starring in our own work is a daunting task, so I wanted to talk to someone who is not only doing this, but helps those of us novices do it for ourselves. Learn more at the Pickford West Society For the past 15 years, Emily Grace has been helping actors create success on our own terms. And she comes out at not from a writing or producing angle, but as an actress herself. She even won an award at Sundance, a special jury prize for emotional truth. That’s something we all want to bring to our work, right? So in this episode, Emily shares not only her own experiences in front of the camera, but what she has learned behind the camera as well, and how each of us can discover our own strengths and weaknesses, as we venture beyond acting.  INTRO - Catching the acting bug from her failed Annie audition STORY #1 - Smoking in a scene as a non-smoker and frustrating her director STORY #2 - The pressures of investor readings and what she learned from Judith Ivey STORY #3 - Why she branched out into making her own work and how she helps others Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Who's Tommy is back on Broadway for its first revival, 30 years after the original production. And directing this revival is the original director from that first Broadway run, Des McAnuff. While he is known for his work in musicals, he is also quite adept in the works of Shakespeare and other classical works, having been Artistic Director of Canada‘s Stratford Festival. And we will touch on some of his other projects, but today’s conversation will mostly focus on three of his standout shows: Tommy and this season’s revival of it, the Best Musical smash hit Jersey Boys, and his Broadway debut and first Tony award for Big River. We talk about his penchant for doing musicals that feature pop music scores, and why some people look down on “jukebox musicals.” (03:14) The Dodgers theatrical group and his directing in Canada (08:53) Story #1 - Tommy (25:43) Story #2 - Jersey Boys (36:18) Story #3 - Big River ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With more than 100 television and film credits, including his memorable four-season run as Reverend Daniels on HBO’s True Blood, Gregg Daniel brings the depth of an actor’s understanding to his directorial work. And for that he has received multiple Ovation nominations and has earned an NAACP Theatre Award as Best Director for Fences at the International City Theatre. Gregg’s passion for storytelling extends to his work in higher education as well, where he teaches directing at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts, mentoring the next generation of theater artists. And this special end-of-the-season episode, I’m giving you the full conversation with Gregg, including his three stories, the final five questions, AND his audition story for True Blood, which normally only subscribers get. But I’m sharing it with you for being a loyal listener this season, as yes, in hopes that you’ll want to be come a subscriber as well so that you too can get these conversations ad-free. You’ll even get to hear some of our banter after the interview as a special gift to you, because through it all, Gregg shares his heart and his artistry, highlighting the resilience and vulnerability required to thrive in this industry. --- Why I’ll Never Make It is an independent production of WINMI Media and Patrick Oliver Jones. To support the ongoing efforts of this podcast please subscribe or donate. Thank you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year, Actors’ Equity Association, the stage union representing actors, dancers, and stage managers, made a big showing of celebrating swings and understudies for the annual Swing Day that happens each January. They even brought together a roundtable of four performers to talk about their experiences. Swings and understudies often have multiple roles to keep straight, each with their own nuance and character arc. And it’s important to recognize the hard work that swings, understudies, and standbys do to keep shows running, and even keep them open on Broadway and on the road, like the Beetlejuice tour I’m currently on, where I play Otho but also understudy two other roles. You’ll be hearing snippets from others in that roundtable as well as my own thoughts and experiences, and how Actors Equity says one thing but does another when it comes to honoring and crediting swings and understudies. All that and more in this special episode of Why I’ll Never Make It.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from Conor Tague, one of the stars from the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio. He shared his experiences in that history-making production as well as the struggles he faced early on as an actor, both at school and in the audition room. Well, now Conor is back to talk more about his Broadway debut and share how auditioning is still a challenge for him by answering the Final Five questions in this bonus episode. To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first guest of this season, I’m talking with writer Steve Cuden, who was a part of a musical and its beginning stages, but was eventually replaced right before it began to take off and become the hugely iconic Jekyll & Hyde musical we all know. In fact, it was Steve's first foray into writing with another unknown composer and writer at the time, Frank Wildhorn. And in part one of our conversation, Steve opens up about their personal and professional relationship in ways that he has not done so before publicly. A little backstory...Steve and I actually met last year when he reached out to me via email after listening to an episode of my other podcast Closing Night, which focuses on theater history. That began a series of emails back and forth that eventually led me to invite him onto this podcast to share his side of the story. A side of the story that Frank Wildhorn himself doesn’t really talk about in his own interviews. The 1986 demo version of "Murder, Murder" featured in this episode can be found on Cuden's website. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I leave New York City to join the North American Tour of Beetlejuice (to play the role of Otho and understudy Charles and Maxie) I wanted to share a special rewind episode of my memorable conversation with Kelvin Moon Loh from 2019, the original Otho on Broadway and a wonderful friend, who was an invaluable resource during my auditions for the show.  In this episode, Kelvin shares the story of how he landed the role of Otho and his own unique audition process. He also gushes about his fellow cast members and the show's journey from movie to musical. This chat goes beyond the fun and macabre world of Beetlejuice to touch on the broader aspects of the theater business, discussing what keeps us going and how to treasure the moments along the way. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from actor Dwayne Washington as he shared what he learned from leaving the industry. Well, now Dwayne is back to talk about what “making it” means to him as well as one of my least favorite parts of the business, self-tapes, by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. ---------- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber today. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week you heard actress, writer, and entrepreneur Lydia-Renee Darling share her stories of growing up in an immigrant household and then her own experiences of living and working in other countries as an artist. Now she’s back to answer the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode. To get more bonus content like Auditions Stories and listen to these full conversations ad-free, then become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five years ago, "The Band's Visit," a musical defying convention, closed on Broadway after a year and a half of acclaim. Composed by David Yazbek and written by Itamar Moses, it emerged as a masterpiece, transcending Broadway norms. At the 2018 Tony Awards, it earned 11 nominations, winning 10, including Best Musical, beating stiff competition like SpongeBob Squarepants and Frozen. Now, in 2024, amidst current Middle East headlines dividing people, let's revisit this Arab-Israeli musical that explored human connection over 598 performances with an encore presentation of my 2018 interview with Jeff Theiss, associate conductor of "The Band's Visit." We delve into its score, unique storytelling, and its focus on shared human experiences beyond political divisions. Join me on this journey rediscovering the timeless beauty of "The Band's Visit," reminding us of the profound commonality that unites us all. Learn more about Closing Night and listen to it on your favorite podcast app. --- Just like this podcast, Closing Night is also a production of WINMI Media with Patrick Oliver Jones as host and executive producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the year before the pandemic, I was on a contract with Norwegian Cruise Line performing the musical Footloose. In past seasons you’ve heard me speak with some members of that company (Megan Hoxie, David Ruttura, Eric Jordan Young) And in today’s episode I’m bringing on another one of the people that I met through that show, Dominic Thrasher, one of the ones who I grew closest to during that contract who was actually in a cabin just a couple of doors down from my own. But just as the world was coming out of the pandemic, getting back to a somewhat normal life, Dominic was diagnosed with ALS, similar to Broadway actor Aaron Lazar. We talk about his very difficult journey of realizing and accepting his own illness and how he is choosing to live the remaining months and possibly years that he has left. And if there’s anything you take away from this very heartfelt and thoughtful conversation, I hope it is a sense of both gratitude and persistence in your own life: being grateful for what you have, even the most basic of things, and a drive to continue to pursue the things that you want. It is a lesson that Dominic has carried with him his whole life and is now being put to the test in a way he never thought or imagined. ----- (And with this episode Why I’ll Never Make It begins its new release day of Wednesday instead of Monday. This is mainly to adjust to my touring schedule with Beetlejuice, as the weekends are full of shows and Tuesdays give me more time to produce these episodes each week.) ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, here we are it's 2025 and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome you to Season 9 of the Why I’ll Never Make It podcast! Every other week this season you'll hear candid conversations and inspiring stories from theater artists across Broadway, regional stages, and beyond. And we’re kicking things off with someone--the likes of which I never thought I'd get on my humble theater podcast--the incredible Lynn Nottage. After her, we’ll hear from Japanese-American actor and teacher Akiko Aizawa as well as Broadway actress Elizabeth Hess, who you may know as Janet Darling from Clarissa Explains It All, and so many more extraordinary artists throughout the season. Be sure to follow this podcast on your favorite podcast platform as well as on Instagram at winmipodcast, so you don’t miss a single episode! Join me in February for Season 9 as we talk more about Why I’ll Never Make It. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The art of theater and acting is a cornerstone of cultures globally, serving as a powerful medium for storytelling, expression, and communal reflection. It allows societies to explore and challenge social norms, convey historical and contemporary narratives, and foster a shared cultural identity through performances that resonate with audiences. For actors like Aaron Ronnie Almani, the discipline of theater and acting goes beyond mere performance; it is a transformative journey. The rigorous training and diverse roles demand deep emotional exploration and empathy, fostering personal growth and self-awareness. This immersive process enhances an actor's understanding of the human condition, cultivating a profound sense of connection and authenticity both on stage and in real life. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Regional theater is really the lifeblood of the performing arts in America. It’s the place where we get that first spark and inspiration to become lifelong theatergoers or decide to become actors ourselves. But in recent years regional theaters have been struggling to find audiences and to just stay open. The pandemic caused some to close their doors for good, and the ones that remain suffered through uncertain futures. Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Texas was one such theater that canceled their season and lost millions of dollars in revenue and donations. But it slowly came back in 2021 and is about to start a new season under the leadership of its Tony-nominated artistic director, Dan Knechtges. He previously directed and choreographed Broadway shows like Xanadu and 110 in the Shade as well as his Broadway debut with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I’ve worked with him twice: at The Muny doing Seussical and then at TUTS with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. We not only discuss Xanadu and his tenure at TUTS but we also delve into a creative crisis he faced, where he almost quit the business. It’s a candid conversation with one of the most approachable and down to earth directors I’ve ever worked with. INTRO - What he looks for in actors he works with STORY #1 - Landing Spelling Bee after a creative breakdown and giving up STORY #2 - Getting to choreograph Xanadu and then the struggling in previews STORY #3 - Transition from director/choreographer to artistic director/producer Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to Broadway, few shows have captured hearts quite like Wicked. Its spellbinding story, unforgettable songs, and iconic performances have become a cultural phenomenon—especially now, with the movie adaptation igniting fresh excitement. And among the very few to take on one of the hardest roles in all of musical theater is our guest, Stephanie Torns. Stephanie has soared to incredible heights—literally—during her time in Wicked, where her breathtaking performances have cemented her place among Broadway’s finest. She's also won hearts in Waitress, showcasing her extraordinary talent and the resilience needed to shine in some of Broadway’s most demanding roles. But Stephanie’s impact isn’t limited to the stage. As a board member of EPIC Players, an inclusive theater company dedicated to empowering neurodivergent performers, she’s forging vital connections between the Broadway community and EPIC's mission. Her work here is as authentic and meaningful as the performances she's known for, highlighting her dedication to creating space for talent in all its forms. In today’s episode, we explore Stephanie’s journey to EPIC Players and her passion for supporting the neurodivergent community. Along the way, we’ll reflect on her unforgettable time with Wicked, the lessons she’s learned from tackling the role of Elphaba, and how her Broadway experiences continue to shape her work both onstage and off. ---------- Subscribe to get ad-free access to the full conversations, which include auditions stories. Donate to WINMI and support podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. Contact me directly if you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then I can offer you reduced-price or even free access to the subscription. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Theme music created by Patrick Oliver Jones, and background music is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special video podcast combo between Why I’ll Never Make It and Closing Night, I’m joined by theater historian and author Jennifer Ashley Tepper, who has written a truly remarkable book - Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy That the History Books Left Out.  Jennifer’s work is the first comprehensive exploration of women who have shaped Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals over the last century and beyond. From Tin Pan Alley composers to protest writers of the 1970s, and the voices shaping today’s theater landscape, this book is a treasure trove of history and inspiration. Together, we explore the hurdles these women faced, their remarkable stories, and the profound ways they’ve shaped the art form. And Jennifer’s book resonates deeply with both podcasts: Why I’ll Never Make It delves into the challenges of building a creative career Closing Night reflects on the legacy of shows may not always get the spotlight they deserve In our conversation, we highlight trailblazers like Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins, a Black playwright and novelist whose multi-hyphenate career began in the late 1800s; then there’s Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford, the longest-running female duo in musical theater history that began in 1955 and continues today; and then Shaina Taub, the Tony Award-winning force behind the Broadway musical Suffs. These are just a few of the extraordinary women we discuss—names that, thanks to Jennifer's book, are finally getting their due. --- Why I’ll Never Make It and Closing Night are independent productions of WINMI Media and Patrick Oliver Jones. To support the ongoing efforts of these podcasts please subscribe or donate. Thank you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producing theater is often difficult and never a guarantee. In fact, anything produced for the stage can be hit or miss. Just a few hours before I sat down to record this intro, a concert of Lerner & Loewe music that I was producing had to be canceled. Artists were dropping out and audiences weren't buying tickets. It was tough to let it go, but there came a point where the venue had to cut its losses. This was just a concert at a cabaret venue, so imagine the greater disappointment and loss when a Broadway show doesn’t open. In the previous episode with Chad Beguelin, he shared how one of his musicals was headed to Broadway, until it wasn’t. He turned that heartbreak into his debut novel Showmance that was released earlier this month. Well, he’s back to talk about what has kept him going and what making it really means to him as he answers the final five questions here on this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It.  --- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber today. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we talked about in Part One, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is what put Gabrielle Ruiz on the map. However, it was her theater training and performance abilities that made it possible for her to be cast in the show. In this rewind episode from 2021, we talk more about her time on the stage and what drives her most as an artist. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple of months ago, I talked with a friend and fellow actor Dominic Thrasher about his experiences with a catholic church and the criticism and harsh accusations he faced for being gay and married. Well, another friend and fellow actor of mine also heard that episode and reached out to me with his own story to tell about being fired from his teaching job for the same thing. Matthew LaBanca has starred on Broadway in the original companies of Young Frankenstein, White Christmas, and A Christmas Carol. We touch on auditioning or both onstage and on-camera roles as well as the importance hair brings not only to our type and castability as men but how it also influences the way we carry ourselves and the confidence we bring into the room. A confidence that Matthew once had as a teacher as well at a private catholic school, but he shares how and why he no longer has that job.  ---------- Subscribe to get ad-free access to the full conversations, which include auditions stories. Donate to WINMI and support podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. Contact me directly if you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then I can offer you reduced-price or even free access to the subscription. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Theme music created by Patrick Oliver Jones, and background music is by John Bartmann (used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ann Harada will be the first to tell you that finding happiness and satisfaction in the acting business didn’t come quickly or easily for her. In fact, her first Broadway credit came as a production assistant, not as an actor. She followed that up with ensemble roles in M. Butterfly and Suessical. But between those two shows was a ten-year gap, and it wasn’t until her next Broadway show that Ann Harada truly made a name for herself as Christmas Eve in Avenue Q. In our conversation, she talks about those lean years before Avenue Q but also how she has had continue working hard and pushing herself even after her breakout role at the tender age of 39. Listen to Ann's recent performance in BPN's audio drama TWITS. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer marked the beginning of my new podcast venture, Closing Night, where I delve deep into the captivating world of Broadway history. Our journey takes us through the tales of shows that have graced the Marquis Theater in the heart of Times Square. Among the unforgettable productions is the notorious musical Nick & Nora, boasting a creative team brimming with legendary figures of musical theater: director Arthur Laurents, composer Charles Strouse, and lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. Several years back, during my very first off-Broadway contract, I had the privilege of collaborating with Richard. He held the title of creative consultant, but in essence, he served as the de facto co-director of a groundbreaking new musical called The Magdalene. So when the time came to explore Nick & Nora on Closing Night, I couldn't resist reaching out to Richard to share his remarkable experiences with the show. And believe me, he's got some stories to tell... How Nick & Nora came to be and what led to its ultimate demise Other Maltby shows including Miss Saigon and Ain't Misbehavin' Follow Closing Night on Instagram and listen it on your favorite podcast app. Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from theater writer and director Rob Melrose, who is the artistic director of Alley Theatre in Houston. He shared what it means to create and produce his own works and others. Well, now Rob is back to talk about lessons he’s learned behind the table as well as from a heart attack he suffered two years ago by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to performing, whether in musical theater or in the pop world, a singer’s voice can be their identity, their money maker, the one instrument that often defines their careers. And so losing their voice can be life-changing and demoralizing. On my other podcast Closing Night I did an episode on the Broadway production of Victor/Victoria and chronicled the surgery that ended Julie Andrews vocal career. There’s also a new documentary out about Celine Dion and her battle with Stiff Persons Syndrome that has left her unable to sing. I’ve even had my own struggles with vocal paresis, which for me means that one of my vocal cords moves weakly and has a hard time fully closing compared to the other. And today’s guest has had her own vocal struggles and knows what that loss feels like. Sarah Hester Ross has become a one-of-a-kind entertainer and social media star, amassing 2.4M followers on TikTok and over 260K on Instagram. She has also been touted as the “Best Of Las Vegas” for her comedy and one-woman show. And she’s achieved all this with a vocal injury that still affects her to this day. We talk about that as well as her struggles with a lack of motivation and even interest in her comedy work. Nonetheless, her good-natured, comedic exuberance has earned her the moniker of "The Hilarious Redhead!" And I think you'll hear why in this witty and thoughtful conversation. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Rubinstein was born the son of renowned pianist Arthur Rubinstein, and his early exposure to theater in the 8th grade ignited a passion that would shape the trajectory of extraordinary career. He catapulted to Broadway stardom originating the title role in Pippin, directed by Bob Fosse, and won a Tony Award for his compelling performance in Children of a Lesser God. A true renaissance man, John's artistic pursuits extend beyond the stage into television and film as well, both as an actor and composer, where he’s written the scores or theme songs for several movies and TV shows. We also talk about his work as a director, and even touch on one my favorite topics: the art and craft of auditioning. Never one to rest on his laurels, John also shares the impetus behind his return to New York in the current off-Broadway play Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, which adapts General Dwight Eisenhower's memoirs, speeches, and letters into a one-man stage play. Subscribe to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode you heard from actor and writer Dominic Thrasher as he shared how a diagnosis of ALS has dramatically changed his life and career. We also discussed how writing has given him a new focus for his energies and creativity. Well, now Dominic is back to talk playing one of his dream roles as well as share more lessons he’s learned from his terminal illness by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. ---------- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber by going to whyillnevermakeit.com and click Subscribe. Podcast intro music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cabarets have been an integral part of New York City's cultural fabric for over a century, offering a unique blend of entertainment, social commentary, and artistic expression. From the early 1900s to the present day, cabarets have served as a hub for artistic experimentation and innovation. They have also served as a launching pad for many Broadway stars, including Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Audra McDonald, and others who got their start honing skills and building a loyal fan base before transitioning to the Broadway stage. The intimacy and informality of cabaret performances have allowed performers to develop their craft and connect with audiences in a way that is impossible in larger, more formal venues. And here in New York there’s been one man in particular helping artists find their voice onstage.  Sidney Myer has been a cabaret booking manager for four decades at venues like Don’t Tell Mama, Rose’s Turn, and Panache. He’s also a performer himself, having won MAC and Bistro Awards (MAC stands for Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs). As Sidney can attest to, cabarets offer performers a chance to showcase their vocal talents and connect with audiences on a personal level. They have given voice to marginalized communities, including African Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and immigrants. Through this cabarets have played a significant role in shaping New York’s cultural identity as well as giving a home to many artists like Sidney. STORY #1 - The struggles he faced at an all male prep school, especially when he happened to say he liked Judy Garland instead of the TV show Bonanza. STORY #2 - The random set of events that led up to his first acting experience in summer stock theater. STORY #3 - A very special act that he recruited to open up a new nightclub. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the previous episode, you heard from actor and teacher Matthew LaBanca and his new show that just opened called Communion, a one-man show about his rather contentious experience with the catholic church and being fired from his teaching position once he married his husband. Well, now Matthew is back to talk about the solitary life of being an actor as well as his own struggle with vanity and several other topics by answering the Final Five Questions in this bonus episode of Why I’ll Never Make It. --- To listen to bonus content like Auditions Stories and get early access to these full conversations ad-free, become a subscriber today. Podcast theme music created by host and producer Patrick Oliver Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an enjoyable BroadwayCon encounter this past summer, I found myself in the heart of all things Broadway, rubbing shoulders with the stars and hosting live interviews for the Broadway Podcast Network. While my conversation with Jelani Alladin about Frozen and Hercules was already shared in a previous episode, today we delve into my interview with the talented Broadway actress Sharon Catherine Brown. I had the pleasure of working with her on a new musical last year, and we dive into some of the other shows on her resume, with a primary focus on her role in Jekyll & Hyde. We'll also explore her contributions to iconic musicals like Dreamgirls and Caroline, Or Change, gaining valuable advice for aspiring performers along the way. Join me in this special episode recorded live at BroadwayCon 2023 for an insightful and entertaining conversation with the remarkable Sharon Catherine Brown. INTRO - What she looks for when auditioning for roles and shows STORY #1 - Tackling the demanding role of Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde STORY #2 - Playing such iconic characters as Dorothy in The Wiz and Effie in Dreamgirls STORY #3 - Why she never gives advice to others on how to make it to Broadway EXTRA - What it was like working with Andre Deshields Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Producing this podcast is a rewarding experience, but it's also costly and time-consuming as I’m essentially a one-man operation. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Whether you subscribe or donate, your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get early access to full episodes and bonus content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Gettelfinger's Broadway debut came in 2000 with the musical Seussical. And she worked steadily on Broadway through the years until she and I met and worked together on The Addams Family national tour in 2011. But then she had to take a break from acting, a break from New York City as well. And except for an Off-Broadway musical in 2014, Sara focused instead on her life and let the career she loved so much take a back seat. She’s now back on Broadway in a new musical, Water for Elephants, that opened at the Imperial Theatre on March 21st. We sat down during the preview process, and she openly talks about the struggle and warning signs that led up to her long absence as well as the lessons she’d had to learn, both personally and professionally. Subscribe or Donate to WINMI Subscribing helps support this podcast, while also giving early access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Donating can be done on a one-time on ongoing basis. So whether you subscribe or donate, your financial contribution to this podcast is greatly appreciated! If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 Tony Awards were certainly a night to remember, celebrating a very full Broadway season filled with remarkable performances and groundbreaking productions. Yet amidst the accolades and celebrations, some highly anticipated shows were left without a single nomination. One of these was The Wiz, a revival production directed by the wonderful Schele Williams. But despite the lack of Tony recognition, Williams' work on The Wiz has made its mark on Broadway this year with near capacity crowds at every performance and averaging more than $1.4 million dollars each week since it opened back in April. But Schele wasn’t content with just one Broadway show this season, she was also part of the directing team for The Notebook musical. However, her illustrious career actually began as an actress, performing in iconic Broadway productions such as Rent and Aida, and eventually transitioned to directing. Her journey from celebrated performer to visionary director has been marked by perseverance and a commitment to amplifying diverse voices. As the first Black woman to direct a musical on Broadway in more than 40 years, she hopes her work this year will inspire kids of all backgrounds to follow their dreams. Here are her three stories: Schele shares her journey from being a child prodigy drummer to choosing a path in musical theater (Her father is famed drummer James "Diamond" Williams of the Ohio Players). We delve into her memories of seeing The Wiz as a child and the profound effect it has had on her, ultimately leading to her directing its first Broadway revival. We discuss the personal trials she faced as her mother struggles with Alzheimer's and how it influenced her decision to co-direct The Notebook with her longtime friend and collaborator Michael Greif. So listen as we explore the remarkable career of Schele Williams and the stories that shaped her path in the world of theater. ---------- Subscribe to get early and ad-free access to the full conversation with each guest, which includes the auditions stories that are only available to subscribers. You can also donate to WINMI and help further podcast production with a one-time or ongoing contribution. If you'd like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast with actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. A snippet of "I Want to Be Free" by the Ohio Players was used to highlight James "Diamond" Williams on drums. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, the idea for a new theater history podcast came up as Dan Delgado and I were working on The Little Prince episodes. Well, it took me awhile to get the ball rolling, but the first season of Closing Night is finally here with a focus on Broadway's Marquis Theater. This first episode preview covers the contentious history of this theater and the protests that surrounded its construction. Future episodes will chronicle the many troubled productions that have come and gone in this theater's young history. Click here to follow and listen to Closing Night on your favorite podcast app! --- This podcast is a production of WINMI Media with Patrick Oliver Jones as host and executive producer. Dan Delgado is the editor and co-producer, not only for this podcast but also for his own movie podcast called The Industry. Blake Stadnik composed the theme music, and Maria Clara Ribeiro is co-producer. Much appreciation goes to Joe Rosenberg and Mark Robinson for their insights, Tim Dolan for his support, Robert Armin who captured those street protests back in 1982, as well as the voice talents of our own Dan Delgado and Kate McClanaghan from Actors’ SOUND ADVICE. Click here for a transcript and full list of resources used in this episode (and there were a lot of them believe me). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, after more than five years, Why I’ll Never Make It is taking a big leap forward as a Podcast, joining the highly respected and expansive Broadway Podcast Network. So over the coming weeks, you’ll notice some changes to the podcast format. You’ll hear that short ID tag before every episode, and there will also be something that this podcast has never had: advertisements.  For years I have remained a tried and true independent podcaster, but with the ever-increasing costs of producing a podcast, this move to the Broadway Podcast Network is an exciting new chapter in growing this podcast and helping sustain it for many seasons to come. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast, and I hope you will continue to enjoy the guests and conversations throughout the rest of this season and beyond. Why I’ll Never Make It is actually starting to make it a bit, and I can’t wait to see what happens next! SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GEORGIA STITT (georgiastitt.com) is a composer and lyricist whose original musicals include Snow Bird, Big Red Sun, The Water, and Samantha Spade, Ace Detective, which was the National Youth Theatre “Outstanding New Musical” in 2014. She is currently working on the The Big Boom with Hunter Foster and is also preparing to release her third album later this year.    Now I haven’t even gotten to her work as producer, music supervisor, pianist, orchestrator, vocal coach, music director, and conductor. Needless to say she lives and breathes music. Not to mention her role as mother and wife and founding director of Maestra (maestramusic.org), an activist organization for women musicians in theater, which we will talk about more in the next episode.   For more information on the articles and quotes used in this episode follow on Twitter (@winmipodcast). ---------- May this podcast be a resource for you as you discover more ways to pursue a career in this industry and sustain it through the many ups and downs that follow. You can always reach out to me on the website: contact.winmipodcast.com  Each week there’s audio that doesn't make it into the episode. You'll get these extra nuggets only on Instagram (@winmipodcast) as well as other insights and motivations.  Lastly, this podcast is supported through kind donations of listeners like you by buying me a coffee.   Music: "Oldie Song" by David Szesztay is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. "All Will See" by Hyson is licensed under a Attribution License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The third and final look at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with Michael McBride, a 10-year veteran with the company. Through this organization he not only gained skills and experience in collaborating with some of the best dancers and choreographers on the planet, but he also found the love of his life, Samuel Lee Roberts, a fellow dancer in the company. But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Michael. He's had some hard lessons to learn along the way and he talks about some of those, especially in the Final Five questions, also included in this episode. Topics and People Mentioned: Alvin Ailey's REVELATIONS - https://www.alvinailey.org/performances/repertory/revelations  Michael's engagement to Samuel - https://www.dancemagazine.com/when-two-ailey-dancers-get-engaged-of-course-there-are-professional-ba-2404644366.html  Michael and Samuel dancing together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aD9fGhW7xI  Hope Boykin Teaches Revelations - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QefuHRw5948  Matthew Rushing - https://www.dance-enthusiast.com/features/video/view/Matthew-Rushing-and-Hope-Boykin-Rushings-Surprise-Role-in-LIFT-by-Aszure-Barton-/#.XumIcmpKgWo  Follow Michael: Instagram / Website —————  WINMI is a Top 20 Podcast thanks to you!  https://blog.feedspot.com/theatre_podcasts/  More episodes: listen.winmipodcast.com Join the WINMI community: Instagram or Twitter (@winmipodcast)  Reach out with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com    The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Music in this episode: "Ah Been 'Buked" by Hall Johnson. The Chamber Singers of Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges, Thomas Lloyd, director. "Kitty In The Window" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. Based on a work at http://soundofpicture.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe DiPietro is certainly no stranger to theater and has been writing for the stage since 1991. His musicals and plays have received multiple awards and nominations on and off-Broadway, including Memphis starring Montego Glover and All Shook Up with Cheyenne Jackson. He talks about these two talented performers and shares his affection for Only Make Believe, a non-profit theater company that has been creating and performing live in-person and virtual interactive theater for children in hospitals, care facilities, and special education programs for 23 years. We also get into two of his most recent Broadway shows: Diana, the Musical and Living on Love, his lone Broadway play so far (starring former WINMI guest Douglas Sills). Both shows had their own challenges coming and surviving on Broadway. In fact, Diana filmed their stage production for Netflix during the Covid shutdown, and that movie notoriously went on to win Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Screenplay and Worst Picture, among others. Joe takes it all in stride and shares with us not only his passion for theater, but also what has kept him going through the ups and downs. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While natural talent certainly plays a part in the capabilities of any actor to perform, there’s one skill that has to be learned and nurtured for any actor to really make it in this business, and in part two of my conversation with Joyce Hshieh, she talks about this all important ability to learn and memorize lines.  As an actor she struggled with memorizing lines, but as a trivia enthusiast she learned several simple and easy techniques to boost her memory. She studied and researched the science of memory and learning and figured out what works and what doesn’t. She shares what she learned and the program she created to help actors, called OFF BOOK IT. Watch the free masterclass - Line Memorization Without the Stress and Headache! Sign up for the free WINMI Newsletter and get your Members-Only Bonus Episodes starting at only $3/month. Topics and references in this episode: Actors who couldn't memorize lines - Grunge  Rita Ora in Fifty Shades of Grey - The Independent  How actors remember lines - Psychology Today  Regional actor Patrick Treadway and the Body List - Spokesman Review  FOR EXTRA CREDIT - Marilu Henner and her ability to remember everything   ————— Season 5 offers ways to connect with me and the guests as well as other opportunities to grow as an artist: Coachings and Consultations Artist Resources and Offers Instagram and Twitter Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot, is a part of Helium Radio Network, and is a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance. Music in the episode by Bortexx, Chad Crouch, and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past week I started rehearsals up in Connecticut at the Goodspeed Opera House doing a new musical version of the beloved Anne of Green Gables. It’s a well-known story around the world but especially in its home country of Canada. So in honor of that I thought I would bring a Canadian onto the podcast.  Ashley Victoria Robinson is an actress, writer, producer and podcaster, and though she and I won’t be talking about Anne of Green Gables, we do hit upon some of the themes from that story...dealing with the loss of family and how that can impact our lives, finding our place in this world and where we belong, and learning how to control our emotions and our words so that they don’t get us into trouble. Now, I hadn’t met Ashley until we sat down for this interview, But just like Anne is constantly searching for that kindred spirit, I too found a wonderful connection with Ashley throughout our conversation and thankfully a kindred spirit in this industry. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s really no big secret that having children involved in the performing arts can have a major impact on them in school and out of school. Well, today’s guests are training some of these young artists in a fine arts conservatory down in Miami, Florida called MoonAmie Productions. Monica Rosell and Priscilla Blanco join me to discuss their important work and the creative home they provide their students.  Sign up for the WINMI Newsletter.  My conversation begins with Monica, Owner and Artistic Director, who holds both a master of fine arts and a bachelor of arts. She’s taught script analysis and theater history it has been both a private acting coach as well as director of many musicals and plays in South Florida. While MoonAmie productions focuses on stage work and musicals, they also produce short films with their students Who are receiving highly structured and individualized instruction, and this really sets moonamie apart from most other theater schools for young artists. "How the Performing Arts Benefits Kids" - Scholastic I then bring on Music Director Priscilla, who has a Bachelor's and Master's in music education, and she works as a vocal coach and accompanist throughout South Florida. She was also in the public school system there and was the president of the Dade County music educators Association. But her work has gone beyond just Florida —she is also the cofounder of Spark music initiative, a nonprofit based in Grand Cayman, which focuses on introducing and igniting students’ interest in music through free workshops and camps that focus on world music, technology, improvisation, and songwriting. And the work she does with the students at MoonAmie is very similar. join.whyillnevermakeit.com Follow MoonAmie - Website / Instagram / Twitter  ————— Season 5 offers ways to connect with me and the guests as well as other opportunities to grow as an artist: Members-Only Episodes on Supercast Coachings and Consultations Monthly WINMI Newsletter Artist Resources and Offers Instagram and Twitter  Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot, and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Music in the episode by Borrtex is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an actor, one of the more difficult attitudes for me to manage is that of jealousy and an elevated sense of competition for roles and status in this industry. I’ve particularly noticed this since theater has opened up again after the long pandemic shutdown and other actors, not me, are back onstage again. My guest today, Peter Allen Vogt, is a talented actor in his own right but has struggled with this as well from time to time, especially considering he has a well-known identical twin who is also an actor and comedian.  I first got to know Peter Allen Vogt working for Disney. Both he and I worked at Tokyo and Orlando Disney. He has since moved on to Universal out in Los Angeles, and he is also appeared in such TV shows as Hannah Montana, Parks and Recreation, and American Horror Story. But our first love is theater. We talk about what keeps Peter going and the longevity of his career, as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with those who support and nurture you as an artist. Whether it’s classic shows or new musicals, Peter brings a larger than life quality to all of his roles. In fact, his size has been one of Peter‘s notable characteristics for many years. In our conversation today he gets candid and shares his weight loss journey and what that has meant for his career. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Final Five Episode with Peter Allen Vogt Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last episode, I spoke with composer Matt Vinson and writer Matte O'Brien about their new musical Anne of Green Gables. It was the first time I’ve spoken with a musical writing team here on Why I’ll Never Make It, and so for the two of them I thought I would bring back a bonus episode I haven’t done in a while: The Final Five. After that main interview they answered five final questions about what “making it” means to them, lessons they’ve learned both as individuals and as a writing team, as well as useful advice that has helped them creatively and personally. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of my conversation with Brie Eley, she talked about her latest project that has been such a mountaintop experience for her and we get into her organization that promotes and supports black actresses, providing them with opportunity and community but also showcasing the vast diversity among these black actresses. Topics discussed: The High Republic - a new digital series from STAR WARS Pew Research - social media and Black Americans Nielsen Company - 2019 Diverse Intelligence Series report on African Americans Any actresses interested in learning more about Here and Ready and how to build a profile, head to the Actor Portal: Here and Ready Talent Database for Black Actresses  Get the WINMI Newsletter - join.whyillnevermakeit.com Follow Brie - Website / Instagram / Twitter / IMDB ————— Season 5 offers new ways to connect with me and the guests as well as new opportunities to learn and grow as an artist: Members-Only Episodes on Supercast Coachings and Consultations Ask questions to upcoming guests Monthly WINMI Newsletter Artist Resources and Offers Instagram and Twitter  Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot  Music used in the episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Borrtex is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here in America, we just marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and on the eve of that anniversary a live recording of the Broadway production of Come From Away was released. It featured many past and present members of the cast, but one of the original cast members, Rodney Hicks, was absent from the filming. In part one of our conversation, Rodney takes us through his long journey with the show and how it came to a sudden end. He reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is still some light to be found. Listen to Part Two of my conversation with Rodney! SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Normally at the end of each season I take a chance to look back at the guests and conversations we’ve had throughout the year, but for this special episode you aren’t gonna be getting some "best-of" retrospective (although I will be counting down the Top 5 guests of 2021). Instead I’m bringing back two former guests and introducing you to a new creative ,as we talk about what this year has meant for theater in general and special events coming up next year. Featured in this episode: Clayton Howe and his podcast Entertainment(X)  Justin Guarini, MoonAmie Productions, Terry Knickerbocker, Will Swenson, and Brad Oscar & Diego Prieto  Review of Season Five on Why I’ll Never Make It Matthew Stern and Broadway Stage Manager Symposium Anna Robb and TheaterArtLife SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seán Cullen is a Canadian actor, voice artist and stand-up comedian, known for combining improvisation with mimicry and music. He joins me today to share his love of comedy and writing books for his children. But we also dive into the worries and frustrations that come from almost making it and how to bounce back from a canceled show or that inner voice saying we aren't good enough. Follow Seán on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mrseancullen  Listen to his podcast - http://www.theseanpod.com/  Watch some of his stand-up - https://youtu.be/jTG2Nfcwm6A  Corky and the Juice Pigs sing "Eskimo" - https://youtu.be/CwO33oUawM8  —————  Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter (@winmipodcast) as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com   The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode. —————  Music in this episode: "Whispers" by Hyson is licensed under a Attribution License. "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the greatest obstacles to becoming a better performer is thinking you aren’t good enough, that the dreams and aspirations you have for yourself are just too far out of reach and beyond your capability. So in today’s episode we explore that feeling with someone who knows all too well the crippling effect of self-doubt and self-criticism. Elaine Romanelli is a singer, songwriter, and actress who has performed off Broadway and on radio as well as hosted an improvised streaming show and released three vocal albums of original music. She also teaches singers and composes church music, so Elaine stays pretty busy. But she also recognizes the importance of fostering collaboration and finding her own tribe of like-minded souls. Not only has it helped her as she continues to create new work, but it has been a source of support when her own confidence is tested and that self-doubt creeps back in. Story #1: Why she left classical music Story #2: Losing her singing partner and going solo Story #3: Finding connection and her own tribe Final Five Questions In this interview, Elaine explores her journey from singer to songwriter with hopes of returning to theater again soon and the conversation continues on the WINMI Blog as she answers five final questions about “making it” and lessons she’s learned along the way. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Bonus Episode: Elaine talks about a time when she was determined to show her personality and bring a bit of levity to the audition process…and singing a song about farting certainly helped her achieve that goal. Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout his career Geoffrey Owens has been an actor, director, and teacher. But for more than 35 years he has been known as Elvin from The Cosby Show. As we kick off Black History Month here on the podcast I sat down with Geoffrey to talk about his own history as an actor, the lucky breaks that have come his way as well as the hardships he’s faced, the photo that surfaced in 2018 of him working at Trader Joe’s, and what it means to be so singularly identified with one show. join.whyillnevermakeit.com Links and References: Huxtable family watches "I Have a Dream" • Carsey/Werner Production • Alvin Poussaint Interview • Claire sets Elvin straight  Follow Geoffrey: Website / Instagram / Twitter ————— Season 5 brings with it a new ways connect with me and the guests and new opportunities to learn and grow as an artist: Members-Only Episodes on Supercast Coachings and Consultations Ask questions to upcoming guests Monthly WINMI Newsletter Artist Resources and Offers Instagram and Twitter  Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 20 Theater Podcast on Feedspot  Music used in the episode by Blue Dot Sessions, Kevin MacLeod, and Chad Crouch is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to be famous or do you want to be an actor? Very few truly achieve both. For most of us it’s a choice, and the direction we choose impacts the roles and opportunities that we pursue going forward. Today’s guest has been presented with both during his career and came to discover which one mattered more to him.  Bettering Ourselves, Bettering Our Careers (Part 3) In the early 2000s, Ben Curtis was training to be a serious actor at NYU, but one commercial audition for Dell computers completely changed the trajectory of his life and career. He became the face of the computer company, performing in about 26 national commercials over the span of four years. Ben shares with us the lessons he learned from reaching a level of fame that he never imagined, but he also talks about how it led him down some dark paths that took him years to resolve and come out of. 02:28 - Welcome and Ben talks about coming to NYC 06:02 - Story #1: Becoming the Dell Dude 11:01 - The business of commercial acting 16:34 - When Ben realized he was "famous" 21:31 - Story #2: The reality check of getting arrested 33:55 - Story #3: Surviving 9/11 through drugs and alcohol 41:14 - Lessons he has learned and now shares with other men Subscribe to WINMI and get Bonus Episodes  OR Make a one-time Donation to the podcast ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube   Dude, You're Getting Well  Ben's mission with the podcast is to share the real challenges that leaders, innovators, and influencers face every day as humans -- to show that it's okay to be human and have hard days, that all people experience pain and challenges. He wants to shed light on how we overcome these odds, the tools that we can use for self-care and sur-thrival, all while growing our vision and sharing these lessons with others.     Audition Story In this week’s bonus episode, Ben shares an experience back in Chattanooga when he had to choose between playing on the school’s soccer team or doing theater. He couldn’t do both. While you can probably guess which one he chose, as often happens it didn’t quite turn out quite the way he had hoped. Subscribe to WINMI and get access to this and other bonus episodes. Final Five Questions In this interview, Ben shared his journey from fame to failure and points in-between. And the conversation continues on the WINMI Blog as he answers five final questions about “making it” and useful advice he's received. Discover even more about Ben here.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Coyne’s career in the entertainment industry spans more than 30 years, and in this episode he talks about his work onstage and in television commercials from Los Angeles to Europe as well as Las Vegas. where he has the distinction of playing leading roles in both of the longest continuously running shows in Las Vegas history: JUBILEE! and LES FOLIES BERGERE. Chris also shares why, after finally getting his first national commercial for Southwest Airlines, he decided to go back to school for 2 years and learn the craft of Sound Editing for film and TV...and then what is was like to be nominated for both an Emmy and a Motion Picture Sound Editors Award for his work on the Dreamworks animated series The Adventures of Puss in Boots available on Netflix.  Check out his credits on IMDB and follow him on Instagram. Also, in 2015 he released an EP of original material available on iTunes and Amazon. Check out the lead single "By God's Grace" on YouTube. ---------- The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is both sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first ever mini-episode with Patrick, focusing on why he'll never make it as well as why he's still here. Patrick talks about the wonderful camaraderie within theater and gives a loving tribute to Marin Mazzie, who passed away last month from ovarian cancer. (Read about Marin's remarkable joy and positivity as she confronted cancer.) A career that spans 30 years, she was always a consummate professional yet easy-going and always herself. She brought passion and true enjoyment to each role she played.  Her light still shines and her impact is still felt on a grateful Broadway community to whom she gave so much. "We've been laughing and laughing, and hoping that the audience thinks it's as funny as we do," she says of her time in Bullets Over Broadway. Opera News did an excellent interview and chronicle of her life. ----- Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Years after the failed Lerner & Loewe movie musical of The Little Prince, producer Joseph Tandet tried again with composer John Barry and a full Broadway production, which brought with it a whole new set of problems. The Little Prince and the Aviator began rehearsals in late 1981 and starred TV and film actor Michael York as the pilot with a 10-year-old newcomer in the title role, Anthony Rapp. We talk about that troubled production, which never actually opened on Broadway, and we also discuss other shows like Rent and Star Trek Discovery. So in today’s episode you’ll be hearing four stories from his life and career: Story #1- How he was cast in The Little Prince and the Aviator and why it failed Story #2- Three movies where the directors wanted to cast him but producers did not Story #3- How Rent changed his life and what it was like coming back to the show years later Story #4- Dealing with the loss of his mother and the memoir and one-man show it inspired WINMI Blog: The Final Five Anthony Rapp has been acting and singing professionally since he was nine years old. Even with an extensive list of wonderful achievements, Rapp also knows the hardships and uncertainty of this business. And through it all he's discovered what truly matters most in his life and career. He gives further thoughts and insights in the Final Five. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Bonus Episode: Anthony Rapp Talks About You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown This week's main episode is already full of intimate stories and insights from Anthony's life and career. But there's a special segment from our interview saved just for subscribers. He goes into details of the collaborative process to create this Broadway revival production and what led to it's short-lived run.  Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ——— Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his years in New York City, Eric Jordan Young bounced around from Broadway productions and national tours to regional shows and concerts. According to most performers, he was living the dream. But he wanted something else, we wanted something more. So Eric branched out into his own endeavors, from a solo recording album to a one-man tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr. Along the way he met some challenges and found out he knew more about the show than he did the business. And Vegas became the testing ground and base of operations for his own production company, and he found the stories he was truly meant to tell.  Listen to Eric and other previous guests on the new WINMI Singers & Songwriters Playlist - spotify.whyillnevermakeit.com.  Follow Eric: Instagram / Twitter  Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Blog  Donate to the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/winmipodcast  —————  WINMI is a Top 20 Theater Podcast thanks to you!  https://blog.feedspot.com/theatre_podcasts/    Music used in this episode:  "Smooth Actor" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. Based on a work at http://soundofpicture.com.  "Nocturnal" by Kai Engel is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.  "Holiday Gift" by Chad Crouch is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. "Retreat" by Gold Coast is licensed by soundstripe.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is going to be slightly different from most episodes of Why I’ll Never Make It, because it was born out of a collaboration between myself and another podcast called The Industry hosted by Dan Delgado. In some ways it’s the movie version of this podcast, focusing on the challenges and failures that go into film production and taking a closer look at some of the lesser known and sometimes forgotten stories of Hollywood. One of my all-time favorite movie musicals is Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe's adaptation of The Little Prince in 1974. It starred such legendary performers as Bob Fosse, Richard Kiley, Gene Wilder, and Donna McKechnie. It may not have done well at the box office or with many critics, but there's a lot to love about this star-studded film.  So I reached out to Dan with the idea for an episode about this film adaptation of Little Prince, and I am so grateful that he ran with it. Ultimately, it evolved into a two-part miniseries, covering not only the Lerner and Loewe movie musical, but also the recent Netflix movie adaptation and a couple of Broadway productions. So, today you’ll get to hear our commentary on The Little Prince movie musical, meet Steven Warner, and gain insight into what went wrong with one of my favorite movie musicals of all time.  This episode only features about 20 min of my interview with Steven about The Little Prince. Listen to Part Two of our conversation. Listen to "Two Princes" on The Industry, which goes on to talk about the other Little Prince film from Netflix and two Broadway productions.  SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a coach and leading master classes has been something I truly enjoyed doing. Imparting my experience and insights to students and watching them have those a-ha moments and discovering something new about themselves or their own skills and talents. But sometimes it’s good to flip that around and ask those just starting out their career what THEY have learned so far and where THEY see not only themselves going in this career but where the industry is going as a whole. So for the next three episodes I’m going to be talking to young artists about what they’ve discovered along their own journeys. And I begin today with actor, writer, director, and producer Alex J Dean, who is actually graduating from film school this month. What a time to be starting an arts career, huh? But as you listen to our conversation I think you’ll recognize that he has a pretty good head on his shoulders that will enable him to navigate these very strange and tumultuous times. Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter.  Alex started out as an actor on stage and on screen, and was co-host of the award-winning Nerdtabulous series. Even in real life he has embraced the nerd moniker, as a fan of Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Japanese anime. So it should come as no surprise that Alex has found a real home behind the camera as a director and writer, creating worlds and stories from his own imagination. His final thesis project for college was a horror anthology film, with plans to release it later this summer or early in the fall under his own production company Penny Arcade Pictures. So suffice it to say, Alex loves to stay busy and immerse himself and creativity and production. But as you and I know this is certainly a tough time to get started in the arts field, and that is where we begin our conversation today. Follow Alex - IMDB / Instagram  Join WINMI and get Members-Only Episodes on Supercast Check out Artist Resources and Offers Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter  ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot, and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance. Music in the episode by Borrtex is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the important aspects of Black History Month is that it’s not just about what happened 50, 100, 200 years ago. It’s also about the present, the world around us and what’s happening now to bring greater representation and celebration of African-American accomplishments and contributions. Of course, we should recognize and respect what has come before us. Black history is an integral part of American history and culture. But it’s also important to recognize the lives and experiences of those we meet and work with everyday. Sharon Catherine Brown, or ShayCat as I came to know her during our recent production of Anne of Green Gables, is someone with such a rich history of experiences and a wealth of knowledge and insight from her 45 years as an actress and singer on both stage and screen, notably in TV shows with all-black casts like Good Times, The Jeffersons, and A Different World. It is a surety of herself and confidence in her actions that makes her someone to admire and applaud. Not because she’s better than you or me, not because she’s got it all together (which she'd be the first person to admit that's not the case), but rather because she is one of us, she’s gone through her own challenges and felt the ups and downs of this career and has come through them a better performer and a better person. STORY #3 - a actor's nightmare experience onstage in Flora, The Red Menace EXTRA- milestone TV shows she was a part of with all-black casts & the importance of knowing our worth as actor Listen to PART 1 of my conversation with Sharon. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the FINAL FIVE Bonus Episode with Megan Carver! After our in-depth discussion on finding our artistic niche and creating work for ourselves, we then chatted about others job and where inspiration comes from. These final five questions are posed to each guest on topics and insights not covered in our previous conversation. The answers given are surprising and revealing, showing another side to Megan Carver... If you could have any other job outside of the arts what would it be? What is a bucket list role or show you still hope to do one day? Who do you look up to? A mentor or someone who inspires you. Name a lesson or trait that took you awhile to learn or one that you are still learning to this day? What’s the best advice you’ve received? ---------- Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Do you have questions or stories of your own? Share them with me: contact.winmipodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 2014, I met Terron Brooks as we were both working on a workshop of a new musical based on the hit movie FIRST WIVES CLUB. We both continued on with the show as it traveled to Chicago for its out of town pre-Broadway tryout. The musical never made it to New York, but as you’ll hear in my conversation today with today's guest, the journey of most performers is never a straight line and certainly there are many more failures and disappointments than successes. Terron certainly knows something about success: he's a two time NAACP award nominee and widely recognized for his critically acclaimed role as the great Eddie Kendricks in the Emmy award-winning NBC miniseries The Temptations, not to mention his Broadway shows and concerts around the country). Through music, acting, writing, and speaking, Terron wants to encourage everyone to reach their highest potential, including himself! Today he's brought us three stories on how he's had to learn that lesson the hard way: Story #1- Managing his own expectations of success after the fame of starring in the The Temptations. Story #2- Confronting the possible loss of his voice and what that would mean for his career. Story #3- How his son's autism diagnosis helped him learn to face his own pains and disappointments and become a better father and husband.  This Week's Artist Resource Honest Answers with Terron Brooks invites listeners to reconnect to the soul. Everybody in the world asked the same questions, but the answers are never the same. Terron takes you behind the scenes as his guests reveal honest parts of their story you’ve never heard before. Experience and unrehearsed, open and candid conversation with creative forces like Leon, Shoshana Bean, Sheila E, Stephanie J. Block, and more. You’ll hear transparency and vulnerability from the most inspiring sources.  Final Five Questions Terron has traveled many roads in his life and career. On his journey there have been plenty of lessons, but the greatest has been discovering his authentic self and using his gifts to serve humanity. And in these five final questions, he addresses topics we didn't get to in this conversation and provides extra insight into the importance of grace and living authentically. You can find his Final Five on the WINMI Blog.  SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-creator of The Ensemblist podcast and blog shares his love of theater, especially for those out of the spotlight and in the ensemble. Mo Brady grew up building sets and imagining a life on the stage. After finally getting his Broadway debut, two other more personal roles came his way: husband and father. But he still manages to keep up the podcasting and working on the communications team at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. http://www.theensemblist.com/podcasts  Don't forget to check out all the resources available to you through WINMI: resources.winmipodcast.com  Share your feedback at survey.winmipodcast.com  Follow Mo: Instagram / Twitter  Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Blog  Donate to the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/winmipodcast    —————  WINMI is a Top 20 Theater Podcast thanks to you!  https://blog.feedspot.com/theatre_podcasts/      Music used in this episode:  "Hill and Dale" and "Daydream" by Chad Crouch are licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.  "Smooth Actor" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. Based on a work at http://soundofpicture.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One essential ingredient to any actors career is experience. It allows us to develop our craft and hone our skills over time. With each performance, we refine techniques, learn from mistakes, and develop greater emotional and psychological depth in our performances. But this growth in credibility and authenticity in acting comes as much from our offstage lives as it does from our onstage experiences. And today’s guest shares both personal and professional challenges that have shaped her not only into a great actress, but an amazing person as well. Sharon Catherine Brown has appeared in films like A Chorus Line and Sister Act 2, in soap operas like Generations, and sitcoms like The Jeffersons, Good Times, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But theater is where she got her start and remains her first love. From Broadway productions of Dreamgirls and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to the national tours of The Wiz, Rent, and Jekyll & Hyde, ShayCat (as she’s known to friends) has the kind of experiences and resume that any actor would love to have. She and I met this past year doing a new musical version of the classic novel, Anne of Green Gables. And in part one of our conversation, she shares with us the long line of performers in her family (namely Johnny Brown, her father), a harrowing experience in her first Broadway show (Maggie Flynn), and the moment she knew she was born to be a drama queen. STORY #1 - Coming from a long line of Broadway performers STORY #2 - The moment she knew she was a drama queen  EXTRAS - Performing difficult scenes with children as well as adults and Productions needing to cast big names to get an audience Listen to PART 2 of my conversation with Sharon. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the school year winds down, a Ph.D joins the podcast once again, this time to talk about fiction writing and The Promise of Failure. The most recent book from John Mcnally is a collection of lectures and essays he's given to writing students about the certainty of rejection and how best to handle it and move on from it.  I mean, what better guest and topic are there for the Why I'll Never Make It podcast?? He shares how he combats writer's block and why acting and theater play a vital role in his own writing as well as how he teaches his students. Follow John on Instagram. ---------- Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As much as we actors wish it wasn’t so, auditioning really is our job. Performing it’s just an added perk, if we do that job really well. That being said though, there are times when we mail an audition and simply couldn’t have done any better, yet we still don’t book the part. Such is the life and labor of an actor. Welcome to the annual episode of Audition Stories…the good, the bad, and the hysterical. And today you’ll be getting a sampling of the bonus episodes available to monthly supporters of this podcast. You’ll hear from the following actors, directors, and choreographers as they share their most memorable auditions: Barton Cowperthwaite - actor and dancer from Tiny Pretty Things Misty Rosas - actress, singer and performance artist from The Mandalorian Carmen Cusack - actress and singer from Bright Star and Flying Over Sunset Jerry Mitchell - director and choreographer of Kinky Boots and Pretty Woman Al Blackstone - director and choreographer from So You Think You Can Dance Michael Learned - famed actress from The Waltons Kathryn Allison - actress and singer from Company and Aladdin Briana Packen - actress and coach from Movement 4 Everybody The Prom Tony Nominees - Caitlin Kinnunen, Beth Leavel, and Brooks Ashmanskas   SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Patrick shares one thing that has kept him from auditioning and finding work lately...and that's jury duty. That civic obligation that many try to get out of has become yet another obstacle to making it.  But Patrick diligently fulfilled his duty and rendered a verdict on an attempted murder case involving a babysitter. This is certainly a different kind of episode for the podcast, but nonetheless it's a fascinating story with twists and turns and surprises, just the kind of "ripped from the headlines" case they feature on LAW & ORDER. For more on the case, read about some of the most important moments in the trial: The Retrial of Marianne Benjamin-Williams The Father Takes the Stand Mother's Emotional Testimony Defense Doctor Provides Alternate Possibility Defendant Takes the Stand Manhattan DA Press Release on Verdict ------------- Whether you call it "dun, dun" "chung, chung" or "bong, bong"...the Law & Order sound effect is ubiquitous with the franchise and was conceived by Mike Post, produced by Dick Wolf. Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After our conversation on the previous episode, Alex answers the Final Five. He shares his love of Christopher Nolan movies and his dream to be on Law & Order: SVU as well as what he learned from Will Smith and Michelle Obama. Check out Alex's web series: P's in a Pod       ----------      The time and expense needed to bring these guests and conversations to you each week is sometimes challenging but always rewarding. Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.  For further insights on the topics covered in this episode: twitter.com/winmipodcast/  Quotes and unreleased audio clips: instagram.com/winmipodcast/  Do you have questions or stories of your own? Share them with me: contact.winmipodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to part two of my conversation with Justin Guarini! He’s already shared pivotal moments from his childhood and given us a cautionary tale of his college experience. So we pick up with his decision to stick with American Idol instead of making his Broadway debut with The Lion King.  Get Justin's book Audition Secrets and learn his tips and secrets to auditioning.  Topics discussed in this episode: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown  Julie Andrews and her vocal surgery  Justin in Wicked  Follow Justin: Website / Instagram / Twitter Join WINMI: Website / Memberships / Instagram / Twitter  —————  Season 5 brings with it a new ways connect with me and the guests and new opportunities to learn and grow as an artist: Members-Only Episodes and videos Coachings and Consultations Ask questions to upcoming guests Monthly WINMI Newsletter Artist Resources and Offers Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 20 Theater Podcast on Feedspot  Music used in the episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Borrtex is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barton Cowperthwaite is a dancer first and foremost, with performances ranging from the opera La Traviata to Travis Wall’s Shaping Sound dance tour. The esteemed choreographer Lar Lubovitch describes Barton as a “movement poet” and credits him with having what he calls musical visualization. “Rather than hearing the music, this kind of dancer has the impression of being the music." This connection to music is evident in Barton's experience singing the music in productions at City Center Encores and in the national tour of American in Paris. He has also crossed over into the world of being a triple-threat, exercising his acting chops in a few movies, most notably in his breakout role of Oren in the Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things. In this conversation, he shares both the joys and disappointments of working on a hit TV show that ended up being canceled, he opens up about realizing his own weaknesses as a performer, his commitment to constantly work at improving his abilities, and about the time he went on as the lead role in An American in Paris with just 15 minutes notice.  SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories, the Final Five questions, and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content. Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ——— Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first episode of the year has me chatting about my failed attempt to make Red Velvet Cupcakes...and I mean utter failure. I hurried through the prep and ended up with inedible red mushy hockey pucks. Such wasted time and effort and ingredients.  What wasn't a waste of my time, though, was a recent chat I had with Marc Kudisch. I met him at the Only Make Believe Gala after-party, and he graciously talked with me for about 15 minutes. From the business to Broadway and keeping it all in perspective, it was an informative and surprisingly honest chat about making it in theater and in New York itself. So I wanted to share my reflections from this impromptu discussion. (Hopefully he can come on the show at some point to expound upon these topics and more.) ----- Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A good friend of mine and the podcast joins me for the first interview of 2019! Tovi Wayne opens up about starting dance late in his performing career and how that put him behind other dancers but also motivated him to get better, to learn as much as he could. He came to NYC with the dream of being in NEWSIES and through a lot of hard work finally did a regional production of the show down in Florida. But he certainly has a long career ahead of him with more shows he wants to do! So join the conversation as we dig a little deeper into what it takes to make it in this business and why we keep going. https://www.toviwayne.com/ --------------- Please consider buying me a coffee to support this work that goes into each episode.   Join the WINMI community by following on Instagram or Twitter as well as reaching out to Patrick with any questions or comments: contact.winmipodcast.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometime before the pandemic, I auditioned for a small off-Broadway production of the Lerner and Loewe musical The Day Before Spring. It was at the York Theater, which is known for refreshing older musicals that have had a shorter shelf-life. I wasn’t cast in that particular production, and like most failed auditions I put it out of my mind as soon as it was done, but I never was able to forget the director behind the table, and so I finally reached out to bring him onto the podcast. Marc Acito is a playwright, novelist, and director. He talks about the work that he does in adapting older shows or contemporary works, bringing fresh set of eyes and perspective to creative process. Marc is also a writer of his own work from plays like Bastard Jones and novels including How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater to short films like Mad/Woman. Through each of these mediums, has fallen short, but he’d be the first to tell you how grateful he is for those lessons learned.  Final Five with Marc Acito After this main conversation, Marc stuck around to answer the five final questions. He shares his definition of "making it" as well as what keeps most Broadway shows from doing the same. He also discusses minimum wage, happy marriages, and one of the best theater people around, Andre DeShields. Read it all on the WINMI Blog. SUBSCRIBE TO WINMI Get access to Audition Stories and other bonus content by becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber to Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast is rewarding in its own way, but I’m essentially a one-man operation. So it is both costly and time-intensive to put together each episode. By subscribing you’ll be supporting these podcasting efforts, and have access to extended conversations and other bonus content. Your financial support of this podcast is greatly appreciated! Subscribe to get access to bonus episodes and extra content   Make a one-time Donation to support transcripts and podcast production If you’d like to support WINMI but have limited funds to do so, then contact me directly for reduced-price or even free access to the bonus content.   Follow WINMI: Website | Instagram | YouTube ———- Why I’ll Never Make It is an award-winning, Top Theater Podcast hosted by actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media. Background music is by John Bartmann and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From his first intimate musical, john and jen, to his bigger productions on and off Broadway, Andrew Lippa has been a prolific and award-winning writer. He joins the podcast to talk about his growth along that sometimes bumpy path and what it means to bring a bit of himself into his compositions and lyrics. He shares the disappoints he felt with The Wild Party and Big Fish, the lessons he learned from The Addams Family, and the personal journey he took in becoming Harvey Milk. Learn more about Andrew... Website: https://andrewlippa.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/lippaofficial  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lippaandrew/  His recent shows: The Man in the Ceiling, I Am Harvey Milk, Unbreakable  —————  May this podcast be a resource for you as you discover more ways to pursue a career in this industry and sustain it through the many ups and downs that follow.  For further insights on the topics covered in this episode: twitter.com/winmipodcast/  Quotes and unreleased audio clips: instagram.com/winmipodcast/  Reach out to me with comments or questions: contact.winmipodcast.com  WINMI is supported through kind donations of listeners like you: ko-fi.com/winmipodcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices