Why I‘ll Never Make It
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Why I‘ll Never Make It
The actor’s journey is one of occasional highs and frequent lows. It is a path riddled with self-doubt and frustration as we question our career choices, wondering if we’ll ever really ”make it.” But it is those few moments of glory on stage or screen that can sustain us through all the setbacks and...
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A Look Back at Misha Osherovich and Breaking Free from Body Image Pressures in Theater
After seeing Misha Osherovich in an Off-Broadway production of A Clockwork Orange, I began following Misha’s work and perspective online. A couple of...
A Look Back at Sharon Catherine Brown and a Legacy of Passion and Joy for Theater
Growing up, it was my mother who sang in the church choir about the time I was joining the children’s choir, and my aunt spent her young adult years p...
A Look Back at Anthony Rapp, From The Little Prince to Seasons of Love
Since making my Broadway debut in Beetlejuice last year, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it actually means to “make it” in this business....
A Look Back at Lisa Howard and Defining Success on Her Own Terms in Broadway Musicals
After working with Lisa Howard in 2022 on a production of 42nd Street at Goodspeed in Connecticut, she sat down with me the following year to chat abo...
A Look Back at Geoffrey Owens and the Dignity of Work Beyond Broadway and Television
I think most of us actors hope to be in a hit Broadway show or a popular film or highly rated TV show. But for those actors lucky enough to be in one,...
A Look Back at John McGinty and His Persistence as a Deaf Actor on the Broadway Stage
As Why I’ll Never Make It approaches its tenth season, this special retrospective looks back at ten conversations that helped shape the podcast and tr...
What Does “Making It” Even Mean? — A Look Back at Ten Conversations
As Why I’ll Never Make It approaches its tenth season, this special retrospective looks back at ten conversations that helped shape this podcast in me...
Kate Baldwin Looks For Creative Purpose Beyond Just Performing (REWIND)
This past fall 2025 I got to see two of my favorite leading ladies on stage. The first was Christine Sherrill, who was making her Broadway debut in Ma...
Justin Collette Brings Beetlejuice to Life at the Palace Theatre
Step inside the dressing room with Beetlejuice's Justin Collette for a behind-the-scenes conversation that’s equal parts bone broth and backstage bant...
Jen Rudolph Helps Actors Focus on the Business of Acting
Being an actor requires a constant balancing act between showing up creatively and understanding how the industry actually functions. And Jen Rudolph...
David Bushman Proves There’s No Expiration Date on a Theater Career
Chicago is now celebrating 29 years on Broadway, with multiple national and international companies as well. And for more than two decades David Bushm...
FINAL FIVE: Trisha Paytas, YouTuber and Broadway Performer in Beetlejuice
The previous episode with Trisha Paytas covered so much ground, from her recent Broadway debut in Beetlejuice to her rise as a YouTube star. But one o...
Trisha Paytas on Media, Missteps, and Making Her Broadway Debut
Trisha Paytas joins the podcast to talk about her unexpected and much-talked-about Broadway debut in Beetlejuice. She shares what drew her to the show...
Apologizing for My Own "Why I’ll Never Make It" Moment...
In this brief update, I open up about the last several weeks—Broadway opening week, getting sick, and a recent injury—and how all of it pulled me away...
FINAL FIVE: Abbie Goldberg & Mason McDowell, Musical Theater Writers
In the previous episode, Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell dove into their new musical 504 as well as the obstacles they’ve faced trying to produce th...
Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell Turn a Movement Into a Musical
Writers Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell are the creative team behind 504: The Musical — a new show inspired by the real-life 1977 sit-in that ignite...
Historias Hispanas en Español - Bianca Marroquín, Luis Salgado y Mas (REWIND)
Bienvenidos y gracias por acompañarnos en esta edición especial de Why I’ll Never Make It! En esta segunda parte de mi serie sobre historias hispanas,...
Hispanic Stories in English - Matt Zambrano and Dan Domingues (REWIND)
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, I wanted to share a episode from 2020. This is part one in a series of former Hispanic guests of the podc...
Audition Stories 2025 with Lynn Nottage, Aubie Merrylees, Elizabeth Hess, Simon Tam, and More!
It’s been several seasons since the last time Audition Stories took center stage, but they’re finally back — and this time with a brand-new collection...
FINAL FIVE: Jennifer Apple, Actress and Founder of Empowered Artists Collective
Jennifer Apple returns for this bonus episode to tackle the Final Five Questions. From her very first professional show of Spring Awakening to the les...
Jennifer Apple Turns Setbacks Into Artistic Growth and Community
A serious back injury could have ended her career before it really began. Instead, it became the turning point that led to new opportunities—earning a...
FINAL FIVE: Patricia McGregor, Artistic Director of New York Theater Workshop
Patricia McGregor’s first steps into the world of professional theater were marked by a sense of awe and a drive to make every moment matter. From per...
Patricia McGregor on Making Bold, Tough Choices and Shaping the Future of Theater
Patricia McGregor’s journey to becoming artistic director of New York Theatre Workshop has been anything but linear. Growing up in the Virgin Islands,...
Sònia Victoria Werner Is Reshaping the Arts By Making Space For Women
From childhood improv classes to building a women-led production company, Sònia Victoria Werner has carved out an artistic path that’s as bold as it i...
FINAL FIVE: Sònia Victoria Werner, Co-Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Ladies
In the previous episode, Sònia Victoria Werner and I dove into her background as an artist and the creation of Lighthouse Ladies, and while that was s...
FINAL FIVE: Joseph Zellnik, Musical Theater Composer and Author
Joseph Zellnik is back for a candid and insightful bonus conversation about his journey as a writer and composer in the world of musical theater. Thro...
Joseph Zellnik Combines Murder, Mystery, and Musical Theater
Joseph Zellnik is a musical theater composer, and along with his playwright brother David they are best known for their 2010 musical, Yank! This Off-B...
FINAL FIVE: Nick Rashad Burroughs, Broadway Actor in Kinky Boots and King Kong
In the previous episode, we explored Nick Rashad Burroughs' journey from Alabama to Broadway. And now we're getting even more personal. Join us as Nic...
Nick Rashad Burroughs Embraces His True Self and Finds a Path to Broadway
Think Alabama isn't a breeding ground for Broadway stars? Think again! This week, we're joined by the phenomenal Nick Rashad Burroughs, who defies exp...
Theater Tol Takes Performing Arts to New Heights - Hannah Snow and Benjamien Lycke
Theater Tol was founded in 1998 by Lot Seuntjens, and this international company became known for its multidisciplinary performances, using images, dr...
FINAL FIVE: Ravi Jain & Miriam Fernandes, Artistic Directors of Why Not Theatre in Toronto
In the previous episode, Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes shared the winding paths that led them to co-lead Why Not Theatre, and how they’ve forged care...
Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes Push the Bounds of Theater and Keep Asking Why Not
Toronto is home to the third-largest English-speaking theatre district in the world—and at the heart of its thriving independent scene is Why Not Thea...
FINAL FIVE: Aubie Merrylees, Actor in BOOP! and a Theater Coach
Now in his third Broadway show, Aubie answers five final questions about his career and theater journey.In this bonus episode, Aubie Merrylees returns...
Aubie Merrylees on the Joys of BOOP! and the Disappointments of KPOP
With Boop! The Musical earning three Tony nominations this year—including Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, and Best Leading Actress for Jasmine...
Tony Winner J. Harrison Ghee Finds Joy and Freedom in Theater and in Life
Every June, Broadway’s biggest night reminds us just how thrilling and transformative live theater can be. The Tony Awards don’t just celebrate excell...
SPOTLIGHT: Stephanie Torns Brings Broadway to EPIC Players
This is a special presentation of The Spotlight Series, which highlights organization making a difference in the arts and beyond...
Steph...
Closing Night - Anthony Rapp Almost Makes His Broadway Debut
Back in 2022, I had the chance to talk with Anthony Rapp—which, for me, was both a thrill and a bit surreal. I’d been following him on Instagram for a...
FINAL FIVE: George C. Heslin, Actor, Director and Producer.
In our last episode, George Heslin shared some incredible stories about founding the Origin Theatre Company and his work as an Irish actor coming to N...
George C. Heslin Helps Bring Irish Theater to New York City
George Heslin came to New York in the mid-‘90s, but it wasn’t quite his idea to come here. So when he landed in the city he didn’t exactly hit the gro...
Bret Shuford Turns Broadway Lessons into Guidance for Others (REWIND)
Bret Shuford has spent his career balancing two passions—performing on Broadway and helping others achieve their creative goals. From The Little Merma...