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Grey Henson visited to discuss his starring role as Buddy in Elf the Musical on Broadway. Grey talks about working with his co-start Sean Astin who is making his Broadway Debut. Grey also recalls where he was when he received his Tony Nomination for Mean Girls. We learn how his career started in Book of Mormon and how he almost didn’t do Shucked on Broadway.
Also in this episode - Hugh Laurie Gold Globe win for House. Review of A Guide the Homesick and TV Sitcom Actors…how old are they?
Grey Henson is currently starring as Buddy the Elf in Broadway’s limited engagement of Elf The Musical. He made his Broadway debut as Elder McKinley in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon, a role that he performed on the first national tour. He starred as Storyteller 2 in the 2022 Broadway musical of Shucked, which received a Tony Award Nomination for Best New Musical and received Tony and Drama Award nominations for his performance as Damian in the original Broadway cast of Mean Girls. He recently made his Kennedy Center debut in Tick Tick Boom. On television, Grey recurred as Tate in Netflix’s Girls5Eva and on ABC’s Suburgatory. Additionally, he can be seen in Sony Pictures A Journal for Jordan directed by Denzel Washington. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.
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Award winning actor TR Knight stopped by on the heels of the casting announcement of Stranger Things on Broadway. TR also discusses The Merchant of Venice, Grey’s Anatomy and his passion of all things Jim Henson and getting to work with the Muppets on Sesame Street.
Also on this episode - Julie Bowen Emmy Win for Modern Family, a review of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald, Danny Burstein, Joy Woods, and Jordan Tyson.
T.R. Knight’s Broadway credits include A Life in the Theatre, It’s Only A Play, Noises Off and Tartuffe. Off-Broadway credits include The Merchant of Venice, Pocatello, Romeo and Juliet, and Scattergood, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination. Other theater credits include Parade at the Mark Taper and Amadeus at the Guthrie. His television credits include The Flight Attendant Genius: Picasso, Genius: Einstein, Stephen King’s 11.22.63, and The Comey Rule. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Grey’s Anatomy. Film credits include 42 and Forge.
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Gracie McGraw joined Behind the Awards to discuss making her Off-Broadway debut in Babe. She talks about working with costars Marisa Tomei and Arliss Howard. Gracie discusses her unique point of view for the play as someone who grew up in the music industry (her parents are Faith Hill and Tim McGraw), and how that informed her performance.
Also in this episode…Norbert Leo Butz’s Tony win for Catch Me If You Can and The New Group and their 30th anniversary season
Gracie McGraw, a New York based performer/actress, can most recently been seen recurring on the hit OWN series, “If Loving You is Wrong,” created and written by Tyler Perry. She recently made her New York solo Cabaret debut to sold out audiences at the Fashion District’s newest venue, Chelsea Table & Stage.
A Nashville native, Gracie began her performance career at an early age, performing lead/principal roles at notable regional theatre companies. After relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Television & Film, she felt the pull to get back to her roots, and pursue Theatre in New York City.
Gracie has been deemed a “singing sensation” and “showstopper” by outlets such as Hello! Magazine, CNN, Billboard, and People after she performed with the acclaimed New York Concert series, “Broadway Sings.”
Gracie currently resides in New York with her dog “son,” Baz.
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Emmy Winner Lea DeLaria gives us the scoop on her residency at 54 Below. In this Monthly cabaret style show Lea brings her love of Broadway, Comedy and Current events to her audience in a way only the star of POTUS, Orange is the New Black and On the Town can. Lea also discusses her upcoming movie Tow co-staring Rose Byrne and Ariana DeBose. Plus you can find her current film Holy Irresistible on Amazon Prime now.
Also in this episode Review of Death Becomes Her staring Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard. Hugh Grant Golden Globe win for Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Lea was the first openly gay comic on television in America, and is an accomplished Jazz performer who has performed in concert venues all over the world. She is best known as ‘Big Boo’ from Orange is the New Black (3 SAG Awards). Lea can currently be seen in the indie feature film Potato Dreams of America, and in the Indigo Girls jukebox feature film, Glitter & Doom. Lea recently starred in the Off-Broadway Revival of Tennessee Williams' play, The Night of the Iguana, directed by Emily Mann. TV credits include Girls5Eva, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, East New York,The Blacklist, Physical, Reprisal, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Shameless, and Broad City. Film credits include Cars 3, Support The Girls, and First Wives Club. Broadway credits, POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (Bernadette), The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott) and On The Town (Hildy), Obie and Theatre World Awards. @realleadelaria www.leadelaria.com
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Cady McClain joins us to discuss Orson’s Shadow now playing at Theater for the New City. Cady also takes us through her starring roles on All My Children, Days of Our Lives, As the World Turns and The Young & The Restless as well as her work in movies and television with Peter O’Toole, Bernadette Peters, Ted Danson and more.
Also in this episode Lauren Bacall’s 1981 Tony Win for Woman of the Year. The cast announcement for Schmigadoon! At The Kennedy Center starring: Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice) as Josh Skinner, Sara Chase (The Great Gatsby) as Melissa Gimble, Kevin Del Aguila (Some Like It Hot) as Reverend Layton, McKenzie Kurtz (Wicked) as Betsy McDonough, Isabelle McCalla (Water for Elephants) as Emma Tate, Javier Muñoz (Hamilton) as Doc Lopez, Brad Oscar (Something Rotten!) as Mayor Menlove, Emily Skinner (Suffs) as Mildred Layton, and Ryan Vasquez (The Notebook) as Danny Bailey and Ann Harada will reprise her performance as Florence Menlove.
Cady McClain is a history making three-time Emmy© Award winning actress, two-time Emmy nominated director, and an accomplished producer and writer who has worked for over 40 years in film, television, and theater.
A Los Angeles Native, McClain spent 25 years living in New York City to pursue acting training and work in theatre. She is the first woman to have won three Emmys for three different characters on three different television shows and networks: "All My Children" (Best Juvenile, 1991), "As the World Turns" (Best Supporting Actress, 2004), and Days of Our Lives (Best Guest Performer, 2021). Additionally, she has earned eight Emmy nominations for her work in daytime.
Other television credits include two episodes of "Law and Order: SVU" (with Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni), "Cheers" (with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson), and "St. Elsewhere" (with Christina Pickles).
Off-Broadway credits include The Red Address by David Ives at Second Stage (w/ Kevin Anderson, dir. Pam Berlin), Much Ado About Nothing at Lincoln Center Theater (dir. Deloss Brown), A Comedy of Errors at Hudson Theater Guild (w/ Erik Jensen), and Quiet on the Set at Westbeth Theater Center (w/ Matt Servitto). Her Off-Off Broadway work includes Self-Offense at Cucuracha Theater and Inventions of Farewell at HERE Theater (dir. Estep Nagy). Regionally, McClain has appeared in Shirley Valentine at Cape May Stage, Barefoot in the Park at Westbury and Valley Forge Music Fairs, and productions with Axial Theatre, such as What the Constitution Means to Me (dir. Nate Flower) and Deer by Aaron Mark (w/ Alfredo Narciso, dir. William Roudebush).
Her film credits include Alma Mater (w/ Will Lyman) and Home Movie (dir. Adrian Pasdar).
Currently, McClain serves as the Artistic Director of Axial Theatre and is in her third year in the role. She also teaches scene study at Michael Howard Studios. More information can be found at cadymcclain.com.
Cady McClain returns to the stage portraying Joan Plowright as Theater for the New City (Executive Director, Crystal Field) (155 First Ave. at E. 10th St.) presents a remount of Orson's Shadow by Austin Pendleton, directed by Mr. Pendleton and David Schweizer, as of November 8 through December 1. Axial Theatre, Oberon Theatre Ensemble, and Strindberg Rep collaborate with Fortify.space and Michael Howard Studios to bring back the highly acclaimed production from March, 2024.
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Nick Adams stops by to chat all things Drag The Musical. Sharing what it’s like to work with NKOTB Joey McIntyre, getting tips from the stars of RuPauls Drag Race, and creating the character with Alaska from the shows first incarnation. Nick also takes on a trip down memory lane of past shows Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, La Cage aux Folles, and Chicago and also starring the movie Fire Island on Hulu.
Also in this episode Chris Colfer’s 2011 Gold Globe win. The first Tony Committee Meeting of the season including the following shows: Home, Oh Mary!, Job, Once Upon a Mattress, The Roommate, The Hiss of California, McNeal, Yellow Face, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Left on Tenth, Romeo & Juliet.
Nick Adams is a Broadway, film and television actor. He currently stars as Alexis Gillmore in the smash off-Broadway hit Drag The Musical. He recently starred as Cooper in the Emmy® nominated feature film Fire Island for which he received a Gotham Award. The film also won a GLAAD Award, Dorian Award, and garnered Hollywood Critics Association and People’s Choice Award nominations among others. Notably, Adams originated the role of Adam/Felicia in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which earned him an honor from the American Theater Hall of Fame, two Broadway Audience Choice Awards, and an Astaire Award nomination for Best Dancer on Broadway. He received national critical acclaim for his portrayal of Whizzer in the North American tour of Lincoln Center Theater’s Broadway revival of Falsettos, directed by James Lapine. Adams was the final actor to star as Fiyero in the first national touring production of Wicked. He originated the role of Alexis Gilmore in the Queerty and Broadway World Award-winning world premiere of Drag: The Musical in Hollywood, California, and can be heard on the studio cast album. Other Broadway credits include A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, La Cage Aux Folles and The Pirate Queen. TV/Film highlights include FBI Most Wanted (ABC), The Holiday Exchange (Peacock/Amazon), Dallas Drake on The Other Two (Max), Sex and the City 2, An Englishman in New York, Still Waiting In The Wings, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, Go-Go Boy Interrupted, and It Could Be Worse (Hulu). Concerts: NY Pops (Carnegie Hall), Boston Pops, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Erie Philharmonic, The National Arts Center Orchestra of Canada. Nick holds a BFA from the prestigious Boston Conservatory of Music. @thenickadams
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Tony Winning Producer and Theater Owner Daryl Roth answers the age old questions what does a Producer to? What was it like to bring her friend Delia Ephron’s memoire Left on tenth to Broadway starring Juliana Margulies & Peter Gallagher? Daryl also discusses Kinky Boots, Titanique, Closer Than Ever, Clybourne Park, and the upcoming Picture of Dorian Gray and Sondhiem’s Old Friends. Daryl shares her love of dogs both in her life and on her stage.Also in this episode Kate Winslet’s greatest hits including 2009 Golden Globe Win for Revolutionary Road, The Holiday, Titanic and Finding Neverland. Jack Black in School of Rock, Jumanji and Dead Man Walking. Plus the upcoming Broadway Revival of Glen Gary Glen Ross staring Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, Bill Burr, and Michael McKean.Daryl Roth is a 13 time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and leading innovator in the American theatre, with a career spanning over three decades. Credited with some of the most thought-provoking productions in New York City and throughout the world, Ms. Roth has brought to the stage the works of many of our greatest dramatists, including Edward Albee, Paula Vogel, and Nilo Cruz; has helped shepherd the careers of new playwrights; and is the force behind the Tony and Olivier Award winning Best Musical Kinky Boots (Broadway, U.S. Tour, London, Toronto, Australia, Korea, Japan).Ms. Roth is honored to hold the singular distinction of producing 7 Pulitzer Prize-winning plays: Anna in the Tropics; August: Osage County (2008 Tony Award); Clybourne Park (2012 Tony Award); How I Learned to Drive; Proof (2001 Tony Award); Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women; and Wit. She champions stories that connect to the wider world through the stories they tell, and is particularly drawn to themes that include issues of gender and identity, family dynamics, stories with strong women at the core, and those that reflect her Jewish heritage. Among the more than 130 shows she has produced both on and Off Broadway include Larry Kramer’s seminal play about the AIDS crisis, The Normal Heart (2011 Tony Award); Paula Vogel’s award-winning play Indecent; Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron’s international hit play Love, Loss, and What I Wore; and Gloria: A Life, a play about the iconic Gloria Steinem.. Other prominent productions include Absolute Brightness; Angels in America; Between the Lines; Buyer & Cellar; Company; Curtains; Funny Girl; Edward Albee’s The Goat or Who is Sylvia; Into the Woods; It Shoulda Been You; The Kite Runner; Life of Pi; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; War Horse; and The Year of Magical Thinking.Ms. Roth was at the forefront of creating philanthropic partnerships that reflect and respond to themes from her productions; inspiring audiences, and supporting and raising awareness for organizations. Some examples include W;t (New York Hospital); Love, Loss, and What I Wore (Dress for Success); The Normal Heart (Human Rights Campaign, Friends in Deed, amfAR, and The Actors Fund); Kinky Boots (True Colors Fund); and Life of Pi (World Wildlife Fund).The Daryl Roth Theatre, the landmark Off-Broadway venue on Union Square, opened its unique main theatre space in 1996. It is currently home to the hit musical Titanique.Dedicated to supporting a number of non-profit organizations, Ms. Roth is a Trustee of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Lincoln Center Theatre. Honors include The New Dramatists Outstanding Career Achievement Award; New York Living Landmarks Award; and the Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award. She is proud to have been inducted into the 2017 Theatre Hall of Fame and be named to Crain’s 2019 “50 Most Powerful Women in New York.”Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.Connect with Eila and Bruce:Instagram @behind_the_awardsEila @eilamellBruce @cominghomewithbruceLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Tommy Dorfman Star of Romeo & Juliet talks about what it’s like to work on the show of the season from one of the oldest playwright. Tommy discusses playing the duel role of The Nurse & Tibolt, the role of gender in this version directed by Sam Gold and the bond between Rachel Zegler’s Juliet and Tommy’s Nurse. We also discuss her hit series 13 Reasons Why, upcoming movie I wish you all the best written, directed and produced by Tommy and her upcoming memoir Maybe this will save me.
Also in this episode: Julie Andrews Oscar win for Mary Poppins, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade performance line up of Hell’s Kitchen, Death Becomes Her, The Outsiders.
Tommy Dorfman is an accomplished actress, writer, director, and producer whose work spans film, television, and theater. Best known for her breakout role in the hit Netflix series 13 REASONS WHY, Dorfman has since gone on to build a dynamic career, while consistently shining a light on her experiences as a trans woman in Hollywood.
Most recently, Dorfman made her Broadway debut in Sam Gold’s adaptation of ROMEO + JULIET, starring alongside Kit Conner and Rachel Zegler. Opening on October 24 for a 20-week run, this production marks Dorfman’s return to the New York stage and her first acting role since publicly coming out as transgender. In this fresh take on the classic, Dorfman takes on dual roles as the “Nurse” and “Tybalt.”
Recently, Dorfman directed her first feature film, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, starring Corey Fogelmanis, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, and Lena Dunham. The highly anticipated debut feature premiered at SXSW in March 2024 to rave reviews.
Up next, Dorfman’s memoir Maybe This Will Save Me will be published by HarperCollins in May 2025.
Through her queer lifestyle platform CURRAN and production company DOWN THE LINE, Dorfman’s work focuses on telling stories that highlight distinct and diverse LGBTQ+ experiences. She has worked closely with GLAAD and the Ali Forney Center as well as spearheaded fashion campaigns focused on bringing queer talent front and center with companies like Coach, Valentino, and Calvin Klein.
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Behind the Awards goes backstage at Our Town to talk with actor Noah Pyzik. He talks about working with director Kenny Leon in this and Purlie Victorious. Noah explains what it’s like being a cast member and also an understudy. Noah also talks about his career as a producer and growing up as a theatre kid in Michigan.
Also in this episode we discuss seeing Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler in Romeo & Juliet and Whoopi Goldberg’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Ghost.
Noah Pyzik is an actor, producer, writer, and historian. He’s performed on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production of Purlie Victorious and Our Town, and in New York at The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, La MaMa, Playwrights Downtown, The York Theatre, A.R.T./NY, National Queer Theatre, Theatre Row, The Tank, Teatro Latea, Snapple Theatre Center, Faison Firehouse, and Brooklyn Art Haus. He is the recipient of a New York Innovative Theatre Award, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award nomination, and various film festival honors. His upcoming producing credits include Off-Broadway’s Baldwin et Lucien, Botticelli in the Fire, The Zionists, and Foucault in Warsaw. @noahpyzik on Instagram
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Lorraine Toussaint kicks off Season 5 of The Equalizer this week on CBS alongside her TV Niece Queen Latifah and drops by to chat about her 40 year career of Stage, Film and TV including Any Day Now Co-starring Annie Potts, Orange is the New Black, plus she talks about how Juilliard gave her the training needed to create her own language for Into the Bandlands, and of course her return to the stage after 18 years in Hamlet at the Delacourt as part of Shakespeare in the Park Directed by Kenny Leon.
Also in this episode - Eila & Bruce take a field trip to the invited dress rehearsal of Maybe Happy Ending starring Darren Criss & Helen J Shen, Shirley MacLaine Oscar win for Terms of Endearment.
Lorraine Toussaint began her career in theatre, before supporting performances in films such as Breaking In (1989), Hudson Hawk (1991), and Dangerous Minds (1995). As lead actress, she is best known for her role as Rene Jackson in the critically acclaimed Lifetime television drama series Any Day Now, from 1998 to 2002, and her recurring role as defense attorney Shambala Green in the NBC legal drama Law & Order. She later appeared as a regular cast member in the NBC police procedural Crossing Jordan (2002–03) and the TNT crime drama Saving Grace (2007–10).
Toussaint received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in the 2012 drama film Middle of Nowhere, written and directed by Ava DuVernay. In 2014, she played the role of Yvonne "Vee" Parker, the main antagonist in the second season of the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black, for which she received critical acclaim and a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also played the role of Amelia Boynton Robinson in the 2014 historical drama film Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay. Toussaint later co-starred in the ABC fantasy-drama series Forever (2014–15), the Fox comedy-drama Rosewood (2015–17), the AMC drama Into the Badlands (2018–19), NBC drama The Village (2019) and CBS crime drama The Equalizer (2021–present).
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James Monroe Iglehart chats with us about starring as Louie Armstrong as well as Co-Directing A Wonderful World. James shares stories of originating the role of The Genie in Aladdin, being part of Memphis and Hamilton. Not only has James had a wonderful stage career but he shares his prolific experience as a Voice Actor.
Also in this episode Scarlett Johansson’s 2010 Tony Win for A View from the Bridge. Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher in Left on Tenth.
Won for his Tony Award-winning performance as the Genie in the original Broadway production of Aladdin. Iglehart assumed the roles of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the Broadway cast of Hamilton in April 2017. He recreated the role of King Arthur in the 2023 Broadway revival of Spamalot and played Louis Armstrong in the Broadway company of A Wonderful World. He can be heard as super producer Steve Jones in As The Curtain Rises, Broadway's first original podcast soap opera. More recently, Iglehart joined the cast of the animated webseries Helluva Boss, as both the Demon Lord of Lust Asmodeus/Ozzie and hellhound bodyguard Vortex, and Hazbin Hotel, as Zestial, as well having written for Marvel Comics, primarily one-shots featuring Spider-Man.
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Ephraim Sykes stops by to discuss creating a George for this generation with Kenny Leon. He tells us all about the field trip on the first day of rehearsal to New Hampshire and how his career has been as series of pinch me moments from being in the original cast of Hamilton to playing Seaweed Stubbs in Hairspray Live and being a Temptation in Ain’t Too Proud. Ephraim shares how getting a scholarship to Alvin Alley changed his career path and what it was like to audition for and tap with Savion Glover to gain the lead role in Pal Joey for NYC Center Center’s Encores.
Also in this episode Richard Gere’s 2003 Golden Globe win for Chicago. Eila & Bruce recount their trip to Our Town now in previews at the Barrymore Theater. Bruce also shares his experience at the Ogunquit Playhouse seeing The World Premier of My Best Friend’s Wedding The Musical Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and Lead by Krystal Joy Brown, Tony Winner Matt Doyle, Telly Leung, Lianah Sta. Ana, Morgan Bryant and Zoe Jensen.
Ephraim Sykes made his Broadway debut in 2009, joining the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He then earned a spot later that year in the Broadway premiere of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Memphis. Sykes made his Off-Broadway debut originating the role of Benny in the 2011 revival of Rent at New World Stages and later that year, he returned to Broadway as part of the original cast of Disney’s Newsies. He followed this turn up as an original cast member of the 2013 Broadway premiere of Motown The Musical.
In January 2015, Sykes returned off Broadway to The Public Theater, originating the role of George Eacker in the musical juggernaut Hamilton. After receiving wide acclaim, the production transferred to Broadway from July 2015, eventually winning the 2016 Tony Award for Best Musical. Sykes remained with the production until September 2016.
His big break as a leading man came after being cast as David Ruffin in Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations. Following tryouts in Berkeley, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Toronto, the Broadway premiere opened at the Imperial Theatre in March 2019. Sykes earned his first Tony Award nomination for his efforts, followed by a Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album in 2020.
On screen, Sykes is known for playing Seaweed J. Stubbs in NBC’s Hairspray Live! in 2016. He has also appeared in 30 Rock on NBC in 2011, Leave It on the Floor (2011), NBC’s Broadway-centric musical series Smash (2013), as Marvin in Vinyl on HBO (2016), Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix (2016), Amazon’s Crisis in Six Scenes (2016), and the movie Detroit (2017).
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Claybourne Edler takes a break from filing The Guilded Age with many Broadway friends to discuss Company, his charity City of Strangers, his current concert series and his love of Patti LuPone.
Also in this episode: Nikki M James winning Tony moment for The Book of Mormon. Eila & Bruce's visit to The Public to see Good Bones written by past guest James Ijames, Pulitzer Prize Winner author of Fat Ham.
Claybourne Edler received rave reviews and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in A Play for originating the role of "Ollie Olson" in One Arm directed by Moisés Kaufman. He was nominated for a 2015 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical for Allegro at Classic Stage. He originated the roles of "Buck Barrow" in Bonnie & Clyde, "Hollis Bessemer" in Stephen Sondheim's Road Show and "Michael Victor" in Venice.
He played the Soldier/Alex and understudied Jake Gyllenhaal in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George, which opened in February 2017. He also played the role in the concert performances in October 2016 at New York City Center.
Elder can be heard on the cast recordings of Bonnie & Clyde, Road Show, Venice and Sunday in the Park with George.
Elder guest-starred as Pete O'Malley in the second season of The CW's The Carrie Diaries.
Regionally, Elder played George in Sunday in the Park with George at the Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia, in 2014.
On Broadway, Elder played the role of Andy in the 2021 revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company.
Elder played Gaston in the 2023 production of Beauty and the Beast at The Muny
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Fresh off the heels of is run in Little Shop of Horrors, Emmy Winner and Tony Nominee Kevin Del Aguila pops by to give us the skinny on David Henry Hwang’s play Yellow Face at the Roundabout Theater. Kevin also talks about his time creating his character in Some Like it Hot, as well as his work as a writer with shows like Altar Boyz and Dog Man the Musical.
Also in this episode - Marcia Gay Harden’s Tony win for God of Carnage. Danny Burstein’s casting in Gypsy.
KEVIN DEL AGUILA is an Emmy-winning writer, Tony-nominated actor, acclaimed director, playwright, and lyricist in New York City.
He is a multi Emmy Award-winning writer of the PBS show PEG + CAT, lyricist of songs featured in the Disney animated movie STRANGE WORLD, and book-writer of the hit comedy ALTAR BOYZ (NY Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk noms) which made history as one of the longest running off-Broadway musicals of all time.
Broadway audiences will recognize him from the original casts of SOME LIKE IT HOT (Drama Desk Award and Tony nom for his performance as Osgood), FROZEN (as Oaken), and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (as Smee), and children everywhere have heard his voice as a troll in Disney's blockbuster film FROZEN. He's appeared in LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST at The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park, GOD BLESS YOU MR. ROSEWATER for City Center Encores (featuring James Earl Jones), and in the off-Broadway revival of JACQUES BREL. Television guest appearances include LAW & ORDER: SVU, Hulu's DEADBEAT, and PEG + CAT.
Other writing works for the stage include his middle-aged superhero musical THE ASTONISHING RETURN OF THE PROTAGONISTS! (2013 NAMT Festival), musical adaptations of the DreamWorks film MADAGASCAR, the wildly popular book series DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, as well as Dav Pilkey's DOG MAN and CAT KID COMIC CLUB books.
Kevin has written for the HBO comedy special SKETCH PAD and for numerous children's television shows, including WAFFLES + MOCHI'S RESTAURANT for Netflix and the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions, and as Head Writer of BLUE'S CLUES & YOU for Nick Jr. and the CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG reboot for Amazon and PBS Kids (GLAAD Media Award Nomination).
Kevin is the recipient of the Heideman Award for his play THE GREEKEST OF TRAGEDIES (Actors Theatre of Louisville) and has earned several Lortel and Drama Desk Award nominations for his work on the off-Broadway productions of SKIPPYJON JONES, CLICK CLACK MOO, and WE THE PEOPLE.
He has directed several productions of his own plays, including his comedy
6 STORY BUILDING (Best of 2002 NY Fringe Fest), NUMBER ONE: A POLLOCK PAINTING, and his adaptations of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT and SKIPPYJON JONES: SNOW WHAT off-Broadway. He directed the world premieres of FUNKED UP FAIRY TALES and SEE ROCK CITY at Barrington Stage, and has written and directed several events for the New York Philharmonic, including their famed YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS at Lincoln Center.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
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Break out star of Orange is the New Black Uzo Aduba joins us for an in-depth look at her new book The Road is Good. The Emmy Winner also shares starting off in theater, roles she didn’t get and the road that led her to Orange is the New Black. Uzo recounts her time with Clydes, Godspell, The Wiz Live and so much more.
Also in this episode - Rue McClanahhan, Yellow Face at the Roundabout Theater featuring our upcoming guest Kevin DelAgula and The Broadway Flea Market.
Uzo Aduba gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015. She is one of only two actors to win an Emmy Award in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role.
In 2020, Aduba played Shirley Chisholm in the Hulu miniseries Mrs. America, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries. Aduba has appeared in films including American Pastoral (2016), My Little Pony: The Movie (2017), Candy Jar (2018), Miss Virginia (2019), and Lightyear (2022). In 2021, she starred in Lynn Nottage's play Clyde's on Broadway for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
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Eric Roberts and his wife Eliza join us to discuss his new book Runaway train and being a new cast member of Dancing with the Stars. The brutally honest Oscar Nominee goes into the Broadway run of Burn This, working with Bob Fosse in Star 80. He also gives us a glimpse of into growing with a difficult father and his lifelong friendship with Martin Luther King Jr’s family.
Also in this episode, Cher’s Oscar win and The Hills of California.
In a career spanning 50 years, Roberts has amassed more than 700 credits and appeared in blockbusters, independent films, television series, animation, short films, student films, and music videos. As of 2024, he is one of the most prolific English-speaking screen actors of all time.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
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Tony Winner Joe Mantegna talks all things Criminal Minds, Madonna, David Mamet, and being part of The Godfather. From Stage to Screen to TV Joe recounts his 55 year career as an Actor/Director/Writer.
Also in this episode, Andre DeShields Tony win for Hadestown. Eila & Bruce stop by Our Town rehearsal and give you a glimpse of what’s to come.
Joe Mantegna has starred in the CBS television series Criminal Minds since 2007 as FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi. He has voiced the recurring role of mob boss Fat Tony on the animated series The Simpsons, beginning with the 1991 episode "Bart the Murderer", as well as The Simpsons Movie (2007).
Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical Hair. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jefferson Award for portraying Richard Roma in the first American productions of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize–winning play Glengarry Glen Ross, the first of many collaborations with Mamet. His long-standing association with Mamet includes the premieres of A Life in the Theatre, The Disappearance of the Jews and Speed-the-Plow on Broadway. Mantegna also directed a highly lauded production of Mamet's Lakeboat, which enjoyed a successful theatrical run in Los Angeles. He later directed the film version of Lakeboat. In addition to theatrical appearances directed by Mamet, Mantegna appeared in Mamet's films House of Games (1987), Things Change (1988), Homicide (1991), and Redbelt (2008).
In film and on television, Mantegna is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos (1986), The Godfather Part III (1990), Forget Paris (1995), and Up Close and Personal (1996). He starred in the television series First Monday (2002) and Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005). He has earned Emmy Award nominations for his roles in three different miniseries: The Last Don (1997), The Rat Pack (1998), and The Starter Wife (2007). He has also served as executive producer for various movies and television movies, including Corduroy (1984), Hoods (1998), and Lakeboat (2000), which he also directed. Additionally, he played Robert B. Parker's fictional detective Spenser in three made-for-TV movies between 1999 and 2001, and has narrated a number of audiobook readings of the Spenser novels.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
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Eila & Bruce and are joined by Robert Bannon of BPN’s The Roundtable to dish and predict this years Emmy’s. From The Bear to Abbot Elementary to The Guilded Age and everything in between. Jennifer Aniston, Matt Bomer, Carol Burnett or Selena Gomez…who will go home with a trophy. Watch the Emmy’s Sunday September 15th and see which of us predicts the best!
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:
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Eila @eilamell
Bruce @cominghomewithbruce
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Current Emmy Nominee Carol Burnett does a deep dive on Palm Royale, The Carol Burnett show, Annie and so much more. This legend also shared her excitement for Sutton Foster’s Once Upon a Mattress currently running on Broadway and her quest to have theater named for icon Hal Prince.
Also on this episode Martin Short’s 1999 Tony Win for Little Me. Broadway Boxed Up Founder Anant Das.
Carol Burnett is an American comedian, actress, and singer. Her comedy-variety show The Carol Burnett Show, which originally aired on CBS, was one of the first to be hosted by a woman.[1][2] She has performed on Broadway, on television, and in film of varying genres, including dramatic and comedic roles. She has received numerous accolades, including seven Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, and seven Golden Globe Awards. Burnett was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2015.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
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Coming off heels of an Off Broadway run in Pre-Existing Condition Tony winner Deirdre O’Connell stops by to chat about her new MAX Series The Penguin Starring Colin Farrell. She takes us back on the journey to create Dana H. And the woman the play is based on.
Also in this episode - Judith Lights Isabelle Stevenson Award Speech at the Tony Awards. Closing of The Notebook and the many lives of Catwoman past, present and future.
O'Connell began her career at Stage One, an experimental theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts. She made her Broadway debut in the 1986 revival of The Front Page, and was nominated for the 1991 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in the off-Broadway production Love and Anger. She is the recipient of two Drama-Logue Awards and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for her stage work in Los Angeles.
O'Connell made her screen debut in Tin Men. Additional film credits include State of Grace, Straight Talk, Leaving Normal, Fearless, City of Angels, Hearts in Atlantis, Imaginary Heroes, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Wendy and Lucy, What Happens in Vegas, Secondhand Lions, and Synecdoche, New York.
She was a regular on L.A. Doctors and has made numerous guest appearances on series such as Kate & Allie, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Six Feet Under, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Nurse Jackie. From 1994 to 2010, O'Connell appeared on six episodes of Law & Order, four of them as Dr. Valerie Knight, Anita Van Buren's oncologist in Season 20.
Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y.
Connect with Eila and Bruce:
Instagram @behind_the_awards
Eila @eilamell
Bruce @cominghomewithbruce
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