Dear Multi-hyphenate

#47 - Erik Liberman: The Near Death Experience

Happy Pride!"Ultimately, I think our job as artists is to share the secrets of our heart so that others may be set free... saving our own lives so that others can save theirs."Erik Liberman soothes the soul, simple as that. Whether or not it’s his voice, his charm, his talent, or his point of view, Erik makes the world better for other people. “It’s not enough to want to make it, you’ve got to have something to make it with,” is a quote he holds near and dear. After the experience of seeing Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman, and having said that to Erik, it kept him focused and able to hang in the industry and build success; a concept we touch on in this episode paired with failure. Whenever interacting with someone, Erik tries to hold a vision for who someone was and who they will be. In a place of presence, it not only meets them in the now, but it extends forward and backwards. “We seek to be drawn from the plague of linear time into an encounter of infinity,” he says. “And that’s why with great stars they say they stopped time.”Erik is also a survivor of a near death experience, which has informed his artistry. “What I realized was the thing that everything was fearing: death, was the wrong place to put the focus,” he says. “The place to put the focus is on utilizing the time one has in the body to do what one came for.”In this episode, Erik provides incredibly useful insight and tools on how the multi-hyphenate experience helps us understand the ecosystem of show business as a whole. You’ll also hear us touch on the concept of vulnerability, weaponizing vulnerability, near death experiences, dignity & alignment, existentialism, commercial theatre, activism, and the discipline to sit down with yourself and create something that is bigger than you. "Multifaceted, irreducible, and astonishing." - Joan Juliet Buck, former editor-in-chief of French VogueMentored by Maureen Stapleton, named a YoungArts winner in high school, and trained at London's Complicité and National Theatre, where he came under the wing of Dame Judi Dench. He received a grant to study with master clown teacher Philippe Gaulier in France, and in Los Angeles, was the face of noted improv-and-sketch-comedy school, The Groundlings.Liberman was "discovered" by 21-time Tony Award winning director and producer Hal Prince as a winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition. Prince hired him for his Broadway debut in Lovemusik, written by Oscar winner Alfred Uhry and starring Tony winners Donna Murphy and Michael Cerveris, remarking of the actor, "Erik is the real deal. Once you've seen him, you can't forget him."Liberman went on to receive Helen Hayes, Ovation, Garland, and Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, his onstage work reviewed as "a showcase of sheer star power." He originated the roles of The Telephone Guy in the award-winning Band's Visit opposite Tony Shalhoub, Charles Revson opposite Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole in War Paint, and Clopin in Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, and Peter Parnell's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Other theatre highlights include: Motel the Tailor in Fiddler opposite Harvey Fierstein and the film's star, Topol. Some television credits include: Amazon’s Transparent, Modern Family, and Martin Scorsese’s Vinyl, and he will soon appear in the film American Dream. Liberman has contributed to books including Performance of the Century, Wisdom From an Empty Mind, and Luminous Life. His master class series, Bridge to Broadway, benefited 45 charities and earned him a 2020 Encore Award from The Actors Fund, and he is currently developing a new book, documentary, and series for television. For more information, please visit www.erikliberman.org and follow @erikliberman.Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#46 - L Morgan Lee: The Perception of the Multi-Hyphenate

Happy Pride!“The type of multi-hyphenate I am is I need to really clearly be able to compartmentalize what version of myself is being put into what thing. In terms of photography, if I have not been doing freeform things - I feel like I’m being worked to the bone.” L Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop) is an artist who sees herself through her photography. And if anyone wants to know anything about her, all you have to do is look at one of her images. As we celebrate Pride month in 2021, this episode is an enjoyable and honest slice of life for two LGBTQIA+ multi-hyphenates in the theatre industry, both of who happen to be photographers.L Morgan’s first priority is being an actress. She keeps in mind that perception is so much a part of the business, so it’s in her best interest to be as specific as possible in terms of being an actress. “The group of ladies that I would love to be with in terms of acting,'' she says, “You can’t just go on a website and book them for headshots.”Being a multi-hyphenate also welcomes different communities. “I think community is number-one a life line to me,” she says. “I need to have people that I feel close to. I have a community of trans women who are over fifty. There’s two or three girls who have taught me so much without even knowing they are teaching me.”And of course, there’s some photographer dishing - so are you ready for the tea to be spilled? Between L and Michael, the stories from behind the lens are endless. For one, they view the headshot as a survival job, while the other views the headshot as a way to express themselves. So, if each photographer has their own view of the art form - is there contention? Is there jealousy? Is it territorial? What are the boundaries we enforce to protect our heart? Plus, if you’re a business owner, like a photographer, L Morgan and Michael go deep into the practices of owning a business and finding the sweet spot of how to stay accessible, but also charging rates where the business owner can survive. Enjoy this episode as Michael and L Morgan dive into knowing one’s worth, money management, trans identity, joining the circles of our inspirations, a photographer’s boundaries, and what it means to take charge of how the industry perceives an artist. L MORGAN LEE (she/her) is an Obie award-winning actress, theatre maker, and photographer. She is most known for her performance in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical, A Strange Loop which garnered her a Lucille Lortel nomination and the distinction of being the first openly transgender actress to originate a role in a Pulitzer Prize winning piece of theatre. Most recently, L Morgan was cast to portray artist Lili Elbe in a British musical adaptation of the novel, The Danish Girl being workshopped in the UK. She is also developing a new play entitled, The Women (2021) which was seen in Ars Nova's 2021 Vision Residency. Other credits include new works with Long Wharf Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, 5th Avenue Theater, Musical Theatre Factory and more. L Morgan is dedicated to being a part of work centering underrepresented voices on both stage and screen. "She needed a hero, so that's what she became." For more: lmorganlee.comConnect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#45 - Mary Jo McConnell: Healing: The Artist & The Combat Soldier

“I am a believer in the ‘Why’. Once I owned that purpose, once I identified that that was my purpose… all my hyphens made sense. Instead of feeling like a jack of all trades, master of none - I was finally under this umbrella of ‘Why’. I’m a healer.” Mary Jo McConnell’s purpose is simple: to heal. Not only is this incredible artist a part of the theatre industry for 35+ years as an actor, but her identity as a Veteran has provided her the incredible opportunity to work with, and most importantly heal, Veterans by using theatre as medicine tools in personal healing.This episode is incredibly unique in a multitude of ways. Mary Jo opens us up to the perspective of Veterans healing by using theatre and also leads us through an exercise to ground ourselves and be present in the moment without judgement. “Oftentimes the givers, the healers will extend themselves to show compassion for others, and hold space for others, and forget about the need to do it for themselves.” As we emerge from the pandemic, healing should be in the forefront of our mind. How can we help heal the world around us, while still being present for ourselves? After recharging her batteries, Mary Jo has the perspective and experience to lend expertise as we gently guide ourselves towards recovering from the trauma. If you’re looking to begin to move on, this episode is the gateway to start. Mary Jo’s voice is calming, shifting, and above all else: healing. While her voice is soothing, her intensity shines through. When asked about the comparisons between a soldier and an actor, she says, “I think the fact that they are two very committed beings, two incredibly committed entities, and committed in mind, body, and spirit. All of those things need to be aligned in order to achieve the mission. There’s something about being in the military - that level of camaraderie - that I have not found duplicated… even in the theatre.”Please be advised this episode contains conversation of sexual assault in the military. Broadway National Tours: The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts), All Shook Up, Sister Act. Original Soap Star in the off-Broadway production of Menopause, the Musical. Regional theaters: Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse, Goodspeed Musicals, Paper Mill Playhouse, and more. Currently: UNA, the Nazi bombmaker in the Amazon Prime Series Hunters. Other TV: Pan Am, Masters of Sex, and One Life to Live. Indie films: “Trumped” (producing, co-writing and starring). Proud founding artist and winner of an inaugural “Builder Award” from The Musical Theatre Factory. Veteran: De-Cruit: using personal narrative and Shakespeare to mitigate trauma. CD: “A Voice for Healing”. Co-founder of the Veteran Arts Workshop-Online Portal (VAW-OP) and is offering free classes in arts/mindfulness to veterans and their families. IG: @maryjomcconnellConnect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#44 - Vasthy Mompoint: Find Your Treehouse

“I think there needs to be a new wave of producers who lead from the heart. Producing can be an artistic, beautiful process if you choose to make it that way.”Vasthy Mompoint has frequented Broadway in shows such as The Prom, Spongebob, Mary Poppins, and more. Most recently, Vasthy played Tameka in the Ryan Murphy Netflix film version of The Prom. She is also the creator of Vasthy’s Friends, a children’s show born out of the realization that there is a disconnect in the education system regarding racism and equality, which promotes activism in kids. To Vasthy, a multi-hyphenate is using all parts of the artistic brain without the limits put on you by the industry. It’s breaking the handcuffs of all the technicalities and allowing for artistic freedom. Vasthy produces, she performs, she plays the guitar, she writes… “And it’s not because I’m brilliant at them,” she says, “I just genuinely enjoy doing those.”A little over two years before we recorded this episode, Vasthy became very sick - and because she was sick she wasn’t able to do many of the things she loved. Instead, she started writing which came out freely. After writing and producing a show for 54 Below and then submitting her writing to CBS, Vasthy found a whole new voice as a writer and producer. Out of illness came a new identity. “Producing your own show doesn’t have to be imitating something someone else did, or looking at the way it’s all been done… it’s literally bringing who you are, your authentic self, how you feel, how you want to tell your story because it’s you - you get to control everything.”Vasthy wants to see real people and stories on stage - so going from Spongebob to The Prom on Broadway was incredibly special as she was able to connect with audiences of a younger age who were able to see themselves on stage. Vasthy also keys us into the incredible way she fights the system, by producing Vashty’s Friends which provides young children to not only see themselves on screen, but also to learn compassion and empathy about others.“It’s easier to teach a kid to love, than to teach an adult how to not hate.” Vashty says. And she’s completely correct. Vasthy Mompoint is an Actress, Dancer, Singer, by way of Alabama, North Carolina, and Haiti. On-screen Vasthy has appeared in Nora from Queens (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), The Prom Movie (dir Ryan Murphy), Dick Johnson is dead (Kirsten Johnson) The Mysteries of Laura (Norman Buckley), The Detour (Jason Jones) and The Cartoon show, The Winx Club. On stage, Vasthy has appeared on numerous stages from Broadway to Egypt including Prom The Musical, Spongebob Squarepants, Mary Poppins, The Taming of the Shrew, Rocky, Ghost, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Aida, Hair, 42nd Street, and Ragtime. As a dancer, Vasthy has performed with James Corden, Yolanda Adams, Brian McKnight, Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Gloria Gaynor and more. And Vasthy has also created Vasthy’s Friends, a video platform for Broadway performers to write, choreograph, and and compose original kid-friendly programming.Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#43 - Jen Waldman: The Titanic Leader

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on him not understanding it.” If we looked at the industry like a cell, Jen Waldman would be the mitochondria, or the powerhouse. With a lustrous career on stage, Jen began to venture into other facets in the industry breaking down barrier after barrier as an acting teacher - acting coach - leadership coach - podcaster - business owner - director/choreographer.“When it's working at it’s best,” Waldman says of her outlook on theatre, “I think of theatre as really responsible and relevant story telling with an eye on the impact that you seek to have not only on the audience, but the audience’s audience.” Not everything needs to be loaded with emotion, pathos, or drama, but we do need to hold ourselves accountable when creating theatre. Jen continues how when she sees theatre, she tries to go on a day where there is a talkback available in hopes of continuing the circular experience of taking responsibility, unpacking the story as a community, and calling yourself in for how one sees the show. In this episode we speak about theatrical environments, multi-hyphenate potential, how a Swing on Broadway is a multi-hyphenate in itself, the individual journey, and how the industry can prevent the growth and experience of the multi-hyphenate. And speaking of the stunting of the multi-hyphenate experience, Waldman goes in on how the multi-hyphenate potential is there for everyone and it is infuriating the way our industry has tried to dissuade people from having multiple pursuits.This episode is incredibly inspiring to any artist at any level, so dive into Jen Waldman’s incredible outlook and be inspired to get to work, no matter the ways show business tries to silence your impulses. This episode also features a question from Luisa L. which touches on burnout in the segment You Got A Question.Jen is the founder of Jen Waldman Studio, a creative home and training studio for professional theatre Artists . On March 12, 2020, when Broadway shut down, JWS Artists were appearing in 14 Broadway shows. On April 5, 2020, JWS moved its entire operations online and is now a creative home to theatre Artists in 39 states and 13 countries.Jen brings her 20+ years of Broadway experience into the world of business and served as the Artistic Director of the Hangar Theatre and as the Artistic Director of Breaking Bread Theatre Company. She served a 5 year term as the Theatre Chair for the National YoungArts Foundation, and was awarded a Proclamation from the City of New York in 2009 for her work galvanizing the Broadway community in support of marriage equality. She has directed and choreographed productions at theatres across the country. Earlier in her career, Jen worked as an actor, appearing on Broadway in Titanic and Wicked, also touring the US as Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East.Jen is the co-host of the podcast The Long and the Short of It with PeterShepherd.Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#42 - Christine Toy Johnson: Breaking the Color Barrier

“Being open to the idea that your dreams coming true often look very different to how you first imagine them.” Bringing compassion and kindness; intentional generosity into whatever space is possible. That’s what Come From Away’s Christine Toy Johnson is all about. In fact, that’s what this whole episode is about. From sharing where we were on 9/11 to global world views in casting a representation, in this episode we tackle what it means to integrate compassion, kindness, and intentional generosity into our art. When did Christine start to identify as a multi-hyphenate? When Christine was four years old, she began as a child model who also put on plays for her family about the Twelve Days of Christmas. It wasn’t long after she realized she needed to do many things not just to survive, but to find happiness. Christine is an actor, writer, director, and advocate for inclusion and her career truly is an extension of her soul. Right at the top of her bio, she prides herself on breaking the color barrier. What does that mean? When Christine started out in the industry, there was almost an expectation of the roles she could play. On representation, Christine says, “There is a direct line between underrepresentation and the perpetualization of harmful stereotypes all the way to the dehumanization and erasure of the three dimensional people that make up the population whose actions are they trying to reflect.” In the episode, Christine breaks this down from the perspective of an advocate for inclusion. Christine is right - and she’s built a career on being right! But of course, we’re human and sometimes we get in our own way. But Christine always rises above. She says, “There’s no time to wallow in self doubt that would debilitate you and take you off course.” Speaking of rising above, Christine took quarantine by the horns and focused on her writing. She finds her through line is about belonging, finding her place in the industry, and being sure that we all belong, all while finding that other people (consciously or subconsciously) disagree. This episode is full of joy, inspiration, first hand experience, and lots of helpful steps for budding producers and creators - for example, what a grant is and how to apply for one. As always, please rate, review, and subscribe to Dear Multi-Hyphenate!Christine Toy Johnson is an award-winning writer, actor, director and advocate for inclusion. Her written works have been produced and/or developed by the Roundabout, Village Theatre, Barrow Group, Prospect Theatre, Weston Playhouse, O’Neill, Women’s Theatre Festival, CAP 21, Greater Boston Stage Company, the Abingdon Theatre Company and more and are included in the Library of Congress’s Asian Pacific American Performing Arts Collection (Playwrights Division). She is an alum of the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, was a 2016 fellow of The Writers Lab (supported by Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Oprah Winfrey), serves on the Council of the Dramatists Guild and is host of the Guild’s podcast "Talkback" on Broadway Podcast Network. As an actor, Christine has appeared extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatres across the country and nearly 100 television and film appearances including recurring guest star roles on Marvel’s “Iron Fist”, “Bull”, “The Americans”, “You”, “Law and Order: SVU” and more and is on "extended intermission" from the North American tour of COME FROM AWAY. Rosetta LeNoire, JACL, Asian American Arts Alliance, Obie awards for advocacy in diversity and inclusion. For details, please visit www.christinetoyjohnson.com  In the segment You Got A Question? Michael features a question from a college student who asks "When do we know when to add a hyphen to our multi-hyphenate identity?"Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#41 - PennyWild: An Artist’s Guilt

“It’s not going to be perfect, but nothing is perfect. The hardest thing about making music is finishing music.”How does the multi-hyphenate differ from coast to coast? On this episode of Dear Multi-Hyphenate, dj-choreographer-producer-performer, wasn’t originally drawn to the word multi-hyphenate or “Renaissance Woman”. But in 2021, Penny Wildman, who also goes by PENNYWILD, resonates with the phrase as she no longer waits for permission to tackle her avenues. Are we in a new era of Artist’s Guilt and has it flipped on its head? Where an Artist's Guilt is usually born out of an artist feeling they aren’t creating enough… in a response to a pandemic, is it the guilt now is a response to creating too much, especially in a world where so many people are less inspired to create. PennyWild is always finding the balance in, you guessed it, social media - especially TikTok. The app can change lives, but is the Russian Roulette gamble worth it? What does growth actually look like and how can we get from point A to point B. Like PennyWild says, sometimes we are just flying by the seat of our pants. Sometimes it just takes ONE moment to hit us in the “pleasure center” to disenroll from our college courses and switch gears. People may think it’s weird, but when we find paths for artistic opportunities - it can create a beautiful orb of work. It may not make sense on paper, but it’s a beautiful thing.“Nothing in life is black and white. It’s all very nuanced. It’s all very complicated and that really checks out with this year.”Penny Wildman is a Music Producer, DJ, Director, and Choreographer living in Los Angeles by way of New York City. She has choreographed/directed for the likes of Zedd, Rich The Kid, Laidback Luke, Enrique Iglesias, Marian Hill, Weird Al, Gucci Mane, amongst others. Theatrical Choreography credits include Ryan Murphy’s FEUD: Bette & Joan (FX), ANNIE at The Hollywood Bowl (Associate), Merrily… at The Wallis Theatre (Associate), The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Boston Conservatory, Little Miss Fix-It at PACE University, etc. As PENNYWILD, she has performed at globally renowned music festivals such as Coachella, SXSW, Lightning in a Bottle, BUKU Arts Festival, HARD Summer etc. She released her 1st single on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records, followed by her debut EP on Dome of Doom Records in October 2020. Her sophomore EP will be released Summer 2021. Penny appeared on London’s prestigious West End in the iconic Broadway musical West Side Story and toured with the production throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. Penny is also a Dance Coach/Choreographer for MTCA (Musical Theatre College Auditions). Find her @PennyWildMusic and PennyWildMusic.com. Michael Kushner is NYC’s leading multi-hyphenate and the Executive Produce of the EMMY Nominated series Indoor Boys. Performance: On the Town at Barrington Stage (Pre Broadway, Directed by John Rando). Featured in The NYTimes, Vogue, The Tony Awards, Playbill, and more. Creator of The Dressing Room Project. Other Producing: XaveMePlease, starring Isaac Powell, (Frameline43 Festival in San Fran), Moments in the Woods (A Virtual Gala for the HFWAA featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, nominated for a BroadwayWorld Award), Betsy Wolfe’s A Pants Optional Holiday. Upcoming Producing: The Pink Unicorn, a film starring Alice Ripley, written by Elise Forier Edie. In 2020, Michael served as 2020 KeyNote speaker for Florida Thespians. www.michaelkushneronline.com or www.michaelkushnerphotography.com. Proud AEA Member. Ithaca College BFA Musical Theatre. @themichaelkushner on IG and TikTok.In the segment You Got A Question? Michael features a question from Jessica P. on (asked on TikTok) who asks why we should no longer use the word 'quirky' when describing ourselves to headshot photographers, agents, and managers.Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#40 - Alex Wyse: ”Oh, the Humanity!”

“I don’t feel good about myself in the day unless I’m making something.” This inspiring and hysterical episode is just two gay, Jewish boys kibbitzing about our trajectories in the theatre while breaking down stereotypes and expectations. If you’re a fan of the hit web series Indoor Boys, breaking heteronormitve barriers, selling projects, and… The Hindenburg… then this episode is for you. Alex Wyse is an accomplished actor in tv/film and Broadway who not only performs, but his hyphens also include writer, director, and producer. From his earliest memories of being an aspiring child magician, he realized he too can also write a song, write plays, and create. After a college experience that was less than favorable, he began to write on his own work out of necessity.Like many multi-hyphenates, Alex also ran into the statement many people tell us - which is, “You have to pick one thing.” Together, Michael and Alex break down the idea of why picking one art form is outdated and, quite frankly, not helpful. The world today is more receptive to the multi-hyphenate than ever before, but people do still believe artists have to be stuck in the binary. How can your art defy genre and expectations? Alex and writing/directing partner Wes Taylor have also struck gold. Together, they wrote an Emmy Nominated character in their webseries Indoor Boys, which Michael produced. Telling stories that influence change, no matter how big or small, is what Alex is about. Through whatever his hyphen, Alex wants to give space to people to tell the stories they are meant to tell. This episode was recorded on the day a straight actor was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a gay man, which infuriates Alex and goes against what Alex stands for. Alex says, “The way I can be a social advocate is through my writing.”Alex Wyse is an actor, writer, director, and producer. He co-created the digital series “Indoor Boys,” which was nominated for an Emmy Award, won twelve Indie Series Awards, and was acquired by Here TV. He has been seen on Broadway in Waitress, Spring Awakening, Lysistrata Jones, on Tour in Wicked, off Broadway in Ride the Cyclone, Bare, and Triassic Parq, and regionally at Hartford Stage, Deaf West, Paper Mill Playhouse, Cleveland Play House, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, and more. He’s been seen on TV in “Iron Fist,” “Masters of Sex,” “NCIS: LA,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Modern Family,” “Agent X,” “Bad Judge,” “A to Z,” “Switched at Birth,” and “Bored to Death,” and on film in X/Y and Dating My Mother. He co-produced What the Constitution Means to Me on Broadway and on Tour. BFA: Boston University.In the segment You Got A Question? Michael features a question from Heather A., who asks if her daughter should go to college for theatre and what is the difference between a BA and a BFA?Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#39 - Stephanie Klapper: Multi-Hyphenates & The Casting Director

Casting directors are often seen as gatekeepers to opportunities in the industry - but does the multi-hyphenate approach help them? The answer is yes.We’ve all had audition horror stories - and whether or not it’s the casting directors fault our own, it’s never too late to live and learn. And as always, knowing yourself as a multi-hyphenate often is the answer to avoid those icky situations.Join one of New York’s leading casting directors Stephanie Klapper as she breaks down and opens up about the casting director process. Though casting directors seem like distant people sitting behind tables, we have to remember they are human beings in search of connection, just as the actor is.So - when should an artist show up for their call of duty? What type of resume should you send? Do you want to see the chemical makeup of the multi-hyphenate artist or do you want to see that I once was in the ensemble of Cabaret? How can an actor make an experience better for the casting director? What purpose does the headshot serve in 2021? All these questions, and many more, are answered in this amazing episode.The multi-hyphenate is extremely useful to the casting director, because as Stephanie states, “Sometimes we don’t even know what we’re looking for!” The rules of auditioning changes daily - especially after experiencing a shut down like the industry has, which obviously will affect the future audition protocol. “It’s a great time to get to know people,” Stephanie says, “in a way that when we’re all running too quickly - we don’t get to.”Actors aren’t the only ones pivoting in the pandemic - you guessed it, casting directors are as well. As well as getting inspiring tips on how to apply agency to your auditions, get a behind the table look as to what a casting director is experiencing during this time away from normalcy.This episode also features a questions from a listener in the segment YOU GOT A QUESTION? where Michael answers a question sent to him through social media. This week's question, sent in from Erika E. and focsuses on collaboration. How do we find collaborators?Stephanie Klapper is a New York based Casting Director who has been in the business for 25 plus years.Her work is frequently seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, internationally, on television, and film. Projects she has cast have won numerous awards including the Tony, OBIES, Drama Desk, Pulitzer Prize, Sundance Audience Award, Cannes Prize Du Publique, Comic Con and Artios.Stephanie, along with her incredible casting team, comprise Stephanie Klapper Casting, an Independent Casting Group who is known for their limitless imagination and creativity and for their work on a wide range of projects all over the country and the world. Frequent and longtime collaborators include Primary Stages, Mint Theater Company, NY Classical Theatre, american vicarious, The Peccadillo, Voyage Theatre, Masterworks, Resonance Ensemble, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Company, Capital Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Adirondack Theatre Festival, Ford’s Theatre, Kansas City Rep, The New Theatre, The Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as many more in New York, the regions, and internationally.Ms. Klapper is passionate about working with creative teams to develop new work and expand the scope of established work. In addition to casting and teaching, Ms. Klapper is a member of the New York Board of the Casting Society of America, Casting Society Cares, and New York Women in Film. She is passionate about continuing to expand and champion diversity, equity, equality and inclusion in the business. She loves working with emerging artists to help them develop their careers.Connect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#38 - Tsilala Brock: Standards of Excellence

Tsilala Brock is letting life thrill her, though she originally had trouble with coming to terms with her multi-hyphenate identity. Her journey was calling upon skills and proficiencies that she didn’t necessarily study in college. Why do we feel guilt when moving away from our past? Yet Tsilala would experience her multi-hyphenate mindset and would help her on the national tour of Book of Mormon, as she was both a dance captain and swing. But how would her experience with Book of Mormon help Tsilala become a fully flushed out and inspired multi-hyphenate? In this episode, we discuss the importance of discipline, rest, and listening to our bodies. Tsilala has become a consummate multi-hyphenate and lives by the guideline of “the life that you want is on the other side of discipline.” While Tsilala is producing a podcast, and writing JuneBug the Musical - she often has to pay attention to health, exhaustion, and mental capacity. Thankfully, she has found small ways we all can implement rest into our daily practices - even if they don’t seem like restful actions. What do you do for yourself? How do you implement rest into your life? Just as much as it’s important to be active in your artform, it’s just as important to rest - especially in these overstimulation times. Tune in to this extremely powerful and inspirational episode that will get you invigorated to implement rest into your daily practice. Tsilala recently completed a two year position as Assistant Dance Captain/Swing with The Book of Mormon 2nd National Tour. Currently she's producing and co hosting a new podcast called 'UNCK! Getting comfortable with uncomfortable conversations' which was recently awarded a grant from the Adobe Community Residency Fund.Other theater credits include: Parable of the Sower (The Public Theater/ NYU Abu Dhabi/ Singapore International Festival of the Arts), Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing (Cincinnati Playhouse/STLRep), The Color Purple (Troika Bermuda), and Twelfth Night (Martha's Vineyard Playhouse). TV/Film credits: Mysteries of Laura, Happyish, Broad City, Canaries (indie film - Boston Sci Fest) and Bushwick Beats (indie film). Visit www.Tsilala.com Her podcast UNCK! hosts uncomfortable conversations using the UNCK! House: a tool for navigating conversations. The tool is showcased in our IG LIVES in collaboration with Ashley Kate Adam’s and BYOP and Lake Arbor’s Teen Summit. Follow us for more information at www.unck.orgConnect with Michael:
@themichaelkushner (IG and TikTok)
@dearmultihyphenate (IG)
www.michaelkushneronline.com
Produced by Alan Seales and the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices