Get ready, 'cause here they come! With just a week away from the 2019 Tony Awards, we got to celebrate the 12-time Tony-nominated Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. Hosted LIVE at Lululemon, we talk with Jarvis Manning Jr., Jahi Kearse, Edgar Godineaux, and Esther Antoine about bringing The Temps to the stage, navigating "cross-over appeal," and connecting moments from 1960s to now.

Today is November 5, 2024, Election Day for the United States of America. As with every Presidential Election, we Americans are flipping the page, preparing to write a new chapter of this country’s history. 

The musical Ragtime examines a certain chapter of American history through a handful of characters from three groups in the New York City area at the turn of the century: Mother, Father, and the rest of their white, rich family of New Rochelle; Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Sarah, and the Black residents of Harlem; and Tateh, his daughter, and newly arrived immigrants in the Lower East Side. 

With the two-week revival for New York City Center’s gala presentation, the continued relevance of Ragtime has us asking “How much has America actually changed in the last 125 years?” with a renewed sense of urgency. We talk with Tony nominee Joshua Henry (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.), Nichelle Lewis (Sarah), Tiffany Mann (Ensemble), and podcast alum Destinee Rea (Ensemble) at their press preview about the power of listening to that ragtime.

Another season finale has arrived! For our final season six episode, we welcome director, actor, author, and Black Theatre United co-founder Schele Williams, who leaves us with gems of wisdom to carry us forward until we meet again!

She may be the first Black woman to direct a Broadway musical in 50 years, but she certainly isn’t interested in being the last. We talk about the power of mentorship and peer fellowship, her epic Broadway debut in Rent, and the rewards that came from helming The Wiz and The Notebook during her rookie year as a Broadway director.

This week we welcome Tony Award-winning costume designer Dede Ayite! You’ve seen her designs in Broadway shows like Appropriate, Days of Wine and Rose, Hell’s Kitchen, and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding—and that was just for this 2023-2024 season! We dive into why research is her favorite part of the design process, what she hopes audiences receive from her work, and what it felt like making history as the first Black woman to win the Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play.

This week we talk with Ambe J. Williams, a portrait and commercial photographer, director, and actor on sabbatical. We discuss the skills she relied on during her journey through the actor-to-photographer pipeline, the courageous cocktails that led to her film directorial debut, and the music videos that inspire her (when put on the spot).

This week we chat with The Theater Offensive’s executive director, Giselle Byrd. We dive into how liberation and community has always been at the center of her artistic philosophy—from her leadership beginnings in college as President of 3rd Act to building momentum as a talent manager to crafting her vision as the first Black trans woman leading a regional theatre in America.

This week we talk with writer, educator, and art critic Ricky Tucker. He is the author of And The Category Is…: Inside New York’s Vogue, House and Ballroom Community, for which he was a 2023 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Nonfiction. We explore the idea of social versus stage performance, misconceptions of art criticism, and how the sacred space of voguing and ballroom is like church.

This week we chat with actor, dancer, producer, creative director, and wellness enthusiast Leroy Church. The Chita Rivera and Antonyo Award winner shares his story, starting with his church dance beginnings at age 13 all the way to his current expansion into producing and creative directing, like he did with the renowned Dreamgirls production on Clubhouse in 2021. We discuss why he believes in the power of gratitude, how we can dismantle the gatekeeping of the Broadway industry, and what led to his signature catchphrase, “Thank you, Happy New Year.”

This week we welcome Tony winner Nikki M. James! We discuss the beautiful breadth of Black women she has played in her career—from The Book of Mormon’s Nabulungi (which earned her a 2011 Tony Award) to The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin’s Viveca to real-life investigative journalist Ida B. Wells in Suffs, her current role that earned her a 2024 Tony nomination. It feels like we only scratch the surface of James’ long and varied career, but we dive deep into what she learned from these characters and examine how the political landscape impacted their resonance with audiences. 

This week we talk with the inaugural recipient of Vineyard Theatre’s Colman Domingo Award and the inaugural recipient of the John Singleton Screenwriter Award, playwright and screenwriter York Walker. We talk about the Disney kid to Broadway fan pipeline, his artistic philosophy as a playwright, and what he learned from working on his first professional production of his horror play Covenant.

This week we talk with Brooklyn McLain, the co-founder and COO of the first Black-owned Broadway merchandise company, “merch.” We chat about the musical that made him a self-described “theatre enthusiast,” why merchandising is so important to a show’s branding, and what it was like introducing the first durag to Broadway.

This week we chat with Thaïs Bass-Moore, who both as a kid and a theatremaker has done “everything and anything!” She is an actor, director, writer, mommy, wifey, Co-Founder and  Director of University of Texas’ Fearless Leadership Institute, and author of A Syllabus for Black Women: 110 Life Lessons for Sistahs in College. We dive into the moment that made her realize how thrilling the theatre was, the undergraduate class that opened up her mind, and the impact that Texas Senate Bill 17 had on her career.

Content warning: This episode discusses misogynoir and police violence 12:41-16:13 and suicidal thoughts 17:49-18:00. 

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or explore more resources here.

This week, we talk with Broadway Inspirational Voices’ Artistic Director Allen René Louis, who also works as a music director, arranger, composer, lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, vocalist, actor, creative director, and producer. We dive into how his Haitian roots influence his musical approach, why he embraces imposter syndrome, and the artistic gifts that working on The Wiz revival gave him.

This week we welcome playwright, screenwriter, and former President of the Library Club, C.A. Johnson! We chat about the differences between collaboration for theatre versus television, how capitalism influences theatremaking, and what it was like seeing her play All The Natalie Portmans go from page to stage.

This week we chat with Nate Shelton, a self-described “general theatre person.” He’s worn many hats in the theatre space—from actor to company manager to TKTS employee to Actors’ Equity Association Contractual Business Representative. Throughout all of them, his joy and enthusiasm for the theatre has never wavered. We dive into how he joined the theatre department at Howard University, how he transitioned into arts administration from acting, and why he loves spreading the good word about theatre.

You’re gonna hear her roar! This week, we chat with Maya Boyd, the current star of &Juliet on Broadway! We discuss her experience of training in Russian ballet as a kid, how auditions helped her musical theater imposter syndrome, and what it was like making her Broadway debut in Merrily We Roll Along while she was still a senior at the University of Michigan.

Happy 10th anniversary, Holler If Ya Hear Me!

A decade ago, today, a musical featuring a score from one of history's most influential rappers, Tupac Shakur, opened at Broadway's Palace Theatre and we are celebrating with a special episode.

Though the production only lasted 17 previews and 38 performances, it impacted the Broadway landscape through its fearless integration of rap and hip hop with musical theatre and its addressing of social issues like gun violence in Black communities.

Dive into the musical's creation process and legacy with the people who were there: director Kenny Leon, book writer Todd Kriedler, music supervisor Daryl Waters, music director Zane Mark, and company members Ari Groover, Christina Sajous, Jahi Kearse, and Jaime Lincoln Smith.

Get stretching because this week we are going behind the scenes of America’s most famous kicklines! Formerly a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and a Radio City Rockette, dancer Jacie Scott knows a thing or two about high-kicks. We dive into the similarities and differences of the two groups—from auditions to misconceptions to her experience as a Black woman. We also talk about dance team camaraderie, her journey of becoming the coach of NFL’s Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders, and the journal-to-personal-essay writer pipeline.

And I say, “Hey! What a wonderful kind of day!” as we chat with actor, cosplayer, and content creator Lillian Hope! We talk about why she got into cosplay content creation, why the Millennial generation is so nostalgic, and why Black Nerds Matter.

This week, we talk with Kelundra Smith about the many writing hats she wears as a culture and theater critic, playwright, arts and culture journalist, and Managing Editor of American Theatre Magazine. We dive into what inspired her to write The Wash and Younger (a prequel to Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun), how her Southern perspective informs her work, and which regions of the country are capturing her theatrical attention.