Built For The Stage Podcast

Bret Shuford / @bretshuford Bret Shuford performed, produced, choreographed and directed dozens of Broadway, Regional, National tours, viral videos, television and film productions from Wicked to the Wolf of Wall Street. As a certified life coach Bret has the honor to help creatives all over the world move from imposter to influencer with his program. Having worked with colleges, universities, and corporations such as Disney and Marketing Impact Academy, He's a highly sought-after speaker and educator for professional creatives. Bret's insights have been humbly featured in leading outlets like The Huffington Post, Backstage, Today Show, Good Morning America, America’s Got Talent. And as a certified life and career coach he can help any creative with inconsistency in their business, experience greater impact and income through private coaching. Bret is also ½ of the lifestyle blog Broadway Husbands, with his husband Stephen Hanna. https://www.bretshuford.com/ Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with C

Blaine Krauss / @blainkr Blaine Krauss is currently appearing in the National Tour of “Hamilton” as the standby for both Hamilton and Burr. To join Blaine's fitness challenge on July 5th (we also will be doing it again later in July) DM us @builtforthestage on IG and just say that you're in for Blaine's challenge! ;) Blaine was thrilled to be part of the second season of “Pose” which he filmed while appearing in “The Cher Show” on Broadway. He starred as ‘Lola’ in “Kinky Boots” shortly after making his Broadway debut in the smash hit “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” Blaine traveled the world as ‘Simba’ in “The Lion King” and starred in the Radio City Summer Spectacular. Blaine regularly performs with symphonies around the globe and is a regular performer at Feinstein’s/54 Below. His talents led him in 2011 to be a feature performer for the largest Commemoration of 9/11 outside of the U.S at the Trocadero in Paris, France. In 2010 he was selected to be 1 of 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts

Legna Cedillo Jobert / @legnacedillojobert Legna Cedillo Jobert is a first-generation American from Kansas City and a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. She is an NYC-based singer/songwriter, actor, voiceover artist, and dancer. She graduated from the University of Kansas with BA in Psychology and promptly moved to NYC in pursuit of opportunities in the arts. Along with her best friend, they started soul-pop duo, LUMOS. Their EP, Only Wonder, as well as two singles, Why Would I and Heal, are available on Spotify, iTunes, and all other listening platforms. They have performed at various venues in NYC and Boston, including Rockwood Music Hall and Bowery Electric. Along with her passion for singing and songwriting, Legna has a deep love of musical theatre and acting. She has lent her voice to various voiceover projects, most recently, MLS All-Star Challenge in both English and Spanish. She has worked with Hasbro, Disney, Warner Bros., Nissan, Spin Master, etc.  Legna believes wholeheartedly in the power o

Jennifer Khan / @scenerybags / @jenwkhan Jennifer Khan is a former Broadway stage manager that noticed the repeated waste of backdrops and other materials after the closing of a show. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to the creation of Scenery Bags.  SCENERY gives new life to retired theatrical materials from all over the country. Instead of sending these pieces of theatre history to a landfill, theatres send them to us to upcycle. Each product is handmade in the USA and comes with a tag that tells you the show it is from and the number you have out of the limited collection. The magic of live theatre has shaped our lives in profound ways. To ensure this magic is accessible to future generations, a minimum of 10% of all proceeds from every purchase is donated to with TDF’s Introduction to Theatre Program. Thank you for helping us decrease waste, save art, and foster a new generation of theatergoers. www.scenerybags.com Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com

Mikey Scirrotto / @michaelscirrotto Mikey Scirrotto is currently a part of the cast in Chicago on Broadway. We chat fitness, life in Florida, and how he also does commerical finance while being a Broadway actor! NY: Camelot, Lincoln Center. Nat'l Tours: A Chorus Line, West Side Story. Regional: Paper Mill; Goodspeed; Barrington Stage; Maltz & Northern Stage. International: Tokyo Disney. Proud Graduate of Dreyfoos S.O.A. & New World S.O.A. Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com/free-trial www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talia Robinson / @taliasrobinson Talia Robinson shares her inspiring journey of getting up at 2AM some mornings to commute into the city to live out her dream of making it on Broadway. Talia toured for two years with Les Miz before making her Broadway debut in Dear Evan Hansen as the principal character, Zoe. https://www.taliarobinson.com/ Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com/free-trial www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared Grimes / @grimeystepz Jared Grimes steals scenes as Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s (played by Beanie Feldstein) faithful friend and confidant. Associated Press called him “a bright spark of talent and energy” and Deadline applauded Jared with “delivering the show’s real star turn in a crowd-pleasing tap dance routine.” In addition to FUNNY GIRL, Eddie is well-known as the cult leader, Adrian Shannon, on the Netflix hit, MANIFEST which is currently filming its 4th season. He started out dancing in the subway when he was 16 before he landed a gig as a backup dancer for Mariah Carey (check out his NY Post story here). When he was just 24, Jared became the youngest solo choreographer in Cirque du Soleil history for his theatrical show, Banana Shpeel. Jared has also choreographed several musicals, most recently including The Tap Dance Kid, at the NY City Center in February. Additional Broadway credits include A Soldier’s Play and After Midnight. Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtf

Arian Keddell / @ariankeddell Arian Keddell took a less-travelled road to the Broadway stage and it sure does make for an amazing story. Enjoy our conversation! Broadway: CHICAGO the Musical. Tours: CHICAGO the Musical, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story 50th Anniversary. Regional: Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel. Company: Ballethinic Dance Company, Atlanta Ballet. TV: One Night Only: The Best of Broadway, Good Morning America Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1 with Coach Joe! https://builtforthestage.com/free-trial www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chip Abbott / @chipstergram Chip Abbott is a NYC based choreographer, director, and dancer who’s performance career spans the worlds of concert dance, commercial dance, and Broadway. Chip served as assistant choreographer, dance captain, and swing to Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse on the Broadway Revival of On The Town (Tony nominee for best choreography) and he was also seen on Broadway in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His choreography was most recently seen at ACT of CT in their world premiere of a newly adapted version of Working, under the artistic advisement of Stephen Schwartz. As a director, Chip created two IAAPA Brass Ring Award winning shows Dance, Dance, Dance, Heartbeat (Best Theatrical Production Worldwide) and The Enchanted Journey (Most Creative Christmas Show) both produced by RWS Entertainment Group at HersheyPark. Chip has directed numerous shows for HersheyPark and Azamara Club Cruises in addition to choreographing for Step One Dance Company on Holland America Line and The Little

Sidney DuPont / @sidneydupont Sidney is now starring in the new Broadway show, Paradise Square! Sidney is humbled to bring this character and powerful story to the stage. DuPont was last seen in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway, as well as the 1st National Tour and Australian Company. Some other favorite National Tours include: Memphis: the Musical and A Chorus Line. DuPont has also appeared in regional productions including the world premiere of Paradise Square (Berkeley Rep.), Man of La Mancha (The Shakespeare Theater), In the Heights (The Geva Theater), and Gypsy (North Carolina Theater). Television: FBI: Most Wanted (CBS). In recent years, DuPont has also stepped behind the scenes as a director, editor, cinematographer, and award-winning screenwriter. A gigantic thank you to my incredible family, friends, and agents, you all inspire me daily. Who am I?…I am the conclusion of my Ancestors’ story and I am the prologue to my descendants wildest dreams. Try a Free Trial of BFTS and work 1 on 1

Lee Siegel / @lee_siegel Lee grew up singing along to Jesus Christ Super Star and Annie the Musical. Fast forward to Lee's Broadway debut in...you guessed it, JCSS! On top of it, the show was in the Neil Simon Theatre, and the the first show to ever run in the theatre was, Annie! Lee is now a part of the cast of Paradise Square on Broadway. Enjoy our conversation! @Lee_Siegel (for Instagram & Twitter) @LeeSiegelMusic (on Facebook) @NewWerxProductions (for my theatre company, on insta and Facebook) NewWerxProductions.com - Lee's Theatre Company Singing Performances: https://youtu.be/naAjdC8ccCg https://youtu.be/OEwBI-Zq9ag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZb9_8TKht0 https://youtu.be/DcMkvMxHktw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHoy1ttmIWA https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oge Agulué / @iamoge Oge Agulué is currently in the ensemble of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway! Growing up, Oge went from Atlanta, to Nigeria, back to Atlanta, and then off to Purdue for college where he began studying aeronautical engineering technology. During his time at Purdue, Oge started taking theatre elective classes and the rest was history! https://ogeagulue.com https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cherry Torres / @cherrytorres Cherry Torres is currently touring the country with Hamilton as the Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy cover! More on Cherry: Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cherry Torres has been performing professionally since the age of 10. After graduating Berklee College of Music, she went on to travel the world singing and acting in multiple shows aboard various cruise lines including Disney Cruise lines and Celebrity Cruises. Following her time at sea, she went on to star in multiple regional productions. Some of her favorite credits include "Smokey Joe’s Cafe" (Brenda), "Rock of Ages" in Chicago's Drury Lane theater where she played Sherri, and "In the Heights" at the John W. Engeman Theater where she portrayed the role of Nina and was nominated for a BroadwayWorld Regional Award. At the moment, she is touring the country with the 1st national tour of Hamilton as a cover for Angelica, Eliza....and Peggy. Alongside performing, Cherry has a passion for teaching and sharing the knowledge s

Johanna Moise / @johanna.moise Johanna Moise grew up in Florida and was first enrolled into dance classes by her parents due to being born pigeon-toed. Since then, Johanna has danced her way to her Broadway debut in Hamilton with not much prior experience. Listen in to Johanna's brave and incredible story of how she went on multiple flights with no guarantees of being seen to audition and ultimately how it led her resume finding favor amongst a stack of hundreds of others. If you enjoy this conversation, please subscribe and share it with a friend! https://www.johannamoise.com/ https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Rosko /@builtforthestage Joe grew up as a 3-sport athlete, theatre kid that eventually majored in musical theatre and played division 1 college football at the same time. This life of sports and theatre lead him to creating Built for the Stage, Broadway's #1 Fitness Platform. Listen in to our 150th episode to get to know more about Joe and BFTS! https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Eric / @ericanthonyjohnson: I was born in Essexville, Michigan. Almost instantly, I had the power to destroy everything that came into my path; carpets, rugs, bottles of milk, you name it, I had somehow found a way to make it my own, or change it into something that meant more. Now I use the word destroy because that is exactly what I did, something that was once a simple coffee table meant more, to my 3 year old self, having my name carved into. Mother was not pleased with this "process." So, I was enrolled in gymnastics, then dance, then the community theater. For as we all know, play practice and rehearsal are cheaper than daycare. It is then that my addiction started. I was obsessed with everything that happened on a stage--dance, drama, singing, the occasional rollerblading/acrobatic routine... I simply could not get enough. In fact, my father built me a stage in our basement (which still exists). So, this was my life until I was 18 and carried my obsession to Boston, where I attended The Boston Co

Ethan Slater / @ethanslater Ethan Slater is an actor and a writer. He recently starred as SpongeBob in The SpongeBob Musical on Broadway (and now on Paramount Plus!), for which he won Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, TheaterWorld Awards (and more) and earned a Tony Nomination. He recently closed Assassins at CSC as The Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald. Ethan is now performing in Chicago in the new play, Good Night Oscar. (You can also see him on TV in things like Fosse/Verdon, Murphy Brown, Law and Order: SVU and more. It's all on imdb.com). As a writer, he has a number of things in development including the musical Edge of the World written with Nick Blaemire (the concept album starring Norbert Leo Butz, Lilli Cooper and Ethan is available wherever you listen to music), the upcoming films the Interveners (with Nadja Leonhard-Hooper), Silent Mode (with Marshall Pailet), and more. You can check out more of his music on Spotify or wherever you listen. Edge of the World https://open.spotify.com/album/0QrI6q1Qb

Javier Ignacio / @iamjavierignacio Javier Ignacio moved to Wichita, KS at the age of ten from Venezuela. Javier started his career as a teenager at Music Theatre Wichita. He is now a part of the Broadway revival of Company. However, Javier wasn't always performing under the bright lights of Broadway. Javier went four years before making his Broadway debut in Side Show. Listen in to hear his inspiring journey from Venezuela to Broadway. https://www.javierignacio.com/ https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angelo Soriano / @gelosaurus Angelo Soriano joins us from the Broadway cast of Aladdin where he swings 12 ensemble tracks and a handful of principal characters! Angelo hails from the Philippines, relocated with his family to California and just before enlisting in the Air Force found a love for musical theatre. Once Angelo made this discovery, he traded his dream in to be air borne in a plane for being air borne mid-leap on a Broadway stage! Enjoy our conversation! https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie Noel / @eddienoelr Eddie Noel is currently touring the country as a swing in the tour of Hadestown! Check out more about Eddie here: http://www.eddienoel.net/about.html References from interview: https://youtu.be/JKzQN0_SpmY Documentary trailer of RESIDENTE (René Calle 13) https://youtu.be/mWd1QKLUhGU One of Eddie's favorites songs https://youtu.be/vXtJkDHEAAc https://builtforthestage.com/subscribe - $1 coaching for your first month + unlocking a 20% discount code on apparel! www.broadwaypodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices