EPISODE 125 - Stronger Than Hate - A Benefit for Tree of Life Synagogue


On December 6th, 2018 The Green Room 42 presented "Stronger Than Hate: A Benefit for Tree of Life Synagogue." The concert raised funds for the Pittsburgh congregation and the victims' families who were attacked in a shooting on October 27th, 2018. The mass shooting claimed eleven lives and left six others injured.

Cast members of Off-Broadway's "Fiddler on the Roof," produced by National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, performed "Matchmaker" and "Sabbath Prayer." The evening also featured a discussion with award-winning Director/Choreographer Gary John La Rosa and Jason Sirois, Director of Education Programs at the Anti-Defamation League. Julie Gold, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter closed the evening with "From A Distance." Hosted by Ilana Levine, creator of the podcast "Little Known Facts," the benefit also featured Jodi Bluestein, Jillian Gottlieb, Nathan Klau, Danny Harris Kornfeld, Rebecca Kuznick, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Jesse Manocherian, Rosie Jo Neddy, Bill Nolte, Collin O'Connor, Samantha Joy Pearlman, the group Scruffy Pearls, Hannah Richter, Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld, Gavriel Savit, Eileen Tepper, Marc Winski, Rachel Zatcoff, and Tree of Life congregant Samantha G. Harris.


EPISODE 150- BEN STILLER

Ben Stiller  is one of Hollywood's most successful and acclaimed multihyphenates. As an actor, director, writer, and producer, Stiller's global box office stands at nearly $3 billion, making him one of the highest-grossing stars of all time; and also one of the most versatile, effortlessly moving between major franchises such as Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum, the animated Madagascar films, critically-acclaimed arthouse hits; The Royal Tenenbaums, Meyerowitz Stories and While We're Young, his legendary sketch television series "The Ben Stiller Show," and the Oscar-nominated Tropic Thunder, which he starred in, directed, co-wrote, and produced, to massive acclaim under his production company, Red Hour.

Continuing to push the boundaries of his incredible filmography, in 2018, Stiller directed and produced his most ambitious project yet: Escape at Dannemora which has garnered numerous accolades with five Critics' Choice Award nominations and two Golden Globe Award nominations. Stiller received the Directors' Guild Award for TV Film/Miniseries, as well as a nomination for a Producers' Guild Award for his work as Executive Producer and Director of the series.

Over the last decade, Stiller has also focused on one of his great passions: philanthropic and humanitarian work. For his considerable philanthropic work amid an illustrious career, Stiller was recognized in 2010 by Time Magazine as one of the TIME 100, a list of the world's most influential people.

EPISODE 149 - ANNA CHLUMSKY

Anna Chlumsky is an Emmy nominated actress who has continued to make a name for herself in film, on television and on stage. 

 

Most recently, Chlumsky completed production on the seventh and final season of the Emmy-winning comedy, Veep, which will premiered on HBO on March 31st, 2019.  

 

Chlumsky was seen on screen in Minhal Baig’s film “Hala” as Shannon, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Festival. “Hala’s” worldwide rights has also been acquired by Apple. 

 

In 2017, Chlumsky was nominated for her fifth consecutive Emmy© in the category of “Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series” for her portrayal as Brookheimer. She was also nominated for a Critics Choice Award, and won the SAG Ensemble for VEEP. She won the Gracie Allen Award in 2015 for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a comedy or Musical for her work on Veep.

 

Chlumsky made her Broadway debut in 2015 in Scott Ellis’ revival of You Can’t Take It With You. She played “Alice Sycamore,” the daughter of an eccentric family, opposite James Earl Jones and Annaleigh Ashford. She also reprised her role as “Iris Peabody” in Joe DiPietro’s Living on Love, which made its Williamstown Theatre Festival debut in 2014 and transferred to Broadway. Based on the famed Peccadillo, Chlumsky starred opposite Renee Fleming, Douglas Sills and Jerry O’Connell.

 

Additionally, her New York stage credits include: Cardinal, 3C, Love, Loss, and What I Wore (Westside Theatre); So Help Me God (Mint Theatre Company); Unconditional(LA Byrinth Theater Company); The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero (DR2);Darwin in Malibu (Bay Street Theatre); The Butcherhouse Chronicles (Summer Play Festival); Balm in Gilead (Barefoot Theater Company - Member); Half Life (Flea Theater/Fringe Festival); Iphigeneia at Aulis (TimeSpace Productions); Measure for Measure (Astoria Performing Arts Center); No Alarms: Headfullofradio (Veritas Productions); and The Trojan Women (Veritas Productions).

 

Additional TV credits include AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, NBC’s Hannibal,: 30 Rock, and  Law & Order” SVU. 

 

Chlumsky became a household name when she starred alongside Macaulay Culkin as Vada Sultenfuss in the 1991 film, My Girl. Other notable film credits include: The End of Tour, Bert and Arnie’s Guide to Friendship, In The Loop; The Good Guy; Blood Car; My Girl 2; Gold Diggers; the Glamour Reel Short, and Wait. 

EPISODE 148- JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL


An actor, playwright, screenwriter, and director, the Tony Award-winning  John Cameron Mitchell is most famous as co-creator of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which began life as an Obie-winning off-Broadway show (with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask), before becoming a 2001 movie (written, directed by and starring Mitchell), which won Mitchell the Best Director award at that year’s Sundance Film Festival, as well as a raft of other awards and a Golden Globe nomination. He also starred on Broadway in Six Degrees of Separation, The Secret Garden and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Mitchell also directed the 2006 movie Shortbus, which showed explicit sex; has collaborated on projects spanning music, theater, and film; has starred in TV shows including Shrill and Girls;  and directed the films, Rabbit Hole and How To Talk To Girls At Parties among others.

 He is currently on tour performing The Origin of Love: The Songs and Stories of Hedwig .

Most recently John wrote and stars in a podcast fictional series called  Anthem: Homunculus which he describes as a continuation of the Hedwig story co- starring  Glen Close , Patti LuPone and Cynthia Erivo  along with other Broadway stars.


EPISODE 147- STEPHANIE J. BLOCK

Stephanie has established herself as one of the most relevant and versatile voices in contemporary musical theatre. She most recently won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical portraying Star in THE CHER SHOW and won THE TONY Award for her current role of Star. Ms. Block also received the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk & TONY nomination(s) for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2017 for her star turn as Trina in Lincoln Center Theatre’s highly acclaimed revival of FALSETTOS. In 2013 she was recognized with both the Drama Desk and TONY Award nomination(s) for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Alice Nutting/ Edwin DROOD in The Roundabout Theater’s production of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. That marks 3 TONY Award nominations in the last 6 years, a feat very few Broadway actors have attained. Other Broadway credits include Reno Sweeney in the 2011 TONY Award winning revival of ANYTHING GOES, 9 TO 5:THE MUSICAL playing the role of Judy Bernly for which she earned a Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She created the roles of Grace O'Malley in THE PIRATE QUEEN and Liza Minnelli In THE BOY FROM OZ (opposite Hugh Jackman). Ms. Block is best known for her portrayal as Elphaba in the Broadway company of WICKED as well as originating the role in the First National Tour for which she won numerous awards including the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

Ms. Block has sung with numerous symphony orchestras including the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, Boston Pops, National Symphony Orchestra (under the baton of Marvin Hamlisch), Dallas Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Charlotte Symphony and the Cleveland Pops among many others. Her solo concert has been critically acclaimed and continues to sell out throughout the US and in London.

Some of her Off-Broadway and regional theatrical credits include LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical), BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK(Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play), THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG(starring opposite Jason Alexander), CATS (St Louis' Kevin Kline Award Nominee- Best Actress),FUNNY GIRL, CRAZY FOR YOU (L.A. Ovation Award Nominee), OLIVER (Critics Award-Best Actress), James Joyce's THE DEAD, TRIUMPH OF LOVE, THE GRASS HARP, SOUTH PACIFIC, WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and the World Premiere of WICKED.

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Stephanie's solo album, THIS PLACE I KNOW has been received with great praise, lauded by critics as "One of the best debut recordings to come out of the Broadway community in quite some time... 6 out of 5 stars". An array of award-winning songwriters assembled to help interpret their music on Stephanie's album. Composers such as Stephen Schwartz, Marvin Hamlisch and the legendary Dolly Parton join forces with Ms. Block to create a thrilling musical experience. Stephanie's voice can be heard on multiple cast recordings, including THE BOY FROM OZ, THE PIRATE QUEEN, WICKED's 5th Anniversary Album and 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL (GrammyNomination). 

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Television credits include: RISE (upcoming: NBC), MADAME SECRETARY (CBS), ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix), HOMELAND (Showtime), IT COULD BE WORSE (HULU). 

photo credit- ChristopherBoudewyns

EPISODE 146- ROBERT HORN


A New York native, Robert Horn studied Theater at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and New York’s Circle in the Square theater school.  Soon after, he left for Los Angeles to pursue a writing career in film and television that has spanned has over 30 years. His first break came as a writer/producer on the iconic television series ‘Designing Women’, followed by the groundbreaking Fox series ‘Living Single’, and the irreverent CBS comedy ‘High Society’.


Mr. Horn was then signed to an overall production deal with Warner Brothers Studios, where he developed, wrote, and Executive Produced dozens of network pilots and/or series.  He then signed a multi-year script deal at Sony Studios, followed by an overall pilot deal at ABC Studios. He, along with television veteran Bob Boyett, wrote and created the FX series Partners, one of the few 10/90 deals made in the early 2000’s.  He has written projects for many numerous broadcast, cable, and platform networks, including as the musical pilot Car Wash with Will Packer, The Jenni Rivera show for latin susperstar Jenni Rivera, the pilot Sunnyland for TBS starring Jennifer Hudson, Left of Center developed with TV veteran Gail Berman, and Taxi 22 at HBO, starring James Gandolfini.

Mr. Horn also wrote musical movie’s such as ‘Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure’, the next of the High School Musical series, followed by the hugely popular ‘Teen Beach Movie’ franchise for Disney.


Along with his television credits, Mr. Horn has written such diverse projects as ‘Wildlife’ for Walt Disney Feature Animation, the Charlie Sheen feature film ‘Good Advice’, ‘The RuPaul Christmas Special’ for the BBC, and ‘Revenge’, a digital musical series co-written with Jason Robert Brown for Sony’s digital Crackle network, and contributed Bette Midler’s world tour Divine Intervention.

Theatrically, Mr. Horn has written the books for ‘Dame Edna, Back With A Vengeance’ which opened at Broadway’s Music Box theater in 2004, ‘Lone Star Love’, the Red Clay Rambler musical which premiered at the 5th avenue Theater in Seattle,  the Jason Robert Brown musical ‘13’, which previewed at the Goodspeed Opera House in Goodspeed, Conn, and opened at the Jacobs Theater in New York. the musical ‘Moonshine, that Hee Haw Musical’, wirth Brandy Clark and Shane Mcanally, which opened at the Dallas Theater Center, and the Broadway musical Tootsie, collaborating with David Yazbek.  He won the Tony Award for “Best Book” for the musical Tootsie.


EPISODE 145- TRACY SPIRIDAKOS

Tracy Spiridakos was born in  Canada and spent a portion of her childhood in her native Greece.  Her family returned to Winnipeg but Tracy knew she wouldn't stay there long, eventually leaving solid employment at her parents Greek restaurant to move  to Vancouver and pursue her dreams of acting. 

She found success early on television series such as Supernatural and Being Human, but her breakout role was playing the lead role of Charlie Matheson on JJ Abrams' Revolution on NBC.    Since then she has shown her comedic side in Showtime's Episodes with Matt LeBlanc, as a femme fatale on A&E’s Bates Motel and has the mysterious ex-girlfriend of Lucas Till’s “MacGyver.”

 Tracy currently stars as “Det. Hailey Upton” on the NBC hit show “Chicago PD”.   She lives in Chicago with her beloved Rottweiler, Nala.

 

EPISODE 144 -SHOSHANA BEAN

Shoshana Bean's latest album Spectrum landed her at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts. She  made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Hairspray and starred as the first replacement for Elphaba in Wicked.  Most recently she stepped into the role of Jenna in the Broadway musical Waitress, she also played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and Cee-Cee Bloom in the new musical adaptation of Beaches, for which she earned a Jeff Award Nomination for best lead actress in a musical.

 


EPISODE 143- TOMMY KAIL

THOMAS KAIL received the 2016 Tony award for his direction of the Broadway production of Hamilton.  He received a Tony nomination for his direction of In the Heights.  His additional Broadway credits include the new plays Lombardi and Magic/Bird. Other credits include the world premiere of Hamilton and Dry Powder at the Public Theater; the world premiere of In the Heights; Broke-ology and the world premiere of When I Come to Die at Lincoln Center Theater; the world premiere of Daphne’s Dive at the Signature Theater; Randy Newman’s Faust, as well as The Wiz at New York City Center; the world premiere of The Tutors at Second Stage Uptown; the world premiere of Broke-ology at Williamstown Theater Festival; the world premiere of A.R. Gurney's Family Furniture at The Flea; and the national tour of In the Heights. He is the co-creator and director of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme, which played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival, and Melbourne Comedy Festival.  He won the 2016 Emmy for his direction of Grease Live for FOX. His latest project, the limited series, Fosse/Verdon, which he served as Executive Producer for the series, and director of 5 of the 8 episodes can now be seen on FX.  Additional TV credits include: Oprah Winfrey's Primetime Oscar Specialfor ABC; the pilot episode of Storymakers for AMC; as well as serving as the Executive Producer of the TV show Freestyle Love Supreme for Pivot.  He is also the recipient of a Drama Desk Award, an Obie, a Callaway Award, the Lucile Lortel Award and the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center.  He is a graduate of Wesleyan University.   

 

EPISODE 142- MADDIE CORMAN

 Maddie Corman’s career began when she appeared in the seminal 80’s movies Seven Minutes in Heaven and Some Kind of Wonderful. Maddie was a series regular on “Mr. President”, “All American Girl” and “Almost There.” Guest /recurring roles include all 3 “Law & Orders”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Damages”, “The Good Wife”, “Person of Interest”, “Nurse Jackie”, “Girls”, “Divorce”, “Odd Mom Out”, “When We Rise”, “High Maintenance”, “Younger” and “Madame Secretary”. Films include: Wonderwheel, 5 Flights Up, Peace Love & Misunderstanding, Morning Glory, Ira & Abby, What Happens in Vegas, I Think I Do, Ford Fairlane and Swingers.  Upcoming: Maddie will play Lady Aberlin to Tom Hanks’ Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood. Broadway: Next Fall, Picnic. Off-Broadway: The Babylon Line, Appropriate, Love Loss, etc. She wrote, co-directed and stars in How Was Your Day (Tribeca Film Fest “Watch this short” series). Maddie wrote and stars in her one woman show at the DR2 Theater - Accidentally Brave.

EPISODE 140 - MANDY GONZALEZ

Mandy Gonzalez possesses one of the most powerful and versatile contemporary voices of our time. She is currently starring in the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton”. She is best known for her emotional portrayal of Nina Rosario in the Tony Award winning, Lin-Manuel Miranda Broadway musical “In the Heights”, a role she originally created Off Broadway at 37 Arts and which received a Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble. She starred as Elphaba in the Broadway production of “Wicked”, blowing the roof off of New York’s Gershwin Theatre each night as she belted out signature song “Defying Gravity” and for which she was rewarded with a Broadway.com Award for Best Replacement. Other Broadway roles include Princess Amneris in the Elton John and Tim Rice musical “Aida” and the Broadway show “Lennon” where she portrayed multiple roles including that of Beatles’ icon John Lennon. Mandy made her Broadway debut in Jim Steinman’s “Dance of the Vampires” starring opposite Michael Crawford.

Mandy received an OBIE Award and overwhelming critical praise for her performance in the Off-Broadway production of “Eli’s Comin’”, directed by Diane Paulus and based on the music and lyrics of renowned singer-songwriter Laura Nyro.

Equally at home on the big and small screen, she has appeared in “Across the Universe” directed by Julie Taymor, “After” starring opposite Pablo Schreiber and “Man on a Ledge” with Sam Worthington. Most recently, Mandy had a recurring role on the ABC drama thriller “Quantico”. On Sunday evenings, television viewers can find her working at The White House on the CBS breakout hit “Madam Secretary”.

Mandy can be heard as the voice of Mei in Disney’s “Mulan 2” and on recordings of the original Broadway cast album of “In the Heights”, “Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Live” and “The Man Who Would Be King”.

Mandy performs concerts in prestigious venues across the U.S. and around the world.

EPISODE 139- MARC KUDISCH

Marc Kudisch – Three-time Tony Award Nominee, Drama Desk Award winner and two-time Outer Critics Circle Award Nominee. 

Film and Television: LATE NIGHT (Billy Kastner), THE TICK (Commander Ty Rathbone, Amazon), BILLIONS (Dr Gus, Showtime), MINDHUNTER (Roger Wade, Netflix), LIMITLESS, HOUSE OF CARDS (Senator Henry Mitchell, Netflix), UNFORGETTABLE, PERSON OF INTEREST, 27 EAST (Pilot); GOSSIP GIRL , BLUE BLOODS, SMASH, SEX AND THE CITY, BYE BYE BIRDIE (Conrad) for ABC TV, BREAK IN (Val) for Lifetime, ALL MY CHILDREN (ABC).

Broadway: FINDING NEVERLAND (Charles Froman/Hook), HAND TO GOD (Pastor Greg), 9 TO 5 (Franklin Hart), CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (Baron Bomburst), THE APPLE TREE (Roundabout Theatre), ASSASSINS (The Proprietor, Roundabout Theatre), THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Trevor Graydon), BELLS ARE RINGING (Jeff Moss), LaChiusa’s THE WILD PARTY (Jackie – Public Theater), THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (Chauvelin), HIGH SOCIETY (George Kittredge), DISNEY’S BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Gaston) and JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Reuben). 

Recent Off-Broadway: GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY at the Public Theatre, HEY LOOK ME OVER. At Encores/City Center, FUCKING A and THE WAYSIDE MOTOR INN at the Signature Theatre, HAND TO GOD at MCC, THE HOLIDAY GUYS (co-creator) at The York Theatre, THE BLUE FLOWER at Second Stage, A MINISTER’S WIFE and THE GLORIOUS ONES at Lincoln Center. Recent Regional credits include UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN at MUNY, HAMLET at Yale Rep; TARTUFFE at Westport Playhouse; Terrence McNally's GOLDEN AGE at the Kennedy Center (Helen Hayes award nom.); Ricky Ian Gordon's SYCAMORE TREES (Helen Hayes award), Michael John Lachusia's THE HIGHEST YELLOW (Helen Hayes nom.) and THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Helen Hayes award) all for the Signature Theatre DC. Opera: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and PIRATES OF PENZANCE for NYC Opera, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, ANATOMY THEATRE and WONDERFUL TOWN at LA Opera, Henry Kissinger in THE NEW PRINCE for The Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. 

Married to choreographer Shannon Lewis and lives in New York City

EPISODE 138- ISABELLE HUPPERT & TRIP CULLMAN

ISABELLE HUPPERT  is a multi-award winning screen and stage actress. Throughout her career Isabelle Huppert has worked with many French and international directors including Jean-Luc Godard, Michael Haneke, Maurice Pialat, Patrice Chéreau, Olivier Assayas, Claire Denis, the Taviani brothers, David O’Russell, Marco Ferreri, Michael Cimino, Harl Hartley, Neil Jordan, Hong Sang Soo and more. Awards won include: a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Feature Films for her work in The Lacemaker, two Venice Film Festival Best Actress Awards for Claude Chabrol’s Story of Women and The Ceremony, Venice Film Festival’s Special Jury Lion d’Or for her performance in Patrice Chéreau’s Gabrielle and for her entire body of work; two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards for Claude Chabrol’s Violette and for Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher; in France she received the César (Best Actress Award) for Claude Chabrol’s The Ceremony and Paul Verhoeven’s Elle – a film for which she also received a Gotham Award, a Golden Globe and a Spirit Award in addition to being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She received a Molière Award for her career (honoring achievements in French theater; equivalent to the Tony Awards); and the prestigious “XVI Prix Europe pour le Théâtre” in Rome. Isabelle Huppert has also pursued her theatrical career in France and internationally, including BAM (4:48 Psychosis, Quartet, and Phaedra). She has acted under the direction of Bob Wilson (Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Heiner Müller’s Quartet), Peter Zadek (Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure), Claude Régy (Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis), and Howard Davies (Friedrich von Schiller’s Mary Stuart). Noteworthy productions include: Euripide’s Medea (directed by Jacques Lassalle), Hedda Gabler; A Streetcar (director Krzysztof Warlikowski’s spin on Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, at the Odéon Theater and on tour throughout Europe and internationally); The Maids (directed by Benedict Andrews with Cate Blanchett at the Sydney Theatre Company and at New York’s City Center in conjunction with the Lincoln Center Festival); Phaedra directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski; Les Fausses Confidences (by Marivaux, directed by Luc Bondy at the Odéon Theater and on tour throughout Europe); Mary Stuart (Howard Davies) at the National Theater in London. Most recent files are: Eva, directed by Benoit Jacquot; Claire’s Camera by Hong Sang Soo; and Mrs. Hyde, directed by Serge Bozon (Best Actress Award at Locarno Film Festival). Upcoming: Snow Whitedirected by Anne Fontaine, Greta directed by Neil Jordan, and Frankie directed by Ira Sachs. Isabelle Huppert is an Officer of the National Order of Merit of the Legion of Honor, and an Officer of the National Order of Merit and Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters. She was the President of the Jury for the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

 

TRIP CULLMAN - Broadway: Choir Boy, Lobby Hero, Six Degrees of Separation, Significant Other. Select off Broadway: I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard (Atlantic); Days of Rage, The Layover, Lonely I’m Not, The Substance of Fire, Some Men, Bachelorette, Swimming in the Shallows (Second Stage); Punk Rock (Obie Award), Yen, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Gynecologic Oncology Unit At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Of New York City (MCC); Significant Other (Roundabout); Choir Boy, Murder Ballad (MTC); A Small Fire (Drama Desk nom.), Assistance, The Drunken City (Playwrights Horizons); The Hallway Trilogy: Nursing, The Last Sunday in June (Rattlestick); Dog Sees God (Century Center); Roulette (EST); US Drag(stageFARM); and several productions with The Play Company. London: The Colby Sisters of Pittsburgh, PA (Tricycle). Select regional: Geffen, Alliance, Old Globe, South Coast Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Bay Street, Williamstown Theater Festival.

Photo Credit for Isabelle Huppert headshot- Peter Lindbergh


EPISODE 137- Sophie von Haselberg & Ariana Venturi


Having A Night is a podcast dedicated to reviving the lost art of the dinner party. Sophie von Haselberg and Ariana Venturi are obsessed with both the micro and the macro of the all-important question: how to throw the absolute, supreme, no holds barred, remember-it-forever-unless-you-were-too-drunk dinner party.

Ilana sat down with Sophie and Ari for this crossover podcast event.

Having A Night will also air this conversation on their podcast platform.


Sophie is a bonafide produce fiend. When she’s not dreaming about fennel or a great head of lettuce, she acts in stuff. Some stuff includes the ultra-creepy American Crime Story: Versace, Equity, House of Cards, and Woody Allen’s Irrational Man. She is extremely psyched about the upcoming American Princess, in which she runs the pork-pocket booth at a Renaissance Faire. (what typecasting!) She also produces her own work, including the short YOYO (Tribeca Film Fest). She spent seven years in the great pizza city of New Haven, as an undergraduate of Yale College and then a world-weary grad student at Yale Drama School.

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Ari has originated roles across the country, including Higgy in Rolin Jones and Billie Joe Armstrong’s These Paper Bullets! at the Atlantic Theater Company in NYC and the Geffen Playhouse in LA.  She returned to her hometown of Chicago for the world premiere of Tracy Letts’ Mary Page Marlowe at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. While offstage there, she ate hotdogs. Along with Sophie, she is a member of a certain band of hooligans parading as the multi-media production company New Neighborhood.  She recurs as Alya Feinberg in season two of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Little Known Fact- after this conversation Ilana has hosted many dinner parties and enjoyed them!

Hello, World!

EPISODE 136- CAITLIN KINNUNEN

 

Caitlin Kinnunen is currently starring on Broadway in The Prom. Born and raised in Washington State, she moved to New York when she was 16 to make her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening. She later appeared on Broadway in The Bridges of Madison County, on the first national tour of Next to Normal, and in numerous film and television projects including The Intern, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Sweet Little Lies, Younger, American Vandal, The Knick, and Law & Order: SVU.

EPISODE 135- MARIO CANTONE

Mario Cantone, the celebrated New York stage actor and stand-up comedian gained critical acclaim with his Tony-nominated one-man show Laugh Whore, from its appearance at the Cort Theatre on Broadway to the Showtime Network special. He also starred on Broadway as SAM BYCK in the Tony-winning Assassins, by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, BUZZ in Terrence McNally’s Tony award-winning dramatic comedy, Love! Valor! Compassion! All three of these hit shows were directed by four-time Tony-winner Joe Mantello.  His other Broadway credits include GIDGER, in The Violet Hour (original Broadway cast), and STEPHANO (opposite Patrick Stewart), in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Off-Broadway Cantone also originated the roles of TERRY in The Crumple Zone, directed by Jason Moore, and MATT inSteve, for the New Group, directed by Cynthia Nixon. He is currently starring in A Room Of My Own (opposite Ralph Macchio), at the Abingdon Theatre.

The feature film from work, from Cantone, include “Quiz Show”, directed by Robert Redford, Sony’s animated film, “Surf’s Up”, “In Stereo”, “The Aristocrats”, and as Anthony Marentino, in “Sex and the City 1” and “Sex and the City 2”. He can still be seen, HBO’s series “Sex and the City”, in syndication on many television stations. He was a recurring character on ABC’s “Men In Trees”, and has a guest star on VH1’s “Hindsight”.

On Comedy Central Cantone’s performances have been featured on “The USO Comedy Tour”, “Comics Come Home”, “Chappelle Show”, “Denis Leary Roast”, and “Joan Rivers Roast”. The network was also home to his first solo stand-up special “Comedy Central Presents Mario Cantone.”

Cantone got his start hosting the local New York children’s show “Steampipe Alley”, where the comic slipped in sly pop culture innuendo that adults could enjoy. His other television credits include appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman”, “Jimmy Fallon”, “Oprah”, “Conan” “Martha Stewart”, “Meredith Viera”, “The Today Show”, and through out it’s 18 year run, multiple appearances, as guest and co-host, on “ABC’s The View”.

Cantone has appeared on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Atlantic City’s Borgata, The Golden Nugget, Cearsar’s Palace (Las Vegas), and performing arts centers of Santa Rosa, Peekskill, Scottsdale, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Louis, where he performed his comedy and music show, Mario Cantone Live!

EPISODE 134- DARYL ROTH

Daryl Roth is honored to hold the singular distinction of producing seven 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.


The proud recipient of 12 Tony Awards and London’s Olivier Award, her over 120 productions both on and Off-Broadway include Kinky Boots, now in its 6th year on Broadway and around the globe (London, Toronto, Australia, Korea, Japan, Germany; 2013 Tony Award, 2016 Olivier Award).  Other highlights in her producing career include: Angels in America; Bea Arthur on Broadway; Buyer and Cellar; Caroline, or Change; A Catered Affair; Closer Than Ever; The Crucible; Curtains; The Divine Sister; Driving Miss Daisy; Fela!; Gloria: A Life; The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? (2002 Tony Award); Harlem Song; The Humans (2016 Tony Award); Paula Vogel’s Indecent; Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore; The Normal Heart (2011 Tony Award); Old Wicked Songs; One Man, Two Guvnors; Our Lady of 121st Street; The Play About the Baby; A Raisin in the Sun (2014 Tony Award); Shuffle Along; Sunset Boulevard; The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; The Temperamentals; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; A View from the Bridge (2016 Tony); War Horse (2011 Tony Award); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; Wiesenthal; The Year of Magical Thinking; and De La Guarda and Fuerza Bruta, which ran for 14 years at the Daryl Roth Theatre on Union Square.   


Ms. Roth was recently named to Crain’s 2017 “50 Most Powerful Women in New York.”  She is a Trustee of the Kennedy Center, the New York City Police Foundation, and the Mayor’s Theater Sub-district Council, and an Honorary Trustee for Lincoln Center Theatre, having served on the Board for 21 years. Honors include: the Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award; the Town Hall Friend of the Arts Award;  The New Dramatists Outstanding Career Achievement Award; The Elly Award from the NY Women’s Forum; The Order of the Golden Sphinx award from The Harvard Hasty Pudding Institute;  New York Living Landmarks award; Humanitarian Award from the Women's Division and Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Broadway Association Visionary Leader Award; Family Equality Council Family Award; and the Live Out Loud Humanitarian Award.  She is proud to have been inducted into the 2017 Theatre Hall of Fame.


The Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award annually honors a gifted theatre artist or organization, providing them with financial support as they develop new works in an artistic residency.  The inaugural Creative Spirit Award was given to Michael Mayer in 1996.  Over the years the award has been given to Mark Brokaw, Sinan Unel, Steven Williford, Cybille Pearson, G. W. Mercier, Edwin Sanchez, Debra Monk, Kia Corthron, Michael Wilson, Karen Hartman, Anika Noni Rose, David Pittu, Musical Theatre Works, New Dramatists, LAByrinth Theatre, and Playing on Air. The last two years the Creative Spirit has been granted through the Lilly Awards for an Apprenticeship for Women in Design. 

EPISODE 133- WOMEN OF BROADWAY

At BroadwayCon 2019 I was honored to host a panel with women who have created successful businesses for themselves based on their love and passion for Broadway . The creators of The Hamilcast Podcast, Scenery Bags , Dr. Drama , Broadway Goes Pop and Coloring Broadway shared their stories and inspired a packed room of Broadway lovers to follow their own dream of turning their passion into a business.

Guests include-
 Alisa Hurwitz, PsyD - Dr. Drama Blogging debut. Dr. Hurwitz is in private practice at The Counseling Center of Nashua where she has been a clinical psychologist for the past 7 years, specializing in working with individuals on the autism spectrum, providing structural family therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and therapy for LGBT individuals. 

Gillian Pensavalle - Gillian is the creator and host of The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast, the first Hamilton podcast to hit the airwaves in January of 2016, which has since earned the title of "The Official Hamilton Podcast" among cast members. 

Andrea Koehler is the founder of The Coloring Project and Coloring Broadway, she opens the backdoor to self-discovery using coloring as a tool for mindfulness, helping people quiet their inner critic so that they can access their inner “artist”, and sharing show tunes as a way express our emotions when words fail.

Amber Kempter - Amber makes custom Funko Pop vinyl figures and pins from popular Broadway musicals, mostly Hamilton characters. Amber runs the Facebook group “Broadway Goes Pop!”