• #23 Sean Allan Krill - has one hand in his pocket and the other one is holding a Grammy
    Jul 3 2024
    Grammy Winner Sean Alan Krill went Behind the Awards to discuss working with Alanis Morissette in Jagged Little Pill. Sean tells us how he went from play Sam in the tour to his Broadway Debut in Mamma Mia opposite Carolee Carmello. He also goes into what it was like to be in Parade during a turbulent political climate. Eila & Bruce share their experience attending the final performance of Here There Are Blueberries at the New York Theater Workshop. They also discuss Nathan Lane’s Tony win in 1996 for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Listen to episode to hear who Nathan calls the best Pseudolus ever. Sean Allan Krill is an American actor who has appeared in film and television, on Broadway, off-Broadway, and at prestigious regional theaters across the country. He studied acting at Wayne State University, where he received the Lily Tomlin Scholarship for Theatre. Sean was nominated for a 2020 Tony Award for his role as Steve Healy in Jagged Little Pill, and the original cast recording of the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical was the recipient of the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Sean is also a Carbonell and Leon Rabin Award nominee, and a Joseph Jefferson and Craig Noel Award recipient. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • #22 - Yeardley Smith: How a skit on The Tracey Ullman show turned into a 37 Year career as Lisa Simpson
    Jun 26 2024
    Emmy Winner Yeardley Smith began her career on Broadway as Cynthia Nixon’s understudy in The Real Thing directed by Mike Nichols. She is best know for the voice of Lisa Simpson on the Simpsons, and has also appeared in Herman’s Head, Family Guy, The Big Bang Theory and Mad Men. Yardley is the co-host of popular True Crime Podcast Small Town Dicks with Paul Holes, and Dan & Dave. Eila and Bruce also share their behind the scenes look at new musical Empire directed by Tony Winner Cody Huffman playing at New World Stages from July 1st - September 22nd. They also discuss Ke Huy Quan’s Oscar win.for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Yeardley Smith is an Emmy Award® winning actress, producer, novelist and playwright who has appeared on television, film and Broadway. She has been the voice of Lisa Simpson on Fox’s hit television show The Simpsons since 1987. She has also appeared in numerous films including All Square (in post production), New Year’s Eve, Miles, Offer and Compromise, As Good As It Gets, Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive, City Slickers, and The Legend of Billie Jean. Favorite television appearances include The Mindy Project, The Big Bang Theory, Mom, Fresh Off the Boat, Hot In Cleveland, Mad Men, the sitcom classic Murphy Brown, 5 years as Greg’s crabby secretary ‘Marlene’ on Dharma and Greg, and 3 years as ‘Louise Fitzer’ one of the Fox network’s earliest sitcoms, Herman’s Head. She wrote and performed her one-woman show, “MORE” off-Broadway in 2004, and in Los Angeles in 2005. She published her first novel, I Lorelei, through HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2009. She owned her own women’s luxury shoe line called Marchez Vous for 5 years beginning in 2010. And in 2015, she co-founded the development company, Paperclip Ltd., with Ben Cornwell, for the purpose of developing stories at their earliest stages across all mediums. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    52 mins
  • #21 - Daisy Eagan: The 11 Year Old Tony Winner
    Jun 21 2024
    11yr old Tony Winner takes us from The Secret Garden to the The Strange and Unexplained Daisy Eagan shares the unique experience of being the youngest female winner in Tony history. She recounted working with Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Luker and John Cameron Mitchell who was writing Hedwig & The Angy Inch at the same time. Daisy was shocked to learn of her impact on Broadway star Sutton Foster, and had no idea that Neil Patrick Harris watched her perform from the wings. Now a podcaster herself, Daisy is the host of the popular Strange and Unexplained as well as Dear Daisy. Also in this episode - Marissa Jaret Winokur 2003 Tony Award win for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for Hairspray. Eila & Bruce discuss Jenifer Lewis & Marc Shaiman and give their thoughts on The Notebook. Throughout a multi-decade career, Tony award-winner, Daisy Eagan, has dazzled audiences from the stage to television and film, and award-winning writing, and several podcasts. At age eleven, Eagan became the youngest female to win a Tony Award for Best Performance by A Featured Actress for playing Mary Lennox in “The Secret Garden,” for which Eagan also received Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. Eagan also appeared on Broadway in “Les Miserables” and “James Joyce's The Dead,” as well as countless off-broadway and regional plays and musicals, including two stints at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019 (30 Minute Musicals and Steve Yockey’s “Sleeping Giant.”). Favorite productions include world premieres of Christopher Shinn’s “On the Mountain” (South Coast Rep), Annie Weisman’s “Be Aggressive”(La Jolla Playhouse), and Barbara Dana’s “War in Paramus” (HB Studios), as well as Lachuisa’s “Wild Party”(The Blank Theater Company) for which Eagan won an L.A. Weekly award. Eagan has appeared in several films including “Losing Isaiah,” “Ripe,” and “Tony and Tina’s Wedding.” On television, most recently, Eagan had a recurring role as one of the first non-binary characters on Network television, in Freeform’s “Good Trouble.” Before that, Eagan starred in HBO’s “Girls” playing a version of Lena Dunham’s character opposite Adam Driver. Additional television credits include HULU’s “The Path,” CBS’ “The Mentalist,” “Without a Trace,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “The Unit” and “Numb3rs.” Eagan is also an award-winning writer with a loyal and growing audience, and a fierce fighter and activist for women's and LGBTQIA2+ rights. She is a rousing voice in political arenas and continues to fight for change throughout her literary career. She has penned op-eds for publications including HuffPost and Playbill.com, and had a column for USA Today Network’s The Journal News. Eagan is currently adapting her award-winning short screenplay, “Tony and Annette” into a full-length feature by popular demand. Most recently, Eagan has switched focus to podcasting, with three successful podcasts, “Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan” (named one of Rolling Stone’s top 20 podcasts of 2021), available wherever you listen to podcasts, as well as “Dear Daisy: A podcast about secrets,” and “STFU Nick Lachey” A Love is Blind recap podcast with co-host Broadway sensation Ellyn Marsh, both available either exclusively or early and ad-free on Grab Bag Collab an egalitarian podcasting network on Patreon which Eagan co-founded in 2023 with Pulitzer Prize winner Amber Hunt and Pulitzer and Emmy award winner Amanda Rossmann. Grab Bag strives to provide a platform for voices that may struggle finding a home at big name networks. The network is profit-sharing, and all creators retain ownership of their content. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • #20 Tony Awards 2024 Recap
    Jun 19 2024
    Our day at the Tony’s from rehearsal to show…and awards recap. Eila & Bruce share what it was like to be at the Tony awards rehearsal as well as the big show. Listen to hear the who, what, where and wow of the biggest day for Broadway. Plus, who predicted the winners best from our deep dive episodes. Also in this episode, Eila & Bruce share one of their favorite speeches of the night. Kecia Lewis winning Featured Actress in a Musical for Hell’s Kitchen. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 mins
  • #19 Rick & Jeff Kuperman: Rumble in the Rain with The Kuperman Brothers
    Jun 13 2024
    Jeff & Rick Kuperman give us a deep dive on the process of creating the choreography for The Outsiders. They discuss their unique collaborative relationship as brothers and how that helped form the framework for The Outsiders, a show about brothers. Eila and Bruce also discuss Jennifer Aniston SAG award for Outstanding Actress for her work on the morning show and how our Friend got her SAG card doing a Bob’s Big Boy commercial. Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman (CHOREOGRAPHY). Upcoming: co-directing & choreographing an immersive show with Emursive of Sleep No More. Recent choreo: Alice by Heart (MCC; Lortel, Chita Rivera, and Callaway Awards), Cyrano (Goodspeed/The New Group), Alien/Nation (Williamstown), Phish at MSG, The Count of Monte Cristo (St. Petersburg, Russia), Peter Pan (Beijing, China), The Light Princess (ART/New Victory). Film: Verona, Dicks: The Musical (A24), Silent Retreat (Miramax). TV: “Living with Yourself” (Netflix). As directors: Roll! (Ars Nova), Dispossessed (HERE), Smile (FringeNYC). Education: B.A.s, Harvard & Princeton. kupermanbrothers.com Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • #18 Celia Keenan-Bolger: Takes on a Mother of a Role
    Jun 12 2024
    Celia discusses working with Jessica Lang and Jim Parsons and having a role created for her in Paula Vogel’s Mother Play. Celia takes us on a journey of her career including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bell, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Gilded Age. Celia shares what she was doing the morning nominations came out and how she balances being a working actor and motherhood. Eila and Bruce also discuss Sarah Jessica Parker’s Golden Globe win for Sex and the City and a career that has spanned 50yrs beginning with Annie on Broadway CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER. Broadway: To Kill a Mockingbird, Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard, Peter and The Starcatcher, Les Misérables, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: Parallelogram, The Oldest Boy, Merrily We Roll Along, A Small Fire, Bachelorette. Select Film/TV: “The Gilded Age,” “Bull,” “Louie,” “The Good Wife,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Good Behavior,” “Elementary,” Diane, The Visit, Breakable You. Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, three Drama Desk Award wins. Member of The Actors Center. NYCLU Michael Friedman Freedom Award recipient. UMichigan graduate. Training to be an end-of-life doula. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • #17 - Tony Awards 2024 Analysis #6
    Jun 10 2024
    Rumors have it that Stereophonic will bring home the Tony Feature Friday! Eila & Bruce bring you the sixth installment of their Tony deep dive. They are joined by expert Matt Stashin and share who will win and who they want to win in the following categories. Best Musical, Best Play, Scenic Design of a Musical, Lead Actress of a Musical, Lead Actor of a Musical. Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Mary Jane, Mother Play, Prayer for the French Republic, Stereophonic, Hells Kitchen, Illinoise, The Outsiders, Suffs, Water for Elephants, Brody Grant, Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along, Dorian Harewood, The Notebook, Brian d’Arcy, Days of Wine and Roses, Eddie Redmayne, Cabaret, Eden Espinosa, Lempicka, Maleah Joi Moon, Maryann Plunket, Kelli O’Hara, Gayle Rankin, Back to the Future, Here Lies Love. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • #16 - Kenny Leon: A Victorious Revival
    Jun 6 2024
    Kenny Leon and his victorious revival! Director Kenny Leon opens up about the hit revival of Ossie Davis’s Purlie Victorious starring Leslie Odom Jr and Kara Young. Kenny gives us the scoop on his busy upcoming season including Home at the Roundabout Theater, Our Town lead by Jim Parsons & Katie Holmes, and Othello with Denzel Washington & Jake Gyllenhaal. Kenny gives listeners a glimpse into his cinematic directing process for the stage and how he turned the play American Son starring Kerry Washington into a movie for Netflix in 4 days. Eila and Bruce also discuss Audra McDonald’s Best Featured Actress Tony win for Raisin in the Sun and the Breaking News of her Mama Rose in Gypsy at the newly renovated Majestic Theater. Kenny Leon is a Tony Award-winning Broadway and television director. His Broadway credits include the Tupac musical Holler If You Hear Me, A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington (Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play), The Mountaintop starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, Stick Fly, August Wilson’s Fences (which garnered ten Tony nominations and won three Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play), Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf. He also directed Smart People for Second Stage. Leon's recent television work includes "Hairspray Live!", and "The Wiz Live!" on NBC. He is the recipient of the 2016 Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing and the 2010 Award for Excellence in Directing from the Drama League. Mr. Leon serves on the board of New York's Public Theater and is Artistic Director of Atlanta's Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins