Beyond the Lights: A Conversation with Theater Professionals

On today's show, I speak with Tom Ontiveros, a lighting and projection designer as well as a professor and chair of the theater department at the University of La Verne. Tom has such an interesting and unexpected from starting college as a biology major, to working at the Museum of Natural History in LA, to finding himself as an emergency professor for one semester in Pennsylvania and falling in love with teaching. While I could keep going about Tom's journey, I feel it's better to let the rest of it unwind on its own in this conversation.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:04:18] Siti Company[00:07:03] Museum of Natural History [00:09:47] Intersection for the Arts[00:10:08] Yerba Buena Center for the Arts[00:10:31] Campo Santo [00:11:12] The Culture Project[00:11:24] The Exonerated [00:40:18] University of La Verne[00:47:14] Norco 80Follow TomWebsiteFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

Andrea Grody is a music director and music supervisor, primarily working in new musicals. Now, if you've been listening for a while you know that one of my specialties and loves is new plays, so it was such a pleasure to discuss what that looks like from a musical director's perspective. Andrea has been on two of the bigger Broadway shows over the last few years, The Band's Visit and Tootsie—two pretty different shows. She walks me through a little of what those processes looked like and the different challenges they each presented.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:04:33] The Civilians[00:05:53] The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland[00:05:57] Music Directing at Penn State[00:13:40] The Band’s Visit[00:17:36] MTI[00:25:09] Tootsie[00:40:43] Maestra[00:49:02] SuffsFollow AndreaWebsiteWordWavesFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

On today's show, I speak with Cate Broomhead, a wig swing on Broadway. With Halloween being yesterday it's only appropriate to release an episode with a person who does a job that we've all benefitted from at some point in our lives. I'd venture to guess MOST of us have worn a wig at least once, and many of us much more frequently than that. Cate walks me through how she got into theater and wig making in the first place, what really goes into creating and maintaining a wig, and what a day in the life of a swing in the hair department on Broadway looks like right now.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:03:39] Walnut Street Theater[00:04:10] Glimmerglass Opera Company[00:09:45] Gretchen Evans - Wig Maker[00:09:45] JJ Janas - Wig Maker/Designer[00:26:48] Pacific College of HealthFollow CateInstagramEtsyFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

On today's show, I speak with casting director RJ Magee. RJ got his start in professional theater at a very young age, a journey that led him to the famous Interlochen School for the Arts and then eventually onwards to casting for musical theater. RJ is currently involved in a pretty unique project called Theality TV which we talk about extensively in this episode.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:05:06] Interlochen [00:07:17] The Arden [00:08:45] Jamie Baker Management[00:08:58] Breakdowns Express[00:12:07] Actors Access[00:15:52] Musical Theater Educators Alliance[00:21:54] Theality TV[00:21:58] Broadway On-Demand[00:21:59] Dekkoo[00:22:12] FearlessFollow RJFacebookInstagramYouTubeLinkedInMore Theality TVWebsiteBroadway-on-DemandDekkooFearlessIMDBFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

On today's show, I speak with Darren Lee, a director, choreographer, and performer. Darren has had quite the career, from winning the first-ever Junior Star Search, to being in the original Broadway cast of Miss Saigon, to reconnecting with Lea Salonga in 2015's Allegiance, to being on tour in the UK as the King in The King and I when covid shut the world down.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:03:43] Star Search[00:04:41] Kids Incorporated [00:06:06] Shogun[00:09:05] The Battle of Miss Saigon: Yellowface, Art, and Opportunity [00:24:48] Red Bucket Follies [00:24:53] Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AidsFollow DarrenWebsiteInstagramFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

On today's show, I speak with music director Or Matias. Or has such an incredible resume that includes Juilliard, NYU, The Great Comet, Octet, Moby Dick, The Wave which premiered in Austria, an upcoming children's album, honestly the list goes on and on. I've had the pleasure of seeing a bit of Or's work both on and off-Broadway and I was so excited to have a chance to speak with him.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode [00:00:39] Chloe Treat[00:05:52] Ars Nova[00:06:10] Dave Malloy [00:11:05] “Time Does Not Bring Relief”[00:14:42] Adam Guettel[00:16:34] How The Great Comet Went From Cabaret to Broadway[00:20:11] Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812[00:22:25] Original Broadway Cast Record of The Great Comet[00:26:01] Mimi Lien[00:35:55] OctetFollow OrWebsiteTwitterInstagramFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

On today's show, I speak with costume designer Carolyn Mazuca. We talk about everything from our love of San Antonio and the Southwest, to imposter syndrome, to the differences between working in film and television vs. theater. I absolutely loved chatting with Carolyn and I know you'll enjoy our conversation as much as I did.For a full transcript of this episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:07:55]  Old Town Albuquerque[00:08:17]  Carnegie Mellon[00:17:34]  Oregon Shakespeare Festival[00:38:34]  Cambodian Rock Band at OSF[00:40:03]  Mother RoadFollow CarolynWebsiteInstagramFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

I'm so excited for you to listen to (or revisit) my conversation with Erica Hemminger, associate set designer of Moulin Rouge. A lot has happened since we recorded this a year ago, but my fascination with the elephant continues. Please enjoy this rebroadcast of episode four of Beyond the Lights.Please note, the next new episode will premiere on Tuesday, September 7th, and then alternate Mondays moving forward.___________________________________________________________This week we have Erica Hemminger an associate set designer on Broadway.  If you’ve been to a Broadway show within the last 10 years you’ve probably seen something she’s worked on, including but not limited to Anything Goes, Beautiful, American Son, and the biggest one to date Moulin Rouge.  We discuss how she got started in set design, why we should all be discussing our salaries more, and just how many elephants are on the Moulin Rouge set. For a full transcript of today's episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:01:02] Derek McLane[00:03:17] Carnegie Mellon [00:03:22] DePaul University[00:10:17] I Am My Own Wife[00:17:46] Moulin Rouge! The Musical[00:28:52] The Elephant of the Moulin Rouge[00:31:13] Catherine Martin[00:35:14] The Wiz Live[00:35:20] Hairspray Live[00:36:22] Kenny Leon[00:36:25] Harvey Fierstein[00:44:40] Anything Goes[00:45:45] Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical EpisodeFollow Erica HemmingerInstagramFollow Beyond the LightsFacebookTwitterInstagram

Hi everyone! I am still on a bit of a break, but I promise, I'll be back with NEW episodes in two weeks. Until then, I am rebroadcasting my episode with Music Director Jason Loffredo. Now, Jason and I recorded this in August of 2020 so any "upcoming" projects have long since passed. Nonetheless, this episode remains one of my favorites, enjoy!______________________________________Today’s guest is Jason Loffredo a music director in New York City. We discuss how an invite to play on a softball team led to becoming a substitute musician in a Broadway pit and ultimately to becoming the music director for off-Broadway's ALTAR BOYZ and Broadway's KINKY BOOTS. Jason also breaks down the ins and outs of working as a substitute musician on Broadway, what a music director actually does, and how he's kept busy while Broadway is suspended.  If you have a musician in your life, THIS is the episode to share with them.For a full transcript of today's episode please visit beyondthelightspodcast.comLinks Mentioned During this Episode[00:39:30] Finale Tutorials[00:42:12] Kate Rockwell's BACK TO MY ROOTSFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

This is week in re-broadcasts, I am proud to present the second episode I ever recorded with my friend Kat West stage manager, extraordinaire of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. Enjoy!______________________________________Today's episode features Kat West, a freelance stage manager working in New York City. We discuss her work with Prospect Theater Company, how she became involved with Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (directed by Joel Grey), what it's like working on a show when your son is 3 months old, becoming a better advocate in the room, and what a "typical" middle-of-the-process day looks like in the life of a stage manager.  For a full transcript of today's episode visit beyondthelightspodcast.com.Mentioned in this Episode[00:02:57] Prospect Theater Company[00:10:00] Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish[00:10:07] Museum of Jewish Heritage[00:11:26] National Yiddish Theatre[00:15:33] Steven Skybell as Teyve[00:26:15] Teyve the Dairy Man[00:55:12] The FerrymanFollow Kat WestInstagramFollow Beyond the LightsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram