On episode 33 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with actress, singer, writer, content creator, and puppeteer Laura Kay Clark all about her new family-friendly musical Petunia’s Playhouse.
Topics include the influence of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, choosing a different path than going through a traditional musical theatre program, what drew Laura to puppetry, the inspiration behind Petunia and how she helped Laura, and many others, navigate mental health through lockdown, the challenges of putting on a live show during COVID, how streaming helped the company face those challenges, and the importance of streaming in providing access to theatre for vulnerable people. Petunia's Playhouse will be streaming on demand worldwide from Jan 17 until Feb 6, 2022. More info and tickets at Eventive. Laura Kay Clark is a New York City-based actress, singer, writer, content creator, and puppeteer. Originally from Ohio, Laura moved to New York in 2013 to attend the prestigious Actors Studio Drama School, where she obtained her MFA in Acting in 2016. Laura has performed in a variety of plays and musicals in the NYC area, and has found a lot of fulfillment creating her own work. In 2016, she premiered her one woman show, I Kissed Your Boyfriend: Another Feminist Rant, off-Broadway at the United Solo Theatre Festival. Laura created, wrote, produced, and starred in the family-friendly puppet series Petunia’s Playhouse, which has been sweeping festivals and has won several honors, including Best Web Series at the NYC International Fringe Festival. Laura recently adapted Petunia's Playhouse for the stage with composer Billy Recce. Laura co-founded the independent production company Party Claw Productions with NYC Artist Ashley Kristeen Vega, and their inaugural film Wide Eyed has gained recognition at several film festivals. Laura infuses all of her work with authenticity and humor. She hopes to end the stigma surrounding mental health and promote body positivity and inclusiveness in all of her work. Laura is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Dramatists Guild. www.laurakayclark.com
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Host Luisa Lyons chats with Ricky and Dana Young-Howze, also known as RnD, theatre critics who throughout the pandemic have reviewed over 200 digital theatre productions.
In this deeply informative discussion, RnD share wisdom about digital theatre, being critics, theatre and accessibility, and the impact of disability on audiences both in person and online. We chat about how chronic illnesses affected Ricky and Dana’s careers, how the pair became theatre critics, how a series of unfortunate events at the start of 2020 almost led to their quitting reviewing altogether and how the pivot to digital theatre opened up a whole new world of access to theatre. We discuss disability and theatre access, the role of critics in theatre, seeking out work by queer, Black, and disabled artists, why brick and mortar theatres have resisted digital theatre, and more! RnD also known as Ricky and Dana Young-Howze (they/them) are theatre critics from South Jersey. They have reviewed over 200 digital theatre reviews during the pandemic. They are vocal advocates for how digital theatre can be tool for indie, BIPOC, LGBTQ, and artists with disabilities. Besides reviewing they offer 1-on-1 Theatre Criticism classes, social media consulting, and dramaturgy. Talk to us at rndyounghowze@gmail.com. Find our articles at www.rndyounghowze.tumblr.com and www.howlround.com/two-hundred-digital-theatre-reviews-and-counting. Venmo: @rndyounghowze. Become a patron at www.patreon.com/rndyounghowze. 
On episode 30 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with Emmy-Nominated producer and director Kenneth Ferrone.
In this epic episode, Luisa and Kenneth discuss multiple filmed live musicals including Sistas: The Musical, Grease Live!, RENT Live on Fox , and SpongeBob the Musical! Learn about the role of Riverside’s Children Theatre in Kenneth’s theatre development and the importance of arts education, how the TV show Smash was Kenneth’s gateway to television and what happened when it was cancelled, the decision behind airing the dress rehearsal of RENT, how digital theatre can compliment live theatre, and so much more! Kenneth Ferrone is an Emmy-Nominated Producer and Director. He produced the award winning GREASE LIVE!, including the show’s live second screen content, and RENT on Fox, as well as the drama series, RISE and SMASH on NBC. Kenneth is currently directing THE WANDERER, a new musical based on the life of Rock and Roll artist, Dion DiMucci. The Pre-Broadway production will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in Spring 2022. He directed the critically acclaimed 1st National Tour of CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90’S MUSICAL, based on the cult film, the Off-Broadway musical, SISTAS, which was produced for television by BET and RLJ Entertainment, and he Associate Directed the 12-Time Tony Nominated Broadway musical, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, including the prime-time cable broadcast for Nickelodeon TV, as well as COLIN QUINN: THE NEW YORK STORY, which was named NY Times “Critic’s Pick” Off Broadway and adapted for Netflix. Available wherever you listen to podcasts! 
Host Luisa Lyons chats with Singaporean actress, singer-songwriter and arts educator Ethel Yap.
Learn how Ethel worked to establish herself as an actor in her home country of Singapore after training in London, how Pangdemonium was formed, how working with The Theatre Practise (TTP) helped Ethel learn Mandarin, the state of unions — and the role of government — in Singaporean theatre, Chinese-language musicals Liao Zhai Rocks! and Lao Jiu, and Pangdemonium’s production of Urinetown. Ethel Yap is a Singaporean actress, singer-songwriter and arts educator who has appeared in numerous theatre and television productions in a variety of lead and supporting roles. Her work includes Liao Zhai Rocks, Beauty World, Lao Jiu: The Musical, Four Horse Road, Untitled Women, PROJECT Utopia and the Singapore stagings of Tribes by Nina Raine and Urinetown: The Musical. As a singer-songwriter, she released her debut EP in 2017 and continues to write music that centres on themes of identity and meaning in the folk genre. She is also a passionate arts educator and momma of one very active little boy! Learn more at www.ethelyap.com and follow Ethel on Facebook, and Instagram. 
Host Luisa Lyons chats with a leader in the world of digital theatre, Jared Mezzocchi.
Topics include the intersection of theatre and film, how Jared’s mom (who was also his 8th grade math teacher), helped him see the world through numbers and story-telling, we deep dive into the world of digital theatre - what it is, what should we do with it, and delve into Luisa’s favorite question “what should we call it?!” Jared Mezzocchi is an Obie award winning director and multimedia designer, playwright, and actor. Mezzocchi’s work spans the United States at notable theaters such as: The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Geffen Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth, Cornerstone, Portland Centerstage, South Coast Rep, HERE Arts, and 3LD. In 2016, he received The Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for his work in Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone at the Manhattan Theatre Club. In December of 2020, The New York Times highlighted Jared on a list of the top 5 national artists making an impact during the pandemic. His work on Sarah Gancher’s Russian Troll Farm, Caryl Churchill’s What If If Then and his own work Someone Else’s House was all praised for being some of the first digitally native successes for virtual theater. He is a two-time Macdowell Artist Fellow, a Princess Grace Award winner, Artistic Director of Andy’s Summer Playhouse, and an Associate Professor at The University of Maryland. Learn more at www.jaredmezzocchi.com and follow on Twitter.
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Host Luisa Lyons chats with Richard J. Hinds, associate choreographer on Come From Away and the current Broadway revival of Company.
Topics include why Richard was drawn to the creative side of musical theatre and his journey to Broadway, Andy Blankenbuehler’s role in his career, working with Kelly Devine, setting High School Musical on tour in the UK, US, Australia, and on ice(!), the role of an associate director and choreographer, working in television v. theatre, the filming of Newsies and Come From Away, and more! Richard’s Broadway credits include Company (Associate Chor.), Come From Away (Associate Chor.), Disney’s Newsies (Associate Dir.), Jekyll & Hyde (Associate Dir./Chor.) and Il Divo: A Musical Affair (Assistant Dir.). He worked on the Off-Broadway production of Here Lies Love (Associate Dir./Chor.) and the National Tours of 9 to 5 (Associate Dir.) and Disney’s High School Musical (Associate Chor.). Richard’s television credits include Encore! (Disney+), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, America’s Got Talent, The Bethenny Show, Bring It and Good Afternoon America. Richard is represented by bloc Talent Agency. Learn more at www.richardjhinds.com and follow on Instagram.
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Host Luisa Lyons chats with Maribel Legarda and Liza Magtoto, the director and writer of the hit Filipino jukebox musical Rak of Aegis.
Topics include the formation of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), and how PETA operates and fulfills its founders’ mission to create a Filipino theater. We discuss the development of Rak of Aegis, why Maribel double cast the show, the significance of the incredible set, and why an audience member saw the show 21 times! We also take a look at how the show came to be streamed, and how the pandemic has changed thinking about streaming going forward. Maribel Legarda is a multi-disciplinary director and the Artistic Director of PETA. As a Senior Artist-Teacher of the company, she has directed and choreographed major productions including “Care Divas,” “William,” and “Pamana”. Maribel has also conducted workshops for Dance, Women and Children’s Theater, both locally and internationally. Liza Magtoto is a playwright and freelance scriptwriter, a member of The Writer’s Bloc and an artist-teacher of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Recent works include “Rak of Aegis,” “Rated PG,” “A Game of Trolls” and “Care Divas.” A recipient of Gawad Buhay! and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Francisco Balagtas, Liza also won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, and three of her award-winning plays are published in Bienvenida de Soltera, an anthology of her earlier works. Learn more about PETA at www.petatheater.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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On episode 25 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with Sarah Ellis & Greg Kamp, co-founders of MT Shorts, a new company working to merge short films and musical theatre.
Topics include the creation of MT Shorts, working with Emmy nominated producer & director Kenneth Ferrone, the personal stories behind the short film Jump, the creation of High School Zoomsical during the early days of the pandemic, and more! Includes an exclusive preview to “All of These Goodbyes” from new short Still Here! Song Credits MT Shorts Presents “A Jingle” Music & lyrics: Nat Zegree & Eric Holmes; Arrangements & vocals: Jim Hogan; Vocals: Joey Harrell, Samantha Littleford, Sean Switzer “All of These Goodbyes” from MT Shorts STILL HERE Music: Ben Roseberry; Music & lyrics: Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose; Performer: Nathaniel Stampley MT Shorts is a creative platform where musical theatre and short film meet, forging a new medium of storytelling with a mission to bring the voices of an emerging generation of creatives to screen. www.mtshorts.com. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Sarah Ellis is an NYC-based actor, concert artist, creator and producer with a passion for community building across the visual and performing arts. Her professional credits span across theatre, film, dance, commercial, and symphony work, NYC new works readings and labs, regionally, including the First National Tour of the Tony-Award Winning “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder," and as a frequent guest artist with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University where she received the Margaret “Peg” French Undergraduate Award in Theatre. www.meetsarahellis.com Follow @sarahruthliss Greg Kamp is a performer and producer whose career has spanned stage, screen, and concert venues across the country and internationally. Stage appearances have included the Tony Award Winning Center Theatre Group and Alliance Theatre, Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, York Theatre, Feinstein’s 54 Below, and The Cincinnati Pops as well as Lifetime, FOX, NBC, and Cartoon Network on the small screen. As a producer, Greg has worked with names and companies such as Rosie O’Donnell, Sara Bareilles, Paul Taylor Dance Company, as well as MT Shorts, the production company for which he Co-Founded. www.gregkamp.com
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On episode 24 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with songwriter and performer Benjamin Scheuer.
We chat about the influence of Frank Loesser, how Benjamin came to write his first show (which Prince William ushered), the interplay of different performance and artistic mediums, being diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins lymphoma at age 28 and our shared journey of cancer treatment and bone marrow biopsies, how The Lion served as a personal ad, the devastating story of one of Benjamin's most memorable performances whilst on tour, and exclusive news about what's next for The Lion! Benjamin Scheuer wrote and performed THE LION (Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Solo Performance; Off-West End Award, Best New Musical). Scheuer and Carlos Acosta made Empty Stage, the “magical…best dance film of the year” (The Guardian). Scheuer’s music-videos have won Annecy Film Festival’s Best Commissioned Film, and the British Animation Awards’ Best Music Video (twice.) Author of two songs-turned-into-children’s books: Hundred Feet Tall and Hibernate With Me. Scheuer is writing a musical about Peter Roget, creator of Roget’s Thesaurus. A Kleban Award winner, “Scheuer plays guitar as if he invented the instrument (LA Times) and his songwriting “gets to the heart of the matter” (NY Times). The Lion is available to stream on demand on BroadwayHD. Learn more at www.benjaminscheuer.com and follow Benjamin on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and SoundCloud. Check out Benjamin's latest short films: "Empty Stage" with the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Carlos Acosta "Empty Stage" with Robbie Fairchild.
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Filmed musicals bring joy to people around the world, create connections between theatre lovers, and shows what can be possible in bringing theatre to the screen. Filmed Live Musicals creates a centralized place to search for information on nearly 200 stage musicals (and growing!) that have been legally filmed and made publicly available. The Filmed Live Musicals podcast features interviews with actors, producers, and creatives about the joys and challenges of filming live theatre.
As you love musicals as much as I do, I invite you to make an ongoing donation to extend the reach of Filmed Live Musicals. As an alternative, I’d love you to consider a one-off donation. You’ll be helping to spread the love of musical theatre around the world and contribute to a new frontier of theatre on screen. With thanks to Josh Brandon, Elliott Charlz, Rachel Esteban, Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, James T. Lane, Al Monaco, David Negrin, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist for being a part of spreading the love of musical theatre. 
On episode 22 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with Susan Jamson, Press and PR Manager for the north London based inclusive theatre company Chickenshed.
Chickenshed is an inclusive theatre company that first began in 1974. Primarily based at their purpose-built venue in North London, they create theatre for all ages and run successful outreach projects, education courses and membership programmes throughout the year. As a result of lockdown, Chickenshed have made many of their past shows available for free online. In this moving chat, Susan shares some of the stories from her 30 years with Chickenshed, her experience of raising a child with down syndrome, how finding an inclusive theatre company changed her family's life, the origins of Chickenshed and how the company has grown over the years, how they adapted to lockdown, and the importance of filming theatre. Learn more about Chickenshed at www.chickenshed.org.uk and visit their YouTube channel to see some of their incredible work!
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