Host Luisa Lyons chats with the Grammy nominated, and Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, and Emmy Award winning Broadway producer Jim Kierstead. Jim’s extensive producing credits include Kinky Boots, Pippin, Hadestown, The Inheritance, The Lehman Trilogy and The Inheritance. He is also the co-founder of Broadway Virtual, a new company that aims to help artists develop work for stage and screen.
Jim shares how his background in computer science, and clinical and counseling psychology helps him be a Broadway producer, the importance of filmed theatre, capturing The Gospel According to Heather off-Broadway, why Broadway shows like Kinky Boots are being filmed in the West End, the virtual benefit of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, the Yank 10th anniversary concert, and the movie version of Be More Chill! Jim Kierstead (Producer) is a Grammy-nominated, Emmy, Olivier, and six-time Tony Award-winning producer of the Broadway, touring, Toronto, and London productions of Kinky Boots, Pippin, Hadestown, The Inheritance, The Lehman Trilogy, and Company. In addition, he has been a co-producer of 25 Broadway productions. Off-Broadway projects include The Gospel According To Heather, Unexpected Joy, Yank! (Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Nominees), Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, and Thrill Me (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Nominees). He has also produced extensively in London’s West End and produced Miami’s hit immersive show Amparo. Jim is on the Board of Directors of The York Theatre Company and The Abingdon Theatre Company and is the founder of the digital theatre content creation company Broadway Virtual. Show Links
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Host Luisa Lyons chats with performer and writer Alexandra Palting whose new solo musical 0874 A Filipino American Love Story recently played the She NYC Arts Summer Theater Festival, where the show won Best Score. The musical tells the story of when Alex’s college boyfriend moved across the country and her Lola (grandmother) showed her a grocery bag filled with hundreds of love letters from Alex’s grandfather.
Alex shares how her Lola inspired not only the show but Alex’s love of musical theatre, her unique vocal approach to writing her one woman show, the development of the show, and the process of performing in the She NYC Arts Summer Theater Festival. Alexandra Palting is an actor and writer based in New York City. She is the performer, writer, lyricist and co-composer of 0874: A Filipino-American Love Story, a one-woman musical that tells the story of her grandparents’ courtship and immigration to the United States. The show premiered off-Broadway at the Connelly Theater during SheNYC Arts (Festival winner: Best Score) and was developed through The Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage residency. She has performed her music at venues including The Lincoln Theatre and Merriweather Post Pavilion and has sung at venues from the swing clubs of Baltimore to the Vatican. Favorite acting credits include CATF, Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, The Keegan Theatre, InterAct Theatre Co. and Shakespeare in Clark Park. Her on-camera work can be seen on "Law and Order," in independent films, and in productions for clients like Apple, the NIH, and Home Depot. Her work as an audiobook narrator can be heard anywhere from NYT Bestsellers at MacMillan Publishers to Microsoft. As a producer, she has raised over $60,000 for arts organizations that champion diverse voices and for nonprofits like Feeding America and RAINN that provided direct aid to vulnerable populations throughout the pandemic. She studied at the University of Delaware, RADA, and Harvard Online Business School. @alpal1210, alexandramariapalting.com.
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The Golden Cage with Deborah Henson-Conant
Host Luisa Lyons chats with Deborah Henson-Conant, a truly gifted musician, artist, composer, and storyteller.
Deborah shares the extraordinary story behind the intensely personal and beautiful new two-hander musical The Golden Cage. The musical was filmed live at the 2022 Off-Broadway “CreateTheater New Works Series” and is now available on demand on Streaming Musicals. Deborah Henson-Conant is a Grammy-Nominated composer & performer who combines stories and music in multiple genres from narrated concerts to song cycles, one-person musicals, operetta and musical. Her full-length music special “Invention & Alchemy” in collaboration with the Grand Rapids Symphony, appeared on PBS stations throughout the U.S. and received a Grammy Nomination for Best Classical Crossover album. She’s performed and premiered her works internationally with orchestras and venues including Pittsburgh Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Tacoma Symphony and Buffalo Philharmonic, Chicago Humanities Festival, Kennedy Center, Boston’s Lyric Stage and Central Square Theater. Her TEDx talk chronicles the development of the harp that’s named after her, the “DHC” body-harp – an instrument that enables one to become a single performing unit with an electric harp. Show Links The Golden Cage: https://www.hipharp.com/goldencagemusical. Use code GOLDEN25 for 25% off. Deborah Henson-Conant: https://www.hipharp.com/ 
Host Luisa Lyons chats with choreographer, director, producer, and digital theatre artist Brandon Powers. Brandon shares his journey to becoming a choreographer/director, and his fascinating insights into the integration of VR and live theatre, Musical Theatre Factory’s XR initiative, TikTok, and the future of filmed theatre.
Brandon Powers is a creative director + choreographer who creates experiences across physical and virtual space. His work focuses on capturing liveness in the digital, building interdisciplinary communities, and shifting culture towards a more embodied future. His key projects include VR saga Queerskins: ARK (Venice International Film Festival), Frankenstein AI (Sundance Film Festival), and Duet (New York Live Arts). On TikTok, Brandon has grown a community of over 70,000 inviting audiences into the process of creating theatre and dance. He founded Constellation, an immersive strategy and production studio building engaged digital communities for theatrical properties. Brandon is a Creative Producer at Musical Theatre Factory, where he leads MTFxR, a program supporting XR musical theatre experiences. He has spoken on the intersection of arts and technology at the TCG National Conference, Verizon’s 5G Lab, Lincoln Center and more. Show Links: Learn more about Brandon: https://www.brandon-powers.com/ Musical Theatre Factory MTFxR 5th Wall Forum Constellation "The Future of Musical Theatre on Tiktok" Medium Article Follow Brandon on social media: Tiktok YouTube
The Filmed Live Musicals podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on YouTube. Listen elsewhere? Find the show on your favorite podcast app here.
Let's get social! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Want early access to site content? Becoming a patron! Your financial support will help preserve the history of filmed stage musicals and the curation of one easy place to find them all. Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons, an Australian actor, writer, and musician. Luisa holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 
Host Luisa Lyons chats with Sean Pollock, director, executive producer, and designer of the upcoming production of A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant LIVE!
Sean shares what it was like being a child actor, working with ego driven directors, and the challenges of working with children. He also speaks candidly about prohibitive union rules, as well as the the difficulties of self-producing a TV LIVE production. A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant LIVE! was filmed over two performances at The 14th St Y in early November 2022. Watch A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant - LIVE! on IFT Network. Sean Pollock is an NYC based multidisciplinary writer, director, designer, and teaching artist. Select directing/playwriting credits include: UP IN FLAMES (Annoyance Theatre Chicago), COWL GIRL (LIU Brooklyn), THIS IS A PLAY ABOUT NEWSCASTERS (Austin College, TX), THE BED SHOW (Philly Theatre Week), AMERICAN JUGGALO (Here Arts Center). Off-Broadway: A VERY…SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT LIVE! (14th St. Y), TRUMP RALLY (Theatre Row). TV/Film: A VERY…SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT LIVE! (IFT Network), THE OMEGA-3! A CLIMATE CHANGE MUSICAL ADVENTURE (Museum Of Natural History), WE’VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU ABOUT YOUR CAR’S EXTENDED WARRANTY (NomadTV Festival, Global Shorts Festival), PROTECT THE PIGEONS FROM EATING USED CONDOMS (Absurd Film Festival, Red Film Festival, Global Shorts Festival). Training: Ithaca College, NTI, Directors Lab North, Directors Lab Chicago, Directors Lab West. He is currently a Norman Steinberg Scholar pursuing his MFA in Writing and Producing for Television at Long Island University Brooklyn/Steiner Studios, and the current Artistic Director/Co-Founder of Unattended Baggage. pollocksean.com, insta @seanp_yo. Learn more about Unattended Baggage. Follow Unattended Baggage on Instagram. Financially support A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant LIVE! here. Watch the Feinstein’s/54 Below Concert on Vimeo. The Filmed Live Musicals podcast is available on all leading podcast apps and on YouTube.
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Filmed Live Musicals is where musicals come home. Use the searchable database to find musicals filmed on stage to watch from the comfort of your living room! Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Let's get social! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow Filmed Live Musicals on . You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to content, bonus content in the weekly newsletter, and exclusive access to the streaming calendar, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today! Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons, an Australian actor, writer, and musician. Luisa holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  How very! There are two new entries in the database - Heathers: The Musical filmed live at The Other Palace in May this year, and Velvet Determination filmed live at the Hudson Guild Theatre in early 2020.
Heathers is a dark musical comedy set at Westerberg High School where cliques rule. Veronica Sawyer is a reluctant member of the popular girl clique, the Heathers. With the help of newcomer J.D., Veronica sets to turn popularity on its head, and murder and mayhem ensue. The London debut of the show has proved so popular it has had two West End runs (one pre, and one post the theatre shutdown), and is now in its extended second run in the off West End theatre The Other Palace. Learn more about Heathers: www.filmedlivemusicals.com/heathers. Velvet Determination is an autobiographical one woman show by actor, singer, and classical pianist Cynthia Shaw. In the show, Cynthia shares her journey from a tiny Colorado town to a prestigious music school in NYC, and all the characters who help, or hinder, along the way. You can also catch Cynthia talking about the history of the show on the Filmed Live Musicals podcast ! Learn more at www.filmedlivemusicals.com/velvet-determination. Want to know about upcoming filmed live musicals from Broadway and beyond? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter!  As elemental as song and dance are to human nature, so to is the quest for power, control of resources, and control over one another. Today marks 104 years since the armistice between the Allied Forces and Germany after four bloody years of war was declared. Now known as Remembrance Day, or Veterans Day in the US, it is a day to reflect upon the sacrifice of war, and honor the men and women who have served their countries through the military. Sadly, war continues to be an ever-present reality for many people in the world. I had the honor of interviewing Alex Borovenskiy, the founder and executive director of the Ukrainian ProEnglish Theatre and Drama School in Kyiv. Literally amidst falling bombs, power cuts, and continued Russian aggression, Alex and his colleagues are creating new work that speaks to the times and broadcasting it to the world beyond the Ukraine’s borders. The 2022 PRO.ACT Festival, with the theme “Unbreakable,” is available to stream for free on Scenesaver. The episode will be available next week. Other podcast episodes looking at musicals about war include Allegiance with composer and producer Jay Kuo going behind the scenes of the musical about the incarceration of Japanese-American citizens on American soil during WWII, Pieces of String with composer Gus Gowland talking about his musical inspired by the untold stories of gay men in the military, and Pacific Overtures with theatre historian Margaret Hall delving into the history of Sondheim’s musical about the forcible opening of Japan to the West. Below is a list of stage musicals you can watch from home which tell the stories of war across history, and from across the world. Allegiance Allegiance is loosely based on the events of actor George Takei’s life. During World War II, Takei and his family, along with 120,000 Japanese-American citizens were incarcerated in camps within the United States. Filmed live on Broadway in 2016, and released in cinemas in December of that year. It briefly held the record as Fathom Events’ highest grossing Broadway film. Click here for streaming options. An American in Paris Using the music of George and Ira Gerswhin, this romanticized musical tells the story of an American GI who falls in love with a Parisian woman in the days following the end of WWII. Adapted from the MGM movie of the same name, the stage production was filmed live in the West End in 2017. Click here for streaming options. Bandstand Filmed live on Broadway in 2017, this swing musical tells the story of a musician who returns from fighting in Europe during WWII, traumatized but with the desire to re-build his life following the death of his best friend. Although the musical was the first theatrical production to be certified by Get Your 6 for its authentic portrayal of the military, Bandstand was criticized for its lack of characters or actors of color. Released in cinemas in 2018, the musical was briefly available to stream on Playbill and Broadway on Demand earlier this year. Click here for streaming options. From Here to Eternity British musical From Here to Eternity is based on James Jones’ novel of the same name. With music by Stuart Brayson, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a book by Bill Oakes, the musical depicts the affairs of US soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was filmed live during its West End run in 2014. Click here for streaming options. Hamilton A much lauded hip hop musical following the trials and tribulations of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton depicts battles from the Revolutionary War, along with the battles of the cabinet. Click here for streaming options. Imagine This A fictionalized re-telling of true events, Imagine This is set in the Warsaw Jewish ghetto during the Holocaust. With departure to a camp imminent, a local theatre troupe are encouraged by their director to stage a musical about Masada (where a group of 960 Jewish refugees in the year 70 attempted to evade Roman soldiers before committing mass suicide). The musical had a short-lived run on the West End in 2008 where it was filmed live. Now available on DVD. Click here for purchasing options. Les Miserables Based on Victor Hugo’s historical novel of the same name, Les Miserables is not set during the French Revolution, during the uprisings that took place a few decades later. Although the stories and characters in Les Mis are fiction, they are drawn from Hugo’s close observations of Paris life. The musical has to date been filmed live three times, the 10th anniversary concert, 25th anniversary concert, and, most recently, last year’s West End staged concert. Click on each title for streaming options. Love at Times A two-act play with music and movement filmed at the ProEnglish Theatre in Kyiv during the Russian invasion in 2022. Part 1 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” sees two gay soldiers from the Territorial Defense of Kyiv discussing their romantic relationship. In part 2, “Katie and Frank,” the title couple argues over the old adage “you never listen to me.” Available for free with registration on Scenesaver. The ProEnglish Theatre’s one-woman play The Book of Sirens, a contemporary adaptation of The Book Thief set in Kyiv, is also worth a watch. Miss Saigon A modernized re-telling of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon. The musical tells the ill-fated love story of Kim, a young woman in Saigon, and an American G.I., Chris. The 25th anniversary gala production was filmed live in the West End in 2016. Click here for streaming options. Only the Brave Based on true stories, this British musical follows Captain John Howard and Lieutenant Denholm Brotheridge, and their wives Joy and Maggie, as the soldiers prepare for the D-Day landings. The 2016 production at the Wales Millennium Centre featured a real-life vet playing the role of John Howard Senior. Only the Brave was filmed live for archival purposes in 2016. Click here for streaming options. Pacific Overtures Self-described by composer Stephen Sondheim as “the most bizarre and unusual musical ever to be seen in a commercial setting,” Pacific Overtures is a concept musical set around Commodore Perry’s first visit to Japan in 1853. It was filmed live during its original Broadway run for distribution on Japanese television. Click here for streaming options. Pieces of String Set in 1940 and the present day, British musical Pieces of String was inspired by a BBC documentary that briefly mentioned gay relationships in the armed forces during World War II, and modern day stories of gay men being unable to donate blood. Composer Gus Gowland sought to widen the scope for the way gay male characters are portrayed in musical theatre (a topic which he later explored in his PhD dissertation), and attempted to ensure women were also equally represented in the musical. The musical was filmed live during its run at Mercury Theatre Colchester in 2018. Click here for streaming options. South Pacific Based on the short story collection Tales of the South Pacific, the now classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was ground breaking musical for its exploration of racism, war, and interracial relationships. There are currently two filmed live productions of South Pacific in the database - the 2010 Lincoln Center revival and the 2005 Carnegie Hall concert starring Reba McIntyre and Brian Stokes Mitchell. The latter is available on DVD. Click here for purchasing options. A Tale of Two Cities Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities is based on Charles Dickens’ novel of the same name. The musical had a brief run on Broadway in 2008, and has received concert stagings in London, Paris, and Brighton. The concert performances were compiled into a special which was broadcast on PBS and is now available on DVD (this is an affiliate link and as an associate I may earn income from qualifying purchases). Tyneham: No Small Sacrifice This British musical tells the story of the residents of Tyneham, who were told to leave their homes in 1942 as the bequest of the British military. Although the residents were promised their homes would be returned, Tyneham remains military property to this day. Performed by amateur theatre company Generations Apart in 2013, the musical is currently available to view on YouTube. V for Victory This still-in-development British musical explores the lives of a group of friends in the resistance against the German occupation of Jersey during World War II. A concert version was performed at the Stockwell Playhouse in 2018 and was filmed live. Click here for streaming options. Waiting for the Ship to Sail Produced by Chickenshed in the UK, this timely musical is an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity. It is currently available on YouTube. Yank! The off-Broadway musical YANK! tells the story of soldiers falling in love, and depicts the gay scene that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54 hosted a 10th anniversary concert in early 2020, and the video is currently available on YouTube. How will you be honoring those whose lives have been lost in war, and those who have devoted their lives to service today? 
On episode 48 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with James Jefferies, the writer and composer of the new electro-rock sci-fi musical of a Lifetime. Topics include James’ unusual path to staging a musical in New York all the way from Brisbane, Australia; how the show came to be filmed, and the myriad of influences that led James to writing an original musical.
James Jefferies is an Australian composer and writer based in Brisbane. His original musical of a Lifetime has been performed in New York at Don’t Tell Mama, the 53 Above Broadway Comedy Club, and the off-Broadway Actors Temple Theater. The musical was filmed during its off-Broadway run and is now available to stream on Stellar. The cabaret performances of the musical can also be found on YouTube. Links below. Show Links Filmed Live Musicals database Stream on Stellar 53 Above at Broadway Concert Don’t Tell Mama Concert Cast Recording
Filmed Live Musicals is the most comprehensive online searchable database for musicals that have been filmed live on stage. Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to content, bonus content in the weekly newsletter, and exclusive access to the streaming calendar, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today!
Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons. Luisa is an Australian actor, writer, and musician. She holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  Host Luisa Lyons chats with Jim McCarthy, CEO of Stellar and author of the new book Beyond the Back Row: The Breakthrough Potential of Digital Live Entertainment and Arts, which explains the why, how, and what of online events.
In this lively conversation, McCarthy shares the value of an English degree, how working in e-commerce led him to the creation of Goldstar, how the company changed course in March 2020, the creation of theatre streaming platform Stellar, how the NBA can be a model for streaming theatre, the current theatre business model and how streaming can make it better, re-thinking bootlegs, and accessibility. Beyond the Back Row is available via Amazon and Bookshop.org (these are affiliate links and Filmed Live Musicals may earn income from purchases made through these links). Jim McCarthy is the Co-Founder and CEO of Stellar, the only full-service livestream partner for professional live entertainment organizers, committed to delivering premium interactive online shows to paying audiences around the world. For nearly 20 years, Jim was the CEO/Co-Founder of Goldstar helping 10 million people go to Goldstar to discover live events nationwide for 5,000 live entertainment organizers. When the COVID-19 crisis shut down the live entertainment industry in March 2020, Jim led the charge to develop Stellar, to help producers create and sell high quality-live streaming events. In August 2020, Stellar started welcoming creators and audiences in beta. Since then, millions of people have live streamed a variety of shows available on the platform. In July of 2022, his new book, Beyond the Back Row: The Breakthrough Potential of Digital Live Entertainment and Arts, was released to help break down the why, how, and what of online, streaming, and hybrid live events. For more info and a full length bio visit Stellar. Filmed Live Musicals is the most comprehensive online searchable database for musicals that have been filmed live on stage. Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to content, bonus content in the weekly newsletter, and exclusive access to the streaming calendar, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today! Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons. Luisa is an Australian actor, writer, and musician. She holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com or follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. There are two new entries to take a look at in the database - Better Late (1946) and Of a Lifetime (2021). The titles were filmed 75 years apart and represent very different possibilities of bringing live musicals to the screen. And just for fun, despite being filmed in the UK and US respectively, both musicals have Aussie connections much like yours truly who is Australian born!
Better Late was a musical revue starring Beatrice Lillie, and it was the first musical to be broadcast live by the BBC from the West End following WWII. The cast also included Aussie actor Murray Matheson who became a dear friend of Lillie's. A fun connection for me, when I was accepted to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama I was awarded the Beatrice Lillie Scholarship! I wonder what Ms. Lillie and Mr. Murray would think of this Aussie, who trained in London and now lives in the US, would think of their revue being studied in this way over three-quarters of century later?! Of a Lifetime is a new electro-rock sci-fi musical by Aussie writer and composer James C.K. Jefferies. The musical was filmed during its off-Broadway run in 2021, and the film was an official selection of the 2022 International New York Film Festival where it received a Merit Award. It's available to stream online. Visit the database to learn more! |
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