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Sharon Sexton reflects on her time playing Sloane in Bat Out of Hell: The Musical including her single audition for the part, creating the show ("Please can we have a shower in the set?") and how the company celebrated the life and legacy of Meatloaf after his death in January 2022. Follow Sharon on Twitter @SharonSextonIRE and Instagram @shar.sexton Email me: Mikey@backstagewith.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Hannah talks about playing the Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in the first major UK production of a Stephen Sondheim musical since the composer/lyricist's death in November 2021. Into the Woods is playing at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, until Sunday 27th February 2022. For tickets: https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/into-the-woods Email me: Mikey@backstagewith.com Follow on Instagram: @backstagewith @mikeyworrall1 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carly Mercerdes Dyer on playing Cassie in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve, being on the Beeb at Christmas in Anything Goes (Boxing Day at 6.40pm, on BBC2), and if she'd ever go back to Six after Covid-19 ended her run before it had even begun. #poweredbypastry Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Savannah Stevenson is currently playing Marmee in Little Women at the Park Theatre in north London.  Find out which song she was fearful of, why she wants people to leave Little Women wanting to call their mum, and the scene in which she'd love to make a cameo appearance in the film adaptation of Wicked. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Last Five Years' Jamie on bringing the show to the West End, whether it should be categorised as new or a revival in awards season, and trying to straddle a model building atop a grand piano whilst playing a clock. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What better way to mark International Podcast Day and the week of Wicked UK's 15th anniversary than with a conversation with Wicked podcasters Quincy and Kevin.  They are the Broadway connoisseurs behind Sentimental Men, a must-listen for any Wicked fan. Follow them at @SentMenPod. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samuel Edwards (Billy Crocker in Anything Goes) is here to talk about being back on stage after the pandemic, playing opposite Broadway star and two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster, and why he'll always feel sentimental about Ghost.  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Francesca Moody is best known as the original producer of the multi-award-winning Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, which she has produced globally on behalf of DryWrite, most recently in London’s West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre, where it was also recorded and broadcast by NT Live, playing in cinemas throughout the world. Her current and upcoming productions include Leopards, at the Rose Theatre, in Kingston, and Mum at Soho Theatre. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lara Martins played Carlotta in Phantom in the West End for a record-breaking six years. She's here to talk about her new album, Canção, which is available to stream now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Drama Desk award nominee Christina Bianco joins us to talk about starring in the musical podcast series The Ballad of Anne and Mary, playing Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, in Paris, just before lockdown, and how she became Broadway's original YouTuber and Diva Impressionist. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus talks about creating some of the biggest musicals of the last two decades, conducting the orchestra for the Frozen movies, and arranging and conducting Lady Gaga's performance at the Academy Awards. Stephen's credits include: On Broadway and worldwide: As Music Supervisor/Arranger and/or Orchestrator: Disney’s Frozen; Kinky Boots (Tony Award for Best Orchestrations; Grammy Award); The Book of Mormon (Tony & Drama Desk Awards-Best Orchestrations; Grammy Award); 9 to 5; All Shook Up; Avenue Q; Wicked. Off-Broadway: The Wild Party, tick, tick…BOOM!; Film: Vocal arranger/conductor for Frozen & Frozen 2; String arrangements/conductor for Lady Gaga’s “I’ll Never Love Again” (A Star Is Born) and "Til It Happens to You” (The Hunting Ground). Music Director for Rufus Wainwright’s for Rufus Does Judy, TV: Music director of The 87th Academy Awards, The Wiz Live (NBC), Rent Live (FOX). Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Olivier award-winning star of Hamilton talks about what it was really like in The Room Where It Happened. Giles's book, Hamilton & Me: An Actor's Journal, is available now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reflecting on the reopening night of Come From Away in the West End. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It sure feels good to be back in your podcast feed. Are you ready for a new series of conversations with your favourite theatre people? First up is Kayi Ushe who's preparing to play Simba in The Lion King when the show reopens in the West End. You may have seen him as Lola on the UK tour of Kinky Boots or during his four-year stint in The Book of Mormon.     Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gavin Spokes was playing King George III in the London production of Hamilton when the West End went dark the week before the UK went into lockdown in March. You might have recently seen him wrestling with Mel Giedroyc as Harry in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company, working his way up to a million pounds as the Major in James Graham’s Quiz, or as pollster Andrew Cooper in Channel 4’s Brexit: The Uncivil War. Follow Gavin on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susie McKenna was creative director at Hackney Empire for seven years and wrote, produced and sometimes starred in its pantomimes for 22 years. She is now an associate director at Kiln Theatre, in north west London.  Susie's many stage credits include Follies, Cats, The Witches of Eastwick, Woman in White, Ragtime, and Chicago. When the pandemic took hold, Susie was over in New York where her wife - three-time Olivier award winning actress Sharon D. Clarke - was about to begin previews in the title role in Caroline or Change on Broadway. We recorded this conversation back in September while Susie was staying at her house in Spain. Follow Susie on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kiruna Stamell was working as an extra on the film Moulin Rouge in Australia twenty years ago when the director created the part of La Petite Princess just for her. She used her pay check to come to the UK where she’s worked across television, film and theatre. At the start of this year she was in the Jamie Lloyd Company production of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End, which won the Olivier award for Best Revival at the weekend. She was meant to be part of the show’s New York transfer but it was cancelled because of the pandemic. Instead, she found herself shielding at home in the UK with her husband Gareth, and creating a web series for children called Pirate and Parrot. Follow Kiruna on Twitter and Instagram.  Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gavin Lee is an Drama Desk award winner, Olivier award nominee, and two-time Tony nominee.  He's best known for creating the role of Bert in the original West End, Broadway and U.S. touring productions of Mary Poppins, and originating the role of Squidward in SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical on Broadway.  Follow Gavin on Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chances are you've seen Melanie La Barrie in at least one show in the last 20 years. She's developed and appeared in a number of shows including the original productions of Mary Poppins, Matilda and & Juliet. She also played Ursula in the London pre-Broadway workshop of The Little Mermaid and on top of all of that somehow found time to complete full contracts in Les Miserables and Wicked.  Prior to lockdown, Melanie was playing Nurse in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, a role she'll return to when the show reopens in 2021. Follow Melanie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daisy Maywood has been in some of the most high profile productions of the last decade such as the Les Mis 25th anniversary concert at the o2, The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall, and the 2013 revival of A Chrous Line at the London Palladium. She was most recently seen as Susan and the Priest in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company at the Gielgud theatre. Follow Daisy on Twitter. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/backstagewith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.