Little Known Facts With Ilana Levine

Lauren Patten originated the role of Jo in the new Alanis Morissette musical Jagged Little Pill both on Broadway (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards) and in the American Repertory Theater’s world premiere. Other theatre credits include: the Broadway production of Fun Home, The Wolves (Obie and Drama Desk winner), and Steven Levenson’s Days of Rage (Second Stage). Film and television credits include: “Blue Bloods,” “The Good Fight,” “Succession,” The Big Sick. www.laurenpatten.com @pattenlauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Gordon is president of the Outer Critics Circle and Senior Features Reporter at TheaterMania. He is a graduate of Hofstra University (BA in Journalism) and Brooklyn College (MA in Theater History and Criticism). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kate Rockwell recently starred as the original Karen Smith in Mean Girls: The Musical at the August Wilson Theater, which garnered her a Drama Desk Nomination. A natural brunette, her previous Broadway dumb blondes include originating the role of Skylar in Bring It On: The Musical, as well as roles in Rock of Ages, Hair, andLegally Blonde. She’s also been seen recently as Nina Bennett on Fox’s Almost Family, and on High Maintenance, Deadbeat, and Sex and the City: the Movie. Rockwell released her debut solo album, Back To My Roots, in 2018 on Broadway Records, and has performed her solo concert by the same name at Birdland Jazz Club, City Winery, and other venues in NYC. She is a WSET-certified wine lover and has the two cutest dogs on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The consummate New York actor, Tisch graduate Hubert Point-Du Jour has performed in over 20 plays commissioned by the likes of The Old Globe (The Two Gentleman of Verona), The Public (Tiny Beautiful Things) and Shakespeare in the Park (Kenny Leon’s Much Ado About Nothing) as well as been honored in two Obie Award winning productions (A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes; A Map of Virtue), all while simultaneously balancing a growing television career. After a string of appearances on Happyish, Madame Secretary, The Path, Blindspot and Elementary, he is making his series lead debut alongside Ethan Hawke in Showtime’s limited event series, The Good Lord Bird. An adaptation of James McBride’s novel by the same name, the series follows Hawke’s abolitionist ‘John Brown’ as he leads Point-Du Jour’s ‘Bob,’ Joshua Caleb Johnson’s ‘Onion’ and a small army of anti-slavery insurgents on a journey to raid the federal armory in Harpers Ferry in effort to ignite a slave revolt. Often

Jessica Vosk was beginning her concert tour this year before the world shut down—and also had the Honor of recently starring as the Narrator in the 50th anniversary of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, at Lincoln Center. She also created the role of Aunt Val in the world premiere of Becoming Nancy last year, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Before that, she finished an acclaimed run as Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, having played the role for 2 years. Vosk also recently starred in the NYC Ballet Jerome Robbins tribute Something to Dance About, directed by Warren Carlyle and re-created the role of Fruma Sarah in the most recent revival of Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof. Other Broadway: Finding Neverland, The Bridges of Madison County. She starred as Anita in the Grammy-nominated San Francisco Symphony’s West Side Story. Debut Solo Album “Wild and Free” available for purchase at www.jessicavosk.com. Follow along @jessicavosk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc

Erica Gimpel is an actor, singer-songwriter, producer and screenwriter. Known internationally for her performance as “Coco Hernandez” in the groundbreaking hit series FAME, Erica has gone on to star in numerous primetime and cable shows including: CHICAGO MED, SHUT EYE, TRUE BLOOD, CRIMINAL MINDS, GREY’S ANATOMY, NIKITA, RIZZOLI & ISLES, HOUSE, ER, PROFILER, and VERONICA MARS. Most recently Erica played "Trish" on the CBS drama GOD FRIENDED ME for two seasons. Film credits include: TUESDAY MORNING RIDEwith Ruby Dee, Wayne Wang’s SMOKE opposite Forest Whitaker, Abel Ferrara’s cult classic THE KING OF NEW YORK with Christopher Walken, Hal Hartely’s NO SUCH THINGwith Helen Mirren, FREAKY FRIDAY opposite Jaime Lee Curtis, ROMEO AND JULIET IN HARLEM, with Harry Lennix and Aunjanue Ellis. Next, Erica will be seen in SYLVIE'S LOVE with Tessa Thompson on Amazon Prime’s special Christmas release. Off-Broadway and Regional credits include: originating the roles of “Mayme” in Lynn Nottages’saward-winning INTIMATE APPARE

Stephen Bogardus was featured in the Broadway revival of Man of La Mancha as Dr. Sanson Carrasco.  Previously, he starred as Gabriel Conway in James Joyce’s, The Dead.   He has also appeared on Broadway as reporter Mike Connors in High Society and choreographer Gregory Mitchell in Terrance McNally’s Love! Valour! Compassion! for which he received a Tony Award nomination and Obie Award.  He was featured in the Alan Menken/Tim Rice opus King Davidwhich opened Disney’s newly restored New Amsterdam Theatre and in productions of Les Miserables and The Grapes of Wrath.  Mr. Bogardus is an original member of the Broadway production of Falsettos.  He created the role of Whizzer in the 1981 off-Broadway production of William Finn’s March of the Falsettos at Playwrights Horizons.  Nine years later he reprised the role in Falsettoland at Playwrights Horizons and the Lucille Lortel Theatre.  Between these engagements he portrayed Marvin in a revival of Finn’s In Trousers at the Promenade Theatre.  Stephen made his Broadw

KELLY HUTCHINSON IS AN ACTOR/WRITER WHO HAS APPEARED ON BROADWAY, OFF-BROADWAY, TV AND FILM. KELLY RECENTLY WROTE ON THE FIRST TWO SEASONS OF "DEAD TO ME" FOR CBS STUDIOS/NETFLIX (WGA AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST NEW SERIES). SHE WAS FEATURED IN THE 2019 "YOUNG AND HUNGRY LIST" WHICH REPRESENTS THE MOST TALKED ABOUT, MOST IN DEMAND, AND MOST IMPACTFUL WRITERS OF 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LIZ CAPLAN has been teaching and coaching voice since 1978 in New York City and lectures throughout the United States and Europe. Her students are currently featured in principle roles on Broadway, as artists in the recording industry, as well as actors on Film and TV. Many have also won the prestigious Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards. Besides working vocally with recording artists, Liz also does consulting work for all the major record labels. Additionally, Liz has the honor of working with many Tony and Grammy Award winning musical directors and arrangers. She consults on many projects long before they are fully realized, and as a result, she is able to get a sense of the upcoming trends in both musical theater and the music industry. Her students, therefore, benefit from a teacher who has an awareness of these new productions and their various musical styles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Firstman is an Actor and writer, known for The Disgustings (2014) and Sold (2014). He is a man of personality that has over 198,000 followers on Instagram. He, along with Charles Rogers (director) Charles Rogers, co-wrote and co-starred in the short film Men Don't Whisper, which was an official selection at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival as well as the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film follows a gay Couple with masculinity issues who attempt to sleep with women. It is produced by JASH and also stars Fort Tilden and Search Party actors Bridey Elliott and Clare McNulty, as well as a guest appearance by SNL alum Cheri Oteri. Rogers is also one of the filmmakers behind the multi-director feature film Black Dog (film), Red Dog, produced by James Franco and Rabbit Bandini Productions, starring Logan Marshall-Green, Chloë Sevigny, and Whoopi Goldberg, which premiered at the 2015 International Film Festival of Guanajuato. The film was a class project at the NYU Graduate Film program, taught by J

NICOLETTE ROBINSON starred in Waitress on Broadway. Nicolette holds the distinction of being the first African American woman to play the musical's leading lady, "Jenna." On television, Robinson played ‘Jane’ on Showtime’s Golden Globe Award-winning drama series, The Affair. She has also appeared on Hart of Dixie, Unforgettable, Perfect Couples, and Cold Case, among others. Most recent and upcoming roles include "Sade" in Freeform's limited series, Love in the Time of Corona, and "Barbara Cooke" in Regina King's One Night in Miami. Robinson is a graduate of UCLA's School of Theater, Film, & Television. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is producer of the musicals Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter, and Love In Hate Nation. She is also the Creative and Programming Director at Feinstein's/54 Below, and the author of The Untold Stories of Broadway book series. She is the creator of The Jonathan Larson Project and historian consultant on the upcoming film version of tick, tick...BOOM! Tepper was recently named recipient of a 2020 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award. As the leader of Feinstein's/54 Below's creative programming team, Tepper is responsible for programming every show at the Broadway supper club and concert venue. She has curated and overseen the production of over 3500 shows, ranging from musicals in concert, to original solo acts, to theatrical reunions, to songwriter celebrations, and beyond. Feinstein's/54 Below has become notable for being the only venue of its kind: presenting over a dozen shows every week, specializing in Broadway acts, and welcoming both traditional cabaret and innovative new work.

MARSHALL HERSKOVITZ is a writer, producer, and director who has won numerous awards for his work in television and film.  Born in Philadelphia, he attended Brandeis University, then moved to Los Angeles in 1975, where he attended the American Film Institute.  One of his classmates was Edward Zwick, and there the two created what is currently the longest-surviving creative partnership in Hollywood: The Bedford Falls Company, named for the town in Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life.  In the ensuing decades they created such TV series as thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again; and Herskovitz variously produced and/or wrote many films with Zwick, including Legends of the Fall, Traffic, The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond.  Herskovitz also directed Jack the Bear and the cult-favorite Dangerous Beauty. In 2007, Herskovitz created the groundbreaking online series and social network quarterlife, which at the time was the internet’s most successful scripted series, and the first online series to tran

Sasha Hutchings is an actress, foodie, lover of manatees, and collector of too many house plants. She was most recently seen as Laurey Williams in Oklahoma!, winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival. Sasha is notably an original cast member of Hamilton. Additional Broadway credits include My Fair Lady, Rocky, Motown, and Memphis. TV credits include Paula Kelly on Fosse/Verdon, The Bold Type, Jessica Jones, Master of None, Blue Bloods, and The Dangerous Book for Boys. Sasha is a teaching artist with the Arthur Miller Foundation, Epic Theatre Ensemble, and New York City public school theatre programs. She holds a BPA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly AuCoin is currently shooting season 5 of Showtime’s Billions, on which he plays ‘Dollar’ Bill Stearn. He also currently plays Warren Sloan on Freeform/HULU’s The Bold Type. Recent other recurring TV roles includes Pastor Tim on FX’s The Americans, Hercules Mulligan on AMC’s TURN, and Gary Stamper on House of Cards. Other TV includes Blacklist, The Slap, Madam Secretary, Person of Interest, The Following, The Good Wife, Elementary, Blue Bloods, Unforgettable, Body of Proof, Gossip Girl, White Collar, The Sopranos, Without A Trace, and many Law & Order episodes of various suffixes. His film credits include the upcoming The Good House (Amblin), False Positive (A24) and A Shot Through The Wall, as well as previous apperances in, among others, The Post, The Wizard of Lies, Julie & Julia, The Kingdom, All That I Am (SXSW Award; Ensemble Acting), Drunk Parents, Benji The Dove, Police State, The Music Never Stopped, and The Word. Theatre credits include Octavius Caesar in Julius Caesar on Broadway opposite Denz

Raúl Esparza is a Cuban-American stage and television actor, singer, and voice artist, best known for his role as New York Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Rafael Barba in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit where he had a recurring role in season 14 and was promoted to a series regular in seasons 15 to 19. He has received Tony nominations for his role as Philip Salon in the Boy George musical Taboo in 2004; Robert in the musical comedy Company in 2006; a lazy and snarky man in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming; and an aggressive volatile movie producer in David Mamet's Speed the Plow. He played the role of Riff Raff on Broadway in the revival of The Rocky Horror Show and the role of Caractacus Potts in the Broadway musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Esparza has been nominated in all Tony categories for which an actor is eligible. He is widely regarded for his versatility on stage, having performed musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, Boy George, and the Sherman Brothers and plays by M

Jelani Alladin is an artist and activist, mostly known for his stage work including Disney’s Frozen on Broadway and Hercules at the Public Theater. Upcoming TV/ Film: The Walking Dead: The World Beyond (AMC) and Respect (MGM). In addition, Jelani also writes and produces; having recently founded Dumont Millennial Productions. Jelani has a BFA in Drama from Tisch School of the Arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lauren is an acclaimed singer-songwriter who reaches over 90,000 listeners monthly. As an actor, she recently made her Broadway debut as Brooke Lohst in the viral sensation Be More Chill while enjoying her first month-long residency at the legendary Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. As an actor, select regional and New York credits also include: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Brooke Lohst in Be More Chill (Two River Theater and Signature Theatre), Brigid in The Humans (St. Louis Rep), Amy in Company (Barrington Stage), Beatsville (Asolo Rep), The Jonathan Larson Project (Feinstein’s/54 Below), Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along (Sharon Playhouse), Pregnancy Pact (Weston Playhouse), and Miss Asp in Love in Hate Nation (Two River Theater). Lauren is an alumnus of the Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project, and released her debut EP, Never Really Done With You, in July 2016. In 2015, her children’s musical, The Meanest Birthday Girl (book/lyrics), was part of the New Yor

Marisa Tomei continues to bridge the gap between rich, dramatic performances and smart, comedic turns. Marisa won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mona Lisa Vito in My Cousin Vinny. Tomei subsequently earned Academy Awards nominations for her performances in In the Bedroomand The Wrestler.  Marisa recently wrapped her run as “Serafina Delle Rose” in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of the acclaimed Tennessee Williams play The Rose Tattoo, which marked Marisa’s return to the Broadway stage. She also recently wrapped production on Netflix’s action film, Sweet Girl, where she will appear alongside Jason Mamoa. Next, she will star alongside Pete Davidson in Universal Pictures’ The King of Staten Island, a comedy film from Judd Apatow. The film will premiere as the opening night film at 2020 SXSW, before releasing nationwide on June 19, 2020. Recently, Marisa returned to the silver screen for ABC’s live special of Live In Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All In The F

Ariana DeBose is a Tony-nominated actress known for her varying roles on stage as well as on screen. DeBose is perhaps best known for her role as “Disco Donna” in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her a 2018 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. For the same role, she was nominated for a Drama League Award for “Distinguished Performance” and won a Chita Rivera Award for “Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show.”  DeBose recently wrapped production on Ryan Murphy's Netflix adaptation of the hit-Broadway musical THE PROM, where she stars as Alyssa alongside Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corden. In December, DeBose will be seen in Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated reimagining of the Academy Award-winning musical WEST SIDE STORY. DeBose was chosen from thousands of actresses to portray the iconic role of Anita, which earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in 1962.  In 2015, DeBose appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the groundbreaking, Tony-winning musical Hamilton