Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Internationally renowned theater choreographer and director, SERGIO TRUJILLO is the first ever Latinx recipient of the Tony Award for Best Choreography. He was honored with the Tony in 2019 for AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS. Additionally, he won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for MEMPHIS. Sergio was previously nominated for several awards including a Tony Award for ON YOUR FEET!, Drama Desk Awards for HANDS ON A HARDBODY, LEAP OF FAITH, MEMPHIS, and JERSEY BOYS, a Lucille Lortel Award for SAVED, and received an Ovation Award for EMPIRE. He made his Broadway debut in 1999, dancing in JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY. As a dancer, he has performed on Broadway in GUYS AND DOLLS, VICTOR/VICTORIA, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, and FOSSE. Sergio made his choreographic debut in 2005 with Broadway’s ALL SHOOK UP. His success expanded from there with JERSEY BOYS — which continues to grow in popularity worldwide. In 2011, four of his productions ran simultaneously on Broadway: NEXT TO NORMAL (2010 Pulitzer Prize), THE ADDAMS FAMILY, MEMPHIS (Olivier Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, NAACP Award, Drama Desk Award nomination, Astaire Award nomination), and JERSEY BOYS (Greenroom Award, Olivier Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nomination, Dora Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award nomination). Adding to his list of Broadway choreography credits are SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL (Chita Rivera Award, NAACP Award nomination), A BRONX TALE (Chita Rivera Award nomination), and GUYS AND DOLLS (Astaire Award nomination). Recent directing credits include Cirque Du Soleil’s PARAMOUR currently playing in Germany, ARRABAL for American Repertory Theater (Elliot Norton Award for best direction), the North American tour of FLASH DANCE THE MUSICAL, and the Broadway concert of GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE. Sergio is bringing a number of Latinx musicals aimed at bringing forth the stories of the Hispanic Culture in America. Some of his favorite future productions include: WAITING FOR SNOW IN HAVANA based on the book of the same title by Carlos Eire, LIVES IN LIMBO based on the book by Roberto Gonzales, REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES based on the play by Josefina Lopez, and CASA DE LAS FLORES inspired the Netflix Series by Manolo Caro. He has introduced audiences to his choreography in many noteworthy Off-Broadway shows including INVISIBLE THREAD for Second Stage, ROMEO & JULIET for The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN and KISMET for New York City Center Encores!, THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK for Dodger Stages, and BARE: A POP OPERA for the American Theatre for Actors. Sergio works and resides in New York City. He is proud to be the first choreographer ever invited to serve as a voting member of the American Theatre Wing’s Advisory Committee for the Tony Awards, is an avid supporter of and serves on the advisory boards of R.Evolution Latina and New York Theatre Barn, and is an active member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Sergio is Colombian born, and was raised in Toronto. He studied science at the University of Toronto, and later pursued further education by attending chiropractic school. Recently he was distinguished as one of the Top 100 Colombians in the world by President Juan Manuel Santos and was voted as one of the top 50 Creative Colombian Artists in the world by Forbes Magazine. Since 1990, he has been in a loving and inspiring relationship with actor Jack Noseworthy. They married in 2011 and were ecstatic to welcome their baby boy, Lucas Alejandro Truworthy, in March 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eden Espinosa is most recognized for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Elphaba in "Wicked” on Broadway and in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other credits include originating the title character in “Brooklyn the Musical”, Flora in “Flora the Red Menace,” and Maureen in the closing company of “Rent” on Broadway. Eden also originated the role of Sadie Thompson in the world premiere of “Rain”, at the Old Globe Theater. She portrayed Eva Peron in TPAC and Studio Tenn’s production of “Evita”. In 2017 she toured Denmark and London playing Emma Borden in the rock musical “Lizzie”. She played Mary Flynn to rave reviews in Maria Freidmans productions of “Merrily We Roll Along” at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. Eden was Daniela in Kennedy Center’s “In The Heights”. Also portrayed Anita in West Side Story for the BBC PROMS at the Royal Albert Hall. Most recently she originated the role of Tamara De Lempicka in the world premiere of “Lempicka” at Williamstown Theatre Festival, directed by Rachel Chavkin. Her television appearances include shows such as Law and Order, Ugly Betty, and Elementary. Voiceover credits include Cassandra in the Disney Channel’s Tangled the Series, Robot Chicken, MAD TV, Elena of Avalor, and Titan Maximum Eden’s debut album, Look Around, charted in the Pop iTunes top 50 between Adele and Katy Perry. Her second album REVELATION of all new original music was released in January 2019. Karen Olivo is a television, film, and stage actor who is most recognized for her Tony Award-winning performance as Anita in the acclaimed 2009 Broadway revival of West Side Story, a role for which she also earned Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Astaire Award nominations. Some of her Broadway theater credits include originating the role of Vanessa in the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights (2008 Astaire Award) and starring as Faith in the Broadway production of Brooklyn The Musical.  She played the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago production of Hamilton and currently stars as Satine in Moulin Rouge on broadway. Additional theatre credits include Murder Ballad at the Manhattan Theater Club, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage at 2nd Stage, and The Miracle Brothers directed by Tina Landau at the Vineyard Theatre. Olivo is also recognized for her many television appearances including recurring & guest-starring roles on “The Good Wife,” “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior,” “Chase,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Conviction,” and “Law & Order.” Karen Olivo is a native New Yorker who currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Olivo recently taught Musical Theater Styles at UW-Madison as well as working as a teaching artist and writer for Theatre LILA, she serves on the Advisory Committee for Forward Theater and she also coaches students in her private Madison studio. Karen also released her first solo, ‘Leave,’ album in 2017. www.Karenolivo.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howard Sherman is a theatre administrator, writer, and advocate. He has been executive director of the American Theatre Wing and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, managing director of Geva Theatre, general manager of Goodspeed Musicals, and public relations director of Hartford Stage, as well as interim director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts. He has also held administrative positions at the Westport Country Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays.  Since 2012, he has been the US columnist and a feature writer for The Stage newspaper in London, and in 2018 was named Contributing Editor of Stage Directions magazine. His writing has appeared in a number of other publications including Slate, The New York Times, The Guardian, and American Theatre magazine.  Howard frequently consults, writes and speaks on issues of censorship and artists’ rights in both academic and professional theatre and he created the Arts Integrity Initiative in 2015 to focus on those efforts. He has delivered keynote addresses for, among others, the Educational Theatre Association, KCACTF, Florida Association for Theatre Education, and the Texas Educational Theatre Association’s Arts Program Administrators Conference. He was cited as one of the Top 40 Free Speech Defenders in 2014 by the National Coalition Against Censorship and received the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund’s “Defender” Award in 2015.  A native of New Haven, Connecticut and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Howard resides in New York with his wife, producer Lauren Doll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After graduating from Yale University with a B.A. in Theatre Studies, Josh made his professional acting debut in the Broadway production of Aaron Sorkin’s A FEW GOOD MEN. He went on to star as Jeremy Goodwin in Sorkin’s critically acclaimed television series SPORTS NIGHT. Later, Josh co-starred as Will Bailey in Sorkin’s multi- Emmy winning THE WEST WING. Other Sorkin credits include the hit features THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and MALICE.  For three seasons, Josh portrayed multi-millionaire Peter Alpert on USA Network’s hit IN PLAIN SIGHT. Josh’s film credits include the comedy A VIEWFROM THE TOP with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mike Meyers, IN THE LINE OF FIRE with Clint Eastwood, and BULWORTH with Warren Beatty and Halle Berry. For seven seasons, Josh co-starred as David Rosen on ABC’s hit show SCANDAL. A co-creator of Bravo’s hit show CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN, and a co-host of the podcast THE WEST WING WEEKLY, Josh was seen recently as President Siebert on the final season of THE BIG BANG THEORY. He can currently be seen on the final season of Showtimke’s SHAMELESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAURICIO MARTÍNEZ is a Mexican Emmy Winning actor, Broadway veteran and recording artist. He recently starred as Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet! The Story Of Emilio & Gloria Estefan on Broadway and in the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical memoir Unmasked at PaperMill Playhouse. He can also be seen in NBC Universo’s original Emmy Wining TV series “El Vato” on Netflix.  Mauricio’s television credits include multiple Telenovela’s in Univision and Telemundo like Señora Acero and La Mujer Del Vendaval as well as the 40th Annual Kennedy Honors on CBS and “The 2019 Gershwin Prize” on PBS (performing next to artists like Patti Labelle, Cindy Lauper, Rita Moreno, Andy García and Gloria Estefan).  In the Mexico City stage, Mauricio starred in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Saturday Night Fever, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweet Charity, the premiere Spanish versions of Off Broadway's The Last Five Years, Songs From An Unmade Bed and Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge, among others.  Mauricio has released two Latin pop albums available on iTunes and is currently working on his first english album with Broadway Records. Follow @martinezmau on Instagram & Twitter Facebook.com/MauricioMartinezOficial  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Murney last appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked after playing the role on the national tour for which she received an Acclaim Award. Other New York credits include Lennon, The Wild Party (Drama Desk nomination), The Vagina Monologues, Falling (Drama Desk nomination), A Class Act, The Landing, Saved, Crimes of the Heart, Queen of the Mist, and Time and Again (Lucille Lortel nomination). She’s been seen regionally all over the U.S.- Signature, Muny, Williamstown, Reprise!LA, Sacramento Music Circus, NCT, Lyric, Rubicon and Goodspeed, to name a few-and in concert she has performed solo shows nationally as well as in NYC at Feinstein's/54 Below, Birdland, Joe's Pub & Ars Nova. Symphony appearances have ranged from Carnegie Hall to The Kennedy Center, Caramoor to Town Hall, from Malaysia to Maui & a lot of spots in between. Among her TV credits are Madam Secretary, 30 Rock, Sex and the City, Elementary, Brothers and Sisters, Ed, NYPD Blue, all the Law and Orders, First You Dream and about a gazillion voiceovers. A Syracuse University graduate, her recordings include the original cast albums of The Wild Party and A Class Act, the Grammy nominated Actor’s Fund Benefit of Hair and her first solo album I’m Not Waiting, which is available on iTunes & on her website, juliamurney.com. Twitter: @juliamurney Instagram: @pepamama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Max von Essen is a Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy nominated singer and actor best known for his role as Henri in the award winning production of An American in Paris on Broadway. Most recently, he completed a year long run in the Broadway production of Anastasia and then toured the country in Lincoln Center Theater's revival of Falsettos. Other Broadway credits include Evita, the revivals of Les Miz and Jesus Christ Superstar, Dance of the Vampires, and the closing company of the original Les Miz. Additional New York credits include Yours Unfaithfully, Death Takes a Holiday, The Jerry Springer Opera, Hello Again, Finian's Rainbow and The Fantasticks. Tours include Xanadu, West Side Story and Chicago. TV & Film include Law & Order: SVU, Elementary, Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife, Royal Pains, Gossip Girl, Seven Lovers, Sex and the City 2, and the webseries Submissions Only. Max's concert work has brought him all across the country and Canada, including The Kennedy Center, Birdland Jazz Club and a recent solo debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops. Recordings include An American in Paris, Evita, Death Takes a Holiday, Finian's Rainbow, Love Songs of Andrew Lloyd Weber, and his debut solo album, Call Me Old Fashioned: The Broadway Standard, now available on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicole Kang stars in the CW television series BATWOMAN as Mary Hamilton. Kang was also  seen on Greg Berlanti's Lifetime/Netflix series YOU. In the highly successful show, based off of Caroline Kepnes’ bestselling novel, she starred as Lynn alongside Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail and Shay Mitchell. Her other television credits include: THE CODE, INSTINCT and ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. On the big screen, Kang was most recently seen in SWALLOW, which premiered at the TriBeCa film festival, and will next be seen in TEN MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, THE SOCIAL ONES and FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. She has starred in numerous productions on stage including the 2016 production of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY at the Folger Theatre, for which she earned a Helen Hayes Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play. Kang is an NYU BFA trained actress and a proud member of The Actor’s Studio.  #ProtectMary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you navigate managing the social media site for an entertainment magazine when there is a national crisis happening? How do you share content that works for both older and newer Broadway fans? How do you keep the conversation about theater going when there is no live theater due to a global pandemic? Meet Felicia Fitzpatrick the social media director for Playbill- the theater publication known all around the world to theater lovers. Felicia is the first black female department head at Playbill and is a pioneer in the social media landscape. She also hosts  “CALL AND RESPONSE” a podcast that explores the intersection of Blackness and the performing arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did you ever wonder what the relationship between the stars and the writers of a hit sitcom is like? Go behind the scenes with Modern Family’s Ty Burrell and writer/exec producer Bill Wrubel  With a range of performances across television, film, and theater, award winner Ty Burrell continues to proves himself as one of the finest and most versatile actors today.    Burrell starred on ABC’s critically acclaimed hit, Modern Family. The actor garnered countless awards for his fan-favorite role of ‘Phil Dunphy’ including the 2014 and 2011 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; the 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series; the 2012 Critics Choice Television Award for the Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; as well as the 2012 Comedy Award in the category of Performance by An Actor – TV.  In 2012, Burrell shared the TCA Award with Nick Offerman for Individual Achievement in Comedy. Additionally, he has received notable nominations from the Teen Choice Awards, the Television Critics Association Awards, the People's Choice Awards, the American Comedy Awards and the Kids' Choice Awards, all for his role on the series.  In July 2020, Burrell launched his production company, Desert Whale Productions, and signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, the studio behind the acclaimed comedy series, Modern Family. Desert Whale’s first sale under the deal is for the comedy show, Yours, Mine & Paul. The show centers on a woman named Lauren who agrees to be a surrogate for her best friend, Paul, and his husband Xander despite her and Xander hating each other. The show has been put into development at ABC and it was recently announced Sarah Hyland is set to star in the series.   On stage, Burrell starred to incredible reviews in the world premiere of Caryl Churchill's two-hander play, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Burrell's extensive Broadway and Off-Broadway theater credits include the highly acclaimed Signature Theater Off-Broadway production of Burn This opposite Edward Norton, Catherine Keener and Dallas Roberts; starring as Lord Buckingham in the Public Theater's production of Richard III opposite Peter Dinklage and directed by Peter DuBois; and starring opposite Debra Monk and Judy Greer in Paul Weitz's Show People, directed by Peter Askin at Second Stage Theater.  Burrell has been a longtime supporter of KIDS IN THE SPOTLIGHT (KITS) which trains youth in foster programs and other under-served youth to create, write, cast and star in their own 10-minute short films. This training culminates in an annual film festival where they present “Movies by Kids, for Kids.” During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Burrell created the program, “Tip Your Server,” to raise money for restaurant employees in Salt Lake City, Utah who lost their jobs due to restaurant closures. Burrell and his wife, Holly, donated $100,000 of their own funds to help ease the burden for the vulnerable members of the Salt Lake community.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Boniello is an actor, musician, writer, and Tony Award winning producer from New York City. Most recently, he starred as Connor Murphy in the Broadway production of “Dear Evan Hansen” and has also appeared on Broadway as the voice of Moritz in Deaf West’s revival of “Spring Awakening.” Additionally, he is represented on Broadway in “Hadestown” for which he received a Tony Award as a co-producer. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he created “Broadway JackBox” and "Broadway Whodunit" alongside his Dear Evan Hansen co-star, Andrew Barth Feldman. Broadway JackBox has raised over $100,000 for the Actor’s Fund since its creation. He can be seen in numerous television shows and films, has appeared in many theatre productions across New York City and North America, and his original work as a songwriter and singer is available wherever music is sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A conversation with my father.  Robert (Bob) Levine was born on December 16th, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Julius, was a Certified Public Accountant by profession, his mother, Tess, was a homemaker and president of the P.T.A and both my grandparents were constantly volunteering for the many organizations  that supported the causes they believed in. Their commitment to social activism was passed down to my father and his siblings and then to me and it is my hope that my children will continue that legacy to be activists for the things they believe in and to use their voices even when others wish it to  be silenced. During the Covid-19 pandemic my visits with my parents were limited to good weather days when we could be outside with each other and talk from a distance. This conversation was recorded during one of those visits in December of 2020 at their home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cheyenne Jackson is a Grammy-nominated actor, singer, and songwriter who most recently was seen starring in HBO Max’s four-part LGBTQ+ Docuseries "Equal," Peacock's "Saved by the Bell" Reboot as well as Kenny Ortega's hit Netflix series "Julie and the Phantoms."  Cheyenne previously collaborated with Kenny Ortega as he appeared in Disney's hugely popular "Descendants 3." He appeared in multiple seasons FX and Ryan Murphy's award-winning horror anthology "American Horror Story." On television, Jackson has also starred on HBO's "Watchmen," Paramount Networks “American Woman,” opposite Alicia Silverstone, NBC’s 30 Rock as “Danny Baker” for four seasons, and “Dustin Goolsby” on Glee. Other television credits include "The Morning Show," "Family Practice," "Life on Mars," "Ugly Betty," "It Takes a Village," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Local Talent," "HR," and "Law and Order."  Jackson has appeared in numerous films including the 2006 Academy Award-nominated United 93, Behind the Candleabra, The Green, Price Check; Lola Versus, Love is Strange, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Mutual Friends, Opening Night, Beautiful Now, Day out of Days and Hello Again. He will also appear in the forthcoming feature, Werewolves Within.  On and off Broadway, Jackson has starred in The Performers, The Most Happy Fella, 8, Finian’s Rainbow (Drama Desk nomination), Damn Yankees, Xanadu (Drama League and Drama Desk nominations), The Agony & the Agony, All Shook Up (Theater World Award, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle nominations), the premiere cast of Altar Boyz, Aida, Thoroughly Modern Millie, On the 20th Century, and The 24 Hour Plays Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Native of Washington D.C. Has just finished a successful Three year run of The First National Tour Of The Book Of Mormon. He has been seen on Broadway in The Book Of Mormon, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate,You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lion King, Jelly’s Last Jam and Oh Kay. Off Broadway credits include: St. Louis Woman with Vanessa Williams(Ugly Betty)at City Center’s Encores, Death Of A Salesman at Yale Rep with Charles Dutton(Rock), Lynn Nottage Ruined at Florida Studio Theatre, August Wilson’s Radio Golf at Kansas City Rep, Gem Of The Ocean(Seattle Rep) directed by Phylicia Rashad, Fences(Bristol Riverside Theater), Master Harold And The Boys(Triad Theater/Greensboro Carolina),You Can’t Take It With You(Pioneer Theater Co/Salt Lake City Utah,Blues For An Alabama Sky(Cleveland Playhouse), Day Of Absence( Baltimore Center Stage), Of Mice And Men(Dallas Theater Center), Cinderella(PaperMill Playhouse/ NJ) Williams And Walker (Bermuda Theater Festival)and Spunk directed by George Wolf at The Mark Taper Theater in LA and The Royal Court Theater in London. Television: Law & Order, Criminal Intent, SNL, Late Night With Conan O’Brien. Film: Magic Sticks, Dark Streets(SuperFly), Brother To Brother( Sundance Winner), Santa Baby (Animation Starring, Eartha Kitt, Gregory Hines and Vanessa Williams),Family On Board and Steve McQueen’s Shame. He has danced with Charles Moore African Drummers And Dancers. Done Commercials and voice-overs, and has taught and directed as a Teaching and Guest Artist for Rosie’s Theater Kids, Creative Arts Team NYU, Periwinkle Productions, Sacred Heart Arts Program, New Jersey Playwrights and The Brazo Valley Troupe of Bryan Texas. He studied Musical Theater at The Washington International College in D.C., HB studios and Cythia Belgrave’s Studio in NYC and was a member of Ebony Impromptu Theater Company in Washington D.C. He is a recipient of The Fred Astaire Award 1989, Monarch Award,1991, and The 2006 Adelco Award, Stanley is currently working on his won one-man show entitled “ Truth Be Told” and his multimedia play called “Preachin’ To The Choir/An Inconvenient Truth”. You can also catch Stanley as Principal Evan Ward on NBC’s Premier Season of “Rise” by the producers of Hamilton and Friday Night Lights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Allan Krill is an American actor who has crafted a career on Broadway, off-Broadway, at prestigious regional theaters, and in television. He studied at Wayne State University, where he received the Lily Tomlin Scholarship for Theatre. Sean was nominated for a 2020 Tony Award, Best Performance by a Featured Actor, for his role as Steve Healy in Jagged Little Pill, the acclaimed Broadway musical inspired by Alanis Morissette's groundbreaking 1995 album. He is also a Carbonell Award and Leon Rabin Award nominee, a Joseph Jefferson Award and Craig Noel Award recipient, and lives in New York, NY. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices