Broadway

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Sonya Tayeh

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with a not-to-be-missed season finale episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series. This week, Emmy nominee Sonya Tayeh joins Michael, Ellyn, and Kevin to discuss what it was like to choreograph, not one, but two musicals slated for Broadway this past season. Tayeh not only choreographed Moulin Rouge!, which opened late in the summer of 2019, but was also set to choreograph the New York Theatre Workshop’s production of Sing Street when the musical made its transfer to Broadway this spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Sing Street had to halt production before it had a chance to be seen by Broadway audiences.

In this episode, Tayeh talks about how her choreographic vision for both shows was born from the heart and soul of the stories themselves and how that process created a rigorous work for the dancers of Moulin Rouge!. She also lets us in on her early days dancing in Detroit’s underground rave scene, her incredible self-made trajectory into a choreography career, and the way her world changed when she booked a choreographic job on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. We are even treated to an emotionally vulnerable look behind the scenes into the days leading up to Fox’s early 2019 production of Rent Live!

Sonya Tayeh is a New York City based choreographer and director. Her work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range. Tayeh made her Broadway choreographic debut last summer when Moulin Rouge! opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Tayeh has also choreographed pieces for the Fall For Dance Festival at City Center, The Lucky Ones at Ars Nova, Kung Fu at the Signature, and many other projects for companies and venues like The Music Center in LA, New York Live Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Martha Graham Dance Company, and The Joyce Theatre. She has directed and choreographed for world renowned music artists including Miley Cyrus, Florence and the Machine, and Kyle Minogue. Tayeh choreographed Fox’s Rent Live! in 2019 and has gleaned many accolades for her versatile work, including two Emmy nominations for her work on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards for “Outstanding Choreography”, a Drama Desk nomination and a 2020 Drama Desk Award win for Moulin Rouge!

In this series, veteran Pod De Deux host Michael Mahany (Rock Of Ages, Wicked) was joined by fellow performers Ellyn Marie Marsh (The Rose Tattoo, Kinky Boots) and Kevin Michael Raponey (Rock Of Ages, Radio City). The trio sought to speak with all nine of the female choreographers who were slated to bring musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season. Read more about the unprecedented year for female choreographers in Michael Mahany’s blog post, “Broadway’s Remarkable Year For Women On Broadway.”

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Lizzi Gee

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Lizzi Gee, the choreographer behind this past season’s production of A Christmas Carol.

In this episode, the remarkable Lizzi Gee discusses what it meant to her to travel across the pond to bring A Christmas Carol to Broadway. She also gives us a peek into how she balances running her Gee-Force School Of Dance, working closely with the incredible Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg South Africa, serving as an associate of the Old Vic, and being a mother to two boys.

On top of creating the choreography for the 2019-2020 Broadway production of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Lizzi Gee is also a Movement Director, dance practitioner, and teacher whose work spans across all aspects of theatre, opera, film and television.

Gee was nominated for a 2019 “What’s On Stage Award” for her work choreographing ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ in London’s Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Her other credits include The National Theatre, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, English National Opera, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffield Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse, and many West End and touring theaters.

Gee was recently made an Associate at the Old Vic Theatre. In addition, she owns her own dance school just outside of London called the Gee-Force School Of Dance where she trains children and adults from the age of 3 on up. She is often a guest lecturer and dance coach for many theatre schools across the UK, and when she manages to find the time, she also volunteers at Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg South Africa, a home for children and mothers affected by HIV.

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: CARRIE-ANNE INGROUILLE

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Six The Musical choreographer, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. In the episode, Carrie-Anne discusses the growth, inspiration, and magic behind the female-driven musical Six. She also offers listeners a glimpse into the evening of March 12th: the day that not only marked the beginning of the theatre world’s industry-wide shut-down, but also the evening that was set to be the opening night celebration of Six on Broadway

Originally from Guernsey — an island in the English Channel — Carrie-Anne Ingrouille was nominated for an Olivier Award for her choreography for Six The Musical. She is also the choreographer of the Broadway transfer production of Six that’s made its way to the US, via stops at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, ART in Cambridge, MA, and the Ordway Center in St. Paul, MN.

Also serving as the resident choreographer of Hamilton in London’s West End, Carrie-Anne began her early dance career at the Avril Earl Dance and Theatre Arts Centre. At 19, she moved to London to continue her training at The Centre Performing Arts College. Since 2005, she has been a core member of ZooNation Dance Company, where she wears many hats — including Associate Director, Resident Director, Choreographer and Teacher. Her performance credits with ZooNation include – Into the Hoods, Some Like it Hip Hop, ZooNation 10th Anniversary, ZooNation: Unplugged, The Show of Life, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, and the handover ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics, 2008.

Carrie-Anne’s other performing and choreography credit’s include Blaze, The Street Dance Sensation, Groove on Down the Road, Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, The Suicide ( at The National), “I Can’t Sing” The X Factor Musical (at The London Palladium), The 2012 International Olympic Committee Heads of State Performance, and Breakin’ Convention’s “Back to the Lab” at Sadler’s Wells.

In this new series, veteran Pod De Deux host Michael Mahany (Rock Of Ages, Wicked) is joined by fellow performers Ellyn Marie Marsh (The Rose Tattoo, Kinky Boots) and Kevin Michael Raponey (Rock Of Ages, Radio City). The trio seeks to speak with all nine of the female choreographers who were slated to bring musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season. Read more reporting about the unprecedented year for female choreographers in Michael Mahany’s blog post, “Broadway’s Remarkable Year For Women On Broadway.”

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Lucy Hind

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Girl From The North Country choreographer, Lucy Hind.

In the episode, Lucy discusses the development of the Broadway musical ‘Girl From The North Country’ and the effects of halting performances due to COVID-19. She speaks eloquently about how the show mirrors our situation as a global society, in which “we’re all in the same storm but not in the same boat.” We also heard from Lucy about her start as a dancer growing up in South Africa before moving to the UK, her time dancing with the remarkable David Toole, and the inspiring movement work she’s done with Slung Low Theatre company.

Born in South African, choreographer and movement director Lucy Hind brought Girl From The North Country — a musical in which she shapes dance to the music of classic Bob Dylan songs — to Broadway this year. Lucy has worked on the show since its world premiere at London’s Old Vic Theatre back in 2017, for which she won critical acclaim. She’s also responsible for shows like Sting’s The Last Ship (UK, Toronto, and the recent US tour), The Light in the Piazza (London, LA, and Chicago), Ugly Lies the Bone at the National Theatre in London, Miss Littlewood at the RSC, The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare’s Globe and US Tour). Lucy is also an Associate Artist of Slung Low Theatre, works regularly on television for the BBC, and was the movement director for TRUTHSEEKERS for Amazon Studios.

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: KELLY DEVINE

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with the second episode of the “Women Of Broadway” summer series! This week we’re featuring Kelly Devine, Choreographer of Broadway’s Diana: A True Musical Story.

In addition to discussing her work on Broadway’s Diana, Kelly delves into everything from her start as a child dancer in Los Angeles to running auditions for adult dancers at age 13, to “trampolining” into Broadway choreography stardom with Rock Of Ages. She also reminds us how Come From Away serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty in humanity.

In this new series, veteran Pod De Deux host Michael Mahany (Rock Of Ages, Wicked) is joined by fellow performers Ellyn Marie Marsh (The Rose Tattoo, Kinky Boots) and Kevin Michael Raponey (Rock Of Ages, Radio City). The trio seeks to speak with all nine of the female choreographers who were slated to bring musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season.

Read more reporting about the unprecedented year for female choreographers in Michael Mahany’s blog post, “Broadway’s Remarkable Year For Women On Broadway.”

After working with Sergio Trujillo as the associate choreographer on Jersey Boys, Kelly Devine was launched into stardom when the Off-Broadway hit Rock Of Ages transferred to the Great White Way in 2009. On top of Rock Of Ages, Kelly has choreographed Broadway shows like Rocky, Doctor Zhivago, Come From Away, Escape To Margaritaville, and most recently, Diana: A True Musical Story. She’s earned Astaire, Chita Rivera, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and two Tony nominations and won an Olivier Award for her work on Come From Away in the West End. On television, Kelly choreographed for Amazon’s Mozart In The Jungle and is currently the series choreographer on the CW series, Katy Keene.

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Lorin Latarro

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Episode 1 of the “Women Of Broadway” Series hosted by Michael Mahany, Ellyn Marie Marsh, & Kevin Michael Raponey

In this first episode of Pod De Deux’s “Women Of Broadway” series, Broadway choreographer Lorin Latarro sits down with Michael, Ellyn, and Kevin to discuss her current Broadway show, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire,’ and much more! Lorin lets us in on how she was drawn to dance early on, her time at Juilliard (and how she skipped school to audition!), and her extensive resume as a performer, including 14 Broadway shows. She also talks about how the industry-wide pandemic shutdown has personally affected her and others in the Broadway community.

In the “Women Of Broadway” series, Pod De Deux seeks to speak with all 9 of the female choreographers who were slated to bring 14 new musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season.

WELCOME TO POD DE DEUX: Our New Co-host Michael Mahany!

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After a particularly busy fall performance season, Jessica and Clara decided to bring a new co-host onto the Pod de Deux team – and could not have been more thrilled when Michael Mahany jumped on board!! Despite a demanding schedule performing with the recently extended Rock of Ages and serving as New York City Correspondent & Host for Dance Network TV, Michael has already brought remarkable energy, enthusiasm and much-needed social media skills to Pod de Deux. After many years of interviewing dance stars on the Dance Network red carpet and publishing written interviews (like this one with PDD guest Tiffany Mills!), Michael also brings a familiarity with Broadway and commercial dance that will help PDD widen its scope even further. This refreshing new energy is just what we needed for 2020. Welcome, Michael! (Listeners you can follow Michael on instagram at @michaelmahany – and don’t forget @rockofagesmusical and Dance Network at @watchdancetv !)

IT’S NOT GLAMOROUS: Rina Saltzman

In this episode, Clara sits down with Rina Saltzman, Company Manager on Broadway and former Company Manager for American Ballet Theater. We learn about what a Company Manager does, how the inner workings and funding structures of the ballet world contrast with Broadway, and how we might see more in-depth mixing of the two going forward. It was great to hear that business is booming on Broadway! Rina’s current show, Pretty Woman, will have its New York preview on July 20th and open officially on August 16th!! (more…)

REACH FARTHER: Fran Kirmser

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In this episode, we interview Fran Kirmser, co-author of the new book, A Life in Dance: A Practical Guide. Fran revealed how a class assignment turned into a quest with Rebecca Stenn to create a resource book for dancers. Fran read from the book and shared some stories from contributing artists. Throughout our conversation, we talked about the various strengths and skills dancers possess that they can rely on to make their own life in dance and beyond. Look for the book on Amazon and www.alifeindance.com. (more…)

DANCE BELONGS TO EVERYONE: Bennyroyce Royon

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We were thrilled to speak with Pod de Deux’s first Broadway dancer in this episode with Dancer/Choreographer Bennyroyce Royon. Currently a cast member in the Broadway revival of The King and I, as well as Artistic Director of BENNYROYCE DANCE, Bennyroyce had plenty of insight to share about how the concert dance world compares to Broadway, the conversational process behind this larger-than-life Broadway production, and the balancing of identities as a busy dance maker. Don’t miss him in The King and I, and don’t miss the next BENNYROYCE DANCE performance on April 21st at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture.

I’M THE CARTOON GIRL: Wendy Seyb

In this episode we chat with triple threat Writer/Director/Choreographer Wendy Seyb about her experience bringing comedy to movement in dance, theater and film. Wendy tells us about finding her niche in comedy, choreographing The Pee Wee Herman Show for Broadway and watching the dance world evolve over time. As usual we uncover some fun tidbits along the way – like Wendy’s role as Sebastian the Crab on the Disney stage!