aBrandee Danielle Huston is currently the Hair Supervisor at Hamilton Broadway, and has been in the entertainment industry her entire life. She grew up in a 5th generation carnival concession business and has been working since she was two years old. Inspired by painting people's faces at carnivals, she started working in theatre, and when she saw that there was a job in fixing the Santa beards for the famous Rockettes show and she thought, "Why am I not doing THIS?!" Brandee did everything from pushing boxes backstage, electrical work, sound, handling props, driving a forklift, you name it... all while going to cosmetology school. There's not a guidebook for breaking into the industry and working with the unions but this episode is definitely a very good start.
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This week, Julian Ramos (Hamilton LA, And Peggy, Philip Tour) is back with a love letter to New York, New York: both the city and the musical. He tells us about the tap number on the beam, what instruments he actually knows how to play, and why the one and only John Kander is the coolest person he has ever met.
Plus, more love and stories from his time with Hamilton, what it was like working with Lin-Manuel Miranda again on another show, and the inspirations behind his fantastic sense of style.
New York, New York Original Broadway Cast Recording
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The effervescent Julian Ramos is back on the podcast! He was first on back in 2018, when he and Fergie Philippe came on together during rehearsals for the Philip Tour. Julian spent over four years touring with Hamilton, and his story with the show is incredible. He recently made his Broadway debut in New York, New York and is truly living his dreams, which all started with a certified meet-cute with living legend Susan Stroman.
This week, Julian tells me about growing up in Indiana, falling in love with musical theatre, and then moving to New York City to pursue his career. He even worked as a host at The Public Theater when Hamilton was there, seating people like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Oskar Eustis.
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In the final episode of this three part series, Cristina Lundy and Fergie L. Philippe bring it home in a way only the two of them can. We kick off the Patreon Peeps and they’re off and running talking about The Muppets, Sesame Street, Othello, unexpected takes on Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet set in a nursing home, for example), favorite Shakespeare take downs, movies we can't believe haven't been turned into musicals yet, and the idea of kids putting on Hamilton Jr.
Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary, Vol. 1: Volume 1
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This week we bring back #YayHamlet! Cristina Lundy and Fergie L. Philippe talk about the similarities between Hamilton (the musical) and the works of Shakespeare, and why actors need to honor those pieces in the same way. Hint: no need to overact it; all the words are right there on the page. And they're not saying it's easy! Fergie used to think he had to do Shakespeare in a British accent because FANCY. We also talk about an unrealistic need for all works of art to be perfect and right and accurate when in reality, so much of it is about writers being inspired by, as Cristina says, "the influences that pollinate them as artists."
Plus! Dream casting! Cristina and Fergie cast Hamilton actors in a slew of Shakespeare plays, they cast a Ted Lasso Much Ado About Nothing, and then we cast Ted Lasso characters in Hamilton.
A Tribe Called Quest ft. Busta Rhymes - Scenario (LP Mix)
The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act
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