Why I’ll Never Make It

For the next couple of weeks will be talking to directors of the New York Youth Symphony. Founded in 1963 as an orchestra to showcase the metropolitan area’s most gifted musicians ages 12-22, its activities have since grown to encompass programs in chamber music, conducting, composition, and jazz, with performances at world class venues including Carnegie Hall and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Today’s guest is Michael Repper who is in his second year as Music Director of the NYYS Orchestra. He is an emerging conductor of classical music, jazz, pops, and musical theater.  A graduate of Stanford University, he recently completed his doctoral residency at the Peabody Conservatory of Music as a student of Gustav Meier and his longtime mentor, Marin Alsop, a world-famous conductor and violinist who is also an alumna of the NY Youth Symphony.

Michael talks about his own path to conducting and the importance of music education and his passion for helping foster the next generation of artists.

ALSO...this marks our very first podcast give away! As Michael said one of the best ways to support the Youth Symphony is by attending their concerts...so to everyone who reposts or retweets this episode will receive a 25% discount code on tickets to their December 2 concert here in NYC. And from those re-posting and retweeting one lucky winner will win two free tickets to the concert!

For more details follow the “Why I’ll Never Make It” podcast on Instagram and Twitter where you too can spread the word about New York youth Symphony and join Patrick at their concert, December 2 at Carnegie Hall.

Learn more about:

New York Youth Symphony
Michael Repper

John McGinty lost his hearing at a young age and for years headed toward a career in Finance. But theater kept calling him, and he finally answered by moving to New York to see if he could make it. On this episode he shares the twists and turns of that journey and what keeps him motivated and focused. John also opens up about lessons he learned, and that we all can learn, from his Broadway debut in the revival of CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, which The Hollywood Reporter called "forceful and spontaneous."

He also spoke of his performance in Hunchback of Notre Dame and in a short film Sign, directed by Andrew Keenan Bolger.

Follow John on Twitter and learn more about his career on is website.

You can also watch this interview, our very first video podcast, on YouTube.

ASL Interpreter - Craig Fogel

Our first ever mini-episode with Patrick, focusing on why he'll never make it as well as why he's still here. Patrick also talks about the wonderful camaraderie within the theater community and pays loving tribute to Marin Mazzie, who passed away last month from ovarian cancer. Her light still shines and her impact is still felt on a grateful theater community to whom she gave so much.

Read more about Marin's joy and positivity as she confronted cancer.

In Part Two of our look at Only Make Believe, Patrick talks to Jackie Miller, Artistic Director of the acting company, and two of the actors, Dan Domingues and Jeanette Bonner. 

They share the process of bringing interactive theater to children in hospitals and care facilities. From choosing the right type of shows that best fits the kids and their medical conditions to rehearsing scripts and coordinating actor schedules, a lot of time and effort goes into these productions...and all at no cost to the hospitals or children.

Each of them also discuss their lives before OMB and what they currently do in addition to their work with this organization.

• With over twelve years of experience as a director and curator of arts programming across New York City’s cultural sector, Jackie joined Only Make Believe in 2012. She holds a B.F.A. in Performance and M.A. in Arts-Politics, both from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
• Jeanette joined OMB in 2013. She received her BA in Theater from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and has performed with Magic Futurebox Productions, Ars Nova ANT Festival, Manhattan Theatre Source, as well as her solo show, "Love. Guts. High School." at the 2012 Midtown International Theatre Festival and won nominations for Best Actress and Best Solo Show. She performs weekly with the Improv troupe National Comedy Theater and is also a licensed NYC tour guide...welcome to New York!
• Dan has been with OMB since 2007. Off-Broadway credits include Atlantic Theater, Joe's Pub, LaMAMA, Baruch PAC, HERE and Soho Playhouse. He's worked regionally at Studio Theatre, Cape Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, Long Wharf, Kansas City Rep, Florida Stage, Portland Stage, McCarter Theatre, Pioneer Theatre, Rep of St. Louis, George Street Playhouse, ART. On TV his credits include Royal Pains, Law & Order, Hope and Faith, Third Watch, and As The World Turns. Dan has an MFA from ART/IATT at Harvard and is an associate artist with The Civilians.

To find out more and see how you can make a difference in children's lives: https://www.onlymakebelieve.org

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"Reverie (small theme)" by _ghost
2010 - Licensed under Creative Commons
Attribution (3.0)

Chris Coyne’s career in the entertainment industry spans more than 30 years, and in this episode he talks about his work onstage and in television commercials from Los Angeles to Europe as well as Las Vegas. where he has the distinction of playing leading roles in both of the longest continuously running shows in Las Vegas history: JUBILEE! and LES FOLIES BERGERE.

Chris also shares why, after finally getting his first national commercial for Southwest Airlines, he decided to go back to school for 2 years and learn the craft of Sound Editing for film and TV...and then what is was like to be nominated for both an Emmy and a Motion Picture Sound Editors Award for his work on the Dreamworks animated series The Adventures of Puss in Boots available on Netflix. 

Check out his credits on IMDB and follow him on Instagram.

Also, in 2015 he released an EP of original material available on iTunes and Amazon. Check out the lead single "By God's Grace" on YouTube.

Geraldine Sherman was born in Middlesex, England and became a busy actress on BBC and in film when she met and later married James Hammerstein. She is now known as theater producer Dena Hammerstein, President/CEO of James Hammerstein Productions and Founder of the non-profit organization Only Make Believe.

OMB brings interactive theater to children in hospitals and care facilities, those with illnesses and disabilities and special needs. They entertain the kids with specially created plays designed for their needs and to encourage their participation. Starting in one hospital in 1999, OMB has now grown (thanks to private and corporate support and donations) to more than 50 hospitals in New York City and Washington D.C.

This episode is Part One of a two-part look at this wonderful organization and is also the first installment of the Spotlight Series. Dena shares part of her life story in entertainment and what/who brought her to America. We also discuss the founding of Only Make Believe and how it has shaped her work and her life ever since.

To find out more and see how you can make a difference in children's lives: https://www.onlymakebelieve.org

And to find out a bit more about Dena's early years in TV and film: IMDB

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"Reverie (small theme)" by _ghost
2010 - Licensed under Creative Commons
Attribution (3.0)

When Scott Wojcik and Gayle Seay entered the entertainment industry, headshots were black and white and fax machines and beepers were high tech ways to communicate. The mode of casting has changed dramatically from when they began their careers. What has not changed is their commitment to the process, their care for the actor and their collective love of show business. Both Scott and Gayle were both actors and eventually worked in casting prior to merging their experience into the thriving partnership of Wojcik | Seay Casting. W|S opened its doors in January of 2009 with the non-union National Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and has been working non-stop ever since.

In this episode, the lead-off to Season Two of our podcast, Patrick talks with Scott and Gayle about their life before casting and gets an inside perspective on auditions, casting, and making in this business. They not only answer questions on who makes it and who doesn't, but more importantly address the "why" as well.

https://wscasting.com

Before he became a part of the worldwide phenom *NSYNC, Joey was a theater kid in Orlando, Florida. And since his days of touring around the world, he has been on Broadway, appeared in films and television, and has hosted more shows than he can count. Through it all, he makes time for his family and friends and even our little podcast. We catch up with him on the phone from his home in Florida to chat about life in the spotlight and how his career is constantly evolving. There is no better way to say "bye bye bye" to Season 1 than with Mr. Joey Fatone!

Follow Joey on Twitter!

We have really stepped up our game this episode with the first PhD on WINMI! Martine is a theater professor at SUNY New Paltz and freelance dramaturg, with work at Oregon Shakepeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, and Court Theatre to name a few. Her research interests include violence in African American Theatre, African diaspora theatre, and gender and race in American theatre and issues of sustainability in the theatre. She talks with us about the role of dramaturgy in creating both new and classical works, and how we all share in the craft of bringing stories and characters to life in the trueness of their surroundings onstage. She even shares her thoughts on Bento Boxes and Collard Greens.

Learn more about Martine, President-Elect of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas: https://lmda.org/users/martinekei

With just a week to go before the Tony winners are announced, Patrick joins Ryan McPhee at the Playbill headquarters in midtown Manhattan to chat about the whole Broadway season and this year's nominees: the surprises, the snubs, the favorites, and the underdogs. Who do you think will win the big prizes this year?

Find the full list of nominees here: TonyAwards.com

Follow Ryan on Twitter: @rdmcphee

"Hot Swing" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) 
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/