Why I‘ll Never Make It
Episodes
Monday Jul 04, 2022
Brian Patacca Lets Go of Expectations and Finds Artistic Freedom
Monday Jul 04, 2022
Monday Jul 04, 2022
Among the many repercussions of the Covid pandemic, it caused actors, including myself, to question our purpose, our abilities, and our own belief in what it means to be an artist. Well, today’s guest had many of these same doubts and questions well before there was any pandemic affecting our industry. He felt an internal struggle between what he wanted to do and what he thought he should to be doing.
Brian Patacca is a life coach and podcaster as well as a non-denominational minister, but he started out as an actor, grinding it out, going to auditions, looking for representation. And he shares three stories of how he let go of expectations and allowed himself to find his purpose, to find his true calling. In the process he had to let go of plans and the very clear path he had laid out for himself. But in doing so he found a joy and fulfillment beyond anything he had anticipated.
Get a copy of WINMI’s free ebook Creative Wisdom.
Subscribe to WINMI and get bonus episodes with Brian on Supercast
Check out Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter.
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Why I’ll Never Make It is hosted and by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Music in the episode by Kai Engel and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Artist Spotlight - BRIAN BREAKS CHARACTER
No more romanticizing the starving artist – let’s leave that to Moulin Rouge and Rent. The Brian Breaks Character podcast takes you behind the scenes with people who proudly walk the path LEAST taken. Inspiring industry insiders, working actors, and solopreneurs offer down-and-dirty advice (and lotsa laughs), all while spilling the tea on how to bring home the bacon (or seitan) in a creative field.
Brian proves that when actors and artists follow their purpose instead of playing by a tired set of industry rules (i.e. limiting beliefs), they can skip the drama, generate momentum, and build excitement around who they are and what they love to do the mostest.
FINAL FIVE with Brian Patacca
Brian helps actors get what they want without all the struggle. He’s helped actors as “The Representation Whisperer” and through his wildly popular online courses, coaching program, and entertaining podcast, Brian teaches actors how to market themselves authentically, use gratitude to open doors, and ultimately make more money.
Brian is a graduate of Northwestern University, CTI’s Co-Active Coach Training Program, Marianne Williamson’s Teaching the Teachers – and on top of the education you’d expect a coach to have, Brian brings a spiritual and grounding approach to the biz that is rooted in his training as a non-denominational Reverend. And on the WINMI Blog he answers five final questions we didn't get to in this podcast episode, sharing the importance of making an impact as an artists rather than just making it in this industry.
Follow Brian - Life Coach / Instagram / Podcast / YouTube
Monday Jun 20, 2022
Monday Jun 20, 2022
This past week I started rehearsals up in Connecticut at the Goodspeed Opera House doing a new musical version of the beloved Anne of Green Gables. It’s a well-known story around the world but especially in its home country of Canada. So in honor of that I thought I would bring a Canadian onto the podcast.
Ashley Victoria Robinson is an actress, writer, producer and podcaster, and though she and I won’t be talking about Anne of Green Gables, we do hit upon some of the themes from that story...dealing with the loss of family and how that can impact our lives, finding our place in this world and where we belong, and learning how to control our emotions and our words so that they don’t get us into trouble.
Now, I hadn’t met Ashley until we sat down for this interview, But just like Anne is constantly searching for that kindred spirit, I too found a wonderful connection with Ashley throughout our conversation and thankfully a kindred spirit in this industry.
Subscribe to WINMI and get bonus episodes with Ashley on Supercast
Ashley answers the Final Five questions on the WINMI Blog
Check out the podcast website and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter
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Why I’ll Never Make It is a top 25 theater podcast hosted by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Background music in this episode is by John Bartmann (Public Domain) and Blue Dot Sessions (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License).
Ashley Victoria Robinson & Unladylike Theatre present The Bearer of Bad News at the 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival
Most actors are used to working in a traditional power structure where actors are subservient to directors. There’s a very clear sense of who is in charge and whose opinions matter the most. Ashley met her Unladylike co-founders (Tiana Randall-Quant and Kendell Byrd) under these very circumstances. They found collaboration as the three of them really drew on each other through the creative process.
Ashley recognizes a school of thought in contemporary theatre that is Socratic in its approach, where everyone is equal is therefore more “feminine.” Unladylike Theatre was established by 3 femmes, trying to bring feminine sensibilities to every step in the creative process. And so their mission statement is: Reimagining the future through femme-forward theatre.
The Bearer of Bad News is their debut production, which they worked on for about 2.5 years total. Bearer of Bad News explores the intersection of identity and purpose set against the backdrop of a world irrevocably altered by climate change. Unladylike looks forward to future projects as well, whether an update of a classic work or creating fresh new pieces of theater.
Ashley Victoria Robinson: Canadian Hobbit
She's been seen on stages all over the world including: The Wallis Annenberg, Theatre West, Hollywood Fringe Festival, Ottawa Fringe Festival, Youth Infringement Festival, Sock N Buskin, Cupcake Theater, and more. She's also a podcaster like me, hosting the Geek History Lesson podcast (alongside Jason Inman), was even the face of Twitter marketing for podcasters, and is the co-creator of The Red Shirt Diaries.
Ashley has been featured in several international commercial campaigns including Intel alongside The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons. On TV Ashley has shown off her acting chops on shows like Good Trouble (Freeform), Snowfall (FX), Pump (Urban Flix TV), and Hotel Secrets & Legends (Discovery Channel). Her comic book writings "Science! The Elements of Dark Energy" and the "Jupiter Jet" series are both award-nominated for Best Graphic Novel.
Monday May 23, 2022
Brian Keith Graziani Illustrates How Talent Agents Impact an Actor’s Career
Monday May 23, 2022
Monday May 23, 2022
Of the many actors I’ve interviewed and talked to personally I would say that there are at least two main objectives for most of them. One falls under auditions: getting in the biggest rooms for the best roles. And the second one falls under agents: getting representation that can get you into those bigger rooms.
My on-camera agent Brian Keith Graziani and I have been working together since late 2020 for a range of projects--from commercials and industrials to TV dramas and docu-series. Brian himself started out as an actor and singer, and just sort of fell into casting, which then led to talent management and representation. While he still loves performing, this new career path has allowed him to have a greater impact on the careers and livelihoods of other actors.
Having had such wide-ranging experiences in theater, Brian is uniquely qualified to guide and represent actors like myself. And he certainly has a lot to say, he’s not one to hold back what he thinks at all, especially when it comes to auditioning, communication, and one of my least favorite parts of this business: self-tapes.
Connect with Brian and The Hell's Kitchen Agency - Website | Instagram | Email
Audition and Submissions Tips When Using an Agentby Brian Keith Graziani
If you decline an audition through an online system, email your agent as well. They often do not get notifications when you decline for some reason.
Unless your tape request specifies not needing one, always include a slate (stating name, height, and location).
Be sure to double check casting self-tape labeling requirements (i.e. how to name the video file) and how to submit it (YouTube, DropBox, eco-cast, etc.). Each office has their own system for receiving and organizing submissions.
Be sure to double check if casting specifies they want everything in one file or separate files. If casting doesn't specify, it's probably best to separate files as a safe alternative.
Double check due dates! Extensions are sometimes possible, but asking for it after everything is due just makes everyone look like we dropped the ball.
Be open about needing a break. The self tape fatigue struggle can be real and it's important to communicate such a feeling if you ever need a minute to recharge.
A piece of advice: Say yes and get seen. Unless you feel like the quality of work you're presenting wouldn't present you in the best light, there is always merit to getting into the "room" and making sure casting knows who you are. If you have a major "why" then ask...but remember, every minute spent trying to convince you to submit for a job is a minute that could have spent submitting or pushing you, so trust the process.
Are any traits that make for a successful actor? The answer is always "the actors who work the most and garner the most fruitful results from auditions are the ones who work with an agent daily to make their expectations clear". Clearly communicate what you will do, and want to do, just as much as what you won't do.
Final Five Questions
When it comes to theater, Brian Keith Graziani has been many things — actor, singer, casting director, talent agent. And each job has given him new perspective and understanding of what it means to succeed in this very subjective and finicky industry. After sharing his three stories from his time in the business, He also answers five final questions on the WINMI Blog.
Monday May 02, 2022
Monday May 02, 2022
No matter how many conversations I have with artists, no matter how many episodes this podcast releases, I’m amazed at the variety of insights and lessons that each person brings to these discussions. But in this episode, I think we hit upon one of the biggest obstacles, if not THE biggest, that holds us back as actors and creatives--and that is fear. Being afraid of vulnerability or not making enough money or not being cast or simply not being good enough.
This fear is the cause of our self-doubt and uncertainty and it can hold us back or even paralyze us from moving forward. Today, I’m talking with David Dean Bottrell, who knows all too well what fear can do to us. Though he's been in TV shows like Boston Legal and After Forever (created by former guest Kevin Spirtas), David has also battled fear as an artist and has even written a book to help us navigate the ins and outs of this business to become a Working Actor.
David joins the podcast to talk about three specific examples of fear...
His upbringing and the strange reaction his family had to success.
The book he wrote and how completely inadequate he felt while writing it.
His desire to imitate and be someone else, rather than understand or even accept his own unique talents.
Support WINMI through donations or subscriptions - https://winmi.supercast.com
Podcast hosted and produced by Off-Broadway actor and singer Patrick Oliver Jones - https://www.pojones.com
This week's Artist Resource - WORKING ACTOR
This veteran character actor draws on his 35+ tumultuous years of work in the entertainment industry to offer a witty, informative and very honest guide to breaking in, making a living, and making a life in the fabulous trenches of show business.
"Both practical and inspiring...open-eyed and unsentimental...This is no guru-like tome, but a hands-on, working manual written out of true experience and enthusiasm for what can be achieved.” --Alfred Molina
"Weaves a lifetime’s worth of experience navigating the slings and arrows of the acting game into a compilation of personal stories and pragmatic lessons to enlighten, encourage and forewarn both the novice and more advanced performer." --The Los Angeles Times
The Final Five Questions
Learn more of David's journey from Louisa, Kentucky to Los Angeles and New York, as he chronicles various roles and milestones. It highlights his struggle and successes as well as covers topics we didn't get to in this interview. Find it on the WINMI Blog.
Follow David - One-Man Show | Twitter | Instagram
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Mental Talk About Performance Anxiety with Mostafa Ashraf and Yara
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
The art of performing is certainly filled with joy and passion and can offer a creative fulfillment not found another professions. But as this podcast highlights with each episode, there are also underlying bouts of stress, anxiety, and frustration that come with being an artist and offering our creativity to the world. Last year I sat down with Mostafa Ashraf and his co-host Yara to talk about performance anxiety on their podcast Mental Talk. So I wanted to share with you this candid discussion with Mo and Yara about my own struggles with doubt and worry and what I do to push through that.
Listen to Mental Talk - https://blog.pod.link/1535397612
Their show is produced by a nonprofit organization called Advice Seekers, which aims to provide help in the areas of mental health and online anti-bullying campaigns.
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Check out other Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter
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Monday Feb 14, 2022
Gina Morgano Learned That Self-Awareness Is Key to the Performer’s Journey
Monday Feb 14, 2022
Monday Feb 14, 2022
No matter what profession you’re in, setting goals is an important part of finding the best path to get you there. For actors and performers our goals can be big ones like being on Broadway or come down to specific shows or roles that we want to do. But just because you know your goals, does that mean you also have a clear picture of your mission as an artist or the purpose of your life?
My guest today is Gina Morgano, a fellow singer and podcaster who also teaches voice. And she’s brought along three stories that highlight that distinction between what we do as an artist and who we are as individuals. One story deals with an illness and losing her voice, while another talks about her big move to New York yet not getting cast in any shows. Since then Gina has found her joy in concerts rather than musicals, and in this episode she helps us understand that self-awareness is key to both reaching our goals and finding our purpose even as they may change direction.
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This week's Artist Resource: Vocal Mentorship
A powerful voice is about much more than how you sound. As we talked about in this episode, it’s about being secure in who you are and wholeheartedly offering your creativity to the world so that you can make a difference in people’s lives. And Gina's dream for singers is for them to understand the value of their own voice. That’s why these are not your normal voice lessons. These are life lessons - training for your inner voice as well as your outer one - so that you can embody freedom, ease and expansion while serving audiences to your highest capacity. Learn more here and discover a new facet of your voice and yourself.
Final Five Questions with Gina Morgano
As a voice teacher as well, Gina Morgano brings an important perspective to her work as a performer. And in this episode she shares the wisdom and experience she’s gathered from her own performing and the work she’s done with her students. In these five final questions, she addresses topics we didn't get to in this conversation and provides extra insight into the work and practice she puts into being a performer. You can find her Final Five on the WINMI Blog.
Follow Gina - https://www.ginamorgano.com
The Practice Parlor Podcast - https://www.ginamorgano.com/podcast
Support WINMI through donations and subscriptions - https://winmi.supercast.com
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Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Monday Feb 07, 2022
Monday Feb 07, 2022
With live theater happening once again here in New York, one of the joys has been seeing friends back on stage, doing what they do best. And I certainly hope to be joining them soon, but in the meantime it’s wonderful to reconnect with today’s guest. Kathryn Allison is a singer and actress who I got to know at The Muny in St. Louis, just as she was really beginning her professional career.
But she’s gone on to perform in Wicked, Aladdin and currently the revival of Company. (She seems to have a thing for Broadway shows with one-word titles.) But as Kathryn shares her three stories with us today, being on Broadway doesn’t replace the importance of mental health, nor does it make her forget those embarrassing auditions when she didn’t book the show, and it also doesn’t mean that the work of inclusion is done as Kathryn continues to push for more access and a continuing search for strong, diverse voices.
Get a copy of WINMI’s free ebook Creative Wisdom.
Listen to Kathryn's Other Audition Story
In addition to the audition story shared in this episode, Kathryn recalls another audition for Waitress and performing for Sara Bareilles. This is in a special bonus episode where she also discusses her experience of doing in-person auditions again.
Bonus episodes like this are only available to supporters of Why I’ll Never Make It. And a big thank you goes to to Courtney Potts for becoming the latest WINMI Producer. Courtney actually chose the yearly subscription option, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the support!
So if you’d like to help this podcast as well, then please consider an ongoing subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast). There is also an option to give a one-time donation (via PayPal), both of which help offset the cost of producing 50+ episodes each year. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!
Find a Reader for Your Next Self-Tape: WeAudition
And as self-tapes are now the norm, WeAudition has been a great help to me this past year and provides a wonderfully creative, safe space to create the best video submissions possible. I just recently used them in a TV self-tape for Uncoupling and got a callback! Join today using the promo code WINMI25, which not only saves you money but it also helps support WINMI through this affiliate link. So join me and thousands of actors helping each other rehearse auditions and make better self-tapes.
The Final Five
In these five final questions Kathryn addresses topics not covered in that episode, providing extra insight into her work and experiences in the performing arts.
What job within the arts do you feel is the most undervalued or least recognized?
What does success or “making it” mean to you?
What/Who inspires you most an an artist and creative?
Name a personal lesson that took you awhile to learn or one that you are still working on to this day?
What’s the most useful advice you’ve received, and how have you applied it to your life or career?
You can find her Final Five on the WINMI Blog.
Follow Kathryn - YouTube / Spotify / Instagram
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Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Monday Jan 31, 2022
Monday Jan 31, 2022
The act of creating is both a testament to and a full embodiment of its creator. An actor gives so much of themselves to the role that they’re playing. A dancer utilizes every muscle to express an emotion. A writer pulls from their own life and experiences to create other worlds and powerful stories. And so it is only natural that we often tie our own self-worth and meaning to the success or failure of that creation.
Today, I’m talking with Emmy-winning director/choreographer Al Blackstone, who I had the pleasure of working with a few years back. He brings us three stories of doubt and uncertainty and aloneness, when his own talent as a dancer was questioned and his value as a director was dismissed. This is an honest conversation on who we really are beyond the labels of actor or artist and how the idea of “making it” comes more from ourselves than from the acceptance or validation of others.
Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones(Off-Broadway actor and singer)
Listen to This Week's Audition Story
In addition to the three main stories, there are bonus episodes where guests like Al share memorable audition stories as well. Al talks about when he was at a dancer call years ago for the revival national tour of Sweet Charity. It's a story that any non-dancer (like myself) can definitely relate to. And these bonus episodes are only available to monthly supporters of Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast isn’t cheap, and with your help I can reach a wider audience with things like more video and transcription options, which would greatly benefit deaf and hard of hearing artists, for example.
So please consider a one-time donation (via PayPal) or a monthly subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast), which will help offset podcast production costs. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!
Freddie Falls in Love
Al also shares a fourth story about a show he actually created called Freddie Falls in Love. In 2019, this dance narrative production was presented at the famous Joyce Theater in New York City, marking a personal and professional highlight in Al's career. However, the NY Times had a very different opinion about his show, calling it a "frothy" and "meandering production" among other things. Al admits that he hasn’t really spoken publicly about this review and how much it devastated him. But in a special conversation he opens up what this review did to him, offering heartfelt candor and insight into how he handled such public rejection. To access this bonus episode (and more) go to support.winmipodcast.com.
This Week's Artist Spotlight: MOMEN NYC
Born out the pandemic to meet the needs of dancers, who just needed the time and space to move again. Al co-founded MOMEN NYC as a way to bring adult dancers together so they could focus on their craft and make lasting connections with other dancers. He truly believes deeply in the power of dance, community, and kindness to express what is more true about ourselves and help bring us all closer together. Follow MOMEN on Instagram for the latest updates.
The Final Five
For the past few seasons, the Final Five has been a bonus episode to this podcast, but for Season 6 it’s in the form of a blog post where guests answer the five final questions. You can find Al's Final Five on the WINMI Blog.
Follow Al - YouTube / Instagram / Website
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Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.
Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.