Why I‘ll Never Make It
Episodes
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.
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Debra Ann Byrd (Part 2) - A Black Girl‘s Journey to Becoming Othello
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Monday Dec 20, 2021
The experiences of our lives affect the paths we choose and help make us who we are today. In part one of my conversation with Debra Ann Byrd, she revealed the ups and downs of her own life that eventually ignited a desire to perform and pursue a life on the stage. But just as it was with her personal journey, Debra’s path toward becoming an actor was slow but steady and her first steps as a producer started from very meager beginnings.
Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter.
At her very core, Debra is a storyteller and that is on full display in this episode as she talks about taking on Shakespeare’s iconic role of Othello as well as the early years of forming her own company…Take Wing and Soar Productions.
Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones - https://www.pojones.com Learn more about WINMI podcast - http://whyillnevermakeit.com
Follow Debra - Becoming Othello / Instagram / IMDb
Support WINMI and get access to Members-Only Episodes on Supercast.
Check out Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter.
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Why I’ll Never Make 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 Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Bettering Ourselves, Bettering Our Careers (Part Two)
This is a continuation of part one’s look at voiceover work and acting behind the mic. You will hear from a group of actors, directors, and producers applying voiceover and acting techniques into their radio play podcast called Standby for Places. As the pandemic was shutting down most opportunities for actors, this group of artists found a way to keep acting and producing throughout the pandemic.
Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter.
Standby for Places was co-created by Freda Mattea, Margie Zarcone, and Graydon Gund. They then brought on Dunya Karam and others to make it a full audio drama production team. And I’ll be talking with three of them today. They’ll give us a bird’s eye view as well as hands-on experience of the art and craft of producing audio dramas, which gives us actors a new way to both exercise and explore our creativity. To be a part of their audio drama productions, contact them via email: info@standbyforplaces.org
Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones - https://www.pojones.com
Follow Standby For Places - Instagram / Facebook
Learn more about Storytelling and Communication
Support WINMI and get access to Members-Only Episodes on Supercast.
Check out Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter.
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Why I’ll Never Make 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 Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Being a coach and leading master classes has been something I truly enjoyed doing. Imparting my experience and insights to students and watching them have those a-ha moments and discovering something new about themselves or their own skills and talents. But sometimes it’s good to flip that around and ask those just starting out their career what THEY have learned so far and where THEY see not only themselves going in this career but where the industry is going as a whole. So for the next three episodes I’m going to be talking to young artists about what they’ve discovered along their own journeys.
And I begin today with actor, writer, director, and producer Alex J Dean, who is actually graduating from film school this month. What a time to be starting an arts career, huh? But as you listen to our conversation I think you’ll recognize that he has a pretty good head on his shoulders that will enable him to navigate these very strange and tumultuous times.
Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter.
Alex started out as an actor on stage and on screen, and was co-host of the award-winning Nerdtabulous series. Even in real life he has embraced the nerd moniker, as a fan of Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Japanese anime. So it should come as no surprise that Alex has found a real home behind the camera as a director and writer, creating worlds and stories from his own imagination. His final thesis project for college was a horror anthology film, with plans to release it later this summer or early in the fall under his own production company Penny Arcade Pictures.
So suffice it to say, Alex loves to stay busy and immerse himself and creativity and production. But as you and I know this is certainly a tough time to get started in the arts field, and that is where we begin our conversation today.
Follow Alex - IMDB / Instagram
Join WINMI and get Members-Only Episodes on Supercast
Check out Artist Resources and Offers
Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter
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Why I’ll Never Make 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 Borrtex is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Give your feedback in the 2021 Listener Survey.
Ever since I became WINMI's sole host and producer, I have wanted to have an acting teacher on this podcast. Well, it certainly took long enough, but that time has finally come. Terry Knickerbocker has been guiding students for almost 30 years, having trained and taught with William Esper, one of the most respected protégés of Sanford Meisner. And The Terry Knickerbocker Studio is this month's featured Artist Resource.
You can find a full list of artist resources at resources.whyillnevermakeit.com.
The studio has four primary objectives when it comes to their actor training, and Terry and I will be touching on these topics throughout today’s episode:
To provide students with tools and a process for creating authentic imaginative acting.
To cultivate uncompromising Standards of craftsmanship and artistry.
To empower students to embrace the full range of their unique humanity.
To support students with the entrepreneurial skills needed to be a successful working actor.
Sign up for the WINMI Newsletter.
Follow Terry - Website / Instagram / YouTube
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Season 5 offers ways to connect with me and the guests as well as other opportunities to grow as an artist:
Members-Only Episodes on Supercast
Coachings and Consultations
Instagram and Twitter
Why I’ll Never Make 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 Borrtex is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
MoonAmie Productions - Training Children and Young Adults in the Performing Arts
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
It’s really no big secret that having children involved in the performing arts can have a major impact on them in school and out of school. Well, today’s guests are training some of these young artists in a fine arts conservatory down in Miami, Florida called MoonAmie Productions. Monica Rosell and Priscilla Blanco join me to discuss their important work and the creative home they provide their students.
Sign up for the WINMI Newsletter.
My conversation begins with Monica, Owner and Artistic Director, who holds both a master of fine arts and a bachelor of arts. She’s taught script analysis and theater history it has been both a private acting coach as well as director of many musicals and plays in South Florida. While MoonAmie productions focuses on stage work and musicals, they also produce short films with their students Who are receiving highly structured and individualized instruction, and this really sets moonamie apart from most other theater schools for young artists.
"How the Performing Arts Benefits Kids" - Scholastic
I then bring on Music Director Priscilla, who has a Bachelor's and Master's in music education, and she works as a vocal coach and accompanist throughout South Florida. She was also in the public school system there and was the president of the Dade County music educators Association. But her work has gone beyond just Florida —she is also the cofounder of Spark music initiative, a nonprofit based in Grand Cayman, which focuses on introducing and igniting students’ interest in music through free workshops and camps that focus on world music, technology, improvisation, and songwriting. And the work she does with the students at MoonAmie is very similar.
join.whyillnevermakeit.com
Follow MoonAmie - Website / Instagram / Twitter
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Season 5 offers ways to connect with me and the guests as well as other opportunities to grow as an artist:
Members-Only Episodes on Supercast
Coachings and Consultations
Monthly WINMI Newsletter
Artist Resources and Offers
Instagram and Twitter
Why I’ll Never Make 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 Borrtex is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Look Back at 2020 & the Last Final Five
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Monday Dec 28, 2020
A look back at the year that was unlike anything we would’ve hoped for or imagined. Still, this podcast had its good moments and a plethora of fantastic guests.
0:28 - Introduction
1:10 - COVID update
3:31 - Broadway Makers Alliance & Helium Radio Networks
5:42 - Season Recap and Top 5 Guests
7:55 - My two favorite episodes
10:51 - Season 5 Preview with Justin Guarini
12:19 - Final Five: Sammi Cannold
34:44 - Members-Only episodes
Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Website
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Donate to WINMI and gain access to members-only bonus episodes.
Don't forget to check out all the helpful offers available to you through WINMI guests and partners: resources.winmipodcast.com
WINMI is a Top 20 Theater Podcast thanks to you! blog.feedspot.com/theatre_podcasts/
Friday Dec 18, 2020
Friday Dec 18, 2020
Today’s episode is part two of my conversation with the final guest of Season 4.
Sammi Cannold is a remarkable artist and director. She was even named to the 2019 Forbes List of 30 under 30 in entertainment for her innovative and unique approach to directing for the stage. And today’s conversation is going to be focusing on a few of those productions...
her remarkable staging of the musical Violet on an actual bus
her 2019 New York City Center Gala production of Evita
I have my own personal connection to Evita having done the national tour of the latest Broadway revival. Even our music supervisor Kristen Blodgette worked with Sammi in her production. In fact, It was that revival production that inspired Sammi to become a director in the first place.
Follow Sammi: Website / Instagram / Twitter
Follow WINMI: Instagram / Twitter / Website
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Donate to WINMI and gain access to members-only bonus episodes: pod.fan/winmipodcast
Don't forget to check out all the helpful offers available to you through WINMI guests and partners: resources.winmipodcast.com
WINMI is a Top 20 Theater Podcast thanks to you! blog.feedspot.com/theatre_podcasts/