Episodes

  • #43 - Noah Pyzik - Acting, Producing and Napping on his Dressing Room Floor

    #43 - Noah Pyzik - Acting, Producing and Napping on his Dressing Room Floor
    Oct 30 2024
    Behind the Awards goes backstage at Our Town to talk with actor Noah Pyzik. He talks about working with director Kenny Leon in this and Purlie Victorious. Noah explains what it’s like being a cast member and also an understudy. Noah also talks about his career as a producer and growing up as a theatre kid in Michigan. Also in this episode we discuss seeing Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler in Romeo & Juliet and Whoopi Goldberg’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Ghost. Noah Pyzik is an actor, producer, writer, and historian. He’s performed on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production of Purlie Victorious and Our Town, and in New York at The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, La MaMa, Playwrights Downtown, The York Theatre, A.R.T./NY, National Queer Theatre, Theatre Row, The Tank, Teatro Latea, Snapple Theatre Center, Faison Firehouse, and Brooklyn Art Haus. He is the recipient of a New York Innovative Theatre Award, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award nomination, and various film festival honors. His upcoming producing credits include Off-Broadway’s Baldwin et Lucien, Botticelli in the Fire, The Zionists, and Foucault in Warsaw. @noahpyzik on Instagram Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • #42 - Lorraine Toussaint - is geeking out and so are we that Season 5 of The Equalizer begins this week

    #42 - Lorraine Toussaint - is geeking out and so are we that Season 5 of The Equalizer begins this week
    Oct 23 2024
    Lorraine Toussaint kicks off Season 5 of The Equalizer this week on CBS alongside her TV Niece Queen Latifah and drops by to chat about her 40 year career of Stage, Film and TV including Any Day Now Co-starring Annie Potts, Orange is the New Black, plus she talks about how Juilliard gave her the training needed to create her own language for Into the Bandlands, and of course her return to the stage after 18 years in Hamlet at the Delacourt as part of Shakespeare in the Park Directed by Kenny Leon. Also in this episode - Eila & Bruce take a field trip to the invited dress rehearsal of Maybe Happy Ending starring Darren Criss & Helen J Shen, Shirley MacLaine Oscar win for Terms of Endearment. Lorraine Toussaint began her career in theatre, before supporting performances in films such as Breaking In (1989), Hudson Hawk (1991), and Dangerous Minds (1995). As lead actress, she is best known for her role as Rene Jackson in the critically acclaimed Lifetime television drama series Any Day Now, from 1998 to 2002, and her recurring role as defense attorney Shambala Green in the NBC legal drama Law & Order. She later appeared as a regular cast member in the NBC police procedural Crossing Jordan (2002–03) and the TNT crime drama Saving Grace (2007–10). Toussaint received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in the 2012 drama film Middle of Nowhere, written and directed by Ava DuVernay. In 2014, she played the role of Yvonne "Vee" Parker, the main antagonist in the second season of the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black, for which she received critical acclaim and a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also played the role of Amelia Boynton Robinson in the 2014 historical drama film Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay. Toussaint later co-starred in the ABC fantasy-drama series Forever (2014–15), the Fox comedy-drama Rosewood (2015–17), the AMC drama Into the Badlands (2018–19), NBC drama The Village (2019) and CBS crime drama The Equalizer (2021–present). Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • #41 - James Monroe Iglehart - Blows his own horn in A Wonderful World

    #41 - James Monroe Iglehart - Blows his own horn in A Wonderful World
    Oct 16 2024
    James Monroe Iglehart chats with us about starring as Louie Armstrong as well as Co-Directing A Wonderful World. James shares stories of originating the role of The Genie in Aladdin, being part of Memphis and Hamilton. Not only has James had a wonderful stage career but he shares his prolific experience as a Voice Actor. Also in this episode Scarlett Johansson’s 2010 Tony Win for A View from the Bridge. Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher in Left on Tenth. Won for his Tony Award-winning performance as the Genie in the original Broadway production of Aladdin. Iglehart assumed the roles of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the Broadway cast of Hamilton in April 2017. He recreated the role of King Arthur in the 2023 Broadway revival of Spamalot and played Louis Armstrong in the Broadway company of A Wonderful World. He can be heard as super producer Steve Jones in As The Curtain Rises, Broadway's first original podcast soap opera. More recently, Iglehart joined the cast of the animated webseries Helluva Boss, as both the Demon Lord of Lust Asmodeus/Ozzie and hellhound bodyguard Vortex, and Hazbin Hotel, as Zestial, as well having written for Marvel Comics, primarily one-shots featuring Spider-Man. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #40 - Ephraim Sykes - From Motown to Our Town

    #40 - Ephraim Sykes - From Motown to Our Town
    Oct 10 2024
    Ephraim Sykes stops by to discuss creating a George for this generation with Kenny Leon. He tells us all about the field trip on the first day of rehearsal to New Hampshire and how his career has been as series of pinch me moments from being in the original cast of Hamilton to playing Seaweed Stubbs in Hairspray Live and being a Temptation in Ain’t Too Proud. Ephraim shares how getting a scholarship to Alvin Alley changed his career path and what it was like to audition for and tap with Savion Glover to gain the lead role in Pal Joey for NYC Center Center’s Encores. Also in this episode Richard Gere’s 2003 Golden Globe win for Chicago. Eila & Bruce recount their trip to Our Town now in previews at the Barrymore Theater. Bruce also shares his experience at the Ogunquit Playhouse seeing The World Premier of My Best Friend’s Wedding The Musical Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and Lead by Krystal Joy Brown, Tony Winner Matt Doyle, Telly Leung, Lianah Sta. Ana, Morgan Bryant and Zoe Jensen. Ephraim Sykes made his Broadway debut in 2009, joining the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He then earned a spot later that year in the Broadway premiere of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Memphis. Sykes made his Off-Broadway debut originating the role of Benny in the 2011 revival of Rent at New World Stages and later that year, he returned to Broadway as part of the original cast of Disney’s Newsies. He followed this turn up as an original cast member of the 2013 Broadway premiere of Motown The Musical. In January 2015, Sykes returned off Broadway to The Public Theater, originating the role of George Eacker in the musical juggernaut Hamilton. After receiving wide acclaim, the production transferred to Broadway from July 2015, eventually winning the 2016 Tony Award for Best Musical. Sykes remained with the production until September 2016. His big break as a leading man came after being cast as David Ruffin in Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations. Following tryouts in Berkeley, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Toronto, the Broadway premiere opened at the Imperial Theatre in March 2019. Sykes earned his first Tony Award nomination for his efforts, followed by a Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album in 2020. On screen, Sykes is known for playing Seaweed J. Stubbs in NBC’s Hairspray Live! in 2016. He has also appeared in 30 Rock on NBC in 2011, Leave It on the Floor (2011), NBC’s Broadway-centric musical series Smash (2013), as Marvin in Vinyl on HBO (2016), Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix (2016), Amazon’s Crisis in Six Scenes (2016), and the movie Detroit (2017). Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • #39 - Claybourne Elder - Is good Company!

    #39 - Claybourne Elder - Is good Company!
    Oct 2 2024
    Claybourne Edler takes a break from filing The Guilded Age with many Broadway friends to discuss Company, his charity City of Strangers, his current concert series and his love of Patti LuPone. Also in this episode: Nikki M James winning Tony moment for The Book of Mormon. Eila & Bruce's visit to The Public to see Good Bones written by past guest James Ijames, Pulitzer Prize Winner author of Fat Ham. Claybourne Edler received rave reviews and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in A Play for originating the role of "Ollie Olson" in One Arm directed by Moisés Kaufman. He was nominated for a 2015 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical for Allegro at Classic Stage. He originated the roles of "Buck Barrow" in Bonnie & Clyde, "Hollis Bessemer" in Stephen Sondheim's Road Show and "Michael Victor" in Venice. He played the Soldier/Alex and understudied Jake Gyllenhaal in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George, which opened in February 2017. He also played the role in the concert performances in October 2016 at New York City Center. Elder can be heard on the cast recordings of Bonnie & Clyde, Road Show, Venice and Sunday in the Park with George. Elder guest-starred as Pete O'Malley in the second season of The CW's The Carrie Diaries. Regionally, Elder played George in Sunday in the Park with George at the Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia, in 2014. On Broadway, Elder played the role of Andy in the 2021 revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company. Elder played Gaston in the 2023 production of Beauty and the Beast at The Muny Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • #38 - Kevin Del Aguila - When Marc Shaiman texts...you answer!

    #38 - Kevin Del Aguila - When Marc Shaiman texts...you answer!
    Sep 27 2024
    Fresh off the heels of is run in Little Shop of Horrors, Emmy Winner and Tony Nominee Kevin Del Aguila pops by to give us the skinny on David Henry Hwang’s play Yellow Face at the Roundabout Theater. Kevin also talks about his time creating his character in Some Like it Hot, as well as his work as a writer with shows like Altar Boyz and Dog Man the Musical. Also in this episode - Marcia Gay Harden’s Tony win for God of Carnage. Danny Burstein’s casting in Gypsy. KEVIN DEL AGUILA is an Emmy-winning writer, Tony-nominated actor, acclaimed director, playwright, and lyricist in New York City. He is a multi Emmy Award-winning writer of the PBS show PEG + CAT, lyricist of songs featured in the Disney animated movie STRANGE WORLD, and book-writer of the hit comedy ALTAR BOYZ (NY Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk noms) which made history as one of the longest running off-Broadway musicals of all time. Broadway audiences will recognize him from the original casts of SOME LIKE IT HOT (Drama Desk Award and Tony nom for his performance as Osgood), FROZEN (as Oaken), and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (as Smee), and children everywhere have heard his voice as a troll in Disney's blockbuster film FROZEN. He's appeared in LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST at The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park, GOD BLESS YOU MR. ROSEWATER for City Center Encores (featuring James Earl Jones), and in the off-Broadway revival of JACQUES BREL. Television guest appearances include LAW & ORDER: SVU, Hulu's DEADBEAT, and PEG + CAT. Other writing works for the stage include his middle-aged superhero musical THE ASTONISHING RETURN OF THE PROTAGONISTS! (2013 NAMT Festival), musical adaptations of the DreamWorks film MADAGASCAR, the wildly popular book series DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, as well as Dav Pilkey's DOG MAN and CAT KID COMIC CLUB books. Kevin has written for the HBO comedy special SKETCH PAD and for numerous children's television shows, including WAFFLES + MOCHI'S RESTAURANT for Netflix and the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions, and as Head Writer of BLUE'S CLUES & YOU for Nick Jr. and the CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG reboot for Amazon and PBS Kids (GLAAD Media Award Nomination). Kevin is the recipient of the Heideman Award for his play THE GREEKEST OF TRAGEDIES (Actors Theatre of Louisville) and has earned several Lortel and Drama Desk Award nominations for his work on the off-Broadway productions of SKIPPYJON JONES, CLICK CLACK MOO, and WE THE PEOPLE. He has directed several productions of his own plays, including his comedy 6 STORY BUILDING (Best of 2002 NY Fringe Fest), NUMBER ONE: A POLLOCK PAINTING, and his adaptations of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT and SKIPPYJON JONES: SNOW WHAT off-Broadway. He directed the world premieres of FUNKED UP FAIRY TALES and SEE ROCK CITY at Barrington Stage, and has written and directed several events for the New York Philharmonic, including their famed YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS at Lincoln Center. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • #37 - Uzo Aduba - The Road is Good

    #37 - Uzo Aduba - The Road is Good
    Sep 25 2024
    Break out star of Orange is the New Black Uzo Aduba joins us for an in-depth look at her new book The Road is Good. The Emmy Winner also shares starting off in theater, roles she didn’t get and the road that led her to Orange is the New Black. Uzo recounts her time with Clydes, Godspell, The Wiz Live and so much more. Also in this episode - Rue McClanahhan, Yellow Face at the Roundabout Theater featuring our upcoming guest Kevin DelAgula and The Broadway Flea Market. Uzo Aduba gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015. She is one of only two actors to win an Emmy Award in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role. In 2020, Aduba played Shirley Chisholm in the Hulu miniseries Mrs. America, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries. Aduba has appeared in films including American Pastoral (2016), My Little Pony: The Movie (2017), Candy Jar (2018), Miss Virginia (2019), and Lightyear (2022). In 2021, she starred in Lynn Nottage's play Clyde's on Broadway for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • #36 - Eric Roberts - is a man in motion from Runaway Train to Dancing with the Stars

    #36 - Eric Roberts - is a man in motion from Runaway Train to Dancing with the Stars
    Sep 20 2024
    Eric Roberts and his wife Eliza join us to discuss his new book Runaway train and being a new cast member of Dancing with the Stars. The brutally honest Oscar Nominee goes into the Broadway run of Burn This, working with Bob Fosse in Star 80. He also gives us a glimpse of into growing with a difficult father and his lifelong friendship with Martin Luther King Jr’s family. Also in this episode, Cher’s Oscar win and The Hills of California. In a career spanning 50 years, Roberts has amassed more than 700 credits and appeared in blockbusters, independent films, television series, animation, short films, student films, and music videos. As of 2024, he is one of the most prolific English-speaking screen actors of all time. Make sure to check out Eila's book, "The Tony Awards", and all her other amazing books: https://amzn.to/43WMu5Y. Connect with Eila and Bruce: Instagram @behind_the_awards Eila @eilamell Bruce @cominghomewithbruce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins