Was It Chance? Podcast By Alan Seales Heather Vickery & Broadway Podcast Network cover art

Was It Chance?

Was It Chance?

By: Alan Seales Heather Vickery & Broadway Podcast Network
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About this listen

 People talk about manifestation as a thing that you can just think into existence. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. When it comes to making your creative dreams come true, what really matters is putting yourself in a position to thoughtfully and intelligently take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. And sometimes these opportunities show up in very unexpected ways. We’re Heather Vickery and Alan Seales, two perfect strangers who met by chance and embraced opportunity! Listen in as we chat with other successful people about the risks they took, and continue taking, to put themselves on a path to creative success. WAS IT CHANCE? The podcast about embracing opportunity and taking intentional risks for your creative life.Alan Seales, Heather Vickery & Broadway Podcast Network Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • #92 - Serena Burdick: When Your Grandmother’s Nude Sparks a Novel

    #92 - Serena Burdick: When Your Grandmother’s Nude Sparks a Novel
    Jun 17 2025
    USA Today bestselling author Serena Burdick is living proof that creative success doesn’t follow a straight line. In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Serena shares how her journey from aspiring actor to celebrated novelist came with plenty of unexpected twists—including returning to waiting tables in her 40s while raising kids and chasing her dream. With honesty and humor, she opens up about the realities of artistic life, the power of resilience, and the value of believing in your own story—especially when others don’t see it yet. We dive into Serena’s new book, A Promise to Arlette, and the fascinating real-life inspiration behind it—her grandmother’s connection to avant-garde photographer Man Ray and a long-lost nude photograph that sparked a fictional journey through postwar France and conservative 1950s America. Serena talks about balancing fiction with history, channeling her theatrical background into richly drawn characters, and navigating the emotional tightrope of writing stories that sometimes go to very dark places. This is a must-listen for anyone who's ever wanted to rewrite their own story. Connect with Serena Burdick: 📘 Buy A Promise to Arlette anywhere books are sold 🖋️ Follow Serena on Instagram: @serenaburdick 📚 Learn more at Zibby Media to purchase signed copies and support indie authors Connect with the Hosts & Show: 🎧 Follow Was It Chance on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠, and follow her on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ EPISODE TAKEAWAYS Your first creative dream doesn’t have to be your last Failure is part of the process—and can sometimes lead to unexpected wins Historical fiction is a powerful tool for preserving and imagining untold stories Creative careers often require privilege and sacrifice—acknowledge both Be open to feedback, but stay grounded in your artistic voice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #91 - Nick Rashad Burroughs: Living the Life You Were Meant to Create

    #91 - Nick Rashad Burroughs: Living the Life You Were Meant to Create
    Jun 10 2025
    This episode is a masterclass in following your gut, showing up fully, and creating your own path—even when it’s not the one you planned. Nick Rashad Burroughs joins us to share the wild and wonderful story of how a missed ride after school led to an accidental audition… and an entirely new life trajectory. From growing up in a deeply religious, sports-focused family in Alabama to starring on Broadway in Kinky Boots, Something Rotten, and Tina, Nick has lived a life powered by guts, grit, and creative risk. Nick opens up about the struggle to reconcile his artistic truth with his upbringing, the challenges of coming out, and what it meant to have his mother watch him perform in drag on Broadway. He also shares the deeply personal origin of his music career, his viral music video that Beyoncé reposted (!!!), and how he’s living in the center of a manifestation with his latest role in Goddess at The Public Theater. This conversation is packed with honesty, vulnerability, inspiration—and a whole lot of laughter. EPISODE TAKEAWAYS: Inspiration is a gift—don’t waste it. You can do it scared. Self-advocacy creates opportunities. Your unique voice and background are assets, not limitations. Fear doesn't go away—it just gets quieter when you're doing what you love. Connect with the Hosts & Show: 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠ 🎧 Follow Was It Chance on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠ 🎭 More about Alan via ⁠⁠⁠@theatre_podcast⁠⁠⁠ and check out ⁠⁠⁠The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • #90 - Lena Hall: Finding Your True Voice by Saying “F** It”*

    #90 - Lena Hall: Finding Your True Voice by Saying “F** It”*
    May 27 2025
    Tony Award-winning performer Lena Hall joins Heather and Alan for a wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation about discovering her true creative voice—literally and metaphorically. From her roots as a ballerina bred by artistic parents, to reinventing herself after vocal surgery, Lena shares how a mix of chance, grit, and gutsy choices helped her chart a bold path in musical theater, TV, and rock music. Whether she’s fronting a band, redefining her Broadway persona, or belting out Radiohead in her latest TV role, Lena proves that creative success comes from embracing the unexpected—and never losing your sense of play. You’ll hear about her journey through roles in Cats, Kinky Boots, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, her stint on All My Children as a hooker-turned-potential-series-regular, and the life-changing audition that landed her a role opposite Jon Hamm in Your Friends and Neighbors. Lena opens up about perimenopause, social media pressures, creative burnout, and how she’s learned to stop taking rejection personally—well, mostly. Key Takeaways: Lena’s vocal transformation after tonsil surgery that unlocked a whole new range and sound Why she left ballet and the Broadway grind to find a truer, edgier artistic path Her surprising and circuitous road back to Broadway—and then into TV and film How taking bold, creative risks (like bringing her own amp to an audition) led to breakout roles The importance of having financial and creative buffers to survive the industry’s constant rejection How Lena navigates social media with a “learned skin,” not just a thick one Follow Lena: 📱 Instagram: @lenarockerhall 🎵 TikTok (or as Lena calls it, "ShitTok"): @lenarockerhall 📺 Watch Your Friends and Neighbors on AppleTV+ Connect with the Hosts & Show: 📩 Email us at ⁠⁠wasitchancepodcast@gmail.com⁠ 🎧 Follow Was It Chance on your favorite podcast platform 📱 Connect with us on ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ✨ More about Heather at her ⁠⁠website⁠⁠, ⁠subscribe to her Substack⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠ 🎭 More about Alan via ⁠⁠@theatre_podcast⁠⁠ and check out ⁠⁠The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 20 mins
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