Today, I Wanna Be Like Michael Kostroff! Michael Kostroff is an actor with over 100 TV/Film credits! He’s most known for his role as the defense attorney Maurice Levy on The Wire as well as the executive producer Marshall Pike on Disney Channel’s Sonny with a Chance! Upcoming, he’ll be starring in the new live action Marvel/Sony series Spider-Noir based on the hit Spider Verse films alongside Nicolas Cage on MGM+. His most prominent theater credits include Thenardier on the national tour of Les Miserables as well as Max Bialystock (u/s) on The Producers National Tour! He’s also an author of the book The Stage Actor’s Handbook! We get to chatting about the most helpful audition advice (as he served as an acting/audition coach for many years) plus the biggest nuanced differences between stage and screen acting!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Merri Sugarman! Merri Sugarman is a Casting Director for The TRC Company whose work spans decades of Broadway and on screen work. Prior to casting, Merri was an actor having been in the national tour of Les Miserables (which she now casts) and Aspects of Love. She then went on to cast for the screen on shows like Freaks & Geeks, The Larry Sanders Show as well as Spin City! Now she casts for numerous shows on and off Broadway and across the country most recently including The Who’s Tommy, Here Lies Love, and Company! We get to talking to her about her career(s) as well as answer your burning casting questions!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Douglas Lyons! SECOND DREAM GUEST UNLOCKED manifested by Patrick Dunn! Douglas Lyons is a multi-hyphenate artist having acted in multiple Broadway shows (Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, The Book of Mormon) and written plays on and off Broadway (Chicken and Biscuits, Table 17) as well as television (Fraggle Rock on Apple TV). NOW, his new musical Beau has been the talk of the town having done an Off Broadway run with Out of the Box Theatrics this past spring and is now downtown at the St Luke's Theatre running NOW to January 4th!
Today I Wanna Be Like Tyler Hardwick! Tyler Hardwick is currently starring in Tartuffe alongside Andre DeShields at the House of the Redeemer! His Broadway credits include Motown and Once On This Island, both of which he also took on national tours! Next up, he's going to play Cornelius in OFC Creations Theater's production of Hello Dolly alongside Elaine Hendrix as Dolly Levi as well as the upcoming film Six Till Midnight and a new single to be released soon! We also get to talking about him starring in the first production of Dreamgirls with an African American cast in Seoul, South Korea as well as him recently starring in the national tour of Company as PJ. Make sure you catch Tartuffe at the House of the Redeemer which closes November 23rd so get your tickets now!
Today I Wanna Be Like Richard Ridge! FIRST EVER DREAM GUEST UNLOCKED manifested by Matt Rodin! Richard Ridge has been the host of BroadwayWorld for over 2 decades. His name and face have become synonymous with Broadway red carpets and rehearsal rooms, having interviewed everyone from Chita Rivera (an inspiration to him throughout his life) to Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. From an early age working as a server at the classic Broadway eatery Ted Hook’s Backstage, Richard made impressions on some of the biggest stars including Cher, Karen Black and Elizabeth Taylor. He finally made his Broadway debut in 2018 as himself in The Prom! We get to chat with him about where it all began, his favorite red carpet interviews, the future of Broadway and more!
Today I Wanna Be Like Bradley Dean! Bradley Dean is a Broadway veteran crossing a dozen shows with the show he’s currently starring in, Chess alongside Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher! He also was a part of the original cast of the final musical written by the late Stephen Sondheim, Here We Are! This wasn’t the only Sondheim piece he starred in professionally, having done Company (2006, covering Raul Esparza) and A Little Night Music (2014, alongside Elaine Stritch, Bernadette Peters, Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury) on Broadway! On top of this, he is also a vocal teacher with over 20 years of professional experience! We get to talking about his entire career including the one time he wrote, directed and starred in his own original musical, Sextet! Go see him as Molokov in Chess on Broadway at the Imperial Theater in previews now!
Today I Wanna Be Like Elizabeth Stanley! Elizabeth Stanley is a Tony Award nominated Broadway star nominated for her portrayal of Mary Jane Healy in Jagged Little Pill (2019). After making her Broadway debut in John Doyle’s revival of Company (April), Elizabeth starred in numerous cult classic Broadway musicals including Cry Baby and Million Dollar Quartet. Most recently, she’s led the Savion Glover, Tony Goldwyn directed Pal Joey at New York City Center (now known as Chez Joey) which is having a follow up production at Arena Stage next year. From legit soprano to Alanis Morissette hits, Elizabeth gets to talking to about her classic vocal training, how she approaches new material and more!
Today I Wanna Be Like Matt Rodin! Matt Rodin is actor and host extraordinaire who is currently starring as Ace Baker in Beau the Musical at the Distillery at St Luke’s Theatre with previews beginning October 13! Prior to this, Matt played Jamie on the National Tour of the most recent revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Company! You may also know him as the former face of Broadway.com where he produced and hosted shows including Red Carpet Challenge, Live at Five and Side by Side! Currently, he runs his own weekly newsletter titled The Fourth Wall, where he details the current theater events from a more personal lens as well as a website, buttsinseats.xyz sharing the weekly capacity statistics of Broadway each week. Having worked in all aspects of the industry, Matt shares his thoughts on all things state of the industry, the difference between press and marketing and why remaining optimistic is so important during an oftentimes tumultuous time in the entertainment industry.
Today I Wanna Be Like James T Lane! James T Lane is a triple threat Broadway performer currently starring in Chicago on Broadway! Previously this year, he was Louis Armstrong 2 nights a week at Studio 54 in A Wonderful World - The Louis Armstrong Musical alongside Tony Award Winner James Monroe Iglehart! In 2023, he starred and wrote in his own one man show titled Triple Threat Off Broadway which detailed his struggle with addiction while simultaneously performing on tour with Fame the Musical as Tyrone! Some of his Broadway credits include Scottsboro Boys (original cast), Kiss Me Kate (2019 revival, and his Broadway debut: Richie in the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line which he recently got to revisit this past summer at the 50th Anniversary of the show at the Shubert Theater!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Patrick Dunn! Patrick Dunn is currently making his Broadway debut in the hit musical Mamma Mia as one of the ensemble members and understudying Bill and Harry! Prior to this, he starred as Jean Valjean in Les Miserable on the national tour as well as covering the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera on tour and the original national tour of Waitress! He's also become incredibly well known as Elvis Presley, having won the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in 2021 at Graceland and travels the world paying tribute to Elvis Presley performing the greatest hits and then some!
The Broadway Flea Market is a one of a kind charity event where Broadway fans can find the most niche Broadway treasures all while supporting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids! With former guests like Jerry Mitchell and Aidan McDermott plus potential upcoming guests like Kevin Del Aguila and Richard Ridge, we get to chatting with Broadway personalities and YOU GUYS! See how long fans waited in line for The Outsiders memorabilia and see them put to the test with a game of Finish The Lyric! This year's Broadway Flea was a success!
BROADWAY FLEA CHAPTERS!
1. 00:00 Intro
2. 02:30 The Return of Aidan McDermott
3. 04:00 Just in Time Finish The Lyrics
4. 05:30 Kevin Del Aguilla!
5. 07:10 The Outsiders Finish The Lyrics
6. 08:42 The Return of Jerry Mitchell!
7. 09:53 Death Becomes Her Walk On Auction?!
8. 11:20 Once on this Island Poster & The Outsiders Shoe
9. 14:00 Richard Ridge from BroadwayWorld!
10. 16:15 Thank You Broadway Flea 2025!
Today I Wanna Be like Jared Goldsmith! Jared Goldsmith is a content creator with collectively almost 1 MILLION followers on Instagram and TikTok! As a child actor, Jared had the chance to do guest spots on Blue’s Clues, Blue’s Room, The Ant Bully and Spider Man 3. A graduate from Elon University, Jared made his Broadway debut as Jared in Dear Evan Hansen after touring with the show on its initial national tour for a year. During the pandemic, he began releasing short form comedic content with much success! Most recently on stage you may have seen him in The Little Mermaid at Paper Mill Playhouse where he played Scuttle or onstage doing standup around New York City especially Gotham Comedy Club where his set succeeded Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan!
Today I Wanna Charlie Siedenburg! Charlie Siedenburg is a press representative who’s worked on Broadway and at many regional houses across the country. Most recently, he announced he will be retiring from being the press representative at Barrington Stage after working there for 21 years to step into the new role of producer. Charlie has taken up the mantle at the College of Staten Island as producer heading their community theater productions starting with Fiddler on the Roof that wrapped up this past summer and featured a cast of 46 Staten Island natives spanning generations. He’s tells us all about working for the 50th Tony Awards, walking Donna Murphy down the red carpet and the time he visited Stephen Sondheim at his house in Turtle Bay.
Today I Wanna Be Like Brett Boles! Brett Boles is a musical theater composer and lyricist whose work has been professionally performed regionally and in workshops in NYC. Most recently, a workshop of his musical Time Stops was presented at MTC starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Stanley. He’s most well known on social media (with over 650K followers collectively on TikTok and Instagram) for providing “The M Tea” giving viewers an inside look as to how some of their favorite music has been crafted. A former schoolteacher, Brett has launched a program to educate budding composers in musical theater the keys to writing a successful musical. We get to chatting all about that, what makes Disney music unique, that time he went to Sondheim’s house for dinner and much more!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Randy Graff! Randy Graff is a Tony Award winning actress for her role as Oolie/Donna in City of Angels! Most well known for originating the role of Fantine in Les Miserables on Broadway, Randy's career spans all over the stage and screen. From working with Carol Burnett on Broadway in Moon Over Buffalo, to originating a Neil Simon play Laughter on the 23rd Floor alongside Nathan Lane and J.K. Simmons and most recently originating an new Jason Robert Brown musical, Mr. Saturday Night (2022) alongside Billy Crystal. Currently semi retired, Randy gets to telling all about her remarkable career and the fulfillment she's found in teaching which she does now through her own private studio.
I WANNA BE LIKE RANDY GRAFF CHAPTERS
1. 00:00 Intro
2. 04:20 Randy’s I Wanna Be Like You as a Kid
3. 07:30 Brooklyn/Staten Island Origins
4. 12:50 Wagner College
5. 20:25 The Kennedy Center Sondheim Festival
6. 28:25 First Agent/Equity Card
7. 31:05 Grease! & Saravá
8. 41:25 Les Miserables
9. 49:20 I Dreamed A Dream
10. 57:30 Variety in Musical Theater
11. 1:00:45 City Of Angels
12. 1:07:20 What You Don’t Know About Women
13. 1:10:35 City of Angels Reception
14. 1:14:30 Winning a Tony Award!
15. 1:19:00 Falsettos
16. 1:25:15 Laughter on the 23rd Floor
17. 1:29:30 Moon Over Buffalo with Carol Burnett!
18. 1:32:10 Carol Burnett Advice
19. 1:34:45 A Class Act!
20. 1:38:38 Fiddler on the Roof with Alfred Molina
21. 1:46:40 Do You Love Me?
22. 1:50:10 Mr. Saturday Night with Billy Crystal
23. 2:01:30 Vocal Health
24. 2:05:00 Advice to Younger Self
25. 2:06:30 Teaching
26. 2:17:50 AI Wanna Be Like You!
27. 2:21:50 Dream Guest Manifestation
28. 2:22:30 Randy’s I Wanna Be Like You NOW!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Robert Horn! Robert Horn is a Tony Award winning Book Writer for his work on Tootsie alongside David Yazbek! Prior to working in theater, Robert had a successful career in TV/Film writing on Designing Women, Living Single and High Society to name a few. He’s penned some successful television movies for Disney Channel including the High School Musical spinoff Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, The Suite Life Movie and Teen Beach Movie! Robert began his career writing musicals by working alongside Jason Robert Brown on the musical 13 which starred Ariana Grande and subsequently wrote the film version that Netflix acquired in 2022. Since winning his Tony, Robert wrote the Tony Award nominated musical Shucked which is currently on tour and in the West End as well as the stage adaptation of Hercules currently running in Germany and the West End! He’s got many new projects in development and gets to discussing the keys to comedy as well as what makes a successful book for a musical!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Ken Davenport! Ken Davenport is a successful book writer and producer for multiple Broadway shows garnering 2 Tony Awards for Kinky Boots (Best Musical) and Once on this Island (Best Revival of a Musical). Currently, he’s working on Joy Off Broadway at the Laura Pels Theater where he serves as the producer and book writer. The Broadway shows he’s currently serving as producer include Gypsy and Oh Mary! Some of the shows he worked on as book writer include Altar Boyz, Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage, and My First Time! His most notable Broadway projects as producer include Godspell, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, and Groundhog Day! We also get to talking about the state of the industry and how this season’s record breaking financial success might not be the success you think.
I WANNA BE LIKE KEN DAVENPORT CHAPTERS
1. 00:00 Intro
2. 06:25 Ken’s I Wanna Be Like You as a Kid
3. 11:05 Theater Beginnings
4. 17:00 Creating Theater
5. 21:45 Immersive Theater
6. 24:25 Altar Boyz
7. 34:00 Joy Off Broadway!
8. 38:00 Balancing Commerce and Art
9. 40:10 The Road to Broadway
10. 43:10 The Best Time To Open A New Show
11. 46:30 Accessible Theater Tickets
12. 48:45 Broadway 2025
13. 55:30 Ken’s I Wanna Be Like You NOW!
Today I Wanna Be Like Elizabeth Teeter! Elizabeth Teeter is a triple threat performer with 4 Broadway credits including Lydia in Beetlejuice, Mary Poppins, The Audience and The Crucible! Currently, she’s starring as Heather McNamara in Heathers at New World Stages! Having performed on Broadway alongside Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, Sadie Sink, and Saoirse Ronan, Elizabeth’s career has spanned a multitude of styles and productions. Since starring in Beetlejuice, her social media following has grown exponentially resulting in over 169K followers on TikTok. Coming from a family of teachers, Elizabeth also does masterclasses and teaches Acting Through Song for middle school and high school aged students.
I WANNA BE LIKE ELIZABETH TEETER CHAPTERS
1. 00:00 Intro
2. 03:27 Elizabeth’s I Wanna Be Like You as a Kid
3. 04:50 Theater Beginnings
4. 09:00 Mary Poppins: Broadway Debut
5. 14:45 Dance/Ballet History
6. 19:35 The Audience with Helen Mirren
7. 28:20 The Crucible
8. 38:20 The Secret Life of Bees
9. 44:15 Beetlejuice!!!
10. 55:10 Advice for Young Lydia’s
11. 58:37 Heathers!!!
12. 1:20:25 Social Media Influencing
13. 1:25:15 Teaching and Coaching!
14. 1:37:00 Auditioning
15. 1:42:00 What Interests You Most?
16. 1:47:20 Dream Guest Manifestation + AI
17. 1:52:35 Elizabeth’s I Wanna Be Like You NOW!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Peter Van Dam! Peter Van Dam is a Broadway casting director who’s a co-owner of The TRC Company. He’s currently the Casting Director for SIX on Broadway! Most recently, Peter cast the Tony Award nominated Best Musical Dead Outlaw, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends and The Heart of Rock n Roll! A graduate from Boston Conservatory, Peter pivoted from acting and worked as Lonny Price’s assistant on the Merrily We Roll Along documentary, Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened. Now he’s served as a Tony voter and is consistently casting shows on or coming to Broadway!
Today, I Wanna Be Like Jess LeProtto! Jess LeProtto is a Broadway veteran who’s been working onstage since he was a child in shows including Bye Bye Birdie with John Stamos and The Boy From Oz alongside Hugh Jackman. As an adult, he was in the ensembles of Hello Dolly with Bette Midler, Newsies, Carousel and most recently seen on Broadway in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. Jess, a former contestant on So You Think You Can Dance Season 8, made it to the Top 8! He also played the role A-Rab in the 2021 Steven Spielberg helmed West Side Story film! Up next, his original album By The Bay releases August 15 on all streaming platforms!