Shows
Two Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 31: Liana HuntEllie and Haley interview LIANA HUNT!
Liana can be seen on Broadway right now as Lorraine Baines McFly—Marty’s mom in Back to the Future. And yes, we ask her if Lorraine has a crush on her son like she does in the movie. But you also might know her from Mamma Mia! Because she toured with the show and made her Broadway debut as Sophie. She also starred as Katherine Plumber in Newsies, toured with Wicked and Bright Star and is part of a sketch comedy show called SHIZ: Broadway Meets Sketch Comedy.
Liana...2023-12-1522 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 30: Katie Rose ClarkeEllie and Haley interview KATIE ROSE CLARKE!
Katie Rose Clarke doesn’t do things small. She made her Broadway debut in a little show called The Light in the Piazza when she was 21. She’s been Glinda A LOT. In fact, she holds the record as the longest-running Glinda on Broadway. Now, she’s hanging out with a little Sondheim show named Merrily We Roll Along. Which means she’s taking the stage eight times a week alongside Jonathan Groff, Danielle Radcliffe and a whole bunch of talented people.
Katie tells us about:
⭐️ How she got he...2023-11-2021 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 29: Jose LlanaEllie and Haley interview JOSE LLANA!
Jose leads a big, new take on what a Broadway show looks like in Here Lies Love—an immersive show that makes the audience a part of the performance. But before that, he graced the stage in Rent, Flower Drum Song, Wonderland, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The King and I — not once, but twice. And he’s been seen on your screens in Sex and the City and Hitch, and is a recording artist. Plus, as always, a whole lot more.
Jose tells us about:
⭐️...2023-10-3026 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 28: Lesli MargheritaEllie and Haley interview LESLI MARGHERITA!
Queen Lesli herself! Lesli made her Broadway debut as Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda the Musical. She was everyone’s favorite Princess in Emojiland, everyone’s favorite Cindy Lou Who in Who’s Holiday AND is the creator of two broadway.com vlogs, a digital short series, two books, two solo shows and the album Rule Your Kingdom.
But before she did all that, she won an Olivier Award for her West End debut as Inez in Zorro the Musical. No biggie.
We’ve se...2023-10-0434 min
Two Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 27: Maria BilbaoEllie and Haley interview MARIA BILBAO!
Maria made her Broadway debut earlier this year playing Johanna in Sweeney Todd and was in On Your Feet, Evita and In the Heights before joining one of Broadway’s biggest shows of the year. We talk to her about what that’s been like, all her favorite Sweeney things, and of course her advice for aspiring Johannas and Mrs. Lovetts.
Maria tells us about:
⭐️ Launching her Broadway career alongside Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford
⭐️ Being a soprano in a world that loves belting
⭐️ Playing Gl...2023-09-0722 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 26: Eric William MorrisEllie and Haley interview ERIC WILLIAM MORRIS!
From the original SQUIP to Be More Chill to Mamma Mia! to King Kong to White Girl in Danger, Eric William Morris has popped up in some of our favorite shows. And he can be seen in Fleishman Is In Trouble, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But we’re here for all things on-stage!
Eric tells us about:
⭐️ Playing three roles in White Girl in Danger and how he does all those quick-changes.
⭐️ Kicking off Be More Chill before...2023-06-1226 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 25: Andrea MacasaetEllie and Haley interview ANDREA MACASAET!
We know Andrea best as the first—and fan favorite—Queen to lose her head in Six.
But before she made her Broadway debut, she racked up some awesome stage credits, like Avenue Q, Heathers and Miss Saigon. Then, during the shutdown, she popped up in Ratatouille the Musical. And she’s back on stage in RENT at this year’s Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, where she’s playing Mimi. Another queen, honestly.
Andrea tells us about:
⭐️ Bringing Mimi to a whole new generation of RENT fans at...2023-05-1927 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 24: Elizabeth TeeterEllie and Haley interview ELIZABETH TEETER!
We love a good Beetlejuice story, and Elizabeth Teeter has one of the best! When the show came back to Broadway in 2022, she jumped into reviving the role of Lydia Deetz. And she had a blast until the show closed in early 2023, sending off our favorite goth girl with a big heart. But Elizabeth has a handful of other amazing shows under her belt, too, like Mary Poppins, The Audience and The Crucible.
Elizabeth tells us about:
⭐️ Working with one of Broadway’s most fun casts
⭐️ Her...2023-04-2128 min
Two Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 23: Julie BenkoEllie and Haley interview JULIE BENKO!
You might have heard of a little show called … Funny Girl? Well Julie’s been with the show from day one in a BIG WAY. First as the Fanny Brice understudy, then taking on the role full-time and now as the character’s alternate every Thursday. She’s also been in Spring Awakening, Fiddler on the Roof and Les Mis. And the New York Times named her a Broadway breakout star in 2022.
Julie tells us about:
⭐️ Playing the iconic role of Fanny Brice
⭐️ Where you can find her in...2023-02-0137 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 22: Spotlight ArtsIn this very special episode of Two Kids, Ellie and Haley are helping raise money for one of their favorite kids and their favorite places. Madison Barthelmes has been fighting pediatric cancer for the past year, and her parents own Ellie and Haley’s local youth community theater, Spotlight Arts in Fairport, NY. To help support Maddie and her family, Two Kids auctioned off three guest spots for this episode.
Courtney Buss, Nico Dobrot and Mikey Martin are theater kids just like us! In this episode, we talk about all of our favorite things about Spotlight, Broadway, be...2023-01-0634 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 21: Gerard CanonicoEllie and Haley interview GERARD CANONICO!
We’ve been big fans since we first saw Gerard as Rich in Be More Chill. But you might also know him from some of Broadway’s favorite shows, like Spring Awakening, American Idiot, Groundhog Day, 21 Chump Street and now Almost Famous!
Gerard tells us about:
⭐️ Reuniting with his Spring Awakening cast in 2022
⭐️ Be More Chill and his love of the Iconis Family
⭐️ How he relates to his character, Dick, in one of Broadway’s newest shows, Almost Famous
⭐️ Breaking chairs and spraining ankles o...2022-12-0937 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 20: Two Kids and Keeley KarstenEllie and Haley interview KEELEY KARSTEN!
You can see Keeley in Steven Spielberg’s new movie, The Fabelmans. She plays Natalie, a role inspired by Spielberg’s younger sister, and the movie tells the story of how Spielberg fell in love with film. It’s a big deal.
This episode is a little different, but we worked in plenty of Broadway AND we’re so excited to have Keeley on the show because she’s a big theater fan just like us!
Keeley tells us about:
⭐️ What it was like working with THE Steve...2022-11-1828 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 19: Eli GoldenEllie and Haley interview ELI GOLDEN!
If you haven’t heard of Eli Golden yet, you’re about to! He plays Evan, the star of Netflix’s new 13: The Musical movie, out August 12! And for theater kids everywhere, that’s a BIG deal.
In this episode of Two Kids, we talk to Eli about what it was like bringing a musical to the screen, what he hopes kids take away from the movie, what the audition process was like, recording his own music and, as always, his advice for kids like us!
Eli tells us...2022-08-1128 min
Two Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 18: Analise ScarpaciEllie and Haley interview ANALISE SCARPACI!
If you’ve been around Broadway lately, you know her as Lydia Hillard in Mrs. Doubtfire! And we were lucky to get a sneak peek of the show way back in 2020 at BroadwayCon. But before THAT, she made her Broadway debut in A Christmas Story and later starred in Godspell and Matilda, a show we just did, so you better believe we talk about that! Analise also just released “Pathetic Little Dreamer” on all your music streaming platforms AND works with kids and teens who want to be on Broadway. She’s our yo...2022-06-2431 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 17: Jordan Matthew BrownEllie and Haley interview JORDAN MATTHEW BROWN!
We met Jordan in 2019 when he was touring as Elder Cunningham in Book of Mormon. But before he became one of our favorite stage-door people, he was in Into the Woods, Parade, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Who’s Tommy AND made his Broadway debut as Book of Mormon before heading out on tour!
In this episode of Two Kids, we talk Broadway. We talk food. We play a lightning round of word association. And we have the best Patti LuPone impression you’ll hear all day...2022-05-2431 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 16: John TartagliaEllie and Haley interview JOHN TARTAGLIA!
John first hit Broadway as the original Princeton and Rod in Avenue Q, and he stayed on and off Broadway in a bunch of shows, like Beauty & the Beast, Newsical and Shrek as the OG Pinocchio and the hands behind dragon and the magic mirror.
In this episode of Two Kids, it’s all about his work as a puppeteer! From Johnnie and the Sprites to Julie’s Greenroom, he’s brought some of the most amazing children’s characters to life. And he just brought back Fraggle Rock on Apple...2022-03-1529 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 15: Kim SavaEllie and Haley interview KIM SAVA!
If Kim and Ellie have one thing in common … it’s that they’ve both done shows with Haley! Kim recently wrapped up a super-fun run as Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda at Syracuse Stage, and before that, she made her Broadway debut in Beetlejuice in some of the show’s most memorable roles, including understudying Delia, Barbara and Maxine. She also toured with Matilda and has done regional shows, like Annie and Singing in the Rain.
Hear Kim tell us:
⭐️ What she loves about regional theater
⭐️ What it...2022-01-2730 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 14: Ben CameronEllie and Haley interview BEN CAMERON!
You know him from BroadwayCon. You know him from Broadway Buskers. You know him from Broadway Sessions. You know him as your Broadway Buddy! Ben Cameron was in the original Broadway casts of Wicked, Footloose and Aida, and has toured with multiple shows and can be heard on a bunch of cast albums. We met him at BroadwayCon and can confirm he’s as awesome as he seems!
In this episode, we talk to Ben about very important Broadway stuff, like:
⭐️ A Muppet Christmas Carol
⭐️ Why we did...2021-12-1531 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 13: Joe IconisEllie and Haley interview JOE ICONIS!
Joe wrote BE MORE CHILL, which is one of our all-time favorite musicals (ask us about our Jeremy and Christine cosplay from Broadway Con) and earned him a Tony nomination. He also wrote Broadway Bounty Hunter, Love In Hate Nation, Two Player Game and more.
Hear Joe tell us:
⭐️ How he wrote some of our favorite songs in Be More Chill
⭐️ How his love of theater helped him learn to play piano
⭐️ If he thinks there ever be a female (or nobinary) squip
⭐️ Wha...2021-11-1638 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 12: Chris and Clay Rice-ThomsonEllie and Haley interview CHRIS AND CLAY RICE-THOMSON, our first Two Kids & A Broadway COUPLE!
Chris is currently on tour with Hamilton and was in Pretty Woman and Book of Mormon on Broadway. And he and Clay toured together in West Side Story, where they met. Clay has also toured with Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar and Oliver. And has been in King Kong, Matilda and Newsies on Broadway.
From Chris and Clay tell us about:
⭐️ How they got started in theater—and it’s REALLY close to home for us!
⭐️ What it’s like be...2021-10-1531 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 11: Stephanie D'AbruzzoEllie and Haley interview STEPHANIE D’ABRUZZO!
Stephanie is the OG Kate Monster in Avenue Q! It’s a role that earned her a Tony nomination and showed the world a brand-new kind of puppeteering—right on stage! She’s built her whole career on amazing puppeteering and voice work, with roles on Sesame Street, Julie’s Greenroom, in video games, on TV, in movies, off Broadway and more!
From puppeteering to Avenue Q, Stephanie tells us about:
⭐️ Her first puppets, and where they are now!
⭐️ What it was like to meet Big Bird as a...2021-09-1651 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 10: Drew GaspariniEllie and Haley interview DREW GASPARINI! Drew is a composer, songwriter and performer, and he’s been making big waves lately with the new Karate Kid musical and a stage version of It’s Kind of a Funny Story.
In this episode, Drew tells us all about ...
⭐️ Staying true to Karate Kid and when we can see its out-of-town run!
⭐️ Becoming a noodle.
⭐️ How he feels about Cobra Kai.
⭐️ Some exciting news about It’s Kind of a Funny Story!
⭐️ How he became friends and writing partners with Alex Brightman, and w...2021-08-1830 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 9: Tamar GreeneEllie and Haley interview TAMAR GREENE! Or as we like to call him: George Washington! Tamar joined the Broadway cast of Hamilton in January before the shutdown, and before that, he spent a year and a half in the role during the show’s run in Chicago. And he was born right here in Rochester, NY, where he went to the Eastman School and performed in some of the same local theaters we’ve been lucky to be a part of.
In this episode, Tamar tells us all about …
⭐️ His first Broadway audition, and his Hamilton a...2021-05-2529 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 8: Aaron AlcarazEllie and Haley interview AARON ALCARAZ! We first saw Aaron as Angel in the 20th anniversary tour of RENT! And he later made his Broadway debut as a swing in the cast of Mean Girls. He’s one of the nicest actors we’ve ever met and we can’t wait for you to hear what he had to say about …
⭐️ How he learned Angel’s crazy dance moves!
⭐️ How he got from the RENT tour to the Broadway stage!
⭐️ What’s harder: Being a lead or being a swing?
⭐️ What’s next for Mean Girls
⭐...2021-05-1430 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 7: Alex BrightmanEllie and Haley interview ALEX BRIGHTMAN! You know him as the ghost with the most. The teacher with the meacher. He’s rocked out in School of Rock and he’s haunted the Winter Garden as Beetlejuice. He’s a two-time Tony nominee, a writer, a voice actor and a member of the comedy group The (M)orons. AND he’s the nicest Broadway star we’ve ever met. In this episode, Alex tells us all about …
⭐️ The new TV show he’s writing!
⭐️ What he fell back on when Broadway shut down.
⭐️ What he thinks might be ne...2021-03-0141 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 6: Jennifer Ashley TepperEllie and Haley interview JENNIFER ASHLEY TEPPER! Jennifer produced BE MORE CHILL on and off Broadway, and also produced Love In Hate Nation and Broadway Bounty Hunter. She’s also an author, the creator of The Jonathan Larson Project and is working on the Tick Tick Boom movie. AND she’s the one who gets all those awesome shows to Feinstein’s/54 Below. Phew!
Jennifer definitely told us all of her secrets, liiike:
⭐️ How she was a theater kid just like us. Right down to the show!
⭐️ What a Broadwa...2021-02-1224 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 5: Rory O'MalleyRory O’Malley has played some of Broadway’s funniest, most likeable characters! And after talking to him, we can tell you that sounds just like him! He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Elder McKinley in Book of Mormon and was the first replacement for King George in Hamilton. WHOA. We had so much fun talking to him and finding out a bunch of theater secrets, like:
⭐️ How Elder McKinley was created and what makes him so funny
⭐️ How to turn any audition into a good relationship
⭐️ How Jonathan Groff h...2021-01-1531 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 4: Kristin StokesEllie and Haley interview KRISTIN STOKES! Kristin originated the role of Annabeth Chase in the Lightning Thief musical off-Broadway, on the national tour and in the show’s limited Broadway run.
Kristin talks to the girls about:
⭐️ How being her mom’s theater buddy led to her start in theater.
⭐️ How she auditioned for The Lightning Thief before even reading the Percy Jackson books!
⭐️ What she has done in 2020 to recover from her crazy 2019.
⭐️ What’s next for her and The Lightning Thief.
⭐️ Which Broadway star would be the best quest partner...2020-12-2322 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 3: Dana SteingoldEllie and Haley interview DANA STEINGOLD! Dana played the Girl Scout in Tony-nominated Beetlejuice and starred in Avenue Q and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She’s also the voice of Saraline on the Emmy-nominated Welcome to the Wayne.
Dana talks to the girls about:
⭐️ How attending theater camp changed her life.
⭐️ Her secrets for auditioning and puppeteering.
⭐️ Being in the fun and challenging Avenue Q.
⭐️ What it was like when Beetlejuice closed early.
⭐️ How we can support theater right now.
⭐️ What kids with big Broadway dreams c...2020-11-1125 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 2: Hunter FosterHaley and Ellie interview HUNTER FOSTER! Hunter is a Tony Award nominee who has been in Grease, Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors, the Producers and more! Today, he’s artistic director at Redhouse Theater in Syracuse, NY.
Hunter talks to the girls about:
⭐️ His career path and how he got where he is today.
⭐️ Hus favorite role.
⭐️ The surprising way he and his sister Sutton found their way to musical theater.
⭐️ Why he agreed to do a musical all about pee.
⭐️ How they can make it to Broadway when they’re...2020-10-2621 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarEpisode 1: John BarthelmesIn their first-ever episode, Haley and Ellie interview John Barthelemes, the owner and artistic director of Spotlight Studios for the Performing Arts in Fairport, NY.
John, who has directed Haley and Ellie since they were both 5 years old, talks about the Broadway performers he’s trained, how he picks each year’s lineup, what it’s like to direct kids of all different age groups and the story of how Spotlight came to be.
Two Kids and a Broadway Star homepage: https://anchor.fm/twokidsandabroadwaystar
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2EC9dfG...2020-10-0617 minTwo Kids & A Broadway StarTwo Kids and a Broadway Star - teaserHi Guys!
We're Haley and Ellie! We've been doing theater together since we were five years old, and we both want to be on Broadway when we grow up.
We are OBSESSED with musical theater.
We're going to interview our favorite real-life Broadway stars. Our parents said we get only one minute to freak out when the star joins us, then we'll talk about their careers and life on Broadway.
Then, we'll freak out for one more minute.
We hope you'll subscribe to our podcast and tell all your f...2020-10-0400 min