Shows
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah29: In the Belly of the Whale w/ Dawn Troupe (1776, Moby Dick, Memphis)Dawn Troupe is an actor, director, producer, and Bay Area legend! She recently made her Broadway debut in last year's revival of 1776, and has appeared in countless plays and musicals for TheatreWorks, Berkeley Rep, Broadway By the Bay, Hillbarn Theatre, and more, including original workshop casts for Memphis and Dave Malloy's Moby Dick: A Musical Reckoning.
We discuss how Dawn prepares for a role, the emotional experience of stepping onto a Broadway stage, the genius of Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin, falling in love with theatre from her first audition, and more!
2023-08-2548 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah28: Dressing Broadway w/ Emma Atherton (Sweeney Todd, Frozen, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark)Emma Atherton is a wardrobe professional, having worked as a dresser on the Broadway productions of Hamilton, Great Comet..., Frozen, Cabaret, Phantom of the Opera, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, and currently dressing Josh Groban in the revival of Sweeney Todd.
We discuss what a dresser does during the performance, the mechanics of stressful quickchanges, Phantom's place in her family DNA, how to break in to the wardrobe department, and more!
Follow Emma's fashion page on Instagram @wearingthewings
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...2023-08-0432 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah27: College Auditions and Christine w Tamra Glaser (Phantom of the Opera)Tamra Glaser is a professional vocal and acting coach most well known for her stint as Christine Daae in the Los Angeles production of The Phantom of the Opera, opposite Michael Crawford. She is the founder of College Audition Mentors, a program where her students have been accepted to every major theatre program in the country.
Together we discuss auditioning over zoom, the first time going on as Christine Daae, the joy of working with Michael Crawford, the death of the cadenza, overdone audition songs, and more!
Follow Tamra o...2023-07-2149 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah26: Haunted (Theater) Houses w/ Mitchell Ralston aka Mr. SpookyBoo!!! Are you frightened yet? Mitchell Ralston aka Mr. Spooky is an aficionado of all things supernatural and creepy, sharing his favorite facts and stories on social media. He has experience with ghost hunting and an extensive knowledge of huanted theaters. Scaredy-cats beware! This ep gets spooooooky!!!
We discuss the true story behind the Phantom of the Opera, tales of haunted theaters on Broadway and around the country, his experience working as a Jungle Cruise skipper, favorite monsters, and more!
Follow Mitchell on TikTok @mrspooky13 and Instagram @mrspooky13
2023-07-0757 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah25: The Chameleon of Directors w/ Sammi Cannold (Sunset Boulevard at Kennedy Center, The Show Must Go On documentary)Sammi Cannold is one of the most in-demand young directors in the business. She directed Stephanie J. Block in Sunset Boulevard at The Kennedy Center earlier this year and is currently helming a hit revival of Evita at American Repertory Theatre. She has staged shows at New York City Center, Ellis Island, A.R.T., Lincoln Center, and on a moving bus. Sammi also directed the feature documentary The Show Must Go On, about the global and Korean theatre communities' return to the stage during/after covid. Her future is bright and we had a lovely time chatting with...2023-06-2356 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah24: Definition of Diva w/ Lady GlambLady Glamb is a multi-hyphenate. She is a fabulous actor, arts educator, minister, model, and social media sensation, with thousands of followers (aka Glambabies) on Instagram and TikTok (@33glamb). She and Noah met through social media a few years ago and quickly became bosom buddies. Glamb is a fabulous diva who has been performing and teaching for decades, having gone through several eras and stage names along the way. She is constantly reinventing herself and we love her for it!
We discuss Glamb’s early stage persona “Muffin,” her time in Yiddish theatre, her social...2023-06-0248 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah23: Reexamining the Classics w/ Gennine Harrington (Beach Blanket Babylon, Tri-School Productions)Gennine Harrington is a choreographer, actor, and teacher who has worked with theatre companies all over the Bay Area, most notably Tri-School high school theatre for over twenty years, and Hillbarn Theatre, where she has worked with the youth conservatory (with both Noah and Xandra!) for over ten years as well.
Together with Xandra and Noah, they discuss why Gennine is drawn to working with high school actors, the growing need to examine the historical context of classic shows, reflecting on the legacy of Grease (a problematic fave), Gennine’s experience as an understudy in...2023-04-281h 06
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah22: Community Theatre for All w Danny Martin (Coastal Rep)Danny Martin is an actor, director, and educator, a true veteran of Bay Area community theatre. He is currently the artistic director of Coastal Repertory Theatre in Half Moon Bay. He is committed to creating a more inclusive community and is excited to be presenting an upcoming season at Coastal Rep with all female directors.
Tune in for our discussion of the politics of community theatre, taking the blame as a middle school casting director, how he’s making the most of becoming a gatekeeper, the joys of Rocky the musical, and more!
2023-04-0743 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah21: Running Around Broadway w/ Juan CastroJuan Castro is a New York-based actor and TheatreWorld zoom veteran. He recently moved to NYC from the Bay Area, where he performed in many local productions. He is also an avid theatre-goer and cannot wait to attend Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Bad Cinderella.”
Noah and Xandra chat with Juan about the state of auditioning in New York theatre, the craziness of working for TodayTix, Broadway audience behavior, the joys of the underrated children’s musical “A Year With Frog and Toad,” and more!
Follow Juan on Instagram @Juancastrophe and check him...2023-03-1728 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah20: Theatre Camp Where You Can Be You w/ Shawn Ryan (Young Actors' Theatre Camp)Shawn Ryan is the co-founder and director of Young Actors’ Theatre Camp, an overnight camp for young performers (ages 8-18) that offers classes in scene study, musical theatre, filmmaking, dance, the art of drag, and more! YATC holds a special place in Noah’s heart because he spent his teen years attending and then later working there, a place he grew immensely as a performer and human, and always felt supported to let his full personality out.
They discuss the “up until now” mentality, the importance of Drag Night, the best ways to support young per...2023-03-0342 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah19: Juicy Broadway Tea (w/ Jonathan Lewis @SweatyOracle)This week we chatted with Jonathan Lewis (host of the Sweaty Oracle Show podcast), a theatre commentator who shares news, gossip, and hot takes on social media @SweatyOracle.
We discuss why the Muppets have lost their edge, how much a broadway ticket should cost, Sunset with Stephanie, whether Andrew Lloyd Webber should retire (he should), upcoming revivals, and more!
Follow Jonathan on TikTok and Instagram @SweatyOracle and subscribe to The Sweaty Oracle Show on your favorite podcast platform!
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@T...2023-02-1748 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah18: Escapism is Back w/ Randy O'Hara (Artistic Director Hillbarn Theatre)Randy O’Hara is the artistic director at Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City, starting off as an actor from the East coast who made his Hillbarn debut as Quasimodo in Hunchback of Notre Dame (2017), soon taking over as the Conservatory Director, creating theatre through innovation during the pandemic, and eventually taking the helms as Artistic Director role at Hillbarn. Randy will be taking on his next adventure at the close of this season moving back to the east coast to start a family with his husband.
Noah and Xandra chat with Randy about challenging yo...2023-01-1335 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah17: Sisters Making Musicals w/ Makena & Teagan Reynolds (Jinx the Musical, The Emily Dickinson Musical)Teagan and Makena Reynolds are sisters who create musicals together! Their most recent project is a new original musical, Jinx, for their alma mater, Borel Middle School. Last year they wrote and Makena directed The Emily Dickinson Musical, presented at the University of Utah. They’ve also acted in high school and community theater alongside Noah and Xandra!
Together, they discuss the importance of telling authentic middle school stories, the pressure of pitching an unwritten project, why Emily Dickinson’s life story makes for a great musical, and more!
Lear...2022-12-0947 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah16: Everything Andrew w/ Matt MatteiMatt “Maestro” Mattei is a music director and piano player for theaters and schools all over the Bay Area, plus he is the biggest Andrew Lloyd Webber fan on this hemisphere! He even runs a Lloyd Webber Facebook fan group! Noah and Xandra chat with their friend of over a decade about all things Lord Andrew.
Matt shares his takes on why Bad Cinderella isn’t as bad as it looks, the true power of a spectacle musical, radio pop on Broadway, what actually works about Love Never Dies, and more!
C...2022-11-2545 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah15: Stage Managing at Sea w/ Meena Shayesteh (Disney Cruise Line)Meena Shayesteh is a professional stage manager on the Disney Cruise Line, actively stage managing Frozen: A Musical Spectacular, Disney Dreams, and The Golden Mickeys. She's also worked and performed with Noah and Xandra for many years at Hillbarn Theatre and San Mateo High School, and was an original TheatreWorld Readings founding member back in 2020!
Xandra and Noah discuss with their old friend about the magic of working with Disney, living on the ocean, what Meena learned from starting out stage managing for young kids, the infamous "Poop Shower" story, and more!
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@BenderNoah
Le...2022-11-1147 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah14: Cutting Loose w/ Jim Ambler (OBC Footloose, OBC Saturday Night Fever, Cats Tour)Jim Ambler is an accomplished actor who kickstarted his career in the original broadway companies of Footloose and Saturday Night Fever, going on to tour all over the world in major productions of The Producers, West Side Story, Damn Yankees, and others, until he returned to his home in the Bay Area, where he’s been performing all over the place ever since.
We talk about Jim’s time developing the original broadway production of Footloose, our takes on the new Bad Cinderella, the joys of touring with Cats, hilarious onstage mishaps, and more!
2022-10-1441 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah13: High School Theatre Excellence w/ Brad Friedman (San Mateo High School Drama Director for 28 years)We’re back! This week Noah and Xandra interview their amazing high school drama teacher, Brad Friedman. Brad was the drama director at San Mateo High School for 28 years and ingrained a high level of arts education into the school and community, winning numerous awards, wowing audiences, and instilling a love for the performing arts in generations of students. He also taught and directed Xandra and Noah in their formative high school years! They spent more time with Mr. Friedman in those four years than their own families!
They discuss Brad’s directing philosophies, the i...2022-09-0958 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah12: Xan's Trip to BroadwayStart spreading the news! Xandra went to NYC and saw a plethora of theatre!
She shares her experience and gives the hottest takes on the current productions of the stunning revival of Company, the star-studded Into the Woods, the powerful yet controversial Paradise Square, the overblown Funny Girl, the most classic Phantom of the Opera, and decadently opulent Moulin Rouge!
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@WonderXandra
@BenderNoah
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Tell a friend!...2022-07-2944 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah11: Patti, Andrew, and Sunset w/ Broadway Bob (TikTok, The Sunset Project podcast)Mr. DeMille, he’s ready for his closeup! Broadway Bob is a Chicago-based theatre critic, TikTok commentator, and creator/host of "The Sunset Project", a detailed history of the iconic megamusical Sunset Boulevard.
Noah and Xandra chat with Bob about his lifelong obsession with Patti LuPone, many of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s controversies, the worst show he’s ever seen, and more!
Follow Bob @broadwaybob on TikTok and @thebroadwaybob on Instagram!
Check out his podcast The Sunset Project!
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@Th...2022-07-1553 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah10: Bouffon, Clown, and Truth w/ Nathaniel Justiniano (Naked Empire Bouffon)Noah and Xandra spoke with physical theatre, Bouffon, and Clown expert Nathaniel Justiniano. Nathaniel is the founder and artistic director of the Naked Empire Bouffon company (based in San Francisco), has directed, created, and starred in numerous theatrical productions, worked as a movement designer, and taught Noah’s physical comedy/clowning class at Emerson College!
Bouffon is a broad performance realm rooted in satire and mockery. It is often physically grotesque, confrontational, hilarious, and harnessed to point out and revel in society’s ills.
They talk differences between Bouffon and...2022-06-2451 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah9: Tony Preview 2022 w/ Special Guest...Roll out the red carpet, it’s the 2022 Tony Awards! Noah and Xandra break down the nominees for Best Musical, the new wave of historical musicals, Noah’s Tony necklace, the trouble with modern jukebox musicals, and more!
Listen to the end for a special call-in interview with the legendary Carol Channing!
Check out the ridiculous "R&H Goes Pop!" here
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@BenderNoah
Leave us a review on A...2022-06-1043 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah8: All Things CATS w/ Lauren Louis (Cats US National Tour)Meow! This episode was a real treat for Noah because he got to gush about his favorite musical with his friend Lauren Louis, who currently stars as Demeter in the current North American tour of CATS! Let's get Jellicle!
We discuss the training process at kitty boot camp, our thoughts on the Cats movies (2019 and 1998), the unspoken subtextual relationships between the Jellicle cats, the moment performing at Disneyland that gave Lauren her "why" for doing theatre, and more!
Follow Lauren @Laurenalouis
See her in Cats on tour in...2022-05-2052 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah7: Funny Girl Revival, Reviewed w/ Sarah GlossHello, gorgeous! TheatreWorld founding member and current NYU Tisch student Sarah Gloss joins us to share her thoughts on the new Broadway revival of Funny Girl starring Beanie Feldstein, which she saw in previews at the August Wilson Theatre.
We discuss Beanie's stage presence and singing chops, our mutual obsession with Ramin Karimloo (dreamboat alert), how Funny Girl's themes fit in a modern context, why teen girls are obsessed with Phantom of the Opera, and more!
Check out Sarah's podcast A Bro's Guide to Glitter wherever you get your po...2022-05-0645 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah6: Xan & Noah's Drama Teacher w/ Virginia MusanteVirginia Musante taught drama at Bowditch Middle School in Foster City, CA for 37 years! Apart from blessing multiple generations with the gift of drama, she also taught Xandra and Noah at a formative time in their lives! They've both performed in several shows directed by Virginia as well as worked together for years on production staff at the Hillbarn Theater Youth Conservatory. Virginia has been a super impactful figure and it was wonderful to catch up and interview her on her amazing life's work!
We discuss the importance of "play" as we continue to g...2022-04-2254 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah5: Greek Mythology Unwound w/ Aishy Panwar (Unwound: Beyond the Labyrinth)Aishy Panwar stars as Ariadne in Unwound: Beyond the Labyrinth, a new musical by Amanda Gulla. The story follows Ariadne as she navigates two different timelines: as a mortal and as a goddess. Themes of loneliness, letting the past go, and genderqueer Greek gods pervade this haunting and stunning new musical, which can now be viewed in concert form on YouTube!
We chatted with Aishy about the process of putting together an original musical on zoom over quarantine, what she's learned from her experience as the star of several TheatreWorld productions, and the greatest experience she's ever had at the t...2022-04-0840 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah4: Britney On Broadway w/ Ashley Chiu (Once Upon a One More Time)Ashley Chiu stars as Sleeping Beauty in the new jukebox musical, "Once Upon a One More Time," an original tale of classic storybook princesses regaining their agency and taking back their power, set to the music of pop icon Britney Spears.
With the show headed to Broadway next season, Xandra and Noah chatted Ashley up about what Britney Spears has meant to her in life, the roadblocks OUaOMT has faced due to covid, the joys of basing a character on yourself rather than needing to fit a specific mold, and more!
...2022-03-2542 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah3: Father-Daughter Composing Duo (w/ Hannah Herbert-Hunt & Keith Herbert)Actor Hannah Herbert-Hunt and her father Keith Herbert are bringing you an original sci-fi musical called The Journey Home, a story of four young humans known as "stewards" living on a giant ark designed to transport humanity on a 700+ year journey to a new solar system, where a new life awaits.
They reflect on the many forms their show has taken in its progression, the triumphs of their first in-person concert, their plans for the show's next steps, their collaborative process as father and daughter, and more!
Read more and hear some s...2022-03-1143 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah2: Changing the Face of Bay Area Theatre (w/ Gary Stanford Jr.)This week we spoke with Gary Stanford Jr., an actor/director/choreographer/activist who has worked with seemingly every theatre company in the Bay Area! His latest mission has been serving on the boards of several local theatres, spearheading the push for diversity and antiracism in the theatre community.
We discuss the changing tides of racial disparity in theatre, the importance of representation at the gatekeeping level, and his vision for the future of equitable theatre. Plus, a lighthearted discussion about the joys of getting booed on stage!
Catch Gary as Tom Collins in Marin Musical Theatre Company’s RENT (ope...2022-02-2538 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah1: Two Years of Zoom Theatre (w/ David Jones)Hello! Welcome! In their inaugural episode, Noah Bender and Xandra Nemchik reminisce on the origins of TheatreWorld, an online theatre company they started in April 2020, where they have since produced and performed zoom readings over 35 popular musicals, with performers from around the country. They discuss the joys and limitations of zoom theatre, their company mission statement, and some of their favorite moments from the past two years.
Later, they talk to DC-based actor and loyal TheatreWorld company member David Jones! He reflects on what this online theatre community has meant to him, his passion for "creating art...2022-02-1144 min
TheatreWorld Presents with Xandra And Noah0: TrailerWelcome to the TheatreWorld Podcast with Xandra Nemchik and Noah Bender!!! Tune in every other Friday for insightful interviews with some of the most interesting movers and shakers from around the world of theatre!
First episode launching on February 11! Subscribe please!
Follow us on Instagram @TheatreWorld_Readings
Noah: @bendernoah
Xandra: @wonderxandra
2022-02-0301 min