Little Known Facts With Ilana Levine

Erika most recently starred as Cady in Mean Girls on broadway. She has also been seen as Fantine in the recent Broadway revival of Les Miserables, Kim Ravenal in PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center: Show Boat and Beth in Signature Theatre’s world premiere of Kathleen Marshall/Sheryl Crow’ musical, Diner. She was featured opposite Tyne Daly in York Theatre Company’s staging of Jerry Herman’s Dear World and has also starred as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Sophie in Mamma Mia! at PCLO. She is the recipient of Alan Eisenberg Actors’ Equity Award and graduate of University of Michigan BFA Musical Theater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TIMOTHY BUSFIELD is a Producer, Writer, Director and Emmy Award winning actor with over 650 professional credits. As a director, his most recent film Guest Artist, written by and starring Jeff Daniels, is scheduled to be released internationally in July of 2020. The film has won many awards since its premiere at The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, including Best Director at the New York Independent Film Festival. As an actor he has been a series regular or recurring character on 20 television series including the currently running “For Life”, “Almost Family”, “thirtysomething,” “The West Wing,” “Entourage,” “Designated Survivor,” “Sleepy Hollow,” Secrets and Lies,” “ED,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “Trapper John, M.D.,” “The Byrds of Paradise,” “Champs,” “Family Ties,” “Without A Trace,” “The Paper Chase,” “Reggie,” “All My Children”, “One Dollar”. He recently appeared in the mini-series “The Loudest Voice”. Mr. Busfield has appeared in over 40 television movies and feature films, including Fi

Multiple Emmy award-winning and Grammy Award- nominated Wayne Brady has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, singer, dancer, improviser, songwriter and television personality.  In December 2019, Brady was named the winner of season two of “The Masked Singer,” arguably the biggest performance competition show in the world. His musical artistry won over the judges and audiences all across the country. On the heels of his win, Brady dropped a brand-new original single, entitled “Flirtin’ w/ Forever,” which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video. Long an accomplished singer and performer, Brady’s debut album was released in September 2008, with his version of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" earning him a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category.   Brady is known across America as host of the iconic CBS game show, “Let’s Make a Deal,” which has earned him two Daytime Emmy Awards – Outstanding Game Show Host and Outstanding O

Brogan Ganley has been teaching meditation for over a decade. She has worked in hospitals in oncology and general wards, with patients and staff, in public and private schools with teachers and children, office/corporate environments, community centers and in private practice. Brogan has seen first hand how the modalities she uses can profoundly change people’s lives and this keeps her incredibly passionate about the work she does.   After years of study in India, Nepal, New Zealand, UK and the US, she began teaching Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga in 2007, became a Reiki Master in 2012, and Urban Zen Integrative Therapist in 2012.  Brogan grew up in very rural New Zealand, where nature and the landscape played a huge role. Taking care of your own health and healing with the aid of nature and community was simply the way it was done.  Brogan and her husband  have two children  and have lived in Brooklyn for 14 years. They have 40 acres of wooded land in upstate New York, completely off-grid, solar and hydro

George Salazar is best known for originating the role of "Michael Mell" in Be More Chill (coming to the Signature off-Broadway this summer) and for his Drama Desk-nominated performance in off-Broadway's The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.  Most recently starred in the Pasadena Playhouse production of Little Shop of Horrors. He was previously seen off-Broadway in Keen Company's Drama Desk-nominated revival of tick, tick... BOOM! and in David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's hit off-Broadway immersive musical, Here Lies Love. George made his Broadway debut singing "Light of the World" in the 2011 Revival of Godspell and toured with the second national company of Spring Awakening prior to that. Regional credits include the world premiere of Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz's Be More Chill, the world premiere of Joe Iconis, Lance Rubin, and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams' Broadway Bounty Hunter, the world premiere of Raging Skillet, and "Chip Tolentino" in ...Putnam County Spelling Bee. He was also a cast member of the 1

A special episode of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine On March 12th, 2020 Broadway shows and performances all over the United States came to an immediate halt but the voices of all the artists are going strong while waiting for shows to reopen or mourning the shows that will not be able to come back. Listen to Ilana and her friends Joe Iconis, Kristin Chenoweth, Judy Kuhn, Beth Malone, Kathryn Gallagher and Jonathan Marc Sherman tell their tales of shows ending abruptly and what that means to them and the community at large. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth Stanley is a Drama Desk Award nominee, and widely recognized stage and screen actress.  She can currently be seen starring as Mary Jane Healy in Jagged Little Pill featuring the beloved music of Alanis Morissette, a book by Diablo Cody, orchestrations by Tom Kitt, and directed by Diane Paulus. Stanley originated the role in its World Premiere at Harvard’s American Repertory Theater. In the show’s Broadway bow, Variety said that she portrayed Mary Jane with “with infinite compassion in a stunning performance.”  She originated the roles of Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet and Allison in Cry-Baby. Additional Broadway credits include the revival of On the Town (Drama Desk Nomination) and the Tony Award-Winning revival of Company. She also appeared in the First National Tours of The Bridges of Madison County and Xanadu.  On television, Stanley can be seen in “NOS4A2” (upcoming), “FBI,” “The Get Down”, “The Affair,” “Black Box,” “Made in Jersey,” “Fringe,” “The Chappelle Show,” and “PBS Great Performances

John Slattery is an American actor and director. He is best known for his role as Roger Sterling in the AMC drama series Mad Men. He has received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Critics' Choice Television Awards for AMC's series Mad Men. He was also part of the Mad Men ensemble cast that won two SAG Awards. In 2013, Slattery directed his first feature film, God's Pocket, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. He is currently on the HBO series Veep. Apart from his role on Mad Men, Slattery is also known for roles on Homefront; the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon; the HBO series K Street; guest appearances on Will & Grace; Judging Amy; Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. Other films include Mona Lisa Smile, Flags of our Fathers, Charlie Wilson's War and The Adjustment Bureau. In 2015, Slattery portrayed journalist Ben Bradlee Jr. in the Academy Award winning film Spotlight, and also appeared in the Netflix comedy series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, for

Zachary Quinto hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Carnegie Mellon where he received a BFA in Acting.   In 2007 he was cast as Sylar on the hit NBC series Heroes. That same year, he was cast as Spock in the JJ Abrams directed reboot of the Star Trek franchise. He starred in the first season of American Horror Story in 2011, and won a Critic’s Choice Award and Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal on American Horror Story: Asylum.  Quinto appeared in the 2010 Signature revival of Tony Kushner’s Angels In America, for which he won a Theater World Award and a Drama Desk Award nomination. He made his Broadway debut in the 2013 Tony Award winning production of the Glass Menagerie. He was also seen in MCC’s production of Noah Haidle's Smokefall and in the Joe Mantello directed revival of The Boys in the Band. Quinto began his production company Before the Door Pictures in 2008 and produced such films as Margin Call, All Is Lost, A Most Violent Year, and Aardvark. Quinto hosts the unscripted show In S

Zane has appeared most recently in Sunday (Atlantic Theater Company, dir. Lee Sunday Evans). Other selected theater includes Dead Poets Society (CSC, dir. John Doyle), Mercury Fur (The New Group, dir. Scott Elliott), and Skylight (McCarter Theater, dir. Emily Mann). Film/TV: “Room 104” (HBO, dir. Lila Neugebauer), Margot at the Wedding (dir. Noah Baumbach), Alba & June (short, dir. Pepi Ginsberg), and Minyan (upcoming, dir. Eric Steel, premiering at Berlin Film Festival 2020). Zane also wrote a television pilot which was optioned by Sony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s week 2 of previews of The Peeplexed - the new Richard Greenberg play - opening March 3rd at Manhattan Theater Club and Ilana shares some thoughts with her listeners from her dressing room at the theater. Tune in to Ilana’s audio journal as she sorts out the preview process and other tales and mishaps as the play transitions from the rehearsal room to the stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki M. James most famously, originated the role of Nabalungi in the Broadway hit musical, Book of Mormon, for which she won the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. After her award winning performance, Nikki went on to star as Éponine in the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables. James starred on the Fox series Proven Innocent. James received rave reviews for her starring role as Viveca in Kirsten Child’s musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin in Encores! Off-Center production at City Center. The musical review was an ambitious follow up to Nikki’s portrayal of Portia, Brutus’ proud wife, in The Public Theatre’s extremely press worthy and politically prescient version of Julius Caesar at Shakespeare in the Park in 2017. Nikki reprised her role of Viola in the musical version of Twelfth Night this past summer under the direction of Oskar Eustis at the Delacorte Theatre. Recent notable work in television includes a starring role in CBS’ quirky series Braindead and a recurring guest a

Dominic Fumusa is best known for playing "Kevin Peyton" opposite Edie Falco on Showtime's acclaimed show "Nurse Jackie" which ran for seven seasons from 2009-2015. Fumusa's extensive theater experience includes originating roles in the NY premieres of Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss and Passion Play, Richard Greenberg's Tony Award winning Take Me Out (NY and London), Melissa James Gibson's Obie Award winning [sic] and Stephen Belber's plays The Power of Duff, Fault Lines and Tape (NY, London and Los Angeles). His Broadway debut was in the 1998 revival of Wait Until Dark opposite Marisa Tomei and Quentin Tarantino. Select regional theater credits include numerous plays at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, the Stratford Festival in Canada, the Huntington Theater in Boston, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Humana Festival at the Actors Theater of Louisville. Fumusa's film work includes playing the real life hero John "Tig" Tiegen in this year's 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi directed by Michael

Derek Klena has been seen on Broadway as Fiyero in Wicked, Michael in The Bridges of Madison County and Dmitry in Anastasia. His off-Broadway credits include Dogfight and Carrie. Regionally, he has appeared in Anastasia (Hartford Stage), Diner (Signature Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company), Unknown Soldier (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Hairspray (Hollywood Bowl) and Jagged Little Pill (A.R.T.). His TV credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Blue Bloods, Quantico, Law & Order: SVU and The Carrie Diaries. Derek can currently be seen in the broadway production of Jagged Little Pill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amanda Green is a Tony-nominated lyricist/composer. She is the recipient of the 2013 Frederic Loewe Award from the Dramatists Guild (with collaborator Trey Anastasio) for her music for Hands On A Hardbody (lyricist; co-composer), one of two new musicals she premiered on Broadway in the 2012-2013 season. She also co-wrote the lyrics for Bring It On (currently on its second National Tour). For her work on Hands she was nominated for a Tony Award, Two Drama Desk Awards (music, lyrics) and an Outer Critics Circle Award. She was nominated for a third Drama Desk Award the same year for her lyrics (with Lin Manuel Miranda) for Bring It On. Also on Broadway:High Fidelity (lyrics). NY and regional credits: Stars of David (original songs; 2013; DR2 Theater). Arthur Laurents asked her to write additional lyrics for the revival ofHallelujah Baby (Arena Stage, directed by Mr. Laurents). For The Love Of Tiffany: A Wifetime Original Musical (lyricist, co-star; NY Fringe Festival). “Put A Little Love In Your Mouth! The Songs

Chris Stills is a celebrated troubado ur who ’s releases include h is debut album 100 Year Thing produced by Ethan Johns, on through to the eponymous Chris Stills and most - recently, Don’t Be Afraid where Chris reconnected with that “California kid who loves Leon Russell and Tom Petty” . Raised between California and France, Chris has cultivate d his music internationally along side a successful a cting career where he’s played Julius Caesar in the top - grossing French musical Cleopatra - The Last Queen of Egypt . Stills went on to also appear opposite Mélanie Laurent in in the French film Requiem for a Killer and later landed a foot firmly in both music and acting camps when his contributions to the long - running U.S.hit series of Shameless led to a regular guest spot across two seasons of the show. Chris’s music is sought - after in film and television including his songs “Live To Live” on A merican Hustle and Black Betty in Hot Pursuit . He also sang the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” in th

Michael Zegen can currently be seen starring on the critically acclaimed Amazon series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” created by Amy Sherman-Palladino.  The series is recently won the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, a 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Television Series, Musical or Comedy and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy Series. The show is returning for it’s third season on Friday, December 6th.Previous television includes his standout recurring role as ‘Benny Siegel' on HBO's “Boardwalk Empire,” for which he was included in the 2015 SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Other recurring television arcs include: "The Walking Dead," "Girls," "How To Make It In America," "Happyish" and all seven seasons of "Rescue Me.” Michael’s film credits include Noah Baumbach's FRANCES HA, John Crowley's Oscar-Nominated film BROOKLYN, Greg Mottola’s ADVENTURE

Daniel J. Watts can be seen in TINA: The Tina Turner Musical and has appeared in eight Broadway shows including Hamilton, In The Heights and Memphis. Off Broadway he has starred in Suzan-Lori Parks' Death of the Last Black Man in the Entire World (Signature Theatre) and the world premiere of Whorl Inside A Loop (2nd Stage). TV credits include recurring roles on Amazon’s Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, NBC's Blindspot and HBO's Vinyl and The Deuce. The Good Wife (CBS), Blue Bloods (CBS), Odd Mom Out (Bravo), The Night Of (HBO), Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Person of Interest (CBS), Broad City (Comedy Central) and Smash (NBC). He currently appears as Felony in Tracy Morgan's new comedy series The Last OG on TBS. Daniel J. Watts' The Jam an homage to his great grandmother who made homemade jam from scratch and gave away what she couldn't eat herself, is a spoken word/storytelling experience fusing a live band, song, dance and multimedia where Watts encourages audiences to focus on social similarities opposed to differences. L

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Melissa is best known for her starring roles on Broadway, but her career is characterized by diverse interests in many creative corners of show business. She has had a steady career in television, appeared in feature films, and performed in non-musical roles in Off-Broadway plays by Shaw, Wilde, and others. She has also explored music as both a recording artist and concert singer, releasing several music albums and working with some of the world’s best symphonies and jazz and cabaret spaces. More recently, she established herself as a writer, publishing essays in The New York Times and beyond. As a musical theater actress, she starred in the Broadway musicals Anna Karenina, My Fair Lady, High Society, Dracula, White Christmas, and Amour which won her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and began a longtime association with its composer Michel Legrand. Melissa was recently honored with a caricature at Sardi’s in celebration of her Broadway starring theatrical performa