Little Known Facts With Ilana Levine

Bonnie Milligan is currently making her broadway debut to critical acclaim starring in "Head  Over Heels." Previous to HOH, Bonnie was seen playing the original role of Pat in the first national tour of "Kinky Boots" and off broadway in "God Bless You, Mr Rosewater: ( Encores!), "Gigantic" (Vineyard ), "Jasper in Deadland" (Prospect). Television credits include the recurring role of Kathryn on "Search Party" ( TBS), "Happy!" ( Sci Fi) and an upcoming new series from Ben Stiller. Twitter: @beltingbonnie Instagram @beltingbons  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many years ago I was hosting a Broadway event to engage and inspire younger voters to get involved in politics. One person after another told me that I needed to meet their friend Al Styron. They were pretty clear that she was  someone who knew all the players I would need to make this event a success. They were right. Having been raised in a politically active household as the daughter of author William Styron ( Sophie's Choice) and poet/activist Rose Styron ( Amnesty International), Al did in fact know everyone. What I hadn't been warned about was that she was one of the smartest, funniest and kindest people I would ever know and so unbeknownst to me  I was about to meet a lifelong friend and confidante. So here she is. My best friend, best selling author and activist- Alexandra Styron in conversation about her new book "Steal This Country"  where she offers us insights into what we can all do to feel like active, impactful and engaged citizens. ALEXANDRA STYRON is the author of Reading My Father and a nove

In a landscape overflowing with podcasts it is a lovely thing when two hosts feel tremendous mutual admiration and want to interview each other about their love of podcasting and why they "podcast" while maintaining acting careers. Rory O'Malley was a guest on Ilana's podcast and then Ilana was a guest on Rory's podcast and here is their conversation that covers showmances, life in the arts, raising kids, activism, jealousy, show tunes, botox, #beltthevote and more. Go to beltthevote.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

n 2012, Little Known Facts host Ilana Levine got a call that her dear friend Susan was in a horrible car accident. Her car had literally been crushed by a Los Angeles city bus that had driven head on into Susan's car. Her 12 year old daughter who had been in the passenger seat walked out of the car unharmed but Susan was trapped inside. Almost every bone in her body was broken including her neck, she had bleeding on her brain and her lungs had collapsed. One of life's biggest clichés became a horrific reality when Douglas Segal, Susan's husband, showed up at the scene. Following the accident, Doug began sending regular email updates to their circle of friends and family—a list that continued to grow as others heard of the event and were moved by the many emotional and spiritual issues it raised. Those emails became the centerpiece of his memoir "Struck" an intimate and honest chronicle built around these email updates, and is a profound example of how people show up for one another in times of crisis and is a

Nicolette Robinson is an award winning actress and was most recently cast as Jenna , the lead in the Broadway musical, "Waitress."  Born and raised in Los Angeles and married to the Hamilton Tony Award winning actor Leslie Odom Jr. , Nicolette opens up about her struggles and triumphs and takes us on an emotional journey that gives listeners an honest and beautiful account of what is is to live the life of an artist. This fall, Robinson made her Broadway debut stepping into the lead role of “Jenna” in the multiple Tony Award nominated musical, WAITRESS. With a book by Jessie Nelson, music by Sara Bareilles, and direction by Diane Paulus, the show has played to full audiences over almost 1,000 performances. On September 4, 2018, Robinson became the first African-American woman and the first mother to play the lead role. Robinson appeared Off-Broadway in the 2015 production of BROOKLYNITE at the Vineyard Theatre, directed by Michael Mayer from a book he co-wrote with Peter Lerman, which earned a 2015 Off Broadw

Spencer Day is an award winning recording artist. Born in Utah and raised in the Mormon faith his road to fame has been a complicated journey with many bumps along the road. In this live podcast event hosted at The Green Room 42 , Spencer shares intimate details of his life in this moving , inspirational and hilarious conversation with Ilana. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eduardo Braniff was a hugely successful CEO and creative director of one of the largest global design firms in the world and then he decided he wanted to change course. That decision has taken him on a journey that includes working with the legendary cellist  Yo -Yo Ma to create "Silkroad," a music and learning collective. As an avid supporter of the arts Eduardo serves  on the boards of Independent Shakespeare Company and other organizations that focus on the arts and the LGBTQ community.  He is the founder and editor in chief of @MensVows a digital magazine dedicated to supporting men who marry.  Eduardo is also  a certified  life coach working with creatives to help them understand that they are naturally resourceful , creative and whole and can make their professional dreams a reality. Eduardo A. Braniff is the executive Director of Silkroad, the music and learning collective founded by Yo-Yo Ma. Before joining Silkroad’s staff, he served as a board director of Silkroad and was CEO & Creative Director of

"Be More Chill" stars Joe Iconis, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, George Salazar and Lauren Marcus join Ilana in front of an audience for a live podcast recording on stage at SubCulture in NYC. The conversation was hilarious, secrets were revealed about "Be More Chill" and.... there was a lot of amazing singing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Alexander, the Tony Award winner and Seinfeld star, sits down with Ilana and opens up about his childhood, his incredible career in the theater and what it meant to play the iconic role of George Constanza. In this intimate conversation these two friends talk about all the ways in which winning the Tony Award at such a young age impacted his life and his career, why he decided to stay in Los Angeles after Seinfeld ended and what he dreams of now. Though best known for his award-winning, nine year stint as the now iconic George Costanza of television’s Seinfeld, Jason Alexander has achieved international recognition for a career noted for its extraordinary diversity. Aside from his performances on stage, screen and television, he has worked extensively as a writer, composer, director, producer and teacher of acting. In between all that he has also become an award-winning magician, a notorious poker player and a respected advocate on social and political issues. For his depiction of “George” on Seinfeld,

Jenn Colella, the award winning actress, made an extraordinary journey from LA comedy club to Tony Nomination. Born in South Carolina her story is a unique journey of self realization at a young age that led her to a lifetime of  creativity and activism and success. Jenn Colella  stars on  Broadway in Come From Away ( Tony nomination.) Previous Broadway credits include If/Then, Chaplin, High Fidelity and Urban Cowboy(Outer Critics Circle Award nomination) and off-Broadway in Beebo Brinker, Lucky Guy, Slut and Closer Than Ever. Her regional work includes Annie Get Your Gun (PCLO); Peter Pan (Sacramento Music Circus); Side Show (Kennedy Center). She's been seen on screen in Feed The Beast, Elementary, All My Children, The Good Wife and Rescue Me. She will star this fall on the television series The Code. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet the woman who decided to give up one of the most lauded and glorious careers as an actress because she could no longer sit and watch as politicians derailed the city and state she loves. Meet the candidate willing to go up against Andrew Cuomo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here is Part Two of Ilana's conversation with the extraordinary scenic designer, David Korins. David Korins - Broadway credits include - Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Motown, Annie, Bring It On, Chinglish, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, An Evening with Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin, Magic/Bird, Godspell, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, Lombardi, Passing Strange and Bridge and Tunnel. He has also worked extensively both off-Broadway and regionally. David’s opera credits include The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at San Francisco Opera and Oscar and Life is a Dream at the Santa Fe Opera. In 2011, David served as Kanye West’s creative director designing several concerts in the United States and abroad. David has designed installations across the country for festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and The Great Googa Mooga. He has been the production designer for several feature films, television specials and series on NBC, CBS, HBO, Bravo TV, IFC, Comedy Central, Lifetime and the Game Show Network. David has done com

Here is Part One of Ilana's conversation with the extraordinary scenic designer, David Korins. David Korins - Broadway credits include - Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Motown, Annie, Bring It On, Chinglish, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, An Evening with Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin, Magic/Bird, Godspell, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, Lombardi, Passing Strange and Bridge and Tunnel. He has also worked extensively both off-Broadway and regionally. David’s opera credits include The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at San Francisco Opera and Oscar and Life is a Dream at the Santa Fe Opera. In 2011, David served as Kanye West’s creative director designing several concerts in the United States and abroad. David has designed installations across the country for festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and The Great Googa Mooga. He has been the production designer for several feature films, television specials and series on NBC, CBS, HBO, Bravo TV, IFC, Comedy Central, Lifetime and the Game Show Network. David has done com

Ilana interviewed JASON ROBERT BROWN live on the stage of City Center after the Encore Series Presentation of his song cycle "Songs for a New World" on the day his latest album "How We React and How We Recover" was released. In this intimate conversation Jason talks about being "adopted " by Hal Prince, his longtime collaboration with Daisy Prince, the joy and pain of winning Tony Awards for shows that had closed quickly and how he wrote the title song for his new album on the morning Donald Trump won the election and more.... Jason Robert Brown  is the ultimate multi-hyphenate – an equally skilled composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director and performer – best known for his dazzling scores to several of the most renowned musicals of his generation, including the generation-defining “The Last Five Years”, his debut song cycle “Songs for a New World”, and the seminal “Parade”, for which he won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Score. JASON ROBERT BROWN has been hailed as “one of Broadway’s smar

Ilana sat down with Donna Murphy, Lesli Margherita, Emily Skeggs and Andrew Keenan Bolger to share war stories about auditioning. This conversation is equal parts hilarious and inspirational.  Each of these Broadway stars has a unique perspective on the challenges and joys of putting yourself out there when faced with auditioning -- even though their careers have garnered them awards, accolades and fame.  Their generosity in sharing how they approach the process of auditioning is a gift to all artists and also to those of us who love the arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. 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 10th Annual CBS Diversity Showcase in Los Angeles. George's TV credits include CBS' BULL

Tony Award Nominated, Beth Malone, currently stars as “The Angel” in the Tony-award winning play Angels in America, with Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane. Beth Malone was nominated for her game-changing role of “Alison” in Fun Home. Writing for the New York Times, Ben Brantley singled out Beth’s performance as one that “expertly turns seeming self-effacement into penetrating presence.” Steve Suskin, reviewing for the Huffington Post, called Beth “powerful…the glue that holds the show together.” CBS New York added to the chorus of praise by publishing an entire article, frankly headlined, “Why Beth Malone Should Win the Tony.” Malone grew up on Haystack Road in Castle Rock and got her Equity card at The Country Dinner Playhouse under the loving guidance of Bill McHale. She attended Loretto Heights College in its final year of existence and went on to work at Arvada Center, Denver Center, Boulder’s Dinner Theater and Little Theater of the Rockies at UNC, where she graduated. Malone starred as the titular charact

Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an actor, director, author and filmmaker. He recently starred as “Jesse Tuck” in Tuck Everlasting on Broadway (Drama League Award nominee). He created the role of "Crutchie" in the Original Broadway Cast of Newsies (Outer Critics Circle nominee) and in the record-breaking Newsies: The Broadway Musical film. Other Broadway: Mary Poppins, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol. 1st Nat'l Tours: Spelling Bee, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Mary Poppins, Ragtime. Theater: “Jesse Tuck” in Tuck Everlasting at The Alliance Theater (dir. Casey Nicholaw), Ever After at Papermill Playhouse (dir. Kathleen Marshall), Family Furniture at The Flea Theater (dir. Thomas Kail). Film: “Billy Frazier” in The Rewrite starring Hugh Grant, To Dust (2018), Marci X, Are You Joking? TV: Three Rivers (ABC Pilot), Nurse Jackie (Showtime), Looking (HBO), Naked Brothers Band (Nickelodeon), One Life to Live. Podcast: Bobby in Marvel's Wolverine: The Long Night. B.F.A. from the University of Michigan. H

Matt Bomer is one of Hollywood’s most exciting actors working today. After receiving a BFA Degree from Carnegie Mellon University, Bomer moved to New York where he worked on such acclaimed productions as “Spring Awakening” and “Grey Gardens.” He also starred as Ernest Hemingway in “Villa America” at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Soon after, he got the lead role on the ABC series “Traveler,” produced by Academy Award winners Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks. He had recurring roles on the Fox series “Tru Calling” and on the NBC series “Chuck” before landing the role of ‘Neal Caffrey’ on USA Network’s “White Collar.” The show, which was one of the highest rated and most critically acclaimed scripted shows on cable television aired for six seasons. He has also guest starred on the hit Fox series “Glee” and on the NBC series “The New Normal." In 2014, Matt starred alongside Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts and Jim Parsons in the critically acclaimed screen adaptation of “The Normal Heart” for director Ryan Murphy. For th

In celebration of 100 episodes Matthew Broderick joined Ilana for a live podcast event with  proceeds from ticket sales going to The Trevor Project. Listeners will feel like they are  part of the conversation between  old friends catching up. Broderick is a two-time Tony award-winning stage actor and instantly recognizable film presence, Matthew Broderick was most recently on screen in Rules Don’t Apply opposite Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Lily Collins. He will next star in Look Away alongside Chloe Sevigny and Aidan Turner set for a 2016 release. On stage, Broderick most recently starred in A. R. Gurney’s comedy Sylvia alongside Annaleigh Ashford. Previously he starred in the smash Broadway hit It’s Only a Play opposite his frequent co-star Nathan Lane, as well as the award-winning Broadway run of Nice Work If You Can Get It. Additionally, he starred in the Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and The Foreigner at the Roundabout Theatre. In 2005, he starred in the feature film version of