Little Known Facts With Ilana Levine

Danny Burstein has been a Tony Award nominee multiple times. He is a beloved Broadway star and has played iconic roles that have left an indelible mark on the lives of theater audiences lucky enough to see him on stage. On this episode of Little Known Facts, Mr. Burstein shares stories of his time working with theater legends like Stephen Sondheim, Tony Randall, and Bernadette Peters among others. He opens up with Ilana about a cancer scare that changed him forever and together with his wife Rebecca Luker (another Broadway star) he got through that terrifying time and changed his outlook on life. Be inspired and fall in love with this Broadway legend. Danny is a 6-time Tony Award nominee whose 16 Broadway credits include: Fiddler on the Roof (2016 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards; Tony & Grammy Award nominations); Cabaret (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations); The Snow Geese; Golden Boy (2013 Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations); Follies (2012 Drama Desk and Outer Criti

Edie Falco, the multi award winning actress, takes Ilana through her life and career in exquisite detail. From her early days waitressing to her early indie films. How she got the role of Carmela on "The Sopranos," the script she originally read for "Nurse Jackie." Ilana and Edie talk about sobriety, adoption, fame, single motherhood, pet psychics, and much more on this fascinating episode of "Little Known Facts." Edie Falco is best known for her roles as Diane Whittlesey on the HBO series "Oz," Carmela Soprano on "The Sopranos," and in the title role of Showtime’s "Nurse Jackie." She has also appeared in the films "Trust," "Reversal of Fortune," "Cop Land," "Random Hearts," "Freedomland," "Sunshine State," "Gods Behaving Badly," and most recently, "The Comedian." She has earned several Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG awards and is the first female actor to receive the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama. She has appeared on Broadway in "Sideman," "Frankie and Johnny in the Cl

Miriam Shor, star of "Hegwig and the Angry Inch" and TV Land's "Younger," describes in hilarious detail the juxtaposition of growing up splitting her time between Detroit, Michigan, and Turin, Italy. Miriam describes the process of creating her role as the gender bending Yitzhak along with the shows creator, John Cameron Mitchell. She goes on to explain the thrill of seeing the rock stars she worshipped  in the audience every night. Also discussed in this episode are the  joys of raising kids in New York City and shooting a tv show with her college boyfriend's sister, Sutton Foster. Be a fly on the wall as Ilana and Miriam share stories about a life in the theater and the power of staying true to your dreams even when others around you encourage you to give up.  Miriam Shor’s Theater Credits include "Sweat," "Scarcity," "Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams," "Maine, Boy," "Book of Days," "Mondo Draama," "Hegwig and the Angry Inch, "Hair,' and "The Wild Party."  On television: "Younger,' "High Maintenance," "GCB

Tony Shalhoub, award-winning star of stage and screen, opens up about the highs and lows of his career, growing up in the Midwest one of ten children, choosing the right material, marriage between actors, fame, and his true love -- the Green Bay Packers. Tony Shalhoub is currently appearing in the Roundabout Theater production of "The Price." He recently completed a successful run in the Atlantic Theater Company production of "The Band's Visit." He was seen in the Lincoln Center productions of "Act One" and "Golden Boy" for which he received Tony nominations.  Most well known as the OCD detective Monk for which he earned three Emmy Awards, a SAG, and a Golden Globe Award. Other television credits include "Nurse Jackie," "Too Big To Fail," and "Brain Dead." He also appears in the Amazon pilot "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Some of his many film credits include "Big Night," "The Siege," and "Galaxy Guest." He voiced Luigi in both "Cars" and "Cars II." He will be seen in "The Assignment" out later this month. Lear

Judith Light, award-winning actress, takes us through her life story from soap star to sitcom star to Broadway star to "Transparent". Listen as she tells us about her art and her advocacy. Two-time Tony Award and Two-time Emmy Award-winning actress, Judith Light has captivated audiences worldwide since her portrayal as Angela Bower on the popular 80s sitcom "Who's the Boss?".   Currently you can see Judith Light starring with Al Pacino in "God Looked Away" at the Pasadena Play House through the middle of March, 2017. She is also currently playing Shelly Pfefferman in Amazon Prime's Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award winning series, “Transparent” (created by Jill Soloway).  For this role, she was nominated for an Emmy Award and three consecutive Critics Choice Awards. You may also have seen Judith as Claire Meade on “Ugly Betty” and Judge Liz Donnelly on “Law & Order: SVU” as well as appearances on the TV Land comedy series “The Exes” and TNT's “Dallas”.     In 2106, Judith was honored with the Made in New

Reed Birney & Jayne Houdyshell both won Tony Awards for their performances in the Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Humans. This year at BroadwayCon2017, Ilana had the opportunity to interview these two Broadway stars and hear their first hand accounts of creating unforgettable roles in an astonishing masterpiece of a play. Hear how they learned of their Tony nominations, how they prepared for these intense roles eight shows a week and how they learned to say good-bye to what may be the greatest roles of their careers. Listen as these two talents share deep truths about the highs and lows of a long life in the theater on this special episode of Little Known Facts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lucas Hedges, the Oscar nominated and award winning actor, opens up about the  joys and fears of a career that  takes off at such a young age. As a child, Lucas Hedges made his feature film debut as an extra in his father's film Dan in Real Life. He went on to play major roles in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, Jason Reitman's Labor Day, Terry Gilliam's The Zero Theorem, Michael Cuesta's Kill the Messenger, Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By The Sea, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, and Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. His received critical acclaim for his role in the play, Yen. He was nominated for over 20 awards for his role in Manchester By The Sea and won multiple awards for his gorgeous work in the film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Rannells, Television and Broadway star, takes listeners behind the scenes of Girls on HBO, Hamilton on Broadway, and how he got from Omaha to New York City. Andrew Rannells plays Elijah on the hit HBO series, Girls. He is also known for his work as Elder Price in the 2011 Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, which earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. As a featured soloist on the musical's Original Broadway Cast Recording, he won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. His other Broadway credits include Jersey Boys, Hairspray, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Falsettos. He portrayed King George III in Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton on Broadway.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Celebrities share intimate truths about their lives and careers in this special episode of "Little Known Facts." Guests include Griffin Dunne, Dominic Fumusa, Molly RIngwald, Laura Linney, Anthony Rapp, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth, Cynthia Nixon, and Kathryn Erbe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Bucatinsky, Emmy Award winner, stars in the new Fox series 24 : Legacy.  Listen as Dan takes Ilana behind the scenes of his hit television show and talks about his friendship with Shonda Rhimes, gay parenting, and how he and pal Lisa Kudrow took reality television to new comedy levels. Dan Bucatinsky is an actor, writer, producer best known for his Emmy-winning role as "James Novak" on Scandal. Most recently, he joined the cast of the Fox reboot, 24: Legacy, and appears in the return of Gilmore Girls for Netflix. With business partner Lisa Kudrow, Dan co-starred and executive produced the Emmy-nominated docuseries, Who Do You Think You Are? – and with Dan Savage the inspirational digital series, IT GOT BETTER for LStudio, which premieres its third season on May 24th. He's the author of the book, "Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?" about his journey into parenthood with his husband, filmmaker Don Roos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

BroadwayCon is the biggest convention worldwide for Broadway fans. It is a one of a kind event where Broadway fans and Broadway's biggest stars come together and celebrate all things Broadway. Ilana and her guests Matt Rodin (host of The Red Carpet Challenge) and Robbie Rozelle (Broadway Records graphic designer & Musical Director for Tony award winning singers) break it all down on this special episode of Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back by popular demand! Ben Platt, the award winning star of Dear Evan Hansen, returns to the podcast to chat with Ilana about life as the star of this moving musical that is taking the theater world by storm and quickly turning into the run away hit of the Broadway season. Dear Evan Hansen is written by the Oscar winning team from La La Land and directed by the Tony Award winning director, Michael Greif. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Griffin Dunne, Actor, Director, Producer, takes us through the story his life from growing up as part of the Hollywood elite to making his own way as a scrappy young actor in New York City. Griffin's stories include everyone from Martin Scorcese to President Kennedy during this hilarious and candid interview. The conversation covers fame, family, women, ambition, process and more.  Dunne's recent feature film credits include "Dallas Buyers Club" starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, "Last Night", starring Sam Worthington and Keira Knightley and Allen Hughes' "Broken City" starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe. This Fall he can be seen in Daryl Wein's "Consumed", which recently premiered at the LA Film Festival.  Dunne's feature film directorial debut was 1997's "Addicted to Love," starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick, which he followed one year later with "Practical Magic" starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Most recently Mr. Dunne directed a short film with Emma Stone for Peter Farrelly's

A circus parade is traveling down Main Street in a small town. At the back is an old man whose job it is to shovel the manure from all the circus animals into a big bag slung over his shoulder. A passer-by asks him how long he's been doing the job and how much he gets paid, to which he replies 50 years and $250 a week.  "Well why on earth don't you stop doing it and find a better job instead?" asks the passer-by. The old man replies, "What, and give up show business?" The great Gordon Hunt, a wonderful acting teacher and casting director, encouraged his students to think of every audition as a chance to act on a Tuesday. There are times when I am able to do that and times when it feels like an exercise in futility but his words have always stayed with me. And even though more often than not  the audition doesn't turn into the job, when I looked at the alternative of another career - perhaps one with more emotional and financial stability -  my answer would be, "What, and give up show business?!" So how do we

Happy Holidays from Little Known Facts  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Molly Ringwald,  international movie star, gets candid with Ilana about how she has handled a  lifetime of fame, growing up with a blind parent ,why she won't let her kids act and more. Molly began her film career at the age of 13 in Paul Mazursky’s Tempest, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. She went on to star in numerous films, including The Pick-Up Artist, For Keeps, Fresh Horses, Betsy’s Wedding, Cindy Sherman’s directorial debut Office Killer, Billy Bob Thornton’s short film Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade, and the iconic movies Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink.  In 1992, Ms. Ringwald moved to Paris and acted in such foreign films as Tous Les Jours Dimanches, Enfants de Salaud, and Jean-Luc Goddard’s King Lear. Her television credits include the critically-acclaimed comedy series Townies, Stephen King’s The Stand, the Emmy-nominated Allison Gertz Story, and the movie Molly: An American Girl, based on the American Girl series.  In 1997, Ms. Ringwald moved to New Yor

In honor of Thanksgiving and in honor of 30 episodes shared, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to my friend, the actor John Slattery. John was the first actor to join us in the podcast booth and sit down for an interview when this was just a kernel of an idea. His enthusiasm and his confidence in me was a huge part of what became the "Little Known Facts" podcast. When we finished he told me he thought I was like a female Howard Stern. He meant it as a compliment, I think. So as a thank you to John, here's the first ever episode of "Little Known Facts."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seth Rudetsky is the afternoon Broadway host  of Seth Speaks and Seth's Big Fat Radio Show on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. He has played piano for over 15 Broadway shows, was Grammy-nominated for his concert CD of Hair and Emmy-nominated for being a comedy writer on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." He has written two novels, "Broadway Nights" and "My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan," which are also available at Audible.com. He has  launched SethTV.com, where you can contact him and view all of his videos and his sassy new reality show. He stars in  and co-wrote the Broadway Musical, Disaster!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony-award winning actor Dan Fogler landed a starring role in the much-anticipated Warner Bros. film FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. This next adventure into J.K. Rowling¹s magical world of witches and wizards will be released Thanksgiving 2016 and also stars Eddie Redmayne. Dan's performance in the Broadway production, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, earned him a Tony award in 2005. Directed by James Lapine, Danwas also honored with the Outer Critics Circle, The Lortel, Drama Desk for Best Ensemble, Theatre World Awards, and the New York Magazine Culture Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.  On the big screen, Dan has starred opposite Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart in LOVE HAPPENS for Universal Pictures and Ang Lee's TAKING WOODSTOCK with Liev Shreiber and Emile Hirsch. He was the lead in Relativity's TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT opposite Topher Grace and Anna Faris & Chris Pratt, and BALLS OF FURY with Christopher Walken for Focus Features. Dan received great notices for his starring ro

On this special episode of Little Know Facts, Ilana's kids join us to express the importance of voting. We'll return next week with Dan Fogler.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices