Little Known Facts With Ilana Levine

Stan Herman The three-time Coty award-winning designer Stan Herman is truly a pioneering man. Not only was he the President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America for sixteen years, but also the founding president of 7th on Sixth Corporation; the fashion shows in Bryant Park. With KOMAR, Stan has incorporated his ready-to-wear design savvy to become America’s foremost designer of robes and loungewear. His comfortable, lifestyle driven products can be found on QVC, QVCUK, QVCItaly. After over 24 years on air he has built a return customer base of over 300,000 people and has sold over $150 million worth of robes alone. Furthermore as the leading uniform designer in the world his uniforms arguably cover more bodies than any other single designer. As a pioneer in the industry, Stan popularized "fashion at a price" with his Mr. Mort label; a label sought by vintage collectors today. When most designers were relegated to backrooms, he served as a spokesman for the creative side of the industry, championing

Chilina Kennedy is known for playing Carole King in the musical Beautiful on Broadway for over 1,200 performances. She also recently originated the Tony-award winning role of Dina on the First Broadway National Tour of The Band’s Visit. Chilina’s first appearance on Broadway was in 2012 when she played Mary Magdalene in Des McAnuff’s Jesus Christ Superstar, which also had successful runs at the Stratford Festival of Canada and the La Jolla Playhouse. Other US credits include the world premiere of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, in which she originated the role of Phoebe at Hartford Stage and The Old Globe in San Diego (San Diego and Connecticut Outer Critics nominations), the world premiere of A Sign Of The Times as Cindy (Delaware Theatre Company), Binky in the Off-Broadway world premiere of This Ain’t No Disco (Dir. Darko Tresnjak/Chor. Camille A. Brown) and Sophie in the 1st US National Tour of Mamma Mia!. Selected Canadian credits include the title role in Ted Dykstra’s Evangeline (Charlottetown F

Stephen Belber’s plays have been produced on Broadway and in over 25 countries. They include Match (Frank Langella), McReele (Anthony Mackie), Dusk Rings A Bell (Kate Walsh/Paul Sparks), Fault Lines (Noah Emmerich, Josh Lucas, Dominic Fumusa), The Power of Duff (Greg Kinnear/Jennifer Westfeldt/Ben Platt/Dominic Fumusa), Tape, Geometry of Fire, Don’t Go Gentle, The Muscles In Our Toes, Joan, and others. He was an Associate Writer/actor for The Laramie Project, and co-writer/actor on The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, both of which have been consistently performed around the world. He’s written & directed 3 feature films: Management (Jennifer Aniston/Woody Harrelson), Match (Patrick Stewart/Carla Gugino), and What We Do Next (Karen Pittman/Corey Stoll). Film scripts include Tape (Ethan Hawke/Uma Thurman, directed by Richard Linklater), The Laramie Project (associate writer, Emmy nomination), Drifting Elegant, (Josh Stamberg/Jennifer Mudge) and O.G., (Jeffrey Wright, HBO Films). Two film remakes of Tape, in I

ERIC WILLIAM MORRIS Broadway: King Kong, Coram Boy, Mamma Mia! Eric frequently collaborates with composer Joe Iconis, starring in Be More Chill (Original Cast Recording, Two River Theatre), Things to Ruin (OCR, 2nd Stage) and Bloodsong of Love (Ars Nova). TV/Film includes Fleishman is in Trouble, Only Murders in the Building, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Mind Hunter, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and the recent feature film Pinball (Hulu). Other regional/Off Broadway: Michael R. Jackson's White Girl In Danger (2nd Stage/Vineyard) Richard Greenberg's The Perplexed (MTC); Songbird (59E59, Two River); The Ballad of Little Jo (OCR, Two River); The Last Goodbye, Dog & Pony (The Old Globe). His album of original rock music, Do You Understand? is available on all streaming platforms. @theericwmorris   NOAH WEISBERG Willy Wonka in the Broadway tour of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Broadway: South Pacific, Enron, Elf, Legally Blonde. Shakespeare in the Park: Two Gentlemen of Verona. TV: Quentin on Showtime’s Sup

Historical Fiction Novelists Marjan Kamali, Ann Hood and Iris Mwanza live from Bryant Park Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Rauch is the inaugural Artistic Director of Perelman Performing Arts Center. His work as a theater director has been seen across the nation, from low-income community centers to Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production of Robert Schenkkan’s All the Way and its sequel The Great Society, as well as at many of the largest regional theaters in the country. His other New York credits include the world premiere of Naomi Wallace’s Night Is a Room at Signature Theatre, the New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s The Clean House at Lincoln Center Theater, and a site-specific Occasional Grace in multiple Manhattan churches for En Garde Arts. From 2007 to 2019, Bill was artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), the country’s oldest and largest rotating repertory theater, where he directed seven world premieres and 20 other plays including several by Shakespeare as well as innovative productions of classic musicals including a queer re-envisioning of Oklahoma! Bill is also co-founder of Cornerstone

Emma Pittman is a Mississippi native, Wagner College graduate, and winner of “The Search For Roxie.” Broadway: Chicago (Roxie & Annie), Back to the Future OBC (Ensemble) Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet), Damn Yankees (Lola). Emma is also a teaching artist, director, and choreographer. Her choreography credits include: On the Twentieth Century, Into the Woods, and The Cradle Will Rock. Danya Taymor is a New York based director and winner of the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for The Outsiders. She reopened Broadway with Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu's Pass Over, the first play back after 18 months of darkness on Broadway (New York Times 10 best shows of 2021). Other recent work includes: Samuel Beckett's Endgame (Gate, Dublin), Will Arbery's Pulitzer Prize Finalist Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Obie Award, Callaway Award for Outstanding Direction) and Evanston Salt Costs Climbing (New Group), Jeremy O. Harris' "Daddy" (Almeida, London + New Group/Vineyard), Korde Arrington Tuttle's Graveyard Shi

Legendary Indie Rock trio BETTY, Alyson Palmer (vocals, bass, guitar), Elizabeth Ziff (vocals, guitar, electronic programming) and her sister, Amy Ziff (vocals and cello), use beguiling melodies, compelling lyrics and signature harmonies to create energetic live shows that mix music, performance art, politics and comedy. BETTY sings of joy, love, longing, sex, food, heartbreak, and the universal hilarity of human existence. More than a band, BETTY uses music to channel their passion for representation, fairness and equality. From the beginning, they’ve blended their voices for causes they fight for, their talents in collaboration with other artists of every medium, and their time in support of women and girls, worldwide. In addition to creating, performing and recording together as a group of independent artists since 1986, BETTY travels the world as Arts Envoys for the US Department of State. To further their humanitarian outreach and cultural diplomacy, Gloria Steinem advised them to form a non-profit, wh

WADE McCOLLUM (Actor) Broadway: Wicked (Witch’s Father, Wizard/Dr. Dillamond cover) London’s West End: World Premiere of It Happened in Key West (Carl) Broadway Tours: Lincoln Center Theatre’s My Fair Lady (Karpathy/Higgins cover), Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (Tick/Mitzi), Jersey Boys (Norm). Off-Broadway: Make Me Gorgeous, (Kate/Kenneth Marlowe), Triassic Parq (Velociraptor of Faith), Secondary Dominance (The Muse), and McCollum’s Lortel Nominated and Norton Award-winning performance as Ernest in Ernest Shackleton Loves Me. World Premieres: Water For Elephants, Alliance Theatre (Wade); Michael Weller’s A Welcome Guest, CATF (Shimeus); Rob Askins’ The Carpenter, Alley Theatre (Gene); Fly By Night, TheatreWorks Palo Alto (The Narrator). Select Theatre: I Am My Own Wife, PCS (Charlotte/Others); A Lie Of The Mind, PCPA (Jake); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Willamette Rep (Puck); Batboy the Musical, PCS (Batboy); The Rocky Horror Show, Triangle Productions (Frank-N-Furter); The Santaland Diaries, Syracuse Stage (C

Elisabeth Seldes Annacone is a screenwriter, producer and educator with over three decades experience in film & TV. Her career started working with Oliver Stone on WALL STREET, TALK RADIO, and BORN ON THE 4TH OF JULY. Elisabeth then served as VP for Francis Ford Coppola, during DRACULA, SECRET GARDEN, and BUDDY. As a Sr. VP at MGM, Elisabeth had a helping hand in films like GET SHORTY, MULHOLLAND FALLS, TWO DAYS IN THE VALLY. After getting her MFA from UCLA in screenwriting, Elisabeth’s first feature, THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL was released by HBO and stars Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates Pierce Brosnan, Jesse Williams and Lily Rabe. It is currently a New York Times critics’ pick. Her pilot, WEEKENDS, is at UTV with Debra Chase producing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Calista can be seen starring in Ryan Murphy’s series FEUD: Capote Vs. The Swans. The second installment of the Feud anthology is based on Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer and focuses on the story of how Truman Capote befriended society women Barbara "Babe" Paley, Gloria Guinness, Marella Agnelli, Slim Hayward, Pamela Churchill, C. Z. Guest, and Jackie Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill and then betrayed these women for a story. Calista stars as Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy’s younger sister and wife of a Polish prince, who developed a strong kinship with Capote thanks in part to her poor relationship with Kennedy. The series also stars Tom Hollander as Capote, Naomi Watts, Chloë Sevigny, Diane Lane and Molly Ringwald. Flockhart made her TV debut portraying the title role in FOX’s widely popular and award-winning series “Ally McBeal,” created by David E. Kelley. She also starred in ABC’s critically acclaimed TV drama, “Brothers & Sisters,” a family soap revolving around the Walker family and their lives in Los An

Dorian Harewood Broadway: The Mighty Gents, Streamers, Don' f Call Back, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Jesus Christ Superstar. National Tour: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Madame Lily, Miss Moffat. Regional: Purley (Kennedy Center). Film: Gothika, Levity, Pacific Heights, Full Metal Jacket, The Falcon and the Snowman, Against All Odds. TV: "Big Sky, " "Bel-Air," "9-1-1," "Criminal Minds," "Private Practice," " 7th Heaven," "The Practice," "12 Angry Men," "PlI Fly Away," "The Jesse Owens Story," "Roots: The Next Generations." Awards: NAACP Image Awards for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for "I* Il Fly Away" and Best Actor in a Television Mini-Series for "The Jesse Owens Story;* Theatre World Award for Best New Actor for Don't Call Back. Maryann Plunkett Originated the role of Older Allie at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in Fall 2022. Other Broadway includes: Agnes of God, Sunday in the Park with George, Me and My Girl (Tony Award®), The Crucible, St. Joan, A Man for All Seasons, The Seagull. Off-Broadway: Deep Blue Sound,

SAMANTHA PAULY : Grammy nominee, Drama Desk winner. Broadway: Original Katherine Howard in SIX. West End: Eva Peron in Jamie Lloyd’s critically acclaimed Evita. Regional: SIX, Honeymoon In Vegas, Elf, Hairspray, Godspell, and more. Represented by Stewart Talent, Lohne/Graham Management, Gersh Agency, Imprint PR. @sampauly  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kecia Lewis is celebrating 40 triumphant years as a dynamic storyteller on stage and screen in the entertainment industry. Lewis' rich career of portraying formidable women has come full circle with her critically acclaimed, Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle nominated, and Lucille Lortel Award winning performance of Miss Liza Jane in Alicia Keys' Broadway hit musical Hell's Kitchen. Entertainment Weekly proclaims "Lewis is commanding...her voice is a weapon, and she knows just when to fire." Kecia's Broadway journey began with her debut at 18 years old in the original company of Dreamgirls. In addition to originating on Broadway iconic roles in Once On This Island, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Leap of Faith, Kecia has graced the Broadway stage in The Gospel at Colonus (with Morgan Freeman), Big River, Ain’t Misbehavin’ (standby for Nell Carter) and Children of a Lesser God. Off Broadway she has starred in the title role of Mother Courage (CSC), The Skin of Our Teeth (TFNA - Obie Award Winner),

Eden Espinosa - After developing Lempicka at The Williamstown Theatre Festival and The Jolla Playhouse, Eden is thrilled to return to Broadway and originate her second titular role. Broadway: Wicked (Elphaba), Rent (Maureen), Brooklyn the Musical (Broadway). Tour: Falsettos (Trina, National Tour). Off-Broadway: Gardens of Anuncia (Mami, Lincoln Center), Rain (The Old Globe), In The Heights (Kennedy Center), Lizzie (Emma, Signature), and Merrily We Roll Along (Mary, Huntington). Eden's original albums are available on all streaming platforms. @edenespinosa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Shenkman recently completed his seventh season of BILLIONS and recurred on the final season of THE GOOD FIGHT, Peacock's THE CALLING, and Robert & Michelle King's Spectrum limited series THE BITE. He had regular roles on Shondaland's ABC series FOR THE PEOPLE and five seasons of ROYAL PAINS, recurred on CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, and was featured in the acclaimed HBO limited series THE NIGHT OF and ANGELS IN AMERICA (Emmy and Golden Globe noms.) Movie credits include THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, BLUE VALENTINE, THEN SHE FOUND ME and PI. On Broadway he appeared in Larry David's FISH IN THE DARK, SIGHT UNSEEN and PROOF (Tony nom.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Winnie Holzman’s so-called writing career began innocently enough, writing and performing sketch material with the comedy group “Serious Bizness.” Next came an MFA from NYU in musical theatre, as well as a musical: “Birds of Paradise,” which was produced Off-Broadway and directed by her teacher, Arthur Laurents.  She soon shifted gears, (and coasts) joining the writing staff of the ground-breaking television series “thirtysomething” and then creating theseries, “My So-Called Life,” which starred Claire Danes and which, thanks to MTV (and now HULU) has been seen all over the world.  She collaborated “once and again” with her mentors Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz on their critically acclaimed series “Once and Again;” and later collaborated with her daughter Savannah Dooley on their one hour drama series “Huge;” as well as with Cameron Crowe on the Showtime series “Roadies.”   She is the book writer of the international hit musical Wicked, which has a score by the acclaimed composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz.

Welcome to a conversation hosted by Ilana Levine with the director, writer and stars of You Can Count on Me. Recorded live in NYC with guests Kenneth Lonergan, Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Rory Culkin and J. Smith-Cameron. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeremy Shamos was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the Pulitzer Prize winning play CLYBOURNE PARK, for which he also received Lucille Lortel Award and Drama League Award nominations. His other stage appearances include the Broadway productions of Steve Martin’s METEOR SHOWER, Michael Frayn’s NOISES OFF, Richard Greenberg’s THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES, and David Mamet’s GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, as well as the off-Broadway productions of the original GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL, IF I FORGET (Drama Desk Award nomination), ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER (Drama Desk Award nomination), THE QUALMS, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED), DINNER WITH FRIENDS (Lucille Lortel Award), and ENGAGED, for which he received the Obie Award. He appeared most recently on stage in Stephen Sondheim’s final musical HERE WE ARE. His work on film and television has provided the opportunity to collaborate on many acclaimed features, including MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, BAD EDUCATION, THE BIG SICK, and BIRDMAN, and many prestigious serie

Bernard Telsey graduated from New York University in 1981 with a degree in Theater Administration and Acting. Soon after, he co-founded MCC Theater with Robert LuPone. Simultaneously, Telsey began working at Meg Simon and Fran Kumin’s office as an assistant for six years, and then as a casting director at Risa Bramon & Billy Hopkins Casting. He opened his own casting office in 1988. Since then, he, along with his staff of casting directors, associates, and assistants, have cast such Broadway shows as Rent, Wicked, Hamilton, Hairspray, In the Heights, The Color Purple. Recent productions include Days of Wine and Roses, Kimberly Akimbo, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Parade, Some Like it Hot, and the upcoming Cabaret, The Notebook, Lempicka, and The Mother Play including countless national tours, Off-Broadway productions, and regional theater productions across the country. Film credits include the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, The Color Purple and Mean Girls: the Musical. Other films include Theater Camp,