Why I‘ll Never Make It - An Actor‘s Journey

The art of performing is certainly filled with joy and passion and can offer a creative fulfillment not found another professions. But as this podcast highlights with each episode, there are also underlying bouts of stress, anxiety, and frustration that come with being an artist and offering our creativity to the world. Last year I sat down with Mostafa Ashraf and his co-host Yara to talk about performance anxiety on their podcast Mental Talk. So I wanted to share with you this candid discussion with Mo and Yara about my own struggles with doubt and worry and what I do to push through that.    Listen to Mental Talk - https://blog.pod.link/1535397612 Their show is produced by a nonprofit organization called Advice Seekers, which aims to provide help in the areas of mental health and online anti-bullying campaigns.  ___________________________ Check out other Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter Get access to Audition Stories and other Members-Only Episodes Show WINMI some love and help with an opportunity for some Podcash Get a copy of WINMI’s free ebook Creative Wisdom  

Back in 2014, I met today’s guest as we were both working on a workshop of a new musical based on the hit movie FIRST WIVES CLUB. We both continued on with the show as it traveled to Chicago for its out of town pre-Broadway tryout. However, the musical never made it to New York. But as you’ll hear in my conversation today with Terron Brooks, the journey of most performers is never a straight line and certainly there are many more failures and disappointments than successes. Terron certainly knows something about success: he's a two time NAACP award nominee and widely recognized for his critically acclaimed role as the great Eddie Kendricks in the Emmy award winning NBC miniseries The Temptations, not to mention his Broadway shows and concerts around the country. Through music, acting, writing, and speaking, Terron wants to encourage everyone to reach their highest potential, including himself. And today he's brought us three stories on how he's had to learn that lesson the hard way: Story #1 (04:34) Managing his own expectations of success after the fame of starring in the The Temptations. Story #2 (26:26) Confronting the possible loss of his voice and what that would mean for his career. Story #3 (43:02) How his son's autism diagnosis helped him learn to face his own pains and disappointments and become a better father and husband.  Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter / YouTubewhyillnevermakeit.com     Please help WINMI with a Few Kind Words... April Michelle Davis is Executive Director the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) and she says, “In every aspect of life, personal or professional, words form the basis of relationships with others. The written word preserves and transmits knowledge, evokes alternate worlds, and provides endless food for thought. Words Matter Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate words and focus on why they matter.” I would certainly appreciate a few words from you to help WINMI as it seeks a grant from Podca$h, an organization aiming to support small, independent podcasts and their ideas. This Spring they’re awarding between $250 and $5000 in sponsorship to hundreds of podcasters and with your help WINMI can be one of them. Please show me and this podcast some love and give my Podca$h application a boost. Thank you!     This week's Artist Resource: Honest Answers Honest Answers with Terron Brooks invites listeners to reconnect to the soul. Everybody in the world asked the same questions, but the answers are never the same. Terron takes you behind the scenes as his guests reveal honest parts of their story you’ve never heard before. Experience and unrehearsed, open and candid conversation with creative forces like Leon, Shoshana Bean, Sheila E, Stephanie J. Block, and more. You’ll hear transparency and vulnerability from the most inspiring sources.      Final Five Questions with Terron Brooks Terron has traveled many roads in his life and career. On his journey there have been plenty of lessons, but the greatest has been discovering his authentic self and using his gifts to serve humanity. And in these five final questions, he addresses topics we didn't get to in this conversation and provides extra insight into the importance of grace and living authentically. You can find his Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Terron - Website | Instagram | YouTube Support WINMI through donations or subscriptions - https://winmi.supercast.com ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

In honor of Black History Month, this episode is an encore presentation of two pioneering Black artists and the legacy they left in the performing arts.   Vinnette Justine Carroll, PhD - Actress, Playwright, Director, Teacher Vinnette Justine Carroll’s professionalism in theatrical arts paved way for black professionals in the industry. She was an actress and playwright who expressed herself through gospel music. In a 1979 interview, Carroll told The Times, “I decided my salvation was to create something for myself, a theater for myself and others where your main worry wasn’t getting a TV series. When I first heard gospel -- I’d grown up in the Anglican church -- I just flipped. You mean religion can be like this?” She was the first black female to direct on Broadway as well as receive a Tony nomination for direction in Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, a gospel-infused musical revue. The show was conceived by Carroll and Micki Grant supplied the music and lyrics. It was nominated for four Tony Awards. Four years later, she was reunited with Grant, along with Alex Bradford, in the production of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God, which earned them three more Tony nominations.  Perhaps nothing sums up Carroll’s indomitable spirit better than her own words. In a 1967 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Carroll shared part of her experience as an artist, saying: “I have had a great deal of hurt in the theater both as a Negro and as a woman, but I don’t get immobilized by it.” Learn more about Carroll's life and arts career - https://iforcolor.org/vinnette-carroll/ Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope - https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/dont-bother-me-i-cant-cope_85983.html Vinnette Carroll Repertory Company - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnTRHStO8ho       Alvin Ailey - Dancer, Choreographer, Artistic Director When it comes to the performing arts and certainly to dance, there are few people more worthy of admiration, of inspiration and imitation than Alvin Ailey. He was both uniquely gifted and qualified to tell the African-American experience which he lived and saw and reacted to through the art of dance.  One of my most treasured experiences and memories of being here in New York City is getting to watch the Alvin Ailey American dance concerts each winter and summer. They consist of powerful and moving performances by amazingly talented dancers. And so it was only natural that my thoughts would go to the stories and emotions told through the pieces that Alvin Ailey choreographed himself, namely his iconic Revelations, which was inspired by his involvement within the Southern Black church. In fact, all of his work came forth from the people and places and experiences of his life.    Learn more about Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Robert Battle, and Lester Horton  Watch Ailey's masterpieces: Cry, Masekela Langage, and Revelations  Videos and interviews used in the making of this Alvin Ailey tribute: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre at 50 A Golden Anniversary Celebration  Big Lives: Profiles of LGBT African Americans - Alvin Ailey  Alvin Ailey Celebrates 50th - CBS Judith Jamison: Early Days with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Alvin Ailey and the Importance of the Arts - The New Yorker Alvin Ailey connects cultures through dance Alvin Ailey speaking at UCLA  - 3/9/1983 Revelations from a lifetime of dance - TEDtalk      Show Your Support Please consider a one-time donation (via PayPal) or a monthly subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast) to support the ongoing work and mission of Why I’ll Never Make It. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!    

No matter what profession you’re in, setting goals is an important part of finding the best path to get you there. For actors and performers our goals can be big ones like being on Broadway or come down to specific shows or roles that we want to do. But just because you know your goals, does that mean you also have a clear picture of your mission as an artist or the purpose of your life? My guest today is Gina Morgano, a fellow singer and podcaster who also teaches voice. And she’s brought along three stories that highlight that distinction between what we do as an artist and who we are as individuals. One story deals with an illness and losing her voice, while another talks about her big move to New York yet not getting cast in any shows. Since then Gina has found her joy in concerts rather than musicals, and in this episode she helps us understand that self-awareness is key to both reaching our goals and finding our purpose even as they may change direction. Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter      Help WINMI with a Few Kind Words... Not everyone can support this podcast financially, but anyone can give a 2-3 sentence review to help WINMI as it seeks a grant from Podca$h. They are currently in a drive to support small, independent podcasts and their ideas. So they’re awarding between $250 and $5000 in sponsorship to hundreds of podcasters and with your help WINMI can be one of them. Please show me and this podcast some love and give my Podca$h application a boost.     This week's Artist Resource: Vocal Mentorship A powerful voice is about much more than how you sound. As we talked about in this episode, it’s about being secure in who you are and wholeheartedly offering your creativity to the world so that you can make a difference in people’s lives. And Gina's dream for singers is for them to understand the value of their own voice. That’s why these are not your normal voice lessons. These are life lessons - training for your inner voice as well as your outer one - so that you can embody freedom, ease and expansion while serving audiences to your highest capacity. Learn more here and discover a new facet of your voice and yourself.     Final Five Questions with Gina Morgano As a voice teacher as well, Gina Morgano brings an important perspective to her work as a performer. And in this episode she shares the wisdom and experience she’s gathered from her own performing and the work she’s done with her students. In these five final questions, she addresses topics we didn't get to in this conversation and provides extra insight into the work and practice she puts into being a performer. You can find her Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Gina - https://www.ginamorgano.com The Practice Parlor Podcast - https://www.ginamorgano.com/podcast Support WINMI through donations and subscriptions - https://winmi.supercast.com ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

With live theater happening once again here in New York, one of the joys has been seeing friends back on stage, doing what they do best. And I certainly hope to be joining them soon, but in the meantime it’s wonderful to reconnect with today’s guest. Kathryn Allison is a singer and actress who I got to know at The Muny in St. Louis, just as she was really beginning her professional career.  But she’s gone on to perform in Wicked, Aladdin and currently the revival of Company. (She seems to have a thing for Broadway shows with one-word titles.) But as Kathryn shares her three stories with us today, being on Broadway doesn’t replace the importance of mental health, nor does it make her forget those embarrassing auditions when she didn’t book the show, and it also doesn’t mean that the work of inclusion is done as Kathryn continues to push for more access and a continuing search for strong, diverse voices. Get a copy of WINMI’s free ebook Creative Wisdom.      Listen to Kathryn's Other Audition Story In addition to the audition story shared in this episode, Kathryn recalls another audition for Waitress and performing for Sara Bareilles. This is in a special bonus episode where she also discusses her experience of doing in-person auditions again. Bonus episodes like this are only available to supporters of Why I’ll Never Make It. And a big thank you goes to to Courtney Potts for becoming the latest WINMI Producer. Courtney actually chose the yearly subscription option, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the support! So if you’d like to help this podcast as well, then please consider an ongoing subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast). There is also an option to give a one-time donation (via PayPal), both of which help offset the cost of producing 50+ episodes each year. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!     Find a Reader for Your Next Self-Tape: WeAudition And as self-tapes are now the norm, WeAudition has been a great help to me this past year and provides a wonderfully creative, safe space to create the best video submissions possible. I just recently used them in a TV self-tape for Uncoupling and got a callback! Join today using the promo code WINMI25, which not only saves you money but it also helps support WINMI through this affiliate link. So join me and thousands of actors helping each other rehearse auditions and make better self-tapes.     The Final Five In these five final questions Kathryn addresses topics not covered in that episode, providing extra insight into her work and experiences in the performing arts. What job within the arts do you feel is the most undervalued or least recognized? What does success or “making it” mean to you?  What/Who inspires you most an an artist and creative? Name a personal lesson that took you awhile to learn or one that you are still working on to this day? What’s the most useful advice you’ve received, and how have you applied it to your life or career? You can find her Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Kathryn - YouTube / Spotify / Instagram  Follow WINMI - Website / Instagram / Twitter    ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.  

The act of creating is both a testament to and a full embodiment of its creator. An actor gives so much of themselves to the role that they’re playing. A dancer utilizes every muscle to express an emotion. A writer pulls from their own life and experiences to create other worlds and powerful stories. And so it is only natural that we often tie our own self-worth and meaning to the success or failure of that creation.  Today, I’m talking with Emmy-winning director/choreographer Al Blackstone, who I had the pleasure of working with a few years back. He brings us three stories of doubt and uncertainty and aloneness, when his own talent as a dancer was questioned and his value as a director was dismissed. This is an honest conversation on who we really are beyond the labels of actor or artist and how the idea of “making it” comes more from ourselves than from the acceptance or validation of others.  Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones(Off-Broadway actor and singer)   Listen to This Week's Audition Story In addition to the three main stories, there are bonus episodes where guests like Al share memorable audition stories as well. Al talks about when he was at a dancer call years ago for the revival national tour of Sweet Charity. It's a story that any non-dancer (like myself) can definitely relate to. And these bonus episodes are only available to monthly supporters of Why I’ll Never Make It. Producing this podcast isn’t cheap, and with your help I can reach a wider audience with things like more video and transcription options, which would greatly benefit deaf and hard of hearing artists, for example. So please consider a one-time donation (via PayPal) or a monthly subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast), which will help offset podcast production costs. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!     Freddie Falls in Love Al also shares a fourth story about a show he actually created called Freddie Falls in Love. In 2019, this dance narrative production was presented at the famous Joyce Theater in New York City, marking a personal and professional highlight in Al's career. However, the NY Times had a very different opinion about his show, calling it a "frothy" and "meandering production" among other things. Al admits that he hasn’t really spoken publicly about this review and how much it devastated him. But in a special conversation he opens up what this review did to him, offering heartfelt candor and insight into how he handled such public rejection. To access this bonus episode (and more) go to support.winmipodcast.com.     This Week's Artist Spotlight: MOMEN NYC Born out the pandemic to meet the needs of dancers, who just needed the time and space to move again. Al co-founded MOMEN NYC as a way to bring adult dancers together so they could focus on their craft and make lasting connections with other dancers. He truly believes deeply in the power of dance, community, and kindness to express what is more true about ourselves and help bring us all closer together. Follow MOMEN on Instagram for the latest updates.     The Final Five For the past few seasons, the Final Five has been a bonus episode to this podcast, but for Season 6 it’s in the form of a blog post where guests answer the five final questions. You can find Al's Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Al - YouTube / Instagram / Website  Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter    ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Sometimes the biggest obstacle standing in our way as actors is ourselves. Whether it’s self-doubt and a disbelief in our own abilities or maybe it’s giving too much weight to the criticism or expectations of others, or maybe a shift in priorities comes along and we have to make life decisions that go against our creative ambitions. To kick off season six, I’m talking with actor and coach Briana Packen about ways we can stop getting in our own way. She brought three stories with her today: one about the importance of training and mastering our craft, a second one how the me too movement still has ramifications today for her as a mother and teacher, and finally the need for balance and stability not only as an actor but as an individual as well.  Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter     Help WINMI Transcribe Every Episode One of my goals this season is to help Deaf/hard-of-hearing actors like John McGinty access the Why I’ll Never Make It podcast by offering transcriptions of each and every episode (I actually did it once). However, this is both time-consuming and would add a major cost to the production of this podcast (approximately $5000 per season). Regardless, I think the effort is worth it, don't you? So I’ll definitely need your financial help to make this a reality. Please consider a one-time donation (via PayPal) or a monthly subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast), which will help offset the cost of this important service. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated!     This Month's Artist Resource: Movement 4 Everybody For about a decade now, Briana and her colleague Julia Crockett have been teaching movement to actors at conservatory programs and are thrilled to finally offer their classes to people not currently enrolled in an acting or university program. These classes are designed for everyone – artists, non-artists, professionals, unprofessionals, dancers, non-dancers, people afraid of dance, queers, beards, clowns, tops, bottoms, switches, queens, kings, cat AND dog people. You can strengthen your artistic physical practice, crack open your creativity, become more present in your body, or simply have a good time. Whatever your reason for going, you will leave feeling stronger, more connected, more creative, and with a richer connection to your body and others. Contact them for the latest class schedule or follow them on Instagram.     The Final Five For the past few seasons, the Final Five has been a bonus episode to this podcast, but for Season 6 it’s going to be in the form of a blog post where guests will answer five final questions. And Briana starts it off by talking about learning from her mistakes and the ability we have as actors to grow and change throughout our life and career. You can find her Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Briana - YouTube / LinkedIn / IMDb  Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter    ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC.  It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

After a few weeks off, I’m so excited to be back for another year of great guests and wonderful discussions. As you can see there’s a new look to the WINMI podcast artwork and logo, the WINMI blog is coming back, and live events are coming, so here’s a little preview of what to expect in 2022. Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter. Why I’ll Never Make It Stories This year will offer a slightly different approach to conversations with fellow creatives. Guests will now be sharing three specific stories or experiences that have affected them and their careers. These defining moments will uncover personal setbacks as well as professional failures. We’ll find out what kept them going and how it changed them. WINMI Goes Live Another development coming in 2022 is the introduction of live events. That’s right WINMI is gonna be ON stage. The first of which is a night of conversation and song with Emmy winner Kevin Spirtas. It’ll be January 28th at The Green Room 42 here in NYC, tickets start at $19 and are available for both table seating as well as online streaming for those who can’t be with us in-person. Next up is BroadwayCon, an annual gathering here in New York for all things Broadway. It was originally scheduled for February, but out of an abundance of caution they postponed the conference till July. I’ll be there with 5 other previous podcast guests, hosting a panel discussion about their journeys to Broadway. Reserve your spots now to attend BroadwayCon and The Green Room 42! http://tickets.winmipodcast.com Help WINMI Make It As always your support of this podcast is both needed and appreciated. One of the changes I’d like to bring to the podcast is transcribing each episode for deaf and hard-of-hearing artists. But that costs time and money, and I just don’t have the resources to do it myself at this point. So please consider making a one-time donation or subscribing monthly to help make this goal a reality.  The Final Five For several seasons now guests have answered five final questions at the end of their interviews, first as part of the main feed of episodes, then as bonus episodes for those who supported WINMI. Well, I’m taking a different approach this season by turning those questions into a blog post to coincide with each guest’s episode. The WINMI blog has take a bit of backseat in the past year or so, but not anymore. These Q&A's will provide new ways to reach followers and share these conversations with listeners.  So as you can see there’s a lot to look forward to in 2022. Why I’ll Never Make It is now a production of WINMI Media and is hosted by actor/singer Patrick Oliver Jones. Contact the podcast anytime at whyillnevermakeit@gmail.com. Also, check out Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter.  

Happy birthday, WINMI! Welcome to the 4th Anniversary Episode of Why I'll Never Make It. Normally at the end of each season I take a chance to look back at the guests and conversations we’ve had throughout the year. But for this special episode you aren’t gonna be getting some "best-of" retrospective (although I will be counting down the Top 5 guests of 2021). Instead I’m bringing back two former guests and introducing you to a new creative as we talk about what this year has meant for theater in general as well as special events coming up next year. Featured in this episode... Clayton Howe and his podcast Entertainment(X)  Justin Guarini, MoonAmie Productions, Terry Knickerbocker, Will Swenson, and Brad Oscar & Diego Prieto  Check out Season Five on Why I’ll Never Make It's YouTube Channel  Matthew Stern and Broadway Stage Manager Symposium Anna Robb and TheaterArtLife EPIC Event - use promo code EPICPODCAST for 15% off tickets at https://www.globalepicevent.com  Sign up for the WINMI Newsletter and check out Artist Resources on the website ---------- Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones - https://www.pojones.com  Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot, and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Music in the episode by Kai Engel and Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The experiences of our lives affect the paths we choose and help make us who we are today. In part one of my conversation with Debra Ann Byrd, she revealed the ups and downs of her own life that eventually ignited a desire to perform and pursue a life on the stage. But just as it was with her personal journey, Debra’s path toward becoming an actor was slow but steady and her first steps as a producer started from very meager beginnings. Sign up for the monthly WINMI Newsletter.  At her very core, Debra is a storyteller and that is on full display in this episode as she talks about taking on Shakespeare’s iconic role of Othello as well as the early years of forming her own company…Take Wing and Soar Productions.  Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones - https://www.pojones.com Learn more about WINMI podcast - http://whyillnevermakeit.com Follow Debra - Becoming Othello / Instagram / IMDb  Support WINMI and get access to Members-Only Episodes on Supercast. Check out Artist Resources and follow WINMI on Instagram or Twitter. ---------- Why I’ll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast on Feedspot, and is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance.  Music in the episode by Blue Dot Sessions is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.