The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Stella Cole joins the podcast to discuss her unique journey from a musical-theatre-obsessed child in Springfield, Illinois, to a global jazz sensation. She opens up about the "old soul" label she has carried since infancy and how she navigated a high-pressure academic environment at Northwestern University while privately yearning for the music of Judy Garland and Doris Day. Stella shares the vulnerable story of nearly quitting singing altogether before finding her voice again during the 2020 lockdown, leading to a meteoric rise on TikTok that felt more like a "fake little thing" on her phone than a career-changing event.

The conversation dives deep into the realities of being a touring artist in the modern age, from the scrappy days of singing for dinner in Brooklyn to signing with a major label and recording with a full string orchestra at Power Station. Stella discusses the profound emotional power of the Great American Songbook, her transition from viral creator to live performer, and her future aspirations to return to her theater roots. She offers insightful reflections on mental health, the dangers of social media overstimulation, and why she still keeps the idea of law school in the back of her mind just in case.

Stella Cole is a vocalist and recording artist who first gained international attention through her viral performances of jazz standards on social media. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has toured extensively as a featured performer with Postmodern Jukebox and has sold out prestigious venues in New York, London, and beyond. Her discography includes her self-titled debut project and the 2024 album It's Magic, featuring arrangements by Grammy winner Alan Broadbent.

Connect with Stella:

Website: stellacole.net

Instagram: @stellakcole

TikTok: @stellakcole

Listen to My Funny Valentine" EP out via Decca Records US

Make sure to catch Stella's second residency at NYC's Café Carlyle, running May 12–16, 2026!

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Alan's personal Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alanseales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chloe Tucker Caine joins the show to discuss her fascinating transition from a national tour leading lady to a high stakes real estate powerhouse on Netflix's Owning Manhattan. She shares the vulnerable reality of arriving in New York expecting a parade only to find herself bartending and eventually running an "illegal" Airbnb business out of her Hell's Kitchen apartment. Chloe opens up about the secret life she led while establishing her real estate career, including sneaking off to vocal lessons and dance classes between property showings because she feared being dismissed as just another "annoying theater kid".

The conversation dives deep into the creation of her viral "property musicals," a niche that blends her performance background with luxury sales to help move quirky listings that had previously sat on the market for years. Chloe reflects on the lessons learned from being cut on the first night of an MTV reality show and how motherhood has shifted her professional perspective from wanting to be a "shark" to simply being her authentic self. From recording her single "Fly High" for her daughter to her dreams of playing Velma Kelly in Chicago, Chloe proves that you don't have to close the door on your passions to find massive success in a new field.

Chloe Tucker Caine is a multifaceted performer and real estate agent who starred as Sophie in the national tour of Mamma Mia!. She is a central cast member on the Netflix series Owning Manhattan and a top agent at the SERHANT. brokerage. In addition to her real estate success, she is the creator of the digital series Chloe in Manhattan and recently released the single "Fly High"

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Connect with Chloe:

Instagram: @chloeinmanhattan

TikTok: @chloetuckercaine

Listen to the single Fly High

Listen to Michael Mott's music

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Bess Wohl joins the podcast to discuss the journey of bringing her latest play, Liberation, to Broadway after a decade of development. She shares the "woo woo" details of her creative process, describing a vision of her characters waiting in a metaphorical doctor's office for her to finally tell their stories. Bess reflects on how the play, which travels between the 1970s Women’s Liberation Movement and the present day, became unexpectedly urgent in the current political climate.

The conversation dives into Bess's transition from an acting student at Yale Drama to an acclaimed playwright, a shift she describes as almost destined. She explains her rebellious approach to writing, from the "masterclass in silence" found in Small Mouth Sounds to the vulnerable, full-ensemble nudity in Liberation. Through stories of her mother’s time at Ms. Magazine and her own experiences in the rehearsal room, Bess highlights how storytelling serves as a visceral exercise in empathy for audiences and actors alike.

Bess Wohl is a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award winning playwright and filmmaker. Her body of work includes the Tony Award nominated Grand Horizons, as well as Small Mouth Sounds, Make Believe, American Hero, Continuity, Camp Siegfried, and the feature film Baby Ruby. A graduate of Harvard University and the Yale School of Drama, her plays have been produced on Broadway and at major theaters including Ars Nova and Second Stage.

Connect with Bess:


Instagram: @besswohl

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Irene Sofia Lucio stops by to discuss the journey from being a shy kid in Puerto Rico who had to force herself to raise her hand to starring in some of the most provocative plays on Broadway. She opens up about the intersection of motherhood and art, explaining how becoming a parent shifted her relationship with her body and why creative teams led by mothers are simply more efficient. We also dig into the "white passing" label she carried for years and how she finally decided to fully reclaim her Latinx identity and name in an industry that loves to categorize.

We get into the specifics of her current role in Liberation, including the decision to wear a custom golden armor bust of her own body for opening night and the unique power of performing a nude scene while her father is in the audience. Irene shares how the play explores the history of women's liberation and why physical vulnerability on stage creates a "force field" of safety with her castmates. It is a candid look at how the political climate impacts performance and why gathering in a theater is a form of community building we desperately need right now.

Irene Sofia Lucio is an actor and creator whose Broadway credits include Liberation, Slave Play, and Wit. Her Off-Broadway work includes Our Dear Dead Drug Lord. On screen, she has appeared in In the Heights, Tell Me Lies, The Big Cigar, and co-created the web series Butts. She holds a BA from Princeton University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

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Connect with Irene:

Instagram: @irenesofialucio

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Wayne Brady opens up about the surprising reality that despite his career as an improvisational powerhouse, he considers himself a quiet recluse who never actually aspired to be funny. He breaks down how he approached comedy as a science rather than a natural personality trait and shares the deep work ethic instilled in him by his grandmother in Orlando. We also get a candid look at his "get in where you fit in" philosophy and learn how he thrived as part of an ensemble by scratching the itch to perform whatever role was required.

The conversation takes a vulnerable turn when he recounts the terrified moment he blanked during his audition for Hamilton in front of friends Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail. He explains how he recovered from that stumble to land the role of Aaron Burr in Chicago and why he actually finds more comfort in the structure of a script than in the freedom of improv. We also discuss his current role as a talking horse in All In and why he loves playing grounded characters in absurd situations.

Wayne Brady is a multiple Emmy Award winner and Grammy nominee known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and as the host of Let's Make a Deal. His extensive television credits include How I Met Your Mother, The Masked Singer, Black Lightning, and Chappelle's Show. On Broadway, he has starred in Kinky Boots, Chicago, and The Wiz, and played Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of Hamilton. He is currently starring in All In on Broadway.

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Connect with Wayne:

Instagram: @mrbradybaby

Facebook: The Official Wayne Brady

YouTube: Wayne Brady

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Alan's personal Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alanseales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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