
Ep424 - Sadie Dickerson: From Competitive Swimming to Sandra Dee
16/12/2025 | 38 mins.
Transitioning from competitive swimming to the stage requires a specific kind of discipline, but Sadie Dickerson has mastered the pivot. She opens up about the intense audition process for Just in Time, which spanned months and a cross country move to Los Angeles, only to receive the life changing offer while house sitting with some very old dogs. She also shares stories about her time working at a Comic Con t-shirt stand and coaching swim lessons before finally getting her big break. Stepping onto a Broadway stage for the first time is daunting enough, but doing it after sitting backstage for an entire act adds a unique layer of anticipation. Sadie discusses the nerves of that first performance, the supportive environment backstage, and how she balances the technical precision of camera acting with the energy required for live theater. We also get into her love for Newsies and the drive that keeps her pushing for perfection. Sadie Dickerson is an Austin, Texas native and a graduate of Missouri State University where she earned a BFA in Musical Theatre. She was previously seen Off-Broadway in Vladimir at Manhattan Theatre Club and is currently making her Broadway debut as Sandra in Just in Time. Connect with Sadie: Instagram: @Sadie.Dickerson TikTok: @Sadie.Dickerson Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep423 - Christian Cowan: Dressing Lady Gaga at Eighteen with Super Glue and Sequins
09/12/2025 | 43 mins.
Christian Cowan’s journey to the top of the fashion world is anything but traditional. He opens up about applying to Central Saint Martins with a literal soup can instead of a standard portfolio and explains how a childhood obsession with insects helped him understand high fashion structures. He also shares the wild story of receiving a commission from Lady Gaga at just 18 years old while he was still a first-year student who barely knew how to ship a package. Now making his Broadway costume design debut with The Queen of Versailles, Christian discusses the challenge of translating high glamour into durable stage wear. He reveals details about touring Jackie Siegel’s massive closet which features a stripper pole and round bed, and breaks down the technology behind the 3D printed vases on his Marie Antoinette costume. We also geek out over his love for animation, his collaboration with The Powerpuff Girls, and his desire to design for sci-fi films. Christian Cowan is a British fashion designer known for his vibrant and sculptural aesthetic. He launched his eponymous label in 2017 and has dressed global icons including Lady Gaga, Cardi B, and Miley Cyrus. He was a finalist for the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund and has collaborated with brands like Cartoon Network and Adobe. The Queen of Versailles marks his Broadway debut as a costume designer. This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. Connect with Christian: Instagram: @christiancowan Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep422 - Kevin Del Aguila: The Actor Who Accidentally Became Everything
05/12/2025 | 53 mins.
Kevin Del Aguila has one of those careers that feels impossible on paper but makes perfect sense once you hear him talk about it. He shares how acting and writing grew side by side almost accidentally, from staging one-acts with unemployed friends to becoming the secret ingredient that finally unlocked Altar Boyz. Kevin opens up about years of temp jobs, the anxiety of switching to a full-time artistic life, and the surprising moment he quietly “quit acting” without telling anyone—only to find himself pulled back in through Peter and the Starcatcher, where collaborating with Christian Borle reignited his love for performing. His stories from backstage, especially the legendary “silent aria” of laughter waves, remind you why the magic of theater is so addictive. We also explore the second creative empire Kevin has built in children’s entertainment, from Wonder Pets to his Emmy-winning work on Peg + Cat, to writing the lyrics for Click, Clack, Moo and the wildly popular Dog Man: The Musical. He breaks down why kids instantly know when something has been sanitized, how a little edge goes a long way, and why he’s drawn to writing that treats young audiences with intelligence and respect. Kevin also reflects on his full-circle return to The Baker’s Wife more than twenty years after first performing it, now taking on Antoine in the highly anticipated Classic Stage Company revival. The episode is full of craft, heart, humor, and the reminder that longevity—not overnight success—is the real engine of a creative life. Kevin Del Aguila is an Emmy Award–winning writer and Tony-nominated actor whose career spans theater, television, and children’s entertainment. He wrote the book for the long-running hit Altar Boyz and the lyrics for Click, Clack, Moo and Dog Man: The Musical. His Broadway and stage performances include Some Like It Hot, Frozen, and Peter and the Starcatcher. His television writing earned him an Emmy for Peg + Cat, and he appears in the newest season of Hazbin Hotel. Kevin currently stars as Antoine in the Broadway revival of The Baker’s Wife. This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. Connect with Kevin: Instagram: @kevinoftheeagle Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep421 - Gabrielle Nevaeh: Flying From All That Into the Upside Down
02/12/2025 | 55 mins.
Gabrielle Nevaeh’s journey to Stranger Things: The First Shadow feels like a real-time coming-of-age story. In our conversation, she opens up about growing up painfully shy in Florida, discovering acting at a performing arts school, and then making the leap to Los Angeles at just twelve years old with nothing but six suitcases and a dream. From navigating the whirlwind of Nickelodeon fame, to essentially attending “Nick High,” to juggling seven different shows while finishing high school, she shares how she slowly learned to trust her instincts, embrace her authentic self, and listen less to the external noise. That confidence is exactly what carried her into one of the wildest audition processes I’ve ever heard, including a full seven-hour callback in New York where she literally performed the entire play as a one-woman show. Once she stepped into the world of Stranger Things, everything changed. Gabrielle talks about finding her voice onstage eight shows a week, building Patty Newby from the ground up, and experiencing that electric moment when the season five trailer drops in the theater and the audience erupts. We dive into the emotional weight of this role, the physical demands of doing an “action movie” every night, and why she actually loves a rowdy audience member who shouts back at the actors. She also reflects on how surreal it is to walk the line between longtime Nickelodeon kids who know her comedy work and the massive Stranger Things fans who now show up dressed like Patty or get props from the show tattooed on their bodies. Gabrielle Nevaeh is an award-nominated actor known for standout work on Nickelodeon’s All That, That Girl Lay Lay, Danger Force, and as the voice of Clawdeen Wolf in Monster High. Her credits also include Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Curses, and hosting duties for major Nickelodeon events including the Kids’ Choice Awards. She earned a Young Artist Award and an Emmy nomination for her on-screen work before making her Broadway debut as Patty Newby in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, where she continues to shape the character in collaboration with the creative team. This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. Connect with Gabrielle: Instagram: @gabriellenevaeh TikTok: @gabriellenevaeh Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep420 - Kimiko Glenn: Hang Out Forever and the Art of Being Unapologetically You
25/11/2025 | 58 mins.
Kimiko Glenn brings a mix of honesty, humor, and delightful chaos to this conversation, opening up about the vulnerable journey behind her new single Hang Out Forever and why the music video takes such a hilariously dark turn. She talks about songwriting as her personal diary, how she finally found the courage to share it publicly, and why creative control feels like oxygen after years of being the “vessel” for other people’s visions. We dig into the surprising things that make her the most self-conscious, the unexpected fears that shaped her early career, and why being an “impatient cheerleader” might be her truest personality trait. She also speaks candidly about the realities behind the fame surge during Orange Is the New Black, including the overwhelming moments she endured in public and the long path toward reclaiming safety and boundaries. Kimiko shares the story of developing panic disorder during Waitress, how she learned to manage anxiety in different performance environments, and the tools she’s built to protect her joy. We also get into identity, community, vulnerability, the pressure to perform online, and what she hopes her upcoming music — including the acoustic version of Hang Out Forever — will reveal about her. Kimiko Glenn is an actor, singer, songwriter, and multi-hyphenate creator whose work spans Broadway, television, film, animation, and music. She originated roles in Waitress and the National Tour of Spring Awakening, earned global recognition as Soso in Orange Is the New Black, and became one of the most distinctive voices in animation with roles in Hazbin Hotel, Kiff, Centaurworld, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, DuckTales, My Little Pony, and more. Her latest artistic chapter focuses on original music, beginning with her single Hang Out Forever and a forthcoming EP that blends emotional storytelling with sharp comedic edge. This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. Find Kimiko Online Instagram: @kimikoglenn, @kimiko.wav TikTok: @itskimiko Watch Hang Out Forever Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon and watch video versions of the episodes: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com Alan's personal Instagram: @alanseales Email me at [email protected]. I want to know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices



The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales