When I’m travelling for long stretches of time, which happens mostly when I drive to and from my university and my parent’s house, I sometimes like to take a break from whatever musical cast recording I’m currently obsessed with (it sounds crazy but it happens). Since I have to stay awake somehow, I generally turn to podcasts. Podcasts are becoming one of the top forms of entertainment in today’s society. They allow listeners to pick and choose what kind of radio show they get to enjoy.

I only recently started listening to podcasts but they have turned out to be a great tool to peek into Broadway while I am hundreds of miles away from the Great White Way and acting in general. Below are the three podcasts that I subscribe to that offer great insights into theatre, acting and Broadway.

1.The Ensemblist

This seems to be one of the more popular theatre podcasts, and anyone who is interested in Broadway, working on Broadway or acting in general. The tagline for the podcast is “Broadway from the inside out.” Hosts Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone put members of Broadway ensembles on the show and talk to them about specific aspects of Broadway. In each episode, they pick one part of working on Broadway (i.e. what is a dance captain, how do holidays work, what is it like to go on tour, etc.) and interview ensemblists with experience in these areas.

This podcast is a wonderful way to learn about the Broadway community from afar. You get to hear from actual Broadway ensemblists, the podcast using excellent music for transitions and explaining what it means to be a working actor. If you don’t already subscribe to this one, you definitely should. You can check out their podcast on iTunes or their website.

Listen to the most recent episode, “[Dressed as] A Girl: on Broadway”:

2. Theater People

Theater People podcast functions in a similar form to The Ensemblist, where the hosts Patrick and Vonia interview people working on Broadway. This podcast focuses on interviews with “Tony Award winners, Broadway legends, and today’s hottest Broadway stars.” The two hosts talk to the big names on Broadway such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lindsay Mendez and Laura Osnes. It’s such an interesting podcast because you get an in-depth look at the lives of some of your Broadway idols. It’s always cool to find out how these people got started in the business and the kind of training they received.

I really enjoy this podcast because I get to learn more about the art and projects of people that I admire and look up to as artists. There is nothing more interesting than finding out what makes your favorite artists tick. This podcast can also be found in the iTunes store as well as their website.

Listen to the most recent episode, featuring Andy Karl, here.

3. Talkin’ Toons with Rob Paulsen

This series is the latest podcast that I started listening to and it’s really awesome to hear some of my favorite voice actors on this show. Rob Paulsen is a very accomplished voice actor and has been performing on shows like The Animaniacs, The Looney Tunes Show and The Mask. In this podcast, Paulsen interviews other voice actors about how they got started, what training they have, what inspires them and such. It’s such a cool show, especially for actors interested in going into voice acting and cartoon fans. It’s interesting to see how voice acting and musical acting go hand-in-hand, as you have to learn how to create characters and voices in the same way. Like Theater People and The Ensemblist, this podcast is all interviews, and it’s really interesting to hear the voices of some of your favorite voice actors out of character. This podcast is also on the iTunes store and on Rob Paulsen’s website. Check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

Listen to the most recent episode, featuring “Disney Afternoon,” here.

There are plenty of other Broadway-centric podcasts and it wouldn’t hurt to check them out. There is a large list on the iTunes store and each has a different view or angle geared toward Broadway. There doesn’t seem to be one based on new musicals, though… maybe NMT should start one.

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