Daisy Maywood (The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Company, A Chorus Line) guest hosts this episode of the podcast with Mikey Worrall. This is the final episode of series five. We'll be back in 2021 with more actors and creatives from your favourite shows. (This episode was recorded in September 2020 before the second lockdown in England. Any references to recent gym sessions and family visits were completely legal at the time.)

Backstage With...

Guest Host Daisy Maywood with Mikey Worrall

Gavin Spokes was playing King George III in the London production of Hamilton when the West End went dark the week before the UK went into lockdown in March. You might have recently seen him wrestling with Mel Giedroyc as Harry in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company, working his way up to a million pounds as the Major in James Graham’s Quiz, or as pollster Andrew Cooper in Channel 4’s Brexit: The Uncivil War. Follow Gavin on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Gavin Spokes (Hamilton, Company, Quiz)

Susie McKenna was creative director at Hackney Empire for seven years and wrote, produced and sometimes starred in its pantomimes for 22 years. She is now an associate director at Kiln Theatre, in north west London.  Susie's many stage credits include Follies, Cats, The Witches of Eastwick, Woman in White, Ragtime, and Chicago. When the pandemic took hold, Susie was over in New York where her wife - three-time Olivier award winning actress Sharon D. Clarke - was about to begin previews in the title role in Caroline or Change on Broadway. We recorded this conversation back in September while Susie was staying at her house in Spain. Follow Susie on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Susie McKenna (Associate Director, Kiln Theatre)

Kiruna Stamell was working as an extra on the film Moulin Rouge in Australia twenty years ago when the director created the part of La Petite Princess just for her. She used her pay check to come to the UK where she’s worked across television, film and theatre. At the start of this year she was in the Jamie Lloyd Company production of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End, which won the Olivier award for Best Revival at the weekend. She was meant to be part of the show’s New York transfer but it was cancelled because of the pandemic. Instead, she found herself shielding at home in the UK with her husband Gareth, and creating a web series for children called Pirate and Parrot. Follow Kiruna on Twitter and Instagram.  Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Kiruna Stamell (Cyrano de Bergerac, Great Britain, Moulin Rouge!)

Gavin Lee is an Drama Desk award winner, Olivier award nominee, and two-time Tony nominee.  He's best known for creating the role of Bert in the original West End, Broadway and U.S. touring productions of Mary Poppins, and originating the role of Squidward in SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical on Broadway.  Follow Gavin on Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins, SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical, Top Hat, Beauty and the Beast)

Chances are you've seen Melanie La Barrie in at least one show in the last 20 years. She's developed and appeared in a number of shows including the original productions of Mary Poppins, Matilda and & Juliet. She also played Ursula in the London pre-Broadway workshop of The Little Mermaid and on top of all of that somehow found time to complete full contracts in Les Miserables and Wicked.  Prior to lockdown, Melanie was playing Nurse in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, a role she'll return to when the show reopens in 2021. Follow Melanie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Melanie La Barrie (& Juliet, Matilda, Wicked, Mary Poppins)

Daisy Maywood has been in some of the most high profile productions of the last decade such as the Les Mis 25th anniversary concert at the o2, The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall, and the 2013 revival of A Chrous Line at the London Palladium. She was most recently seen as Susan and the Priest in Marianne Elliot’s West End revival of Company at the Gielgud theatre. Follow Daisy on Twitter. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.  

Daisy Maywood (Company, A Chorus Line, Phantom, Les Mis)

This week’s guest lifted the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball alongside the Olympic Gymnast Louis Smith back in 2012. Over the last eight years Flavia has co-created, co-choreographed and starred in four theatre productions with her professional dance partner, Vincent Simone. They've clocked up six tours, two West End transfers, and two Olivier award nominations for family entertainment. Follow Flavia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Flavia Cacace (Midnight Tango, Dance 'Til Dawn, Strictly Come Dancing)

Stephen has worked in casting for over 20 years. During that time he’s been the casting director for Mamma Mia! London and UK Tour productions, and has been casting consultant on productions in Germany, Holland, Norway, Italy, Spain and Russia. His many other shows include Jerry Springer – The Opera, Chicago, Hairspray, and Mrs Henderson Presents. He works alongside David Grindrod who used to be Andrew Lloyd Webber’s in-house casting director, and who went on to set up David Grindrod Associates casting agency. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Stephen Crockett (Casting Director: Mamma Mia!, Chicago, Jerry Springer The Opera)

Two-time Olivier award nominee Sophie-Louise Dann is best known for originating roles in West End musicals such as Lend Me a Tenor, Bend it Like Beckham, The Girls (the Calendar Girls musical) and Made in Dagenham. She’s also been in the musical pastiche productions of Forbidden Broadway and Spamilton. You can see her this coming Saturday live in person, or on a livestream, as she returns to the stage at Crazy Coqs, in London, with her solo show May I have a Moment?. Buy tickets here or at BrasserieZedel.com  Follow Sophie-Louise on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Sophie-Louise Dann (Lend Me a Tenor, The Girls, Made in Dagenham)

Harry Francis is an actor, singer and dancer, and a huge theatre fan.  He's done five shows at the London Palladium and been in musicals such as A Chorus Line, Cats, The Book of Mormon, Hairspray and Wicked. He’s currently in rehearsals to play Lewis/Theo in Pippin at The Garden Theatre, at The Eagle, in South London, from Tuesday 8th September to Sunday 11th October. Follow Harry on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Harry Francis (Cats, A Chorus Line, Wicked)

Louise Dearman is only person in the world to have been cast as Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked. So far in her career she’s starred in shows including Evita, Side Show, Guys and Dolls, Jekyll and Hyde, Grease and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. You can watch her Umbrella Rooms live concert here or head to @UmbrellaRooms on Twitter. Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Louise online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Louise Dearman (Wicked, Side Show, Guys and Dolls)

In the second part of our Phantom of the Opera special, Mikey speaks to Josh Piterman who was playing the Phantom when the West End went dark. He joined the London cast last autumn and is hoping to return to the when the show reopens at Her Majesty's Theatre with a brand new physical production of the brilliant original. Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Josh online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram, or email Mikey@backstagewith.com.

Phantom Special Part Two with Josh Piterman

150 days after the chandelier fell, we're talking about what the future holds for The Phantom of the Opera after the announcement the original production will not reopen after lockdown.  A new physical production of the original will reopen at some point in the future, after major renovation work at Her Majesty's Theatre. In this two-part special, Mikey speaks to the most recent actors to play the Phantom and Christine in the West End production. Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Kelly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram.

Phantom Special Part One with Kelly Mathieson

 Jenna Boyd is an original cast member of the Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away. Follow Jenna online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Click here to sign the petition to support the four pillar plan for recovery in the performing arts & entertainment. Follow Backstage With... online, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can send Mikey your guest requests and questions on Twitter and Instagram.  

Jenna Boyd (Come From Away)

Backstage With… takes you behind the scenes with the biggest names in musical theatre. We tell stories of shows people have worked on, actors they’ve worked with, and things that didn’t necessarily go to plan, on stage and off, and ask about the real issues facing the industry that so many people devote their lives to. Expect industry secrets, eyebrow raising stories and behind the scenes access.

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Backstage With...

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