Theater News

Susan Blackwell and Other Broadway Ensemblists Talk Parallel Careers

”Matilda” and ”Chicago” performers are featured on the latest podcast episode.

Susan Blackwell is interviewed on the latest episode of The Ensemblist.
Susan Blackwell is interviewed on the latest episode of The Ensemblist.

Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone have released episode 45 of their Broadway podcast The Ensemblist.

Titled "Parallel Careers," the episode features Susan Blackwell ([title of show]), Jennifer Dunne (Chicago), and Phillip Spaeth (Matilda The Musical), who chat about how they balance Broadway careers with separate occupations and how their parallel passions feed and inspire their lives, both onstage and off.

Blackwell, best known as a cocreator of the cult hit musical [title of show], has maintained a job in the corporate office world since moving to New York City; she discusses how pursuing multiple careers provides structure and stability in her life. Dunne, whose Broadway credits also include Curtains and Oklahoma!, talks about how having a career in photography influences her passion for dancing. Spaeth, a former ensemble member of Broadway's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, West Side Story, and Wicked, discusses how running his own photography business allows for scheduling flexibility within his career as a performer.

To download the latest episode of The Ensemblist, click here.