Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin

Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin

by Zurin Villanueva
Performing ArtsHow To
Season 1

Racing the Clock: Our Stage Manager

Racing the Clock takes you behind the scenes with the person who keeps the entire production moving: the Stage Manager. What exactly does a stage manager do—and what do they wish every actor understood? From calling the show and running understudy rehearsals to handling actor conflicts, emergencies, and those “spill the tea” moments, this episode breaks down the role from an actor’s perspective. We’re talking communication, leadership, boundaries, backstage etiquette, working with swings, and the dos and don’ts of approaching stage management. Plus, we tackle the tougher situations actors may face: unsafe or uncomfortable stage movement, working with an intoxicated performer, and how to navigate issues without making them worse. Whether you’re a new actor, seasoned performer, or just curious about the person behind the headset, Racing the Clock is your backstage guide to understanding—and working with—the Stage Manager. This week's guest Brian Bogen has worked on over 30 Broadway shows / National Tours. He is currently the PSM for The Great Gatsby, a show which he has been attached to since the early developmental stage. He has also helped set 2 international companies and served as the production supervisor for the Korean engagement. Other credits include Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, , …Great Comet with Josh Groban, Mike Birbiglia:The Old Man and the Pool, Frankie & Johnny…with Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon, The Waverly Gallery with Elaine May, War Horse, The Book of Mormon, On Your Feet, Allegiance, My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly!, Constellations, Elf, Chicago, Spamalot, Urinetown, Good Vibrations.. He has also worked on several off-Broadway and regional theatre productions.
S1 · E6
Sep 29, 2026
1:25:48

Meadowlark: Vocal Vitality on Broadway Part 2

What do you do when your voice suddenly stops doing what it has always done? In Part 2 of this episode of Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin, we're getting inside the singer's most important instrument: the voice. Zurin and Andrew Byrnes voice teacher and author of The Singing Athlete unpack what every professional singer should know about vocal health, including warm-ups, warm-downs, healthy belting, vocal types, hydration, allergies, stage fog, vocal fatigue, and what happens when you're performing the same material eight times a week. We'll also put some of singers' favorite remedies and routines under the microscope—from straw exercises and steam to apple cider vinegar, bone broth, pineapple, humidifiers, salt water, and more. And when your voice isn't cooperating? We'll talk about how to recognize changes, advocate for yourself, communicate with your creative team, and protect your instrument while still doing the job. Because your voice will change. The question is: Are you listening? This is your backstage conversation about keeping the voice healthy, sustainable, and ready for the next eight shows. Andrew Byrne is the creator of The Singing Athlete™, a bestselling book and training system blending neuroscience, athletic principles, and vocal performance. Based in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles, he also coaches singers worldwide online. His students have performed in more than 90 Broadway shows, and his certication program has trained over 150 teachers internationally. In 2025, Andrew was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now, which he co-created and conducted. Twice named New York City’s Favorite Vocal Coach, he is also an acclaimed songwriter and international clinician.
S1 · E5
Sep 22, 2026
50:50

Meadowlark: Vocal Vitality on Broadway Part 1

Your Voice Is Your Instrument—But Do You Really Know How to Use It? What happens when the voice you rely on eight shows a week suddenly starts doing something you don’t understand? While performing in The Lion King, Zurin found herself struggling with a belt that had once felt effortless. Then her head voice began to waver too. Convinced she had vocal nodules, she went straight to an ENT—only to discover that her vocal cords were completely healthy. So what was actually going on? In this episode of Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin, we dive into the fascinating—and sometimes frustrating—world of vocal health. From unexpected vocal breaks and changing vocal range to allergies, stage fog, dehydration, vocal fatigue, and the demands of performing the same material eight times a week, we explore what singers need to know to protect the instrument that makes their careers possible. Zurin is joined by vocal health experts to unpack the anatomy of the voice, how to build an effective warm-up and warm-down, what healthy belting really looks like, whether singers should train every day, and whether your vocal type can actually change. We’re also separating vocal-health fact from Broadway folklore: apple cider vinegar, steam, straws, baking soda, salt, bone broth, chlorophyll, humidifiers, pineapple juice, and more—what actually helps, what doesn’t, and why? Plus, we tackle the realities of touring and performing in challenging environments, including allergies, smog machines, limited water breaks, and what to do when something you’re being asked to sing starts putting your voice at risk. And, of course, we’re spilling some tea: the singing habits that drive vocal professionals crazy, the most common mistakes singers make, and why some of those habits can be seriously damaging. Your voice will change after every show, every season, every year, and every location. The only way to stay booked is to keep learning how to take care of it. Tune in to learn how to listen to your voice, decode what it’s telling you, and become your own best vocal advocate. Our Guests! Linda Dahl, MD is a board-certified Otolaryngology–Head and Neck surgeon and integrative medicine practitioner who has spent more than two decades caring for performers who depend on their voices. One of the leading professional voice physicians in the Broadway community, she is known for her holistic, restorative approach to vocal health and her work with performers ranging from Broadway and opera to film, television, and major recording artists. Dr. Dahl has taught at SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity, and Juilliard, and her insights have been featured across major media outlets including The New York Times, MSNBC, and The Hollywood Reporter. She brings a blend of deep medical expertise and artistic understanding to every conversation about the human voice. (Part 2) Andrew Byrne is the creator of The Singing Athlete™, a bestselling book and training system blending neuroscience, athletic principles, and vocal performance. Based in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles, he also coaches singers worldwide online. His students have performed in more than 90 Broadway shows, and his certication program has trained over 150 teachers internationally. In 2025, Andrew was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now, which he co-created and conducted. Twice named New York City’s Favorite Vocal Coach, he is also an acclaimed songwriter and international clinician.
S1 · E4
Sep 14, 2026
59:28

Broadway Bodyguard: Keeping the Body strong with your Personal trainer and phyisical therapist

Your body is your instrument—and on Broadway, taking care of it can be the difference between a career that lasts and one cut short by injury. Host and producer Zurin Villanueva shares her own journey from childhood abdominal weakness and being teased for using a roller backpack to discovering Pilates through modern dance and learning how essential strength, alignment, and injury prevention are for longevity in the theater. In this episode of STAY Booked on Broadway with Zurin, we’re talking about the people who help performers keep their bodies working at their best: physical therapists and personal trainers. Zurin sits down with two experts to uncover what Broadway performers should really be doing to protect their bodies through an eight-show week. From preventing recurring injuries and building functional strength to warming up, cooling down, recovering on your day off, weight training, nutrition, flexibility, and core work, this episode is packed with practical tools for performers at every level. You’ll also hear how something as simple as controlled single-leg relevés helped one performer break a dangerous cycle of repeatedly rolling their ankles—and why understanding how your body moves can be just as important as how hard you train. Whether you’re a dancer, actor, singer, or multi-hyphenate performer, this episode will help you think differently about fitness, recovery, and longevity. Because getting booked is one thing. Staying booked starts with taking care of the instrument that gets you there. 🎙️ STAY Booked on Broadway with Zurin — empowering artists with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to build lasting careers with integrity, purpose, and a love for the craft.
S1 · E3
Sep 8, 2026
1:34:41

Swing! The Broadway Savior: Be indispensable with grace and style

Swing! The Broadway Savior What does it take to step onstage with minutes—or sometimes seconds—to spare and perform a role you may not have played in weeks, months, or ever in front of an audience? Welcome to the world of the Broadway swing. In this episode of Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin, we pull back the curtain on one of theater’s most demanding, underappreciated, and absolutely essential jobs. A great swing isn’t simply someone who knows the choreography. They are part athlete, part archivist, part detective, and part superhero—ready to jump into multiple tracks without missing a beat. Zurin shares her own unforgettable swing moment from The Book of Mormon, when a split-second adjustment from swing and dance captain Colin Bradbury kept a complicated finale moving seamlessly. She also recounts the terrifying reality of covering multiple tracks in Mean Girls, where confusing one character’s choreography for another’s could have meant a collision onstage. Then, Colin joins the conversation to reveal what separates a good swing from an indispensable one. We get into the real secrets of learning and retaining multiple tracks, staying sharp when you aren't performing, building trust with stage management, taking notes you may not be able to practice immediately, staying organized, and surviving those moments when everything goes sideways onstage. And because being a swing is only part of Colin’s story, we’re also going deep on the Dance Captain role: the show book, rehearsal-room leadership, giving—and receiving—notes, communicating with creatives, maintaining authority while remaining part of the company, and what it really takes to keep an entire production moving at its best. This is an honest, funny, behind-the-scenes look at the people who make Broadway’s impossible moments look effortless. Because when the pressure is on, the best swing doesn't just know the steps. They know the show. 🎭 Swing! The Broadway Savior Stay Booked on Broadway with Zurin Be indispensable—with grace and style.
S1 · E2
Sep 1, 2026
1:31:46

A Chorus Line: Making Your Dreams Come True in the Ensemble

In our very first episode we have 3 Broadway veterans discussing what it is really like performing in the backbone of any show; the ensemble. In the Broadway ensemble you are met with a lot to handle. The choreography and music is only the beginning. Navigating room dynamics, jealousy, work culture, features, routine and remembering to have fun can be challenging to say the least and we are here to help! In this episode: Mind Games & Mental Health Identity in The Room Love & Dating Reputation, Routine & Staying Healthy Features Race and Identity Welcome Our Guests: Jonalyn Saxerhas been seen on Broadway in Back to The Future (Clocktower woman, U/S Lorraine), Mean Girls (Ensemble U/S Karen, Cady, and Regina), Cats, Holiday Inn, Honeymoon In Vegas, and Bullets Over Broadway. She also appeared as Karen Smith in the First National tour of Mean Girls and can be seen in Steven Spielberg and Justin Peck’s West Side Story. She was most recently seen as Campbell in Bring It On at The Muny. She has been a part of multiple world premier productions, is a graduate of Syracuse University and a proud supporter and fundraiser for BCEFA and Covenant House. @jksaxer Raymond Baynard …dancer, actor, model, singer, and choreographer, Raymond Baynard is a multi faceted creative from New Jersey. He studied at S.U.N.Y. Purchase receiving his BFA in dance. Since then, he’s worked on projects with artists like Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, to recently being seen on HBO’s the Gilded Age. He’s usually seen on stage with productions like The Lion King, Hamilton, Bad Cinderella, MJ the Musical, and The Great Gatsby. Gabriel HymanGabriel Hyman(Chesapeake, VA) received his BFA in Dance with honors from The Ailey School/Fordham University BFA Program as a Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar and a Glorya Kaufman Dance Scholar. Following graduation, he performed and toured with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s junior company, Ailey II. His TV appearances include The 76th Annual Tony Awards Opening Number, Super Bowl LV Halftime Show with The Weeknd, ABC's Good Morning America, FX’s Pose, and HBO’s Succession and The Gilded Age. He was a dancer at The Metropolitan Opera in Fire Shut Up In My Bones and X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. Hyman was a part of the world premiere musical production of The Prince of Egypt. He played Charles Lee in the national touring company of Hamilton. Broadway credits include King Kong: Alive on Broadway, served as the Dance Captain for the Broadway revival of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, and is currently a vacation swing in the show Hell’s Kitchen. @gabehyman
S1 · E1
Aug 25, 2026
1:56:57

A Chorus Line : Making your dreams come true in the ensemble "authenticity"

Trailer
Stay Booked: The Rules of Business on Broadway A Chorus Line: Make Your Dreams Come True in the Ensemble What does it really take to build a long, healthy, sustainable career on Broadway? Stay Booked: The Rules of Business on Broadway is a candid, behind-the-scenes podcast created to give the next generation of theater artists something many performers never get in school: a roadmap for navigating the business of being a working artist. Inspired by the book Stay Booked: The Rules of Business on Broadway, this limited 10-episode series brings together experienced theater professionals to talk about what it truly takes to survive—and thrive—in the industry. In our premiere episode, “A Chorus Line: Make Your Dreams Come True in the Ensemble,” we go beyond the applause and explore the realities of life in the ensemble. What does consistency really look like? How do you protect your mental health and morale? What does it take to sustain your voice, body, career, and relationships while working in the spotlight? This is the conversation many performers wish they had before signing their first contract. Across the series, we’ll unpack the lessons that aren't always taught in musical theater programs, including: - Mental health and morale - Consistency, professionalism, and longevity - Diet, wellness, and vocal health - Contracts, boundaries, and conflict - Building relationships and navigating the business - The realities of sustaining a life in and around the spotlight Whether you're an aspiring performer, a theater student, a working actor, or simply someone curious about what happens behind the curtain, this series is designed to educate, empower, and keep you booked. No gatekeeping. No sugarcoating. Just honest conversations with people who have lived it. Welcome to Stay Booked. The work is the dream—but knowing the business can help you build the career.
S1
Aug 25, 2026
4:42