Breaking Broadway with Kerry Butler

Ever wonder how to break into the business of Broadway? From how to get an agent to how to navigate open calls, we cover it all. This podcast is an insider’s roadmap to making it on Broadway.

Kerry Butler is a Tony nominated actress who made her Broadway debut in 1993 in Blood Brothers, before starring in shows such as Beauty and the Beast, Les Mis, Hairspray, Little Shop, Xanadu, Rock of Ages, Catch Me If You Can, Disaster!, and Mean Girls. She has numerous on screen credits such as 30 Rock, Cupid, The Mindy Project, Blue Bloods, and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. She was last seen as Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice on Broadway.

Connect with Kerry via Instagram @kerrybutler1 and TikTok @kerrybutlernyc. For coaching and teaching, visit kerrybutlercoach.com, email kerrybutlercoach@gmail.com or follow @kerrybutlercoach on Instagram.

Produced by Alan Seales, Dori Berinstein and Kimberlee Garris. A proud member of the Broadway Podcast Network.

Performing Arts
Careers
How To
1
S4 EP14 I Can't Say No with Ali Stroker
You'll love this episode with Ali Stroker, someone who really hasn’t let anything stop her. Even though no one in a wheelchair had ever been nominated for a Tony award, or even been on broadway, she still let herself dream! (And win the Tony award!!!) Hear this incredibly inspiring episode about how she doesn’t take no for an answer. How she finds ways to turn no’s into yes’s! I left this episode feeling so moved and inspired!
42 min
2
S4 EP13 Make 'Em Laugh with Roger Bart
Roger Bart, one of the funniest people on Broadway, joins us this week. I really wanted to know how he approaches comedic roles- like Doc in Back to the future. He tells us all about his technique to finding the funny.
39 min
3
S4 EP12 Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now with Laura Bel...
My friends and castmates, Laura Bell Bundy & Marissa Jaret Winokur join me for a special announcement about our show Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now! We also talk about Marissa's career journey, audition songs, and memories from Hairspray.
49 min
4
S4 EP11 Into the Woods wth Matt Lenz
Matt Lenz created In the works- In the woods. I always tell young actors to try to get in on the ground level of new shows- here is your chance! In the works is a like a summer camp for creatives!
28 min
5
S4 EP10 Stay Gold with Danya Taymor
Danya Taymor just directed her first big broadway musical, The Outsiders, and got nominated for a Tony! She tells us all about the casting process, what draws her to a certain actor, and gives great advice on how to start your career and break into broadway!
28 min
6
S4 EP9 I'd Rather Be Sailing with Henry Koperski
Musician, composer, and writer, Henry Koperski, joins Reeve Carney and Jeanine Tesori in our final installment of the live interviews from The Broadway Cruise.
23 min
7
S4 EP8 Great Adventure with Jeanine Tesori
Jeanine Tesori talks casting, piano training, writing and more! She gives great advice on auditioning, and what she looks for in the room in part two of The Broadway Cruise!
16 min
8
S4 EP7 All I've Ever Known with Reeve Carney
We are going live from the Broadway Cruise! Our first of three guests is Reeve Carney. He tells us about the highs and lows in his career, and how he takes control and creates his own work.
22 min
9
S4 EP6 Clues to Creating the Hat with Sandy Rustin
Sandy Rustin started out as a performer and transitioned into writing. The Cottage, written by Rustin, recently played on Broadway and her play Clue is on tour. Today we will hear about her transition into writing and what she learned about auditioning from being behind the table.
28 min
10
S4 EP5 Oh My Pod, We're Breaking Broadway! Cros...
Today's episode is a crossover with Jayke Workman's podcast, Oh My Pod U Guys.
42 min
11
S4 EP4 Opening Doors to Open Calls with Jason S...
We have casting director, Jason Styres, back for part two- giving insight into the casting process. Jason shares about casting from open calls- What makes someone stand out in auditions? How to work on the material for auditions. Then we have Margot Plum on to chat about side hustles. Jason is an award-winning casting director whose work is currently globally represented, covering every facet of the industry: theatre, film, television, commercials, live events, dance, company consultation, and more. He is the founder and creative director of the Casting Collaborative, as well as the founder of the Caucus for Independent Casting. He cast such projects as the Tony Award Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Broadway, 1st National Tour, and 2nd National Tour), the hit Off-Broadway comedy Puffs, The Lion King (Broadway & National Tour), and for over 15 different productions for the prestigious New York City Center Encores! series., from Merrily We Roll Along (starring Lin Manuel Miranda, 2012) to Cabin in the Sky (his first foray into stage collaboration with Camille A. Brown, 2016).
27 min
12
S4 EP3 Opening Doors to Open Calls with Jason S...
We have casting director, Jason Styres, on this episode giving insight into the casting process. Jason shares about casting from open calls- What makes someone stand out in auditions? How to work on the material for auditions. Then we have Margot Plum on to give the logistics on finding open calls.
29 min
13
S4 EP2 Tik Tok Boom! with Emily Kristen Morris ...
Back for Part 2! We have TikTok star and Wicked National Tour standby for Elphaba, Emily Kristen Morris. In addition to being a working actress and social media influencer, Emily is a certified vocal coach. Because she has so much to share, Emily is my guest for the next two episodes. She will share stories about her career and offer her favorite vocal tips. We will also learn all about her digital course and take a deep dive into using social media to help your acting career.
20 min
14
S4 EP1 Tik Tok Boom! with Emily Kristen Morris ...
We have TikTok star and Wicked National Tour standby for Elphaba, Emily Kristen Morris. In addition to being a working actress and social media influencer, Emily is a certified vocal coach. Because she has so much to share, Emily is my guest for the next two episodes; she will share stories about her career and offer her favorite vocal tips. We will also learn all about her digital course and take a deep dive into using social media to help your acting career.
27 min
15
S3 EP21 I Hope I Get - In with "Mapping the Col...
It’s college audition time! I did a joint podcast with "Mapping the College Audition" and talked about MY college experience and how that is different from today.
55 min
16
S3 EP20 Go The Distance with Jose Llana
Your show is moving to Broadway! Actually, not happening. Your show may move to Broadway! Not yet... How do you handle the hope/stress and live your life while you are involved with a show that MAY go to Broadway? After years and years, Jose Llana is finally back on Broadway with the hit show Here Lies Love. Listen to his journey getting there!
41 min
17
S3 EP19 How to Survive a Killer Musical- Part 2...
Douglas J. Cohen recently wrote a a book, How to Survive a Killer Musical, Agony and Ecstasy on the Road to Broadway, giving great insight into creating a new musical. Great insight for anyone who wants to get in on the ground level of creating a new show! Part one of two.
23 min
18
S3 EP18 How to Survive a Killer Musical- Part 1...
Douglas J. Cohen recently wrote a a book, How to Survive a Killer Musical, Agony and Ecstasy on the Road to Broadway, giving great insight into creating a new musical. Great insight for anyone who wants to get in on the ground level of creating a new show! Part one of two.
37 min
19
S3 EP17 Children and Art with Matthew Scott
Broadway star Matthew Scott - best known for Jersey Boys and Sondheim on Sondheim talks about creating his own show. Get some tips on how to create your own work; how to write your own show.
32 min
20
S3 EP16 Have to Believe You Are Magic, with Che...
Reunited with my co-star from Xanadu, Cheyenne Jackson. Cheyenne moved from a very small town, not knowing anything about theater to… Not Broadway... Seattle! From there he eventually made it to Broadway and then Hollywood. I asked him about that transition. He has great self-tape tips! Cheyenne's Broadway credits include: Into The Woods, Finian's Rainbow, Xanadu, All Shook Up, & Thoroughly Modern Millie
47 min
21
S3 EP15 Take It Up A Step, with Marc Shaiman & ...
Brilliant award winning song writing team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are my guests. Currently they are represented on Broadway in the smash hit Some Like it Hot. I had the privilege of working with them on Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can. You also may know their music from the tv show Smash. We talk about their incredible careers, and they give advice on how to audition. Can you take their music and make it your own? To riff or not to riff that is the question.
39 min
22
S3 EP14 Do The Hustle, with Mandy Gonzalez & Au...
Continuing our discussion of side hustles, we have Mandy Gonzalez. She starred in Hamilton for five years, was Elphaba in Wicked, and originated Nina in In the Heights. Even with all those amazing credits, she still finds other work. We also have Aurore Joly, who moved to NYC from France to try to make it on Broadway. While going on auditions and working theater jobs, she created her own pilates business (that I go to!)
23 min
23
S3 EP13 I Can Cook Too, with Katie Webber & Dav...
I have been doing a series on side hustles, because people don’t talk about how much an actor’s salary can fluctuate. There could be one great year, and then a few years where you barely make money acting. That’s normal. This week we have Katie Webber and David Josefsberg: Actors who between the two of them have been in over 20 Broadway shows! They both found side hustles they love that work around their audition schedules AND tap into their other talents and creativity.
17 min
24
S3 EP12 What You Want, with Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy is about to star on Broadway in The Cottage! She has been acting in this business since she was eleven, when she starred in Ruthless! Off-Broadway. (She had some very famous understudies.) We have the best time catching up and hearing all her wonderful advice for performers- AND learning all about her business and activism that is so important to her- Womxn of Tomorrow.
39 min
25
S3 BONUS - Welcome to the Theater, with 2023 To...
Dream of getting a Tony on Broadway? Here are some words of advice from this year's Tony nominees, including Nikki Crawford, Wendell Pierce, Kevin Cahoon, Kevin Del Aguila, Jordan Cooper, Jen Weber, James Ijames, Eva Price and many more!
32 min