Peter Royston (he/him) is an equity stage manager based in New York, and originally from the Bay Area area. His credits include: Blue Man Group, The Public Theater, The Lark, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Theatre Work

Build Your Own Position - Elsie Escobar

Apr 6th, 2021 54m 7s

Elsie Escobar is a 14 year veteran in the podcasting industry and inductee to the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. She is the co-founder of She Podcasts, a podcasting community for women + non-binary that has over 19 thousand members with a

While Waiting for Your Shot - Noah Lindquist

Mar 23rd, 2021 46m 12s

Noah Lindquist is a member of AEA, a singer and actor, and the creator of the viral videos, "Wear a Mask," and "I Just Can't Wait for Vaccines." Show Notes at DitchYourBackupPlan.com

Go Back into the Fire - Kimberly Doreen Burns

Mar 16th, 2021 43m 25s

Kimberly is a New York City based award-winning singer, actor, performer, and educator who recently originated the role of Maya in the New York City premiere of Sideways (based on the Academy Award Winning film). Top theatre critics have dubbed

We're Not in Competition with Each Other - Logan Rose Nelms

Mar 9th, 2021 44m 15s

Logan is an actor in NYC with a passion for social justice and human equity. Over the past almost ten years, Logan has crafted a pretty nifty little life for herself, filled with some very cool flexible side hustles that enable her to drop ever

Casting College - Alison Franck

Mar 2nd, 2021 48m 24s

Alison Franck (CSA) is a casting professional with over 20 years of Broadway, Off-Broadway, Touring, Regional Theatre, TV, Film, Commercial and Voice Over Casting experience. For a decade, she was the Casting Director for the prestigious region

See Yourself Being Successful - Damion Taylor

Feb 23rd, 2021 57m 14s

Damion Taylor spent the last 15 years applying data and technology to entertainment. Both analytical and creative, he brings a unique skill set that’s in high demand for brands and media companies. He effectively translates data in a way that i

Strategize & Maximize - Elizabeth Nestlerode

Feb 17th, 2021 1h 1m

Elizabeth is a New York actor and teaching artist. She is the creator and instructor of the N2NYT: New to New York Theatre online course. Show notes at: DitchYourBackupPlan.com

Understand Where Your Limits Lie- Gianmarco Soresi

Feb 9th, 2021 1h 2m

Gianmarco Soresi is a stand up comic, actor and writer but the first line of his obituary will probably say “guy from all those General Electric commercials.” Check out his comedy special on Amazon Prime: "Shelf Life." Show Notes at DitchYourBa

Death of the Diva Decade - Sherita Carthon

Feb 2nd, 2021 45m 44s

Sherita Carthon is a Celebrity Brand Precision Expert who has helped more than 3k celebrities, artists, entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate their brand. An award winning speaker, Sherita has been featured on VH1 | FOX | ABC | MARKE

Making It: 2020 Guests Answer, "Have you made it?"

Jan 27th, 2021 28m 11s

Guests from 2020 answer the question, “Have you made it?” 00:53 Becca Kötte- Broadway actress and recording artist 1:30 David Valentine - Puppet Builder at Jim Henson Co. 2:52 Lauren Hirsh- Broadway child guardian 3:27 Clyde Voce- Actor 4:14 S

Risk: Guests of 2020 Share Their Biggest Risk

Jan 19th, 2021 25m 3s

Guests from 2020 answer the question, “What was your biggest risk?” 1:07 Becca Kötte- Broadway actress and recording artist 1:40 Lauren Hirsh- Broadway child guardian 2:16 Clyde Voce- Actor 2:55 Sarah Schreiber-WWE backstage correspondent 3:36

Guests of 2020 Answer the Backup Plan Question

Jan 14th, 2021 19m 40s

In the first episode of 2021, guests from 2020 answer the question, “Did you have a backup plan?” 2:00 Becca Kötte- Broadway actress and recording artist 2:22 David Valentine- Puppet builder at Jim Henson Co. 2:56 Lauren Hirsh- Broadway child

Give it Away to Keep It - Dr. Alisa Hurwitz

Dec 7th, 2020 43m 9s

Dr. Alisa Hurwitz is Dr. Drama! She gives away mental health advice for artists on her Mental Health Live Series on Instagram. In this episode, she discusses her consulting work for the stage, the importance of self care, boundaries and success

Just Jen: Ditch Fear & Take Risks

Nov 30th, 2020 6m 1s

Jen shares how artists register risk differently and how protocols in theatre lead to a fearless community that is accepting of risk and supportive to adjustments.

Your Journey is Perfect - Vincent J. Cardinal

Nov 23rd, 2020 1h 5m

Jen's longtime mentor, Vincent J. Cardinal is the Arthur and Martha Hearron endowed professor of musical theatre, chair of the department of musical theatre, and professor of music at the school of music, theatre, and dance at the University of

Just Jen: Ditch Resistance & Adapt

Nov 16th, 2020 11m 13s

Host, Jen Vellenga goes solo and talks about adaptation in the digital moment and how she's owning her digital space. Show Notes at DitchYourBackupPlan.com

Go Confidently in Pursuit of Your Dreams - Laura Camien

Nov 9th, 2020 1h 2m

Laura Camien is a Broadway producer, playwright and screenwriter, and, along with Susan Blackwell, Laura is Co-host of the popular creativity podcast, The Spark File. She was a long time VP of Communications for Blue Man Group, as well as Creat

Just Jen: Ditch Complacency & Show up

Nov 2nd, 2020 10m 24s

Jen talks about the dangers of complacency for an artistic life and some strategies for overcoming embarrassment and resistance in order to show up.

Be Kind & Do Good Work - Jerry Jay Cranford

Oct 26th, 2020 52m 21s

Jay has made his career as an actor, singer, dancer, director, choreographer, and educator. He has performed on Broadway (Les Miserables), international and national tours (Les Miserables, Evita European Company as featured dancer, Singing in t

Just Jen: Ditch Doubt & Believe

Oct 19th, 2020 13m 49s

Jen shares some research on Imposter Syndrome and advises listeners to ditch doubt, identify a super fan, and believe in themselves. Show Notes at DitchYourBackupPlan.com

Speak Your Truth - Kiki Rivera

Oct 12th, 2020 53m 7s

Kiki Rivera (she, they, we, wrasse) is an internationally produced, award-winning theatre artist, educator, and arts activist with her BA in Theatre and MFA in Playwriting from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). Original plays include Pu

Just Jen: Defining the Backup Plan

Oct 5th, 2020 12m 12s

Jen talks about how to define the Backup Plan, the career pivot, the survival job, the side hustle, and the dream job. What does your mindset need to be to DitchYourBackupPlan?

When Plan "A" Shifts - Bliss Griffin

Sep 28th, 2020 55m 55s

Bliss Griffin's career is driven by a deep belief that the societal benefit of art is immeasurable. She believes that too often we value the art above the artist, trading their safety and well-being for our own entertainment. She is committed t

Create What Doesn't Exist- Chantal Bilodeau

Aug 10th, 2020 1h 4m

Playwright Chantal Bilodeau is the founder and artistic director of the Arctic Cycle organization and close friend and collaborator of host, Jen Vellenga. Chantal dives into her impactful work as a storyteller who uses theatre to encourage comm