The Working Actor's Journey

  • Start
  • Programs
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Resources
  • Contact

Ep #24: Tony-Winner L. Scott Caldwell (Broadway, Regional Theatre, The Fugitive, Lost, A Million Little Things) on Self-Doubt, Pretending vs. Being, and Meeting Your Destiny

Published January 7, 2020 | Last Updated January 13, 2020 Leave your thoughts »

Scotty in Gem of the Ocean

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, but if you don’t even know the direction you’re going in, the step you’re taking may be away from your ultimate mission or destiny. — L. Scott Caldwell   If you’re looking for what it takes to be an actor long-term, over the course of […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: auditions, august wilson, awards, broadway, california, chicago, film, los angeles, new york, rejection, theatre, tony award, tv, uta hagen

Ep #21: Richard Riehle (Regional Theatre/Broadway, The Fugitive, Casino, Office Space, 400+ Film/TV credits) on Being Open, Dependable, and Watching Everything

Published October 15, 2019 | Last Updated November 11, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

I’ve never felt anything personal in terms of rejection about auditions. I know a lot of actors do. I’m pretty good at doing the audition and walking away. I bring the best I can to the audition, and if that’s what they want, and if all the other stars are in alignment, I’ll get it—and […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: broadway, classical, film, los angeles, michigan, movies, regional theatre, repertory, seattle, series regular, shakespeare, sitcom, theatre, tv, wisconsin

A Tribute to Philip Bosco, with Armin Shimerman and Peter Van Norden

Published December 18, 2018 | Last Updated January 29, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

A lot of actors my age thought of Phil Bosco as a god. ~ Armin Shimerman No one spoke better than Phil Bosco. ~ Peter Van Norden   We have a special episode today. It’s a tribute to the actor Philip Bosco. In this, you’ll hear the voices of Armin Shimerman, Peter Van Norden, and Phil […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: broadway, career, classical, film, legacy, shakespeare, shaw, television, theatre, training

Ep #15: Dawn Didawick (Regional Theatre, Erin Brockovich, Pretty Little Liars) on Being a Sponge, No Credentials, and Daring to Fail

Published December 11, 2018 | Last Updated December 30, 2020 2 Comments - add more!

If you do your work, people will want to work with you again, if they can, if they have the power to do it—and they’ll want to work with you years later. — Dawn Didawick   On the show today is Dawn Didawick, an LA-based actor who has worked at numerous regional theatres, has lived and worked […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: antaeus, auditions, broadway, fear, film, mentor, regional theatre, shame, television, theatre

Ep #14: Francis Guinan (30 years with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, Boss with Kelsey Grammar) on Being Blue Collar and Slightly Undisciplined

Published November 6, 2018 | Last Updated January 29, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

in THE BOOK THIEF at Steppenwolf

You don’t have to act so much. Over the course of [August: Osage County], I ended up doing less and less and less, and ended up revealing more and more and more about the character.  — Francis Guinan   We continue with season two and today on the show is Francis Guinan, a Chicago-based actor who has […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: auditions, broadway, career, chicago, confidence, film, improv, rehearsal, theatre

Ep #13: Tony-Winner Reed Birney (The Humans, Casa Valentina, House of Cards, The Blacklist) on Actor Despair and Roles That Scare You

Published October 9, 2018 | Last Updated October 31, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

Reed Birney

Always tell the truth, but in the most interesting way possible. The range of human experience and expression is vast. There are many ways to react to a situation and still have it be utterly and deeply truthful. — Reed Birney   Welcome back to season 2 and I’m excited to have actor and teacher Reed Birney […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: auditions, awards, broadway, career, confidence, film, new york, persistence, struggle, television, theatre, travel

Text Work: Noel Coward’s Mrs. Worthington and Shakespeare’s King Lear with Harry Groener

Published August 14, 2018 | Last Updated November 19, 2018 Leave your thoughts »

Harry as Noel Coward

  The following is a re-airing of Harry’s text work session taken from the full episode with him. In this excerpt we discuss singing a Noel Coward song and performing Shakespeare’s King Lear.   Harry Groener is probably most familiar to audiences for his musical theatre work in New York, as well as being a series […]



Filed Under: Podcast, Text Work Tagged With: broadway, musical theatre, noel coward, preparation, shakespeare, singing, text work, theatre

Ep #7: Peter Van Norden (Regional Theatre, The Accused, The Stand) on Finding Vulnerability and Work Making Work

explicit language So don't be surprised!

Published January 30, 2018 | Last Updated October 31, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

Peter Van Norden - American Tales

Be supportive, be kind, be the person who is there for people, who is there to help, who is there to make it a pleasurable and joyful experience. — Peter Van Norden   I’m thrilled to welcome Peter to the show: an actor with over 45 years in the business, on both stage and screen. One of […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: antaeus, auditions, broadway, explicit, film, hollywood, musical theatre, new york, politics, regional theatre, shakespeare, shaw, singing, television, theatre, vulnerability, weight, work

Ep #4: 3x Tony Nominee Harry Groener (Oklahoma, Cats, Crazy for You) on Versatility and Learning Lines Quickly

explicit language So don't be surprised!

Published January 9, 2018 | Last Updated October 31, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

Harry Groener

If in your first week you can begin to experience what it’s like in your fourth week, how far along would you be, by the time you actually get to your fourth week, in terms of what you’ve discovered?— Harry Groener   I’m thrilled to welcome Harry Groener to the show: he’s a 3x Tony […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: antaeus, auditions, ballet, broadway, dancing, explicit, king lear, learning lines, memorization, memorizing, mother courage, musical theatre, new york, noel coward, off-book, regional theatre, series regular, shakespeare, singing, star trek, theatre, versatility

Ep #2: Armin Shimerman (Star Trek DS9, BTVS, Shakespeare Actor/Director/Teacher) on Gratitude and Trusting Fate

explicit language So don't be surprised!

Published December 19, 2017 | Last Updated October 31, 2019 Leave your thoughts »

Armin Shimerman

Take the small opportunities as well because you never know what project you encounter now may branch out to be a much larger, beneficial, and profitable project later. —Armin Shimerman   Armin (@ShimermanArmin) is perhaps best known to audiences for playing Quark on the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series. I consider myself quite fortunate […]



Filed Under: Episodes, Podcast Tagged With: antaeus, auditions, broadway, commercials, explicit, fate, gratitude, nerves, new york, old globe, richard iii, shakespeare, star trek, theatre, trust, voiceover

Join The Working Actor’s Dispatch!

Download the FREE Guide Keys the Pro’s Use to Unlock Any Script

Keys the Pro’s Use to Unlock Any ScriptPlus 2 other FREE guides: 10 Ways to Stop Worrying and Start Working, and 12 Top Acting Tips from Season 1!

Get your copy of this online guide of the actual questions, approach, and PROCESS the professionals use when working on ANY material: plays, scripts, audiobooks, and more...⁠from actors who've been there!⁠ Go beyond acting theory and hear from professionals that have worked for 40+ years...where the rubber meets the road.

Search the site

Latest on the Podcast

UNCLE VANYA Final Session: “Echoes of the Past” – Chekhov – Act 2 – The Rehearsal Room [Video, Audio, and Transcript versions]

Get the show delivered to you

Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Podcasts Listen on Amazon Music

follow the journey

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Get the FREE guide "Keys the Pro’s Use to Unlock Any Script" + 2 other bonuses!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

More Stuff On The Socials

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Updates

Our “In Memoriam” video celebrating working artists, 2023-2024

George Bernard Shaw’s “Misalliance” in The Rehearsal Room for April 2025 with J. Paul Nicholas, Nathan Agin, Michele Shultz, Dylan La Rocque and director Erika Rolfsrud!

UNCLE VANYA Final Session: “Echoes of the Past” – Chekhov – Act 2 – The Rehearsal Room [Video, Audio, and Transcript versions]

More on the blog

A few listener favorites

Ep #10: Gigi Bermingham on Being a Misfit and Living Your Dream

Ep #10: Gigi Bermingham on Being a Misfit and Living Your Dream


Ep #5: Geoffrey Wade on People vs. Characters and Doing Your Job


Harry Groener

Ep #4: 3x Tony-Nominee Harry Groener on Versatility and Learning Lines Quickly

What would you like to find?

(just type and hit “enter”)

Copyright © 2025 · Agency Pro Theme On Genesis Framework

X

Join us for new workshop scenes w/ professional actors and directors each month in the Rehearsal Room!

Learn more