Tanyon Sturtze steps into the Batter’s Box for Episode 36 of Break a Bat! alongside host Al Malafronte and producer Alan Seales. Sturtze pitched for 12 seasons in the Major Leagues, 3 of which came on the stages of Broadway, as a member of the New York Yankees from 2004-2006. Sturtze’s career is particularly unique in the sense that he found success in multiple roles to help serve his cast, as both a starting and relief pitcher. While performing primarily as a relief pitcher while dawning the pinstripes, he helped form one of the franchise’s most lethal bullpens in team history in 2005
Steven Brault is a starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who used his passion for musical theatre to release an entire album of showtunes this offseason titled A Pitch At Broadway. Prior to his time as a Major League Baseball player, Brault was a simultaneous collegiate ballplayer and Vocal Performance major at Regis University, and ever since his call-up to the big leagues in 2016, his love for both mediums has never wavered.
Laura Bell Bundy steps into the Batter’s Box for Episode 34 of Break a Bat! Laura Bell is as well-rounded performer as there is in the game. Throughout her career, she’s seen phenomenal success on stage, on screen, as well as in the recording studio as a singer-songwriter. Her Broadway credits include the Tony-winning Hairspray in which she originated the role of Amber Von Tussle, as well as the musical version of Legally Blonde, in which she originated the role of Elle Woods and earned a Tony nomination of her own for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. On screen, she co-starred in FX’s Anger Management, and as a musician, she earned a CMT Music Awards nomination for ‘Breakthrough Video of the Year’ for her hit single Giddy On Up. In this episode, the boys dive into Laura Bell’s passion for telling stories with music, moving to the other side of the camera as a creative with some exciting new projects in the works, and how the stage is her comfort zone. A big part of her success is attested to constantly changing as a performer, with full recognition of the ability to make adjustments after “every game you play,” – and as discussed, one of the ultimate separators between a good and great baseball player. This conversation was super interesting for the Break a Bat! team, as it really dove into the psyche and processes of an All-Star performer as much as any other episode we’ve done to date. Hosted by Al Malafronte with appearances by Chris Katzmann (co-creator) and Alan Seales (producer) Produced by the Broadway Podcast Network Edited by Matthew Hendershot Connect with Laura Bell Bundy on Instagram: @laurabellbundy and Twitter: @laurabellbundy Connect with Break a Bat! on Instagram: @break_a_bat_podcast
In this episode, Abby discusses some of the parallels she sees in high levels of performance both on stage and at the stadium, having grown up in a family that embraced both sports and the arts. Both of her parents were esteemed actors in Chicago’s theatre scene, and her grandfather, Bill Mueller, played centerfield for the Chicago White Sox in the 1940’s. Abby even shares a memorable ’scene’ that her grandfather had on the field with the great Joe DiMaggio, while the White Sox hosted the New York Yankees at the historic Comiskey Park.
Jackie Burns steps into the Batter’s Box for Episode 32 with host Al Malafronte, Chris Katzmann (co-creator of Break a Bat!), and Alan Seales (producer). Jackie’s phenomenal career on Broadway now spans more than a decade, with credits including Wicked, Hair, and If/Then, and she’s also set to star in a stage adaptation of A Walk on the Moon next season.
Derek Klena steps into the Batter’s Box for Episode 31 of Break a Bat! Derek is currently starring as Nick Healy in Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill, and has authored a phenomenal career on stage. In addition to this, he may be one of our podcast’s most theme-appropriate guests.
