This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Martín Acuña: Hi, everyone. I am Martín Acuña, and you are listening to Backstage Talk.

[0:18] Martín Acuña: Hello, and welcome back to a new episode today. I am really excited about this episode. Our guest today is Michael Kushner. He defines himself as a multi-hyphenate. We're going to talk about that later. But he is one of the most talented people I have found and followed on social media since basically probably three or four years ago. So, Michael, thank you for being here. Welcome to the show.

[0:50] Michael Kushner: I'm so honored that you asked me to do this, and I'm so touched by your words. Thank you so much. I am going to let you introduce yourself a bit. So, tell us who you are and all the bunch you do.

[1:04] Michael Kushner: Yeah. So, thank you for saying that I am a multi-hyphenate, a self-proclaimed multi-hyphenate. My hyphens are actor, photographer, producer, writer, podcaster, and I've been in the industry—this year marks 21 years that I've been in the industry. So, I grew up in it, and it's my love language. It's how I connect with people. It's how I communicate. So, I've been performing for 21 years, and I've kind of over the last half of my life figured out that performing is certainly not the only thing that I want to do. I want to tell stories in other ways and other mediums. And some of the stories that I want to tell, I can't tell as a performer, but I could tell as a photographer. I could tell as a producer.

I could tell as a podcaster, as a writer. So, I've really started to hone those proficiencies and be able to sell them as part of my artistic identity. And I've been doing that in the Broadway community since I graduated college in 2013. I went to Ithaca for musical theater, and it's been a journey since. It's been quite the journey ever since.

[2:13] Martín Acuña: How did your Broadway journey start? Because I think it wasn't the first episode of your podcast that you say that you started really young on Broadway.

[2:20] Michael Kushner: Yeah. So, that's the thing is, I wasn't a Broadway actor when I was a kid. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and there's an incredible regional theater scene. There's a lot of theaters, a lot of equity theaters, a lot of non-equity theaters, for those of you that are listening and don't know what that is. But equity is the union, and non-equity is out of the union. So, there were a million... So, it was easy to work on a professional level, not have to worry about union stuff as a kid, because there were so many theaters around. But I started working at equity houses, and Rachel B. Jones from Dear Evan Hansen played my aunt in a show when I was 15. I was in callbacks for 13, the original production of 13 on Broadway, and was flown up to New York for that.

So, I started performing and permeating myself in the professional industry from when I was about 12 or 13 years old. And I was doing eight shows a week, like all my adult counterparts in the shows. And what was really important for my parents was that I was a kid. So, I actually had asked a few times if I could move up to New York, live with my grandma in New York, and go to school, go to PPAS, which is Performing Arts High School here in the city, because all my friends from camp did that. I went to French Woods, which is a Performing Arts sleepaway camp. And I wanted to do that, but my parents were like, no, we want you to stay in high school, stay here, and be a kid. I actually booked a national tour when I was about 14, 13, 14 years old.

And my parents said no, because they were like, we want you to go and be a kid. And it was the best thing they ever did for me, because I had life experience. And I don't know if a national tour, I don't know if that's the best experience for a kid. I mean, it's definitely an experience that will shape someone. But I'm so glad that I went to high school and I, you know, cheated on tests and fell in love and came out of the closet and was stupid and got my driver's license. You know what I mean? Like, I think that's really important.

[4:52] Martín Acuña: You got a quote unquote, normal childhood.

[4:54] Michael Kushner: Yeah, as normal as it could be. And I really took with that and ran with it. And even though I look back in pictures, I'm like, oh my God, look at that phase. As embarrassing as that is, I'm still also like so grateful that I had that. Because it informs the work that I do. Having a real life experience informs the work that I do now as an artist. So I'm glad.

[5:16] Martín Acuña: And where is it going now? Because you're doing a lot of stuff. So where is the Broadway journey headed?

[5:21] Michael Kushner: Yeah, that's actually really interesting that you say that. Look, I think more than ever, Broadway is a mindset right now. You know, there's no shows happening, nothing's happening, but everything is happening. I think a lot of people, there's a lot of fight or flight happening right now. There are people that have left the industry. They're gone. They're done. They're having kids. Even, you know, this pandemic, this quarantine is long enough where people have popped out kids during this. And they were in the middle of a Broadway run. And others that haven't been able to be on Broadway yet, or haven't been able to permeate the industry just yet, have really taken the time and figured out how to do it.

So there's been this sort of shift. And my Broadway journey right now is that I have been living the life, this multi-hyphenate life for quite some time now, where all of a sudden people have frowned upon it. We're like, how are you doing that? Now they're the ones that are asking me how I'm doing it, like really asking me how I'm doing it, because that's helped me survive in this industry. So, you know, that's really interesting what's happening next. It's like I have a bunch of projects lined up. And, you know, one, I'm filming in May. It's an indie film, which is very exciting. That's go, ready to go, May, with Alice Ripley. Yeah, she's starring in it. And it's called The Pink Unicorn. And she did it a few times off Broadway and we're turning it into a film.

And, you know, there's another thing that I can't talk about just yet. And, you know, things that have been really helping me are my podcasts, because I have one podcast that's very industry-based and I help people sort of figure out who they are as a multi-hyphenate. And then the other one I host with my boyfriend, and it's a very comedy-based, Broadway-based podcast called My Broadway Memory, which keeps Broadway alive. So there's a lot and my photography studio is open. So, you know, I have a client in the industry every single day. So the conversations happen. I'm pretty much back to normal life and I have been for quite some time. I've been very lucky, but it's just been weird because there's a pandemic happening.

I mean, like a client comes in my studio every single day, which is exactly how it was before the pandemic. So, you know, except the one thing is that there are no shows to see. I'm not shooting backstage anymore. And I'm anticipating I'm not going to be able to for a while, even when Broadway comes back. I don't know how lenient they're going to be with having people that aren't in the shows and on the crew backstage. So, you know, there's still a lot of unknown, but, you know, you can think about it. You can have those thoughts in the shower and be like, oh, what is that going to be like? Whatever. And then, you know, kind of clock it and figure it out. But like you just got to take it day by day.

[8:19] Martín Acuña: Yeah. I want to go back to some one thing you just said, and you said that Broadway is a mindset. It's not. Can you dive deeper on that thought?

[8:24] Michael Kushner: Yeah. Broadway is a mindset because there's a few things that can justify this. Like, yeah, Broadway is an industry. It is a commercial entity. It is racist. And there's a lot of work to be done. But Broadway also is the first community to respond to a tragedy. It's the first community to heal. The actual art form of theater heals and challenges and shifts and brings levity and brings answers and questions. That's what the theater does. And Broadway is becoming more of a community than ever, especially with this outreach during this pandemic, with Zoom classes and talks and backstage passes. Meet Donna Murphy. Meet Leslie Odom Jr. Meet Idina Menzel. These people are all of a sudden on Zoom and TikTok and what's the audio one?

Clubhouse. Clubhouse. You know, all of these different things. And so the idea of Broadway overall is shifting as a whole because the racism is being called out, because inequity is being called out. Of course. Of course. So now there are a lot of people that felt pushed away on the sidelines, marginalized. Now they're feeling more and more that their stories can be told, that they're helping shift Broadway. So I think that community is broadening and the mindset is broadening. And also, just because you're not performing on Broadway right now doesn't mean that you're not a part of the community. We're all in the same underneath a mask. We are all on the same level. No one's working right now.

And contracts are almost... It's almost a year up for some shows. And producers have the power to literally say, thank you so much, but your year-long contract is up and we don't need to hire you back. So we're all sort of under the same rules of the pandemic. We're all figuring it out together. And I think more than ever, community is needed. And that's why Broadway is more of a mindset than ever.

[10:47] Martín Acuña: I love that. I absolutely love that. I want to shift now to Michael, the multi-hyphenate. I mean, when I first listened to the episode of your podcast of Dear Multi-Hyphenate, I remember I was walking to my best friend's house and this was two months ago, a month and a half ago. And I was walking and listening to the episode and was starstruck because it was like, this is a concept that I may fit in too.

[11:17] Michael Kushner: As artists, we all do little bunches of stuff and different things, and we're good at them, but we sometimes do not like to be determined by one of them. So how did he come up with, well, first, what is a multihyphenate? And two, how did he come up with this term and started using it? Yeah, that's great. Thank you, Martín. That's great. A multihyphenate is an artist who has multiple proficiencies that cross-pollinate to help search professional capabilities. And in layman's terms, that means I do a lot of shit. But they all help each other exist. So like my income from my photography helps me produce projects that I am passionate about, and I can write about, and then I can, you know, my experiences I can write about, and then I can podcast about, and those guests I have on my podcast, I can ask to be in my projects, and they wind up in my studio and, you know, it all helps each other.

And that's what a multihyphenate is to me. A multihyphenate to me is not someone who is like, I am a roller skater, an actor, and an interior designer. I'm like, well, that's great. You have different skills, you have different proficiencies, but how do they help each other? I think that once you figure out how they help each other, that's when you really become a multihyphenate. Um, I think other than that, those are all separate entities, and that's okay. But I'm worried that, okay, before I get into this, I will say when I discovered that I'm a multihyphenate, the multihyphenate journey was spurred by two women of color, who I love, Elena Maria Garcia, who is my high school acting teacher, and Cynthia Henderson, who is my freshman year professor, acting professor at Ithaca.

And with Garcia, she is a Carbonell winning actress, professor, writer, director, producer. And she is incredible. She's unbelievable. And Elena was my teacher. And my final of sophomore year, she had us write our own one-person shows. And what we not only do we have to memorize them and perform in them and, you know, write them. And then they were, it was in like a, like an evening, you know, like a show. Not only did we do that, but we had to tech and design and direct and stage manage our classmates' shows. So we learned all of the different proficiencies on how to, you know, put on a show. And I loved that mindset. It was always, you know, I'd get a text from her in the morning. I'd be getting ready for school, be like, Kushner, bring your camera.

I have a sketch I want to film, you know, so it was integrated. And I would stay, I would, you know, because we were in her room at lunch anyway, because we didn't want to sit with anyone else at lunch. We would go sneak in her room and, you know, she'd, you know, scream at us, get out, what are you doing? And we'd just be like, having lunch with you, honey. We're having lunch here, honey. And it was like 20 of us. And we would blast music and dance and eat our lunch and like take naps and not go to next class and hide behind the curtain and sleep there. And it was like the best. And, um, and so, uh, oh my God, I can't like one time. And so, you know, she really, she really infiltrated this mindset of, you have a can and a stick and you can make theater.

And that's what she did. I mean, she turned, she produced equity shows in our drama room. She turned it into a, it was a classroom and she designed it to make a black box theater studio, black box theater. So then all of a sudden the school then had three theaters instead of two. And she produced an equity production of top of top dog underdog. No, Judas Iscariot and the last days of Judas Iscariot for 60 seats in that theater. And it was an equity production and she did it. She produced it, directed it, hired local equity actors and did this incredible production. And it was in our classroom and I thought that was so damn cool. And I, and I remember just being like, oh my God, I want to do this.

Not only do I want to be in this stuff, but I want to produce that stuff. And I want to write that stuff. Like there are no rules and she is living that experience. So then I went to college and my professor, you know, it wasn't, I loved Ithaca, but if a lot of my professors, if they had the sort of glimmer that you would want to do something else, they would be like, maybe you should explore that. Maybe you shouldn't be an actor. Maybe you should. And it was so annoying, you know, and hazardous. And, but I had one professor, Cynthia Anderson, who genuinely did so many different things. She focused on, she focuses on performing arts for social change. She has a few books out, um, and she is not only a director and a performer, but she also writes.

So like she also is a multi-hyphenate, but now in this different part of my life, and we still work together to this day, Elena, Cynthia, and I not all together, but I still work with them to this day because they're still going in this pandemic. They are still working and not many other people are, they're still garnering an income and it's incredible. And, um, and so, you know, I'm a little more, so what I've seen before about the multi-hyphenate is I'm a little worried about people and identifying as a multi-hyphenate because there's a word that actors love to use and it's quirky. Actors love saying that they're quirky and chances are, and I love my clients and I support my clients no matter what, chances are, if you were coming in for your headshot sessions and I go, how would you describe yourself?

Nine times out of 10, an actor will say, I'm just like a quirky blah, blah, blah. And it annoys the hell out of me because I'm like, that doesn't mean anything anymore. If everyone is, and I'm a little worried that the word multi-hyphenate is going to be the same thing because people don't actually understand what it means. They see it on pod, they see it on podcasts, they see it in an interview, they see the word popping up now, but I don't know if they actually dive into what that means. And I can't, and people still think like people still think that when I'm talking about multi-hyphenating, I'm talking about multitasking and I'm not, I'm not talking about editing a project while answering an email and doing my laundry.

That's multitasking. What I'm talking about is, is harboring multiple proficiencies that, you know, one part of my day is designated to, and then I close that section. And then I move on to my next part of the project, which is, you know, that first part is producing. The second part is photography. Like that is multi-hyphenating. It's not multitasking. And I'm just worried that people are going to be like, yeah, I'm a multi-hyphenate. And like, are you? Because not all the proficiencies go to the same end. Right. And also like, you know, I think that there are some qualifiers to be a multi-hyphenate just to like, because I don't like, it's, it's, it's very easy to be lazy. It's very easy to go, you know, Oh yeah, I'm a quirky multi-hyphenate and not have to explain it.

You can just say it, but to be a multi-hyphenate, I think that the proficiencies that you bring on, you have to get paid for, and you have to do it on a professional level. You can't just do it as like you can't just say like, it's a hobby. Like if you were like, if you're going to be a producer and you haven't produced anything yet, don't say that you're a producer as a multi-hyphenate. I mean, like, you could be like, you know, I'm interested in producing. I'm a budding producer. I'm working on this one project, but it hasn't happened yet. Like that's cool. But if you're taking a meeting with other producers and you're like, yeah, I'm a producer. And then they're like, what have you produced?

And you're like, nothing, that doesn't look too good. So, you know, it's like, we have to, and also being multi-hyphenate is really hard because that means you have, for every proficiency you have, you have to be very sure about why you do it. So I know very specifically why I perform. I know very specifically why I photograph and produce. And I know very specifically why, but there are people that don't even know why they're doing it. And there's no shade with that. Like, I'm not saying like, oh, you, you know, that's it. That's a big issue. Like you shouldn't be doing, you shouldn't be. No, I'm just saying, before you consider yourself a multi-hyphenate, figure out why you're doing what you're doing.

I think that everyone as an actor, whatever, even if you're not a multi-hyphenate, you just are one proficiency, which is good and great. You still need to know why. So that's, that's my multi-hyphenate journey. I know it's long winded, but you know, I love it. I love it because you're defining it. You're giving us like every aspect of it. Do you, and so you identify as a multi-hyphenate?

[20:04] Martín Acuña: I've been thinking about it since I listened to your episode. And what have you been thinking about?

[20:08] Michael Kushner: If I am or not a multi-hyphenate, because I, everything I'm doing right now, I do think it's focused on getting me to a place where I want to be. But.

[20:20] Martín Acuña: And what do you do? What are your proficiencies?

[20:23] Michael Kushner: Right now? Well, I'm a performer. I'm an assistant director.

[20:28] Martín Acuña: Great.

[20:29] Michael Kushner: And I am working on social media. I'm working as a social media manager and they all, I'm focusing everything on musical theater and film.

[20:38] Martín Acuña: I think that you're a multi-hyphenate, babe. I mean, like, you know, it's three different things that sort of connect your theater experience and you'll figure out how even more that your social media affects your performance and your directing. I mean, do you want to stay an assistant director or you want to direct projects?

[20:56] Michael Kushner: That's something I still have to figure out.

[20:58] Martín Acuña: Yeah. Yeah. And you don't, that's the thing. It's like being a multi-hyphenate, like it ebbs and flows, right? Like it never is. It's never definitive. Just like, you know, a why statement or a branding statement, they change, they change and they could change every day. You know, it was COVID has affected mine. I'm now an artist who survived COVID by relying on their proficiencies to create artistry. It used to be, I produced non-quotidian artistry that benefits the world around me, but now I put COVID into it because I survived the pandemic by relying on my non-quotidian artistry. So not only did it, not only did it garner an income, but it also saved my life. So, and the stakes could not be higher.

[21:47] Martín Acuña: Absolutely. We've talked about you as a performer. We've talked a little bit about you as a producer, and I know that we will dive in into Michael, the photographer, Michael, the podcaster, Michael, the writer, but let's start by the producing stuff. I know you're one of the co-founders of Musical Theater Factory.

[22:07] Michael Kushner: Yeah. Yeah. I'm a co, um, I'm a founding member. I'm not like a co, uh, Shakina Naifak is the artistic director and there weren't any like co, I think if she were sitting here right now with me, she'd be like, yeah, you were, of course you were, but that's not my, you know, that's not what I call it just because like, I didn't sign a contract, there was no contract signed. It was, you know, I say it because my name is on a plaque.

[22:35] Michael Kushner: And like when my name was on that plaque I literally started to cry because I was like, oh my god, I've always wanted to be a part of something big and you know my name is next to Joey Connis and Rebecca Naomi Jones and Jen Tepper and all these incredible people and you know I was there and you know the first day I was out to dinner with Shahina at Barrington Stage when I was in the out-of-town tryout of the On the Town revival and we were out to dinner and she was like, yeah when I moved to the city like because she was living in Barrington because she was the artistic director, the producing director of the second stage of Barrington Stage and she's like, yeah I'm gonna move back to the city soon and when I'm there I'm gonna start a new theater and we that was the first season of MTF and I literally was like, well email me when you're ready and then she did and I was helping you know turn that gay porn studio into a theater and right now what is going on with MTF?

Yeah, I don't, I mean like look, they're doing virtual programming I think but I actually stepped down from my position. I was membership coordinator and resident photographer there and I stepped down about two years ago. I fully support them, you know see their stuff. They awarded me an award at their gala, their five-year gala which was incredibly sweet and kind and I'm honored. It was very emotional and you know I, so I don't, I'm not a part of the decision making but they're doing okay and if anyone's listening and wants to donate to a non-profit theater go to mtf.nyc.

[24:18] Martín Acuña: But you've also, you've been producing recently things for film.

[24:25] Michael Kushner: Yeah, so it's been interesting right because like there's like a new little subset of what film is and with the difference between film and theater and stage in this time of COVID and it's interesting because like you know I'm the executive producer of Indoor Boys and we got an Emmy nomination and it's very exciting and the executive producer of that and that was a web series that was filmed, you know what I mean? That was TV but then in this, you know, in this environment of still producing socially distant theater and getting it out there and streaming it and filming it then there's this sort of different thing. It's now like, you know, working with green screens and the audience forgives like a lower quality, you know, because everyone's trying to figure out equipment and it's about getting the story across and you know what I'm saying?

But so you know I've done a few things like I've done a few music videos and I've done some cool projects with The Skivvies and I'm in the middle of editing another project with The Skivvies right now and it's The Importance of Being Earnest and we filmed it two days ago and that's gonna be streaming with Laguna Playhouse online. So if anyone wants to see The Skivvies do with Nathan Lee Graham as Lady Bracknell to The Importance of Being Earnest set to like a Foley artist like a radio play, it's very cool check that out. But yeah and then you know in May I'm filming The Pink Unicorn which is starring Alice Ripley written by Elise Foye-Eady and it's incredible. It's an incredible play and it ran off-Broadway for a few runs, it had some like critically acclaimed runs and that by popular demand and then they did another workshop of it and from the moment I saw it I said that needs to be a film, that needs to be an indie film and you know we're finally doing it but it takes time like and this is an easy project to do because it's one person, it's not a cast of people, it's one person so it's easier to do.

Like I was working on a web series that wound up being tabled for a second in the middle of the pandemic where it was a cast of like 20 people and I kept being like this is, there's a chance that this is big like we have to, you know, and so there's a reason why it was tabled but you know it was, with these projects like look at RuPaul, I don't know if you watched, are you watching the season of Drag Race?

[27:09] Martín Acuña: Not at the moment but I will.

[27:15] Michael Kushner: Yeah, so there's an episode last night that was like behind the scenes of how they're doing this season during quarantine and it is really intense. I mean the camera people are like in plexiglass and it moves like it's very intense so if you want to do it the right way, if you want to do it the safe way, producing things in the pandemic are very, it's expensive and also figuring out what is equity, what is SAG-AFTRA, like figuring out that. I mean like it took us a second to figure out how we're going to produce The Pink Unicorn. We had to postpone because we were waiting to find out if SAG was going to approve this or SAG-AFTRA was going to approve this or equity was going to approve this so there's so many different things to go into producing something, you can't just pick it up and go.

[28:02] Martín Acuña: No and right now there are a lot of guidelines that are new to a lot of us.

[28:09] Michael Kushner: Exactly. Guidelines for safety and safety protocols all over the place and yeah I know that producing right now it's like a really, I want to now move on to you as a photographer because I mean I think you're one of those people that know every single celebrity and performer that has been on a Broadway stage. I mean you know you've at least, you've taken a photograph of everyone in the industry, like literally everyone backstage, on stage, in your studio, even if it's a headshot or whatever. I mean you've, your pictures have been shown in a lot of places in the Tony Awards and Playbills and other magazines, I mean it's big.

[29:00] Michael Kushner: Oh my god, you're so cute, that's very sweet, that's very funny. I did not know photography was going to happen. I'd always loved photography, I've always actually loved headshots and I love doing headshots. I've always loved headshots. I remember the show that I was mentioning before, A Stoop on Orchard Street, that I was doing when I was a kid when I was 13. I used to ask everyone to give me their headshots and I'd collect them and I would sit them down and go, you need a new headshot and I was 13 years old and these were adults because I just loved them. I loved them for some reason, I loved headshots and I loved resumes. I loved collecting them and that always like it just became a thing where friends throughout, you know, college would go, Michael what do you think of this headshot?

And I'd be like, I like this blah blah blah and then I started and then I got a camera for Hanukkah and I started taking pictures of my friends and everyone was like, you're good at this, you should do this and I was like, okay, it'll be my survival job when I move to the city, you know? And then of like not only am I selling myself as an actor now I'm establishing myself as a photographer so it's double the work and then I started realizing I was like, oh this is a way into the industry, okay that'll move much quicker than as an actor. Maybe I could start combining the two, what is a multi-hyphenate? Wow, you know, that's sort of the journey, one thing led to another.

[30:28] Martín Acuña: Exactly.

[30:29] Michael Kushner: But the photography was sort of, I found myself in really, really interesting places, places that were, I didn't think would be cool but I was like, you know what, I'll just show up, I'll do it, it's fine and whatever happens happens and then it wound up being a really artistic and fulfilling experience and then they're the ones that you know are going to be incredible from the moment you get the call and they're so spiritual and metaphysical. Like when I photographed Julie Andrews, you know, I have a Mary Poppins tattoo. Mary Poppins is the reason why I'm in the industry, you know? My grandma taught me stage right from stage left in front of the movie when I was like three years old and I felt her with me when I was photographing Julie because I know I knew she had to be there with me and I felt her and so there are really spiritual experiences when photographing, especially because you're, I do love photographing performances.

It's not my main thing, you know? Joan Marcus, Matt Murphy, they do production photography and they're incredible but sometimes I do get to photograph some really cool performances like Adina's Christmas concert at Carnegie Hall and but ultimately what I've learned from photographing performances is that it is acting. The photographer does have to act with the person on stage because it's about breath. I know as an actor dramatic structure of a piece, I know how a song is written, I know how a song is performed, I know how a play is written and I know an actor's impulse because I am one. So I, when I'm behind the camera, I pretend that I'm in the show with them and that's how I get good photos because I'm anticipating the moment that's going to happen next and because I could see it, I could see it, I could hear it, I could feel it and but then I bring that in the studio. The way that I shoot in the studio is just like we're in a rehearsal room.

[32:34] Martín Acuña: That is awesome. I mean it's a really nice way to put yourself as a photographer inside that universe and it's very useful. I know you have a project called The Dressing Room Project or you had it.

[32:40] Michael Kushner: Oh no, I have it. It's so sad. It's like I actually got to do it a few times during quarantine because there were some, you know, like concerts that were filmed or there was this, you know, there's an interactive off-Broadway show called Voyeur that I was asked to photograph backstage for as they prepared and so there have been some glimmers of hope and but it makes it sadder to me because I'm like I want to do it again or like I want to, you know, I want it to be, I don't want to take pictures of you in your mask. Like I want to photograph you walking on a Broadway stage but it has been amazing to document this period of time certainly. But I do have plans for when Broadway comes back. I do have plans for what I want to do and how I want to do it but The Dressing Room Project is still very much a thing, it's just on hiatus just like Broadway is.

[33:35] Martín Acuña: Good and I love that you're planning a lot of things when the industry is back on track, fully back on track.

[33:42] Michael Kushner: Yeah, I think that's helping me survive because I can't, I can go, what can I do now? What did I do?

[33:54] Michael Kushner: What can I do now? And what can I do when Broadway's back? How can I take what I learned and infiltrate myself in this new way? Because we're all learning stuff. We're all going to learn stuff. And then also, we have to anticipate how Broadway is going to, how it's going to move and exist and function after the pandemic. Because these online experiences are not going anywhere. So we have to figure out how that's, how now that's going to merge.

[34:23] Martín Acuña: Yeah, how everything is like going to transpolate and, as you said, merge with this new virtual reality we're living in.

[34:31] Michael Kushner: Right. I've been dying to ask you this question now that he said that he loved headshots. What are your three or four tips for the perfect headshot?

[34:41] Michael Kushner: Yeah. Preparation is a huge one. Because I think a lot of actors expect the headshot photographer to have all of the answers in the moment. And it starts with months and years of preparation. When coming to a headshot session, you have to know who you are and what you're selling. It's as simple as that. And the headshot photographer is not responsible for those answers. The headshot photographer is responsible for getting it, for translating it into picture. The headshot photographer is not with you in auditions. I'm not with you in auditions. So you have to paint the picture as clear as a bell. You have to paint the picture and go, this is what I want. This is the vibe. These are actors that I love.

I want that vibe. These are words I use. This is what's in my book. And then when you're in the studio, drop it. Let it go. You did the work. Now it's time to have fun. Now when I need it, you access it, you give it to me. I see a lot of actors come in that have not done the work and are scrambling to figure it out in the studio. Actors that have done all of the work but can't let it go. And then they're panicking because they can't relax. And then I've seen actors that have done the work and let it go and that's magical.

[35:55] Martín Acuña: Now that you say this, I remember my first photo shoot. I was panicked.

[35:59] Michael Kushner: Yeah. My first photo shoot was like three or four years ago. My photographer asked me exactly those questions. Like, what is the character you want to portray in your headshot? And I'm like, I don't know. Why didn't you say this to me before so I could at least get prepared?

[36:18] Martín Acuña: Right. I love those tips. I love that.

[36:22] Michael Kushner: Yeah, I remember I was really panicked about that. And you told us that you had two podcasts at the moment, right? You have Dear Multi-Hyphenate and My Broadway Memories.

[36:31] Michael Kushner: Yeah. Where are those going right now?

[36:34] Michael Kushner: Yeah, Dear Multi-Hyphenate is doing really well, knock on wood. I started it in 2020 and had really great downloads. And it's almost March and I already have more than half of the downloads that I got in 2020. And I think it's because podcasts take time to sort of land. And also, I think the statistic is 17, maybe 7, 7,000 new podcasts are created every day. And that's a lot. And people are tired of listening. People are tired of watching. People just, you know, so it took some time. So, you know, Dear Multi-Hyphenate is very specific and I think it's popular right now because there are a lot of people that need answers. That need answers that don't, you know, it sort of offers some sort of levity and some sort of, you know, some solace a little bit.

So that's good. My Broadway memory on the flip side, it's a great show. My boyfriend and I hosted together. Now, it was co-created by Brian Sedita and I. He was the first host with me and then went on to do something else and my boyfriend took over. And so, you know, we were like, great, we can do all this stuff. It's going to be amazing. The viewership, it's been insanely low. And it's like, there are so many different factors that go into it, right? There's an oversaturation of content. Our time, you know, we do it at 7 p.m. on Thursday and that's, you know, school is back in session. You know, work is back. And, you know, that's when families, you know, so we're actually, we're shifting the show.

And it's going to have a new structure and a new schedule. And we're hoping that that is going to boost it. So we're looking forward to it. We think it's going to be better for us and for the show and for Broadway Podcast Network as well.

[38:39] Michael Kushner: I've enjoyed it. I honestly, I mean, one of the reasons that inspired me to create my podcast was Brian and Mary's podcast was Page to Stage.

[38:50] Martín Acuña: Yeah, that's great.

[38:52] Michael Kushner: And I love them. And yeah, I remember when it came out, I really enjoyed it.

[38:58] Martín Acuña: Yeah, they're awesome. It's a great podcast.

[39:01] Michael Kushner: Yeah. One of my last questions for you is where are you, this extremely talented multi-hyphenate going next? What is next to conquer for you?

[39:11] Michael Kushner: To the living room? No, I have a lot of work to do today. Today's an editing day. So literally, physically, I'm going to the living room where my desk is so I can enjoy the rain and have some tea and get work done and just, you know, be with my dog and my boyfriend as he watches TV. Like, it's just I like to work when in the living room because I don't want to be like kept away all day. Like, I just I want to, you know, be out when things are happening. And tonight I'm going on a paranormal investigation at a mansion around the corner from my apartment. It's socially distant and safe and all that good stuff. But I'm very excited. But in the industry, I'm going to ride this wave. I'm going to ride this wave.

I like to think, you know, knock on wood, of course, I like to think in the future and think about where I'm going to be in a month, in a year, in five years and dream and hope. But I'm very fortunate in a lot of different ways. I'm very privileged in a lot of different ways. And I'm trying to really shift that privilege and give back to people that aren't privileged and incorporate them in my work and, you know, provide opportunities and live by what I'm fighting for. So, you know, I'm actually might as well say it here. I'm going to start something called the Good Work Initiative with Michael Kushner Toptography. And basically once a month, I'm going to do a free photo shoot for someone in the industry that is doing good work for others.

And it's going to be a nomination based thing. So if you have a friend that you want to nominate for a free photo shoot, you know, to help them boost their persona, then you can email me and write me about this person and I'll consider it. And once a month, I'm going to choose someone to come to my studio and shoot.

[41:06] Martín Acuña: That is beautiful.

[41:07] Michael Kushner: Yeah, but I'm just going to ride the wave, just continue to look for things that need my voice attached to it and need my skills and proficiencies. And, you know, there are things I need to work on myself, like saying no, I need to actually pare down just a little bit because I get really excited to work and I'm so blessed to work and grateful. So I need to be able to go. I'm so I love this idea. It's not the right time. You know what I mean? Or I've been doing better. I'm also, you know, closing my computer at 5 p.m. and saying, OK, very much needed and not staying up till 2 a.m. doing computer work. Like that was, you know, last year. It's not this year. You know what I mean? So there's so that's where, you know, I'd like to be continuing a journey with myself while still delivering positively my art.

[41:56] Martín Acuña: That is amazing, Michael. Thank you so much. I've loved this conversation. Truly. I love chatting with you. I have one last question, but I have to redo it because normally I would ask you your top five favorite musical theater shows. But I want to mix it with you with performers, since, you know, a lot of them. So top whatever the ones you choose, musical theater shows and favorite performers. Go.

[42:28] Michael Kushner: How many did you want? You can put the number.

[42:32] Michael Kushner: OK. Number one is Les Mis. Number two is. Oh, OK. I'll do five shows, five performers. Number one is Les Mis. Number two is Mary Poppins. Number three is Wicked. Number four is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Number five is Gypsy. Great. Awesome. Wicked is a real guilty pleasure, you know, so I have to. And I know it front to back, every word. OK, I'm going to do top ten. Number five is Gypsy. Number six is The Drowsy Chaperone. Number seven is Cabaret. Number eight is Floyd Collins. Number nine is number nine. Oh, number nine is Scarlett Pimpernel. Number ten is Jekyll and Hyde. Awesome. Oh, classics.

[43:20] Martín Acuña: Yeah. Nice. And and so, OK, performers. Number one, Julie Andrews. Obviously. Number two, Patti LuPone. Number three, Idina Menzel. Number four, Jonathan Freeman. Yes. Number five, Madeleine Kahn. Number six, Carol Channing. Number seven, Nell Carter. Number eight, Ethel Merman. Number nine, Sophie Thompson. And number ten, let me see, number ten. I see you looking at a wall. I know, I know. I know that you must have every headshot you've taken on that wall. I have a lot of photos. I think number ten is Alice Ripley. Obviously. Her work is amazing.

[44:00] Martín Acuña: Yeah. She's amazing.

[44:01] Michael Kushner: She's amazing. Michael, thank you so much. I've really enjoyed this. Where can people get a hold of you?

[44:08] Michael Kushner: Yeah. Oh, my gosh. So following me on Instagram and TikTok at the Michael Kushner would be very helpful. And then there's also, you know, my other Instagrams like at Dear Multi-Hyphenate, which is my podcast, at The Dressing Room Project for backstage photos, and at My Broadway Memory for my Broadway memory. So, yeah, that's where you can find me.

[44:34] Michael Kushner: And to book a photo shoot with you?

[44:37] Michael Kushner: Yeah, you can go to michaelkushnerphotography.com.

[44:40] Martín Acuña: Awesome. Thank you so much, Michael.

[44:41] Michael Kushner: Thanks, Martin. And hope to talk to you soon. You're amazing.

[44:46] Martín Acuña: Thank you. Thanks, everyone, for listening to this new episode of Backstage Talk. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Backstage Talk Podcast.