“Broadway is like going to the NBA. But do you really want to play basketball everyday? That’s different – waking up and wanting to play ball is different than waking up and wanting to go Broadway. I’ve met regional actors in Seattle and Minneapolis who have full lives and they work year round and they are great actors – and they are not on Broadway. So are you chasing a dream for a status or are you chasing the craft?”

What’s in this episode?

Stories from Parade at Encores

How an Instagram message sent Chicken and Biscuits to Broadway

Longevity in the theatre

Making money in the theatre

Multi-hyphenating

Changing the infrastructure

Making an impact

Douglas Lyons is a multi-hyphenate artist originally from New Haven, CT. He wrote the 2021 Broadway comedy Chicken and Biscuits, which earned him a GLAAD nomination. As an actor, Broadway/NYC: Beautiful (Original Cast), Book of Mormon and Parade (NY City Center). Tours: Dreamgirls, Rent and Mormon 1st Nat’l. Regionally: Yale Rep, Hartford Stage Company, Huntington Theatre Company, 5th Ave Theatre, The Muny and more. As a writer: Apple TV's Fraggle Rock, Five Points (Theater Latte Da world premiere) now in development with Papermill Playhouse, Beau (ATF) and the 2018 Off-Broadway Alliance Award-winning musical, Polkadots. Douglas is currently developing television with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and Sky Dance. Douglaslyons.net. @Chocolatehipster