Welcome to a beautifully candid and fiercely nostalgic episode of Entre Acts with host Linedy Genao! This week, Linedy sits down with her everyday backstage dressing roommate, the incredible Grammy-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning powerhouse Samantha Pauly. The two The Great Gatsby castmates kick off their conversation over a game of dominoes, diving into a massive deep-dive about their absolute favorite Chicago deep dish spot, Pequods—bonding over the famous frozen nationwide deliveries and crying over the legendary The Bear pizza episode. They debate the high-stakes physical demands of performing in a corset versus oversized shoes, and Samantha treats listeners to a hilarious look at the secret celebrity "face-lift" beauty technique hidden inside her iconic Six ponytail.

Shifting layers into the sándwichito format, Samantha opens up about navigating the emotional and physical impact of career interruptions. She reflects on the heartbreaking 2019 cancellation of the Bad Out of Hell tour that left her entirely unanchored, revealing how a sudden loss of work unexpectedly allowed her the essential time to be present at home for her father's shoulder surgery. She and Linedy get vulnerable about the heavy tolls of missing out on irreplaceable family milestones due to rigorous performance schedules. Samantha details the surreal shock of the 2020 Broadway shutdown on the exact afternoon Six was supposed to open, and how she combated that isolating pause by creating her iconic 100-day costume-clad cover song series on social media. Finally, the duo discusses the immense value of taking mental health personal days to step out of the industry's comparison traps and refill your cup.

Samantha Pauly is a critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated, and Drama Desk Award-winning actress and recording artist celebrated as one of musical theater's most versatile leading ladies. She captured global attention for originating the iconic role of Katherine Howard in Six on Broadway. She has also taken the international stage by storm, starring as Eva Perón in the West End revival of Evita after being handpicked for the role by Andrew Lloyd Webber himself. Samantha’s extensive credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress and appearing in regional favorites like Rent and Hairspray. She is currently originating the role of Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby on Broadway.

Connect with Linedy and Sam:

• IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@linedygenao⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• IG & TT: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@entreacts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• IG: @sampauly