Fourth Wall: the podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

You’ve seen her make her Broadway debut in The Notebook, and now she’s swimming into history as Ariel in The Little Mermaid at Paper Mill Playhouse — but Hillary Fisher is doing so much more than just singing under the sea.

In this episode, we dive deep with Hillary about what it means to break the mold as a Black woman in theatre, how to hold your ground when the industry pushes back, and why playing an iconic role is both powerful and political. We also talk about wellness, movement, and making space for joy — from Pilates to tennis to the quiet power of rest.

Want to know more? Don’t just scroll — press play and join the conversation.

🎾 Check out Black Girls Tennis Club
https://www.blackgirlstennisclub.com

🎭 Catch The Little Mermaid at Paper Mill Playhouse — now through Sunday!

📚 Book mentioned: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey

🎧 FOLLOW HILLARY
Instagram: @SoChillary
TikTok: @NoChillary

✍🏽 #ReaderFirst? Check out our Substack
📩⁠ https://thisisfourthwall.substack.com/

📣 Got thoughts or stories to share?
We want to hear from YOU. Whether it’s your experience, a hot take, or an idea for a future episode:
📬 fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com

📲 Let’s stay in the loop:
Follow the pod: @ThisIsFourthWall
Follow Alaina: @AlainaNewell

Tag us in your reactions, reposts, and real talk — we love a good convo.
🎶 Theme music by Ben Bailey

Money! Everybody needs it, but everyone hates talking about it. Let’s dive in with our special guest and host of Artistic Finance, Ethan Steimel! Want to know more? Don't just read about it—press play to dive into today's episode. 

Check out Ethan’s podcast and website to get all those amazing resources and even more gems!

https://www.artisticfinance.com/resources.html

Entertainment Community Fund

https://entertainmentcommunity.org

Listen to our old episode on Artistic Finance: https://pod.link/1511439191/episode/b2f0013626cdbb8c22f7ef941f14e455

FOLLOW ETHAN

@EthanSteimel

@ArtisticFinance

✍🏽 Read Along (or instead): Prefer to skim instead of stream? Check out the episode’s SparkNotes on Substack: 📩⁠https://thisisfourthwall.substack.com/⁠

📣 Got thoughts or stories to share? We want to hear from YOU. Whether it’s your experience, a hot take, or an idea for a future episode: 

📬 fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com

📲 Let’s stay in the loop: Follow the pod:⁠ @ThisIsFourthWall⁠

Follow Alaina:⁠ @AlainaNewell⁠

Tag us in your reactions, reposts, and real talk—we love a good convo.

🎶 Theme music by⁠ Ben Bailey⁠ (@benianbailey on IG)

Is it Wednesday already?? Settle in for this beautiful, scrumptious, new episode! Today, we talk with performer and Equity and Inclusion consultant Selena Robinson about the importance of representation, our favorite thing about Aint Too Proud, and why we are all in this together. We clearly loved this convo and hope you do to! Do you have an experience to share about Equity and Inclusion or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show!  FIND GUEST ONLINE: Instagram: @selenarobinson_97 (instagram.com/selenarobinson_97) selenarobinson.com FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE: Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall) 4W Community Inbox: fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com) Hosts: @alainanewell and @coreyindahouz (instagram.com/alainanewell) (instagram.com/coreyindahouz) ~~~ Fourth Wall: the podcast is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell and was originally founded by Alaina and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) instagram.com/thenameisabstract With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Welcome back listeners! I hope you are ready for a fresh new episode of Fourth Wall: the podcast! Today, Corey and Alaina sit with rockstar Victor Jackson! He has been all over the world and he drops some major wisdom for any young artist looking to follow their dreams. We talk about music, church, purpose, and some of our current obsessions! Do you have an experience to share any of the topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com. (mailto:fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com) This week’s episode is sponsored by Prism Candle Co. Shop all of their holiday scented candles at www.prismcandleco.com and IG: @prismcandleco FIND GUEST ONLINE: Instagram: @mrglamrocksoul (instagram.com/mrglamrocksoul) Twitter: @mrglamrocksoul (twitter.com/mrglamrocksoul) Youtube: youtube.com/mrglamrocksoul mrglamrocksoul.com FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE: Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall) 4W Community Inbox: fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com) Host: @alainanewell and @coreyindahouz (instagram.com/alainanewell) (instagram.com/coreyindahouz) ~~~ Fourth Wall: the podcast is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell and was originally founded by Alaina and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) instagram.com/thenameisabstract With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Ep 19: We Can’t Go Back w/ Courtney J Boddie

Welcome back to a whole new episode of Fourth Wall! Today, Alaina sits with Courtney J. Boddie, an artist and educator based in NYC! She is the host of the Teaching Artist podcast as well as the Creative Generation video series, We Can’t Go Back.

Both black women in theatre who have podcasts, Courtney and Alaina talk about the struggles that come with code switching and constantly having to adapt in theatrical spaces. We also flip the script, and Courtney interviews Alaina, which you can catch on her podcast or on her YouTube channel! (Links below)

This week’s episode is sponsored by Prism Candle Co.

Shop all of their holiday scented candles at www.prismcandleco.com and IG: @prismcandleco

Do you have an experience to share about Activism or Adapting to White Spaces or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com)

FIND COURTNEY ONLINE:

Instagram: @cjboddie (instagram.com/cjboddie)

Twitter: @courtneyjboddie (twitter.com/courtneyjboddie)

FIND TEACHING ARTISTRY AND WE CAN’T GO BACK:

Listen:  https://soundcloud.com/user-4096609

Watch:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuX1sOayrAm7SEa96xYH8Mg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeachingArtistryOrg/

Instagram: @teachingartistrywithcjb  (https://www.instagram.com/teachingartistrywithcjb/)

Twitter: @TA_Artistry  (https://twitter.com/TA_Artistry)

http://www.teachingartistry.org/

https://teespring.com/stores/teaching-artistry-podshop?page=1

FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall)

4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com)

Host: @alainanewell (instagram.com/alainanewell)

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) instagram.com/thenameisabstract

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, instagram.com/tylrmckenzie tmcreativestudio.com)

Co-Producer and audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley) instagram.com/daniel_keaton_stanley

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

EP 18: Leading the Way w/ Cody Renard Richard I hope you are ready for this treat! Today, Alaina sits with the hottest SM on Broadway right now, Cody Renard Richard! Alaina talks to Cody about his love of the arts, the lack of representation in technical theatre, and the scholarship he has launched to help BIPOC artists live their dreams. This week’s episode is sponsored by Prism Candle Co. Shop all of their delicious scented candles at www.prismcandleco.com and IG: @prismcandleco Do you have an experience to share about any of the topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com) FIND GUEST ONLINE: Instagram: @codyrenard (instagram.com/codyrenard) Twitter: @codyrenard (twitter.com/codyrenard) codyrenard.com FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE: Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall) 4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com) Host: @alainanewell (instagram.com/alainanewell) ~~~ Fourth Wall: the podcast is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) instagram.com/thenameisabstract With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Hello and welcome to Fourth Wall: the podcast! Settle down and get ready for this hilarious new episode.

Today, Alaina sits down with our fearless Executive Producer Tyler, and our new host Corey Barrow to talk about some of our 4W favorites!

Episodes featured:

Ep. 4: Allyship 101 w/ Reneé Rapp

Ep. 7: The Miseducation of Black BFAs

Ep. 16: Protecting your Joy w/ Mykal Kilgore

Do you have an experience to share about Discrimination/Bias or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com

FIND GUEST ONLINE:

Corey:

Instagram: @coreyindahouz (instagram.com/coreyindahouz)

Twitter: @coreyindahouz (twitter.com/coreyindahouz)

Tyler:

Instagram: @tylrmckenzie (instagram.com/tylrmckenzie)

Twitter: @tylrmckenzie (twitter.com/tylrmckenzie)

Website: www.tylermckenzie.net

FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall)

4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com)

Host: @alainanewell (instagram.com/alainanewell)

We are proud to announce that we have made it to the Top 20 Theatre Podcasts on Feedspot!!!

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

was created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell, instagram.com/alainanewel)l and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract, instagram.com/thenameisabstract)

Executive Producer- Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, instagram.com/tylrmckenzie) (www.tmcreativestudio.com)

Co- Producer and Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley, instagram.com/daniel_keaton_stanley)

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey, instagram.com/benianbailey)

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz, instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Today, Alaina will try not to fangirl as we welcome MYKAL KILGORE to the podcast! He is one of the most skilled voices in the theatre world and his debut album, A Man Born Black, is changing the game! Today, Alaina sits with Mykal and they talk about how he approaches a role, how he protects his joy, and how others can too! Sit down, cozy up, and check out this new episode of Fourth Wall the Podcast!

Do you have an experience to share about discrimination or bias in the theatre or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com)

#BwayforBLM: https://www.bwayforblm.com/

Broadway Advocacy Coalition: https://www.bwayadvocacycoalition.org/

FIND GUEST ONLINE:

Instagram: @mykalkilgore (instagram.com/mykalkilgore/)

Stream ‘A Man Born Black’:http://www.linktr.ee/mykalkilgore

mykalkilgore.com

FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall)

4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com)

Host: @alainanewell (instagram.com/alainanewell)

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) instagram.com/thenameisabstract

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, instagram.com/tylrmckenzie tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley) instagram.com/daniel_keaton_stanley

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) instagram.com/nicholas_buchholz and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Hey y'all, welcome back to Fourth Wall! Today we're sitting down with Grace Barber to hear her experience as an actress, musician, and composer with a hearing impairment (otosclerosis, to be exact). Make a mug of your fave tea or hot cocoa and get comfy for this lovely conversation about healthy representation, creating art for everyone, fostering best practices for accessibility, and why you owe it to the world to tell your story. 

Do you have an experience to share about hearing impairments, accessibility, or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. 

FIND GRACE BARBER ONLINE:

gracebarber.com

239 Arts Production Company (inquire for free Friday writer's workshops): 239arts.com 

FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com 

Abigail Brazier: @thenameisabstract 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

was created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract)

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley) 

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).

Today, we at Fourth Wall are ECSTATIC to talk with Jenna Zhu! Not only a badass actor and artist, Jenna is helping to pave the way in Anti-Racism training in our theatre community! Alaina sits with Jenna and talks about the industry, what they are doing now to try and fix the issues in our community, and is it enough.

Do you have an experience to share about Anti-Racism or Creating Spaces to Learn or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. 

Jenna is currently co-facilitating workshops on anti-racism for allies with casting director Kate Lumpkin through the NoMarking Society: https://www.thenomarkingsociety.com/, and she is co-leading a second upcoming round of the series by donation through the Actor's Center: https://actorscenter.org/.

People/Projects/Organizations mentioned in today’s episode:

Nicole Brewer: https://www.nicolembrewer.com/

Anti-Racist Theater: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/nicole-brewer-30494993084

#BwayforBLM: https://www.bwayforblm.com/

Broadway Advocacy Coalition: https://www.bwayadvocacycoalition.org/

FIND GUEST ONLINE:

Instagram: @jennahanbingzhu 

Twitter: @jennazhu 

Facebook: @jenna.zhu

jennazhu.com

FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE:

Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall 

4W Community Inbox: hello@fourthwallpod.com 

Host: @alainanewell 

~~~

Fourth Wall: the podcast

is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) and Abigail Brazier (@thenameisabstract) 

Produced with grace and elegance by Tyler McKenzie Creative Studio (@tylrmckenzie, tmcreativestudio.com)

Audio editing done by Daniel K Stanley (@daniel_keaton_stanley) 

With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) 

And assistance from Production Consultants Nick Buchholz (@nicholas_buchholz) and Sara Flatow (saraflatow.com).