The Broadway Husbands Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

What a fun interview with an amazing couple! In case you aren’t familiar with Jordyn and Ziggy Pollack and their Instagram following, allow us to introduce them and their incredible story.  Ziggy is a Burlesque performer, makeup artist, costumer, and all around creative genius. Her husband Jordyn as a very successful entrepreneur (and owner of Ziggy’s Naturals) who has a passion for fitness, the outdoors, and cooking. They recently celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary, and their love story has been anything but traditional! Jordan transitioned into a man once they were already engaged. The way these two unique souls have loved and supported and allowed one another to grow into the truest version of themselves- it’s nothing short of inspirational! We cover all sorts of topics in today’s episode- from Wedding Traditions (When gender roles aren’t clearly defined, who breaks the glass? In what order are you supposed to dance with your parents? Can a dog walk someone down the aisle?) to the recent ban on transgender children from competing in sports (Is it really necessary to tell a child they must compete with the gender that is on their birth certificate?) No topic is off limits. And no answer reached without compassion and an open mind. One of the many things we love about this couple. This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: My brother and I haven’t talked in over a year. We have a lot of history and I want to set some boundaries. I want him in my life, but I’m afraid to reach out because of how he might react. What is the best way to reach out to him and maintain healthy boundaries? Want to learn more about this couple and their products? Follow them! And use the code Broadway20 to get 20% off your order with Ziggy’s Naturals! @stylelust @jojopollack @ziggysnaturals And if you’d like to learn more about the Broadway Husbands’ journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands. **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just when we thought life didn’t have another surprise in store for us this year… CRASH! That’s right. A literal car crash. On our way to our niece’s graduation, no less, our dear Blue Bell suffered an accident. There we were, all dressed up with graduation banners and presents in tow, dealing with yet another unexpected chapter to 2021. We were incredibly fortunate that no one was hurt. And aside from the disappointment of missing the graduation ceremony, we were able to move past the sadness of the event to do that thing that many people have to do- but no one likes to talk about… Buy a new car! Living in New York, we both skipped this rite of passage for many, many years. And we know that many artists and creatives living in big cities are the same. There are so many unspoken rules about negotiating, payment plans, extras, what time of the month is the best to buy. And unless someone in the know shares this wisdom, the whole process can feel a little overwhelming. So we reached out to our Instagram community for advice and it paid off! In this episode, we walk you through the whole process. (For us, it took a total of six hours to purchase our new car, but everyone’s experience is a little different.) Many parts of the negotiations were more complicated than we imagined. But we had each other. And now we want to help anyone listening so that you can learn from our experience. How about you? Have you learned something from the experience of buying a new car?Did you walk away feeling like you got a great deal- or like you could have done a little better with more information? And- even more importantly- where are you excited about driving this year? We can’t wait to hear all about it. Send us a message! And if you’d like to learn more about our journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands. **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are so excited to finally announce our big news: We bought a house in Texas! If you would have told us a year ago that this would be part of our life plan, we would have laughed. But here we are and it feels so right that we can’t help but shout our joy from the rooftops! We have not taken this decision to lay down roots lightly. Our identities as artists have been tied to New York and Broadway for as long as we can remember. But the industry is shifting. And artists of all kinds are finally living where they love, where they are close to family, where their finances will allow them to thrive instead of feeling required to live in New York or Los Angeles. We’re submitting self-tapes to those big cities all the time, but since that can be remote these days, we made the choice to say yes to this big adventure! And what does saying yes to a Texas home mean? It means saying yes to more space to create content, to have an office, to have room for friends and family to stay with us. And what does saying yes to a Texas home for two gay men trying to start a growing family? A whole lot of questions! Will we feel included in our neighborhood and community? What types of people do we want to surround our potential family with? I see what this community looks like today, but how might the dynamic change in years to come? Today’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: I started dating a guy and it’s new. It’s going well. I just turned 40 and he has two kids. I want kids of my own. When is too soon to meet the kids? How and when do you think I should discuss this? Are you a homeowner or thinking of becoming one? What was the one thing you always wanted to have in your dream home? Our dreams are powerful things and we’d love to hear about yours. Send us a message! And if you’d like to learn more about our journey, please support us on Patreon.com/broadwayhusbands **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carlos Encinias wears many hats. He’s a Broadway actor, a director/choreography, a writer, a teacher, a husband, and a father. And we feel so lucky to call him our friend. In today’s podcast, we have an amazing, heartfelt discussion about parenting that you won’t want to miss!  When Carlos and his husband Joe became parents almost ten years ago, they didn’t dream of the challenges- or the rewards- that they would face. They adopted two amazing children and are learning from their kids every day how to listen, support, and give them wings every step of the way. Today, we specifically discuss the complexity surrounding raising a child who chooses to express his gender in a different way.  Being a parent means having a lot of eyes on you at all times. Being two men raising a child who sometimes wears dresses and paints his fingernails adds a whole new level of pressure. Even within the very supportive LGBTQ community, there can be differences of opinion how to raise children without forcing your own narrative on them. What is the best way to handle bullying in the New York Public School system? Should I refer to my son as she/her at the age of nine? Is there a difference between gender expression and gender identity? What are the right kinds of discussions to have? Carlos’ work in the arts has been focused on inclusion and giving voices to those who need it for years. So if anyone can face these issues with compassion, it is him. We so enjoyed speaking with him this week, and we can’t wait for you to listen! Check out Carlos’ Website: www.carloslencinias.com And be sure to listen to his episode on the Houses on the Moon Podcast- An Original Storytelling Series Dedicated to Amplifying the Unheard Voice: https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcast/houses-on-the-moon/ This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: Recently I relocated to LA because of the Pandemic, I’m single and loving it, but I’m so looking for a serious relationship. Recently I met someone who is a celebrity and we really connected, but while he says he wants a serious relationship, he isn’t showing it. We literally go to his house after a full day of work for him, sit on his couch and fall asleep. It doesn’t feel like dating. What should I do? I want a real relationship, but I’m afraid if I ask for more we won’t even be friends.  Are you raising a child who has a different way of expressing his/her gender? We’d love to hear about your experience. We’re all here to support one another, and your stories matter to us! **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is dedicated to all of our runners and would-like-to-be-runners out there. Bret is fresh on the heels of his first half marathon in ten years! The idea to train for the Woodlands Half Marathon was born out of his desire to have a physical goal to reach for in Texas. In this episode we talk about the mental- not just physical- process to train for a long-distance race like this one. And Bret has found that there are many similarities between being a runner and an actor: Both require you to check in with your body, live in the moment, try your best not to compare yourself with those who seem to be passing you through the metaphorical (and very real) uphill stretches of the race. So for anyone in the performing arts who is thinking of training for the first time… you’ve already been doing a lot of the mental work without knowing it! Running is inherently a solo activity, but it doesn’t have to be! When we were living in New York, Bret was introduced to some awesome groups that made running more social and fun. Team in Training- https://www.teamintraining.org/ plans cross-training events with coaches and they raise funds to support the Leukemia/Lymphoma foundation. Running buddies and helping a worth cause? Yes please! New York Road Runners https://www.nyrr.org/ is another great nonprofit that hosts races every weekend. And Bret also worked for City Running Tours https://www.cityrunningtours.com/, which was an incredible way to show people around New York (and get paid to work out- Bonus!) Even if you decide to train solo, race days involve people gathering in some pretty fabulous places. Our personal favorite- as you might have guessed- is Run Disney https://www.rundisney.com/. You can’t help but smile when you’re surrounded by the energy of thousands of other people working towards a goal. Plus all that pixie dust in the air doesn’t hurt. Even Stephen who prefers to cheer from the sidelines loves that one! This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: I’ve been ghosted twice during the pandemic and it has traumatized me. I met a guy on an app and he called me daily. When I was home sick with Covid, he kept me company through FaceTime. We had a lot of talks about the future- our dreams, house, our family. And then one day, he just never answered the phone. I thought he was dead. After three days, he called and said “Hey it’s not going to work.” That was it. I’d like to chalk it up to bad luck, but two weeks later… another guy did the same thing! How do I keep hope alive for finding someone who’s trustworthy? Should I stop using dating apps?  Has today’s episode inspired you to dust off those running shoes? Are you training for anything in particular right now? Please tell us about it! We love inspiring stories, and Bret has a number of resources that he’d love to share. Send him a message! **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Love is in the air! And here at the Broadway Husbands Podcast, we want to share our love with all of you. In April, we will have been married ten years! And we dated for three years prior to that. So what do we do to keep romance and connection alive after all this time? Tune into this week’s podcast to find out! For us, it’s all about speaking each other’s Love Languages. And by Love Languages, we specifically mean Bret needs Stephen to take initiative and Stephen needs Bret to feed him. A lot. Initiative and food. Those are our secrets. But on an even deeper level, speaking each other’s Love Languages means being respectful of the space that we both share, the time we devote to work, and the time when we decide to put our work aside to focus on one another. In Pandemic-mode, it’s so easy to blur these lines. But keeping a clear distinction says not only do I love you, but I also respect you. We’ve had some memorable Valentine’s dates in the past. And we also try to keep the romance alive every day with little adventures, surprise gifts, surprise meals for Stephen, and uninterrupted quality time. This week’s SPOTLIGHT ON LOVE comes to us from an anonymous listener: How do you deal with a narcissistic parent? My mother hasn’t even asked about my engagement to my man. When I tell her what I’ve done, she just glosses over it. When we were first dating, Stephen took a last-minute flight to Orlando just so we could be together. It was a defining moment in our relationship. A moment when things went from “I enjoy spending time with him” to “Woah. He’s about to get on a plane because I’m that important to him.” We still look back on that time and smile thinking about how exciting and romantic it was to be on the brink of something big. How about you? We’d love to hear your romance stories! What was the moment when everything changed? **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s podcast is extra special, mainly because of our exceptional guest: Ryan J. Haddad. Ryan is a performer/writer/creative soul with a brilliant mind and sharp wit. His incredible one-man show ‘Hi, Are You Single?’ has made audiences across the country laugh and cry for five years and counting. He’s single, ready to mingle, and speaks truth into so many hidden aspects of the gay dating culture. He also has cerebral palsy. Like in so many pieces that Ryan has created, he presents a well-rounded, fully fleshed out character who is mobility disabled on stage. He does not shy away from it. Instead, he shines a spotlight on it and what it means for his dating life. The result is both hysterical and incredibly heartwarming. In this interview, we not only discuss ‘Hi, Are You Single?’ but also Ryan’s path to get there, starting with his incredibly supportive family. They saw the bright light in Ryan from a young age and believed he was capable of great things. When he said he wanted to create theatre, they said “Great, we’re in!” As a child, he cast family members, neighbors, his parents’ co-workers… you name it! The followed his direction for eight years! In so many aspects of his life- both on stage and off- his family advocated for him before he could advocate for himself. That support- and his incredible work ethic- lead him to become valedictorian in a school district that would have guided him down the special ed path instead. His story is an inspiring one for sure! This week’s SPOTLIGHT ON LOVE comes to us from an anonymous listener: I don’t like touch. I hate to give hugs. I don’t know if I’m just with the wrong person. But, how do I start to like being touched. Want to see Ryan’s show? Of course you do! ‘Hi, Are You Single?’ is currently streaming through a collaboration with IAMA Theatre Company and Wolly Mammoth Theatre. https://www.woollymammoth.net/event/hi-are-you-single Tickets are $20 and are available this week only, thru Feb 28! Please show him your support. You’ll be glad you did. Follow Ryan J. Haddad! @ryanjhadaad www.ryanjhaddad.com **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode features Jared Reinfeldt and Sam Leicht, and buckle up, because we are about to cover a whole lot of ground! From their own personal performance and fitness journeys to The Lightning Thief's miraculous journey to Broadway. They’re insightful, intentional, and a great match for one another. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! You may know Jared and Sam from their huge Instagram following. And while social media is a huge part of their lives- in fact, they met on Instagram!- they have such balance and perspective on their passions outside of show business. They are living proof that you can absolutely make a living pursuing more than one thing at a time. And that other thing- whether it is fitness or coaching or writing or anything else- actually makes you more confident and interesting when you walk in the audition room. Sam also takes us on the unexpected journey of The Lightning Thief, a show that started as a Theaterworks tour, gained a huge following around the country, and eventually landed on Broadway! Sometimes it’s the most unlikely of projects that go the distance. And that makes it all the sweeter when that unexpected phone comes your way! Don’t you just love show business? This week’s Spotlight on Love comes to us from an anonymous listener: I want to go to college for Musical theatre, but now because of the pandemic and Broadway still being shut down I am second guessing it. What can I do with a musical theatre degree if there is no musical theatre? Jared is using this pandemic time to dive even deeper into a cause he cares about, Comfort Cases. Comfort Cases is an organization who provides exactly that- comfort cases to children in the foster system. Whenever a child moves to a new home, instead of putting their belongings in a trash bag, each child is given a Comfort Case filled with a toothbrush, stuffed animal, clothes, and other items to remind the child how very much they matter. We love organizations like this and are always on the lookout for who else we can support so they can continue to support our community. Do you have a favorite organization who is doing great things for the world or your backyard? We’d love to hear about it! Send us a message! Follow Jared and Sam! Jared @jaredreinfeldt Sam @leichtninghealth **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared and Lindsay Bradshaw are dear incredible Broadway performers, loving parents, and two of the most creative and energetic souls you’ll meet. We feel lucky to call them our dear friends. And they’ll feel like yours, too, after you listen to this episode full of candor and joy. One thing we love the most about Jared and Lindsay is their perspective on decision making and moving forward. Their time together has been full of decisions: where to live, which jobs to accept and which to let go, and when to start a family while maintaining a performance career. When Broadway shut down and decisions had to be made- How will we make money? How long do we wait for Wicked to reopen? Should we leave our New York apartment? If we do, is it forever? What does it all mean?- they simply made the best choice for now and didn’t look back. These “shifts” as they call them, do not need to be forever. They are for now. And once you’ve made one shift, it’s just as easy to shift into something else. Their most recent shift has landed their family in Orlando, Florida where they are learning new performance and business skills. They’re surrounded by great people, find themselves creating constantly, and even have Magic Kingdom fireworks out their front door! How cool is that? As fellow Disney lovers, that sounds like a mighty fine shift to us. This week’s SPOTLIGHT ON LOVE comes to us from an anonymous listener: My girlfriend and I are arguing a lot. We’ve been together for three years and are both in high school. What advice can you offer high schoolers in an argument? Lindsay has learned fifteen new songs since this pandemic started. And she and Jared’s YouTube channel has been a space of great creativity as well. What are you doing to feed your creative soul during this shutdown? Is it an old passion that has been on the back-burner for a while? Or maybe something brand new? We’d love to hear what keeps your inner artist happy and nurtured! **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you know, we’ve spent a lot of our lives performing on stage. But this week was extra special. This week, Bret was invited to perform his solo show Charming: A Tale of an American Prince for a socially distanced audience- and Stephen got to witness it first hand! Charming is an autobiographical story of Bret’s journey, highlighting some of the exceptional musical theatre and Disney songs sung by princes of every kind. He has performed the show many places over the years, but we both agree that this particular performance in Arkansas will always hold a special place in our hearts. When the Walton Arts Center asked him to perform, and even made it possible for his amazing music director Tracy Stark to fly in, we were aware of what a special treat this is to perform during a pandemic. But we were not prepared for the flood of emotions! Nerves, excitement, and adrenaline for sure, but also an overwhelming dose of gratitude. When you’ve been on stage as often as we have been, it’s easy to take travel and performances for granted. Not this one. It was such an honor for Bret. And such a walk down memory lane for Stephen to see old familiar songs and remember where we were in our lives when the songs came to us.  Bret has been calling this his Farewell Performance, but life is anything but predictable right now. And it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for this piece that he’s worked so hard to create and adapt to the times. Either way, live theatre is all about the people present right then and there. And right then and there was exceptional! This week’s SPOTLIGHT ON LOVE comes from an anonymous listener: How can you find people that want relationships and not just sex on apps? It’s been slim pickings so far here in conservative Magnolia TX, I don’t want to drive an hour into Houston. Have you ever created a solo show? What was your creative process like? And what do you do to get vocally in shape? We’d love to learn more about the ways you express yourself. Send us a message!  **** Follow us http://instagram.com/broadwayhusbands http://facebook.com/broadwayhusbands http://youtube.com/broadwayhusbands  Bret http://bretshuford.com http://instagram.com/bretshuford http://twitter.com/bretshuford http://snapchat.com/thebretshuford http://facebook.com/bretshuford Stephen http://instagram.com/stephenrhanna http://twitter.com/stephenrhanna We are grateful to be a part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Thanks to David Dabbon for our theme music and to Sophie Kay Photography for our image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices