In honor of Broadway’s reopening, iHeartMedia is launching a new iHeartRadio Original podcast The Broadway Happy Hour Podcast in a partnership with the Broadway Wine Club. The series will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network via iHeartRadio and its sister iHeartRadioBroadway.com.
The podcast will be hosted by Kate Rockwell, Broadway actor and certified wine expert, who will sip a glass with the stars of the Great White Way. In each episode, Rockwell will interview guests from Broadway about their work on stage and screen and what they love to drink.
Unlike other interview podcasts, iHeart says The Broadway Happy Hour will feature a variety of unique stories from backstage to the best bars, all while teaching listeners more about fine wine, cocktails, craft ales and other drinks.
Rockwell – who has starred in musicals including Mean Girls: The Musical, Rock of Ages, Legally Blonde, and Hair, among others, calls hosting the podcast a “real light” for her after the past 18 months being unable to take the stage as Broadway lights went dark.
“The opportunity to have in-depth conversations about life, art, and everything in between with my spectacular showbiz friends has been such a gift, all while getting to share a glass of wine,” she said. “Our conversations truly make it feel just like we are back together again, in our favorite wine bar in Midtown, right after the curtain comes down.” Rockwell is WSET certified with years of experience in the New York wine industry.
The pandemic continues to make Broadway’s reopening a work in progress, and to be certain, there will be a lot fewer tourists in the crowds in the near-term. Arvind Ethan David, co-founder of Broadway Wine Club, said the podcast does offer some semblance of normalcy.
“We missed so much when live theatre shut down, not only the shows, but the community of people in this business,” explained David. “Rather than longing for these pre or post show conversations over a glass of wine at a bar, we revived them via this podcast. ‘The Broadway Happy Hour Podcast’ brings these intimate cocktail conversations to audiences everywhere through our partnership with iHeartMedia.”
In Jan. 2019 iHeart launched iHeartRadio Broadway as a 24/7 station, along with a dedicated website, iHeartRadioBroadway.com. The website is intended as a one-stop site for all Broadway-related content, including news, videos, interviews, podcasts and contests.
Sarah Jane Arnegger, Director for iHeartRadio Broadway, said The Broadway Happy Hour Podcast will fit right in. “Kate’s ability to chat about wine and Broadway feels like a conversation with your best friend at your favorite wine bar after seeing a great show,” she said.
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