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Beyond the Spotlight

Beyond the Spotlight

Jon Diener

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1 Creator

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1 Creator

The point of this podcast is simple. We want to pull back the curtain and bring you backstage, beyond the spotlight, to give you a glimpse into the world of folks like you and me who are working in the trenches of the music, theater, and entertainment industries. They may not be household names, but they are key players in bringing to life the shows we all enjoy. Over the last 41 years, your host Jon Diener has worked as a musician, producer, recording engineer, videographer, editor, motion graphics artist, and photographer. He's spent most of his life around people working hard behind the scenes and wants to learn more about their journeys and share their stories with you.
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Top 10 Beyond the Spotlight Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Beyond the Spotlight episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Beyond the Spotlight for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Beyond the Spotlight episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 009: Lindsay Schmidt - Child Wrangler
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04/01/20 • 19 min

Lindsay Schmidt has vocal directed high school musicals (Annie, Footloose, Willy Wonka, and Tarzan), worked with the some youth classes at a local community center, and has been performing in community productions around West Michigan since 2001. Lindsay also traveled with first national tour of “The King & I” as a guardian/child wrangler from 2016-2018. Her husband is a traveling audio engineer for musicals/plays and has been touring for about 15 years.

Lindsay on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lindsaybutt/

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 034: Pam Matthews - Exec. Director, IEBA
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03/11/21 • 44 min

Pam Matthews is a proven industry leader with four decades of experience in the entertainment business. She began her career at age fifteen as a runner for Mid South Concerts in Memphis. Today, she serves the live entertainment industry as Executive Director of one of its most influential trade organizations.
Matthews toured as an accountant for KISS and Ozzy Osbourne in the early 80s and was part of the Pace Concerts (now Live Nation) team that designed, constructed, and managed Starwood Amphitheatre in Nashville. In 1988, after three seasons at 18,000+ capacity concert venue, Matthews accepted a marketing/accounting position with The Judds’ in-house booking agency and production company Pro Tours, Inc. In 1991 Pro Tours promoted 110 of the 128 sold-out concerts on The Judds Farewell Tour, which was second to the Grateful Dead as the highest grossing North American tour that year. As Wynonna began her solo career and restructured her business, Matthews joined the management side of the organization and eventually became Vice President & Treasurer of Wynonna, Inc. and J2K, Inc. As an officer of J2K, Inc., Matthews headed the multi-company team that produced The Judds’ sold-out New Year’s Eve 1999 concert and the 2000 reunion tour that followed.
In 2000, Gaylord Entertainment selected Pam Matthews to be General Manager of Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. During her tenure, the Ryman became one of the top-grossing theaters in North America and received its National Historic Landmark status and numerous awards including its first-ever Pollstar Theatre of the Year, Academy of Country Music Venue of the Year, and IEBA Venue of the Year honors.
In 2008, Matthews resigned her position at the Ryman to be with her husband, a decorated Special Operations Team Leader in the U.S. Army, while he was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey, California. Matthews and her husband, who is now a legislative attorney with the Tennessee General Assembly, settled back home in Nashville in 2012.
Matthews joined IEBA as its Executive Director in 2013. Since then, the 50-year-old organization has tripled its membership and attendance at its annual conference continues to sell-out year after year. In 2017, IEBA established its Educational Outreach Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity that has endowed over $1M in scholarships at universities across the country and awards $75k annually to students seeking a career in the entertainment industry.
Matthews attended Christ Church College, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. In 1989, she passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. During her career, Pam Matthews has been featured in numerous publications including Billboard, Pollstar, Better Homes & Gardens, and The Tennessean. In 2006, Billboard magazine ranked Matthews on its first “Women in Music” list. Recent honors include Nashville Business Journal “Women in Music City” and VenuesNow “Women of Influence.” Matthews has served on the Board of Directors of the Opry Trust Fund, Nashville Downtown Partnership, Leadership Music, and Americana Music Association, and currently serves on the Music City Music Council’s Leadership Forum and Leadership Music’s program committee. She is a frequent speaker and moderator at conferences and universities worldwide.
https://ieba.org/

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 038: Sai Hanif - CEO, Drum Tech, Tour Manager
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04/21/21 • 32 min

Sai Hanif has been working in the music industry for over sixteen years. In addition to live event production, he founded and continues to run a successful musical instrument brand. Sai has taken his business acumen and applied it to the artists he works with throughout his career. He specializes in scaling artists by implementing processes to create efficient workflows with respect to the creative process. Specialties: Tour Direction, Production Management, Design, Budgeting, Travel, Logistics, Business Strategy, and Artist Development.
Founder and CEO
Masters of Maple Drums
Established in 2002 Masters of maple is one of the leading boutique drum manufacturers in the world. The brand produces high quality instruments with a limited distribution model, and is one of the few manufacturers to make their ply drum shells in house.
Tour Director, Production Manager
Gabriel " Fluffy" Iglesias
May 2019 – Present
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is an acclaimed stand up comedian with multiple Netflix specials, and storied career in entertainment.
Production Manager, Technical Director
X ambassadors Contract
Oct 2019 – Present
Production management for the “Orion” world tour album campaign. X ambassadors are a Grammy award winning alternative band from Ithaca, New York. I oversaw design and fabrication of the new stage production, which incorporated video elements utilizing the new disguise D3 media server.
Production Consultant, Drum Technician [Joshua Homme]
Eagles of Death Metal
Dates Employed Apr 2015 – Present
Eagles of Death Metal are a rock band from Palm Desert, California. I served as drum technician for Mr. Homme when he would play drums live with the band.
Tour Manager, Production Manager, Creative Director
Jakob Dylan
Jul 2014 – Present
Jakob Dylan is a Grammy award winning and lead singer of The Wallflowers. I have been responsible for all special projects in many capacities. Mr. Dylan is involved in many charities at the forefront of health and world issues.
Founder and CEO
Ghost Tech Touring Full-time
Mar 2012 – Present
Ghost Tech Touring is a full service production company. We specialize in all aspects of touring operations such as but not limited to: bus rental, insurance, crew management, budget control, audio visual services, backline, logistics, expendable management. Typically clients save between 4-19% on gross revenue touring expenses.
Production Manager
Walk The Moon
May 2016 – Present
Production management for the “What if Nothing” album campaign. Walk the Moon are a rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tour Manager, Production Manager, Management
The Wallflowers
Jan 2011 – Present
Tour Manager | Production Manager [2013- Present]Stage Manager | Backline Crew Chief | Drum Technician | Keyboard Technician [2011-2013] The Wallflowers are a two-time Grammy award winning rock band from Los Angeles, California.
Tour Director, Technical Director, Band Liaison, Production Accountant
Echo in the Canyon
Dates Employed 2018 – 2019
Echo In The Canyon is a 2018 film paying homage to the music of the sixties and the cultural revolution surrounding Laurel Canyon. It was released in theaters May 24, 2019.
https://Mdrums.com/
https://myghosttech.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ladrumguy/
https://www.instagram.com/mastersofmaple
Al Schmitt video referenced in interview

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 017: Paul Klimson - Monitor Engineer
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08/01/20 • 80 min

Paul Klimson brings twenty highly-credited years of technical experience to the details of audio, staging, video, and lighting arrangement in the areas of television broadcasts, arena performances, international music festivals, and top-tier special events production. He designs, creates, and implements the technical foundation upon which the most resonating musical performances of the day exist.
What musicians - like Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and The Roots – understand is that Paul’s technical contributions help drive undeniable impact to their talented performances and serve in collaborative partnership to the extraordinary moments in their audience experience. They trust him. They depend on him. And, most importantly, each take the stage with an artistic confidence enhanced by a sincere reliability in the comprehensive backstage capabilities of Paul’s technical command and teamwork.
Paul’s behind-the-scenes work has been felt in the uniquely beautiful Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake acoustic duet performance (of the Cyndi Lauper cover ‘True Colors’) at the Cannes Film Festival (in May 2016) in support of the ‘Trolls’ DreamWorks Animation film. And, soon followed up by the highly-noted Timberlake debut of ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ performance at the annual Eurovision Song Contest finals in Stockholm, Sweden.
Paul was plucked out John Legend’s ‘Evolver Tour’ in 2008 to audition (at SNL) for what was to become the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon television show. Over the course of 6 years (and 965+ episodes), he worked in every music production element of the NBC nightly broadcast, in direct support of The Roots, and in full collaboration with an enviable guest list of top acts which include Kanye West, Radiohead, Drake, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Lauryn Hill, and The XX among many others.
In 2013, Paul designed and built the monitor package for the famous Studio 6B set at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City and saw the show through its memorable transition into The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He took the new nightly broadcast – managing audio and monitor mixer responsibilities - through another 120 episodes featuring a revolving roster of musical guests that include U2, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, Beck, Kendrick Lamar, David Byrne, Tim McGraw, Arcade Fire, The Avett Brothers, and numerous other acts. Paul helped solidify the show’s audio team before his departure from television to join Justin Timberlake in the massive ’The 20/20 Experience World Tour’ later that year – Timberlake’s most successful solo tour to date with a total box office gross of $231.6 million. He most recently finished on Timberlake’s Man of the Woods Tour, which took off on the heels of his epic 2018 SuperBowl performance.
Paul’s prior audio experience (from 2006 to 2008) contains a multitude of high-profile sound media projects (on behalf of Masque Sound & Recording Corp.) which include Vdosc System Tech work (for VH-1 Classics, Microsoft MPX 2006, and the Hillary Duff 2006 Tour); Industrials (for Disney Mountain in the City – Avalanche Mountain, Project Runway, New York Marriott Marquis, KLP/Hennessey, The Strokes, Goldfrapp, and Tony Bennett); and Broadway Sound Production (for the Hairspray Vegas installation, Blue Man Group Boston - Charles Playhouse audio reinstall, and the annual Manhattan Theater Club Spring Gala.)
Theory One Productions
The Roadie Clinic | An Advocacy Group
Paul on Instagram

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Noddea Skidmore has worked as the Director of Creative and Audience Development at Circle Theatre since 2015. This summer she’ll play Patsy Cline in the musical Always... Patsy Cline. Past Circle Theatre main stage credits include Regina in Rock of Ages (Grand Award Nomination), Joanne in Company, Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot (Grand Award Nomination), Miss Hannigan in Annie (2010), Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Patsy in Bingo!, Marlene in Daddy’s Dyin’..., Vicki in The Full Monty, and the ensemble of Nine.
At Circle she’s had the opportunity to be a part of several Summer Concert Series shows like Edge of the Millennium: Top Hits of 1999, Broadway Babes: Dames of the Stage, Silver Screen: Academy Award-Winning Songs, California Dreamin’: Cool Cali Sounds Past and Present, Leather and Lace: The Women of Rock, and Hits of the ‘80s. Other community credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Wild Party, and Urinetown at Actors’ Theatre and Elf, Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical, The Wizard of Oz at Civic Theatre.
A popcorn-lover, cinephile, and dreamer/planner of visits to Manhattan and Broadway shows, Noddea lives at home (especially a lot these days!) with her little family - her husband Calin, and two dogs Big and Beatle.
Circle Theatre website
Circle Theatre on Instagram
Circle Theatre on Facebook
Noddea on Instagram

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 039: Rayna Zemel - Playback Engineer, Producer, Composer
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05/01/21 • 40 min

Passionate and extroverted, Rayna’s varied background gives her a unique perspective as well as an ability to engage people from all walks of life. Before graduating with a degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont, Rayna grew up at the intersection of multiple cultures.
As a child, Rayna was raised between three worlds - She could be found at a Baptist church in Camden, New Jersey with her grandmother, at synagogue in Philadelphia with her mother’s family of Jewish academics, or at St. Columba’s episcopal church in Washington D.C. Rayna decided to pursue a career in the music industry and moved to Los Angeles, where she eventually ended up working in the touring industry as a playback engineer with artists such as Logic, Pentatonix, Due Lipa, Iggy Azalea, Hailee Steinfeld, The Lonely Island, Lana Del Rey, DJ Khaled, and more.
Additionally, she is a music composer who's work has been featured in over 75 television shows, movies, and commercials. The events of 2020 led her to pursue her passion for documentary photography. Rayna has documented over 50 protests in the Los Angeles area, her work and efforts are featured in the short film “We Can’t Breathe”.
Producer / Music Director
Winters Rock Entertainment
Sep 2018 – Present
Business development, talent scouting, on-site photographer, and post-production audio mixing. Producer: “We Can’t Breathe” (2020)Composer: “We Can’t Breath” (2020) Producer: “Storm” (2020) Composer: “Beyond the Edge”(2020) Composer: “Letters to Liam” (2019) Music Supervisor: “Letters to Liam” (2019)
Playback Engineer
Pentatonix Inc
Jan 2020 – Present
Playback Engineer
DUA LIPA LIVE LLP
Nov 2019 – Jan 2020
Playback Engineer / Programmer
Hailee Steinfeld
Aug 2019 – Nov 2019
Playback Engineer & MIDI Tech
Lana Del Rey
Mar 2019 – Nov 2019
Pro Tools Playback Engineer
The Lonely Island
May 2019 – Jun 2019
Ableton Programmer / Playback Engineer
Dua Lipa
Apr 2019
Ableton Programmer / Playback Engineer
Gunnar Gehl
Oct 2018 – Dec 2018
Ableton Programmer / Playback Engineer
PRETTYMUCH
Jul 2018 – Sep 2018
Ableton Programmer / Playback
Jun 2017 – Aug 2018
Ableton Playback / Programming
Troye Sivan
Mar 2018 – Apr 2018
Ableton Playback Operator
Lil’ Wayne
Sep 2017
Playback Designer & Programmer
Saint Motel
Dec 2016
Director of Vibes | Producer | Mixer
Math Club Music
Jun 2016 – Oct 2016
Electronic Creatives
Feb 2016 – Mar 2016
Ableton playback for Iggy Azalea.
Electronic Creatives
Title Tour Manager / Production Manager
Niykee Heaton "The Bedroom Tour" 2015
Oct 2015 – Dec 2015
Tour Manager Production Manager
Ableton Playback Operator: Kiesza
Jan 2015 – Oct 2015
Product Ambassador / Tester
Livid Instruments
Nov 2014 – Jan 2015
Guitar Wing MIDI Controller Product Ambassador for the Greater Los Angeles Area.
Recording Arts Instructor
The Los Angeles Film School
Jul 2011 – Sep 2014
Instructor - Beginning and Advanced Music production in Pro Tools, Ableton, and Logic.
Producer/Engineer
Kops & Robbers
Jan 2010 – Jan 2012
Guest Links:
https://raynazemel.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rayzemel/
https://www.twitter.com/rayzemel/
https://www.wintersrockentertainment.com/

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 041: Marty Hom - Tour Manager, Production Coordinator
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05/21/21 • 30 min

TOUR EXPERIENCE

Present
ROLLING STONES – Tour Manager
1997 - Present
FLEETWOOD MAC – Tour Manager
1999 – Present
BARBRA STREISAND – Tour Director
January 24, 2020
MUSICARES PERSON OF THE YEAR HONORING DOLLY
PARTON - Co-Producer
2010 – Present
SHAKIRA – Tour Director
1997 - Present
STEVIE NICKS - Tour Manager
Dec ’15 – Nov ‘16
BEYONCE – Tour Director/Producer Formation Tour
2012 – Present
VAN HALEN TOUR 2012 & 2015 – Tour Manager
Feb '14 – Dec ‘15
LIONEL RICHIE - Tour Director
1997 - 2001
Jan 2013 – Dec 2013
ALICIA KEYS – Tour Director - World Tour 2010 & 2013
Aug ’02 – Jan 2010
BETTE MIDLER – General Manager “The Showgirl Must Go On”
Las Vegas Residency
Aug ’05 – May ‘07
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL DELIRIUM TOUR – Tour Manager
Dec ’00 – Dec ‘01
BACKSTREET BOYS – Tour Manager
Oct ’00 – Nov ’00
LENNY KRAVITZ – Tour Manager
Aug ’99 – Dec ‘99
RICKY MARTIN - Tour Manager
July '99 - Sept '99
BONNIE RAITT, JACKSON BROWNE, SHAWN COLVIN, BRUCE HORNSBY - Tour Manager
May '99 - Sept '99
BONNIE RAITT - Tour Manager/Accountant
Sept '98 – Aug ‘99
LIONEL RICHIE - Tour Manager/Accountant
April ‘95 - 2015
BOSTON - Tour Manager
October 1996
CHRIS ISAAK - Tour Manager/Accountant
August 1996
CELINE DION - Production Manager
April ‘96 - May ‘96
SHANIA TWAIN - Tour Manager
Apr ‘95 - May ‘95
JIMMY BUFFETT - Tour Accountant
Jan '93 - Sept '94
JANET JACKSON - Tour Manager
June ‘89 - Sept '92
PAULA ABDUL - Tour Manager
1985
BILL WITHERS- Tour Manager / Accountant
GUEST LINKS:
Musicares
NEWS ARTICLES / INTERVIEWS
ROLLING STONE
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-in-crisis-marty-horn-tour-manager-rolling-stones-stevie-nicks-995835/
BILLBOARD
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5915668/tour-managers-of-foo-fighters-the-rolling-stones-fleetwood-mac-swap-wild-tales
POLLSTAR
https://www.pollstar.com/toptourmanagers/marty-hom-141383
NEW YORK TIMES
https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/17/archives/10-months-1-million-and-100-headaches.html

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 020: Bob Potsic - Singer/Musician
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09/15/20 • 56 min

As a singer, Bob Potsic has performed numerous operas, oratorios, and has sung on Grammy Award nominated albums. He is best known for his engaging performances, enhanced by his massive onstage persona. Specializing in musical theatre pit orchestras, Bob has performed with many theatre companies throughout the United States. He is sought after for his sensitivity to the score, and ability to play multiple styles. Bob regularly holds a studio of nearly 50 students. Feeling at home teaching voice, guitar, piano, and bass, he has had many of his students successfully continue into the arts as a profession.
Bob was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago and began his studies on trombone in 5th grade and continued until freshman year of high school when he stopped music to pursue sports. Alongside his music making, Bob had also played sports his entire life. But a minor heart surgery sidelined him forever from organized sport. So he joined choir.
But Bob’s high school music endeavors didn’t end at choir. He was also involved in musicals, and show choir for four years. He played electric bass for the jazz band and re-joined band his junior year, only this time playing euphonium. There, he learned what dedication and hard work were through marching, concert, and jazz band seasons. Bob went on to attend Western Michigan University where he majored in voice, and got to travel the world while singing in choirs there.
His professional career began at 17 years old when he was hired by White Horse Theatre Company to play bass for a production of Songs for a New World. He continued playing at least one show a year from then on. In 2005, Bob began teaching private voice, moved back to Chicago in 2008 and continues his singing and teaching careers there.
When not immersed in music, Bob enjoys spending time with his family, lifting weights, and playing hockey.
http://www.bobmakesmusic.co
https://www.instagram.com/bobmakesmusic
https://www.facebook.com/BobMakesMusic

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Beyond the Spotlight - Update - January 29, 2022

Update - January 29, 2022

Beyond the Spotlight

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01/29/22 • 6 min

Hey, everyone! Are you still out there? I've missed you!
Just a quick episode to update you on some things and let you know I'll be back with new episodes soon, as time permits.
Feel free to reach out with guest ideas or comments at [email protected]

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Beyond the Spotlight - Ep. 016: Tobin Ost - Set & Costume Designer
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07/15/20 • 63 min

Tobin Ost is an award winning, TONY nominated scenic and costume designer who has been has been working professionally in New York for close to 20 years.
His work on Broadway includes Disney's NEWSIES, BONNIE & CLYDE, JEKYLL AND HYDE, DISASTER! - ON BROADWAY, THE PHILANTHROPIST, and BROOKLYN - THE MUSICAL, several which generated multiple national tours as well as subsequent productions internationally.
Select Off-Broadway work includes NIGHTINGALE, both written and performed by Lynn Redgrave at Manhattan Theatre Club; Maurice Hines' TAPPIN' THRU LIFE at New World Stages; ZANNA - DONT! starring Jai Rodriguez at the John Houseman Theater (GLAAD Media Award); and THE OVERWHELMING, directed by Max Stafford-Clark for Roundabout Theatre Company's Laura Pels Theatre.
Tobin has also worked extensively for major regional theater companies across the nation, including Center Theatre Group, Arena Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Ford's Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Asolo Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, and many others.
Additionally, his work can be seen in film and television, restaurant and event design, and he is frequently called on as a theatre design educator in University and Workshop settings, including Broadway Teaching Group's "Broadway Teacher's Workshop", iTheatrics' Junior Theatre Festival Atlanta, and Broadway.com's "Broadway Classroom."
Tobin originally hails from Adrian, Michigan. He received his BFA degree in Art History and Theatre from the University of Michigan, with additional studies in traditional Japanese Theatre at Kyuushu University, Japan, where he completed a dissertation on bunraku puppetry.
He received his MFA degree in Set and Costume Design from the Yale School of Drama.
For more info on Tobin: Tobin Ost Design

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FAQ

How many episodes does Beyond the Spotlight have?

Beyond the Spotlight currently has 47 episodes available.

What topics does Beyond the Spotlight cover?

The podcast is about Actor, Sound, Broadcast, Music, Theater, Entertainment, Podcasts, Arts, Theatre, Music Interviews, Musician, Interviews and Performing Arts.

What is the most popular episode on Beyond the Spotlight?

The episode title 'Ep. 009: Lindsay Schmidt - Child Wrangler' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Beyond the Spotlight?

The average episode length on Beyond the Spotlight is 38 minutes.

How often are episodes of Beyond the Spotlight released?

Episodes of Beyond the Spotlight are typically released every 13 days, 15 hours.

When was the first episode of Beyond the Spotlight?

The first episode of Beyond the Spotlight was released on Dec 5, 2019.

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