The Mindset Forge - Andrew Samonsky: Broadway's leading man talks the importance of finding your authentic voice.

Andrew Samonsky: Broadway's leading man talks the importance of finding your authentic voice.

11/10/21 • 48 min

Andrew Samonsky explains how he became a leading man on broadway. His struggles with substance abuse in high school and college led him to go to rehab. While there, his voice teacher sent him a letter that would change his life forever. The main focus of their discussion is around the parallels with developing his physical singing voice and his authentic. "artistic voice". His perspective can be helpful to any aspiring actor and singer hoping to one day make in in show business.
After getting an ensemble role in Broadway's revival of South Pacific, he got a call that the leading man got sick and it was time for Andrew to seize the moment and play the lead role of Lt. Cable.
Andrew Samonsky most recently appeared on the First National Tour of Come From Away as Kevin T. Prior to that he played Tadeusz Lempicki in the world premiere of Lempicka at Williamstown Theater Festival. He has appeared on Broadway as Neville Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Kenneth Ormisten in Scandalous, and Lt. Cable in the Tony award winning revival of South Pacific, where he was also seen in the Live From Lincoln Center PBS broadcast. He played Robert Kincaid in the national tour of The Bridges of Madison County. Andrew was nominated for a Drama Desk award for his portrayal of Frank Russell in the Off-Broadway production of Michael John LaChuisa's Queen of the Mist and appeared in the New York City Center Encores! productions of Fiorello! and Merrily We Roll Along. He has originated roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Captain Phoebus, Paper Mill Playhouse and La Jolla Playhouse, American premiere). Benny & Joon (Benny, Old Globe Theater), Somewhere in Time (Richard, Portland Center Stage), Tales of the City (Beauchamp, ACT), Little Miss Sunshine (Joshua, La Jolla Playhouse), and Disney's On the Record (Nick, First National Tour). Cast recordings include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Queen of the Mist, Scandalous, On the Record, and Merrily We Roll Along. He's been a soloist with symphonies across the country, including the New York Philharmonic and Boston Pops. His TV and film credits include Madame Secretary, Elementary.
[02:10] - Andrew discusses how a letter he received from his voice teacher changed the course of his life.
[10:00] - Studying Classical Voice at Cal State University at Northridge and why he shifted focus to Theatre.
[15:55] - How his voice teacher at UC Irvine helped him find his high notes and changed his voice.
[22:30] - Clip of Andrew singing duet from Bridges of Madison County
[23:24] - Andrew talks about being in New York City and working with Craig Cornelius on truthful acting for singers.
[30:25]- Andrew discusses his first Broadway show and how he embraced the moment and stepped into the lead role of Lt. Cable in "Previews".
[39:30] - The magic of doing the work and letting go of the result and letting the instincts and authenticity show up.
Connect with Andrew!
Andrew on Instagram: @asamonsky
Youtube Video of Andrew singing Man of La Mancha: https://youtu.be/pB1XhZ

Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bartonguybryan.com
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MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach Phil Daru

Previous Episode

Phil Daru: Top MMA Strength & Conditioning Coach talks Fighter's Mindset, Training Athletes and more.

Top strength and conditioning coach Phil Daru explains the mindset of an mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, details around training Dustin Poirier and other top UFC athletes, and much more. In this episode, Phil talks about his days as a professional MMA fighter, how he works with athletes to make sure they are in top condition for performing at the highest level, and even how Phil as a public figure uses shadowboxing as a way to get into a flow state before speeches. Barton and Phil even discuss how he works with taller athletes.

Phil Daru is a world renowned strength and conditioning coach and is the founder of Daru Strong, a brand dedicated to helping one’s performance, life, longevity, personal growth, and becoming the best versions of themselves. Phil also owns and operates the Daru Strong Performance Center in Boca Raton, Florida. Phil has worked with some of the most elite athletes and fighters in the world such as: Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Dustin Poirier, Jr. Dos Santos, King Mo Lawal, Tecia Torres, Colby Covington and over 80 Pro fighters each week. Phil’s resume also includes World renowned celebrities, NFL players, World Champion Boxers, UFC fighters and Olympic athletes. For over 10 years, Phil has been training the top athletes because of his ability to improve performance such as power, strength, speed, agility, mobility, and endurance.

Outline of the Episode:

[01:58] How to get punched in the face and not let is derail your game plan in a fight and in life.

[08:47] Phil talks about his professional MMA fighting career

[13:29] Mantra Labs advertisement

[14:35] How his concussion while sparing forced Phil to choose between his fighting career and his longterm health.

[17:48] Importance of not having "yes men" around you at work or as an athlete.

[19:00] Working with Dustin Poirier and the positive impact of his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

[27:47] When Phil Learned that shadowboxing before presentations helps him body and mind achieve a "flow-state" where we can communicate with much more clarity.

[34:12] Phil discusses Mobility vs. flexibility and how important strengthening muscles at their end range of mobility is crucial for injury prevention in fighting and sport in general.

[41:30] Phil's perspective on training tall athletes and what to look for with their balance, core strength, mobility, etc.

[45:47] Phil's thoughts on being a father and his role in leading his kids.

[51:05] Phil discusses Daru Strong Coaches Conference and how people can engage with him on Instagram, YouTube, or his podcast The Daru Strong Podcast.

Resources:

Phil's Instagram; @darustrong
Phil's website: https://darustrong.com/
Phil's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/PhilDaruStrong

Ghost Strong Equipment: https://ghoststrong.com
Vivo Barefoot Shoes: https://www.vivobarefoot.com/
For a discount, Use: "darustrong"
More about Mantra Labs:
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Next Episode

Throwback Episode: Paralympic Rugby Star Mark Zupan leads US Team to Olympic Gold and so much more!

Mark Zupan's mental toughness and a competitive drive to be his best self helped his overcome a broken neck and end up being the best quad rugby player in the world in 2008. Grit is the word that best defines the journey of Mark Zupan. An eighteen year old collegiate soccer player who played hard and partied harder got throw from a truck and ended up waking up in a ditch hanging on to his life by a branch. His paralyzing neck injury forced him to start his life over and literally learn everything over again: how to eat, pee, and get around in a chair. He recounts how he was surrounded by great friends, loving parents who helped him overcome the rehabilitation process. And it was his mental toughness kept him fighting for the opportunity to get his life back. And then he found Quad-Rugby. His world changed when he had a competitive outlet for his will to be his best. Mark's live is all about pushing the limits and in doing so, he led the USA Men's Quad-Rugby team to win a bronze medal in 2004 and Gold in 2008 in Beijing, China.
About Mark Zupan:
After his accident, Zupan graduated from Georgia Tech, became a two-time quad rugby national champion, the 2004 quad rugby player of the year. He was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 2004 Paralympic Games and the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Games. He is a resident of Dripping Springs, TX.

When asked if he would "turn back the clock on that day", Zupan answered "No, I don't think so. My injury has led me to opportunities and experiences and friendships I would never have had before. And it has taught me about myself. In some ways, it's the best thing that ever happened to me."
After a soccer game on October 14, 1993, Zupan got drunk with teammates at a bar and then crawled into the back of friend Chris Igoe's truck to sleep. Some time later Igoe left the bar unaware that Zupan was asleep in the back. Driving drunk, Igoe spun out and Zupan was thrown from the pickup bed, over a fence, and into a canal, where he held onto a branch for 14 hours until being discovered by a passerby.[1] He went into hypothermia and became paralyzed as a result of the accident. Zupan has incomplete quadriplegia and is able to walk for short distances with crutches.[2]

He was also in the movie Jackass II in a skit called "Lake Jump", where his wheelchair was rigged up with carbon monoxide tanks and pushed off a ramp by Chris Pontius. Before taking off, the tanks triggered, launching him off of the ramp and into the lake.

About Murderball:

Murderball is a 2005 American documentary film about athletes who are physically disabled who play wheelchair rugby. It centers on the rivalry between the Canadian and U.S Teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games.
Links:
(Mark is not on Social Media)
Murderball Trailer: https://youtu.be/AmvXbrrOAkU
Mark's Book "Gimp" https://bit.ly/30PsqX0
Connect with Barton!
Barton’