Was It Chance?

Actor James Harkness made his Broadway debut in Aida back in 2001 before moving on to productions such as Chicago, The Color Purple, Guys and Dolls, the Dreamgirls tour, and Beautiful. Now that Broadway has returned he resumed his role as Paul Williams in Ain’t Too Proud on Broadway. A navy veteran, James seized an unexpected opportunity and took a chance when he walked into a dance studio while on leave and forever changed the trajectory of his life.

James shares how embracing chance, taking intentional risks, and learning to trust his instincts lead him to a beautiful and unintended career working alongside mentors such as Tiger Martina and Sergio Trujillo, and performing alongside some of the greatest in the arts, including John Legend, Julie Andrew and many others.

Y’all don’t want to miss everything James is up to. Follow him at @iamjamesharkness and go see him in Ain’t Too Proud on Broadway right now: https://ainttooproudmusical.com/.

• Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our DMs at @wasitchance.
• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram and Threads, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Missed opportunities may be hidden gifts
• Manifestation only works when you work hard
• Resharing our experiences and stories brings new awareness
• Learning to trust your intuition
• Running towards fear rather than away from it
• Resting is an important part of being ready to embrace “chance”
• Staying connected to creativity by being flexible in the moment to always do your best

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A chance encounter with Burt Bacharach led Steven Sater to collaborate on a decade-long project to produce a full-length musical concept album featuring some of the industry's biggest artists. Now 93, Burt hasn't written anything for the stage since Promises, Promises in 1968. Steven felt drawn to Burt, this project, and their mission to explore what it's like to write love songs for couples after the "newness" of the relationships are over, and they've settled into their routines. This album is a must-listen, and this podcast episode is ... an even muster-listener.

Find Some Lovers on Spotify, or everywhere you stream music: https://open.spotify.com/album/1tEyFYVH36zYUYfFK58gPN. List of featured artists include:

• Christy Altomare
• Kristin Chenoweth
• Lilli Cooper
• Auli'i Cravalho
• Santino Fontana
• Molly Gordon
• Jonathan Groff
• Jennifer Holiday
• Derek Klena
• Katrina Lenk
• Lea Michele
• Laura Osnes
• Ashley Park
• Graham Phillips
• Conrad Ricamora
• Colton Ryan
• Ari'el Stachel
• Ethan Slater
• Tracie Thoms
• Betsy Wolfe
• Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our DMs at @wasitchance.
• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram and Threads, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

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Meet Drew “Fuckin’” Gasparini.

Get ready to be greatly entertained in this hilarious episode with composer and lyricist Drew Gasparini. Honestly, these show notes are hard to write because we had so much fun and talked about such a vast array of topics. You’re gonna have to listen to the entire thing folks, it’s just that good.

From meeting his childhood hero, Marc Summers, and becoming BFFs, to proudly declaring that his newest Broadway project, “The Karate Kid - The Musical” is going to blow our minds - Drew’s lively personality draws you in over and over again.

Special thanks to Drew for his unscripted, and personal rendition of “Shut The Fuck Up, Alan.” This little segment is quickly becoming a fan favorite (and Heather’s favorite!).

Don’t miss anything Drew is up to. Follow him on Instagram, and Twitter (seriously, follow him there and be nice!). Oh, and he shared his email address with us. Be sure to listen to the show if you want to connect directly with Drew, ask him questions, or collaborate with him.

• Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our DMs at @wasitchance.
• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram and Threads, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Putting yourself out there is scary AF but you only need it to “work” a handful of times.
• Don’t claim to be an expert because you’re always changing and evolving.
• Offer to help others achieve and grow, it’s the best thing you can do for your life and your career.
• Get creative with your own art - Think outside the box.
• Ditch your pride and ask for support when the opportunity is presented to you!
• There’s room for everyone, be kind, be supportive, and don’t quit.
• Put your heart and soul into what you do, people can tell the difference.
• No matter what the show is or how big of a project you’re working on, you must be willing to dive all the way in and put yourself on the line in an authentic way.

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You might recognize him as the original 'Culture Vulture' from the groundbreaking show “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy,” but there's so much more to this incredible soul. Meet Jai Rodriguez, a force of creativity and passion who has been shaping American culture for nearly two decades. Jai is most well known for his role as a member of the original Fab Five in Queer Eye For The Straight Guy and we get so many great stories from his time on Queer Eye in this conversation but his journey is rich and beautiful.

This is such an inspiring, heart-centered conversation that is sure to fill your emotional cup!

Jai's journey began at the young age of 12 when he embraced chance and went to his first audition, followed by performing arts high school. Then at only 18, Jai graced the Broadway stage as 'Angel' in the critically acclaimed musical “RENT.” From there, he took the theater world by storm, appearing in iconic productions like “The Producers” and creating the unforgettable role of ‘Zanna’ in the off-Broadway sensation “Zanna, Don’t!”. But that's not all - he even headlined a Las Vegas residency with the hit show “Sex Tips For Straight Women From A Gay Man.” Jai shares behind the scenes from many of his theatre adventures in this episode.

Set to make his debut at 54/Below on Oct 26-28, for his latest cabaret show “A Thousand Sweet Kisses” which promises an unforgettable performance filled with love, laughter, and personal stories, and it’s a little bit naughty in all the right ways.

Get your tickets to Jai’s show “A Thousand Sweet Kisses” at 54/Below (there is even a virtual option!) and be sure to connect with Jai on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Website.

• Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our Instagram DMs at @wasitchance.
• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram and Threads, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS:

• Jai has a theatre career that’s spanned over two decades!
• A precious kid who was always finding a way to perform, Jai was always a theatre kid.
• 12-year-old Jai took intentional risk and called the first casting director to see if he had been cast in his first show. He was!
• After attending a performing arts high school, his mother refused to support a performing arts education for college.
• He snuck into the city to audition for an agent and instantly got signed to play Angel in RENT!
• You may never be the best at something but it’s your uniqueness that sets you apart. Always be yourself and believe in yourself.
• RENT was Jai’s “Waiter gig” in NYC.
• Jai took a 6-month leave of absence to do Zanna Don’t and only making $400 a week (which was a massive pay cut) when he was asked to audition for Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.
• He was instructed to fabricate his backstory in order to be cast in Queer Eye. They aged him up and gave him a degree!
• This is the 20th anniversary of the original The Fab Five
• Jai’s approach is to never punch down.
• Queer Eye was originally intended to be a comedy, no one expected it to be so heart-centered.
• Jai’s show “A Thousand Sweet Kisses” at 54/Below is funny, honest, and racy! Audience members will include Queer Eye cast members and other celebrities.

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Step into a world where dance meets stillness, and artistry transcends boundaries. Join us as we uncover the magic behind James Jin's lens, where each click captures not just a moment, but a story. Discover how James's Artist Mindset transforms his subjects into empowered, expansive artists, and learn why his work is more than just photography—it's a journey of self-discovery and expansion.

James Jin is a Brooklyn-based artist, singer, educator, and photographer on a mission to transform the experience of being photographed and “seeing” ones self. Through his Artist Mindset photo session, James helps clients tap into their more expansive selves, capturing stunning moments that transcend far beyond the shutter click. His work, showcased on Instagram and his website, reflects a unique blend of photo shoot, therapy, and guided meditation. Alan and James's chance encounter at a "Pretty, Witty and Gay Cabaret" (hosted by past WIC guests Jasmine and Cassidy) event sparked a conversation about the transformative power of photography as live, in-action coaching. James creates a safe, empowering space for vulnerability to shine, helping his subjects become more expansive artists. He encourages artists to step out of their comfort zones believing that discomfort leads to profound learning and growth.

Connect with James on his website and Instagram.

• Make sure to follow this podcast everywhere you find podcasts, leave a rating and a review, and slip into our Instagram DMs at @wasitchance.
• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Alan and James met by chance at one of Cas and Jas’s “Pretty, Witty and Gay Cabaret” events
• The James Jin process is about creating an environment where people can feel safe enough to open up to being vulnerable while on camera
• James wants to help his subjects feel empowered to do this work for themselves
• This is really a live, in-action coaching experience using the art of photography as the vessel
• This experience helps you be a more expansive artist
• James was in High School when he first picked up a camera but it wasn’t until post-college that he decided to make this a career.
• Dancers of New York was the “chance” encounter that really changed things for James. The idea of this was inspired by Humans of New York.
• His approach is “I will create opportunities for you to challenge yourself, go out of your comfort zone, and face your fears—because when you get better at doing those things consistently, you get closer to where you want to be.”
• Business school was how James learned NOT to do things. Ditching the “business as usual” approach.
• James credits Seth Godin for helping him think outside of the box with his work.
• The next phase of business is to work with artists for repeat sessions to build their confidence and support them as they grow and expand professionally
• The moments filled with regret are also the moments where you learn the most and it’s a gift to embrace them.
• When you feel discomfort don’t run from it, explore it!

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