Later in Life

Julie Rhodes spent most of her life loving stories. It just took her a while to give herself permission to write one.In this episode, Julie and I meet for the first time and quickly go down some wonderfully nerdy rabbit holes: soap operas, musical theater, writing, and the particular agony of third-person omniscient. Julie shares how a disappointing trip to see Tootsie on Broadway helped inspire The Love Lives of Soapstars, the working title for her 1980s-set novel series she’s now writing.We also talk about living with MS, losing her mom to the same disease, finding the courage to share her work with other people, and why embracing her creative side has brought an unexpected sense of joy and purpose.It’s a conversation about getting out of your own way, making the thing you wish existed, and remembering that sometimes simply trying is a pretty brave thing to do.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Julie Rhodes:@juuuliebeth.writes on InstaFind Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @[email protected]

You may know Robbie Rozelle as a performer, a director, a record producer, a graphic designer, a Playbill creative director, or from the liner notes of one of the 300-plus Broadway and cabaret albums he's helped bring to life. However you found him, Robbie's career has been anything but conventional. We talk about growing up gay in a small town, the early days of internet theater fandom, moving to New York at 35 with $300 and a prayer, working alongside legends like Stephen Sondheim and Maury Yeston, and why the best opportunities often come after you stop waiting for permission. Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Robbie:RobbieRozelle.com@DivaRobbie on InstagramFind Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

When I first met Ron Popp years ago, he was doing theatre in Chicago. Since then, I've watched him quietly reinvent himself. Ron started doing stand-up comedy in his 40s. Today, just months shy of 50, he's winning comedy competitions, regularly booking gigs, and building a career he never expected.We talk about growing up gay in small Midwestern towns, finding humor in the experiences that shaped us, and why some of the best comedy comes from years of learning to protect yourself. Along the way, we take a very Gen X detour into the state of musical theatre, missing Broadway divas, and the art of a well-timed comeback.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Ron:Insta: @RPopp773RonPopp.comFind Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

Katie MacLean-Peters describes herself as a survivor. But in the last decade, her life has truly begun. In this conversation, Katie shares how curiosity, tenacity, therapy, and a healthy dose of whimsy led her to reinvent herself in her 60s, including returning to college to pursue a lifelong dream. We talk about learning Spanish for her cat, the unexpected joy of hiding kindness gnomes for strangers to find, and what happens when you push past the trauma and finally give yourself permission to embrace joy. Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Katie:Insta: @undercoverkindnessgnomesTikTok: @OneRubySlipperUndercover Kindness GnomesFind Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

When Beckie Durfee moved back to her hometown of Alpena, Michigan, she wasn't looking for a new calling. She was looking for a job.What started as a substitute teaching position led her into special education, a field she never expected to enter and now can't imagine leaving. In this episode, Beckie shares how an unexpected opportunity became a career with purpose, what it's been like to return to school in her 40s, and why it's never too late to start something new.The conversation also explores the complicated pull of hometowns, the loss of parents, and the friendships that help us navigate life's biggest transitions.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

For most of her life, Dr. Jenny Cresswell was focused on one question: How do I make this work? As a single mom, first-generation college student, opera performer, teacher, and relentless problem-solver, she always found a way forward. Then, at 45, everything changed. Jenny fell in love for the first time, discovered she was a lesbian, and began learning a lesson she'd never had time for before: how to slow down and experience joy. This episode is about audacity, authenticity, and the unexpected ways life can still surprise us—no matter our age. Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Follow Dr. Jenny: InstagramTikTokFollow Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

Greg Fine spent years chasing success, leadership, and the next milestone. Then a personal crisis forced him to reconsider everything he thought achievement was supposed to bring.In this episode, Greg shares the story of rebuilding his life on his own terms, finding purpose beyond titles, embracing adventure, and learning that there's a difference between being relevant and knowing you matter. It's an honest conversation about reinvention, resilience, and having the courage to jump.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Follow Greg Fine: WebsiteTravel Like GregFollow Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

In this episode of Later in Life, Bob talks with Eden Lane, a longtime broadcast journalist who discovered a passion for playwriting and hasn't looked back. In just over a year, Eden has written a half dozen plays, including one recently named a semifinalist for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference.The conversation explores creativity, reinvention, and why some of our most meaningful chapters begin long after we think they've passed us by. Along the way, Bob and Eden discover surprising similarities in their own creative journeys and discuss what it means to keep evolving, learning, and taking risks later in life.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Follow Eden Lane:EdenLane.org@EdenLane on InstagramNew Play ExchangeFollow Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail

At 58 years old, Steve Roberts decided to try something he had always wanted to do: community theatre. What began as a leap outside his comfort zone became a joyful new chapter that has resonated with thousands online and inspired people to reconsider what’s possible later in life.In this conversation, Steve shares what finally pushed him to audition, the fears and self-doubt he had to overcome, the community he discovered along the way, and why it’s never too late to pursue something that calls to you.Join the Later in Life Facebook group for episode discussions and more!Find Steve on TikTok at @Steevo1967Follow Broadway Bob: Insta: @TheBroadwayBobTikTok: @BroadwayBobBobBullen.comEmail