PODCAST · arts
Why I‘ll Never Make It
by Patrick Oliver Jones
The actor’s journey is one of occasional highs and frequent lows. It is a path riddled with self-doubt and frustration as we question our career choices, wondering if we’ll ever really ”make it.” But it is those few moments of glory on stage or screen that can sustain us through all the setbacks and challenges. On this award-winning podcast, New York actor Patrick Oliver Jones invites fellow creatives to share three stories that offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creative life rarely seen in the glitz and glam of this industry. These conversations remind us we’re not alone in this often bumpy and winding journey of the performing arts.
Episodes
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FINAL FIVE: Sydney Kane, Comedic Actress and Writer
The wonderful Sydney Kane is back to answer the Final Five Questions and share some memorable auditions stories. This is a continuation of our previous conversation, an honest and humorous deep dive into her artistic journey. From memories of her first professional show to navigating the…
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Sydney Kane Brings Laughter to Her Life and Acting Career
When the to-do list starts piling up, it’s easy to put off the things that matter most. After nearly six months of unemployment since my last show, I’ve found myself doing exactly that: staying up too late, sleeping in, snacking, spending an hour on a self-tape and then finding plenty of ways to...
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FINAL FIVE: Rachel Lin, Embracing Uncertainty and Trusting the Journey
Theater is a world of breakthrough performances and backstage challenges and is as cherished for its camaraderie as it is notorious for its pressures. After a wonderful initial conversation, Rachel Lin is back for an illuminating discussion, bringing her perspective as a creator, collaborator…
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Rachel Lin Brings Asian Representation to Law & Order and Creates Her Own Work
Actors today are expected to do far more than wait for the next audition. Increasingly, they're becoming writers, producers, directors, and creators of their own work. Rachel Lin has embraced all of those roles, but not without first overcoming expectations that her life should have taken a very...
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FINAL FIVE: New York Theater Company with Katherine Winter, Josh Zacher, and John Kroft
Katherine Winter, Josh Zacher, and John Kroft from the New York Theater Company are back for an honest, insightful, and often humorous exploration of what it truly takes to carve out a meaningful career in the performing arts. Listen as these talented artists share their most memorable—and...
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New York Theatre Company Takes Performance Off the Stage and Into the Streets
Step behind the scenes of the innovative New York Theatre Company with Katherine Winter, Josh Zacher, and John Kroft—the creative team behind their latest groundbreaking production, the immersive outdoor dance experience The Circuit. Katherine draws inspiration from classic Hollywood and Barbra...
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FINAL FIVE: Michael Kostroff, Actor in Dog Day Afternoon
Showbiz is full of uncertainty, self-doubt, and surprising moments of joy, a reality that even the most seasoned actors face long after their Broadway debuts. In this episode, celebrated stage and screen actor Michael Kostroff returns for a refreshingly honest and uplifting conversation—no roles,...
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Michael Kostroff Sees Performing as a Calling and Everyday He Answers That Call
What does it really take to build a lasting career as an actor? For Michael Kostroff, the answer is persistence. Michael was actually one of the first guests to ever come on this podcast, and throughout this 10th season, you’ll get to hear from a few returning guests as they share lessons and...
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FINAL FIVE: Katerina Papacostas, Chess on Broadway
In the previous episode, you heard stories from Katerina Papacostas, where we got into her theater experiences as a 19-year-old as well as her current show, Chess, and filling in for the lead role of Florence Vassy. But there’s more to uncover! And she’s back to answer the Final Five Questions…
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Katerina Papacostas Is Making All the Right Moves in Chess on Broadway
Broadway performer Katerina Papacostas joins the opening episode of Season 10! She has spent years of working in on tours, on Broadway, and across regional theatre. Currently appearing in the Tony Award–nominated revival of Chess, Kat recently stepped into the lead role of Florence Vassy, filling...
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A Look Back at Lynn Nottage Shaping Stories That Matter in American Theater
As actors, it’s easy to get caught up in auditions, roles, and the day-to-day work of performing, often without stepping back to consider the larger forces shaping the stories we’re asked to tell. Playwright Lynn Nottage operates on that larger scale. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and one of…
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A Look Back at J. Harrison Ghee & Caroline Bowman Before the Breakthrough Moments
Identity can feel like a moving target in the performing arts—something shaped not only by the roles actors play on stage, but by the expectations placed on them offstage as well. In this episode, recorded in 2019 at the Muny in St. Louis, J. Harrison Ghee and Caroline Bowman sit down to talk…
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A Look Back at Ann Harada and Finding Longevity as an Actor
No matter what it is that initially motivates someone to be in the arts, it could be the craft or the people or the fame, there is one thing I think we all strive for: longevity. Besides finding consistent work, which is certainly no small task, the foundation of a long career is figuring out…
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A Look Back at Adrienne Walker Navigating Rejection as a Broadway Actor
Rejection is a constant in this business, even when you’ve had success. Some days you take it in stride, other days it can really sink in deeper than you expect. I’ve had plenty of moments where I questioned whether I was on the right path, wondering if I should leave New York or perhaps find...
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A Look Back at Misha Osherovich and Breaking Free from Body Image Pressures in Theater
After seeing Misha Osherovich in an Off-Broadway production of A Clockwork Orange, I began following Misha’s work and perspective online. A couple of years later, a deeply personal post about body image and eating disorder struggles stopped me in my tracks—speaking to something many of us face in...
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A Look Back at Sharon Catherine Brown and a Legacy of Passion and Joy for Theater
Growing up, it was my mother who sang in the church choir about the time I was joining the children’s choir, and my aunt spent her young adult years performing as a jazz singer. But I’m actually the first in my family to pursue a full-time career in theater. That gave me a certain freedom to find...
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A Look Back at Anthony Rapp, From The Little Prince to Seasons of Love
Since making my Broadway debut in Beetlejuice last year, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it actually means to “make it” in this business. It took me twenty years from my first Broadway audition to finally getting that credit, with plenty of near misses along the way. But imagine…
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A Look Back at Lisa Howard Defining Success on Her Own Terms in Broadway Musicals
After working with Lisa Howard in 2022 on a production of 42nd Street at Goodspeed in Connecticut, she sat down with me the following year to chat about her career and of course reminisce about our time together doing that show. She is so spirited and cheerful, and that’s reason enough to love…
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A Look Back at Geoffrey Owens and the Dignity of Work Beyond Broadway and Television
I think most of us actors hope to be in a hit Broadway show or a popular film or highly rated TV show. But for those actors lucky enough to be in one, it can sometimes be all you’re known for and all your other work either goes unnoticed or forgotten. For example, you’ll hear from Anthony Rapp in…
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A Look Back at John McGinty and His Persistence as a Deaf Actor on the Broadway Stage
As Why I’ll Never Make It approaches its tenth season, this special retrospective looks back at ten conversations that helped shape the podcast and transformed a simple interview into a meaningful message for us all. This episode features John McGinty, a deaf actor who lost his hearing at a young...
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What Does “Making It” Even Mean? — A Look Back at Ten Conversations
As Why I’ll Never Make It approaches its tenth season, this special retrospective looks back at ten conversations that helped shape this podcast in meaningful and profound ways. Since 2017, this has been a place to talk honestly about a career built on uncertainty, rejection, hope, and…
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Kate Baldwin Finds Creative Purpose Beyond Just Performing (REWIND)
This past fall 2025 I got to see two of my favorite leading ladies on stage. The first was Christine Sherrill, who was making her Broadway debut in Mamma Mia. She and I had first worked together in the out-of-town tryout for First Wives Club back in 2015 that ran for about a month and a half in...
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Justin Collette Brings Beetlejuice to Life at the Palace Theatre (Season 9 Finale)
Step inside the dressing room with Beetlejuice's Justin Collette for a behind-the-scenes conversation that’s equal parts bone broth and backstage banter. From the rock riffs of School of Rock to the undead hilarity of Beetlejuice, Justin shares his wild ride from Canadian improv star and punk…
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Jen Rudolph on the Business of Acting
Being an actor requires a constant balancing act between showing up creatively and understanding how the industry actually functions. And Jen Rudolph has spent years operating at the intersection of casting, coaching, and strategy. She shows actors how to become clearer, more intentional...
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David Bushman Proves There’s No Expiration Date on a Theater Career
Chicago is now celebrating 29 years on Broadway, with multiple national and international companies as well. And for more than two decades David Bushman has been a part of various Chicago productions around the world. But what makes David’s story remarkable isn’t just his longevity with the...
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FINAL FIVE: Trisha Paytas, YouTuber and Broadway Performer in Beetlejuice
The previous episode with Trisha Paytas covered so much ground, from her recent Broadway debut in Beetlejuice to her rise as a YouTube star. But one of the best parts of every conversation is when we get to discuss the Final Five Questions. It’s where we hear about personal lessons, hopes for the...
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Trisha Paytas on Media, Missteps, and Making Her Broadway Debut
Trisha Paytas joins the podcast to talk about her unexpected and much-talked-about Broadway debut in Beetlejuice. She shares what drew her to the show, how the opportunity came about, and what it’s been like stepping into a completely new kind of spotlight. We also get into her family background...
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Apologizing for My Own "Why I’ll Never Make It" Moment...
In this brief update, I open up about the last several weeks—Broadway opening week, getting sick, and a recent injury—and how all of it pulled me away from releasing new episodes. I share what’s been going on, why the silence stretched longer than I wanted, and how grateful I am for the patience...
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FINAL FIVE: Abbie Goldberg & Mason McDowell, Musical Theater Writers
In the previous episode, Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell dove into their new musical 504 as well as the obstacles they’ve faced trying to produce their own works, and it was such an insightful conversation. But there’s still so much more to explore! That’s why I’m thrilled to have Abbie and…
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Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell Turn a Movement Into a Musical
Writers Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell are the creative team behind 504: The Musical — a new show inspired by the real-life 1977 sit-in that ignited the disability rights movement. What started as a 25-day protest in San Francisco became a landmark moment in history, paving the way for the...
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Historias Hispanas en Español - Bianca Marroquín, Luis Salgado y Mas (REWIND)
Bienvenidos y gracias por acompañarnos en esta edición especial de Why I’ll Never Make It! En esta segunda parte de mi serie sobre historias hispanas, escucharán a mis invitados anteriores compartir sus propias historias y experiencias en español. Roberto Araujo y Final Five Bianca Marroquín y...
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Hispanic Stories in English - Matt Zambrano and Dan Domingues (REWIND)
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, I wanted to share a episode from 2020. This is part one in a series of former Hispanic guests of the podcast coming back to share their stories in their own words. The second part - la segunda parte - will be en español. Matt Zambrano was the very…
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Audition Stories 2025 with Lynn Nottage, Aubie Merrylees, Elizabeth Hess, Simon Tam, and More!
It’s been several seasons since the last time Audition Stories took center stage, but they’re finally back — and this time with a brand-new collection of unforgettable moments from the audition room. These are the kinds of stories that stick with you long after the casting table has cleared: the...
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FINAL FIVE: Jennifer Apple, Actress and Founder of Empowered Artists Collective
Jennifer Apple returns for this bonus episode to tackle the Final Five Questions. From her very first professional show of Spring Awakening to the lessons she’s still learning today, Jennifer opens up about how she defines success, the advice she’d give her younger self, and the changes she hopes...
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Jennifer Apple Turns Setbacks Into Artistic Growth and Community
A serious back injury could have ended her career before it really began. Instead, it became the turning point that led to new opportunities—earning an MFA at ACT in San Francisco, training in Italy, and finding fresh ways to grow as a performer. In this episode, we talk about resilience…
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FINAL FIVE: Patricia McGregor, Artistic Director of New York Theater Workshop
Patricia McGregor’s first steps into the world of professional theater were marked by a sense of awe and a drive to make every moment matter. From performing under Orlando’s bright lights as a child to taking on demanding roles and responsibilities backstage in New York, Patricia learned early…
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Patricia McGregor on Making Bold, Tough Choices and Shaping the Future of Theater
Patricia McGregor’s journey to becoming artistic director of New York Theatre Workshop has been anything but linear. Growing up in the Virgin Islands, she and her sister created performances wherever they could, laying the foundation for a lifelong devotion to storytelling. Later, in New York,...
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Sònia Victoria Werner Is Reshaping the Arts By Making Space For Women
From childhood improv classes to building a women-led production company, Sònia Victoria Werner has carved out an artistic path that’s as bold as it is inspiring. An actor, writer, producer, director, makeup artist, content creator, and entrepreneur, she thrives on telling authentic stories that...
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FINAL FIVE: Sònia Victoria Werner, Co-Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Ladies
In the previous episode, Sònia Victoria Werner and I dove into her background as an artist and the creation of Lighthouse Ladies, and while that was such an insightful conversation, there’s still so much more to explore! That’s why I’m thrilled to have Sonia back here with me for the Final Five...
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FINAL FIVE: Joseph Zellnik, Musical Theater Composer and Author
Joseph Zellnik is back for a candid and insightful bonus conversation about his journey as a writer and composer in the world of musical theater. Through these five final questions, Joseph shares personal stories from his early career including the lessons learned from his first professional show...
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Joseph Zellnik Combines Murder, Mystery, and Musical Theater
Joseph Zellnik is a musical theater composer, and along with his playwright brother David they are best known for their 2010 musical, Yank! This Off-Broadway production picked up Best Musical nominations from the Drama Desk Awards, the Outer Critics’ Circle, and the Lucille Lortel Foundation....
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FINAL FIVE: Nick Rashad Burroughs, Broadway Actor in Kinky Boots and King Kong
In the previous episode, we explored Nick Rashad Burroughs' journey from Alabama to Broadway. And now we're getting even more personal. Join us as Nick answers the Final Five questions, revealing key lessons he's learned, his hopes for the performing arts industry, and what truly drives him as an...
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Nick Rashad Burroughs Embraces His True Self and Finds a Path to Broadway
Think Alabama isn't a breeding ground for Broadway stars? Think again! This week, we're joined by the phenomenal Nick Rashad Burroughs, who defies expectations and proves that talent truly knows no geographical bounds. From his early life in a deeply religious family in Birmingham, Alabama…
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Theater Tol Takes Performing Arts to New Heights - Hannah Snow and Benjamien Lycke
Theater Tol was founded in 1998 by Lot Seuntjens, and this international company became known for its multidisciplinary performances, using images, drama, music, amd hardly any spoken text. And while they do perform all over the world, They don't use conventional theaters, instead preferring...
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FINAL FIVE: Ravi Jain & Miriam Fernandes, Artistic Directors of Why Not Theatre in Toronto
In the previous episode, Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes shared the winding paths that led them to co-lead Why Not Theatre, and how they’ve forged careers on their own terms. It was an incredibly honest and inspiring conversation—but there’s still more ground to cover. That’s why I’m so glad to…
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Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes Push the Bounds of Theater and Keep Asking Why Not
Toronto is home to the third-largest English-speaking theatre district in the world—and at the heart of its thriving independent scene is Why Not Theatre, co-led by Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes. In this episode, they share their winding and deeply personal journeys through an industry that…
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FINAL FIVE: Aubie Merrylees, Actor in BOOP! and a Theater Coach
Now in his third Broadway show, Aubie answers five final questions about his career and theater journey.In this bonus episode, Aubie Merrylees returns to answer the Final Five—a set of questions I ask every guest to close out their time on the podcast. From memories of his first professional show...
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Aubie Merrylees on the Joys of BOOP! and the Disappointments of KPOP
With Boop! The Musical earning three Tony nominations this year—including Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, and Best Leading Actress for Jasmine Amy Rogers—I’m joined by cast member Aubie Merrylees for a conversation that goes beyond the awards buzz. We talk about the fun and energy of…
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Tony Winner J. Harrison Ghee Finds Joy and Freedom in Theater and in Life
Every June, Broadway’s biggest night reminds us just how thrilling and transformative live theater can be. The Tony Awards don’t just celebrate excellence—they spotlight the stories, the voices, and the people who are shaping the stage and pushing it forward. Since 1947, the Tonys have been...
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SPOTLIGHT: Stephanie Torns Brings Broadway to EPIC Players
This is a special presentation of The Spotlight Series, which highlights organization making a difference in the arts and beyond... Stephanie Torns is a Broadway actress known for her standout roles in the Broadway hits like Wicked and Waitress. Over the past decade she has shown incredible...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The actor’s journey is one of occasional highs and frequent lows. It is a path riddled with self-doubt and frustration as we question our career choices, wondering if we’ll ever really ”make it.” But it is those few moments of glory on stage or screen that can sustain us through all the setbacks and challenges. On this award-winning podcast, New York actor Patrick Oliver Jones invites fellow creatives to share three stories that offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creative life rarely seen in the glitz and glam of this industry. These conversations remind us we’re not alone in this often bumpy and winding journey of the performing arts.
HOSTED BY
Patrick Oliver Jones
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Why I‘ll Never Make It have?
Why I‘ll Never Make It currently has 416 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Why I‘ll Never Make It about?
The actor’s journey is one of occasional highs and frequent lows. It is a path riddled with self-doubt and frustration as we question our career choices, wondering if we’ll ever really ”make it.” But it is those few moments of glory on stage or screen that can sustain us through all the setbacks...
How often does Why I‘ll Never Make It release new episodes?
Why I‘ll Never Make It publishes regularly with 416 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Why I‘ll Never Make It?
You can listen to Why I‘ll Never Make It on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Why I‘ll Never Make It?
Why I‘ll Never Make It is created and hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones.
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