The Business of Show Business

Canadian performer Laura June Ness moved to London the day after her 31st birthday with no UK training, no connections and one goal: the West End. Less than a year later, she debuted in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. In this episode, Jamie Body and Laura cover why the UK industry is more gatekept than New York, how she secured the Global Talent Visa as an ensemble dancer, why cruise ships and theme parks should never be looked down on, and how she pitched herself into a social media captain role inside her own show. Plus: the “staircase method” for goal setting, how to write emails that sell your skills, and why it’s not always the most talented performer who works, but the most discoverable. 🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms 📲 Follow Laura: @laura.june.ness 📲 Follow Jamie: @bodyjamie #TheBusinessOfShowBusiness #WestEnd #MusicalTheatre #DancerLife #GlobalTalentVisa #HarryPotterAndTheCursedChild

After sold-out runs in Cardiff and at the National Theatre, Pride is transferring to the Bridge Theatre this November. In this special mini episode, Jamie Body sits down with BAFTA-winning writer Stephen Beresford and Tony-nominated actor Samuel Barnett to talk about bringing the true story of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners to the stage. Stephen explains what a musical can do that the film couldn’t, including how a song about the Sexual Offences Act conveys information in a way a scene on screen never could. He also talks about having Pride and his new film Elsinore, which is opening at the BFI London Film Festival, both landing at the same time. Samuel shares how a three-week workshop turned into what felt like a long audition, why he wasn’t ready to let go of playing Jonathan, and what he’s learned from shows that transfer, from The History Boys to Pride. They finish with advice for drama students and early-career writers and actors trying to get a foot on the ladder in a changing industry. 🎟 Pride the Musical runs at the Bridge Theatre in London from 12 November. 🎧 Listen to the full podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major platforms 📱 Follow Jamie: @bodyjamie 🌐 jamiebody.com #PrideMusical #BridgeTheatre #StephenBeresford #SamuelBarnett #WestEnd #MusicalTheatre #TheBusinessOfShowBusiness #LGSM #TheatrePodcast

In 2009, Adrian Gas danced on Take That's record-breaking Circus Tour. Seventeen years later, he came back to choreograph it. Adrian is a dancer, choreographer, movement director and creative director. He has performed with Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Kylie and Rihanna, and worked on The Voice and Strictly Come Dancing. In this episode, Jamie Body sits down with him to talk about moving from the stage to the other side of the panel, and what really decides who gets booked. Adrian grew up in his mum's dance school in Ibiza, the son of a pianist and the grandson and son of Tiller Girls. He shares how winning a choreographic competition at Performers College planted the first seed, and why years of assisting taught him more than anything else. He also explains why the dance steps are often the easy part of a choreographer's job. He is refreshingly honest about casting. He talks about the height, hair colour, passport and budget decisions you will never hear about, and why worrying about them gets you nowhere. He also covers what makes a good email to a choreographer, why you should never go past two minutes on a showreel, and why lateness is the quickest way off his next job. In this episode: From Ibiza to Performers College, and falling in love with commercial dance Assistant to choreographer: the skills that led him there Reimagining Take That's Circus 17 years on, and reinventing Relight My Fire Working with Kim Gavin, a creative who won't take no for an answer Why networking is really just being a good human Emails, follow-ups and research: what gets you remembered Showreels: front-load your best work What happens behind the audition panel Does your follower count matter? How to practise your way out of audition nerves Quick-fire round: Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake and a bottle that wasn't water Connect with Adrian: adriangas.com Connect with Jamie: Website: jamiebody.com Instagram: @bodyjamie The Business of Show Business is the podcast about the entertainment industry through a business and career lens, for performers and creatives who want a career, not just a job. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and review. It really helps the show reach more people.

James Rowell and Natalie Dawson both started as performers, and now they have built a creative studio producing shows for Hampton Court Palace, London Zoo, Camden Market and cruise lines worldwide. In this episode James and Natalie of JR Creative Group pull back the curtain on what actually gets a performer hired, rehired and remembered — and why the most talented person in the audition room often isn't the one they book. In this episode, we get into how you actually make the move from stage to studio: pitching, budgeting, scope creep, and the unglamorous business skills nobody teaches at drama school. They also open up the casting inbox — 300 emails per call-out, and exactly what makes one stand out. We cover: - Why personality and reliability get you rebooked more often than technique - Always asking for a budget, even a ballpark, before you go blue-sky - Scope creep and the cost of being a pleaser - The full Hampton Court Palace Christmas timeline: pitch to opening night - Casting email etiquette, headshots and CVs that actually work - Why resorts, cruise ships and holiday camps are the best training you'll get - Pricing your day rate to cover overheads, savings and a pension - Networking alone, and why relationships come years before contracts - Making the transition from performer to creative director Follow the show wherever you listen, and find more at jamiebody.com.

Scott Garnham has lived the full arc of show business — West End leads in Les Mis and Billy Elliot, a Netflix film, and now co-founder of the Barricade Boys and Sisco Entertainment Group, producing shows across cruise ships, US tours and the West End. Jamie Body sits down with Scott to talk life on and after the stage: why the industry is unfair and owes you nothing, the transferable skills performers underestimate, how to pitch and pack a show, what actually stands out in auditions, and why every performer needs to think of themselves as a business. Perfect for performers, producers and creatives — on stage or behind the scenes — who want the real, unfiltered business side of the industry they love. Follow Sisco Entertainment and The Business of Show Business for more.