Sam Denia is quite simply one of the loveliest people we’ve ever had in the studio - and one with the most strings to his bow (pun intended).

In 2025, Sam understudied in Stereophonic - the most Tony Award-nominated play in history. In this episode, he gives us a fascinating insight into what it’s like to work on a show of that scale, covering performances from an extraordinary cast including actors who have won Tony Awards for the very roles he covered, as well as Olivier Award nominees such as Zachary Hart (nominated for Stereophonic and The Seagull).

But Sam’s role went far beyond covering actors. In a show built around a live band, we hear how Sam also had to be ready to step in with instruments - a completely different kind of pressure that demands precision, musicality, and total calm under fire.

Alongside this, Sam talks about taking on the iconic role of Frank Spencer in a stage adaptation of Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, and what it was like bringing such a beloved, well-known character to life again.

More than anything, this is an episode about what happens when people truly support one another, and about the quiet encouragement and generosity that stays with you long after you’ve finished a job.

Sam Denia - You’re On Tonight.

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

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Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan.

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/youreontonight

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura White is an inspiration. Not only has she been in everything in the last decade from The Play That Goes Wrong to BBC’s Doctors, she’s also been one of the leading voices shaping the culture of British theatre.

Laura has incredible stories from her time understudying – from being called back to play a role she’d not performed for over three years, to what it’s like when The Play That Goes Wrong… goes wrong.

But this episode is also about something much more.

In 2020, Laura set up the Page One Project – a mentorship programme supporting emerging artists from the global majority. At the same time, she began working with Applause For Thought, providing mental health support for actors and artists in the creative community.

Laura tells us why she works so passionately to support others in the industry, why it’s important to ask for help, and how her experience understudying in the West End made her realise she could be the change she needed to see.

Laura White – You’re on Tonight

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

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Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan.

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan Armstrong has been in some of the most exciting shows in the world. From Cats, to Avenue Q, to currently starring in The Producers, Megan has been working as an understudy, swing, and performer non-stop in her career.

But she has also played one of the most famous - and secretive - roles in the history of theatre. In 2021, Megan was hired to play ‘The Woman’ in the long-running West End production The Woman In Black.

And she wasn’t allowed to tell a soul.

We find out what it was like to play a role shrouded in secrecy, our most last minute you're on tonight story ever and what happens when touring shows overseas and things get lost in translation. We hear tales of trampoline terror, cast mates missing entrances, and why it's okay to not want to do eight shows a week.

Megan Armstrong - You’re On Tonight.

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

Instagram @youreontonight

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YouTube @youreontonight

Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan.

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/youreontonight

www.youtube.com/youreontonight

www.tiktok.com/youreontonight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgie Staight is working on some of the most exciting and dynamic productions in theatre today. From Hamlet at the National Theatre to the West End and Broadway smash-hit Operation Mincemeat, she’s built a career shaping performances both on and off stage.

But what does a director actually do?

In this episode, Georgie pulls back the curtain on the rehearsal room. She explains the different roles a director plays throughout a process, the crucial differences between a director and an associate director, and what it really takes to build trust with a cast.

We also talk about what it’s like to work on one of the biggest hits in theatre, and the fascinating differences between working in the West End and on Broadway - from rehearsal culture to performance pressure.

Along the way, Georgie shares her experiences working with comedy duo Flo and Joan, why she’s such a champion of new writing, and answers the question every actor and creative wants to know: how do you actually network with integrity?

This is an episode about leadership, collaboration, and what it really takes to bring a show to life.

Georgie Staight - You’re On Tonight.

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

Instagram @youreontonight

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Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/youreontonight

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eddie Marsan has built one of the most extraordinary acting careers in Britain. From Ray Donovan and Ridley Road to blockbusters like Vera Drake, Back to Black, and Sherlock Holmes, he’s almost never been off our screens. But now, for the first time, Eddie talks about his return to the stage after 24 years.

In May, Eddie appeared in the Young Vic’s production of An Oak Tree, where he was forced to step onstage - without ever having seen the script - and perform in front of a live audience. In this episode, Eddie talks honestly about what it was like to walk into that unknown, why he chose that moment to return to theatre, and how it felt to put his trust entirely in the hands of another actor.

Eddie is also fiercely passionate about the craft of acting. From profit-share theatre above pubs to Hollywood blockbusters, Eddie explains why he believes fantastic acting can be found everywhere, and why understudies deserve far more respect than they currently receive.

Along the way, we talk nepotism, working-class representation in the arts, and why he believes an actor should be able to play anyone.

Eddie Marsan - You're On Tonight.

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

Instagram @youreontonight

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YouTube @youreontonight

Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicola Espallardo is a trailblazer. Not only has she appeared in some of the biggest musicals in the world (Les Miserables, Hamilton), she was also the first Asian person to play Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked. All before the age of 30.

Nicola has done what many only hope to do - she’s achieved her dream. In this episode she talks about not only how empowering that felt, but why it can also lead to the scariest moment in any career: figuring out what comes next.

Along the way, we hear truly sensational stories that shine a spotlight on what really goes on in theatre’s biggest shows. Nicola tells us about being hurriedly painted green when she had to go on mid-show for one of the most iconic roles in musical theatre, what happens when you forget your lines and your scene partner has to improvise you both a way out of it, and how to deal with audience members filming your performance night after night.

Nicola also shares the pride of being able to represent her community on stage, as well as explaining the pressures that run alongside that. She’s an incredible, inspiring guest in so many ways.

Nicola Espallardo, You’re on Tonight.

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If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

Instagram @youreontonight

TikTok @youreontonight

YouTube @youreontonight

Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/youreontonight

www.youtube.com/youreontonight

www.tiktok.com/youreontonight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Tarkenter is a rare thing - an actor who simply hasn’t stopped working. For decades he’s graced some of the country’s most iconic stages - The National, The Old Vic, The Globe - alongside theatrical heavyweights including Alan Cumming, Bertie Carvel, Daniel Radcliffe, Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn.

And then there’s the story that left us speechless.

In 2021, David understudied Ralph Fiennes in a one-man production starring and directed by Ralph Fiennes. He talks about the relentless preparation, the psychological pressure of covering a titan, and the moment he had to step into that spotlight alone.

In this episode, he tells us what it’s really like to understudy not only famous actors, but famous people. From stepping into the shoes of Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the Old Vic, to performing on opening night - this is high-wire acting at its most intense.

This is an episode about resilience. David shares his hard-won wisdom for actors and non-actors alike - and proves why longevity in this industry is anything but luck. And to top it all off, he has a voice like melting butter.

David Tarkenter - You’re On Tonight

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

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Strictly Come Dancing winner and star of Coronation Street, Ellie Leach, had her stage debut as Miss Scarlett in 2024 in Cluedo 2. Hannah Boyce starred opposite her, directed the show while it was on the road, and also understudied Ellie.

Here, for the first time ever, Ellie tells us how terrified she felt about performing for live theatre, and Hannah gives her own experiences of what it’s like for an actor to develop stage fright. Along the way, we hear the most incredible stories from Ellie and Hannah’s careers - wigs going wayward on the Strictly Tour, mad moustaches and getting the giggles on stage, and what it’s like to rehearse sex scenes as an understudy.

Reflecting on their careers, Ellie and Hannah also share what’s next. Fear, first nights, and the thrill of facing the crowd - this is the kind of honesty you only hear when the rehearsal room doors are closed.

Ellie Leach & Hannah Boyce - You’re On Tonight.

If you enjoyed the show, you can follow us at:

Instagram @youreontonight

TikTok @youreontonight

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Get in contact at: youreontonight@gmail.com

Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner & Liam Horrigan

Produced by and recorded at The Sound Company, London.

For The Sound Company: Dom Boucher, Luke Nagy, Gareth Wood & Nick Thackeray-Cron alongside Freya Baldwin & Seb Stone.

Show image by Louisa Sexton.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

Get in touch:

youreontonight@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/youreontonight

www.youtube.com/youreontonight

www.tiktok.com/youreontonight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.