Episode 21 - Tony Award-winning Actor & Author Ali Stroker (Only Murders in the Building) / Assistant Director Ru Kazi (Welcome to Chippendales)

Things Are Going Great For Me with J. Claude Deering

Welcome back! To another BRAND NEW season of Things Are Going Great For Me: The Podcast. In our first episode of Season 3 J. Claude Deering (Twitter/Instagram) chats with author and Tony Award-winning actor Ali Stroker (Only Murders In The Building/Hulu). Ali is a Tony Award-winning actor for her role as ‘Ado Annie’ in the 2019 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West’s acclaimed 2015 revival of Spring Awakening. She can be seen as a series regular on Netflix’s number one show of 2022, “Echoes”, as well as on Hulu’s highest rated series, “Only Murders in the Building." She also recurred on Netflix in “Ozark” and on ABC's “Ten Days in the Valley”. The past summer Ali starred in Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Richard III as Anne. She’s also performed concerts around the country in venues including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Carnegie Hall. In 2022, Audible Originals released her one-woman show, "An Evening With Ali Stroker". Ali is the proud author of the acclaimed 2021 novel, The Chance to Fly, while 2022 saw the publication of her children’s book, Ali and the Sea Stars.

Followed by a second interview with Assistant Director Ru Kazi (Welcome to Chippendales/Hulu). A multi-talented artist, and our first ever Assistant Director on the podcast. Ru is currently completing the Directors Guild Producer Training Program, with a specialization in Assistant Directing. They are currently working on various hit streaming series including Freeform’s Good Trouble and the upcoming Hulu series Welcome to Chippendales, starring Kumail Nanjiani. Also a graduate of the Stella Adler Conservatory Ru has acted in both contemporary and classical plays, they’ve also directed plays, and they’ve made numerous television appearances in shows such as 2 BROKE GIRLS, NCIS and a recurring role on NBC’s THE GOOD PLACE. Ru also made several award-winning short films, including LAST TO REPEAT, nominated for 12 awards. Ru regularly performs improv comedy as a main-stage player at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and The Second City’s Hollywood branch. In Ru’s free time, they plays drums in a social justice punk rock band that regularly plays at famed Sunset Strip venues such as Whiskey-a-Go-Go and The Rainbow Room. Stick around for Ru’s interview, we promise you, you’re not gonna want to miss it.

J. Claude is also joined by his producer and co-host Winston Carter (Twitter/Instagram) to chat the funniest celebrity to pass on this season of the podcast. It's "inconceivable!"

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