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Lauren Azania is currently on tour as Alternate Sylvia in Sylvia, after previously appearing in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Hadestown and Close Up: The Twiggy Muiscal (amongst others). This conversation explores Lauren's journey as a performer in the theatre industry while balancing motherhood. It delves into her transition from a marketing career to performing, the challenges of childcare, and her advocacy for job-sharing in the performing arts. We talk about Lauren's intense experiences with childbirth, focusing on her struggles with preeclampsia and the emotional journey of having premature babies. Lauren speaks about the importance of support, advocacy, and personal resilience in navigating the challenges of motherhood and the healthcare system. You can find Lauren @laurenazania Original music by Steve Rushton

In this chat with Gemma Atkins (Wicked, Evita, Starlight Express, Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots) we talk about her career in musical theatre, her experiences as a mother, and her journey back to work after having her two boys. It's great to hear Gemma talk so positively about her experience of the working hours for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and how wonderful the team were and how she manages the juggle with both her and her husband working in the industry. I found it fascinating to hear how different her experiences of pregnancy were from one job to the other and how she was treated within the industry. We discuss ectopic pregnancy* You can find her @gemmaatkins03 Original music by Steve Rushton

Jamie Birkett (Les Miserables, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Into the Woods) spoke to me about her experience of being transferred to Great Ormond Street hospital shortly after giving birth, with her newborn diagnosed with hirschsprung's disease. She talks about how she navigated early parenthood while being in hospital and dealing with various surgeries for her little boy, Dylan and the inevitable PTSD that came afterwards. We also cover Jamie's return to work and how she managed to head back out on tour with a 4 month old in tow and she hasn't let his diagnosis hold him (or her!) back. Find Jamie @jkmbirkett @showbizmums Original music by Steve Rushton

Laura Selwood, a former theater actress, transitioned to become a midwife after having children. She had previously appeared in shows such as Ghost, Waitress, Mamma Mia and Never Forget before embarking on her journey to studying midwifery. She shares her experiences of pregnancy, the challenge of balancing theatre work and her reasons why she chose to leave the industry and speaks with such passion and determination when describing the emotional impact of facilitating births and helping new mothers. @showbizmums Original music by Steve Rushton

Felicity French is a Casting Director at Cameron Mackintosh Limited, the production company of shows such as Hamilton, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Felicity has recently given birth to twin girls, as well as raising her 4 year old son, Miles. We covered the challenges of balancing motherhood and career, her experience of twin pregnancy and childbirth, and the transition from acting to casting. We also discussed how job sharing works at CML reflecting on the challenges and opportunities it presents. Original music by Steve Rushton

Broadway sensation, Rebecca Faulkenberry has appeared in shows such as Rock of Ages, Groundhog Day and Spiderman Turn of the Dark.... (at time of recording!) She talks about her experience with pregnancy, childbirth, and the challenges of navigating her career while being a mum. She provides valuable insights into the intersection of motherhood and professional life and delves into the challenges of navigating pregnancy while pursuing acting opportunities. Rebecca was so generous with her time and please stick around for her update in the last 15 minutes of the episode. *Minor sound issues due to signal, I apologise! Rebecca can be found @beccafaulkenberry @showbizmums Original music by Steve Rushton

Welcome back to Season 2 of Showbiz Mums. In this chat, I talk to Lucy Williams as she is about to embark on a flexible working scheme at the National theatre as a sound engineer. We discuss her journey through pregnancy and childbirth, the challenges of returning to work while parenting, and the impact of COVID-19 on family life. Lucy also emphasizes the importance of vocalizing challenges and advocating for work-life balance and the need for greater support for working mothers in the industry. Find Lucy online @lucy_mae_mum @showbizmums Original music by Steve Rushton

In this chat, Melissa Jacques (Just For One Day, Mamma Mia, Wicked, Spend Spend Spend) covers her experiences as a working mum in the theatre industry, including her pregnancies, her comedy descriptions of childbirth, and balancing work and family life. Mel talks about taking over the role of Margaret New in Everybody's Talking About Jamie in the West End and how her family adapt and make it work when she is on tour. Additionally, it explores the transition of children into their teenage years and the complexities of raising teens in the digital age. *Discussion around grief Find Melissa @melissajacques Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Showbiz Mums06:01 Balancing Work and Pregnancy15:24 Childbirth Experiences26:34 Challenges of Parenting in the Entertainment Industry38:19 Impact of Social Media on Parenting56:56 Balancing Career and Motherhood01:06:06 Career Highlights and Future Aspirations Original music by Steve Rushton

Zoe Birkett (The Bodyguard, Priscilla, Moulin Rouge, Great British Bake Off) chats today about her experience of doing a job share split when she played the role of Tina in Tina: the Tina Turner Musical with the lovely Karis Anderson. She talks about how well they got along and how she made the juggle of performing and parenting work for her family. We spoke about Zoe's pregnancy and her preference to give birth back home up North, and when she felt she was ready to rejoin the industry post partum. Zoe was so honest and open about how she felt getting back into the industry - and has been absolutely smashing it ever since. Find her at @zoebirkett @showbizmums Original music by Steve Rushton

*Trigger warning - there is conversation around eating disorders and body image in this episode. Steph Elstob (Wuthering Heights, The Bodyguard and Oliver) joins me to talk about taking her son on 2 International tours, alongside her partner Sam, also a performer in the industry. We chat about how the company went above and beyond in order to keep both Sam and Steph on the show as they were 'too valuable not to try'. Steph also talks about founding her business - the Iris Clinic- a clinic specifically for performers/creatives who struggle with their relationship with food or their bodies. Find Steph on instagram @stephelstob of @irisclinicuk or on the website irisclinic.co.uk Original music by Steve Rushton

This episode I chat to Jackie Hughes (Groundhog Day, Wicked, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) about how she manages the juggle of parenting her two boys and performing 8 shows a week. Currently in the Original West End cast of Paddington, Jackie shares her experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, returning to work, and the support network she relies on. Find her @jaxhughes1903 and as a coach for @prepyourrep_ldn Original music by Steve Rushton

Sarah Lark (BBC's I'd do Anything, Witches of Eastwick and Mamma Mia) talks all about her experience of working in Les Miserables for over a decade. Sarah is known for being one of the original pioneers of working in a job share in the West End. In this conversation, she explains how she proposed the idea to the company, when Jo Loxton was returning from her maternity leave. @misssarahlark Original music by Steve Rushton

Katie covers her pregnancy journey as Swing and cover Nini in Moulin Rouge and her return to theatre after a C section. She shares her experiences of navigating work during pregnancy, and the challenges of postpartum recovery. She also discusses the financial and psychological pressures of returning to life as a mother working in the West End. Katie highlights the importance of advocating for the rights and entitlements of working mothers in the industry. Follow her @katiedeacon92 Original music by Steve Rushton

Trigger warning - explicit sexual violence threat reference at 23 mins. Weight discussion also occurs. Four time Olivier Award nominee Emma Williams joins the podcast this week to discuss what it's like being on tour with Top Hat, away from her 6 year old daughter, Izzy. Emma was so generous with her time and we managed to cover so much in the chat, including how she copes with being away, how difficult her pregnancy and post partum period was, and the industry's body image pressures. We ended up chatting about the challenges and empowerment associated with nudity in performance, the impact of COVID-19 on career and family, the financial strain and work-life balance of an acting career, the joy of comedy and variety in roles, and the mental load of motherhood. You can find Emma online @williamstweet Original music by Steve Rushton Chapters 00:00 Balancing Career and Parenthood06:03 Challenges of Parenthood in the Theatre Industry12:00 Challenges of Returning to Work After Childbirth18:07 Body Image and Industry Pressures31:29 Impact of COVID-19 on Career and Family45:37 Work-Life Balance and Financial Concerns51:28 Parenting in the Digital Age58:24 The Pursuit of Creative Endeavors01:03:29 Challenges and Realities of the Acting Industry01:14:31 The Impact of Self-Tape Auditions

Chiara has appeared in Sweeney Todd, Jerry Springer the Opera, Legally Blonde and Sister Act amongst many other shows. In this conversation we discuss what it was like for her to perform in Come From Away at 37 weeks pregnant and how well the company treated her and any adaptations that were made to accommodate the pregnancy. Chiara was in a same sex relationship for many years and explains her fertility journey, along with her wife at the time. She is now navigating single parenthood and expresses how difficult it can be to make the decision to be in a show when you are the main caregiver at home. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Trigger Warnings06:19 Performing While Pregnant13:31 Professional Challenges and Pregnancy Experience26:56 Career and Family Balance Original music by Steve Rushton