Stage Combat The Podcast
What happens when actors stop being quiet and start speaking up: Season 3 of "Stage Combat The Podcast" premiering on July 23rd! Stage Combat is about fighting back when we are mistreated in our workplaces, no matter what stage we may be on in our lives! Hosted by attorney/advocate/actor Sean Hayden.
In 2019, Sean Hayden thought he had booked the role of his dreams as an actor at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in its production of "Billy Elliot, The Musical." As he drove over the Connecticut river and laid his eyes on the fairy tale Opera House for the first time, Sean had no idea what would be looming behind its doors. Or that a mental health crisis caused by his work conditions would cause him to investigate and reexamine his entire life. In the style of a true crime podcast, Sean boldly took us, in Seasons 1 and 2, into the insular world of the theatre industry in which the unspoken rule is, “You are not supposed to speak up. Or there will be consequences.” And he claimed his story.
In response to Sean's story, listeners of the podcast everywhere responded saying they felt seen, heard and validated. And now in Season 3, Sean is telling the stories of those listeners as they claim THEIR stories.
Biweekly episodes.
Stage Combat The Podcast
"The Whistleblower"
Season Two, Episode 3.
Synopsis: Things come to a head during the Friday night performance of Billy Elliot at the Goodspeed.
Content warning: contains strong language.
Post Show Talk Back: Clinical psychologist Dr. Michelle Sherman and Sean talk about actions theatres can take NOW to support the mental health of their performing artists.
Podcast icon designed by Fran Pinter-Parrott.
Produced by Haywood Productions, LLC.
Consulting Producer, Ian Southwood of Southwood Productions, LLC.
Sean Hayden is the CEO of Haywood Productions, LLC. As a professional actor, Sean has appeared in two Broadway national tours and in plays and musicals in theaters across the country. He is a proud union member of Actors' Equity Association. As a mental health advocate, Sean has provided thought leadership on how employers can better support the mental health of their employees. He serves on the advisory board for HR.com for Mental Health and Stress in the Workplace. His op-ed on “Men and Mental Health” appeared in The Economic Times. Sean resides in New York City and upstate New York with his husband, a screenwriter.
Dr. Michelle Sherman earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is in private practice in Minneapolis. Dr. Sherman is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is Board Certified in Couple and Family Psychology. She is also the Editor in Chief of the APA Division 43 (Society of Couple and Family Psychology) journal, Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. She was recently named the Family Psychologist of the Year by the Society of Couples and Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She has published over 75 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has received over $3.2 million in grant funding, and has given several hundred workshops nationally and internationally.
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Mental Health Resources:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition. Call the help line at 1 800 950 6264 or text to 62640.
If you or someone or know is in crisis or contemplating self-harm, you can reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by simply dialing or texting 988.