Podcast: LITTLE KNOWN FACTS with Ilana Levine and Special Guest, Stanley Wayne Mathis

Little Known Facts is a weekly podcast hosted by stage and film actress Ilana Levine. With over 150 interviews to date with today's most successful artists, Levine engages her celebrity guests in intimate conversations that are hilarious, vulnerable, revealing and inspiring. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview has been called "Podcast Vérité," because her conversations are unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny.

Today's episode features stage and screen star Stanley Wayne Mathis, who last appeared on Broadway in The Book of Mormon. "I grew up in Washington, D.C., in one of the two worst housing projects in the city- Kenilworth Courts," he says of his upbringing. "There was a a lot of trouble to get into. But I always tell people that the arts saved my life. I would be dead or in jail had it not crossed my path."

Listen to the full interview below to find out how the arts changed his life and so much more.

A Native of Washington D.C. Mathis has just finished a successful three year run of The First National Tour Of The Book Of Mormon. He has been seen on Broadway in The Book Of Mormon, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate,You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lion King, Jelly's Last Jam and Oh Kay.

Off Broadway credits include: St. Louis Woman with Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) at City Center's Encores, Death Of A Salesman at Yale Rep with Charles Dutton (Rock), Lynn Nottage Ruined at Florida Studio Theatre, August Wilson's Radio Golf at Kansas City Rep, Gem Of The Ocean (Seattle Rep) directed by Phylicia Rashad, Fences (Bristol Riverside Theater), Master Harold And The Boys (Triad Theater/Greensboro Carolina),You Can't Take It With You (Pioneer Theater Co/Salt Lake City Utah,Blues For An Alabama Sky (Cleveland Playhouse), Day Of Absence (Baltimore Center Stage), Of Mice And Men(Dallas Theater Center), Cinderella (Paper Mill Playhouse/ NJ) Williams And Walker (Bermuda Theater Festival) and Spunk directed by George Wolf at The Mark Taper Theater in LA and The Royal Court Theater in London.

Television: Law & Order, Criminal Intent, SNL, Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Film: Magic Sticks, Dark Streets(SuperFly), Brother To Brother (Sundance Winner), Santa Baby (Animation Starring, Eartha Kitt, Gregory Hines and Vanessa Williams), Family On Board and Steve McQueen's Shame. He has danced with Charles Moore African Drummers And Dancers. Done Commercials and voice-overs, and has taught and directed as a Teaching and Guest Artist for Rosie's Theater Kids, Creative Arts Team NYU, Periwinkle Productions, Sacred Heart Arts Program, New Jersey Playwrights and The Brazo Valley Troupe of Bryan Texas. He studied Musical Theater at The Washington International College in D.C., HB studios and Cythia Belgrave's Studio in NYC and was a member of Ebony Impromptu Theater Company in Washington D.C. He is a recipient of The Fred Astaire Award 1989, Monarch Award,1991, and The 2006 Adelco Award, Stanley is currently working on his won one-man show entitled " Truth Be Told" and his multimedia play called "Preachin' To The Choir/An Inconvenient Truth". You can also catch Stanley as Principal Evan Ward on NBC's Premier Season of "Rise" by the producers of Hamilton and Friday Night Lights.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos