Leigh Scheps on building her own beat from Broadway to family travel.
Amanda Coffee is CEO of Coffee Communications and ex-Under Armour, PayPal and eBay.
Leigh Scheps has reported on the entertainment industry for major outlets including CBS, Paramount, and Entertainment Tonight. She’s known for her deep knowledge of Broadway, often pulling back the curtain to show how performances shape and reflect culture.
When “Wicked” transitioned to the big screen, top outlets like Town and Country Magazine, The Grammys and The TODAY show turned to Scheps for coverage. Her insider lens decoded the hidden references and easter eggs from the costumes to choreography that casual fans might miss.
In our Q&A, Scheps shares how to pitch entertainment reporters with strong human interest angles, why she’s expanding into family stories, including pieces like “Disney Dining with Kids” for Parents magazine and what PR pros get right — and what they could do better.
What types of stories are you most interested in covering right now?
I am a freelance entertainment reporter trying to break into more family travel writing. Since I was laid off from “Inside Edition” this past March where I was a senior digital reporter for a decade, I have more time to seek new opportunities in places I was unable to before. Most of my freelance coverage so far has mostly been Broadway and anything that is directly related like movie musicals (“Wicked,” “West Side Story”) and TV shows with musical themes (“The Gilded Age,” “Only Murders in the Building”). I am looking to tell stories with a hook that resonate with everyone. Not just a celeb-driven piece.
How do you find inspiration for your stories?
If there is something I read about that is really unique or I feel would be widely interesting for a national audience, I am usually quick to jump at the interview. For example, a story I did recently that I loved was about a couple that got engaged at a Broadway show with help from its leading actress. Send me those stories!
What’s your favorite story from your reporting over the last few years? What story sparked the most conversation on social media?
I have two favorites. I love covering the Tony Awards For Rolling Stone. A few years ago, I had the rare opportunity to sit inside the theater in addition to shadowing J. Harrison Ghee, before and after the award show. He won Best Leading Actor in a musical that night for “Some Like It Hot.” But the story that sparked the most conversation was an interview I did with Alan Menken for Vanity Fair. The interview came out right before “The Little Mermaid” live action remake and everybody picked up his quotes about changing some lyrics. My favorite story recently was interviewing some of the high school teens who were competing in the Jimmy Awards, a high school musical theater award. They are the stars of tomorrow. I like getting to profile the up-and-comers before they become famous.
Are there any emerging trends in entertainment that you’re particularly excited about?
I am seeing more emphasis on non-traditional media opportunities. I would love to get PR teams excited about branching out with their clients to think outside the box on press outlets. For example, I have an idea for a series I’d love to pursue but I need the press teams to be on board without a big name behind it. I also started a Substack called Up With The Curtain to highlight stories I am working on, where I am pitching, the shows I am seeing and restaurants I’m dining at with hopes to draw in the suburban mom crowd. Then, I can eventually offer discount deals for shows and restaurants. I am also trying to grow my YouTube channel to eventually monetize on that.
What makes a pitch stand out to you? What are some common pitching mistakes that PR professionals make when reaching out to you?
A pitch stands out when there is a real story attached to it. Ninety-nine percent of the time the PR reps offer me an interview with a celebrity with no human interest angle. The angle they offer me is “X is doing Y project would you like to interview them? They have 1 million followers.” That is not going to pique my interest. Are they doing something unique? Is there a story they haven’t shared before that they would share with me? Is there an obstacle they are working through? Are they doing a side hustle that is really 180 from their day job? Those are the topics I am interested in.
How do you integrate social media into your reporting? Can PR pros help with that?
I love to post my Zoom interviews on my social channels but 99% of the time, I am told I can’t. Please just let me post the video. Video always sells.
Many Broadway-turned big screen franchises such as “Wicked” take over the news cycle for months. How did you evolve your approach knowing the “Wicked” news cycle would last months and gain traction across multiple platforms?
I have to stay up-to-date on everything “Wicked” so that when the time comes for interview opportunities, I have story ideas that are different from everyone else. The window for interviews is about a week in early November.
What other stories are ones only you could have placed and told?
I did an interview with Ariana Grande’s choreographer for her “Yes, And?” music video for Rolling Stone. Since I cover a lot of dance and theater, only I had the idea to get the scoop on the music video and details on the “Wicked” movie from that angle. It was an exclusive! Speaking of dance, I interviewed the “Wonka” choreographer about Timothée Chalamet’s tap dancing lessons. It was many years ago, but I am still deeply proud of my exclusive interview that I pitched and landed in Entertainment Tonight with Donna Murphy, who was performing as Bette Midler’s alternate in “Hello, Dolly!” on Tuesday nights. Only I could have finagled that. That was the piece that coined the popular and trending phrase “Tuesdays With Donna.” At “Inside Edition,” I had a video series where I profiled amazing up-and-coming teens doing extraordinary things. Two pieces that really stood out were my teen profiles of Broadway stars Micaela Diamond and Presley Ryan. Two true day in the life piece that garnered high views on YouTube with long watch times.
I understand your husband works in PR. What have you learned about the PR industry from him?
Publicists appreciate the same communication courtesies that we like as journalists. Keep them informed about run dates for stories and always try to respond to publicists if you’re going to pass on an exclusive opportunity, such as a celebrity interview or press trip.
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