Broadway Husbands: Their Road to Maverick (Pride Tribute) Re-Released for Pride in Bret’s Honor

Re-released for Pride 2026 — In loving memory of Bret Hanna-Shuford (1979–2026)

In this beloved episode, I sit down with Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna — the Broadway Dads — to talk about one of the most heartfelt and hard-won family-building journeys I’ve ever witnessed. Together, these two Broadway performers navigated egg donation, surrogacy, financial challenges, a lost match, a miscarriage, and a global pandemic before welcoming their son, Maverick, in 2022. Bret passed away in January 2026 after a sudden and devastating illness. He was 46 years old. Stephen is now raising Maverick on his own — and remains a fierce, loving advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in their pursuit of parenthood. I re-release this episode with a full heart, because Bret’s spirit, humor, and generosity shine through every minute of it.

In this episode we cover: • How Bret and Stephen chose their egg donor — and why the first profile felt right • The surrogacy process as two performers managing a major financial investment • How they handled the hard questions from others • What they wish they had known going in • The moment they knew it was “supposed to be this way”

This one is for every queer person who has ever dreamed of becoming a parent — and for Bret, who never stopped believing it was possible.

Episode resources Buy the new book "Goodnight Break a Leg": https://bit.ly/GoodNightBreakALegBook

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