1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: Oh yahmi hint it. I just want to give you 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: a heads up. The program you are about to hear 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: may have some explicit language, it may not. It also 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: depends on where the vibes and the spirit leads us. 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: Hope you enjoy. Welcome to Morenita, a deep dive into 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,799 Speaker 1: the Latin X experience. With mot Anita. We want to 7 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: create a community and a shared space with you while 8 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: sharing knowledge and inspiration. The show is about celebrating our 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: culture with guests who exemplify the best of us. I'm 10 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: Darrylene Gastillo Vito. Oh yeah, me hint it. Today we 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 1: have someone who may or may not sound familiar to you, 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: Mika Skada. Mika is currently paving her own path and singing, dancing, 13 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: and acting. That's right. She's a triple threat and she 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: comes from a family line of performers themselves. Nika has 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: just finished starring in Kinky Boots at the Bucks County Playhouse, 16 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: and her father, John Sava, is a Cuban American singer 17 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: actor who has graced many Latino households through music by 18 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: songwriting for household names such as Gloria Stefan, Ricky Martin 19 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: j Lo. He's performed on Broadway stages, has Grammys. You guys, 20 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: the resume goes on and on and on. But it's 21 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: Mika's time now, and she is stepping into the spotlight 22 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: with us and gives us here at Monanita a closer 23 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: look on how her journey is going. I had the 24 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: absolute honor of working with Mika during our time at 25 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: the Kennedy Center preparing for a musical called Beast Girl, 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: based on the writing of the amazing after Latina poet 27 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Asvado. I got to know Mika and immediately bonded 28 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: with her throughout our experience, dances in the industry, and 29 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: our own personal life experiences. Mika hailes from Miami, Florida, 30 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: and opens up to us about her time while she 31 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: was studying at the prestigious Musical theater program at the 32 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: University of Michigan. She reveals to us the wake up 33 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: call that she received that truly humbled her. She rose 34 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: to that occasion and shifted her energy into putting the 35 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: work in now. I absolutely related to this story because 36 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: when I was coming up in this industry, some humbling 37 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: moments were absolutely necessary for my growth, and I think 38 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 1: those moments are extremely important as you go through life 39 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: in general. How do you handle a moment that has 40 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: required you to humble yourself? Do you attack it with 41 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: ego or do you self reflect and see what you 42 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: can do better. Mika shows exactly how she has dealt 43 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: with this herself and how those moments have helped your 44 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: growth as an artist. Mika not only discusses growth, but 45 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,839 Speaker 1: she touches base on the insecurities and pressures that come 46 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: along with coming from an incredibly talented and successful family. 47 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: And don't fret. We also touch on the relationship dynamics 48 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: between her parents and how that dynamic flows into their 49 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: relationship as artists. Get ready and put your shades on 50 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: for this one, honey, because Mika Sekava is shining bright 51 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: in her own light. Same beetle Boy has finally entered 52 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: more like I've been waiting for this forever since Beast Girl, 53 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: since Baschool in December when we got shut down. Because 54 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: it will look on As I mentioned, y'all, Mika and 55 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: I know each other from doing a production called Beast Girl. 56 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: Um well, I should say the workshop of the show, 57 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: um the second workshop at the Kennedy Center, and I 58 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: literally saw her walking the room, and I was like 59 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: Latino coming into the room. I was like, who is she? 60 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: And I was like, I know her face and I 61 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: remember seeing her face from other friends from Hamilton's who 62 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: had also went to college with you at Miss Karina, 63 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: who I'm actually going to get lunch with today coincidentally 64 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: is and that's so funny, said hello, I know that 65 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: friends connecting with friends. Um, But anyways, I was just like, so, 66 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 1: I was like, just so fascinated with watching her work 67 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: in the room. And she's an incredible dancer, an incredible performer. 68 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: I present to you, guys, Mika that um sis, you 69 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: just finished Kinky Boots. I just finished doing Kinky Boots 70 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: at Bucks County Playhouse. I was playing Nicola, who's kind 71 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: of the estranged fiance character in the story, but also 72 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: like epic that you are playing that role. Yeah, it 73 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: was a very interesting take on the character in general 74 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: because she's kind of misunderstood, especially with me playing Nicola. 75 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: She is an Afro Latina woman who's going from living 76 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: in this small factory town where there aren't many opportunities 77 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: or space to grow, and she's really trying to like 78 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: set out moved to London and make this whole new 79 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 1: life for herself. As an audience member, I think most 80 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: people kind of perceive her as money hungry, unloving, uncaring 81 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: in general, especially like from the way she's been written 82 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: into the show. But I was actually got the opportunity 83 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: to sing a cut song from the production, which honestly, 84 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: in my opinion, gave her so much more dimension and 85 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: depth as a person who knows exactly what it is 86 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: she wants. I think it definitely created a whole new 87 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: life for the character. But that also sounds like the 88 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: people you were working with were really finding how to 89 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: meet that connect with this character and how can we 90 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: make this authentic and realistic and make this feel real 91 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: for you, which is not a normal experience. The co 92 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: director was Cheryl Coller, So when I went in and 93 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: I kind of like did my first initial take on 94 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: the sides, she was like, I'm stopping you. I'm stopping 95 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: you right there. Make it real. And if this was 96 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 1: your fiance who you thought that you were going to 97 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: marry and have a completely new life with, and all 98 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: of a sudden, he's just turned the tables on you, 99 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: and without any communication of his own, kind of set 100 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: out and said I'm doing this this certain thing without 101 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: your approval. When you guys are supposed to be in 102 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 1: a partnership, how would you react to that? And so 103 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: that kind of like once I was given that freedom, 104 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: that was it, Like I was kind of able to 105 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: completely take the character into myself. And then it was 106 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: totally Cheryl and Hopes the decision to put that song 107 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: into the show. It was actually they talked about how 108 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: important it was for them to kind of um unify 109 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: the whole story instead of making it like I'm the 110 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: pure antagonist, stopping the plot from moving forward, giving the 111 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: women some more layers. Exactly When we actually started rehearsals 112 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: and we started reading the script from beginning to end, 113 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: it was like, oh wow, this is extremely male centric. 114 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: I mean queer centric as well, but there are a 115 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: lot of male characters that get full development and the 116 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: females not so much. Listen, and we see it all 117 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: the time. It's something that I think is also like 118 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: still relevant in musicals. I mean we can talk about 119 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: that with Hamilton's right, like, and there's just there's so 120 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: much of that in in a lot of the work 121 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: that we're seeing. But we started really heavy and turn 122 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: right there because I want to make sure that our 123 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: listeners get a taste to like who you are and 124 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: where you come from and how did we get to 125 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: be Skirl? And I know that you went to mish 126 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: Um and you studied theater there, but I also know 127 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: that you're from Miami, So Miami. How is that transition 128 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: Miami to Michigan. Obviously I know what made you want 129 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: to go to mish Um. It being like one of 130 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: the top musical theater schools and having that on your 131 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: resume is such a huge thing, as we all know 132 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: in the industry. But I'm just so curious for you. 133 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: I know those two worlds of Miami and being Latina 134 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: and after Latina right culture and sais. I know, I 135 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: know miss all right, I know I know lots of 136 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: people from mish energy there. Well. At first, I probably 137 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: around junior year is when I decided that I was 138 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: going to pursue musical theater as a career. So I 139 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: went to an all girls Catholic school. Okay, so we're 140 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 1: already starting out with the fact that I was going 141 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: to an all girls Catholic school which extremely valued academics 142 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: and going to college and so on and so forth. 143 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 1: So it was pretty much around like the end of 144 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: my sophomore year beginning of junior year, where they were like, 145 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: what do you want to do? Let's start strategizing. So 146 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: I remember going to a college fair with my dad. Um, 147 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: and my dad comes from the music world. Um, we'll 148 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: get there anyway. So he had kind of already went 149 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: around and asked friends of his asking musical theater college, 150 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: what are the best places to go? So it was 151 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: a lot of like the Carnegie and the UH Penn 152 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: State and of course Michigan if you asked my like 153 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 1: sixteen year old self, I was dead set on moving 154 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: to New York City when I was eighteen, whether that 155 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: was doing college or whether that was just moving and 156 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: beginning the audition process and like die head first into 157 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: musical theater. I knew what I wanted to do was 158 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: musical theater. And so when we passed by the Michigan 159 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: table at the college convention, my dad was like, you 160 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: should look into this school. A lot of my friends 161 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: are recommending it, that you should look into it, and 162 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: I was like, absolutely not. Why would I decide to 163 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: go to the Midwest, in the middle of nowhere to 164 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: do musical theater, which is known that New York is 165 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: the at the center of musical theater, and shouldn't my 166 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: education be in the at the center of where all 167 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: the magic is happening? And so I was super anti 168 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: at first, and then the summer going into senior year, UM, 169 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: I went to a college attensive at uh Florida State 170 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: University and it was kind of like a college audition prep, 171 00:10:55,440 --> 00:11:01,079 Speaker 1: and that's where I realized that I was not nearly 172 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: as prepared for the real world of musical theater. My 173 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: dad obviously had done Broadway in the past and things 174 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: like that, and so I kind of had an idea 175 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: of it, but I didn't realize what it was like 176 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: to start from the bottom up, and the fact that 177 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: a lot of kids are really really hungry and have 178 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: been working towards this goal of getting into a top 179 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: tier musical theater program since they were probably twelve years old. 180 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: And so I had a very heavy dance training, but 181 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: I needed to improve my voice and I needed to 182 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: get in acting classes. And so also while is there 183 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: at the time, I realized how prestigious the University of 184 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: Michigan was because once we as as a group started 185 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: talking about what our dream schools were, everybody's number one 186 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: dream school was the University of Michigan and go Blue Like. So, 187 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: I quickly realized how daunting a task it was going 188 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: to be to apply and get into all of the 189 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: musical theater colleges, and so I did the whole process. 190 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: I would never wish it upon my worst enemy to 191 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: do that process, and so I did it all. I 192 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: got into a couple of my top choices, uh F 193 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: s U flor Sta being one of them, which I 194 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: knew at the time was going to be free, which 195 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: was a big deal um, And so I was pretty 196 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 1: much committed to going to F s U. And I 197 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: finally got the paw from Michigan and literally I got 198 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: the call. I freaked out. I called my parents and 199 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: the first thing my dad said was like, we're going 200 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: to make it work. You're gonna go because and it 201 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: makes the emotional thinking about it, because I knew it 202 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: wasn't gonna be easy, um, especially financially from my parents, 203 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: and then also just the distance it was gonna be. 204 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be close to home, I'm going to be comfortable, 205 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 1: or I'm about to go to the number one musical 206 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: leader school in the country, which is coveted and I 207 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: realized the privilege and the opportunity that I was given 208 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: to do that, and so I did it. It was 209 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: jarring at first. I mean, going there in August was great. 210 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 1: I was like, Oh, this is awesome. I think if 211 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: I could go back, I would spend a little more 212 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: time like preparing myself for the commitment that it is 213 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: to be a musical theater major um time wise too. 214 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,440 Speaker 1: And it wasn't until I got to winter that I 215 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: really realized how hard it was. I think I realized 216 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: I was falling behind in my musical theater classes, and 217 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: I realized that I am actively choosing to be here. 218 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: No one's forcing me. I'm putting up with the winter, 219 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: I am dealing with being away from home. I am 220 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: completely creating a new life for myself, which is it's 221 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: really what it was. I was completely separated from the 222 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 1: reality that I thought it was going to be a 223 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:15,839 Speaker 1: year before. So I realized, oh, girl, you have to 224 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: decide what it is that you want from life. I 225 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: think it's also like growing pains, right, Like, it's like 226 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: especially and I feel that with you, because like I 227 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: can look back on my career on moments and be 228 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: like I really thought I was hot ship, but I 229 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: really wasn't. But but I could be if I just 230 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: put a little more work into this department, or if 231 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: I cut this out of my life, or if I 232 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: just reshaped some things of where I'm at and how 233 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: I'm thinking. So like when I hear all of that 234 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: for you, I'm like that that's just like growing pain 235 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: of like figuring it out in this industry, like how 236 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: to take care of yourself, how to carrey your body, 237 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: how to how to like fill your cup with like 238 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: what you really need in the moment, because honestly, since 239 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: like to like there's times where I'm like, I just 240 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: want to do a play for six months. I don't 241 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: want to sing, I want to do that. I don't 242 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: want maybe I don't want to do this X y Z. 243 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna you know what I mean, Because sometimes 244 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: you don't want to negotiate those things because as an actor, 245 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: we give up so much of our lives to what 246 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: it is that we do. We give our time, we 247 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: give our emotions, everything we give to this craft, and 248 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: sometimes you're not willing to let go of certain things 249 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: in your personal life or in the life that you live, 250 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: even if it just means like going to a restaurant 251 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: and like eating dinner with your partner, with your family, Like, 252 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: those are things that people give up in order to 253 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: sustain being on Broadway eight shows a week and being 254 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: able to sing and do it all. You know, So 255 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: I totally get you too. So I know you talked 256 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: about it a lot just now, But touching base on 257 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: your incredible father, which I'm a huge fan of, and 258 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure a lot of the listeners know who 259 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: John Sava is, um, But if you don't know, um, Mika, 260 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: could you give us a little bit of a insight 261 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: on what it was like growing up with your father 262 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: and the entertainment industry and the obviously the extensive resume 263 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: that your dad has. Totally I'll take the humble brag. 264 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: My dad definitely taught me the art of humility and 265 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: staying humble because in this industry you're not owed anything 266 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: even if you deserve it, you know what I mean. 267 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: So I'll start with that. Um My dad is a 268 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: singer songwriter based in Miami, Florida. He was born in Cuba, 269 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: and he got his start um singing background for the 270 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: Miami saw Machine, which is famous to Gloria and Amelia 271 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: Stefan and yeah, yeah, anyway, so he got to start 272 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: with them and then he finally broke out with Emilio 273 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 1: as his manager and he kind of went for his 274 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 1: solo career and doing that, he's won many Grammys. Um. 275 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: I think he's at four now. Um. But he went 276 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 1: on to be on Broadway. He did Greece. He was 277 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 1: like Afro Latino Danny Zuko, which is like so fierce 278 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: if you think about it, like exactly like mid nineties. 279 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 1: I think it was like him doing that. When I 280 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: was growing up, I didn't even realize what kind of 281 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: opportunity that was, And being where I'm at now, I 282 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: appreciate it even more because that's the kind of role 283 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: obviously not Danny Zuko, but like that kind of like lead, 284 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: iconic white usually role for him to be able to 285 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: step into that, I'm like so proud of him and 286 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: Broadway back then. I mean, we know how it is 287 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 1: right now, I know, like you can only imagine. I 288 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: can't even imagine. And he's made a career for himself 289 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: for I think it's like thirty something years now, which 290 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: is amazing. So growing up with that was very unique. 291 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: But I took it for granted, and I kind of 292 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: thought of it as the norm. So yeah, Like I 293 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,719 Speaker 1: was very used to my dad being at the piano 294 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: all the time and musician friends of his coming over 295 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: and then jamming and hanging out backstage literally at studio theater. 296 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 1: Um yea anyway, so that's how I grew up, and 297 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: I think I was very Again, my one fault is 298 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: that I like refused to accept my voice and I've 299 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: already touched upon it and for a long time as 300 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,360 Speaker 1: I was growing up, I was very drawn to performing. 301 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: My mom put me in dance from literally the age 302 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: of three, so I was always very comfortable with dance, 303 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 1: and I was always dancing and the dance competitions and 304 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: the recitals and everything, so I was used to being 305 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: on stage. When it came to singing, I was so 306 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: hyper insecure about my voice. I think it was because 307 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 1: my dad had such a beautiful voice and everyone lauded 308 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: him for his voice that I was like, there's no way, 309 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: I'm half that good. And I think my insecurity stopped 310 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 1: me from even beginning to study it until I was fourteen. 311 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: I literally did not decide to go into musical theater 312 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: till I was in high school, which was a big 313 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 1: deal because I was so drawn to it, Like all 314 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: of my dance solos looking back were literally me lip 315 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: sinking to like Liza Minnelli. But she's giving you a 316 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: full performance, honey, She's giving you a full on performance. 317 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: I'm so curious for you, Like, is it something that 318 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,239 Speaker 1: you're that you're still battling with a little bit, like 319 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: as you're creating a name for yourself in this industry. Yeah, 320 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: let's be real, it helps to have your dad, you know, 321 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 1: in your corner and like growing up with that experience, 322 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: like there's so much there for you to take away 323 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: or even just somebody to have to talk to you, 324 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: which I even definitely rely on him so much for that, 325 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: especially in the harden, Right, do you still struggle with 326 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: some of that intimidation, some of that pressure. I know 327 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 1: that you and your dad have a great relationship. Is 328 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: there sometimes that moment still for you as we're growing 329 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: in the industry in making your own name for yourself. 330 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: I think I was way more insecure about how it 331 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: would be. I think I was. I was building up 332 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: this anxiety about it, especially towards my later years in college, 333 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: where I was like, oh, I'm about to enter this 334 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 1: field for real. Now I'm going to be auditioning, I'm 335 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: going to have an agent, I'm going to be doing 336 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: all this stuff. And I was so scared that I 337 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: don't know that I was gonna have to live up 338 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: to Cicada. You know, I was going to have to 339 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: graduate and immediately book something huge, you know what I mean, 340 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: because of the way would be perceived. Um. I think 341 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: once I graduated, I realized how much people don't care 342 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: where they don't notice, for example, with a crossing at 343 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: Barrington Stage. I book the show, did the whole production 344 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: and it wasn't ntil like the last day, the last 345 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: few days of rehearsal that Josh Burgoss, our director, and 346 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: our writer and composers always Sarr and I were like, 347 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: wait a second, what when they found out that my 348 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: dad was school he was so and in like amongst 349 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: the amongst casts and amongst other creative teams as well. 350 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: I think Beast Girl they knew, but it's because it's 351 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: such a Cuban, Dominican Caribbean centric show that they knew. 352 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 1: But um, for other stuff, it's been like so late 353 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: into the process once I've already like gotten the job 354 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 1: on my own. Accomplishments are on my own like self 355 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: that people find out, and those moments are the most 356 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: reassuring because there's gonna be people who know who who 357 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: I am and where I come from, But there's also 358 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: people who like as much as they know where my 359 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: who my dad is and where my dad comes from, 360 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: they don't know that I'm connected to him yet. So 361 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: I would say I struggle with it more in my 362 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: personal relationship with my dad and more like when like, 363 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: for example, when he came to see Kinky Boots, like, 364 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: I just get ten times more nervous. Really, is your 365 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: dad like a critic though when he sees you? Or 366 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: it's only when I asked him specific questions like hey, 367 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: in this in this certain part, what did you think 368 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,199 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Or like that when I 369 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 1: was doing a lot when I was back at home 370 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: before I moved to New York City and still doing 371 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: self tapes and like singing, and he would he would 372 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: hear me because he was in the other room, and 373 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: I'd be like, Oh, what do you think you know? 374 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: And and that that's the insecurity, you know what I mean? 375 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: Like that's my inner self asking what he thinks of 376 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: my performances where I think the insecurity of art um 377 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: of our dynamic is you know, but honestly, it's two artists. 378 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: It's the dynamic of two artists. Right. Here's moving the 379 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: father and daughter thing. And here's the thing. I know 380 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:54,919 Speaker 1: in a way because he's active of course in the past, 381 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,959 Speaker 1: but I think since I went and I got a 382 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: formal acting training at school, he relies on me for 383 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: acting stuff. So I feel like at this point we've 384 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: created this really cool bond where he can give me 385 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 1: his opinion, but it's it's never comes from a bad place, 386 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: and it's usually always commenting on how much I've grown 387 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: because he's been listening to my voice since I was 388 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: fourteen years old. There was at one point, like when 389 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: I was like maybe thirteen, that like he was gonna 390 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: start giving me voice lessons, and I think that lasted 391 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: like twenty five minutes, um, because it's like when they 392 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: teachers had to drive, You're like, why are you teaching 393 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: me how to drive? I was too mature for that, 394 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 1: Like there was no way I was going to begin 395 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: getting voice lessons with my dad as my teacher. But um, yeah, 396 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 1: they were definitely harder moments when I was younger. But 397 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: now I feel like, because I've matured and I've grown, 398 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 1: We've built like this really cool artistic relationship where like 399 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: he relies on me, I rely on him. It's such 400 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: a beautiful relationship to have with your parents or with 401 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: your family member like that, that artistic understanding of each 402 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: other where you don't have to explain yourself you you 403 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: can artistically be free. And then when it comes to dancing, 404 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: that's my mother's expertise. Oh so you have, so you 405 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: have both of it. Okay, Yeah, my mom was a 406 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: dancer until she was twenty something years old. She choreographed 407 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: a bunch of glorious stuff. She's like choreographed different movie 408 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: projects and stuff like that, and so she knows what 409 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: she's talking about when it comes to dance. And I 410 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: already had that relationship with her established since I was young, 411 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: because she would be the one taking me to dance 412 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: classes and the auditions, I mean in the competitions and 413 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 1: stuff like that. So I was constantly getting feedback from her, 414 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 1: which annoyed me a lot. But now where I like, 415 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: I am like in this like triple threat kind of 416 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: musical theater world where like dance isn't everything. It's more 417 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: like dance, how is it infused with your acting and 418 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: your personality? Kind of thing where I literally send my 419 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: mom options of like different dance self tapes that I 420 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: have and I'm like, which would you like better? And 421 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: she doesn't need to tell me much. It doesn't need 422 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 1: to be all about the technique or whatever. I'm just like, 423 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 1: which one just looks the best. It's such a privilege 424 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: and it's such a blessing and it's also like really 425 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: amazing to hear the positive vibes around it. And I'm 426 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: just curious for you, like, what is the legacy that 427 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 1: you want to continue to leave, the one that your 428 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 1: father has started and the one that your mother has 429 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: started for the scads? Oh my god, that's such a 430 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 1: good question, Darlyn, Oh my god. All right. One thing 431 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: I haven't really talked about is my great aunt. Her 432 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 1: name was Mora Macada. She is my dad's aunt on 433 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: his dad's side, um, and she got her start singing 434 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: in a girl group in Cuba and when the nineteen fifties, 435 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 1: forties and fifties, and she eventually went on to have 436 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: a solo career and she was beloved amongst the Cuban 437 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: community and like Cuba in the country in general, but 438 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 1: she never really got to break out of that. And 439 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: I know that when she was with the girl group, 440 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: they kind of had like a couple opportunities to like 441 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: perform in New York and things like that. Um, But 442 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,239 Speaker 1: once she got her solo career going, she kind of 443 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: didn't get the opportunity anymore and she died young. Um. 444 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: I never got to meet her, but when I watched 445 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: videos of her performing, that woman was an actress. And 446 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: again I'm getting emotional because there's so much in her 447 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: that like I identify with and it's unspoken and so 448 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: I feel like with every like generation that has gone 449 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 1: on to be and it's so crazy because it really 450 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: lives in our blood. Like my dad was going to 451 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: be a dentist until he was like eighteen or nineteen 452 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: years old and he was like, you know what, you know, 453 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna sing. And before that he hadn't really ventured 454 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: into the arts. And so it's funny because it's like 455 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: a calling. And so from her generation to then my 456 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: dad's and now mine, I just I kind of I 457 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: like live through her a little bit, and it's beast 458 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 1: Girl is also a funny connection because um, we were 459 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: able to like put like something meaningful for us on 460 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: stage whenever we did the show every night, and I 461 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: would put her picture at the altar because whenever I perform, 462 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 1: like I'm literally performing for her. And I wish I 463 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: could have met her because of course, like my dad 464 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: and I have this amazing connection, but like with a 465 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: woman with a black, Latina Cuban woman, and so I 466 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: think about her a lot when I think about what 467 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: I want my career to be and who I'm honoring, um, 468 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: when I'm doing the things that I love. So moving 469 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: forward in my career, I want to keep doing stuff 470 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: that feel is really real to who I am and 471 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: to where it came from and my family. It's just 472 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: because our stories hit different, you know what I'm saying, 473 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: And when it's authentic, is hits different? Absolutely, Mika, this 474 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: is the moment we've all been waiting for. This is 475 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: our speed questions moment. Are you ready? I'm ready? Okay, 476 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: If you could have lunch with Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt 477 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: or Meryl Streep, who would you pick? Meryl Streep? Obviously? 478 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: Are you kidding me? The Queen? Also because your favorite 479 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: movie is Devil words products that we had to ask 480 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: second question. I feel like you kind of answered this 481 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: one already, but maybe you have a different answer to it. 482 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: Who's someone you look up to? And why I really 483 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: look up to Jane Fonda. I think she's a chameleon 484 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: and she like she's lived so many lives in one 485 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: and she never let herself be defined by just one thing. 486 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: And she can go from being a workout superstar to 487 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:09,239 Speaker 1: Oscar Award winning actress, to an activist to whatever it 488 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: is that she wants to be. And I if I 489 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: could live that life. I want to Three. What reminds 490 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: you of home or makes you feel at home? Oh, 491 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: I mean I think anything Cuban food, like Va, Like 492 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: that's that's exactly what puts me right back in Miami. 493 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: I mean, you can't go wrong with that with that question. 494 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: Food is like the best answer that. Okay, So if 495 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: you have one plate that you had to only survive 496 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: off of, what would it be? You can only choose 497 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: one Cuban dish? Oh my god, it has to be 498 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 1: my grandmother's anybody else's, and I don't want it. Like 499 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: that is like chefs kiss, chef's kiss, make up my love. 500 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: If people want to follow your journey and follow you 501 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: and see what you're up to and check you out. 502 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 1: What are your social plugs? Was the with the Twitter? 503 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: Was the thing? Was a tickety talk? What is it? 504 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: Unfortunately my Twitter got half like five years ago and 505 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: I don't have one anymore, but follow me on Instagram. 506 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 1: I like basically post everything there at Sada and I 507 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: K A S E C A t A that's me. Ka. 508 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for coming and hanging out with us. 509 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 1: Thank you for taking the time. I can't wait to 510 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: see everything that you do as you're taking over the world. 511 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 1: That can't wait to play sisters again. Um, we're fans, 512 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: we love you, We stand Mika Sada, thank you. Thank 513 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: you so much for having me and inviting me. It's 514 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 1: been amazing. It's like a therapy session. Yeah. Monamita is 515 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: a production of Sono in partnership with I Heart Radios 516 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: Michael Uda podcast Network. For more podcast from I heart 517 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: rate Dio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 518 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.