1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: The following episode was recorded before the WGA sag Aftra 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: strikes of twenty twenty three. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 2: You know, theater is something that has really been important 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: to me in my life. I moved to New York 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: and was really really tapped into the New York theater 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: scene off Broadway. Still go to theater all the time, 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 2: see as many shows as I can. 8 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 3: And today's guest is something that I have never been, 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 3: which is a major, major Broadway star. So whether you've 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 3: sung the song Defying. 11 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 2: Gravity or let it go on repeat, there's no doubt 12 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: that you have heard her name, Adina Menzel. 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 3: This is going to be a good one. I'm glad 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 3: you're here. I want to introduce Dina Menzel, who is 15 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:05,919 Speaker 3: an incredible performer, a giant of Broadway, of all entertainment. 16 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for coming out and hanging out 17 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 3: with me today. 18 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 4: Thank you for that incredible introduction. I'm so I'm one 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 4: of your I'm been a fan of yours since forever. 20 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 4: So just to hear you say all that and then 21 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 4: be included in this is is is such a gift. 22 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 4: Thank you. 23 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,559 Speaker 3: Hey, listen, we don't I got I have. I'm embarrassed 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 3: to say this we were chatting before we broll. But 25 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 3: you know, I am I'm getting to the age where 26 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 3: I start to forget who I've worked with and who 27 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 3: I haven't worked with, And so. 28 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 4: I have not worked with you. 29 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 3: We have not worked together, yes, but I want I'm 30 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 3: embarrassed to say that I've just I've figured out a 31 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: way that I can avoid getting into a situation with 32 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 3: someone that I'm meeting for the first time and saying 33 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 3: nice to meet you, and then they turned around and said, 34 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: you know, we did a love scene, yeah, ten years ago. 35 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 3: So there's a thing called the call sheet for people 36 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 3: that don't know. And it's this piece of paper that 37 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 3: you that you can look at your on your way 38 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,679 Speaker 3: to the work if it's a movie or a television show, 39 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 3: and it tells you all the people that you're about 40 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 3: to work with. And I go onto this website and 41 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 3: I'm not going to mention the name of the website 42 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 3: because they're not paying me anything. But there's this website 43 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 3: where you can put people's names in. I can put 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 3: my name in. Then I can click on this little 45 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 3: button that says connections, and it will actually tell me 46 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: the connection to the person. In other words, it's almost 47 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 3: playing the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game for you 48 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 3: or for anybody else. So I clicked on it, and 49 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 3: here are our connections. Maybe you know or maybe you 50 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 3: don't know. The first one that popped up was that 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 3: you were in a movie called Just a Kiss with 52 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 3: Kira Sedgwick. Yeah, so that is our connection. And the 53 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 3: other one I also have to mention, which is a 54 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 3: little bit more obscure, but all so super cool is it? 55 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 3: In nineteen seventy seven, I was in acting school with 56 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 3: Winnie Holtzman. 57 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 4: Huh oh really that's a great one. 58 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, great connection. Who you can tell people what Whatny 59 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 3: Holtzman did. 60 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 4: Winnie Holtzman, she wrote the was in his screenplay. She 61 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 4: is writing that too. She wrote the book to Wicked 62 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 4: the musical, and she's did my so called life and 63 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 4: tons of things Wicked. She gave the voice, the speaking 64 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 4: voice to Alphaba and Glinda. And yeah, she's a friend, 65 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 4: had a great actress. She's actually in she's in Jerry Maguire. 66 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 4: She's one of those women's sitting in the living room 67 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 4: where they're all doing that like men bashing thing, and 68 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 4: she's one of those women. 69 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that's right. That's right. Well, for those of 70 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 3: you that don't know, Adina was in Wicked in an 71 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 3: incredible She was wicked and wicked and just me, it 72 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: was such age and. 73 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 4: You were nice. I don't know if you remember, and 74 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 4: it's totally okay. It's about it's for me to remember 75 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 4: because I was new and upcoming, and anytime celebrities came 76 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 4: backstage that's a big deal for me. And you probably 77 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 4: did it like every day of your life. But you 78 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 4: and Kira and all the kids came backstage after Wicked 79 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 4: and said hi to me. 80 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 3: Oh, I had a feeling we might have, but I 81 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 3: didn't want to embarrass myself and say that I had 82 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:22,119 Speaker 3: done that when I hadn't. 83 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 4: Oh, that's awesome, And I want you to know also 84 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 4: that probably because I was meeting you, I still want 85 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 4: to be respectful of your wife, but because you're cute 86 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 4: and sexy, I probably wanted to get my green makeup 87 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 4: off before I met you so I could meet you 88 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: like as myself and not as a green witch, which 89 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 4: which was probably was one of the the occupational hazards 90 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 4: was when I meet like the cute men, I'd have 91 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 4: to like either I'd have to run in the shower 92 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 4: and try to get the green off quickly and then 93 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 4: like look pretty, or I just meet you as the 94 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 4: wicked witch and then you never knew who I was 95 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 4: when I meet you in other places. 96 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 3: That's so funny. So we waited like four hours to 97 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 3: meet you? 98 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 4: Then, No, I didn't make you wait four hours. 99 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 3: But oh, that's really interesting. Okay, So did you always 100 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 3: take did you always take everything off? I mean like 101 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 3: if the president came or. 102 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 4: Something, you wouldn't yet, well know, because I didn't want 103 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 4: to keep people waiting, So maybe weren't as important because 104 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 4: it's there you go. 105 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 3: Okay, So I didn't make the I didn't make the 106 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 3: met or in the makeup list. 107 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 4: No, it's all about vanity and looks and putting on 108 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 4: a good, you know face for you. How do you know? 109 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 3: I feel about that backstage thing, Like I'm kind of 110 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 3: conflicted about it sometimes because I kind of feel like, 111 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,679 Speaker 3: I don't know, you know, when we go to the theater. 112 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 3: On one hand, if I if I really appreciate some 113 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 3: someone's performance, you know, I I want to go back 114 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 3: and tell them. On the other hand, I feel like 115 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: sometimes it like the backstage hang can become a performance 116 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 3: of its own and it and it is it's it's 117 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 3: like asking too much, do you know. I mean even 118 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 3: like vocally right, you know, it's you know, your your 119 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 3: instrument is like so tired and to keep and talking, 120 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 3: as we know, is really much harder on your voice 121 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:11,559 Speaker 3: than singing is. So yes, like to have to chat 122 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 3: it up with KB and KS and they're annoying kids. 123 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 4: I mean, yeah, that was my pleasure, and it was 124 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 4: probably it was one of the highlights, I will say, 125 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 4: but I hear you. It's it's all part of the job. 126 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 4: Like I find. Yeah, it's hard because you don't want 127 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 4: to talk too much and you're trying to do eight 128 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 4: shows a week, or when I'm on tour in a concert, 129 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 4: you know, I try to do the meet and greets after, 130 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 4: not before. But but then you'll also have to enjoy it, 131 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 4: you know. I mean it's just it's so isolating, especially Broadway, 132 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 4: when you have a big taxing role and then you're 133 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 4: just you know, you're not socializing and you're going home 134 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 4: or you're just seeing a movie or you know, and 135 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 4: so you got to take in those moments when people 136 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 4: like you I've looked up to my whole life, you know, 137 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 4: are coming backstage and I've seen my performance. I have 138 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 4: to take those moments in and I think I started 139 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 4: realizing more. I realized that more when I had walked 140 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 4: orod my son, who's now twelve. You know, having a 141 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 4: baby helped me just chill out a little bit more 142 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 4: as far as the performance and the perfectionism part of things, 143 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 4: because it was like, I'm not going to hit that 144 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 4: no one, but he had a fever. I was up 145 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 4: all night. I wasn't gonna like not be with my 146 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 4: son when he was sick. So I'm gonna sound shitty 147 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 4: and that's it. And then I'd end up sounding actually 148 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 4: really good because I was just more out of my 149 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 4: head and just happy I showed up. And you know, 150 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 4: so the expectation changed of myself and would that I 151 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 4: became more more liberated. I found so the more I 152 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 4: tried to just enjoy and not think of oh my god, 153 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 4: you know, I mean, I'm smart and I don't drink 154 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 4: and smoke and all that in the middle of a run. 155 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 4: But that allowed myself to have a life. 156 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. Well that's interesting because a lot of people, I 157 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: think have the misconception that when you have children that 158 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: now you have given up the fire in your belly 159 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 3: in some kind of fig and that you can't and 160 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 3: that you can't make these two things exist in one 161 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 3: perfect sort of combination, or that you will lose somehow, 162 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 3: you know, the edge. They feel the same way oftentimes 163 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 3: about you know, getting married or or you know, other 164 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 3: other sort of normal kind of things. And and to 165 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: hear that you actually feel more relaxed as a performer 166 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 3: once you once you have a child and and the 167 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 3: balance of your problems kind of shifts and you start 168 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 3: to appreciate that. That's a that's really cool. But by 169 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 3: the way, I don't know if there is a note 170 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: that you can't hit, so oh. 171 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 4: You can find them, uh, and they're out there, especially 172 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 4: with social media, and they're not fun, but yeah, thank 173 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 4: you for saying that, but they're definitely out there. Because 174 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 4: the other thing is that I'm not from the auto 175 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 4: tune generation, so which I'm not judging by the way, 176 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 4: because there's some great stuff you can do, and that 177 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 4: actually is a we can get into that after. But 178 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 4: the point being is that because I'm from the theater too, 179 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 4: and I was a wedding singer when I was when 180 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 4: I was like teenager before I got, you know, my 181 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 4: first professional job. I just I'm all about, you know, 182 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 4: being real and being live, which means that if you're 183 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 4: in New Year's Eve in Times Square and it's zero 184 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 4: degrees weather, lip syncing might be a good thing for you, 185 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 4: you know, because then you just sound great. You don't 186 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 4: have to worry that your voice closes up when you 187 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 4: hit the heiha at the end of the song. But no, 188 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 4: I had to just you know, I knew that all 189 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 4: the all the fans in the theater would be want 190 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 4: to know if I hit it, if I sang it 191 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 4: in the original key, So I kept it in the 192 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 4: original key. I mean, so much ego involves, Like sometimes 193 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 4: my ego gets the best of me, and I think 194 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 4: I have to sing it in the original key and 195 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 4: want to do it for Brila and be the real deal, 196 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 4: and then I end up, you know, screwing it up, 197 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 4: and then people say horrible things about me. So well, 198 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 4: where are a lot of people out there that use 199 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 4: it as a tool so that they can keep going. 200 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 3: And I think that you have a certain you know, 201 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 3: you've got a certain kind of pressure on you because 202 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 3: you have such an incredible instrument and such a range 203 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 3: that you know, and and and and and and the 204 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: ability to sing with such force and such such you know, 205 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 3: volume and passion that people tend to, uh, you know, 206 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 3: want something from you technically, you know what I mean, 207 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 3: and and and that you know that like I I mean, 208 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: I'm someone that can really appreciate a voice like yours 209 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 3: and admire it and also appreciate Bob Dylan, you know, 210 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 3: I mean I exactly. 211 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 4: There are times where I wish I was I I 212 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 4: enjoy I wish the people that I listen to are 213 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 4: the people that have those textures to their voices that 214 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 4: maybe aren't as acrobatic as me, that tell a story 215 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 4: just with one note because the sound of living in 216 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 4: their voice. And I actually try to counteract some of 217 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 4: my technical aspects and the technician and me. And also 218 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 4: have found that those times when I've been performing under 219 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 4: the weather, really bad argument with someone in my life, 220 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 4: you know, something whatever, something going on that first of all, 221 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 4: people won't realize half the time unless it's New Year's even, 222 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 4: but they don't. They still feel, they still feel the 223 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 4: emotion of the performance, and they don't need all that stuff. 224 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 4: And so that it's something I've had to learn that's not. 225 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 4: I'm not wrapped up. That's not my identity, you know, 226 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 4: all wrapped up in these high notes, like you're saying that. 227 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 4: I get it. But I can still move people and 228 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 4: just tell a story with my voice. I don't have 229 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 4: to sing these crazy high long notes. I don't have 230 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 4: to impress that all the time. 231 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 3: And let me just say that, you know, very impressive 232 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 3: is your own uh songwriting and you're singing of your 233 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 3: own stuff because Broadway is nothing. You know, you're you're 234 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 3: delivering someone else's, uh your spin on someone else's material. 235 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 3: But they're but correct me if I'm wrong. You know, 236 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 3: the notes are very specific. They're they're they're they're written, 237 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 3: and you're supposed to sing them the way that the 238 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 3: component wrote them. There's no there's no really for improvisation 239 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 3: in a in a Broadway score. But I mean I 240 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 3: listened to okay, I mean I really I'm sort of 241 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 3: feeling bad about this because we were just talking about it. 242 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 3: But uh uh Queen of Swords, which I think did 243 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 3: you write that one? 244 00:12:58,559 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 4: I co wrote it? 245 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 3: I can't write yeah, no, oh, I love that. I 246 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 3: love that song and there is that quick but what 247 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 3: is that note? There is a crazy note in there. 248 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 3: I mean, I'm sorry, sorry to bring it back to that, 249 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 3: but that was me. 250 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 4: Yeah, those are moments where I'm like, I'm going to 251 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 4: try to emulate what Chaka Khan would do. At the 252 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 4: end of this, I usually give myself little in the studio. Yeah, 253 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 4: people go, how do you bel to Dina teach it? 254 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 4: I'm like, oh, I just listened to shakakanor Areta and 255 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 4: then I try to imitate them and whatever comes out 256 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 4: close to that. 257 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 3: But it's a really super cool song. I love that. 258 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 3: It kind of reminds me a little of like Toto. 259 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 3: I don't want to get too much in the weeds 260 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 3: on yeah, on the on on your your songs, But 261 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 3: I mean there are a couple more that I just 262 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,559 Speaker 3: want to mention that I also love, which is, uh, 263 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 3: I do did you write that one too? 264 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 4: Yeah? I can't believe you're picking up these cool songs 265 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 4: that people do not know and that I'm very proud of. 266 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 3: Well that you don't know them, you should check them out. 267 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 3: I mean, uh, Dina, you know the. 268 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 4: Truth that it's your making the songs that have a 269 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 4: kind of an edgier vibe, and that's you know, like 270 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 4: if a Dell Disese put out an album, she would 271 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 4: put out some crazy efanescence like rock headbanging. I mean 272 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 4: there's a side of me that wants because I can't 273 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 4: seem to shed the Broadway just to digress for you know, 274 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 4: no matter what music I put out, it will always 275 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 4: have like Broadway people. If you listen to these people, 276 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 4: then you would like this music. And I'm like, this 277 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 4: is a like a funky ass rock to And now 278 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 4: you're putting you know, Carol Channing as a listening let 279 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 4: me go, let me reply, you know, so thank you 280 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 4: for picking those songs that have some edge too. 281 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 3: But I can just mention one more and that is 282 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 3: a perfect story and the reason that I love this song. 283 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 3: I think about this song. I mean, you know, if 284 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 3: you go to I think it should be required listening. 285 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 3: You know, when you go to a wedding, it's you know, 286 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 3: selling very good time or having a gel or you 287 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 3: know whatever it is. And then there's that's that's that 288 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 3: green Day song that they always play graduations and and 289 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 3: this song should be required for children of divorced parents. 290 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 3: It is such a touching, moving the story about what 291 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 3: sort of how to how to handle that I mean, 292 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 3: I you know, my my wife is a child of 293 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 3: divorced parents, and and uh she thought the song was 294 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 3: beautiful and and uh, I'm not. But I just think 295 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 3: it's I think it's just think it's a gem. 296 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 4: Thank you. It's funny that whenever I go to the 297 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 4: studio to work on new music, my son walk Girls goes, 298 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 4: could you write me like a happy song? Only something 299 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 4: you wrote for me is sad divorced song to writes 300 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 4: something about me being like a powerful boy and good 301 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 4: at basketball. I'm like, I'll try, I'll try to fit that. 302 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 4: But yeah, it's us. It gets better for anyone out 303 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 4: there going through it. And and my ex husband, Tay 304 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 4: and I are good friends. And he is in that 305 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 4: movie with Kira that're talking about, and there's probably he's 306 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 4: probably you guys have probably done something together. I don't know, 307 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 4: but it's hard. It's just the most important thing. I 308 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 4: really just stressed to people because I watch friends doing 309 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 4: it even now. It's just not speaking badly, disparagingly about 310 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 4: each other to in front of the kids. It's just 311 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 4: whatever you do, it's just and that's and that's no 312 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 4: matter what differences we had. He's been really incredible about 313 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 4: both of us, about respecting each other in that way, 314 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 4: but just yeah, just like kind of failing and not 315 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 4: that I came from divorced parents, so I had sworn 316 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 4: I wasn't going to do that, you know, and that 317 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 4: idyllic perfects upbringing whatever that means, quote unquote and failing 318 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 4: my son and not giving that to him. Of course, 319 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 4: now he's twelve, and I realize what a cool kid 320 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 4: he is, and he's got this great dad and a 321 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 4: great step dad and they love each other, and he's 322 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 4: got like two rooms and lots of two things and 323 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 4: lots of love, and he's going to be a really 324 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 4: cool person, probably grown up because he's experienced this in 325 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 4: his life. So I wish I would have let myself 326 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 4: off the hook back then, but I just felt so 327 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 4: like such a failure, you know. 328 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you're also trying to I mean I think that, 329 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 3: you know, I can't speak for a woman's experience, but 330 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 3: I would think that also trying to have a career 331 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 3: and be a mom at the same time is a 332 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 3: I mean, I've seen it, you know secondhand that it 333 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 3: is a very very challenging life. 334 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's wanting things for yourself when you're supposed to 335 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 4: be giving everything to your family. You know, it's so contradictory. 336 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 4: They're just contradicting terms and it doesn't need to be, 337 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 4: but it just it's constant, just feels it's constant guilt, 338 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 4: and you know, being away and how long and is 339 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 4: that okay? And or just being in my home and 340 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 4: not giving them all my time and you know working 341 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 4: and yeah, so. 342 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 3: Speaking of parents, were your parents how did they feel 343 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,880 Speaker 3: about you choosing this life? Was there like a day 344 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 3: when you told them? 345 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 4: Or was it just just I was always saying how 346 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 4: about you? I was always singing, you know, jumping up 347 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 4: from behind the couch. And uh, my dad was a 348 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 4: little bit more uh hesitance, you know, made sure you 349 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 4: mine are in business. My mom was always do what 350 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 4: you love, got me the lessons, told me she didn't 351 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 4: want me to work as a kid. Kid. How young 352 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 4: were you when you started? Were you really young or 353 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 4: just wow? Teens? 354 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,880 Speaker 3: Well, I mean professionally, I kind of guess I kind 355 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 3: of started when I got out of high school. 356 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 4: Okay, but yeah, she didn't want me doing it before then, 357 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 4: so which I'm glad. I'm glad about that because uh, 358 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,439 Speaker 4: you know, I went to summer camp and had pretty 359 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 4: normal life and was in the school plays. And because 360 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 4: it comes in Long Island, says at Long Island. Yeah, 361 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 4: and then I went to n y U and that 362 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 4: was even hard to be. And I went there to 363 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 4: tish and everything for theater. But it's even hard to be. 364 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 4: I know, everyone loves at school, but it's hard to 365 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 4: be in Manhattan studying. You feel like everyone's doing something 366 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 4: and you got it's like I'm ready to be I 367 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 4: was ready to be out instead of just being some 368 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 4: we're on a campus somewhere and just enjoying learning and 369 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 4: studying and being in the school place. You know, a 370 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 4: clock already. And so I always tell people go somewhere more. 371 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a lot of distractions in New York. Yeah, 372 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 3: and you have You've got you know, Broad Broadway there 373 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 3: just screaming at you. 374 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 4: You know, yeah, you should be doing something, you should 375 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 4: be going in Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 376 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean, on the other hand, I would 377 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 3: think that that became, you know, a kind of a 378 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 3: driving force for you, you know, at a pretty young age, right. 379 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 4: And the diversity and outside of school, like just being 380 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 4: surrounded by so many people with different passions and that 381 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 4: I mean, I think being in Manhattan is the education 382 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 4: itself at that age, you know, coming out of that 383 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 4: very homogenized white neighborhood and Long Island and being able 384 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 4: to see the rest of the world there. So that 385 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 4: was the the education really. Yeah, but yeah. 386 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 3: That's a great education. Uh you know, but you know, 387 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 3: I like to I like to say that we one 388 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 3: of the things that is important to in terms of like, uh, 389 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 3: living your life and trying to expose yourself to a 390 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 3: lot of different kinds of people is that that's what 391 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 3: you're gonna have. Those are the people you're gonna have 392 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 3: to play. You know, You're you're you're probably not going 393 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 3: to be asked to play, uh, you know, a Broadway 394 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 3: singer too often, you know, so you have to you 395 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 3: have to go and and uh make yourself available and 396 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 3: keep your heart open and and and and that's one 397 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 3: of the great things that I found about. Yeah. I 398 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 3: moved to New York when I was seventeen, and that 399 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 3: whole giant I mean, even though I grew up in 400 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,959 Speaker 3: the in Philly and the city, but that whole world 401 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 3: was so influential on me in terms of the people 402 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 3: that I was going to have to play and continues to. 403 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 4: But you've played such a variety and so then it 404 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 4: makes you probably the empathed person that you are because 405 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,959 Speaker 4: you've you've played people from all sides of politics and 406 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 4: spectrum of you know, people's morality and I mean everything. 407 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 4: So you've really you're forced to really look at life 408 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 4: from so many different through so many different lenses. That 409 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 4: makes you That's why, like what you're saying in your introduction, 410 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 4: with these six degrees and everybody sort of seeing something 411 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 4: in one another, that's probably why you're the perfect one 412 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 4: to do this because as an actor, I mean, as actors, 413 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 4: we we can get typecasts, but you don't. You play everybody, 414 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 4: and so you've had to like really do research. 415 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 3: And I try, I try, just keep doing shit against 416 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 3: the wall to see what sticks. So when you talk 417 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 3: about I mean, I'm so many people have mentioned this 418 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 3: to you before, but you happen, you don't happen. You've 419 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 3: been in these incredibly iconic sort of UH projects and 420 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 3: roles like Wicked and Rent uh which which by the way, 421 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 3: we also loved that we probably didn't come backstage, or 422 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 3: did we You might. 423 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 4: Have had and and I want to remember it if 424 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 4: you did. 425 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:19,719 Speaker 3: I mean I think I I think I probably went 426 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 3: to so I read probably four times. But uh Frozen obviously, 427 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 3: I mean, wow, what what you talk about? Iconic piece 428 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 3: of pop culture? Uh, Glee, all these things. I don't 429 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 3: think it's obviously there's no coincidence that you keep bending 430 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 3: up in these things. You are obviously a big part 431 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:51,199 Speaker 3: of what makes those things explode in the way that 432 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 3: they do. Do you ever like that has your career 433 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 3: journey or where you've ended up. Does it ever take 434 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 3: you by some prize? Do you ever stop and go 435 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 3: I'm surprised, like something like something really surprises you. 436 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, all the time. Well, first of all, let me 437 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 4: bring it down here. Yes, I'm very proud of those 438 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 4: zeitgeist moments that I'm a part of, but they are 439 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 4: like once each decade, So in between them, there's a 440 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 4: lot of uh am I going to work again, obscurity moments, 441 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 4: getting dropped from record deals, you know, different things that 442 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 4: maybe are the things that give us the enduring, you know, 443 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 4: the endurance that we need to stay afloat and keep 444 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 4: wanting to be in this business. Maybe, so that's not 445 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 4: all like it happens to me, and then it goes away. 446 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 4: So then I have to appre I appreciate where I've 447 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 4: been and that I had to work myself back up 448 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 4: to get there. And so yeah, but but yes, I'm 449 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 4: starting to say to myself, now, oh there's a nice 450 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 4: there's a nice pattern. They're of these these beautiful roles 451 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,479 Speaker 4: that are all sort of all connect with like a 452 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,919 Speaker 4: young audience, no matter how much older I keep getting. 453 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:13,199 Speaker 4: It's about really helping people embody and and and be uh, 454 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 4: their their strength and the you know, celebrating the the 455 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 4: unsung hero, the the maybe the marginalized person or whatever. 456 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 4: What is that about? What is it about for me? 457 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 3: That? 458 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 4: And so chicken or the egg? Of course, I don't know. 459 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 4: I'm just I don't look at gift horse in the mouth. 460 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 4: I'm just I'm happy because I don't know. I don't 461 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 4: know why I have I'm just very seekful. I mean, yeah, 462 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 4: maybe I have a way of recording, I have a 463 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 4: way my voice has something in it, you know. I 464 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 4: don't know. I just I know that when the understudy 465 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 4: comes on, nobody they all still come in and watch 466 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 4: the show. They don't leave, they don't all return their tickets. 467 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 4: So it's obviously this I always see is my way 468 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 4: of putting myself down. And like Kevin Bagin's, give me 469 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 4: a couple of it. Just take it, you know, just 470 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 4: shut up. Yes, I'm amazing. I don't know why. 471 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 3: It's because you have the ability to find the humanity 472 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 3: in a witch, you know. I mean, like, so that's 473 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 3: that's really what it's about, you know, for for an 474 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: audience to sit there and and you know, see a 475 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: witch and find humanity or or an animated character and 476 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 3: you know, bring it to life. I think that's really 477 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 3: to me that that's what that's what that's what I 478 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 3: would I feel. Thank you, you know, and thank you 479 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 3: for pointing out that we do have peaks and valleys 480 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:45,640 Speaker 3: in our careers, because so often people just look from 481 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 3: afar and you know, I think that at a certain point, 482 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 3: not everyone thinks that the struggle is over. And I 483 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 3: don't think I've ever talked to an actor that just goes, okay, 484 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 3: that's it now. I can just ca I did it. 485 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 3: I can just kick back, you know. It's it's we're 486 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 3: we're we're because we've all been unemployed and because we 487 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 3: well I can't talk for everybody, I can tell you 488 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 3: for myself. If I'm when a job ends, that's not 489 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 3: a vacation, that's like the beginning of the hunt for 490 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 3: the next day. So like I've tried to learn in 491 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 3: my life. 492 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 4: To enjoy that time a. 493 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 3: Week, no, not really, but to take a week to 494 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 3: actually call something a vacation, right, because I know that 495 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 3: the time in between is not it's I mean, I'm 496 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 3: getting a little better at it, but but but I 497 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 3: do think that, you know, I'll mention to people, well, 498 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 3: you know, that was a really kind of a rough time, 499 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 3: and you know, in my career, they're like, what what, 500 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 3: why are you what are you talking about? Because they 501 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 3: just don't nobody can really like understand that there are 502 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 3: these peoples and valleys and that, as you pointed out, 503 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 3: we are oftentimes very very hard in ourselves. 504 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 4: But even within the job, even within the I'm sorry, no, no, no, 505 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 4: and in the job and for me, I'm going back 506 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,959 Speaker 4: and forth to theater and film and TV and record 507 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 4: it in a studio which is a very solitary place, 508 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 4: and then being on tour in front of lots of 509 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 4: people singing myself, you know, like I feel like I 510 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,679 Speaker 4: never my Like right now I'm doing a film and 511 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 4: I always feel like it's the first time because I'm 512 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 4: going back and forth to different medium. So the muscle 513 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 4: I'm flexing is always I'm like, wait, what camera is 514 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 4: as closed as this? 515 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 3: What? 516 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 4: You know? I just I never feel experienced when I 517 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 4: go back to something, even the same with going back 518 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 4: to do the stage thing, and it's like, and that's 519 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 4: beautiful that there's I'm not it's not predictable, but I 520 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 4: also like to feel like an expert once in a while, 521 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 4: and I never do. 522 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 3: You know, Wow, I just want want to ask you 523 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 3: one more, uh show biz question, and that is about 524 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 3: Uncut Gems, which is one of my favorite movies. I 525 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 3: absolutely love that movie. I loved you in the movie, 526 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 3: you know, Adam Sandler was fantastic and and Kevin Garnett, 527 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 3: Oh my god, what a what a what a performance 528 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 3: uh ag gave. I mean I just was like not 529 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 3: knocked out by that. I'm not expecting it, and uh, 530 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 3: I just wanted to, you know, ask what that what's that? 531 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 3: What is that like with the Softy Brothers, Like, I mean, 532 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 3: it just the movie has such a like a crazy 533 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 3: energy fanaticism. 534 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 4: Yeah he as, It's not as chaotic as it feels 535 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 4: because I was actually trying to think about that when 536 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 4: I was on set, like how did they Once I 537 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 4: saw them, was thinking, how did they achieve this? What 538 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 4: is it? Is it the steady cam? 539 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 3: Is the thing? 540 00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 4: Is it the environment? They said on set? I mean 541 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 4: for Will has two of them, right, and Ben Benny 542 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 4: Saffie holds the boom really so he's yeah, so he's 543 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 4: like holding them boom. By the way, he's an amazing actor. 544 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 4: People probably don't realize that he's starting to do more 545 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 4: and more, but he's an incredible actor. You know, you're 546 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 4: starting to see him in a lot of things. But 547 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 4: he holds the boom and gives you direction right there 548 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,680 Speaker 4: and then good yeah. And then you have his brother 549 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 4: behind the monitor and they're both yelling out things to you. 550 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 4: Most of the time they're in sick Sometimes they're and 551 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 4: they're contradicting one another. 552 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 3: But faster slower, faster slower. 553 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, or it's more like, okay, leave the script alone 554 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 4: and it just improvise it and then they're like, okay, 555 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 4: go back to the lines. I'm like, what the fuck 556 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 4: are the lines anymore? But that's why Anam was just 557 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 4: I just want him to get his his his due. 558 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 4: I think he is now, but he's just God. It's 559 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 4: just really easy, you know. I mean it would be 560 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 4: the same with you. I mean people that are just 561 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 4: inhabit the character and the world. All you have to 562 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 4: do is to listen and then I sort of relaxed myself. 563 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 4: He's just incredible that way. So, I it was so 564 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 4: much fun. Plus it was a darker film for me. 565 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 4: You know, it's like, it's not it's not a Disney princess. 566 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 4: So I'm trying to break out once in a while. 567 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 4: I mean, I'm trying to access the other parts of 568 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 4: my character and my personality that people aren't aware of 569 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 4: when you play a Disney princess. And uh, so that 570 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,719 Speaker 4: was fun to just do something a little darker. 571 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 3: Well, you were fantastic in the movie, And for people 572 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 3: that haven't seen it, go check out in uncut gems. 573 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 3: It's it's a really good movie and it's it is dark, 574 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 3: but but she's awesome in it, and uh and and 575 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 3: definitely not a Disney princess, so it's it's good. 576 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 4: Disney Jersey no long Island Princess. 577 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it's great. 578 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: If you were inspired by today's episode, please join us 579 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 1: and supporting six degrees dot org by texting the word 580 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: bacon to seven zero seven zero seven zero. Your gift 581 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: empowers us to continue to produce programs that highlight the 582 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: incredible work of everyday heroes, well also enabling us to 583 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 1: provide essential resources to those that need it the most. 584 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: Once again, text b a c N to seven zero 585 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: seven zero seven zero or visit six degrees dot org 586 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: to learn more. 587 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 3: Now, I want to talk about a broader way, which 588 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 3: is the foundation that you started. So we're going to 589 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 3: bring out your executive director, Tori. Yourbeard is here, so 590 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 3: tell me how did you guys meet? 591 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 4: We have a mutual friend named Philip McAdoo, right, who 592 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 4: is in Lion King and Toy is in Lion King. Yes, 593 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 4: how did I meet Philip? Philip through Tay my ex. Anyway, 594 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 4: we we met and Janine too? Sorry wait is that how? Yeah? 595 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 4: So Geno stories as as most of you out there, 596 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 4: I know, very wonderful and very successful Broadway composer and 597 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 4: and so okay, I had this vision. I had gone 598 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 4: to summer camp for the six years of my life. 599 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 4: I was very lucky to do that. It was a 600 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 4: very bunch of entitled girls in a camp. And as 601 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 4: I got older and I started to have some of 602 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 4: these roles that were and that were really connecting me 603 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 4: to young women, mostly young boys too, or theys as 604 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:47,200 Speaker 4: we would say now, but kids really searching for themselves 605 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 4: in our identity. I found that I wanted kids to 606 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 4: have this experience of going into getting out of the city, 607 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 4: going up into the country, being able to rewrite them 608 00:33:56,040 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 4: the themselves, rediscover themselves as young people during the summer, 609 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 4: and use the arts to help them do that. So 610 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,880 Speaker 4: I called, actually called George Wolf and said, will you 611 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 4: help me with this? And he said no, but you 612 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 4: should call Janine And he said no in a lupping way, 613 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 4: he was busy at the time, that you should call Jeanine. 614 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 4: And then Janine brought in Toria and this whole team 615 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 4: of wonderful, beautiful people that are now my good friends 616 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 4: that run that run this with us. And so what 617 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 4: we had started with thirty girls from mostly Harlem on 618 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 4: the Lower East Side, and now we're not going on 619 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 4: a twelfth yere door. Yes we are young. The youngest 620 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 4: girls have now come around and are going to be 621 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 4: counselors and are taking sort of ownership of the foundation. Itself. 622 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 4: And that's always kind of what we hoped for, that 623 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 4: we would sort of be able to step back a 624 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,399 Speaker 4: little and let let them do their thing. 625 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 3: Is it well, is it in the summer or all 626 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 3: the time? 627 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 5: Be a round the campus in the summer every summer 628 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 5: the program is on year round. 629 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 4: It's grown. Yeah, because we realized that sorry, after the 630 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 4: like ten days of being together, that it wasn't you 631 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 4: know how like after a film you have a you crash, 632 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 4: you could come down from all these wonderful people and 633 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 4: this incredible experience you've had. And then so especially with 634 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 4: these young people that we were with, I mean they 635 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,520 Speaker 4: were going back, some of them going back into environments 636 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,720 Speaker 4: that were challenging for them, and we just we wanted 637 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 4: to stay connected, and so we had to keep raising 638 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 4: money in order to keep the the programs throughout the year. 639 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,280 Speaker 3: So tell me what the experience would Let's just start 640 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 3: with the camp. Let's say what would what would the 641 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 3: experience be for for the for for the girl who 642 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 3: goes through that? 643 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, do you want to go a Dina? Do you 644 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 4: do it? So? 645 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 3: Yeah? 646 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's ever changing. 647 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,480 Speaker 5: Yes, it is that. I guess I'll tell you about 648 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 5: what it's like first, and then we'll talk about this 649 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 5: ever changing aspect because is that is that's like one 650 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 5: of the coolest parts of it to me. But camp 651 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:07,919 Speaker 5: is the beginning of the broader way journey. So you 652 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,800 Speaker 5: start camp, you would start camp between in the summer 653 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 5: between fifth and sixth grade, and be welcomed by a 654 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 5: whole bunch of people who are super excited to meet you, 655 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 5: who feel like they know you already because they've been 656 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 5: staring at your photos or your audition submissions, speaking to 657 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 5: your parents, speaking to you, and trying as best as 658 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,960 Speaker 5: you know they can to get to know you. And 659 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 5: then we do an orientation, a lot of like contract 660 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 5: building with the community, our community to say, like what 661 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:48,279 Speaker 5: languages do we what language do we want to use, 662 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 5: how do we want to treat each other? All of 663 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 5: those things, and then much fun ensues after that. Many 664 00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 5: classes and what we used to call fundamentals, but that 665 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 5: has so have expanded over the years, Like they take 666 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 5: many many classes and many creative disciplines, filmmaking, choreography, dance, 667 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 5: vocal music, what else, theater, spoken word. 668 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 4: A lot of fine arts stuff they have. We we've 669 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 4: moved around, but the facilities that were able to lease 670 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 4: the space from usually have these great, great facilities so 671 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 4: they can they do a lot of like painting as well. 672 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 3: And it's an overnight. It's an overnight in summer. 673 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 4: Like ten days over. And yeah, and we should say that, 674 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:41,719 Speaker 4: we say audition, but we are first thirty girls. All 675 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 4: we had what thirty girls audition and we took. 676 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:51,560 Speaker 3: All thirty that's audition only kind. 677 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:57,799 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, because we're finding that it's the arts. It's 678 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 4: not just about what your quote talents are. The arts are, 679 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 4: like we were talking about before Toy came on, Kevin, 680 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 4: you know, it's about empathy. It's about walking to someone 681 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 4: else's footsteps and understanding other people's experience in life. And 682 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 4: for a lot of these young women, I keep saying, 683 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 4: I keep hesitating toward because I want to we're struggling 684 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 4: with how we how do we say it because we 685 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 4: want to be inclusive of everyone. 686 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 5: Yeah, we it's every evolving as we get more information 687 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,879 Speaker 5: back from the folks in our community. But we were 688 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:35,640 Speaker 5: saying young women and films or female identifying young folks, 689 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 5: and now really I think we're moving towards saying young 690 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:47,320 Speaker 5: women and people on the gender expansion or gender expression spectrum. 691 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,080 Speaker 3: That's awesome, that's fantastic. 692 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 4: But the point being that they that they all we 693 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 4: all need to find our voice and like and that, 694 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,279 Speaker 4: you know, I relate to it because I feel like 695 00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:00,680 Speaker 4: everyone thinks I have this huge voice and that means 696 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 4: I can find a way to express myself on my 697 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:04,800 Speaker 4: own personal life because I have to speak voice. But 698 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:10,399 Speaker 4: it's not true. I'm constantly searching that voice and how 699 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 4: to you know, challenge tackle things in the world. And 700 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 4: and and you assume I made them. I made the 701 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:26,160 Speaker 4: misconception of assuming that these girls were from really tough neighborhoods, 702 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 4: so to speak, which was a misconception to begin with, 703 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 4: and then assuming they were going to come in and 704 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 4: be loud and often they were actually really shy and insecure, 705 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:39,399 Speaker 4: and we needed to help them even just be proud 706 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 4: of saying their name and introducing themselves. So it's the art. 707 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 4: I'm not doing a good job at this tour. I'm 708 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:50,680 Speaker 4: a little out of practice, but like using these the 709 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:52,440 Speaker 4: arts are so much more than just for the kid 710 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,840 Speaker 4: that can kick their leg up to their head or 711 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 4: sing out some great no you know, it's they help 712 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 4: these our young and really find who they are. And 713 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 4: experiment was all different kinds of it was all different 714 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:09,440 Speaker 4: kinds of creative outlets to do that. 715 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 3: Toria, let me ask you, you are a performer, and 716 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:18,799 Speaker 3: what was it about your own experience. I don't know 717 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,120 Speaker 3: a whole lot about your history, but that made you 718 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,359 Speaker 3: think that this was something that you wanted to get 719 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:29,799 Speaker 3: involved with, because obviously, whenever anybody is out there doing 720 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:31,880 Speaker 3: good work, there's always a million other things that you 721 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:36,279 Speaker 3: could be doing. Was there something in your life that 722 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,480 Speaker 3: kind of drove you towards this? And also sort of 723 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:42,919 Speaker 3: two poor question, what is it that you get out 724 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 3: of it? 725 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 5: Okay, Well, first, I started my artistic journey as a dancer, 726 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 5: and I had wonderful mentors, but I was also in 727 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:00,960 Speaker 5: small dance companies or smaller regional dance companies at in 728 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:03,400 Speaker 5: the beginning, and we had to do a lot of outreach. 729 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:05,359 Speaker 4: It was part of how the. 730 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 5: Companies made money or earned, you know, money or grants 731 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 5: or whatever to exist to sustain themselves. So I started 732 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,080 Speaker 5: teaching at a very young age, and I had teaching 733 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:18,760 Speaker 5: modeling to me at a young age. 734 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 4: So from that once. 735 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:26,320 Speaker 5: I began to develop my own practice as an educator 736 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 5: and also deep in my practice as an artist. 737 00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:30,719 Speaker 4: It was it became very important to. 738 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 5: Me for really using teaching dance specifically as a way 739 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:39,439 Speaker 5: of connecting with young people and as a way of 740 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:44,399 Speaker 5: expanding all of our like our vision about what life 741 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:48,200 Speaker 5: can be. So, like Adina said, I had been working 742 00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:52,560 Speaker 5: with Philip to develop some programs with young folks around 743 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 5: New York and in South Africa at the time, and 744 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,360 Speaker 5: it was just part it's part of my personal mission. 745 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:00,840 Speaker 4: I love spending time with young people. 746 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 5: I have grown so much, like my world has completely 747 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 5: opened up because of this opportunity to partner with Adina 748 00:42:10,239 --> 00:42:13,359 Speaker 5: and everyone else at a broader way, including the young folks. 749 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:18,520 Speaker 5: I have seen myself change. I've seen the way I 750 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:21,560 Speaker 5: think about myself and my place in the world has 751 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:25,480 Speaker 5: changed because of a broader way. I understand accountability in 752 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:30,560 Speaker 5: a very different way. And I also learned at a 753 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:33,040 Speaker 5: certain point, maybe like a little bit more than halfway 754 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:36,000 Speaker 5: through my time out of Bay, which started in the beginning, 755 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,360 Speaker 5: that as much as I think I'm teaching, if I 756 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,080 Speaker 5: will just stop talking, I can. 757 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:42,960 Speaker 4: Actually learn a lot. 758 00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:48,360 Speaker 5: So I have learned so much from the young folks 759 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 5: that I am in collaboration with, even as a mentor. 760 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 5: You know, now I have a different idea of what 761 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 5: that can be. I think peer mentorship is important. I 762 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:59,319 Speaker 5: think it's important to allow ourselves to be mentored by 763 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:02,120 Speaker 5: people who are younger and maybe less experienced in certain 764 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 5: ways than we are. So and it's been so wonderful 765 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:10,640 Speaker 5: to continue to work with Adina as your I mean, 766 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 5: I feel like we're so different now than we were 767 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,600 Speaker 5: in the beginning, but we've you know, sometimes people grow apart, 768 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 5: and I feel like we've continued to grow together, which 769 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 5: is so beautiful. 770 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I think that you've You've what I've 771 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:24,320 Speaker 3: been working on a lot in my life in the 772 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:27,279 Speaker 3: past few years is just shutting up and listening. That's 773 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 3: and you can imagine, as you can imagine, that's been 774 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:33,280 Speaker 3: very challenging for a guy like me. But it really, 775 00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:35,960 Speaker 3: it really is a really really uh I think that's 776 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:39,000 Speaker 3: a really good lesson. That's really uh the inspiring to 777 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:41,200 Speaker 3: hear you hear you say that, and tell me a 778 00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 3: little bit, Torri about the about the impact that you've 779 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:49,799 Speaker 3: seen on some of these uh people that that that 780 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:54,279 Speaker 3: have attended the program or or continue to come back 781 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:56,359 Speaker 3: or or I think I think you mentioned that they 782 00:43:56,360 --> 00:43:58,040 Speaker 3: sometimes end up working there. 783 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:04,920 Speaker 4: Wow, let me think about that. I mean, I've seen. 784 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 5: Young people go from being very shy and withdrawn to 785 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 5: being fierce advocates for themselves and other people. I've seen 786 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:24,000 Speaker 5: the realization that, you know, if I am the first 787 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:27,000 Speaker 5: person in my family to go to college, I don't 788 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:30,520 Speaker 5: have to pick like a safe career, or I don't 789 00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:34,720 Speaker 5: have to follow the path that I've seen other people follow. 790 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:37,320 Speaker 4: I can chart my own course. I can do something different. 791 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:42,560 Speaker 5: And most recently, one of our original campers we call 792 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:46,920 Speaker 5: them the ogs, joined our board of directors. Oh wow, 793 00:44:47,120 --> 00:44:50,920 Speaker 5: that's a massive and we have many that are counselors 794 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:56,760 Speaker 5: and that work with us in other capacities, But that 795 00:44:56,760 --> 00:44:59,279 Speaker 5: that was the mark I think we were we've all 796 00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:03,920 Speaker 5: been waiting for. And to have her voice in there, 797 00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:06,560 Speaker 5: like guiding the organization is incredible. 798 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 3: Are the counselors. Are the counselors people that are professionals 799 00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:13,960 Speaker 3: in the industry or people that you know that people 800 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:17,440 Speaker 3: come up and do sort of like drop in seminars. 801 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:21,800 Speaker 3: I mean, tell me about the staff. 802 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:28,520 Speaker 5: Both they're both professionals and some people drop in. Adina's 803 00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:31,719 Speaker 5: brought in many incredible guest artists, and then we have 804 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:35,480 Speaker 5: a roster of creative team members that say we know 805 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:38,920 Speaker 5: or anybody knows that wants to come and work with 806 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:41,319 Speaker 5: the young person. Thing is is that once they do 807 00:45:41,360 --> 00:45:44,560 Speaker 5: it one year, they typically always want to do it, 808 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:49,839 Speaker 5: so the roster doesn't rotate as much as it as 809 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:55,040 Speaker 5: it could, I suppose. But the counselors are usually young 810 00:45:55,120 --> 00:46:02,920 Speaker 5: people who are studying social work or social justice or nursing, 811 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:06,879 Speaker 5: you know, people who really have the desire to work 812 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:10,120 Speaker 5: with young people in this capacity because you know, it's 813 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:12,839 Speaker 5: hard to be away from home. Like Adina was saying 814 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:16,000 Speaker 5: in the beginning, some of these young people have never 815 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,680 Speaker 5: been away from home, or they they've never been outside 816 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:22,760 Speaker 5: of the city environment. So you know, the bugs, the darkness, 817 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,840 Speaker 5: there's a lot. 818 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:29,000 Speaker 3: Sure, sure, sure, yeah, yeah, wow, that's amazing. So then 819 00:46:29,120 --> 00:46:31,080 Speaker 3: in the rest of the year, tell me about the 820 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:34,000 Speaker 3: other programs that happened outside of the summer camp. 821 00:46:34,520 --> 00:46:34,880 Speaker 4: Mhm. 822 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:39,600 Speaker 5: We so we have a school year program for the 823 00:46:39,719 --> 00:46:46,600 Speaker 5: younger participants and they do many of their workshops, but 824 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 5: we we most like they'll do like choreography workshops, and 825 00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:56,319 Speaker 5: we meet up every month to do like what what 826 00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,479 Speaker 5: we call a workshop. But it's really like a long 827 00:46:58,600 --> 00:47:01,520 Speaker 5: check in and we usually have a topic that are 828 00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:04,640 Speaker 5: something that's happening that we are gathering around and discussing. 829 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,640 Speaker 5: We have guest artists come in and just guest speakers. 830 00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:13,280 Speaker 5: And then we started a program named after Jeanine Tasori, 831 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:17,799 Speaker 5: which is is an authorship program, so they make work 832 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:26,319 Speaker 5: mentored by professionals in choreography, songwriting, filmmaking and spoken work. 833 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 4: So that's been really important to Torri and myself, especially 834 00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:35,640 Speaker 4: that we weren't just this camp in the beginning and 835 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:39,040 Speaker 4: this organization that the kids were doing a bunch of 836 00:47:39,080 --> 00:47:41,960 Speaker 4: revivals of shows that they don't even have a connection 837 00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:45,120 Speaker 4: to or you know, And so for us, it was 838 00:47:45,120 --> 00:47:48,959 Speaker 4: about how can we allow them to create and help 839 00:47:49,000 --> 00:47:53,080 Speaker 4: them execute their own visions. So Janine would have them 840 00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:55,919 Speaker 4: write a lot in the beginning. We found that their 841 00:47:56,000 --> 00:47:59,760 Speaker 4: writing turned into their spoken word or so while someone 842 00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:04,120 Speaker 4: was performing their spoken word their poem, someone else was 843 00:48:04,719 --> 00:48:08,439 Speaker 4: choreographing a modern piece behind them, and then someone else 844 00:48:08,480 --> 00:48:12,759 Speaker 4: would compose music to going to neither that kind of thing, 845 00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:14,799 Speaker 4: and then we'd have more of like a recital where 846 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:18,560 Speaker 4: we felt was the celebration of all of their work 847 00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:21,880 Speaker 4: and teaching them that theyre authors of their own lives 848 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:24,359 Speaker 4: and you know as well, and that they have that 849 00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:27,040 Speaker 4: we want to we want to hear and see what 850 00:48:27,080 --> 00:48:27,960 Speaker 4: they have to offer. 851 00:48:28,680 --> 00:48:30,520 Speaker 3: So it sounds like you're not doing a production of 852 00:48:30,520 --> 00:48:31,600 Speaker 3: Footloose there. 853 00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:36,600 Speaker 4: Not out of the rol up possibility. 854 00:48:37,160 --> 00:48:39,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's not, but it could use a little bit 855 00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:40,600 Speaker 3: of an update, I think. 856 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:42,919 Speaker 4: But yeah, we would just su mess with it a little. 857 00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:49,600 Speaker 3: I think you'd have to. Well, that is really incredible. 858 00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:54,640 Speaker 3: I mean, Adina, I know that from myself, stepping into 859 00:48:54,760 --> 00:48:58,960 Speaker 3: this world was like of you know, trying to figure 860 00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:03,479 Speaker 3: out how to in some way give back or use 861 00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:07,040 Speaker 3: whatever kind of celebrity you have to do something in 862 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:11,759 Speaker 3: a positive way. Was a little like was overwhelming, and 863 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:16,719 Speaker 3: actually sometimes continues to be kind of overwhelming. But it's 864 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:20,480 Speaker 3: but it feels as though you found something that's just 865 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:23,160 Speaker 3: very much a natural fit with you and where your 866 00:49:23,320 --> 00:49:29,279 Speaker 3: your heart lives. And certainly to find Toria, you know, 867 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,759 Speaker 3: and and for you guys to get connected and be 868 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:33,799 Speaker 3: able to put this thing together is you must feel 869 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:34,480 Speaker 3: really good about it. 870 00:49:35,360 --> 00:49:38,560 Speaker 4: I do. She she and the whole our whole group. 871 00:49:38,600 --> 00:49:41,840 Speaker 4: They've made me a better person. Honestly, I've learned. I 872 00:49:41,920 --> 00:49:48,120 Speaker 4: learned more from Toria, the our staff, and our young campers. 873 00:49:48,640 --> 00:49:50,880 Speaker 4: I've learned more about myself through them than they probably 874 00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:54,360 Speaker 4: have learned from me. But yes, it is very rewarding 875 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:58,960 Speaker 4: and and we I think what we pride ourselves on 876 00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:02,560 Speaker 4: is that we are malleable and that we are learning 877 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:06,520 Speaker 4: and growing. And we we always had this uh illustration 878 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:09,239 Speaker 4: of a of a tree that we sort of have 879 00:50:09,320 --> 00:50:11,560 Speaker 4: these roots that we all need, you know, in the ground, 880 00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:16,160 Speaker 4: that hold us strong and steadfast, and then we have 881 00:50:16,239 --> 00:50:19,000 Speaker 4: our branches. But branches can't be brittle otherwise we break. 882 00:50:19,040 --> 00:50:21,239 Speaker 4: So we have to be able to move and grow 883 00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:25,239 Speaker 4: and evolve. And it's kind of something that we take 884 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:27,520 Speaker 4: an image we take with us and I think as 885 00:50:27,520 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 4: an organization we're doing that as well. And so we 886 00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:35,040 Speaker 4: so tell us how hold each other accountable. 887 00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:39,239 Speaker 3: Tell us thank you, tell us how people can help out, 888 00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:41,520 Speaker 3: how they can where they go to find out what 889 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:44,960 Speaker 3: you're doing, to to donate or to volunteer, or how 890 00:50:44,960 --> 00:50:45,840 Speaker 3: they can get involved. 891 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:50,400 Speaker 5: W w W do people even still say that BroaderWay 892 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:55,399 Speaker 5: dot org a broader Way dot org? 893 00:50:56,560 --> 00:50:58,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, And you can, like just you could you could 894 00:50:58,680 --> 00:51:01,520 Speaker 4: sponsor a camper just to get started, like one camper 895 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:03,840 Speaker 4: for the summer would be amazing help. 896 00:51:03,640 --> 00:51:06,279 Speaker 3: You know the greatest idea. I love that. 897 00:51:07,080 --> 00:51:10,919 Speaker 4: Yeah, so they can get in touch and it will 898 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:12,839 Speaker 4: help them, will make it easy for them to help. 899 00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:17,960 Speaker 3: That is awesome. Yes, ser well, thank you guys so much. 900 00:51:18,400 --> 00:51:21,600 Speaker 4: Amazing you for having us on and allowing us to 901 00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,600 Speaker 4: shine light on this organization and just letting me hang 902 00:51:25,640 --> 00:51:27,359 Speaker 4: out and talk with you is a big buffet list 903 00:51:27,360 --> 00:51:27,880 Speaker 4: thing for me. 904 00:51:28,280 --> 00:51:31,640 Speaker 3: It was really fun, I really really fun, And thank 905 00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:33,719 Speaker 3: you both and I will see you down the road. 906 00:51:37,239 --> 00:51:40,480 Speaker 2: Hey, guys, thanks for listening to another episode of six Degrees. 907 00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:43,360 Speaker 2: And if you want to learn more about A Broader 908 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:45,920 Speaker 2: Way and all the good work that they are up to, 909 00:51:46,200 --> 00:51:49,560 Speaker 2: head to our website, a Broader Way dot org. 910 00:51:49,719 --> 00:51:52,640 Speaker 3: You can find all the links in our show notes, and. 911 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:55,160 Speaker 2: If you like what you hear, make sure you subscribe 912 00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:56,760 Speaker 2: to the show and tune into. 913 00:51:56,520 --> 00:51:59,200 Speaker 3: The rest of our episodes. You can find six Degrees 914 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:03,960 Speaker 3: with Kevin Bacon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 915 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:06,839 Speaker 3: wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you next time. 916 00:52:09,719 --> 00:52:09,759 Speaker 4: M