1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: What's up his way up with Angela Ye, I'm Angela yee. 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: And how exciting Shelley Williams is here with me. Hey, listen, 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: we were just before this interview even started having a 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: lot of conversations about Broadway, and I was telling you 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: I took my mom to see Aita twice and you 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: were in it. 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 2: You did the whole round with Tony Braxton. 8 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 3: I did the whole run, yeah, Tony, Heather Deborah Cox 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 3: wo the whole run. 10 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 4: Yeah. 11 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: And now so wait, Aida is coming back too, right? 12 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 4: Aida is coming back? 13 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: Yes, that's amazing revival. Okay, That's what I'm talking about. Now, 14 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: that's a full circle moment, right, it is, So talk 15 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: to me about just like how cause I know we're here. 16 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 2: We're going to talk about a lot of different things. 17 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: But since we were already off camera mentioning that yes, 18 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: you know, talk to me how about how exciting that 19 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: was to get that call and what it was like 20 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: when you were actually in the Broadway play. 21 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 4: It was. 22 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 3: It was transformation to get that call because I had 23 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 3: been thinking about that story ever since I did it. 24 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 3: When I did the show, when I finished Aita is 25 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 3: when I became came a director, because I had gone 26 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 3: through a show that was about enslaved people where the 27 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 3: leading woman is a black, you know, Nubian princess, and 28 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 3: we didn't have the conversations about blackness about African culture, 29 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 3: both Egyptian and Nubian in the ways that I had wished. 30 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 3: And I came out of that production thinking, I want 31 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 3: to become the person behind the table so I can 32 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 3: begin to shift these narratives and have the conversations that 33 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: are entrenching the theater that we're making in our history. 34 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 3: And so I got the privilege a few years ago 35 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: to be asked by Disney to reimagine a new Ida, 36 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 3: and I have entrenched it in an African history. 37 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was going to ask you about reimagining something 38 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: that people are familiar with the story. You're introducing a 39 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: new audience at the same time for people who aren't. 40 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: But there are some people who. 41 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: Are like, very devoted to the original story. But you 42 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: also have to put your own spin on it. 43 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, the way that I like to 44 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 3: say it is, you know, I have two children, and 45 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 3: I love them both. You can love the old one 46 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 3: and love the new one. Like it's not like you 47 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 3: gotta pick you can like a boat, and you could, so, 48 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: you know. I do love when people have such affinity 49 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 3: for what was but can create space for what is now. 50 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: Although they do say the younger child usually has it 51 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: easier because the first child has to go through all 52 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: the trials and tribulations and get all the punishments, and 53 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 1: then you tend to be a little bit more lenient 54 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: with that. 55 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 4: Well, you asked Sasha if that's true, because I don't 56 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 4: know if she did. 57 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 5: Here that's what. 58 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: They say, But yeah, and Broadway in particular is a 59 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: place that for myself, I love going to place, and 60 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: I love taking my friends. I've taken Jazzmine, who's up 61 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: here sometimes guest hosting. I took her to see her 62 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: first ever Broadway play. We went to go see Ja 63 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: Jazz hair Braiding. And then I also took Laura, who 64 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: manages our coffee shop and she's on lip service. I 65 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: took her to go see for Colored Girls, yes, when 66 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: that was on Brody. But what I don't like is 67 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: that sometimes those plays come and go so fast, and 68 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: I really am always trying to advocate for us to 69 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: go to the theatre more because I feel like it's 70 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: such a great experience to go with your friends, to 71 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: go with your family, to go with your significant other. 72 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: And that brings me to the Notebook. 73 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: Yes, because my boyfriend loves the Notebook and when I 74 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: told him, I was like, we're going to go see that, 75 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: you know, on Broadway. He was so excited, which was 76 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: funny to me because I love that. Yeah, because sometimes 77 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: like you try to bring a guy. I took him 78 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: to go see Wicked and he actually enjoyed it. You know, 79 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: because for some people this is their first time doing 80 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: something like that, and I think what play you take 81 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: them to matters a lot, you know. So people who 82 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: are familiar with the Notebook, can you talk about this 83 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: because it's a musical way and so you're directing the Notebook. 84 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: This is your directorial Broadway debut, right correct? 85 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 4: Yes? 86 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: Okay, So we. 87 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: Got to get into all of that because the Notebook 88 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: is an iconic, iconic love story. And I heard they're 89 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: selling Kleenex in the in the theater. 90 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 4: Well, I mean we kind of had to. It was like, 91 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 4: we got to give people's sleeves a break. 92 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: People are passively next in the aisles. 93 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 4: Past people were like, okay, we'll let you have your 94 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 4: own box. 95 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: How about that. 96 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, so tell me about reimagining the Notebook as a 97 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: musical lumberaway. 98 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 3: So I was approached about this piece in twenty twenty, 99 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,559 Speaker 3: and I co directed with my dear friend Michael grif 100 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 3: And Michael called me and said, you know, hey, I'm 101 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 3: directing this piece and I really love for you to 102 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 3: do it with me. And it was surprising, you know, 103 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 3: because directors don't often co direct together, and certainly he's 104 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 3: a very experienced. 105 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 4: Director, but he said, we're telling this piece. 106 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 3: In a different kind of way, and we are imagining 107 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 3: a world in which the Alleys and Noah's represent many 108 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 3: racial you know, many racial cultures, and we want to 109 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 3: talk with you about that because it's really important that 110 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 3: we're representing them authentically. Ooh okay and I and I said, well, 111 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 3: let me read it, let me, you know, hear to the music. 112 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 4: And see what I think. 113 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 3: And it just so happened that I was spending the 114 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: month my family spent a month in Ohio with my family. 115 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 3: This is during COVID, and we drove down to kind 116 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 3: of expand our bubble and my mom has Alzheimer's. 117 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 4: And so as I was reading this, I was living it. 118 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 3: You know, my dad is Noah, my mom is Ali, 119 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 3: their high school sweethearts. 120 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 4: It was just like it hit me so hard. 121 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 3: And because they were imagining the younger Alli's as black, 122 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 3: I knew how important it was to expand this narrative 123 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: to us too, to say, this story belongs to us. 124 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 3: We also know this kind of love. We also know 125 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 3: the pain of Alzheimer's, We also have the joy of 126 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 3: first love. It was an opportunity to say that we 127 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 3: belong inside these stories. 128 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 4: And these are all narratives. 129 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: You know, in theater in movies, we see movies that 130 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 3: never include us, but I feel them so deeply. 131 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: I let a little bit of a disconnect when we 132 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: don't see ourselves. 133 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 2: Of course, is that at all? 134 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 4: I mean? You know, I was explaining to a younger generation. 135 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 3: We've got some younger people doing the Whiz, And I said, 136 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 3: you know, when I grew up, there were no books, 137 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 3: you know, children's books that had illustrations with black kids 138 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 3: in them. There were no cartoons, there were no Disney 139 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 3: movies with black princesses. 140 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 4: Of like, when The Whiz came. 141 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: Out, like that was everything, oh right, The music was 142 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: sell fire, like the acting and everything. 143 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 4: And now as an adult. 144 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 3: I go see movies like The Notebook, I go see 145 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 3: movies that I love, and I still don't see myself. 146 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 3: So to be able to be a part of that 147 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 3: change on stage, even if I can't do it on screen, 148 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 3: this is my world, right, So to be a part 149 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: of that and to say we're not going to ignore 150 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 3: your race. What is the challenge in this piece? The 151 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 3: challenges the show took place in the thirties and forties, Well, 152 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: now that's a whole that's a big problem when you're 153 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 3: going to introduce black women into this and mixed couple. 154 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 3: So we moved the time period, okay, and we found 155 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 3: instead of it being in the South, we moved it too. 156 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 3: We call it like a coastal region. But we actually 157 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 3: found some beaches, cars beach you know in that Baltimore, 158 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 3: that Chesapeake Bay area that were black beaches, okay, that 159 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: had big concerts that were integrated. 160 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 4: And we're like, here's a place where Noah and Ali 161 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 4: that story could be true in nineteen sixty. 162 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: See, I wasn't certain if you guys are like we're 163 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: just gonna cast the people who are the best in 164 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: these roles, or if it was a conscientious decision like, 165 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: we want to make sure that the younger Alley is 166 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:35,119 Speaker 1: a black woman. 167 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: So it really was a conscious decision, was. 168 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 3: Intentional, it was it was an intentional expansion of the 169 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: narrative so that more people could see themselves. Yeah, and 170 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 3: to also say that the rules of theater are true. 171 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 3: If I sit in the in a chair and I 172 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 3: say this is a car, everybody goes, yeah, uh huh, 173 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 3: it's a car. 174 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: Right, it's suspension of disbelief. If it's raining in the 175 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: theater like it is, and it's raining, it's. 176 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 4: Rain, you hear crickets, they're like, oh, they're outside. Right. 177 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,239 Speaker 3: So when we say that we are introducing the rules 178 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: of this. When one person says Ali and the next 179 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 3: person says Ali, and people go. 180 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 4: I don't get it, it's like, well you don't want 181 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 4: to get it right. 182 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 3: But if she says Ali, and this person says Ali, 183 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 3: and this person says we're. 184 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: All like, yeah, it's Ali, everybody right, you know, you 185 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: know what it is, you know what it And anybody 186 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: who acts like, oh, this isn't you know, working for me? Yeah, 187 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: then it's kind of like you're not making any effort 188 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: at all. Because there's so many things that we see 189 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,239 Speaker 1: and witness. I just think about even the Little Mermaid, 190 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: And people were mad when the Little Mermaid was like, 191 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: I don't even get what It's not even a real thing, guys, 192 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: And you were okay with pretending this was real when 193 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: she was white, So you can, you know, And that's 194 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: what great acting does, and a great story does, and 195 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: let you get so involved with the story that you 196 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: can follow it and not have to be like, wait, 197 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: wait a minute, this doesn't master with this, this isn't 198 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: really happening. No, you're following what the story is. Yeah, 199 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: And I can imagine, man, that must have been for you. 200 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: Was it therapeutic to actually get so into, you know, 201 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: the heart of this play of the Notebook while you 202 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: were going through what you were going through with your mom. 203 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 4: Oh I cried a lot. I cried a lot. 204 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: I mean, Michael's mom also had a dementia. Our leading lady, 205 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 3: our older ally, Marianne Plunkett, her mother had dementia. So 206 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,719 Speaker 3: we had like lots of conversations that were entrenched and 207 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 3: deep in our own versions of it, knowing that none 208 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 3: of us have like the defining like it presents itself 209 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 3: in so many ways. 210 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 4: But but we tried to be very true to the 211 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 4: reality of it. 212 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, we wanted to be honest and telling this story, 213 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 3: and we wanted to be honest and you know the love, 214 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 3: you know, this incredible. 215 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: Love, man, that is like a love story. What did 216 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 1: they call it? It's not twin flames. But when two 217 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: people are connected, like not kismet, It's not I can't 218 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: remember what the phrase it. 219 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 2: You know, what is it called? K Yeah? 220 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: What they call Yeah, when two people are like connected 221 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 1: and there it's like by. 222 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 4: The universe like sots. 223 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, kind of like somates. But there's another phrase that 224 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: they use. But yeah, so and that feels like that's it. 225 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: That's the kind of love that everybody wants. Yeah, you 226 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: know and that, But sometimes we might think it's also 227 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 1: so romanticized, like can we ever find that because there's 228 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: a lot of flow and there were a lot of 229 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,119 Speaker 1: flaws in there and Noah and Ally's relationships. 230 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: I mean, you know the advice I give to everybody 231 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 3: when they're getting married, and it's the advice that I 232 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 3: took myself when I got married. I said, you want 233 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: to marry the person that you want to spend the 234 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 3: worst day of your life because everybody wants to be 235 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 3: with you when you win in an oscar, right, But 236 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 3: on the day that you use your parents, who do 237 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 3: you want to be with? 238 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 4: And if that's not that person and you don't walk 239 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 4: down that. 240 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 2: Aisle, that's a great piece of advice. 241 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 3: Because that's the person that's that's going to be there 242 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 3: for you always on your worst day of your life. 243 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 3: If this is the person that you want to be with, 244 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 3: then that's your person. 245 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 2: And you grew up in Dayton, Ohio. 246 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 1: I did, Okay, so tid something about growing up in Dayton, 247 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: Ohio because I know I saw that you saw the whiz, 248 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: like you said when you were seven years old, yes, 249 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 1: and so that was kind of groundbreaking for you. But 250 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: when did you realize the path that you wanted to take? 251 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 3: So I was always surrounded by a theater. 252 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 4: I was always surrounded out by music. 253 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 3: My dad's the drummer for the Ohio Players. So yeah, okay, 254 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 3: my dad's diamond. So I grew up on the road 255 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 3: a lot, you know, going. 256 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 4: To a lot of concerts, going to a lot of shows. 257 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 4: So I always knew that a life in the arts 258 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 4: was real. Like some people grow up and they're like 259 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 4: that's not a real job. I'm like, it's a real job. 260 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 4: Not like so I never considered that I could not 261 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 4: pursue my dreams. It was always something that was very 262 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 4: real to me. 263 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 3: I grew up as a drummer like my dad. That 264 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 3: was like, it was like a little drum prodigy. And 265 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 3: it wasn't until my senior year of high school and 266 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 3: I played in the pit of all the shows and 267 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 3: was like, my senior year of I played Dorothy and 268 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 3: the Whiz and that was it and I was it. 269 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 4: Bro It up ended my whole life. I then had 270 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 4: to like, I had scholarships to go to college and music. 271 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 3: I turned them down to take a gap year to 272 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 3: study theater, and then I the following year, like I 273 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 3: worked at the mall. Everybody was like, oh my gosh, 274 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 3: I thought you were gonna be something. I really, you know, 275 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 3: all my friends up for college and I'm like working 276 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 3: at the mall and taking in acting classes. And then 277 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 3: I got a scholarship to am to hear in New York, Okay, 278 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: and that's you know. 279 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 4: How it all began. But I really followed my heart. 280 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 1: Wow, So did you look up to like Shelley E? 281 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: Because I know when I was showing up Shelley as 282 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: a drummer. She made me want to be like, I 283 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: need to learn how to play the drum. That was 284 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: my nickname in junior high school. 285 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 4: Everybody call me Sheilee. Yeah. 286 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: So you have all these different talents and I know 287 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: that comes in handy on Broadway too. So you decided 288 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: it's time for me to move behind the scenes. 289 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: Yes, as well? Would you ever go back to being 290 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: plan imagine it? You can't imagine it? So you like 291 00:12:58,800 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 2: this scene? 292 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 4: I love it. I love it so much, you know. 293 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 3: I love being able to have conversations with actors and creatives. 294 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 4: I love auditions because I know how. 295 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 3: Hard it is to come in an audition for someone, 296 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 3: and I love giving them their dignity. 297 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 4: I love looking at people and especially telling young black 298 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 4: actors it's okay to take up space. 299 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 3: The amount of people that cry in my audition room 300 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 3: because I just give them permission to be their full 301 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 3: selves right when they walk in and they think they 302 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: always have to be in the box that they expect 303 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 3: that you want them to be in. But to say, 304 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 3: I want you to be as expansive as you want 305 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 3: to be. I want to know that your authentic voice 306 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 3: is the voice that I want to hear, not the 307 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: voice that was trained you were trained to be, but 308 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 3: your truth is what I value and what I want 309 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: to see, and just giving them permission to be their 310 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 3: full selves. I can't imagine not doing that, right. 311 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: Wow, And it feels like you're doing an amazing job 312 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: from the gigs that you've been getting because it's like 313 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: you're simultaneously directing two plays right now. 314 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's now, that's tough. I didn't even know. Is 315 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 2: that a common thing in Broadway? I didn't think so. 316 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, certainly not with musicals. 317 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: Okay, so talk to me about how you manage that 318 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: because I know Broadway is, you know, a few blocks, 319 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: so I know, going from one place to the other. 320 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 1: But the amount of like switching gears in your head, 321 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: you know, how is that process? 322 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 3: No one would have planned this, and if it hadn't 323 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: been for the pandemic, these shows would not have happened 324 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 3: the same year, right, Okay, this is really a result 325 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 3: of everything shut down and then everything started going again. 326 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 4: But when we got the schedule and both shows got theaters, 327 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 4: I was like, oh Jesus, we're in for it. And 328 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 4: then it was just about how were we compared. 329 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: Like it was really compartmentalizing, right. You know, I have 330 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 3: an amazing assistant, and I would say, Okay, on Monday 331 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 3: and Wednesdays, I'm going to work on the notebook on 332 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 3: two stays and Thursdays, I'm gonna work on the Wiz, 333 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 3: and then on Friday, I'm gonna work on new projects. 334 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 4: So for a while there it was I was doing like. 335 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 3: A Whiz meeting and then a notebook meeting, and then 336 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 3: AAZ casting meeting, and like I was all over the place, 337 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: and I'm like, no, I just gotta. 338 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 4: Stay on one show a day, Okay. 339 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: So that was the way that I got compartmentalizing. Yes, 340 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: and then you also have two daughters. Yeah, how do 341 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: you deal with all of that in the midst of there? 342 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: There? 343 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 4: Oh my gosh. 344 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 3: Well, at some point, I'm always failing somebody, right, somebody's 345 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 3: like either somebody's not getting fed or picked. 346 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: Up or somebody to get cast. Like something's always happening. 347 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, But you know, every. 348 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 3: Day I have to forgive myself and I just have 349 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 3: to try harder and course correct, right, and every day 350 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 3: I model for my girls. You know, there's this my 351 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 3: favorite gospel song as we fall down, you know, but 352 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 3: I'm like, you know, every day I get back up again, right, 353 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 3: and so you know, in this year that was so challenging. 354 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 3: I communicated a lot, like really was very clear. You know, 355 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 3: my husband is amazing, We have a great village. We 356 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 3: talked about where I needed to be, when I needed 357 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 3: to be, the things that I knew I. 358 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 4: Was going to miss. 359 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 3: I was going to miss them in their own musical. 360 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 3: I was going to miss some really big moments in 361 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 3: their lives. There were, you know, events that happened for 362 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 3: the Notebook that I was going to miss because I 363 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 3: was working all the whiz Like there were. 364 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 2: Just like wow, things that those are hard priorities. 365 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 4: They're hard priorities. But all I can do is my best. 366 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: Well, you know what, when you talk about communicating, thinking 367 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: about something like the notebook, just imagine something like that 368 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: would never happen today because she would't have missed all 369 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: those letters because he would have been texting her like you. 370 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: Need to get mine DM and her like you don't 371 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 2: get these notes I'm sending you. 372 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: It's a different day and age when people are you know, 373 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: trying to write each other letters and communicate that way 374 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: you really could lose touch with. 375 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: Somebody, You could lose touch. 376 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, nowadays they have to purposely be ignoring you in 377 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: order for something like that to happen. What were some 378 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: things in the notebook that you were like, Okay, this 379 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: has to be cause you know, there's some iconic moments. 380 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: What were some things that you felt like had to 381 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: be in the play no matter what. 382 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 2: But we're challenging the rain, Okay. 383 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 3: I was like, it's got a rain, Like, there's no question, 384 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,360 Speaker 3: and I don't have you seen the show yet, no, 385 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 3: but I'm planning it. 386 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 2: Oh, we rain okay, and it's beautiful. I mean raining, 387 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 2: That's the one thing I've heard about. 388 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 4: Is so exciting because it defies all the rules. You're 389 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 4: in a building, it's. 390 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 3: Not supposed to happen, and it in its its downpours 391 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 3: on stage like it is really really so beautiful. We 392 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 3: have water on stage, we have a little lake on stage, Like. 393 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 3: There are just so many things that make it feel environmental. 394 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 3: You feel like you're in this coastal town. You feel 395 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 3: like you're in the house, you feel like you're in 396 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 3: the nursing home. It's the magic of a feeder that 397 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 3: you know, you go you suspend belief and then you 398 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 3: buy into the magic and you go on that journey. 399 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: So that was that were that was something you know 400 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 3: that we obviously knew we had to have. 401 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: I had it was randing tears in a theater. 402 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 4: Two Oh. The end of the play is so I 403 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 4: think cathartic. 404 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 3: You know, there's there's sadness, especially if you've lived it 405 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 3: or you know there's that kind of thing. 406 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 4: There's something that's really beautiful about the communal nature because 407 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 4: it's like audible sab from people all around you. But 408 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:26,239 Speaker 4: then you realize you're not alone in your sadness. 409 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 3: Right, that other people have felt this too, and that's 410 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 3: something that was so beautiful about expanding this. 411 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 4: Story to other people. We have many races represented. 412 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 3: On our show, and to be able to allow other 413 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 3: cultures to come in and see themselves and see their 414 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 3: belonging inside this story felt necessary and important because that's 415 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 3: actually the truth, that's the world that we live in. 416 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 3: Doing the other is actually creating a false narrative of 417 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 3: a very real place that we live, and it's just 418 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 3: time to start telling more truths. 419 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 4: So us crying together. There's so much laughter. 420 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 3: The book is really funny and The only reason why 421 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 3: the crying works is because there. 422 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 4: Is so much laughter. 423 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 3: Us laughing together, us crying together, us feeling together feels 424 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 3: so necessary after years of COVID. 425 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 4: And being so separate. 426 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, it's like a. 427 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 4: Big expansiveness of humanity in a small space. 428 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 2: You know. 429 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: How do you see Broadway changing the way that it 430 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: has been? Because I remember I used to go to 431 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: plays and I wouldn't really see any black people in 432 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: the theater, and I didn't see a lot of plays 433 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: that maybe I was like interested in going to see. 434 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 2: But now I feel like it's a. 435 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: Lot more diverse, you know, And of course there's still 436 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: always a long way to go, but I always want 437 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 1: to make sure that we're figuring out ways to get 438 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: more of us to go into the theater because I 439 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: love to see that. Like I love when I go 440 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: and I go to a play and I see like 441 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: a you know, a bunch of people that look like 442 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: me and people like me in the place. But what 443 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 1: do you think about how things have progress with Broadway plays? 444 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 3: I think that shows in general, I there's a distinction 445 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 3: between having a black person on stage and having black representation, 446 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 3: because black people performing for audiences has been around for right, 447 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 3: but having someone authentically represent their humanity as a black 448 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 3: person on stage has not. And that's the difference is 449 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 3: I think you know, when I go see a show, 450 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 3: there's a lot of shows on Broadway now that have 451 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 3: black people that aren't black shows, and we know that, 452 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 3: and then we go see it and we go. 453 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 4: To our friends. 454 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 5: Right. 455 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 3: But when we do see something that we're like, that's us, 456 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 3: you run and tell that. 457 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 4: Can you tell all your friends? 458 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 2: Right? 459 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 4: Because that's when we want to be able to. 460 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 3: Say to Broadway as a whole, we know ourselves, this 461 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 3: is what we like. 462 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 4: We want more of this, please and stop doing that 463 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 4: other crap. 464 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 5: Right. 465 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 3: So it is important when you see something that you 466 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 3: love that you tell everybody, and everybody comes and we 467 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 3: begin to shift the stories that we tell in the 468 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 3: way that we tell them. 469 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean. 470 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 4: Our trauma, right. 471 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 5: Yeah. 472 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: I thought MDA the Musical was a great play for 473 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: people to go see. Like I went to go see 474 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: that one a couple of times too, And like I said, 475 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,199 Speaker 1: I'm always trying to make sure we talk about that 476 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: when we're on this show, in particular when people are 477 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: coming out, so that they actually feel encouraged to want 478 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: to do that because sometimes I feel like people also 479 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: don't feel like I don't know, it's hard to explain, 480 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: but the fact that so many of my friends have 481 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: never been, and I'm always like, we live in New York. 482 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, sometimes people think it's expensive too. 483 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,479 Speaker 1: But there are definitely ways to get cheaper tickets all 484 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 1: the time, all the time. 485 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 3: All the time. Yeah, there's all kinds of deals to 486 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 3: come out. In certain months, shows are cheaper than others. 487 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 3: January February shows are really cheap. Like there's times when 488 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 3: the broadways down and you can go get the cheaper 489 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 3: you know. There's also like incredible black artists working behind 490 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 3: the scene, yep, costume designers, set designers, sound designers, composers, writers, 491 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 3: so there can be shows, you. 492 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 2: Know, I still have some flavor. 493 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,959 Speaker 3: I saw Appropriate last night, and that was written by 494 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 3: a black writer. Okay, but it's a white cast, right, 495 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 3: But I saw what he was saying in the piece and. 496 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 4: I was like, oh, Brandon, that's so good, you know. 497 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 3: Like there's I was so excited to see the piece. 498 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 4: I was so excited to support him. 499 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 3: And his writing, and I was like, you have a 500 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 3: really important narrative going on. Really important comments about the 501 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 3: world in this piece, but you would look at it 502 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 3: and say, oh, this is a white show, right right. 503 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: But ye know, And I also feel like when it 504 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: comes to actors, for them, the kind of the pinnacle 505 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: of being able to act is being able to do theater. Yeah, 506 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: because it is definitely a different type of beast than 507 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,239 Speaker 1: being on a TV show or in a movie. You know, 508 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 1: being on a play, there's no takes. You got to 509 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: just nail it the way that you're doing. It's something happens. 510 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: You got to keep it moving, keep people captivated. And 511 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: like I was with Erika Alexander. We went to go 512 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: see The Lion King together and she wants to do 513 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: Broadway so bad, and I think she would be amazing. 514 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:10,199 Speaker 2: And they did a. 515 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: Tour with us afterward, and she got on the stage 516 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: and she was like, I'm claiming it. I'm going to 517 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: do Broadway, Like I'm going to act in a Broadway player. 518 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: I want to do this so bad. 519 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 4: Oh I love that. 520 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, So I'm putting that out there for her, if 521 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, at some point I think she would 522 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: be amazing. But that's what I love too, like to 523 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: see for you, have you done movies or acting in 524 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: like movies, and. 525 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 4: I have not acted in movies. 526 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 3: I've worked on movies behind the scenes as a socio choreographer. 527 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,239 Speaker 1: Okay, because I was going to ask you if it 528 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,479 Speaker 1: was different, like even for you working behind the scenes, 529 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: you know, from movies in theater, Like, what's the major differences. 530 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 4: It's it's night and day. 531 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's completely different. They require different disciplines. When I 532 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 3: think about theater performers. 533 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:55,159 Speaker 4: It's so athletic. 534 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 2: Mm. 535 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 4: I mean it really, you know. 536 00:23:57,840 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 3: I was explaining to was talking to a group of 537 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 3: kids yesterday after the matinee of The Whiz, and I 538 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 3: was saying, how many of you play sports? 539 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 4: Ninety percent of raise your hands, and I was like. 540 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 3: There is nothing more athletic than doing a Broadway show. 541 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,959 Speaker 3: You have to care about what you eat, how you sleep, 542 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 3: how you warm up. You are doing a physical show 543 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 3: eight times a week. They saw the matiname like, there's 544 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 3: another show tonight. All that everything's a muscle. You're singing 545 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 3: is a muscle. You're dancing with your muscles. Your body 546 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 3: is your instrument, and it has to be conditioned to 547 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 3: go four years, eight times a week. It is like 548 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 3: whether you have a cold, whether you have, you know, 549 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 3: when you have, you're slightly injured, you like banded yourself up. 550 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,439 Speaker 3: You're going on stage like you're navigating so much, and 551 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 3: there's a live audience there every night. You know, it's 552 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 3: different when you're doing film and television. 553 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 4: It's so for me, it's so slow. 554 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 2: You have a lot of long breaks. 555 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: You do one scene like twenty times, and then you 556 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 1: go in to back and you're waiting for your next 557 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 1: part and everybody breaks for lunch and it's a long day. 558 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 3: And you're like that moment like am I standing on 559 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 3: my mark? And like there's just so much that's so 560 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 3: specific about it, but it's curated into these tiny little bits, right, 561 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 3: And you've got someone that's telling the audience the only 562 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 3: thing they can see. You're like, you can only see 563 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 3: this zooming in on their eyes. Right in theater, you 564 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 3: as an audience have autonomy to look anywhere you want. 565 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 3: So every person on that stage has to be telling 566 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 3: the story. If you're like third row in the back, 567 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 3: you have to be telling the story. And that is 568 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 3: that's like every single set piece and there's a book 569 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 3: on the bookshelf. It has to make sense. And that's 570 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 3: The part that I love about directing is like there's 571 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 3: nothing on that stage, so that did not get past 572 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 3: my eyes. 573 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 4: Every ear ring? Would that person be able to afford 574 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 4: those earrings? 575 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 5: Right? 576 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 4: Are those shoes with that person? 577 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 5: That couch, the upholstery on that couch. Wait, they're sitting 578 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 5: in blue. The couch can't be blue because then they'll 579 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,360 Speaker 5: look like, you know, a gecko. You know, like everything 580 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 5: is thought out. Oh may that couch should have a 581 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 5: little rip in it because it's you know, it's old. 582 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 4: They've been living there for a long time. Like every 583 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 4: single little thing has to tell the story. And that 584 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 4: to me is extraordinary. That is because the audience could 585 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 4: be truly just like, while the scene is going on, 586 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:17,360 Speaker 4: just start looking around the room. 587 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 2: Oh that is probably the worst. 588 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, but it's beautiful to do that. 589 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 2: You know, I thought you meant not paying attention. 590 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 3: You mean no, But I mean, think about what we've 591 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 3: learned about humans is there's so many ways that different 592 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 3: people pay attention. Right, Right, You've got people with very 593 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 3: short attention spans and they want to like look all 594 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 3: over the place. But it doesn't mean that they're not 595 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 3: absorbing the story as thoroughly. 596 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: As you it's nice and no one has their phone 597 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: out though no one, Now that part is nice. 598 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 2: Put your phone. 599 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 1: Away for a couple of hours and pay attention and 600 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: be in the moment and connect. 601 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 2: Mm hmm. 602 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know your do its act Also you said 603 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 1: I do, okay, so you see this is going to 604 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: be their path and I don't know what they're going 605 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: to do. 606 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 2: Okay. 607 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 3: Honestly, they enjoy it, and I enjoy for them because 608 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 3: whether you end up acting or not, you know how 609 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 3: to take up space. You know how to speak in 610 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 3: front of an audience with boldness. You know how to 611 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 3: be a partner to someone, how to listen and respond, 612 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 3: like the fundamentals of acting. 613 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 4: You know, knowing what your purpose. 614 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:26,120 Speaker 3: Is, having intention, All of those things serve you in life. Yeah, 615 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 3: you can a job interview right, So no matter what 616 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 3: they end up doing in life, the training that acting 617 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 3: gives you, I think is will serve you everywhere. 618 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 2: Well. 619 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: On top of all this, you also have a book 620 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: out if you don't do enough already, Okay, Shelley, your 621 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: legacy begins first, where is to empower? 622 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:51,160 Speaker 2: Beautifully illustrated by the way, So y'all we're an amazing team. 623 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 1: Putting this together, But just tell us about this book 624 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: and why you felt like it was important. I thought 625 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,080 Speaker 1: immediately about how so many books are being banned, you know, 626 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: in different states, and how this is really important for 627 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,360 Speaker 1: people to understand their ancestry. So tell me about your 628 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:07,360 Speaker 1: Legacy begins. 629 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 3: So my first book was called Your Legacy, A Bold 630 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 3: Reclaiming of our Enslaved History. And this is this new 631 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 3: book is a prequel to that book. But that first book, 632 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 3: Your Legacy, was my way of talking to my children 633 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 3: about their enslaved ancestors. I didn't know how to have 634 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 3: that conversation. My husband is Jewish, and every year it 635 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 3: passed over, there's a whole ritual talking about their Jewish 636 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 3: enslaved enslavement, right, And I was like, uh, at some 637 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 3: point I need to tell them about their enslaved history. 638 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 4: And I didn't know how to do it. And then 639 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 4: when I started looking for resources, nothing was giving me comfort, right, 640 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 4: And then I started thinking about my way in doing. 641 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 3: A lot more research, and I had so much shame 642 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 3: around the way that I I was taught about our 643 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 3: enslaved ancestry. 644 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 2: Because you were taught in school. 645 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 3: I was taught in school by strangers who did not 646 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 3: look like me, and I was, you know, one of 647 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 3: two black kids in the class. So then everybody looks 648 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 3: at us when they see people in chains in the 649 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 3: history book, and it was so awful, and I did 650 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 3: not want that for my girls. And when I started 651 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 3: doing the research, I was surprised at things that I 652 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 3: had never considered. The first line of my book is 653 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 3: your story begins in Africa, And the framing of that 654 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 3: is I wanted to teach our children about who they 655 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 3: were and not what happened to. 656 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 2: Them, the pride and the ancestors and where you're from. 657 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 3: Yes, you know, them speaking their native languages, them growing kingdoms, right, 658 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 3: you know, and then when they came to America that 659 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 3: they brought that brilliance with them that they they created 660 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 3: so much in this country with their ingenuity, their dignity. 661 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 3: They learned different languages, although they were prohibited from a 662 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 3: formal education, they created a language, right. They were separated 663 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 3: by all the languages they spoke, so they couldn't communicate, 664 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 3: and they created pigeon they created music that connected them. 665 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 3: You know, all of these these acts of defiance that 666 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 3: led to such bravery, all of the things that they invented, 667 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 3: but were never allowed to put their names on get 668 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 3: patents for you know, I wanted our children to know 669 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 3: that they have a legacy of genius, and that genius 670 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 3: is passed down to them. The words that I use 671 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 3: in the book are you know, brilliance, ingenuity, grace, dignity. 672 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 4: You know, I use a series of. 673 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 3: Words that describe the characters of our ancestors, and so 674 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 3: in my new book, Your Legacy Begins, this book does 675 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 3: not deal with enslavement at all, but only about these 676 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 3: incredible words that have been passed down, these traits that 677 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 3: are a gift to our children as a part of 678 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 3: who they are and who they will be and their 679 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 3: great purpose in this world. 680 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: Man, I do not know how you do it all, 681 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: but I just want to say, it seems like you're 682 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: doing it all to an amazing exceptional level. So I 683 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: just want to make sure and I know that like 684 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: you've been getting your accolades, but they are well deserved. 685 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: I feel like this is just your time, thank you. 686 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it's been your time. But just to see 687 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: everything that you've been accomplishing, you know, these are like huge, 688 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: huge deals. I mean, the notebook, the Wiz. Sometimes you 689 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 1: got to just sit back and think, like, thank you Jesus. 690 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that a lot. I do, I feel. 691 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 1: But also the work that you put in, you know, 692 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: is really like you've done a lot of exceptional things 693 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: before this, but the work that you put in, like 694 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 1: we all get to witness and experience it on such 695 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: a high level, and this is really helping other people 696 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: you know that are coming behind you too. Is such 697 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: a huge deal. So thank you so much for taking 698 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: the time to come here. I cannot wait for my 699 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: Notebook date night. Yes you called me after, I will, 700 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: and I'm going to come right back up here and 701 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: tell everybody because when I tell you, those reviews can 702 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 1: be scathing. But I saw the reviews for the Notebook, 703 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: and I saw the New York Times with you in particular, 704 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: and it was amazing, you know, for people they were. 705 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: I remember it started off saying something like often you'll 706 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: see a play adapted to a movie, but the other 707 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: way around can be terrible. And this definitely lived beyond expectations. 708 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: And so I just want to encourage everybody to check 709 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 1: it out because I know I am. 710 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: I feel like I feel really good about it. 711 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: And I also went and looked at different clips online 712 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: and you know me, I'm doing my research at all times. 713 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 2: So I'm excited to go see it. 714 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: The only reason I haven't seen it yet is because 715 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: we were trying to coordinate schedules because my boyfriend is like, 716 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: I'm coming to see it with you. Yeah, so I 717 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: couldn't go with one of my friends and that was 718 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: the deal. And you've come to the Whiz Yeah absolutely, 719 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: Oh that's a given. We already have dates I think 720 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: on the calendar up here. 721 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 4: So oh, I'm so excited. Yeah you have to you 722 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 4: have to call me afterwards. 723 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. 724 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: So I'm excited and I'm glad to see you the 725 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: person that is directing, So thank you for coming. 726 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 4: Well