1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: What do you do when life doesn't go according to 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: plan that moment you lose a job, or a loved one, 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: or even a piece of yourself. I'm Brookshields and this 4 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: is now What, a podcast about pivotal moments as told 5 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: by people. 6 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 2: Who lived them. 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: Each week, I sit down with a guest to talk 8 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: about the times they were knocked off course and what 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: they did to move forward. Some stories are funny, others 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: are gut wrenching, but all are unapologetically human and remind 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: us that every success and every setback is accompanied by 12 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: a choice, and that choice answers one. 13 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: Question, now what. I remember we were doing the twenty 14 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: four Hour Plays. 15 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: We were doing that commercial after nine to eleven, and 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: when anybody, when the director or someone will say does 17 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: anybody have any questions, You'd always raise your hands and 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: it would be something. And then I'd be like, oh, 19 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: do I have to make fun of her for this? 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: Because like maybe I can how you want to make 21 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: fun of her for this one? But you stood out 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: and you said excuse me, You're like, uh, do you 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:16,559 Speaker 1: think we could? 24 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: Could we stagger? And that was that was your way 25 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 2: of saying that. 26 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: Elaine Stretch's hand when she was doing New York, was 27 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: covering your face and you didn't want to say, you're 28 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: covering my face? Yeah, it was Terry mints any and 29 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: you go could we stagger? And then I went, Jerry, 30 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: could Beebe's face not be covered by Elaine's hands? My 31 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: guest today is an icon of the stage m screen. 32 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: BB Newarth is a Tony An Emmy Award winning actor 33 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: and dancer. She's well known on Broadway for her star 34 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: making performances in Sweet Charity and Chicago and One over 35 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: a new legion of fans in shows like Frasier, Madam, 36 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: Secretary Julia, just to name a few. Bib is an 37 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: actor's actor. She's had an enviable career, one built on 38 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: equal parts talent and hard work. 39 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: I have been a. 40 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: Fan of hers for years and was so honored that 41 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: she agreed to share lessons from her incredible journey with me. So, 42 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: without further ado, here is BB Newarth. BB Newarth, thank 43 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: you so much. I'm so happy that you said yes 44 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: to come and join the show and talk to me. 45 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: Where are you right now? 46 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 3: Happy to be talking to you, Brooke. Every time we 47 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 3: bump into each other, we have to sit down for 48 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 3: an hour and talk and catch up. So I'm so 49 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 3: grateful that you invited me to come on your show. 50 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: I'm down in Greenwich Village where I live in New 51 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: York City. 52 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: By the way, I don't need to have a podcast 53 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: to sit down for an hour and talk with you. 54 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: I will. I will do that anytime you want. 55 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: You know, it's funny because I was to do just 56 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: a little extra research. 57 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: And I didn't know you were born in Newark. 58 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: I was. 59 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 2: I love that my mother was born in Newark. 60 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 3: Well, I hate to break it to you, but I 61 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: was in my being in Newark. Was that's where the 62 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 3: hospital was. But when I was you know, so I 63 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 3: was born in the hospital in Newark, and then I 64 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 3: was taken home to Princeton, New Jersey, where I I 65 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: want to get to say, yeah, I'm a Jersey girl. 66 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 2: That's okay. 67 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: You can get both because you were born there so 68 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: you still have that in your blood. And then you 69 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: were raised in Princeton, which I spent four years or 70 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: the best years of my life there. 71 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 3: I remember when you were at the school there there 72 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: were people walking around the campus with buttons that said, yes, 73 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 3: I've seen Brooke. 74 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: I you know, luckily that wore off pretty quickly. 75 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: Like freshman the first part of freshman month was a 76 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: little bit was a little bit tough. 77 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 3: That must have been awful. It must have been hard 78 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: enough to go to college and then have people staring 79 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 3: at you well. 80 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: And then the people that you wanted to be friends 81 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: with were trying to give you space. So I had 82 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: no friends, a lot of space that I didn't want, 83 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: and so everybody was trying to be so cool, and 84 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: you know, as an adjustment, I started feeling guilty for 85 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: putting that on anybody. It's hard enough being a freshman. 86 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: But what kind of a young person were you? Personality wise? 87 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: How would you describe who you were? Who was I was? 88 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 3: Babybould say that I was a bad girl who behaved herself. 89 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: Oh, oh, I'm living I'm living vicariously through you right now. 90 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 3: Well, I did get arrested for smoking marijuana when I 91 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: was thirteen. 92 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: Now it's like, really walk outside your front door. 93 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 3: But you know, when you're thirteen and it's nineteen seventy two, 94 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 3: it's it was different. 95 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: I love that you have a record, Newarth has a record. 96 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: That's what I want. I want as a poster. 97 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 3: But that's why I say I was a bad girl 98 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 3: who behaved myself. Was like, yes, I was smoking dope 99 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 3: when I was in my very early teens, but it's like, 100 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: is that really I wasn't dealing heroin? 101 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: No, No, I'm glad you I know. I'm glad. You 102 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: know where to drop the line. 103 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 3: Smoking a pipe with some you know, it's like not 104 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 3: that big a deal. 105 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 2: But and they held you, They held you there. 106 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: You had to Did you have to call your parents 107 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: or someone to come and get you. 108 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, to it. We were at a dance. Remember, oh, 109 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 3: you'd know this place. It's it's on the it's on 110 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 3: the campus. There was a dance. There's this There was 111 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 3: a great high school band, some great musicians at Princeton High. 112 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 3: They had a band called Fordham Road and they were 113 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 3: playing and my friend Kathy and I went to this 114 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,559 Speaker 3: dance and then I slipped out to smoke some dope 115 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 3: with some friends of mine and we were sitting on 116 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 3: the grass and passing this pipe to other people and 117 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 3: these flashlights came around and they were cops. And this 118 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 3: is how stupid I am, Brookshields. I was across the 119 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 3: street from the cops station. 120 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: And you're a towny sex drugs old Brook. 121 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 3: It was sex, drugs, rock and roll. 122 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: Oh god, yes, no, but what but like being a 123 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: student being a towny, I say, I always was worried 124 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: that like they hated us, that they liked hated the 125 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: college kids. 126 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 3: I had no consciousness of that. I wasn't. 127 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 2: Oh that's good. 128 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 3: As you can see from talking to me, I really 129 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: didn't know what was going on. 130 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 2: You were stone. What did you care? 131 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 3: I was smoking pot, I was my class. That's all 132 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 3: I cared about, boy pot and ballet? 133 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: Did you always know that you wanted to dance? Like? 134 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: Oh you did? 135 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 3: Actually? Actually, when I was funny you mentioned Newark Because 136 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 3: when I was born, the doctor pulled me from my 137 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 3: mother and said, oh, she's a dancer. 138 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 2: Really, yes, Oh, come on, that's amazing. 139 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 3: I asked for ballet classes when I was four. My 140 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 3: mother had me wait until I was five because of 141 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 3: five year old's attention span is a little bit longer 142 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 3: than a four year old's. And so I started dancing 143 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 3: when I was five at Princeton Ballet and I danced 144 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 3: in this, you know, non professional ballet company all through 145 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 3: high school, and then I went to Juilliard in the 146 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 3: dance department, and then I quit Juilliard in the dance 147 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: department after one year, and then I just started working. 148 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 3: But you know, when I say to you, I'm a 149 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: dancer first, it's sort of I sort of feel like 150 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 3: that's the animal that I am. You know that some 151 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 3: people are jocks, that is that's what they are, that 152 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 3: is their true nature. So I feel like when I say, well, 153 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 3: I'm a dancer first, it's because I that's the animal 154 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: that I am. And so you know, i might be 155 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 3: doing a television show where I'm talking and listening, but 156 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: I always feel like just because I'm not dancing doesn't 157 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 3: mean I'm not dancing. I think that's why it's always 158 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 3: a little bit awkward when I don't get to dance 159 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 3: in something. I feel a little bit Okay, I'm doing 160 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 3: it inside, but it might not be showing outside. 161 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. 162 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: But also there's a there's a lyricism to it, you know, 163 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: to all of it, to the rhythm of your voice, 164 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: to the sort of flow that happens when you're. 165 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: In a part. 166 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: You know, I mean, there's it's not as if I mean, 167 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: I don't know, but whenever I've watched you on stage 168 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: or off, there's no sort of just a beginning, middle, 169 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: and an end. When you first see you, you think 170 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: that there's something that you might have missed from before. 171 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 1: But then when you last see you, for that moment, 172 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 1: you're still thinking of the continuation of the. 173 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 2: Piece of music or the whatever. 174 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: And I know that sounds all kind of lofty, but 175 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: there's something very beautiful and about the physicality, and it's 176 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: just in your body, you know, And you can tell that. 177 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 3: Brook. That's one of the nicest things anybody's ever said 178 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 3: to me. I Am, that is so beautiful. I'm so 179 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 3: grateful that you said that. That is a beautiful observation 180 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 3: and that's really moving. 181 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: Thank you, well, thank you. Listen. 182 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: I've had the the fear and the distinct honor of 183 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 1: actually having to step into your shoes on Broadway, and 184 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: that was daunting for me to do when you were 185 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: leaving Adam's family, and then to sort of be this 186 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: first replacement. 187 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 2: There's so much pressure in it. 188 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 1: And I was very acutely aware of that, and it 189 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: was it was not only an honor, but it was 190 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: also I thought, God, I want to live up to 191 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: It's different because you don't want to compare, but you 192 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: also want to make sure that you honor the person 193 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: who performed prior. 194 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 2: It's a really. 195 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 3: Interesting position to be in, and I have been in 196 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 3: it myself. I replaced, I've replaced. I played the role 197 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 3: of Spider Woman in Kiss of the Spider Woman after 198 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 3: Cheea Rivera did. No one can replace Cheeta Rivera, you know, 199 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 3: she was playing in Spider Woman, and then the next 200 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 3: person to play that part was me. So I can't 201 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 3: say that I replaced her, but I'd say I played 202 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 3: the part next. And so I understand the conundrum of 203 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 3: stepping into a role that is created by somebody else, 204 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,079 Speaker 3: doesn't matter who it is. Really, It's a very good 205 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 3: lesson in humility, but also in being true to yourself 206 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 3: and recognizing what you have. You know, my Morticia is 207 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 3: not your mortician. Your Morticio is not mine. But the 208 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 3: role has been created and it happened to be created 209 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 3: by me. So now you have to come in and go, Okay, 210 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 3: what did she create? And how can I be true 211 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 3: to myself in doing that? Because the minute you stop 212 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 3: being true to yourself in any part, in any walk 213 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 3: of life, you're sunk. 214 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 2: Why did you leave Julliard after a year. 215 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 3: I wanted to work. I was just you know, when 216 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 3: I graduated, you know, as I was looking to see 217 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 3: if I Princeton I would let me graduate in school, 218 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: I was like, am I going to get out of here? 219 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 3: I don't know. I you know, I said I didn't 220 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 3: want to go to college. I just wanted to go 221 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 3: to New York and dance. And my parents said, you 222 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:23,719 Speaker 3: have to go to college. I said, I don't want 223 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 3: to go to college. I said, you have to go 224 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 3: to college. I said, okay. So in nineteen seventy six, 225 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 3: when I graduated high school, there were two schools pretty 226 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 3: much for that, and that was Sunni at Purchase and 227 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 3: there was Juilliard, and so I auditioned for both and 228 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 3: I got into both. And I chose Juilliard because it 229 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 3: was in New York City. And then I just wanted 230 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 3: to start working. I wanted to start auditioning, you know, 231 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 3: I was eighteen. I was let me get going. And 232 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 3: so my parents, who are really creative, brilliant people, said, okay, 233 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 3: create your own college within the city. Find yourself some 234 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 3: acting classes and voice classes and dance classes and all that, 235 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 3: and we will support you in that, and that will 236 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 3: be the college that you create in the city. So 237 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 3: I did that for about It was almost a year 238 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: when I got my first job. 239 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: That's a big decision, though, to make as of a 240 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: young person. 241 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 3: Oh, I never even a whisper of a shadow of 242 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 3: a doubt in my mind. It was just let me 243 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 3: get started. 244 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 2: How did you get your first job? 245 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 3: I went to open calls and I went to you know, 246 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 3: you get the backstage or on Thursdays show business and 247 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 3: backstage came out and you get them and you go 248 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: through and look at all where the auditions were and 249 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 3: what has open calls? And I went to the the 250 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 3: first open call I think I went to for chorus line. 251 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 3: I was still eighteen, and I got cut right away. 252 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 3: I was really, really, really too young. And then I went, 253 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 3: I don't know, six months later and I got a 254 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 3: little further in the audition, and then I remember it 255 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 3: was another few months later. It said only people who 256 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 3: have not previously auditioned apply, and I went, well, screw that, 257 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 3: I'm glad. 258 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 2: I'm just going to pretend I didn't yeah going. 259 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 3: And so I went, And that's that's the one. I 260 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 3: got called back and called back and called back and 261 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 3: called back, and that's when they finally hired me. And 262 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 3: I was nineteen nineteen. 263 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: Oh my god, and then you win a Tony by 264 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 2: the time you're. 265 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 3: Twenty seven, twenty seven. The first one was twenty seven. 266 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, the first one. Doesn't that feel good? The first one? 267 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 2: The first of. 268 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: Wait, if you were smoking again, I would just do 269 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: a little inhale, then go for the first one, the 270 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: first one, and then you'd ask. 271 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 3: I was just trying to be accurate. I'm sorry, Oh. 272 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 2: I love it. No, please, that's my bad. But my god, 273 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: So what did that feel like? 274 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: Out of body? Just completely so real and out of body? 275 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 3: And that was the first time I think I ever 276 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 3: had to be on stage as myself. I have never 277 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 3: ever had a moment of stage fright in my life. 278 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 3: But when they called my name and I had to 279 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 3: go on stage and it was me out there, Oh man, 280 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 3: I froze. I didn't know what I it was. 281 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: But that's a real thing, and I think just it's 282 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: kind of very metaphor people, but I do really think 283 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: that that's a that's a very important piece of it. 284 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: So that's stage. And then you book a job on 285 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: Cheers as Lilith. How do you get from because that's 286 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: la right? 287 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know what happened. I when we did the 288 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 3: revival of Sweet Charity. We rehearsed and opened that in 289 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 3: La at the Drothy Chandler, and then we did it 290 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 3: in San Francisco, and then we had four months off 291 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: before we rehearsed for Broadway. And during those four months, 292 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 3: that was so that Debbie Allen, our star, would finish 293 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 3: her series of Fame. And so during those four months, 294 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 3: I hung out in LA and I got a couple 295 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 3: of auditions for some walk on parts and some television shows, 296 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 3: because that's sort of what you do, I guess, and 297 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 3: I got a couple of walk on lines and one 298 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 3: of them was, you know, this little scene on Cheers. 299 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 3: So that's all it was. It was just one of those, 300 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 3: you know jobs. And then so I did that, and 301 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 3: then I went home to New York and I started 302 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 3: up Sweet Charity on Broadway. And then Cheers called and 303 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 3: they say, can you come back and do that part again? 304 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 3: And I went, oh, and I had, like. 305 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 2: I can only do it on a Monday, right, They. 306 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 3: Had, like I like to say, it's like snow days. 307 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 3: Like I could in my contract for Sweet Charity, I 308 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 3: could walk a week to do a TV show, but 309 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 3: I had to add that week to the end of 310 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 3: my contract. 311 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: So you're doing Sweet Charity for like nine more years. 312 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 3: Because you keep but no. So I took off a 313 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 3: week and I went out to LA and I did 314 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 3: another Cheers episode, and then I came back and I 315 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 3: did that like maybe twice. And I remember sitting backstage 316 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 3: with Michael Rupert, who was playing Oscar. He said, what 317 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 3: are you going to do when they asked you to 318 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 3: be on Cheers full time? I said, that's not going 319 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 3: to happen. They're not going to ask me to do that. 320 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 2: So what happened when they did? 321 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 3: So? They did, and I got the advice of the 322 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 3: four people that I trusted most, that is Mommy, daddyk Yes, 323 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 3: Bob Fosse, and Gwen Verdon. 324 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 2: Come on, it's funny. Those are my people too, Babe, 325 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 2: her parents, Bob. 326 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 3: So I was in a position, you know that where 327 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 3: I was working, you know, I actually could ask ask 328 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 3: them all and they all gave me brilliant advice and 329 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 3: made me feel very good about a decision to take 330 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 3: the job, because I really I had never seen myself 331 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 3: doing television. I had never saw that for myself. I 332 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 3: never thought I'm going to do this, and I'm gonna 333 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 3: do television. I just thought, I'm just going to dance 334 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 3: on Broadway forever. 335 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,159 Speaker 1: And the accolades that you got and the you know 336 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: awards that you got doing that, that was that. You know, 337 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: it was such an important period of time to did 338 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: you so were you? 339 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 2: Were you married then? 340 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 3: Very badly? 341 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 2: Oh? 342 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: Oh well we all have to have a starter marriage. 343 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 2: Oh I have one of those. 344 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 3: Did it happen? 345 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 2: But you were married early early, right twenty five? 346 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 3: It was a it was that was no good? That 347 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: was it was interesting. I was doing the best show 348 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 3: on television. I mean, it was getting awards for you know, 349 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 3: best comedy series, winning this, Emmy awards for this, and 350 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 3: I'm getting all this stuff and I'm doing really well 351 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 3: well in that an absolutely miserable marriage. It was the 352 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 3: kind of thing where I had to go, that's it, 353 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 3: it's over, and get out of there. 354 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: But that, I mean, that takes a lot of guts 355 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 1: and thank God that you are able to make that 356 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: decision for yourself. I mean, you know, it's terrifying, but 357 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: you knew you had to. Did that experience sort of 358 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: shape you in sort of how you went forward into 359 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: your career and your life after that? Knowing that you 360 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: made that decision for yourself. 361 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: I don't think it had anything to do with career, 362 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 3: because career and creativity has always been completely separate from 363 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,479 Speaker 3: romantic life. So I don't think anything that happened, you know, 364 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 3: a miserable marriage and a horrible divorce didn't change the 365 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,479 Speaker 3: way I approached the performing arts or my life in 366 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 3: it right, But I would say that I was very 367 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 3: nervous about getting involved. I'm not getting married again. Then 368 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 3: it was like, okay, I'm not going to live with 369 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 3: anyone again. It was like, okay, you can live across 370 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 3: the street from me. 371 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 2: But were there were there were there things that you 372 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 2: felt like you had to sacrifice in your personal life 373 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: to keep that career going at the trajectory it was on. 374 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 3: I don't know. Maybe I did, but I wasn't conscious 375 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 3: of it. I don't know. I've never been, like I 376 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 3: kind of said earlier, I've never been a person who 377 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 3: plans things out. I've never been a schemer. I've never 378 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 3: been I like to say I'm not ambitious, because I 379 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 3: think of ambition as somebody sitting down with a notebook 380 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 3: and going, Okay, here's what I'm going to do, right, 381 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 3: and then in five years, I'm going to do this 382 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 3: and if I meet this person, if I do this. 383 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 3: I've never been like that. It's been it's always been like, 384 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 3: I really want to get a job. This is what 385 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 3: I want to do. I want to dance on Broadway 386 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 3: and anything that I saw that crossed my path that 387 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 3: was an audition, you know, I would go to in 388 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 3: order to do that. 389 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 1: There's something about dance that I think is I know 390 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: what you mean about the word ambition, but I always 391 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: think of it in terms of a striving. 392 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 2: You know. 393 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: It's that you strive to keep getting better at your craft, 394 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: and you dance even when it hurts, and you keep 395 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: going when you don't think you can go anymore. And 396 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: to me, that's a form of ambition. But it's really 397 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: just a perseverance and a striving and that can that 398 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: can take a toll on a person physically. I mean, 399 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 1: did you find that your commitment to sort of to 400 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: dancing took a toll on your body physically? 401 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 3: Oh? Yeah, I'm a beat uple. Every time I go 402 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 3: to like, let's say I go to a new massage 403 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 3: therapist and they go, is there anything bothering you right now? 404 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 3: I go Okay, here we go. I am a beat 405 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 3: up old dancer. I had two hip replacements, one when 406 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 3: I was forty seven and the other when I was 407 00:20:59,359 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 3: forty nine. 408 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,880 Speaker 2: And then did you do Chicago again after after them? 409 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 3: Yeah? 410 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: Okay, come on, you're so you get two hip replacements, 411 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: then you go back into Fossy, which is all about 412 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: twisting it all and all of that. Was that the 413 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: best thing you could have ever done? 414 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 2: I mean it like, did it. 415 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 3: Make you see? No? 416 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 2: I think it was. Maybe. 417 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: Honestly, I think that might have been the best thing 418 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: for a dancer to get hip replacements and then go 419 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: do Fossy and know you can do it. 420 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 3: Well, yes, I mean psychologically emotionally it was extremely important. 421 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 3: But I'll tell you I was still I was. I was. 422 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 3: I was definitely off crutches. I may or may not 423 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 3: have still had a cane when I went to Barry 424 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 3: Weissler and said, I'd like to play Roxy? What do 425 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 3: you think of that? So I played Roxy six months 426 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 3: after I had my first hip replacement. 427 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 2: What was your recovery process like for your hips? 428 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 3: Well, like I say, this was this was a while ago, 429 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 3: and they had the way they do it now. You 430 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 3: are up and out and back and running around when 431 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 3: I was doing it. And it was when I said 432 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: I was in ballet class eight weeks after my hip replacement, 433 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 3: jaws would drop. But now people I actually said that 434 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 3: to someone, They said, really that long. 435 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 2: I was like, wow, wow. 436 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,719 Speaker 1: But you also went in very fit and very and 437 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: your muscle memory as a dancer is that? Was it 438 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: after that that you started the Dancer's Resource Program. 439 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: I started the Dancer's Resource in between my two hip replacements. Actually, 440 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 3: so you. 441 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: Had one and then the other. Okay, you didn't get 442 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: them both done at this No, okay, there. 443 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 3: Was two years in between. 444 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 1: My right one was okay, so you start the Dancer's 445 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: Resource Program. 446 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 2: It's very important. I want you to have a chance 447 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:50,919 Speaker 2: to talk about that. 448 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 3: Thank you. Well. I started the Dancers Resource after I'd 449 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 3: been through the emotional and physical trauma really of the 450 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,400 Speaker 3: arthritis that i'd had in my hip and then the 451 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 3: subsequent replacement, and I had recovered and I was doing fine, 452 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 3: I was dancing again, but I recognized that this is 453 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 3: it's traumatic. And I had a friend who was having 454 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: a real, really really hard time with her hip and 455 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 3: with her surgeries, and I thought, I wish you had 456 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 3: someone to talk to about this, a therapist to talk to, 457 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 3: or someone to talk to. And so I was on 458 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 3: the board of trustees at the Actor's Fund and the 459 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 3: Actor's Fund which is a human services organization for everyone 460 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 3: in show business and the performing arts, and in fact 461 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 3: now it's called the Entertainment Community Fund. So I was 462 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 3: on the board of trustees and I said, can we 463 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,239 Speaker 3: have a program for dancers? I said, it should be 464 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 3: like group therapy for injured dancers, but I'll call it 465 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 3: Injured Dancers Anonymous. It has to be private. No one 466 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 3: can know that. You know, there is so much stigma 467 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 3: around being injured. If you're a dancer and you have 468 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 3: to be so secretive about it. You cannot show weakness. 469 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 2: Because you'll be replaced, or you'll because there's someone right 470 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 2: behind you. 471 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's dancers are on the bottom of the food 472 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 3: chain in the performing arts. We are the least respected, 473 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 3: We get paid less than everybody else. 474 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 2: There's no physical therapy. It's maybe five minutes a week. 475 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 3: It's really it's just we need a little bit of 476 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 3: extra help. And so we brought the idea to the 477 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 3: board and the board said yes, and bless the Fund 478 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 3: for saying yes. So Now, there is something called the 479 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 3: Dancers Resource at the Entertainment Community Fund, and it's a 480 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 3: portal to the rest of the services that the Fund 481 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 3: has to offer. But it also has these groups where 482 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 3: you can go for eight weeks of sessions and sit 483 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 3: with other dancers with a social worker who is a 484 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 3: dedicated social worker, and it's completely confidential. And I'm so 485 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 3: so pleased that it's up and going and the Fund 486 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 3: is running it so beautifully. 487 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: Well, you're making a huge difference in many a dancer's lives. 488 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: I call the show now What because it's about the 489 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 1: pivotal moments in life that sort of force us to 490 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,120 Speaker 1: refocus and keep going. What do you think a big 491 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 1: now what moment was for you? 492 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 3: I don't know. I mean, I don't think. I consciously 493 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 3: say now what do I do? I just go, Hey, 494 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 3: it looks like I need a lawyer, but I left 495 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 3: this miserable relationship. I'd better get a lawyer, you know, 496 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 3: I owned now what? 497 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:50,479 Speaker 2: I mean. 498 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: I'm always I'm always looking to learn from experiences. I mind, 499 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: now what's are all the time? Too? And I just 500 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: go oh, and then I pivot. I don't ever wallow 501 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: in the in the the inactivity. It's just not the 502 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: way I'm programmed. But I'm curious if there was an 503 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: experience that taught you something. I mean, do you ever 504 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: read reviews? I didn't ask you that question. 505 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 3: Oh that's the no. I don't read reviews, and I 506 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 3: don't read reviews because Bob taught me not to read reviews. 507 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 3: My family and a friend of mine and I were 508 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 3: leaving the opening night party for Sweet Charity and we 509 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 3: bumped into Bob and was coming back into the ballroom 510 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 3: and we were on our way out, and goes, where 511 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 3: are you going? Where you're going? And I'm go, oh, 512 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 3: we're going to go home. We're going to go read 513 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 3: the reviews. He goes, don't don't do that. Don't read 514 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 3: the reviews. Don't read the reviews. 515 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 2: Did he say why? 516 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 3: He didn't say it. That's all they said, don't read 517 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 3: the reviews. And he said it a couple of times. 518 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 3: And we left, and I had this little thing in 519 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 3: my mind, you know, you know, with my family and 520 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,880 Speaker 3: all happy and la la la la lab, but there 521 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 3: is something in the back I you know, I try 522 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:01,360 Speaker 3: to keep Bob's voice in the back of my mind. 523 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 3: Certainly when I'm working in the performing arts, but that 524 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 3: was deeply lodge. It was right there, and so we 525 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 3: went and got the papers, and as I read the reviews, 526 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 3: I had Bob's voice and that lesson with me. As 527 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 3: I read the reviews, and I went right, they don't 528 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:25,719 Speaker 3: mean anything. There is no reason to read a review. 529 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 3: I believe this is me and everybody's a different artist 530 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 3: and they have to do what they have to do. 531 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 3: But for me, I have I said that way. I 532 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 3: have no reason to read a review. It does no good, 533 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 3: It can only harm me. What matters when I do 534 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 3: a show or perform is how I feel, how my 535 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 3: colleagues feel, how the audience in that moment feels, and 536 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 3: that's all that matters. You know, with respect to critics, 537 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 3: there are good ones or bad ones, but that's one 538 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 3: person coming in to do their job in their life, 539 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 3: to write something for their work. It has nothing to 540 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 3: do with me and my life and my work. 541 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: I don't read reviews either, because I read them years 542 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: and years back, and I read them because I wanted approval, 543 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,199 Speaker 1: and I wanted a pat on my back and I 544 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: wanted to be told I was doing a good job. 545 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 1: And it has had nothing to do with what I 546 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: was going to do the next night, the next show, 547 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: And if someone said I sucked, was I going to 548 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: go out on stage and just stand there and say, 549 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I suck. 550 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 2: I can't give you a show that you just paid for. 551 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 3: Well, what we do is, you know, if you're an 552 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,959 Speaker 3: artist or a creative person or a crafts person, it 553 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 3: is a at least for me, it is a deeply, 554 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 3: deeply personal, very profound experience. It is so personal it 555 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,719 Speaker 3: has nothing to do with anybody else I work with 556 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 3: and share that with my colleagues. I share it with 557 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:10,239 Speaker 3: my choreographer, director, music director, and we make something and 558 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 3: it is always very very deep and profound and personal 559 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 3: to me. To have somebody come in and, you know, 560 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 3: to go, oh, let's see what this stranger says about me, 561 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 3: it just doesn't make sense. But it wasn't until I 562 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 3: had the voice of an artist who I trusted completely, 563 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 3: Bob Fosse. I completely trusted him, and I trusted that 564 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 3: he saw me and who I was as a performer 565 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 3: that when he said that, I just he said jump. 566 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 3: I said how high? I know that will be best 567 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 3: for me. So when he says don't read reviews. It's 568 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 3: because it's the right thing to not do. 569 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: That was a wildly talented bb Newarth. If you liked 570 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 1: our interview, check out her work in Julia. It's streaming 571 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: now on HBO mex That's it for us today. 572 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 2: Talk to you next week. 573 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 3: Now. 574 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: What with Burkeshields is a production of iHeartRadio. Our lead 575 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: producer and wonderful showrunner is Julia Weaver. Additional research and 576 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: editing by Darby Masters and Abu Zafar. Our executive producer 577 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: is Christina Everett. The show is mixed by Vahid Fraser.