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Speaker 1: Pushkin doing it is simple like may that good? All right?

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Speaker 1: So let's start with that man running your arms? Loosen

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Speaker 1: up your body. That's me warming up with Vanessa Hutchins.

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Speaker 1: She's a singer and actress and a Broadway star. We've

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Speaker 1: been working together since her high school musical days. That

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Speaker 1: was quite a while ago. She's come a long way

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Speaker 1: from then. You might also know her from her solo albums,

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Speaker 1: her Broadway running Jiji or when she did Grease Live

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Speaker 1: on television and also Rent Live. We Do one where

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Speaker 1: we just go we we we we we wee wee.

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Speaker 1: Vanessa has been in movies from Thirteen and Beastly to

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Speaker 1: Spring Breakers. In The Princess Switch. Her newest film, Tictic Boom,

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Speaker 1: as also lin Manuel Miranda's directorial film debut. She co

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Speaker 1: stars with Andrew Garfield. Today, we're going to talk about

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Speaker 1: all of that and more. This is Backstage Pass with

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Speaker 1: Eric Vitro, and I'm Eric Vitro. On this show, I

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Speaker 1: talked to some of the most talented and famous singers

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Speaker 1: working today about their lives, their craft, and what it

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Speaker 1: takes to make it. We're really big. I happen to

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Speaker 1: be their voice teacher and their vocal coach, so our

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Speaker 1: conversations are uniquely different from their usual interviews. Vanessa has

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Speaker 1: a wide range of talents and voices, from Marine and

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Speaker 1: Rent to Rizzo and Greece, or even voicing Sunny Star

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Speaker 1: Scout and My Little Pony, and she works all of

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Speaker 1: that energy and enthusiasm into her speaking voice. You know,

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Speaker 1: my voice is my voice, and I love it because

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Speaker 1: it's hella versatile and I feel like I'm just leaning

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Speaker 1: into all the different sides of my voice. I've been

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Speaker 1: doing voiceovers recently, which is very new for me, and

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Speaker 1: I've always wanted to do it, so just kind of

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Speaker 1: playing with my voice and seeing where I can take it,

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Speaker 1: and then seeing that put into like these characters. Oh

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Speaker 1: my cat, I love it. It's so fun. Like in

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Speaker 1: this next clip, Vanessa got to experiment with accents cast

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Speaker 1: as both characters you're about to hear and the Princess

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Speaker 1: switch Who are you, Lady, Margadelico, Duchess Montanaro, Stacy Janovo.

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Speaker 1: I think we were destined to run into each other.

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Speaker 1: I think that my relationship with my voice has been

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Speaker 1: like a long one because I feel like when I

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Speaker 1: was younger, I used to hate how high my voice was,

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Speaker 1: and so then I would like consciously try to lower it.

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Speaker 1: But then because I was doing that, then I became

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Speaker 1: really aware of my voice, my speaking voice, and then

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Speaker 1: started incorporating that into my work. Your voice, one of

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Speaker 1: the things I think is unique about it is it

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Speaker 1: always sounds so natural. You never sound like you're straining

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Speaker 1: when you saying. It always sounds so easy and well.

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Speaker 1: I mean like a lot of that is thanks to you.

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Speaker 1: You helped me make sure that things aren't easy and

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Speaker 1: not strained. And when they are strained, You're like, why

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Speaker 1: are you lifting your chin up? And I'm like, I

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Speaker 1: don't know, then I don't. Yeah, I love that. I

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Speaker 1: love that about your voice because I always feel very

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Speaker 1: relaxed listening. Oh you know, I don't worry about it. Yeah. So,

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Speaker 1: speaking of voices and voice lessons, is there an exercise

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Speaker 1: vocal exercise that you really love, Like, is your favorite?

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Speaker 1: I mean, I feel like I have a couple. When

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Speaker 1: I was younger and was not putting in as much

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Speaker 1: work as I possible we could, I wouldn't do my

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Speaker 1: full warmups. I would literally just do like slides, okay,

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Speaker 1: and then I'd like, go on this cage. I'm so bad.

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Speaker 1: But my favorite that I have of your warmups is

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Speaker 1: your warm down because we're getting ready for me to

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Speaker 1: go to Broadway and you're like, what's very important is

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Speaker 1: to cool your voice down because it's an exercides with

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Speaker 1: your body. You exercise and then you stretch and on

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Speaker 1: the tape you go, hmmm, me, mem may may come

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Speaker 1: in m hm, sit down. And I would do that

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Speaker 1: after every show to myself And then did you continue

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Speaker 1: speaking like that? Yeah? And then everything was very light

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Speaker 1: and my voice is going to be okay because I'm

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Speaker 1: speaking in a very soft place. Hmmm. Well that makes

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Speaker 1: me really really happy to hear. The most recent thing

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Speaker 1: we worked on together was the Kennedy Center Honors. Were

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Speaker 1: You Saying Fame? The iconic song Fame, which a very

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Speaker 1: good friend of mine wrote the lyric too for the

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Speaker 1: Debbie Allen tribute? What was that like? Was that fun?

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Speaker 1: Did you enjoy? Amazing? Yeah? I mean I feel like

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Speaker 1: I remember sitting down with you and being like, Okay,

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Speaker 1: I gotta really learn this song, make sure I actually

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Speaker 1: know the notes i'ms meant to be doing. And I

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Speaker 1: was just like, it's in a couple of days, but

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Speaker 1: we'll figure it. Out, I'll figure it out. It'll be fine.

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Speaker 1: That's funny you say you told me in a couple

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Speaker 1: of days, because my normal instinct if anyone else said

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Speaker 1: that would be oh no, this is insane, Like is

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Speaker 1: she crazy? And I think I said to you that day.

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Speaker 1: Normally i'd be really nervous about this a couple of

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Speaker 1: days before you're kidding me. But with you, I'm like, well,

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Speaker 1: it always does work out. And that's kind of always

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Speaker 1: been your motto, Yeah, because you always say that just

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Speaker 1: calm down, lacks it always works out. Yeah, because I'm

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Speaker 1: just like, there's no point on stressing something that you

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Speaker 1: can't change. So end of day, I'm like, I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: do my best. I'm gonna give it all that I

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Speaker 1: can and have faith that, like it will be fine

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Speaker 1: because I've been performing my entire life and I love

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Speaker 1: doing it, so I always know that, like, even if

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Speaker 1: I mess up, it will be okay because I think

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Speaker 1: my passion and love for it shines. Yeah. I totally

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Speaker 1: totally agree. And then the other thing in the present

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Speaker 1: is you have a great, big, wonderful, exciting movie coming

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Speaker 1: out directed by lin Manuel Miranda, the Great lin Manuel Miranda.

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Speaker 1: I have to say, right, what was that like working

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Speaker 1: with him? I mean, he's incredible. Well, he is phenomenal.

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Speaker 1: I remember my first time meeting him was I think

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Speaker 1: it was right after we did Greece. He was still

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Speaker 1: doing Hamilton. We went backstage with Tommy kr director on Grace,

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Speaker 1: and he had gotten Lynn the t Birds motorcycle jacket,

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Speaker 1: the leather coat. So we got up there and he

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Speaker 1: was wearing it, and I was just like, oh my god,

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Speaker 1: what could you go? And he was just so sweet

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Speaker 1: and complimentary, and I was just like obsessed obviously with

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Speaker 1: Hamilton as well. And then I worked on in the

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Speaker 1: Heights at the Kennedy Center where he would come by

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Speaker 1: and like hang out with us. And to be able

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Speaker 1: to be in his directorial debut film is so special.

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Speaker 1: It really feels like such a tight knit family theater

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Speaker 1: and to be a part of his crossovers really cool. Now,

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Speaker 1: in case you don't know, Tic Tic Boom was originally

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Speaker 1: a one man show written and performed by Jonathan Larson,

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Speaker 1: the creator of the hit musical Rent. The twenty twenty

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Speaker 1: one film Vanessa's In is an adaptation. It's really great.

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Speaker 1: I think that like it really takes you back to

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Speaker 1: the time and what it looked like for Jonathan Larson

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Speaker 1: living in the Lower East Side in the nineties during

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Speaker 1: the AIG's pandemic, like everybody was scared, but like living

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Speaker 1: and creating and doing their best. Oh, the buzz is amazing.

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Speaker 1: I can't wait through the final It's so good. I'm

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Speaker 1: so excited. Well, and then when we worked on it,

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Speaker 1: you and I just going through the music before, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you did it. Your voice just sounded so great on

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Speaker 1: those songs, especially because a lot of what I got

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Speaker 1: to do and Tick take Boom is like harmonies and

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Speaker 1: like backup vocals, because that's what my character did. She

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Speaker 1: did Jonathan's backup vocals in his show along with Joshua Henry,

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Speaker 1: who is another phenomenal voice and human. But singing with

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Speaker 1: him and harmonizing with him, Oh my gosh, it just

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Speaker 1: gave me so much joy every day that, like during

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Speaker 1: our breaks, we would just sing together and harmonize with

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Speaker 1: each other because it was so fun and we sound

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Speaker 1: so good together, and all that work paid off. Listen

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Speaker 1: to their harmonies here in this clip from the movie

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Speaker 1: Tick Tick Boom. So now I'm going to rewinder all

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Speaker 1: the way back time travel. I remember our first working experience.

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Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you remember it, but it was during,

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Speaker 1: of course, the iconic high school musicals, and I remember

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Speaker 1: us being in a studio in Santa Monica and you

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Speaker 1: had that same quality where you like, all right, this

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Speaker 1: is gonna be really fun tonight. And I was like,

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Speaker 1: who is this girl who was so relaxed? Like where

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Speaker 1: does that come from? Is that because you did start

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Speaker 1: so young? I think so? Yeah. I mean I used

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Speaker 1: to be really shy. I was a very very very shy,

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Speaker 1: timid child. I did not like socialize. I just wanted

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Speaker 1: to hide or like play in the grass and the dirt,

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Speaker 1: like people scared me. I think that what took me

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Speaker 1: out of my shell was doing theater. I mean I

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Speaker 1: think I did my first play when I was seven

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Speaker 1: and where was that or six? Envisted us like by

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Speaker 1: San Diego at this little community theater and I was terrified.

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Speaker 1: I think I was playing ensemble parts in the beginning,

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Speaker 1: because that's what you do, and every now and then

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Speaker 1: there would be like an improv part of the day,

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Speaker 1: and my god, I would make myself as small as

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Speaker 1: humanly possible so that they wouldn't take me because I

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Speaker 1: was terrified but you know, when you're forced to go

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Speaker 1: outside of your comfort zones, it pushes you and you

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Speaker 1: evolve and you grow and you adapt. So I think

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Speaker 1: that really helped me come out of my shell. And

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Speaker 1: then as well, having a character to hide behind, having

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Speaker 1: one else's words to say, you know, I can bring

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Speaker 1: that life, but someone's already written down what I meant

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Speaker 1: to say. So I think that really gave me comfort

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Speaker 1: to just be okay in my own skin and in

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Speaker 1: my own space. And then I fell in love with

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Speaker 1: all of it. So because though you were terrified and nervous,

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Speaker 1: did you go through with it because someone were your

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Speaker 1: parents kind of pushing it? Or did you know? It

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Speaker 1: was just like I loved performing ever since I was

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Speaker 1: really young. I loved being on the stage. I loved musicals.

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Speaker 1: It was just something that I adored. And while it

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Speaker 1: was uncomfortable, the payoff was worth it every time, right, Right,

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Speaker 1: were your parents performers? No, they're like, you want to

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Speaker 1: do that, okay? And they weren't in the business at all,

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Speaker 1: Oh not at all. Like my dad was a firefighter

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Speaker 1: and my mom like had various jobs and we were

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Speaker 1: moving around a lot. And I think that God was

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Speaker 1: like Hey, you're going to be a performer kid, I've

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Speaker 1: been like okay ever since. Yeah, So I think that

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Speaker 1: probably is one reason you're so comfortable, although some people

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Speaker 1: start young and aren't comfortable and stay nervous or anxious.

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Speaker 1: For me, and I think that it's a choice as well, nerves, Like,

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Speaker 1: how you label it is such a big thing. Words

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Speaker 1: are so powerful because you can take that feeling and

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Speaker 1: be like, oh my gosh, I feel like I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: throw up. My stomach is so anxious. I'm so nervous.

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Speaker 1: I'm terrified. Or you can be like whoa, my stomach

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Speaker 1: feels crazy. It's like there's butterflies in there. I am

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Speaker 1: so excited. You know, it's just how you label it.

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Speaker 1: I think it helps. That is a great way to

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Speaker 1: put it, and that does sum up you as now

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Speaker 1: spring through my head. Everything I've seen you. We've been

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Speaker 1: in the recording studio numerous times, storge and projects or

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Speaker 1: backstage before, and that is you always you always label

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Speaker 1: it as positive. Yeah, because you have a choice. Why

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Speaker 1: choose some negat and like, yeah, I might take a

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Speaker 1: little work, and after a while that becomes a habit,

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Speaker 1: and that starts to become just you. Was there a

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Speaker 1: moment you remember back in those early days when you

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Speaker 1: were like, this is it for me, this is what

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna do. No, No, It kind of was and

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Speaker 1: still is just something that I love doing. I can't

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Speaker 1: imagine doing anything else. I mean, like the grind was continuous.

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Speaker 1: I didn't really stop. I was doing community theater, and

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Speaker 1: then I moved on to doing a show at the

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Speaker 1: Old Globe with Jack O'Brien, who is an icon. And

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Speaker 1: I was doing like extra work in commercials and then

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Speaker 1: would book the national commercials. So then did that, and

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Speaker 1: then started doing extra work on TV shows, and then

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Speaker 1: booked guest spots on TV shows, and then did my

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Speaker 1: first couple movies. I did A thirteen was my first spoovie,

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Speaker 1: and then Thunderbirds was my second, and then High School

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Speaker 1: Musical I think was my third. But yeah, I mean

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Speaker 1: I was chugging along the entire time, going on optitions

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Speaker 1: and like committed to the grind. You performed in Washington

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Speaker 1: right around I think High School Musical three was after it.

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Speaker 1: But I remember you had to sing up Christmas Medley

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Speaker 1: in Washington. Remember that, And I remember it's the same thing.

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Speaker 1: You came in and you said Okay, here's the music,

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Speaker 1: and I was like what it was like, like, oh

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Speaker 1: my god. I was like, this is insane. When is it.

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Speaker 1: You're like, I've got a few days. I leave tomorrow

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Speaker 1: and I was like no, You're like, why are you

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Speaker 1: doing this to me? And once again you were like, Oh,

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Speaker 1: don't worry about it, It'll be fine, I'll learn it,

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Speaker 1: and you did. I mean, I think we worked on

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Speaker 1: it for two hours and by the end of it

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Speaker 1: you knew the whole thing. Yeah. I mean, looking back

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Speaker 1: at that, I'm like, I wish I would have taken

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Speaker 1: a little bit more time, but but I think you

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Speaker 1: had a million other things going on. Yeah, busy girl, Now,

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Speaker 1: don't go anywhere. Backstage passed with me, Eric Vitro and

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Speaker 1: my guest Vanessa Hutchins will be right back just after this.

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Speaker 1: Welcome back. Here's the rest of backstage Pass with me,

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Speaker 1: Eric Vitro and the lovely Vanessa Hutchins. What was that

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Speaker 1: like for you being in New York, a California girl

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Speaker 1: on Broadway. I remember making friends with someone in him

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Speaker 1: being like you seem like such a New Yorker, Like

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Speaker 1: I feel like you belong in New York and I

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Speaker 1: was like, that's crazy, like me from California thinking of

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Speaker 1: myself as like just your classic California girl, which I am.

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Speaker 1: But it's so funny because the older that I've gotten,

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Speaker 1: I now have a place in New York, and I

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Speaker 1: am such a New Yorker. When I go to New

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Speaker 1: York and come back to LA I'm like, oh my god,

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Speaker 1: people are so slow. What are they doing? Like my

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Speaker 1: whole vibe changes. But I love it. It's just a

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Speaker 1: special place, especially being in those theaters. We were at

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Speaker 1: the Neil Simon Vanessa's talking about her first Broadway show, Gigi, Like,

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Speaker 1: I just remember walking in the first time we got

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Speaker 1: into the theater and they put the Marquee up and

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Speaker 1: there was a picture of Audrey Hepbron standing in front

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Speaker 1: of her Marquy when she did Gigi, which was her

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Speaker 1: first Broadway show, And I walked into the theater and

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Speaker 1: just looked around and just took it in, just thought

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Speaker 1: about like all the performers that were there before me,

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Speaker 1: and it was just really special. And that was such

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Speaker 1: a fun show too. I mean, the music was great,

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Speaker 1: the costumes were magnificent. I had some of the most

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Speaker 1: insane costume quick changes ever it was thrilling. Yeah. I

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Speaker 1: remember those gorgeous pictures of you when they released those.

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Speaker 1: They were unbelievable. The costume changes in a Broadway show

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Speaker 1: can be really really fast and really difficult, but trust me,

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Speaker 1: they're so worth it. I still remember sitting in my

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Speaker 1: seat watching Vanessa on stage and those elegant gowns, the

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Speaker 1: sleek opera gloves and the feather boas. Oh and can

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Speaker 1: we talk about the dressing room for a minute. Gosh, well,

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Speaker 1: I had to dick out my dressing on my first

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Speaker 1: broad Way to dressing room. Yeah. No, I went for it. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you totally. And I painted it pink. All the flowers

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Speaker 1: that I would get, I would hang them upside down

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Speaker 1: and dry them. Oh. I put up like a tapestry.

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Speaker 1: I put up like a Paris wall paper. Right, I was.

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Speaker 1: I was doing the most. And then I was lucky

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Speaker 1: enough to be there when you did that recording session

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Speaker 1: for the cast album, and I remember, once again you

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Speaker 1: were excited about it. I was waiting for you on

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Speaker 1: the street. Your car pulled up, you got out and

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Speaker 1: went all right, this is gonna be fun. And I

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Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, She's always so excited and happy.

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Speaker 1: About these things and then you went in and just

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Speaker 1: nailed it so fast. Is that because you really just

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Speaker 1: had been doing it on Broadway so you felt like, oh,

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Speaker 1: I really know it and I'm confident, or did you

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Speaker 1: like really prep in your mind, all right, I'm recording today,

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Speaker 1: I'm going to go in Like no, I mean I

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Speaker 1: think that, like because I had been doing it so

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Speaker 1: many times from rehearsals to then previews, and like, because

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Speaker 1: it's live theater, there's no auto tune or anything, so

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Speaker 1: you do your best to make sure that you are

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Speaker 1: itch and that your placement is right every night. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: So it was just kind of like it became habitual

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Speaker 1: those songs. That is the thing about those live television musicals.

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Speaker 1: There is no fixing them like that is live. There's

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Speaker 1: no auto tune, there's no you know anything. You can't

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Speaker 1: go back if you make a mistake, if you crack,

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Speaker 1: if you forget a lyric. So you did it with

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Speaker 1: so much confidence. Do you think being on Broadway helped

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Speaker 1: you or is it just all the years leading up

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Speaker 1: to it. I mean, probably definitely helped. It's such a

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Speaker 1: high level of performers on Broadway that you want to

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Speaker 1: be up there with them, like you want to make

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Speaker 1: sure that you're performing at a level that is worthy

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Speaker 1: of gracing Broadway stages. But I think professionalism has always

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Speaker 1: been something that's very important to me, and it's something

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Speaker 1: that I pride myself on, So it's not something that

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Speaker 1: I take lightly, like that is my job and I'm

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Speaker 1: going to go and do the best job I can.

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Speaker 1: What would you say, Because you've obviously now done movie

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Speaker 1: musicals you did it live. Is there one that you

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Speaker 1: enjoy more? I think doing the live musicals to television

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Speaker 1: might be my favorite because it is the most exhilarating, challenging,

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Speaker 1: thrilling thing I think you can possibly do. Because I

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Speaker 1: love doing Broadway obviously, but it lives there and then

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Speaker 1: once the show's over, it's over. Like you can go

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Speaker 1: to the library to go see it, but that's it,

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Speaker 1: you know. And with the televised ones, like the world

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Speaker 1: gets to see it, which is so cool, and it

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Speaker 1: can bring families together and it's like an experience and

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Speaker 1: you can watch it back and see it but know

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Speaker 1: that it was actually your performance that you gave because

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Speaker 1: with movies and stuff, you lose that connection of performer

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Speaker 1: to audience and with the live to TV ones that

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Speaker 1: remains right. It's really cool and it's the craziest thing ever.

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Speaker 1: Like I remember doing Greece and running off the stage

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Speaker 1: into a golf cart, going over to another stage, running

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Speaker 1: onto that stage, throwing all my clothes off, putting on

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Speaker 1: new clothes on, running out, doing a scene, and then

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Speaker 1: like continuing the running like it was just madness. The

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Speaker 1: fact that that came together the way that it did

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Speaker 1: is such a miracle. But Rent too, like there's so

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Speaker 1: many moving pieces, it's crazy. And for Grease, remember it

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Speaker 1: started raining a little bit earlier in the day and

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Speaker 1: then I remember the wind was I think it blew

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Speaker 1: something down and it felt like a disaster. Yeah, you

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00:21:30,596 --> 00:21:35,036
Speaker 1: guys were troopers. You just involve, you adapt when you

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Speaker 1: do get to watch, because you can't really see yourself

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Speaker 1: on Broadway. You can, like you said, if people with

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Speaker 1: library and see one taped version. But like, have you

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Speaker 1: watched live, Grease or Rent? Yeah, of course I feel

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Speaker 1: like I watched them both, like right afterwards, And what

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Speaker 1: do you feel when you watch it? What's that experience? Like,

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Speaker 1: it's fun, it's exciting. I mean, like with both of those,

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Speaker 1: I'm really proud with what I did. And I don't

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Speaker 1: have a hard time watching myself, Like I can enjoy

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Speaker 1: my performance and everyone else's performances, and like we worked

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Speaker 1: so hard on them that it's such a labor of

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Speaker 1: love to see it all come together, Like I get

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Speaker 1: to enjoy it as an audience member as well. Greece

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Speaker 1: was great, and like, I don't know if you want

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Speaker 1: to talk about this or not, but what was pretty

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00:22:21,916 --> 00:22:24,996
Speaker 1: amazing in Greece is that some people might not know

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Speaker 1: your dad passed away the day before, the night before,

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Speaker 1: the night before. I was like, he was battling cancer.

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Speaker 1: But I so many times was just like, please God,

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Speaker 1: not the night before. That's all I kept saying. But

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Speaker 1: like now as I say that, I'm like, but you

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Speaker 1: were sticking all your energy into night before, night before,

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Speaker 1: so like, yeah, of course it would happen the night before,

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Speaker 1: but yeah it was. It was brutal, but I think that, like,

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Speaker 1: my dad was one of my bigger supporters and fans.

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Speaker 1: He would have wanted me to do what I did,

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Speaker 1: you know. And then our producer Mark dedicated it to

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Speaker 1: him at the end, which was so beautiful, right, wow, yeah,

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Speaker 1: by Mark, you mean Mark Platt. Amazing. Mark Platt's phenomenal,

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Speaker 1: one of the best. And my mom was there, my

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00:23:15,476 --> 00:23:18,276
Speaker 1: sisters was there, and it was just like a really

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Speaker 1: beautiful kind of way to remember him by us all

380
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Speaker 1: being together and like me performing and doing what I

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Speaker 1: love and what he spent so much of his time

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Speaker 1: working towards from to help me. Yeah, I remember in

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Speaker 1: the dressing room. I wasn't sure when we warmed up

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Speaker 1: how it was going to go, because you said, I'm okay,

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Speaker 1: I'm going to deal with this later, let's not talk

386
00:23:41,516 --> 00:23:43,236
Speaker 1: about it, let's not dwell on it. I'm going to

387
00:23:43,276 --> 00:23:47,276
Speaker 1: compartmentalize it. But you had such a look in your eyes.

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Speaker 1: I thought, Wow, I don't know how this is gonna go.

389
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Speaker 1: And then if anybody didn't know that happened, they would

390
00:23:52,676 --> 00:23:55,556
Speaker 1: have never never known. I mean, you were just you

391
00:23:55,636 --> 00:23:58,956
Speaker 1: got out there and you soared well, Like playing Rizzo

392
00:23:59,036 --> 00:24:03,636
Speaker 1: as well is so much fun. It's so much fun.

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00:24:03,836 --> 00:24:08,236
Speaker 1: She's just spunky and she's sassy and she like knows

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00:24:08,236 --> 00:24:10,876
Speaker 1: how to capture guy's attention. And I was like, we're

395
00:24:10,876 --> 00:24:14,276
Speaker 1: gonna channel that bitch and like be as her as

396
00:24:14,316 --> 00:24:17,396
Speaker 1: we possibly can be. You can hear that sassy tone

397
00:24:17,396 --> 00:24:20,036
Speaker 1: in this clip of Vanessa as Rizzo in Grease Live.

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Speaker 1: Look at me, I'm Sandra, Dee Claus Virginity. Won't go

399
00:24:29,956 --> 00:24:38,196
Speaker 1: to betsylam legally what I cant I'm Sandra. I really

400
00:24:38,236 --> 00:24:42,396
Speaker 1: did have a great time. I think that, like compartmentalizing

401
00:24:42,596 --> 00:24:45,756
Speaker 1: is so real and something that you kind of have

402
00:24:45,836 --> 00:24:50,036
Speaker 1: to do sometimes to push through. But I really did

403
00:24:50,116 --> 00:24:53,876
Speaker 1: still enjoy that. Wow, that's so great, and that's what

404
00:24:53,916 --> 00:24:56,716
Speaker 1: he would have wanted, Like he said, he worked hard

405
00:24:56,756 --> 00:25:00,236
Speaker 1: to get you. Help you there. Yeah, well both of them.

406
00:25:00,276 --> 00:25:04,116
Speaker 1: Grease was great. Rent. Once again, Rent, we sat in

407
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Speaker 1: your trailer, remember you had the trailer and the first

408
00:25:07,076 --> 00:25:11,156
Speaker 1: hour before Maureen makes her fantastic entrance, you were just

409
00:25:11,436 --> 00:25:14,756
Speaker 1: having the best time watching everybody, And I thought that

410
00:25:14,916 --> 00:25:17,316
Speaker 1: was really endearing to me that you were really cheering

411
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Speaker 1: on everybody, all your castmates, watching them for the first hour.

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Speaker 1: Like some people get no, I don't want to watch it, No,

413
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Speaker 1: I don't want to be distracted. You were like cheering

414
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Speaker 1: for them and dancing around the room, and well, I

415
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Speaker 1: mean that's what Maureen would have been doing. So I

416
00:25:31,036 --> 00:25:34,996
Speaker 1: think there's definitely a subconscious piece of that. Me. Yeah,

417
00:25:35,836 --> 00:25:41,676
Speaker 1: was not intentional. What I was doing was enjoying the show.

418
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Speaker 1: Like I am a massive theater lover and gigantic Jonathan

419
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Speaker 1: Larson fan, So like watching my friends do a show

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Speaker 1: that I love and sing the music that I adore, Like,

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Speaker 1: it's just the best time. I got to like sit

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Speaker 1: front row and cheer on my friends. Yeah, no, that

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00:26:04,876 --> 00:26:07,156
Speaker 1: was that was great. And then you left me in

424
00:26:07,196 --> 00:26:08,996
Speaker 1: the trailer and went all right, I'm gonna go have

425
00:26:08,996 --> 00:26:11,436
Speaker 1: a good time, and I just sat there watching and

426
00:26:12,036 --> 00:26:13,916
Speaker 1: it was great, and I was so proud of you.

427
00:26:13,996 --> 00:26:16,996
Speaker 1: Those reviews were unbelievable. They were so great of you.

428
00:26:17,236 --> 00:26:19,956
Speaker 1: I remember when we were in the trailer four rent,

429
00:26:20,076 --> 00:26:23,516
Speaker 1: you said, I love this so much, I'm going to

430
00:26:23,596 --> 00:26:26,276
Speaker 1: make sure I do something musical every single year. Yes,

431
00:26:26,756 --> 00:26:30,636
Speaker 1: I know, And since then I have you have. Yeah,

432
00:26:30,676 --> 00:26:34,036
Speaker 1: every year I've done at least one musical thing. Yeah.

433
00:26:34,036 --> 00:26:37,836
Speaker 1: It's medicine from my heart, and I feel that's what

434
00:26:37,876 --> 00:26:40,076
Speaker 1: I've seen over the years. You can see it in

435
00:26:40,196 --> 00:26:43,636
Speaker 1: all of Vanessa's performances, whether she's singing on stage or

436
00:26:43,676 --> 00:26:47,836
Speaker 1: acting on screen. Vanessa always as fun. I've seen you

437
00:26:47,916 --> 00:26:50,116
Speaker 1: kind of grow and grow up and have a lot

438
00:26:50,156 --> 00:26:54,356
Speaker 1: of life experiences, career experiences, but the truth is your

439
00:26:54,516 --> 00:26:58,636
Speaker 1: essence is always the same, Like you keep evolving and

440
00:26:58,636 --> 00:27:01,836
Speaker 1: getting better, but who you really are as a person

441
00:27:01,916 --> 00:27:05,556
Speaker 1: has not changed. So happy at all. That makes me

442
00:27:05,676 --> 00:27:08,596
Speaker 1: so happy. Well, it's like a great quality. It's a

443
00:27:08,636 --> 00:27:11,396
Speaker 1: really great quality. Yeah, you know, you just trying to

444
00:27:11,396 --> 00:27:16,036
Speaker 1: stay true. Yeah, well you have, and I really mean that.

445
00:27:16,196 --> 00:27:19,076
Speaker 1: It's that positive thinking that always helps her find her

446
00:27:19,076 --> 00:27:23,316
Speaker 1: way while still celebrating exactly who she is. And isn't

447
00:27:23,316 --> 00:27:26,436
Speaker 1: that something we all should be striving for while we're

448
00:27:26,436 --> 00:27:28,236
Speaker 1: trying to make our way in the world. I think

449
00:27:28,236 --> 00:27:31,556
Speaker 1: it's important to remember two things. To work hard, but

450
00:27:31,716 --> 00:27:35,596
Speaker 1: to also have patience, because, as Miles Davis said, man,

451
00:27:35,796 --> 00:27:38,836
Speaker 1: sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself.

452
00:27:41,396 --> 00:27:44,156
Speaker 1: Stay tuned. After the break, we'll go over this week's

453
00:27:44,196 --> 00:27:53,756
Speaker 1: vocal tips and Vanessa's favorite exercise, the cooldowns. Welcome back,

454
00:27:54,036 --> 00:28:03,956
Speaker 1: It's time for our weekly backstage pass vocal tip. Hopefully

455
00:28:03,996 --> 00:28:07,076
Speaker 1: you're feeling inspired to sing yourself. Why just let the

456
00:28:07,156 --> 00:28:09,876
Speaker 1: stars have all the fun. Come on, let's get you

457
00:28:09,916 --> 00:28:13,476
Speaker 1: working your own voice now. I know sometimes the hardest

458
00:28:13,516 --> 00:28:16,116
Speaker 1: part of vocal training can be finding the time and

459
00:28:16,156 --> 00:28:20,516
Speaker 1: the inspiration to practice every day. Just ask Vanessa when

460
00:28:20,516 --> 00:28:23,076
Speaker 1: we don't work together for a while, and then I

461
00:28:23,156 --> 00:28:25,556
Speaker 1: get a job or something where I'm singing. You're like, so,

462
00:28:25,756 --> 00:28:28,636
Speaker 1: how have you been Have you been singing? You always ask,

463
00:28:28,996 --> 00:28:33,876
Speaker 1: and I'm always like, no, no, not really. Have you

464
00:28:33,916 --> 00:28:37,356
Speaker 1: been doing your Vogue warmups? You ask? I'm like, then

465
00:28:37,396 --> 00:28:41,356
Speaker 1: I put on my poker face. Okay, yeah, And I mean,

466
00:28:41,356 --> 00:28:44,156
Speaker 1: like when it's time to like focus in, like I

467
00:28:44,236 --> 00:28:47,396
Speaker 1: do do it every day, but I feel like consistency

468
00:28:47,556 --> 00:28:51,916
Speaker 1: is the hardest thing, like just continuing to do it

469
00:28:51,996 --> 00:28:56,076
Speaker 1: because it is a muscle, and like it doesn't stay

470
00:28:56,116 --> 00:28:58,636
Speaker 1: strong forever, like you have to keep it strong and

471
00:28:58,756 --> 00:29:03,876
Speaker 1: strengthening it. So that's I think always been my downfall, right,

472
00:29:03,996 --> 00:29:06,356
Speaker 1: I don't think it's a downfall. It's just it's your

473
00:29:06,436 --> 00:29:09,756
Speaker 1: process and it's working for you. So I think you

474
00:29:09,796 --> 00:29:12,996
Speaker 1: have to think of it like that. Really, the whole experience,

475
00:29:13,116 --> 00:29:16,876
Speaker 1: I feel like it is just so therapeutic, like seeing

476
00:29:16,876 --> 00:29:21,316
Speaker 1: you and talking and doing the exercises and moving around

477
00:29:21,356 --> 00:29:26,556
Speaker 1: the room and like being silly and like just enjoying

478
00:29:26,636 --> 00:29:29,796
Speaker 1: the process and then working on something with you and

479
00:29:29,996 --> 00:29:32,956
Speaker 1: seeing how the little tricks are things that you may

480
00:29:33,036 --> 00:29:35,876
Speaker 1: give me make such a big difference. And then like

481
00:29:35,916 --> 00:29:37,916
Speaker 1: the relief of knowing that I have those in my

482
00:29:37,956 --> 00:29:42,116
Speaker 1: back pocket going forward is just wonderful. It's like winning

483
00:29:42,196 --> 00:29:44,876
Speaker 1: all around. Oh, I love that. I love that you

484
00:29:44,916 --> 00:29:47,636
Speaker 1: said that. Thank you for the vocal tip this week,

485
00:29:47,676 --> 00:29:51,076
Speaker 1: inspired by Vanessa. Let's talk about developing your lower notes

486
00:29:51,116 --> 00:29:53,756
Speaker 1: and how to cool down your voice. Let's start working

487
00:29:53,796 --> 00:29:56,876
Speaker 1: on developing those lower notes to widen your range. They

488
00:29:56,876 --> 00:30:01,516
Speaker 1: should feel as easy as speaking. First, say m MEMI.

489
00:30:04,156 --> 00:30:07,116
Speaker 1: Try to speak the Mimi and your natural speaking voice,

490
00:30:07,156 --> 00:30:10,396
Speaker 1: but with just a little bit more for replacement than usual,

491
00:30:10,956 --> 00:30:17,276
Speaker 1: a little bit of a nasal sound. Me me, then

492
00:30:17,396 --> 00:30:23,916
Speaker 1: try m may May. Then try singing five notes and

493
00:30:23,956 --> 00:30:26,356
Speaker 1: a descending order like you heard Vanessa doing at the

494
00:30:26,396 --> 00:30:29,076
Speaker 1: beginning of our episode. You can try it on Mimi

495
00:30:29,436 --> 00:30:32,876
Speaker 1: or may may me me me, me, me, me, me

496
00:30:32,876 --> 00:30:37,116
Speaker 1: me me. Basses, baritones, and tenors. Start on a G

497
00:30:37,356 --> 00:30:46,996
Speaker 1: below middle C like this. Keep singing this five note pattern,

498
00:30:47,156 --> 00:30:50,716
Speaker 1: continually transposing it down by half steps, in other words,

499
00:30:50,796 --> 00:31:11,236
Speaker 1: changing the keys by half steps like this. Keep going

500
00:31:11,316 --> 00:31:13,916
Speaker 1: until you reach the lowest note you can sing comfortably.

501
00:31:14,516 --> 00:31:17,236
Speaker 1: You can always use a piano or a keyboard downloaded

502
00:31:17,236 --> 00:31:19,556
Speaker 1: onto your phone or your tablet to give you the

503
00:31:19,596 --> 00:31:22,716
Speaker 1: starting notes of each pattern sopranos and eelto start on

504
00:31:22,756 --> 00:31:31,236
Speaker 1: a G above mettle C. Remember, keep the vibrations forward

505
00:31:31,276 --> 00:31:34,556
Speaker 1: on the roof of your mouth. Just keep transposing, changing

506
00:31:34,556 --> 00:31:36,956
Speaker 1: the keys down by half steps until you reach your

507
00:31:36,996 --> 00:31:53,156
Speaker 1: lowest note. Go as low as you can comfortably. Now,

508
00:31:53,236 --> 00:31:56,196
Speaker 1: let's try a little cooling down. If you've ever watched

509
00:31:56,196 --> 00:31:58,516
Speaker 1: a marathon runner, you saw that they kept walking and

510
00:31:58,596 --> 00:32:01,436
Speaker 1: moving after the race, so the leg muscles didn't cramp up.

511
00:32:01,476 --> 00:32:04,716
Speaker 1: They never just stopped short. The same principle applies to

512
00:32:04,716 --> 00:32:07,476
Speaker 1: a singer after a major singing event like a concert,

513
00:32:07,796 --> 00:32:10,556
Speaker 1: or a long recording session or a big rehearsal. My

514
00:32:10,676 --> 00:32:13,556
Speaker 1: students always tell me that when they do a short cooldown,

515
00:32:13,756 --> 00:32:15,956
Speaker 1: or some people prefer to call it a warm down,

516
00:32:16,276 --> 00:32:19,116
Speaker 1: they wake up the next day feeling much better and stronger.

517
00:32:19,516 --> 00:32:22,396
Speaker 1: I break my cooldowns into two parts. Today we're going

518
00:32:22,476 --> 00:32:24,956
Speaker 1: to focus on the speaking part of the cooldown, which

519
00:32:25,036 --> 00:32:27,716
Speaker 1: is to have you focus keeping your speaking voice forward

520
00:32:27,796 --> 00:32:31,196
Speaker 1: in your mouth after you've been doing a big sing First,

521
00:32:31,276 --> 00:32:40,476
Speaker 1: say mmm hello, Now say hmm please come in. Do

522
00:32:40,476 --> 00:32:44,156
Speaker 1: you feel how the m really propels your voice nice

523
00:32:44,196 --> 00:32:47,156
Speaker 1: and forward in your mouth. That's a really healthy place

524
00:32:47,196 --> 00:32:49,836
Speaker 1: to speak from after you've been doing a big sing

525
00:32:50,356 --> 00:32:56,516
Speaker 1: Try it again, M, hello, M, thank you for coming

526
00:32:56,556 --> 00:33:02,236
Speaker 1: to the show. All right. I know this is probably

527
00:33:02,236 --> 00:33:05,356
Speaker 1: feeling very unnatural, but you only have to do it

528
00:33:05,436 --> 00:33:08,756
Speaker 1: in this exaggerated way for about fifteen minutes after that

529
00:33:08,796 --> 00:33:11,636
Speaker 1: big singing event, just to make sure you're keeping your

530
00:33:11,636 --> 00:33:14,796
Speaker 1: speaking voice and a forward, healthy range that's going to

531
00:33:14,916 --> 00:33:18,156
Speaker 1: really save your voice. After that, you can keep it forward,

532
00:33:18,196 --> 00:33:20,836
Speaker 1: but relax it so you sound more like you. If

533
00:33:20,836 --> 00:33:23,076
Speaker 1: you want to share how you're developing your low notes

534
00:33:23,236 --> 00:33:25,916
Speaker 1: or doing a cool down, I'd love to hear you.

535
00:33:26,036 --> 00:33:30,876
Speaker 1: Use the hashtag Backstage Pass pod on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok,

536
00:33:30,996 --> 00:33:33,236
Speaker 1: or wherever you like to post. I can't wait to

537
00:33:33,236 --> 00:33:37,196
Speaker 1: see your videos. I'll see you next week maybe maybe

538
00:33:37,316 --> 00:33:50,796
Speaker 1: me may. Backstage Pass with Eric Vitro is written and

539
00:33:50,876 --> 00:33:54,356
Speaker 1: hosted by me Eric Vitro and produced by Morgan Jaffee.

540
00:33:54,796 --> 00:33:59,356
Speaker 1: Katherine Girardeaux is our showrunner. Emily Rosstek is our associate producer.

541
00:33:59,636 --> 00:34:03,356
Speaker 1: Mixed and mastered by Ben Tolliday. Additional engineering help is

542
00:34:03,436 --> 00:34:07,476
Speaker 1: from Jacob Gorski. Mia Lobell is our executive producer. Our

543
00:34:07,516 --> 00:34:11,276
Speaker 1: development team Poltallmull and Justine Lange helped create the show.

544
00:34:11,916 --> 00:34:15,996
Speaker 1: Thanks also to Jacob Weisberg, Heather Fame, John Schnars, Carli Migliori,

545
00:34:16,156 --> 00:34:20,956
Speaker 1: Christina Sullivan, Eric Sandler, Maggie Taylor, Nicolemarano, Daniella Lucan and

546
00:34:21,036 --> 00:34:25,076
Speaker 1: Royston Deserve. Original theme music is by Jacob and Sita

547
00:34:25,156 --> 00:34:29,036
Speaker 1: Steele for Premier Music Group. We record it Resonate Studios.

548
00:34:29,316 --> 00:34:32,356
Speaker 1: Fred Taluksen does our videography and the photography is by

549
00:34:32,436 --> 00:34:35,436
Speaker 1: Ken Sawyer. A very special thanks to Michael Lewis for

550
00:34:35,516 --> 00:34:38,316
Speaker 1: his inspiration and the best guidance anyone could ask for.

551
00:34:38,756 --> 00:34:42,476
Speaker 1: Backstage Pass with Eric Vitro is a production of Pushkin Industries,

552
00:34:42,836 --> 00:34:45,236
Speaker 1: and if you like the show, please remember to share,

553
00:34:45,436 --> 00:34:48,596
Speaker 1: rate and review. I mean that really share it, rate

554
00:34:48,636 --> 00:34:51,076
Speaker 1: it and review it. If you love this show and

555
00:34:51,196 --> 00:34:55,756
Speaker 1: others from Pushkin Industries, consider subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin

556
00:34:55,836 --> 00:34:59,556
Speaker 1: Plus is a podcast subscription that offers bonus content and

557
00:34:59,916 --> 00:35:03,116
Speaker 1: uninterrupted listening for four ninety nine a month. Look for

558
00:35:03,196 --> 00:35:08,276
Speaker 1: Pushkin Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions. To find more Pushkin podcasts,

559
00:35:08,516 --> 00:35:11,316
Speaker 1: listen to the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or

560
00:35:11,316 --> 00:35:13,236
Speaker 1: wherever you listen to podcasts,