1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: My next guest is Adina Menzel. She has a new 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: album called Drama Queen and a children's book called Proud 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: Mouse out September twelfth. Make sure to watch and read. 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 2: My son is Mixed. I don't want my whiteness to 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 2: be something that I know people say you're the mom. 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 2: He's going to love you, but there's going to be 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 2: things that I can't understand for him because I'm not 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 2: in his skin. And as he's getting older, he's becoming 9 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: more and more aware of the society that he lives 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: in and the violence, the racism, and I just want 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 2: to be someone he can come to, you know. The 12 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 2: best selling author in the post. 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: The number one health and wellness. 14 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 2: Podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty. 15 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, welcome back to On Purpose. I am so 16 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: grateful for our community here at the number one health 17 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: podcast in the world. Thanks to each and every one 18 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: of you that come back every week to listen, learn 19 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: and grow. And I know that you're always looking for 20 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: new stories, new ideas, new things to bring into your 21 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: life so that you can feel better, feel happy. I 22 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: feel healthier and feel healed. And today I'm talking to 23 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: a guest who has a really unique experience of life. 24 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: And that's what I love. I love learning about people 25 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: who've come from different backgrounds, different walks of life, taken 26 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: different parts. And I'm speaking to all of you about 27 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: Idina Menzel, a powerhouse multi hyphenet, a singer, an actress 28 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: in film and TV, a songwriter, a Broadway star, and 29 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: a philanthropist. And I mean her accolades are absolutely unbelievable. 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: Adina rose to fame for her role as Maureen in 31 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: the popular Broadway musical Rent, and their career took off 32 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: when she won a Tony Award for her role as Alphabet, 33 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: the Wicked Witch of the West in the musical Wicked. 34 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: If you haven't seen it, it's phenomenal. I can't believe 35 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: you haven't seen it yet. Adina's voice can be heard 36 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: as Elsa in Disney's Oscar winning Frozen, the second highest 37 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: grossing animated film of all time, with more than one 38 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: point two billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue, and 39 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: right now she's out talking about her children's book Loud Mouse, 40 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: which we'll be hearing about today as well. Please welcome 41 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: to the show, Dinna Manzelle, and thank you for. 42 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: Doing this, Thanks for having me. 43 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so grateful to meet you and so happy 44 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: to get to spend this time with you. I know 45 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: you've had a long day. We're just talking about. You've 46 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: been up since four am. 47 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I'm on the LA time. So that's what 48 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: that was weird because I couldn't get to bed, yeah, 49 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: with my jet lag, so I'm running on empty. But 50 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: I'm happy to be here. 51 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: I'm just coming as well three days ago, and so 52 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: I know that feels like But I guess the question 53 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: is that you've been up since four am, You've been 54 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: doing so much work today. What drives you? What motivates you? 55 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: What what keeps you going? 56 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: My son, my thirteen year old son Walker, I think 57 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: that's the main driving force. I mean, obviously creativity and 58 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: my you know, artistic soul, my desire to keep creating 59 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: and finding new ways to express myself. But if I'm 60 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: being completely honest, it's you know, it's how can I 61 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: be a better mom? How what am I doing today 62 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: to help my son? You know? My relationship with my husband. 63 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 2: I think it's because I'm I've turned fifty now, and 64 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 2: the ambition starts to weigh a little bit when you 65 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: when you have a little success too, you know, like 66 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 2: start to feel okay, like I can afford to pay 67 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: for his schooling, and I can pay my mortgage, and 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 2: I'm doing wonderful things and working with terrific people, and 69 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: so I can relax a little bit. When I was younger, 70 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 2: I was just pounding the pavement so hard, you know, 71 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: and really I believed in myself, but I was just 72 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 2: really working hard and playing gigs everywhere and trying to 73 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: get noticed. And so at this age it starts to 74 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: you know, you go, Okay, everything's everything's going to be okay, 75 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: you know, and so you want to give a lot 76 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 2: of energy to your relations, to your marriage, to your child. 77 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: And that's why this children's book is. I guess this 78 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: sort of an organic step in the evolution of things, 79 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: you know, because people always ask me to do one, 80 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 2: you know, because I guess my trajectory of characters and 81 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 2: this sort of alpha us and Elsa's and these amazing 82 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: young women that have all this incredible power and our 83 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 2: role models for kids, and it's all about, you know, 84 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 2: embracing that power and harnessing it and not being afraid 85 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: to send it out into the world. You know, there's 86 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: for some reason. There's the universe has thrown these things 87 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: my way. I don't know if it's the chicken or 88 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: the egg. Is it me, you know, choosing these somehow, 89 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: even though they were jobs I needed and I had 90 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 2: to do for them. So I think that there's in 91 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: the tradition of those characters. I felt that I wanted 92 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 2: to write a children's book that was about really me 93 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 2: having those very similar experiences when I was little, and 94 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 2: really believing in myself at a young age, really recognizing 95 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: that I had something special to offer, but also being 96 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 2: hesitant to share it out of fear of being alienated, 97 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,239 Speaker 2: being disliked, feeling like I was calling too much attention 98 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 2: to myself. How much space can we take up in 99 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 2: the world, what's allowed? You know, especially as women, I 100 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 2: think we're always sort of second guessing ourselves. So that's 101 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: what the book's about. But that's what I do with 102 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: as a grown up too. Every day. I'm still second 103 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 2: guessing when I walk in a room, how much space 104 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: I can take up, how big my voice is literally 105 00:05:58,360 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 2: and metaphorically. 106 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: Well, and how do you think your view has changed 107 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: of what you view as important from that time when 108 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: you were like grinding and hustling and busy, working hard 109 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: to now having a bit more I guess structure and 110 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: peace and a bit of arrival feeling, if that makes sense. 111 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: The desperation isn't there, you know, it doesn't mean that 112 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 2: I'm not still dreaming and there's not things that I 113 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 2: There are still things I want. There's a lot of 114 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: things that I find still elusive to me. We could 115 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 2: talk about that. But so I still have ambition, but 116 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 2: the fear of literally not being able to pay my 117 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 2: rent or not making good on my commitment to myself 118 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: as a young girl, of working hard to have my 119 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 2: dream come true. My dreams have come true. I perform 120 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 2: on a stage, I perform in all these incredible venues 121 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: for thousands of people and Disney Princess Queen for God's sakes, 122 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 2: you know. So, But you know, the more you get, 123 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 2: the more you want, and you see things differently through 124 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 2: different a different lens when you become a mom. 125 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was two things you hit there which I 126 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: read about you when I I was looking for this interview. 127 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: You said, do you have many dreams? But then one 128 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: of the dreams I've heard you've had is your teeth 129 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: falling out right. I know that's a different time, different 130 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: type of dreams. That's not the kind of dream that Yeah, yeah, 131 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: that's my night. You Have you ever looked into all 132 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: the meetings behind? 133 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's all about anxiety. 134 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: Have you ever found a meaning that sits well with you, 135 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: that gives you some comfort in life? 136 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 2: No, not that dream. It's always such anxiety. And that's 137 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 2: what I've read about it. And I also usually the 138 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: teeth come out and you can hear the sound of 139 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: them slinking against Yeah, I have that one. And I 140 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: have one that I never actually graduated college and I'm 141 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 2: too credit short. I have it so much that I 142 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: still wake up with a feeling of like, why do 143 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 2: I feel unseubtled? Oh you think you didn't. Let's a wait, No, 144 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: I was there, I got my diploma. 145 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I get the dream of like I have another 146 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: exam again. I think that's the one that sets me up. 147 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: I'm like, no, I don't want to do another exam. God, 148 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: enough exams in my life. But no, that that that's interesting. 149 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: And yeah, that lack of control, I think that's what 150 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: I've seen it as well, Like when you're losing your 151 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: teeth in a dream, it's like feeling like the anxiety 152 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: and losing control. 153 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: And then then I have cracked a tooth and a 154 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 2: bagel close like my nightmares coming true, you know whatever, yeah, 155 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 2: oh my gosh, yeah. 156 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: Yeahs and hearing the teeth that sounds sounds make me 157 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: very like skirmish, I feel like sounds tough. And then 158 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: also with working hard, I mean before this, you used 159 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,079 Speaker 1: to well, not before this, a long time ago, you 160 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: used to perform at the mitzpahs and weddings. Yeah, which 161 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: which one did you prefer? Was there a better one? 162 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 2: Well? I went through different phases. When I was fifteen 163 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 2: years old, my parents parents divorced, and I wanted to 164 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 2: get a job to kind of help out that, you know, 165 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 2: dad was supporting two households. And my mom started dating 166 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 2: this guy who was really sweet and saw talent in me. 167 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 2: And he knew some guy that had a wedding band 168 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,239 Speaker 2: out in Long Island, and he said, you should auditionize. 169 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 2: I don't know en f songs, you know. And we 170 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: lied about my age because we didn't want them to 171 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 2: worry that I was still kid, so we said I 172 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 2: was eighteen, like that's so old. And I started learning 173 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 2: a bunch of songs. I put on kind of a 174 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: slutty dress and I went in and I sang what 175 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: I sing back, I'm dating myself, but I sang Evergreen 176 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 2: like a Barber Streisen sung, and I sang We're walking 177 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: on sunshine. Oh, I remember I saying a flash dance song. Anyway, 178 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 2: and I got the job and I started working all 179 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 2: the time, weddings, permits, visit, it didn't matter. They all 180 00:09:54,440 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 2: can be bad because nobody's listening. They can be really wonderful, 181 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: especially for a young girl becoming trying to figure out 182 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: my identity as a vocalist, having to learn so many 183 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 2: kinds of genres of music, you know, like motown, pop, rock, jazz. 184 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: So I really that was kind of my education of music. 185 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: And I'm working. There's a lot of incredible musicians that 186 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 2: do it as a side gig just to make extra money. 187 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 2: So the good thing about people not listening is you 188 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 2: can try a lot of it. And one of my 189 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: favorite times would be when they say, like ladies and gentlemen, 190 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 2: please take your seat, your salad is being served, and 191 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 2: then the band would take a break except for me 192 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: and like the keyboard player, and then we'd sing, you know, 193 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 2: a Billie Holiday Tune or Eli Fitzgerald. And at a 194 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 2: young age, I learned what melody is and I would 195 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: listen to them on the car ride to the gig, 196 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 2: and then I'd learned what I was contributing to it, 197 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 2: how to improvise, and where were my instincts, my impulses 198 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 2: as a singer. And so I actually still identify with 199 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 2: I still see myself as that girl, the chick gig singer, 200 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 2: a wedding singer. And it's been so much longer that 201 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 2: I've not been that than I was, but I still 202 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 2: just feel like that's who I am when I'm on stage. 203 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 2: I could be at Madison Square Garden. I'm still with 204 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 2: my band. I want a jam. I'm okay with spontaneity. 205 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: You walk on. I was fifteen years old, and they 206 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 2: call it tune. You have to call it in the 207 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,079 Speaker 2: right key. You have to know the lyrics. If you 208 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 2: don't know the lyrics, you tape. Now they have iPads, 209 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 2: but I would pull out a little Rolodex cheat sheets 210 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 2: and I'd tape them to the mic and I'd sing 211 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 2: the songs. Like I said, nobody's paying attention to the band, 212 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: so they don't see but I still identify as that person, 213 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 2: and no matter what when I go to a wet 214 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 2: someone else's wedding or burmits, or when I get paid 215 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 2: to like a lot of money to be a guest 216 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 2: or somebody's and sing a couple. So wow, and I'm 217 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 2: really taking back. So I'm like, I used to make 218 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 2: a hundred bucks, you know, for the night to sing, 219 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 2: and then I'm up there and I still feel like 220 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: that that unknown girl just trying to do a great 221 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 2: job and get the song done. 222 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: That's amazing. Yeah, that's incredible. What are the next steps? 223 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: Like when you when you hear about that experience that 224 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: you're in and I am doing a bit of biography 225 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: chatting because I do find it fascinating, Like, you know, 226 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 1: you look at the stage you're on today and you 227 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: look back there and you're like, wow, that's that's a 228 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: long long way. And I think it's easy externally to 229 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: be like, oh yeah, there was these line of great 230 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: things that happened and it took off, But like what's 231 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: the next step from that? Like happen like the pretty 232 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: much immediately like after you're doing that and guessing is 233 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 1: that building your confidence? Is it just allowing you to 234 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,439 Speaker 1: pay for a few things on the side, like what 235 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: is that doing for you? 236 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 2: To be a working singer? To make a living as 237 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 2: a singer, especially at that age, was a source of 238 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 2: deep pride ye me. Then as I kept getting rejected 239 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 2: at auditions, I was writing my own music. I was 240 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 2: trying to get a record deal. Nothing was happening. Now 241 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 2: I'm doing it six seven years. Now, I'm getting a 242 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 2: little bit annoyed. 243 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: You were seeing a weddings and but mins was for 244 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: like six seven. 245 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. It go in and out depending. When I was 246 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 2: in college, I went to NYU, and certain semesters it 247 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 2: was rough, but then other semesters I could pick up 248 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 2: gigs and so then I would be a little bit 249 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 2: more I'd like to say disgruntled. And I'd stand and 250 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: I think I'm doing this when I'm thirty, you know, 251 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 2: I'm quitting the business. And I get in trouble the band. 252 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 2: The band leader would say, you have an attitude today, 253 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 2: and I'd be thinking, because I just I'm going to 254 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:52,959 Speaker 2: be something one day. You know, I'm going to get 255 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 2: out of here, so I forget where your question, Well, no, 256 00:13:57,679 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 2: my question is that I do What was the next 257 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 2: thing like that, is that that's do you're doing exactly 258 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 2: what it's asking, like that idea that you're going to auditions, 259 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 2: What were you auditioning for? 260 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: Like what was well important to you at that? 261 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. So when I was a little girl, my parents 262 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: took me and I grew up in Long Island, they 263 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 2: take me into the city to see Broadway shows. I 264 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 2: wanted to be on Broadway. Then when I started doing 265 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 2: all these weddings and seeing all these kinds of music, 266 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 2: I started writing my own music, and my taste evolved 267 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 2: with the kind of music that I wanted to sing, 268 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: and so then I wanted my own record deal and 269 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: wanted to make albums, and so I would now also 270 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 2: put rock bands together, and I'd go play at CBGB's 271 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 2: and at the Bitter End in the village, and so 272 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: that started to be the thing that I wanted. And 273 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 2: then I finally, at finally, at twenty five, I got 274 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 2: the original cast of Rent, which was the big rock 275 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 2: musical of the time, but it was theater, but it 276 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 2: was rock. And so that started me on this sort 277 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 2: of path of kind of straddling both worlds always, which 278 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 2: back then in the nineties it was not it was 279 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 2: frowned upon to try to go from theater to legitimate 280 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: rock pop kind of career. Now everyone can do everything, 281 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: but back then you didn't. If you're a movie star, 282 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: you didn't do TV. And if you were a theater person, 283 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 2: you weren't going to be people wouldn't believe you as 284 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 2: a as a rock star. But here I was kind 285 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: of in both, and so I did that dance for 286 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 2: a long time. And now you get to the point 287 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 2: where you've done so many different things and so many 288 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 2: I put out so many kinds of albums and that 289 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: I can get on stage and I don't care that 290 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: I'm one particular style because now my body of work 291 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 2: is who I am. But it's taken me all that 292 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: time to feel like I have a story and identity, 293 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 2: because back then it was like, look, who are you? 294 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 2: What kind of singer are you? What are you going 295 00:15:57,720 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: to be? What do you represent? And I said, well, 296 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 2: I can do and I can do motown, and I 297 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: can do Madonna and when you use it and rock 298 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 2: and roll, and so my versatility was my curse. 299 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: Wow, and what were you doing by age thirty? Because 300 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: you said, when I get to if I'm doing this 301 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: by thirty, I'm going to quit what were you actually doing. 302 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 2: When I was in a workshop of Wicked. Okay, so 303 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: I was hired to develop Wicked, which was a five 304 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 2: year process, and ever after every workshop of that, I 305 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 2: always thought they were going to replace me with someone 306 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 2: more famous or something, and so I always thought I 307 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 2: was going to get fired. So the fact that I 308 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 2: actually got to the Gershwin Theater when I was I 309 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 2: don't know, thirty two, I was like, who, you know? 310 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 2: You always think you're going to get fired in this business. 311 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: So when they bring you into develop and part of 312 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: my ignorance, yes, so they're bringing you into develops and 313 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: what is that? What does that actually mean? Does that 314 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: mean you might make it into the show or you're 315 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: in the behind the scenes. 316 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 2: They say they're looking for their amuses, you know, and 317 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 2: so they'd like to find the people that they are 318 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 2: writing for, because the composers are writing and for your voice, 319 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 2: and which is like the greatest honor that was Rent 320 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 2: was like that as well, and most of the things 321 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 2: I do because their original musicals they go through these 322 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 2: long developmental processes, which I love. I love standing on 323 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 2: a piano and an incredibly talented composer like Steven Schwartz 324 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 2: or Tom kitt or Jonathan Larson, and they say, figure 325 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: out where my voice sits and how they want to 326 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 2: write something so that I can soar, you know, and 327 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 2: the character can soar. Sometimes that guests confused, but or 328 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 2: it's one and the same. 329 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: I guess. 330 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,439 Speaker 2: But I love that process so much. And what it 331 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 2: is is you go in a room, usually in like 332 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 2: a regular rehearsal room, and sometimes they only have the 333 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 2: first act. Sometimes they have the whole thing, but then 334 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 2: they so you do like a little reading of it 335 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 2: for a bunch of people, investors, and then everyone gives notes. 336 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 2: And then six months later they've scrapped a bunch of things. 337 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: Maybe they took a song out of Act two and 338 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: put it in F one, and now that offsets the 339 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 2: whole balance. And then and this part sucks, but this 340 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: part's really working, you know, and they keep having to 341 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 2: and you just go with the flow. And I find 342 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 2: it fascinating that whole process. 343 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, No, it's interesting hearing about it as a fan 344 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: of Broadway. I always have been in the West End 345 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: in London where I grew up, and then Broadway here. 346 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: It's interesting knowing how it works because I think you 347 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: take for granted that some of these things, the amount 348 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 1: of time they take in development before we even see them. 349 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 2: It's funny. I did Wicket at the West End for 350 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 2: six months a year and a half after I left 351 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 2: it here in New York. I always wanted to open 352 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 2: a show on the West End. To me, that was 353 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 2: the most prestigious thing to do, and I had one 354 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 2: of the greatest times of my life. I had two 355 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 2: Australians starring with me, who taught me how to party 356 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 2: and do hos a week, which I think I only 357 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 2: learned that because they like to take credit for that, 358 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 2: but I also think it's because I had already wanted Tony. 359 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,160 Speaker 2: I knew I wasn't going to get fired. I knew 360 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: how to pace myself hos a week. The pressure was 361 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: off me and so I could go to the pub after. 362 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 2: But you know, when when you're in the beginnings of 363 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 2: a show, you're just you know, you're you're a monk, yes, 364 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 2: and you don't do anything and you go home and 365 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: you watch movies and you don't drink alcohol and you 366 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 2: know so, and that can be kind of lonely. 367 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, those schedules seem just insane. I was with a 368 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: friend recently, they're piloting a show in San Diego at 369 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: the Old Globe Theater to try and take it into Broadway, 370 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: and so I was watching her and she was telling 371 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: me about her schedule, and then we just I just 372 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: went and saw the music Man this Sunday and like 373 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: watching you do that, and I was it was just 374 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: it's fascinating to me to think just what a tough 375 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: schedule that is. It's exhaust yeah, it's And how do 376 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: you like? What were your coping mechanisms the first time round? 377 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: Like not when you'd won the tourny. 378 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 2: First time with friends? I I lost my boy well, 379 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: I started I was abusing my voice. I didn't I would. 380 00:19:58,359 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 2: I took boys lesson in my whole life, but I 381 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 2: stop going to my teacher at one point, and I 382 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 2: just had never even though I was singing all those 383 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 2: gigs at the weddings, I had never done eight shows 384 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 2: a week, and so I had to look go back 385 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 2: to a teacher and address all the different problem spots 386 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 2: in the show for myself. And then I ended up 387 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 2: being stronger than ever and then it's never happened to 388 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 2: me again. But back then, you know, the I don't know, 389 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 2: if you're familiar with Jonathan Larson, who wrote he was 390 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: a composer of I don't, but I know. He passed 391 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: away early on in our process, and it was a 392 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 2: very emotional time for all of us, and we all 393 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 2: felt so committed to never missing a show because we 394 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 2: just felt like our mission was to show up and 395 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,919 Speaker 2: communicate his message, you know. So for six months, not 396 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 2: one of us missed a show. I was actually the 397 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 2: first one because the doctor ordered me to have voice 398 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 2: for us, and I've never had a cast do that ever. 399 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: I realized that was very rare that people wouldn't miss 400 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 2: a show for six months. That's so that was a 401 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 2: commitment and that set a precedent. I think for me, 402 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 2: it's also because you know, have an ego and I 403 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 2: don't want my understandy to go on all the time. 404 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: But but yeah, and the more people coming to see 405 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 2: a show with your name on the marquee, the more 406 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 2: pressure you feel to be there. 407 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, definitely, that's. 408 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 2: A lot of pressure. But I learned, you learn to 409 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 2: pace yourself and you learn. What I like to say 410 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 2: is I have an A, B, and a C show. 411 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 2: So the A show is the one that has lots 412 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 2: of acrobatic vocals and what I want to sing if 413 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 2: I could all the time. The B and the C 414 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 2: are melodies that are maybe not as hard, but people 415 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 2: don't even notice itogize, and so it's a psychological thing 416 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 2: for me that I don't feel like I'm failing if 417 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:53,679 Speaker 2: I don't get the A show. I just say I 418 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:55,159 Speaker 2: have a cold to go out there and do a 419 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 2: really great B show today, and then I and then 420 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 2: the pressure's off and I end up having a great show. 421 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of it's mental, you know, and just. 422 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 1: That's a great technique. I love that. I don't think 423 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: I've ever heard anyone say that before, because I think 424 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: people think that you only have two choices. You're off. Yeah, 425 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,199 Speaker 1: you're on or off, and that's actually not true. I 426 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: love the ABC grading for anything in life because I 427 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: don't think we're ever at our a game every single day. 428 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: It's not possible. 429 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, And how many times do you realize you think 430 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 2: you had the worst show, interview, whatever, and then someone 431 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 2: comes and they had no idea what you're talking all 432 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 2: that dialogue in your head, that's sabotaging. 433 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. I went to public speaking drama schools since I 434 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: was eleven years old, and so I've been in public 435 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: speaking is now the majority of my life, and so 436 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: there is I know exactly when I think I messed 437 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: the lineup or didn't quite get that message across right, 438 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: and I'll be over analyzing it. I used to do 439 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,199 Speaker 1: a lot more earlier days, but then you realize no 440 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:56,400 Speaker 1: one even noticed any percentage of that. But I love 441 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: your ABC grading. 442 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, I wish I could do that with life. 443 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I think it's a good tool for life. 444 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 1: I'm hoping that. 445 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 2: Mom, I'm not going to get it all right, you 446 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 2: know today, and my son's gonna be angry with me. 447 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 2: But that's okay. But I'm really hard on myself about 448 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: that stuff. I'm hard on myself in general. I'd like 449 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 2: to so give myself a break. 450 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, how did you How do you think 451 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: you were able to give yourself a break on stage? 452 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 1: Because that's obviously in one sense. I mean, I'm sure 453 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: and I'd love to hear this as from a mother's perspective, 454 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 1: but and I don't want to assume either way. But 455 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: I'm guessing you may say that actually being a mother 456 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: to one child is actually more pressure than performing in 457 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 1: front of thousands of people. 458 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 2: And when I became a mother, I found perspective. Obviously, 459 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 2: I became less self absorbed. I realized that my son 460 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 2: has a fever tonight. I want to snuggle with him, 461 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 2: take care of him. I don't want to worry that. 462 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 2: I don't care if I get sick. Yeah, I got 463 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 2: a big show tomorrow. What happens if I get throat 464 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 2: or something, Well, it's too bad. I'm not going to 465 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 2: sleep in the other room. That's just not going to 466 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 2: be I just have to be with them. So then 467 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 2: I'd wake up the next day, didn't get a lot 468 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 2: of sleep worrying about my kid. I'm on stage. What 469 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 2: can I do? I'm doing the best I can. I'd 470 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 2: have the best shows, yeah, you know, because I just, 471 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 2: you know, lower the expectations of myself and for myself. 472 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 2: And that's really it changed my life in a lot 473 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: of ways. When you have something that you care about 474 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 2: way more. 475 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, so what do you think it's going to take? 476 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: I love what you said there, and I think everyone 477 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: can relate to that. I think anyone is listening right now. 478 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: If you're a mother, you definitely feel if you're not 479 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,479 Speaker 1: a mother, you'll feel it like the idea of I 480 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,439 Speaker 1: just need to be a bit easier on myself, Like 481 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: I think most people are very self critical, h most 482 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: people who even come across as confident or even arrogant 483 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: or often insecure and dealing with something internally. 484 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 2: So I'm not an expert and no, not an expert. 485 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: I'm just intrigued as to how you think you get 486 00:24:57,880 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: to like what well. 487 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: And I also I'm not a shamed to say my 488 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 2: public assisians probably don't say that, but I take you know, prozac, 489 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 2: and I have help, and I yeah, because there are 490 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 2: some days where I just I'm you know, people expect 491 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,959 Speaker 2: me to let it go and I can't, you know. 492 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 2: So I'm doing the best that I can. But being 493 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 2: in the moment, being present, you know, it's just the 494 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 2: hardest thing to do. It's like what we aspire to 495 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 2: do as artists, actors, singers to you know. It's it's 496 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 2: so weird because the greatest moments I have when I'm 497 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 2: performing are usually moments I can't even remember because they 498 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: I transcend it in some way, you know, but trying. 499 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: But that's not being present then, you know, and that 500 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 2: you know, you can meditate, you can do all these things, 501 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 2: but it's trying to achieve just one moment where I 502 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 2: felt like I'm here in my body, understanding this without 503 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 2: judging myself, without criticized. And so I don't I don't 504 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 2: have the answers. I just I give myself things to 505 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 2: try to stay in the moment, you know, whether it's 506 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 2: very clinical, just think about the lyrics, think about breathing, 507 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 2: think about getting Walker to school tomorrow, or focusing on 508 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 2: the person in front of me and trying to change 509 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 2: them in the scene or the song. You know. But 510 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 2: sometimes it's just it's really hard. I can't get out 511 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 2: of there. In other days I can. 512 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, But I think that ABC grading is you've already 513 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: You've already come up with the perfect But it's what 514 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: you said. It's like, that's that is the way we 515 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: all need to think. How you started thinking about the stage, 516 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: you think about our life network. I think it's a 517 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: great it's a great method. 518 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 2: And I also have an incredible husband who was an actor. 519 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: His life changed and he became he's a clinical director 520 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 2: of uh An impatient facility in California has two houses recovery, 521 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: alcohol and drug recovery and also mental illness and so 522 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 2: he thinks I'm just like a piece of cake all 523 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 2: the time, which is really nice to come home and 524 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 2: think He's like, what that mood is fine, that's nothing, 525 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 2: you know. So that's given me some perspective too. He 526 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 2: just thinks all my neuroses is like normal and he 527 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 2: can handle he can handle it. I'm not too much. 528 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 2: I'm not too much for him. 529 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: That's beautiful. That's a really special Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah, yeah, no, 530 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, that's that's a beautiful thing to have 531 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: in your life. Yeah, And I think it's I think 532 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: that's true for pretty much. I often think with relationships 533 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: and with my wife, I I if I sat there, 534 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: I could easily reel off reasons why I think she's 535 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: annoying or frustrating or whatever. Maybe, like that's easy. I 536 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: think anyone could do that if they've been longer long 537 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: enough with someone. But if I stop to think about 538 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: the things that are special about her and unique about her, 539 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: and the thing that she does that no one else 540 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: could do, all of a sudden, it's like all those 541 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: other things seem so insignificant and irrelevant, And I think 542 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 1: it's so easy to amplify those small, irrelevant. 543 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 2: And my life is too short. I'm gonna get he's 544 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 2: gonna I mean, he gets on my nerves so much 545 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 2: when we travel because I'm traveling all the time. I 546 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,640 Speaker 2: know how to wear my I don't wear shoes with laces. 547 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 2: I get through the security, I know how to do it. 548 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,719 Speaker 2: If something changes, I can go get another flight. I'm 549 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 2: moving and grooving. He walks too slow. He doesn't have 550 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: that aggressive traveling attitude. And I'm like, oh, and then 551 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 2: I realize, why am I you know, he's sweet? Why 552 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 2: is this getting on my nerves that life's too short? Yeah, 553 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: he's when it comes down to it, he's an incredible 554 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 2: father and my son, and he's there for me whenever 555 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 2: I need him, and he really sees me, sees my soul, 556 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 2: and so so those little things are so silly. 557 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, And I feel like we all pair up 558 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: with someone who's exactly the other way. Like I'm probably 559 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: more like you in that sense as you describe that, 560 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: just like you know, I'm like, I want to get 561 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: to the airport three hours early and figure everything out, 562 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: and like I don't like rushing. I don't like being late. 563 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: And my wife's like, you know, just like she's having 564 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: to run to the the what do you call it, 565 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: the terminal? Like run to the yeah, the gate, sorry, 566 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: the gate, Yeah, run to the gate. And I'm like, 567 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to live like this, And she loves 568 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: the pressure and whatever it may be. So, but I 569 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: feel like we always pair up with people like that. 570 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: But with your dreams earlier you said that, she's like, 571 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: you know, dreams for the future. Like, what are the 572 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: dreams now, Like, how have your dream shifted? You changed, 573 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: or what's left? You said elusive? Some of the dreams 574 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: are still elusive. You said that's the word. 575 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 2: Well, now talking to you, they seem so trivial. Well, professionally, 576 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 2: there's things. I want to be a better performer, a 577 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 2: better artist. I want to work with people that I've 578 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 2: always looked up to. I want to work with some 579 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 2: more people like that that teach me stuff. I want 580 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 2: to create more original music. But my son is mixed. 581 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 2: He's uh, he identifies as black, and I see him 582 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 2: as a black thirteen year old boy, little man. That's 583 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 2: kind of where a lot of my focus is, I 584 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 2: think lately, is I don't want my whiteness to be 585 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 2: something that I know people say, you're the mom he's 586 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 2: going to love you, but he's super smart and intuitive, 587 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 2: and there's going to be things that I can't understand 588 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 2: for him because I'm not in his skin. And I 589 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 2: find myself preoccupied with that a lot, like how can 590 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 2: I be so close to him, be the one that 591 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 2: he can come to for everything? If I can't totally 592 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 2: understand all that because I just haven't lived it, How 593 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 2: can I educate myself? How can I be better in 594 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 2: that way? And as he's getting older, he's becoming more 595 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 2: and more aware of the society that he lives in 596 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 2: and the chaotic world he lives in, the violence, the racism, 597 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 2: and I just want to be someone he can come to, 598 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 2: you know. So I'm probably overthinking a lot of that, 599 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 2: but that's a lot where my energy goes to, just 600 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 2: how can I really be better in that way for him? 601 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah, I mean I think my parents felt that 602 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 1: way when I was a kid, for different reasons completely, 603 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: but I was mine was probably not as smart or 604 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: as intuitive as your son sounds, but I was highly 605 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: rebellious and I was getting involved in all the wrong 606 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: places and circles, and my parents didn't raise me that way, 607 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: and they, you know, they did only thing everything right 608 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: and they were loving. 609 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 2: And why were you pushing back? 610 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 1: I think I was. I think I've always been like 611 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 1: a thrill seeker, Like I've always deeply wanted a purpose. 612 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: I didn't know that word at that at thirteen, Like 613 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: I just thought thrill meant excitement, and almost like doing 614 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 1: well in school and getting good grades like didn't feel 615 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 1: like enough. I was like, that can't be the goal 616 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: of life, to do well at school, Like, that can't 617 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: be it. 618 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 2: You got to live. 619 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: There has to be yeah, like what does it mean 620 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: to live? Right? What does it mean? And And I 621 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: feel like it's really interesting because that age at least, 622 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: and whenever I'm working with someone or whenever I hear 623 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: about that, I always feel like that's the age when 624 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: kids kind of like start going off in their own journeys, 625 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: in their own directions. And one thing that my dad 626 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 1: did that I think was a game changer because I 627 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: realized that at that point, no matter what my parents said, 628 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: I wasn't going to listen to it, no matter what 629 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: they said. And I think a lot of parent of 630 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: your job, Yeah, yeah, and yeah, exactly right. And I 631 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: think every child, everyone who's been a child, everyone has 632 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 1: that experience of yeah, I didn't listen to my parents 633 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: when I was thirteen, and then I think every parent 634 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: has that experience of my kids don't listen to me 635 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 1: from like thirteen to twenty one maybe, and then my 636 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: dad started giving me books of people's lives, of people 637 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: that he thought I'd be inspired by based on my ambitions, 638 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: my rebellion. But at that time it started to be 639 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: people like Malcolm Max and Martin Luther King, and then 640 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: later on I read Einstein, and then I was also 641 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: reading people like that that I was interested in as 642 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: a fifteen year old kid, like David Beckham and so 643 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: I was into soccer or doing the Johnson because he 644 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: was in WWE, and so I was reading Malcolm X 645 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: on one side and David Beckham on the other. But 646 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: it was really fascinating to me because it was almost 647 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: like those people could talk to me at that time 648 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: in a way that my parents never could, because they 649 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: had lived experiences or things that for some reason, you know, 650 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: connected with me and resonated with me in a way 651 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: that even if my parents said the same things, it 652 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: would never have connected. And I wonder, hence you writing 653 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: a children's book, which is where my direction's going. It's like, 654 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: I'm fascinated by who the voice is your son needs 655 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: to hear right now at this time in his life. 656 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I it's no. 657 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: I don't think it ever is your parents, not because 658 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: our parents are wrong. Like there's that famous quote. I 659 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 1: don't know who said it, but it's the day you 660 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 1: realize your parents were right. Your kids are telling you 661 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: that you're wrong exactly, and you know, it's one of 662 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: those moments like now I'm so grateful to my parents 663 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 1: and I can see everything. I'm thirty five and I'm like, okay, yeah, 664 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: I value everything my parents did and they tried their best. 665 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 1: But in those times, I find like finding the voices 666 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: of other people that feel like your voice to you, 667 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: that he could hear it from someone else feels like, 668 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, it feels like I'm wondering this children's book. 669 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: Was that a way of communicating to like, what was 670 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: the Yeah, what was the purpose behind it? 671 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 2: I want him to hear that message. My son's pretty confident. 672 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 2: So I think the book comes from my interaction with 673 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: so many young people through all the projects that I've 674 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 2: been a part of, and these multi generational projects, you know, 675 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 2: of really seeing lots of young people inhibit themselves on 676 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 2: scorn their unique qualities, and I relate to that because 677 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 2: that's how I was. My son's pretty sure of himself. 678 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 2: So hopefully that's good. I mean, because I think we 679 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 2: all as parents project, you know, all the stuff that 680 00:34:58,080 --> 00:34:59,840 Speaker 2: I need to work on and myself. When you have 681 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 2: a kid that comes like glaring back at you, you know, 682 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 2: he's okay with the spotlight, you know. So I don't 683 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,840 Speaker 2: know if this book is necessarily written for him to 684 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 2: help him, because he teaches me. I you know, I am, 685 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 2: he said, he said, Mom, when I get my braces 686 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 2: off and I and I go through puberty, this is 687 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 2: going to be no stocking. He means that with the 688 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 2: girls everything. So it's like I just need to take 689 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 2: a lesson from my son, you know. So I think 690 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,320 Speaker 2: the book comes from I wrote it with my sister, 691 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 2: first of all, who I'm very close to, Kara, and 692 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 2: and she's a teacher, an elementary school teacher, a writer, 693 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 2: and also specialize in literacy at school. So I wanted 694 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 2: to write it with her because she's a pro, and 695 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 2: she understood me better than anyone else in the world 696 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,760 Speaker 2: understands me. She's the closest person to me. She's younger, 697 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:05,399 Speaker 2: but she's the wiser, she's the older soul. And it 698 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 2: was the two of us writing lists together because we 699 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 2: experienced it as sisters. I was always loud and singing 700 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,720 Speaker 2: and taking up all this space, and she was always 701 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 2: am I supposed to know what I want to do 702 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 2: at the age of seven, you know, I don't know 703 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 2: what I want to do. And so we've been really 704 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,719 Speaker 2: exploring all of those that's so old issues, I think. 705 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 2: So that's more for those kids that are just a 706 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 2: little bit hesitant to kind of allow people to see them, 707 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 2: you know, and allow themselves to be vulnerable and take 708 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 2: a risk. 709 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's fascinating. Yeah. I have a younger sister 710 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: and we became we're still extremely close. She's like my 711 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: best friend. She knows everything about me, and I know 712 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:46,279 Speaker 1: everything about her, and she's I almost treat it like 713 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 1: a little child. She's only five years younger than me. 714 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: To me, that's I remember holding her when I was 715 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:52,839 Speaker 1: five years old and she was this tiny, little bay. 716 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 717 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 1: It's one of those, like, you know, very special memories 718 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 1: of kind of seeing her grow up and feeling old 719 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: even though I was old. But it's interesting, like I 720 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 1: think with siblings, it's it's fascinating to hear that that 721 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: difference also of being okay with one being loud and 722 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: one being silent, and noticing how neither of those strengths 723 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,439 Speaker 1: or weaknesses. Although I think it's often imprinted that someone 724 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: is loud is more confident and. 725 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:27,919 Speaker 2: Is more right, and that's totally a contradiction, at least 726 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 2: in me. I mean, if you saw me at home, 727 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 2: I'm actually kind of quiet, and people that meet me, 728 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 2: they say, oh, you're actually really soft spoken, and so 729 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 2: the big the girl with the big voice and singing 730 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 2: to the rafters is definitely part of me. But I 731 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 2: think we all have these different sides. And then my sister, 732 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 2: who is very soft spoken. She's the one that when 733 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 2: I went to watch her teach, she was a TA 734 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:54,759 Speaker 2: back in Boulder at See You, and she didn't know 735 00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:56,920 Speaker 2: what she wanted to do. And I was like some 736 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 2: neuroscience classes and she was a TA and I sat 737 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 2: in the back and watched her and she was unbelievable, 738 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:07,360 Speaker 2: so charismatic, so on her voice, so engaging. The students 739 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,960 Speaker 2: loved her, and I said, this is your thing, Like 740 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:14,120 Speaker 2: you got to teach, you know, so our voice emerges 741 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,439 Speaker 2: in many different ways, and I think it's a little 742 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 2: bit a misconception that someone like me, who knows how 743 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 2: to produce loud sounds and hit the back row, is 744 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 2: necessarily comfortable in her own voice in my own life, 745 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:35,279 Speaker 2: because especially given that mantle to always sing, let it 746 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 2: go to kids or defy gravity, it's like, oh, you know, 747 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 2: I'm not always that example. I mean, I have those 748 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:43,959 Speaker 2: days where I can't get out of bed myself and 749 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:51,040 Speaker 2: I have to find my voice as well. And it's 750 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 2: so I hate for people to think that there's this 751 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:57,359 Speaker 2: perception of me that I'm fearless because I'm not. 752 00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, of course, And it sounds like this book is 753 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: also of finding your voice, because yeah, you're playing so 754 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:03,360 Speaker 1: many other voices. 755 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 2: Yes, well yeah, I mean it's it's autobiographical and a 756 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 2: too Little Mouse, too little mice away, But I love 757 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:18,360 Speaker 2: that you chose a mouse to really yeah, because the 758 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 2: mouse feels is so small. But when she sings, she's 759 00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:26,440 Speaker 2: the joy and the sound of her voice. When she 760 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 2: decides to share it with the class instead of just 761 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 2: keeping it to herself at home, she ends up becoming 762 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:37,879 Speaker 2: a huge, huge, huge mouth and now everybody can see 763 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:42,360 Speaker 2: her and hear her, and that invites a lot of scrutiny, 764 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 2: a lot of accolades, but a lot of different things, 765 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 2: you know, And that's I think that's what happens with 766 00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:50,320 Speaker 2: all of us when we allow ourselves to be seen. 767 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:53,919 Speaker 1: I'm always finding I'm always intrigued by people who play 768 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: lots of voices. And as you said, like, I think 769 00:39:56,120 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 1: everyone's always searching for their voice in life because they 770 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: forget that their early voice was so informed by their parents, 771 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:06,960 Speaker 1: and then their later voice was so informed by friends, 772 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,680 Speaker 1: and then our voice is just always a mix of 773 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 1: other people's noise. And then I wonder for you, do 774 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 1: you ever feel like you've rubbed off on the voices 775 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,120 Speaker 1: of your characters? Your characters' voices rub off on you, 776 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:23,360 Speaker 1: Like I'm always fascinated by people who play people for 777 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:25,359 Speaker 1: a living, Like how that. 778 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 2: That's what I was saying before checking the egg. How 779 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,280 Speaker 2: much am I bringing to something that then the writers 780 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:34,279 Speaker 2: are inspired by what I'm bringing? And how much is 781 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,040 Speaker 2: the part sort of finding me? 782 00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:40,800 Speaker 1: Which characters do you think? Which characters do you think 783 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: rubbed off the most on you? In a. 784 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:47,279 Speaker 2: Each one was like a gift at the time, you know, 785 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:51,320 Speaker 2: like the Rent stuff was really it was a celebration 786 00:40:52,000 --> 00:41:02,520 Speaker 2: that character was unafraid, sexy, money, just an excuse for 787 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:06,319 Speaker 2: me to really be all those things. And then when 788 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:10,760 Speaker 2: Wicked came along, I was definitely more insecure and needing 789 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:14,640 Speaker 2: to sort of allow myself to not be afraid of 790 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:20,799 Speaker 2: my own anger and my larger than life qualities, you know, 791 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 2: So that one was really art imitating life. You know, 792 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:26,120 Speaker 2: so different things. 793 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:30,840 Speaker 1: I don't know, that's a beautiful Yeah, No, there's there's wonderful. 794 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 1: It's just so's it's just so much. Yeah, it's so 795 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:37,960 Speaker 1: much more when you're playing someone deeply, it's so much 796 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: more deeper than just a character right. 797 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:43,400 Speaker 2: Now, and then you live with that how many shows 798 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 2: a year? 799 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's well, that's even more than a movie, right, 800 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:48,960 Speaker 1: Like even more than a TV show a movie. It's 801 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:49,920 Speaker 1: like this character is. 802 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I've had two instances now with Rent the movie. 803 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 2: We did it ten years after we left. I left 804 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 2: the show and then had this sequel to Enchanted, Disenchanted 805 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:05,920 Speaker 2: coming out now, and that's fifteen years later. And it's 806 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 2: kind of fun to revisit a character years later because 807 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 2: it's just you see how like life is informed you're 808 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 2: who you are and how you approach the character. Now 809 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:23,759 Speaker 2: it's really I find it really fascinating to go back 810 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:26,360 Speaker 2: and see that if I threw caution to the wind 811 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,480 Speaker 2: a lot. I didn't have as much process when I 812 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:30,840 Speaker 2: was younger, just kind of like was raw and in 813 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 2: the moment and spontaneous and in the moment. But the 814 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 2: older I've been getting, the less in the moment I 815 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:40,560 Speaker 2: am because the more you're aware of how far you 816 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 2: can fall, you know, and you get in your head. 817 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 1: So I don't know, Yeah, what's something that you feel 818 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:51,320 Speaker 1: you used to value that you don't value anymore, Something 819 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:54,560 Speaker 1: that was important to you that's become less and less important. 820 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 2: Hmm. I was going to say being liked, but having 821 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:02,200 Speaker 2: people care about what people think, But I think I 822 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:03,719 Speaker 2: still care about what people think. 823 00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:08,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, when I was asked, I was asked this question, 824 00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:12,520 Speaker 1: and that's where I started to involve in my interviews. 825 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,520 Speaker 1: And it was probably one of the only questions that 826 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:17,440 Speaker 1: made me stop and think, like you had to, you know, 827 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:20,960 Speaker 1: most questions you're just talking. And then my answer to 828 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:23,360 Speaker 1: it in the moment, without thinking about it, in like 829 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:27,840 Speaker 1: seven seconds of thinking about it was being understood. I 830 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,480 Speaker 1: think I realized that ninety nine percent of the world 831 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:34,160 Speaker 1: would never be able to understand anyone fully. I don't 832 00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:36,920 Speaker 1: think it's actually possible. And I think the pressure we 833 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 1: put on ourselves to try to understand someone fully rushes 834 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 1: the process of understanding them half And so like that 835 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:49,040 Speaker 1: feeling of oh, I understand you, Like even we just 836 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,040 Speaker 1: want to be able to say that, and we want 837 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:52,840 Speaker 1: to be able to say that so quickly. 838 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,879 Speaker 2: I'm saying about my son, Yeah, I will never yeah, 839 00:43:56,440 --> 00:43:59,359 Speaker 2: be able to be all those things to him exactly. Yeah, 840 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,759 Speaker 2: live in a white woman's body and my background and 841 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:06,279 Speaker 2: where I've come from, and just because he came from 842 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:11,080 Speaker 2: my womb, I think the carte blanche to understand his emotion, 843 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:16,680 Speaker 2: you know. So that's very frustrating, Yeah, and I need 844 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:17,880 Speaker 2: to just accept that. 845 00:44:18,040 --> 00:44:20,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, and accepting it just Yeah. I think for me, 846 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:22,759 Speaker 1: it was like I realized that even if someone does 847 00:44:22,840 --> 00:44:24,719 Speaker 1: understand you, they won't understand you in the way you 848 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:27,120 Speaker 1: want them to understand you, right, even in wanting to 849 00:44:27,160 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 1: be understood, like you're talking about trying to understand someone else, 850 00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:33,759 Speaker 1: but even I think all of us crave to be understood. 851 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:35,000 Speaker 1: When we say. 852 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:38,600 Speaker 2: Something we're really seeing, like someone really gets me exactly. 853 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: And I found even the people that really get you 854 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 1: don't really they don't they get me. 855 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:44,359 Speaker 2: They do. 856 00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:48,120 Speaker 1: My closest friends really get me. But even then, there's 857 00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:50,920 Speaker 1: a part of you that only you get and no 858 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:53,760 Speaker 1: one will ever know. And that's and being at peace 859 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 1: with that has been very good for me. If you 860 00:44:56,560 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 1: could create one law that everyone in the world had 861 00:44:58,840 --> 00:44:59,960 Speaker 1: to follow, what would it be. 862 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:03,800 Speaker 2: It would just be to mind your own business, stop 863 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:06,160 Speaker 2: worrying about what other people are doing, and live your 864 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:06,840 Speaker 2: own life. 865 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:11,120 Speaker 1: That's a great one. I love that it didn't Mazelle. Everyone, 866 00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:13,480 Speaker 1: if you have been listening or watching, thank you so 867 00:45:13,560 --> 00:45:17,040 Speaker 1: much for tuning in. Make sure you share what you learned, 868 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 1: what you took away, any reflections, any questions that you've 869 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:23,120 Speaker 1: had tig us both on Instagram, on TikTok, on Twitter, 870 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:25,600 Speaker 1: all the platforms that you know that we're on right now. 871 00:45:25,640 --> 00:45:29,040 Speaker 1: And of course, the book loud Mouse is available. We're 872 00:45:29,040 --> 00:45:30,759 Speaker 1: going to put the link in the show notes so 873 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:32,720 Speaker 1: you can order it as well. You can read along. 874 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:34,360 Speaker 1: I know I'm going to be ordering a ton of 875 00:45:34,400 --> 00:45:36,000 Speaker 1: copies for my nieces and nephews. 876 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:38,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, and there's a refrain in it, so there's a 877 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:41,000 Speaker 2: song I wrote that I love that that goes along 878 00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 2: with that, and you don't have to sing it. 879 00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:47,480 Speaker 1: Like I definitely will not sing it. 880 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:47,800 Speaker 2: Just start. 881 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:50,839 Speaker 1: I never don't see it, but I'll be ordering them, 882 00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:53,839 Speaker 1: ordering the book for my nieces and nephews to share 883 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:56,160 Speaker 1: it with them as well. I know that it's probably 884 00:45:56,200 --> 00:45:58,480 Speaker 1: one of my favorite things to do is to sit 885 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,799 Speaker 1: down and read it to your child. And I don't 886 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:04,000 Speaker 1: have two kids on my own yet, but when I 887 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:06,600 Speaker 1: do it with nieces and nephews or you know, my godsaid, 888 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:09,920 Speaker 1: it's like one of the most fun, fun bonding experiences. 889 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:14,160 Speaker 1: I look forward to that. Yeah, thank you, thank you. 890 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:17,440 Speaker 1: If you love this episode, you'll enjoy my conversation with 891 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:21,520 Speaker 1: Megan Trainer on breaking generational trauma and how to be 892 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:23,560 Speaker 1: confident from the inside out. 893 00:46:23,719 --> 00:46:26,480 Speaker 2: My therapist told me stand in the mirror naked for 894 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:28,399 Speaker 2: five minutes. It was already tough for me to love 895 00:46:28,440 --> 00:46:31,160 Speaker 2: my body. But after the C section scarf with all 896 00:46:31,239 --> 00:46:33,480 Speaker 2: the stretch marks, now I'm looking at myself like I've 897 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:36,080 Speaker 2: been hacked. But day three, when I did it, I 898 00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:37,840 Speaker 2: was like, you know what her thighs are cute,