This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Brendon Stimson: Hey, hey, hey, Brendan! Hey, Jackie Poo! I'm never gonna call you Jackie Poo, ever.

[0:07] Jack Sippel: Ever again. For some reason, I had this thought, I'd be like, nah, that'll be a fun new way to start the show. I immediately regret it.

[0:16] Brendon Stimson: I regret it for you.

[0:21] Jack Sippel: Thank you. And I'm not editing that out.

[0:24] Brendon Stimson: No, no, we're absolutely keeping that. We're keeping it. No, 100%.

[0:32] Brendon Stimson: 100%. It's brilliant. Brendan, I'm impressed with our podcast here. I'm impressed not only from the quality of our banter, but truly the inspiration from our guests and how lucky we have been to have such incredible people, including today's episode that I'm just still laughing hysterically, still tears rolling down.

[0:54] Brendon Stimson: This episode might be, I know I say this, I think every time, but I laughed non-stop. This is like, just like I said with Angie, I think I say with every guest, this person just, I cannot control myself. I can't control myself. The laughter, I just can't stop. It's a problem.

[1:17] Brendon Stimson: Kara Lindsay, or Kara Massey, for those that know, she's married to the incredibly talented Kevin Massey. And we were lucky enough to even catch her like during bath time. So I mean, what luck. She got a break for one night to not have bath time and not get soaked by splashing tub water. So you're welcome, Kara. For those who are very confused right now, she has a wonderful, wonderful son that has bath time. So it's not like we're calling Kara during her bath time. That would be very dangerous with a laptop and a lot of microphone equipment.

[1:55] Jack Sippel: I feel like Kara could pull that off. If anybody can, it's Kara. But we've been having such a ball with this podcast and we want to hear more from you guys. So if you have any questions that you want answered or just to let us know how we're doing or what you want to hear on the show. If you have any comments for Brendan, any advice, just whatever.

[2:19] Brendon Stimson: But hit us up with our handle at Instagram at again underscore podcast. That's where you can find us.

[2:26] Jack Sippel: Yeah, we've loved getting to hear your stories. We're getting to hear some of your 5678s, which is so brilliant. And a lot of questions have come in. So yeah, we love to communicate more with you all. So at again, underscore podcasts on Instagram, Twitter, wherever you can find us. And we love hearing from you.

[2:43] Brendon Stimson: And with that, Jackman, I want to start this again from the top. Here is Kara Lindsay from the top 5678 look at her. She's the king of New York.

[3:15] Jack Sippel: It's good to see her isn't it?

[3:22] Kara Lindsay: Guys. Oh my god.

[3:25] Jack Sippel: Combine them. Look at that. Is there a little house in the prairie quote that I don't know?

[3:32] Brendon Stimson: I don't know. Don't forget your calicos.

[3:37] Jack Sippel: Well, instead of calicos, we have Kara Lindsay here today and we are so honored to have you.

[3:42] Kara Lindsay: Oh, I'm so excited to be here. I love you guys.

[3:45] Kara Lindsay: It was so nice catching up. I mean, you guys didn't get to hear it. But we're starting this a half hour later than we were supposed to because we were just had to catch up. So yeah.

[4:00] Brendon Stimson: Oh my god. I think this is Brendan another episode where I just am going to fall over every 10 seconds because Kara is one of those people who I just can't keep it together. I don't know what it is. I can't contain my laughter. I think she's one of the funniest people I've ever met in my entire life.

[4:15] Kara Lindsay: And you're very nice. Just funny.

[4:23] Brendon Stimson: I think there's there's an element of just in foolish.

[4:31] Jack Sippel: Foolish idiot.

[4:33] Brendon Stimson: How do I how do I how do I say no, but there's a humanity that I think everyone sees in Kara that is just like, I wish everyone could be like Kara.

[4:43] Kara Lindsay: You guys are so nice. That's how I feel about you guys. That's why we sat here chatting for so long. We're like, oh, we're supposed to do something.

[4:50] Jack Sippel: Yeah, I think we are here for some reason. I don't know. Jack, what are we here for anyways?

[4:55] Jack Sippel: Why are we here?

[4:57] Brendon Stimson: I don't remember.

[4:58] Jack Sippel: What's the meaning of life?

[5:01] Brendon Stimson: No, we are going to get to the bottom of Kara Lindsay's path to dance, to Broadway, to beyond. OK, we're getting the whole five, six, seven, eight, one and a two from Kara.

[5:16] Jack Sippel: We're going to go to the one and a two today. I think, Brendan, we're going to go past the seven, eight, past the seven, eight to the one and a two.

[5:22] Brendon Stimson: Yes.

[5:22] Jack Sippel: One and a two and a three and a four and a.

[5:24] Brendon Stimson: Oh, and she's got.

[5:26] Jack Sippel: Maybe like a seize the day 12 count. You never know.

[5:30] Brendon Stimson: You never know.

[5:30] Jack Sippel: I don't know if I'm ready for that.

[5:31] Brendon Stimson: As my hips seize up immediately.

[5:34] Kara Lindsay: I'm sure. You know, somebody asked me the other day, what was my favorite dance number to watch in Newsies? And I was like, the curtain call. And I felt so bad saying it because I know for you guys like you just danced your asses off the whole show.

[5:49] Kara Lindsay: And then they're like, OK, now you're going to do the hardest number after like you are so sweaty and so exhausted and you have to do this curtain call dance. And I was like, that was my favorite. It was so. I loved the curtain call because as soon as we were like doing the dance, I was like, all right, when we're done with this, we're done with the show. We have made it through.

[6:10] Brendon Stimson: I had a kind of a similar thing in prom, but prom was, I mean, a different caliber of a finale. But ours, after we bow, we have another like mega mix. So you're bowing, you like want that to be your I'm so proud of myself. We did it. I just swung three people in one show. And then you're like, wait, actually, no, we're not done. I have to do another seven minute number.

[6:30] Kara Lindsay: Swung three people. That's crazy.

[6:33] Brendon Stimson: In one show. Average Wednesday.

[6:36] Kara Lindsay: Your brain just must be like, OK, I quit.

[6:41] Brendon Stimson: I mean, it was out of control.

[6:42] Kara Lindsay: That's crazy. I bow down.

[6:44] Jack Sippel: So how in this crazy world? I mean, because we'll get to your illustrious career in a moment. But how did you how did you get into this whole kind of theater biz?

[6:57] Kara Lindsay: And more specifically, what is the first moment that you remember? Be like, I like dance. I kind of like like dance and getting into this whole dance scene.

[7:05] Kara Lindsay: I I've been dancing. Why stop dancing kind of recently? Because we all sit on our couches now. That's dance.

[7:14] Kara Lindsay: But I started dancing when I was in kindergarten. And it was just for funsies. And my neighbors were doing it. I grew up with three other girls that were my age, which now I realize was really lucky. Actually, we lived on a cul-de-sac in Rochester, New York.

[7:30] Jack Sippel: Hey, hey, R.O.C.

[7:32] Kara Lindsay: I was from the town of Greece.

[7:35] Jack Sippel: Spencerport?

[7:37] Kara Lindsay: No, around around a quite.

[7:39] Jack Sippel: How dare you cut that part?

[7:42] Kara Lindsay: So I went to, oh, gosh, Danceletics.

[7:47] Jack Sippel: No, Danceletics?

[7:48] Kara Lindsay: Yeah.

[7:49] Jack Sippel: Is that what it's called?

[7:50] Kara Lindsay: Yeah.

[7:51] Jack Sippel: Sounds fun.

[7:52] Kara Lindsay: And then I got more into dance and I really loved doing it. And I was like, I want it to be more challenging. I think I want to do more things. So I started doing.

[8:03] Brendon Stimson: Sorry.

[8:05] Kara Lindsay: Now, what's that in the background, Kara?

[8:07] Kara Lindsay: Emerson is very resonant.

[8:10] Brendon Stimson: Emerson's going to be a tenor.

[8:17] Kara Lindsay: Good for him. I'm so proud of him.

[8:19] Kara Lindsay: Guys, for those listening, it's bath time. It's bath time and he is resonant.

[8:24] Brendon Stimson: We love it.

[8:28] Kara Lindsay: Just like, just like, just like mama.

[8:31] Brendon Stimson: Yeah, the mixed belt.

[8:34] Kara Lindsay: Oh my God.

[8:35] Kara Lindsay: It's healthy. Oh, so I started doing competition dance at Performance Plus when I was in sixth grade. And I loved, I loved it so much. I mean, it didn't feel competitive to me. It just felt like I was because I didn't really care, honestly, to get an award or first place, second place. It was really just like being challenged and having a goal to do better.

[9:04] Kara Lindsay: And I took tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and point for a little while. Point was like brutal on the feet. And I was like, why am I doing this to myself? I have bunions.

[9:22] Kara Lindsay: I was rude. So I stopped doing point. But I really loved jazz and tap specifically. And I started doing like musical theater dance solos. So it was like more competition dance. And you would do, I would do a dance solo and you'd lip sync along and then do this big old dance. And it was like a lot of high kicks. And like a lot of like, oh, you can't see hands. How can you do a dance podcast but not see? But it's with our imagination.

[9:54] Kara Lindsay: Jazz hands that twirl. That was the move of competition dance. For those listening, it's very like champagne hands a la Wicked. And there's a lot of shoulders.

[10:05] Jack Sippel: Yeah, there are shoulders.

[10:09] Kara Lindsay: Yeah. Like a big old high leg touching your nose.

[10:15] Jack Sippel: Of course.

[10:18] Kara Lindsay: And lip syncing to Smokey Joe's Cafe. You guys, that's actually what I did. But I loved it so much. It was like a combination of all my favorite things.

[10:29] Kara Lindsay: But the reason I started theater, started doing theater was because of dance. Dance was my first love. When I was in sixth grade, our middle school at Greece Athena, we were doing Pirates of Penzance musical. And there is a big tap number with a lot of tapping cops. And they were looking for people that tapped. And I was like, well, I've been tapping since I was in kindergarten. I know how. I'll do it. But only if I can stand in the back. I don't like singing. Or at least I don't know if I sing.

[11:00] Kara Lindsay: So that's why I started doing musicals was because they needed tappers. And I was like, I do that. And then I started matching pitch and singing songs. And I was like, oh, I think I like this too. This is cool.

[11:14] Kara Lindsay: So yeah, dance is the reason I'm in musical theater.

[11:18] Brendon Stimson: Look at that, folks. Dance is the gateway to Broadway principal contracts right here.

[11:27] Jack Sippel: You heard it here first, folks.

[11:29] Brendon Stimson: But I love how just kind of genuine and raw your path was. You know what I'm saying? You grew up in a town. You took your dance lessons. You wanted more. So you kept taking more. And you discovered that you liked different things along the way. Singing, oh, I like to act. And I love to dance all at the same time. That's so me. And I can lip sync at the same time.

[11:47] Kara Lindsay: All of the things.

[11:50] Jack Sippel: All of the things.

[11:51] Jack Sippel: But I feel like that's so relatable. It's so relatable and really great for people to hear. Like, yeah, it just starts from kind of that instinct of finding that inspiration for yourself.

[12:02] Kara Lindsay: Yeah. And I think I was at that point. I don't know if you guys were like this. I mean, in middle school and prior, I just wanted to try everything. I also played soccer and did travel soccer and basketball. And I just wanted to try things. And dance was another thing I was trying. And I really loved it and gravitated toward it. And it was a different sort of teamwork than soccer or basketball.

[12:29] Kara Lindsay: So it was one of the many things I tried. And I feel like as kids, when we're trying all these hobbies or activities, some of them really resonate with us more than others. And dance and theater, obviously, resonated more. Although for a while, I really wanted to be Mia Hamm.

[12:45] Jack Sippel: The next Mia Hamm.

[12:47] Kara Lindsay: I believe that.

[12:48] Kara Lindsay: I really believe that.

[12:50] Jack Sippel: What I think is so cool, too, is that you even describe it as like, well, I mean, I had neighbors that were girlfriends of mine. And we would just dance together for fun. It wasn't for this like, oh, I have to get better so I can get into this school, get on Broadway. It was just like, oh, A leads to B leads to C leads to D. This is kind of just like how it happened.

[13:10] Kara Lindsay: The girls that I danced with, we didn't really have a competitive attitude about it. Because that wasn't really... We knew we weren't going to grow up and be... We didn't want to be dancers for a living, to be honest. Like, or at least I didn't think. I wanted to do theater, which involved dance. But there were certain groups of people that were dancing at my studio that really wanted to be the best, do all of the dancing, win all the awards at the dance competitions.

[13:43] Kara Lindsay: And so it existed, just so you know. We just kind of were like, this is... We love doing it and we like the challenge, but we're not going to be totally devastated if we don't win. I mean, of course, we're like, oh, man. But we weren't like crying in the corner like some others, you know.

[14:03] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay.

[14:17] Jack Sippel: And Kara Lindsay.

[14:37] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay.

[14:57] Jack Sippel: And Kara Lindsay.

[15:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[15:47] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[16:07] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[16:27] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[16:57] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[17:27] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[17:47] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[18:07] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[18:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[18:57] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[19:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[19:47] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[20:07] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[20:27] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[20:57] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[21:27] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[21:47] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[22:07] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[22:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[22:57] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[23:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[23:57] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[24:27] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[24:57] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[25:17] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[25:37] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[26:07] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[26:37] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[26:57] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[27:17] Jack Sippel: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[27:47] Brendon Stimson: We’re going to talk about Kara Lindsay and Kara Lindsay.

[29:38] Kara Lindsay: So, that was wild. And I just I'll never forget seeing you guys are the real deal, the absolute real deal. It's just so amazing. And I felt so lucky in both the film and on Broadway, like to feel like I was a part of that in King of New York, like to feel what it was like to kind of be a newsie for a second and like dance my ass off in a corset and like feel that power together. It's so thrilling. It's so exciting and energizing. And it's like, I just want to do that number 8000 times. Or can I do carrying the banner? I'll hurt myself. But can I do it? It's just so awesome. Hey, you had a big cross and carrying the banner. Let's not let's not discount the Darcy cross. Right, Jack?

[30:38] Jack Sippel: Mm hmm. Good one.

[30:38] Kara Lindsay: Let me ask you, Kara. So when those times come when you say I left the rehearsal crying my eyes out and you felt, you know, so stressed about everything. I know for a fact there are people watching who are relating to that exact phrase because we teach people all the time in, you know, specifically the Broadway Collective. I work very closely with closely with and we have a great training program there. And these kids are building those fundamental skills to try to learn choreography better and quicker and all of the above. And we watch them and work with them on self tapes, for instance. And they will spend you know, we kind of have a three take rule unofficially to try to get it down to the best one we can.

And then you kind of just have to send it in at that point, you know, so I mean, people will do a self tape and or like work on it and just beat themselves up so much and just cry, cry, cry because they just feel like they can't do it. And that comes from a very valid and real place. So going to that, my question is, where do you take your mindset that I know you say you worked with Lou, you worked with Brendan, but kind of what puts you back into gear to telling yourself, I can do this and moving forward with that? Because there's, like I said, a lot of people who break down or like, I can't do this. There's no way I can pick that up. I can't turn that in looking like that. So where do you where do you place yourself?

[32:04] Kara Lindsay: My God, that's so that's so real. I mean, honestly, all of us are doing some sort of self tape in a way. I mean, you know, like one throughout the time and we are so critical of ourselves and perfectionist, especially as dancers, even though like I didn't feel like it was very competitive. I've I had that perfectionist in me. Ballet teachers are no joke. And I think I think that's where it comes from. Just being a perfectionist and I don't want to do badly. I don't it needs to be perfect. But that's what makes humans so wonderful is that we are imperfect and we tell stories on stage of imperfect humans and like, how boring would this world be if we were all perfect? But boring. So I think it's like doing the work.

That's what I have control over, like doing my preparation. So going back to Brendan or to also Laurie Veldeer, because she was covering Catherine, like she was learning it, too. And we were both like, she's a dancer. And we were both kind of like, ah, it was happening quickly for us. So we we band together and like went over it a lot. And I I just practice in my apartment all the time. And I think like, sometimes you need a good cry. You know, I had this expectation that I would pick up things quickly, quickly or that everybody would be we would learn it slowly. So it didn't go as I thought, you know, I got to keep going. And it's okay. I think, yeah, I think it's just reminding yourself that I think we get upset, because we care about it a lot.

We care about our craft, we care about what we're creating. And we want it to be good, because we care about it. And that's great. But you got to Yeah, you got to move on eventually, you have control over your preparation, and how much work you put into it. And then how you react if something goes wrong, you know, so trying to like, check yourself like, of course, upset is warranted, but then move on. Like, if it was bad, like, fix certain things, and then do the work, go back to it, and then let it be.

[34:34] Jack Sippel: Absolutely. Yes. No, I fully agree.

[34:37] Kara Lindsay: I hope that's helpful.

[34:39] Jack Sippel: Absolutely. I am. So I want to talk about the bubble.

[34:43] Kara Lindsay: I want to ask about my dance cross and popular.

[34:48] Jack Sippel: Oh, we'll get there. I have a story about that.

[34:52] Kara Lindsay: Oh, yes. Oh, maybe we should just go there. I mean, I'm seeing the arms. I'm seeing all that.

[34:55] Jack Sippel: I was getting it's not dance. I mean, air quotes I'm making. But I mean, I want to know because we have a lot of listeners who they always hear, Oh, you know what? Well, you're just a dancer. And I want to kind of combat this, because we've had multiple guests. And I think you are an absolute example of this who started is started with dance, got into like acting in theater and the and these things and I want to I want to debunk the myth of like, just a dancer. So can you kind of talk about maybe like, going into new season and kind of auditioning for Wicked going through that and stuff like even as like, I don't know, I ramble a bit, but I wanted to have this experience of not just a dancer.

[35:46] Kara Lindsay: Yeah, well, I think we're all storytellers. Somebody, a friend of mine made a website. And they they do many things that involve theater or film, TV, scenic design, everything. And he was like, I'm a storyteller. Like, I don't want to be limited. By I'm just a scenic designer. I also act I do this. I do these things. So he had storyteller. I was like, that's genius. Oh, yeah, we are never stuck in one thing. Um, but I think what one thing I do value from Carnegie is that they said, you're, you're always an actor first, like, great, you have a wonderful voice. Great. You're a beautiful dancer. We had amazing dancers at Carnegie. And they're like, but you have to act it like you have to act through your dance.

You can't just have no feeling. Like, tell us your story. What is the story? What's the what is this moment? So I think that is always first I, you know, in anything. But yeah, I guess with Newsies. Newsies really changed everything for me, to be honest. I mean, I think it, it changed a lot for all of us. But it changed my the path of my career. I was I did a lot of regional theater before Newsies. I had worked at Kansas City Rep, I had worked, I did a tour of Little House on the Prairie and worked at Paper Mill. A couple times in Kansas City, Denver, amazing regional theaters that I hope are doing okay right now. I actually think about them a lot. But then Newsies came and it was supposed to be another great regional show.

You know, right, that's all we're gonna do. I know. But like, it was so cool to work for Disney. I was like, Yes, I don't care where like, I don't care. Send me to Antarctica. I will work for Disney. So I was thrilled. But then it just like was one surprise after another with Newsies. And it was unexpected. And I do remember though, the dance call for all of us girls, and I was unclear about, about Catherine, we had just the sides. And the last half of Watch What Happens, we didn't get a full script. So I didn't really, we had a description. So I knew that. But I was like, is she scruffy? Like, is she kind of not scruffy? But like, is she more tomboyish? Right? So I was like, I'm wearing pants.

I'm wearing pants. And I'm putting my hair up in like a ponytail and like a t shirt. For this dance call. I was the only one. Some girls had like these like, you know, like cute dance clothes. And I was like, I think I did this assignment wrong. But even for my audition, I wore like a button down shirt, like, what, you know, those fancy button down shirts, like, man, not man shirt. What a dress shirt, button down dress shirt. You guys, I'm a mom. I don't know.

[39:03] Jack Sippel: The age of zero.

[39:08] Kara Lindsay: A button down dress shirt. And then I wore pants and flats. And I was like, this feels like who she would be. And a lot of girls works dresses. And I was like, shit, I feel like I messed this up. I was really worried about but then, you know, you just got to stick with you just stick with your gut. But anyway, with the dance call, it was this. It was a don't come on. It was that music. I didn't know what it was at the moment. I was like, okay. And it was this like, very burlesque number, though. It wasn't that it wasn't what it ended up being. Right. It was this burlesque jazz number. And I was like, what's Catherine like, is she? I'm so confused. I thought we're gonna do like snoozy dancing.

Do this. That's why I wore pants and a t shirt. And then they gave us like three counts of eight to improv. Oh, no. And I was like, all I know is I'm flexible. So I lifted my leg to my face. And I held it. And Chris Gatelli said, I didn't hold it for the whole three counts of eight. But I was like, Ah, okay, I'm flexible. I can do that. And I think I did something else. But like, I mostly just held it. And they and then after I got hired, I was with Chris Gatelli at a paper mill like it was at the Jimmy Awards, maybe. Yeah, I was there like presenting for one of the awards. And he was there. And I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. I'm so thrilled. I can't wait. You're amazing. And he was like, Thanks.

We're we're excited to do tap. And I was like, Yeah, I do. I love tap. He's like, great. And then King of New York. And then also they were like, do that leg thing you did in your audition. We're gonna put that in. That's the rule. I will say if you show them anything, it's going in to that leg thing. I remember. Yes, there it is. It still goes up. She still got it. But that's when you came in to do the movie. And we were in our rehearsal studio here in New York first before we went out to LA. You remember you coming in? And Lou was kind of just working with you on the side and you're like, I don't know if I can still do the leg thing like you're just so unsure about it. And then all of a sudden, you just like, grab your foot, go to the ear.

And it was just so like, first try, there was no warm up or anything. And it was the most incredible thing. Our jaws just like fell to the floor. Any sort of good technique. It's just like, okay, she's flexible. We used to have to sit in our splits. Oh, yeah. And stuff. Oh, God. So like, I guess once you have it.

[42:11] Jack Sippel: I'd bring in the table, um, and that is where Kara would start Top of Two. She would always throw down her prop of the paper on the table, and she would do a little plié stretch, take the leg, lift it up, say, all right, we're good. Let's go. Every day. Just, I mean, like, it was perfect every single time. Oh, no, it wasn't. There were so many times that was so janky. Live theater, whatever. And I'm wearing, like, the heaviest costume. Oh, 40, 40 pound skirt. Jess Goldstein, the designer, he, yeah, the heaviest skirts were King of New York. I was like, I need, like, something. He's like, we can do a hook. We can do the hook. We do a hook thing. Like, well, that's helpful. But like, could we do lighter material? Oh, we're gonna do the hook. Although he's a genius. I, I love. Oh, my God. He's amazing. We worked on Little House on the Prairie together as well.

[43:06] Kara Lindsay: Oh, wow.

[43:07] Jack Sippel: Reunions.

[43:08] Kara Lindsay: Reunions, yeah. But Kara, one, speaking of splits, one of my memories, and I could talk about memories of Kara, I feel like forever. I feel like, I don't know why I have so many, but they're just brilliant. Backstage waiting nervously for that live. We're like, oh, God. No, my, my, my split reference here is when I came to see you in Wicked in New York, and you were doing Popular. And I, listen, it's, I mean, you as Glinda is just the most ridiculous piece of art I've ever seen. It's truly, it is truly something very, very incredibly special. And like, I just wouldn't stop squirming. It was just a whole evening for me. But I digress. So you in Popular, I don't remember what part of Popular it was, but you went into a drop split.

Like, you jumped in the air, the legs went out to the side, you slammed on the ground. It was a part of your bit that you were doing. And it was, and I verbally screamed in the audience, just loud. And then when I saw you after the show, I was like, hold on, we have to talk about that split in Popular.

[44:22] Kara Lindsay: You know I did a bingo.

[44:23] Jack Sippel: And then you, I was gonna say, and then you came up to me and you were like, I did that for you.

[44:29] Kara Lindsay: Oh, it was a whole, it was a whole thing. I had like dancer friends and I was like, I'm gonna give them a split. Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

[44:37] Jack Sippel: So all that sitting in the splits really paid off, I'm assuming.

[44:40] Kara Lindsay: Oh, it's so fun. It's always there. Like you said, it's just always there now.

[44:43] Jack Sippel: Well, and yes, it's always there. But also with Glinda, like it didn't have to be perfect. You know, she's like, I'm amazing, you guys, but she's not. That was the fun of it. It was like, you know, the back leg was bent, but she's like, I'm great. I'm the best ballerina ever. And it was fun to do.

[45:03] Kara Lindsay: Thank you, Jack. I should have been fired.

[45:08] Jack Sippel: It was a, it was a yas split. Overall, it was the most incredible night of my life. Truly. But Kara, we had some people write into our social media and has questions, who have questions for you. Follow us at again, underscore podcast on the social. But our first question is from Angela. And Angela says, do you do anything special to help memorize or pick up choreography when rehearsal periods move so quickly?

[45:39] Kara Lindsay: Now, I think I love recording the dance captain or whomever. Like if that's possible, I do that. I did Singing in the Rain. And it's such a fast process. And I met with a choreographer and I was like, is there any way I could just like, put the put my phone down and we can go through the choreography? And then I will like, learn it slowly. But also so I can keep up with everybody. Because I am a little bit slower now. It's like, I can do them. But like, picking it up is hard. And also, I think taking classes helps like take dance classes, do the thing. I mean, I'm not practicing what I'm preaching right now. But you guys don't have babies, maybe. So do it. But it really is a muscle. And well, actually, I do I take some dance classes from 305.

[46:37] Jack Sippel: What's 305?

[46:45] Kara Lindsay: Oh, Jack, I love you. Oh, it's the best. It is a workout. And it's like, it's like club dancing. But um, so I usually take classes. Recording like if you are learning the choreographer or choreography that day, and you can put your phone down and video it do that. If it's allowed. I mean, if it's just for you to learn, I feel like it should be fine. Like you said, it's a muscle. It comes with time, like to be able to pick up things faster and faster. 100% 305 305 sponsored by 305. They're not. It's not real. Our second question is from Sydney. And she wants to know what is your go to dance step when you blank on the real choreography?

[47:33] Kara Lindsay: Oh my gosh, I feel like I haven't really. This might have to be another video insert. So if we need to describe it now, then we'll post it. Get away from the twirly champagne hands from competition dance in high school. So it's this. If it's not even in the same world. We're gonna call it casting a spell.

[47:57] Jack Sippel: It's casting a spell with your shoulders and your whole body.

[48:01] Kara Lindsay: All body on that one. Thank you.

[48:04] Jack Sippel: I don't think I have done that either. I'd like just mess up and then I gotta keep going.

[48:09] Kara Lindsay: It's a shrug of the shoulders then.

[48:11] Jack Sippel: Yeah. Oh, sorry.

[48:18] Kara Lindsay: Just yeah, it's that emoji with the shrug shoulders. I do that.

[48:22] Jack Sippel: Yeah. Well, he notices it's great.

[48:27] Kara Lindsay: No shrug of the shoulders. All is forgiven.

[48:30] Jack Sippel: Oh my god. I just remembered when didn't Jeremy like do on his final day he then he did it. Like he like, he ran in.

[48:39] Kara Lindsay: And there's a time. Yeah, he wanted to do his. He wanted his one handed cartwheel. And he wanted to, he wanted to go into it. And then because he always well, because he had what's the theme park he worked at before? Before he was Jeremy Jordan? What's the one everyone works?

[49:05] Kara Lindsay: Bush Gardens.

[49:07] Jack Sippel: He had done like tumbling and done all this stuff. And he would tell me in like, Newsies rehearsal be like, yeah, I used to do that. I bet I could still do it. And then when we had the finale Ultimo and he like had this opportunity to come downstage and do this thing. Oh, yeah, he did it for his last bow. And yeah, I feel like he ate it.

[49:23] Kara Lindsay: Yeah.

[49:26] Jack Sippel: That cartwheel all the time, which I loved it. So like Jack Kelly, I got this. Yeah, I got this.

[49:36] Kara Lindsay: Yeah, I can't I just remember falling so hard.

[49:40] Jack Sippel: Oh, right. He ran in for his bow and tripped on the tower and rolled downstage center for his last bow. That's right.

[49:52] Kara Lindsay: And he laid laid on the ground. And everyone applauded. And I was like, this is this is fitting. What a way to go out.

[49:58] Jack Sippel: This is happening.

[50:02] Kara Lindsay: I don't know how we got here. I'm sorry.

[50:03] Jack Sippel: No, that's incredible. And we just have one more thing before we go. I know you have a family that you need to put to bed.

[50:11] Kara Lindsay: I have a family member here that's like such a leech.

[50:14] Jack Sippel: High maintenance.

[50:16] Kara Lindsay: Such a leech. I love that. But we like to have this segment before we go with all of our guests. It's called Shoulda Shot It.

[50:24] Kara Lindsay: Shoulda Shot It!

[50:25] Jack Sippel: I've been thinking about that.

[50:27] Kara Lindsay: And we want to know what is something in your career or just your life? Maybe it's a family moment, maybe with just with a friend, something funny, maybe an audition or just on the sidewalk that you've witnessed. Who knows? But what is something that you wish should have been shot, captured forever?

[50:47] Kara Lindsay: You know, I like I'm going to answer this wrong. There's no wrong. But I like I wish that I could redo something like I wish that we could like go back in time and Emerson could see Newsies, like see me and Wicked, like see the things. I wish that. But that's not the question. So I think I would love to have like the whole opening night, day, evening filmed like of Newsies like that moment. And then also with the live capture several years later, because the show itself grew a lot. And also just seeing like where it came from. That was like before we knew how big it was going to get. Like I think opening night at Paper Mill, like not even Broadway, Paper Mill, like to shoot that and see what that was like. It was a lot of it was so different. So different.

[51:45] Jack Sippel: It was a little bud. It was like we didn't even know where it was going to go. So I think that maybe.

[51:51] Kara Lindsay: We had this like tiny inkling, but all of us were just kind of fulfilling this like dream of I mean, it's one of the movies that made me want to dance made me get into dance. And so to kind of like have it come to fruition, we even had like Newsies movie cast members come see it. And that was such a cool day. And I remember like, when we closed, it was like, wow, this was incredible. And that was all it was supposed to be. And it was kind of this like innocent, beautiful thing. And then just like, it was unbelievable.

[52:24] Jack Sippel: Yeah, it was cool. And we're also grateful. It was like, we didn't we of course, we want it to live on forever. We were like, maybe I mean, I remember when that big Disney executive came to see the show. And we're like, what's he doing here? Not Tom Schumacher?

[52:41] Kara Lindsay: Bob Iger?

[52:41] Jack Sippel: Yes, Bob Iger.

[52:42] Kara Lindsay: Yeah, yeah. I was like, what is he doing?

[52:46] Jack Sippel: I remember we had to come to rehearsal an hour early to just like run some rehearsal.

[52:52] Kara Lindsay: Oh, and we were just we were going to be going over numbers for those who can't see I'm doing here quote, we're going, we had to like go over some numbers, but it was a full presentation for Bob Iger at 9am. We're like, okay, okay, this is hard.

[53:06] Kara Lindsay: Yeah. Oh my god, that's right.

[53:10] Jack Sippel: But I love that. I think capturing that like simplicity and innocence of the very first couple, even days of that journey of Newsies at Paper Mill and just because it's such Paper Mill such a beautiful place in general. So that just really sets the scene of that beautiful growth of the show for sure.

[53:28] Kara Lindsay: Yeah, donate to all those like local theaters.

[53:32] Jack Sippel: Mm hmm.

[53:33] Kara Lindsay: Just Paper Mill included. I hope everybody's doing okay.

[53:38] Jack Sippel: Kara said so everyone said so. Please keep them afloat. I said, you must donate.

[53:48] Kara Lindsay: Well, I say that what you say.

[53:51] Jack Sippel: Okay.

[53:52] Kara Lindsay: And Glenda Dia, we are happy for you.

[53:55] Jack Sippel: What is this podcast about?

[53:57] Kara Lindsay: This has been practically perfect. I tell you what.

[54:02] Jack Sippel: Oh my gosh, we could just do this all day.

[54:04] Kara Lindsay: I know.

[54:05] Jack Sippel: I have like probably a list of them in my head right now.

[54:08] Kara Lindsay: Follow the puns, follow the puns. Well, I mean, Kara, it has been such a pleasure to have you. We've laughed. We've cried. We've tapped.

[54:20] Kara Lindsay: And we've stretched and we've 305.

[54:26] Jack Sippel: I'm worried about them with this class.

[54:28] Kara Lindsay: It's really great, Jack. Of course, you know.

[54:34] Jack Sippel: It's a grand time.

[54:36] Kara Lindsay: Well, I hope you're taking class tonight of that. And I want to thank you for coming on the show. You know, but like truly in all seriousness, thank you guys for this joy. And thank you. I mean, these are the ways that we're keeping theater alive right now. And thank you for doing that. And it's so nice to reminisce. And I'm like, oh my gosh, that happened. We did those things.

[54:55] Jack Sippel: We do. We did that. And that's going to happen again.

[54:58] Kara Lindsay: That's going to happen again. So this is beautiful. Thank you for doing this.

[55:02] Jack Sippel: You're so wonderful. Thank you for being here and giving us your evening away from your family and for missing bath time.

[55:09] Kara Lindsay: It's fine. I just get really wet because he's like he splashes so much.

[55:14] Jack Sippel: He loves seeing water fly in the air.

[55:16] Kara Lindsay: So he's going to be a tapper. He's going to be a tapper. He's going to tap with his mom.

[55:21] Brendon Stimson: Hey, it's Brendan.

[55:35] Jack Sippel: Hey, it's Jack.

[55:37] Brendon Stimson: Thanks so much for tuning into our podcast.

[55:41] Jack Sippel: Be sure to hop on over to our Instagram at again underscore podcast and give us a follow, a like, a comment, a DM because we want to hear from you.

[55:45] Brendon Stimson: Let us know how we're doing. Sure.

[55:49] Jack Sippel: Sure. And before you press next to play your next podcast, hopefully it's us again. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button and give us a rating if you love what you're hearing.

[55:59] Brendon Stimson: Again, from the top is produced by Dory Berenstein and Alan Seals. Stay tuned for our next five, six, seven, eight.