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[0:00] Ellenore Scott: Hello, I'm Ellenore Scott, and you're listening to Behind the Awards.

[0:13] Eila Mell: Hello and welcome to Behind the Awards. I'm Eila. As always, I'm here with the dashing and handsome Bruce.

[0:20] Bruce Gotlieb: Hello, Bruce. Thank you, baby. You flatter me so.

[0:24] Eila Mell: Well, how are you today?

[0:26] Bruce Gotlieb: I am good. I'm good.

[0:28] Bruce Gotlieb: I'm getting excited because tonight I'm going to see my friend, Michael Puzo, make his Broadway debut in Dog Day Afternoon.

[0:34] Eila Mell: Very exciting. I have tickets for that coming up.

[0:38] Bruce Gotlieb: But yeah, it's either April 6th or May 6th.

[0:41] Eila Mell: It's the 6th.

[0:42] Bruce Gotlieb: They just can't remember which month.

[0:44] Eila Mell: I know. Well, we're in that time of year where our schedules are so packed.

[0:48] Bruce Gotlieb: I know. I mean, listen, I love it. I love, you know, how much theater I get anxious. I get a little stressed in a different way.

[0:57] Bruce Gotlieb: But how am I going to get to everything and how am I going to see everything? And, you know, how much money is left in the bank to be able to go see everything?

[1:06] Eila Mell: Well, my tickets aren't cheap.

[1:08] Bruce Gotlieb: They are not cheap, that's for sure.

[1:10] Eila Mell: But we love it.

[1:12] Bruce Gotlieb: So and Tony’s are just around the corner. A month and a few days from now is the cut off April 26th.

[1:21] Eila Mell: Which means the nominations will be coming out not long after that.

[1:24] Bruce Gotlieb: That's exactly what that means.

[1:26] Bruce Gotlieb: So the Tony eligibility committee sits down and meets throughout the season a few times to deem what's eligible in what categories, what's a revival, what's right, who's in a leading role, who's in a featured role and all of that.

[1:40] Eila Mell: So for me this season, that's been a big question for June Squibb. Where is she going to fall with Marjorie Prime? Is she going to be lead? Is she going to be supporting? And what did they decide?

[1:51] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, they were part of this last committee meeting, which happened in February. And all actors in Marjorie Prime are going to be considered featured.

[2:00] Eila Mell: OK. Including June Squibb.

[2:03] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Yeah.

[2:04] Eila Mell: Because it was sort of on the fence where she belongs.

[2:06] Bruce Gotlieb: I think that's a good placement for her. What do you think?

[2:09] Eila Mell: I think so, too. I also was unsure, especially not because of who she is, but because she is Marjorie.

[2:18] Eila Mell: The play is called Marjorie Prime. Right. You would think the title character would be the lead. It is truly an ensemble piece, and I also think her chances are better for a nomination and potentially for a win in the featured category.

[2:35] Bruce Gotlieb: I couldn't agree more. I think that Leslie Manville has it right. If it were tomorrow, I think she'd be the winner.

[2:42] Eila Mell: So I think she's a tough contender.

[2:46] Bruce Gotlieb: And she's got a flood. You can't rule her out.

[2:48] Eila Mell: No, no, you can't rule out any of them. They're all great actresses.

[2:52] Bruce Gotlieb: Any of the people who are going to fall into that category? Yeah.

[2:56] Eila Mell: But I do think it's Leslie Manville's year.

[2:59] Bruce Gotlieb: OK, we'll see. You never know. But I also think it's June Squibb's year.

[3:03] Eila Mell: So her being in supporting, they can both win.

[3:07] Bruce Gotlieb: That's true. Yeah. You know, it's an interesting thing, too, is the rumor is anyway that Laurie Metcalf will be in both categories because she's got Little Bear Ridge Road, which she was the lead. Right.

[3:20] Bruce Gotlieb: And then Death of a Salesman, the committee hasn't met yet. But the way that they're discussing is that she would be featured.

[3:28] Eila Mell: Well, that'll be exciting.

[3:30] Bruce Gotlieb: It could be. I mean, we've never had anybody win for both categories in the same night.

[3:34] Eila Mell: Right. So that. Yeah.

[3:38] Bruce Gotlieb: So let's stay tuned. I don't know that this is that year for that, but it's still a really cool premise to think.

[3:47] Eila Mell: Yes. And who better for it to happen to? But I agree with you. I don't think it's going to happen this year.

[3:51] Eila Mell: I just don't think people are going to remember Little Bear Ridge Road that much when there are, you know, when there are a lot of new plays coming. And also Laurie Metcalf may distract people by herself because, you know, she's doing Death of a Salesman.

[4:05] Bruce Gotlieb: So people may just focus on that. But you never know.

[4:08] Eila Mell: Well, and then the question remains because they haven't met and I haven't gone to see the show, so I don't know how the opening night playbill is going to be.

[4:18] Bruce Gotlieb: Because it opens on the night. Is she above the title? And then how do they, you know, what is the determination? Because she could either be really in this mix. She could bump herself out in the other way.

[4:32] Eila Mell: You know, it's right. It's going to be very interesting. You know, it's true because Linda is I mean, I think Linda is a supporting role. But Laurie Metcalf is such a big name.

[4:41] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. You want to put her above the title. So and it was like now. And it was that way. The purpose opening night, they put them all above the title.

[4:50] Eila Mell: They had a clear idea of how they wanted everything to go in. You know, so those people were nominated for lead because of that. So it depends on how the producers want to position things also.

[5:05] Bruce Gotlieb: And then what the committee decides. Right. So all of it is out of our hands, which is really frustrating.

[5:12] Eila Mell: I know they should just let us be involved. But, you know, who's got their hands all over Broadway this season is Eleanor Scott.

[5:22] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh, yes. She's got a ragtime revival at Lincoln Center. She's got off Broadway's Little Shop, which is forever running, apparently.

[5:32] Eila Mell: And we're better for it. And the upcoming Titanic. I mean, even when she was pregnant, it didn't slow this woman down.

[5:38] Bruce Gotlieb: No, no. So she doesn't have much time. So let's bring her out.

[5:41] Eila Mell: Yes. And also just a reminder for everybody, as we're getting close to Tony season, make sure you're following our Instagram for all our behind the scenes stuff. Make sure that you are subscribed to the podcast.

[5:54] Bruce Gotlieb: So that way it just rolls out. You don't have to go search for it because we get into that time of year. We're getting, you know, multiple episodes a week sometimes that come.

[6:02] Eila Mell: Yes. And our Tony specials.

[6:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely. And make sure you subscribe. Follow us. Leave a review if you can. That'll really help us. So we appreciate it. Let's get out when we're out.

[6:16] Eila Mell: First, I'm very excited to welcome Eleanor Scott to our show.

[6:20] Ellenore Scott: Hello, Eleanor.

[6:22] Ellenore Scott: Hello. Hello, everyone. So happy to be here.

[6:25] Eila Mell: Thank you so much for joining us.

[6:27] Ellenore Scott: We are thrilled to have you. Especially because you're so busy.

[6:32] Ellenore Scott: I am unbelievably grateful for how busy I am. And so I'm so, so thrilled to be spending my morning with you both.

[6:38] Eila Mell: Well, we appreciate it. Now, I have so much to ask you, but I mean, you barely slowed down enough to have a baby.

[6:49] Ellenore Scott: Correct.

[6:51] Eila Mell: So did you just about make it to the opening of Ragtime? What was the story there?

[6:57] Ellenore Scott: I have a very fun and funny story to tell you both. So Ragtime was my fourth Broadway show that I choreographed. I was fully pregnant the entire rehearsal process.

[7:08] Ellenore Scott: And as I was going to doctor's appointments, they started recognizing, like, we might need to do a C-section. He's quite large. He's also not flipping around, which is something that they got to do when they come out.

[7:20] Ellenore Scott: And so they were we were planning a scheduled C-section. My opening night for Ragtime was on October 16th. They had originally scheduled it for October 15th.

[7:31] Ellenore Scott: And so I had to call my doctor and be like, hey, queen, I was so busy that day, actually. So I'm wondering if we can push it. So I literally pushed my C-section to the day after opening.

[7:43] Ellenore Scott: And so I was able to wear my cute little dress and go to Ragtime opening. And then the next morning at 11 a.m., pop the baby out.

[7:53] Eila Mell: Oh my God, that is too funny.

[7:55] Ellenore Scott: Oh my gosh. It's crazy how with the C-section, the baby comes out right away, but then there's so much more to go.

[8:03] Ellenore Scott: It was wild. But like truly the fact that Ford, my son, was able to be on a Broadway stage the night before he was born, I think is pretty cool.

[8:13] Eila Mell: That is amazing. Spectacular. Yes.

[8:16] Ellenore Scott: So, all right, let's go back a little bit. Did you always want to be working on Broadway? Was that the goal?

[8:24] Ellenore Scott: No, actually, I grew up in New York really thinking that I was going to be like a concert dancer and performer. So I attended LaGuardia High School as a dance major.

[8:37] Ellenore Scott: I trained at Alvin Ailey as like a fellowship scholarship student. And I really thought like, OK, after graduation, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to perform, you know, in concert, modern dance companies.

[8:51] Ellenore Scott: And after graduation, I was having kind of some difficulty, you know, booking jobs for a number of different reasons. Age, weight. And I kind of was like, I don't think I want to do this anymore if this is the, you know, if this is the dance world.

[9:08] Ellenore Scott: And I ended up auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance, the television show.

[9:14] Eila Mell: Sure.

[9:16] Ellenore Scott: Made it on the show. Season six forever and was a finalist on it. I think that was the moment where I like opened the scope of what I could do as a performer.

[9:23] Ellenore Scott: And so I started, you know, diving into television, background dancing a little bit. And then from that, I was actually able to then secretly move into musical theater.

[9:36] Ellenore Scott: I was a dancer hired for Smash, the television show. And Joppa Goss asked me to come in for pre-production one day to like help create the movement for the show.

[9:47] Ellenore Scott: And there was a moment where I was like, I like this part way better.

[9:52] Ellenore Scott: Yeah, camera. So that kind of like flipped a switch of I think this is the thing I want to do instead of being on camera.

[10:00] Ellenore Scott: I feel like musical theater, though, is the like happy medium between my concert technical background and what I kind of learned and developed through working on television and background dancing, which is the like relationship with the audience and that storytelling and that live performance.

[10:19] Ellenore Scott: And so I really do love musical theater, but I really feel like I accidentally fell into this a little bit.

[10:26] Eila Mell: Good thing it found you.

[10:27] Ellenore Scott: Yeah, I mean, you fell in and made quite the splash. I mean, you've had, you know, not even just this period alone with Ragtime, Little Shop, High Spirits, like it's like, I mean, you couldn't even dream it.

[10:43] Ellenore Scott: I feel like if you wanted to.

[10:44] Ellenore Scott: No, I do feel like I have to pinch myself that when I first started, I was, you know, being an assistant choreographer to Broadway greats. And now to be able to be the head choreographer of now, this will be my fifth Broadway show is like so unbelievably exciting and crazy.

[11:05] Ellenore Scott: And I can't believe that this is like what my life is right now.

[11:09] Eila Mell: And it all happened pretty fast, too, which is amazing.

[11:12] Ellenore Scott: Yes, very much so. I think it kind of Little Shop, which opened October 17th, 2019, like I can't believe that show was still open.

[11:23] Ellenore Scott: Like I know it's like having an off Broadway show that is running now in its sixth year. I could feel like, OK, this is my first show. I can't wait to like get the ball rolling. And then the pandemic hit.

[11:35] Ellenore Scott: Yeah, everything stopped. I remember like being at home thinking that maybe that was it. Maybe that was like my like final chance to really be able to use that momentum because I think so much of this industry is momentum is people talking about your name or your show or what you're working on.

[11:53] Ellenore Scott: And so I was like, well, cool. I'm so glad that nothing's happening for two years.

[11:58] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:02] Ellenore Scott: Well, I'm like so grateful that Michael Mayer and the team at Funny Girl who was like planning on doing the show in 2020, 2021, pushed it to 2022. And I was able to get that momentum again coming back for the pandemic.

[12:12] Eila Mell: And that show, you really got a chance to like flex some other muscles, right? Like so movement style versus, you know, a full on tap number, like it's just different aesthetics that most obviously dancers and choreographers have in their bag of tricks.

[12:27] Ellenore Scott: But when you see somebody do a certain thing, you almost don't expect, you know, a full on. All right, we're going to do a full on tap number.

[12:33] Ellenore Scott: Yeah, they're more, you know, lyrical or movement centered work.

[12:39] Ellenore Scott: Well, yeah, I think for me, because of my like upbringing with having very like various styles of modern and ballet and jazz and hip hop, my dad's a hip hop dancer. Trying to figure out like what movement style works for each individual show is great.

[12:57] Ellenore Scott: The tap choreography in Funny Girl was done by Ayodele Casile, who is like one of the most like critically acclaimed choreographers. And so also to be able to have my first Broadway show be in collaboration with her was super exciting and to like find how we were going to interweave.

[13:15] Ellenore Scott: How does my movement in the show still complement with the tap? And how does her movement still like how do we work together when there's a number that has both tapping and dancing in it?

[13:25] Ellenore Scott: And so that was kind of a unique experience as like my first show. And then it was also funny that like at the exact and when I say the exact same time, I truly mean rehearsals were at the exact same time I was doing my second Broadway show, which was Mr. Saturday Night with Billy Crystal.

[13:41] Ellenore Scott: And so it was so wild to be like, OK, in the mornings, I'm going to go to like rehearsal at Obujara for Funny Girl. And then on my lunch break, I'm going to grab a Pret sandwich, run sing the girls' theme songs and then rehearse with Billy Crystal for the afternoon.

[13:54] Ellenore Scott: So again, flexing those muscles of like how different those two shows were and how to find choreography that fit them narratively. Watching Mr. Saturday Night was like nothing I ever seen because Billy Crystal is just a genius, like you'd set him up on stage and you're just like, OK, go.

[14:12] Ellenore Scott: And she does, and there's his age as somebody who grew up, you know, looking up different icons and different things. How was it to be able to work and just, I guess, kind of soak in whatever experience he was able to bring to the table? I mean, I remember having like my first initial interview with him and he was sitting in front of all his awards and his posters, and I was like, this is crazy. He was so collaborative, and I have to tell you both, like, I know that man is a little bit older, but he has such a young and vibrant heart that it was really hard to tell him, like, he was like, I don't know, I really want to do a cartwheel in this number, and I was like, we literally can. I need you to not break your wrists on stage, but he was so game and gung-ho to like try different things.

He would come and be like, oh, I watched this movie. I think we should put this in the show. He was so great to work with and extremely kind human, and then we were part of my French pissing our pants in rehearsal because he's just truly one of the funniest people I've ever met. Yeah, so I felt really lucky to be able to work side-by-side with him.

[15:18] Ellenore Scott: When you do a show that like Funny Girl or Mr. Saturday Night, where, you know, are set in different periods, do you study dance from those periods? I do, and I particularly like to study like social dance, and I like to try to find, you know, old clips of what people would like naturally dance like versus something that's like more performative. I find that the thing that I try to excel in is making like regular folks dance, meaning like not super trained dancers who have been doing this for their whole life. Like I can, you know, close my eyes and make someone do a grand battement, but to make, you know, someone in Mr. Saturday Night who maybe is more of a singer and an actor and doesn't feel comfortable moving, how do you make them dance?

So I do like to study from whatever era the show is from, but also particularly looking for like how do regular people dance? Like what are, how is their body naturally moving to music, and how can we infuse that in the choreography?

[16:19] Ellenore Scott: When you were sitting on the other side of the table, to take a quick segue here because you said this, that making regular people dance. So when you're on the other side of the table and it's an audition and you're having people come in that maybe are singers who move or maybe that's like even a loose term, what do you look for for those people that are out there? You know, obviously you want to see smile, personality, and all of those things, but I'm sure it gets very heady to be.

[16:47] Ellenore Scott: Oh yeah, auditions are horrible and scary for everyone. It's like you, you know, when you are the one auditioning, you're trying your best and you want to impress, but honestly, as someone who's been on the other side of the table for many different types of projects, it is kind of like obviously the it factor, especially for like big dance things. Like who can you not stop watching? And I find that honestly the people that you can't stop watching, and this is it feels like, you know, catch-22, but like it's the people that don't care. I don't want to say that without sounding harsh, but like when I see someone that is an audition who's there to have a good time, who's there to try and learn something new and wants to have fun or wants to, you know, like for however many eight counts be in the show.

Like where I can see them kind of putting themselves into the show, I then notice myself seeing them in the show versus someone who's like so focused on counts and so focused on being perfect and so focused on like trying to be better than the person next to them. I actually find that not as impressive or I'm as drawn to that as an audience member.

[18:00] Ellenore Scott: A lot of the times as a choreographer in audition, I like put myself in the audience's seat and I go who do I want to watch for two and a half to three hours? Sure. And I think that that only comes from practice, and that does come from like, hey, not every job is for you. And so when you come into an audition, you just do your best. I, as like an auditioner, would always think like this is a free class. I get to work with this choreographer for the day, and I get to learn material that I might not have learned unless I came to this audition. And so, yeah, I think trying to let ego go at the door and just learn and have fun and be in community with other artists, and obviously like yes, someone will get the job, but if you go in thinking like this is a competition and I have to be better than this person, you're going to put so much more stress in your body that you're going to forget the moves. You're going to stress out about what you're doing, so that's usually what I like to tell people.

[18:54] Ellenore Scott: I love that. And there's usually so many people that audition, you know, it must be so hard to just narrow it down.

[19:00] Ellenore Scott: Correct. I mean, like I remember, you know, when I was the assistant choreographer for Andy Blankenbuehler for Cats, like I remember when I was like coming in for the ECC's coming outside, and I was like this is a picturesque like New York audition moment because there were people lined outside of Pearl all the way down the street in their like leg warmers, and I was like this is amazing. This is like a movie.

[19:25] Ellenore Scott: Are you excited for the new Cats that's coming? Oh, I have to tell you both. I saw it off Broadway at PAC, and I was like I was seated at the runway, and Andre De Shields came by, and I just wanted to be like a magical experience. Cats, I had the VHS as a kid, and I watched the movie like basically every day after school, and so like I knew all the original choreography. And so when Andy asked me to do the like revival in 2016 as the assistant as my first Broadway show, I felt like it was such a full circle moment. I absolutely love Cats. I'm one of those die-hard Cats fans, so I was very nervous actually to see the Jellicle ball because I was like am I a purist? Like am I going to be upset with this version? They fixed it. They truly, it all makes sense now. Like you're like okay, they're singing about themselves because they're performing for the ball. It is so amazing. I cannot wait to see it on Broadway.

[20:26] Ellenore Scott: I can't wait too. It seems like the perfect way to tell this story. A hundred percent. You're like they're cool Cats. I get it.

[20:31] Joy Woods: And behind the awards, we'll be right back.

[20:41] Joy Woods: All right, so let's talk about some of the shows that you have going on right now. So High Spirits is happening. Tell us about that. That's an old show that, you know, a lot of people don't know anymore.

[20:52] Ellenore Scott: Yes, old show 1964. You know, encores at New York City Center is a way for audiences to be exposed to pieces of theater that are typically not performed. I feel also that like a lot of shows now don't get the unbelievable opportunity to have a 29-piece orchestra. So High Spirits was a Noel Coward Blythe Spirits play transformed into a musical, and this was my first show back from my maternity leave. So it was like kind of a big deal for me to be able to get back into the studio, and I was able to bring my son forward into a couple of rehearsals, which was super exciting. And this was also for me exciting because I had an ensemble of 18. Oh wow. Again, especially in how expensive it is to make Broadway shows now, we don't get ensembles that big anymore.

And so to be able to create movement to that score, which is so fun and like pop and feeling contemporary from something that's from 1964 was really exciting and fun. And I think that people who didn't know the show came and was like this is like a kooky crazy British comedy, quick and witty, but music that you wanted to dance to. And I got to work with some amazing actors who I've been like a fan of for a really, really long time. And so it was just a great experience. And I really think that like if you haven't listened to the music, you can listen to it on YouTube. It is just like je ne sais quoi. Like that perfect like old Broadway big, you know, overture big on track. You know, make yourself a, you know, dirty martini. Yeah. If you're old enough. That's what I'd say.

[22:41] Ellenore Scott: And also let's talk about Titanic. Yes, that is mama's next show Titanic. I mean truly I have to say, you know, we started rehearsals this week, and it is crazy to think about that this show started as just like a brainchild of the creators and went from an off-Broadway run in the asylum, aka the basement of Christie's on 46th Street, and now has made truly the like journey of a lifetime to being on Broadway. I like cannot believe that this is the journey for this show and that literally in 2024 I went to the West End to make my West End debut to open the show. Then it won an Olivier, and then this year I found out I was pregnant, and then I flew to Paris to open the Paris production. Like it's truly wild.

It's really wild. It is a great, it's such a great show. I've seen it a few times. Yes, many times. But I can't wait for the Broadway version. So for you creating, obviously what you did in those smaller spaces, then is there much that you are trying to do? I don't know if you could even talk about like are we expanding what we've seen if you've seen it, or is it just a matter of like, okay, well now we'll fit a larger stage? I will say that I think all departments, I feel comfortable to say all departments are feeling that like that breath of, okay, here's the Broadway show, here's the St. James Theatre. She's not a small theatre, henny. So like we're all kind of, I think putting our best foot forward, and Ty Blue, the director, and I have gone to, you know, the various locations to set the show in different venues.

So we've had the, you know, unbelievable opportunity to set it at a West End theatre and set it in Canada and set it in Paris. In Paris, we had like a huge stage, and so I think we've been able to figure out what works in larger spaces, and so I do think that literally all departments have been given the opportunity to like make it the Broadway version. So I myself know that I'm like taking little tidbits that I've learned from all these different versions of the show, and you know, if you've seen the show off Broadway, you better come back and see the Broadway production.

[25:00] Ellenore Scott: Do you have a favorite moment of the show? Yes, I mean, I do think that the Celine reveal at the beginning is just so exciting. I'm not telling nobody it, you got to come see the show, but it's just one of those shows we keep talking about that like it's like a memory play. It's the nostalgia of the movie from 1997, a different era when we weren't on our cell phones, and like Celine's music and her catalog is so unbelievable. I think sometimes people come in and they forget like how many songs that they recognize from her if they're not just like listening to her, you know, playlist on Spotify. Yeah, and I do think that the world is, you know, crazy and harsh and difficult right now, and to be able to grab a glass of wine and go to the theatre and just laugh for nine minutes is like the medicine we all need.

And what's great about Titanic is that there's so much improv that it will be a different show if you go and see it over and over again. Marla Mandel, who is one of the co-writers who is starring as Celine, is just a comedic genius. Like I don't know how I keep working with these people that are just amazing comedy writers and performers, and she has a section in the show that every night will be different, and every night it is, we're all at the edge of our seats like what's she gonna say, what's she gonna write, and it's just so fun to see the actors also like be thrown off a little bit, and I agree that it is a completely different show every night, and so bring your friends, bring your family, come a couple times.

[26:40] Ellenore Scott: And Little Shop of Horrors, I mean that it's amazing that that's still going. It deserves to be, it's just such a great show. Did you grow up watching that movie? I grew up watching the movie, yes, and so I will say that it's so fun again, like if you have not seen like the production of the show, the ending's a little different, so spoilers won't say anything, but do come see the show. I think the success of Little Shop is really the fact that Michael Mayer and Tom Cartagena, who is the producer of the show, really both knew that they wanted to keep the show small and like keep it to the original feeling of the off-Broadway house that it was in at the Orpheum, and I think that like this was a moment for me as an artist and as a creative that like some shows are meant to be small.

Like some shows are meant to stay in an intimate house where only, you know, at the West Side Theater where Little Shop is, only 270 people see it every night, and I feel like you can connect with that intimacy with like Seymour and Audrey at the flower shop, and so I think that is leading to the success of the show is that it's not this like we're not trying to make it glitzy and glamour. It's Skid Row, right? It's downtown Skid Row, and so like to be able to walk down 43rd Street, go to the theater, and then you walk into the theater, you're like you feel like you're outside in New York. It's the same thing, and I feel like I love going back to the show. My associate choreographer, Jeff Lee Gugliotti, has been so incredible in like putting all these amazing stars into the show and keeping the urchins, who are the like the three girls at the top of the show, tight and crisp.

[28:24] Ellenore Scott: I really love that when I kind of have like right now a living resume that if someone wants to go see my work or go see a show I can say hey go to the West Side Theater and you get to see my first show but I'm like really really proud of what it feels like and what it looks like. When you have different people come in like you mentioned does the choreography or the movement change like do you have to sit down with them and say okay well what is this is what we're doing and how does that sit with you or is it just learn it? I'll say they gotta learn what they gotta learn so I think especially for the Urchin Girls when those girls are coming in a lot of the like audition and callback is movement from the show so they feel a little bit more comfortable with it.

With Seymour and Audrey they don't have too much choreography in the show. Seymour dances like a little bit more than Audrey but again I tried to make movement that isn't so difficult that they feel uncomfortable doing it. It's very actor driven and character driven so awkward it's kind of funny and I do think that especially for the Seymours it's the combo of learning choreography for one of the numbers you never know but then also like puppeteering like they have to learn right here they have to learn how to work with a puppet in certain numbers like feed me get it and so you know we don't necessarily change the movement but I do think that however the actor is bringing their character into the show alters it just a little bit of like what that like ceiling is.

[29:54] Yeah and also like Mushnik and Son if it looks like professional dancers it won't work as well it won't be fun. Correct, you're like all of a sudden they're in a dream ballet that's a tango between Mushnik and Seymour you're like what the heck is going on and so it actually kind of works that it's like just two guys starting to dance so yeah totally agree that it can't be like another professional ballroom dancers. Right, right. Did Jonathan Groff have to dance not as well as he actually can when he plays Seymour? I said Jonathan you do whatever you want honey it was a dream come true working with him I really have to say like I was talking with one of the producers that the rehearsal process for Little Shop will forever be one of the most like what the producer was saying like it felt like doing like a high school production everyone was friends like I remember specifically that we on 10 minute breaks no one was on their phone we were all just like hanging out and talking and telling each other stories about shows we had worked on in our life and so like it was truly to this day one of the most thrilling rehearsal processes especially because it was like a revival so it wasn't like we were going okay what if we had to change this book scene it was like say what's on the page it works and Jonathan was like so game to do everything and that man was sweating and spitting everywhere.

[31:20] That's his thing. And no nothing against or no shade to the Broadway revival that came before this one right but I feel like it was like you said it speaks to the intimacy of the show in such a large space it just you couldn't connect to the story like you are at your version. Correct I do think that like I especially growing up really thought that like oh everyone's goal is to get to Broadway like everyone's goal is to like take their little show and bring it to Broadway boom and I do think that like actually recognizing what is best for your audience what is best for the show is your show better made for an immersive space is it better in like a proscenium like that look all of these things now are kind of things that I consider when a show is shifting or changing because it really changes the point of view of the audience of what they're taking in when they're watching a show.

[32:18] Yeah I'm a little shop purist because I said the original as a kid and just became very much a little shop snob yeah so when I saw it over and over and over at the Orpheum so when the movie came out I was not happy because it was so different but I did like that Tisha Campbell and Tashina Arnold were in it yes and I do like Mean Green Mother from Outer Space I do like that it's fun yeah it's a fun ding-dong yes so not only are you choreographing but now you're also directing who let me do that is that something you want to do more of I okay I have to be honest with you both like for so long people were like would you ever direct and I was like no not for me I was like that's too much work that's too much risk I also didn't go to school for that so no and so I was like very much against it for very long because I think I was scared of it I was very much like I was scared I had imposter syndrome I felt like I didn't I don't deserve to direct because I don't I haven't studied it right I'm using a lot of air quotes for our podcast listeners but you know I got the unbelievable opportunity to co-direct with Trip Coleman uh The Lonely Few we did uh the like a version at the Geffen in LA and then at MCC here in New York City and that kind of opened my eyes I like spoke with a lot of you know peers and colleagues about directing or with choreographers that I knew that have also moved into directing and all of them were saying like as a choreographer you are directing but just with movement like with shape movement with bodies and directing is the exact same thing just with text and with lyrics and I as a choreographer very much am so keen on making sure that it's character driven that the narrative and the storytelling of it makes sense like I'm not a person who will just put a dance break in because because I just want to show off my dancing like it has to make sense with what's happening in the show and I very much am like how do I maximize what the lyrics are saying here how do I make it feel like that um and so directing is just with with the text with the script and I always found that like for shows that I was the choreographer for I would be sitting on the side like okay well what would I do like I naturally was doing that yeah and to actually now be directing shows I still very feel like who let me do this right now um but I'm really enjoying the challenge of it and being able to allow myself the you know freedom of dreaming big and being able to lead rooms is is really exciting and thrilling.

[35:06] Yeah that's great I hope that you get to do more thank you still scary but I very much enjoy it I'm working on some you know concerts and some workshops and some readings and I'm like hoping crossing fingers that I get to like direct and choreograph together more too because that's something that I'm very interested in as well so uh keep your fingers crossed for me we absolutely thank you very much so we have a friend whose son is the understudy for the little boy in ragtime Jackson I love Jackson so much Karen for me and my associate and assistant choreographer for ragtime and it's so cute I adore him he's amazing what's it like working with kids on Broadway I love it I am I am a goofball by heart I don't know if you can tell but I am I love to lead rooms with humor and light and laughter regardless of if it's a 10 year old or a 65 year old right like that is how I like to lead rooms and so working with kids is truly so fun because I get to be goofy I get to make dances and games with them and I also think it's unbelievable that you can be 12 years old and like starring as a principal on Broadway like how cool right you know and the kids in that show are good they're really good so good and it's like such an intense show as well to have to perform and be around and and also like to hold your ground with such greatness you know what I mean like when Casey Levy is your mom like that's pretty cool you know so um I I love working with kids and I hope I get to do it more and speaking of ragtime it's you know obviously we're living in the times that we're living the story is the heaviness that the story is but at the same time I feel like the people that are coming to see it are like coming because they need that they need that in their soul you know catharsis really yeah it's like again kind of what I was saying before with like High Spirits like to be able to come to a Broadway theater hear a 28-piece orchestra play this incredible incredible moving music like Arrows and Flaherty have they struck gold with this and their their genius is all over the show and Terrence McNally's book really shines in the show as well and it's it's devastating it's heartbreaking it's heartwarming I really think that audiences feel a plethora of emotions throughout the show and to see this story play out that's like so heartbreaking but like I said it's like catharsis it's like being able to experience it through you know fictional characters and historical figures but then recognize that like the same thing is happening right now in 2026 and to be able to allow yourself to feel those feelings I think a lot of the time we are all like on our phones and we're reading this news and it's just kind of like splashing before our eyes and so to be able to sit in a room with hundreds of other people who are experiencing it at the same time as you and like you can just hear the sniffles like you know everyone is feeling and being moved by this this piece and this production I do think that that sense of community is like what we all need right now.

[38:29] Yeah what happens to Sarah in this show is not unlike what's happening to people you know where ice is concerned and it's scary it's scary and it's it's scary to think that like nothing has changed and so much has changed and like when when you know particularly when we did the show because the show was an encores production before so in 2020 you know 2024 we were doing the show at encores and somehow Lear de Bessonne and and all the team at city center I don't know if they did this on purpose but somehow the show was happening right during the election so it was a there was a week of performances then there was like a two days of the election and then the rest of the run for that week and I remember being and coming to the theater the day after the election and hearing these songs it felt different it felt like a different show the actor performing it felt it the audience that was like palpable in the theater like to hear we can never go back to before was unbelievable that night to hear make them hear you again is like a completely different number and so I think that like you're saying with what's happening in the world you're seeing these things reflected in the show that was not made this year now so it's crazy to think that like we the history keeps repeating itself and there is some comfort in knowing that like we hopefully will get past this but yeah it's it's heartbreaking and you know as an audience member you know I I love this show I feel so lucky that I got to to work on it and be a part of it and to have people write me and say how moved they were by this production it's it's I'm I'm grateful you know it's not known as a dance show so was it up to you how much dance was going to be in this version of it yes I am definitely a director's choreographer and so I always will like connect with the director I think that the choreographer and director should be like hand in hand together so that it doesn't feel like there's a scene and then all of a sudden there's dancing like everything should be interwoven you shouldn't be able to tell who did what and so working with Lear I know she was pretty like adamant about having movement in the show and that encores you know it's not fully staged and so I had some moments with full dancing and then I had some moments where folks were holding on to binders and so for the Broadway production and the Vivian Beaumont of it all I was very excited to expand the dancing and really use the space and the depth and so yeah it's not necessarily a dance show but I will say that there is a lot of dancing in it particularly for our ensemble like the Harlem ensemble for getting ready rag or having so much fun like I love watching that number and like that number goes into another number called Henry Ford yeah which uses the full ensemble as like an assembly line and so you know sure it's not gonna be a triple pirouette what's hey section but I do think that hopefully the dancing in the show helps with your understanding of where we are and who these people are and I tried you know the prologue will forever be my stamp of hopefully people find it really moving because it's like a quite an epic opening number it really is introducing like 7 000 characters um and there's you know a lot of the times especially for revivals the original production is the production everyone is trying to right mimic and so it was like very hard and challenging to like both honor the original production's choreography and also find my own version of what what do I want to say here um and so I you know the ragtime performed at the Tony's their opening number which was like the three circles and if you want to go on youtube go watch it it's unbelievably amazing um but I was like how do I create that same feeling and so it was like going back in the script and reading that it was the literally the the stage direction says the swirling of the three groups led by mother colehouse and tate and I was like okay swirling so I'm like okay that's how we got the

[43:37] Ellenore Scott: Yeah, 100% and I feel like a lot of the times especially like now with the idea of me wanting to direct and thinking about lyric and text and how it's being received. A lot of the movement in the show, like there's a number in the show called "Crime of the Century." And if you just kind of listen to the song, it's a very bubbly song. It's really fun and Evelyn is so cute and blah, and then if you listen to the lyrics, you're like, "Oh, honey. Are you okay?" Yeah, dark. You're 15 years old, you know, right? And so I think for me the biggest thing that I wanted to do in the show was make sure that yes, you're hearing this like very fun and light and like Broadway-esque number, but then as the number goes on, I want the audience to start actually listening to the lyrics and start recognizing that are we like sexualizing this young girl?

Like which is again what happens with pop stars in America, and I wanted to like highlight that. In the same way in act two, there's a number called "What a Game." If you just listen to the song, it's a fun, funny baseball number. We all gonna go listen to this baseball song. There are so many like racial slurs in that song, yeah, and it's very like violent. And so again, I wanted to use my choreography to like show the funny like, "Haha, we're going to a baseball game," and then as the number continues on, allow the audience to hear "bash his teeth in," like "I want to bash his teeth in" in the song. Yeah, and I think that is the biggest change is not staying in the like kind of up here, it's fun, it's funny, whatever, and allowing the audience to hear the genius of the lyrics of Lynn's lyrics matching with Stephen's music. So that to me is kind of what I wanted to bring out in this revival.

[45:22] Eila Mell: Do you still have people who come up to you for "So You Think You Can Dance"?

[45:27] Ellenore Scott: It's not, it's so funny. I was just talking to my sister-in-law about this because I remember like in 2010 right after "So You Think" and I don't know if I'll ever experience this again, but like I had done the show and I came back to New York and people were like, "Ellenore!" I was recognized in the street because it was like right after the show had aired and it was so cool for like a month to be. So I don't get it as much anymore. The only times I get it are, and this is so funny and I love it so much, but sometimes people at auditions that come to audition for shows that I'm working on or who will have worked on shows that I've done like after the process was over. Like for example, like "High Spirits," I was working with the ensemble and one of the ensemble members came off, "You know that I like I love you and I voted for you with my mom."

Not like that's what it's like very quiet. It's just great. It still fills me with so much joy that you know, people really enjoyed that show and still come up to me and thank me or you know, dancers that when I teach at dance conventions like go and watch my YouTube videos of me performing with my short hair. So I don't get it as much loudly, but very quietly through a DM or very quietly on the side of like, "I did watch you on the show. I just needed to let you know if it ever starts streaming, you're gonna have a whole new audience. You'll know when people start watching your season."

[46:56] Eila Mell: Did you also teach?

[46:58] Ellenore Scott: Yes, I love. Are you at Steps? Is that where you...

[47:03] Eila Mell: I am, I see it Steps.

[47:05] Ellenore Scott: I also teach at Broadway Dance Center and I love to do like master classes. So I'll sometimes do master classes at like Pace University or I'll go. My main job for a long time before I was choreographing was teaching at dance conventions. So I taught at like Excel in Motion and we got to travel, you know, around the US and teach kids between like ages of 5 to like pre-professional like 20. I love education, educating the youth. I think it's super, they are the future and so to be able to be in a room with the next generation of artists, I absolutely adore. And I love teaching at Steps too because I get to see friends and friends come take class and I get to take their class as well. So I feel like the dance community in the city is really great.

[47:48] Eila Mell: Yeah, I just want to go back to something that you said very early about your weight. Not your weight in particular, but a dancer's weight.

[47:56] Ellenore Scott: That's right. That's still an issue. I mean, I know in the ballet world, it's absolutely an issue and it's a shame, right? Is it on Broadway? You know, I see dancers of all sizes now. Do you think that that's something that's still an issue?

[48:08] Ellenore Scott: I hope and believe that it's changing because I do think that shows are now opening up the scope of what characters are on stage and what stories we're telling. So I do think that inherently means different bodies on stage. You know, growing up, I thought I was always like a normal size and so when I was auditioning for these like dance companies and they were like, "You need to lose 15 pounds," I was like, "15 pounds? I was like, I'm only 5'6." Um, you're not overweight. That's like thing. It was crazy, right? No, it kind of made me realize like if that is more important than my artistry or my technique, then I don't need to be in this industry anymore. I do think that it's changing, but I also think that, you know, aesthetic and body type especially for like the concert dance world is so much about either like your lines and what does it look like and lifts and partnering.

So I do think that like, like you said in the ballet world and in the contemporary world, I still think that that is an issue, but I think for Broadway productions like, listen, I saw so many different beautiful bodies at the Jellicle Ball. I'm seeing so many different beautiful bodies in, you know, Hamilton and Wicked. And so I think that if the more important thing is can you sing right? Oh, no, you dance and can you understudy right? And I think that truly now, you know, obviously like typecasting I think is a little bit more of a thing of a past.

[49:40] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[49:41] Ellenore Scott: But I do think that now, especially for like ensemble dancers, like being able to get into vocal lessons and hold your own in an ensemble so that you can cover a principal is more important.

[49:56] Eila Mell: That's a great answer because, you know, it's just to see one person on stage who doesn't look like, you know, what you think you're supposed to look like can change someone's life.

[50:06] Ellenore Scott: Totally. Absolutely. Yes.

[50:12] Eila Mell: Not that you're not busy enough with your classes and your show with all these other things, but should our other than Titanique, which is forthcoming, should our listeners be on the lookout for anything that you might have coming that you can talk about?

[50:25] Ellenore Scott: I thought we have any listeners in Japan. "Funny Girl" is going to be opening in Japan. Oh, and so I'm gonna be heading there this summer to set the show. So if anyone is there, hajime maste! Be out there. I have a few things in the works that I cannot talk about right now, but one of them I am directing and choreographing, which is really exciting.

[50:46] Eila Mell: Congratulations!

[50:46] Ellenore Scott: Thank you so much! So stay tuned for that. Um, but yeah, I think, you know, Titanique is going to be opening April 12th at the St. James Theatre. So yes, and after that, I am excited to be a mom. I'm excited that like now, you know, I used to kind of like, I think all artists in the city dread the like, "Okay, the job is over. What am I gonna do? I can I have to wait for the next gig and I'm stressing." I now get to like hang out with my son at home.

[51:15] Eila Mell: Yeah, that's...

[51:15] Ellenore Scott: I get to like play the part of mom, which is really thrilling and exciting. And so now I'm actually appreciating some downtime, whereas before I would like dread it. I'm really thrilled to be able to come home and spend time with my son Ford and my husband Trey. My husband Trey is a playwright, so although it's not necessarily a show that I'm working on, he's doing a show called "A Bit" that's happening in the spring. So I'm excited to be an audience, and him and I are working on some shows together as well, hopefully that he is writing and that I either can direct or I can choreograph for. So that's something that's in the works as well.

[51:51] Eila Mell: What does that look like for you now? Right, you know, in the past you probably would just, "I got to go to Japan, hop on a plane and you're off and going." But now you have a newborn and a husband. Obviously your son is young enough where you could just pack him and bring him. But is it, are you able to bring your family with you?

[52:06] Ellenore Scott: We know we spoke with like the "Mincemeat" cast, the original, and some of them said like this is wonderful and great and living every dream I possibly have, but I miss my family and I miss my dogs and then...

[52:20] Ellenore Scott: Well, I love "Operation Mincemeat" so...

[52:26] Eila Mell: Yes.

[52:26] Ellenore Scott: And now for their new cast as well. I feel really lucky that I booked "Funny Girl" was happening in Japan before I found out I was pregnant. So I was like, "Let's do it!" And then I found out I was pregnant, like, "Oh no!" So I feel kind of lucky that we have some flexibility because we knew that this was a trip that I was going to do and that we were, I've always wanted to go to Japan. I like have been slowly studying Japanese basically my whole life. And so I'm really thrilled to be going. And so we kind of, my husband and I kind of decided we wanted to make it a family trip.

[53:04] Eila Mell: Oh, that's awesome!

[53:04] Ellenore Scott: So we, he plans to like take off two weeks with like PCO when I was after I delivered and then so his company luckily and thankfully gives him paternity leave. And so we like worked with his HR team to do six weeks of paternity leave in the summer. And so, you know, we're, I'm also very grateful that the team in Japan is like going to do a companion flight and let him come join and stay with Ford so I can bring Ford to Japan so that I can do a few weeks of teaching the choreography and working with the team there. And then we'll stay for like two more weeks and then actually get to have a vacation versus like it all done for work. Yeah, we're just really exciting. And I will say that like that can only happen because of paternity leaves.

That can only happen because the producers were open and willing to do a companion flight for us and to have a big enough space so that we can, you know, bring a little gravel bassinet for Ford because we about like seven months or eight months at the time. You know, so I'm always continuing to advocate for paternity maternity leaves and I think it's harder for like theater artists because you actually never know when you'll be pregnant or when you'll have a job or whatever. And so just being open about it, I think all of us are a little bit more open in talking about it with, you know, your teams and directors and producers and seeing like, "Hey, we have at Titanic right now, we like got a lactation room because one of the other actresses in the show, Sari Gallo, just had a baby two months ago. So we're gonna go have pumping parties together wearing what we're..."

[54:41] Eila Mell: So just asking for things that you need.

[54:41] Ellenore Scott: Like I remember at Lincoln Center as well when I was pregnant, I was like, "I just need a room so that I can like put my feet up because they're swelling and I'm dancing all day and I need to." So they accommodated me. So I think being able to just talk about it and ask for the things that we need and deserve is like the next step of like helping child care for theater artists.

[55:01] Eila Mell: Yeah, if you don't, the answer is always no if you don't ask.

[55:09] Ellenore Scott: That's right. But also, you know, your child is dependent on you for food. So, you know, it's very important that right can accommodate that.

[55:18] Ellenore Scott: That's right. And I'm, you know, I, you know, feeding your child is the most important. And so like being able to make that decision for you and your family is best and so grateful that they are accommodating him coming and that, yeah, I can come and that we can actually have a family vacation. I haven't been on a bait. That's the thing. It's like I went to London, I went to Paris for all of these shows. I was also working every day. So like I don't get to see anything. Be able to like actually go on vacation will be super exciting and you see the world's before you know, you're old.

[55:49] Eila Mell: Amazing.

[55:49] Ellenore Scott: You don't remember anything, but we'll have cute pictures of it.

[55:54] Eila Mell: That's right.

[55:58] Eila Mell: Well, thank you so much for joining us. You will just have to come back when you have your next projects when you can talk about it, you know, you're always welcome.

[56:05] Ellenore Scott: Thank you so much. I'm so grateful to be here for you both and taking the time to chat with me today.

[56:11] Eila Mell: Oh, everyone, Titanique, Ragtime, Little Shop of Horrors. I mean, there's so much of Ellenore on and off Broadway. A little taste of everything.

[56:21] Ellenore Scott: You know what? I mean, if you're feeling a little emotional, go see Ragtime. If you want to laugh with Titanique, if you want to just see a classical musical theater show, go see Little Shop. Say something for everyone and much more to come in the future. We can't wait to see what happens. So yeah, this is just the beginning.

[56:37] Ellenore Scott: That's just the beginning. Thank you both so, so very much and we will see everyone next time on Behind the Awards. Bye.