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[0:00] Eila Mell: Thank you so much to the Academy. As random and as subjective as this award is, it means a great deal in a year of extraordinary, yet again, extraordinary performances by women.

[0:13] Bruce Gotlieb: Amy Adams, everything you do, but your performance in American Hustle blew my mind. And Meryl, what can I say? Sandra, I could watch that performance to the end of time, and I sort of felt like I had. Julia, hashtag suck it. You know what I mean? And Judi Dench, I mean, what a career. She's not here tonight, because at the age of 79, her film was so successful that she's in India doing a sequel. I mean, what a career that is, if I could hope.

[0:48] Eila Mell: Hello and welcome to Behind the Awards. I'm Eila. I'm here with Bruce.

[1:03] Bruce Gotlieb: Hello. Good morning.

[1:04] Eila Mell: How are you?

[1:05] Bruce Gotlieb: I'm doing well. How are you?

[1:07] Eila Mell: I'm good. Well, that was a fun clip from Cate Blanchett.

[1:08] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. You know, I love when the nominees kind of have their own little community, those inside little jokes that we have no idea what they're talking about.

[1:17] Eila Mell: I like how she did like a tribute to each woman, and now that's what they do at the actual Oscars.

[1:25] Bruce Gotlieb: That's right. She might have been the trend maker.

[1:31] Eila Mell: Maybe. It took them a while to get there. And I like that. So, did you watch the Oscars?

[1:37] Bruce Gotlieb: Of course. Right. Of course. You know, it's kind of our business awards.

[1:43] Eila Mell: That's right. So, biggest surprise of the night?

[1:50] Bruce Gotlieb: For me was Demi Moore not winning.

[1:58] Eila Mell: Yeah, I know. She handled it well.

[2:04] Bruce Gotlieb: I thought so. I mean, listen, she's had a wonderful awards season. She's gotten such wonderful recognition.

[2:10] Eila Mell: Yeah. I'm sure there's a part of her that really wanted the Oscar.

[2:18] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. You wonder, was this her only chance? But, you know, for me, Mikey Madison deserved it. It was the better performance. It was the better written part.

[2:24] Eila Mell: Okay. So, I'm really glad she won.

[2:30] Bruce Gotlieb: You know, I feel better for Demi.

[2:36] Eila Mell: Of course. Of course. What was your highlight? What was your favorite moment of the show?

[2:44] Bruce Gotlieb: I think Paul Tazewell winning for costumes.

[2:52] Eila Mell: Sure. Making history for a black costume designer.

[2:56] Bruce Gotlieb: Male. But it was a fun show, I thought.

[3:02] Eila Mell: I thought it was. My favorite moment was the Wicked opening.

[3:05] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, that was really good.

[3:13] Eila Mell: It was amazing. I loved Ariana's ruby red dress with the shoe on the back. It was just perfect.

[3:22] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes. I loved the design of the cloud with the rainbow lights that she stood in as she was singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I just thought it was done so well.

[3:30] Eila Mell: They should have done that, moved right on to the first award. We didn't need Conan O'Brien's whatever he was trying to do.

[3:37] Bruce Gotlieb: I thought you liked it. You didn't like Conan.

[3:41] Eila Mell: I liked Conan.

[3:43] Bruce Gotlieb: No. Needs to stay home next year.

[3:46] Eila Mell: Oh, no. Yes. I know. I love Conan O'Brien.

[3:52] Bruce Gotlieb: All right. I can tell you amongst people that I was talking to last night, me and those people were on the same page.

[3:59] Eila Mell: Okay. All right. Well, I'll be in the minority for Conan. That's all right.

[4:05] Bruce Gotlieb: That's all right. I'm sure most people are.

[4:07] Eila Mell: Yes. Well, so we have a good episode today. A good interview with Kevin Csolak.

[4:12] Bruce Gotlieb: We do. Speaking of Oscars and award-winning shows, we have someone who was lucky enough to tell us some stories about filming West Side Story.

[4:18] Eila Mell: I know. Working with Steven Spielberg. That's really cool. Let's not wait. Let's bring out Kevin Csolak.

[4:25] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely. So, Kevin, you saw Gypsy.

[4:30] Kevin Csolak: I sure did. For me, Tulsa is such a highlight. It's such a great featured role.

[4:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely. We're lucky enough today to have Kevin Csolak who plays Tulsa in the new Gypsy. Welcome, Kevin.

[4:43] Kevin Csolak: Thanks for having me.

[4:45] Bruce Gotlieb: Thank you so much for joining us. There's so much to talk about, but my first question to you is, besides your show, what's the last Broadway show or even off-Broadway that you got to see?

[4:54] Kevin Csolak: The last one I got to see actually was something that I was in. Well, no. Okay. Well, I was in The Outsiders and I jumped into doing Gypsy very quickly, but I did get to see Drag the Musical, actually. Right in between. It's the only thing that I got to see in between. I have a bunch of friends in it, Nick Adams and Lacey LaFontaine, and I got to see both of them in it and both of them shine. I absolutely loved it. It was such a good time.

[5:30] Eila Mell: We had Nick on the show talking about Drag.

[5:32] Kevin Csolak: Oh, you did?

[5:33] Eila Mell: Yes. Yes, we did. I got to see Drag.

[5:36] Kevin Csolak: Excellent. It's a lot of fun. I saw it myself. It's just a good time all around.

[5:41] Kevin Csolak: Oh, my God. The I'm Just Brendan, I don't know if that's the name of the song, but just crying, weeping. Weeping. Oh, my God.

[5:48] Eila Mell: Yeah. Yeah. It's incredible. When you joined The Outsiders, had you already auditioned for Gypsy? Did you know that was a possibility? How did that work?

[5:56] Kevin Csolak: No, I didn't. I had no idea. I had jumped into The Outsiders last minute. I literally joined, I think, the week after they opened because someone got injured, unfortunately, who was a close friend of mine. They reached out to me and I jumped in there really fast. I think I had maybe about two weeks, a week and a half of rehearsal and jumped in. I think we were two and a half, maybe three months into the run of The Outsiders that I got the audition for Gypsy.

[6:30] Kevin Csolak: Immediately, I just was like, oh, I need to do everything that I can to get into this audition and prepare myself. I think it was about two, three weeks maybe of auditioning for Gypsy, going and singing All I Need is the Girl and doing the scenes as Tulsa and then going at night and performing in The Outsiders, which if you've seen it or if anyone's seen it, we say the word Tulsa a lot in that show.

[6:54] Eila Mell: Yes, you sure do.

[6:56] Kevin Csolak: You're sort of manifesting this role.

[6:58] Kevin Csolak: Every night. No, I truly was. It's the same stage door that The Majestic and The Jacobs you go into. Even just walking in that door and hitting the button for The Jacobs, I was looking at The Majestic button or looking at the stage door for The Majestic being like, please, please, please, I'll do anything. But yeah, it was crazy and all worked out.

[7:30] Kevin Csolak: Then actually, I found out that I had booked Tulsa when I still had about four or five performances left with The Outsiders before I left. I don't know if I just do this, but I think a lot of artists, when you book something, you kind of want to hold it to yourself for a little bit towards everyone else's. So just me and my family and a couple of close friends knew, and it was interesting doing all those four shows, having known and no one else on stage knowing, but soon everyone knew.

[8:02] Eila Mell: Yeah, that is hard to keep secret.

[8:04] Kevin Csolak: It was like the secret that kept getting kind of unveiled a little bit prematurely.

[8:10] Eila Mell: Yeah, I feel like it was on Instagrams and TikToks, and then all of a sudden it was like, oh, people know. It's crazy how the Broadway community is small. We're strong and small.

[8:20] Kevin Csolak: Once the rumor of Audra was out there, forget it. People were crazy.

[8:25] Eila Mell: Yes. Oh, my God. Well, because I feel like especially with Audra, I think it's a feeling of celebration when news travels fast, that's good news, and people are excited about it, as they should be, because you saw Audra.

[8:39] Kevin Csolak: Yeah.

[8:40] Eila Mell: Oh, what she does every day is remarkable.

[8:43] Kevin Csolak: So was Tulsa always a dream role?

[8:45] Kevin Csolak: Yes, Tulsa was always within kind of the scope of, because I grew up dancing, singing, and acting. I grew up doing everything. I feel like my mom owns a performing arts school in New Jersey, so I kind of had no choice growing up. It kind of was like, oh, my brother's danced and sang, and I kind of was just like, oh, this is what people do.

[9:06] Kevin Csolak: It wasn't until you go to school and kids start finding out, oh, you're a little different, and they want to poke fun at that, that I was like, oh, I'm doing something that's maybe off the beaten path for someone coming from a rural town in New Jersey, where when I was a kid, there was a dirt racing track in the center of the hometown. To give you a very farmland, to give you perspective.

[9:30] Kevin Csolak: But yeah, I think because of being a kind of a triple threat from a young age without knowing what that really was, I just was having fun. I think any role that kind of I could aim at that would allow me to do all three things is something that I always dreamed of. And so this is like, you know, doing the show every night and just being a part of this process has like opened up so much of myself to just, because I'm able to do all three things.

[9:56] Kevin Csolak: It's not like, okay, you're an actor today. And I use my dance, even when I'm just doing it, acting in film or TV, or if I'm just dancing, you know, you're still an actor, you're kind of you're all encompassing, I think, as a performing artist. But this is something where it's like, okay, you're going to dance and you're going to act and you're going to have to sing. So it's a and be on stage with Audra and Danny Burstein, like, enjoy. It's like, it's not just any show you're having to go for it. So yeah, it's a blessing. It's a blessing every day, every night. It's wonderful.

[10:30] Eila Mell: And it's such a featured role. I mean, you get that song and it's just it's really such a special moment in the show.

[10:36] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, it's Yeah, every I don't take it for granted. I'll say that. I mean, I feel like eight weeks, sometimes on a Broadway show, it's easy for some people to be like, okay, here we go. It's just a matinee. But I truly approach every show with such heart and patience and meditation so that you know, it never kind of fades in any way. I don't think I don't think it will. I think I'm I'm cool to sit on this for a while and then just let it ride.

[11:00] Eila Mell: Yeah, why not?

[11:02] Kevin Csolak: When I saw it, of course, there's, you know, the energy outside coming into the theater. Everyone's excited whether for whatever reason, there were people online that flew up to see Gypsy itself, because it was something that they knew and loved. People online, you know, for Audrey, you know, for each and every one of you for different reasons. People always come to a show for different reasons.

[11:30] Kevin Csolak: But I will say when you were done with your number, the place erupted, like it just, what is that energy like every night?

[11:36] Kevin Csolak: It's, I mean, it's, it's hard to describe, I think, because also, I think the way George, our director, really, it's interesting how he directed what I was interested in watching, because he very much uses the audience as a player within the scene that you're doing.

[11:54] Kevin Csolak: There's a lot of people I've seen the show and they're like, wow, some things like finish and you're driving right to the next scene. So he there's, there's a specific part in my number where people used to clap or sometimes they still do and they get in there, but he doesn't want people to clap. He's like, he wants me to drive forward into the lines in the middle of the dance so that it's in the part where I say and then she appears.

[12:20] Kevin Csolak: There's a lull in the music and people always clap for the first like couple weeks of previews. And he was like, I want to get past that. I say that because it's always a shock because when there isn't really any audience interaction, I'm doing this whole like five minute dance number. And at the very end, it's like this wall of sound because you kind of, I get lost in the story, you get lost in the dance of it and you're just kind of enjoying it and, and living within the, you know, within the footlights and everything.

[13:04] Eila Mell: Welcome back to Behind the Awards. Today, we have a fantastic guest, Kevin Csolak, who is known for his incredible role as Tulsa in Gypsy.

[13:34] Bruce Gotlieb: That's right! Kevin has also worked with Stephen Spielberg in the latest West Side Story film. We can't wait to hear all about his experiences.

[13:59] Eila Mell: Kevin, it’s great to have you here. Let’s dive into your journey. How did you get started in the performing arts?

[14:27] Kevin Csolak: Thanks for having me! My artistic journey began in my mother's dance studio in New Jersey. I grew up surrounded by dance and performance, which really shaped my passion for the arts.

[14:47] Bruce Gotlieb: That’s amazing! And you’ve had such a diverse career, from Broadway to film and television. What was it like stepping into the role of Tulsa in Gypsy?

[15:07] Kevin Csolak: Playing Tulsa was a dream come true. The energy of the show and the character really resonated with me. It was a challenging role, but I loved every moment of it.

[15:27] Eila Mell: I can imagine! And you also originated the role of A-Rab in Ivo van Hove’s West Side Story on Broadway. How did that experience compare?

[15:47] Kevin Csolak: It was a completely different experience. Working with Ivo was incredible; he has such a unique vision. The choreography and direction really pushed me as a performer.

[16:07] Bruce Gotlieb: Speaking of unique experiences, you performed with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl! How did that come about?

[16:27] Kevin Csolak: That was surreal! I had just finished performing in Gypsy and then jumped right into rehearsals for Mean Girls. It was a whirlwind, but an unforgettable experience.

[16:47] Eila Mell: Wow, what a transition! And now, looking back at your career, what do you think has been the most significant moment for you?

[17:07] Kevin Csolak: I think each role has brought something special, but winning the Tony Award for The Outsiders was definitely a highlight. It was a validation of all the hard work I’ve put in.

[17:27] Bruce Gotlieb: That’s fantastic! And speaking of awards, let’s talk about some of the best moments from the 2025 Oscars. What stood out to you?

[17:47] Kevin Csolak: There were so many incredible moments! Cate Blanchett’s win for Blue Jasmine was a highlight, and I loved seeing Mikey Madison take home the award over Demi Moore.

[18:07] Eila Mell: Those were definitely memorable moments! And Paul Tazewell’s historic win for Wicked was groundbreaking as well.

[18:27] Kevin Csolak: Absolutely! It’s great to see such talent being recognized. And the opening number with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo was just stunning.

[18:47] Bruce Gotlieb: It really was! The energy they brought to the stage was electric. What do you think makes a performance like that so special?

[19:07] Kevin Csolak: I think it’s all about the connection with the audience. When performers are fully in the moment and sharing their passion, it creates an unforgettable experience.

[19:27] Eila Mell: Well said! And as someone who has been in both film and theater, how do you think the two mediums differ in terms of performance?

[19:47] Kevin Csolak: They’re quite different! In theater, you have the immediate feedback from the audience, which can be exhilarating. Film, on the other hand, allows for more subtlety and nuance in performance.

[20:07] Bruce Gotlieb: That’s a great perspective. And you’ve had the chance to work with some amazing directors and actors throughout your career. Who has influenced you the most?

[20:27] Kevin Csolak: I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented people, but I’d say Stephen Spielberg has had a significant impact on me. His storytelling and vision are truly inspiring.

[20:47] Eila Mell: That’s incredible! And as you continue your journey, what are you looking forward to in the future?

[21:07] Kevin Csolak: I’m excited about exploring new roles and projects. I love the challenge of stepping into different characters and telling their stories.

[21:27] Bruce Gotlieb: We can’t wait to see what you do next! Thank you so much for joining us today, Kevin.

[21:55] Kevin Csolak: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure.

[22:23] Eila Mell: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in to Behind the Awards. Be sure to check out Kevin’s work and join us next time for more incredible stories from the world of theater and film.

[22:43] Bruce Gotlieb: Until next time, keep celebrating excellence in the arts!

[23:03] Eila Mell: Bye everyone!

[23:23] Kevin Csolak: Bye!

[23:51] Bruce Gotlieb: Take care!

[24:09] Kevin Csolak: And then I also one of my things that I love to do is sometimes my roommate in my dressing room, Brandon Burks, who's an old friend of mine actually, and this is his first Broadway show and we got to do this together, which is amazing. I'll do this thing where I go like, how did I, how did that one sound? Because him being a close friend, you know, I always have, you know, as performers, there's always that little bit of us like, so that one note felt a little weird. Did it sound weird? He's like, no, it didn't sound. So, you know, a little bit of reflection, a little bit of insecurity that pops up. And then I kind of relax and then I have, I am in the second act. I don't know if you caught it.

I am in the second act, so I kind of have about a 15 minutes and then I hear them singing together, "Wherever We Go," and that's when I just head downstairs. Act two is very social for me; act one is very locked in. Act two backstage is social. I go, we have a snack time in the wardrobe room. I go and I sit with the wardrobe team. We hang out for a little bit and chat. I guess the other members of the cast, the other principals who are just in the second act, like Leslie and Melinda and Lily, so it's like a little interactions. It's kind of my second act and then I get in that unitard. Yeah, I get ready for Gardner.

[25:17] Bruce Gotlieb: Which act is more fun for you, the performing or the hanging out?

[25:23] Kevin Csolak: You know, show to show, you know, I would say overall act one. But, you know, sometimes act one can be a little tough, yeah. But I think it's such a release of energy that like, I think I really love it. Honestly, act two is harder sometimes because of all the downtime. It just, it pulls, you know, versus act one, you're on the train. You got to go right.

[25:48] Bruce Gotlieb: Separate from Broadway, television, and film, I can't ask many people this question. What was it like to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show?

[25:54] Kevin Csolak: Oh man, it was absolutely, no, it was that was speaking of, I mean, it's, yeah, crazy and another dream, another dream that doesn't feel real. I think when I went to Pace University for a year of theater and then I had to take a pause for loans and all the, you know, all that stuff, but I went out to LA and in my goal, one of my goals was I was training for acting in film and TV and one of my other goals was to perform with Justin Timberlake. One of my mentors is, hey, one of his dancers and like assistant choreographer and I just kind of like three years of driving at that goal and long story short, I booked Mean Girls. I came back for a final callback from Mean Girls, I booked Mean Girls. I went back to LA and I was packing up my apartment and while packing up my apartment, knowing that I was gonna leave LA in about a month, I found out I got a call about the Super Bowl and they were like, hey, Super Bowl's, I'm like, let's say this is probably gonna be wrong, but like February 4th, can you do it?

And I was like, yes, hung up the phone. I was running around elated and then I was like, oh wait, rehearsals for Mean Girls start early February and I found out they started the next day. So I'm like the fifth, let's say. So I called up Casey Nicholaw and I was like, sir, is it okay if I missed the first day? And he was like, I prefer not. And I said, okay, that's your Casey Nicholaw. I will figure it out. And I ended up doing the Super Bowl and then jumped right to a plane. We got on like a 1 a.m. flight and flew and had first day of rehearsal for Mean Girls. But the Super Bowl, that was just, just because that was crazy. I had to say that, but the Super Bowl was, it was my first time using like in-ears.

It was a crowd that kind of was unfathomable in the moment. It's like sure, in Minnesota, I think it was like a 66,000, like 66,000 people, it's like seat stadium. And with the in-ears, because you're getting your sound so right directly there, you just kind of, you feel the wall of sound of the people. Like when they scream, it really is like a vibration that you feel as well as like a distant echo of the songs that you're hearing in your ear coming from different angles. And so it truly felt larger than life and I don't think my adrenaline has ever been pumping more in that moment. I think it was like, it was like opening night of Gypsy, but like maybe add a little extra, extra people in the house, you know?

And you're getting Audra like right here in your ear, you know, you're getting her, you know, it just all the elements put together, it kind of just like bubbles you up. But it was unlike anything I've ever done. It was, it was an also, it I felt like that experience kind of wrapped up my training in that was three years in LA. It kind of like checked a box in a crazy way, but also made me go, okay, my chapter in LA for now is kind of complete and I can kind of go back to New York and go back to Broadway, which keeps pulling me back because I love it.

[28:48] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, not a bad way to punctuate it.

[28:51] Kevin Csolak: God, I mean, I just, yeah, I look back on whenever I do podcasts or I talk, I look back. I just feel so blessed and honored with just the journey that my life and my career has taken. I think I feel like I always never, I always have goals, but I feel like a lot of the time I just kind of keep my head down and keep training and just, you know, the Gypsy audition pulls up and I just go, okay, that there's that goalpost now, right? And I just feel so blessed that kind of like, you know, life has kind of allowed me these spaces to kind of grow.

[29:23] Bruce Gotlieb: Are there any dream roles that you are pursuing or hope to pursue?

[29:26] Kevin Csolak: Oh, I mean right now, I think I just want to do something. I think right now I would love to do something that's just completely people would just be like, you're doing that? Or like, what? Like, I didn't know you could do that. Yeah, like just like out of my comfort zone, out of my box. The MC in Cabaret, I think would be so fun. I would love to just kind of go, you know, go balls to the wall and get in there and just see, just being and gives you the movement is so interesting and just, and just play with that. That's really what's coming to mind initially, but I also want to do a straight play. Yeah, that's just, just a straight play. I was in final, I was in callbacks for the Romeo and Juliet production, so there's been a couple things where I've been kind of like, oh maybe actually that is possible.

Yeah, so some sort of play would be amazing. I mean, I would love to also work on the West and I also know Dirty Dancing's coming back and The Greatest Showman, Casey Nicholaw, if you're listening, that's right, consider me. But I don't know, those either of those would be fantastic. Yeah, and I think, I mean, I would just love to create from the ground up. I mean, I think as any performer, if you get the opportunity, that I think is just, you know, binds the cast together. It really takes your full self as an artist. So I think if I had the blessing to do that again, something like that would be great.

[30:43] Bruce Gotlieb: All of that sounds amazing.

[30:49] Kevin Csolak: That's what I mean, right? Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, yeah, dreams, dreams. Hopefully catch it, you know, absolutely.

[30:57] Kevin Csolak: Hi, this is Kevin Csolak and we'll be right back with Behind the Awards.

[31:02] Bruce Gotlieb: What did you learn from working with George? And when we say George, it's George C. Wolfe, of course, the amazing.

[31:09] Kevin Csolak: Yes. Oh my god, the incomparable. He, um, he's so, I learned a lot about just like, he, I feel like a lot of the times his direction was driving at just kind of who these people are in their baseline, like who they are at like the baseline and what they really need. But also that like, what did he say? One of the things he said was like, he was like, you're not helping anyone if any of these scenes is just another day. None of these scenes are just another day. They are the day that changes the course of your life as a character. So I think it was always just talking about stakes. I think that that really like, you know, why did Arthur Lawrence put that word there? You know, why is it, you know, why is it all I need and not all I want is a girl?

You know, it changes things and it kind of just puts everything a little extra fire under everything. So, yeah, I think stakes, I think I really learned that. I really learned and I feel like I'm trying to infuse that into every show just like it's not just another show. It's, it's the show of the moment of this character. So I think those are all things that I'm trying to take into every show, but he's also a silly goose. I will say George, he takes it so seriously, so obviously like the one of the directors of our time, but he's also a goofball and he's having such a good time and he makes himself laugh, you know. So I think that's also what any, what you hope with any production that you're a part of is that you take it with the utmost seriousness, but also you can play because that's what we're doing, right? We're putting on a play. We're having fun. We're in the sandbox. So I think, yeah, those two things, I think I really rubbed off on me.

[32:45] Bruce Gotlieb: George is so interesting. I spoke to him for one of my books and we talked about him as a young director and he said that a lot of what he learned came from going to previews of shows.

[32:58] Kevin Csolak: But he would go over and over to the same show and see how the director changed the show in previews. So when you said before that the audience is, you know, important to him, it always was even from the very beginning because he would watch the previews, see how the audience would react and then see how the director interpreted that and changed the show. I just think that's such a fascinating approach.

[33:19] Bruce Gotlieb: It's so fast, but it makes so much and it's such a part of it, right?

[33:22] Kevin Csolak: Like, yeah, and it really adds an extra element of awareness that I think really helps with Broadway shows because depending on what the crowd is that day, it can adjust the show completely, right? You know, and then, but then also I think, you know, we had some discussions like, okay, what if the audience is pretty quiet? What do we drive at? And he's like, you drive at the truth, truth of the moment and you keep pushing on because even if they're not reactive, like they're with you. They're just maybe a little extra focused versus, you know, don't think that they're like, you know, not with you, right? You could have a quiet audience that is still really engaged and really in the piece, but they're just, they're just quiet.

Yeah, but as a performer, you know, there's those little insecurities like, yo, that I didn't get that laugh that I usually get, right? And you know, and it's easy to get in your head about that or, or just, you know, you're used to a beat there and you're like, oh, but then also maybe, I mean personally, I think that's okay. That's a moment to check myself. Okay, is my character waiting for a beat there or am I just, or is my performer? Am I getting into my performer head versus in the moment into the back into that truth? Right. So, but it's a great kind of barometer while you're performing and it's also hard because as the character, you know, you're not supposed to be really thinking about the audience, but then you're a person, so, you know, there's a lot going on.

[34:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, because you have to know the next line that you say is a plot point. You're like, okay, I can't just like drive through that while the audience is cheering or talking or laughing.

[34:44] Kevin Csolak: So it's, it's, that's what's fun though about it. You know, you kind of have to have like three brains going on at the same time.

[34:49] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Yeah, and it's different every night, you know, you don't just capture it once and move on.

[34:55] Kevin Csolak: No, yeah. One of the best things is coming off stage and looking to your castmate being like, okay, well this is this kind of audience or wow that like, all right, okay, you know. I always do say that though to friends who are coming to see Broadway or going to see shows, I'm like be vocal, you know. You know, be vocal enough that the person in front of you kind of turns back and they're like, you know, look at you because that's what happens whenever I go see a show. I am so vocal and like, yeah, appropriately. Yeah, but people who don't usually come to Broadway or have performers in the audience, they're always like, sir, be quiet. I can't, they're giving me life.

[35:30] Kevin Csolak: That's right. Yeah. My friend up there, I know that person. Yeah, I know that person and I'm gonna scream so that they know.

[35:37] Bruce Gotlieb: Now, do you ever find that audiences get a little mad at Tulsa because he chooses June and not Louise?

[35:45] Kevin Csolak: You know, I, overall, yeah, can you imagine? I finish probably like, they just boo me. You know, it's funny. I actually, the reaction that I have gotten, I've never gotten any messages, but it's more friends that are like, I thought you were gonna go with Louise. I was such a beautiful moment, like who don't know Gypsy, right? I have more friends who kind of get that reaction. This is, um, I haven't had any. Has there been anyone for stage joy? I think there's maybe one person.

[36:13] Kevin Csolak: But you know, we all find our pockets, you know as you do with a show that you can be like, okay, here's our moment. Here's a little bit that we do. Yeah, but it's really it's really great. No, it's having such a wide range of experience age and you know, just personalities within the cast it makes the job like we're I feel like we're already like five months in just kind of doing the gig and having fun. Do you think there will be more movies in the future? I hope so. Yeah. Yeah, I hope so. No, I really do. I think that's what I love about Broadway and film alike is that you get to perform something that has such an arc whereas TV, you know, I did my first TV show a couple years ago and like you didn't know what you were doing the next week in the show like right sure do it, you know, you never knew so it was it's it's a little more trust in the writers that like you know that you're arcing it with them kind of holding the driver's seat whereas with film you kind of get to go okay, here's the whole spectrum of where this character kind of flows and I love that about film, you know, there's something great about film where you kind of can like you go into your corners everyone goes into their corner right and you all come into the center and create this thing and like every day in the moment.

But yeah, I would say I would love to do more film. I mean my old the dream I mean my dream dream is to be able to do film and then pop back to Broadway and go back and forth but as I've always done I'm just gonna keep just taking what's in front of me take you take each audition and just you know, go for it. And for now just dance my little butt off every night.

[40:15] Eila Mell: So you're pretty young and you've already worked with Steven Spielberg, George Seawolf, Audra McDonald. Yeah, I mean you've been in multiple Broadway shows. It's pretty amazing. So if you keep on this track, it's just gonna be incredible.

[40:27] Kevin Csolak: Thank you, thank you, we're gonna be having conversation with someone who's like, oh my god, I got to work with Kevin. Yes. Oh my god. No, that's uh, I can't that I can't wrap my head around. Yeah, right. No.

[40:44] Eila Mell: Let's be friends come like let's hang out.

[40:50] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, it's it's remarkable to think that people are kind of looking at me and you know how as I look at all these people that I'm performing with every night? Yeah, but you know, I'm just gonna keep having fun doing my thing and like, you know, I mean if anyone wants to hang out I'm down get in the studio and dance. Why not? Have you and your brother got to work together yet?

[41:09] Eila Mell: I was just gonna say do you think your brother would do a piece together?

[41:12] Kevin Csolak: We need to know we need to we have been so busy with our shows that we've been wanting to create something just ourselves but we want to do something professionally together. Of course, we want to you know, we're like, okay, you know, what can we do side-by-side, you know, you know a lot of these MGM films have the two guys. Yes, you know what? They're gonna remake anything but we have some of our own ideas that we're kind of stirring up to kind of throw out there so maybe you know, keep your eyes peeled.

[41:38] Eila Mell: Well, if you do you have to come back and tell us all about it.

[41:42] Kevin Csolak: That's right. Yeah, we're so done. Yeah, we can totally come back and tell you all about it.

[41:47] Eila Mell: Professionally been up or not. Maybe not for the same part, but in the same going to the same auditions for maybe you know shows that have multiple people that you guys would each fit separately.

[41:54] Kevin Csolak: Yes, that's happened before and a lot of times it also happens in TV and film to where I'm like mmm Kurt you'd be like we're definitely I definitely throw things his way or like, you know, even The Outsiders was looking for I think I got like a like a principal kind of swing to come in and I was like Kurt you should into this or other shows and stuff and um, there's been a couple things that he's actually from our little back-and-forth where he's booked or I've kind of gotten close to so we've definitely you know, yeah, we're definitely helping each other out in that regards.

[42:20] Eila Mell: Well, no, no, no competition all healthy healthy back and forth. That's great. I would be very unhealthy in that situation.

[42:26] Kevin Csolak: No, I think we all we both we both cheers to my mom. We both definitely operate in the sense of like what's what's meant for me will come to me. Yeah, like, you know unless you are literally leave look like my twin which you know Kurt where we can know we don't we were different. No, we're down to help each other out and you know, we're we're all trying to not just get the next job because you know how this this this job is right? Yeah, you finish Gypsy and I'll send you account okay, back to the back to auditioning right? Am I ever gonna work again? Yeah. Yeah, right.

[43:05] Eila Mell: Yeah, well hopefully we'll see you in Gypsy for a long time to come as long as you want to be there.

[43:13] Kevin Csolak: Yes. Thank you. And hopefully the show will go on for a long time because it should people still you know, it's hard to get a ticket. So people a lot of people are demanding tickets for this.

[43:22] Eila Mell: Yes, as they should be at least at least for Andra cuz dang, huh? She is doing the work up there and she is giving it her all every show.

[43:26] Kevin Csolak: No, I I thank you for that. I really hope that we get to keep this love and story going for a long time. I have a friend who actually texted me earlier today saying that she won a rush ticket and she was crying at her desk because she was so happy that she got to see it.

[43:43] Eila Mell: Oh, tell her I'll look out for I'll be there.

[43:48] Kevin Csolak: Okay. No. Yeah, it's a tough ticket to get but also everyone go to the box office. The box office people are nice and like, you know, they've been they've been giving some deals to friends and stuff so definitely, oh, it's much less expensive if you actually can get to the box office.

[44:05] Eila Mell: Yeah, I'll get a friend to get to the box office.

[44:10] Kevin Csolak: Yes, right take that's dinner. It's worth it. Yeah, it's the way to go. It'll be great. No. Yeah, you're you will laugh. You'll cry this show I think it gives you I think it's you know, arguably one of the best musicals as we know that's why there's so many versions and they've all been you know, well, most of them anyway have been hugely successful.

[44:26] Eila Mell: Yeah, yes. No. Oh my god. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and in each one kind of brings a new powerhouse of a team of cast that we've you know that that really can that's right. Yeah.

[44:31] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, it's just a building block. It's built off the one before you.

[44:37] Eila Mell: Yeah, right. No, no truly. Yeah. I I tried to not watch too many of the old Tulsa's I tried to like just get the essence of each one just to be like, okay. All right. All right now now what how do I drive at that? You know what's interesting to me about Tulsa that he is pretty generic you could bring any kind of personality you want to it you just need specific talents to be able to do the part.

[44:59] Kevin Csolak: Mm-hmm. You just gotta be able to twirl a little bit. That's right. It is true no, it is true Tulsa it's definitely like sometimes can be seen as a as a plop in the story that's kind of maybe a little random but I think if you really drive that kind of like the freedom and that and that that dream and yeah, really sore within that essence of those feelings not love. I think it really can do a beautiful thing for Louisa's.

[45:28] Eila Mell: Yeah. Yeah, it brings a lot of heart to Louise.

[45:33] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, oh my god, yeah, like when we're laughing together at the end of the dance like it's just I'm I'm literally there's moments where I'm looking at her. I'm just like, oh, you don't know what's coming next. No, and I'm sorry and I'm sorry, but I'm gonna go hang out fracture that's right that time.

[45:53] Eila Mell: Was Gavin McLeod the original Tulsa?

[45:57] Kevin Csolak: I think he was one of them. Anyway, well Paul Wallace was one of the first.

[46:03] Eila Mell: Okay, I think because I think Paul Wallace he was one of them but Paul Wallace was the first that then did the film as well. Okay, the most recent was Tony Yazbeck.

[46:07] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, Robert Lambert actually who was Titan dailies Tulsa reached out to me it was like our first weekend of previews and sent me this whole email kind of like beautifully tat like passing the torch along to me. Oh, wow and kind of like, you know, he said that past Tulsa's had did that to him and he hopes that I do that you know moving forward and I just cried. No, it was, you know, beautiful.

[46:30] Eila Mell: Yeah, cuz you know, you're part of these productions and you're kind of just like running at every day, you know your your homework and your job and I think it's it's it's in moments you find the perspective of what this really is and that was one of those moments that I just was like, oh take my heart.

[46:47] Kevin Csolak: Yeah. And he said but now I think he's a casting director in LA. Oh, he said that. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I was like let's hang out but I'm he's gonna come see it and I think actually I heard that Tony Yazbeck's gonna come see it pretty soon.

[47:01] Eila Mell: I know I'm gonna you have to get pictures of all of them.

[47:06] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, no, I'm gonna be over the moon. Oh my gosh, Tony Yazbeck is so good in the Aaron Hernandez story on Hulu. Have you guys?

[47:12] Eila Mell: No, I haven't seen it yet.

[47:15] Kevin Csolak: And yeah, and also one of my good friends is from the West Side problems in that.

[47:20] Eila Mell: Ah.

[47:24] Kevin Csolak: Who did I play Josh Rivera, he plays sir, Aaron. Oh, wow. Yeah, so I have to watch that's on my list. I think you know, I haven't really been watching too many things.

[47:30] Eila Mell: No, no, you're a little busy.

[47:33] Kevin Csolak: It's tough it's tough. So I think I'm gonna start I'm gonna start maybe next week start watching some of that and that's all I was on my last on my list.

[47:39] Eila Mell: Hop watch. Well, we hope that you will come back soon and we are love to we hope that the show racks up lots of Tony nominations. We're gonna be rooting for it.

[47:53] Kevin Csolak: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[47:59] Eila Mell: Yes, yes, and we just love talking to you.

[48:03] Kevin Csolak: Yeah, I know I'm gonna I'm gonna keep doing my thing, you know, where I will be I will be on 44th Street. Thank you stick.

[48:06] Eila Mell: But no, I would love to come back here. Thank you for having me.

[48:10] Eila Mell: Absolutely. Well, we will see you next time on Behind the Awards.