This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Alan Seales: Hey, Kermit. Hey, Hermit. We're back. Yoda Kermit. Yes. Yeah. For those of you who have no idea what we're talking about. Most of you, I'm sure. Most of you. So this is gonna be a joint feed drop, I think. And so for those of you who don't know me, I'm Alan Seales with The Theatre Podcast. And who are you, Rob?

[0:18] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, that's such a hard question. You know, we could spend the whole time answering that. But I am Robert Peterpaul with The Art of Kindness Podcast. Hello. And yeah, we were both sitting next to each other at the Tony Awards the other night and doing Instagram reels and somehow came up with Hermit and Kermit that social media has been clamoring. We continue. So we broke the internet. We broke the internet with hashtag Kermit and Hermit. We gotta decide who comes first. Is it Kermit?

[0:42] Alan Seales: I think Kermit should come first. Let's give...

[0:49] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, really? Okay. Kermit needs respect.

[0:55] Alan Seales: Yeah, I'll leap on over to that. You are Kermit. You go first. You go first.

[1:04] Robert Peterpaul: Well, we were trying to figure out the names of the older Muppets that are always sitting up in the theater making grumpy comments, because that's what we kind of thought we would be like, but making nice comments. So I think it's Waldorf and Astoria, right?

[1:21] Alan Seales: That makes sense to me. Yeah. Or is it Plaza and Carlisle, where the after party was?

[1:25] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. So we're here to talk through the Wieners, the 76th, easy for you to say, the 76th Annual Tony Awards Antoinette Perry Award Wiener List and some nominees. And I'm curious, actually, because we didn't debrief. The press room is a crazy time of like, hurry up and get there and then wait, which is everything in the entertainment business. And then once the winners start coming in, obviously, we don't have a lot of downtime to chill. But let's just burn down the Wiener List. Let's do it. Because suddenly it's like, it was past midnight when we left. I mean, I don't think people realize it gets so late.

[2:11] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I didn't go to an after party and I got home at 1am.

[2:14] Alan Seales: I needed you to come with me because what happened was, Alan, we departed, I will say, with Victoria Clark, although she got in an Escalade and you waited for your Uber and I sashayed back to my hotel. I don't even know how to sashay. I got in my bed, it was pretty good, my pajamas. Thank you. And I thought, what am I doing? And so I resuited up, tied my tie and flew down to the official Tony's after party. And then it was closing. It was winding down when I got there.

[2:38] Robert Peterpaul: But didn't you get a golden Tony the Tiger cereal bowl, though?

[2:42] Alan Seales: I did. I did. And I want to apologize because they were shutting that area down and they had tons of bags and I just grabbed one and I ran like I usually do. And then I looked at the bowl and it had someone else's name personalized on it.

[2:51] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, it was somebody's personal bowl?

[2:57] Alan Seales: Yes, but they didn't take it.

[2:58] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, no.

[3:03] Alan Seales: I know. So I apologize to Alex Newell. I have your gold bowl.

[3:06] Robert Peterpaul: No, it's not. It's a random person's. I don't know whose it is.

[3:12] Alan Seales: Steve Johns. John Sousa Smith. Yes.

[3:16] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. But I missed you. I wish you came with me.

[3:21] Alan Seales: Well, I wish, you know, with all the gear, it's hard anyway, but we digress. So who won? Let's just start from the top of my Google search result here for 76 Tony award winners. Easy for you to say. Not really. So Kimberly Akimbo won over Some Like It Hot, Shucked, and Juliet, and New York, New York. Was that surprising to you? Expected?

[3:36] Robert Peterpaul: No, I did not. That's one of the few shows I did not see, which is really because now I need to run to get tickets and they're going to be through the roof. But I was not surprised just based on the scuttlebutt around town.

[3:52] Alan Seales: Should Sasha get tickets, though? Should I?

[3:55] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[3:59] Alan Seales: Yeah. I might tumble, take a hot air balloon, fly.

[4:00] Robert Peterpaul: No, I'll leave because I'm Kermit. And you won't go anywhere because you're Hermit.

[4:05] Alan Seales: I'll just go really slowly in a shell.

[4:07] Robert Peterpaul: But you saw it, right? So were you-

[4:09] Alan Seales: I am the shell of my former self. Yes, I did. I have seen all of the nominees, the nominated shows, and each of them I could see winning for different reasons. And I was telling everybody, I was like, I think like Some Like It Hot is one of my favorite. I mean, I could pick out a favorite for each one is a favorite for a different reason. So I'm not going to get into the specifics of that. We'll be here forever. But I told everybody, I said, Kimberly Akimbo is going to win. I called that one because I think it's just the one out of all of them that that's really like the most it feels like a smaller show in a good way. It's more intimate. If that makes sense.

[4:51] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, kind of in a Dear Evan Hansi way.

[4:56] Alan Seales: Evan Hansi. Evan Hansi way, I've heard. Hansi, Pansi. The new musical. Dear Pansi Hansi way. Pansi, I'm grappled.

[5:03] Robert Peterpaul: But from what I've gathered, that's our new name. It was such a beautiful-

[5:07] Alan Seales: I'll be Hansi. I kind of got that vibe. So if you didn't say that, I was just going to give it to you.

[5:11] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, good, good, good. Okay, Gretel. Hansi. It's a cabaret. It's the new character. Kermit Gretel. That's your full name now. Gretel. KG. But yeah, I'm not surprised. But I do feel like it was such a beautiful season with representation and lots of fun shows. And this one kind of feels like it maybe combined and took a little bit from everything in a way, kind of had a certain vibe. So I'm not surprised.

[5:36] Alan Seales: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think so too. And I mean, Bonnie Milligan, we'll get to because she won her Tony as well. And Victoria Clark won her Tony as well, both from that show. So well-deserved. But next on my list from Google search here is Jay Harrison G for Some Like It Hot. And I would have said, everyone asked me afterwards, like, were there any upsets? And I said, you know what? No, I don't think there were any upsets. I would have said, if Jay did not win, that would have upset. That would have been an upset. It would have upset you personally.

[6:05] Robert Peterpaul: It would have upset me. Yeah.

[6:11] Alan Seales: Yeah, I agree. And I think it was such a tight year. I mean, every person I could honestly see most nominees winning. But with him, yeah, I feel the same about you. He's just someone that everyone's been so in awe of, and so inspiring in so many ways. And they gave such a wonderful speech.

[6:30] Robert Peterpaul: I want to make sure I'm using the correct pronouns here. So I'm not surprised at all.

[6:35] Alan Seales: Yeah, yeah. Jay, we actually will throw it in here now, the question that we asked, but the, you know, Jay said, came out to me as non-binary for the first time publicly on my podcast when I first interviewed them. And if I, okay, edit note to self, put him first, speaking about that, and then our question. Okay, cool.

[6:58] Robert Peterpaul: On my Instagram, my pronouns are he, they, and even that confuses people sometimes. They're like, how are you non-binary, but still like identifying with the he side and like just be a, and that's one thing I feel like we as a culture and a world need to embrace more is the understanding that everybody's experience is uniquely their own thing. We're conditioned to see things a certain way. It's funny, like the minute I put makeup on, people automatically will give me feminine pronouns. And it's like, why can't I just be a human being and enjoy a cosmetic and a skirt? It doesn't happen. And so I, in sitting here, deciding, putting in my name and pronouns, just like, no, I'm very much a they them. I've always felt that way of like, I watch people process me all the time.

[7:50] Alan Seales: There we go.

[7:50] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. And you asked a question to them at the, in the winners room.

[7:54] Alan Seales: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just an incredible answer.

[7:57] Robert Peterpaul: It's wonderful to walk every day and give myself the grace to grow, to give myself the space and the opportunity every day to play, to step out of my own comfort zones and to break labels and limits and boundaries for myself, first and foremost, and to hopefully be that inspiration for others. People often see me and say, oh, I could never wear that, or I could never do that. And this whole season I have been living in this mantra. You have to free yourself to see yourself. You have to give yourself that permission to walk in the freedom and the joy of who you are and what aligns with your spirit and what makes you happy in life. And so every day, I'm just finding ways to walk in my freedom and my joy. And I love playing.

[8:49] Alan Seales: When you have somebody who has put into their element and all the right pieces just come together for them to be the best, the best version of themself, you get Jay Harrison G and Some Like It Hot. That's just phenomenal. Love it.

[8:53] Robert Peterpaul: And I will say, we took a lovely video of something they said in the winner's room that was just so inspiring. I mean, the way they were preaching self-acceptance and joy and even just on a basic level, how they get dressed. They kind of dress in what makes them feel joyful. And I think it was really inspiring for a lot of people to hear.

[9:11] Alan Seales: Look in the closet. What do you feel like today? I like that.

[9:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[9:14] Alan Seales: All right. So the next up, lead actress, Victoria Clark.

[9:19] Robert Peterpaul: One of my babies.

[9:20] Alan Seales: Is she?

[9:21] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah.

[9:22] Alan Seales: Since when? Okay. So when did you kind of fall in love with her as a performer?

[9:26] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, gosh. It actually hasn't been performer. It's just through meeting her personally a couple times now. And then it's like once you own a Subaru, you see every Subaru on the road.

[9:39] Alan Seales: But once you...

[9:42] Robert Peterpaul: I don't own a Subaru, but I still see them all.

[9:42] Alan Seales: I used to. RIP.

[9:44] Robert Peterpaul: RIP, Subs. So I met Victoria Clark years ago in person. And then ever since then, it's just like every workshop, every album, every appearance, everything she does, she just seems so grounded and down to earth and genuinely like, again, putting forth the best version of her into everything she's doing. And you see that in Kimberly Akimbo, because you've got this... Actually, I would love to interview her for a one-on-one now that she's won about Kimberly Akimbo for my own podcast, because I want to get into like...

[10:17] Alan Seales: You will. Let's say you will interview her.

[10:18] Robert Peterpaul: I will when I interview her, because I think it's really cool that as someone who's been doing it as long as she has, as someone of a certain age who is playing someone who is 15 going on 16, who won't last past 16, you're playing an older soul in a younger body as an older person. And the way she put this character out there in the world is so incredibly amazing.

[10:47] Alan Seales: Well, I've been around a while. I think I've been an Actors' Equity member for 38 years, and I love mentoring and teaching and working with young people. So I think one of the biggest gifts... There've been so many, but one of the biggest ones has been meeting and working with the young people in our show and having them forget that I'm not actually their age. It's been very sweet. And they're giving me so much energy and inspiring me so much.

[11:15] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah. And she seems like such a grounded soul. You mentioned too being over 60 plus. I mean, I throw that into the category of the beautiful representation and inclusion this year that we had.

[11:27] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[11:27] Alan Seales: Because there was a time when you wouldn't necessarily say that about people of a certain age, that they would get these juicy roles and opportunities. And that's something that I guess, you know, there's still a lot of work to do, but to be grateful for, you know.

[11:38] Robert Peterpaul: And by the time she came out to us, I mean, everyone was so excited to see her, but everyone was also tired.

[11:45] Alan Seales: I know, she's last in the room.

[11:46] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, she was fully herself. She was like, all right, I'm tired. What do you want to know?

[11:51] Alan Seales: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Jodie Comer too. Jodie was like, I'm sorry, guys, I'm fried. I'm like, yeah, you probably are.

[11:57] Robert Peterpaul: Sorry, guys, my brain is absolutely fried right now. I'm so sorry.

[12:03] Alan Seales: She fully excused herself.

[12:05] Robert Peterpaul: I remember you turned to me during the awards at one point and were like, there needs to be a category for best one person show. And I mentioned that to somebody else afterwards and they said that they thought there was and it got taken away.

[12:19] Alan Seales: Mm hmm.

[12:20] Robert Peterpaul: So that's weird.

[12:21] Alan Seales: Hashtag bring that back. I don't know.

[12:22] Robert Peterpaul: Hashtag bring that back and maybe add in a casting one. I don't think there's a casting one yet, but there's a lot that they could switch around. But I do feel like the solo show. I mean, how do you compete with that?

[12:32] Jodie Comer: And then it's just her on stage. I mean, yeah, I can't compare that to let's say a regular musical.

[12:39] Alan Seales: Yeah, I won't name one, but they were everyone was amazing. So I guess maybe they can so prima facie versus cats.

[12:47] Jodie Comer: What about prima what the facie your prima? What the facie?

[12:54] Alan Seales: A lot of wonderful IG stories that hopefully he'll archive into a highlight I can show you how to do that.

[12:59] Jodie Comer: Yes, help this old man, I am a social media person of a certain age.

[13:04] Alan Seales: Hermit, no, only because you told me your questions about things. I know I know you.

[13:11] Jodie Comer: Less questions more unwillingness to learn. That's more of it.

[13:17] Sean Hayes: Good. Good night Oscar. Sean Hayes. Are we getting to him about speaking of unwillingness to learn?

[13:23] Alan Seales: No, what an amazing guy, fan of him. That was so cool.

[13:28] Jodie Comer: Yeah, so these were the categories he dated at the night, right?

[13:31] Alan Seales: And so he came in to he was just like guys.

[13:33] Sean Hayes: The first thing he said to all of us in the media room was wait.

[13:38] Alan Seales: Have you been here all day? Has anyone has anyone fed you? Like he was more concerned about making sure we were all okay than standing there to ask questions.

[13:45] Jodie Comer: You guys have been here sitting here how long?

[13:51] Alan Seales: Like since five.

[13:53] Jodie Comer: Are you joking me? Did they feed you and stuff and you get a little bit my god?

[14:00] Alan Seales: It's so hot in the theater. It's unbelievable.

[14:03] Jodie Comer: Showing anywhere. I'm like worried about you guys. I just want to make you...

[14:08] Alan Seales: And he knew the vibe you had said to me beforehand. You were like Rob just so you know be aware it might be a little awkward at first.

[14:15] Jodie Comer: There's a lot of people just it's a massive room for those who don't know filled with tables and reporters and some people are literally just writing live updates the whole time and not there to ask questions, which is wild to me.

[14:25] Alan Seales: Yeah, because you have these amazing people coming up and so when you said that I'm glad you said that because it happened right away.

[14:30] Jodie Comer: And then by the time we got to the end of the night Sean Hayes fully knew he's like, oh, yeah, I've been to the what at the TCA's or whatever. I'm used to this awkward silence.

[14:40] Alan Seales: But he did he did seem to care for us.

[14:42] Jodie Comer: It's like has anybody been to the TCA's in LA? It's all laptops. No responses. So I feel right at home.

[14:50] Alan Seales: Yeah, he was more asking us questions about our mental well-being than our physical well-being too.

[14:55] Jodie Comer: We're yeah versus us just asking him stuff. So yeah, but as we did we got there at 4 right 4 p.m.

[15:00] Alan Seales: From Florida at 12:30. Yeah, we set up at 4 p.m.

[15:03] Jodie Comer: And literally the pre-show winners didn't come in until like 7:45 almost 8 o'clock.

[15:11] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[15:11] Jodie Comer: Did you see Good Night, Oscar?

[15:18] Alan Seales: No, I didn't get to see it but I know you did the carpet premiere, right?

[15:23] Jodie Comer: Yeah, you see it that day.

[15:28] Alan Seales: Yeah, next year buddy, Samantha. I know shout out Survival Jobs podcast.

[15:34] Jodie Comer: That's right. We finally got you guys to get them on the network, which is amazing coming soon.

[15:38] Alan Seales: Survival Jobs podcast go check it out.

[15:40] Jodie Comer: Again, it's it's one of those there's two performances of recent years that I point to where I was like this is what you need to watch to understand how to fully physically embody some a character and and make choices that just make choices full stop.

[15:55] Alan Seales: And the first one was Sam Rockwell in American Buffalo. Just oh, wow.

[16:01] Jodie Comer: Yeah, the the seats I got for that show when I saw it were front row, you know at Circle in the Square so it's a thrust stage and literally just walking back and forth in front of me and all around and playing with every single bit of of a set just fidgeting like you would if you were just walking through a pawn shop or I forget what the set was.

[16:21] Alan Seales: I think there's a pawn shop but and then Sean Hayes to just comes in and he's hunched over and his face is droopy and like he's gone through this he's put himself into this place of mental and physical anguish and immediately he just walks in and he you're not used to seeing him like this because everything is this peppy happy Smartless or if you know him from Will and Grace days or whatever the case is, but he comes in and just he's he's a totally different person.

[16:49] Jodie Comer: Like I said, I've been working on this on and off for about 23 years and I think I needed to be the right age, I don't think I could have done this sooner.

[16:56] Alan Seales: So I think it happened how it was supposed to happen and with age comes a little more hopefully relaxing inside of your own body and who you are and you don't give a shit as much and you know and so you kind of a age with age comes more confidence to try things and that were for less of a fear of failure, you know, and and that's what I that's how I tackled Oscar was just um if I wasn't gonna go for it now when am I going to go for it?

[17:33] Jodie Comer: And when am I going to show you know other sides of me as an actor?

[17:38] Alan Seales: And so this is just the perfect role for me for to combine drama comedy music all into one thing and so it's it's amazing and I want to give a shout out to to to yeah, and Cory from Topdog Underdog again because seeing those two I saw that show.

[17:59] Jodie Comer: Well, I mean the two of them together just blew me away as well, so this was a tough category.

[18:04] Alan Seales: Yeah, a tight category but to your point to when Sean came in there you could feel that different side of him.

[18:10] Jodie Comer: I mean, I know I'm Smartless. Sometimes he talks about it, but he opened up about his anxiety.

[18:14] Alan Seales: He was very serious for the most part when he was being interviewed, which you know people have multiple facets.

[18:20] Jodie Comer: So I wasn't surprised but it was cool to see him in that light you could almost feel him carrying Oscar with him, you know.

[18:26] Alan Seales: Yeah, I walked through that room, which was really interesting to me.

[18:33] Jodie Comer: Yeah, and and I didn't realize how instrumental he wasn't to getting it to the stage too because he's been trying personally for what did he say 20 years to make?

[18:39] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah.

[18:39] Jodie Comer: I think even it might have been even more and I know they had done the out-of-town in Chicago and actually in that production.

[18:45] Alan Seales: It was so cool Ethan Slater was in it and I wish he was able to do Broadway, but dudes in the Wicked movie so I guess that's fine.

[18:51] Jodie Comer: No, I don't be okay.

[18:55] Alan Seales: Yeah, he'll be fine.

[19:00] Jodie Comer: But I know he'll just wave his residual check in your face and he'll be okay.

[19:04] Alan Seales: Yeah, his uh, his little he's back.

[19:08] Jodie Comer: Yeah, his little Bach bowtie or whatever they're putting them in these days or weird hat. I hope they put him in Spongebob pants though.

[19:13] Alan Seales: Oh, that would be an easter egg Bach bowtie and Spongebob or like squeaky shoes.

[19:17] Jodie Comer: So every time he walks, it's just like they tell the folio artists like yeah squeak.

[19:19] Alan Seales: No, they're Bach walks in.

[19:25] Jodie Comer: I like it.

[19:28] Alan Seales: Well, I don't know do you know what Sean how he prepared I just find it interesting that all these people can have such complex performances, but everybody has a different method for acting.

[19:34] Jodie Comer: I don't know. I mean, I don't know how he prepares emotionally to do this or like researching the character.

[19:43] Alan Seales: I actually want to go back now and figure out how he was involved in originally getting it created 20-something years ago if that's what he was mentioning, right?

[19:50] Jodie Comer: So yeah, I figured that out but but then and he posts on he posted something while on a social media about a week or two ago that like if him just dunking his whole arms in ice baths. Did you see that?

[20:01] Alan Seales: Oh, wow.

[20:03] Jodie Comer: No, I miss because you'd like to keep swelling down for playing Gershwin eight times a week.

[20:08] Alan Seales: Yes, and he did mention that I'm in this speech a little bit in the way.

[20:14] Jodie Comer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[20:18] Alan Seales: It's like why that song is not made to be played eight times a week.

[20:20] Jodie Comer: No, it is so cool you know after being shot up with cortisone in my hands and my elbows so I could play it every night because I don't think Gershwin intended anybody to play it for 200 nights in a row, but but I'm trying my damn best.

[20:34] Jodie Comer: I heard a good quote from Emily Blunt I think the other day when I was on the phone with her.

[20:36] Alan Seales: No, I read it.

[20:39] Jodie Comer: I read it somewhere. I did not hear it.

[20:42] Alan Seales: Well, we're hanging out over coffee me and Emily Blunt and Mary Poppins said I don't care whatever what method people use she said whatever floats your boat as long as you don't sink mine.

[20:51] Jodie Comer: And I thought that was a cool quote because she's someone who has no idea what she does.

[20:55] Alan Seales: She's like, I don't know my method. I just get there and I do it.

[20:58] Jodie Comer: Oh, I thought she doesn't know she's an actress and like well fully doesn't you should figure that out Emily breaking news.

[21:03] Alan Seales: Yeah, she just thinks she gets to do some really cool things.

[21:06] Jodie Comer: She keeps thinking she's going out to lunch and she ends up in front of camera every time.

[21:10] Alan Seales: She's always in a harness in the air with an umbrella and she's like, oh, it's raining I guess I'll just say these lines they throw in front of me.

[21:18] Jodie Comer: Oh, talk like Groucho Marx. What's that about?

[21:24] Alan Seales: No spoonful of spontaneity spontaneity makes the cigar go down.

[21:28] Jodie Comer: There we go.

[21:32] Alan Seales: Okay, best do a cigar motion. Sorry. I just feel like that's important.

[21:36] Jodie Comer: We are recording video for this. So maybe we could put some clips up. Who knows?

[21:37] Alan Seales: Uh, let's see lead actor in a play Sean Hayes. We got that on play Leopoldstadt.

[21:42] Jodie Comer: That one quite a bit. Did you see that?

[21:47] Alan Seales: Yes, I did. You really did see everything.

[21:52] Jodie Comer: I can barely say it Leopoldstadt.

[21:59] Alan Seales: It's but hold shot Leon what I've read and heard seems fully deserving and oh my god another important story, you know.

[22:03] Jodie Comer: Yeah. Well, remember remember Brandon said that there's no one way to tell this story.

[22:09] Alan Seales: The thing about Leopoldstadt that I feel deeply passionate about is that it's a story about a family that goes from the prosperous many to the damaged few and I think there can be a misconception that this story has been told before and I feel like it can be a means of dismissing this particular story because we know it but the thing is Tom Stoppard lays out all of the subtle nuances that lead to the worst possible outcomes and we are seeing a lot of those tiny little seemingly inconsequential things happening right now and this play is a clarion call to all of us to pay attention to those things that seem inconsequential but in their accumulation can lead to really to vast devastation and that comes from reminding people and never forgetting and continuing to tell the story even if we feel like we know it.

[23:19] Jodie Comer: I guarantee you you don't know all of it. There are six million people that we lost that is six million stories. You can't possibly know all the details.

[23:26] Alan Seales: Yeah, and so being able to tell one particular story of this one particular family in this one particular show is meaning so meaningful to him and to Tom Stoppard and I mean just yeah, there's a reason that this show has continued to get extended as well.

[23:43] Jodie Comer: Well, yeah, and he said it felt it made him feel like he was more connected with his family and his ancestors which I thought was really cool so much so that he promised if he won he would give his Tony to his parents to keep at their house Brandon.

[23:55] Alan Seales: Yes, Brandon.

[23:55] Jodie Comer: Yes, which a reporter asked about and then he kind of thought well now that I have it now that I have it.

[24:00] Alan Seales: I'll let them keep it for a few weeks.

[24:06] Jodie Comer: Yeah, well put that in right now I'll give it like a month maybe you know what I mean, but like honestly the recognition and the validation for the work is what is sort of imbued in this actual physical trophy so if they want to keep it at their house they can I feel validated and I feel honored and I don't necessarily need to be looking at this every day to be reminded of that.

[24:32] Alan Seales: I think it would mean a lot to them.

[24:36] Jodie Comer: Lead actress Jodie.

[24:39] Alan Seales: Homer.

[24:40] Jodie Comer: Okay. Now she was someone I was she was on in my top arena of most excited to be in her orbit because I'm just such a huge fan.

[24:49] Alan Seales: Did you watch Killing Eve or anything she's done?

[24:54] Jodie Comer: I have no I have never seen her on TV.

[24:57] Alan Seales: I knew she was a TV film person, but I've never seen her.

[25:05] Jodie Comer: Watched anything of hers before she's you mentioned fidgeting and just being such a down-to-earth actor before she's so she's so beautiful.

[25:07] Alan Seales: She's so beautiful.

[25:09] Jodie Comer: She's so beautiful.

[25:11] Alan Seales: She's so beautiful.

[25:05] Alan Seales: Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re diving into the 2023 Tony Awards, and I’m thrilled to be joined by Robert Peterpaul from The Art of Kindness podcast.

[25:35] Robert Peterpaul: Thanks for having me, Alan! It was such an incredible night, and we had the opportunity to speak with so many amazing winners.

[27:06] Alan Seales: Absolutely! We had Jodie Comer, Sean Hayes, J. Harrison Ghee, and so many more. It was a whirlwind of excitement in the press room.

[27:19] Robert Peterpaul: The atmosphere created by the stage management team was so vital to the experience. Everyone had their own stories and ideas to share.

[27:32] Alan Seales: It’s interesting that we go to the theatre every day because we want to be with each other. The whole interest in going to school is cyclical, drawing the lines, pulling the year.

[27:50] Robert Peterpaul: Right, and you have to make sure you take yourself seriously in that way. Because your interest is genuine, you know?

[27:56] Alan Seales: I don’t think I recognized that before, doing TV and film. It’s a different kind of interest.

[28:00] Robert Peterpaul: Exactly! And the biggest interest is practice!

[28:14] Alan Seales: Yes, that’s the right approach. The interest has shifted...

[28:20] Robert Peterpaul: It’s hard to see, especially because it’s true, you know.

[28:34] Alan Seales: And I think, to your point, there’s a lot of representation and events happening, and the fact that there are so many different interests out there still makes it incredibly interesting.

[28:49] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, and they also provide great equality to Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond.

[28:54] Alan Seales: It’s tough because they haven’t won their categories, but I think they’ve won because that room has won, and they’ve won other things too.

[29:35] Robert Peterpaul: It works well because both of them have connected with each other and helped develop that room so much.

[29:43] Alan Seales: So, I think that speaks to why Parade is such a great service, as you said, because of those two.

[29:51] Robert Peterpaul: Right, and that wasn’t accessible to me. I think it would be interesting if one year, like Ann Juliet, and that play.

[30:02] Alan Seales: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[30:14] Robert Peterpaul: It’s hard to see, especially because it’s true, you know.

[30:27] Alan Seales: But it was interesting to see how both of them were portrayed and how they’re valuable.

[30:44] Robert Peterpaul: I remember as a child having more time than I wanted to remember, and what I can say now is that I’m a Tony winner.

[31:05] Alan Seales: So, we’re going to do speeches. We’re going to say and keep saying, and we’re going to say that we have these to do.

[31:18] Robert Peterpaul: Yes.

[31:32] Alan Seales: This is wonderful. It’s hard.

[31:57] Robert Peterpaul: Uh, wait. Why do airplanes fall out? I don’t get it.

[32:01] Alan Seales: Oh, sorry. Yeah, I’m really bad at context. Airplanes don’t fall. Airplanes never fall. Stop. I’m going on one soon.

[32:06] Robert Peterpaul: You know how airplane headphones, they just, like, don’t really fit in your ears?

[32:09] Alan Seales: No, because I bring my own.

[32:11] Robert Peterpaul: That’s true. I always bring my own. You know why the podcast network head, if you didn’t, that would look very bad.

[32:15] Alan Seales: That’s for my AirPods.

[32:17] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. While you’re in the air. Because now, I seem to have been flying on airlines now that have a string of we’re not giving you in-seat entertainment through our devices, you have to connect to the MyFly app or whatever it is and use your own battery to do this.

[32:34] Alan Seales: I’m like, man, oh, come on. I’m paying for not using my battery here.

[32:36] Robert Peterpaul: They don’t let you do anything. They’re like, pay for an extra bag. You got to pay for the aisle. You got to pay for snacks. It’s crazy.

[32:42] Alan Seales: I know. And they pay for snacks in the aisle, pay for snacks in the windows, pay for snacks in the middle.

[32:47] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, my hair. My hair’s in my eye. Speaking of eye yowls.

[32:50] Alan Seales: I did. I told Alan that his hair was a la Zachary Levi entangled even though it’s CGI.

[32:56] Robert Peterpaul: It’s nice. He’s got a nice little flip thing going.

[32:58] Alan Seales: My hair is not CGI. I keep telling you that.

[33:00] Robert Peterpaul: It’s not?

[33:01] Alan Seales: No. My hair. This is 100% wig. I mean, real.

[33:05] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, oh. Oh, Kristen Wiig.

[33:07] Alan Seales: Kristen. Kristen. In the house. Kristen Wiig.

[33:11] Robert Peterpaul: Who is that? She’s wigging out.

[33:13] Alan Seales: Wait, yeah, what was that? We said Kristen Wiig. I forget what it is. Somebody was like, oh, yeah, my colleague Kristen Wiig. We’re like, wait a second. Where’s Kristen Wiig? Kristen Wiig’s gone.

[33:22] Robert Peterpaul: Say Kristen Wiig. See, okay, here’s the other thing about the fact they did the press room this year, which was amazing and it was wonderful to be there and so grateful.

[33:29] Alan Seales: And I’m just curious why they didn’t want to do interviews with anybody else. You know, on the red carpet beforehand.

[33:35] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I know they didn’t want to do the red carpet beforehand, but even like, if it was just the press room and they had like, whoever wanted to fly on in.

[33:41] Alan Seales: I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean, think about though how chaotic that week is after the month of press whirlwind everyone’s doing because on top of your eight shows you’re doing every week, and you’re also doing podcast interviews and morning show performances and traveling here and doing that and whatever it is in between.

[34:01] Robert Peterpaul: And then if you’re performing at the Tonys, that’s your ninth performance of the week.

[34:06] Alan Seales: Oh yeah. And the most stressful one probably.

[34:10] Robert Peterpaul: And the most stressful one because that may make or break ticket sales. You never know.

[34:14] Alan Seales: Yeah. It’s hard. It’s hard. I’m honest. I mean, I heard the room was on fire. How about yours?

[34:20] Robert Peterpaul: That’s the way I like it and I never get bored.

[34:22] Alan Seales: Oh, hey now.

[34:24] Robert Peterpaul: Hey now. The Tony Award for Best Play went to Leopoldstadt.

[34:28] Alan Seales: And when amazing writer Tom Stoppard came to the media room with the Tony, what was it that somebody asked him about why he wrote this play now?

[34:36] Robert Peterpaul: They said, why now? Why this story again? And they basically said, I mean, why not now? We need it now. And it’s so true.

[34:46] Alan Seales: There’s no wrong time for a play about prejudice and how to deal with prejudice and the occasionally tragic and terrible consequences of prejudice. There is no bad time to do such work.

[35:06] Robert Peterpaul: Why now? I think I got to an age and a point in my trajectory where looking back at myself in a sense became interesting to me for the first time.

[35:21] Alan Seales: Best revival of a play obviously goes to Topdog Underdog. And going back to Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Miriam Silverman of course wins Best Featured Actress in a Play.

[35:30] Robert Peterpaul: Comes in later in the show and just you can’t stop watching her. She’s brilliant. Brilliant in her role. And that’s really tough to do. I mean, it takes a special person to be able to do that.

[35:42] Alan Seales: I know I saw The Collaboration which was not nominated for anything, but there was a similar track for Krista Rodriguez who came in like 45 minutes into the show or something.

[35:53] Robert Peterpaul: Love some Krista.

[35:55] Alan Seales: Yeah, love Krista. Or even like, you know, you look at Waitress. Ogie doesn’t come in until when? Like Act Two maybe? I don’t even know. End of Act One?

[36:04] Robert Peterpaul: Christopher Fitzgerald. So it takes a special person to be able to steal people’s hearts.

[36:08] Alan Seales: Alex Newell, speaking of stealing hearts.

[36:10] Robert Peterpaul: OK, so shocked. That was, I think that was the funniest thing for sure that I’ve seen on Broadway in a while.

[36:18] Alan Seales: That seemed like a true Broadway performance.

[36:21] Robert Peterpaul: For sure. I was surprised at some of the performance choices for the other nominees.

[36:24] Alan Seales: So like, like, like Kimberly Akimbo, I thought maybe they just can’t say, can’t curse on national TV. I don’t know.

[36:32] Robert Peterpaul: But I wouldn’t, I would probably not have chosen Anagram to perform.

[36:44] Alan Seales: Yeah. But maybe they did that because they were showcasing both of the or showcasing two people that were nominated instead of other songs which may have not.

[36:55] Robert Peterpaul: That might be why. Because Justin Cooley was there with Victoria who were in both of them were nominated. But I don’t know.

[37:02] Alan Seales: But if I was like trying to get people who were on the fence about it to see it, I maybe would have picked a different song.

[37:08] Robert Peterpaul: So wait, guess while we’re here, what was your favorite performance at the Tonys?

[37:12] Alan Seales: Oh goodness. I got to say once the nominees started coming in, I wasn’t able to really watch, watch the Tonys after that.

[37:23] Robert Peterpaul: I know, it was hard. And I want to go back and see it again. I loved the opening number partially because, right? Because and, and Ariana DeBose’s side note, her improved monologue explaining why she was improving her monologue.

[37:38] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, she's a gem. She's brilliant. Oh my goodness. She killed it. And yeah, that opening number was phenomenal. I mean, it paid homage to all the shows in different ways and just New York City and then to obviously to the heights where they were. It had so much going on. One cool thing about the orchestrations. I don't know if you know, but the woman who did them I do know her name. I believe Macy Schmidt. I think that's how you say it. Is she unbreakable? She's fully unbreakable. Yeah. Unbreakable Macy Schmidt. I knew it. Yeah. I mean, there was no script and she didn't fail. No. No, she's the first woman of color to ever orchestrate a Tony Awards ceremony. Good. And she is now a Tony winner because she's a co-producer on Parade. Yes. So yeah, that opening number dazzled me when she jumped down those stairs. My heart jumped into my booty. I don't know. Anyway, bye.

[38:32] Alan Seales: Booty jump. Booty jump. Yeah, I was dazzled. You know, I felt the same about Sweeney Todd. I loved the performance, but I was dying about the fact that they did not include Annalie Ashford.

[38:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. Yes. I think there were a couple misses there.

[38:49] Alan Seales: Yeah. And she was my she was the one I was really rooting for that night. But yeah, Annalie. Annalie's great. Yeah. Let's see. Alex Newell shucked. Let's see. We covered that. And Bonnie Milligan, best featured actress in a musical. Amazing. Of course, Bonnie does does no wrong. She's she's amazing.

[39:10] Robert Peterpaul: And we watched her speech. What a great speech.

[39:13] Alan Seales: Yeah. Yeah. And even what she said in the in the Tony room, which I'm going to play for you now. I mean, I've loved Broadway since I was a little girl and I've always loved watching the show. And you know, I grew up in a double wide trailer in the Midwest with not much, no connections. And it took a while to get here. And for some years I had shame about how long it took me that I didn't just get off the bus and immediately book a show. And I lost myself and I kind of had to get into therapy and do all this stuff. So it's been a roller coaster. And to make all these connections within this community via readings and workshops and concerts well before I even hit a Broadway stage, I felt a part of this community for such a while now.

But to feel this recognition is it's like the imposter syndrome can go away. You're like, no, no, no, no. You belong here, kid. It's OK, because that little girl with the frizzy curly hair who didn't have much money doesn't didn't quite believe it. And now it's like, no, no, we're believing it. I have goosebumps again.

[40:19] Robert Peterpaul: Brandon Uranowitz, featured actor in a play. I remember, I remember interviewing him a couple of years ago when he was in Burnt with Adam Driver and Keri Russell, right? She was, yeah, Keri Russell and Adam Driver. I could see the poster. And and something he said to me during the interview was interesting was that that's the first time in his career when he's gotten to play a gay character, an openly gay character where being gay wasn't any part of the actual plot line. It just was.

[40:57] Alan Seales: It just is. And so pulling that now into Leopoldstadt, telling the story of this family, these generations of families that were affected by World War Two. And it's not like making fun. It's not a satire. It's not a sort of this typical a typical thing you you have when you're like referencing big Jewish culture in a musical or a play. And now you're telling this authentic story where being Jewish just is and everything else happens around it. And so I enjoyed that he gets to have this moment again in Leopoldstadt.

[41:38] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, as a half Jew over here, I know growing up, it's just a who as a where who's here? No, I don't even know what I was gonna say. But it's it is a hard thing growing up. There's just still so much racism and hate that to accept that and accept your story. It can be tough. So to be able to play that now and be so connected to his ancestors, I think is such a beautiful thing. This play has reconnected me with a part of my identity that I feel like I had put on the back burner for a really long time. In some ways, I feel like there was part of me that in in in in subtle ways, sort of I resented the fact that I was only allowed to play Jewish characters and only allowed to play sort of these Jewish sidekicks.

And there was a part of my identity that I felt a little resentment towards. And this has flipped that and I feel like confronting it and embracing it in this way is sort of the only reason. I mean, it's one of many reasons, but sort of the biggest reason why I'm actually here holding this because I feel a deep sense of pride now. And it has sort of connected me this play to my ancestors and my family and my roots in a way that I hadn't really known as deeply before. So I'm very grateful for that.

[43:05] Alan Seales: The original score went to Kimberly Akimbo, of course, Janine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, who didn't come to the media room. Sometimes people don't come.

[43:13] Robert Peterpaul: You're right. Alex didn't come either.

[43:15] Alan Seales: Alex didn't come either. And I heard that was like a snafu in scheduling because they were trying to bring, the Tonys were trying to get Alex to the media room, but then Alex had to go back and perform for Shucked and then Alex never made it back to the media room. And the logistics behind the scenes of getting winners to where they're supposed to be while still keeping them around to be on television to perform, that's hard.

[43:39] Robert Peterpaul: It was tight. And it was only about a five minute drive, but there was the Puerto Rican parade that day. The streets were also closed because of the Tonys, which like they might have shot themselves in the foot. So it was like a lot of it took longer because of that.

[43:52] Alan Seales: Yeah, gosh. So featured actors in a play, Miriam Silverman, we talked about her, just phenomenal. Tony Lifetime Achievement Award went to John Kander and Joel Grey, two of them, to see those guys come out together.

[44:06] Robert Peterpaul: I wish they could have come to the winners. One of my favorite moments of the New York, New York red carpet coverage was when you talked to Joel Grey.

[44:12] Alan Seales: Wasn't that magical? What a special person. One of my favorite moments was when he said, and I think eventually you just get trained to say this, but he was like, it's so nice to see you again. And my heart was pounding. I was thinking to myself, you remember seeing me in the audience at Wicked? What a gem of a person.

[44:31] Robert Peterpaul: Isn't that funny though? You go to do enough of these carpets and then people start to remember you as, I guess, representative of the outlet. But I'm getting that with Leah Delaria now. So she's like, oh, it's you again. Hey.

[44:44] Alan Seales: She's a wild one. Her at that New York, New York carpet too.

[44:49] Robert Peterpaul: Her and Rachel Dratch.

[44:50] Alan Seales: Her and Rachel Dratch. Yep, they were in another world.

[44:52] Robert Peterpaul: They were so fun. Book of Musical, Kimberly Akimbo again, David Lindsay-Abaire, like K.A. swept this one. What a talent.

[45:02] Alan Seales: I did think Shucked, that was a tight one for me because Shucked, I just thought there was a joke like every five seconds.

[45:09] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, that was a tough one. If I was a voter, I don't know who I would have voted for.

[45:15] Alan Seales: I truly don't because yeah, between Kimberly Akimbo, Some Like It Hot, New York, New York, some Shucked and Ann Juliet, they all I got to say, I guess in terms of like laugh a minute, Shucked is the lead. But then pulling in your heartstrings, you've got pretty much everything else.

[45:34] Robert Peterpaul: True. Yeah.

[45:36] Alan Seales: So that's a tough one. And I haven't seen Kimberly, so I actually shouldn't say that. And I'm sure they're all phenomenal. But do you feel like this is the first year in a while where everything felt like very deserving?

[45:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, absolutely. That's why I'm saying that there were no upsets in like in my mind, in my opinion, there are no upsets in the winners because everyone who was nominated needed to be there.

[45:57] Alan Seales: Yeah. And it was hard. It was a super hard, super hard season.

[46:01] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[46:01] Alan Seales: So I have no qualms. I didn't even see everything. I was happy for everybody, you know?

[46:05] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Isabel Stevenson award went to Jerry Mitchell for creating Broadway Bears.

[46:10] Alan Seales: And what do you say, raising like $50 million or something?

[46:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[46:15] Alan Seales: He's raised tens of millions over the years through Broadway Bears for Equity Fights AIDS. What a beautiful intersection of Broadway and giving back. And he lit up that writer's room, the winner's room when he came in. He was like, and now the new Tony for stripping.

[46:33] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. He came in hot and everybody's cracking up.

[46:36] Alan Seales: Yeah. Well, that's what you get when you have a performer turned creative. You can't take the performer out of the producer.

[46:41] Robert Peterpaul: True.

[46:43] Alan Seales: Oh, man. Life of Pi nabbed a few. God, just that show was one of the few shows I have seen as of late, where by the end of it, I forgot I was watching a show.

[47:02] Robert Peterpaul: Meaning that I was so totally immersed in what was happening because TV and film and shows, I'm always in that mindset of drone shot, crane shot, that's day for night. Oh, I wonder how they did that reverse. Or I wonder if they're cheating. I'm always analyzing the setup of the scene or how things are made. And by the end of Life of Pi, it ended and I was like, oh, I stopped thinking a long time ago. And that's a good...

[47:27] Alan Seales: Good.

[47:27] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. When I stopped thinking, it's always a good thing.

[47:29] Alan Seales: And your wife said, thank God.

[47:34] Robert Peterpaul: Just saying.

[47:34] Alan Seales: Hear that one more time.

[47:36] Robert Peterpaul: Alan, stop thinking.

[47:37] Alan Seales: No, no, that's a great way to put it. Because it's one of those seamless, cinematic, immersive experiences. And I believe the sound designer talked to you about even how they were so aware of the spatial audio with the sound. And they really wanted it to come out of the animals that were on stage when they were moving. I mean, so much work goes into a technical show like that.

[47:56] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Well, the whole thing is scored like a movie. There is a composer. It's a play with a soundtrack. And you can actually listen to the... It's not a cast album. It's a soundtrack. So you can listen to the soundtrack from the West End recording on your streaming music of choice. And actually, after I saw it, I listened to the soundtrack the entire way home on the subway. Because I still wanted to feel like I was there.

[48:20] Alan Seales: It just transported.

[48:21] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Yeah, it was great. Let's see. So, yeah, I mean, Leopoldstadt, Best Direction of a Play went to Patrick Marber for that. Beowulf Borit took the scenic design for New York, New York. I mean, jeez, that is a scenic challenge if I've ever seen one.

[48:40] Alan Seales: Oh, yeah. I mean, they even created the whispering corners of Grand Central on stage.

[48:44] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah. What an homage.

[48:47] Alan Seales: Yeah, there are all these little things that when they referenced it, I was like, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, I haven't done that in like 10 years since...

[48:53] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[48:54] Alan Seales: A long time ago. Orchestrations went to Some Like It Hot to Brian Carter and Charlie Rosen. Yeah, costume design for a play with Leopoldstadt well deserved for Brigitte Riefenstuhl. I'm sorry.

[49:10] Robert Peterpaul: Another veteran right there.

[49:12] Alan Seales: Sorry if I pronounced that wrong.

[49:14] Robert Peterpaul: We're Muppets.

[49:15] Alan Seales: Yeah, we're Muppets. Don't cancel us, we're Muppets.

[49:20] Robert Peterpaul: Best Direction of a Musical went to Michael Arden for Parade, which we talked about. Casey Nicholaw got another Tony.

[49:25] Alan Seales: I love Casey. He gave me my first professional job.

[49:29] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, so Scenic Design of a Play, of course, Life of Pi, Tim Hatley and Ondrej Goulding. Ondrej, Ondrej Goulding. I am butchering, again, we're Muppets.

[49:40] Alan Seales: Feel free to DM Alan.

[49:42] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, DM Robert, let him know to tell me how badly I butchered that. Then I'll screenshot it, I'll send it to you.

[49:49] Alan Seales: Yes, and then I'll quote it, retweet it.

[49:53] Robert Peterpaul: Send it back to you with my reply, yeah.

[49:55] Alan Seales: Yes, and then I'll tic-tac it.

[49:58] Robert Peterpaul: Ticky-tack it? Your mic, yes.

[50:00] Alan Seales: Sound Design of a Musical went to Nevin Steinberg for Sweeney. Costume Design went to Greg Barnes for Some Like It Hot. Greg has been around, another one of these dudes who's been around forever.

[50:11] Unknown speaker: Oh, I know. What a gem. He was the first person I think that came to the winners room.

[50:15] Unknown speaker: Yeah. He's one of the very first. You're right. You're right.

[50:18] Unknown speaker: Yeah. I was like, where are you putting your new Tony?

[50:22] Unknown speaker: So I was just wondering, where are you going to keep your Tony?

[50:25] Unknown speaker: Okay. Now I don't want to sound raggedoshio, but I have two at home.

[50:29] Unknown speaker: And somewhere along the line, they changed the scale.

[50:33] Unknown speaker: So now they're tall, but they used to be really short.

[50:35] Unknown speaker: So I'm going to put two like and then flanking the little baby.

[50:40] Unknown speaker: Right? Which will be great.

[50:42] Unknown speaker: Yeah. Thank you. You have a family.

[50:45] Unknown speaker: Thank you.

[50:46] Natasha Katz: for Sweeney Todd for lighting design of a musical. Like that's challenging because somebody else took a question that I wanted to ask, which was how do you approach lighting a show that has almost no light?

[51:00] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[51:01] Natasha Katz: Because she's lighting with darkness.

[51:04] Natasha Katz: It's the shadows. It really comes from the darkness more than anything else.

[51:10] Natasha Katz: So it's more about what we don't see than what we do see. I know that may sound a little obtuse, but that's the difference between the two.

[51:19] Natasha Katz: There's very little color in Sweeney Todd. It's a very limited color palette.

[51:23] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[51:24] Unknown speaker: They're like opposites.

[51:25] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[51:26] Unknown speaker: I was thinking that too. And then the element of using the light as a character of horror.

[51:31] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[51:32] Unknown speaker: Like every time the lighting comes on, it's kind of to scare you.

[51:35] Unknown speaker: It's like this very stark flash of light.

[51:37] Unknown speaker: Mm-hmm.

[51:38] Unknown speaker: Which, by the way, for next season, Greyhouse, speaking of using light as a character to freak you the F out.

[51:44] Unknown speaker: Yeah. Greyhouse.

[51:45] Unknown speaker: Did you already see it?

[51:46] Unknown speaker: I have.

[51:47] Unknown speaker: I gotta go. I gotta get a jump start.

[51:49] Unknown speaker: It's good. It's very good.

[51:50] Unknown speaker: It's inherently spooky.

[51:51] Unknown speaker: It is. It is actually really good at making the audience go, Oh, we're laughing at ourselves because now we're embarrassed.

[51:57] Unknown speaker: We're embarrassed.

[51:58] Unknown speaker: Oh, that's fun.

[51:59] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[52:00] Unknown speaker: Let's see now. Natasha Katz, we talked about her. Sound design, Carolyn Downing for Life of Pi again. And that's all Google gave me. I'm sorry if we left out any other categories.

[52:10] Unknown speaker: I think we did a good job.

[52:12] Unknown speaker: So...

[52:13] Unknown speaker: We flew through. Some people don't include some of those categories in their recaps, you know?

[52:17] Unknown speaker: I mean, you don't get a show without all of those people and so many more.

[52:22] Unknown speaker: That's what I'm saying.

[52:23] Unknown speaker: They need a Tony design for best general manager.

[52:25] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[52:26] Unknown speaker: For the...

[52:27] Unknown speaker: House manager.

[52:28] Unknown speaker: House manager because actors got to get paid.

[52:31] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah.

[52:32] Unknown speaker: All of this.

[52:33] Unknown speaker: Best swing. I mean, even the best is so dumb. But, you know, just like recognize all these wonderful people.

[52:38] Unknown speaker: Recognize. It would be very cool to have a recognition section where you're like, And so-and-so went on for 10 different roles in five different days and never dropped a line.

[52:50] Unknown speaker: That would be really cool.

[52:51] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[52:52] Unknown speaker: That would be so cool.

[52:53] Unknown speaker: And then also a recognition for maybe like best Broadway podcast and having two little Muppets in a corner.

[52:59] Unknown speaker: And just comment the whole time.

[53:01] Unknown speaker: Best Muppet commentary...

[53:03] Unknown speaker: Commentators who happen to have podcasts goes to...

[53:07] Unknown speaker: In the beginning, I thought we literally were going to sit there and like whisper into the mics as it was happening.

[53:11] Unknown speaker: And I was down.

[53:12] Unknown speaker: But then I quickly realized you can't really do that.

[53:15] Unknown speaker: We could.

[53:16] Unknown speaker: We could be like,

[53:17] Unknown speaker: And now Greg Evans is taking the stage.

[53:21] Unknown speaker: Yeah, we could do a clubhouse or something.

[53:23] Unknown speaker: Here comes Natasha Katz.

[53:24] Unknown speaker: She's wearing the elegant gown.

[53:27] Unknown speaker: I feel like a sports commentator.

[53:29] Unknown speaker: Like instead of goal, every time someone wins a Tony, we should, instead of saying goal, we go,

[53:34] Unknown speaker: Tony!

[53:35] Unknown speaker: Tony! I'm down with that.

[53:37] Unknown speaker: It's winner!

[53:38] Unknown speaker: It's winner!

[53:41] Unknown speaker: Again, Jodie Comer is walking off the stage.

[53:43] Unknown speaker: Oh, she just fell down.

[53:44] Unknown speaker: She is currently sleeping on the stage.

[53:45] Unknown speaker: Everybody catch those Z's.

[53:47] Unknown speaker: Yeah, you could say about that.

[53:49] Unknown speaker: Victoria Clark is getting into her Escalade right next to us.

[53:52] Unknown speaker: I peeped that moment.

[53:53] Unknown speaker: That's right.

[53:54] Unknown speaker: That's right.

[53:55] Unknown speaker: I was like, hey, Victoria.

[53:56] Unknown speaker: She's like, who are you?

[53:57] Unknown speaker: No.

[53:58] Unknown speaker: No, she's nice.

[53:59] Unknown speaker: She was on that way the after party.

[54:00] Unknown speaker: Anything else worth mentioning, worth calling out about your first time?

[54:07] Unknown speaker: What if we each just share a favorite highlight?

[54:09] Unknown speaker: We could end with a favorite high of the night.

[54:13] Unknown speaker: I mean, it was all highlight. You know what was very cool?

[54:16] Unknown speaker: My highlight of that particular experience is, aside from hanging out with you, which I'm not joking, I truly enjoyed being there with you.

[54:25] Unknown speaker: Thank you.

[54:26] Unknown speaker: I enjoyed it too.

[54:27] Unknown speaker: Thank you.

[54:28] Unknown speaker: It was meeting the other industry people, industry professionals there, who were there to help just spread the news, capture the moment, and get it out to the world.

[54:40] Unknown speaker: Because as we're all talking, we're all there because we love it.

[54:45] Unknown speaker: We love being there. And there's some people that I've seen at all of these things, some people that were brand new.

[54:51] Unknown speaker: And I mean, there was someone sitting behind us, I think that was even from Japan. Because Broadway is big in Japan too.

[54:58] Unknown speaker: I don't know if they did it this year, but in past years, they have simulcast the Tonys out to Japan.

[55:04] Unknown speaker: And just knowing that we're part of this major global moment, it's actually really cool.

[55:11] Unknown speaker: It's cool.

[55:12] Unknown speaker: That's such a good way to put it.

[55:13] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[55:14] Unknown speaker: What about you?

[55:15] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah. I mean, I totally agree. I think just it felt like being at the best watch party ever while also being at the Tonys.

[55:22] Unknown speaker: Because people were, we were cheering, we were clapping together, people were crying, and then the winners would actually come out and you would talk to them.

[55:29] Unknown speaker: And I think I was just struck by, I'll bring it back to my podcast, all the kindness, you know. A lot of people actually mentioned kindness in their speech in saying that you can't get a show done without kindness.

[55:41] Unknown speaker: And I think there's a difference between collaborating and collaborating in a kind way and making for a positive experience.

[55:47] Unknown speaker: And even in that winners room, you know, people are lending each other cables, they're scooting over so you can, you know, there was one outlet who wasn't seated together, people are moving around.

[55:57] Unknown speaker: It was such a joyful time. And it probably harks back to what you said, which is like a shared passion of Broadway.

[56:04] Unknown speaker: It was just such a positive and fun evening. And we were all tired and kind of cracked out by the end and laughing and delirious.

[56:11] Unknown speaker: And I love that. I think if the night ends with you just like in another realm giggling, it's a good night.

[56:17] Unknown speaker: Yeah, and then we did it this time without drugs. So that was impressive.

[56:21] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[56:22] Unknown speaker: Oh, by the way, listeners, I often say cracked out. I just fully mean like when your brain cracks open and you're giggly.

[56:27] Unknown speaker: Or when you eat a lot of candy.

[56:29] Unknown speaker: Eat a lot of candy.

[56:31] Unknown speaker: Candy.

[56:32] Unknown speaker: Candy.

[56:34] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[56:35] Unknown speaker: And then you go into the open night air and we were shaking and laughing.

[56:38] Unknown speaker: We went our separate ways. And did you fall asleep that night?

[56:41] Unknown speaker: It's hard with that adrenaline.

[56:43] Unknown speaker: You mean after I got home?

[56:44] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[56:45] Unknown speaker: It actually took me a while. I was exhausted like mentally, but because I literally, what did I have? A Coke, a Pepsi.

[56:51] Unknown speaker: Yes, we were caffeinated.

[56:53] Unknown speaker: And a coffee. Because I was trying to like keep the energy up and keep going.

[57:01] Unknown speaker: Because literally we're sitting. We're not even standing. We're just sitting for hours while we're talking to these people.

[57:06] Unknown speaker: So yeah, it was hard. It was a little bit.

[57:08] Unknown speaker: I know. It was hard to get to like come off of that once I got home.

[57:12] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[57:13] Unknown speaker: You're right.

[57:14] Unknown speaker: You're right. My pitch for next year is maybe they do intermittent karaoke.

[57:16] Unknown speaker: So while we're waiting for people to come, they let people go up and sing or dance or just like walk around.

[57:21] Unknown speaker: Let the people in the media room do karaoke?

[57:23] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[57:24] Unknown speaker: Come on.

[57:25] Unknown speaker: I think that actually might not be a bad idea.

[57:29] Unknown speaker: So we have to sing from the musical that just won the award.

[57:32] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[57:33] Unknown speaker: I'm okay with that.

[57:34] Unknown speaker: Or like trivia or something, you know, just to get those legs moving.

[57:38] Unknown speaker: Because like right now, in the way I'm seated, when I stand up, my legs will be cracking more than Jack Skellington in Nightmare Before Christmas.

[57:44] Unknown speaker: Anyway, good night.

[57:49] Unknown speaker: Good night.

[57:50] Unknown speaker: And tip your waiter.

[57:52] Unknown speaker: Hermit and Kermit signing off.

[57:54] Unknown speaker: We could just end like smart.

[57:55] Unknown speaker: Let's be like bye.

[57:56] Unknown speaker: Bye.

[57:57] Unknown speaker: Broadway.

[57:58] Unknown speaker: Broadway.

[57:59] Unknown speaker: Broadway.

[58:00] Unknown speaker: B-way.

[58:01] Unknown speaker: So, you're listening.

[58:02] Unknown speaker: You're probably listening to this now, dear listener, either in the Art of Kindness feed or in the theater podcast feed.

[58:11] Unknown speaker: And so, wherever you are listening to it, go to the other one's feed and hit that little follow button, so we can double our subscriber base.

[58:21] Unknown speaker: Great idea.

[58:22] Unknown speaker: Because yeah.

[58:24] Unknown speaker: And hashtag Kermit and Hermit.

[58:27] Unknown speaker: Kermit and Hermit.

[58:28] Unknown speaker: We have to make that trend on Twitter.

[58:30] Unknown speaker: So, Twitter goes, what?

[58:32] Unknown speaker: So, it breaks.

[58:33] Unknown speaker: And you know what? This is how I usually end. If you'll indulge me, Alan, I know we got to fly.

[58:38] Unknown speaker: But I would love to know if you have a tangible kindness tip that you think listeners can incorporate into their day.

[58:43] Unknown speaker: Something people can do to make the world a little better. And this will play into the final question that I ask on my podcast that I want to ask you as well, is part of my three standard closing questions, I ask somebody what's advice that you would give your younger self.

[59:00] Unknown speaker: And our younger people listening now, starting out down a similar path. And so, Michael Urie told me, and I quote this all the time, be the person that others want to work with the next time.

[59:12] Unknown speaker: Because if you can be kind, you be nice in the moment, and you're aware that everything you're doing has a lasting effect, positive or negative, then you're going to keep continuing to get work if you want to be the person people want to work with the next time.

[59:25] Unknown speaker: So, say thank you. Be polite. Ask please. Everybody is tired. Everybody is frustrated in those long days. So, don't take it personally. Just be nice. Be kind and be that person.

[59:40] Unknown speaker: So, yes. That's important. Don't take it personally. A lot of people say that on my podcast. It's hard.

[59:45] Unknown speaker: Yeah. And so then, that was one of the questions that I asked on the end of mine. So, the other one I'm going to ask you, one of the other three that I ask you is, if you could only see one show for the rest of your life, but you can see it as many times as you want, what would you see, Robert Peter Paul of Notifying This Podcast?

[1:00:01] Unknown speaker: Why am I surprised? I listen to your podcast. Why am I like now shocked at this question?

[1:00:06] Unknown speaker: One, I've actually thought about it when I've listened to your podcast too. And I think I've gone through the spiral of, I love Spring Awakening. Would I want to watch that all the time? I don't know.

[1:00:16] Unknown speaker: I actually think to fit with the theme of the season and not keep you here for another hour while I spiral, I could watch Ann Juliet for the rest of my life. I honestly had such a good time. I had so much fun at that show.

[1:00:27] Unknown speaker: It's pretty funny. And there's a lot of details and storylines and jokes. So, I think that.

[1:00:33] Unknown speaker: Good.

[1:00:34] Unknown speaker: I like it.

[1:00:35] Unknown speaker: All right. Well, find us online, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook.

[1:00:39] Unknown speaker: All the places.

[1:00:40] Unknown speaker: Leave a rating. Leave a review for both podcasts, wherever you're listening.

[1:00:44] Unknown speaker: Only if it's nice.

[1:00:45] Unknown speaker: Well, hell, you know what I've started doing? I've started reading my, just started this a few days ago, inserting a reading of a rating into my podcast.

[1:00:53] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[1:00:54] Unknown speaker: To get people to write more. So, if you don't like what you hear now being inserted in my podcast, leave a new one and I'll read that one instead.

[1:01:03] Unknown speaker: Oh, I love that.

[1:01:06] Unknown speaker: And I will say, the Art of Kindness podcast is going to do a little giveaway with the theater lovers. So, with the Broadway Podcast Network as well, I believe.

[1:01:14] Unknown speaker: Are you giving away?

[1:01:15] Unknown speaker: I'm going to insert them in there too. I was going to give away one of the playbills.

[1:01:18] Unknown speaker: Yeah, the Tony playbills.

[1:01:19] Unknown speaker: Those are thick. To get us to follow. So, if you want a Tony Awards official playbill, follow AOK Podcast.

[1:01:27] Unknown speaker: What's your Instagram?

[1:01:28] Unknown speaker: Yeah. So, if you go to the Art of Kindness podcast Instagram, at Art of Kindness Pod or at Rob Broadway Podcast Network or at Theater Lovers.

[1:01:37] Unknown speaker: It should be everywhere. I'm going to do all the collaboration posts. You will find we are giving away an exclusive collectible edition Tony's Awards playbill.

[1:01:47] Unknown speaker: Playbill.

[1:01:48] Unknown speaker: Playbill.

[1:01:49] Unknown speaker: To quote Oprah. You'll get a playbill. You'll get a playbill. You'll get a playbill. You'll get a playbill.

[1:01:54] Unknown speaker: But we have super secret technology here at podcasts. And so, if you're not subscribing and you win, you're not going to be the winner.

[1:02:00] Unknown speaker: You've got to subscribe.

[1:02:01] Unknown speaker: You've always got to subscribe.

[1:02:02] Unknown speaker: You've always got to subscribe.

[1:02:03] Unknown speaker: You've got to subscribe to win.

[1:02:04] Unknown speaker: This is a stage whisper.

[1:02:07] Unknown speaker: Places.

[1:02:08] Unknown speaker: Alan to places.

[1:02:09] Unknown speaker: Places.

[1:02:10] Unknown speaker: Five minutes until curtain.

[1:02:12] Unknown speaker: Our lead is out sick.

[1:02:13] Unknown speaker: We need to hold, please.

[1:02:15] Unknown speaker: No.

[1:02:16] Unknown speaker: JK!

[1:02:17] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[1:02:18] Unknown speaker: Get Alan a wig.

[1:02:19] Unknown speaker: A different wig.

[1:02:20] Unknown speaker: A different wig.

[1:02:21] Unknown speaker: I've got to practice my toss toss.

[1:02:23] Unknown speaker: Toss toss.

[1:02:24] Unknown speaker: Toss toss.

[1:02:25] Unknown speaker: Toss toss.

[1:02:26] Unknown speaker: We're officially wigging out.

[1:02:27] Unknown speaker: But this was so much fun.

[1:02:28] Unknown speaker: We are Kristen Wigging Out.

[1:02:29] Unknown speaker: And thank you all for keeping with us.

[1:02:30] Unknown speaker: If you're still here.

[1:02:31] Unknown speaker: If you're still here.

[1:02:32] Unknown speaker: What are you doing?

[1:02:33] Unknown speaker: But thank you.

[1:02:36] Unknown speaker: Thank you.