This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Narrator: Now this is going to be fun! Here we are at the Backers Audition, where producers Cheryl and Steve must raise the capitalization needed to launch Avatar The Musical. And with opening night fast approaching, this better go well. If only the co-producers and Broadway angels that fought their way into this super elite, invite-only Backers Audition knew that Avatar The Musical has nothing at all to do with the James Cameron opus Avatar. Can't wait to see how Cheryl and Steve pull this one off. Let's listen in on the investors as they hubbub. I love that word. Hubbub. Hubbub. Say it with me. Hubbub. So apt, wouldn't you say?

[0:46] Investor 1: I made a lot of money to be here. And I don't even know what's going on there right now.

[0:51] Investor 2: Well, that sure sounds encouraging. If Steve and Cheryl are worth their weight in Tony Awards, I'd say take the money and run as fast as you can, guys. More is not more, if you know what I mean. Let's give a quick listen behind the curtain as Steve and Cheryl prepare to begin the festivities, shall we?

[1:12] Steve Jones: Everyone here? All right, let's start.

[1:14] Cheryl Philips: I'll make the intro, and then we'll divide and conquer.

[1:19] Steve Jones: Let's do the intro, Cheryl. I'll take it from there.

[1:21] Cheryl Philips: No, Steve. We are co-lead producers. I have our contract right here in case you need to look at the enormous print I made sure was used for moments exactly like this.

[1:33] Steve Jones: Cheryl. Cheryl. I mean, no disrespect. I'm just so much better at this than you are.

[1:42] Cheryl Philips: It's best for the show.

[1:43] Steve Jones: Just when I think it's not possible for you to be more repulsive.

[1:48] Cheryl Philips: Look, all we have to do is casually mention that 95% of the capitalization is already in the bank and will be inundated.

[1:56] Steve Jones: Don't you dare, Steve. That's an overstatement by 70%. You and I both know that if we don't get checks in pronto, we're DOA. And that will be the last time either of us work in this town.

[2:10] Steve Jones: Life is short, Cheryl. Why don't you just smile while you still have teeth?

[2:15] Cheryl Philips: Hello. Hello. I am thrilled to welcome you all to our Avatar the Musical presentation.

[2:27] Cheryl Philips: I think I know most of you, but just in case, I'm Cheryl Phillips, producer, and this is my, um, Steve Jones.

[2:41] Steve Jones: They know who I am, Cheryl. Am I right?

[2:43] Cheryl Philips: You think they do, and yet they're still here.

[2:46] Cheryl Philips: We are going to take you through the show of the season. No, no, no. The decade, for that matter.

[2:53] Steve Jones: And this is me. This is me. I'm being humble.

[2:56] Cheryl Philips: Not even remotely scientifically possible.

[2:59] Cheryl Philips: Stand back, everyone, and meet our A-Team Supreme. Our Tony Award winning composer, lyricist team, Kay Fields and Bobby Kearns, and book writer, Thomas Duvall.

[3:12] Cheryl Philips: Our visionary director and choreographer, Zoe Taylor. Our Tony winning megastar, Emma Olivia.

[3:22] Emma Olivia: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[3:28] Cheryl Philips: Our design team, who really need no introduction, David Korns, Natasha Katz, and Paul Tazwell. And our science consultant, Andrew Barkow.

[3:40] Cheryl Philips: And ladies and gentlemen, introducing the next Broadway superstar. Not many people can only have one name, and we finally have one on Broadway.

[3:55] Steve Jones: Don't forget about LaChanze. We're talking about...

[3:58] Emma Olivia: Styles.

[4:01] Steve Jones: What the hell? You haven't even done anything yet.

[4:04] Emma Olivia: Emmy, they're just being kind and supportive.

[4:08] Steve Jones: I'll give them a little something to say thank you.

[4:11] Emma Olivia: Yeah, yeah.

[4:14] Steve Jones: Yeah.

[4:19] Emma Olivia: If you were on fire right now and I had a glass of water in my hand, I'd drink the water.

[4:24] Steve Jones: If you think he's on fire now, just wait till you hear this man sing.

[4:30] Cheryl Philips: But let me tell you what makes this show extra special. It's not just the brilliant visionary creative team and this cast of blazing talents and bold faced names or a design team you can only dream about.

[4:47] Cheryl Philips: It's about even more. When Steve and I first heard about this extraordinary musical, we knew we needed a special home. A place we could all happily live for years and years to come.

[5:00] Cheryl Philips: Avatar is so landmark that for the very first time in 20 years, the curtain will rise on the Hellinger Theatre.

[5:13] Steve Jones: All right, all right, sit down, sit down, sit down.

[5:15] Cheryl Philips: Now let's get down to the pretty and the nitty. We've got nearly 90% of the capitalization in the bank with no real reason to raise the final contingency given our incredible advance.

[5:27] Cheryl Philips: But this show should belong to the community. I mean, that's what Broadway is. We're a community. We're a family and we don't do it without you.

[5:41] Cheryl Philips: So we're excited to partner and to share with you our ownership and all the upside to come.

[5:51] Steve Jones: Sure, he could invest if he wants. Of course, there is a room for everybody, given the very, very, very limited capitalization remaining and our extremely tight timeline.

[6:02] Cheryl Philips: But to hold your spot, text me right now with a yes, I'm in in big capital letters and sign the paperwork under your chair before you get through.

[6:13] Cheryl Philips: Checks must be in by Friday. First in, first on board. While there's still room.

[6:20] Investor 3: Cheryl, I'm in.

[6:21] Investor 4: Cheryl, over here.

[6:22] Investor 5: Steve, Steve, Steve.

[6:26] Steve Jones: I love producing.

[6:30] Narrator: Tweets sounds like an investment feeding frenzy at the backers audition for Avatar.

[6:36] Investor 6: I want to put in my life savings as a working actor.

[6:40] Investor 7: I hope you accept a half you smackery punch card and a free drink voucher for Feinstein's 54 below. Hashtag invest in me.

[6:46] Investor 8: Wow.

[6:51] Investor 9: You're at 90% already. OK, that's incredible.

[6:54] Investor 10: I'm not surprised. Those two are masters at this.

[6:57] Investor 11: And yet somehow they ended up working on Avatar.

[7:01] Kay Fields: That's too many V's, Kay.

[7:03] Bobby Kearns: OK, let me split one in half.

[7:05] Kay Fields: Wow.

[7:06] Bobby Kearns: Wow.

[7:07] Kay Fields: Really?

[7:08] Bobby Kearns: Really, Kay?

[7:09] Kay Fields: The finger.

[7:11] Bobby Kearns: Yeah.

[7:12] Kay Fields: Can you come here?

[7:14] Bobby Kearns: I have someone for you to meet.

[7:16] Kay Fields: OK, later, boys.

[7:19] Bobby Kearns: You two are so fun. A fun couple. I can see why we never worked out.

[7:25] Kay Fields: I wasn't fun.

[7:26] Bobby Kearns: Then.

[7:27] Kay Fields: Oh, what?

[7:28] Bobby Kearns: No.

[7:29] Kay Fields: No.

[7:30] Bobby Kearns: No, I mean, yes, you were. You were very fun.

[7:31] Kay Fields: You were fun. Remember that picnic in Central Park?

[7:36] Bobby Kearns: That was fun. And you saw Stephen Sondheim walking by and went over to chat with him.

[7:42] Kay Fields: You're right. I was fun. Even then.

[7:45] Bobby Kearns: Well, I mean, you chatted with him for 45 minutes and I ended up finishing that bottle of red and getting a headache from being day drunk. And then I cut myself slicing an apple and had to get stitches.

[7:57] Kay Fields: So you're the one who got fun.

[8:00] Bobby Kearns: I've always loved you, Bobby.

[8:02] Kay Fields: For that. Always stretching and growing.

[8:06] Bobby Kearns: Oh, yeah.

[8:08] Kay Fields: Well, I loved you, too. For that.

[8:12] Bobby Kearns: Loved.

[8:13] Kay Fields: As in love.

[8:15] Bobby Kearns: Duh. Not love present tense. Just love the past tense. For that, specifically. That one little tiny thing.

[8:24] Bobby Kearns: You seem flustered.

[8:28] Kay Fields: Look. Your hair is askew.

[8:31] Bobby Kearns: What?

[8:32] Kay Fields: Oh, no. My hair? That's just how I wore it today. It's fine.

[8:36] Bobby Kearns: It looks very sexy.

[8:39] Kay Fields: I love it.

[8:40] Andrew Barth Feldman: Hey, guys. Mind if I interrupt?

[8:42] Kay Fields: Andrew.

[8:43] Andrew Barth Feldman: Andrew Barth Feldman.

[8:44] Kay Fields: Hey.

[8:45] Andrew Barth Feldman: Good old ABF.

[8:47] Kay Fields: Are you okay?

[8:48] Andrew Barth Feldman: I don't know. What can I do for you?

[8:50] Andrew Barth Feldman: I wanted to talk to you about the song in Act 2 for the Banshees. I feel like there are some notes in there that would interfere with their sonar.

[8:55] Kay Fields: Oh, wow. Well, that's a serious issue. Let's figure that out immediately.

[9:01] Andrew Barth Feldman: Like right away. Like right now. Like this very moment. Come on.

[9:05] Kay Fields: Okay. Thank you.

[9:07] Andrew Barth Feldman: Yeah. Sorry.

[9:09] Thomas Duvall: Work calls. Come on. Let's go.

[9:12] Thomas Duvall: Are you ready to mingle?

[9:15] Zoe Taylor: I honestly can't wait for everyone to hear about your plans for the show.

[9:20] Thomas Duvall: Well, that makes two of us, Zoe. That makes two of us.

[9:24] Zoe Taylor: Honestly, Thomas. Sometimes you are just too much.

[9:29] Thomas Duvall: That sounded almost like a soap opera villain.

[9:31] Zoe Taylor: Oh, did it?

[9:38] Thomas Duvall: Oh, my God. Yes. I would love to sing at your benefit. Talk to my agent, Maxwell Furnsby, about my appearance fees.

[9:46] Zoe Taylor: Okay.

[9:47] Kay Fields: Okay. I want to talk to you.

[9:49] Kay Fields: Kay Fields, I am such a huge fan of yours.

[9:52] Kay Fields: Excuse us, please.

[9:53] Thomas Duvall: Certainly.

[9:54] Kay Fields: Sorry. This can't be good.

[9:56] Crimson Hughes: KK, what do you mean?

[9:58] Kay Fields: It's good. It's totally good.

[10:00] Crimson Hughes: Why wouldn't it be? You're literally squeezing your purse strap so hard, your hand is bleeding.

[10:04] Kay Fields: Crimson Hughes, I'm just starting un trend.

[10:08] Kay Fields: That's French for a trend. Anyway, I just had one of those like teensy little favors. It's so small. You won't even realize.

[10:15] Crimson Hughes: Okay, sure. What do you have in mind?

[10:19] Kay Fields: Cut Stavros' songs.

[10:21] Crimson Hughes: Oh, this is rich. Look, enough is enough. We all know that this show wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for me, right?

[10:29] Kay Fields: Okay, there's a reason Maxwell Furnsby is my agent.

[10:33] Crimson Hughes: Wait, Furnsby reps you, too? That's sneaky.

[10:36] Kay Fields: The point is, Kay, Stavros needs to go. Because, look, he's going to get devoured out there.

[10:44] Emma Olivia: I am losing sleep over this. I'm down to like nine hours a night. Humans weren't meant to live under this kind of stress.

[10:56] Steve Jones: Emma, Olivia, sweetie, honey, you brought him to the audition room and insisted he be cast without even singing. He's cast! He's great. He might actually make this gobbler into something worth sitting through. And if you're losing sleep because of an actor, well, that's just karma.

[11:13] Emma Olivia: How dare you! I will absolutely walk out.

[11:16] Steve Jones: We have Stavros, Emma, Olivia. Make all the threats you want. Now that Stavros' star is on the rise, is Emma, Olivia's light officially dimming? I doubt she's going to let that happen. Nothing like a little backstage rivalry to stir some juicy behind-the-curtain drama. And speaking of taking things into your own hands, what is very junior agent Maxwell Thurnsby up to now?

[11:41] Maxwell Thurnsby: Wow, look at all these investors. I have to say, a lot of this is directly because of you, Zoe.

[11:48] Zoe Taylor: Uh, no. I'm just the person who moves the pieces.

[11:51] Maxwell Thurnsby: You know, you're a genius director and choreographer, Zoe. I know it, they know it, and I'm excited to say that Tokyo knows it, too. And soon, the whole world will.

[12:02] Zoe Taylor: Wait, are you saying—

[12:04] Maxwell Thurnsby: Yeah, that's right. The Tokyo Olympics. Directing and choreographing. They want you. They want the full Zoe Taylor spectacle.

[12:14] Zoe Taylor: Maxwell Thurnsby, you—get out of here! When you said that initially, like, I just thought you were doing that agent-y thing, pitching me my wildest dreams so I'd sign with you, but I never actually believed it.

[12:28] Maxwell Thurnsby: But you signed with me anyway?

[12:29] Zoe Taylor: Well, I mean, you just look so sad. I couldn't help it. But this? The Tokyo Olympics?

[12:37] Maxwell Thurnsby: I'm not a regular agent, Zoe. I'm a cool agent.

[12:41] Zoe Taylor: You're definitely an effective agent, Maxwell. Let's leave it at that.

[12:46] Maxwell Thurnsby: Oh, I have to go tell Andrew Barth Feldman the good news. Like, I can't imagine doing this without him.

[12:52] Zoe Taylor: Yeah, you know, if he needs an agent—

[12:54] Bill Berloni: Hello, Bill Berloni here.

[12:58] Steve Jones: Okay, Bill, we're ready for you. It's Batchy time.

[13:01] Bill Berloni: Excellent! Our training efforts have been very successful.

[13:04] Steve Jones: Good to hear.

[13:05] Bill Berloni: We're ready to start our cast bonding overnights.

[13:08] Steve Jones: What?

[13:09] Bill Berloni: So there are no surprises on stage, we need to make sure our Banshee bond with our cast members. So, we need to start our Banshee cast sleepovers. Loyalty is everything to the Banshees, and the sooner we get started, the better.

[13:22] Steve Jones: Sure, sure. Uh, Noah, give me Emma Olivia and Stavros on the phone, tell them some Banshees are heading over to their apartment—

[13:30] Bill Berloni: Whoa, slow down, Steve. There's a lot to set up first.

[13:33] Steve Jones: No problem. Whatever, we'll make it happen.

[13:35] Bill Berloni: Good. One last training issue to resolve before we can get to the cast sleepovers. For some reason, the Banshees love grabbing our smaller dogs and taking them for these terrifying joy rides. Shooting straight up in the air and then dive bombing straight down, stopping inches from the ground. I'll need to know when the cast has a dog.

[13:53] Steve Jones: Seriously? How thrilling!

[13:56] Bill Berloni: What?

[13:57] Steve Jones: Oh, oh, I'm a genius. I'm a genius. I got a genius idea. What if the Banshees took small children for flights around the theater before the show starts?

[14:06] Bill Berloni: You're kidding, right?

[14:07] Steve Jones: No, no. This is brilliant. We'll be sold out by the next century.

[14:13] Bill Berloni: Uh, Steve, not gonna happen.

[14:15] Steve Jones: Come on, Bill, work with me. We can make little harnesses. It would be safe.

[14:20] Bill Berloni: No, no, it wouldn't be safe, Steve.

[14:23] Steve Jones: Oh, oh, wait, wait, wait. How much weight, actually, can the Banshee transport?

[14:29] Bill Berloni: Well, I, um, it depends on the Banshee.

[14:33] Steve Jones: Uh, give me a range.

[14:34] Bill Berloni: Well, our little Banshee can carry up to 50 pounds. Our adult Banshee, well, we've been testing out the flying scenes in Act 2 with two members of our team weighing over 160 each.

[14:45] Steve Jones: Excellent. I've got an epic idea. What if we offered Banshee transportation to the theater for a massive premium, of course?

[14:53] Bill Berloni: What? Oh, no. Definitely not.

[14:55] Steve Jones: Moa! Uh, give me, uh, Bassadona and Miramontes. Emergency team meeting.

[14:59] Bill Berloni: No, no, not possible. Aside from the astronomical risk, we'll never get FAA approval.

[15:05] Steve Jones: Please, this is me. It's already in the works, Bill. Too late. By the way, you obviously haven't seen the latest script.

[15:12] Bill Berloni: Uh-oh, what?

[15:13] Steve Jones: Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill. Are you sitting down? Brace yourself. We're going underwater.

[15:19] Bill Berloni: Do Banshees swim?

[15:20] Steve Jones: Well, I...

[15:21] Bill Berloni: Teach them. Talk to you soon.

[15:22] Steve Jones: I just... I need to catch you, too.

[15:31] Kaye Fields: Everyone! Uh, everyone!

[15:34] Kaye Fields: Before we all say goodbye, we did want to show you some of the amazing work we've been doing. This team, I wouldn't put anything past them.

[15:45] Bobby Kearns: Bobby, Bobby, did you know about this?

[15:47] Kaye Fields: What? No. Really, Kay?

[15:49] Bobby Kearns: Oh, right. We're just the songwriters.

[15:51] Kaye Fields: I knew.

[15:52] Bobby Kearns: Oh, shut up, Thomas! So what is the sneak peek?

[15:55] Kaye Fields: Emma Olivia and I put together a little snippet, but I didn't tell her that Stavros is going to join her as a surprise.

[16:05] Bobby Kearns: Wait, Stavros is going to interrupt an Emma Olivia solo in a room full of Broadway investors?

[16:12] Kaye Fields: Oh, God, this is too good.

[16:14] Kaye Fields: Without further ado, Emma Olivia!

[16:18] Andrew Barth Feldman: And accompanying her on the piano is Andrew Barth Feldman.

[16:25] Kaye Fields: Adorable Andrew Barth Feldman can do literally anything!

[16:30] Bobby Kearns: Now piano virtuoso? Amazing! Is he part Banshee?

[16:36] Emma Olivia: I would like to thank everyone for being here, but I really want everyone to thank me. I mean us, for what I think will be an extraordinary show brought to life by a creative team that is continually inspired by their brilliant cast. Hit it!

[16:54] ♪ Musical number: "Preemptive Strike" — performed by Emma Olivia and Stavros ♪

[17:25] Emma Olivia: Holy shit! Is this actually going to work?

[17:31] Kaye Fields: Wow! What a fun surprise!

[17:36] Bobby Kearns: A duet!

[17:38] Emma Olivia: All right, okay, thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you to Stavros who is going to get exactly what is coming to him.

[17:44] Emma Olivia: I mean, exactly what he deserves. I mean...

[17:56] Kaye Fields: Yeah, that's exactly what I meant.

[17:59] Steve Jones: Emma Olivia is great at a lot of things, but subtlety is not one of them.

[18:04] Kaye Fields: And apparently, neither are threats.

[18:07] Steve Jones: Will Emma Olivia sink the whole show to prevent Stavros from becoming a bigger star than she is? Is Kay still planning to sink the show herself? Will the Banshees swim or sink? Does Thomas want to sink Bobby's relationship with Kay? And just how much money did those investors sink into Avatar? Tune in for answers to some, none, or all of these questions to be up front. It's definitely not going to be all.

[18:34] Alex Brightman: Next week on As the Curtain Rises!

[18:39] Alex Brightman: Thank you from the bottom of our cold hearts for listening to As the Curtain Rises. A gargantuan thanks to our brilliant cast.

[18:49] Alex Brightman: James Monroe Iglehart as producer Steve Jones, Lillias White as producer Cheryl Phillips, Ashley Park as book writer-lyricist Kay Fields, Michael Urie as composer Bobby Kearns, Sarah Stiles as diva Emma Olivia, George Salazar as agent Maxwell Furnsby in the bathroom, Ariana DeBose as director-choreographer Zoe Taylor, Andrew Barth Feldman as science consultant Andrew Barth Feldman, Ramin Karimloo as the dreamy Stavros, Lesli Margherita as the Broadway disher, Mauricio Martinez as Thomas, animal trainer Bill Berloni as banshee wrangler Bill Berloni, our Broadway investors Alan Seals, Brittany Bigelow, Lauren LaBoeuf, Marty McGuire, and Jake Smith, and me, the incredible two-time Tony Award loser Alex Brightman as the narrator!

[19:57] Alex Brightman: Ah! Ah!

[20:01] Alex Brightman: Written by Dory Berenstain and Mark Pikert. Directed by Dory Berenstain. Music, sound editing, and design by Bart Fassbender. Avatar music by Matthew Sklar. Sound engineering by Alan Seals. Produced by Dory Berenstain, Alan Seals, and the Broadway Podcast Network. Associate producers Brittany Bigelow and Marty McGuire. Associate directed and sound edited by Marty McGuire. Executive produced by Liz Armstrong. And absolutely everything else by our extraordinary BPN team Brittany Bigelow, Joanna Nikolova, Katie Rosen, Cindy Schatz, and Beatriz Westby.

[20:47] Alex Brightman: As the Curtain Rises was created and recorded entirely in quarantine. This Broadway soap opera celebrates and supports the Actors Fund and the BPN Frontline Worker Initiative, which you can find at bpn.fm/frontlineworkers. That's bpn.fm/frontlineworkers.

[21:07] Alex Brightman: And finally, a very special thanks to our producing partner, Liz Armstrong, for your extraordinary support and inspiration. Buh-bye!

[21:18] Alex Brightman: As the Curtain Rises through the Sound and Light Initiative is a sponsored project of the Gotham's Fiscal Sponsorship Program.