This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eila Mell: Hello and welcome to a very special Behind the Awards. I'm Eila. I'm here with Bruce.

[0:06] Bruce Gotlieb: And where are we, Bruce? We are coming live on location, if you will. We have the press day for Immediate Family, which is coming to the Blumenthal Art Center in North Carolina this summer. So we are getting the opportunity to speak with director Phylicia Rashad.

[0:29] Bruce Gotlieb: Playwright Paul Oakley Stovall. That's right. As well as the cast that is taking on the roles of this family. That's right. I mean, we'll name everybody individually, but I mean, there are some great names in this cast. Andy Mientus and Christina Sajous and all of them are great. It doesn't stop there.

[0:50] Eila Mell: No. And how fun was it to get to spend the day with them? Yeah. You know, I love these live events are fun because you get the opportunity to speak to people that you might not otherwise find the time to because everyone's so busy and, you know, projects. And so getting somebody to carve out an hour, half hour just to sit down and chat is hard sometimes. So we got the opportunity to grab, you know, a few minutes with each of them. And I'm really excited about the show.

[1:15] Bruce Gotlieb: Me too. Me too. It sounds like it's going to be a hoot.

[1:19] Eila Mell: I think it is. And it's a pre-Broadway run. Performances start July 29th and run through August. So if you're in or near or thinking about vacationing in, is it Charlotte, North Carolina? That's right. Definitely get your tickets because this looks fantastic. Phylicia Rashad's not doing junk, so we know this is good.

[1:38] Bruce Gotlieb: That's right. She's a high level. That's right. That's right. High bar. So let's jump in and talk to the cast and creative team. Enjoy this live episode.

[1:44] Eila Mell: So we are here with Phylicia Rashad. Welcome.

[1:54] Phylicia Rashad: Thank you. Immediate Family, this wonderful play.

[2:01] Eila Mell: Thank you. So the playwright, Paul Stovall, he said that he gave you the script unsolicited. He just passed it. So what about the script spoke to you?

[2:06] Phylicia Rashad: Well, it was an opportunity to help craft a play or I should say help a playwright craft his play. When this play was handed to me initially, I'm trying to remember there are at least seven different locations in which the play was taking place. It was like three. And after, you know, carefully reading, I asked the question, what would happen if you put the whole play in your house? He hadn't thought about it. And he got to work on it. And this is the play that you see today.

[2:39] Eila Mell: Congratulations on Purpose last season.

[2:45] Phylicia Rashad: Thank you. Wonderful play. Thank you. But it seems you're lately drawn to family and family with secrets. So what is that like to be able to unpeel these layers of these family dynamics on stage?

[2:51] Phylicia Rashad: Is there a family that doesn't have secrets? Well, that's true. Isn't that interesting? Yes. Isn't that interesting? And you do know, I think, you know, as other cast members have made their way around, the secrets are known by some, maybe not all. Isn't that the way it happens? Some people know and others don't know the way it happens. And then the secrets are things that shouldn't necessarily have had to have been secrets. For sure. You know, so what is it that's about? It's about recognition, right? It's about acknowledgement and acceptance.

[3:30] Eila Mell: Yes. Well, we could talk to you all day, but you have many people to talk to. Thank you so much. And we can't wait to see the show.

[3:34] Phylicia Rashad: Thank you.

[3:41] Eila Mell: So Bruce and I are here talking with Paul Oakley Stovall, the playwright of Immediate Family.

[3:48] Paul Oakley Stovall: That's a big deal. It is a big deal. It's my first play I ever wrote. It went through different iterations, different titles, different directors from Chicago storefront, where we had two folding chairs, a piece of string and a light bulb and some gum and made a show. You know, Chicago theater? Well, you know, the lore of Chicago theater, they make them a million bucks when they only got 15 cents. So I came from that era. And I think that's what led me to have the absolute audacity to approach Phylicia Rashad and say, would you read this? I think if I was in New York, I would have been like, oh, my God, hi, nice to meet you and ran away. But in Chicago, I'm like, hey, here you go. The worst that can happen is you never read it or read it and hate it. The worst is that she read it and hated it.

[4:36] Paul Oakley Stovall: Well, the funny story is she read it and I haven't told anyone else this scoop. She read it and wrote me an email back and said, oh, darling, darling, Paul, Paul, Paul, this is wonderful, darling. Wonderful. And so I thought, OK, when the opportunity came to do it at the Goodman, we didn't have the director that I wanted. And I wrote her again and said, would you want to direct it? I saw that she had been directing like Raisin in the Sun and August Wilson shows, things that she had acted in. So she knew the material well. And she was, I think, turned on by the idea of taking on a new work. So she goes, OK, OK, let's do this. But then she goes, it was three in the morning. And she hired her favorite set designer.

It was all kidding. I was so like petty. And so this brought me down to earth. She said, Paul, right now the show has eight locations. And I was like, yeah, because I knew she read it and liked it. Like, where could this be going? And she said, could you get it down to four? You knew what was coming, didn't you?

[5:49] Paul Oakley Stovall: Yeah. So I said, don't get upset. Just try to get it down to four. And I did it in overnight and I sent it back to her. And the next day she called me at three in the morning again. Paul, Paul, this is wonderful. Wonderful. Can you get it down to two? I didn't even have to tell you this story. You're a writer, like you have an editor or you have people that look at your work. And also eight locations is either a musical or a movie. And the designers like, where's the thing? The house is the other character. Right. And she said, two, I'll give you the house and the backyard. We'll count that as two. Can you do that? And all these things. But that means this character won't come in until later. Yes. Yes, darling. Yes. Don't they help you as a writer? And don't they help you in life?

[6:35] Paul Oakley Stovall: Yes, absolutely. Parameters, corners that we paint ourselves into in life. People go, how's she going to get out of that one? Well, that's the great challenge of being a writer. How am I going to get out of this? So, you know, I'm not going to say she wrote the play with me, but she certainly did put some things on me. That's what a good director does. They guide you and they help shape the play. But they can see what you can't see anymore. You're too deep in it.

[6:59] Eila Mell: That's right. It's like your children.

[7:04] Paul Oakley Stovall: Yep. Yep. And you have to be firm. When you sat down to write this play, did you have your family in mind?

[7:09] Paul Oakley Stovall: I thought that I did, but I also had a past relationship. I used to live in Sweden. And what happens in the play, people often think that I'm the main character, Jesse. What they don't know is I'm actually Christian. And I lived the flip side of this, where I was the outsider with the Swedish family. That's so interesting. But then when I was thinking of that's a story I want to tell, I thought, well, I can't write it in Swedish. And nobody's gonna, that isn't, I can't do that. But I could flip it. And I have people in my family who could stand in for some of them. So it's not a mirror of my family, which is a blessing in a way. That is because this way you're free. You know, it's not my cousin over here who's like, hey, right. I was free to mix and mingle people in my family.

[7:49] Eila Mell: Yeah. Well, thank you so much. We're so excited to see it.

[8:04] Christina Sajous: We have Christina Sajous. Hello. It's a pleasure.

[8:10] Eila Mell: You did, Sajous. That's right. I actually learned it because we had James Monroe Iglehart on our show, your co-star, co-director. Love him. And he's about to go into Ann Juliette, which is really cool. Great for him. Congratulations. And congratulations to you.

[8:21] Christina Sajous: Thank you. You're the star of the show, Immediate Family.

[8:25] Eila Mell: Yes. So are you the matriarch of this?

[8:30] Christina Sajous: I am. First of all, age-wise, that doesn't add up. Isn't that something? Yes. They're gonna have to age you.

[8:35] Christina Sajous: I know. But I think that's actually what makes this show so beautiful, but also so complex, because she is a 40-year-old woman trying to figure out how to keep her family together while also trying to pull her life together. And that's where it's complex, because she also can use a little bit of the help, too, in having someone hold her accountable. But it's interesting because, you know, I do know some people who don't have their parents with them, and they do have to act as the matriarch. So sadly, you know, there is a little bit of truth that exists inside the story that you're gonna find in other families that people would definitely connect to.

[9:12] Eila Mell: Now, do you find a parallel to your own family in this?

[9:19] Christina Sajous: The way that we argue is very similar, I have to be honest, because everyone is so passionate and so convicted in their beliefs and what they believe in and what they feel, that they have to make sure that everyone understands how they feel. Even if it's already been said, like, I get you, they still feel like they need to be heard. And I think that is something that a lot of, you know, I would say a lot of families, but something about Black culture, you know, there is this need to always fight for your sincerity. And you want people to believe that you are sincere and that you're good and that you deserve to exist and that you deserve to be heard. And I think that's what makes this show so special.

[10:08] Eila Mell: There's secrets galore which I understand.

[10:14] Christina Sajous: Yes, there are. Is that fun to, like, kind of play that and unearth these little gems?

[10:21] Christina Sajous: Yes, I think, you know, I love that Paul has kind of dropped little, like, I say Easter eggs, you know, the kind of, like, it starts to eventually sort of open up and then it just kind of cracks all the way open at the end. And I think that we're definitely going to be taking the audience on a journey. And I think everyone's point of view is so strong.

[10:40] Paul Oakley Stovall: That every character has a significant part of this story. I just have to congratulate you because you're in such a role. I mean, The Acid Queen and Tommy and directing Wonderful World and, you know, just all the work you're doing now starring in this. It's amazing what you're doing. Thank you. Really, you deserve all the success.

[11:00] Phylicia Rashad: Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you. What are you most excited about with this show?

[11:04] Paul Oakley Stovall: Well, I'm excited for everyone to see Phylicia Rashad's work. I think after seeing Purpose, I was very enthusiastic about wanting to get in the room with her because she really knows how to pull truths and vulnerability out of artists because not only is she an excellent director, but she's also a fabulous and amazing actor. And so she knows how to talk to us to help us pull our best selves, find those characters that exist deep inside of us in order to bring it to the surface and let it be a gift to the audience. And so for me, I can't wait for her very strong point of view when it comes to family complexities to continue to be the lineage of her creativity.

[11:48] Eila Mell: You know, on paper anyway, and from even the design, it looks like this could be sort of a cousin to Purpose.

[11:52] Paul Oakley Stovall: For sure. Yes, it does. I was thinking about that too. And when I saw Purpose, I actually couldn't believe it because I was like, this is like Immediate Family. It's interesting because it's like it really is about families trying to figure out how to exist happily together. And you stick us all in one room and we have to kind of figure out how to survive.

[12:16] Eila Mell: Well, we can't wait to see it. And thank you so much.

[12:20] Paul Oakley Stovall: Thank you so much. Yes, it's a pleasure.

[12:24] Eila Mell: Thank you. Well, we are here with Freddie Fulton. It's so nice to meet you.

[12:28] Freddie Fulton: So nice to meet you all. So tell us about this movie, this Immediate Family.

[12:32] Freddie Fulton: It's such a beautiful play that truly holds up a mirror to families everywhere. I hope that everyone that comes gets to see themselves and maybe a family member you want to talk to. And maybe a family member you don't want to talk to.

[12:44] Eila Mell: Well, if you don't want to talk to, it's better to watch them on a play.

[12:48] Freddie Fulton: It's better to watch them on a play. But it showcases to me how some members of our family could just fall into the rut of loving like fire. And we need to be loved like water sometimes. And we get to see that disconnect happen multiple times and what it builds to. And we get to watch it on stage instead of watching it at a family reunion or a wedding. So I think that's a beautiful thing, too.

[13:12] Eila Mell: What about Tony? Do you find yourself like him, not like him?

[13:16] Freddie Fulton: I do find myself like Tony. I think Tony is a caregiver and he's the baby of the family. And I do find myself juggling a whole lot when I'm at home with my family. Because there's a lot of things that you don't know as the baby. Like there's a lot of things that you did not experience. So you're just living your life. And I think Tony is doing just that.

[13:36] Eila Mell: Does Tony have any secrets?

[13:40] Freddie Fulton: Tony does have some secrets. Please come out and find out.

[13:44] Eila Mell: Well, now I'm so intrigued. How could I not? I'm so glad.

[13:52] Eila Mell: Oh my gosh. How do you all feel about this? Like what do you all know about it? Because I don't want to give anything away.

[13:56] Freddie Fulton: We don't like spoilers.

[14:00] Elijah Jones: I like to go in knowing nothing.

[14:04] Freddie Fulton: I know that it's about a family. I know that it's really funny. I know that the costumes are going to be amazing because I can see the schedule.

[14:12] Elijah Jones: Oh my gosh. That looks phenomenal.

[14:16] Freddie Fulton: The level of artistry that is a part of this crew is just... I can't even compare it. It's beautiful. Our stage manager is like...

[14:24] Elijah Jones: His father was known for stage managing.

[14:28] Freddie Fulton: Really?

[14:32] Elijah Jones: He ran his first show when he was 16. So it's like this is an amazing thing to be a part of.

[14:36] Freddie Fulton: You're in good hands. And then you're being led by Phylicia Rashad. Amazing. Legend.

[14:40] Elijah Jones: A legend. And everything that she says you just want to bend your ear to and learn from. No matter if it's a note for you or anyone else. Just so you can hold in your pocket and tell anyone and just say this is what I learned from a legend.

[14:56] Freddie Fulton: That's right. Amazing. Well, we are so excited for you.

[15:00] Elijah Jones: Thank you. Can't wait for people to come check out this pre-Broadway run.

[15:04] Freddie Fulton: Please come out. And then come again when it comes to Broadway.

[15:08] Elijah Jones: Yeah. And come multiple times in Charlotte if you want.

[15:12] Freddie Fulton: Absolutely. It's going to be a good time. And it's a great city to have a vacation in. So you might as well go see the play.

[15:16] Elijah Jones: Yes. And if you see it at the beginning and end, my size might change because I'm definitely eating a lot of barbecue.

[15:24] Freddie Fulton: Well, you're starting off nice and in shape.

[15:28] Elijah Jones: Well, thank you so much. And we can't wait to see you on stage. Thank you all so much.

[15:32] Freddie Fulton: Thank you for this.

[15:36] Eila Mell: I'm here with Elijah Jones. So tell me about your character in this play.

[15:40] Elijah Jones: I play Jesse. He is the middle Bryant sibling. He is coming home for the first time in about three years for his youngest brother's wedding. And he is he's found himself having to like navigate who he was expected to be like who he was raised to be and who he actually is. And he's got to put himself in a little bit of a predicament because his partner is also going to be joining him at this wedding.

[16:04] Eila Mell: Is this a first for the family to be meeting him?

[16:08] Elijah Jones: This is a first for the family to be meeting him. Yes, it is. This is one of those family secrets that are in the play.

[16:16] Eila Mell: It is one of those family secrets that might not be such a secret.

[16:20] Elijah Jones: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm intrigued that this is his first time home in three years. Is that why? Because he didn't feel like he could be who he was.

[16:28] Elijah Jones: I think so. I mean, it's not said explicitly in the script what the reason is. But yeah, home for him. There is a lot of trauma at home, as I think there is for a lot of us. And so, you know, after his father passed away, he went to Minneapolis and has been living there and has not been home in all that time.

[16:48] Eila Mell: What has the family dynamic been like creating for you guys? Because when we walked in the room, we could see it just even here today.

[16:56] Elijah Jones: It has been incredible. I mean, I'm so blessed to be around this group of artists. It's been so much fun getting to know everybody, getting to, like you said, build that family dynamic. A lot of it has been built through us learning how to play Bidwist. Our incredible playwright, Paul, has been teaching us how to do that. And so, you know, just in playing that game and getting a little competitive with each other, we've begun to really, really build something that I think is very beautiful here.

[17:28] Eila Mell: Now, of course, you're actors. And you can bring a sense of family, even if there isn't one. But isn't it so much easier when you do genuinely like each other and really create that family?

[17:32] Elijah Jones: Of course. I mean, the less acting you have to do, the better.

[17:36] Eila Mell: Right. Exactly.

[17:40] Elijah Jones: Yeah. The more it comes from who you are naturally.

[17:44] Eila Mell: Exactly. Yeah. Well, this is so exciting. So you start performances at the end of July.

[17:48] Elijah Jones: That is correct. July 29th is our first performance. And I'm so very excited. Anyone who's in or near North Carolina should come.

[17:56] Eila Mell: Anybody in the world should come.

[18:00] Elijah Jones: OK. Get on a plane. Get on a train. Get on a bus. Get in your car. OK. Walk if you have to.

[18:04] Eila Mell: That's right. Because it is going to be something special. And then come again when it comes to Broadway.

[18:08] Elijah Jones: From your lips to God's ear.

[18:12] Eila Mell: That's right. Oh, well, it was so great to talk to you.

[18:16] Elijah Jones: Great to talk to you, too. Thank you.

[18:20] Eila Mell: All right. Well, we are talking to Kaihi.

[18:24] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes, you are. Hello. So tell us about your character in this play.

[18:28] Kai Almeda Heath: My character is Nina. She is the family sis. So I live next door. I'm the play sister of the family. Jessie's best friend. And when I tell you Nina has no filter, she has no filter. You don't know what's coming out of her mouth. It surprises me.

[18:40] Eila Mell: So she's the fun character.

[18:44] Kai Almeda Heath: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. If you don't see fun in her, I don't know what you're looking at. Because she's full of fun.

[18:48] Eila Mell: When you first read through the script, were you like, oh, I know what she's about?

[18:52] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes. Yes. Even when I read just for the audition, I was like, it was clear. I know some Ninas. I know a couple Ninas. And I think we all want to be Ninas. But we're not as brave or crazy. But yeah, I saw Nina right away. I know her. I know her well.

[19:12] Eila Mell: Do you have a Nina in your family?

[19:16] Kai Almeda Heath: Maybe it's me sometimes. Sometimes.

[19:20] Eila Mell: But yeah. Actually, the Nina is my older sister, Shani. I'm going to tell you that straight up. Yep. Shani, it's you.

[19:24] Eila Mell: Shani coming to the show?

[19:28] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes, she is. She's actually based in North Carolina. So this is going to be really great for her to see me in her hometown.

[19:32] Eila Mell: Is this your first time working in this theater?

[19:36] Kai Almeda Heath: This will be. This will be. So lots of firsts. I'm very excited.

[19:40] Eila Mell: That is exciting.

[19:44] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes. It being a pre-Broadway show, I mean, that's nothing to see there.

[19:48] Eila Mell: No. It's all in the workings to be led by Paul and Phylicia Rashad.

[19:52] Kai Almeda Heath: Come on. I mean, the proof will be in the pudding for sure. Absolutely. Just what we've accomplished in the room so far it's only me two already on our feet, already feeling like a family. I just I'm so excited for what's to come. But the ground is definitely set.

[20:04] Eila Mell: Yeah, you can see like just when we came in and you guys are all hanging out, you can see that there's something happening.

[20:08] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes, there is. There is. There is joy. Joy is happening.

[20:12] Eila Mell: Well, thank you so much for joining us.

[20:16] Kai Almeda Heath: Thank you. I appreciate it. We hope people are going to all show up and laugh with you.

[20:20] Eila Mell: Yes.

[20:24] Kai Almeda Heath: Yes. We want you to come and see it again.

[20:28] Eila Mell: That part. Exactly.

[20:32] Eila Mell: Absolutely. We are here with Colleen Morris Glennon, the costume designer. Welcome.

[20:36] Colleen Morris Glennon: Thank you. Thank you very much. So I was looking at all the sketches that you have. Right. And so are any of these costumes set in stone yet or are we just starting?

[20:40] Colleen Morris Glennon: Some of them are. The sketches aren't because we're going to go through a few muslins, see how we like, see how it fits. Right. Because I find, especially when you have the set, you want to see what the colors will look like on the set for each scene. So it's definitely a work in progress.

[20:56] Eila Mell: So are you in conversation with Paul Dupout then as he's doing the set just to see?

[21:00] Colleen Morris Glennon: Yes, we are. Because we kind of share color charts and everything so we are in the right mood. Also with lighting. Because as you know, lighting can change a mood and change the colors.

[21:20] Paul Oakley Stovall: Just like a family, you are looking at, you know, like you're literally in the living room with. So the costumes are very contemporary, not over-the-top, but still tell a story. So they're not ultra fashionable except of course Ronnie is, because Ronnie is European and she's a painter, so we wanted her costume to be fluid. With Evie, I want it to be a little bit restrictive because she is also hiding something and she is a little sad. As Paul mentioned, time is running out for her, so her costumes are definitely a bit more tailored, you know, less fluid. Tony is the young of the family, so he's colorful, very playful. Each character has a story to their costumes. I'm very—I like to do that sometimes. It's also color-coordinated, right? Like Christian, very cool, calm colors. He's from Sweden, so we go over the cool blues, the tones. Very autonomous, so you know, that's how I do the costumes with each character.

[22:43] Paul Oakley Stovall: And so as a designer, because I know that you have fashion inspirations for all of your actors, but as a costume designer, it's different. Yes, it is. So as you read the script, do you make notes? Absolutely, things I do. What that is, I tend to break down a script when I read it. So the first thing I'll do is read it fully first, get it in my head, and then I start looking at it from a costume point of view. And that's always a great process to do because then you have ideas in your head, you have colors in your head. But like I said, then you get the backdrop of the set, you get the lighting, and then things kind of change. It can be tonal that changes; it can go from like a navy blue to a royal blue. But yeah, that's how my process is as I go through. It's really colors and cuts and lines.

[23:34] Paul Oakley Stovall: When you're reading a script and you're developing the imagery in your mind for what the character is and how they look, do you find that then talking with the rest of the creative team, it can change drastically? Absolutely, it has to be. You mean you can have an idea, but in the end, it has to be a collaboration for sure. It has to be, most importantly, what does Felicia see the characters to be? Sure, because it's her vision. We're here to facilitate. So I'm a creative who's facilitating a vision that Felicia has in her head, and then you talk with Paul, the writer, of what he had in his head. You talk with sets and props. So it's a real collaboration. It's never you telling a story by yourself; it's a collaboration.

[24:20] Paul Oakley Stovall: You can get an idea looking at the board that you've assembled. You can almost start to, without even reading the script, right? You can start to get a picture in your mind of what the people are, exactly what tone will be. Exactly. Good, that means I've done my job well.

[24:36] Paul Oakley Stovall: I don't generally do that because then I'm thinking from my point of view and not the character's point of view. So I tend to really keep that out. I do—there'll be pieces I love, yeah, but in the end, it has to be about the character. Yeah, that's the heart of it. Have you ever designed a piece or the performer has asked if they could keep it? Too many, many times, I'm happy to say, because I also have a fashion design background. So yeah, I'm happy to say most of the time, cast are like, "Ooh, that's an interesting piece." This is only a four-week run. Hmm, so I like that too. It makes you feel good; it makes you feel absolutely.

[25:20] Paul Oakley Stovall: Yeah, and so when you're doing modern-day dressing like this, people very often, you know, they think, "Well, it's just clothes; it's not really nice," but there's a lot that goes into it—a lot of fun. Yes, it's actually harder in a way, right? Because doing the past, you're restricted to what it was, but doing present, everyone has an idea of what they think it should be. And you have to remember it's out of your realm; it's a 360 degrees rather than you just standing there. So it's kind of—you have—it's almost like you have more leeway, but you don't, not right. And also because we're so familiar, like if a character carries a certain bag, a handbag, right? I'm gonna say a lot about a character in a modern piece.

Yes, it does. So I try to stay away from labels and kind of—I don't like the costumes to speak for the character, and certainly not in a piece like this. Yeah, it just should tell the story, but you shouldn't be so focused on the handbag, right? Do you know what I mean?

[26:22] Paul Oakley Stovall: Then you miss—you miss the dialogue. You do. If you're thinking about anything other than the play, then that's it. Then I haven't done my job. That's right. Yeah. Well, you've clearly done your job, and thank you. Thank you so much. Walking around on stage, I know neither. Can we—to be honest, it's gonna be brilliant. Thank you. Thank you.

[26:41] Britney Coleman: So we are joined by Brittany and Andy with Immediate Family. Hello!

[26:46] Andy Mientus: So how excited are you guys to get this pre-Broadway up on its feet? Very exciting.

[26:52] Britney Coleman: Yeah, I have not been a part of a pre-Broadway non-musical play before, so it's just like—I feel like it's a dream achieved, and luckily I'm doing it with these fabulous actors and this fabulous director. It's really like something I didn't see coming, but I'm so happy to be here.

[27:11] Andy Mientus: It reminds me a little bit of, you know, kind of have a sitcom vibe to it. You got some comedy, you got some drama—all that comes into play. Have you guys had the opportunity to really sink into that? I know rehearsals are underway.

[27:25] Britney Coleman: I think we're almost there at that point. This is our second week of rehearsal, and even then we've made such huge strides since the first day. And I'm really excited to see where it goes for sure.

[27:36] Andy Mientus: Yeah, you mentioned the rhythm of kind of the sitcom, the family drama and comedy. I think the form of this play is gonna be quite familiar to audiences that it kind of will feel like some of those classic, you know, the couch is in the middle of the room, people are coming in one by one. You're meeting this family in kind of that sitcom classic comedy kind of way, and then of course it goes into places you really don't expect. So I think we're finding that rhythm right now, and it feels really good to yet feel everyone's individual rhythms on stage, lulling the audience into like—they get them comfortable, they know what to expect, and then you hit them with the twist. We get them laughing before we get them crying. That's perfect.

[28:15] Britney Coleman: So the play is about family. Um, how do you feel about your family's coming to see this? Oh my gosh, I will just say I am so thrilled for my family to see me in this. I really relate to this character in so many different ways, and I think that's gonna be really, really fun to see the parallels between my actual family and my new stage family. There's a lot of parallels there. I'm so excited to bring my mom down to Charlotte, you know, my mom is newly retired a couple of years ago but worked really hard for a really long time. So, you know, didn't get to see a whole lot of the world during her working years. And so now that she's—not working anymore, she gets to come see me do whatever I'm doing, wherever I'm doing it. And so I'm so lucky this is a new one for us, for both of us to explore the city together, and she gets a little vacation, a little vacation, and she gets to see a great play.

[29:07] Andy Mientus: Yeah, amazing. So when do performances start?

[29:16] Britney Coleman: We start performances July 29th.

[29:20] Andy Mientus: That's fantastic. And it's a pre-Broadway run?

[29:25] Britney Coleman: That is the word on the street.

[29:30] Andy Mientus: So how much do you think that the play will evolve over your run?

[29:35] Britney Coleman: Well, that's the beauty of being able to do something out of town and to sit in and live with it a bit and see what works and what maybe can be judged a little bit, like I like to say. So we actually have no idea; it could change a lot or it could change very little, but we'll see what happens in Charlotte. We were just before we got started today, we were all sitting on the couch, and there's a joke that needs to change just by nature of one of our actors' hair looking a little different than our playwright imagined. And we were all kind of pitching variations on this joke together, and that's kind of how it's been working. You know, the bones of the story and the scripts are remaining, you know, intact, but I think now that we're in week two, it's really starting to get very specific to this group and what makes us laugh and, yeah, how we can make each other laugh and how these lines can become really specific to us. And that's what's so exciting.

[30:11] Britney Coleman: I would think about originating a role is that you really do bring yourself into it.

[30:17] Andy Mientus: 100%. I mean, obviously, you have a wonderful playwright, but it's a collaborative art, as we all know. And we're definitely becoming a real family offstage, too. I'm really excited to see, you know, where the five of us end up as well.

[30:30] Britney Coleman: Well, we can't wait to see it, to see what these family secrets are. Thank you so much.

[30:34] Paul Oakley Stovall: So I love that is a wrap on our live Immediate Family press event. I'm so excited to see this show now. You know, it's funny because I didn't really know anything about it going in, and I know you don't like spoilers, but with each interview that we had and speaking to each person and their excitement and just hearing about potential twists and turns and chaos, I know I have—it makes me want to go down to North Carolina and see the show.

[31:04] Britney Coleman: I know, it sounds so exciting, so much fun.

[31:09] Andy Mientus: Yeah, whoever's already in North Carolina is in for a treat, and really, if anyone's considering going, they should because it's gonna be great. And how often do you get to see a show directed by Phylicia Rashad?

[31:21] Paul Oakley Stovall: Exactly. Amazing. Well, it may be more commonplace as we go forward. I hope so. Why not?

[31:27] Britney Coleman: I know she really knows—she knows her craft. I mean, she's been doing this many years on stage, you know, in the small screen, you know, she's just—right, this is her life, our world. So I'm sure she's been doing it since she was tiny.

[31:39] Paul Oakley Stovall: Oh, of course. So yeah, so she—you know, dancer, singer, actor, everything. She knows every aspect of this business. So who better to help?

[31:52] Britney Coleman: Absolutely. Well, we'll see everyone next time on Behind the Awards.