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[0:19] Eila Mell: Hello and welcome to Behind the Awards. I'm Eila. As always, I'm here with Bruce.

[0:30] Bruce Gotlieb: Hello there, Eila. How are you doing today?

[0:33] Eila Mell: I am good. I'm so happy to be with you and also this clip. My goodness.

[0:41] Bruce Gotlieb: So, you know, you have an envelope. You open the envelope. It seems like a really – they've been doing it for years. It seems like a really easy, easy order of events.

[0:53] Eila Mell: But Warren, for whatever reason, he couldn't – he's like staring at this envelope for what seems like an eternity and then passes it along and she announces it as if she read it.

[1:08] Bruce Gotlieb: I think she did. I think someone gave her the wrong envelope.

[1:11] Eila Mell: I think the person who was supposed to – who was giving out the envelopes wasn't paying attention and gave her the wrong one.

[1:19] Bruce Gotlieb: That's what I think the story is.

[1:21] Eila Mell: OK. So why would you have two envelopes that say Best Picture?

[1:25] Bruce Gotlieb: I don't think it said Best Picture. I think that's what the problem was.

[1:28] Eila Mell: OK. Got it.

[1:29] Bruce Gotlieb: I think she just saw La La Land and said – I think that's what happened anyway.

[1:34] Eila Mell: I don't know. It's probably one of the most notorious screw-ups in Oscar history and it's amazing.

[1:40] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, because they didn't even – it's not even like they caught it right away.

[1:43] Eila Mell: No.

[1:44] Bruce Gotlieb: The other groups up there, the whole – because Best Picture, everyone goes out.

[1:48] Eila Mell: How awful. I know.

[1:50] Bruce Gotlieb: And they're giving speeches and they're – but how gracious La La Land. The guy is like, no, this is – I'm honored to give it to my friend.

[1:58] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[1:59] Bruce Gotlieb: But imagine you think you won the Oscar and then you didn't.

[2:02] Eila Mell: Hopefully they won other Oscars that night.

[2:04] Bruce Gotlieb: I mean, but how – right.

[2:06] Eila Mell: People.

[2:07] Bruce Gotlieb: You're right. How terrible to be on the top of the world only to have that balloon puff.

[2:13] Eila Mell: Snatched.

[2:14] Bruce Gotlieb: Out from your grasp.

[2:15] Eila Mell: Oh, my gosh.

[2:17] Bruce Gotlieb: It lives on and you talk about it now always.

[2:20] Eila Mell: I know. Faye Dunaway, I mean, it's the best thing that happened to her career in a long time.

[2:26] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Right.

[2:28] Eila Mell: Maybe it'll erase some of the Mommy Dearest damage.

[2:31] Bruce Gotlieb: Maybe.

[2:32] Eila Mell: Who knows? Probably not.

[2:34] Bruce Gotlieb: I think she made her bed a long time ago.

[2:38] Eila Mell: Yes. Yes.

[2:40] Bruce Gotlieb: I mean, it was – you have the two of them come out and everyone's – you get that feeling of, oh, look at these guys.

[2:45] Eila Mell: Bonnie and Clyde.

[2:46] Bruce Gotlieb: They're up again.

[2:47] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[2:48] Bruce Gotlieb: And then they go and do something like that.

[2:50] Eila Mell: Well, I don't know.

[2:51] Bruce Gotlieb: So what – Jimmy Kimmel had to come out and sort of –

[2:54] Eila Mell: Yes.

[2:55] Bruce Gotlieb: Situation it right.

[2:56] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[2:58] Bruce Gotlieb: Like a whole kerfuffle of, like, you know, confusion and this is going on and that's going on.

[3:02] Eila Mell: I know.

[3:03] Bruce Gotlieb: And Jimmy kept saying, I think you guys should just keep the Oscar.

[3:06] Eila Mell: Why don't we just give it to everybody?

[3:09] Bruce Gotlieb: That would have been good.

[3:10] Eila Mell: I mean, it was already given.

[3:12] Bruce Gotlieb: And then he said, I blame Steve Harvey for this.

[3:16] Eila Mell: Because obviously Steve Harvey had the notorious – what was it, Miss USA?

[3:20] Bruce Gotlieb: Right.

[3:21] Eila Mell: He announced the wrong person.

[3:22] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh, my gosh.

[3:23] Eila Mell: So funny.

[3:25] Bruce Gotlieb: And, you know, I wonder – because everything you're reading, it's like just – I get it.

[3:30] Eila Mell: I could only imagine that you're still nervous even as a presenter.

[3:34] Bruce Gotlieb: Right.

[3:35] Eila Mell: You know, you have all these cameras on you.

[3:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah.

[3:37] Eila Mell: The eyes are on you.

[3:38] Bruce Gotlieb: Everyone's on you.

[3:39] Eila Mell: Right.

[3:40] Bruce Gotlieb: It's a big room.

[3:41] Eila Mell: I guess.

[3:42] Bruce Gotlieb: It's not like you're in a studio where there's just a few people.

[3:44] Eila Mell: Right.

[3:45] Bruce Gotlieb: You know, it's a huge audience.

[3:46] Eila Mell: You know there's a billion people watching.

[3:48] Bruce Gotlieb: Right, right.

[3:49] Eila Mell: I mean, I don't know.

[3:50] Bruce Gotlieb: They've probably both done it a zillion times, so who knows how they feel about it at this point, but still.

[3:56] Eila Mell: Well, and we've been to a Tony's rehearsal, so we know they rehearse, although they don't get the envelope, but they rehearse the process.

[4:02] Bruce Gotlieb: Right.

[4:03] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[4:04] Bruce Gotlieb: I don't know if the Oscars are the same.

[4:06] Eila Mell: Yeah, I don't know.

[4:07] Bruce Gotlieb: I'm sure, you know, they don't – they're not giving the real envelope, so we know that.

[4:11] Eila Mell: Well, we know that.

[4:12] Bruce Gotlieb: So.

[4:13] Eila Mell: Maybe Warren and Fay just, you know, they couldn't make it to the rehearsal that morning.

[4:17] Bruce Gotlieb: But it wouldn't have mattered because if someone gives you the wrong envelope, how can you read the – but what you should have done is said, you know, this isn't best picture.

[4:24] Eila Mell: Right.

[4:25] Bruce Gotlieb: Right.

[4:26] Eila Mell: Because there are other words on there.

[4:27] Bruce Gotlieb: It's not like you just open up the envelope and it says the title of a movie.

[4:30] Eila Mell: I know.

[4:31] Bruce Gotlieb: So.

[4:32] Eila Mell: You know.

[4:33] Bruce Gotlieb: That might have been the move.

[4:34] Eila Mell: And did Warren Beatty notice it?

[4:36] Bruce Gotlieb: I don't know.

[4:37] Eila Mell: I don't know.

[4:38] Bruce Gotlieb: He spent a lot of time with that envelope and then just passed it off to her.

[4:41] Eila Mell: I really feel like he threw her under the bus.

[4:43] Bruce Gotlieb: So did he open it and look at it and then give it to her?

[4:46] Eila Mell: Yes.

[4:47] Bruce Gotlieb: Oh.

[4:48] Eila Mell: He spent a lot of time looking at the envelope, not saying anything.

[4:51] Bruce Gotlieb: So he knew.

[4:52] Eila Mell: And she turned to him at one point and goes, you're, like, not – like, you're out of control, or you're like, like, what are you doing?

[4:58] Bruce Gotlieb: So then he knew there was a problem.

[5:01] Eila Mell: So he should have said, this isn't the right album.

[5:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, who knows what they're doing?

[5:06] Eila Mell: Who knows?

[5:07] Bruce Gotlieb: I don't know.

[5:08] Eila Mell: But you know who does know what she's doing?

[5:10] Bruce Gotlieb: Is it Jenny Anderson?

[5:11] Eila Mell: Jenny Anderson.

[5:12] Bruce Gotlieb: Broadway photographer.

[5:14] Eila Mell: You know, I love when those pictures come out, whether it's on her Instagram, which is amazing, people should follow.

[5:19] Bruce Gotlieb: But, like, you know, Broadway World or whatever news outlet that picks up some of the pictures or maybe they commission her to do it, some of those – not only stage pictures, but even the behind-the-scenes that she captures with people getting ready, they're just – I love that kind of stuff.

[5:30] Eila Mell: Me too.

[5:31] Bruce Gotlieb: And everyone loves behind-the-scenes stuff, so.

[5:33] Eila Mell: Yeah, watching people get ready.

[5:35] Bruce Gotlieb: And, you know, she's developed something that she grew up loving and turned it into a career.

[5:40] Eila Mell: I mean, what's more amazing than that?

[5:42] Bruce Gotlieb: That's the best.

[5:43] Eila Mell: Something that, you know, you would do for free is your career.

[5:46] Bruce Gotlieb: Right.

[5:47] Eila Mell: And that's what they say, do something you love, right?

[5:49] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes.

[5:50] Eila Mell: And she does, and she's developed a community of friends and, you know, colleagues. Now she's got this great book.

[5:56] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes, The In-Between.

[5:58] Eila Mell: With a forward by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose.

[6:01] Bruce Gotlieb: So, let's get Jenny out here and talk about this book.

[6:05] Eila Mell: Let's.

[6:09] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, Eila, we're so excited to welcome our first photographer to the show.

[6:15] Eila Mell: Let's welcome Jenny Anderson.

[6:17] Jenny Anderson: Hello.

[6:18] Eila Mell: Hello.

[6:19] Bruce Gotlieb: Hey, Jenny.

[6:20] Jenny Anderson: Well.

[6:21] Eila Mell: Thank you for having me.

[6:22] Jenny Anderson: Thank you so much for joining us.

[6:24] Bruce Gotlieb: We're thrilled.

[6:25] Jenny Anderson: You're a very busy lady.

[6:27] Eila Mell: I mean, all of a sudden, this last couple of days have certainly been a little crazy, but the season's kicking up, so it's starting to get busy for sure.

[6:36] Bruce Gotlieb: I know.

[6:37] Jenny Anderson: I know. It's like we have a nice lull in the summer, you can sort of regroup, and then when September hits, that's it.

[6:43] Eila Mell: And that lull gets shorter and shorter every year, don't worry.

[6:47] Jenny Anderson: It certainly does.

[6:48] Eila Mell: I remember the days of like nothing in the summer, like no openings, no new shows, nothing.

[6:54] Jenny Anderson: It was like two months of kind of quiet.

[6:57] Eila Mell: It's not really like that anymore.

[6:59] Jenny Anderson: Yeah.

[7:00] Eila Mell: No.

[7:01] Jenny Anderson: There was an opening literally the week of the Tonys.

[7:03] Eila Mell: Like, the Tonys were on Sunday, and then Call Me Izzy opened on Thursday.

[7:06] Jenny Anderson: Yeah.

[7:07] Eila Mell: Like, you guys.

[7:08] Jenny Anderson: I know.

[7:09] Eila Mell: I need to nap for like a minute.

[7:11] Jenny Anderson: Just like one nap.

[7:12] Eila Mell: I know.

[7:13] Jenny Anderson: I feel like the new season can't really officially start until after the Tonys.

[7:16] Eila Mell: Yeah, yeah.

[7:17] Jenny Anderson: And it's for sure that, but it's also like, it used to be a couple of weeks, and now it's like, nope, let's go.

[7:24] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[7:25] Jenny Anderson: But it's good. That means people have jobs, and we're working.

[7:29] Eila Mell: Absolutely.

[7:30] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely.

[7:31] Eila Mell: So, congratulations on this.

[7:34] Bruce Gotlieb: If people are watching us on Spotify, this beautiful book, The Inbetween, that you wrote and just came out with.

[7:40] Jenny Anderson: Yeah.

[7:41] Eila Mell: So, tell us a little bit about putting that together.

[7:44] Jenny Anderson: Yeah. I mean, wrote is a strong word, because I feel like such a poser a little bit, because people keep calling me an author, and I was like, I didn't really author anything.

[7:53] Eila Mell: But what do you say?

[7:54] Jenny Anderson: That's the only way to really say it, you know?

[7:56] Eila Mell: Right.

[7:57] Jenny Anderson: Well, I mean, it's a long process and a long story, I guess, but I can truncate it to, I guess there was always an idea of a book in my head, even when I first got to New York and first started.

[8:09] Jenny Anderson: And maybe even before that, and like, oh, if you're going to be a photographer, maybe one day you'll have a book, you know?

[8:14] Eila Mell: Yeah.

[8:15] Jenny Anderson: Just like stuff like that. And I think my dad had maybe said that when I was younger.

[8:19] Eila Mell: Oh, okay.

[8:20] Jenny Anderson: And I was like, yeah, sure, whatever, Dad.

[8:23] Jenny Anderson: And then when I worked for Broadway.com for six years, and that was the beginning of everything, really, and the start of me being able to go backstage and behind the scenes and do these more intimate, candid moments.

[8:36] Eila Mell: Right.

[8:37] Jenny Anderson: And Broadway.com gave me the platform to do that.

[8:40] Eila Mell: That's amazing.

[8:41] Jenny Anderson: So once I started that, I was like, OK, this is really what I want to do.

[8:45] Jenny Anderson: And hopefully one day in the future, I will have a collection of this work that can be in a book, in an exhibition, all the things.

[8:52] Eila Mell: Right.

[8:53] Jenny Anderson: So I did that for six years and then post those six years, I've been a freelancer.

[8:58] Eila Mell: Right.

[8:59] Jenny Anderson: And so when I left Broadway.com, I was like, well, I want to continue to capture these, whether I'm actively being hired to do it or I'm just asking to do it.

[9:07] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:08] Jenny Anderson: So once I left Broadway.com, I lost my daily platform to do those photos.

[9:12] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:13] Jenny Anderson: So I just started reaching out to, I mean, mostly actors I would reach out to first and put it in their head and in their ear that I wanted to come backstage.

[9:20] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:21] Jenny Anderson: And then I would go through the proper channels of like, hopefully one day I'm going to put a book together or I'm going to do something, something.

[9:28] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:29] Jenny Anderson: And can I come backstage and take photos of this person in the show?

[9:33] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:34] Jenny Anderson: Mainly because, you know, shows don't last, always last. Some do, thankfully.

[9:39] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:40] Jenny Anderson: And even if they do last, a lot of the actors leave and replace.

[9:43] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:44] Jenny Anderson: So I was just trying to capture them while I could and hold on to them.

[9:48] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:49] Jenny Anderson: So a lot of these photos, half are from Broadway.com or a little less than half actually.

[9:54] Eila Mell: Right.

[9:55] Jenny Anderson: And then the other half are from the last 12 years of me just making it happen and still getting hired here and there.

[10:02] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:03] Jenny Anderson: And then in 2019, 2018, a former professor at my college, Ole Miss in Mississippi, reached out to me about putting an exhibition together for my hometown performing arts center.

[10:14] Eila Mell: Oh, wow.

[10:15] Jenny Anderson: And I was like, sure, do you want my Southern work?

[10:18] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:19] Jenny Anderson: She was like, no, no, we want like a Broadway theater collection.

[10:23] Eila Mell: Oh, okay.

[10:24] Jenny Anderson: And I was like, oh, okay. I was like, well, I have one.

[10:27] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:28] Jenny Anderson: So that gave me the opportunity to sit down in front of my computer and decide what this collection was.

[10:34] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:35] Jenny Anderson: And I narrowed it down to about 50 photos.

[10:38] Eila Mell: Wow.

[10:39] Jenny Anderson: And even though they were like, we want 35. And I was like, really hard time choosing things.

[10:44] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:45] Jenny Anderson: And so I put an exhibition up down there, which was amazing and lovely.

[10:49] Eila Mell: That's great.

[10:50] Jenny Anderson: And I had a lot of interest for that here in New York.

[10:53] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:54] Jenny Anderson: And I eventually moved to the exhibition here.

[10:56] Eila Mell: Right.

[10:57] Jenny Anderson: And once I did that, a lot of eyes got on it.

[11:00] Eila Mell: Right.

[11:01] Jenny Anderson: And that was sort of beginning of really getting the book deal.

[11:05] Eila Mell: That's amazing.

[11:06] Jenny Anderson: I had a lot of people circling around and I ended up hiring a lawyer to be like, is this legitimate?

[11:12] Eila Mell: Right.

[11:13] Jenny Anderson: And him saying, no, it's not. Let's find something else.

[11:16] Eila Mell: Right.

[11:17] Jenny Anderson: And I was like, great.

[11:18] Eila Mell: That's good.

[11:19] Jenny Anderson: So really, my lawyer, David Manila, shout out, David.

[11:23] Eila Mell: Shout out.

[11:24] Jenny Anderson: He kind of ran around and shopped the book around to different publishers, but really hooked me up with my now literary agents, Sarah and Mia, because they went to theater camp together.

[11:34] Eila Mell: I love that.

[11:35] Jenny Anderson: Oh, that's perfect.

[11:36] Bruce Gotlieb: Sarah and David.

[11:37] Jenny Anderson: He's like, I don't know why I didn't think of this before.

[11:40] Jenny Anderson: But hello, my theater camp friend is an amazing literary agent.

[11:44] Eila Mell: That's great.

[11:45] Jenny Anderson: And she is. Both of them are incredible.

[11:47] Eila Mell: That's amazing.

[11:48] Jenny Anderson: And within two months of signing with them, we got a book deal.

[11:51] Eila Mell: That's amazing.

[11:52] Jenny Anderson: And here we are.

[11:53] Eila Mell: You know, what's great about your photos is that there are these intimate moments, right?

[11:57] Jenny Anderson: Yeah.

[11:58] Eila Mell: These are the backstage. It's not like what you would get with like a Martha Swope or a Joan Marcus, right?

[12:02] Jenny Anderson: Yeah.

[12:03] Eila Mell: These are the backstage moments.

[12:04] Jenny Anderson: Yeah. I grew up loving Depression era photographs.

[12:08] Eila Mell: Go with me here.

[12:10] Jenny Anderson: But it was like Margaret Burke White and Dorothea Lange and Adora Welty.

[12:15] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:16] Jenny Anderson: And it was all these women who were photographing their surroundings, their rural life.

[12:21] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:22] Jenny Anderson: And I loved what they captured in those moments that were like real and raw.

[12:27] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:28] Jenny Anderson: And so that's what the beginning of my love of photography started.

[12:32] Eila Mell: That's great.

[12:33] Jenny Anderson: And then I was a journalism major.

[12:35] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:36] Jenny Anderson: So that's I've always approached photography as a journalist.

[12:39] Eila Mell: Right.

[12:40] Jenny Anderson: So these moments, these backstage moments, these in-between moments were always more interesting to me than the ones that they kind of like, you know, show you to tie in a bow and take those.

[14:05] Jenny Anderson: When I started, I was a photographer for the yearbook and the newspaper and ultimately ended up becoming the photo editor of the entire media center. And I went to the professors and to the theater department. I was like, I really want to go backstage and take photos. Is that cool? And they gave me permission, but all the actors were my friends. I had all the acting students because I was a theater minor just because I wanted to be around it. And I'm not going to do anything with it. I'm doing but so when I went backstage there and my college, I was like, oh, well, this is where the fun stuff is. This is the cool part. And I also grew up in the theater. My mom's a theater teacher and just retired, but my whole life she was in shows.

And every now and then I'd be in them too, but I wasn't quite good enough or had the props for it. I mean, I grew up singing and performing, but not I was like, this is not where I'm supposed to be. I want to be in this theater, but this isn't the actual part I should be playing, but I loved it so much and being back there. And so when I got to Broadway.com, I told them, I was like, this is really what I want to do. And look, I didn't start it. There's other photographers who've done it. And there's this photographer Rivka. I'm not going to butcher her last name, but she's been doing it for years and years. And even Martha Swope had some like rehearsal and things like that. And Joan, but yeah, I do feel like this really intimate backstage stuff was not, it was not quite being done when I started doing it at Broadway.com. There weren't other platforms, other websites or anything doing it.

[15:45] Jenny Anderson: Well, looking through the book, there are definitely a few that jump out to me that I guess were like my favorites. I love the photo of Miles Frost that you got from behind. And then you see him in the, like, if you didn't have the mirror there, you wouldn't get that vision. The one of Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel backstage is just so beautiful. So there looks like there's some that maybe at least appear to be more candid and some that they know that you're obviously teaching them. It's funny that you mentioned those two photographs because I literally talked about those two photos last night. Yeah. Because Miles was there and I hadn't seen Miles since MJ. And he's so sweet. Because I was doing a portrait setup and he like came in and he was like a big hug. And I cut you off. What was your exact question about that?

[16:36] Bruce Gotlieb: No, no, you're all good. I'm just curious when you approach this, you know, whatever the session is that you're going backstage, is there a combination of, okay, you just do what you're doing, pretend I'm not here and I'm just going to snap. And then a portion where you're like, okay, now I want you to pose this way.

[17:00] Jenny Anderson: Sure. For the beginning, I never asked them to pose or do anything. I would just be a very quiet little fly out of the wall, especially in the early days, because I was like terrified and also excited. And also like, why, who allowed me to do this? This is crazy. So I was really, and also I didn't want to disturb, because like you said, these moments are very, or this space is very intimate and not a lot of people are allowed in those spaces. So when I was allowed to, I was trying to be very respectful and I'm only there for a short amount of time too. So I usually just kind of fade into the background and let them do their thing because I want to capture the real stuff. And then it wasn't until later, I actually think maybe I can remember the first photo where I was like, do you mind just standing there and looking at me?

Not like posing really. I just, once they're in full costume, getting a little essence of a character portrait, but not exactly. And it was a gentleman's guide with, oh my gosh, my brain has stopped working. What's-

[17:59] Bruce Gotlieb: Jefferson Mays.

[18:00] Jenny Anderson: Jefferson Mays. Oh my gosh, Jefferson. I hope you're not listening that I forgot your name. I love him, adore him. He's such a lovely, lovely human. So he was in his full gentleman's guide and I was like, do you mind just standing there for a second? And he did, and he kind of stood in character. So I do that every now and then when it allows it, when there's a moment, when it's quiet, when they're fully done, but we have some time, I'll do it. But the rest is like, I really try to just capture a moment that is happening. And for the most part, this book is like the cover, Glenn, she is looking at me and it does feel like a portrait, but it wasn't quite posed. It's still in motion because she's leaving her dressing room to walk to this elevator that's going to take her to her entrance.

And she just got in the elevator and turned around and looked at me. And as the door was closing, I was like, click, click, click, click, click. So a lot of those moments, even if there is eye contact, it's still like something is happening. I'm not telling them to do that.

[19:01] Jenny Anderson: Sure. And the miles, the miles shot. It's so cool because every single night before he did that show, he would watch Michael in some music video or something. And he had a TV and that's all what was always playing. It wasn't like he was, you know, watching sports or any rare, like he was watching Michael every night before he went on and, and he would do the dance or do different dances and just feel it in his body. So I was just kind of standing on the outside of his dressing room to get that. And it just was like, I love a mirror shot, you know, it's the best tool in the dressing room because it adds artistic value to the photo, but it also can be a little overdone, which I try not to do. But in that moment it was reflected and it was in the TV.

So it was just such a cool moment. I actually struggled with that photo over another one of him. And I can't remember which one it was, but ultimately that one went in and then the Sarah and Gavin, you know, I've been doing this for 18 years and I've been a part of their lives and they've been a part of mine for so long that we've sort of paralleled and grown up with each other. The younger, you know, the people, when I started, when I was 22, who were also maybe not just starting, but had only been in the business for a few years or whatever. So people like Ariana DeBose and Adrian Warren and Ashley Park, we were contemporaries and, you know, they're a little younger than I am, but so we sort of grew up together.

So I've been able to photograph their careers and same with like Gavin and Casey Levy and they had been in the business already for like probably close to seven, eight years, but they were still young and we still sort of fell in love with each other at a young age. And then these last 17, 18 years have just always seen each other at everything. I photograph them constantly. So those moments are a little easier to capture now because they have them in front of me because I'm a part of them, part of those moments. Like that one was Gavin was up in his dressing room and he was like, I want to go squeeze Sarah before it starts. And I was like, because it was first preview. So he ran downstairs and he just ran in and grabbed her and kissed her.

And I was just there. But he like, because we were friends and safe, our friends and safe with each other, he felt like he wanted to have that moment with Sarah, with me in the room. So those moments tend to happen more and more because I've been doing it for so long. So yeah, well with me, but yeah. So then I really try not to make those moments happen because I want those to be as organic and real as possible. And you don't, you don't want to be like, you know, like at a wedding where they're like, okay, now you're going to, and see, and that's a big reason that I don't even love shooting weddings. I mean, I shoot weddings, but the parts that I love are those moments that I don't, that I don't manufacture.

[22:10] Bruce Gotlieb: Right. Yeah. Like the photo journalism.

[22:10] Jenny Anderson: Yeah. I'm there to capture it, not, you know, manipulate it for the most part.

[22:15] Bruce Gotlieb: And you brought up Ariana DeBose and Oscar winner did your forward, which is amazing.

[22:22] Jenny Anderson: And I was so cool. I mean, I, she's brought me along on so many major moments for her, obviously being at the Oscars and I've photographed all three times that she's hosted the Tony's. And so I've just, and again, I knew her and her Broadway debut and through Hamilton and all the way through Bronx. Like, so we've just been around each other and in each other's lives for so long. And I've been photographing her career for so long that when the Oscars were rolling around, we were out at a dinner together and I was like, so tomorrow's a big day. It was like Oscar nomination day. She's like, yep. Yep. Great. Everything's cool. I was like, oh, if anything crazy happens tomorrow, she's like, oh girl.

And I couldn't even get it out yet. She's like, oh, you're going to be with me no matter what. And I was like, okay, great. I always knew even before I was like gonna ask her, she was gonna ask me. So, and I was in the hotel room watching it when she won. And then when she got back, opened the door and I was, you know, the first, I was like standing there in her hotel room, watching it by myself. Pretty incredible to be a part of that moment. And so when I, this book was coming around, I was like, I need you to be a part of this. I'm not sure in what way I want you to write the forward, but you know, publishers and things. And she goes, whatever you need, whenever you need it, I'll show up. Just let me know.

That's amazing. And she did. So, and obviously wrote the forward, which was so beautiful and lovely. And I really wanted someone that I have grown through this career with, but I also really wanted a woman and that voice. And so it was really lovely for her to do that. And, and she's been a part of this book tour a little bit. She interviewed me and she's been very involved and very lovely.

[24:08] Bruce Gotlieb: So, you know, you bring up her, but you wanted a woman's voice and it's interesting to me, because so many Broadway photographers have been women throughout the years.

[24:17] Jenny Anderson: Yeah, I know. And I don't think I really, I mean, cause when I got here, that wasn't quite the case. I mean, I'm on it and it's just me and, you know, 15 men and I'm like a 23 year old girl. And I was like, well, what's happening? And, you know, Joan has always been a fixture for me especially. And then also always a mentor and and Carol Rossing. Absolutely. Yeah. And now, yes. Now there's a lot of men though. There's, there are tons of men, but there are so many more young women. That's great. So especially like at events and on the press line and things like that. There's, there's quite a, there's quite a few that have come in the last really few years before COVID, but post COVID like blew up, which I love to see. I think I was recently on a carpet and it was literally all women. It was incredible. So I mean, part of me is like, this is really cool. And then I'm like, oh no, don't take my job.

[25:19] Bruce Gotlieb: I don't think you have to worry about that.

[25:22] Jenny Anderson: No, that's not what you're supposed to think. But no, these young, these young women are incredible. And a lot of them have been like assistants for me and I hope that they look up to me and I treat them well because that's what I had in those other women. And the photographers that I loved growing up were also women. So yeah, it's just important to me that there are more female photographers out there anyway. So yeah.

[25:45] Bruce Gotlieb: Because what you do is so intimate, do you think being a woman is helpful because women, you know, are in general anyway, more nurturing?

[25:58] Jenny Anderson: Yeah, I think so for sure. I mean, I also really, I don't want to say the word lean on because that sounds like I'm putting it on. It's fake because it's not really. But being a Southern woman, I think also helps. I just like my whole life, the way you enter a room is, you know, kindness and sweet and, you know, not lowering myself or making myself smaller because I feel like I've hopefully grown out of that at least more than I when I was in college. In college, I was a little sheepish and would not be super, you know, confident and forthcoming and what I wanted and how I would ask for things. I feel like I've gotten a little better with that. But yeah, for sure. I mean, women are nurturing and softer and easier. And I feel like that presence is a little more calming. But I mean, men are fine, too.

[26:49] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, men can be great.

[26:58] Kevin Solak: Hi, this is Kevin Solak, and we'll be right back with Behind the Awards.

[27:03] Bruce Gotlieb: When you put this book together, I mean, I can only imagine the sheer volume over the years that you've been doing this, how many photos you had to go through to curate this. I mean, it had to be like Sophie's choice to try to pick pictures.

[27:19] Jenny Anderson: Yeah, there's a few where I was like, Oh, man, I should have either fought for that. I also like didn't really think this book would be small is the wrong word. But I think I thought there would be more that it would be huge if we could pack it full. But, you know, there's restrictions and like, you know, publishers are like, Well, we can really only do this many pages. And this way, just and it's a first book. So there's a lot of things I didn't know about the publishing world that I still don't really know, to be honest, but well, but I always had like, because of Broadway.com and also the post work, I sort of had them in my mind of which ones were probably gonna be in some sort of collection. So it wasn't crazy hard. And again, over the years, I've always kept a folder that was like, book.

[28:09] Eila Mell: Welcome back to Behind the Awards. We are thrilled to have Jenny Anderson with us today, a phenomenal photographer who has captured some of the most intimate moments of Broadway stars.

[28:39] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes, Jenny's new book, "The In-Between: Intimate and Candid Moments of Broadway Stars," is a must-have for theater fans. It features a forward by Ariana DeBose, and we can't wait to dive into her journey.

[29:04] Eila Mell: Jenny, can you tell us how you transitioned from a hobby into a full-fledged career in photography?

[29:29] Jenny Anderson: Absolutely! It all started when I was working at Broadway.com as a photo editor. I had this passion for capturing candid moments, and over time, I began to freelance and build my portfolio.

[29:59] Bruce Gotlieb: That's incredible! You've photographed so many amazing stars like Glenn Close and Sara Bareilles. What has been one of your favorite moments behind the camera?

[30:27] Jenny Anderson: One of my favorite moments was photographing Myles Frost during his rehearsal for "MJ." The energy in the room was electric, and capturing those raw, unfiltered moments is what I live for.

[30:55] Eila Mell: It sounds like such a rewarding experience. Your work has been featured in major publications like The New York Times and Vogue. How do you feel about the recognition you've received?

[31:23] Jenny Anderson: It's truly humbling. I never expected my work to reach such heights, and I'm grateful for every opportunity. It motivates me to keep pushing the boundaries of my craft.

[31:53] Bruce Gotlieb: Speaking of boundaries, let's talk about the 89th Academy Awards. The infamous mix-up where Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced "La La Land" as Best Picture instead of "Moonlight." What were your thoughts on that moment?

[32:21] Jenny Anderson: It was shocking! I was actually watching it live, and when the announcement happened, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a moment that will go down in Oscar history.

[32:47] Eila Mell: Definitely! It was a mix of excitement and confusion. How do you think moments like that impact the industry?

[33:15] Jenny Anderson: I think they remind us that the awards are human, just like the people involved. Mistakes happen, and it adds a layer of authenticity to the event.

[33:43] Bruce Gotlieb: That's a great perspective. Now, let's get back to your book. What inspired you to compile these candid moments into a collection?

[34:11] Jenny Anderson: I wanted to showcase the behind-the-scenes life of Broadway stars, the moments that fans don't usually get to see. It's about celebrating their humanity and the hard work that goes into their craft.

[34:41] Eila Mell: And you’ve done such a beautiful job of that. What do you hope readers take away from "The In-Between"?

[35:09] Jenny Anderson: I hope they feel a deeper connection to the stars and understand the dedication and passion that goes into their performances. It's all about the stories behind the smiles.

[35:37] Bruce Gotlieb: That's a wonderful message. Jenny, thank you for sharing your journey with us today. It's been a pleasure having you on the show.

[36:05] Eila Mell: Yes, thank you, Jenny! We can't wait to see what you do next and to dive into your book.

[36:33] Jenny Anderson: Thank you both for having me! It's been a joy to share my story.

[37:02] Bruce Gotlieb: And to our listeners, make sure to check out Jenny's book and follow her work. You won't want to miss it!

[37:32] Eila Mell: Until next time, keep celebrating excellence in theater, film, and TV.

[38:02] Bruce Gotlieb: See you next week!

[38:31] Eila Mell: Bye, everyone!

[39:00] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[39:30] Eila Mell: Take care!

[40:00] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye now!

[40:29] Eila Mell: Bye!

[40:57] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[41:26] Eila Mell: Bye!

[41:53] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[42:14] Eila Mell: Welcome back to Behind the Awards. We are here with the incredible Jenny Anderson, who is a photographer and author of the new book, "The In-Between: Intimate and Candid Moments of Broadway Stars."

[42:44] Bruce Gotlieb: Jenny, it's so great to have you here. Your work has captured so many amazing moments in the Broadway community.

[43:14] Eila Mell: Yes, and I love that your book has a forward by Ariana DeBose. That must be such an honor!

[43:16] Bruce Gotlieb: Absolutely!

[43:18] Eila Mell: So, Jenny, can you tell us a little bit about how you got started in photography?

[43:20] Bruce Gotlieb: And how did that hobby turn into a career for you?

[43:22] Jenny Anderson: Well, I started out working at Broadway.com as a photo editor, and that really opened the door for me. I was able to connect with so many talented people and learn the ins and outs of the industry.

[43:24] Eila Mell: That's amazing!

[43:44] Bruce Gotlieb: And you’ve photographed some incredible stars, like Glenn Close and Sara Bareilles. What has that experience been like for you?

[44:04] Eila Mell: Yes, tell us about some of your favorite moments behind the camera!

[44:24] Bruce Gotlieb: And how do you approach capturing those candid moments?

[44:44] Jenny Anderson: I think it’s all about being present and making the subjects feel comfortable. When they relax, that’s when the magic happens.

[45:04] Eila Mell: That’s such a great approach.

[45:24] Bruce Gotlieb: You also covered the 89th Academy Awards, which had that unforgettable mix-up with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announcing the wrong Best Picture. What was that like to witness?

[45:44] Eila Mell: Yes, that was such a moment in Oscar history!

[46:04] Jenny Anderson: It was surreal. The energy in the room shifted instantly, and everyone was in shock. It was a moment I’ll never forget.

[46:24] Bruce Gotlieb: I can only imagine!

[46:44] Eila Mell: And your book really captures those intimate moments that often go unseen.

[47:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Yes, it’s such a treasure for theater fans.

[47:24] Jenny Anderson: Thank you! I wanted to showcase the humanity behind the stars, the moments that make them relatable.

[47:44] Eila Mell: That’s so important.

[48:04] Bruce Gotlieb: And it really shows in your work.

[48:24] Eila Mell: So, what’s next for you?

[48:44] Jenny Anderson: I’m excited to continue exploring new projects and capturing more stories from the Broadway community.

[49:04] Bruce Gotlieb: That sounds fantastic!

[49:24] Eila Mell: We can’t wait to see what you do next.

[49:44] Bruce Gotlieb: And for our listeners, make sure to check out Jenny’s book, "The In-Between."

[50:04] Eila Mell: Yes, it’s a must-have for any theater lover!

[50:24] Bruce Gotlieb: Thank you so much for joining us today, Jenny.

[50:44] Eila Mell: Yes, thank you!

[51:04] Jenny Anderson: Thank you for having me!

[51:24] Eila Mell: And to our listeners, we’ll see you next time on Behind the Awards!

[51:44] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye everyone!

[52:04] Eila Mell: Bye!

[52:24] Bruce Gotlieb: Take care!

[52:44] Eila Mell: Until next time!

[53:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[53:24] Eila Mell: Bye!

[53:44] Bruce Gotlieb: See you soon!

[54:04] Eila Mell: Bye!

[54:24] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[54:44] Eila Mell: Bye!

[55:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[55:24] Eila Mell: Bye!

[55:44] Bruce Gotlieb: Bye!

[56:04] Eila Mell: Bye!