This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to the Break a Bat podcast where Baseball Meets Broadway. An attempt to show that my two favorite mediums don't have to live in such separate worlds and maybe even break some stigmas. We're happy to have you with us. Now let's play ball. Hello and welcome to Break a Bat. I'm your host Al Malafronte coming at you from the Broadway Podcast Network studios. We've talked on the show before about hallowed real estate. I think it's a theme that really applies to both the stadium and the Broadway stage. If you're a baseball fan maybe you'll think of some of the great ones to tow the rubber on the pitcher's mound at Dodger Stadium or that long line of great left fielders over at Fenway Park.

And then of course there's the all-stars that have graced the bullpen over at Yankee Stadium. Here on Broadway there's certain roles that are just synonymous with greatness. I'm sitting next to someone who knows a thing or two about that. Whether it's in the Emerald City, Joe's Pie Diner, or the Cook County Jail, my guest today is as much of an all-star as Sandy Koufax, Ted Williams, and Aroldis Chapman. A true Broadway power hitter for nearly a decade and counting, now batting, Desi Oakley. Hi Desi!

[1:21] Desi Oakley: Hi! What an intro!

[1:25] Al Malafronte: I figured like think about this you're like going up to hit and that's like your walk-up introduction.

[1:30] Desi Oakley: Yes! That'd be something at the ballpark. I would definitely hit a home run after that.

[1:35] Al Malafronte: Oh you've hit plenty. That is very kind. No I love that. That just got me excited.

[1:39] Desi Oakley: Well you know what I was a little nervous that you were going to hold it against me that I didn't mention the Royals and Kauffman Stadium. We cool?

[1:44] Al Malafronte: Oh we're so cool. Yeah that's okay. I mean you are wearing your Yankee hat here for this interview today.

[1:50] Desi Oakley: I am. I am. And while yes growing up near Kansas City and now having family in Kansas City and that's where I fly in obviously because New York City to Kansas City is a straight shot. I've only been to a couple of Royals games. I have definitely been to way more Yankees games than Royals.

[2:00] Al Malafronte: That's actually amazing. So that's like since post-college you've been to a bunch of Yankees.

[2:04] Desi Oakley: Oh yeah.

[2:08] Al Malafronte: Do you remember out of curiosity like as a kid any of those like Johnny Damon, Mike Sweeney teams? Do those names ring a bell?

[2:13] Desi Oakley: Nope. They didn't win much so you picked the right time to start going to a lot more games.

[2:19] Al Malafronte: Good. You know one thing I'm always curious about is you know let me ask you family situation. Any brothers, sisters?

[2:26] Desi Oakley: One sister.

[2:33] Al Malafronte: One sister. Okay more art-centric house or sports-centric?

[2:38] Desi Oakley: Um you know what we were kind of divided because she did sports all kinds and was very good at them. I absolutely did not do any sports like whatsoever. Although I definitely was a dancer and I really was like and I also was a cheerleader and was like come on that's a sport. I have absolutely dancing especially. Come on. Anyway um no but my sister was way more athletic than me for sure growing up. Swimming, volleyball, all of it. So I would say we were a pretty divided household because we were both repping you know sports and music and arts.

[3:09] Al Malafronte: Yeah. The thing I find that's really neat about you is you're not just gifted as an actress which is what a lot of people know you for and a lot of people know you as a singer too um but you're a super talented musician uh and I've heard you play the piano before.

[3:24] Desi Oakley: Yes. Most kids growing up at least speaking for myself hated taking piano lessons.

[3:30] Desi Oakley: Okay so I can definitely speak into this. So I have an amazing um story about how I started taking piano which is my grandmother purchased one year of piano lessons for every single grandchild that she had.

[3:45] Al Malafronte: How many grandchildren were there?

[3:50] Desi Oakley: Oh my gosh like at least 15 of us. Grandma Oakley, wow. Isn't that unbelievable?

[3:54] Al Malafronte: That's incredible.

[3:58] Desi Oakley: Isn't that unbelievable? And so I was the only one that really continued with it and I have to tell you learning especially the piano because I would say learning any instrument is so pivotal to teach discipline and um just to be able to make I don't know especially as a young person to say I am making sound using this tool and I am making music using this tool um but especially if you are in lessons and you're learning it teaches discipline major discipline and then more particularly with piano it's it's academic because it's basically math.

[4:27] Desi Oakley: I mean piano quarter notes, half notes, learning rhythm, breaking down all of it, it's math, it's mathematical, it's also kind of scientific so thriving at the piano will also help you in other subjects. I mean it's great I'm so glad I took it and every day I would be practicing and I would like want to leave and my mom was like one day you will thank me please finish practicing you have like 10 more minutes whatever she was so patient with me and she would always say one day you will thank me one day you'll thank me and I kid you not I was in college and I was able to accompany myself on and everyone in my class was like I can't believe you can do that so not fair I wish I could be able to do that and I stepped outside and I called my mother and I said I have to thank you I have that was the moment that was the moment because it was like oh my goodness I can use because I have the skill that I have at the piano I feel like I'm more I just it makes me much more accessible to when someone hands me a piece of music which is you know Broadway shows, new Broadway shows, learning workshops, auditions you have to like you know you're handed a piece of music and I can learn it in two seconds because of not necessarily because I'm gifted but because I know the piano that's it.

[5:42] Al Malafronte: Yeah it really does provide a foundation in so many ways like you said I mean you know what goes into it mentally. Your first, did you always know you want to be a performer?

[5:49] Desi Oakley: No not really. I mean I definitely always was a performer like I was always like you know the singing kid or like the entertaining everyone but I didn't really decide to do this seriously until I was 16 years old so so the piano obviously comes before the passion for musical theater.

[6:09] Desi Oakley: It did eight years before actually um so yeah I started playing the piano at eight years old and then it was about you know I guess eight years after that that I was really like I want to do this um but I did start writing on the piano when I was I don't know 13.

[6:25] Al Malafronte: Take us through how you get discovered at Music Theater Wichita.

[6:33] Desi Oakley: Yeah yeah so I owe all of that to the producing director Wayne Bryan he's unbelievable and what he basically did is he took me under his wing he saw something in me which I still to this day I'm a little like what did you see in me like what I was no like child star by any means but I think he saw like my passion and my excitement for life and my I don't know my I guess natural ability to perform. I think that's what I really want to say is like I was a kid not necessarily a kid star and I wasn't like I didn't really come from a family of performers so no one was like you have to do this but I think what I've always had is just sort of a natural connection to material and a natural connection to others and so it makes me a natural performer does that make sense like my mother always told me growing up she was like she always said dad you're a leader so be careful what you say you know dad's people want to listen to you so be careful what you say and I'm like I don't even what does that mean but I don't I guess just I have I want to connect to people.

[7:35] Al Malafronte: It's very easy to get wrapped up in seeing Broadway performers you know can you know take the great white way by storm all these cast albums and whatnot and be like oh I want to be the next Kristen Chenoweth I want to be the next Idina Menzel etc etc. Did you make many trips here growing up?

[7:51] Desi Oakley: Only one really we actually I lived we lived temporarily as a family in Montreal Canada I was in fifth and sixth grade and we moved from my dad's job and we popped down of course to see a show and to see New York City because we were closer than we would have been I guess in Kansas and we saw Beauty and the Beast and I will never forget it it was the year 2000 and I was I was changed I mean for sure but still in that moment I would have been what maybe 10 um I didn't say I'm a lot of people who I know especially peers of mine they see a Broadway show and then they go I've got to do that right I don't think I said that I mean really really honestly right I don't think you want me to like fabricate something I think I saw this show and was totally moved and was totally like I loved that every second of it but I still don't think I was like I'm gonna mom I'm gonna be on that stage like I don't think I said that.

[8:48] Al Malafronte: I think it's nice that you could connect that memory more so with adolescence then yeah you're totally but that's good you could separate the two that way.

[8:56] Desi Oakley: I totally can and I was definitely a kid who was like that was amazing and I would have gone to so many more but I don't think I was saying to myself you know you should do that and you can do this but I but I honestly being from Kansas I had the most unbelievably supportive family but I had to learn oh wow you can get a degree in this like oh wow people go to school and learn this oh wow people do this for a living oh wow like I think I had to be taught all of that and maybe even specifically like spoon-fed like Desi you can do this if you want and that's going back to Wayne he said that to me he said you can do this if you want and no one really said that to me so I'm like okay and that's why I have such a passion for um guiding and encouraging young people because I needed to hear that.

[9:42] Al Malafronte: Yeah I mean the fact that you had a mentor like that I think is just incredible.

[9:48] Desi Oakley: I did. Now you talk about getting an education for this you go to a school with one of the most prestigious musical theater programs in the country.

[9:53] Desi Oakley: Oh yeah what do you remember about UMich?

[9:57] Desi Oakley: I loved it. I loved it too because I really appreciated going to a school that wasn't necessarily a conservatory. I loved being like I'm a real college kid I'm going to a real football game and yes we all had season pat like we did the whole student season pass I didn't miss a game um yeah oh my gosh the first okay the first game I went to Michigan was like doing really well um it was 2011 and we lost our first game to Appalachian State and I will never forget that all of the upperclassmen were like it's your fault like telling all of us like as freshmen it's your fault like who are you guys like we would have never lost to Appalachian State anyway we were all like honey I really think we were all so scared like one of us cried we were like maybe we're like the reason why like the winning streak and it was amazing.

[10:55] Al Malafronte: Oh yeah. You know it's funny um for us as athletes so much goes into not only physical preparation for a season but also the mental side of things and it isn't easy same goes for an actor or an actress they're incredibly similar. What do you remember about you know once you graduated from UMich those early days here in New York?

[11:14] Desi Oakley: Yeah they were tough. I mean it is intimidating and even though I felt prepared and even though my whole existence was in preparation for this right like saving money uh getting classes having the education now in my pocket even a showcase Michigan sets you up with a showcase and basically says like here you know it's a Monday night and every single casting director and you know is in Manhattan is watching me sing you know so I had all of this prepared I was so prepared for every sense of the word but it was it was tough um it was it was definitely like okay now I also feel like I'm a really academic person um I really love structure and I really love a schedule and when I was out from under that and just on my own it was like okay here's this huge city with so many possibilities again especially going back to Wayne having Wayne sort of take me under.

[12:07] Desi Oakley: And then show me here's what you're gonna do and then going to college and they say here's what you're gonna do, and then I move here and no one's saying here's what you're gonna do. I have to be the one to say that? I think it was an adjustment for sure. But I learned a lot and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I remember it was such a hot summer, I took the subway in the wrong direction so many times, trying to get to auditions and meetings and just sweating and trying to look pretty and then you know your hair is just gross. I totally, I mean I remember that summer and I really, I think I really loved it because it had its challenges and I think I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[12:45] Al Malafronte: What was the biggest challenge you overcame during that time?

[12:59] Desi Oakley: Yeah, so I think the biggest challenge for me during that time was I guess I'm kind of a people pleaser and so I kind of, I was struggling I think mentally with like if I don't succeed and fast, I'm gonna let down all of my professors, I'm gonna let down myself, I'm gonna let down my family, I'm gonna let down Wayne, I'm gonna let down every single person who got me here, right? So it was, I think the thing that I overcame the most was a mental like okay you can do this, stay with it. The ability to sort of coach myself, that was huge, that was huge.

[13:33] Al Malafronte: I was gonna say so much of it is a mental thing and you know the pressure that we could put on ourselves, you know, not just in acting or performing but any walk of life.

[13:39] Desi Oakley: Yep. You know it all goes back to the way you're wired and you know being a people pleaser like that and you know thinking that you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and hopes and dreams resting on you, you know, because in the grand scheme of things you have success fairly quickly here.

[13:50] Al Malafronte: That's true.

[13:56] Desi Oakley: No, it's absolutely true. It's absolutely true. I mean it was about five months, five, six months before I booked Wicked which you're right that five, six months is nothing but when you, I guess I was talking to someone the other day in the business and it's like the abyss, the unemployment, the like I'm not doing a job is you don't have an end in sight when that's happening. So that the weight of that unemployment or that fact that I'm not working doesn't have, you know, an end date. So the weight of that is so intense whether or not it's five months, six months, even a year, you know, it's like it still doesn't change how intense that is, you know, or the urgency doesn't change but you're right for all intents and purposes that is a pretty short amount of time.

[14:50] Al Malafronte: Now what I think is amazing is that you're cast as the universal swing for all women on the ensemble. So that's not just the Broadway company, you're going from tour to tour to tour. At the time there were three productions of Wicked happening, two national tours in America just in the United States and the Broadway company. That's how popular at one point Wicked was and I believe it still is but the producers just decided to you know wean it down to one tour and one Broadway show which is more common.

[15:12] Desi Oakley: That's more common but it was so popular that it had two simultaneous tours and the Broadway company and I did all of them at once, all of them.

[15:23] Al Malafronte: I can't even imagine what that's like like you know fresh out of college you're doing this mega house hit that's still on Broadway to this day which is just incredible to me I think.

[15:32] Desi Oakley: I agree, I agree.

[15:33] Al Malafronte: That's unreal and what you know just from what I'm familiar with as far as your story goes after your time in the Emerald City ends you get cast in another mega house named the Annie Revival.

[15:46] Desi Oakley: That's right.

[15:46] Al Malafronte: And it's not just an Annie Revival. You've got Jane Lynch there, height of the glee popularity and you're understudying both Lily and Grace. Tell us a little bit about how that process comes about you know because at this point it's exclusively Broadway and you're understudying two of the biggest female roles in the play.

[16:08] Desi Oakley: And being part of an original cast like that and while it was not the original cast of Annie, right, it was a revival but to build a show from the ground up is fascinating. I mean I was grateful so early in my career to have been a part of an original cast. Some people go their entire careers and they're never part of an original cast. I mean it was fascinating. I just sat there like a sponge soaking it all up. I mean we had some mega heavy hitters in the room.

[16:36] Al Malafronte: James Lapine directed.

[16:38] Desi Oakley: Andy Blankenbuehler choreographed. I mean it was like it was amazing. I just sat there kind of pinching myself and was like this is happening. But how fast things change and how fast they were like I have a new idea. And Andy would be like I want to change this choreography and the drummer would be like he'd be like hey can you change the drum hits to like and he would like he would just all of a sudden have this idea and like bam and he would be changing the choreography like on the spot. The drummer's like the drummer's like writing in like different drum hits and drum beats and then everyone's erasing and changing and then he's like okay again from the top and we're like it was that energy.

[17:12] Al Malafronte: And you're learning on the fly like that.

[17:13] Desi Oakley: On the fly.

[17:14] Al Malafronte: So a little bit different than the Umesh productions and even the Wicked Tour at this point.

[17:18] Desi Oakley: Right. It's like it's all creative and it's happening before your eyes. I mean it's unbelievable the energy in that room like you can't.

[17:26] Al Malafronte: Oh yeah you can't fabricate that like unless you're there like that is so real.

[17:30] Desi Oakley: I feel really lucky to have been a part of an original Broadway cast. Thank you for letting me talk about that because it really makes me feel very lucky that that happened.

[17:39] Al Malafronte: That is, I learned a lot during that time. Tell the folks at home about the first time you got to step into the spotlight as Lily alongside Jane.

[17:48] Desi Oakley: Okay this story is so good. So it's around Christmas time and Annie is actually a Christmas production. So we had several shows back to back around Christmas. We did have Christmas day off which was a blessing. But the day after Christmas we had a matinee very early.

[18:10] Al Malafronte: Okay.

[18:11] Desi Oakley: And Jaylene Marcos was playing Lily and I was understudying her and she is a riot. She's probably one of the funniest people I've ever met. I mean on stage and off. And so she has her Lily and it's adorable. So she traveled on Christmas day which was cutting it close.

[18:28] Al Malafronte: Right.

[18:29] Desi Oakley: So we had on the next day after Christmas we had a matinee. So if you traveled on Christmas it's like you're going to be cutting it close. Something happened where her flight got delayed, something, whatever, and we didn't know this till later but she overslept. However, the sign in sheet, the person, the way that we all know when someone's in the building is that they sign in and they have to be signed in. The stage management takes this really seriously. You have to be signed in at half hour before the curtain. And if you're not, you're going to be getting phone calls. You might be actually docked in pay. You'll get a penalty. It's really serious because if the show or the curtain is held.

[19:07] Al Malafronte: But if you're in the first scene right.

[19:08] Desi Oakley: There's a lot of money on the line. There's a lot like they have to take it really seriously. And our union takes it really seriously. So the way you do that is you look and you see if everyone's signed in. Everyone has their own little box to sign in. And at this point you just show up there. I'm showing up. I sign. Oh yeah. It's just going to be another night. I'm just showing up. Everybody's okay. No one is supposed to be out.

[19:29] Al Malafronte: Okay.

[19:30] Desi Oakley: So I know that I'm not going to be on. The guy in front of Jay Lane's signature had signed in a little too largely. So it looked like Jay Lane's box was checked.

[19:41] Al Malafronte: Okay.

[19:42] Desi Oakley: It looks like her signature is scratched. And I did look at it. It did. It absolutely looked like it was. It's all status quo. She's here. Right. Everything's great. Jay Lane doesn't enter until about 20, 25 minutes into the show.

[19:59] Al Malafronte: And she dances a portion of NYC before making her entrance as Lily.

[20:04] Desi Oakley: So she kind of dances as an ensemble. And she liked it because it would warm her up and then she'd come in as Lily. So that's about 20, 25 minutes into the show.

[20:13] Al Malafronte: So somebody recognizes like no one has taken Jay Lane's mic.

[20:18] Desi Oakley: She would get herself dressed. So she didn't have a dresser checking on her. I will never forget I was eating Stacy's pita chips in the green room like you do on the day after Christmas.

[20:27] Al Malafronte: That's a good snack right there.

[20:29] Desi Oakley: That's a pretty good snack right there. Absolutely. I could have been having, I don't know, like orange chicken or something. And so I absolutely, they ran into, I heard over the, Jay Lane, if you're in the building, please contact stage management. And I said, did they say if you're in the building? So then I start to kind of get, and this would, by the way, be my Lily debut, my principal Broadway debut, my everything debut if this is about to happen. I've hardly rehearsed.

[21:00] Al Malafronte: So I'm like, okay. They come over, they're like, Desi, Jay Lane, we can't find Jay Lane. You need to get in costume. So I grab the dance captain. I go get the script. He's following me with the script and he's starting to read lines because he also understudied Rooster. So he's going, he's like, okay, from the top. And he was also the dance captain. So he was like telling me this, we're running up the stairs. Of course, she's like, of course, in these, these, these old, old Broadway buildings. There's like, of course her dressing room was on like the sixth floor.

[21:21] Desi Oakley: So I'm like running up the stairs and I get changed. And he was like, should I, should I come outside? I said, don't just get in here. I don't care. Like we're going, we're going, we're going. So I changed as fast as I could. I got downstairs and he's literally giving me the choreography in the wings. And, and of course, Jane Lynch is, is Hannigan. And the way that Lily makes her date, her little debut into the show, like her entrance into the entire show is she pops her head out through the door and she goes, hello, like that.

[21:47] Al Malafronte: So she like pops her head out.

[21:50] Desi Oakley: So I have now, I somehow made it through the dance number before the entrance with David in the wings. Thank goodness. And I go, I took a big, deep breath. I was behind the door and I was like, okay. And I was like, whatever, girlfriend, you're saving the day. So just, I said, just go, just go do it. So I popped my head out and Jane Lynch double did a double take so hard at my face because she was not expecting me.

[22:20] Al Malafronte: She had no idea that Jaylene was out of the building.

[22:22] Desi Oakley: No one, no one had any idea. I go, hello. And she, her eyes were as big as her face and she, she like could not believe it.

[22:31] Al Malafronte: Does that freak you at this point?

[22:33] Desi Oakley: No, because then I was like, I can do this. Like, it's great. I just loved it.

[22:36] Al Malafronte: I loved it.

[22:37] Desi Oakley: She looked alive. Like, I mean, she really was there for me. You know, everyone was there for me. They like showed up next to me and I will never forget. We took our big final bow. I grabbed, you know, I grabbed, I think Jane's hand, you know, we take the bow, the curtain comes down and she looked at me and she goes, Oakley, you are Broadway.

[23:01] Al Malafronte: That's what she told me.

[23:02] Desi Oakley: She goes, Oakley, you are Broadway. And I was like, thank you. Of course, at that time, I wanted to like literally crumble into a thousand pieces, but I had done it. I had done it. And then we find out all of these things. And of course, on the stage, rushes the stage management team. Look at this sign. Look at it. It really looks like a shoe sign. And it really, they wanted to show me. They felt terrible.

[23:22] Al Malafronte: Did they give it to you as a souvenir? Because I think you should have framed it.

[23:25] Desi Oakley: I should have kept it forever. But anyway, they just, everyone was mortified and they were just so, it was such like a Broadway experience. It was so special. And anyway, I'll never forget Oakley, you're Broadway. I should probably get that like, you know, engraved on something.

[23:39] Al Malafronte: Like a shirt or a mug or something like that.

[23:41] Desi Oakley: Yeah.

[23:42] Al Malafronte: That'd be fun.

[23:43] Desi Oakley: A Yankee hat.

[23:44] Al Malafronte: A Yankee hat.

[23:45] Desi Oakley: That'd be cool too. Oakley, you're Broadway.

[23:47] Al Malafronte: I like it.

[23:48] Desi Oakley: Oakley, you're Broadway. That's pretty good. You know, not long after Annie, you do the tour of Evita, a little bit of TV work on Gotham.

[23:52] Desi Oakley: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you end up returning to your first home over at Wicked.

[23:56] Al Malafronte: Yeah.

[23:57] Desi Oakley: And you're not just returning to Wicked. You're taking on Elphaba as the full-time understudy.

[24:03] Al Malafronte: One of the most iconic roles of all time.

[24:05] Desi Oakley: Yeah. You know, after going through what you did with Annie, is, you know, does anything top that?

[24:11] Al Malafronte: Yes.

[24:12] Desi Oakley: Or is Elphaba...

[24:13] Al Malafronte: Yes.

[24:14] Desi Oakley: Does top that, especially making my debut as Elphaba and flying in that levitator and singing "Defying Gravity." What's that like? That whole process when that goes up? Yes, there is nothing like it. It is by far the best part of the show. And it is the best part of the show for the actors too. I mean, it's like, you know, the music builds. It's a huge part of the plot. It's almost intermission. It's like the end of act one. I mean, it's all, you know, it's all her. And so, yeah, I run back into this dark, you know, area of the stage and there's essentially, the levitator is there and you get into it and it lifts you up. It kind of is like a, ooh, spoiler alert. It's kind of like a cherry picker.

So one of those like, yeah, you can't make that sound, right? Yeah, sure. Sure. It's like, you know, and you have a tiny platform. So all the girls that have played Elphaba, you can just be like, I bow to you. They're standing on a platform, not much bigger than their feet. All the way around. It's very small, can't move, can't make any moves. And you're basically kind of harnessed in. It's very safe. Even when you do like rehearsals for that, you know, they're going through, we're practicing every single thing, every single thing. Always curious about that.

[25:34] Al Malafronte: Yep, yep, yep. Totally. And that's why rehearsals are expensive because everyone's on deck. Literally, everyone's there to make sure that goes smoothly. Safety is a really important part of Broadway. Huge, huge, huge, huge part of it. So yeah, I actually pinched myself when I was holding the broom and sweating drops of green, belting that song on a Broadway stage in front of people. I absolutely made it a point to be like, oh my gosh, this is happening. Like I absolutely remember that.

[26:09] Desi Oakley: Take it in.

[26:10] Al Malafronte: Yes.

[26:10] Desi Oakley: Right. You're able to take, you're able to slow the game down at that moment. I did it. Take it in. I did that. I did that. And I don't know if that was purposeful or unconscious, subconscious. I don't know what happened, but I specifically, because I can recall the feeling right now, you know, the rest of it. I don't know. I mean, maybe I kind of blacked out a little bit. I don't know. But like for sure that moment, I remember for sure.

[26:33] Al Malafronte: Coming up, Desi leaves behind her broom for a pie. Get ready for the seventh inning stretch here on Break a Bat.

[26:40] Al Malafronte: So now, Desi, before we grab a seat at Joe's Pie Diner, I thought we could play a little game.

[26:58] Desi Oakley: Okay.

[26:59] Al Malafronte: It's called the seventh inning stretch, a chance to go into the clubhouse, take a few swings to get loose in the cage for those late innings of the game, except in swinging at baseballs. I thought we could do a little bit of trivia.

[27:13] Desi Oakley: Okay. I'm terrified.

[27:14] Al Malafronte: And we've got a little prize at stake, you know, if that, you know, if that lessens the nerves a little bit, you know, it can make you a little excited.

[27:23] Desi Oakley: That's an incentive for sure.

[27:24] Al Malafronte: Here's what I was thinking.

[27:25] Desi Oakley: Okay.

[27:26] Al Malafronte: Six questions. And if you get four right, you win the prize.

[27:30] Desi Oakley: Oh, wow. I'm nervous.

[27:32] Al Malafronte: Now, okay. Here's the thing, though, we're going to play to your home here. Half of them are going to be about Broadway. Figured we cover each of your three main shows, but not necessarily all of your characters just to keep things fun.

[27:45] Desi Oakley: Oh, I like.

[27:48] Al Malafronte: And I hope you have that smile on your face in about a second here. The other half will be about baseball. How does that sound?

[27:56] Desi Oakley: Listen, I'm always up for a challenge. Let's go.

[27:58] Al Malafronte: All right. What type of pie is a pometer pie?

[28:05] Desi Oakley: It is a mermaid marshmallow pie.

[28:10] Al Malafronte: That's right. You're one for one.

[28:12] Desi Oakley: So I'm just really going to take my time because I'm nervous.

[28:14] Al Malafronte: That's okay. It's more than fine.

[28:18] Al Malafronte: What number was Alex Rodriguez when he played for the Yankees?

[28:24] Desi Oakley: Okay.

[28:29] Desi Oakley: And now, by the way, my producer, Alan Seales here, he offered to be a lifeline for all of the sports related questions. If you want to tap to him.

[28:36] Desi Oakley: Okay. Can I phone a friend?

[28:42] Al Malafronte: If you, you know, we don't actually have lifelines. I was kind of just doing that to break Alan's chops.

[28:48] Desi Oakley: 13.

[28:49] Al Malafronte: I was going to guess 11.

[28:50] Desi Oakley: All right. So you're one for two.

[28:52] Al Malafronte: That's all right. We got some more questions here.

[28:53] Desi Oakley: I was going to guess 11. It was, I don't know why. It was just in my head. I'm not sure why. I don't know why.

[28:58] Al Malafronte: Fair.

[28:58] Al Malafronte: Okay. What was Bernie doing in the cell block tango that led the married murderess to fire two warning shots into his head?

[29:03] Desi Oakley: Bernie was chewing his gum.

[29:12] Al Malafronte: No, not chewing. Popping.

[29:16] Desi Oakley: Two for three. You're batting 667.

[29:18] Al Malafronte: Do I get extra points because I also did the exact line from the show?

[29:22] Desi Oakley: That is absolutely amazing. You should.

[29:24] Al Malafronte: I should just give you the prize right now.

[29:25] Desi Oakley: I deserved it.

[29:28] Al Malafronte: Here's a fun one. What do you call the series when the Yankees and the Mets square off? Or when they face each other? Specifically them.

[29:44] Desi Oakley: Oh, okay. This is hard. I don't know.

[29:51] Desi Oakley: Okay, that's fine. Don't worry. You got plenty more questions. You're going to tell it to me and I'm going to know it. Tell it. What is it?

[29:55] Al Malafronte: It's the subway series.

[29:57] Desi Oakley: Nope, didn't know.

[29:58] Al Malafronte: Okay, wow. Okay, you learn something new every day here on Break a Bat. Look at that.

[30:04] Al Malafronte: Life is what when you're thoughtless?

[30:10] Desi Oakley: Oh, thoughtless.

[30:14] Al Malafronte: Three for five. Very good.

[30:17] Al Malafronte: Okay, I need one more.

[30:20] Al Malafronte: All right. Now, I'm going to leave off the how many all-star games that are all the Chapman make question, but here's a good one, okay? Make it easy. How many runs do you score on a Grand Slam?

[30:34] Desi Oakley: No cheating.

[30:35] Desi Oakley: I was going to say that.

[30:39] Desi Oakley: It's four.

[30:41] Al Malafronte: Well, Alan just ruined the game. Thanks, Alan.

[30:43] Desi Oakley: Alan ruined the game.

[30:46] Al Malafronte: She was going to guess four, though.

[30:48] Desi Oakley: I was absolutely going to guess four because I knew that one.

[30:52] Desi Oakley: I was excited to know some of them because I'm not that illiterate when it comes to baseball or sports in general, but I knew that one.

[31:02] Al Malafronte: Do I still get the prize?

[31:03] Desi Oakley: You certainly do. By all means, the one you have, the little Yankee hat you have on looks great.

[31:09] Al Malafronte: You got me a Yankees hat?

[31:12] Desi Oakley: You did say the one that you have has some mileage on it.

[31:14] Al Malafronte: Oh, it's so old. I just realized that I left it over there.

[31:18] Desi Oakley: Okay, great. It's in the...

[31:19] Al Malafronte: Should I grab it for the sake of the show?

[31:21] Desi Oakley: Okay.

[31:21] Al Malafronte: Go get it.

[31:23] Desi Oakley: You got me a new one.

[31:24] Desi Oakley: Oh, it's behind me. I'm so excited.

[31:28] Desi Oakley: Oh my God. Oh, that color.

[31:30] Al Malafronte: Here is your new Yankees hat.

[31:33] Desi Oakley: Oh, I love it so much. As we move closer to the postseason, it's a little similar to the one you have.

[31:39] Al Malafronte: No, it's an awesome color. I don't have this color.

[31:42] Desi Oakley: And yes, this one has a ton of mileage on it because I got this the first day I moved to New York City.

[31:47] Al Malafronte: Wow.

[31:48] Desi Oakley: All right. You know what? Granted, that'll end up in the hall of fame one day.

[31:54] Al Malafronte: You're so sweet. This should be in a shadow box. This I should actually... This is awesome. You're the best. I appreciate you, Al.

[32:01] Al Malafronte: No problem. You know what? I figured that... I did not expect you to come in here with that hat. I didn't really deserve it because I... But thank you.

[32:10] Desi Oakley: Well, you know what? This will be the one for the next chapter. It's a Subway series.

[32:13] Al Malafronte: Yeah. I need to learn now that I know. I love it. That is so good. Yay. Now, let's talk about Waitress.

[32:20] Desi Oakley: Okay. You're no stranger to touring and you get to take on Jenna for the first national. How does that happen?

[32:27] Desi Oakley: Right. So at this point, they were looking for a Jenna and they had not found who they wanted to originate this tour. And I went in there and it made a lot of sense. I went straight from that audition room to the Brooks Atkinson to watch Sarah because they asked me to.

[32:50] Al Malafronte: So that was the first Jenna you saw was Sara Bareilles.

[32:54] Desi Oakley: They walked me into the show. And I remember like, is this how this happens? I emailed my agent and I was like, if you go in for an audition and they really want you to do something, do they just walk you into the Broadway show and have you like, is this like a thing? And they were like, not really. I just want you to like, they were like, just keep breathing and just doing what they say and everything's going to be fine. So I watched Sarah and I think they really wanted me to capture just the essence that Sarah brought to Jenna when it came to the effortlessness and the, I mean, she wrote the darn thing, hello. So they wanted me to really kind of embrace her kind of take on the character. And so I did and I went straight to final callbacks and then they gave me the role. It was really fast after that.

[33:44] Desi Oakley: And Sarah was in the room and she was so kind and lovely and everyone is lovely. And I booked it. I'll never forget getting the call. I was like, I think this is going to be a game changer. And it sure was.

[33:56] Al Malafronte: Was she always someone that you looked up to as an artist since you're a piano based musician yourself?

[34:01] Desi Oakley: Oh, always. I learned on the piano. I self-taught myself everything from Little Voice, one of her first albums, even way back to her Confessions something album. I literally taught myself all of them on the piano. She was always the top for me when it came to my sound. But then it was like, this makes so much sense because that's how I would sing and how I would sing and play. People have told me that before. They either say, you sound like Sarah Bareilles or you sound like Sarah McLaughlin, which is so interesting. Like that kind of chill.

[34:41] Al Malafronte: I thought the former, but I can also see the latter too.

[34:43] Desi Oakley: Yeah, I've heard that. I've gotten that before and I'm like, that's awesome. And so I'm like, of course, she wrote a musical. These are my two worlds combined. Yeah, so that's how that went down. And it was unbelievable. It totally did. It changed my life.

[34:55] Al Malafronte: The first time you hear that, when she put out the What's Inside album before the show on Broadway, you hear all this angst and emotion and stuff. And I'd have to guess taking on that role has to be one of the more emotional roles that you've ever played.

[35:14] Desi Oakley: It is. And it probably always will be. There's nothing like it. The thing about it that I always talked about over the year was that I felt a huge responsibility to play her because she's so real. She's the every woman. She's the every man. She has real life problems that are happening in real homes all over the world today. Abuse and neglect and self-examination and doubt and fear. These are just real human feelings. So I felt a huge weight of that because it was so real. And there wasn't a lot to hide behind. There wasn't a huge... All these sets. There weren't all these lavish costumes. It's me and a pair of sneakers with some flour and sugar and butter.

[36:09] Desi Oakley: And some sugar and butter. Yeah. This is so good. Anyway, yeah. So no, it will. It probably always will be one of the most emotional roles I've ever played.

[36:21] Al Malafronte: I've actually always wanted to ask, and you know, you're really the first person that I've spoken to who's taken on a lead role based on a film turned Broadway show. You obviously want to make the role your own, but you also, you know, you're going to watch the movie with Keri Russell. You saw the show with Sarah. How do you make it your own while still being true to the character and, you know, putting your own spin on it?

[36:45] Desi Oakley: Yeah, that's so tricky. But I think, so my way of doing that might be different than someone else's. My way of doing that is I only watched the film once. I have an, I have like a tendency to imitate or to take on certain energies because, again, I'm like a people pleaser. So I want people to be happy. So I will just do what I, you know, the other person did so because that's what they liked. So in order for me to take a risk artistically, I have to put it away and I have to go, okay, I'm only in my element and I only have this. I'll use it as a reference, but I try not, that's personal for me. I try not to study it too intensely so that I can make space for my own creativity. That's my personal answer to that.

[37:35] Al Malafronte: You put out a really great solo album earlier this year called Repeat.

[37:39] Desi Oakley: Yeah.

[37:40] Al Malafronte: I know you had put out some great music before, but I think this one in particular is really mature work. Tell us your inspiration behind this really incredible album.

[37:49] Desi Oakley: Thank you. Repeat is such a passion project of mine. I told you earlier that I've written since I was 13 years old. So writing and expressing myself through words and especially the keys has always been a passion of mine. And yeah, I feel like with Repeat, it was like, let's do this the right way. Let's actually go into the best studio. Let's have all of my musicians be Broadway musicians. Like, let's really do this. But I wrote all the music and lyrics. And then I worked with my drummer who was my drummer during the Evita tour, his name is Adam Wolfe. And he's also a Broadway drummer. You know, he does a ton of Broadway shows.

[38:28] Al Malafronte: Yeah, your whole album had all those Broadway musicians. That's incredible.

[38:30] Desi Oakley: Everyone is Broadway musicians. It's so cool.

[38:33] Al Malafronte: I love that. Saying true to the neighborhood.

[38:34] Desi Oakley: That's right. That's right. That's exactly right. And that was important to me. And yeah, so I think that I've always written, but I've started to really take writing seriously. And I think that I'm really proud to say, I don't know, for a while, I used to say, well, I can't dabble in songwriting because I have to be... I'm here to be on Broadway, and I have to be just focused on Broadway. Well, it's like, you know what? Life is too short. I should live out all of my dreams. And one of those dreams is to be a singer songwriter. So I've sort of started to say, I'm taking it really seriously. I consider myself a Broadway actress and a singer songwriter. This is what I do. And I have tons of new material.

I was actually just in the studio this afternoon, and another album is on the way, absolutely for sure. I have bits and pieces of 14 new songs that have been around, and I write on the fly. I write on the subway. I use the Voice Memos app in my phone, and I just literally record while I'm out. I walk around, whatever is inspiring me. So I've got bits and pieces, and I just need to put them all together.

[39:46] Al Malafronte: Now, I can't even imagine the inspiration that you've had between Repeat and this upcoming album, because not long after the release, you take on Roxy Hart in Chicago. First show I've ever seen you in, by the way. When you compare Jenna to Roxy, it's like swinging from shortstop to a pitcher, two very different positions, obviously.

[40:02] Desi Oakley: Right, seriously. Yeah, absolutely. It was challenging, but really fun. And I feel like both of them, both women, both roles have sides of me. I am a deep person. I'm a complex person. I am also from a smaller town in the Midwest, right? So I have a lot of Jenna in me, but Roxy's passion for life and fervor and her ability, her natural ability to perform, which is what we were talking about earlier, is totally like me as well. So I kind of feel like there's parts of me in both of them, which is what makes sense. I'm a firm believer in the world of acting, that yes, while we're all human beings that are putting on a performance and taking on a role, there's got to be a part of the human who's portraying the role inside that role. Otherwise it won't work. There's got to be, there's just has to be, even if it's minute or a tiny fraction, I really believe that every single actor can tap into these characters because there's a portion of them in there.

[41:08] Al Malafronte: Now, so do you take yourself back to a young Desi Oakley in Kansas singing, I want to be a celebrity, somebody everybody knows. I probably have the tune way wrong. It's been a long day.

[41:20] Desi Oakley: No, it's good. Yes. I want to be a celebrity, someone everyone knows. I feel like I've never really wanted to necessarily just be a celebrity. That's the difference I think—

[41:30] Al Malafronte: Right, an artist.

[41:30] Desi Oakley: With Roxy, right? But that's a really good point is that like, Roxy does just want to be famous. So this is the portion of Roxy that I can't really relate to. She doesn't care about people. She doesn't care about anything. But I love that you said that because it was fun to play a woman who wants to be so famous. I mean, we all know someone like that. So I had a lot of fun playing with that for sure.

[41:56] Al Malafronte: What are you most excited about as far as your future goes in this industry?

[42:01] Desi Oakley: Yeah, I'm so excited to keep going. I want to keep playing definitely roles that people know, but I'd love to tackle a new show, a new production, something totally brand new to sink my teeth into or to originate. That's really fun, especially being a creator, like writing my own music. I've also dreamt of writing a musical. I've also dreamt of doing TV. I've dreamt of doing film work. I mean, I have so many aspirations. I'm also, I just am always thinking of other ways to just, you know, create or to use my gifts. So yeah, I hope that there's a lot that to look forward to. I would hope so.

[42:44] Al Malafronte: Now, you have really accomplished a lot on stage in the studio. But for these next few minutes, it's about to get tough.

[42:52] Desi Oakley: Oh, it was it already was.

[42:54] Al Malafronte: I did the trick. No, no, no, no. This is like we're going to provide some insight into Desi Oakley, but here's the catch. I'm going to ask you some questions, but you've got to say the first thing that comes to your head. It's a little segment that we do called Fastball Derby.

[43:08] Desi Oakley: Okay, great.

[43:09] Al Malafronte: Think of it like this. Ninth inning, two outs. You're trying to bring home that winning run. And Eralda Chapman is on the mound throwing 105. I ask you a question. You say the first thing that comes to your head and I'm sure whatever you say is going to be great. Don't put too much pressure.

[43:22] Desi Oakley: Okay, okay, great, great, great.

[43:24] Al Malafronte: Favorite New York City meal?

[43:26] Desi Oakley: French fries.

[43:27] Al Malafronte: Any go to spot?

[43:30] Desi Oakley: Pommes frites.

[43:31] Al Malafronte: Are we talking like, do you like to go to like, are you down with like going to like a pub and like, you know, having them alongside a burger? Are you more like, you know, the fast foodie?

[43:39] Desi Oakley: No, no, no. I want like good, wonderful, like prideful French fries.

[43:46] Al Malafronte: That sounds really delicious. Pommes frites sounds pretty authentic too.

[43:49] Desi Oakley: Pommes frites is in New York City and it's unbelievable. And they have like 17,000 different dipping sauces and I live for a dipping sauce.

[43:56] Al Malafronte: That sounds so good.

[43:57] Desi Oakley: Oh man, I want some right now.

[43:58] Al Malafronte: And it's the first time I've ever had someone say French fries. That's pretty cool.

[44:01] Desi Oakley: Well, you said to say the first thing that came to your mind and actually all of these might just be French fries.

[44:10] Al Malafronte: Well, I certainly hope not with the next one.

[44:12] Desi Oakley: Okay, great. Tell me.

[44:13] Al Malafronte: Regular slice of pizza, grandma slice or Sicilian?

[44:17] Desi Oakley: It's a regular for me.

[44:18] Al Malafronte: Yeah, yeah, regular.

[44:20] Desi Oakley: Your lucky number?

[44:21] Desi Oakley: Seven.

[44:23] Al Malafronte: Good one. Mickey Mantle. One of the greatest Yankees who ever played.

[44:26] Desi Oakley: Heck yeah.

[44:28] Al Malafronte: Favorite place you've gotten to perform outside of New York?

[44:31] Desi Oakley: Outside of New York. I performed at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. It's the fabulous Fox Theater. There are like 5,000 seats and I think that was probably one of my favorite places to perform. And I did Evita there. Yes.

[44:47] Al Malafronte: And that's not too far from Kansas either.

[44:49] Desi Oakley: So true.

[44:49] Al Malafronte: So that was kind of like a homecoming.

[44:50] Desi Oakley: Yeah, for sure.

[44:51] Al Malafronte: I like that.

[44:51] Desi Oakley: For sure.

[44:52] Al Malafronte: Your dream role?

[44:54] Desi Oakley: One that hasn't been written yet.

[44:58] Al Malafronte: What's on your bucket list?

[45:00] Desi Oakley: I want to be able to go skydiving. I just don't think it's going to happen, but I really want to be able to do that. Oh, also a hot air balloon.

[45:08] Al Malafronte: Oh, that's a good one. It's safer too.

[45:10] Desi Oakley: It's probably safer. I mean, maybe, I hope. I don't know.

[45:14] Al Malafronte: There's a Broadway show about Desi Oakley. Who plays you?

[45:18] Desi Oakley: Oh, wow. It can't be me.

[45:21] Desi Oakley: Maybe in like the first run, but eventually like, you know.

[45:23] Al Malafronte: Oh, right. Oh, no. I'll come back as like a cameo performance and sell a bunch of tickets.

[45:27] Desi Oakley: Yeah, exactly. Money making play.

[45:29] Al Malafronte: For sure. For sure. Let's say, gosh, who plays me? I'm going to say Laura Osnes.

[45:40] Desi Oakley: Okay. Yeah. You know what? I could see that on the marquee. Laura Osnes as Desi Oakley.

[45:46] Al Malafronte: I like that.

[45:47] Desi Oakley: I would just be honored. And also we have a lot of similarities and she's a lovely friend of mine and I feel like I would trust her with portraying my life.

[45:54] Al Malafronte: Yeah. There's a lot of integrity with that role.

[45:56] Desi Oakley: Yeah. That's a good question. I like that question.

[46:01] Al Malafronte: Proudest moment of your career?

[46:03] Desi Oakley: Whoa. Yeah. All of the times that I've taken a final bow as the leading lady or as one of the leading ladies. I can just remember like it's just that final bow with the whole cast behind me. Those moments, particularly Jenna, Elphaba, Roxy. I just had to do it. Elphaba, Roxy. I just have them in my head. Proud.

[46:36] Al Malafronte: Lastly, best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?

[46:47] Desi Oakley: Okay. This is going to be a little cheesy, but my mother has always said to me something that absolutely is cheesy and everybody says it, but if you really break it down, it's exactly what everyone needs to hear. And it is take your passion and make it happen. She would say that to me every single day, all the time. And it really sums up what I feel like everyone needs to do, but especially what I've always tried to do in my life and in my career. Take your passion and make it happen.

[47:19] Al Malafronte: I love it.

[47:20] Desi Oakley: The wise words of my sweet, sweet mother.

[47:22] Al Malafronte: Way to go, Mrs. Oakley. Desi, it's been such a thrill to have you on today. I'm sure you'll rock that Yankee hat well, and I can't wait to see what you do next. I can't wait for your shows this November too.

[47:34] Desi Oakley: I appreciate you. Thank you so much for having me. This was so much fun.

[47:37] Al Malafronte: I had a great time too. And you know what? That'll close out the ball game here on Break a Bat for the Broadway Podcast Network. I'm Al Malafronte signing off. We'll see you next time.

[47:49] Al Malafronte: Thanks for listening to Break a Bat. This is produced by the fine folks at the Broadway Podcast Network. Visit and subscribe at bpn.fm slash breakabat. You can find me online at break underscore a underscore bat underscore podcast. And you can also find the Broadway Podcast Network on Instagram at Broadway Podcast Network. It's been so great having you here with us today, and we'll see you next time.