This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:08] 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.

[0:19] Al Malafronte: We're happy to have you with us. Now let's play ball.

[0:25] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to another edition of Break a Bat where baseball meets Broadway. I'm your host, Al Malafronte, coming at you for the Broadway Podcast Network with a very special hitter tonight.

[0:34] Al Malafronte: Uh, we're gonna welcome someone to the batter's box who on the theater front certainly needs no introduction. Uh for the baseball fans, you're in for a treat, as our special hitter tonight is as much a Broadway.com Star as anyone we've ever welcomed on the show.

[0:47] Al Malafronte: I'm not just saying that. Uh, her body of work and show business over the course of the past decade and change has made for a wonderful back of the baseball card. Uh, she got her start in the touring production of Spring Awakening as Wendla.

[1:01] Al Malafronte: Uh, she then went on to play Sue Snell in Carrie at the MCC Theater just before making her Broadway debut in Mamma Mia, when she starred as Sophie Sheridan over at the Winter Garden Theater.

[1:13] Al Malafronte: I'm sure for many of you, she's best known for originating the role of Princess Anya in the Broadway production of Anastasia. Uh, over the course of nearly three seasons with the show, she went on to earn a Drama Desk nomination, a Theatre World Award, and of course, she also received the very prestigious Broadway.com Star of the Year title, which uh on the baseball front, I often compare to being the top vote getter at the All-Star Game.

[1:36] Al Malafronte: So, in addition to everything she's accomplished on stage, she's also a tremendous singer-songwriter with a new album on the way called Wandering Bird. We're so grateful she could join us tonight. So, with that being said, I ask you all to please turn your attention to home plate, just beyond the marquee.

[1:52] Al Malafronte: Now batting Christy Altomare. Christy, welcome to Break a Bat.

[1:54] Christy Altomare: Oh, thank you so much for having me. What a fantastic intro.

[1:57] Christy Altomare: You really hit all of the markers of my life.

[2:05] Al Malafronte: I read off all your stats, your accomplishments, your accolades.

[2:09] Al Malafronte: I think you're ready to hit.

[2:12] Christy Altomare: Honestly, yeah, you read off even more than I remembered. I was like, wow, that's so cool.

[2:17] Christy Altomare: I'm so happy you could be here. How are you doing?

[2:20] Christy Altomare: I'm so happy to be here. I mean, I feel like I don't know if you sort of feel this way, but I sort of feel like quarantine is like slowly like disintegrating and we're all like detaining from the frozenness of just not moving for a year.

[2:35] Christy Altomare: Are you feeling that way as well?

[2:37] Al Malafronte: A little bit. I I'm starting to see some more life uh come back to the city, especially you know, the weather's starting to get a little bit nicer.

[2:43] Al Malafronte: We could eat inside again. It's nice. It's uh, you know, we're finally, I think we're I think we're out of the dark ages. I'll put it that way.

[2:49] Christy Altomare: Yes, that's what I'm saying. You feel the dark ages are behind you, and that the future is.

[2:55] Christy Altomare: I mean, I've been living in Pennsylvania for basically a year. Uh, because once um once it got really bad, like once a bunch of people in my apartment building started getting COVID, and I thought there was a period of time where I thought even I may have gotten COVID.

[3:09] Christy Altomare: I got really, really, really sick at mid-March. And um, you know, then it just like my neighborhood was like kind of scary because when there's less people on the streets and there's not that many policemen around, you know, late at night, you we all had to be in before dark.

[3:26] Christy Altomare: So I just ended up going back to Pennsylvania where my family lives, and I'm going back to New York tomorrow, which I'm so excited for.

[3:34] Christy Altomare: Uh so it really does feel like the dark ages are behind me.

[3:38] Al Malafronte: That's amazing. We'll give you like a royal homecoming.

[3:41] Christy Altomare: Uh uh.

[3:42] Al Malafronte: Yeah.

[3:44] Christy Altomare: Yes, you'll have to like find out where I live and hold up a sign like, welcome back.

[3:51] Al Malafronte: Well, you know, that's nice though. You could do a lot worse than retreating to Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

[3:55] Al Malafronte: And I know that I have to say this, as much as like any other guest that I've had on from Broadway, you've been pretty busy during this pandemic. It's nice to see that you're putting together that new album that's coming out soon. That's exciting.

[4:06] Christy Altomare: Yeah, I've actually been, I've been, you know, I this is like so sad because I really do feel like I am one of the lucky ones.

[4:14] Christy Altomare: I know I have a lot of friends, obviously. I'm I've been working in this business for the last 10 years. I have a lot of actor friends who are not in my position.

[4:23] Christy Altomare: And, you know, I feel for them and I feel for Broadway and I want it to come back. And that's why it's so encouraging that these vaccines have been working, that we're feeling like the effects of, you know, the governor trying to open things up.

[4:36] Christy Altomare: And hopefully if the numbers don't go up, I really hope Broadway gets gets back to full swing. Because I no fun intended.

[4:46] Christy Altomare: But I honestly just in my heart, I just feel like just grateful and blessed that because I got to do Anastasia, it has, it is, it has provided me the opportunity to share my heart with, you know, a whole group of people who love the story of Anastasia.

[5:04] Christy Altomare: And those people have been huge supporters of mine and have sort of supported me and encouraged me to, I'm finishing this album.

[5:14] Christy Altomare: Um, and it's coming out soon. And then I'm, you know, I teach uh acting, which I never thought I was gonna, I would never thought I would be a teacher.

[5:23] Christy Altomare: And once quarantine hit and there wasn't much to do, these companies reached out and were like, oh, do you wanna, do you want to teach, you know, acting a song?

[5:31] Christy Altomare: And I never even thought that it would be something that I would even enjoy. I didn't know. And so I started teaching and I just found such love for that.

[5:40] Christy Altomare: And um really feel like I'm giving back, even though we're in quarantine and we can't perform on a stage. You know, it's it's the other way I can give back to the world.

[5:49] Christy Altomare: Uh and I did, you know, I did a Seth con a Seth um Rodetsky concert series, uh, which was like a virtual concert, um, which was really fun.

[5:57] Christy Altomare: So I have, I have I have been busy. I have been doing things, and I I'm very lucky for that to have that, you know, within my grasp at this time.

[6:07] Al Malafronte: You mentioned that Seth concert series. I like the joke that you were making that you were kind of like the the pre-game show for the Super Bowl.

[6:13] Christy Altomare: Yes.

[6:15] Christy Altomare: Yeah. Well, what's the can I tell you the funny story with that is that they asked me to do it, right?

[6:19] Christy Altomare: And I'm a huge fan of Seth Rodetsky, like massive. And so when when I found out I was being asked, I was like, yeah, yes, I guess, like Seth Rodetsky.

[6:27] Christy Altomare: And then like a day later, I was like, oh my gosh, I got the Super Bowl slot. And then I was like, oh, and then I was like, this is actually great because I'll just promote it as if it's like watch my concert, then watch the Super Bowl.

[6:41] Christy Altomare: And so that was basically how I I just spun the whole thing in that direction. And I think it worked to my advantage.

[6:47] Al Malafronte: Yeah, it was brilliant. The whole promo that you did, you're like basically in a freaking gown and holding a football.

[6:52] Al Malafronte: Like that. That's actually awesome.

[6:54] Christy Altomare: Yeah, trying to like, you know, explain like it also helps people remember the day it's happening.

[7:00] Al Malafronte: True. Because, you know, there's only one a year of that. We need more sports tie-ins to Broadway.

[7:06] Al Malafronte: And I, you know, I have to know because we do have a lot of things.

[7:07] Christy Altomare: Oh, yes, we do.

[7:09] Al Malafronte: Yes. Keep going.

[7:11] Al Malafronte: I was gonna say, you know, you being a Bucks County girl, not far outside of Philadelphia. We have a little bit of a baseball backdrop here.

[7:17] Al Malafronte: You have a Phillies girl, Pirates girl? Because I know Pittsburgh's kind of part of it.

[7:21] Christy Altomare: I would say Phillies, and and then obviously the Eagles for football.

[7:27] Christy Altomare: Um, but yeah, I I mean I I think everyone gravitates to their hometown. Like for you, you gravitate to yours as well, right?

[7:34] Al Malafronte: Oh, of course. Oh, I've got the NY right on my head.

[7:36] Christy Altomare: I was like, it's on your head, like I feel it.

[7:39] Christy Altomare: And and you know, you that's what was so cool about like when I was doing Anastasia, the Eagles won the Super Bowl that year as I was doing the show, and it was just so crazy to like feel like I could represent like oh my, you know, my state, my state.

[7:56] Christy Altomare: So yeah, the Phillies totally, you know, support them.

[8:00] Al Malafronte: Did uh our buddy Derek ever get you to play Broadway Show Week?

[8:05] Christy Altomare: Oh, wait, is that where he sings the national anthem?

[8:08] Al Malafronte: What is Broadway Show Week?

[8:10] Christy Altomare: So believe it or not, there's a very distant land in New York City called Central Park. You've heard you've heard of

[8:15] Al Malafronte: Oh, yeah. Not far from my house, not far from my apartment.

[8:19] Christy Altomare: Okay, are you talking about the softball league?

[8:21] Al Malafronte: The softball league, yeah.

[8:22] Christy Altomare: Oh, yeah. No, I never did the softball league, but I've always waited the thing is I think every time that it's been available to me, I've just you're so exhausted doing your eight show week that it's just you have no, like your all your energy goes into that.

[8:41] Christy Altomare: Um, but I do think it's very cool. And I also never did they also have Broadway bowling, and I never did that either.

[8:47] Christy Altomare: Everyone was like, come on, we're all bowling. And there's also like, I think there was also like Broadway trivia was a thing too once.

[8:55] Christy Altomare: And I've I've never been to any of these things. I'm so I'm the worst.

[8:58] Al Malafronte: But have you did you ever so have you done the Broadway League?

[9:02] Christy Altomare: No, I I can't qualify. I'm not I'm not like a cast member of one of these shows.

[9:07] Al Malafronte: Sometimes you can. Like sometimes, like if you're affiliated with a show, I feel like sometimes people get people in.

[9:13] Christy Altomare: Okay.

[9:13] Al Malafronte: So the next thing I'm lying.

[9:14] Christy Altomare: No, no, next time you're in a Broadway show, you're just telling me that you're gonna guarantee me the third base position, I think.

[9:19] Al Malafronte: Is that is that your position?

[9:22] Christy Altomare: Back in the day, I mean it's been a little while.

[9:24] Al Malafronte: Okay, next time I'm in a show, I will seek you out and see if maybe you can just wear a shirt that says Christy Altomare and you can represent for me.

[9:32] Christy Altomare: All right, I'll I'll wear a Christy Altomare jersey any day of the week. Absolutely.

[9:36] Christy Altomare: I'll just pretend like you're me and it'll be great.

[9:41] Al Malafronte: Yeah, there we go.

[9:42] Al Malafronte: I can't I can't carry a show though, like eight times a week like you did.

[9:47] Al Malafronte: Have you have you enjoyed the downtime overall? I mean, I know you've been working throughout this, but like mentally, where are you at these days?

[9:54] Christy Altomare: Actually, um, I don't even want to say this out loud because I don't want to manifest never working again.

[9:59] Christy Altomare: I love, I love being in shows and I love per working professionally, but there is nothing I I really believe in that statement early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

[10:09] Christy Altomare: And performers are kind of night dwellers, you know. We we have our show either a Saturday matinee, but most of the time like eight o'clock, seven o'clock at night, and then you're done and you're doing the stage doors sometimes till like 12:30, one o'clock, and then you get home and you have to decompress.

[10:26] Christy Altomare: And so then it just doesn't make sense for you to wake up at five and go to the gym. So you're waking up at like 10 and you and the day is kind of shot, you know.

[10:34] Christy Altomare: Uh, not to mention that when you are doing a show, you have to really be careful not to talk too much and to preserve your voice and to preserve your body.

[10:43] Christy Altomare: So there, you know, it very is very much like like training for the Olympics, you know, or being being um a professional sports player in a way. It's very much the same thing.

[10:51] Christy Altomare: Uh so I I during this time it's been nice because I get to wake up early, I get to go for a jog, you know.

[11:01] Christy Altomare: I'm I'm a I'm a runner. Like I ran the um the last marathon in 2019.

[11:07] Christy Altomare: They didn't get to do the real one, the New York City Marathon in 2020. But I feel like this one, the next one's gonna be crazy because it's the 50th anniversary of the New York City Marathon.

[11:20] Christy Altomare: But yeah, yeah, no, I should have mentioned that in your credentials. The fact that you you you literally completed the New York City marathon.

[11:25] Al Malafronte: Uh that was absolutely epic. I you have a reputation, you know, for being like a runner here on Broadway.

[11:31] Christy Altomare: So I think that's like a good 4K, yeah.

[11:34] Christy Altomare: Yeah, I've always been a runner, but it wasn't until like I started doing Anastasia that it was like that little bug on my arm of like you're not getting any younger and you want to run a marathon one day, like you should do it now.

[11:47] Christy Altomare: And the stup and and in my mind, I was like, this'll be great because it'll be this time away from the show where I can really decompress.

[11:54] Christy Altomare: And I did the nine plus one, which if you're if you're in New York and you understand, it's basically you have to run through New York Roadrunners Association or whatever, you have to run nine races and then plus one like volunteer event.

[12:09] Christy Altomare: And I did all of those races, plus the volunteer event while I was doing eight shows a week, which was just crazy because some weekends I would have to like run 10 miles in a race and then do the matinee and then do the evening and then do press.

[12:23] Christy Altomare: Like I don't even know how I did it. Um, and then it was so funny because at the very end, I started to like, they started to realize that I was running this race, like the people at, you know, the people that run the race, and they were like, you should have just asked us if you could qualify. We probably would have just gotten you in. But I no, no, it's not fair. It's not fair to just give me that honor. Like I have to like earn it. Oh, I love that. I absolutely love that. Now let me ask you, you know, you mentioned the volunteer event. Do you get recognized at an event like that? Um, well, no, because a volunteer event is just a bunch of runners and they're not focusing on faces usually. But I think the most I get recognized would be in Midtown, like when people are going to see Broadway shows, or if I'm walking down Eighth Avenue or Ninth Avenue, and any Broadway actor will tell you that.

It just, it's like it's the culture of everyone's seeing shows, everyone's thinking Broadway, and then you walk by and they may, you know, remember your face or know your show or have just seen your show or something like that.

[13:27] Al Malafronte: You know, it's so interesting because I just think of you as someone who has such a positive disposition. And I want to bring up something that you've said a couple of times over the course of your career, but one thing I've always been curious about, I know in between Mamma Mia! and Anastasia, you had a little bit of like a layoff period. Um, and you know, you hadn't worked in a while, and you had kind of like made a conscious effort to change your outlook on life once the going got tough. But the thing that's always fascinated me is, you know, you're such a genuine girl. I can't see you through any other lens but one that's like positive and kind. What was going on between Mamma Mia! and Anastasia? You know, where your head was, you know, in like kind of like that different place that you've talked about where you really had to buckle down and change.

[14:13] Christy Altomare: Thank you for bringing this up because I actually love talking about this because a lot of times when people hear about, oh, she was on Broadway or she, you know, she achieved something, they think that, you know, it's smooth sailing for you. But ultimately, people who anyone who's achieved anything that's considered like a feat, right? We would say being a Broadway lead is a feat has to go through that stage of darkness. I feel like we all sort of have that place. And even if we don't, even if we get our success early on, you eventually, I feel like we all, no matter who it is, like you have to go through that to like that sense of self where you really have to look within and like things aren't always, you're not always at the top, right?

Um and so when after I played Sophie in Mamma Mia!, you were right, I went through this stage where like nothing was going on. And when I was a kid, um, people used to always say, I feel like you have this childlike wonderment energy about you, right? Where I'm just so positive all the time and happy and silly and go lucky. So when the depression hit and the sadness hit and not getting to work hit and all these other things like my boyfriend and I broke up and my um, you know, I was running out of money and I was gonna have to leave my apartment and just like anything bad that could happen happened. Like one of my best friends passed away. It was just like everything piled on I often end up being in a place where I feel incredibly I'm I'm one of those people that feels really like I don't want to put my energy around someone when I'm sad.

So I just hermit in. And that's what I've always done. Like if I find that I don't feel that childlike wonderment within myself and that happy-go-luckiness within myself, I just hermit. So I completely close myself off from everyone and sort of like sat in my room in sadness. And in my way, I sort of feel like that's actually good for me. It may not be good for other people, but for me, it was good because it forced me to sit with my thoughts and to sit with my feelings and to really analyze myself. And by through that analyzing, I was able to realize, okay, these emotions are not normal, these feelings are not normal, something is off with you. You have to change everything. And so it wasn't until like right after the Christmas holiday where I was seeing my family, and they're all sort of like giving me that look like, not saying it out loud, but sort of like, what are you doing?

Like, are you still acting? Like, what is your life? And me just feeling like a failure. And I go back home and I lay on the ground and I look up at the ceiling and I say to myself, you know, you either end it all, I mean, that's dramatic, right? But I not that bad. But like, you know, you continue going down this dark path of sadness for the rest of your life, or you make the choice to change and to shift things. And the only thing that I could do is say to myself, like, your mind is sick. Like it's just a mindset at the end of the day. It's these beliefs that you create, right? So over time, I was believing nobody ever wants to work with me again. I'm not talented, I'll never make it. Like, you know, you have all these like thoughts that just trickle in and just stay within you. And so I just believed in myself and I was like, you gotta, you gotta just tell yourself your brain is sick right now. Your brain is is sick and it's misfiring, and you need to rewire this.

[17:35] Christy Altomare: So I woke up in the morning and I decided I'm going, no matter how painful it is, I'm gonna make a shift. And that pain is important to understand. It's important to understand that change is painful, especially when you've been doing the same sad thing over and over again. We almost become friendly with that dark place. Like it's as much as we despise being in that sad, depressing place, we also love it at the same time because it's what we know, it's our comfort zone. So to have broken out of that comfort zone, it's important to know it is gonna be painful. It is gonna be painful. And so I started with my own way of I created this thing called the accomplishment book, which I really wanna actually like patent and do, like make an accomplishment book that other people can buy.

But it's basically like, you know, any other any old day planner. But the goal is you write down your accomplishments after you've accomplished them. So you have a reminder, like a full-on reminder at the end of the day of what it is that you accomplished and what it is that you can feel proud of yourself for. And every day I would just tell myself it's incremental shifts. So in the morning, I would wake up at five. Oh, the early to bed, early to rise. I was like, what do successful people do? They wake up early. So I started waking up at five in the morning. And it was like, what else do they do? They work out. I didn't have the strength to walk to the gym and work out, but I had the strength to walk outside of my apartment.

So I walked outside of my apartment, went inside, wrote it down, was able to get out the door. And then the next day it was I was able to walk down the street. And then the next day it was I was able to get into the gym. Then the next day it was I was able to walk on the treadmill, you know. And so every day it was just those little incremental shifts. So that's a tiny example, but then it I equated it to everything else, like, you know, cleaning my room and like, you know, answering emails and just getting, you know, calling my my grandmother to tell her I love her, like and writing all these things down and seeing them. And then you realize how much time you waste in a day. And I realized, oh my gosh, I'm not being productive at all.

And so then I just started like continuing to be productive and taking those missed hours and missed minutes and you know, um, some people would call it like chopping wood. And like, you know, like all these things like equate to like versions of chopping wood. Like they're busy, it's kind of busy work, but it gets yourself in the mindset that you have to be in if you want to achieve anything. And so I continued to do that. And then eventually one day I started to become more and more elated with every day. I would wake up and I'd be like, yeah, I might have to leave my apartment in two weeks. But guess what that means? Like I get my apartment for two more weeks, which is the complete opposite of I'm gonna lose my apartment.

And so I had this incredible epiphany and you know, realization that you know, money doesn't matter, being an actress doesn't matter, like none of that matters. All that really matters is me loving myself. That's all that matters. And once I and believing in myself and believing that I can do anything, and part of me believing in myself was looking at that accomplishment book every day and seeing, wow, I was I went from here to here. I went from can't even go to the gym to jogging three miles, like I'm fine. And so if I can do that, I can do anything. And so then that turned into maybe if I can't be an actress, maybe I'll start a business. So I came up with this crazy business plan. I talked to people.

They were all into it. I was like ready to do it. And then um, I got a random call to ask me to do a reading uh for like not much money, it might have been like a hundred dollars or something. And I was like, okay, so I did this reading and it gave me this confidence of I am an actress. And uh I call my agent and my manager, and I was like, get me an audition. Cause I had my auditions were dwindled down to nothing. And they were like, no, like you no one, no one wants to see you. Like they even sent me like a list of everything they were sending me in for, which was a lot. They sent me in, they like submitted me for so many auditions, and none of the casting directors wanted to see me at that time.

Um, and they said it's because the new blood is coming in and like you're kind of old news, is what they said. And I was like, okay, but like it's your job to get me an audition. So I believe in you, get me an audition. And they were like, okay. So they fought. I'm sure they had to make a couple calls and like who knows what they had to do. But they got me two auditions, and one of them was Anastasia. And then I went in for my Anastasia audition. The next day I found out I got it, and it changed my whole life. I didn't have to move out of my apartment. Like, I didn't like ever like everything shifted for me. And it just came from that belief in myself and that love for myself. And then it's almost like when you snap into that inside, then it provides you the opportunity to have the clarity to be able to make the steps to achieve the other things.

You could say it's magic. You could say magically things come to you when you're positive, or you could say when you have a positive outlook, you're also able to see the pathway to success better than you would before. Cause let's say I got it and I was I got the audition for Anastasia and I was like super down and depressed. Maybe I wouldn't have worked as hard on it. Maybe I would have been feeling insecure because I hadn't, you know, you know, been eating well or whatever. And so, you know, it's it all starts from inside. I know I talked for a long time. Sorry.

[23:00] Al Malafronte: No, no, go. I this I feel like this is a story that's never been told. How many girls are you going up against when you're auditioning for Anastasia?

[23:07] Christy Altomare: Um, I think they said it was like hundreds, because in this scenario, they had been auditioning. I mean, because the birth of a musical sort of works like this. You write, they write the musical, then they'll do a reading, they'll try to get investors, then they'll do another reading, try to get investors, then eventually a workshop, try to get investors. Then they'll do an out-of-town tryout, try to get investors. And then if they get enough investors, then they have enough money to go to Broadway. And so that's kind of the birth of a musical. And throughout this time, generally they're holding auditions. So they're holding a bunch of auditions for Anya, then they're holding a bunch of auditions for Anya, then they're holding a bunch of auditions for Anya.

And luckily, talk about serendipity. The day I was like, get me an audition to my agent, it just so happens it was their last audition for the out-of-town tryout for Anya for Anastasia. Um and I didn't even know. I didn't know I was going in on a final, final, final audition. And they had already pretty much seen every Anya in the city that wanted to be Anya. And I walked in and I was one of the final people that they saw, and it just worked in my favor, you know. And it that's never always the story, but I was just very fortunate and in the right place at the right time.

[24:22] Christy Altomare: Now, did they have you sing the song when you go into that first audition?

[24:26] Yeah. If you're going to a final callback, especially, um, they will give you all the materials.

[24:32] So I had four songs from the show and four scenes from the show, which if you're auditioning, they call it sides, but which I don't know why they should just call it scenes.

[24:41] But uh, yeah, you have four scenes from the show that you kind of have to like perform.

[24:47] Um, and I did those, and then they asked me to come back later that day uh to do a chemistry call.

[24:56] And a lot of times this will happen with musicals that they'll have a chemistry session where a boy and a girl or whoever's the love interest, um, they have the love interest together to see if there's chemistry or there's like a connection between the two of them.

[25:09] And I just so happened that they were like, we're gonna have you do it with your old boyfriend.

[25:14] And I was like, what?

[25:16] And then they were like, no, no, no, not actually your boyfriend, but somebody who played your boyfriend in a musical.

[25:21] So I got to work with Derek Cleto, who you know.

[25:24] Um and it was so great because usually a final callback would be so terrifying, especially a final, final callback where they're calling you back after the big audition.

[25:36] Like it's like the very last step before you find out you get it.

[25:40] You know, instead of being terrified, I was so excited because I was just gonna get to perform with somebody who I admire, who I think is a great performer, who I've worked with before.

[25:48] So it kind of took all the pressure off because it's like whether I get this or not, I get to work with Derek today.

[25:53] How awesome.

[25:54] And so they saw that chemistry, they saw the connection between us and yeah, the rest is history.

[26:00] They cast both of us in the show and we got to do it on Broadway.

[26:03] You absolutely crushed it.

[26:05] And I did get to see that show.

[26:07] And that's that's not my typical genre of shows.

[26:09] I absolutely loved it.

[26:10] I even said that to Derek.

[26:12] Um, the one that I appreciated most, and obviously I love Journey to the Past, but uh on this podcast, we joke that learn to do it is kind of like the break a bat anthem.

[26:21] Because except, you know, we're not educating Broadway folks about, you know, the Romanoff lifestyle, we're educating them about baseball if you know the information, the facts, the stats, you know.

[26:31] Like the Duke of Oldenburg was short, is kind of like cheater hit leadoff and play it short.

[26:35] Like we do the little things like that.

[26:37] Yes, that's awesome.

[26:39] Yeah, I mean, she's learning all of the all of the things to try to become an expert at the Romanov family.

[26:46] And you know, you'd be learning all those things to become an expert uh at baseball.

[26:52] Yeah, sort of kind of.

[26:53] Yeah.

[26:54] Or to become a performer, or I don't know.

[26:56] I mean, I mean a baseball player, I don't know.

[26:59] What position would you play if like you think that you could be a baseball player?

[27:03] Oh, that's a really good question.

[27:06] Um, I'm trying to think like, I think I would like to catch the ball.

[27:10] So maybe well, the hardest one is first base, right?

[27:13] If you're in the outfield.

[27:15] Well, if you're in the infield playing first base, anytime there's a ground ball, you got to get ready to field your position and catch the ball coming at you.

[27:24] I mean, realistically, if you talk about catching the ball, obviously the catcher is receiving from the pitcher at a very high speed.

[27:29] There's a pitcher actually on the Yankees named Aroldis Chapman, who's like kind of like our unofficial mascot.

[27:33] He throws 105 miles an hour.

[27:35] I don't know if you'd want to play his catcher.

[27:37] First base, I mean, is a pretty prominent position.

[27:39] It's a power position.

[27:41] You have a pretty powerful voice.

[27:42] I that's what I'm saying.

[27:43] Like, I would probably want to be power position, but like something that I think is manageable.

[27:47] I I think all the stress of like, am I gonna, you know, am I gonna throw like the curveball or the this?

[27:52] Like, I don't think I could be like that person, but catching the ball like from the field, but I think that would be whatever, one of those positions.

[28:03] Um wait, but I was gonna say, do people break ribs when they're when they're catching the on the other side?

[28:11] Well, you know, when people break ribs a lot is when they're actually going after balls in crazy plays.

[28:17] Like, if let's say I'll give you an example in 99, Paul O'Neill, great Yankee, was going after a ball.

[28:23] This was right towards the end of the regular season.

[28:24] He was going for a ball down the foul line, and you're hustling, you can't see what's going on around you.

[28:29] And he just ran into the wall and he breaks his rib, like coming up like that.

[28:33] And he still played throughout the playoffs because he's a badass, and that's why they call him the warrior.

[28:37] But it's like it happens in more the in the unexpected ways.

[28:42] It's not like you know, from field, you know, having 95 hit you know in the chest or something.

[28:48] It's more like those unexpected plays.

[28:50] Yeah, I mean, you see that you see stuff like that happen in Broadway all the time where oh my gosh, I went to go see Honeymoon in Vegas on Broadway, and the the stage manager was out that night.

[29:02] So they had the assistant stage manager calling the show, which when you call the show, you basically are the person who says, like, okay, you can move this set piece now, you can move this thing now, you can enter now.

[29:13] Like she kind of like says it all through the headsets to let you know the stage hands know what to do.

[29:17] And she was like, Great, you can open up the trap door on the ground now.

[29:21] So this big trap door opens up, like slides open where the like underneath is nothing but like the basement.

[29:28] So you'd be dropping from the stage to the basement.

[29:31] And she forgot to call for it to go back.

[29:34] So the lead girl danced into the trap and like fell and like broke her ankle.

[29:40] And still, this was the first number of the show.

[29:44] I watched her complete the full rest of the show with like a broken ankle.

[29:48] And they even like stopped the show for a second, and Tony Danza was in it in the show, and he came out and he's like, She's okay, they're wrapping her ankle, she's gonna get back out there.

[29:58] And it was just crazy.

[29:59] And everyone's just sitting there, like, oh my gosh, this girl's badass.

[30:03] Like, just amazing.

[30:04] I love that.

[30:05] Now, have you ever come that close to like a really catastrophic injury on stage?

[30:09] I did, but unfortunately, I did not finish the show.

[30:12] Like, I just left and went to the doctors and got stitches.

[30:16] Wait, which was this Anastasia or Mamma Mia?

[30:18] Or, you know, I'm one of the things.

[30:19] No, it was actually Spring Awakening, which is a show.

[30:22] I don't know if you you're familiar with the show, but it's kind of like it's a it's a coming of age story where it's this repressed society in Germany where these kids find out what sex is and they're like, oh my gosh, like I had no idea.

[30:35] And then like two of the kids like end up having sex for the first time.

[30:40] And and so my character, I was playing that character.

[30:44] And so throughout the show, I had these like knee-high stockings that like go, I guess they thigh-high stockings that I wear throughout the show that I'm constantly pulling on and off throughout the show.

[30:55] And I, at the first scene of the show, I drop down on my knees.

[31:00] Um, it's like a part of the show where like I go to my knees to like put my head on my mother's lap to kind of ask her, where do babies come from, right?

[31:08] So I go down on my knees, and something either goes up my knee or like scratches my knee, and I have a huge gash in my knee.

[31:14] So I finish the scene, I go off stage, and all I'm thinking about is this gash on my knee and me having to like pull on and off my stockings throughout the whole show.

[31:23] And they were like, Oh, you could do it.

[31:25] I was like, I don't think so.

[31:26] Like, I need and I left, and I felt so bad because they just had hired a new understudy for me.

[31:33] And so she's literally backstage, and she had like notes on her arm, like written down.

[31:39] And the other crazy thing about the show is the whole cast sits on stage.

[31:43] It was kind of special where there were risers on the side of the stage.

[31:46] So the whole cast sits on stage watching the show as it's happening.

[31:50] So they're not even backstage.

[31:52] So I go off, go, I'm going to the hospital, and she's coming on in the next scene with like notes on her arm, like four feet taller than me.

[32:02] And everyone's like, what happened?

[32:03] But they can't say anything because they're just sitting on the stage watching.

[32:07] So yeah, that's as close as I came.

[32:09] And I I failed.

[32:10] See, this is high.

[32:11] This is why maybe I maybe I wouldn't be the best baseball player.

[32:17] Well, you know what, Christy, maybe not, but nonetheless, I thought of like kind of a kind of fun idea tonight.

[32:24] And you know, you and I have something in common, by the way.

[32:26] And I know that this is uh this is just audio.

[32:28] Maybe the folks at home can't see this.

[32:30] I'm gonna show you.

[32:31] And uh let me just pull something off the uh shelf here.

[32:35] Now, when I pull these out here, what what do you see here?

[32:39] Uh one of my favorite shows.

[32:42] I see Jennifer Aniston.

[32:44] Yeah, so we are both diehard Friends fans, me and Christy.

[32:48] And uh, you know, all of our regular audience knows uh far like you know, baseball meets Broadway winner's circle, you know, those who kind of uh establish themselves as part of the baseball meets Broadway trivia elite.

[33:02] Now I know that, you know, I Christy doesn't necessarily think that she might make a great baseball player, but I thought that uh we could play a little game that combines the two main genres of our show, baseball and Broadway, as well as Friends, which yeah, like it's it's called the seventh inning stretch.

[33:18] And if uh you answer enough of these questions right, you win a little prize, which is like kind of cool.

[33:23] Okay, and um, yeah, and the the key rule is just you just get enough of them right, you win the prize.

[33:28] So there's like uh okay, and if I fail, I'll just If you'll tell me to cut it and it will come.

[33:38] What did it be the first time?

[33:41] Yeah.

[33:44] That has happened before.

[33:46] Okay.

[33:48] All right, well, we go.

[33:51] Once this might be number number two.

[33:56] Yeah, so this was pre-COVID, and we were still in studio too.

[34:00] So I've got I've that that taught me to like keep it very keep it very safe uh going forward.

[34:05] But this would actually be kind of cool.

[34:07] Sometimes you do games with a twist, and hopefully this will be right up your alley.

[34:10] And um, yeah, let's see how you do.

[34:13] Okay.

[34:14] Okay.

[34:15] Here's a fun one.

[34:17] Which of the following Broadway alum did not make a guest appearance on Friends?

[34:22] A Brooke Shields, B, Charlton Heston, C, Deborah Messing, or D, Christina Applegate.

[34:33] Ooh.

[34:37] What was the second one?

[34:40] Charlton Heston was choice B.

[34:43] I don't know who that actor is.

[34:45] I'm the worst.

[34:46] What has he been in?

[34:47] Like classic 60s, 70s movies, and I think his last Broadway appearance was in the 60s.

[34:55] Okay, so read the choices again?

[34:59] No, sorry.

[35:00] You're giving me this chance where I'd like, no.

[35:02] Okay, so then I'll say uh the last one, Christina Applegate.

[35:05] Is that what you're saying?

[35:06] Christina Applegate played your girl Jennifer Aniston's sister in a few episodes next time.

[35:11] I was like, I feel like she's been in it, and I was like, and I also feel like Deborah Messing has, but she hasn't.

[35:16] Deborah Messing was the answer that has not been in an episode of Friends.

[35:20] I would have thought for sure Deborah Messing played somebody's girlfriend.

[35:24] You would have thought, right?

[35:25] Like the NBC family.

[35:26] Unfortunately not.

[35:28] Listen, you're over one.

[35:29] There's a lot of at bats in a baseball game.

[35:31] And uh the way I see it is you might do a little bit better on this next one.

[35:36] Also ties into Friends in Broadway and a little bit of baseball.

[35:39] Okay.

[35:40] Okay, okay.

[35:41] Which Broadway alum and one time Friends guest star played drums for the Beach Boys during their 1989 performance at Yankee Stadium?

[35:51] Is it A, Jason Alexander?

[35:54] B Billy Crystal, C, Jeff Goldblum, or D, John Stamos?

[35:54] John Stamos.

[36:02] You've watched Full House growing up.

[36:03] Ding ding ding.

[36:04] That is the correct thing.

[36:07] Also, like, but it was didn't he play with the Beach Boys on the show on Full House?

[36:13] Yeah, all uh many times actually.

[36:15] Yes, you remember the Forever video as well.

[36:18] Okay, excellent.

[36:19] There we go.

[36:20] You got a hit.

[36:21] Uh I love Full House.

[36:22] Such a good show.

[36:23] So I actually saw John Stamos in How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying when I was like, I don't know, eight years old when he was on Broadway.

[36:32] Christy Altomare: Oh, he crushed it. I remember he was doing, I think it was Bye Bye Birdie, fresh off a Beach Boys tour. Because I remember going to see the Beach Boys live, and people were telling me, like, oh, you know, he's gonna be in New York for another month or so. He's like gonna do Bye Bye Birdie. So yeah, he's been.

[36:46] Al Malafronte: Who did he play? Did he play Bertie?

[36:48] Christy Altomare: He did he play Albert or did he play Bertie?

[36:51] Al Malafronte: I didn't know.

[36:52] Christy Altomare: Oh, yeah, he'd be an Albert. Total Dick fan too. I don't see him being like, oh, one last kiss. I'm sure he was Albert.

[36:59] Al Malafronte: He's more Jesse and the Rivers didn't have that in their set list typically, I don't think, right?

[37:06] Al Malafronte: All right. So let's see. You're one for two here. Let's do a fun question here.

[37:11] Christy Altomare: Okay.

[37:12] Al Malafronte: I think you actually might get this one. And it's basically a pure baseball question.

[37:17] Al Malafronte: The Yankees and Phillies faced off in the 2009 World Series. During that series, which member of the Phillies tied the major league record for most home runs in the Fall Classic? Is it A, Chase Utley? B, Rui Banez, C, Jason Worth, or D, Carlos Ruiz.

[37:43] Christy Altomare: Okay. I don't know the answer to this.

[37:48] Al Malafronte: I can read the options again. This is such an easy one, too.

[37:52] Christy Altomare: I'm sure. And I'm so sorry. What is it? Just say it.

[37:55] Al Malafronte: Okay. The answer is A, Chase Utley.

[37:59] Al Malafronte: All right, he tied the record. You know what? Let's stick back to like the Broadway friends genre here. Um, get you into the winner's circle. Like I said, there's no real like golden rule as far as how many.

[38:09] Christy Altomare: I don't need to be in the winner's circle, but I love answering these questions. It's fun.

[38:12] Al Malafronte: It is kind of fun.

[38:14] Christy Altomare: Yeah, I'm into this.

[38:15] Al Malafronte: All right. This is a fun one. And I bet you remember this episode. Season seven episode of Friends.

[38:21] Al Malafronte: Okay. Rachel invites Chandler to Ralph Lauren in order to help him find a tuxedo for his wedding. Do you remember this?

[38:27] Christy Altomare: I think I remember this. I've seen every episode of Friends. I'm pretty sure.

[38:33] Al Malafronte: Okay. So I'm scared.

[38:36] Al Malafronte: All right. Let's uh don't worry. We haven't even played fastball derby yet. Do not get scared yet.

[38:41] Al Malafronte: Um, she shows him custom tuxedos that celebrities have worn to award shows and sent back. Rachel informs Chandler that one of those tuxedos was worn by a certain member of the New York Yankees. Was that Yankee? A, Paul O'Neill. B, Andy Pettit, C, David Justice, or D, Tina Martinez.

[39:07] Christy Altomare: I do not know the answer to this. I'm so sorry. But these are really great curated questions. Can I just say the mix of Friends and baseball and Broadway? I'm just like, they're really great questions, and I should know all of them, but unfortunately, I do not.

[39:24] Al Malafronte: So tell me, what is it?

[39:26] Al Malafronte: The answer is A, Paul O'Neill.

[39:34] Christy Altomare: I thought that was. Yes, you just mentioned his broken rib. Do you know what my favorite part is? My favorite part of this is that like the last two have been A. So you hear A, and then you see like my face just like I know you guys are at home are just listening to this, but you're looking right at my face, Al.

[39:53] Al Malafronte: And you're just like, it's a fuss. I wish this.

[39:56] Christy Altomare: She doesn't know the answer to this. But you know what? Here's the thing. This is why I really want this to be to still be in the podcast because I don't care. It's fine.

[40:04] Christy Altomare: It's fine. I'm just, I don't know.

[40:07] Al Malafronte: Well, here's the thing. You know, you don't care about being in the winner circle, and that's okay. I think that you should still go out a winner with a decently fun question here.

[40:15] Al Malafronte: Um, not one mention of baseball whatsoever.

[40:21] Christy Altomare: Okay.

[40:22] Al Malafronte: Okay. Maybe I'll know the answer to this. Let's see. Um, you're part of a great lineage when it comes to the Mamma Mia franchise, okay?

[40:31] Christy Altomare: Okay.

[40:32] Al Malafronte: The film version featured a number of phenomenal movie stars, many of which have also performed on Broadway at some point in their career. Which of the following stars of the Mamma Mia film has yet to appear on Broadway?

[40:49] Christy Altomare: Oh.

[40:49] Al Malafronte: Okay.

[41:10] Christy Altomare: Okay. I'm gonna say the second was the second one, Pierce Brosnan.

[41:17] Al Malafronte: That is correct.

[41:18] Christy Altomare: Yes, that is correct. That is as much as we'd love to see James Bond on Broadway. You're correct with your choice of Pierce Brosnan.

[41:25] Al Malafronte: He's yet to appear on Broadway. And you actually you still win a prize.

[41:29] Christy Altomare: No, I don't.

[41:31] Al Malafronte: You're just saying that because I you win the participation trophy.

[41:36] Christy Altomare: Participation.

[41:38] Al Malafronte: I love it. This is your official Chapman on Broadway break a bat long sleeve t-shirt.

[41:45] Christy Altomare: Oh, I love it. Oh my gosh, that's long sleeve, long sleeve's the best. This is perfect for you coming back to New York right now, right?

[41:51] Al Malafronte: This is like a nice spring shirt. You can wear it to Yankee Stadium when you obviously are like so down to go to games and you know.

[41:58] Christy Altomare: Once I have my vaccine, absolutely. Going to all the games. All of them.

[42:03] Al Malafronte: Epic. That's the spirit that we need. Uh, that's why I feel good about giving you this. So that is awesome. You've won it.

[42:08] Al Malafronte: Now, a Ralda Shatman. Yeah, you'll see him right up on there. He actually plays for the Yankees. I don't know how much he likes that he is the unofficial mascot of this podcast.

[42:17] Christy Altomare: But nonetheless, I'm sure he'll be happy to see that you're rocking the shirt.

[42:21] Al Malafronte: Nice.

[42:22] Christy Altomare: I'm sure he'll figure it out over time, though, right?

[42:25] Al Malafronte: How long is this gonna be going on?

[42:27] Christy Altomare: Well, no, this has been going on for a year and a half. You know, that he his avatar, excuse me, our avatar is him in the blue hairspray wig, actually. So, like whenever we would tag him in post.

[42:38] Al Malafronte: So, yeah, he's viewed a couple of those.

[42:39] Christy Altomare: So he's knows he's he's aware.

[42:41] Al Malafronte: He's aware.

[42:42] Christy Altomare: I don't know if he's happy about it because I think that he disabled the ability for us to tag photo.

[42:51] Al Malafronte: His translator blocked us. It was a whole big thing.

[42:54] Christy Altomare: But oh my gosh!

[42:56] Al Malafronte: But that almost makes it better.

[42:57] Christy Altomare: Like that's how you that's when you lean in.

[42:59] Al Malafronte: Yeah, and you just keep doing it.

[43:04] Christy Altomare: You are an instigator.

[43:06] Al Malafronte: It's so that's a great thing.

[43:08] Christy Altomare: And that, well, I'm just saying what you're already doing. So it's pretty.

[43:11] Al Malafronte: That's true. Well, I'm glad that you're on board with that. I appreciate that.

[43:15] Al Malafronte: Now, I know, by the way, one thing I did want to talk to you about was I know that like right before things got crazy with Broadway, you were supposed to do the Dion project.

[43:23] Christy Altomare: Anything, uh any news on that front? Like, what's going on with that?

[43:27] Christy Altomare: Um, I I don't have like any definite news, but I know that they're, you know, they're hoping that that once Broadway opens up, that it will run at the Paper Mill.

[43:37] Christy Altomare: The situation that they're that the lucky situation we're in is that they never really got started.

[43:44] Christy Altomare: Um, like building the sets or putting together the costumes.

[43:49] Christy Altomare: Uh, it was always just we're gonna do the show. And right around lockdown was before any of that stuff went into motion.

[43:57] Christy Altomare: So it's not like, you know, it's just, you know, it's just an idea. And and they already, I think they I think they sold very, very well the last time when it was supposed to happen.

[44:10] Christy Altomare: So I think it's encouraging that like if it does go back, you know, there's a good chance that like maybe you know our show will get to represent, which would be really cool.

[44:20] Christy Altomare: And amazing people were a part of it. I hope that they keep us all. It's me and Michael Wartella and Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block, who's awesome and totally so talented.

[44:33] Christy Altomare: Oh my goodness, like the show was incredible to work on and Dion DeMucci is just such an icon of his time.

[44:42] Christy Altomare: His if you if you haven't heard of his music, he wrote Runaround Sue, everyone knows that song and and The Wanderer. But his newer music is is the music that like is definitely to listen to.

[44:55] Christy Altomare: He just came out with a new album and it's unbelievable.

[44:58] Al Malafronte: Didn't you have Springsteen on that album? Am I wrong about that?

[45:01] Christy Altomare: Um, I'm sure he has yeah I mean he Springsteen is a huge uh is Springsteen was inspired by um by Dion.

[45:13] Christy Altomare: And it's kind of interesting though, because like when you listen to Dion's music you can see how Springsteen had like, you know, it's like I, you know, when I write music, I'm inspired we're all inspired by someone, right?

[45:25] Christy Altomare: So like I I grew up listening to Joni Mitchell. So sometimes like when you hear my songs like all like you know, like you put in a riff that sometimes sounds a little bit like that.

[45:33] Christy Altomare: It's it's not so much copying as it is like giving an homage to that person.

[45:37] Christy Altomare: And and another cool thing about The Wanderer was uh there's there's actually a Bruce Springsteen song that they added to that show, uh that I got to sing, which was really cool.

[45:48] Christy Altomare: Um I love Bruce Springsteen too. He's amazing.

[45:51] Al Malafronte: So I know that so typically I view Pennsylvania as like neutral to the New York and Jersey thing.

[45:56] Al Malafronte: Uh so are you more of a Bruce girl than you are like a Billy Joel girl, for example?

[46:00] Christy Altomare: Yeah, I mean, only because my family like my mom and my dad were big Bruce fans, like massive Bruce fans.

[46:07] Christy Altomare: So it's kind of like what I grew up with. And my actually my whole family um came from Trenton, New Jersey.

[46:14] Christy Altomare: And then as like when I turned two, everybody, it's so funny. It's like everybody sort of moved to Pennsylvania, which is right across the bridge from where I live, uh like with the Delaware River connecting.

[46:27] Christy Altomare: So I even though I am from Pennsylvania and I really did grow up in Pennsylvania, uh, I do feel the influence of Jersey often.

[46:37] Christy Altomare: Uh just because my parents were from Jersey and all of that. But I do love Billy Joel.

[46:43] Christy Altomare: I actually saw him live in concert last year. Well, before the quarantine started.

[46:51] Al Malafronte: So yeah, that's absolutely able to hear all of that.

[46:54] Christy Altomare: I'm sorry.

[46:55] Al Malafronte: Oh no, I absolutely no, I absolutely was. It was it was coming in a little slowly there, but I will always stop and listen when you're talking about Billy Joel.

[47:02] Al Malafronte: So let me ask you this. You know, the closing point on uh, you know, your taste in music. You said you love Joni Mitchell. Are we gonna hear some you know Joni Mitchell style music in this upcoming album of yours?

[47:12] Christy Altomare: Yeah, I think no matter what, you know, she she lives inside of me like a little bit. Like it's but it's very much my own style that is totally mine.

[47:21] Christy Altomare: Um there's a slight influence there, but but for the most part, uh I'm I my my music ranges between like slightly poppy to just, you know, I try to tell stories and uh and it and can be a bit folky as well.

[47:38] Christy Altomare: So yeah, I'm excited. I have been writing for the past ten years, but in the past ten years I've been doing Broadway shows and things like that.

[47:47] Christy Altomare: So I haven't really had the time to invest. And um I've really poured my heart into this album and and I just I can't wait for it to be out there.

[47:57] Christy Altomare: It's it's time for sure.

[47:59] Al Malafronte: I can't wait to listen to it. And I know you've released some other solo albums before but you mentioned that 10 year gap. I think this is cool because it's the chance for your fans to you know hear your mature work, you know, from a songwriter's standpoint.

[48:10] Christy Altomare: Yeah so there's there's a lot of newer songs on there, but there's also some older songs from like when I was on tour or you know you can pick them out you know you can listen and like oh that one was probably from tour.

[48:21] Christy Altomare: Uh and some of them are from you know just when I was doing other shows. Uh and then and then some that are very very recent uh that kind of pertain like I have one song about you know being addicted to your phone and just like the chorus is like no one needs to know like about like you know when you had that feeling where you're on your phone and you're on your phone and you're sort of like I've wasted three hours looking at nothing.

[48:47] Christy Altomare: No one needs to know my deep dark secret. Like you just feel like so bad. So yeah, there's still some songs on there like that. That's interesting. And you know, that's that's that's a topic that really hasn't been tackled too much. So I'm I'm sure that people will benefit from hearing your takes on that. I know I certainly will. The good and the bad of it, right? It's just the humanness of it. Like we hate ourselves, but also it brings such pleasure. Like to, you know, flipping through your phone and finding things that make you happy. I cannot wait to listen to this album. And I certainly will give all the folks at home, you know, some links in the episode description. It's, you know, as far as how they can connect to uh, you know, what you're doing on the music front and where they could find it.

[49:28] Al Malafronte: Um, thank you.

[49:30] Christy Altomare: Of course.

[49:30] Al Malafronte: And uh, you know, Christy, there's one little segment that we use to wrap the show. It's not quite as fun as Seventh Inning Stretch with those great trivia questions.

[49:39] Christy Altomare: I loved I that was my favorite part of this interview.

[49:39] Al Malafronte: Or this podcast.

[49:39] Christy Altomare: My favorite part of this podcast.

[49:46] Al Malafronte: I'm so glad that you're telling me that we could keep it in there because this segment, I want you to visualize like that guy who throws 105 miles an hour. Do you remember his name?

[49:54] Christy Altomare: Ovaldo's Chapman.

[49:57] Al Malafronte: Of course, that's right. So Chapman is on the mound, they're 105. You gotta think quick in the batter's fact. This is a chance, you know, for folks at home to get to know you a little bit better with uh a few questions that it will ask you about yourself. And uh yeah, we'll ask you something, think quick and tell us the first thing that comes to your mind.

[50:15] Christy Altomare: Okay.

[50:16] Al Malafronte: Philly cheesesteak or New York slice?

[50:20] Christy Altomare: New York slice.

[50:22] Al Malafronte: Favorite New York City meal.

[50:28] Christy Altomare: Everything.

[50:29] Al Malafronte: Everything.

[50:31] Christy Altomare: Everything bagel?

[50:33] Christy Altomare: Literally everything. Everything there. I I love the Mexican food. I love the I love the Indian food. I love the Thai food. I love like I love it all. Italian food. There's nothing bad. I love it all.

[50:45] Al Malafronte: Are you part Italian, Christy?

[50:47] Christy Altomare: I'm 50%.

[50:48] Al Malafronte: I thought so. Okay. Are you Italian?

[50:51] Al Malafronte: Last name's Malafrante, it means bad forehead.

[50:53] Christy Altomare: You can do it.

[50:54] Al Malafronte: All right. What does it mean?

[50:55] Christy Altomare: Wait, what does it mean?

[50:56] Al Malafronte: Bad forehead.

[50:57] Christy Altomare: Oh, mind me.

[51:00] Al Malafronte: You don't have a bad forehead.

[51:02] Christy Altomare: I'm I'm Alpha Altomare, which means the high of the sea.

[51:07] Al Malafronte: Ooh, I like that. That's that's a lot better than bad forehead. That's a that's fantastic. That is a little weird that that's even a last name. That should not be allowed to be a last name.

[51:16] Al Malafronte: I mean, it's beautiful. It sounds gorgeous when you don't know what it means, but bad forehead, really?

[51:25] Christy Altomare: Like, I just am glad that you live in America and you don't live in Italy.

[51:30] Al Malafronte: I know, unfortunately, not all of us can have our names tied to the ocean like you do, but that's all right, Chris.

[51:35] Christy Altomare: All right. I don't mean to judge. It's really gorgeous when it's uh in America, and we don't really all know exactly.

[51:45] Al Malafronte: Well said, and I think that's the first time that has ever come up on this podcast.

[51:49] Christy Altomare: So perfect.

[51:51] Al Malafronte: There's a first for anything.

[51:52] Christy Altomare: Exactly. Okay, let's see here. Important one. Team Jeter or Team A-rod.

[51:59] Christy Altomare: Ooh.

[51:57] Al Malafronte: A Rod.

[52:03] Christy Altomare: You must like J-Lo.

[52:04] Al Malafronte: Okay. Next question.

[52:05] Christy Altomare: Yeah, J-Lo.

[52:08] Al Malafronte: All right. Uh, greatest baseball game or sporting event you've ever been to.

[52:14] Christy Altomare: Ooh, okay. You're gonna laugh. But when I was younger, um, we went to see uh the the um the women's world cup uh with Mia Ham and Julie Fouty. I don't know if you remember those guys, but it was like you know how the women's world cup comes every four years. But we were like the perfect time, and I think I think Bill Clinton might have been there, so that was kind of cool. It's like I know it's like a weird one, but that's a cool one. Mia Hammond and Derek Jeter, I remember them being like the Gatorade commercials.

[52:47] Al Malafronte: Yes, the Gatorade. Remember that?

[52:49] Christy Altomare: Yeah, we yeah, we really looked up to those girls. Like something about like all of those girls were so there's something about that team, that that soccer team, they were so charismatic. I don't think there's ever been a team since that you just I mean, I've just really gravitated. We gravitated to them back in the day. So yeah. Soccer. I love soccer.

[53:10] Al Malafronte: That's that's hey, listen, just the fact the fact that you're rep in the sports tonight and everything is is is huge for our.

[53:18] Christy Altomare: I know we should be repping baseball. I should be repping baseball. I should be like, that time I went to the Yankees game, which I did. There were times. But um that's gonna be in the uh the the batting around episode with uh Christy Altomare. But uh let's let's see uh okay. Here's a good one. Uh America's band, the Beach Boys or the Eagles.

[53:38] Christy Altomare: Ooh, America's band?

[53:40] Al Malafronte: Yeah, you're you're you the weight of the country, you know.

[53:43] Christy Altomare: I don't think that you can say that. I don't think you can do that. Because there it's like apples and oranges. You know what I mean?

[53:50] Al Malafronte: Yes.

[53:53] Christy Altomare: See, I think that that the Beach Boys inspired the Eagles. Like Glenn Fry talked about how Brian Wilson inspired him when he wrote, you know, peacefully feeling and California. So then so then it would be the Beach Boys because they came first.

[54:09] Al Malafronte: You could well, how about this then? If you don't feel comfortable answering it, can you say who do you think is better?

[54:15] Christy Altomare: Well, I I like the Eagles.

[54:16] Al Malafronte: Me too.

[54:19] Christy Altomare: The last big thing I did before COVID was see the Eagles at the Garden.

[54:22] Al Malafronte: So I gosh. Not debating that.

[54:24] Christy Altomare: Okay. Yeah, well, and uh, it's like I didn't I never listened to the Beach Boys growing up, but like the Eagles were always like on my mix, like when I was in my car on the way to school. So it's, you know, I guess technically they're the more my jam, but if you're gonna like say America's jam, I don't know what the answer to that is.

[54:42] Al Malafronte: I thought that Chris we were gonna have a headline like Christy Altomare's face for USA says America's band is, but that's all right. Um how about this fact about Christy Altomare that would surprise people the most?

[54:56] Christy Altomare: Um I once well, I guess some people sort of may know this, but I once won a burrito, a Chipotle burrito eating contest. Me against ten men.

[55:08] Al Malafronte: Wow. Okay, that that did surprise me. I didn't know that.

[55:10] Christy Altomare: See? Well, we're breaking news and breaking bats over here. I'm really good at eating very fast.

[55:19] Christy Altomare: Oh, also here's another here's another one. I I love the game foosball. It's one of my favorite games, and I will I will beat you anytime. I'm like so good at foosball. I love it.

[55:28] Al Malafronte: Yeah.

[55:29] Christy Altomare: All that time watching me a ham, obviously, you know, trans translated to the foosball table. So that's yes, into my into my arms and my my wrists. Perfect. Not my feet at all. Just my arms.

[55:45] Al Malafronte: Uh let's see. We'll do the final two that we use to close every show. Proudest moment of your career.

[55:54] Christy Altomare: That's really hard. I think um I I maybe opening night anastasia. Like you work so hard to get there, and then you get to do it. And you know, you have that sense of like I accomplished something beautiful and great that I'm that I love. So yeah, opening night. It's it's very cliche and very obvious. But yeah, probably that.

[56:31] Al Malafronte: Hard to top.

[56:32] Christy Altomare: That's hard to talk. Yeah.

[56:34] Al Malafronte: And what's the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?

[56:40] Christy Altomare: Um to be yourself, which is kind of a weird also cliche about of advice. But it's the one thing that's gotten me through everything in my life. Like when I was in high school, my dad used to always just be like, There's only one you on this earth. Like, like nobody else is like you. Nobody. You are special. There's nobody like you. And it's not that I'm more special than someone else. We are all special. We are all unique. We all have something to bring to the table. And I think, especially when you're a kid, and so often when you're a kid, you're always like looking to learn, looking to grow, looking to study. And those are important elements to a person, is that you should be learning to grow.

You should be trying to be a better version of yourself all the time. But within that, you can get caught up in the, oh, I want to be there and I'm not there yet, or oh, I wish I was more like that person, or ooh, this. And so it's about maintaining that level of wanting to learn while also like patting yourself on the back for the things that make you you. Um, and so anytime that I've leaned into that, you know, I remember waiting for auditions uh for my college to see if I was gonna get into college, and I'd be waiting in the waiting room, and all these young teens were going in to perform for all of my favorite colleges, and they're belting through the door. And I know I'm not like this massive belter at this time in my life.

But I just kept telling myself, yeah, but you have your thing. You have the thing that makes you special. Like you go in there, you mix the song, you know, you you emote, you cry in the moment. Like you do, you know, like we all have that thing that makes us us, right? That thing that we do, that thing that makes us special, that thing that makes us unique. And while, you know, I wish I had other elements, I wish I could jump into a split at that time in my life. Um, by leaning in to the parts that are you that make you special and having that pride in yourself, you're able to move forward with love, um, respect and compassion for everyone else around you.

[58:49] Al Malafronte: So, yeah.

[58:51] Christy Altomare: I love that.

[58:52] Al Malafronte: Awesome, Christy. It served you really well. You've had a tremendous career, and I'm so grateful that we had the chance to speak with you tonight. This was absolutely epic.

[59:01] Christy Altomare: I'm grateful too. And much like how, you know, nobody is perfect, we have to fail sometimes. I'm like so happy we're keeping in the part where I totally messed up that game. But it's gonna be great. Please, if you put me in a seventh inning stretch where I had to like sing or do what you do on stage, I wouldn't have even gotten a single hit.

[59:22] Al Malafronte: So you didn't. I'll be like, these five notes, which of them is a high E?

[59:27] Christy Altomare: Oh, I'm I'm for a high C. Would you at least give me multiple choice, I would hope.

[59:32] Al Malafronte: Um, yes, I do A B C D. And even then, I'm screwed.

[59:37] Christy Altomare: But yeah, yeah, I'll have you on my podcast next time.

[59:41] Al Malafronte: Deal.

[59:41] Christy Altomare: Anytime you want, Christy.

[59:42] Al Malafronte: That sounds awesome. And uh listen, I cannot thank you enough for coming on tonight. This was so epic. This was so much fun.

[59:48] Christy Altomare: Thank you so much for having me. I feel so honored. It was a blast.

[59:51] Al Malafronte: It was an honor for me as well. And uh for all the folks at home, I cannot thank you enough for listening to Break a Bat tonight. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. This is Al Malafronte signing off from the Batter’s Box. We'll see you next time. Be well.

[1:00:09] Christy Altomare: Keep that in.

[1:00:14] 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.