This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:04] Kerry Butler: Once I played a penny who just couldn't stop the beat. Yes, with rather skits on her feet. Although just recently to see a real quo.

[0:36] Jayke Workman: Now come with me, Emma. I am your host, Miss Kerry Butler. Together, you and I are breaking Runaway.

[0:54] Kerry Butler: Hey everyone! Today's episode of Breaking Broadway is a crossover with Oh My Pod, you guys. We had so much fun doing this episode, and don't worry, there's still lots of advice for aspiring performers out there. Hope you enjoy the show.

[0:55] Jayke Workman: Oh my pod, you guys. I am so so excited for this amazing crossover episode of the pod with the incredible Breaking Broadway's Kerry Butler!

[1:26] Jayke Workman: Oh my pod, oh my pod, you guys! My dream come true. Kerry Butler's sitting on the podcast. I'm so excited to meet you and to chat with you. I have so so many things to ask you, but my first just thing that I ask all of my guests is where are you calling in from?

[1:43] Kerry Butler: Oh, well, during COVID, I moved out of the suburbs, so I am in New Jersey. I don't hate New Jersey, I just miss the city.

[1:52] Jayke Workman: Yeah. Are you far enough that you can like feel a sense of solace?

[1:57] Kerry Butler: Yes. Like apart from the craziness.

[1:59] Jayke Workman: Yes, but I miss I really miss just seeing all my friends, you know, like a street away and just going in for anything. Like now, anytime I get asked to do anything, it's like, okay, I have to figure out am I driving or taking the train, you know, all that stuff.

[2:13] Jayke Workman: Of course. Well, my gosh, where do I even begin? I truly have been such a fan of yours for quite some time. I think my first exposure to you was when my high school did Xanadu. And then we did a, of course, a deep dive, and I was like, this is the end all be all of musical theater was this show, which of course you were casually nominated for a Tony for. But I wanna ask you about sort of the difference between being in more of like an obscure cult classic show like Xanadu versus something that's just so iconic, like Les Mis or, you know, like Hairspray. Like, what is the draw for you in terms of projects? Like when you are asked to audition for something or given a script to read, like what's the driving, you know, force for you?

[3:06] Kerry Butler: Yeah, great question. And this is actually something that I try and like teach young actors. So, you know, when you get your first job, then everybody wants to put you in a box to be that. And so my goal has always been just to be a working actor. And to do that, I will take parts for less money, or I will, you know, do things that people don't see me in, so then I can get more of that and have more longevity. So I feel like my career has been kind of crazy, where like I will be starring in Xanadu, nominated for a Tony as the lead actor, and then the next show I do on Broadway, I have a part where I don't come in until the second act, and I'm Brenda Strong in Fly Fly Away.

[3:53] Jayke Workman: Right.

[3:54] Kerry Butler: But you know, obviously I chose that. I mean, I chose that because I love that song. It's one of my favorite songs that I've ever gotten to sing, Fly Fly Away. And I love Mark and Scott. That team was incredible. So I really, really wanted to be a part of that show. And it's funny with Xanadu, I did all of the very first readings of Xanadu when they were first developing it. It was so fun. And but again, like when you're in a show, you always think it's amazing, but you actually don't know. And so the year I got Xanadu, I also got cast in like five readings of new shows, workshops, like Legally Blonde, Little Mermaid, I did The Robber Bridegroom, I did Wedding Singer and Xanadu. And I was like, you know, thinking I was it, like, which one am I going to choose?

Cut to getting replaced in all of them. I got replaced in Xanadu, and then Jane Krakowski did it, because you know they want somebody with a name. And so Jane Krakowski was doing it, and then when it was going to Broadway, she decided, or it didn't work out with her schedule, something that she couldn't do it. And so then they came back to me. And so it's like, I always say, if it was my choice, I probably would have chosen The Little Mermaid because I'm obsessed with The Little Mermaid, and you know it's Disney and I'm obsessed with Disney. But Xanadu ended up being the best thing for my career. So I just think, you know, trust the universe where it takes you, and just your goal should always be to be just a working actor. Just working.

[5:28] Jayke Workman: Yeah.

[5:29] Kerry Butler: Yeah. I love that. That is so funny. And that's actually more often than not, when I have spoken to people on the podcast, they've said the things that you think are correct for you. Sometimes it works out, but most of the time it is up to the universe and timing and being in the right spot at the right moment and just being open to the possibility. So that's, I totally agree. And the things that you don't get are because maybe something better is coming along.

[6:01] Kerry Butler: Absolutely. I mean, there's just, I've spoken about it again on the show, but my Broadway debut happened because of COVID. If people weren't out, if people weren't sick, I wouldn't have been called to go on in Chicago. So like, you know, silver linings out of that huge, horrible disaster was that like when Broadway came back and you know everyone was still masking backstage and everything? I got called the day of because they were like, we need someone. Are you in the city? Can you be here at 7 p.m.?

[6:33] Jayke Workman: Had you already done it on tour?

[6:35] Kerry Butler: I did the tour, yes.

[6:37] Jayke Workman: Oh, that's awesome.

[6:39] Kerry Butler: Thanks. Yeah, but it was, you know, those things where it's just about the timing is never, you know, everyone's path to Broadway is different. And not just to Broadway. There's, I mean, you obviously have worked outside of Broadway in many facets, not only performing, but also you directed in Florida, which is amazing. So tell me about the sort of like parallel life of being, you know, one of the most, if I do say so myself, incredible Broadway performers with just these countless credits. And then also being a person outside of that that has other interests and other things going on in your life. Like how do you strike the balance?

[7:22] Kerry Butler: Um, well, or do you, I guess should I say.

[7:26] Kerry Butler: I always think of that song from Baby, you know, I want it all. Well, you can't have it all.

[7:30] Jayke Workman: Yeah.

[7:31] Kerry Butler: It's really hard. I mean, I do have two daughters. And I always remember like I adopted my first daughter when I was doing Xanadu. So it's like all of this amazing stuff happening at the same time. Because Xanadu really was a show that took up all of my time because we were doing so much press at the same time. And so here I am, a new mom and having the biggest moment of my career. So it was rough. And it's funny, having theater can be a good job for being a parent when your kids are young because you could just spend the whole day playing with them. And I would really put in an effort to, even when we were rehearsals, to take my daughter to the park before we started rehearsals at 10 a.m., you know, spend at least an hour with her in the playground.

[8:20] Kerry Butler: But when I, once the show opened, then I did have I could spend, you know, like all day with my daughter in the museum or whatever, but I couldn't be there at night. And the one night off that I could be there, she would cry if I tucked her in because she was so used to her dad tucking her in. So it's heartbreaking. Just to not have, you know, you don't realize like what a bonding time that is, the bedtime ritual, and to never ever be there for that. And you know, I'm like old school where I never miss a show. And so that is also difficult because I miss everything, and that's kind of after COVID. I was like, gosh, I've missed so many weddings and even like funerals for people I really cared about.

And because in the back of your mind, you're always like, oh, I only get two personal days. If I use it for this one, what if somebody really close to me dies and then I, it's like you're doing this kind of crazy bargaining in your mind. So I'm really trying to focus on life events right now. And I do think when I get in another Broadway show, I'm gonna say when and not if, because that is always in the back of your mind too. Like, am I ever gonna work again? But I'm gonna say when I get another Broadway show, I do think I will try and make that a little bit more of a priority than I have in my entire career.

[10:01] Jayke Workman: That's amazing. I mean, there's just no denying that your track record on Broadway is, you know, more of a heavy hitter than some are lucky enough to say. You just have like done so many different types of things. But something that I love about your podcast is that you seem so genuinely interested in what other people think and have to say, not only about the industry, but just about like things in life. And I think, you know, sometimes people can fall into the trap of not necessarily being interested in learning or taking on new information because they have such a huge resume, or you know, they feel that they've done this, that, and the other thing. And so I would love to hear about what even inspired you to create your podcast and then, you know, how you like go about interviewing people who are sometimes your friends and sometimes people that you might not even know.

[10:32] Kerry Butler: Yeah, it's interesting. I do love doing my podcast because I do learn so much and we are, as performers especially, I think we have to constantly learn and we have to constantly be in training. And now I teach and even that I learn so much just from teaching. So I'm not actually going to class even though I would, I would still, I love taking class. I would be going now I just have two kids and I'm too lazy to go honestly. But teaching, through teaching it reminds me of all the things that I should be doing when I get a script and stuff like that. So I love that. I started doing my podcast because I was constantly getting questions on Instagram and I got tired of answering them individually.

[11:51] Jayke Workman: You're like let me just snip this in the box and help people that way.

[11:57] Kerry Butler: So that's how I started doing my podcast and it was really just for because so many of my fans now because Mean Girls and Beetlejuice, I have a whole new slew of tween followers and they were the ones constantly like, is this your first Broadway show? How did you get here? I'm like, girl, like, no. I've been around but read a book. But so since that was my biggest question, I just thought, oh, there's a need for this. So I started doing it. And then through doing that, you know, I'm terrible. I want to get good at social media. I don't feel like I'm good at it because it is such a tween thing. My 12-year-old daughter is much better at me, and she will help me make my posts. I'm like, mom, what are you doing?

No, let me just, she's, and she fixes my stuff in like one second. She's like, no, you need to use this font. You need to have this clear back, you know. But most of the time she's in school. So I still have terrible posts out there. But so I interview people who are things I want to find out. So I just recently had this TikTok star, Emily Kristen Morris. And she has like almost two million followers on TikTok. Insane. And she's done Broadway. No, she hasn't done Broadway, but she wants to be on Broadway, and she's done like the Wicked tour.

[13:24] Jayke Workman: Yes.

[13:24] Kerry Butler: And she also teaches voice. And so it was just really interesting to see how she only grew her following during COVID. So in that short amount of time, to be such an influencer. And I think, I mean, people haven't, performers, I don't think have really taken advantage of how much TikTok can help your career.

[13:46] Jayke Workman: Yes, a hundred percent.

[13:48] Kerry Butler: And so that's what I look for for my guests. I don't look for, I don't even ask my fancy friends, honestly, to do it. I ask people who I think can be the most helpful. And so I found Emily, actually, I didn't even know her, but I was, my daughter told me I should do those TikToks where you watch somebody performing, you know, like stuff you've done or something.

[14:15] Kerry Butler: So I was doing a reaction, and the first person that popped up was Emily singing "Fly Fly Away." So I'm doing a reaction. And meanwhile, this TikTok is horrible. Like I look like I just woke up. I'm so I'm like, oh, this is great. She's great. But I'm not so cut out from TikToks. But then I so I post that TikTok and then I look up Emily. I'm like, oh my gosh, she's actually a working act. I thought this was a kid. I'm like, she's so good. She's actually a working actress and she's a TikTok star. And so then I asked her to be on my podcast. And she's like, oh my gosh, I'm a huge fan of yours. So that's kind of the random way sometimes I choose people. But it is about me wanting to learn more about the industry.

Because also I'm not out there auditioning now so much. I do audition sometimes, but for the most part, you know, I have an advantage. People know who I am, so I don't have to go to open calls. But I feel bad for those people who have to get up at, you know, sometimes 3 a.m. in the morning and do it. And so anything I can do to help them, yikes.

[15:23] Jayke Workman: Which is so admirable, truly, because again, there are people who would not have that perspective and would just think, you know, well, it's not, it doesn't concern me. But I love that you are, you know, concerned with helping and teaching sort of the next generation of people who are coming up in this business because everything has changed. When you started in this industry, it was something completely different. And now that we have the ability to use social media, we have like so much connectivity virtually, it's a completely different thing. I mean, I just went through an entire audition process for a show that was completely online. I've never met any of them in person because they're British. So it was like a, you know, a completely different experience than something.

[16:09] Kerry Butler: Was it like Zoom callbacks or just how did you do that?

[16:14] Jayke Workman: Yeah, yeah, yeah. How did you do that? Because I always have trouble with that.

[16:17] Kerry Butler: Yeah, it was um Did you did you use your phone? Did you use your computer?

[16:20] Jayke Workman: I used my computer. I basically did what I do in terms of just like a self-tape, which is like, you know, the ring light setup. Like I tried to have like a nice enough background. But the this show is such that it's like um very conversational with the audience. So I chose not to do it um with like a just a blank um background. I actually just did it right here in my bedroom to make it feel more lived in and to make it feel more comfortable. Um and to make myself feel more comfortable because I was like, I want this to feel like a conversation. Um, but then they were also really um helpful in sort of a direction way because they asked me to play directly to the camera lens as opposed to trying to, you know, put somebody in the room with me.

[17:03] Jayke Workman: Right.

[17:03] Kerry Butler: Um, yeah, that's the tricky part on those Zoom auditions.

[17:06] Jayke Workman: Yeah. Because then I always wonder, should I be looking at my screen, like the computer screen where it's the reader, or should I be looking like somewhere near the camera?

[17:16] Kerry Butler: Mm-hmm. Yes. So that's like finding that balance. And I think it's going to be different for every audition. And, you know, luckily we are in a place where like now it's like typically you put things on tape and then you're eventually seen in the room in person. So you don't have to worry about that. But um, yeah, so just things like that that I love that you um are so excited to talk about those things and and teaching.

[17:38] Jayke Workman: Yeah, well, I had some really, really great role models, you know, in like my first few shows, like Harvey Feierstein when we were doing Hairspray, he was like a mom to all of us, honestly. And he one thing I took from Harvey was that he always stood up for the ensemble, so he used his power, the power that he had, not for himself, but to stand up. What if people were being rehearsed too much, if they were, you know, if we were doing Tony rehearsal all day long and then you know, hardly even have a dinner, but you know, people are falling apart. He would use his voice to stand up for people, and I so you know, that was kind of my first big sh big original show. And so I always thought I want to be like that, I want to use whatever power I have to help others, and on that same note, I will say, like, you know, there's like controversy going on around equity right now, and I don't have any problem with equity at all. But if even if I did, like, it's not for me at this point, you know, right?

[18:37] Kerry Butler: It's for the people who don't have a voice.

[18:40] Jayke Workman: Yep, a hundred percent. And we can sit here and and you know, have that perspective and totally agree. But we are also so privileged in the fact that we have already, you know, done things that we wanted to do, and we are the privilege of our whiteness, and you know, there are so many other layers too that like all of it, you know, it's just an interesting argument that like we could dive into forever. But um, right, but on the whole, it's there just to give us, you know, a safe working environment, breaks, yes, um, pay, you know, yeah.

[19:15] Kerry Butler: Absolutely. The ability to get into an audition room.

[19:18] Jayke Workman: Right, right. Period.

[19:20] Kerry Butler: Yeah, yeah.

[19:21] Jayke Workman: So switching gears a little bit, I was, of course, you know, when I knew that I was gonna talk to you, I was like, I have to know everything that I could possibly know about Miss Kerry Butler. Um, but in sort of looking at your history with with theater, I sort of realized that many of the shows and the roles that you have had a hand in creating have gone on to um either be revived or to be um recreated in different iterations. I mean, you were the original Penny in Hairspray, and then that became a movie. You were, you know, in Catch Me If You Can, which is based on a movie, but then like what else? I mean, everything basically like Rock of Ages is a movie. And now it's a Mean Girls movie.

[20:06] Kerry Butler: Yeah. So when you when you hear that there are um projects coming up or or revivals of things that you created, do you feel a sense of ownership over um roles and shows that you were in?

[20:23] Jayke Workman: I don't know about ownership, but I think there is a sort of uh gratefulness or honor that I got to be the person to originate that role and sort of a pride in a way. Um, like Hairspray, I think is a great example because um Penny, a lot of the stuff that's like in that that put into the script was stuff that I just did. And you know, like I didn't know this, but my my nieces went to the tour of they saw me in Hairspray, right? Then they went to the tour of Hairspray and they're like, oh my gosh, Penny onto her was so funny. You know, your family is sometimes like they're like kind of she was doing like this puppet show under the black bottom. I'm like, I did that puppet show. I started that and so it's it's but but the cool thing is that they just let me do whatever I wanted, and then it got written to the script, and so something like that is just so exciting that I am forever a part of wherever it goes, just my little my little thing that I created is a part of the show. Um and so I think that's really cool. And me and Marissa and Laura Bell are right now. We just created our own show, Mama Big Girl Now, and we're touring with it.

[21:37] Jayke Workman: Amazing.

[21:38] Kerry Butler: So we just had our first concert in Utah, and it was it's been so much fun.

[21:44] Jayke Workman: So tell me about that show. Is it um like all songs that you three have um like sung in the past? Is it or is it like new new stuff?

[21:54] Kerry Butler: We are creating it still a work in progress. I mean, but we're trying to we want it to be more even like a play than just a concert with stories going through it and a storyline. So it's been just we feel so creative making it, and um, so it's it's a mixture of everything for our fans. We do try and hit like some of our greatest hits, yeah.

[22:19] Jayke Workman: Of course, but we weave them into a story, and um, we kind of try and give behind the scenes stories of Hairspray, our friendship, uh, and and uh we have like the greatest hits of Hairspray in there too, but a lot of other stuff too. Like Laura Bell, of course, does like an awesome Legally Blonde medley.

[22:38] Kerry Butler: So there's that for the Legally Blonde fans.

[22:40] Jayke Workman: The mega mix, yeah, the mega mix.

[22:43] Kerry Butler: Incredible. Well, I would love to know too, like having such an extensive career and working with so so many people. Um, have there ever been people who have you you've been just like starstruck by or like intimidated by like walking into the room?

[23:02] Kerry Butler: Uh always. Um, yes. Uh well, first of all, I mean, I'm obsessed with Bernadette Peters, and so I've I've never worked with her. Um, but I've done the Broadway Bark, so I've met her before. She's always been super nice. Oh, yeah. I'm going on the Broadway cruise in March. And she's performing.

[23:22] Jayke Workman: So my God.

[23:24] Kerry Butler: I am like gonna sit in the front row for that show. I was I posted a thing like, do you think me and Bernadette Peters could be best friends by the end of the cruise? So that's my new goal. Um, she's gonna be there, and uh it may be the first time I like have a real conversation with her in my dreams. That's what's going to happen, but we'll see.

[23:45] Jayke Workman: Um also my other my two like icons growing up, three actually, were Bernadette Peters, uh Patti LuPone, and uh Bette Midler.

[23:57] Kerry Butler: So I I also was in I also was really intimidated when I've met like Patti LuPone. She's super, super nice to me. I've never worked with her either though. Uh but I did the show The Best Man, and that was a play.

[24:11] Jayke Workman: My first As Mabel.

[24:13] Kerry Butler: Yes. My first like play on Broadway, and the cast was James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, John Larquette, Eric McCormick, um like every Candice Bergen. I mean the entire cast was huge stars, Michael McKeon. I mean, humongous stars and me. So I was very intimidated.

[24:42] Jayke Workman: I know.

[24:42] Kerry Butler: I was very intimidated going into that one. And I went in and like full out. You know, I had already done so much work because I was like, if I'm with this group, I have to, you know, really step it up. So I did all this work beforehand. Later on, James Earl Jones, I was like sitting in his dressing room one time. He said to me, he was like, he's like, when I saw you in the room, I thought, oh, she's bringing it. I better step it up.

[25:07] Jayke Workman: Yeah!

[25:09] Kerry Butler: That's insane. You inspired James Earl Jones to work harder.

[25:14] Jayke Workman: Well, maybe he was just being nice, but he did say it.

[25:18] Kerry Butler: And it will live on forever.

[25:21] Jayke Workman: Yes.

[25:22] Kerry Butler: And on our podcast forever. Another cool thing about James Earl Jones, he had his script out for the entire run. And he was constantly making notes in it. He would constantly, he would go up to Eric like months into the run and be like, I just figured out this scene.

[25:39] Jayke Workman: Oh my god, I love that though.

[25:42] Kerry Butler: I know. Because what a sign of a true actor. Like it's never done. You're never done learning and discovering. That's so cool.

[25:49] Jayke Workman: Right. My gosh, that would honestly make me nervous though to have my script open next to me on my desk. Like, did I mess that line up?

[25:56] Kerry Butler: I had a scene. And I got a scene where I would come in but sitting between Angela Lansbury and Candice Bergen, and Angela Lansbury would just sit there and tell us stories about her childhood and things like that.

[26:09] Jayke Workman: That's insane.

[26:11] Kerry Butler: I know. Dame Angela.

[26:13] Jayke Workman: Wow.

[26:14] Kerry Butler: Hey, you guys. So in the next section of this episode, we had some slight technical difficulties. So please excuse the audio quality and have no fear. Kerry Butler is still here. Back to the interview.

[26:27] Jayke Workman: Obviously, like it in talking about um The Best Man, I'd love to know if there's a difference for you in because The Best Man being a play and being more of a um like less of a glitz and glamour type of show versus something like uh Beauty and the Beast or Les Mis, this huge giant thing. Like, how do you is there a difference in the way you approach the work for um a show that you know could be considered more of like a commercial big show versus something that's more pared down and more um actor focused and and story driven?

[27:10] Kerry Butler: Um I would say there is and there isn't. There isn't in that I will create a character biography for all my all my roles, you know, like probably 30 pages that uh of backstory, things like that. I'll do the same work, breaking down the script, things like that for any kind of role I get. Um, but you know, the the main differences I would say are between like comedy and drama, just knowing the differences there. And also, so the difference between playing something that's a beloved movie and something that's completely original. And the difference is whether your part is, you know, etched in everyone's memory. So playing Belle, I'm not gonna take a lot of chances with that, you know. I'm not I'm not gonna disappoint those children.

That's sure. I'm gonna I'm gonna go into my Belle voice and oh Gaston, you are positively prime evil. Um, and or like doing Santa do. I start out making it completely my own, so it comes from an authentic place inside of me. I don't watch the movies for the shows. Then I go back after I know how I'm connected to the show and to the part, then later on I'll go back and watch the movie. So I watch the movie, you know, way into rehearsals, and then I I look for things that I can pick out that will charm the audience or you know, be um Easter eggs in a way.

[28:43] Kerry Butler: Sure. For the audience to see. So like I noticed, say Olivia Newton John just doing her whispery voice so much, so then I would do, you know, and just exaggerate the things that from the movie that people would like. Um but it has to come from me first.

[29:05] Jayke Workman: I love that. I feel like there's always an element um of that when you are approaching a show that's been done by either iconic people or you know, that is based on something like that. Um yeah, you don't want to do an impersonation.

[29:21] Kerry Butler: Totally, totally. But at the same time, there is that level of like I have to honor what's already been done. I have to honor all of the things that have come before me. Which I think too, uh we could look at something like the new Mean Girls movie, which is like an adaptation of an adaptation. So we're like already like layers deep. And it's so interesting to like you kind of can't even have an opinion necessarily on like or or like there just kind of can't be a comparison because now we're like layers deep. Like we there's no there's no one iteration anymore. Now it's just like this is this person's interpretation of it, and like let it be what it is.

[29:58] Jayke Workman: Yeah, you almost want it to be different at this point.

[30:00] Kerry Butler: Yes, yes, absolutely. Carrie, I am just obsessed with you. You are such a treat. Before I let you go, I have a series of musical theater rapid fire questions that I ask every guest. Are you ready? Here we go. Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Weber.

[30:17] Jayke Workman: Oh god.

[30:19] Kerry Butler: I'm gonna have to say Sondheim.

[30:23] Jayke Workman: Sweatpants or jeans?

[30:25] Kerry Butler: Jeans.

[30:26] Jayke Workman: Do you have a favorite musical?

[30:30] Kerry Butler: Yes. You want to know it?

[30:33] Jayke Workman: Yes, I'd love to know it.

[30:34] Kerry Butler: I mean, I have many. Um but I'm gonna I'm gonna go with my first Broadway show, which was my first my which was my favorite musical at the time, Blood Brothers.

[30:44] Jayke Workman: Uh love. Uh do you have a least favorite musical?

[30:50] Kerry Butler: No.

[30:53] Jayke Workman: Are you a morning person or a night owl?

[30:56] Kerry Butler: Morning.

[30:57] Jayke Workman: Really?

[30:58] Kerry Butler: Yes. So many theater people are like, couldn't possibly be morning.

[31:02] Jayke Workman: No, I go to bed as soon as my show is over. I like hit the pillow. Nothing else is going on after my steps. If I'm like, it's an hour and a half show, and yes, I get to go to bed earlier.

[31:17] Jayke Workman: Uh could you think of the craziest thing a director has ever asked you to do?

[31:23] Kerry Butler: Oh my goodness. The thing that's whether it be in the audition room, the rehearsal room, on the stage. Oh gosh, I can't think of that many good examples. The only one that's popping into my head right now is just um in Little Shop of Horrors, uh I got asked to have like one tear streaming down my face at the end of somewhere that's green. And I did it. And I did it. As if as if we're we're in a a tight close-up.

[31:57] Jayke Workman: Um golden age or contemporary?

[32:00] Kerry Butler: Contemporary.

[32:02] Jayke Workman: Do you have a favorite role that you have ever played?

[32:04] Kerry Butler: Penny in Hairspray.

[32:06] Jayke Workman: Love. Uh coffee or tea?

[32:09] Kerry Butler: Tea.

[32:11] Jayke Workman: What is the hardest show that you have ever done?

[32:14] Kerry Butler: Is that gonna do? Just because I'm for Rock of Ages, actually. But I'm such um, I'm so uncoordinated. And we had to roller skate, obviously. Roller skate in that show. And like not just roller skate, but do tricks. And I also played three parts and had an accent. It was, I thought I was gonna die, literally. And I almost and I almost got fired, seriously, because I was so like I couldn't do all the things together for a long time.

[32:46] Jayke Workman: And then you were nominated for a Tony.

[32:48] Kerry Butler: So well, my last question for you, Miss Carrie is a question that I ask every single guest, which is what is one thing that you would tell baby Kerry?

[32:59] Kerry Butler: Oh my gosh, I asked my guest the same question. Not phrased that way, but yes. And so I'm gonna ask you the same question.

[33:06] Jayke Workman: Oh, what would I tell my younger self? Okay, I know exactly. I would tell my younger self um to stop worrying about what other people think. Uh, because the as soon as I embraced the things I was most embarrassed of is when I started working. So as soon as I was able to laugh at myself for being such a nerd, instead of being embarrassed by it, that's when I found my comedy and what made me unique. So I think that's my main thing. As an actor, you can't be afraid of what other people think. You have to just be fearless.

[33:43] Kerry Butler: Absolutely. But I was very afraid, I would say for at least the first 10 years of my career. Very afraid of what and and you know, afraid to embarrass myself. And yeah, you have absolutely that. I love that.

[34:00] Jayke Workman: Okay, so what would you tell your younger self?

[34:03] Kerry Butler: Well, it's funny because I've asked so many people this on the podcast, and then I haven't ever really even considered what it would be. But I think, like for myself, um, I think it would probably have to do with um gender identity and expression, because um not just you know, when I was when I was a child, but even more recently in the last like eight years, I've been on such a um a journey of discovery and what it means to feel like a non-binary person. And um now more than ever, I feel so lucky to actually be um taken seriously in audition rooms that I would never have been considered for uh 10 years ago. Um so I would say to my younger self that the feelings of confusion are okay. It's it's a journey for everybody.

You're not alone, even though it looks and feels like you are. Um, and then maybe even just to myself, five years ago, I would say there's no reason to look at it as um you are not one enough of one thing to claim this experience. I think for a while I I didn't um feel like I was like quote unquote trans enough to claim the the sort of like title of non-binary, or to like tick that box and and say, yeah, I actually I prefer they them versus he him, or like she is like out of the question because of I have a beard, so no one would ever take that seriously. And like, yeah, telling myself that's not this is for you. It's not about other people and what and what they need or what they think. That's what I would say.

[36:02] Jayke Workman: Good. Um, what about do you have any advice for people, you know, kind of starting out in the business?

[36:12] Kerry Butler: Yeah, I would say, well, two things. I would say number one is uh do what you think is best. There are gonna be a million people um telling you, well, I think that you should do this, and I think you should do this. And you people have a tendency to forget um their own opinion and you know, honoring their own thoughts and ideas. So I would say take things into consideration, of course. Take take people's advice and and ask questions and learn, but also know that you are born with what you have. You you are given naturally and an intuition and a sense of self and you should trust it. And then I would also say uh don't take it too seriously, which sounds so cliche, and maybe it sounds like flippant and you know, just unimportant, but it I am so so guilty of the perfectionism and you know, like riddled with anxiety and audition fatigue and all of it.

And it's like you have to have things outside of this that bring you joy. It is it is my everything truly. Like theater is what I live and breathe. I absolutely love it. But if I if it went away tomorrow, I have other things in my life that bring me joy and comfort and solace. And that's like you you just can't take it too seriously. It has to be something parallel that you can you know take a step back from if you need and still be able to survive.

[37:59] Jayke Workman: I always give the same advice. I'm always like, have hobbies, have yeah, because this business is too hard to just have your highs and lows be based on and I would say too, surround yourself. I mean, of course, we're so lucky in this business that what we do sort of creates families for us, whether it's like in one show or just like you know, the same people that you run into every single week at auditions or whatever, you get to know people and and there's feels like a sort of like built-in support system. But I I always encourage people's, especially um kids who are auditioning for um theater programs, to look at schools that um will allow you to connect with people outside of the musical theater department because it's so important.

Like I I went to the Hart School, which is a conservatory-based program, but at the University of Hartford. So I was in classes with Division One athletes and nursing majors and business majors and architects. And having conversations with people outside of that safety bubble of musical theater was so important for me.

[39:06] Kerry Butler: That's yeah, that's really, really great advice, especially for creators, because you don't want to just have that one perspective.

[39:12] Jayke Workman: Totally, totally. And I would say too, like ask people ask around and talk to people who are in other BFA programs and like ask what you're doing and what what what you're studying, and you know, like it doesn't have to be your one training program that teaches you every single bit of what you know and what you do. Um I have one more question for you, and we don't have to put this one in if you don't have a good answer, but do you have uh any like favorite theater companies or websites or things that you follow that you feel like are would be really helpful for people starting out, like, you know, off off off Broadway theater community that accepts people to be readers or something like that.

[39:57] Kerry Butler: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, in terms of in terms of like working and like job opportunities?

[40:02] Jayke Workman: Yeah, yeah.

[40:03] Kerry Butler: Breaking in, breaking into the business.

[40:05] Jayke Workman: Yes, absolutely.

[40:07] Kerry Butler: I would say uh honestly, just advocating for yourself in any way um goes so much further than people think. And I um, like, for example, I I have been a reader for many auditions, and that came from me cold emailing, casting covers casting directors and their associates, and just saying, hi, I'm an actor in the city. And if you need someone to be a reader, I would love to do it. And then you get to literally be behind the table. And so there are things like that that you know you might not.

[40:43] Jayke Workman: Who did you do it for?

[40:45] Kerry Butler: I have done it for um Woochin Say casting, um, for like many of their, you know, like regional auditions for Everywhere to a Con and and um all their beautiful, amazing theaters. But um, yeah, I would say that. And then there are also things, um, there are so many up and coming uh organizations that you can work for, like the Theater Advocacy Project. It's called TAP, TAP Theater Advocacy Project, and um, they do amazing things um to obviously to to advocate for um better treatment and better wages and um equity and diversity and inclusion in the workplace and and all of those amazing things. Um and I would say getting involved in something like that is a really nice way to feel uh connected to the industry that you are trying to break into while still being able to actually support yourself and um pay your rent, maybe, because that's what we're that's what we're all doing.

[41:45] Jayke Workman: Yeah, yeah.

[41:47] Kerry Butler: Yeah. That's great. Thank you. Thank you for sharing that great advice.

[41:51] Jayke Workman: Of course, and thank you for just chatting with me. You are such a delight. I'm I've of course have heard nothing but amazing things about you, but I am was so delighted when uh when you agreed to do the podcast. So thank you for having me. It was so great meeting you. I had so much fun.

[42:07] Kerry Butler: Yes, so much fun. Thank you so much for listening. If you would like me to come to your school or theater group and a master class or a talk back, please reach out at kerrybutlercoach.com. If you like this podcast and want more episodes, please go to bpn.fm slash breaking broadway and subscribe, like, or share. Together, you and I are breaking Broadway.