This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:05] Jan Svendsen: Welcome to the Broadway Gives Back Podcast.

[0:07] Jan Svendsen: I'm your host, Jan Svendsen.

[0:10] Jan Svendsen: This podcast spotlights Broadway actors, shows, and organizations in their pursuit of social impact and philanthropy.

[0:17] Jan Svendsen: Join us as some of the brightest lights on Broadway share their stories about their favorite charities and how they got involved and the people and the causes who benefited from these philanthropic efforts.

[0:40] Jan Svendsen: Julie Boardman is a two-time Tony Award-winning producer.

[0:44] Jan Svendsen: She is currently a co-producer on *Funny Girl*, and her other Broadway credits include *An American in Paris*, *Carousel*, *Company*, *Indecent*, and *The Inheritance*.

[0:54] Jan Svendsen: Julie is a Tony Voter, a member of the Broadway League, and is on the Theater Committee at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Musical Theater Advisory Board for the University of Southern California. Go Trojans!

[1:08] Jan Svendsen: Diane Nicoletti is a creative director, producer, and entrepreneur.

[1:12] Jan Svendsen: For two decades, she has produced some of the biggest events and fan experiences for *Game of Thrones*, the Super Bowl, Comic-Con, and South by Southwest.

[1:22] Jan Svendsen: As a founder of her award-winning experiential marketing agency, she has worked on *Deadpool*, *Frozen*, *American Horror Story*, among others.

[1:31] Jan Svendsen: Why did I want these women on Broadway Gives Back? Because their museum gives back to the Broadway community and to Broadway fans everywhere.

[1:39] Jan Svendsen: Julie, Diane, welcome to the Broadway Gives Back Podcast.

[1:43] Julie Boardman: Thank you for having us.

[1:45] Diane Nicoletti: Yeah, thank you for having us.

[1:47] Jan Svendsen: It's so nice for you guys to be here. Um, so I know Julie a little bit. Diane, I don't know you very well, and our listeners don't know you very well at all.

[1:56] Jan Svendsen: So I thought maybe before we begin our discussion about the museum and about giving back, um, we could get to know you a little bit better.

[2:02] Jan Svendsen: So I thought maybe a few rapid-fire questions would be fun to do.

[2:06] Diane Nicoletti: Sure.

[2:07] Jan Svendsen: All right. We'll start with you, Julie. What are three words that describe you?

[2:13] Julie Boardman: I think I'm disruptive.

[2:16] Julie Boardman: Like good at networking and um I don't know. Those are two words, I guess.

[2:23] Jan Svendsen: I like the disruptive. What is your favorite, now this holiday season, what's your favorite holiday tradition?

[2:28] Julie Boardman: I love like the holidays and just singing like Christmas carols in my apartment, actually. Normally it's like Broadway show tunes, but during December it changes a bit.

[2:42] Jan Svendsen: What's the best advice you ever received from someone?

[2:45] Julie Boardman: Well, it depends. I have a couple like good little ones actually that are coming to mind. You know, one is that it's a marathon, not a sprint.

[2:53] Julie Boardman: So, you know, kind of looking at things holistically and you know, not making rash decisions to try to, you know, look at the big picture for things.

[3:00] Julie Boardman: Um that's been an approach that I've taken in my career on Broadway, kind of getting to know everyone and realizing I was um on the younger side and female and had hopefully a long journey ahead of me.

[3:13] Julie Boardman: So um just picking shows that I really gravitated towards to be part of um for that, you know, not to let anyone down, I guess.

[3:23] Julie Boardman: So if you say you're gonna do something to make sure you follow through with it. Um that's something I've always tried to stick through.

[3:30] Jan Svendsen: Nice. And what is one thing that you are grateful for today?

[3:34] Julie Boardman: Actually, Diane, um, I'm really grateful. And I couldn't have, you know, this, you know, what we've built wouldn't be possible.

[3:42] Julie Boardman: Like, you know, we were we've been friends um for 20 years and we went to college together.

[3:49] Julie Boardman: And um, you know, we worked together and um, you know, just I think we help balance each other out in the highs and the lows, and you know, just having a really great partner by your side who's also your friend.

[4:03] Julie Boardman: I think that's so lucky that she's gonna make me cry before questions, Diane.

[4:13] Jan Svendsen: Oh no, like way to I'm gonna change up the questions a little bit so you didn't have time to prepare. Um tell us two truths and one lie about yourself.

[4:22] Diane Nicoletti: I like ice cream.

[4:24] Diane Nicoletti: I had one of my kids on the side of a road and I went to USC.

[4:33] Jan Svendsen: Okay. And now tell us Julie, you tell us which one is the lie since you know Diane so well.

[4:39] Julie Boardman: Um, I would say she does not like ice cream.

[4:44] Julie Boardman: She definitely had a child on the side of the road.

[4:47] Diane Nicoletti: Oh my god.

[4:49] Jan Svendsen: All right, that is a story for another podcast.

[4:51] Jan Svendsen: Another Diane, can you share with us one of the New Year's resolutions that you're gonna make this year?

[5:02] Diane Nicoletti: I think coming off of this wonderful project to have balance in my life uh with my family and friends and work and everything.

[5:11] Diane Nicoletti: So, but still being very dedicated to the museum, don't worry.

[5:17] Jan Svendsen: What is one thing that you're most proud of? I know you're proud of a lot of things, but what's like today? What's hitting you like that you're most proud of?

[5:23] Diane Nicoletti: I think honestly, opening the museum and doing it with Julie, it's the biggest accomplishment professionally that I've had in my life.

[5:34] Diane Nicoletti: Um obviously I love my kids and I love my family and I'm proud of them, but you know, it's in terms of an accomplishment.

[5:41] Diane Nicoletti: I would definitely say the museum.

[5:44] Jan Svendsen: Um, and then I'll ask you the same question. What are you most grateful for today?

[5:48] Diane Nicoletti: Well, now I have now I'm definitely saying Julie.

[5:54] Diane Nicoletti: That would be a jerk move if I didn't.

[5:57] Jan Svendsen: So all right. So you guys have been friends since college, which is so cool. So Julie, can you share one thing that you have learned from Diane that you kind of keep with you in your everyday life?

[6:11] Jan Svendsen: Or one trait that she has that's like most meaningful to you.

[6:14] Julie Boardman: Yeah. Um, yeah, Diane and I, we've been friends for such a long time.

[6:18] Julie Boardman: Um I think she's really good about keeping people on track in a schedule and making things like making sure things happen where I can get like into the ideas and the stuff.

[6:30] Julie Boardman: And she's like, okay, so which one are we gonna do?

[6:32] Julie Boardman: She keeps it moving and on track.

[6:34] Diane Nicoletti: So a taskmaster.

[6:36] Julie Boardman: Yeah.

[6:39] Jan Svendsen: I like that. Diane, it's your turn. What is one trait of Julie? Is there something that you've learned from her that makes your life better?

[6:45] Diane Nicoletti: I think she looks at life and projects differently than anyone else I've ever met.

[6:53] Diane Nicoletti: And it took me a little while to get used to that, to be honest, but it always produced better results.

[7:00] Jan Svendsen: Now you're trying to make me cry.

[7:07] Jan Svendsen: Um, well, this is gonna be a mushy, you know, sort of holiday session here, but I wanted to talk about the museum and I want to talk about the giving back aspect of the museum.

[7:16] Jan Svendsen: But first, for those of you who have not heard or are living under a rock, the Museum of Broadway is now open and it's this incredible immersive and interactive theatrical experience.

[7:27] Jan Svendsen: And it's devoted to musicals and plays and the people who create them.

[7:31] Jan Svendsen: You guys at the museum feature works from dozens of different designers and artists and theater historians.

[7:38] Jan Svendsen: And it's really a one-of-a-kind um space to experience Broadway.

[7:44] Jan Svendsen: There's a timeline of Broadway that sort of takes us through birth to present day where the past, the present, and the future kind of all come together.

[7:53] Jan Svendsen: So my first question um just to set the stage pun intended um is can you tell us the story of the development or the timeline of putting this museum together?

[8:03] Julie Boardman: So I, as we said, Diane and I have been friends for a very long time.

[8:08] Julie Boardman: And I, you know, I grew up as a huge fan of Broadway and was performing and all of these things and I switched into the producing side in my late 20s and have been working um consistently on Broadway shows.

[8:26] Julie Boardman: And I was in a conversation with one of my investors actually who was like why is there a Broadway museum?

[8:34] Julie Boardman: And I was like I don't know.

[8:36] Julie Boardman: And it sort of went in one ear and out the other that moment but it must have stuck because then later Diane and I were having um I think just having like drinks to catch up or something and we were talking um about various experiences and what's happening in life and pop culture and um and it kind of became this aha moment if you will where we're like oh what if you took because um I've also worked with Diane when she's producing all of these incredible fan experiences um I would help staff and on-site manage.

[8:36] Julie Boardman: I had a um staffing company um for many years I guess up until COVID. The COVID might have killed my staffing agency but um but you know so we would work together I'd hire all these out-of-work Broadway actors to work on these fan experiences and so it's sort of the start of the Museum of Broadway actually because you know it's taking this brand be it a TV show or a movie or whatnot or um and then bringing it to life.

[9:55] Julie Boardman: And so we were like oh what if you were to take the history of Broadway and then even further like how do you make a Broadway show because most people don't know but you did it in the way of um you know an experiential, you know, an attraction um if you will experience that you're like walking through and it comes to life around you and um, you know, when you get to *Oklahoma* you're walking through an immersive cornfield and you're like transported into these different um shows.

[9:55] Julie Boardman: And so as we were brainstorming um over cocktails um you know always the best way to brainstorm by the way always the best yes always the best way to brainstorm.

[9:55] Julie Boardman: What if you were to do it like that and so it was kind of this we're like, oh, that's great.

[10:31] Julie Boardman: But we hadn't settled quite on the idea at that point.

[10:34] Julie Boardman: And we went through a lot of different whiteboarding to figure out like what was the story we wanted to tell.

[10:40] Julie Boardman: Where you know, two excuse me, we're two millennial, like on the cusp, I guess we're above 40.

[10:48] Julie Boardman: Um, people seem to ask lately, so be upfront about it.

[10:52] Julie Boardman: Um, but um, you know, we're two millennial women who have this idea to create this, you know, museum dedicated to Broadway um and do it in the way that people like to kind of experience things nowadays.

[11:08] Julie Boardman: Um and so making it very current.

[11:11] Julie Boardman: And so I think we had like a different perspective than had anyone else had done this in the past.

[11:18] Julie Boardman: And so we've looked at it kind of through that lens and you know, different social issues and things, you know, we were able to bring our viewpoint and perspective, I guess, in as we were um creating this.

[11:31] Julie Boardman: We looked at a lot of things through the lens, like when we first finally got to the final, like what would the experience be for people when they're walking through as you're walking through the timeline of Broadway, it's really centered around this idea of we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.

[11:46] Julie Boardman: So had people not pioneered and pushed ground and taken risks in the art form that is Broadway, we wouldn't have what we have today.

[11:56] Julie Boardman: And the shows that are so incredibly popular um today wouldn't be possible or look like they do because you know they exist because this art form has been developed over the years.

[12:09] Julie Boardman: So we kind of started like workshopping what that could look like and how to organize the content and make sure it's a really great experience.

[12:17] Julie Boardman: Um the museum is broken into um three main um areas.

[12:22] Julie Boardman: The first is the map room.

[12:25] Julie Boardman: Um, right before you get to it, you're in everything we call it the play bowl room, and it's everything that's currently running on Broadway today.

[12:32] Julie Boardman: Um, it's very Switzerland so every show a lot of people don't know that there are 41 Broadway theaters they just know like the major titles um and so we want to give everyone the same exposure to the play that's just open to the big running show the you know so everyone so you're updating that every day exactly yeah it's just opening and closing yeah exactly um so you start there and then there's a door it says let's start at the very beginning and you go back in time into the map room which takes you through um the theater history because a lot of people don't realize in New York City the theaters actually started downtown in the financial district where people first settled and then migrated north to Long Anchor Square which then became Times Square in the early 1900s.

[13:20] Julie Boardman: So we tell that story through about a four minute video through projection mapping onto a deconstructed cityscape. Jen Tepper helped create the content and Julie James has done the voiceover the Broadway Cineta recorded music so it's it's um you know it's really fun and it's brightly colored everything that's um the history it's uh we make it not spinach I guess if that makes sense but it still has the content um then you start walking this timeline Broadway starting the 1700s when the first documented theater performance in New York happened all the way through to present day and then as you're walking through the timeline we have traditional timeline walls that have been curated by Ben West that cover plays, musicals, these groundbreaking moments that happened in our history, um, milestone moments, but it also clocks you what was happening socially at the same time.

[14:15] Julie Boardman: So, you know, when the Vietnam War happened and things like that. So you're like uh looking at history and staying on the timeline as you go through. And then when we get to certain shows that have helped to essentially transform the landscape of Broadway, um, there's an exhibit dedicated to that show designed by either an artist um or a Broadway scenic designer to bring it to life. Um, and so we'll get into that a little bit more in a second, I think. But um, you're getting the show, history, you understand why it's you know, some of the shows that are being highlighted, and then you're it's coupled with like artifacts and costumes and props and you know, lyric sketches and things.

[15:00] Julie Boardman: Um it goes like that all the way until you get to present day. And then when you're at present day, you knock on a stage door and you go backstage into the making of a Broadway show designed by David Rockwell. Um, and uh Barback.com is present in that room, and you you go into this world and you get to see you don't have to be an actor, you could do all of these different jobs that are all part of Broadway. And if you're you know really interested in that, you could become a general manager. And you know, you could there are so many things people just don't know, and so we want to expose them to all these different um career paths that someone might be able to have and still work in Broadway.

[15:42] Julie Boardman: Um, and then we also have a special exhibit that will rotate um and a gift shop where we feature, you know, something from every current running show. We have a shop within the shop with the Hirschfeld Foundation, which is our first special exhibit. Um, we have stuff from Broadway Carriers, a bunch of our different partners. We have scenery bags. It's, you know, small businesses. So we're like trying to, you know, we're a small business, lots of small businesses. We're just, you know, we want to, you know, highlight, highlight people who are doing incredible work, I think. Um we also have a studio space where we can do a lot of like classes and talks, panel discussions. It could be a kid's birthday party or cocktail party too. So um, we've got a lot of a lot going on at the museum of Broadway. Um, that's for sure.

[16:26] Julie Boardman: Um, I I was just gonna share one other one other thing that um we haven't brought up yet, um, which I think is is pretty cool, is when you're walking through the timeline, um, when you're in the museum walking through the timeline. Um, we actually pause when we get into the 80s. Um, you know, Broadway Cares is our charitable partner. Um, but it it's it's more than that. We wanted to make sure that as people were, you know, experiencing the history and walking through the timeline. Um, you know, when you you get to the 80s, we we stop and pause and reflect, and we have an exhibit dedicated to the AIDS epidemic and those we lost to AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses in the in the theater community.

[17:12] Julie Boardman: Um, there's a red ribbon installation that Hot Tea has done. Um, and his artist name and his name is Eric Riger. And then um Debbie Millman created this beautiful, it's very harrowing. The first time she showed us um her ideas on the zoo. Um, I want to embarrass Diana, but she she would started crying. She got really emotional. Um, and that's how, you know, it's meant to hit you like that when you're walking through, because the museum is like bright and colorful and neon and sequins and fun, and um as you're going through, and you know, there's when you're in hair, you're like swinging on a swing, and you know, like it's very fun. And then you get to the 80s, and we want people to remember, and so you know, we also have the AIDS quote, um, Broadway Carries has loaned it to us to display um from back in the 80s, you know, they're it's it's really beautiful and it's signed by so many people in the theater community.

[18:10] Julie Boardman: Um, and then it describes, you know, their work and and what they do, but um, we also have a plaque that reminds people that it it's actually still continuing today, it's just not talked about as much. So um it, you know, just to kind of get people to to remember. Um, and you know, then you continue on the timeline in your journey. Um, but we just wanted that that experience for people.

[18:37] Jan Svendsen: Thank you for sharing that, and thank you for doing that. That's so important. When I worked at the Broadway League for all those years, you know, there were so many people that came and pitched to me about this idea of a museum for Broadway, which I thought was an incredible idea. But like there was never there was never the right idea. Like I am so impressed with what you women have done. It's just it's so incredible. And we'll get into more of the details later, but I just wanted to say that. So congratulations.

[18:37] Julie Boardman: Thank you.

[19:05] Jan Svendsen: Thank you so much. Diane, what do you anything you want to add in augment to what Julie has said about just an overview of the museum?

[19:11] Diane Nicoletti: Yeah, I mean, Julie kind of hit all of like the the major things. Um I mean, going into like the journey of it was it was just a lot of building blocks too, you know. It it looking at it, we had to have the big picture, but at the same time, like we needed to segment it out so we could actually execute it too, right? Because it can get really daunting if you look at it too big picture. It's like, well, we could never do that. So then we would just take like pieces at a time and be like, well, we can't accomplish this right now. This is gonna have to wait till later. And even now we're still doing the same thing. We want to do more programming and everything with the museum, but we always said we would wait until we opened and then we would start, you know, doing that next.

[19:57] Diane Nicoletti: And that's sort of the biggest part of taking on something of this magnitude, if you will, of always just kind of taking it in chunks, if you will, so that so that we could actually make it happen.

[20:12] Jan Svendsen: So it's amazing. I I love the idea that you guys have founded this museum in collaboration with so many different partners and stakeholders because it is important to include the community and um, but uh especially the the several not-for-profit organizations that you've involved, like Broadway Cares and the New York Public Library for Performing Arts and the Al Hirschfeld Foundation. Can you explain sort of the rationale behind partnering with the 501c3 orgs?

[20:41] Julie Boardman: I was gonna say, I think we always wanted um the museum to, you know, I think the social good piece of it, like we always knew that it needed to give back and um it should give back. And we're so so incredibly like thrilled and honored to have Broadway Cares Equity Fides AI as our charitable partner, um, that we donate a pro portion of all of the proceeds um to them from all the ticket sales. So every time someone buys a ticket they're you know, we're donating part of that to Broadway Cares.

[21:12] Julie Boardman: Um and in the beginning um as we were like whiteboarding and kind of figuring everything out we did go around and and meet with kind of the people who run all of those organizations behind Broadway just to make sure everyone was like excited about you know or open to rather like the idea um of having um the museum of Broadway exist um in like the ecosystem of Broadway um and it is very much like a fan you know people who love Broadway are coming but also people who work inside Broadway are coming and everyone's been having like a really um great if you know different experience everyone seems to have a different entry point in um which is really fun to see um the multi-generational like appeal of of what we've created is really I think just um we're both like really humbled and honored to be the ones to help to tell this story.

[22:10] Julie Boardman: You know, working with the library they're the uh produced a couple like a um I produced a gala with my friend Nolan Duran um during COVID for them to help raise money. There's what they have the resources um I know there's you know the uh the libraries their funding might get cut like it's it's um you know without them this history wouldn't still exist. They just are such a resource and um you know have so many different people's archives and in their possessions. So you know they were just a really wonderful partner.

[22:46] Diane Nicoletti: Um and we worked very closely with Doug Reside uh who's the curator of the Billy Rhodes Theater division.

[22:54] Jan Svendsen: So um I just have to ask, what's your dog's name?

[22:59] Diane Nicoletti: Oh, Zola.

[23:01] Jan Svendsen: Zola.

[23:02] Diane Nicoletti: Okay.

[23:03] Jan Svendsen: We like hearing Soul in the background.

[23:05] Diane Nicoletti: That was the last time I talked to you, Julie.

[23:06] Julie Boardman: It was about the gala for the performing arts center.

[23:09] Diane Nicoletti: I was just remembering now during COVID.

[23:10] Jan Svendsen: Yeah.

[23:11] Diane Nicoletti: Yeah.

[23:11] Diane Nicoletti: You helped us um when we optioned off Simon's writing desk.

[23:17] Jan Svendsen: Uh-huh.

[23:17] Diane Nicoletti: Exactly.

[23:18] Jan Svendsen: Diane, probably not a fair question, but is there one exhibit in the museum that is probably like this speaks to you? And I'm sure it probably changes depending on you know what what you're doing and what you're thinking that was there one that's sort of personal to you where you feel like, oh, I love this one. It brings tears to my eyes or makes me feel good or something.

[23:38] Diane Nicoletti: Yeah, I mean I lean towards Phantom because it and I remember my taking my brother to it on opening and we were crying because we're like this is like the first show we saw together. There was like a personal memory if you will um plus like you know the artist was I mean all the artists were lovely but the German artist that created this it was just such like a fun story and process with her of making this chandelier out of over 13 almost now 14,000 but like over 13,000 crystals to represent the number of performances that Phantom has run.

[24:25] Diane Nicoletti: So what I think is really interesting too is that you it's a museum for Broadway fans, but it's also a museum for what I would call just sort of the casual theater goer, somebody who goes every couple of years, or somebody who's coming to New York and just wants to soak in the New York experience. And what I particularly like is that the museum serves an important purpose in the area of like arts education and culture. You know, I I was thinking about it. It's great that you guys have the philanthropic piece of it with Broadway Cares, and we'll get into a little bit more of that later. But um, but this idea of just arts ed and that, you know, students, I can just see student groups coming there and, you know, experiencing this because we all know that theater is good for education, right?

[25:09] Jan Svendsen: And it helps, you know, steam versus STEM and all that. So I can just see how this museum would be so important to the arts education piece of education. Um, I just came back from Berlin and there's a Jewish museum there, and it reminds me a little bit of you know, this in a way, only because it's very immersive and it's also a timeline, and you break out into these different rooms that and exhibits that are pivotal. And so you feel like you're part of it. But what's interesting is that all German school children go to this museum, you know, it's part of their curriculum. So can you talk a little bit about the Arts Ed piece of the museum and the goals for that?

[25:54] Diane Nicoletti: Sure. Um, and that that also too was, you know, again, sort of segmenting things out, like how we were going to tackle it. We knew that there'd always be an educational component to it. And right now we are building out, you know, workbooks and workshops and things like that that can be really appealing, attractive, helpful for the education community, um, for educators. Um, we've also had a lot of, you know, directors come through from the universities, even we've already had some school groups come in. So people in and of themselves are already seeing it as a great opportunity from an education standpoint, but we're trying to take some additional steps to make it even more so. So more to come on that, but it's definitely an important component for us as we continue to build the museum and what we can offer the community and beyond.

[26:49] Jan Svendsen: Julie, when you were talking earlier, you talked about how some of these breakout exhibits highlighted areas where, you know, there was social change going on or some kind of political event happening. And I just wondered, is social responsibility and advocacy going to be integrated into the museum as a concept? So for example, diversity, inclusion and equity, other important sort of social, cultural, political and impact issues, how do you envision that being incorporated in the future into the future exhibits at the museum?

[27:22] Julie Boardman: Yeah, it's a great question. Um, it's actually incorporated now because of the lens I think at which we approached the museum in the first place as we were developing it by highlighting so many people who, um, as I said before, like pioneered and like trailblazed. Um, there's a lot of history that doesn't often, you know, it's a bit overlooked from time to time and we, um, with Ben like that was something we really wanted to put an emphasis on, um, was looking at that and highlighting, you know, people who were the first to do X and the like just as we're going through the timeline. So I think it's naturally, um, already baked in just because the three of us have that in our heart, I think. Um, but it is the continuation of it.

And, um, but I think it's one piece of, you know, as you're walking through the timeline, um, again, everyone takes something different away from it. But if you are a storyteller or, you know, writer or, you know, composer lyricist aspiring, you know, um, if that's something that people are looking to do, you can see a lot of, um, the inspiration throughout. And the idea is you can do it too, right? And in order for basically, I don't know, this is my personal viewpoint at least, but you know, to build a better tomorrow, if we look at our past and then we examine our present, that's kind of a great way to do that to be able to build tomorrow and exposing people to, you know, seeing that it's possible or they could do it too, or you know, um, there's a bit of like mentorship that you even get as you're walking through the timeline, you know, mentoring Stephen Sondheim, and then his Sondheim is, you know, so you did just Jonathan Larson and then that's inspiring when well Miranda, and those are just some very notable examples, I think, but you see that in a, um, a more granular scale, I think, as you're like walking through too, and especially in the making of a Broadway show exhibit, um, you hear from I think there's somewhere around like 150 interviews with people in that room who do those different jobs, and the questions, um, Olin, who I did the library event with that I mentioned, he conducted and edited all those videos.

Um, the questions that, you know, is part of some of them that, you know, we've been shared to ask were, you know, how did you get your start? What was kind of some of the questions you've been asking us actually, like best advice for someone looking to get into it? Um, what is it that you actually do? Um, and kind of just breaking that down. And then they've been edited together so that you know there are these hour-long interviews, sometimes half-hour long interviews that, you know, that have been like edited down to bite sides so people can, um, get a sense of what it is that these different jobs do. So by exposing people to it, maybe they see, oh, I could do this too. And then they go down this career path and hopefully it, you know, if it inspires one person, I think we've accomplished, um, well, that's so important. I mean, professional development is another way of giving back and you guys certainly help set, you know, create a platform for that.

[30:42] Jan Svendsen: To your point earlier, you know, if I had known, I mean, I realized in seventh grade that I had no talent when I was in Mr. Lachey's theater class, um, growing up here in LA. Um, so I kind of just abandoned the whole thing. And I, I mean, I was always the theater cat, you know, theater cap casual theater fan, I guess I'll say. But um I realized I wasn't gonna be on stage, so I realized there was no future for me in there. And it wasn't until I really happened upon, you know, this job being head of marketing for the Broadway League and the Tony Awards where I went, oh wow, I wish I had known about this when I was 12, because that would have like really, you know, keyed me in. So all those other jobs and the professional development that you, um, you know, educate about is so it's so important.

Diane, I wonder, are there any other ideas that you guys have that you, you know, you're talking about sort of step by step, and I really I love the methodical way that you're going forward, but are there any ideas that you have for the future about ways to incorporate giving back into the museum?

[31:44] Diane Nicoletti: Um, yeah, I mean, I do think programming's gonna be a big piece of that. And so whether that be striking new conversations for Broadway, um, we had a really interesting conversation with um a bunch of educators that we had come through that were, um, you know, professors of theater, um, directors of alumni events and relations, um, folks that asked very pointed questions about, you know, Broadway, Broadway's history, the future of Broadway, and opening some of those conversations up that we maybe couldn't cover within the museum will be really interesting to, um, you know, to sort of take that to the next level and cover more, cover more information. So, and then also too that also goes into career advancement or career awareness um for different groups of people too as they go through. Um, but then who knows? Like there might be things outside of the four walls, if you will, of the museum that we could explore too, but not quite there yet.

[32:52] Jan Svendsen: Spoken like an experiential marketing person. Something, something in the future for sure. Um speaking of crazy ideas, um, before this recording of this podcast, um, we put our heads together and we are going to here now in the spirit of the holidays, launch an online auction. Um, and you're hearing it now for the first time. So we are going to auction off online um four tickets to the museum, plus a little goodie bag for the family and an exclusive guided tour of the museum by Julie and Diane too, if you're there. And the money that's raised by this auction is going to go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. So first of all, thank you for the donation. And this is always nice for me when I can combine my day job with my side gig.

So this is awesome. And we will put the link to the auction in the episode page so that people can go on there and bid to win. I wish I could, I wish I could bid on it, but I think that would be a conflict of interest. But I would love to have you guide, uh, give me a guided tour, Julie.

[34:03] Julie Boardman: I'd be happy to.

[34:05] Jan Svendsen: So thank you for that. I always ask my guests um a couple things, and I always ask what advice would you give to listeners of this podcast about becoming what I call everyday philanthropists or activists. Um, you guys have managed to incorporate that in your everyday lives, but also obviously in the work you're doing with the museum. What advice would you give to listeners about how they can become philanthropists or activists?

[34:30] Diane Nicoletti: I feel like I have not done enough to even comment on that. Like I think that it was very, it was a natural incorporation for the museum for us to do something. Like I guess that would be the advice is where you can contribute, contribute and what you feel comfortable with, what you can do, speaking from the heart, speaking from the mind. But I am by no means, you know, all of the accomplished people when it comes to philanthropy. I definitely don't hold a candle. So I I don't know if I I am the best expert to give advice on that.

[35:08] Jan Svendsen: No, but what you just said, Diane, was actually really, really relevant. And that is like to do things in a natural organic way. And no one has said that before, actually. That's a really good comment and a really good note. I'm gonna keep that one in the back of my head. Um, so thank you for that. What about you, Julie? What do you think?

[35:24] Julie Boardman: Yeah, I think um I agree that what Diane said. I think it's finding ways that you're able to do it in your life, right? Um if it's in your heart, and then you, you know, we saw with the museum. Um, you know, we wanted to do I I guess that's the first thing is you have to decide to want to. Um, and so with the museum, they did we were able to do that and we'll be able to do, you know, continue to do and and give back, hopefully, um as we as we move forward. Um yeah, again, uh the same. I can say I don't hold a candle either. I you know, but try try to do. I love what you just said. You have to decide that you want to. That's really important. You have to decide that you want to.

[36:14] Jan Svendsen: Thank you for that. Um, and thank you both for being on this podcast. I really appreciate the time. And um everybody should go to this museum. I'm so excited that it's opened, it's in the middle of Times Square, and all the information will be on the episode page. Diane, Julie, thank you for being here and happy holidays. And um, I look forward to coming to the museum.

[36:31] Julie Boardman: Thank you so much for having me.

[36:33] Diane Nicoletti: Thank you.

[36:34] Jan Svendsen: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Broadway Gives Back Podcast. Broadway Gives Back is part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Special thanks to my producing partner, writer, editor, and friend, Jim Lochner. And thank you to everyone at BPN, including Dori Berinstein, Alan Seales, and Kimberlee Garris. I'd also like to thank Julian Hills from the Bulldog Agency and Eric Becker from Broderick Street Music. If you like what you hear, don't forget to subscribe and rate this podcast wherever you stream your podcasts. You can also follow Broadway Gives Back on Facebook and Instagram at Broadway Gives Back Podcast and on Twitter at Broadway Gives. To learn more, visit BPN.fm slash Broadway Gives Back. Thanks so much.