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[0:11] Joe Rosko: Hello, hello. Welcome to Built for the Stage Podcast. This is Joe Rosko, founder and host of Built for the Stage, Broadway's number one fitness platform with clients in over 20 Broadway shows, the West End, Australia, Tokyo Disney, collegiate theaters across the globe. We are your one stop shop for all things theater and fitness. Head on over to BuiltfortheStage.com. Special thanks to Broadway Podcast Network. You can check them out at bpn.fm.

[0:38] Joe Rosko: All right, special guests plural, as always here on Built for the Stage Podcast. It's actually our fam from Broadway Podcast Network. They have a podcast of their own called Behind the Awards. And wouldn't it be so fitting with the Tonies approaching very quickly for us to have on our guests, the hosts of Behind the Awards? Please welcome Eila Mell and Bruce Gotlieb.

[1:07] Eila Mell: And the crowd goes, whoa. Hello.

[1:10] Bruce Gotlieb: What an intro.

[1:12] Eila Mell: Thanks, Joe.

[1:13] Joe Rosko: Yeah, yeah, my pleasure. Happy Monday. Uh happy to jump in and just kind of chat, obviously about the Tonies, but I do want to get to know you two as individuals being the hosts of Behind the Awards. Um, but first I do kind of want to just like for our viewers and listeners, jump into any like predictions, gossip, gab of the Tonies. First things first, I want to jump right into the divas of best female actress in a musical. What are we feeling? What's going on? Will there be boxing gloves on? Like what's gonna happen with this iconic lineup this year?

[1:53] Eila Mell: I mean, people have been talking about this category since last season. It's such a crazy season, but I am going to predict that it's gonna be Audra McDonald winning number seven. I think she is fantastic in Gypsy, but Nicole Scherzinger is going to give her a fight.

[2:11] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, I mean we've been saying that you know, only having the number of nominees that you have in each category in almost every category. You probably could fill it with 10 or 12 this season because everything is just your Broadway's leveled up for sure.

[2:27] Eila Mell: Um, I also think it's gonna be Audra. I think she's just gonna squeak it out because what she's doing is just so special. Not to take away from any of the other women, but it just it's in a class of its own.

[2:39] Joe Rosko: All right. So there's your predictions from the hosts of Behind the Awards right there, Audra McDonald taking home her seventh Tony. Okay, I got to see both shows. Um I also got to see Sunset not only on Broadway but in the West End. And uh I'm not gonna cast a vote, but it's gonna be tough. I have yeah I can't speak on um uh any of the other I haven't seen Smash yet. Um so I have to see, yeah, what have what's like let's go to what's your favorite show uh on Broadway right now in this smash of a lineup of all these shows?

[3:20] Bruce Gotlieb: First, you want to go first?

[3:22] Eila Mell: Um I have a lot of favorites, it just keeps I feel like I keep saying my favorite my favorite. Um I will say my favorite that unfortunately didn't get as much love as I hoped for was actually Smash. Um it was funny, it was uh, you know, your regular your big bold, you know, musical comedy. Everyone's dancing their ass off, and it's just so much fun. So that's that's my favorite that didn't get as much love as I had hoped for.

[3:51] Bruce Gotlieb: And my favorite is Operation Mince Meat. I love this show so much. We were so lucky to have the entire cast on our show for a great conversation about it. And it's just I've seen it twice, and I could go back 10 more times.

[4:06] Eila Mell: Yeah, it's it's a very unique show, and how they just are switching on and off from character to character is brilliant.

[4:13] Joe Rosko: Okay, wait. So it's yeah, okay. So, first off, everyone listening, pop on over after you listen to this and check out that episode with the cast of Operation Mince Meat. What was that like getting to speak to the cast? Did they share any highlights of like the rehearsal process? I'm sure that was a beast to rehearse and just get every I see that actually a lot of it is some musical counts, not just the songs, but like the actual blocking and all of that specificity that takes place on the stage.

[4:42] Eila Mell: Yeah, they told us a lot about because three out of the five cast members also were the writers and composers of the show. So they said there was a lot of stopping and starting to have sort of writing sessions in the middle of rehearsal. So the three of them would get an idea and work on it. And then the two other cast members, Jack Malone and Claire Marie Hall, they would kind of sit together and bond and wait while they will uh you know, they put this together. And um they tell us so much about it. Um, so two highlights. One was that they never knew who they were writing for. They wrote all the parts and then they would figure it out later who was gonna play who. So people played different roles at different steps in the rehearsal process. So I thought that was cool.

[5:30] Bruce Gotlieb: And then do you want to talk about uh the real life Hester who Jack Malone played?

[5:36] Eila Mell: So they, you know, did their research. Obviously, this is a true story or based on the true story, and um, they couldn't find any information about this character about Hester. Um, but what they uncovered was that actually the reason why they couldn't spell it was because the real Montague spelt her name wrong. So when the fans of the show actually are the ones that dove in and and kind of unearthed the real Hester, and now there's a plaque that resides, you know, thanking her for her service and and what she did to the mission.

[6:10] Bruce Gotlieb: That's very cool.

[6:11] Eila Mell: Yeah, I didn't have any.

[6:12] Bruce Gotlieb: Okay, please go ahead.

[6:13] Eila Mell: I was just gonna say her own family had no idea that she was involved in this mission.

[6:18] Bruce Gotlieb: So I mean, it sort of changed who she was to her own family all these years later.

[6:24] Joe Rosko: Yeah, I don't know how accurate it is to the story, but the only thing I knew about it was there was the movie. So I had seen a movie about Operation Mince Meat, and that's what I took going into the musical when I saw it in London. Uh but yeah, super crazy story and a fitting crazy uh setup that they did to execute that musical.

[6:45] Eila Mell: It's so different though, right? Than some of the other nominees. So, like lining those to get and back to your point, Bruce about Smash not getting uh a nomination for best musical. There was that kind of uh Death Becomes Her, Smash, and Boop all having those like huge musical theater comedy type. Do you think the committee going into it says, like, oh, I already cast, like, are they doing a uh a sub-vote of like that category to leave you know what I'm saying?

[7:08] Bruce Gotlieb: You know what I'm trying to get at?

[7:20] Eila Mell: Yeah, I don't know if it's a I don't know if it's a sub-vote per se, but I do think there is a psychological component where you know you're not gonna have so much of the same thing. Um so it's like which one kind of shakes to the top. And you know, I think Death Becomes Her came out of the gate just really hot. Um it's it's a brilliant show. It's really funny, it's splashy, um, it's campy. So I just think you know, it's like which one's which, and and then you have the subjectivity of it all, right? Like the three of us could go see the same show and come out with three different opinions.

[7:57] Joe Rosko: So um that that I think just shakes out that way.

[8:04] Eila Mell: Okay, cool. Any surprises or anything that's different about this season, do you feel compared to the past? Like when we all go to tune in on June 8th, or when we're all on the edge of our seats waiting to reveal everything that's to unfold, anything that you're kind of looking forward to that you think is a bit of a twist this year?

[8:24] Bruce Gotlieb: The one thing I'm looking forward to is that there's so many uh not necessarily surprises, but because of the the level of competition this season, it it is almost anybody's race in every category, and that makes it exciting because you don't, you know, you're not sitting down going, well, this show's gonna take everything. Um, as a lover of theater, I'm excited because I feel like this season pushed innovation as far as technology, as far as how we tell stories, uh, both on plays and musicals, and and using you know, different uh projections and sound and and video is just it's really pushing us to the next level for the next generation. And I think that uh Broadway is going to be alive and well in the hands of these creatives. So it's exciting.

[9:11] Eila Mell: Yeah, Isla.

[9:13] Eila Mell: Well, I you know, I just always look forward to seeing what musical numbers they do from the shows and how successful they are sometimes. They're not really they don't represent the show as well as they can because I think they try to too do too much, they try to feature too many things. You know, Bruce and I were just talking recently, sort of the gold standard of that is Shucked, where it was our, you know, well, I won't speak for Bruce, but it was my favorite show of that season, and it was so funny. And then when I watched the clip that they showed on the awards, I wouldn't have even gone to see it based on that, because putting it together as sort of medley took away from the humor of, you know, what made the show so special.

[9:58] Bruce Gotlieb: So, you know, it's it's that conversation too.

[10:01] Eila Mell: Yeah, yeah. And let's uh cross our fingers for the sound designer, as the sound for whatever reason on the Tonies is always a crapshoot. So hopefully uh and it's funny, right? Because that's what that's what they do every day of their life in theaters. It's not like they're in the new space, but it is it's funny how that works.

[10:19] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, they don't get a lot of rehearsal, so that's true.

[10:22] Eila Mell: Yeah, yeah. Something about that with the telecast and all of that. But okay, let's let's segue over and and get away from the shows for a second and get to both of your backstories. How do you two become co-hosts? Are you friends from long ago? How did you meet up? And then why this topic? You're not just covering the Tonies, but Olivier's and things off the stage as well. Why this podcast? Why this moment? Why each other?

[10:50] Eila Mell: Well, I wrote a book uh about a year ago called The Tony Awards. I worked with the American Theater Wing, and it's their official book. And so then I was talking with Alan Seales from Broadway Podcast Network, who you obviously know. And he suggested I do a podcast about the book. And I didn't want to do exactly the book because you know that had been done already, but I thought awards were really interesting. And so I knew that I wanted to do it with Bruce. He and I had been looking for something to do together. And that's where the podcast came together.

[11:24] Bruce Gotlieb: And Bruce and I, you know, have been friends not forever, but um, I what would you say, Bruce? Maybe four or five years?

[11:32] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, about five years.

[11:33] Eila Mell: Yeah. So um, but he, you know, he and I this these are the conversations we would have in our real life. So just putting a microphone on them seemed like a natural.

[11:45] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah. And we both uh, you know, pop culture theater, you know, not only theater, but awards enthusiasts, you know, make it easy to talk about these things. And, you know, um, I'm watching award shows regardless of whether the podcast was there or not. So it does, it makes it a natural, uh, just a natural fit. And you know, we get to bring some of the people who people admire, look up to, see win the awards, a little bit of their story and their history, a little bit of their career um to the forefront, and and try to showcase, you know, as much as we can um how much we love uh, you know, theater, TV, movies, all of that.

[12:28] Eila Mell: So with the topic being the awards it's gonna obviously be spotlighting the shows or or movies or whatever you're covering at the moment that's gonna be the topic of conversation so it's it can't be as uh candid or off the top you you have to do some research going into these episodes right so what is your like process uh research wise or prepping to interview these guests when talking about these shows or movies that are highlighted in the awards?

[12:28] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, it's really primarily seeing the work so we so we can have an informed conversation so you know we see as many of the our guest shows as we can and then we've had some guests who've had books come out like um Uzo Aduba, Ioni Sky so we'll read the books you know it it's really just stuff like that Bruce do you you we do have yeah and we do try to keep it as casual a conversation as possible so that way it doesn't feel like a scripted you know interview but um we at least we at least have a little bit of a a road map you know certain things we want to hit um and then we just want to talk to them about what led them to that project or what you know how their career has been depending on you know where they are if they're just kind of getting started you know we want to know you know what led them to this this this career this um you know this path a lot of times people's representatives will you know, in an effort to prepare their client, ask us for questions ahead of time.

[14:06] Bruce Gotlieb: And I always say I can't give you that because we don't know what they're gonna be. We just, you know, we have a starting off point, which is the projects but you never know. Someone can give you like this little piece of information that's gonna be gold, but you could never plan it out. So we never want to write questions ahead of time.

[14:25] Eila Mell: Right.

[14:25] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, it's always great as a host to when you reflect on how the interview went, there is that one moment where you say, oh, I'm so glad they brought this one particular thing up because it took us down a road that was so interesting. With the Tonys and with the shows you've seen, do you see the shows together or how do you line that up where you're having to see all these shows before the award ceremony?

[14:48] Eila Mell: I mean mostly it just depends on scheduling. We, you know, we've gone to quite a fair amount together. There are times where schedules don't align and you know, we try to see it as close to one another as possible. But that doesn't always happen either. So it's just a matter of you know who can get where and when and we've done a pretty good job I think between both of us is seeing almost everything this season.

[15:14] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah.

[15:15] Eila Mell: Wow, do you have a particular place in the house that you like to sit or is it just kind of always at random? I can pick, I for me, I'm seeing you two like you're always, I don't know, house right at row J or something, something like that, you know?

[15:31] Bruce Gotlieb: You know, it's really wherever we can get the best experience in the theater but a lot of times we don't have control over where we sit because you know if we're seeing the show because we have a guest, they will invite us many times. So and thankfully so. So it's wherever they put us, which is usually in a great place. So you know, but you know, sometimes we'll see a show more than once and see it from different perspectives, which is also interesting. And sometimes a show is selling so well that it's like there's a seat here. That's your option. If this is right, this is the day or the time that you're trying to get here, you know, you gotta take what they can give you.

[16:15] Eila Mell: Yeah. Have you seen any shows? There's a lot of shows that also have like people new on the scene, like Real Women Have Curves. A lot of the casts from them are our Broadway debuts. Boop. Any like newcomers that really stuck out to you this year that you're so glad that you, you know, they got their chance, their shining moment?

[16:39] Bruce Gotlieb: I mean, Jasmine Amy Rogers from Boop, who we have an episode coming up with her. She is, I left the theater going, wow, like this girl's a triple threat. She is a star. She is just, I can't wait to see, you know, I hope Boop runs, you know, for a long time for her sake, but I also at the same time can't wait to see what she's gonna do next. She's that exciting of a performer.

[17:03] Eila Mell: Wow, what was it about it? Tell me, tell me more, Bruce. What was it when you're sitting there watching her made you feel that way?

[17:10] Bruce Gotlieb: She's just, you know, she's so charismatic on stage, she's got an amazing voice. She's a great dancer. She's a really good actress. You know, she just keeps checking every box that you'd hope. Then she has that charisma, that X Factor.

[17:24] Eila Mell: Well, that's what I was gonna add. You know, there's just something lovable about her. When she's on stage, it's like a different show.

[17:33] Bruce Gotlieb: Got it. When you already interviewed her and the episode's gonna come out?

[17:38] Eila Mell: Yeah, so if you wanna, you know, give any sneak peeks. Wait, when is it gonna air? Do you know?

[17:46] Bruce Gotlieb: It is going to air next week.

[17:51] Eila Mell: Okay, so yeah, maybe I won't be spoiling anything. There's a lot of like interviews with her where it wasn't just this like she walked in, I'm gonna be a star, and just, you know, here she is. There was this storyline of her like really having to believe in her abilities to like rise to the occasion. Did you get to chat with her personally about that at all? Like that process of being like, no, I am worthy, I am capable, I can do this. Did you get to chat with her about that experience?

[18:29] Bruce Gotlieb: We did. You know, she auditioned for the show initially and didn't get it. So she came in a second time to audition for it. So she kind of talked about that. And she was also involved as a different character in an earlier version of the show. It's really interesting.

[18:45] Eila Mell: Her progression, don't you think, Bruce?

[18:47] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, and the show's been around in different incarnations for I think it's 17, 18 years. So, you know, she just seized an opportunity. I guess had a, you know, definitely shares her moment to look back and figure out what tweaks she needed to do. So when she went back in, you know, she was able to show them what they needed to see in order to put her in the title role.

[19:12] Eila Mell: Oh, that's so cool. Okay, I'm looking forward to that interview that you did as well. Then let's go back to, I want to hear more about the book that you wrote, Eila. I want to hear more about your background, Bruce, as well, and theater. Like, why theater? Why are you in this industry? Is it the only thing you do? Is there other parts to your, all that, you know, there's life outside the theater? Tell me a little. I feel like I know some of these answers. I'd love for our audience to know a bit more about what entails your full life spectrum.

[19:39] Bruce Gotlieb: Well, I'll let Eila first jump in. For me, I'm a theater lover always from doing it, you know, in high school, college, and all of that, locally, you know, community theater and things of that nature, and then, you know, just keeping it as a hobby, as a passion, always going to see shows with friends and family, you know, outside of that. And then it's just something I love. So when Eila came to me with this idea, it seemed like I talk about theater with my friends all the time, so it seemed like a natural fit. When I'm not at the theater, I'm a realtor. So, you know, working with clients going around house to house and, you know, trying to help them find their dream home or sell their house. And yeah, so there are different sides, and you know, the two blur sometimes because you could be talking to somebody and you're getting to know one another, especially as with a new client and talk about things that they enjoy. And so there's a little bit of a blend.

[20:50] Eila Mell: Are you in the Manhattan market or where are you?

[20:55] Bruce Gotlieb: I can do all of New York. Primarily my business is on Long Island. I do some of the boroughs, Queens and the Bronx. I've done a couple of, I have a couple of deals going on there right now.

[21:07] Eila Mell: So is it a buyer's market or a seller's market right now?

[21:11] Bruce Gotlieb: 100% a seller's market. If you have something to sell and you have somewhere to go, you can make some good money.

[21:19] Eila Mell: Okay, all right. All right. Well, if anyone out there is owning something, which is not very likely nowadays for people, you know, in the area. But hey, Bruce is your guy. Eila, yeah, what about you? Like leading up to that book, what was life like before that? Or yeah, tell me how you get to, I don't know, write a book about the Tonys. That's amazing.

[21:40] Eila Mell: Um, thank you. So, you know, for me, it's always been theater ever since I was a kid. It's the only thing I really wanted to do. I was an actor for 10 years as a kid. So I grew up doing that and working. And so there was a point where I realized that I didn't want to act anymore. It was no longer fun for me. And I auditioned for a soap opera called As the World Turns. And, you know, I got down to the final round. And then it's absolutely, but so the actor who I lost the role to went on to have a pretty good career. It was Parker Posey. And it was her first job out of college. And so, you know, when you lose a role to someone, you kind of, you remember it. And, you know, I watched her career and I thought that it was interesting, and it gave me the idea for my first book, which was called Casting Might Have Bins, and it was all about stories, people auditioning for roles that went to other people and the stories behind them.

And so I, you know, I just, so she is kind of the jumping off point for my writing career. And then I worked with the show Project Runway to write their book, their official book. And that's where I met Emilio Sosa, who is a wonderful costume designer, but he's also the chair of the American Theater Wing. And so when the wing decided they wanted to do a book, he brought me in. And it was just an absolute dream job for me.

[23:17] Bruce Gotlieb: Amazing. Did you study journalism or writing in college, or where did you get your writing chops from?

[23:24] Eila Mell: Um, sadly, no. I just, it was a strong desire. And I just, you know, when you're an actor, you just figure it out later. You say yes, and then you figure it out. So that's always been my mindset. I'm pretty scrappy. So I just figured out how I wanted to do it. And thankfully it's been working out so far.

[23:45] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, the only reason I had the, I guess courage to ask that was that you just listed off multiple books. So it's not like you, I don't know, weren't deserving and got this one off thing.

[23:59] Eila Mell: No, you people obviously are looking at your work and saying, this is really good. So let's ask Eila.

[24:04] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah, so congratulations. But I should point out that it took eight years to get my first book published. So it was, you know, it was a lot of figuring out. But thank you for saying that.

[24:14] Eila Mell: Well, I'm so glad you mentioned that because on the podcast we're always talking about performers' journey and how it's ups and downs, and no one just walks into New York and they're like, here's your Broadway show.

[24:27] Bruce Gotlieb: Yeah.

[24:27] Eila Mell: Um, or we'll parallel it to a journey in fitness. So, like everyone listening, there is no overnight success, most likely. It's just that you might just be hearing about them overnight. But the journey to get there was, you know, much longer than what we all realized. So congrats to you both. Really excited for the Tonys, excited for your episodes to come out. Thank you so much for being on the podcast and sharing a bit of your story. And yeah, I'm not the person to give insight on the Tonys. So everyone listening, please hop on over to Behind the Awards and see what really is going on this award season. Bruce, Eila, thanks so much for being on the podcast.

[25:05] Eila Mell: Thank you.

[25:08] Bruce Gotlieb: Thank you.

[25:10] Joe Rosko: All right, everyone. Eila and Bruce from Behind the Awards. Make sure you check them out. They're on Broadway Podcast Network. You can go to bpn.fm or you can head over to their Instagram. It's behind underscore the underscore awards. And their personal Instagram handles are on there as well in their bio for you to click on. We'll drop those in the description of this episode when it releases. Thanks so much for tuning in again. Please share with your friends about Built for the Stage podcast, actors or athletes, train like one later.