This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eric Bean Jr: He was like, you know, uh, we're pretty close to the end of this audition circuit. So give me like a week or so and we should get back to you. Cool. I put off literally, I think that day I got my contract for my pre-ship company and was like, oh my god, I just got my contract and I'm waiting to hear back from Lion King. Let me let me see if I can put this off for a little bit. Oh my god.

[0:37] Joe Rosko: Hey, what's going on? It's me, Roscoe, founder and coach of Built for the Stage, Broadway's number one fitness platform. If you're interested in trying a free trial, you can go to the website, BuiltForThestage.com. You can find that link in the description of this episode. Special thanks to our family at Broadway Podcast Network that produces Built for the Stage Podcast. You can check their website out at BPN. All right. As always, we have an exciting guest for you on the show today. He's actually Built for the Stage family. So we're super uh happy and thrilled to chat uh with him on the show today. Please welcome Eric Bean Jr. to the show.

[1:20] Eric Bean Jr: Hey, Eric. Hey, what's up, man? You know, we're sitting here on a Labor Day, uh, a unique holiday during the 2020 season. And once again, thank you for taking the time uh to join us on this holiday.

[1:35] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, man, no problem. You know, it's it's uh one of those days where I get a chance to kind of be lazy normally. So I'm just taking full advantage of, you know, trying to be at least a little productive today.

[1:48] Joe Rosko: Yeah, taking a break is always a good thing. Tell us a little bit about uh a day in the life of Eric now during this unique time. You're in Vegas, um, you're heavily involved in the dance scene, you're an instructor. I can't wait to chat more about that. So, what's a day-to-day been looking like for you lately?

[2:07] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, you know, um, it's been very interesting here. Um, Vegas is really fortunate because our numbers haven't been crazy high as far as the COVID virus goes. So um, you know, and we're also very spread out. So it's been nice because you can still um be socially responsible by you know maintaining your distances and and you know, wearing your proper protective gear, but you can also still go outside and enjoy the area and you know, go out to a restaurant or you know, go to um to the pool on a on a hot day here in Vegas because they're doing a very good job of following the protocols that have been put into place. So that's been great.

[2:52] Eric Bean Jr: Um, but for me, uh now that everything is starting to open back up ever so slightly, uh normal day in my life is you know, I'll get up, I'll grab a little bit of breakfast, I'll hit my built for the stage workout, you know, get that get that uh get my body up and going first thing. Uh, and then grab myself a little lunch, maybe jump online, do a little work on the computer. I I've actually getting ready to go back to grad school. So I'm starting to get ready for that, which is a little crazy and a little intimidating. Um, and then I'll end up teaching a class or two. I've been teaching classes online via my Instagram, um, and I'm about to start teaching for this really great program called uh Studio Broadway, which is started by one of my good friends, Bravita Threat.

She's actually the female dance captain of Lion King uh in Bro on Broadway. Uh and then I've also been teaching here locally in Vegas at a great studio called The Rock Center for Dance. And if any of you guys have actually watched World of Dance before and you remember season one, that group of young people who did that beautiful dance to Hallelujah, those are my kids. Those are the kids that I teach at the Rock Center for Dance. So you get a chance to kind of see the quality of kids that we're producing. And it's it's so great that I'm actually able to be a part of their staff and work with these amazing young artists.

[4:18] Joe Rosko: Yeah, oh that's so exciting. Let's back up a little bit. Um you first got your bachelor's in uh dance education, right? Was that am I correct?

[4:26] Eric Bean Jr: Okay, so what are you what are you going back uh to school for now? What are you gonna get your master's in?

[4:31] Eric Bean Jr: So I it was a really hard decision as to what I was gonna get my master's in because you know I'm a dancer through and through. I love being able to move, I love being able to create. And I was originally thinking, well, maybe I'll get another dance degree. Uh, but I also wanted to try and broaden my horizons and like, you know, diversify myself. So I actually decided to get something in the administrative side of the arts. So I'm gonna get a degree in arts and cultural management.

[5:06] Joe Rosko: Very cool. All right, that's exciting. Are you going the online route or will you be going in person? Where are you gonna get your degree?

[5:14] Eric Bean Jr: Uh I'm actually doing the online route. Um, I'm going to University of Denver, which is uh a great program. So um I'm really excited about that. It's gonna be very interesting because I haven't done a whole lot of online learning before, you know, so that'll be a whole new experience for me, especially as a dancer, because when you're in school for dance, uh, even when you're getting an actual degree in dance, maybe 75% of your work is actually done in studio. So I'm used to actually being physically there and moving and things like that. But this is something that's a lot more on the academic side of things. So I'm gonna be doing lots of reading, lots of researching, and lots of writing of papers. So it should be very, very interesting.

[6:02] Joe Rosko: Yeah, and then the last backtrack from what you had uh said earlier was teaching online, and you're kind of talking about being a student online. How has it been teaching these dance classes without that uh physical presence in the room by those taking the class from you? I know personally as an instructor, when I've been doing some online classes here and there, you know, you're you kind of feel like you're in this abyss of like nothingness. You're like, are they getting it? I kind of see them through my monitor, or you're on Instagram live like you, and you can't see anyone, and you're like, all right, hopefully it's it's going well. Who knows?

[6:41] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, that's kind of how I how it is for me too. Um, but I I honestly don't mind it too much. Um, I guess it's because I've always just been a very like positive person, and I I um I just love dancing and I love teaching. It's one of the reasons why I got my degree in dance education. I was super fortunate to have teachers who uh who motivated me through um through positivity and hard work. So they instilled that love of of teaching into me. And I always just kind of want to pass that information forward. So whether it's one person who's tuning into my Instagram classes or a thousand people, either way it goes, I'm gonna have a good time, and I just hope that they're having a good time with me. So yeah, it's always it's always really really cool to see how it goes.

[7:36] Eric Bean Jr: Um the Zoom classes are the ones that are always a little bit more difficult for me because of the fact that I am such a uh a hands-on person when I'm teaching normally, especially if I'm in a group of people. So the zoom one is something I had to kind of get used to because of a the little bit of a lag that there's normally behind a zoom, uh, which is kind of hard when you're doing dance combinations. Uh-huh. Right? Because I'm like dancing and I'm like, wait, they're off. Oh wait, that's right. There's a lag. I I can't watch them too hard. Uh and then B, like, you know, dance is such a physical thing sometimes. Uh it's kind of hard to self-correct, and you need you need like somebody to actually physically correct you. So it's been um it's been interesting trying to figure out how to verbally get them to do what I'm looking for. So that that's definitely developing that skill.

[8:32] Joe Rosko: Yeah. And in in fitness, when you're coaching, you have uh verbal, you have uh physical cues, um meaning like a like a a touch point, maybe you like touch the center of their shoulder blades, um, or you have some type of visual cue where like you'll just you're almost like miming something. Um, but when we're teaching online, obviously the physical is totally out of it. So I'm I'm with you on it, I'm with you on it.

[9:02] Joe Rosko: Uh let's let's move on to uh just before the shutdown happened. You're actually in the midst of being uh on tour with uh the Lion King.

[9:11] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah.

[9:12] Joe Rosko: But tell us a bit about the two things I I'd love to talk about. Um is is getting cast in the Lion King because correct me if I'm wrong, you had gone in for it uh once at least before, and you weren't originally cast in it.

[9:28] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, yeah. Um so yeah, let's let's talk about that because I I love the I love the you know the story of ups and downs and continuing your pursuit, and you know, that's still coming to fruition for you. So tell us a little bit about that.

[9:43] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, you know, I uh I've uh auditioned for the show twice. So the first time that I auditioned for the show, I it was something that I really wanted. I was like, oh my god, I have so many friends who are in this amazing show, and the dancing is fantastic, and I would love to be a part of it. So I auditioned for it, I made it all the way through um to I think it was maybe the last 10 people, and then they started having us come in and sing individually, and it had been years since I've had to sing like years. So I went in and I sang my song, and truth be told, I 100% panicked.

[10:22] Eric Bean Jr: It was just one of those things where I was like, I know I have a good voice, but because of the fact that I'm now in a room of people who are casting me for a show, I just couldn't get out of my head. So I knew that it wasn't my best. Um, and you know, I ended up not getting cast for it, which is fine. I was like, it's life, things happen, let it go. You know, fast forward a few years later, I have done a cruise ship job. And in my cruise ship job, I was the dancer singer. So I had to literally spend eight months on a ship singing. And I've gotten myself much more comfortable with the idea of it. And I was actually planning to go back on another ship and had already had a job offer. And then the guy who was coaching me at the time vocally, he sent me a message and was like, hey, they're doing an audition for Lion King in a couple of weeks.

You should think about going. And I was like, oh well, you know, I already have a job offer, I don't know. He was like, no, you know, even if it's just so you can get more practice auditioning vocally, you should go. I was like, okay cool, it's in LA. I was actually planning to be in LA that weekend anyway because I was going to Disney with my family and it was literally the day before I was supposed to be there. So I was like, sure why not, I'll go up a day early and do the audition and we'll just see what happens. So I do the audition, I end up making it to the top three this time and they're like, okay guys, let's go ahead and have you sing. I was like, okay cool, I have a song that I'm comfortable with, I've been singing for a while, I'm good.

I sing my song, they're like great, and the director, the casting director, he was like, I remember your last audition and he was like, this vocally was night and day from your last audition. He was like, so I can tell you've been doing work on it. Fantastic job. I was like, thanks. So I say, you know, hey, I have to be honest with you, I have another job offer on the table, and I just want to know how long it's gonna be until I actually hear back from you guys if I'm gonna get the job. And he was like, you know, we're pretty close to the end of this audition circuit, so give me like a week or so, and we should get back to you. Cool. I put off literally, I think that day I got my contract for my cruise ship company and was like, oh my god, I just got my contract and I'm waiting to hear back from Lion King.

Let me see if I can put this off for a little bit. Oh my god. So I put it off for a little bit and gave Lion King the week and was like, okay, I haven't heard anything back from them. Maybe I just didn't get cast. Let me go ahead and just sign my contract. So I signed my contract. Literally the very next day, I got a phone call from the casting director of Lion King saying, hey, I just wanted to let you know that you're gonna be getting a call from Thomas Schlank, who is the caster of Lion King, and he's going to be offering you a spot in the show. So I just wanted to call you and say congratulations. And I was like, oh my god, oh my god, what's going on right now? So I ended up getting a call and getting cast in the show, and I was like, this is crazy town.

Cause I was literally doing another gig at the same time that I got the phone call. I was like, oh my god, you guys, I just got a phone call from Lion King. I'm actually gonna be part of the new cast. And we all celebrated, it was crazy time, and then I had to call the cruise ship company and say, so, I know I just sent this contract in to you guys yesterday. I just got a job offer from Lion King, the national tour. And luckily, the gentleman who was in charge of it was very, very gracious and very, very understanding. He was like, well, of course you have to take it. He was like, it's Broadway, it's Disney. He was like, go ahead and take this, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He was like, your ship will always be here.

We will always be here. He was like, thank you so much for calling me and letting me know. He was like, we have plenty of time to recast. And please, if you ever are interested in jumping back on, just let me know. I would be glad to have you. I was like, oh my God, thank you so much. Apparently, this was my time. So yeah, then that's my crazy Lion King story.

[14:43] Joe Rosko: Amazing. I love how you were on your way to Disney when the auditions were going on. I mean, how ironic is that?

[14:51] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, it was so random. I was like, oh, well, you know, me and my family are going to Disneyland that weekend. Okay, sure. Okay, so now that the pandemic's going on and you're kind of in this abyss of waiting, like, what's gonna, you know, happen with the tour and all that. You're instructing or teaching a lot. What have you been doing for yourself? Maybe it's just the dancing, instructing is keeping you sharp. Um, yeah, what's your day-to-day like as an artist, just kind of waiting it out?

[15:21] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, um, it's been a little bit of a love-hate moment for me when it comes to this craziness of a pandemic. Because, you know, us as artists, we always try and explain this to people, but there's a difference from being a normal person in shape and being dancer in shape. And a lot of times people don't get it because they see me and they're like, but you're so fit. Like, what do you mean you're not in shape? And I'm like, it's different, guys. Like dancing and being able to make yourself get through a whole two-hour show takes a lot more stamina and muscle memory than just being able to get through a workout, you know. So it's been very challenging trying to keep that going. But the good thing is the fact that once this pandemic happened and everything got shut down, the outpouring of people who were willing to teach online and virtually to make sure that people could still take class and still maintain their bodies and have some semblance of training.

So I've been taking lots of classes online, whether it's like Instagram live classes or like YouTube classes. I've actually been taking a lot of ballet classes from English National Ballet on YouTube. And if you guys haven't checked them out, check them out. Their ballet mistress is amazing. Their classes are so challenging. So it's one of those things where I'm like, this is awesome because you still get to kind of work hard, you know, even though you're in a home setting. But once things started opening back up here in Vegas, the studio I teach at, they offer adult classes. So I've been taking adult ballet at least two times a week, which is great. Um, and we, me and my company members, my castmates, we literally just started doing probably three weeks ago, we started doing classes online for each other.

So we have like twice a week weekly Zoom chat, and we just take turns of who's gonna teach class. And some days people teach ballet, some days people will teach contemporary, some days people will teach jazz, you know. We just switch up who's teaching and it gives us a chance to chat and catch up with each other, and then it gives us a chance to stay in shape and move a little bit.

[17:55] Joe Rosko: Yeah, that's so great that you're keeping in touch with your cast mates like that. Um, so with Broadway, everyone's kind of fingers crossed, hoping for the spring of 2021. Have you been in contact with anyone from the production staff as far as what the future might hold for the tour?

[18:17] Eric Bean Jr: Yeah, um actually, they try to be very transparent with us because you know, our livelihood is the show. So they are really hopeful that the tours will start back before Broadway starts back because for us, our performance schedule is based on each individual state and what's going on in those states. So, you know, if we're scheduled to go to a state that is doing much better in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, then we'd be able to open there, you know, and hopefully keep chugging along. But they also want to make sure that whenever we do open back up, we can continue going because it's so expensive for us to shut down and start back up. So they don't want to put us in those situations and they don't want to put themselves in that situation financially.

It's just too hard, you know. You know, so I think as of right now, they are hoping that we will be able to start back up sometime in December. That's the hope. Um, but of course, you know, anything can change at this point. So fingers crossed, that's what we're all looking for.

[19:41] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Well, very, very cool. We're gonna hope for that. And cross our fingers that you're out on the road soon enough in the National Tour of Lion King. Eric, thank you so much again for being on the show. I appreciate it so much.

[19:55] Eric Bean Jr: Thanks, man. It's been awesome. I love getting a chance to chat with people about what's going on in life and art.

[20:02] Joe Rosko: Yes, absolutely. All right, everyone listening. That was Eric Bean Jr. You can check him out on Instagram, @ebjdance. That's E B J Dance, or you can go to his website, ebjdance.com. Once again, this is Joe Rosko at Built for the Stage. If you want to try a free trial, go to the website, builtforthestage.com. Thanks again to our family at Broadway Podcast Network. Once again there, bpn.fm. All right, until next time. Later.