This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:13] David Alpert: Welcome to E-Ticket to Broadway, where Broadway meets Main Street.

[0:19] David Alpert: Here's your host, my pal, David Alpert.

[0:25] David Alpert: Hi everyone, welcome to this episode of E-Ticket to Broadway, the only podcast where your favorite Broadway stars intensely share their opinions of which mouse ears to wear to a Disney park.

[0:36] David Alpert: Speaking of magical things to wear, have you visited the E-Ticket to Broadway shop?

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[1:02] David Alpert: There are five different levels of giving, all to support yours truly, plus a portion of all funds raised goes directly to Gilana's Fund, an organization created in 2007, shortly after my oldest sister Gilana passed away.

[1:15] David Alpert: This fund honors her legacy by helping organizations across the country whose missions align with the fund's core values.

[1:23] David Alpert: Inclusion, justice, and acceptance.

[1:26] David Alpert: If you enjoy this episode, please leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts, and don't forget about our Instagram page, where you can play games all week and see photos of our guests at the parks.

[1:45] David Alpert: She has starred on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera, Masterclass, It Shoulda Been You, School of Rock, and of course, as Ariel in The Little Mermaid.

[1:53] David Alpert: Hold on to your who's it's and what's it's here comes Sierra Boggess.

[2:05] David Alpert: Sierra, it is so wonderful to have you on this podcast as a true Disney and Broadway star.

[2:10] David Alpert: I think what all of our listeners want to know, have you ever gone to a Disney park and worn your Heelys?

[2:17] Sierra Boggess: Oh my god. I mean, I have never done that, and I don't know why the answer is no, because I should be doing that's like the way to get around.

[2:28] Sierra Boggess: Um then you can get to all the timed things very quickly. Like, why haven't I? Is the question.

[2:37] David Alpert: Yeah.

[2:38] Sierra Boggess: I really want this to happen. I want people to film it.

[2:41] David Alpert: Yes.

[2:42] Sierra Boggess: I think this is it just makes perfect sense. But yeah, it's like we have a fast pass for Space Mountain in five minutes, you're like, I got you covered.

[2:48] David Alpert: Yeah, I'll be there in three.

[2:50] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, exactly. So Sierra, have you always been a fan of Disney?

[2:54] Sierra Boggess: Always. Um, I feel like when I was growing up, well, first of all, when I was growing up, my favorite Disney movies were Sword in the Stone, um, Madam Mim is my favorite Disney villain, um, and Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.

[3:12] Sierra Boggess: And then when I was, I can't remember how old I was when Little Mermaid came out, but that was the first one of those like big ones. It was like that, then Beauty and the Beast, right, and then um Aladdin, Lion King.

[3:26] Sierra Boggess: So, like, I was in prime age range for Disney to be such a, you know, I don't know, part of my development in my life.

[3:40] David Alpert: So you mean like part of your world?

[3:42] Sierra Boggess: Literally part of my world.

[3:44] David Alpert: Oh my god, how dare you?

[3:46] Sierra Boggess: Um, yeah, I have always loved Disney. Um it's not even like oh the Disney magic. That's sort of what you love as an adult. I think that's what's interesting.

[3:59] Sierra Boggess: But um, I think for me it was uh I loved the humor. There's so much humor in Disney.

[4:08] Sierra Boggess: The sidekicks, you know what I mean? Like, there's always good like I was always obsessed with Gus Gus in Cinderella.

[4:16] Sierra Boggess: I never wanted to be Cinderella, I wanted to be Gus Gus, you know, and my sister was Jacques, so it was like I always liked the side characters.

[4:24] Sierra Boggess: I liked Smee in Peter Pan. Like, I know. I don't know. So um, and then of course, like when Little Mermaid came out, it was we were quoting like of course I loved the princesses, but um, and my sister loved all the villains, um, always and uh, but it was the sidekicks we were obsessed with.

[4:47] Sierra Boggess: So Scuttle, Flounder, and um Sebastian, it was like that that's what you loved. When they offered you Ariel on Broadway, we were like, Thank you so much, but can I please play Flounder instead? Please may I?

[5:01] Sierra Boggess: Please may I? And they said, You're too old. Um, it was Sebastian was my favorite, actually, from Mermaid.

[5:12] Sierra Boggess: I remember I had a Sebastian stuffed animal that I got at Disney. Um, and he was my favorite.

[5:15] Sierra Boggess: I remember playing the cassette tape. That's right, on my boom box, and throwing him around the room while he while he as if he was singing and like celebrating under the sea.

[5:28] David Alpert: Yeah.

[5:28] Sierra Boggess: And is it bizarre to Titus that you now have a Titus Burgess stuffed animal?

[5:33] David Alpert: It is not.

[5:34] Sierra Boggess: He requires that actually. So yes, that's true.

[5:37] David Alpert: That's true.

[5:39] Sierra Boggess: I love that, Sierra, because same thing, you know, like those of us that were born at a certain time, the re like the renaissance of Disney movies hit us at such a time that we grew up with it.

[5:49] Sierra Boggess: Oh, yeah. It didn't seem bizarre that there were you know dry valleys of Disney movies.

[5:55] Sierra Boggess: It just felt like, well, isn't this always the case that there's just a new Disney movie every year?

[5:59] David Alpert: Yeah.

[6:00] Sierra Boggess: And and better and bet like, I mean, I it's also weird. I mean, when you're little, you remember things so easily, but I I feel like my memory is walking out of the movie theater seeing Little Mermaid, and it's like we could recite the whole thing.

[6:15] Sierra Boggess: Like it was that impactful, where you're just like you just know it by heart, even the first time that you see it from everything.

[6:24] Sierra Boggess: Um, so yeah, it I feel really lucky to have been born when I did, so that those movies are the ones that are like super ingrained in my brain.

[6:34] David Alpert: Were there any Disney characters that you related to as a kid?

[6:38] Sierra Boggess: Madam Mim. Um do you know Sword in the Stone at all?

[6:42] David Alpert: Oh yeah.

[6:46] Sierra Boggess: She's a legend.

[6:47] Sierra Boggess: Oh, I love Madam Mim. Um, and like I also love the squirrels.

[6:52] Sierra Boggess: I love the squirrels. I still like my sisters and I always like we always even to this day quote things from that.

[7:02] Sierra Boggess: Like, like um, oh squirrely squirrels. I just said it the other day in um people who are like true Disney fanatics are gonna know exactly what I'm talking about with that.

[7:10] Sierra Boggess: This like the um when when the squirrels are stepping on Archimedes, when they're running around um in Sword and the Stone, and I say it all the time, even in the park, some uh because I walk in Central Park all the time, and these squirrels pass, and I was like, squirrely squirrels, and I'm by myself.

[7:26] Sierra Boggess: Like, I mean, I quote this stuff all the time. Um, and then yeah, uh I forget even the question, David.

[7:34] David Alpert: You just asked.

[7:35] Sierra Boggess: I was just imagining you're in Central Park. It was just relating to a Disney character and Madam Mim, but Oh my god.

[7:41] Sierra Boggess: Oh, yes, you were asking if I've related to any of them.

[7:44] Sierra Boggess: Is that what you were asking?

[7:46] David Alpert: Yes.

[7:46] Sierra Boggess: I was, yeah.

[7:47] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, I think I always have related to the sidekicks.

[7:52] Sierra Boggess: Because I I mean, I was very quickly pigeonholed into an ingenue, but I have never felt like that.

[7:58] Sierra Boggess: I've always felt like um the like weirdo, even though I think all the ingenues are weirdos too, it's like nothing should be pigeonholed anymore.

[8:08] Sierra Boggess: Um, but I think, yeah, I've always when we used to act these out when we were kids, my sisters and I, then I always was like the weird sidekick.

[8:17] Sierra Boggess: You know, I just always I think I've always enjoyed that, but I love like I just love the humor part of it the most.

[8:24] David Alpert: Yeah.

[8:25] Sierra Boggess: And when you go back and watch the Disney movies as an adult, there's new jokes, and you're like, I didn't get that when I was 10, but oh yeah, for sure.

[8:33] Sierra Boggess: There's things that's like, oh, that is not for children.

[8:37] Sierra Boggess: Like that there are definitely things that and I can't well, even like Madam Mim when she transforms and she's like, I can be beautiful, lovely, and fair.

[8:47] Sierra Boggess: And she has like a no inch waist and some huge tatas, and like just a whole thing, you know.

[8:54] David Alpert: You know, there's there's things as an adult that I'm like, oh.

[8:58] Sierra Boggess: Have you ever considered when you're for Halloween going as that Madam transformation?

[9:03] Sierra Boggess: I would love to, but I think I couldn't breathe because you would have to wear some type of corset that just like makes you have a five-inch waist and long purple hair.

[9:12] David Alpert: What about just Madam Mim as is?

[9:14] Sierra Boggess: Madam Mim as it is. I should have because my sister, my older sister and I, um, we used to in our pool, we didn't have a pool pool in Denver.

[9:24] Sierra Boggess: We had one of those blow-up pools that everyone had, you know, like if you didn't yeah.

[9:29] Sierra Boggess: So it was like on the grass and you put the green hose and you fill it up with freezing water.

[9:34] Sierra Boggess: And we used to play wizard's duels, and she was um she was Merlin and I was Madam Mim, and we would count, you know, like they do one, two, three, four, and we would do uh wizards duels, um, and just like slam each other to the ground, and that was our version of the wizards duels.

[9:53] Sierra Boggess: So I think that's why I never went as Madam Mim for Halloween because I was just I was her.

[10:01] Sierra Boggess: And by was I mean I am.

[10:04] Sierra Boggess: I mean, I'm really letting you know. When I say I know Sword and the Stone, I mean I know Sword in the Stone.

[10:13] David Alpert: And what other Disney characters did you love?

[10:17] Sierra Boggess: So I also loved Jungle Book.

[10:19] Sierra Boggess: Um, and I my favorite was Baloo.

[10:22] Sierra Boggess: My older sister's favorite was um what was the Panther's name?

[10:27] Sierra Boggess: The uh it was your con.

[10:29] David Alpert: No, but that's exactly what I was gonna say.

[10:31] Sierra Boggess: And then it's like, well, of course she loved him because what? He was the villain.

[10:35] Sierra Boggess: Um it was it was um blue and Bagheera!

[10:39] Sierra Boggess: Bagheera. She loved Bagheera.

[10:40] Sierra Boggess: I loved um I loved Baloo, but my favorite sidekick from that was Ka the snake.

[10:49] Sierra Boggess: Because he like he hypnotizes you to do what he wants and then can't eat you.

[10:55] Sierra Boggess: Like he but I loved his song Trust in Me.

[10:59] Sierra Boggess: Trust in me. Close your eyes. Trust in me.

[11:03] Sierra Boggess: Like, I don't know why that was like the song that I knew from that.

[11:08] Sierra Boggess: I should add that into my concerts, really.

[11:11] Sierra Boggess: It's just like that'll be the opener.

[11:14] David Alpert: Yeah.

[11:15] Sierra Boggess: Hypnotize everyone into just like, and then I can eat you all.

[11:19] David Alpert: But I want to see Jafar's staff sing that song, right?

[11:23] Sierra Boggess: Absolutely that's you know what? That's a good thing because Jafar's staff is terrifying.

[11:29] David Alpert: Yes.

[11:29] Sierra Boggess: And um Ka is silly, but he's gonna eat you.

[11:34] Sierra Boggess: Like he will kill you, but he's silly.

[11:36] Sierra Boggess: Whereas Jafar's staff will kill you and he and he wasn't even funny about it.

[11:41] Sierra Boggess: He's just super scared.

[11:42] Sierra Boggess: Like when he turns into a real snake, he's absolutely terrifying.

[11:46] David Alpert: Yeah, he is.

[11:47] Sierra Boggess: Totally.

[11:57] Sierra Boggess: Sierra, I love that you loved Sword in the Stone and watching the movies as a kid. Do you remember the first time you went to a Disney park?

[12:04] Sierra Boggess: Yes, I was six years old.

[12:07] Sierra Boggess: Um, and what I actually remember about going to that was first of all, the tickets were expensive, and I didn't grow up in a family that had a lot of money at all.

[12:17] Sierra Boggess: So I remember that being a thing that's like this is very expensive, and this so this is very special.

[12:24] Sierra Boggess: And I remember that being like, first of all, a thing. I think it's important to acknowledge. It's like it it it is something that that families save for, especially when you're I was in a family of five.

[12:34] Sierra Boggess: There's three kids.

[12:36] Sierra Boggess: Um and so it it it is very special, and I want it to always feel like that too.

[12:44] Sierra Boggess: Um and so I remember that, and uh then getting there.

[12:48] Sierra Boggess: What I remember, we went to Disney World.

[12:51] Sierra Boggess: Um, and so I remember going to the Epcot more than even the Disney part of it.

[12:59] Sierra Boggess: I liked um my favorite was Figment, and I don't know that Figment is still there.

[13:04] Sierra Boggess: Figment of your imagination.

[13:05] Sierra Boggess: He's he's making a comeback in the parks for sure.

[13:08] Sierra Boggess: Oh, cool. And I don't know what his deal was, but I loved him, and we also got like Figment stuffed animals and stuff.

[13:15] Sierra Boggess: Um, but the ride that I remember loving was um uh the haunted house.

[13:22] Sierra Boggess: I loved the haunted house um in the in the Disney Park park.

[13:27] Sierra Boggess: Um and I loved that like I I remember at six, like I do honestly think that being at Disney World is one of my earliest memories as a human on this planet, and I remember when you get your picture or you not your picture, when you're when you see yourself in the mirror towards the end of the haunted house ride, um or the haunted mansion, and you see like the ghosts are next to you, and I just thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world.

[13:55] Sierra Boggess: I never want to know the technology behind it, like even to this day. There are so many things, and I'm like, nope, I want it to stay Disney Magic forever. Like, yes, I remember that ride in particular. Um, I do not have memories of needing to see any Disney princesses, like getting your picture taken with princesses or anything like that. I was never super princessy, and neither were my sisters, but also bear in mind at six years old, "Mermaid" hadn't come out yet, "Beauty and the Beast," like all these ones haven't come out yet. Um, so I don't, but I remember I do have, I think it's a picture of like I think it was Goofy. I do think that Goofy was in one of the photos that we have from like when we were kids. Um, yeah.

[14:53] David Alpert: So maybe you can convince her because I think Goofy's great.

[14:57] Sierra Boggess: Well, I should just, I'm just curious. I should talk to her about why. Yeah, I don't know if she has like a reason, but it's a thing. It's so funny, sir, because I know you're from the West. Uh, and you went to Florida rather than California. Was there a reason for that?

[15:14] Sierra Boggess: Because my granddad was from Alabama, and so we did family reunions in Alabama every, like, I mean, deep south. That is that my that side of my family is super southern. So we would have our reunions in Florida, actually, so that we would go to like Panama City Beach, and so we were in Florida for that, and that was one of our things that we got to do is go to Disney World. I didn't go to Disneyland until I was an adult.

[15:48] David Alpert: And I'm the total opposite. Disneyland was my home park, and I've actually only been to Walt Disney World twice, which I know is shocking.

[15:57] Sierra Boggess: Well, I've only been twice as well, but Disneyland, you've gone a lot.

[16:02] David Alpert: Yeah, that's an understatement.

[16:03] Sierra Boggess: Yeah. Have you been to Disneyland Paris?

[16:07] David Alpert: Uh, did I go to Paris? Did I go to Paris?

[16:12] Sierra Boggess: No, I don't think I made it there. Did I? Any of the other international ones?

[16:17] Sierra Boggess: Yes. I went to, I know I went to Tokyo and I went to Toyko Disney Sea. Um, and that was, oh, it was so good. I have to make sure that I'm not, no, I'm not wrong. I did not go to Disneyland Paris. I was going to, um, but then I, because I had moved to Paris to do a show, and then um, that got canceled because it caught on fire. So then I think my Disneyland Paris.

[16:43] Sierra Boggess: Oh wait, whoa, wait. I'm completely lying. I did go. Yes, I did, and I'm gonna send you photos from that. I did go to Paris.

[16:52] David Alpert: Oh my god.

[16:53] Sierra Boggess: Yeah. I was like, I know that I did. I knew that I had plans. The show had caught on fire. I did know that I was gonna go home, but I still, that's true. I did go. I had a friend who happened to be working there. She was playing, um, she was playing the, what's her name in "Little Mermaid"? I mean in "Cinderella," Ariel.

[17:16] David Alpert: Yeah. What's that one? Uh, she's in Cinderella.

[17:18] Sierra Boggess: Oh, the fairy godmother. She was playing her in one of the shows, and so she got me tickets to come in and like see the show and like go to the park and stuff. And I do, I loved Disneyland Paris. Of course, like everything, everything's just better in like Paris. I mean, that again, I say it here a lot, but that castle is stunning.

[17:40] David Alpert: Oh, beautiful.

[17:41] Sierra Boggess: Absolutely. Yes. Absolutely. That, um, and then of course I had to do the Haunted Mansion, and it was, um, it was around the holidays that I was there or getting to be holiday time. So they were already, I think it was October. So I think they had like really Halloweened it up. Like there was pumpkins and like all kinds of stuff. It was, it was a, oh, it was a Jack Skellington theme. That's right.

[18:12] David Alpert: Oh, so then that was probably the same thing.

[18:15] Sierra Boggess: That's probably what it was doing in Paris. Maybe, yeah. I just love that like Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris and Haunted Mansion in the States are so different. I mean, they're similarities, of course, but again, even um, Mystic Manor, you know, it's like the culture pays attention. Like, what is the kind of spooky thing that we can focus in on?

[18:36] David Alpert: Yeah.

[18:37] Sierra Boggess: I love the international parks.

[18:38] David Alpert: I do too. And truly, I want to talk about Disney Sea too, because that was just like, first of all, I remember being there with my best friend, because I was there doing a concert, and so we had some time off, and then my best friend had flown over to um, see also like Japan and all that, and so we had to go to Disney. And I remember it was raining, but they still, um, they did like the parade even in the rain, and like it was, it was great though, because then there was hardly any lines or anything like that, but it was just so beautifully done. Um, especially like Ariel's Grotto and like all the stuff that has to do with "Little Mermaid," it's the best in Tokyo.

[19:20] Sierra Boggess: It's pest is, it's I think it's the best of all of them, what I saw them do for "Little Mermaid" in um, in Tokyo.

[19:27] David Alpert: Do they ever recognize you?

[19:30] Sierra Boggess: Uh, I didn't get recog, no, I didn't get recognized there. I've never been recognized at Disney actually at a Disney park.

[19:38] David Alpert: Yeah.

[19:38] Sierra Boggess: Even when you're wearing the whole costume?

[19:40] Sierra Boggess: I know. Even though I show up and I'm like, try, like, notice me. Yeah. I just like, it is interesting. Like, unless you are fully dressed up. I mean, but even so, they're just no, I don't think I don't think I would ever get recognized. I think it's like one of the places I wouldn't get recognized. You know. And I wouldn't want to confuse any kid who's like, wait, I just saw Ariel, and why are you over here right now?

[20:07] David Alpert: Yeah.

[20:08] Sierra Boggess: Yeah. You take those Haleys off, you're ruining the magic.

[20:11] David Alpert: That's right, exactly.

[20:27] David Alpert: Sierra, what do you think makes a Disney park so magical?

[20:31] Sierra Boggess: Hmm. I think that Disney does a really amazing job of keeping you in the world. So when you enter into Disneyland or Disney World, it truly is that. It is another land, it is another world, and they do every single thing they can to keep you um invested in the magic. Um, down like everything, uh from calling it cast entrances or stuff, you know, it's not like employees or stuff. It's like cast. It's like it just feels like a whole other, it feels very thoughtful, and it feels like an experience worth having and a true escape from everything outside, you know. Um, which is why I think adults love it so much. I mean, more adults seem to love it than kids because a lot of times kids like, you know, planet Earth is still Disney World to them.

So I actually think Disney World or Land can be lost on kids a lot of the time, you know. Um, but I do think that they, and also like any characters that you meet or take pictures with, I mean they, I mean they have contracts like they are in character um without like any confusion whatsoever the whole time that they're there when they take pictures. Each princess has a certain way that they stand and way that they learn to hold their hands and stuff like that. Like that stuff is so fascinating to me. I learned that when I was in London um and I did a concert in Hyde Park with um and the Disneyland Paris um people cast had come over and so I learned, like all I sang um "Once Upon a Dream" and all the Disney princesses were there.

This was like a celebration for the Queen in Hyde Park and it was for like family day. So it was like actual the Disney princesses from the parks were there and Goofy and I got to dance with Baloo the bear and like, oh, it's the best. I lived my life, but in each, that's when I learned I was like, oh, when they are the cast, when they are the cast, they are never breaking character and they take it very seriously. And because they take it seriously, you get to have a magical time. And that's what I, that's one of the things that I think is so special about Disney.

[22:58] David Alpert: It really is.

[22:59] Sierra Boggess: Yeah.

[23:00] David Alpert: For sure. When you go to a Disney park, are there any like must-do rides or snacks that you have to accomplish?

[23:09] Sierra Boggess: Um, I must, we've talked about Haunted Mansion, but I must do that. Um, I must do the, um, I always get them conf, I uh, is it Splash Mountain? Uh-huh. Is it that one? What's the one that has the Yeti? There's like a Yeti at the end.

[23:25] David Alpert: That's the Matterhorn or Expedition Everest in Walt Disney World.

[23:30] Sierra Boggess: Okay, so that one. Um, I need to do, and I also have to do the um, I have to do Indiana Jones. Oh my gosh. That's yes. I mean, I will do that. There was a time if you go at a certain time in Disneyland, um, you know, like go on a weekday or something like that, and a certain time when rides are starting to shut down and stuff, um, if you go and the line is quite short, you get there, you can go immediately on it again, like as soon as that there's, you know how it goes. There's certain times where you can time it outright that's like, okay, and then we can go immediately on it again. We have definitely done that before. We have definitely done that. Some of those tips that I have I will not say on the podcast because I don't want everyone doing it.

[24:16] David Alpert: Correct.

[24:16] Sierra Boggess: Yeah. No, they can use some. Indiana Jones, great ride. So many fun hidden Mickeys. Have you seen the skeleton with the mouse ears that says bones on it?

[24:24] David Alpert: Oh.

[24:25] Sierra Boggess: Oh hack. Coolest. Oh, I gotta look now. Now I gotta go again. Oh. Oh, yeah, yep. And there's some other fun hidden secrets that I'm not going to tell you because I want to keep the magic alive. The Imagineers did such a great job with that ride. Oh, and also I love, sorry, I also love the um, what's the pirate one?

[24:44] David Alpert: Pirates of the Caribbean.

[24:45] Sierra Boggess: Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean. I love that one. It is like, you know, that again, that's one of those rides. It's like, wait, is this for kids? There's like a drunk pirate like chasing wenches, you know. It's like, it's so rough, like banking warm. I'm sure they have now.

[25:05] David Alpert: It was.

[25:07] Sierra Boggess: We've got questions coming up later from our listeners, but Alana was asking, do you have a favorite type of outfit or mouse ears that you like to wear to the parks?

[25:15] Sierra Boggess: Oh, so one of my best friends, um, she lives in Las Vegas, and so she goes all, I mean, she goes to Disney all the time. When she got married for her honeymoon, we all went to Disney, the bridal party, everybody. So, um, we got so many different kinds of mouse ears, and so yeah, I have to wear sparkly mouse ears every time I go. I have the classic black and reds, um, and then I have the silver ones. We got the silver ones for when we went there during um, holiday time. But Disney just gave me um, the most special mouse ears that I will, that were the limited edition Ariel ears. Um, and I was gifted those in March of 2020. Um, and I so I am very much looking forward to when I get to debut those ears at the theme park.

Um, and yes, they are stunning. Because Ariel, now she, you know, each princess like has their own set of ears, but these are like limited edition. They're hardcore. And I would actually have to, you know, I would have to make my entrance in them, but then I would have to switch probably to the silver or the classic black and red pair. Um, so that they don't like fly off. Because they're heavy duty, you see.

[26:40] David Alpert: Yeah.

[26:42] Sierra Boggess: What if I was like no, I don't know what she's talking about. What do you mean, ears? I have like such detailed answer. No, I guess this is my favorite conversation I've ever had with you. Just the intensity of the answer. I love it so much.

[26:54] David Alpert: Yeah, it's very serious.

[26:55] Sierra Boggess: And also I will say to Alana, Alana who asked that, it is an excellent question because it is very important what ear you choose with what outfit, you know, how you are going to show up to Disney is very important, I think. So excellent question.

[27:11] David Alpert: Have you ever done Disney bounding?

[27:15] Sierra Boggess: You know what that is?

[27:16] David Alpert: No, I don't.

[27:16] Sierra Boggess: So it's where you wear, you know, everyday clothing, but the color scheme, kind of the style of it matches a Disney character. So for instance, if you wanted to go as Ariel, you might wear like a nice flowing green skirt and a purple top.

[27:30] David Alpert: Mm-hmm.

[27:32] Sierra Boggess: And then maybe a red sparkly, you know.

[27:36] David Alpert: Sure.

[27:37] Sierra Boggess: I have unconsciously Disney bound then. I have definitely unconsciously Disney bound.

[27:41] David Alpert: That's right.

[27:42] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[27:43] David Alpert: Yes.

[27:43] Sierra Boggess: I didn't know that's why. I have subconsciously dressed up as Mickey Mouse every day of my life.

[27:48] David Alpert: Well, there it is.

[27:49] Sierra Boggess: But you know what's funny? I never wear my mouse ears to the parks because I'm always so scared that they're gonna fly off.

[27:54] David Alpert: Well, that's recently I purchased I have like a baseball cap that have mouse ears, and that one's good to go.

[27:59] Sierra Boggess: Oh my god. Oh, that reminds me, I have a snow hat. I have a pink snow hat with mouse ears that I got one of the winters that I was at Disney, and it's one of my favorite snow hats to this day. I still I wear it all the time, but that is an excellent choice for if you don't want it to fly off because it has the little things you can tie it on so that it stays.

[28:18] David Alpert: Yes.

[28:19] Sierra Boggess: But every day, and what's funny is I actually talked about this with Jodi Benson on this podcast is when you wear Disney clothing, people smile when they see you.

[28:28] David Alpert: This is a really easy way to spread joy.

[28:31] Sierra Boggess: Yes, it is very oh I love that.

[28:33] David Alpert: Yeah, yeah. Who do you think would enjoy a trip to the parks more? Christine Dayer, Rebecca Steinberg, or Rosalie Mullens?

[28:41] Sierra Boggess: Oh, I actually want to go with Rosalie Mullens on this. I think she needs to like because as we learn about her, she just wants to let loose and she and she asks herself of like where did the child within me go. So I think that Miss Mullens would do very well taking a field trip to the Disney parks. You know, I don't know that Christine can handle that much joy. Um and Rebecca Steinberg is um I think she is I think she's doing just fine, you know, now that she knows who she is. Um I think that she's like I would think that Rebecca Steinberg probably um has frequented a Disney park, but who needs it the most, I would say is Miss Mullens, who's gonna be like who I would love to watch experience, it is actually Miss Mullens.

[29:33] David Alpert: Good, good, good. So speaking of your Broadway resume, you know, you so wonderfully brought Ariel to the stage. If you could bring another Disney character to the Broadway stage, which one would you choose?

[29:43] Sierra Boggess: Madam Mim.

[29:45] David Alpert: Great. Moving on, perfect.

[29:47] Sierra Boggess: Or one of the squirrels. I'm just gonna actually I wouldn't know, but that is my answer. But I also would bring Merida.

[30:00] David Alpert: Sure.

[30:01] Sierra Boggess: I loved that movie. I loved it. I wept in that movie. I mean I wept. I wept.

[30:06] David Alpert: Do you think it's in your contract that you can only play redheaded Disney stars?

[30:13] Sierra Boggess: Um yes, I do. Madam Mim, Ariel. It's actually in my hair colors contract because he's like, I don't want to change your hair to another color. It takes too much to get this.

[30:25] David Alpert: Listen, as a fellow ginger under...

[30:42] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[30:42] David Alpert: Which job would you want?

[30:45] Sierra Boggess: Oh I was what I what job I would not want is to be one of the characters, actually. That became very clear just now.

[30:57] David Alpert: Sure.

[30:59] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, I think I to that's right. I'm sorry. To be friends with a character. Um I would uh oh what would I want? Would I want to be the photographer? It's part of what I love and why I think that is um I love watching the joy of people who don't do this for a living, you know, who don't dress up and stuff and who who so perhaps I would want to be a photographer. Um one of the part photographers, so that I can continue to um help capture the joy that everybody is is having. The especially and I really especially the adults. The adults need it more. They really do. The it's the forgotten child within us so um let's go with Walt would say it's the young at heart to the young at heart and that don't allow themselves or forget to give themselves permission to be that playful and joyful um I think that's yeah let's go with that photographer great we're ready photo pass.

[31:41] David Alpert: So my final question for you if former Mouse Ears were to cover any Disney song which song do you think she would choose and would you be able to provide us with an example of what that may sound like?

[31:41] Sierra Boggess: Correct um so I feel like I feel like what song would you like her to cover?

[32:29] David Alpert: Well I would love I mean of course she was a Mouseketeer in the 90s so I want some like classic so something like um so like a when you wish upon a star, stuff like that like that kind of classic or even like yeah what about so this is love from Cinderella?

[32:29] Sierra Boggess: Oh yeah sure and so this is love this is the love so the hell system makes a letter divine yeah of course just the final one is of course Snow White singing Someday My Prince Will Come.

[33:02] David Alpert: Sure that's in her key some I Prince welcome I'll find my left just right, she finally found the like her key.

[33:22] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, she did right at the last moment.

[33:27] David Alpert: Oh my god, thank you, thank you.

[33:30] Sierra Boggess: Oh sorry.

[33:32] David Alpert: We'll be right back.

[33:34] Sierra Boggess: Oh my commercial.

[33:48] David Alpert: Fast pass.

[33:54] David Alpert: Sarah, it's time for fast pass answers. I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions, and you'll have 30 seconds after I ask the first question to answer as many as possible. Are you ready?

[34:03] Sierra Boggess: I feel so ready.

[34:05] David Alpert: Okay. Come on, give me magic. Here we go. Come on. Sierra, name any character from The Little Mermaid.

[34:11] Sierra Boggess: Sebastian.

[34:13] David Alpert: Favorite snack in the parks.

[34:14] Sierra Boggess: Ice cream sandwich.

[34:16] David Alpert: Name a ride in Fantasyland.

[34:19] Sierra Boggess: Uh which one's Fantasyland?

[34:22] David Alpert: Uh I don't know. What I which one's Fantasyland?

[34:26] Sierra Boggess: The one with all the rides like Snow White and Peter Pan and the Teacups.

[34:29] David Alpert: Peter Pan and Teacups.

[34:30] Sierra Boggess: Name a song from Phantom of the Opera.

[34:32] Sierra Boggess: Phantom of the Opera.

[34:34] David Alpert: Favorite Broadway musical.

[34:35] Sierra Boggess: Color Purple.

[34:37] David Alpert: Name one of the seven dwarfs.

[34:39] Sierra Boggess: Sleepy.

[34:40] David Alpert: Favorite Disney villain.

[34:42] Sierra Boggess: Madam Mim.

[34:45] David Alpert: Shit.

[34:45] Sierra Boggess: I really got stuck on that Fantasyland.

[34:48] David Alpert: I'm not good with knowing what the names are of the things where they go and all that.

[34:52] Sierra Boggess: You did you answered it so well.

[34:54] David Alpert: You gave me two options.

[34:54] Sierra Boggess: So you can't.

[34:55] David Alpert: Well, because you gave them to me.

[34:57] Sierra Boggess: I don't know what you're talking about.

[34:58] David Alpert: That was all you.

[34:59] Sierra Boggess: It's true.

[34:59] David Alpert: It's really good. I like that you love the Color Purple and that you went for the title song of Phantom of the Opera.

[35:05] Sierra Boggess: Well done.

[35:06] David Alpert: Yes. I'm just trying to get these answers in. It's a bold choice, you know, to choose a character other than the one you played for for Little Mermaid.

[35:16] Sierra Boggess: Well, yeah, but you know, Sebastian was my favorite, still is because that's like you know what part made it made Sebastian my favorite, and I remember this is when Ariel's on the rock, um, when she's rescued Prince Eric and she's waiting on the or no, she's not on the rock yet. She's rescued Prince Eric, and Scuttle and um Sebastian get washed up onto the rock, and then he sees me with the well, he sees Ariel with Prince Eric, and his whole jaw drops.

[35:48] David Alpert: That is a fun, and then Scuttle just takes one feather and just like rolls his chin back up.

[35:54] Sierra Boggess: It is still making me laugh right now. In my favorite thing is in these beautiful Disney songs, like part of your world, when there's a character that has a reaction, and there's this moment when Sebastian sees his reflection and he screams and like in the middle of the novel song. And then he goes in the yeah, and then he f ends up in that spear stein.

[36:17] David Alpert: Yes, yes, same thing in the beautiful the beautiful song from Peter Pan, your mother and mine, Smee sobs right towards the end of it. And it's actually on the recording.

[36:28] Sierra Boggess: Wait, see, those are my favorites. Notice that the two characters, what did I say? I love the sidekicks, and I said me and Sebastian, and they both ruined beautiful moments from the ongenus.

[36:42] David Alpert: The next time you sing part of your world in concert, I want Sebastian to scream.

[36:46] Sierra Boggess: Ah just you at that and doing the part where he like sneeze or opens his eyes and a pair of glasses too. Like there's so many moments, but this is really good content.

[36:57] David Alpert: This is good content. You know, one of the ones I didn't get to ask you is can you name one of the fish mentioned in Under the Sea?

[37:04] Sierra Boggess: The Newt.

[37:05] David Alpert: The newt plays the flute, the cart plays the heart, you know.

[37:08] Sierra Boggess: So the new I would say the the the bass plays the bass.

[37:12] David Alpert: Um I need to.

[37:14] Sierra Boggess: I'm gonna I think that's exactly what Jodi said as well.

[37:18] David Alpert: Oh, really?

[37:19] Sierra Boggess: Well, because it's it makes sense because it's the first um it's the first.

[37:25] David Alpert: That's that works.

[37:25] Sierra Boggess: It's a good one. It's a good one.

[37:33] David Alpert: Hold on, you're thinking ears. It's trivia time.

[37:35] Sierra Boggess: Oh boy.

[37:39] David Alpert: It's trivia time. At Disney California Adventure lives the Little Mermaid, Ariel's undersea adventure attraction. The Disneyland website states, quote, while this delightful adventure takes you under the sea, there is no actual water and you will not get wet. End quote. Truly on the website. Though they stay dry, guests do get to board giant clamshells, each weighing a staggering 1,635 pounds, and witness Ariel's journey. The ride uses the voices of both Jodi Benson and Pat Carroll to help tell the story and features how many characters in the ride, including Sebastian, one of the smallest audio animatronics created by the Imagineers.

[38:19] Sierra Boggess: Oh, I d I don't know.

[38:23] David Alpert: Take a guess.

[38:23] Sierra Boggess: It's crazy. It it's shocking how many.

[38:28] David Alpert: Like a hundred.

[38:30] Sierra Boggess: It's nearly one hundred and ninety.

[38:33] David Alpert: Wow.

[38:35] Sierra Boggess: All from mermaid?

[38:36] David Alpert: Yeah.

[38:37] Sierra Boggess: It's possible each fish. What's so funny is Disney says nearly 190. It's like, why nearly?

[38:41] David Alpert: Yeah.

[38:44] Sierra Boggess: No. Is there like one that shows up for matinees only? Like some of these things are like, no.

[38:52] David Alpert: Yeah, it's the newt. He's like, I can't play the flute all eight shows, you know, or actually 20,000 shows a day.

[39:00] Sierra Boggess: Oh my god. That makes sense. You know what? Nearly makes sense.

[39:03] David Alpert: Don't question Disney.

[39:04] Sierra Boggess: Don't question.

[39:05] David Alpert: I won't, I won't.

[39:19] Sierra Boggess: Sierra, you have dazzled audiences all over the world with your incredible performances, including Christine Daye in The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies, as well as Ariel and The Little Mermaid. So it's time to play everyone's favorite game, Ariel or Christine Day. I'm going to give you a clue, and I need you to tell me if I'm referring to Christine, Ariel, or both of them. Are you ready to wish you were somehow part of your world?

[39:42] Sierra Boggess: Wow. Yes.

[39:45] David Alpert: Okay, good. So number one for Christine Day or Ariel. I am a young woman dreaming of new adventures, and I often share my hopes and dreams with a fish.

[39:56] Sierra Boggess: Ariel.

[39:58] David Alpert: That is Ariel.

[40:01] Sierra Boggess: Could have been Christine.

[40:02] David Alpert: Could have been until you said fish. If you said ballerina, it would have been Christine.

[40:08] Sierra Boggess: Maybe in her dressing room, she had a little fish bowl. We don't know.

[40:10] David Alpert: That's right. She had a little beta fish.

[40:13] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, Christine Day or Ariel number two. I love to sing so much. In fact, there is someone who lives below sea level who is obsessed with my voice and demands that I sing for them.

[40:26] Sierra Boggess: Both. That is both. Definitely both. Definitely both. And Ursula for sure lives below C level.

[40:35] Sierra Boggess: And so does that phantom.

[40:37] David Alpert: Yeah, he does.

[40:39] Sierra Boggess: Stupid. I'm sorry.

[40:42] David Alpert: Number three.

[40:43] Sierra Boggess: Well, although, does Ariel love to sing?

[40:48] David Alpert: I think so.

[40:49] Sierra Boggess: She well, let me say this though, because she sure did miss the concert.

[40:56] Sierra Boggess: I think others love her to sing. Because she missed the concert. She's always missing these rehearsals. She has a beautiful voice, they talk about, but Sebastian seems to want her to sing more. I'm not sure that actually what she loves is singing. I think, you know, she just loves human things. But yes, she does have someone obsessed with her voice. And I think for her, it's everyone else but her. Whereas Christine actually loves to sing. I think. So this is the dramaturgical relevance of you were like, I'm just trying to play a fun game, Sierra. No, no, are you kidding me? This game is only to lead us to a deeper understanding. Absolutely. Yes.

[41:42] David Alpert: Speaking of great games, number three of Christine Dayer or Ariel. There are so many cool objects in the human world, including forks, books, and chandeliers. The latter almost took me out one day at work.

[41:58] Sierra Boggess: Oh, well, definitely Christine. I'm just making sure that like a fork didn't almost take Ariel. But just the latter, only a chandelier.

[42:09] David Alpert: Yeah, just yeah. So, so yeah, just Christine for that one.

[42:14] Sierra Boggess: That's right. It is just Christine.

[42:16] David Alpert: Okay. We gotta be careful.

[42:17] Sierra Boggess: I did. I watched this morning. I was like, is there a chandelier in the grotto?

[42:21] David Alpert: But no.

[42:22] Sierra Boggess: Oh, that's good to know. But she does put a fork in a candelabra, and it's like, doesn't she know that it's a dinglehopper?

[42:29] David Alpert: But she does know it's a dingle hopper, but she doesn't know that that's a candelabra.

[42:35] Sierra Boggess: So she doesn't know her, and what's the word?

[42:37] David Alpert: Yeah, you're right.

[42:38] Sierra Boggess: Because she doesn't look at the fire that coming from the candelabra, she looks at the fire from the painting. So she knows what a fire is, but she doesn't know what a candle is. She didn't ask what what's a fire and how does it on what does it burn? On what does it burn with what does it relate to Hanukkah?

[42:56] David Alpert: Yes, exactly.

[42:57] Sierra Boggess: That's exactly number four for Christine Dayer or Ariel. The world first knew about me by reading a book written by a man from Europe.

[43:08] David Alpert: Both.

[43:09] Sierra Boggess: That's right.

[43:10] David Alpert: Both Ariel and Christine.

[43:12] Sierra Boggess: Gaston Leroux, who is French, and Hans Christian Andersen, who was Danish.

[43:16] David Alpert: Yes.

[43:16] Sierra Boggess: Yeah, it's both.

[43:18] David Alpert: Number five, my father has a huge impact on my life and often looks over me.

[43:23] Sierra Boggess: Both.

[43:24] David Alpert: That is both.

[43:26] Sierra Boggess: Oh, that is so both.

[43:28] David Alpert: Yeah.

[43:29] Sierra Boggess: That's one of the most beautiful moments in Little Mermaid for sure. Like when he destroys the grotto.

[43:36] David Alpert: Yes.

[43:37] Sierra Boggess: When he lets her have it.

[43:39] David Alpert: Yeah.

[43:40] Sierra Boggess: But Daddy, I love him.

[43:41] David Alpert: Daddy, I love him.

[43:45] Sierra Boggess: That is the second time that has been said on this podcast.

[43:48] David Alpert: Of course.

[43:50] Sierra Boggess: One of the things. If you get people of a certain age on here, there are certain things that we know.

[43:55] David Alpert: Yeah, yes, we do.

[43:57] Sierra Boggess: Number six for Christine Dayer or Ariel. There are so many wonderful songs by incredible musicians that have been written as my story has been adapted for the stage, including one song entirely sung by a group of seagulls.

[44:13] David Alpert: Well, Ariel.

[44:15] Sierra Boggess: That is, that is, it's definitely Ariel.

[44:18] David Alpert: But I was like, again, I just have to be like, wait, were there seagulls in the opera?

[44:24] Sierra Boggess: You know, uh Christine Dayer Ariel number seven.

[44:33] David Alpert: I love love. And during my story, I get to take a boat ride with a man who is super interested in me.

[44:39] Sierra Boggess: Hey, both.

[44:41] David Alpert: That's right.

[44:42] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[44:43] David Alpert: I love it.

[44:44] Sierra Boggess: Yep. They both get that boat ride.

[44:46] David Alpert: Sure do.

[44:47] Sierra Boggess: I wish that like the candle obras in um in the opera house could sing like kiss the girl.

[44:54] David Alpert: I know.

[44:54] Sierra Boggess: Or like Scottal, WHAP WHAP! I want to see that mashup.

[45:01] David Alpert: Fan of the opera.

[45:01] Sierra Boggess: Okay. Someone's gonna someone is gonna do it now that you put it out there.

[45:04] David Alpert: Yeah, yes, please.

[45:06] Sierra Boggess: How come it hasn't been done yet? Get on it, people.

[45:08] David Alpert: Yeah.

[45:09] Sierra Boggess: Even like, you know, he grabs a candle the phantom grabs a candle opera and it's actually Lumiere. We could do it.

[45:15] David Alpert: We could so do it.

[45:17] Sierra Boggess: I mean, this is the core of E Ticket to Broadway.

[45:19] David Alpert: Okay, number eight, here comes the bride, all dressed in white. I get to wear a beautiful wedding dress in my story.

[45:26] Sierra Boggess: Both.

[45:27] David Alpert: That's both.

[45:28] Sierra Boggess: That's both.

[45:29] David Alpert: One gets thrown around in her wedding dress.

[45:32] Sierra Boggess: Um, and another one. The wait, really quickly, the wedding dress that was designed for Little Mermaid Broadway, the original design, it lasted one performance only in the out of town preview because it was shaped like a shell.

[45:48] Sierra Boggess: So it was beautiful, but it was not designed to maneuver. It was designed to basically you stand in a basically a clamshell so you can't bow in it. You can either bend down or up or back or side. So it is not practical and you ha I had to climb a ladder to get to the top of the ship. So that was and it that couldn't even be done. So it lasted but one performance but it was beautiful.

[46:14] David Alpert: Did it also weigh one thousand six hundred and thirty five pounds like the one at California Adventure?

[46:19] Sierra Boggess: Oh my god, uh no this one weighed no pounds but the wedding dress that does weigh that also is um is Christine's wedding dress that is the heaviest dress that I have ever worn goodness okay we've got two more you are killing this Christine Dayer Ariel.

[46:37] Sierra Boggess: I often perform in a theatrical chorus with other wonderful women and one time right at my entrance I wasn't there which really angered a crustacean.

[46:37] David Alpert: My god well my minus the crustacean part it's both of them it is but yeah except the crustacean although some people could say Madame Giri's a crustacean you know she's she is crusty she threw crestes at me for missing my entrance you are right is Ariel.

[47:08] Sierra Boggess: The final question for Christine Dayer Ariel number 10 I am so lucky that my story has been shared with Broadway audiences. In fact, a man very close to me has been played on Broadway by Norm Lewis.

[47:23] David Alpert: Well, that's both.

[47:24] Sierra Boggess: That is both.

[47:25] David Alpert: It is he is both my father and my masked lover.

[47:30] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[47:31] David Alpert: Well, Sierra, congratulations.

[47:33] Sierra Boggess: You did incredibly well on Christine Day or Ariel.

[47:36] David Alpert: Oh, thank you.

[47:41] Sierra Boggess: Now let's hear from some of you.

[47:49] David Alpert: Sierra, we put it on social media and your fans came out in full force. You had over a hundred questions, but here are some really fun questions I want to ask you on their behalf.

[47:59] David Alpert: So Campbell is curious. Have you actually combed your hair with a fork?

[48:02] Sierra Boggess: Yes, I have. Absolutely, yes.

[48:05] David Alpert: Yes.

[48:07] Sierra Boggess: I don't think I have, but I know what I'm gonna do later.

[48:10] David Alpert: Yes, you do, because you want your answer to be yes.

[48:13] Sierra Boggess: Yes, that's right. Always.

[48:14] David Alpert: Claire wants to know, what is your favorite memory from Little Mermaid on Broadway?

[48:19] Sierra Boggess: That would be the first time that I heard the orchestra. Um so getting that to be your Broadway debut, and then coming down to the stage for the first time um before there's an audience and getting to hear the orchestra playing that iconic music. That is that is one of my earliest and most favorite memories.

[48:41] David Alpert: Charlie wants to know, is there a possibility that you could ever be in Disney on ice since you're really good at ice skating too?

[48:47] Sierra Boggess: I mean that is like that's a dream right there. I would love to. I am not, I mean, I post a lot of content of trying to get back into it, but I've been off the ice for 20 years. So if I kept working at it, then that would be the coolest thing in the world to get to do that. Because ice skating is still um my maybe number one passion and love.

[49:14] David Alpert: Did you go to Disney on Ice a lot as a kid?

[49:17] Sierra Boggess: Never. I never have seen a Disney on Ice. And my little cousin was a professional skater um in Disney on Ice. But while she was touring and stuff, she's much younger than I am. So by the time that she was skating professionally, um I didn't I was doing different Broadway shows, so I could never get to see her because she was on tour. Um and I was just actually just talking to her today, and I was like, I can't believe that I never got to see you in person um skate on in Disney on ice. So um it's really it makes me sad. It's one of the things that I wish that I but no, I've never seen.

[49:57] David Alpert: You haven't.

[49:58] Sierra Boggess: Oh my gosh. It they often come to, you know, around New York City, and I will go.

[50:01] David Alpert: Yeah, gather some friends and go because it's the closest I can get to feeling like I'm at a Disney park.

[50:06] Sierra Boggess: Mm-hmm. You know, while still living in New York City, and it's so fun. I remember as a kid there was a Snow White one, and I bought like the souvenir book and the stickers and I mean they're really awesome. I mean it it's like I it's ridiculous that I have never seen one in person. Um yeah, it's my it's a dream. I would love uh I just I love it.

[50:25] David Alpert: I'm gonna I'm gonna get you a big Sebastian costume that you can wear while you're training, and then that way you're ready for your audition.

[50:31] Sierra Boggess: Okay, perfect.

[50:31] David Alpert: Go be much patting.

[50:33] Sierra Boggess: Yeah.

[50:34] David Alpert: Sarah asks, and Sarah might be on to you. Who is your favorite Disney sidekick character?

[50:42] Sierra Boggess: I mean, I'm trying to think now of others that's like, I mean, Archimedes, I think is the greatest sidekick of he's for those that don't know, he's the owl. He's Merlin's sidekick in um Sword in the Stone. I absolutely love him, but I do I'm just going through. I love obviously Gus. Gus Gus from um Cinderella. Uh d- uh zigzag. Uh, and I love him. I've said I love Sebastian and Scuttle equally, actually, for Little Mermaid. Um Lumiere was my favorite in Beauty and the Beast. Um, Abu, of course.

[51:20] Sierra Boggess: Uh babla. Uh um all oh, and then in Pocahontas, that little tug dog. Like, what was his name even?

[51:34] David Alpert: Hercy.

[51:34] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[51:36] David Alpert: Yes, it is he.

[51:38] Sierra Boggess: Um, wait, but I'm gonna throw this at you. The black cauldron.

[51:43] David Alpert: Oh, deep cut.

[51:45] Sierra Boggess: I don't think I've actually seen the black cauldron.

[51:48] David Alpert: I think just out of fear.

[51:49] Sierra Boggess: It was made in 1982. Um, and that was probably I don't know why that was one of the first Disney movies I saw. It is not for ch it is a very scary movie, but the sidekick in that is named Gurgee, and I love Gurgee.

[52:06] David Alpert: I love Gergie.

[52:07] Sierra Boggess: So those that know Black Cauldron, Gurge. When that one comes to Broadway.

[52:13] David Alpert: When it comes to Broadway, look out.

[52:14] Sierra Boggess: I am playing Gurgy song.

[52:16] David Alpert: Gurge.

[52:18] Sierra Boggess: I also, speaking of sidekicks, I love Mooshu and Cricket.

[52:22] David Alpert: Mulan.

[52:23] Sierra Boggess: Moose!

[52:24] David Alpert: Oh my both of them.

[52:25] Sierra Boggess: Yes, both of them.

[52:26] David Alpert: Oh, they're great.

[52:27] Sierra Boggess: Yes, I love Mulan.

[52:29] David Alpert: Actually, I Mulan's one of my favorites.

[52:32] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[52:32] David Alpert: Yeah.

[52:32] Sierra Boggess: Yeah.

[52:34] David Alpert: Madison underscore Brook 29 asks, what are some of the best lessons you have learned through Disney movies?

[52:40] Sierra Boggess: Oh. I think an overwhelming theme in a Disney movie is the never giving up. Um that you watch all these characters. I mean, all the characters go through journeys, like major journeys. Um, and so never giving up, I think, is um when the cause is noble. That's something that I've really seen a theme come through.

[53:05] Sierra Boggess: Um, you also sort of see that like each each Disney villain with a villain, there's always a final speech or always a final I got 'em, and then it's just over for them, and the hero always has like one more thing up their sleeve, you know. So I think um I've been like, oh yeah, we're like where there's tyranny in this life. It's like I know that the the tyrannical person is almost done when they give some type of Disney villain final speech of I got it, and then we come through as the good guys and we get 'em with our final thing, you know.

[53:43] Sierra Boggess: Um, but I would say that, and I would say um that also there's always um you always watch every character being so brave, and and I don't care like what who they are, like each one is brave in their own way. And again, the sidekicks, like I'm thinking of Cinderella, because she was she's very brave, but then you also have all her sidekicks that are brave enough and strong, they they you know, they push that heavy key all the way up to her room, you know, to help unlock her. Just that it's always a team effort, isn't it? It's never just like the princess does this or the prince does this, or it's it's not cookie cutter, it's very complex.

[54:27] Sierra Boggess: And good will always win. Good will always win.

[54:30] Sierra Boggess: And it and it will, it just will. That's not a Disney fantasy. It just is the way that it is.

[54:37] David Alpert: That's right.

[54:39] Sierra Boggess: Leia is curious. Have you ever met Jodi Benson?

[54:42] Sierra Boggess: Yes. I met Jodi Benson opening night of Little Mermaid on Broadway. Um, there is much photographic evidence of that moment that was life-changing for me. And she, if anybody has met her, you just know that she is one of the loveliest people. She truly is real life Ariel. Um, and fun fact, Jodi Benson and I went to the same college, um, Millikin University in the middle of Decatur, Illinois. No one had ever heard of it. Um, and so we talked a little bit about Millikin too, which was crazy. Um, and I just I just think the world of her, and that was such a dream come true for me to get to meet her. Um, and especially on a night that was so life-changing for me as it was.

[55:29] David Alpert: You also shared speaking of uh voices of Disney that have been on E-Ticket to Broadway, you have a fun Jonathan Freeman story.

[55:36] Sierra Boggess: Well, yes, so Jafar I mentioned this earlier. My older sister, Summer, um, she is obsessed and always has been with all the Disney villains. So Jafar uh was one of her favorite ones, and so we used to quote Jafar things all the time, patience, y'all go, you know. And um, so when I knew I was doing Little Mermaid and I was doing it with Jonathan Freeman playing Grimsby, it's like this is unreal. Like that whole thing was just, and and Jonathan is one of the greatest humans and friends on the planet. Um, and so on my final night of Little Mermaid when I was leaving the show, um, he, as a present to me, there's always uh on Broadway, they have the stage manager will make the announcements for us backstage.

So it's like, hey, uh hi everybody, welcome. It's half hour call. Here's who's um on tonight for so and so's out tonight, and here's um who's conducting and all these things. They make announcements um to us backstage as we're getting ready in our dressing rooms. And so my final night of Little Mermaid as my present, Jonathan Freeman gave the announcements as Jafar. Um it was the best thing in Sierra. This is Sierra's final show. It was so brilliant. He also gave me a picture of him that he signed, like um him uh and next to his character, like the drawing of Jafar. It's in black and white. It's just ugh, and he signed it. And I have it framed, of course. It's one of my favorite possessions. I'm just like, ugh, I love him.

[57:15] David Alpert: Yeah, he's a great guy.

[57:17] Sierra Boggess: Yeah.

[57:18] David Alpert: Callie wants to know Mike Wazowski or Sully.

[57:21] Sierra Boggess: Mike Wazowski. Um, I think I only like that because his name. Um, Sully. Great.

[57:30] David Alpert: Vessa asks, Do you have a favorite moment with Sherie Rene Scott?

[57:34] Sierra Boggess: All of oh, yes, I do have a favorite moment, and it's Disney. Um, it was when we were on stage, and I I uh destroy her at the end of the show. I take the shell and then I smash it, and that's the thing that um makes her go down. And um, in our Disney Magic version, there's a trapdoor, and Ursula, you know, just disappears. Well, one night that trap malfunctioned, and you have never seen two actors be more terrified. So what it did was it went down about an inch, but that's enough. Like you're the floor moved an inch, but then it quickly stopped because something's wrong. The safety, you know, the safety mechanism is that it stops so it doesn't become a hole in the stage. So it stopped, but she was so terrified, and I was terrified.

She jumped out into my arms. So I'm it's literally Ariel and Ursula hugging full body holding each other's bodies on bodies, and then we just inch. I wish you could see me right now, but I so I'm trying to describe this as best I can. So while holding each other, we just sidestep very carefully off the stage together. So I'm in my Heelys, so you have to be on your toes. She's in these huge platform shoes that are not really meant for walking around. And so we are taking very tiny steps all the way off stage left until the stage management could fix the problem. That is one of my favorite Sherie and Sierra moments. It's like I'm defeating the villain, but then it's like we need each other.

[59:04] David Alpert: It's not a wonderful life lesson, though.

[59:06] Sierra Boggess: Tis true.

[59:07] David Alpert: It is true.

[59:08] Sierra Boggess: That's right. Sophia asks, if you could meet up with Ariel, what advice would you give her? And what would you both do?

[59:16] Sierra Boggess: Well, I would hopefully be able to have the technology to swim underwater without needing to breathe, because I would want to just go swimming around in that grotto that she was in. I I want her to take me on a journey of her little place. That that's what I wouldn't you like, oh um totally. But don't you I mean, like, question, and this is you know, when I when I get to meet Ariel in the parks, I always say, like, I I I thought you I thought you became a human. Do you think that when you meet Ariel, like, is Ariel right now, is she a human or is she still a mermaid?

[59:47] Sierra Boggess: Well, I guess that's a great question for her. Is that and that's what I would want to know is did you lose like please tell me that you didn't lose your powers to go underwater? I bet not, because her father ultimately gave her the legs. So with the m he's not gonna make it so that she can never see him again. So I would imagine that she does get to not necessarily go as a mermaid, but I bet she has a power where she let's say that that she can breathe underwater. I think that's true.

[1:00:16] David Alpert: Yeah. Would you give her any advice?

[1:00:20] Sierra Boggess: Um no, I don't think I would. I I really don't. Just support her in her choices. Look, if she wanted some I guess I would tell her you're enough. I suppose that's the advice I give the people, but um only if she needed it. I'm not I'm not one to give unsolicited advice. So I that's why that question is tricky for me, because it's not like I'm waiting to just like give her some advice.

[1:00:46] David Alpert: Yeah.

[1:00:47] Sierra Boggess: I would say to her, the next time you can't speak and someone asks you your name, just write it down. Just write it down. Just write it down. You know, girl, I saw you sign that contract.

[1:00:55] David Alpert: Yes, so you know.

[1:00:57] Sierra Boggess: Yeah. Although that was a very magical pin.

[1:01:01] David Alpert: Oh no, that's true.

[1:01:02] Sierra Boggess: She did, she actually did.

[1:01:04] David Alpert: That's right, never mind.

[1:01:05] Sierra Boggess: I thought she just pointed at it.

[1:01:08] David Alpert: It's a question mark.

[1:01:09] Sierra Boggess: It's question mark. Sally asks, do you have a favorite Winnie the Pooh character?

[1:01:13] Sierra Boggess: Tigger.

[1:01:14] David Alpert: Great. And the final question. Kobe wants to know has the way you approached singing part of your world changed over the years?

[1:01:22] Sierra Boggess: Yes. I just was teaching a master class last night, actually, and someone was singing part of your world, and I said that very thing, which is I've been singing part of your world since I was seven years old. Um, you know, for fun and like all that stuff. It means something to you different when you're seven and ten and fourteen and eighteen and twenty and all the stuff. So, yes, I think that if you are um really paying attention to what you are singing about, it should change um with along with you. Um, and so I definitely do that. And I encourage anybody who sings part of your world and who works on it to make sure that you are making it your own version. And the way that you do that is by getting very clear on what is your world, meaning what is the thing that you want. Ariel wants to be on land. So what is the thing that brings you that much passion? What is that thing for you and sing to that? And that changes for me.

[1:02:20] David Alpert: Well, great, Sierra, thank you so much for answering all those questions.

[1:02:24] Sierra Boggess: Yes.

[1:02:26] David Alpert: It's time for some tough choices. Let's play Tweedledee or Tweedledum.

[1:02:33] Sierra Boggess: Sierra's everyone's favorite. This is Tweedle D or Tweedledum. Let me know which one you prefer.

[1:02:37] Sierra Boggess: So I love Tweedle D. Oh no, these are sidekicks. Here we go. I know, and I love Tweedle D is my favorite, and I played Tweedled D in Alice in Wonderland in middle school in our middle school production. It was the I did not audition for Alice. I didn't want it. I only wanted Tweedled D and Tweedledum with my best friend Alexandria Hogan. We auditioned for Sweet D, Tweedum. We practiced, we made a whole thing. We had handshake, we had a whole thing. I can probably still do it to this day.

[1:03:03] David Alpert: Tweedledee.

[1:03:04] Sierra Boggess: Great. Well, here's I hope these weren't a rapid fire because I went home.

[1:03:10] David Alpert: No, they're not, no, no.

[1:03:11] Sierra Boggess: No, no, I mean that's just the name of the game, but you're the first guest to answer that.

[1:03:15] David Alpert: I have an enthusiastic answer.

[1:03:18] Sierra Boggess: I'm thrilled.

[1:03:18] David Alpert: So uh here comes another one. Tweedledeer, Tweedledum, Big Thunder Mountain or Space Mountain.

[1:03:20] Sierra Boggess: Space Mountain.

[1:03:25] David Alpert: Space Mountain because it's all it's it makes you have to use senses other than your eyes.

[1:03:31] Sierra Boggess: Good.

[1:03:32] David Alpert: Yeah.

[1:03:33] Sierra Boggess: Right? That's the ple complete darkness with stars and stuff, but like you have sensations of like, oh, you have like they take one of your senses away so that you are having just whole other sensations, you know.

[1:03:47] David Alpert: Yeah.

[1:03:48] Sierra Boggess: Tweedledee or Tweedledum, it's a small world, or the teacups.

[1:03:52] Sierra Boggess: Oh, neither.

[1:03:54] David Alpert: Oh.

[1:03:54] Sierra Boggess: Neither. Those are my two least favorite one because I get very motion sick. So I don't I can't do anything that spins around and around for no reason. And I can't do any of the things.

[1:04:05] David Alpert: There is a reason.

[1:04:06] Sierra Boggess: There is a reason for that.

[1:04:08] David Alpert: What's the reason?

[1:04:09] Sierra Boggess: It's a mad tea party.

[1:04:10] David Alpert: I understand.

[1:04:12] Sierra Boggess: But why does it need to go around and around? I I could do up and down is better.

[1:04:17] David Alpert: And what do you have against it's a small world?

[1:04:20] Sierra Boggess: Well, I know it sounds sad. But someone else must have said this. This song repeats the whole time. And if the ride gets stuck, which it does, there is zero times in which that ride does not get stuck. And you are also stuck with that tape playing. And it is a tape. I am convinced that it's still a cassette tape. Yes. Playing the same song over and over again. Do I think it is cool that it is a small world after all? Yes, I do. But I need that phrase said to me once. I it's not a ride I feel I need to go on because the ride tells you what it is. It's a small world after all. And I'm like, awesome. I love that. And it sure is. Moving on.

[1:05:01] David Alpert: Okay, good.

[1:05:02] Sierra Boggess: Okay, good.

[1:05:02] David Alpert: Tweedled or tweeddledum. Dole Whips or Churros?

[1:05:06] Sierra Boggess: Churros.

[1:05:07] David Alpert: Okay. And final Tweedledeeer Tweedledum. Under the sea or masquerade?

[1:05:13] Sierra Boggess: Under the sea. It's more fun.

[1:05:15] David Alpert: Yeah.

[1:05:16] Sierra Boggess: Well, but then I'm thinking about masquerade. No, I think. I like actually. I'm gonna use another. I like both equally, actually, when I really think about it.

[1:05:28] David Alpert: Well, that can make up for the it's a small world or teacups.

[1:05:31] Sierra Boggess: Well, that's what I was just about to say. So because it cancels it out. So one I said neither, and one I said both. Cancelled.

[1:05:54] David Alpert: Sierra, what are the feelings that you experience when you see the castle down Main Street?

[1:05:59] Sierra Boggess: Uh it it truly does feel like that. It's weird. It's like that is the dream. There's something about that that makes you feel like weirdly, anything's possible. Dreams come true, keep dreaming. Um, it's weird that a building can make you feel that invokes that type of just possibility. It doesn't feel like, oh, that's a faraway thing. Um, and I don't know what the thing is, but it definitely invokes hope and magic, and it feels attainable, and I don't know why that is.

[1:06:37] David Alpert: Agreed. What's the first thing you want to do the next time you go to the parks?

[1:06:46] Sierra Boggess: I think that um I'm thinking about Disneyland now. Um, and just I'm gonna be really mindful when I walk through the gates again. I'm gonna be really mindful in a way that I haven't been um because it's been a while since I've been. Um, just to truly take in uh just the magic and again the thoughtfulness of of everything that a Disney park is. Um that's that truly is my answer. I just want to be very I want to be fully present with everything.

[1:07:25] David Alpert: Well, Sierra, I'm so thankful that you've joined me for this episode and for sharing your love of Sword and the Stone and the Haunted Mansion and all of the sidekicks and your experience with Ariel. This has been so much fun, so thank you so much.

[1:07:36] Sierra Boggess: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about something so joyful, and thank you for all your questions. This was so so much fun.

[1:07:45] David Alpert: Of course. And we'll see you at the parks.

[1:07:47] Sierra Boggess: Yes, you will.