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[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.

[0:23] David Alpert: Ha ha. Welcome to this Park Hopper episode of E-Ticket to Broadway. I'm joined today by my dear friend, Broadway star Kate Reinders, who is also a big fancy Disney Plus star, appearing as Miss Jenn on High School Musical, The Musical, The Series. We'll be right back with Kate to chat all things Disney.

[1:02] David Alpert: Kate, welcome back to E-Ticket. I always love our time together. This is the very first Park Hopper episode, and of the more than 50 guests on E-Ticket to Broadway, you are the guest that I've known the longest. So it only makes sense to start with you. So thank you for joining.

[1:19] Kate Reinders: Wait, I'm sorry. I thought it was because I am your favorite.

[1:22] David Alpert: That is also accurate. Thank you. I have 15 plus favorite people. My favorite old friends.

[1:30] David Alpert: No, we had such a blast. We talked back in 2020, believe it or not, when we were all starting pandemics.

[1:36] Kate Reinders: I remember.

[1:36] David Alpert: But what's different with these is these are gonna be live episodes. I'm not editing this, so unless you know we say something terrible.

[1:43] Kate Reinders: Yeah, thank you. But it's also like we're gonna talk date specific. So, like today is January 28th, 2023.

[1:49] Kate Reinders: Yeah, it is.

[1:50] David Alpert: I can share that the Disney 100 celebration just kicked off. Did you know this?

[1:54] Kate Reinders: Just yesterday.

[1:57] David Alpert: No.

[1:57] Kate Reinders: Yeah.

[1:58] David Alpert: Disney 100, 100 years of the Walt Disney Company. I mean, I'm pressing that. Almost as old as our friendship.

[2:04] Kate Reinders: That's right.

[2:05] David Alpert: Yes. Roy and Walt, and then Kate and David. Um, we have to start off by asking, we have to ask Kate, who are you wearing today?

[2:14] Kate Reinders: Oh, I'm sorry. I'm wearing um some uh Mickey Mouse Target shirt, and I am wearing a Theory jacket, actually, that has been snagged from High School Musical. This was a Miss Jenn season two photo shoot outfit. If you recall, we had really cute like pink outfits on a red background, and I think my thing, I was like walking real cool. Anyway, this is that jacket, and then of course, I have my uh most important item, which is my Mickey ears. Yes, Disneyland Mickey ears. I am actually pulling out this is from I think 10 years ago. This is a Peter Pan hat from the Manhattan with my name in the back.

[2:54] David Alpert: Oh you have to have that.

[2:56] Kate Reinders: I love it as a redhead. We love Peter Pan, but also Kate and I were in a production of Peter Pan.

[3:03] David Alpert: We were in a production of Peter Pan. Neither of us were actually Peter Pan.

[3:07] Kate Reinders: No, but beside the point. I was Curly the Lost Boy.

[3:13] Kate Reinders: I was Wendy, and she sang.

[3:16] David Alpert: Angela Darling.

[3:17] Kate Reinders: And it was the Bernstein version, which is beautiful.

[3:19] David Alpert: Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[3:20] Kate Reinders: Yeah, Wendy sang.

[3:21] David Alpert: Oh, yeah.

[3:22] Kate Reinders: Because I remember saying to the director, I don't want to be Wendy, I want to be Peter. And he said, Kate, I need you to sing. And then how do you say no to that?

[3:29] Kate Reinders: I was like, okay, I love you.

[3:32] David Alpert: You were great.

[3:34] Kate Reinders: Peter Pita pita.

[3:36] David Alpert: I remember that song. Remember that.

[3:37] Kate Reinders: Have a smudge on your face.

[3:39] David Alpert: I remember that.

[3:40] Kate Reinders: Oh, look at you.

[3:41] David Alpert: Oh, yeah. You remember better than I do.

[3:43] Kate Reinders: I'm a show queen.

[3:45] David Alpert: Um for applause. Uh so a quick touch space before we jump into this Park Hopper specifically. We got into it on your episode of E-Ticket to Broadway, but can you tell me a favorite Disney character of yours?

[4:01] Kate Reinders: Yes. I love Tinkerbell.

[4:05] Kate Reinders: Yeah. I love Ariel.

[4:09] David Alpert: Good.

[4:09] Kate Reinders: I love um. I have to say though, uh, I'm starting to. I mean, as there are more, I love Mirabelle.

[4:18] David Alpert: Oh.

[4:19] Kate Reinders: Don't you?

[4:20] David Alpert: From Encanto?

[4:21] Kate Reinders: Yeah. I love that you covered like so many eras of Disney with that answer.

[4:26] David Alpert: Yeah, that's the thing. They're all good.

[4:29] Kate Reinders: They're all good. And what about a favorite Disney Parks attraction?

[4:34] Kate Reinders: Well, I love The Little Mermaid Ride.

[4:36] David Alpert: Oh.

[4:36] Kate Reinders: I do. I also love Carsland because now with Luke, I have this deep appreciation for cars. Plus, we do lots of car improv work during the week.

[4:48] Kate Reinders: Um, I'm working on my different voices and accents. He still tries to make me Sally all the time, which I don't, I just really don't want him to pigeonhole me like that.

[4:57] David Alpert: Sure, I understand. You have range.

[4:59] Kate Reinders: Although I I was a Porsche.

[5:02] David Alpert: Did you like that?

[5:03] Kate Reinders: Get that Something Rotten, Porsche.

[5:05] David Alpert: Yeah, nice. And I you shared a video with me when I saw you just a couple weeks ago for a lovely breakfast reunion in Muskegon, Michigan.

[5:12] Kate Reinders: Yeah.

[5:13] David Alpert: There was a lovely video at IHOP. Shout out to IHOP.

[5:17] Kate Reinders: Um, sponsor me, please.

[5:19] David Alpert: Can you imagine with IHOPs? Sponsor our lives, please. I want to that French toast.

[5:26] Kate Reinders: Um, that you showed me a fun video of Luke on Radiator Racers with you. And it was so sweet.

[5:31] Kate Reinders: Oh. It was sweet until he was terrified. He was so excited because he was finally tall enough. And uh, but then you know, we went in there and it's louder kind of and darker than you remember. And uh, and then it started going faster and faster, and his face went from a smile to a grimace to uh, I wanna get off, but you know, there's no you can't. Sorry, honey. I tried to shield him and hold him, but then he was crying and screaming at the end. But if you ask him now, he really liked it.

[6:06] David Alpert: Yeah, it's great. I remember I went on, I took my mom on it recently, and you always do single rider for cars if you uh if you don't have a small child to accompany.

[6:15] Kate Reinders: Absolutely you do.

[6:16] David Alpert: Okay, mom, we'll see you on the other side. And she got off the ride and was like, that was fast.

[6:21] Kate Reinders: I was like, it is fast, it really does go quickly. Uh so before we uh pull our conversation, make sure you're following the podcast on Instagram at E-Ticket to Broadway. So Kate, for these Park Hopper episodes, we're gonna pull our conversation from this magical Dopey lounge fly backpack to just give us something to talk about for a little bit.

[6:41] Kate Reinders: Okay.

[6:42] David Alpert: So there's some prompts in here. Do you notice that I have in the video? I have two Dopey lounge fly backpacks.

[6:47] Kate Reinders: I was gonna say, you have uh you have some Dopey going on behind you.

[6:51] David Alpert: I love Dopey. If you're new to E-Ticket to Broadway, you'll learn you hear that a lot.

[6:57] Kate Reinders: Okay, so guess I've got prompts. You just tell me when to stop and I'll pull one on you.

[7:01] Kate Reinders: What?

[7:02] David Alpert: Oh, oh, stop.

[7:03] Kate Reinders: Yes. I grabbed one.

[7:05] David Alpert: Okay, Kate, we're gonna talk for a little bit about how do I know that you're not lying? What is it?

[7:09] Kate Reinders: Oh, I see. Oh, Disney princesses.

[7:14] David Alpert: Oh my gosh. What about them?

[7:16] Kate Reinders: So let's just have a quick chat about Disney princesses.

[7:20] David Alpert: Wow.

[7:20] Kate Reinders: Okay, you mentioned Ariel. Disney princesses. Ariel. Is she?

[7:25] Kate Reinders: You know. Uh I recently watched for the first time Wreck It Ralph.

[7:30] David Alpert: Or is it Wreck It Ralph 2?

[7:32] Kate Reinders: One of the Wreck It Ralphs when they have all the princesses together.

[7:35] David Alpert: Yeah.

[7:36] Kate Reinders: You know what I'm talking about?

[7:37] David Alpert: Yeah, yeah.

[7:38] Kate Reinders: And I thought it was the funniest best section ever. Because all the girls were there with their voices and the, you know, the girls doing the voices. And things you don't think about, like they said, Oh, do you not have a mother? And um, do you have an animal sidekick? And all the things that were actually the same, which I I guess I knew, but I didn't know. Um but yeah, I just loved it. I loved all the princesses together. It was like happy moment and then next happy moment, and I just was gleeful.

[8:10] David Alpert: That was a great I remember that. That was really fun.

[8:12] Kate Reinders: And like, even though it was it's not CGI, it's like it's not hand-drawn animation, Wreck It Ralph, but you're seeing them different, but I loved how clever that section was.

[8:22] David Alpert: Yeah.

[8:23] Kate Reinders: And no, because then you were like, There's Jody Benson. I know there's Kristen Bell.

[8:28] Kate Reinders: Oh, I think Adina. I think everybody's there.

[8:30] David Alpert: Yeah. Is do you think Ariel is your favorite Disney princess?

[8:35] Kate Reinders: Well, Ariel was my first Disney princess. Uh, because Little Mermaid is the first movie I saw in the movie theaters at all.

[8:44] Kate Reinders: Um, with my dad, who you know, he brought me. And um, and of course, that was like I had the VHS and I would just watch it over and over, and I learned the song and I sang the song like everybody.

[8:53] David Alpert: Yeah.

[8:54] Kate Reinders: I know I'm not, you know, unique in that, but yeah, so I I've always loved her, and um, but I mean I also love Sleeping Beauty, and I made my mom make me have did I tell that story already?

[9:07] David Alpert: We did, and like kind of turned, but then it like I think you show that it snowed in Michigan.

[9:11] Kate Reinders: It snowed and I had a turtleneck underneath it. Um yeah, no, I love Disney princesses. I I I of course love them. I think my favorite is Snow White, the OG, specifically because of Dopey. I think I just love her, even though when you watch that movie again, she perhaps lacks integrity. She kind of just like that movie is this is the thing though, David. Don't blame the princess, okay? It's not her fault. I'm just saying, like Snow White is the queen's movie, like she's the one that makes oh oh yes. Unlike say Beauty and the Beast, where Belle is like she makes she makes decisions, she changes the course. You know, I I want to go back to Snow White and be like, what do you want, Snow White? Like, what's going on? Honestly, yeah, seriously. She's like, I don't want to do all this housework, first of all.

[10:00] Kate Reinders: Secondly, it is cold in this glass casket. There's a theory that she actually like dies. This is too dark, but there's a fan theory that someone actually dies and that she's in a coffin and that the prince represents death and like takes her away to heaven. I know. And I was like, but heaven, I feel like normally doesn't that go like if he were to take her away? Oh, you like he's an angel sent to take her to heaven? Yeah, because like just like the castle on a cloud, shout out to Le Mez. Like the final imagery is that, so it's like, is that? But I I don't, I think that's overthinking it a little much. I don't know. Me over maybe Disney movie. Now, what about like do you think that the Disney princesses, like, is there one that you relate to?

Or you're like that one, or I just really love that. Like, do you feel like you are like Ariel, or you just love her? Um, no, I think that actually uh no. Uh I think I might be more like Belle, except she was the prettiest one in town. So aside from that, you were just the most gorgeous girl in Spring Lake. Uh no, I was a late bloomer as you remember, but I was a bookworm. Yeah. And um, and then you know, whatever. I'm I was just gonna make a joke about being locked up with a beast. But I think like Ariel, I mean, Ariel, as you know, for many of us, 1989 hit us at a time, and it was so exciting. And I think just the magic of you know, Howard Ashman and Ellen Mencken as well. That movie hit hard, and people love Ariel, truly.

Well, yeah, she wants something, she wants something more. No big deal. I mean, listen, we were in Michigan, of course we wanted something more. No offense, Michigan. Love you. I know we love you. Jody Benson was so kind and actually did an episode of E-Ticket, and I got to hear her talk about all of that, and it was it was fascinating. It was so cool. Cause she's she embodies that Disney princess spirit, just full of love and joy and wonder. Here's a question that I like to ask. You know how Ariel like signs the scroll when Ursula's like, sign your name on the scroll, and she's like, Ariel, and then she loses her voice, and then she's on land, and Eric's like, What's your name? I was like, Ariel, just write it down.

Like, why don't you just write it down? Thank you. I have also thought that before, and also like, why do we give up on charades so quickly? Right. Like air. I don't know. Can we oh no, but when she starts to say, my voice, my voice, I'm the girl who saved you. Oh, I get it. I feel like she could have gone a little further with that. I agree. We need to have a round table with the Disney princesses and be like, let's review. And this is how to do it to next time. Now, when it comes to Disney princesses in the parks, do you ever get your photographs with the princesses? Um, when we went to Disney World for our honeymoon, we went to the lunch at the castle, and I got my picture with all the Disney princesses, and um I kind of like have never been happier.

But the person I see in the parks that I really freak out about and kind of start following in a semi-creepy way is always Mary Poppins. I love Mary Poppins. She's great in the parks too, super friendly. And even though she's not a Disney princess, she's iconic. That's what I'm saying. She's not technically a Disney princess. But she I loved, loved, loved, even well, before Little Mermaid even existed. Right. I remember on your episode, we talked a little bit about votes for women and the fact that that's an overlap with Broadway. Um, that the woman that originated Winifred Banks was Desiree Armclean. Lennis John's. That's right. So it's a very and that she was in while you were sleeping. We talked about that too, right?

Yes. Which there was Oscar Buzz for your performance in while you were sleeping. I think it's still buzzing. Yeah, I think it's still buzzing. Um okay. So anything else about Disney princesses we want to talk about? We love them. You've dressed up. When was the last have you dressed up as a Disney princess besides Sleeping Beauty when you were a kid? Um, no. Oh, yeah. I was Cinderella on Modern Family. Oh, yes. And quite and listen, I would dress up as a Disney princess every time I would every time I go to the parks, but we're not allowed to. You're right. So it's Halloween thing. You could yeah, Disney bound. But it's not the same. I mean, I would fully because I think I can rock like a size 14, 16 and girls.

Yep. So I mean, I could get those outfits. I could get those dresses at Target if they would let me wear them. I think we have to go during Halloween at some point, just so you can live that dream. I would love it. Um Disney Princesses, we love them. So we're also gonna on uh these park hopper episodes. I'm gonna shine a spotlight on some of the merch that's in the store. Uh there's a new, I'm gonna show you Kate what it looks like, but there's a new merch design in the E-Ticket to Broadway shop. So Kate, do you remember those like New York City plastic bags in the grocery stores that say thank you? Those iconics. Yeah. So we with Jess Siswick, who's does a lot of artwork, we've got this great new design called Show Tunes and Mickey Balloons.

And it's for that overlap of Broadway, which is what we love on E-Ticket to Broadway. We love showings, we love Mickey balloons. So this design is available in many colors, like Joseph's coat in shirts and mugs. Um, and since we don't support plastic waste, we like that design on shirts that you can bring to the park. Kate, do you have any show tunes that you love? Like I love, I mean, I love so many show tunes. But can you name one? I mean, that's the thing. It's like how many do I sing in a day? It depends what yeah, what's happening, what pops in my head. But there's always a song for something for everything. I mean, you've already sung Peter Peter from Peter Pan by Leonard. But I think you're also you're also a Sondheim fan, I think.

Didn't you share that? I am. I mean, I am. Oh, yeah. I mean, how many times do you go excited? I am scared, like every day. That's good, yes. Right? That's the thing. Like, we forget, like for those of us that are, I mean, this E-Ticket to Broadway community, which is we love Broadway, we love the Disney theme parks. That even like walking down Main Street and you hear Oklahoma and you hear Hello Dolly, it's like you want to turn to everyone around you, be like, I know what that's from. Right? Oh, yeah, the surrey with the fringe on top. Yes. As you're walking down, you're like, this is Rogers and Hammerstein. They're like, we guess one of you. It's not actually Disney guys, but it's the same love.

It's the same love. It's easy at Broadway. Um, do you ever buy Mickey balloons when you're in the park? No, I don't, but you know what? Why don't I? Well, we didn't because it was like, what are you gonna do with it the next day? It's gonna deflate. You can't bring it in a suitcase back to the room. Well, you sort of need a stroller to tie it on, right? They're just so I Which I've had, so why haven't I gotten a balloon? You need to go well to the now. I now I have something to live for, David. That's right. We gotta get you in a Target princess outfit. We need to get you a Mickey balloon. Yes. Um, well, anyway, that design, take a look at www.eticketpodcast.com/slash shop. There's a lot of great colors of shirts.

There's tank tops, sweatshirts, t shirts, uh so you can have layers, especially for the day in the park because it can get hot, but then it can get cold. Yes, and then sometimes you want like this like Mickey Mouse sweatshirt you just need, but um, there's a lot of other big no, I have that sweatshirt and I bought it at night in Disneyland because what? I got cold. Yeah, it gets cold desert, is my dad always says. Yeah, so you always you either bring layers or you gotta buy them. What I like about this one is it's just Disneyland, not it's just Disneyland, not Disneyland Resort, which the branding has shifted slightly, and I love that. Just call it Disneyland. Don't call it the Disneyland Resort.

This is not a good one. I'll never believe it. I never said resort. I guess I was wrong. No, I never I never said resort. Check that merch because sometimes it says resort. Oh, these are the things that keep me up at the end. Yeah, um, well, Kate, thank you for joining us for this brief park hopper episode. It's always a joy to talk with you, especially about Disney. No, I loved park hopping with you. I know parkopping, that's fun. Uh, don't forget to follow us on Instagram and TikTok and give Kate all of your love on social media. She's on Instagram, she's great. I don't do it enough. I'm terrible. Well, maybe you can post a photo of you at Target. It's a Sue at Target. In the morning, after I drop Luke off with my Starbucks pushing the cart because it's the only place open that early.

I love Target though. Oh no, it's the best. That's why I have to go. Oh my gosh. It's the only consolation prize for being up that early. And like they know that we like it because then like Target stores started having like a Disney store within it. It's like, God, you know your audience. Yeah, they too. It's really bad. Yeah, they do. Okay. Well, thank you, Kate. Thank you, everyone, for listening, and we'll see you at the parks. Bye.