This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:10] Elliott Mattox: This is HUNGOVER, a new mini-series where we follow some of our favorite theater artists on their way back to the stage. We're going to be checking in with these artists before rehearsal, during rehearsal seeing the process, and then afterwards during performances. So you'll get a unique perspective on their journeys to getting back to normal. So grab your hair of the dog, because this is HUNGOVER. Cheers!

[0:38] Caleb Dicke: Welcome to HUNGOVER, an Equity One mini-series where we follow some of our favorite theater artists on their way back to the stage. I'm Elliot.

[0:47] Caleb Dicke: And I'm Caleb. Welcome.

[0:48] Elliott Mattox: Hi, Caleb.

[0:49] Caleb Dicke: How's it going?

[0:50] Elliott Mattox: So good. We are so happy to be here with a dear friend.

[0:55] Caleb Dicke: An old friend.

[0:56] Elliott Mattox: An old friend of the pod. You know him, you love him. Tim Hughes is here!

[1:01] Timothy Hughes: Hi!

[1:02] Elliott Mattox: Hi, friend!

[1:03] Timothy Hughes: Thank you for having me back.

[1:04] Caleb Dicke: Of course. Now, we've upped our game a little bit set-up-wise.

[1:08] Timothy Hughes: For sure.

[1:09] Caleb Dicke: Since we last spoke, all sitting around one tiny microphone, just talking for hours.

[1:15] Timothy Hughes: Yeah, now I have my own handheld.

[1:17] Caleb Dicke: I'm about to do a full stand-up routine with this one.

[1:19] Timothy Hughes: Oh, absolutely. My 16 bars.

[1:21] Caleb Dicke: Do I do 32 bars?

[1:23] Timothy Hughes: It's just 16.

[1:24] Caleb Dicke: This is a mini-series.

[1:25] Timothy Hughes: Yeah.

[1:26] Caleb Dicke: We're doing 8 bars today.

[1:28] Timothy Hughes: We don't have time.

[1:29] Caleb Dicke: It's like Sir Flight Theater chorus call.

[1:32] Timothy Hughes: 8 bars. Give us the money note.

[1:34] Caleb Dicke: Absolutely do.

[1:36] Timothy Hughes: Tim, so good to see you.

[1:38] Timothy Hughes: You too. You have a nice glow from the sun.

[1:43] Timothy Hughes: Thank you. Fresh off a week in California.

[1:45] Caleb Dicke: Oh, how was it?

[1:46] Timothy Hughes: It was wonderful. As we know, I'm going back to work next week. So, I needed just a different scene for a little bit. Just try to escape, get some nature, get some beach time. I was telling you, I was supposed to go to Belize. My passport was expired. So, I switched it up and went to California to see friends and nature. It actually was exactly what I needed.

[2:15] Caleb Dicke: Good.

[2:17] Elliott Mattox: Yeah, that passport story was just unbelievable. I couldn't believe it.

[2:22] Timothy Hughes: It happened.

[2:25] Caleb Dicke: Is this your first major vacation during the pandemic? Or did you get out before?

[2:29] Timothy Hughes: Definitely my first actual vacation. Every other moment of traveling has been to see my family at some point. Whether it was the beginning of the quarantine when I drove to my sister's outside of Indianapolis and was there for over two months. And then my family finally got together, vaccinated around Mother's Day in Wisconsin, where I'm originally from. And then my brother's 40th birthday was up in the Twin Cities end of June. So, all family traveled. So, this was the first personal travel.

[3:12] Caleb Dicke: I know, I know. We just got back from our kind of me travel. Michael and I went to Provincetown last week and it was very fun. But, of course, midweek was when they reinstated a mask mandate inside. So, we were like, okay, well, so much for a year and a half trip.

[3:31] Timothy Hughes: Did you feel safe?

[3:33] Caleb Dicke: Yeah, I mean, I felt safe. I mean, to be honest, I was never anticipating on participating in the activities that most likely caused an outbreak in Provincetown to begin with. With lots of people, lots of breath. So, anyway, so we felt safe. And it was gorgeous. We had great weather. So, we did everything that we possibly could outside.

[4:00] Timothy Hughes: I love P-Town.

[4:02] Caleb Dicke: Me too. It's the best.

[4:04] Timothy Hughes: It's great.

[4:05] Caleb Dicke: It's the best.

[4:06] Timothy Hughes: Well, okay, you told us a little bit about your travels during the pandemic. But, like, you know, since things happened on March 12th when we all kind of were told we are not going back to work for a while.

[4:19] Timothy Hughes: Yeah.

[4:20] Caleb Dicke: What was the beginning of that like for you?

[4:23] Timothy Hughes: Well, I had banked on my vacation for 2020. So, I had a me trip planned for May of 2020 to South America. And then I had a full two-week family trip planned to Italy in July. So, I had all my weeks of vacation banked up and I hadn't used them yet. So, when Broadway first shut down, I was like this felt like a vacation. I was exhausted. And I hadn't taken a vacation in my year on Broadway with Frozen. So, I hadn't taken actually time off in about two, over two years.

[5:01] Caleb Dicke: Wow.

[5:02] Timothy Hughes: So, immediately my body was like, oh, take some time to rest. I went upstate. My dear friends live up near Kingston. And then I was realizing I was, after about a week, I was like, oh, I'm going to overstay my welcome here. And I decided to drive cross country to spend some time with my sister and her family, quarantine there. And I just, my body kind of like shut down a little bit. Like it just was, it needed to rest. Usually the lull between gigs, like I've been really good at like getting back into a studio and working on my book and my own skill set on my own. And I could not do it. I just had no motivation to do that.

[5:47] Timothy Hughes: And then finally in like the middle, actually, I got back to New York in June. Oh, no, this was before that. Because eventually when I was at my sister's house, like just killing time in random, random ass Indiana. Luckily, she had put like a mini dance studio in her basement.

[6:07] Caleb Dicke: Oh, amazing.

[6:08] Timothy Hughes: Yes, yes. So I finally found inspiration just putting on music that I loved and just started dancing again. And then I actually put together like four or five combinations I've never choreographed before. And I was like, just in case I want to do something this summer with this. And I decided to do a camp called Movement Through the Movies, where I explored choreography through movie musicals, ending with Greatest Showman. And it was such a huge hit. And I realized that like my need to move and to find new motivation and inspiration was a common factor for a lot of people in the pandemic. Nobody could find the inspiration to move.

[6:49] Timothy Hughes: And I realized immediately during this campus, we couldn't really focus. I couldn't really focus as a teacher on teaching technique via Zoom. Like a virtual class is very different than an actual classroom for dance specifically. So with those things in mind, I designed a full program called Performers Puzzle, which I launched. It's about a year now. It's been a year. That's so crazy. Yeah, this company since last September. And it is a group of performers across the world. We dance live on Wednesdays. Every class can be downloaded if you can't make the live. I do a little programming in the beginning of each month, a little programming at the end of each month. And all members have access to everything.

And I'm going to it's been such an unbelievable like silver lining to the pandemic to have selfishly stayed motivated and stayed active and artistic. And then to have had this like world of performers across the country who like came along for the ride and found the same kind of inspiration and motivation that I was needing for myself. It's been very, very rewarding.

[8:01] Timothy Hughes: And I hope that my plan is to adjust some of the scheduling to accommodate maintaining it and keeping it up as I go back to Broadway. But yes, so I did. I mean, that was that was like the beginning stages of the pandemic and then how I get back to New York. And then luckily studios like I've been using studios since I got back. They've been available. And and I've been here performing and nobody has really been like renting those studios out to because there's nothing to practice for.

[8:39] Caleb Dicke: Right.

[8:40] Timothy Hughes: Yeah.

[8:41] Caleb Dicke: Yeah. Rehearse for this whole studio open door to myself.

[8:43] Timothy Hughes: For sure.

[8:44] Caleb Dicke: Yeah. It's such an it's like an interesting time, especially now. I feel like kind of where things are getting back, but not really. But there's studio space, but it's maybe a little harder to get. But it's, you know, all of these things like I went to open jar the other day and there was like a giant reading happened in thousands and like hundreds of people in the lobby. And I was like, whoa, I this has been empty for months.

[9:07] Timothy Hughes: Ever.

[9:08] Caleb Dicke: I remember seeing it this full any studio space in recent memory, like getting back to it is really it's been, you know, it's it's I think it's been different for everyone. Personally, it's been really, really challenging. Like, I feel like now that the kind of like I feel like we're in a different chapter right now. It's like we were, you know, if you're being creative during the pandemic, that's kind of like either continuing or maybe petering off and we're getting back to auditions. It's been like I feel like I'm learning a completely different industry, to be honest.

[9:42] Timothy Hughes: For sure.

[9:43] Timothy Hughes: I think I learned so much about myself as a teacher and a performer through what I was attempting to pass on to students. The whole metaphor of performers puzzle is like to really define your own puzzle piece and not try to fit into another puzzle that somebody else is trying to create. And like I had said before, like I kind of learned continue to learn that lesson for myself. Like I had experienced that before that I was able to start practicing that and passing on that message. But then I just got to really live in that for real for a year. And coming out of that and going back to what I was doing before, I'm half I'm finding I have to strike a new balance. Like I'm a different performer. I'm a different person coming out of this time and finding that like recalibrating that balance in into a new show again or into an old show will be a challenge.

[10:41] Caleb Dicke: It'll be interesting. I think a lot of people are going to be facing that going back and then realizing, oh, maybe I'm not meant for this anymore. Not saying that you're feeling that feeling, but I wonder if a lot of people have those wheels turning of like, okay, I came back. This isn't what I wanted to be and I'm ready to move on to something else, which is good.

[11:00] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. I mean, I also did was doing a lot of reading on systemic racism and a lot of inclusion and equality and Black Lives Matter this past year. And the things that I have learned from that and become more aware of, I'm going to be hyper aware of and hypersensitive of them going back into these rehearsal rooms. And it's an interesting thing to be picking up on those nuances that we're now all.

[11:34] Timothy Hughes: Tiny things. Now I personally am way more aware of that exist. You know, it's going to be it's a complete shift in my perspective of the world and the industry. And it will be a continuous like a continuous process and challenge to maintain that awareness.

[11:57] Caleb Dicke: Yeah. To see kind of how differently, you know, how differently everyone is going to show up to make the like needed change that has to be made from top down. And how, how much as we, you know, if we're in the ensemble of the show, how, how much can we influence that change just in our small role?

[12:23] Timothy Hughes: So often feel powerless, and we can't be. No performer can be powerless in this industry, and that'll be part of the interesting transition back, is people who are finally bringing voice to their concerns and their problems with how they've been historically treated, especially in the ensemble.

[12:50] Timothy Hughes: Yeah, and I think that from learning so much about equity and inclusion in the workplace, that's also brought so much more light on other aspects of the workplace and how, you know, different things that go into being a performer. Like, for instance, you had, you were very vocal and active in conversations with and about Actors' Equity Association and kind of where they were failing membership during this time. So do you want to kind of talk about, maybe to our listener who might not be aware that those conversations were happening?

[13:33] Timothy Hughes: Yeah, so, beginning of March 2021, our Actors' Equity had released safety protocols and procedures that I read through, and they felt like they had been created in March of 2020. It felt like we had learned so much about this pandemic in a year, and things had evolved and our understanding of how to prevent it had changed. Simultaneously, I'm also part of the SAG-AFTRA union, and they had created protocols and safety protocols and procedures that had been released in July of 2020, that had reopened their industry pretty safely and had gotten actors back to work. I saw that the mindset of Actors' Equity and that the leadership at our union was serving as a roadblock to our industry reopening.

They were just waiting for and banking everything on the vaccine, which the safety protocols still kind of do. I mean, they just bank everything entirely on the effectiveness of the vaccine and so far so good, which is great. But, you know, now we're talking about boosters and how long the vaccine will roll out. I think in general, our union is not very proactive in addressing safety protocols and procedures, and they're very reactive, which we've seen the result of in having our industry have little to no money being made and nothing being produced for about a year and a half, as a result of just waiting for someone else to figure out the problem for somebody else.

[15:34] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. Or the vaccine, you know, for somebody else to figure it all out instead of thinking outside of the box, you know, that our industry is filled with wonderfully creative people who are solution makers, you know, they are looking for solutions. So when that happened, I recognized that it was a, that there needed to be a conversation that had to be had, that more voices of membership needed to be heard. The ball really needed to get rolling because if, because we were going to be behind and I still think we were behind and are behind. It feels getting back on our feet now and opening the industry, even though I start rehearsal next week, like the production contract really wasn't approved until like this week or something crazy. I mean, it's last minute. Some performers don't even have a contract yet. I've talked to them in shows and they're like, we had costume fittings, but I don't have a rehearsal. I mean, I don't have a contract yet, which is like, whoa.

[16:50] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. So the rollout feels fast-tracked and complicated. Like I don't even have a schedule yet. Like I know what day I'm starting, but I don't have the month-long, here's what your rehearsal schedule is going to look like. And that's not usually the case. So yeah, I had written that letter that had prompted, I think nearly 3000 members had signed it. We did end up having a very limited opportunity to speak at a town hall, which was something that was continuously frustrating for me. I've engaged with a handful of members, concerned members for a majority of this time off, and some, and a handful of concerned counselors. I still believe the approach from our epidemiologist who we have on retainer at Equity is wrong. Frankly, I think it's the wrong approach. I still think that the communication issue and the inability for members' voices to be heard at Actors' Equity is a huge problem.

[18:06] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. And I think that what was, you know, it was a very frustrating time for a lot of people trying to not just get back to work, but like know that the union who is supposed to be looking out for us is actually doing that job and acting with our best interests at heart, which of course, safety from COVID of course, but what people don't forget is that Broadway houses have ridiculous mold problems. We're getting sick from the theaters themselves already. So like there are so many safety concerns that weren't even being addressed that are just kind of like, you know, it is what it is that hopefully the term safety will actually come to mean safety and not just when there's pressure or a pandemic to look at one thing, like you have to create a safe work environment.

That's why we have unions in the first place and create a system in place that will allow for that conversation to continue. So it's not a one-time thing. And I don't think that that was effectively created. I don't think that there is really a structure in place for members to effectively be heard with their concerns that could easily result in action. I just don't see it happening.

[19:59] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. Yeah. And again, it's top down. It's because also those conversations are made very difficult also with the Broadway League and producers and those kinds of things. So hopefully everything, all these conversations that we've been having about safety in a broad sense in our workplace, hopefully there's some kind of movement little by little, it seems, but I think that the issues are intertwined too, you know, like the accountability and transparency. I think those overarching issues permeate the social aspect, the racial aspects, the systemic racism. They also are permeating the issue of safety and the structure of our union. So it'd be interesting to see how it plays out because like I had said before, my awareness has shifted.

[20:26] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. My perspective has shifted. I think that's what's exciting about the series is we're going to be checking in with everyone throughout around in other theaters and around the country. So we'll actually find out what are the procedures and how they are changing.

[20:42] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. If at all, if at all. Yeah. Yeah. I know that, I know that we will be tested once a week at Hadestown. I know Passover is testing twice a week. They have brought on retainer a different epidemiologist than a doctor that I have been in conversation with. And she's chosen to test that company two times a week. It's not required by our union to test vaccinated members at all. Interesting. Which is just, again, as we're seeing, I guess with, I know it's just, I find it exhausting too. And it's just the reality of it. Like vaccinated people are contracting COVID now with the new variant. So you just have to pivot and quick. So hopefully things don't go down again.

[21:29] Caleb Dicke: Yeah, I know. I can't bear it.

[21:38] Timothy Hughes: Yeah. I would think that producers have a better understanding of what needs to be prioritized. I'm surprised that Actors' Equity isn't insisting on testing, not because of the ineffectiveness of the vaccine, but because of what that does for the mindset of actors. You know, we've realized that the symptoms of COVID are full spectrum. And like you were saying before, people are already going to be vocally fatigued going back into these old theaters, into like an incubator that already creates sickness. And now on top of that, it's our responsibility to be able to distinguish for ourselves whether we're tired from singing eight shows a week now, or if now I have a sore throat because I'm coming down with COVID.

I can't believe that that wasn't a consideration. And we don't know how people's bodies are going to react to after going and being out of work for so long. And then going into like an extremely strenuous schedule. I mean, since you start rehearsals next week, how are you feeling? Are you like, I mean, you've been...

[23:01] Timothy Hughes: I'm so excited. I'm so excited and grateful to have a job, to have a show to go back to, to have a show that will carry new meaning and bring a depth to the industry that it did before. Even more so now in the new context of the world that we're living in. I had the opportunity to stay dancing and stay creative this whole year with Performance Puzzles. So I feel like stamina-wise, I'm ready. And then I had a cool opportunity to be performing with a speakeasy that show.

[23:38] Caleb Dicke: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[23:38] Timothy Hughes: And I, when I first started and I just did like one number for a couple of weekends and I've been in and out. It's a really cool variety show at Bond 45. But I realized my first weekend, the adrenaline was so crazy in my body. Like I was just using so much energy and so much, like I was just pushing, you know, and I was singing one song, but it just was like, oh, for, it was overwhelming. Because it's like, I could, I had no practice of being comfortable in that, you know, insane magical exchange of energy between the audience and live performers. The second weekend I was much better. I was like, oh my gosh, I just need to chill out. But that's something that I think a lot of people will probably experience. There's just going to be this pent-up, not only excitement, but the adrenaline is going to be through the roof for performers. And that adrenaline is exhausting on your body.

[25:17] Timothy Hughes: Hey, everyone! I'm Timothy Hughes, and I'm excited to be here on this episode of HUNGOVER.

[25:47] Timothy Hughes: So, I just want to share a little bit about what I've been up to lately. It's been a wild ride since the pandemic hit, and I've had a lot of time to reflect and grow.

[26:17] Timothy Hughes: I've been focusing on my mental health and finding ways to stay creative, even when the world felt like it was on pause.

[26:47] Timothy Hughes: One of the things I did was connect with Actor's Equity Association. It was important for me to stay informed and involved during this time.

[26:55] Timothy Hughes: I think communication is key, especially when we're all navigating such uncertain waters.

[26:58] Timothy Hughes: I also spent time working on my craft, taking classes, and collaborating with other artists online.

[27:00] Timothy Hughes: It was a unique experience, but I found it really fulfilling.

[27:02] Timothy Hughes: Now, as I prepare to return to Hadestown, I feel a mix of excitement and nerves.

[27:04] Timothy Hughes: It's been a long time since I've been on stage, and I can't wait to feel that energy again.

[27:09] Timothy Hughes: I really miss the connection with the audience and the thrill of live performance.

[27:14] Timothy Hughes: I think what I'm looking forward to the most is just being back in that environment, surrounded by my fellow cast members.

[27:16] Timothy Hughes: There's something so special about the camaraderie we share in the theater.

[27:17] Timothy Hughes: It's like a family, and I can't wait to reunite with everyone.

[27:21] Timothy Hughes: I also want to take a moment to acknowledge all the artists who have been struggling during this time.

[27:27] Timothy Hughes: It's been tough for so many, and I hope we can all support each other as we move forward.

[27:29] Timothy Hughes: The resilience of the theater community is truly inspiring.

[27:36] Timothy Hughes: I believe that we will come back stronger than ever, and I can't wait to be a part of that revival.

[27:56] Timothy Hughes: So, as I gear up for rehearsals, I'm just trying to soak in every moment and appreciate the journey.

[28:06] Timothy Hughes: It's a privilege to do what we do, and I don't take that for granted.

[28:16] Timothy Hughes: I'm ready to dive back into the world of Hadestown and share this incredible story with audiences once again.

[28:36] Timothy Hughes: Thank you for having me on this episode of HUNGOVER.

[28:46] Timothy Hughes: I hope you all stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to opening night!

[28:56] Timothy Hughes: Cheers to new beginnings and the magic of theater!

[29:16] Timothy Hughes: Let's make some unforgettable memories together.

[29:26] Timothy Hughes: I'm looking forward to seeing everyone back in the theater soon.

[29:36] Timothy Hughes: Until then, take care and keep the spirit of Broadway alive!

[29:56] Timothy Hughes: Thanks again for listening!

[30:06] Timothy Hughes: I'm excited for what's to come, and I hope you are too.

[30:16] Timothy Hughes: Let's keep the conversation going and support each other in this journey.

[30:26] Timothy Hughes: See you soon!

[30:36] Timothy Hughes: Bye for now!

[30:56] Timothy Hughes: And remember, the show must go on!

[31:06] Timothy Hughes: Take care, everyone!

[31:16] Timothy Hughes: I'm signing off for now.

[31:26] Timothy Hughes: Until next time!

[31:36] Timothy Hughes: Bye!

[31:46] Timothy Hughes: Cheers!

[31:56] Timothy Hughes: See you later!

[32:06] Timothy Hughes: Thanks for tuning in!

[32:16] Timothy Hughes: I'm really grateful for this opportunity.

[32:36] Timothy Hughes: Let's keep the love for theater alive!

[32:56] Timothy Hughes: Bye!

[33:16] Timothy Hughes: Take care!

[33:36] Timothy Hughes: I'm looking forward to the future!

[33:56] Timothy Hughes: Thanks for listening!

[34:16] Timothy Hughes: Until next time!

[34:36] Timothy Hughes: Bye!

[34:56] Timothy Hughes: Cheers!

[35:16] Timothy Hughes: See you soon!

[35:36] Timothy Hughes: Thanks for being here!

[35:56] Timothy Hughes: I'm signing off now!

[36:16] Timothy Hughes: Bye!

[36:36] Timothy Hughes: Take care!

[36:56] Timothy Hughes: See you later!

[37:06] Timothy Hughes: Thanks for tuning in!