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[0:13] Sarah Goodman: Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm a sound designer and professional lesbian theater geek. I'm a huge fan of all things theater, Broadway, cabaret, and pop culture. I've got tattoos of Bernadette Peters and Liza Minelli. In my podcast, I'm looking at theater through a queer lens and discussing the intersection between the craft and the LGBTQ community. AKA me, my friends and family. Today's episode is a very special episode. I got to live out one of my dreams once again and meet Bernadette Peters for the second time. I was on the red carpet for opening night of Sondheim's Old Friends on Broadway. Y'all, this show is absolutely stunning. I got the extreme privilege of seeing this show twice this week. I got to go to opening night, and I got to see it again on Thursday.

And oh my god, I can't even tell you how much I wept, how much I laughed, the amount of joy I was filled with to see Bernadette Peters performing on stage with other amazing legends like Lea Salonga and Beth Leavel, and a big shout out to Bonnie Langford, who I am a huge fan of now after this show. She was fantastic. If you love Sondheim, you must see this show. It is an absolutely beautiful tribute to the, in my opinion, best musical theater composer of all time. At the end of this episode, I will rate Sondheim's Old Friends on the classic good show, Queer Scale, and we'll decide how queer is it. But first, enjoy all of my red carpet chats on the opening night, red carpet for Sondheim's Old Friends at Manhattan Theater Club on Broadway.

[1:57] Jacob Dickey: Hi, my name is Jacob Dickey. And we're here at opening night of Sondheim's Old Friends. Congratulations. You made it to opening night on Broadway. It's amazing. What has this process been like for you? How is LA? How's it been getting back into the swing of things here in New York?

[2:11] Jacob Dickey: It's been so great. Honestly, I mean LA was a dream. I had never performed there at the Amisin. And so it was just special to do it out there for a totally different vibe and different audience. And then to bring it back to New York is it's just so special to have all our friends and family see what we've been doing.

[2:27] Sarah Goodman: Yes, absolutely. Um, what's been your favorite thing about the show?

[2:30] Jacob Dickey: My favorite thing about the show. I have a really great track. And so I get to like do a lot of things with Bernadette Peters. Uh which just like I can't believe I'm saying that. So I yeah, it's that.

[2:43] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, that's incredible. Um, if you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would it be?

[2:51] Jacob Dickey: I think a female Bobby would be one of my really good friends.

[2:54] Sarah Goodman: Oh, I love that. That's really sweet. Not that I hate guy bobbies, but you know, whatever.

[2:59] Jacob Dickey: The female Bobby's better.

[3:00] Sarah Goodman: They're cool, right? Why not?

[3:01] Jacob Dickey: Yeah.

[3:01] Sarah Goodman: The jumpsuit, you know, the whiskey.

[3:03] Jacob Dickey: The sneakers.

[3:04] Sarah Goodman: The sneakers. Yeah, yeah, totally. What do you think is important about theater right now?

[3:09] Jacob Dickey: I mean, I think it goes without saying that the world we live in is chaotic and dark and painful. And shows like Old Friends just bring so much light and joy and nostalgia. You know, a lot of people grew up with this music and find so much hope and joy in it, and it's just really special to be able to do that right now.

[3:29] Sarah Goodman: Oh. What's the next Sondheim revival you want to see on Broadway?

[3:32] Jacob Dickey: That I want to see on Broadway. I would love to see another Little Night Music.

[3:38] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, I love that show too. It's so good.

[3:40] Jacob Dickey: Yeah.

[3:41] Sarah Goodman: Awesome. Well, thanks, Jacob. Congratulations. Have a great show tonight.

[3:44] Kyle Selig: Hello, my name is Kyle Selig. Thanks for listening.

[3:47] Sarah Goodman: Yay, Kyle. Thanks for being with us. Congratulations on opening night.

[3:50] Kyle Selig: Of course, thank you.

[3:51] Sarah Goodman: How did things go in LA? What are you thinking about your Broadway opening tonight?

[3:55] Kyle Selig: Oh my gosh. It's kind of a pinch me moment. You know, it feels both very unnerving to do it in New York. And also we've been doing it for six weeks for audiences that lost their minds in LA. So feel great. Feel very excited.

[4:09] Sarah Goodman: Awesome. What's your favorite thing about the show?

[4:10] Kyle Selig: For me, it's the cast. Um we have had such a good time putting this whole thing together.

[4:16] Kyle Selig: Yeah. And I think it bleeds through into the show and into the experience of the audience as they leave. It's literally just a bunch of friends. And it's funny because a lot of them are new.

[4:25] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[4:25] Kyle Selig: The title is a misnomer. Old and new friends should be. It's a longer. It doesn't really fit with the song lyrics, but more key we had to consider. It's it makes sense. They already did it. I don't know what else.

[4:36] Sarah Goodman: If you could pick a Sondheim character and have them be your old friend, who would you pick?

[4:41] Kyle Selig: Oh my gosh, what a question. I feel like me and Henrik would just get along.

[4:47] Kyle Selig: Henrik rooting. Okay, maybe bring a little joy into it. Maybe a good night. He'd be a buddy. He needs a buddy. He doesn't have a lot of friends. I need to take things more seriously.

[5:00] Sarah Goodman: Okay, that's a nice balance. I really like that. I'm learning things. What do you think is important about theater today?

[5:07] Kyle Selig: I mean, that's kind of easy. I think it brings people together. I think there are so many forces trying to draw us apart and isolate us, and they live in our pockets and our phones. And I think theater is inherently something that gets you away from that, gets you in a room with other people to see live people do a thing. And I think that's super important.

[5:28] Kevin Earley: Hi, I'm Kevin Earley, and I'm in the cast.

[5:31] Sarah Goodman: Kevin, uh, thank you so much for joining me today. What's been your favorite thing about the show?

[5:35] Kevin Earley: I think actually my favorite thing is the camaraderie of the cast, the crew, and um and the design team.

[5:41] Sarah Goodman: Y'all are literally friends. This is what everyone has said so far.

[5:44] Kevin Earley: That is so sweet. Yeah, it really is. It's a delight to come to work. You know, nobody's, you know. I mean, for for a show that's about the you know, that that's you know, really represented around 42 of Steven Sondheim's songs, and and all these people get to sing all this there's not a lot of egos here. I mean, everybody's really here to celebrate Steven Sondheim, including Bernadette and Lea, who are who are really here to just present his material in the best way that they can each each and every show.

[6:10] Sarah Goodman: That's so cool. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would that be?

[6:15] Kevin Earley: Oh gosh, that's a really good question. Maybe Jack in Into the Woods. I mean, he seems he seems like you know, he's got the cow, and then he seems like he's gung-ho, and and he's full of optimism.

[6:25] Sarah Goodman: Full of optimism, yeah. Seems like a good good kid to walk around the forest with.

[6:29] Kevin Earley: Yeah, maybe. You can help him out a little too. Sometimes he makes some poor decisions.

[6:32] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, I think he needs a friend like me.

[6:34] Kevin Earley: Yeah, definitely. What do you think is important about theater today?

[6:37] Kevin Earley: I think the main thing that theater does that it's going to need to do for the next couple years is educate and inform. Not only not only that there is joy in the world, but that there is friendship in the world, and that the only thing that we can really focus on and keep you know, keep focused on is each other and in and friendship and our neighbors. And you know, the this show is really just a great escape from from getting out of the uh out of the world for a little while.

[7:09] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[7:09] Kevin Earley: And that's what we're focused on. It's making people happy for a little while. You know, and if we do that, uh that we've done our job.

[7:16] Beth Leavel: Hi, I'm Beth Leavel. It's opening night of Old Friends.

[7:19] Sarah Goodman: Y'all, this is the iconic Beth Leavel. We love Beth Leavel. I am obsessed with you. Thank you so much for joining me tonight.

[7:27] Beth Leavel: Absolutely. Tell me how this has been. So, how was LA? How has it been bringing the show back to Broadway?

[7:33] Beth Leavel: Great. You know, we're in LA, and the LA audiences were going nuts.

[7:37] Beth Leavel: Yeah. And we were there for six weeks, and all of us felt it's time to bring this show to Broadway.

[7:44] Sarah Goodman: Yes, time to come home.

[7:45] Beth Leavel: That's right. Here we are, home on Broadway, and it's my 15th Broadway show. I just had to say that.

[7:51] Sarah Goodman: 15 Beth Leavel's 15th Broadway show.

[7:55] Beth Leavel: That is incredible. And what a cool show to be your 15th show. To be like a review of his work.

[8:03] Beth Leavel: Of a beautiful canon of work, right?

[8:05] Sarah Goodman: Absolutely, absolutely. And to be with Bernadette and Lea and all the this insane.

[8:10] Beth Leavel: Absolutely insane. Every single person is a star. So, you know, just sit and watch and learn and love and listen. Just to be immersed. Immersed in the Sondheim pool is just such a privilege.

[8:24] Sarah Goodman: Oh, that's so beautiful. True. What's your favorite thing about the show?

[8:28] Beth Leavel: The music and how and the cast and how it's put together with so many different aspects of his canon and some music that surprises you because you don't, you know, it's like, oh, what is that song?

[8:40] Beth Leavel: Yeah. And then you hear Act One finale, Sunday in the Park. And I'm already crying. We can feel the audience sharing in this experience with us. So again, it's a it's such a beautiful show.

[8:56] Sarah Goodman: Oh, I'm so excited to see it. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would that be?

[9:01] Beth Leavel: Joanne.

[9:02] Sarah Goodman: Joanne.

[9:02] Beth Leavel: Joanne from Company.

[9:03] Sarah Goodman: She's a good one.

[9:04] Beth Leavel: Yeah.

[9:05] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, yeah, Joanne.

[9:06] Beth Leavel: Or maybe maybe no it'd be Joanne. I was gonna say Mrs. Lovett, but a little sheep. Shouldn't get you into trouble.

[9:14] Sarah Goodman: It's a little messy.

[9:15] Beth Leavel: A little messy. A little kooky.

[9:17] Sarah Goodman: Oh, kinda luck.

[9:18] Beth Leavel: Kind of a lot to deal with.

[9:19] Sarah Goodman: Yeah. What do you think is important about theater today?

[9:21] Beth Leavel: Oh my gosh. Well, it's something that A, we can't live without the arts. B particularly a show like this, it just brings everyone, no matter what you believe, to celebrate the same thing together. And that is the magic of theater. The magic of musicals, too.

[9:45] Sarah Goodman: Incredible. Incredible. Beth Leavel, thank you so much. Congratulations on tonight. So good to see you.

[9:51] Bonnie Langford: My name is Bonnie Langford, and this is my dog Poppy.

[9:55] Sarah Goodman: Bonnie's here with Poppy. Poppy's adorable. For those of you who are just listening, you're missing out because this dog is so sweet.

[10:01] Bonnie Langford: What kind of dog is Poppy?

[10:02] Bonnie Langford: She's a multi-pooh. So she's a cross between a miniature poodle and a Maltese poodle.

[10:07] Sarah Goodman: Oh my god, she's so soft. Just the best. She's like my little teddy bear, and she makes this all worthwhile.

[10:12] Bonnie Langford: It's lovely.

[10:14] Sarah Goodman: Yes. Bonnie, what's been your favorite thing about doing this show?

[10:17] Bonnie Langford: Well, I think really the whole concept of it, the fact that it's about friendship. It's about friendship, it's about respect, it's about talent, and it's it it just says so much. And I think my absolute favorite part is not only that friendship between us, but it's how the audience responds.

[10:36] Bonnie Langford: Because you can see it's always different, always different feelings. Cause you know, the thing about Sondheim, a lot of people think that he's very sort of intense and it's very serious. But actually, no, it's everything. It's hilariously funny, it's witty, it's joyous, it's celebratory, it's wry, it's acidic, and every single emotion is there for you to take whatever you want from it and whatever you're feeling. And when you see somebody get it, they can't fake that.

[11:07] Sarah Goodman: It's true.

[11:07] Bonnie Langford: And that is really special. It's a gift to be on the stage to bring that to an audience and to see people, especially those heartened people, suddenly tearing up or laughing hysterically. And that's what theatre's all about.

[11:23] Sarah Goodman: I love that so much. That's awesome. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would that be?

[11:29] Bonnie Langford: Well, I don't think I don't think she'd be much of a friend, actually, but I quite like Mrs. Lovett. But I'm not sure whether she I don't not sure whether I'd end up in a pie. Um, in fact, I most definitely would. Um, but I do think she's great. I mean, I was very lucky when I was a little girl. I was nine years old, and I came here as Baby June in Gypsy opposite Angela Lansbury.

[11:49] Sarah Goodman: Incredible.

[11:50] Bonnie Langford: Anything that Angela did, I just think was just gorgeous. And I know that when we were doing Gypsy, this was 1974. Um, that was when Stephen was first writing Mrs. Lovett for Angie. So you can imagine.

[12:05] Sarah Goodman: That is bonkers to think about.

[12:07] Bonnie Langford: Oh my god, how exciting!

[12:09] Sarah Goodman: That's so cool. Bonnie, what do you think is really important about theater today?

[12:14] Bonnie Langford: I think theatre is vital because I think it gives us not only our culture, but also it gives us our reasonable thought. Uh, you come to the theater, you're in a room with like-minded people, or maybe even not, but you end up experiencing something utterly unique in a room with people. And whatever you're feeling, you can actually wipe away the real world for a while, or you can invest and it thinks it makes you think differently. So I think it's really vital. We spend far too much time on our screens. And I think to have something that you can really feel in the atmosphere collectively is absolutely vital. And for artists, it's just so important. Of all all walks, we all need to continue to realize how important culture and theatre is. Especially in this crazy world that we're in right now.

[13:11] Sarah Goodman: You think it's the thing that keeps us balanced.

[13:15] Bonnie Langford: That's so well said. Does Poppy have a favorite Sondheim musical?

[13:19] Bonnie Langford: I think I think Poppy rather likes I was about to say she doesn't like cats, but that's not a Sondheim musical. That's something I did a long time ago. Can you imagine? I think Poppy likes Old Friends, the song, because apart from anything else, it's the last song we sing and she knows that she's about to go home and get a treat.

[13:38] Jasmine Forsberg: Amazing. My name is Jasmine Forsberg.

[13:41] Sarah Goodman: Jasmine, congratulations on opening night.

[13:44] Jasmine Forsberg: Yeah, I'm so excited.

[13:45] Sarah Goodman: Yes. What has been the most fun thing about this process for you?

[13:50] Jasmine Forsberg: I was just talking to Joel over here about from Broadway Time, he's a fellow BPN podcast, about how Sondheim's legacy is so vast and everybody has such a different connection to him. Bernadette being, you know, his muse for so much of her life, so much of his musical theater life. And everybody has such a different connection to him. Some deeply personal, others just by being longtime admirers of his work. And to hear whether it is in round robin interview style such as such, or just over the last three months of putting the show together, everybody's different little tidbits of connection and through line is so beautiful.

[14:24] Beth Leavel: It's so special. And I'm excited that we get to bring the show to New York.

[14:29] Sarah Goodman: Yay. What's your favorite moment in the show?

[14:31] Beth Leavel: I have to say the act two opener is a little West Side Story moment, and we get to do it tonight quintet. And that's one of my favorite moments on stage, for sure.

[14:40] Sarah Goodman: How fun. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would it be?

[14:46] Beth Leavel: I think I'd be so scared, but she'll probably have a lot of stories to tell me. Mrs. Lovett would be—this is a popular answer. Everybody wants to be friends with Mrs. Lovett. I love it. She's psycho, but she's a good time, you know.

[14:57] Sarah Goodman: 100%.

[14:57] Beth Leavel: Yeah. You gotta do what you gotta do, right? And these times, times is hard.

[15:02] Sarah Goodman: So you get it.

[15:03] Beth Leavel: Oh my god, totally get it. I totally get it. There's—that's been an answer multiple times, truly.

[15:08] Sarah Goodman: Listen, listen, I think the people know what they want.

[15:10] Beth Leavel: I think they do, and I think maybe they're right. And maybe we are kind of living in Sweeney Todd a little bit. The world's crazy right now.

[15:18] Sarah Goodman: What do you think's important about theater today?

[15:20] Beth Leavel: Theater today, there is so much going on in the world, even within our own country. And theater is this beautiful opportunity to both entertain and escape as well as put you in the center of the action and make you think. And this show, Steven Sondheim's Old Friends, covers such a broad range of different stories and different characters and different parts of the human experience that you're gonna walk away feeling. Maybe you cry, maybe you laugh, maybe you all of the above. And so that's one of the special parts about theater, and particularly our show, is just you—it allows you to feel. I read this quote online. I don't know who to attribute it to, but it was that actors process in public so people can process in private.

And I do think that in many ways, acting and being on stage is a job of service to allow people to experience things that they wouldn't normally tackle on their own, but maybe seeing it on stage gives you that impetus to really look within and see how something is impacting your own personal life. So that's one of my—yeah, I think theater is for everyone, and I'm grateful to be a part of this community.

[16:32] Sarah Goodman: Ah, that's lovely. Thank you so much. Congratulations! I am Kate Jennings Grant.

[16:43] Kate Jennings Grant: Kate's with us! Happy opening night! How did everything go in LA? How's it been being back in New York?

[16:43] Kate Jennings Grant: LA was fun. There were a lot of people there, a lot of laughing, a lot of crying. It was thrilling; it was really great to get this up on stage.

[16:58] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, and are you feeling ready for tonight?

[17:01] Kate Jennings Grant: You're never really, really ready, but I'm feeling very happy and very excited to have friends and family here.

[17:07] Sarah Goodman: Yes! What's your favorite moment in the show?

[17:09] Kate Jennings Grant: Of mine or of other people's? Anything, just something you love to experience.

[17:07] Kate Jennings Grant: There was a moment when I was in grad school where I went to see Bernadette Peters at Carnegie Hall, and she sang some of the songs that she sings tonight, and now I am on stage with her at the same time as she's singing them. It's just surreal.

[17:07] Sarah Goodman: How do you stay in your body for something like that?

[17:34] Kate Jennings Grant: I don't! I love the real name nowhere near my body at these certain moments.

[17:32] Sarah Goodman: That's amazing.

[17:41] Kate Jennings Grant: And I worked with Lea on the show Pretty Little Liars, but we never got to work together. So now I get to look over and see her across the stage, too.

[17:48] Sarah Goodman: Oh, lovely.

[17:49] Kate Jennings Grant: Oh, that's so cool. If you could be friends with a Sondheim character?

[17:54] Kate Jennings Grant: The Countess.

[17:55] Sarah Goodman: Oh, yes!

[17:57] Kate Jennings Grant: Charlotte.

[17:58] Sarah Goodman: You don't want her against you.

[18:00] Kate Jennings Grant: That's right. She will mess you up.

[18:02] Sarah Goodman: Oh my god, I love that answer. That's really, really good. What do you think is important about theater today?

[18:06] Kate Jennings Grant: I think it's important for us all to get in a room together and breathe and laugh at the same things and cry at the same things and remind each other we're all people.

[18:19] Sarah Goodman: That's right.

[18:19] Kate Jennings Grant: People who need people.

[18:20] Sarah Goodman: That's not a Sondheim.

[18:21] Kate Jennings Grant: Different shot.

[18:22] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[18:22] Kate Jennings Grant: It's still important, right?

[18:25] Sarah Goodman: Thank you so much. Congratulations! Happy opening night!

[18:28] Lea Salonga: My name's Lea Salonga.

[18:30] Sarah Goodman: Oh! Amazing. Congratulations on opening night!

[18:33] Lea Salonga: Thank you. It's so exciting to be here today.

[18:36] Sarah Goodman: The whole building's been buzzing.

[18:37] Lea Salonga: Yes, I heard people were really early today getting ready.

[18:39] Sarah Goodman: Like really showing up really early.

[18:41] Lea Salonga: Yeah, some were showing up at noon. I got in at around maybe 1:30, something like that.

[18:49] Lea Salonga: Started glam at about two o'clock.

[18:52] Sarah Goodman: You look stunning.

[18:52] Lea Salonga: Now I'm here. Thank you. There was a lot of help in making this happen today.

[18:57] Sarah Goodman: I didn't just roll out of bed looking like this.

[18:59] Lea Salonga: Well, maybe you could.

[19:00] Sarah Goodman: I believe it.

[19:01] Lea Salonga: Oh, maybe I should be gifted with pajamas that look like this outfit.

[19:06] Sarah Goodman: That would be—

[19:07] Lea Salonga: They were like silky in a little lighter fabric. That could be really cute.

[19:09] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[19:10] Lea Salonga: And something to combat the hot flashes that happen in the evenings because I'm 54 years old and in menopause.

[19:17] Sarah Goodman: Yes. Tell the people that realness, right?

[19:20] Lea Salonga: Right.

[19:21] Sarah Goodman: Oh, well, I hope you have a fan backstage or like some dresser cool.

[19:24] Lea Salonga: Oh, yes. My dresser has a hand fan for me.

[19:27] Sarah Goodman: Good.

[19:27] Lea Salonga: She makes sure that I'm not fetching when I'm backstage.

[19:30] Sarah Goodman: Even though on a day like today, I don't think we're gonna have that problem because it's chilly.

[19:35] Lea Salonga: It got cold today.

[19:36] Sarah Goodman: It was a freeze warning on my phone today.

[19:38] Lea Salonga: So I figured so glad we're inside.

[19:40] Sarah Goodman: Yes, so that we can be all be in our fabulous outfits and not in our coats.

[19:43] Lea Salonga: Yes, because that's not cute to be in your puffy, puffy coat at a red carpet event.

[19:48] Sarah Goodman: That's right, with a hat and some muffs and all of that.

[19:51] Lea Salonga: Right.

[19:52] Sarah Goodman: Tell me about your favorite part of this show.

[19:55] Lea Salonga: I don't know that I do have a favorite part. I mean, I love doing that whole Sweeney Todd section because I had done it in the Philippines, and it was my first crack at that. And then when I was asked to be a part of the show by Cameron Mackintosh, and I think he had heard I had done Sweeney Todd, so he placed me in this section in the show. It's just been such a joy, but also terror to do that part.

[20:21] Lea Salonga: And I think it was much more terrifying doing it in London because I was doing a Cockney incident in front of actual Cockneys in the audience. So that part was terrifying. Doing it here, I think some of the edge has been filed off.

[20:35] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[20:35] Lea Salonga: Thankfully.

[20:36] Sarah Goodman: I'm very—yes, it's a little more relaxed and to earth.

[20:40] Lea Salonga: If you could be old friends with a Sondheim character, who would that be?

[20:43] Lea Salonga: Probably Desiree Armfeld.

[20:45] Sarah Goodman: Yes, we love a little night music.

[20:48] Lea Salonga: Yeah, not just that because it's like the character she gets to play, the things that she must have seen. You know, hi ho the glamorous life everywhere and anywhere. So I think it would have just been nice being a fly on the wall during some of the more, you know, some of the more, let me see, crazy moments that must have taken place in her life.

[21:12] Sarah Goodman: Oh, I love that answer. Thank you so much for joining me today. Congratulations on opening night!

[21:15] Paige Foray: Thank you so much. My name is Paige Foray, and I am a standby for this show as well as the dance captain.

[21:15] Sarah Goodman: Congratulations on opening night, Paige!

[21:24] Paige Foray: Okay, listeners. I'm sorry that you can't see this outfit right now. Please tell me about your incredible jumpsuit.

[21:29] Paige Foray: Well, um, it's very glitzy, it's very lavender. It's one of those like go big or go home kind of moments. So it was like this was the one that was hanging in my closet for like a year, and I was like, when am I, when am I today? Today, that's right.

[21:44] Sarah Goodman: I love that. It's really beautiful.

[21:46] Paige Foray: Thank you.

[21:46] Sarah Goodman: What is your favorite moment in this show?

[21:49] Paige Foray: I'm sure everyone says it's super difficult because there's so many beautiful moments in this show. I also am sure that a lot of people give this answer, which is Sunday in the Park with George. You know, the music really just washes over you in a way, and you feel like you're a part of a watercolor painting, or you know, it's just stunning and simple.

[22:08] Sarah Goodman: Uh, and simplicity is very hard.

[22:10] Paige Foray: Yeah, definitely is.

[22:12] Sarah Goodman: If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would it be?

[22:16] Paige Foray: Oh God, any of the broads in Broadway, baby.

[22:19] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, that's right.

[22:21] Paige Foray: No, just we were saying like any of the women from Follies. Yeah, let's go over to Sardi's and just like lay it out.

[22:26] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, a flight of martinis and tell me all the stories.

[22:30] Paige Foray: Indeed.

[22:31] Sarah Goodman: That's a great answer. What do you think is important about theater today?

[22:36] Paige Foray: When we were in Los Angeles, a dear friend of mine teaches at Cal State Fullerton.

[22:40] Sarah Goodman: Cool.

[22:41] Paige Foray: Musical theater majors, and I was able to invite all of his theater students to see our invited dress.

[22:48] Sarah Goodman: Oh, how lucky for them.

[22:49] Paige Foray: And I was so kind of certain that maybe, you know, we've aged out of people really knowing who Sondheim is, or really understanding the depth of all of his work or even being impressed by it. You know, I was like, you know, do the kids these days get it, you know? And let me tell you, reporting back, these 18, 19, 20 year olds get it. How they could not stop applauding. They were half of them were bawling, crying at one point or another. And it just gave me such hope, you know, that when they listen to these lyrics, as you know, children will listen, right? You know, even just something as simple as listening to the lyrics of that song alone, you know, is so impactful, you know, just to remind you to be kind, to be hopeful, to press on, press forward. It's a gift to be able to give that to audiences.

[23:37] Sarah Goodman: That's so amazing.

[23:39] Paige Foray: Yeah, thank you.

[23:39] Sarah Goodman: Well, congratulations on opening night. I hope you have a fabulous time tonight.

[23:42] Paige Foray: Thank you, Sarah. Enjoy yourself.

[23:44] Sarah Goodman: Right, good to see you. Hope to see you again soon.

[23:47] Maria Wirries: I'm Maria Wirries.

[23:49] Sarah Goodman: Yay, Maria! Congratulations on opening night!

[23:51] Maria Wirries: Thank you. It's truly crazy.

[23:55] Sarah Goodman: How has this been going for you?

[23:57] Maria Wirries: It's been the most amazing and smooth process, kind of from top to bottom, which feels unreal. Like that never happens.

[24:05] Sarah Goodman: Right.

[24:05] Maria Wirries: It's been kind of wild.

[24:07] Sarah Goodman: Oh my god. What's your favorite moment in the show?

[24:10] Maria Wirries: Oh gosh. Honestly, I—there's so many good spots, but I think that the end of Being Alive is just so special every time.

[24:18] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[24:18] Maria Wirries: It—I like, you truly get filled with emotion every time.

[24:23] Sarah Goodman: That's cool. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would it be?

[24:28] Maria Wirries: Ooh, I might say Little Red.

[24:31] Sarah Goodman: She's like super resourceful and fun and like loyal.

[24:35] Maria Wirries: Yeah, I really—I dig her.

[24:36] Sarah Goodman: Yeah, and she's feisty.

[24:38] Maria Wirries: She is, which you need.

[24:39] Sarah Goodman: You do need in this world.

[24:40] Maria Wirries: Especially in the woods.

[24:41] Sarah Goodman: Yes.

[24:44] Maria Wirries: What do you think is important about theater today?

[24:46] Maria Wirries: Oh gosh. I think that theater is one of the few opportunities we have for so many different groups, like groups of people to come together to tell stories that are about different groups of people. And it just brings everyone together in a way that's so important and forces vulnerability, which is something that I think we all need to sort of be shaken out of our comfort zones and into a space where we can just share together.

[25:13] Sarah Goodman: Ah, that's beautiful. Well, thank you so much. Congratulations! Also, I love your hair.

[25:14] Maria Wirries: Thank you so much! For those who are listening and you can't see, there's pearls and like beautiful jewels all throughout your hair.

[25:23] Sarah Goodman: It's gorgeous, gorgeous.

[25:24] Maria Wirries: Thank you. I really appreciate it.

[25:26] Sarah Goodman: Oh, you're welcome. Have a great time tonight.

[25:28] Maria Wirries: Thank you.

[25:29] Sarah Goodman: We'll be right back after this.

[25:31] Sarah Goodman: We are back with Good Show on the Red Carpet at Sondheim's Old Friends. And we're about to experience the second best day of my entire life. It's my second date with Bernadette Peters.

[25:41] Sarah Goodman: This is the iconic Bernadette Peters, everybody. Thank you so much for joining me tonight. Congratulations!

[25:46] Bernadette Peters: Thank you. I want to ask you, Bernadette, what's your favorite thing about this show? What's your favorite moment in the show?

[25:50] Bernadette Peters: Oh, moment. I think the whole—what I think is the whole show is so special because it's a love letter to Sondheim, but besides that, it's so uplifting. I mean, it's very entertaining, but it's also so uplifting.

[26:06] Sarah Goodman: Hi, Bethlehem! I love you!

[26:07] Bernadette Peters: Bye!

[26:08] Sarah Goodman: You love Bethlehem.

[26:10] Bernadette Peters: It's so entertaining and uplifting. I think it's so important for people in the world right now. It's an important show because of that.

[26:19] Sarah Goodman: Yeah. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would you pick?

[26:23] Bernadette Peters: To be my old friend? Oh my god. I mean, some of them are your old friends because they've been in so many of the shows. They're very—you gotta be careful. They're a little edgy, those Sondheim characters. So I'd be—I don't know how I'd pick. I'd have to be really careful.

[26:34] Sarah Goodman: I get myself in deep water.

[26:36] Bernadette Peters: Yeah, that's right. It could get a little dicey.

[26:40] Sarah Goodman: What do you think is important about theater today?

[26:43] Bernadette Peters: The creativity, the freedom. That's what's so important. The freedom to be creative and to express and limitless.

[26:53] Sarah Goodman: That's very important.

[26:55] Bernadette Peters: Very important.

[26:56] Sarah Goodman: Okay, I have one last question. Can I ask one more question?

[26:58] Bernadette Peters: Okay.

[26:59] Sarah Goodman: I was recently on the Broadway cruise with Bob Mackie, and he spoke so much about you and about your collaboration. And actually, my tattoo is a Bob Mackie gown.

[27:07] Bernadette Peters: It is?

[27:08] Sarah Goodman: Um, I heard that Bob made some of your costumes for this show. Can you tell me a little bit about the collaboration you've had with Bob Mackie throughout his career?

[27:15] Bernadette Peters: Well, well, he's been so important to me. When I would have a new concert act, he would cut—and he was gonna make the clothes. He would come to the run-throughs, and he would make them, you know, if there was a funny number, he'd find a way to make it even funnier, you know. So like I had a—did I did a country western song. Well, he made me a wig, but he made me Joe was gonna talk a wig that big, you know, that the two boys had to hold on my head. I mean, he's just so brilliant. So—and then of course, you know, he makes a girl so glamorous.

[27:50] Sarah Goodman: Yes, absolutely.

[27:51] Bernadette Peters: The sparkle of feeding and all of that. Incredible.

[27:53] Sarah Goodman: Well, thank you so much for joining me tonight.

[27:55] Joanna Riding: Hello, I'm Joanna Riding.

[27:57] Sarah Goodman: Joanna, congratulations on opening night! What has this process been like for you?

[28:02] Joanna Riding: London to LA to New York. How has it been?

[28:06] Joanna Riding: It's incredible. And this is my Broadway debut.

[28:09] Sarah Goodman: You're kidding!

[28:10] Joanna Riding: Oh my god, that's incredible.

[28:12] Joanna Riding: Decades on the West End stage.

[28:13] Sarah Goodman: Wow.

[28:14] Joanna Riding: I have desperately wanted to come and finally do a Broadway show. And what better show to do it with my favorite composer with this cast?

[28:21] Sarah Goodman: Absolutely.

[28:22] Joanna Riding: Oh my gosh, how exciting! What's your favorite moment in the show?

[28:25] Joanna Riding: My favorite moment is when all of the ladies come together in Broadway Baby and do the kick line.

[28:30] Sarah Goodman: Yeah.

[28:30] Joanna Riding: It's just, I mean, it's, you know, it's a go girls moment, but it's—and he brings the house down.

[28:36] Sarah Goodman: Oh my gosh.

[28:37] Joanna Riding: Yeah.

[28:37] Sarah Goodman: Ah, it's a woman! That's gonna be me screaming in the back.

[28:42] Beth Leavel: If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would you pick?

[28:45] Lea Salonga: I would say Desiree.

[28:47] Beth Leavel: Yes.

[28:48] Lea Salonga: Yeah.

[28:50] Beth Leavel: Love that.

[28:50] Lea Salonga: So many good stories.

[28:52] Beth Leavel: Oh yeah.

[28:52] Lea Salonga: Yeah.

[28:53] Beth Leavel: She's lived a lot of life.

[28:54] Lea Salonga: She's lived a lot, yeah.

[28:56] Beth Leavel: And that's one of my other favorite moments in the show. I get to watch Bernadette sing "Send in the Clowns" every night, and every night she breaks my heart.

[29:06] Lea Salonga: She nails it every time.

[29:08] Beth Leavel: It's exquisite.

[29:09] Lea Salonga: Oh my god.

[29:10] Beth Leavel: Kate also mentioned being on stage with Bernadette, and I said, "How do you stay in your body?" And she said she doesn't. Are you able to stay in your body during this show or are you floating around in the clouds?

[29:19] Lea Salonga: There's a moment. You probably remember when I'm hiding in the piano, ready to come up in the way, babies. I come up from behind the piano.

[29:20] Beth Leavel: Hiding in the piano.

[29:25] Lea Salonga: So I'm actually on stage when Bernadette opens that whole number.

[29:28] Beth Leavel: Hiding in the piano.

[29:29] Lea Salonga: So I hear everything she does.

[29:31] Beth Leavel: And every night she creases me because she keeps it so fresh.

[29:31] Lea Salonga: She keeps it so new every night. It's never the same twice.

[29:39] Beth Leavel: And I'm always in stitches in the piano. It's a wonder I can breathe when I come up.

[29:43] Lea Salonga: That's hysterical.

[29:44] Beth Leavel: What do you think is important about theatre today?

[29:47] Lea Salonga: It's a mirror, isn't it, to society? We need to write our stories or we need to watch our stories. It brings us together.

[29:53] Beth Leavel: And Sondheim writes so brilliantly about the human condition.

[29:58] Lea Salonga: But yeah, it's bringing people together at a time when actually there are so many forces pushing us apart.

[30:05] Beth Leavel: And there's no better medium, in my opinion, than live theater to do that.

[30:11] Lea Salonga: Oh, great answer. Thank you so much. Congratulations on tonight. I hope you have a blast.

[30:15] Lynn Meadow: Thank you. I'm Lynn Meadow. I'm the artistic director of Manhattan Theater Club.

[30:17] Chris Jennings: And I'm Chris Jennings, executive director.

[30:22] Lynn Meadow: Thank you so much for joining me today. Congratulations on opening night of Sondheim's Old Friends. What has this been like for you to bring this show to New York?

[30:31] Chris Jennings: Fantastic extravagant love fest. It's just been really a great life experience.

[30:39] Lynn Meadow: Oh, that's wonderful. I have to pinch myself every day. I get to work alongside this legend every day.

[30:45] Chris Jennings: And then you add in Cameron Mackintosh, Matthew Bourne, Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, who doesn't love coming to work?

[30:52] Lynn Meadow: Truly, it's quite the lineup, isn't it?

[30:56] Chris Jennings: What is your favorite moment in this show?

[30:58] Lynn Meadow: Oh God, there are so many. I would really have to take a couple of hours to deliberate about it. There are 42 songs, so that's quite a lot of things.

[31:09] Chris Jennings: And performed by just the most amazing talented company, and a company filled with such excitement to be doing this here in New York and at the Manhattan Theater Club.

[31:18] Lynn Meadow: Yes. I think it's amazing to see kind of some of the iconic moments that we know of Bernadette and to revisit those.

[31:26] Chris Jennings: I see the audience just really kind of relishing those moments.

[31:30] Lynn Meadow: And then of course, to see the full range that Lea brings on this stage is incredible.

[31:35] Chris Jennings: Yeah.

[31:36] Lynn Meadow: And also seeing them doing things that you've never seen them do before.

[31:40] Chris Jennings: Yeah, some surprises. One of the things Manhattan Theater Club loves is new adventures and new experiences.

[31:46] Lynn Meadow: So I think you'll get to see parts of some of these actors that you've never seen before.

[31:51] Chris Jennings: Oh, that's so exciting.

[31:53] Lynn Meadow: Yes, yes. If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would that be?

[31:58] Chris Jennings: Oh god, Sondheim himself.

[32:00] Lynn Meadow: Yes, what a great answer.

[32:02] Chris Jennings: Oh my god. That beats everyone else's answer.

[32:04] Lynn Meadow: It does, it does.

[32:05] Chris Jennings: And so I'm not gonna give you an answer.

[32:06] Lynn Meadow: She just made the perfect dance. That was it.

[32:09] Chris Jennings: What do you think is important about theater today?

[32:12] Lynn Meadow: I think theater is more important to us than ever. I think with so much going on in the world, so much change, the appetite that we have and maybe are not totally aware of, although my wonderful partner, our amazing executive director reminds me all the time about community and coming together post-COVID in community in a world that's shifting in ways that are hard to keep up with, to have community and to celebrate together and to be in a theater where magic happens that you can't even describe.

[32:46] Chris Jennings: Oh, I love that.

[32:48] Lynn Meadow: Isn't that incredible? And it's just reminiscent of Sondheim's lyric, so many possibilities.

[32:55] Chris Jennings: Oh, what a beautiful note to end on. Thank you so much for joining me today. Congratulations on opening night.

[33:00] Lynn Meadow: Thank you. Thank you for being here and for promoting the work that we do.

[33:04] Chris Jennings: Oh, absolutely. We love Manhattan Theater Club.

[33:07] Lorna Luft: Hey y'all, this is James Monroe Iglehart here seeing Sondheim's Old Friends.

[33:14] James Monroe Iglehart: Yes. Tell me, James, if you could have a Sondheim character be your old friend, who would you pick?

[33:19] James Monroe Iglehart: I don't answer questions.

[33:21] Lorna Luft: Oh, that's hard.

[33:23] James Monroe Iglehart: You know what? To be perfectly honest, do my best. There's so many that's hard.

[33:27] James Monroe Iglehart: That's so hard. Because I got five different characters came to my head.

[33:34] James Monroe Iglehart: The narrator.

[33:35] Lorna Luft: Yes.

[33:35] James Monroe Iglehart: Because the narrator always knows what's gonna happen. So if I have him in my crew, I know that everything's going to be okay.

[33:43] James Monroe Iglehart: I would have Sweeney in my crew.

[33:45] Lorna Luft: So just in case someone wanted to start some stuff, I knew I had somebody to have my back.

[33:52] James Monroe Iglehart: I would have the witch just in case.

[33:55] Lorna Luft: We needed someone to have him back.

[33:57] James Monroe Iglehart: I would have the baker, because you know you need food.

[33:59] Lorna Luft: You gotta have going places.

[34:00] James Monroe Iglehart: And I would probably have after that just for the fun of it.

[34:07] Lorna Luft: Oh, it's good.

[34:08] James Monroe Iglehart: I'd probably have the princess from Into the Woods with me.

[34:10] Lorna Luft: Okay.

[34:14] James Monroe Iglehart: Because you know, in this world, I'm probably gonna need two rich white boys to get us out of trouble.

[34:20] Lorna Luft: Okay, that's so smart.

[34:22] James Monroe Iglehart: What Sondheim show do you want to see revived on Broadway next?

[34:25] Lorna Luft: Oh, wow. Um that's hard too because Sweeney was done, Into the Woods was done.

[34:32] James Monroe Iglehart: You know the one I really want, and no one's gonna do it.

[34:34] Lorna Luft: Tell me.

[34:35] James Monroe Iglehart: I would love Assassins to be done on Broadway.

[34:37] Lorna Luft: Yeah, I love that show.

[34:39] James Monroe Iglehart: It's so good.

[34:40] Lorna Luft: And it's so good.

[34:42] James Monroe Iglehart: And doesn't get the play. People who have really strong American opinions have a strong aversion to it because it makes them look at things that they don't want to look at.

[34:52] Lorna Luft: So I sometimes I think theater is a wonderful mirror to go, no, let's look at the other way.

[34:57] James Monroe Iglehart: And Assassins does that.

[34:58] Lorna Luft: Yes.

[34:59] James Monroe Iglehart: Alright, thank you, James.

[35:00] Lorna Luft: We're here with Lorna Luft at the opening of Sondheim's Old Friends. Can you tell me if you could be friends with a Sondheim character?

[35:06] Lorna Luft: Which one would you pick?

[35:08] Lorna Luft: Oh my god, that's so that's really difficult. Because I would have liked to have met Sweeney Todd.

[35:13] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[35:14] Lorna Luft: Okay.

[35:15] Lorna Luft: I wouldn't like to have sat in his chair, but I would have liked to have met him.

[35:18] Lorna Luft: But maybe he'd like you.

[35:20] Lorna Luft: Like maybe it'd be love action.

[35:22] Lorna Luft: I would imagine, listen, he just wrote extraordinary characters, and but he wrote extraordinary music and lyrics.

[35:29] Lorna Luft: And he is an American treasure.

[35:32] Lorna Luft: Oh, amazing.

[35:33] Lorna Luft: What Sondheim show would you like to see revived next on Broadway?

[35:36] Lorna Luft: Oh my god.

[35:37] Lorna Luft: Listen, can I just get into this one?

[35:39] Lorna Luft: Okay.

[35:41] Lorna Luft: Yes, absolutely.

[35:42] Hannah Cruz: Thank you, Lorna.

[35:42] Hannah Cruz: I'm Hannah Cruz.

[35:44] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, we're here with Hannah Cruz of Broadway zone. She's incredible.

[35:46] Hannah Cruz: Uh Hannah, what are you most excited about for tonight's show?

[35:50] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god, I've never seen Bernadette Peters live.

[35:53] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[35:54] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god. So I'm checking that off my bucket list tonight.

[35:56] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[35:57] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god, yes. She's my number one.

[35:58] Lorna Luft: I just totally get it.

[36:00] Hannah Cruz: I just saw Hannah the first time in October, and it was a life-changing experience.

[36:03] Lorna Luft: I'm excited to have my life change.

[36:04] Hannah Cruz: Oh, I'm so happy for you.

[36:06] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[36:06] Hannah Cruz: If you could pick a Sondheim character to be your old friend, who would it be?

[36:09] Hannah Cruz: Oh, you know Joanne from Company.

[36:12] Lorna Luft: I feel like she'd have great advice, and I'd love to have a Martini with her.

[36:17] Hannah Cruz: Absolutely.

[36:17] Lorna Luft: What Sondheim show do you want to see revived next on Broadway?

[36:20] Hannah Cruz: Ooh! I want to see Follies again.

[36:22] Lorna Luft: Bring it back.

[36:23] Hannah Cruz: I want to see it again.

[36:24] Lorna Luft: Bring it back.

[36:25] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, thank you, Hannah.

[36:27] Lorna Luft: Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[36:28] Sydney James Harcourt: Hi, I'm Sydney James Harcourt, Rumtime Tucker and Cats and a former Hamilton alum.

[36:34] Lorna Luft: Oh my god, I love your jacket.

[36:36] Sydney James Harcourt: For those who can't see the jacket, oh, it's a whole suit.

[36:39] Lorna Luft: Oh my god, I'm dying.

[36:40] Sydney James Harcourt: It's a three-piece suit. It's leopard, it's a motorcycle jacket.

[36:43] Lorna Luft: It's sequined.

[36:44] Sydney James Harcourt: It's incredible.

[36:45] Lorna Luft: Wow, you look so great.

[36:46] Sydney James Harcourt: Tell me, what are you most excited about for tonight's Sondheim's Old Friends show on Broadway?

[36:51] Sydney James Harcourt: Hush, the voices?

[36:53] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[36:54] Sydney James Harcourt: The sheer storytelling number by number of it all, what they call a review.

[36:57] Lorna Luft: A review is a very good thing.

[36:58] Sydney James Harcourt: It's just nice to like see the meet and you know, sometimes just be entertained.

[37:03] Lorna Luft: Lea Salonga.

[37:04] Sydney James Harcourt: Oh, absolutely.

[37:05] Lorna Luft: Of course.

[37:05] Sydney James Harcourt: Iconic.

[37:06] Lorna Luft: Be Bernadette.

[37:07] Sydney James Harcourt: The Bernadette Peters.

[37:08] Lorna Luft: I mean, come on.

[37:09] Sydney James Harcourt: Come on, could you ask for anything for this?

[37:12] Lorna Luft: Tell me, if you could be old friends with a Sondheim character, who would that be?

[37:16] Sydney James Harcourt: Is it Miss Lovett?

[37:17] Lorna Luft: Oh, yeah.

[37:18] Sydney James Harcourt: From Sweeney.

[37:18] Lorna Luft: I'm Miss Lovett, right?

[37:19] Sydney James Harcourt: Absolutely.

[37:20] Lorna Luft: Unhinged.

[37:21] Sydney James Harcourt: I'm Rafay Wright.

[37:22] Lorna Luft: And Charlotte d'Amboise.

[37:23] Sydney James Harcourt: Thank you so much for chatting with us.

[37:25] Lorna Luft: What are you most excited for about tonight to see Sondheim's Old Friends on Broadway?

[37:28] Sydney James Harcourt: Seeing Bernadette Peters.

[37:30] Lorna Luft: 100%.

[37:31] Sydney James Harcourt: I love her.

[37:31] Lorna Luft: And also actually all the talent up there.

[37:35] Sydney James Harcourt: And all the songs are in the same place.

[37:37] Lorna Luft: Yes.

[37:38] Sydney James Harcourt: And you know that they're all gonna be good.

[37:39] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[37:40] Sydney James Harcourt: That's always nice.

[37:41] Lorna Luft: We're gonna recognize them.

[37:43] Sydney James Harcourt: And we might even sing along.

[37:45] Lorna Luft: Maybe quietly.

[37:48] Sydney James Harcourt: Tell me if you could be old friends with a Sondheim character, who would you pick?

[37:56] Lorna Luft: The witch in Into the Woods.

[37:56] Sydney James Harcourt: Oh no, right.

[37:56] Lorna Luft: The witch in Into the Woods, no question.

[37:58] Sydney James Harcourt: Desiree, Desiree.

[38:00] Lorna Luft: Yes, the Witch and Desiree.

[38:01] Sydney James Harcourt: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[38:02] Lorna Luft: What Sondheim show do you think they should revive next on Broadway?

[38:05] Sydney James Harcourt: A Little Night Music.

[38:06] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[38:08] Sydney James Harcourt: Love it.

[38:08] Lorna Luft: I agree.

[38:09] Sydney James Harcourt: Agree fully.

[38:10] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[38:11] Sydney James Harcourt: Oh, well, Assassins, I think, too.

[38:13] Lorna Luft: I mean, come on.

[38:14] Sydney James Harcourt: Especially right now.

[38:15] Lorna Luft: Yeah, no kidding.

[38:17] Sydney James Harcourt: You may not want to put that.

[38:18] Lorna Luft: Oh, I want to put it.

[38:19] Sydney James Harcourt: Oh, I definitely want to put it.

[38:20] Lorna Luft: Assassins.

[38:21] Sydney James Harcourt: That's a good one.

[38:23] Lorna Luft: It is brilliant that one.

[38:24] Sydney James Harcourt: Yeah, for sure.

[38:25] Lorna Luft: Alright. Thank you so much. Enjoy the show.

[38:28] Sydney James Harcourt: I come from Sonic.

[38:29] Victoria Clark: Hi.

[38:30] Victoria Clark: It's Victoria Clark.

[38:31] Victoria Clark: I'm here.

[38:32] Victoria Clark: Iconic Victoria Clark.

[38:33] Victoria Clark: Also, congratulations on Love Life.

[38:35] Victoria Clark: We saw it at City Center. It was so much fun.

[38:37] Lorna Luft: Thank you for coming.

[38:37] Victoria Clark: That was great.

[38:38] Lorna Luft: Tell me if you could be old friends with a Sondheim character, who would you pick?

[38:41] Victoria Clark: Desiree Armfeld, for sure.

[38:43] Lorna Luft: 100%.

[38:44] Victoria Clark: Yes.

[38:45] Lorna Luft: And Charlotte as well.

[38:46] Victoria Clark: And Charlotte, of course.

[38:47] Lorna Luft: Kind of like everyone.

[38:48] Victoria Clark: And Eggerman.

[38:49] Lorna Luft: The entire company.

[38:51] Victoria Clark: Everyone in the Little Night Music.

[38:53] Lorna Luft: We want to move there.

[38:53] Victoria Clark: We want to live there.

[38:54] Lorna Luft: Let me do it first.

[38:55] Victoria Clark: We do.

[38:55] Lorna Luft: We do.

[38:56] Victoria Clark: Yes.

[38:57] Lorna Luft: I love that so much.

[38:58] Victoria Clark: Thank you so much. Enjoy the night.

[38:59] Alaska Thunderf**k: Here with the iconic Alaska.

[39:01] Alaska Thunderf**k: Thunderf**k 500!

[39:03] Lorna Luft: Alaska!

[39:04] Alaska Thunderf**k: Congratulations on Drag the Musical.

[39:06] Alaska Thunderf**k: It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

[39:07] Alaska Thunderf**k: I loved it.

[39:08] Alaska Thunderf**k: It made me cry.

[39:09] Lorna Luft: It made me laugh.

[39:10] Alaska Thunderf**k: That's what we want.

[39:12] Alaska Thunderf**k: We want the tears of young people, so thank you.

[39:10] Lorna Luft: Thank you.

[39:15] Alaska Thunderf**k: I think we're the same age, so I really appreciate that.

[39:16] Lorna Luft: We're both so young.

[39:17] Alaska Thunderf**k: Oh yeah.

[39:17] Lorna Luft: Tell me if you could be friends with the Sondheim character, who would you pick?

[39:21] Alaska Thunderf**k: I want to be friends with the person from Company.

[39:24] Lorna Luft: Bobby?

[39:26] Alaska Thunderf**k: Yeah, Bobby.

[39:26] Lorna Luft: Bobby, yeah.

[39:27] Alaska Thunderf**k: We want to be friends with Bobby.

[39:28] Lorna Luft: Because Bobby just seems like fun.

[39:30] Alaska Thunderf**k: Yeah, 100%.

[39:31] Lorna Luft: Yeah.

[39:32] Alaska Thunderf**k: What Sondheim show do you think they should revive next?

[39:34] Alaska Thunderf**k: What is "Send in the Clowns" from?

[39:36] Lorna Luft: What's a Little Night Music?

[39:38] Alaska Thunderf**k: Little Night Music.

[39:39] Lorna Luft: Yes.

[39:40] Alaska Thunderf**k: Large Night Music.

[39:42] Lorna Luft: We want a large night music, please.

[39:45] Alaska Thunderf**k: Can I get a venti night music?

[39:47] Lorna Luft: ASAP.

[39:48] Alaska Thunderf**k: What are you most excited for for tonight?

[39:51] Alaska Thunderf**k: Bernadette.

[39:53] Lorna Luft: Come on.

[39:54] Alaska Thunderf**k: Oh my gosh, I'm so excited.

[39:56] Sidney DuPont: Hi, I'm Sidney DuPont. Thank you for joining us.

[39:58] Sidney DuPont: Tell me if you could be friends with the Sondheim character, who would you pick?

[40:02] Sidney DuPont: Oh, Bobby.

[40:03] Lorna Luft: Easily.

[40:03] Sidney DuPont: Bobby.

[40:04] Lorna Luft: Every time, every time.

[40:05] Sidney DuPont: The female and the male version.

[40:07] Lorna Luft: Alright, both of them.

[40:08] Sidney DuPont: I love that.

[40:09] Lorna Luft: That's great.

[40:09] Sidney DuPont: What Sondheim show do you think they should revive next?

[40:12] Sidney DuPont: Oh, just in Merrily We Roll Along.

[40:14] Lorna Luft: They've done, obviously, Into the Woods.

[40:17] Sidney DuPont: I could do another Into the Woods, to be honest.

[40:19] Lorna Luft: I love it.

[40:20] Sidney DuPont: We can always do Into the Woods.

[40:21] Lorna Luft: Give me another witch.

[40:22] Sidney DuPont: Yeah, iconic debut.

[40:24] Lorna Luft: I would love it.

[40:24] Sidney DuPont: Yes.

[40:25] Lorna Luft: What are you most excited for for tonight's show?

[40:27] Sidney DuPont: Bernadette Peters.

[40:28] Lorna Luft: Every time.

[40:29] Sidney DuPont: That's my girl.

[40:30] Lorna Luft: That's my girl.

[40:31] Sidney DuPont: Can't wait.

[40:32] Lorna Luft: Oh my god.

[40:32] Sidney DuPont: Sydney, you look gorgeous tonight.

[40:33] Lorna Luft: I love your outfit.

[40:34] Sidney DuPont: You always look so dapper.

[40:35] Lorna Luft: We do what we can.

[40:36] Sidney DuPont: We wear a ring.

[40:37] Lorna Luft: I am.

[40:38] Sidney DuPont: Wait, come on, big man.

[40:40] Lorna Luft: Green green.

[40:42] Sidney DuPont: Money green.

[40:43] Lorna Luft: We can decapitate together.

[40:44] Sidney DuPont: Oh my god, yes.

[40:45] Lorna Luft: Money, money, money.

[40:46] Sidney DuPont: Yeah, you're already.

[40:47] Lorna Luft: Oh, hell yeah.

[40:48] Sidney DuPont: That's so good.

[40:49] Lorna Luft: Oh my god, thank you so much for joining us.

[40:51] Sarah Goodman: That's a wrap on my red carpet chats. At the end there, when I was squealing and you could not understand a word I was saying, I was very excited because Sydney and I realized that we were wearing matching ring watches that both had green faces.

[41:03] Sarah Goodman: And what a good time. So we are now at the point of the show where we determine how queer is it.

[41:09] Sarah Goodman: Let me remind you of the queer scale. Least queer is Fruity, aka Pete Buttigieg. Then we get into Love is Love territory. Queerer than that is hella gay. Queerer than that, even is Slays for Days. Then we get queer is in fuck fascism. And the final step on the queer scale is are we gonna get in trouble for this?

[41:32] Sarah Goodman: So where does Sondheim's Old Friends fall on the queer scale? I'm gonna say this show is hella gay. There are so many fabulous gay people in the cast. Also, Sondheim was famously gay, and there's some fun queering of the music in the show.

[41:48] Sarah Goodman: There are some gender swapping moments and some really fabulous affirming moments. And we gotta love it. We gotta love it.

[41:57] Sarah Goodman: A very, very big thank you to the fabulous Catherine Winter, who was my tech help on this episode, and also my date to opening night and to the party. Sondheim means so much to me, and it was incredibly special to be able to share that with Catherine.

[42:12] Sarah Goodman: Thank you all so much for listening to this episode. Please go see Sondheim's Old Friends at MTC on Broadway. It's one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life. Go check it out.

[42:27] Sarah Goodman: Subscribe and follow Good Show on TikTok and Instagram at Good Show Podcast. We are a proud member of the Broadway Podcast Network. Check us out at bpn.fm/goodshow and everywhere podcasts are found.

[42:41] Sarah Goodman: I'm Sarah Goodman. This is Good Show. Goodbye.