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[0:21] Marc Tumminelli: Hello, I'm Marc Tumminelli, and welcome to episode 12 of the Little Me Podcast. Remember to head over to Instagram and follow our new Instagram at Little Me Podcast. And you can follow me too at Marc Tumminelli. Okay, so on with today's episode. I am so excited about my guest today. She is legitimately one of the most talented humans walking the earth. She made her Broadway debut in 1987 when she originated the role of young Cosette in the original Broadway cast of the history-making musical Les Misérables. Her performance of "Castle on the Cloud" on the Broadway cast recording has been heard by millions of people and emulated by theater kids all over the world. She went on to star on Broadway in Saturday Night Fever, Hairspray, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, and as Elphaba in the Broadway and National Tour of Wicked.

She has countless regional theater credits, including playing Mary in Merrily We Roll Along and Diana in Next to Normal. Her solo album Beautiful Dreamer is available everywhere. And up until this past March, she was playing the iconic role of Grizabella in the Broadway National Tour of Cats. Please welcome my buddy Donna Vivino.

[1:27] Donna Vivino: Hello, Marc.

[1:28] Marc Tumminelli: Hi. Thank you so much for doing this. I've been like, you're like my bucket list of people to have on this podcast. So I'm so excited.

[1:35] Donna Vivino: I love your podcast. It's great.

[1:36] Marc Tumminelli: Well, you are a superstar. Okay, so let's get talking. So before this insane insanity of COVID-19, you were on tour with the Broadway musical Cats. How did that all go down? How did that go down?

[1:55] Donna Vivino: Well, um, it all went up really fast and down really fast because I got a call on December 26th, the day after Christmas from my agent saying, "Do you want to do Cats? Do you want to do the Cats tour?" The Andy Blank and you know, the revival. I had been up for the tour about a year earlier. I have a four-year-old. Um, and I was kind of, uh, wonderful Carrie Renee Fuller got the part, and I was slightly relieved because I said I don't want to go on tour for a whole year. And I had always told my agent if they need a replacement for six months, have them call. And they did. They called me on December 26th, and I said, "I don't know, I don't know." And then on December 31st, Andrew Lloyd Webber was like, "He wants to, he really wants you to do it."

He wants to make it for on the 31st. And so we were negotiating over New Year's, and by January 5th, I was in the rehearsal room, contract there, and then a week later was in Baltimore on the tour. So that happened, but I had a week in January that they had to give me off because I do a solo show for Disney Cruise Lines. I have a solo show that I do. And so I left to go on Disney Cruise Lines in January. And while I'm at the Cruise Line, they were asking a lot of questions about, "Are you in China? Because if you've been in China in the past month, you're not allowed on our ship." This was in January. And I said, "What is going on?" They said, "We closed Shanghai Disney, we closed Hong Kong Disney."

And I started talking to people in the cruise line, and they all really were like, "This is serious what's happening. We're nervous in the cruise industry. Disney's nervous in general because Disney, you know, they get on top of their stuff." And so I came back to tour on February third or something after being gone for a week, and I'm looking at everyone like, "Guys, I think we're gonna like close in a month if this doesn't." And they're looking at me like, "You're crazy." And I started wearing masks on planes, and then our girl, I saw, and they would laugh. One other guy did it. He was in the booth. This um, he was like, "I'm gonna wear the mask too." Because you know, we're vocal. And I'm also crazy about my voice.

And it's flu season at the time, so I'm like, "I'm gonna wear the masks on these planes." And then I even at the end of February said, "I'm gonna bring my car on tour. I'm not getting on planes anymore." And everyone was still laughing at me on March 20th. And by March 12th, we were closed. And we were the key to that story is listen to Donna's thing, but also listen to her dog because she knows what's going on.

[4:10] Donna Vivino: Uh yeah, I mean, I can be very dramatic. And I was sort of, I'm, I was the second oldest person in the cast. Everyone was so young, but I think when you're in your early 20s, you think you're invincible, and you know, this virus can't. But we did get sick, people wound up very sick in our company. Um, and I, and we still have someone who, you know, is still recovering, and he's only 27. So I'm telling you, serious guys. So just wear a mask. Wear a mask, everyone. Um, so this is a big moment. I mean, this is a huge iconic role, you know, playing "Memory," which of course I've heard a bootleg of, and it's so good. Uh, how hard was it to leave that? Not really having had the experience.

[5:12] Donna Vivino: Yeah, it was horrible. I first of all, what's so cool about Grizabella was it's this crazy makeup like Elphaba, but I every cat does their own makeup, so I got to do my own makeup. I was at the theater two hours beforehand, and she flies. So I was like, I needed to get a third flying role so I can make a trifecta like Hopins or something, you know, but yeah, something like that. So the flying was fun, the role was really fun. And in the tour production that Andy Blank and Bueller choreographed, he choreographed the Broadway Revival as well. Um, Grizabella dances in the opening number. Um, which and Andy's stuff is challenging, it's and it's challenging. So I learned it all at rehearsals. I really worked very hard, and then um when I got to the tour, because they rehearsed me for a week in New York, they're like, "Yeah, be fine."

And then I get to the tour, and the dance captain's like, "So you'll sing, you'll do and then you're gonna walk off stage, and then you're gonna come back on and do 'Naming of Cats.'" I'm like, "Got it. I get it." I'm like, my dancing was that but I lost like 10 pounds rehearsing and back on, but it was amazing to dance, and I have to say, moral of the story, keep dancing, kids, just keep doing it.

[6:20] Marc Tumminelli: So you're like a better mover.

[6:22] Donna Vivino: Um, I could have gotten it, but I didn't have enough time. I just were to learn.

[6:25] Marc Tumminelli: No, a week is crazy. How hard is it to be on tour if you have a kid?

[6:31] Donna Vivino: That's really challenging. Um, you know, we a lot of FaceTime, and then he did some visits. And what was the first three months of tour, he would visit me. Um, and then sometimes I would even go home on Mondays if we were like we were in New Haven, so I went home that Monday. Um, and then the second, the last three, because I was only gonna do the last six months of the tour, the last three months he was gonna come on tour with me. Annie, but that did never happen. And what was crazy was that every time I went on stage to sing "Memory," and this is a uh starting in February, I would sing it and I would get really emotional because I I'd always keep thinking like this to be the last time I'm ever singing this song because I really felt like we were gonna get because Disney was shutting stuff down in January.

I was like, "We're gonna be done." And I'll and so I would feel that way. And um March 12th was our last performance, and um I everyone should always sing as though it's the last time they ever sing a song because I don't I honestly think I've never done better work. I was very connected to it, and Grizabella also is sort of like saying goodbye, so it's a very was a very weird thing. But March 12th, 1987 was my opening night of Les Mis, and March 12th, 2020 was the closing night of Cats. So it was just a weird, like oh my god, that's so strange.

[7:48] Marc Tumminelli: Well, speaking of details, I love it. Speaking of Les Mis, let's go back. Let's go back to where did it all start there. Were you performing before you started auditioning for Les Mis?

[7:58] Donna Vivino: I was actually more of a film and TV kid, yeah.

[8:01] Marc Tumminelli: I saw your IMDb. You did like a ton of TV stuff.

[8:06] Donna Vivino: It's like '86, '87, '88.

[8:09] Marc Tumminelli: Like, yeah, I was um in when I was four years, four, four, four or five years old. I was obsessed with Nickelodeon. You Can't Do That on Television, it was a Canadian show.

[8:15] Donna Vivino: Oh, I was obsessed with her too. I was wanted to be on that show. I was in love with Alistair, I just was like, I want to be on that show, I want to get slimed. And I would ask my mom, "How can I be on TV?" And she was like, "Well, I don't know." So she took me to a New Jersey-based manager named Shirley Grant.

[8:31] Donna Vivino: Oh, she's still there still Shirley Granting. I know, I'm David.

[8:34] Marc Tumminelli: So I was five, I was five years old when she took me to Shirley, and Shirley was like, "She's super," I was very precocious, and I even sang for her a little bit, but she was more into how I understood. I loved like she taught me how to use like use the camera, and I was just really wanting to be on TV. And she said, "I can send her out on auditions, but it is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed world." Like she's so ethnic. Like that's odd because I'm Italian and Greek, and I have this curly hair and brown eyes, and at the time. So talk about like not being diverse, you know, it was the '80s, and they were like, "And you were diverse, like in 1988."

[9:09] Donna Vivino: I know, I know. And she but she also was like, "I'm ethnically ambiguous," because she was like, "You're not, she's not all American white, and she's not uh black or Asian," so it was like very like I don't know what they're gonna do with her. So um I went out on stuff, no booking or anything, and my mom was like, "I'm not doing this," so she stopped, and then I just kept begging. And then I think I was about six and a half years old. We went and got headshots, and they were trying to make me pretty and I was smiling. And at one point, man in Gurney, the photographer said, "Just are you mad right now?" I'm like, "Yeah." He's like, "So just be mad." And there was this headshot of me scrunched up, but it's somewhere online, and I look like my hair's brushed out, Firestarter, Drew Barrymore, but like angry face, and that headshot suddenly got me in for everyone because they were like, "What is this creature? Like, what is this?" And so, and but it was really me. I was very sassy, and I started to become the commercials kid. It was so weird. I did I think 90 commercials, it was insane.

[10:12] Donna Vivino: Wow, so many national commercials and not national. Um, and I was I was never the kid that was smiling and just eating something and not saying anything. I had tons of copy. I was always a character, I was this charactery kid, and then that led to me getting a TV show called Hometown, and then I um this audition came up for Les Misérables, and she said she should go in because she does sing. And I remember I didn't even want to go in on the audition because I was playing with my Barbies and I didn't want to leave the basement, and she's like, "Just go sing." So I went in, I sang, and that was it.

[10:45] Marc Tumminelli: Do you remember what you sang?

[10:48] Donna Vivino: I do. I think I think the first audition, I sang "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppets.

[10:49] Marc Tumminelli: Right, love that.

[10:49] Donna Vivino: I sang "Rainbow Connection." And then they sent me the then six months later, Tara Rubin casting called and were like, "We're calling her back." And we were like, "Oh, that thing that we auditioned for." And it was um, it was uh I had to learn "Castle on a Cloud." But I had booked a play at Circle in the Square with Annette Bening called Coastal Disturbances, and then the Les Mis thing came in, and I remember at the time I really wanted to do the play. Because I was like, "I'm an actress. What do you mean I'm gonna sing?" You know, um, and so uh, but it wound up being the right choice, I think.

[11:34] Donna Vivino: Um, when I asked Richard J. Alexander about what he remembers, I know um the uh associate director of Les Mis, but I asked him what he remembered about you coming in that first time, and he's like, "The hair, the hair like just blew him away," and then of course you are so talented, and then he also mentioned how he is so impressed by that voice and how it's still so incredible and how brilliant you are and still are and all that.

[11:58] Donna Vivino: He's too kind, but a lot of other people remember is that Trevor Nunn says to me, "Donna, just sweep, sweep the floor," because apparently I looked really awkward sleeping. And he's like, "Like, you know, when at home, like when your mommy has you sweep, sweep," and I looked at him, I said, "I don't sweep."

[12:13] Marc Tumminelli: That's perfect. Um, what do you remember about uh the rehearsal process?

[12:18] Donna Vivino: Oh, a lot, actually. Um, because Trevor Nunn is very ensemble-based. Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Everybody was in the room at all time. I did have to get pulled out with all the other kids. There were five of us. We had to go to school for a couple hours a day. So I do remember being in like with Miss Stoller, who was our tutor at school. But then if we weren't, we'd be back in the room, even if you're not on the scene. So we just watched all these exercises. We even participated in some of them. Um, and working with Michael Arden two years ago, it was like working with Trevor again. And he's actually studied with Trevor.

[12:49] Marc Tumminelli: Oh, that's incredible.

[12:51] Donna Vivino: It's the same thing. Everyone together, even if you're not in the scene, um, it was so cool. I learned a lot. I really think I learned in that moment that being in the ensemble, they all had full fleshed-out characters in every scene. Um, it was kind of beautiful.

[13:09] Marc Tumminelli: Backstories, all of it.

[13:10] Donna Vivino: Yeah. Did you have a sense that this was gonna be? I know when Les Mis opened, it was not this huge Hamilton experience. Um, that it really built over that first year. Um, when did you know that this was like gonna be a really big deal?

[13:25] Donna Vivino: Well, I know when the auditions were happening, I remember Shirley Grant saying, "No, this is gonna be huge because it's a big hit in London," but people still didn't really know if it would transfer over, you know. Um, and I think it was when we were in Washington, DC in the out-of-town tryout, and we saw how the response was from the audience and how everyone was talking about it, and ticket prices were getting harder, and it was there was this buzz that we knew that it was something really special.

[13:51] Marc Tumminelli: Um, so yeah, I think you mentioned there were five kids in the show, but you were the main Cosette. How did they decide how that was gonna work?

[13:58] Donna Vivino: There was no rotation then. There weren't all these um rules. Uh it was it was me and Les Mis only did seven shows a week, not eight. Um because yeah, oh because they were doing construction during the week. Uh the Schuberts were doing construction right um next to the Broadway Theater or above it, or well, they were doing construction on the theater while we were in there, and they didn't want Wednesday matinees as a result. So we did um we're dark on Sundays and we did Monday through Saturday. So sweet schedule, but it's a long show too.

[14:30] Marc Tumminelli: So yeah, and then I you guys clocked in at like 320 then, right?

[14:34] Donna Vivino: 315, yeah. They probably saved a lot in overtime not having that Wednesday show. So what happened was um I was all I was doing all seven. I was opening night, and so there was little Éponine, me, and then there was a swing for the two of us.

[14:47] Donna Vivino: I did all seven, and then there was Gavrash, he did all seven, and his standby about six months in. Um, I guess they wanted just they wanted their cast for six months of like who their opening night. I don't know. I don't know how they decided it. I don't know, but six months in they then decided that I was going to take two shows off a week because they had to rotate everybody in too. That's really fresh. And I'm a kid, so I took I had Monday nights off and Saturday matinees. So um I didn't have to be at the theater, I called in like on standby because we lived close enough that I could do that. Um, and so it was cool because I got to go to everyone's birthday parties on Saturday afternoons, and I also had two days off in a row.

So uh the other two girls each did um it did a show. So that's yeah, that I did five a week after six months. I did five a week. So there is a very iconic performance at the Macy's parade where you are kind of the center of the performance singing Castle on the Cloud. What do you remember about doing that?

[15:49] Donna Vivino: I remember it was freezing, truly. It was freezing cold, and I got to, I took a picture with Karen Zemba because I because I really loved her. She was in this show called Teddy and Alice. And I thought she was just amazing. I know it's so random. It's a random memory, but not when you're little and you look up to someone. I had done a reading with Karen Ziemba shortly before I did Lay Miz. And then to see her, she was like, I was like, Karen, you know, and that was it. I remember that. I remember I was with Comb and Braden Danner. It was the three of us that did. And we were I was coldest because little cosette's not wearing very much. So I was shaking. And it and we had to get up at like four in the morning and it was dark out.

[16:30] Marc Tumminelli: What do you remember about working with that cast?

[16:32] Donna Vivino: I mean, you have Judy Kune, Colin Wilkinson, Randy Graf, Transman, like Tan's Man. There's nothing. Okay. So we just did, I hosted on my Zoom. It was so exciting. Anthony Crivello, who was Gran Terre, the original, um, started emailing all of us in like April, I think, and was like, we should all do a Zoom get together. And I was like, I have a pro I have like a Zoom Pro, so I can host all of us. And so Anthony and I worked together and we got everyone in a room. I mean, almost everybody was there. And so I got to see all of them. Even John uh even um even um well Alain Boublille didn't come, but um uh Jean um Jean-Michel, Michelle Schomberg, yeah. The our our composer was there. Um, John cared.

It was pretty cool. And there was Francis, Judy, Randy Graf, Randy. I Randy, I see we were neighbors in New Jersey for a long time. So I saw her all the time. Um, yeah, it's a Joanna Glushek and I keep working together. Uh we did hairspray together. So it it it was incredible at the time. I mean, I I think that they assembled such an unbelievable cast. I mean, if you think about all those names you just said, it's unbelievable. Sheer talent in there.

[17:45] Marc Tumminelli: Um how did your family adjust to this new life and the new schedule instead of just doing a commercial being done, you know, at the end of that week or whatever? This new life of basically being this kid's star of a show.

[17:59] Donna Vivino: Um, I think I didn't realize what they were having to do. Um, I know that Washington, Washington, D.C. was the hardest because I have two younger brothers and they were with my dad back home, and my mom was in Washington, D.C. with me, and that was probably really the hardest. They made me stay in public school, and because we didn't have Wednesday matinees, I never got out of school. So I had to go every day. And you know what's funny? There was another girl in my public school who was in the K and I at the time. She had to leave on Wednesdays because she was unfair. Yeah. Um, so yeah, so it's um, or she would, yeah. So long story short, uh, I went to public school. They always said if my grades slip, they're gonna pull me out.

But I was a I was a straight A student, I was really into school. Um, I would finish at three o'clock uh from school, they would pick me up, I'd go into the city, I'd often have auditions for commercials still, um, or I was doing jingles. I did so many jingles in the 80s and 90s that it is kind of insane. So I was doing that, and then I would go to the theater. Um and we didn't bow after those first six months. So I would only on the weekends. So which so my parents actually were part of that. A lot of the parents were like, Can they go home? Like, why do they have to be here till 11:15 to bow? And they were like, Oh, we don't care, great. They could let the chaperone go. So I was out, I was done by you know nine, nine o'clock, nine fifteen, and we were out the door, and I could be in bed by 10.

So that that's good. And then I could get up and go to school. So that I think that the adjusting really was more about they were chauffeurs, you know, my parents, and it was really hard, and they had to also they I have two younger brothers. So I can't it's a tricky thing for families to figure out how to make it work.

[19:41] Marc Tumminelli: So recording Castle on the Cloud, which now is you know, obviously been it's one of the most downloaded and also purchased cast albums of all time. It's a very iconic moment. What do you remember about recording the song?

[19:52] Donna Vivino: I think it was on my ninth birthday. That's one thing I remember, or like a day or two before, because I was like, it's my birthday, it's gonna be my birthday. Um I remembered doing it maybe once or twice. Uh Robert Billig was conducting. He's still amazing and around, he conducted Wicked as well on Broadway. Um I remember I remember uh I mean, you have a whole orchestra there with you in a in a huge room in your recording, like we were all doing it live kind of together. So incredible.

[20:26] Donna Vivino: There is a lady all in white. Hold me and sings alone by she's nice to see, and she's soft to touch. She says cosette. I love you very much. When was the last time you heard it?

[20:48] Marc Tumminelli: I don't know. Maybe, maybe, maybe around Thanksgiving. I usually will post like the Thanksgiving Day Parade throwback Thursday. Um it's a good throwback. I mean, my throwback Thursdays are like really boring. But it's Thanksgiving is always Thursday, so it's my it's my one year. So I always hear that little piece of it. Um we were, you know, it's not live. It wasn't was it live? No, we sang live. Yeah, you do sing live. I just don't know where the mic was. We don't sing live now. I don't know what they did in the city. No, no, no. I don't actually I don't think we sang live. I sang along with it, but I don't think I sang live with Macy's. We had to make a story wild because it was a medley. It was like calm uh did a piece, Braden does a piece, and then Colm Wilkinson did a piece of bring him home.

[21:34] Marc Tumminelli: How hard was it to walk away from that experience?

[21:38] Donna Vivino: I was in the show two and a half years, which is longer than any kid I've ever, I just it wasn't growing, I guess. I mean, I was so tiny and I had a five-inch growth clause. So it took me two and a half years to grow five inches. But I did take a couple leaves, like I did, you know, commercials sometimes, and I did a movie. So um it was I was thinking I was ready to walk away. It was hard, but I think I was ready. Um I suddenly like, I think there was this part of me, by the time I left, I was 11, and I really wanted to be playing with my friends after school. I I was feeling I was feeling that way, you know. And then I did a movie after.

[22:18] Marc Tumminelli: When is the David Letterman? When did that happen in the timeline?

[22:21] Donna Vivino: Oh, that happened when I was seven. So that happened a year before. So if if you're if you're listening, stop everything, go to YouTube and watch Donovan sing on the David Letterman show. What was that? What was that? Should I put it on my Instagram TV? Yeah, we'll need to see it. Um tell us about that, and then we'll jump on past lemons.

[22:44] Donna Vivino: There was a there was a concert, uh, not a concert. There was a contest, and I wasn't a pageant kid, but there was a contest called the Little Miss Liberty Contest. That I guess my manager was like, you should do this. It was a it was the bicentennial of US and and so we I don't know I went to the I had to go to Bryant Park and we had to sing and do an interview and so um the David Letterman show was like contacted them and said can you send us one of the contestants and um they sent them me and I sang New York New York and I did win the pageant I'm just gonna say your little Miss Liberty that is your yeah and I and I got to keep the I got to keep that whole thing that whole costume and all of it.

[23:30] Donna Vivino: So after leaving Lay Miz there was like a big slew of 90 shows that included kids Secret Garden Will Rogers goodbye girl big did you feel like you did not want to go back to Broadway right away or it's not that I auditioned for all of them except for big I wasn't so I didn't get it. You know that that happens I mean I got down to the end for goodbye girl and wasn't mine you know that's it and what were the other two that you said um Will Rogers Secret Garden those were the ones that you secret garden I went in for but I was no Mary Lennox. I mean I I I had one audition and I I didn't even get a call back like I knew and I knew Daisy because Daisy had come into Lay Miz. She didn't replace me but she came sure she came in shortly after and I knew her and I still am friends with her and I was like this is this is Daisy.

This she's this is hers like we even knew as kids she's so talented so talented and um and and um I mean she won a Tony so was it hard for you to go back to regular school I mean I know you were in regular school the whole time was it hard for you not to have that that stardom moment to be on a Broadway stage every night or I think I was okay.

[24:37] Donna Vivino: I think I think that um I I so shortly after booked a movie that I think it distracted me. And I was in I was in this like in Toronto filming with you know some amazing actors. So it was so like I was in like not Hollywood, but Matthead space. What was your high school experience like?

[24:55] Donna Vivino: High school was interesting. High school was cool. I was not, I was barely doing anything anymore in terms of professional work and I was doing all my high school shows. And later someone was like, How did you do that with equity? I'm like, it was high school. Like it's fine. You I'll explain it if anyone needs any information. DM because people used to ask me, it was often parents of other kids. Like, how can you do these shows, Donna? But I did um our freshman year in high school. We had an amazing our public school, Fairland High School in New Jersey has amazing musicals. John Jerisi, who um he had just started when I got there, he is still there. He's an incredible educator. I just want to give him a shout out and um we did Pippin my first year, uh, and I was leading player.

That was crazy. I danced a lot and I learned I started to learn how to dance in high school. That was another thing. I started to learn how to dance. I learned how to do improv because we had an amazing uh drama teacher who did a whole all these improv shows with us. I learned a lot in high school, to be honest. I did I never really had trained. I was a kid doing stuff and then high school. I I had great training, great public school.

[25:58] Marc Tumminelli: You came back to Broadway with Saturday Night Fever and then again a hairspray. Um tell me what you remember about those two shows.

[26:05] Donna Vivino: Okay. So when I was graduating high school, um I had done all the musicals, all the plays. Um I did a professional show my senior year regionally of high school of um after we did the music high school musical, I auditioned to do a local production. It was had they had equity contracts though of uh Joseph. So I did the narrator in that. But I was going to Barnard. I was going to Barnard not for theater. I I was scared. I just didn't, I didn't think that I could make it as an adult for some reason. I just didn't have the confidence anymore. Um I was almost a little bit not jaded, but I sort of as a child saw how competitive and challenging it was. And I thought I have straight A's. I got into a great school.

I'll go to school in New York and I'll take like acting, singing and dancing lessons in the city, but I better have something to quote fall back on. And my sophomore year of college, I got really depressed because I was like, I should have just like applied to Carnegie Mellon. I should have auditioned, I should have gone to school for that. Um should have could have water. It didn't matter. Looking back, there's no clear path. Some people don't go to college at all for this, some people go to Juilliards, some people get their masters. It all worked out. If you have the love, you can find training anywhere and you can keep at it. I believe that wholeheartedly. Um, so I stayed at at Barnard. My senior year of college, I got a call from Telsey casting.

Um they called Shirley Graham, was like, would Donna come audition for something called Camp? It was a movie called Camp. And I got down to the very, very end for that. That was like my junior year of college. So I was maybe 19 years old. I got the very end for camp with Michael Gore and it, I mean, it was crazy. And I didn't get it, and I was heartbroken, and I was like, I'm really not doing this ever. And which you should never think that way, but I was in that headspace. And then they called maybe a year later, I was a senior in college, I was an RA. I was looking at law schools. I was like, I'll just go be a lawyer. Um, and they called and said, Would you come audition to be a pit singer?

People don't know what that is. You're singing with the orchestra pit. Cats has them as well, booth singers, um, to sweeten the vocals because there's people dancing and being spun around on stage and they can't really get the vocals. So a lot of us were understudies and singing in the booth. So I was a senior in college and I went to this open, it wasn't an open call, but they Telsey called like everyone that they knew who could sing. And anyone that, and I think because I'm Italian and I could cover roles. So I went in and I sang out here on my own from fame, which I had to do for the camp audition. And I'm like, well, I'll just sing that. It's what I have. I had didn't even have a book really.

I just had that song. And I booked it, and I was a senior in college, and I was like, what? So I started to go down, like I would do classes during the day in college, and then I would take the train down and do um Saturday Night Fever at night. I uh and then I was like, I really want to do this. I I don't I don't want to go to law school. And then hairspray happened kind of on the heels of that. No, uh for two years I um wasn't getting, I got I got a regional production of Foot Loose, and that was about it. For two years I was uh substitute teaching in Weehawka, New Jersey. I was waiting tables, um I was doing readings of anything I could. Um I auditioned for hairspray 14 times. Oh my god. And then I got in 14, but wicked only once. So we're getting to wicked, it's coming. All right. All right. Okay, so but we have to talk about so and you also covered Tracy.

[29:31] Donna Vivino: I did. I covered, I covered Tracy, Velma von Tussle. This is that track that shows Sean of Bean Chat and Liz Crits are all of us. It's like, you know, uh, and um and the female authority figure. Oh my god. Or on tour, I only covered Tracy because that's it. I just covered Tracy. On tour, I only went on twice because there's a standby for Tracy. I was the ensemble cover, so you know the odds of me going on were really small. So I think there was a vacation one week, and the stage manager's like, I want to put you on twice because I want you to get on. So that was fun. I went on in San Francisco twice. It was amazing. Oh my god, Hairspray at the height of Hairspray was like there was nothing more exciting.

Nothing more exciting, and that is the best company I had ever been in. The national, the first national tour. We all opened it together. We worked with Jack and Jerry for an entire month. Um, it was a magical experience. Best cast ever, that national touring cast. We all really love each other.

[30:29] Marc Tumminelli: Talk to me about Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, which was your uh another amazing experience on Broadway for you, which I saw and loved.

[30:37] Donna Vivino: It was an amazing experience. There's always this heartbreak that went into that because I had been doing the workshops for Legally Blonde for two years, two years as Enid Hoops. And um I then got this opportunity to perform at Martin Short, even though I knew it was only gonna be for three months. And I had to make this heartbreaking decision, and it happens sometimes as actors, where it's like I really, you know, I could you had I had to be in the San Francisco tryout, and I was gonna have to miss that if I stayed in Martin Short, but I wanted to work with Martin Short on Broadway, and I did, and I am so sad that like you know, we can't we can't be in two places at once sometimes as actors.

But to be so fortunate to have to make those decisions, I can't complain. Martin Short doing that show was unbelievable. It was a dream come true. We you know I the story of that was that I was in I was in Hairspray in the women's ensemble dressing room, and somebody came in and said, I've been reading the breakdowns, which I don't do, but they were like, I've been reading the breakdowns, and they're looking for someone to go into Martin Short and they have to do impersonations and be a good singer. And they were like, You'd be really good for that, Donna. And I was like, What? What is this? And so I emailed my agent. This was a Saturday morning. And he's like, I submitted you. They didn't even call you in.

So I realized Mark Shaman was the musical director on it. And I did something I have never done. I emailed him between shows on a Saturday. And I said, I am hearing about this. I don't even know if you know who I am. I'm in your show Hairspray. I think I'm the person for this job. I love it. I said, I just I read the breakdown, and I think so he emails me back and he's like, I'm gonna try to get you in. Our final callback is Monday, though, like final. He's like, but I'm gonna try to get you in because this is what I did to Bette Midler. When I heard Barry Manilow was like unavailable, I was like, I think I you want me now. And so I have to like give it to him. He's the reason why. You know, I went into that final callback on Monday. There were five other girls there, and I got it. And uh, you had to do a ton of impressions in that show. Who was your what was your favorite thing to do? I love hearing you do them.

[32:42] Donna Vivino: So my favorite was at the time Sex in the City was super popular, and I really think that's what got me the job. We I also could really sing too, because they needed a like Nicole Parker. I was replacing her. So, like, you need to have a really good voice for that track as well. So I think that also gave me an edge because I could sing all the stuff. There's a lot of great comedians, but they don't also sing. And when I did Sarah Jessica Parker, I remember like they all were like the hairs in the back of their neck were they were all friends with her, and they were like, Wow, no one does Sarah Jessica Parker. And I just I always used to do her because she's so iconic to me. So I was like, Oh, thank you so so much.

I just honestly think you are the the you have the loveliest, loveliest, you know. I'm a little bit it's it's so good that I have the chills. Like it is, it is an unbelievable impression. You're brilliant. Um okay, we have to get into Alphabet or we'll never ever talk about it. Um before you say anything, your performance in that show was so astonishing. I will never forget it as long as I live. You're also your No Good Deed is like legendary. And I mean, just watch it on YouTube. Your vocals are so stunning, but you're also such an incredible actress. You could sing all day long, but if you're if that's not rooted in something. So tell us how Wicked sort of came to you. And I know you had a very long journey with that show. So give me the four-on-one.

[34:27] Donna Vivino: All right. Well, I started out as an actress, so thank you for that, really. And I did not take voice lessons until I was in my late 20s. It wasn't until doing Hairspray I started to have some vocal trouble because I was doing eight shows a week and I was like, why am I losing my voice so much? And I had to really learn, I was just a natural singer, but I didn't really have technique. And I developed a lot of technique, which by the way, is why I was a very healthy Elphaba, I feel. And that I was able when when Elphaba came to me, I was 29 years old, and I had just been training for two years with Joan Lader and Aaron Hagen. So I felt very confident going into it vocally. Thank goodness. So, how did that happen?

I was doing Martin Short. Um, I also was training vocally because I did all these vocal impressions and I didn't want to. I had to do Renee Zellweger, and that can really hurt your voice. You know, you have to be careful with that stuff. So um, Paul Dobie, who was the second assistant director on Wicked, we did this fun impersonation of Elphaba I had to do, and I said to him, you know, I can't get in for that show, they won't see me, and I want to be in it. I go, Can you get me in? Like joking. And he said, You'd be a great Glinda. And I said, No, no, no, no, I'm an Elphaba. And he's like, But you're funny, and you have curly hair and you're short, you know, all that kind of and I said, I know, but I'm an Elphaba.

So Martin Short ended, and I guess um a couple months later, my agent called and said, All right, Wicked, you know, wants you to come in. Uh, they're gonna bring you in for Elphaba. The can't prom, you know, casting is like, we can't promise anything. We're not really sure she's right with part, but they she was a request because Paul got me in and I got in and I got the they uh they offered me the standby on tour, um, and said that you know, standby on tour, and I wasn't sure at the time if we were gonna take it, but my agent had said I think they're gonna move you into the role, you know, after Carmen leaves, and they did. So Carmen Cusack left and you took over as Elphaba.

[36:19] Donna Vivino: I was her standby for um about eight months, and then I took over for her, yeah. And then you got to do it on Broadway for a zillion times.

[36:29] Marc Tumminelli: Yeah, that was a sweet kid. I absolutely, you know, I did the role on tour too long. I did it, I did it for my first contract. It was about a year, it was one year, not nine months, a year, and then they asked me to do another nine months, and I only had a cup like two weeks off or 10 days between the contracts, and I felt very tired and burnt out on that second contract. And I I think I needed I I don't think they do back to backs anymore. I think they've realized. Um, and I was so tired that when I remember saying, I I don't want I was I was like I want to stand by on Broadway but I just that's the job that I want and I did I mean I got I went on for a full month once on Broadway full month straight so as far as I'm concerned I got to do it and that you know on Broadway I um one of the girls one of our Elphies got super sick and I did it for a full month.

[37:16] Donna Vivino: And you're you really put your own stamp on it how did that come to the role for you I didn't try to put my own stamp on it. I always say that like you know I I saw Idina do it when it first opened and no one is her I mean she is Elphaba right and then I didn't try to be Idina I didn't try to be Carmen however there will I always say there will always be a little bit of Carmen Cusack in my Elphaba because that was I was her standby. So I would hear her do it every night and watch her of course I would turn off the mars sometimes because you don't want to be doing as an impersonator I have to be super careful because sound like her also to pick up on it. So I made sure to always not sing along with her but just sing it on my own.

I went on a lot I got to go on a lot and I think um I don't know I think it developed over time you know that Elphaba the Elphaba by the time I got to New York and was doing it in New York I she was me you know I mean there there was just there was Donna was in there. It's like no one is gonna be you know so I just my Elphaba is is a version of me I think.

[38:17] Marc Tumminelli: How scary is that first time you went on it just feels like the biggest role that no one could possibly be prepared to do, especially if you're swinging in.

[38:32] Donna Vivino: It was um December 26, 2007. Believe it or not. I had just started in November on tour. Uh December 26, 2007, it was it was a one o'clock matinee, and I got called at 12 o'clock in the afternoon. It was the day after this we'd had off. And I'm scared for you right now. And I and it was a 20-minute drive. I was still in my hotel room. It was a 20-minute drive to the theater. And I had to get so I had no time to think, which was probably awesome. My first time on, don't remember it. It was a blur. I just did it. Everyone was like, holy moly, that was amazing. Then I had to go on a second time and I was a wreck. Because at that point I was like, I don't know, even though what I just did. I was, I was much more in my head the second time. And then you start to, you know.

[39:14] Marc Tumminelli: How hard is it? That standby position on Broadway seems to be like the hardest because it's not in your muscle of doing it even six times a week to just have you know four days off and then do one and then have more time off and do another one. How do you keep yourself sort of up and ready?

[39:29] Donna Vivino: I um I don't know. I I was on a lot. I love it. Like you were you were teaching at Broadway Workshop the whole time and you were constantly green. Like you were on every show. Ever I did, I did, yeah. Um I did one month straight. Um in February of one year. I did a whole the entire month of February. It was like four weeks. Um, it's a tough role, it's a tough role. And if you go, if your voice is even out a little bit, you have to take the time to let it recover. That's part of it. Or we have someone with an ankle injury, like if somebody's ankle sprain, they're out. Like you can't, you can do your best, but it's Elphaba, you're on stage like the whole time. Um, but your question was just like, how do I when when I'm not on?

Okay, so when I haven't been on a lot, um, you know, I think like two weeks went by once that might have been the longest. And you get a little like, whoo, I'm a little nervous. Um, but I don't know, I kind of just jump in. I I I I like this day. I love going on mid-show. I don't know, I think standing by is so much fun. It's exciting.

[40:26] Marc Tumminelli: Now, your sister is currently in the national tour of Wicked and yes I mean they're they're of course closed for yes but would be currently on the National Tour of Wicked but and they'll come back obviously but um so and does she have the same track as you what does she do in the show she's the standby for Elphaba that is how wild is that it's amazing yeah it's crazy yeah um and but but not surprising I mean she's so she's super young um she's 20 she'll be 24 next month she's very talented she um I always knew that like she auditioned and I said you're gonna get it I said that they won't give it to you right away but you will you're gonna get it I said you know I I knew she'd be she's a great standby from what I've been told everybody loves her I'm so proud of her um I haven't seen her do it yet I um I will that'll that'll happen.

[40:26] Donna Vivino: You know the reason why we know each other is because you've taught at Broadway Workshop and you're such an incredible teacher and now you have your own program called Journey to Broadway um that's based in New Jersey but obviously open online now it's actually like private students my private students are cool too I have a student in Hong Kong now it's cool isn't it we have so many kids that are taking workshops from all over the world now it's amazing it's a really special talk to me about what how that came about what you want to do how much of your focus is on teaching now.

[41:50] Donna Vivino: Uh almost is on teaching which has actually been a blessing because it keeps me creative as well I learned so much from my students um I have a lot of different teachers. It's not just me. We have a really great, we're more acting based. Um, and we have a lot of really great mini camps going on. I I um I don't know. I think even when I've taught for you guys, I just always find that um there is something in young performers that it invigorates me to be around them because uh especially performers that when you're young, there's so much fun. You're having fun and you're playing. It's called a play because you're playing. And I just love seeing that. Sometimes, you know, you you I do do this for a living.

It's a career, and I go to work, and I sometimes forget that I also get to play and do what I love. So when I teach, I'm constantly reminded of that's right. That's why we do this for the love of it. And so I don't know if you feel the way I do, but I know like with Journey to Broadway with Broadway Workshop, like I feel this duty now to like keep the arts alive as much as I can, um, especially among young people.

[42:56] Marc Tumminelli: Well, these kids are killing it, like they're showing up and they're doing the work and they're using this opportunity to train and get better, and there's more access now than ever because all these it's it's kind of a really special thing, and you have such a great gift to offer, and I'm so glad that you're teaching so much and that kids from all over the world can work with you. But you repeated you were teaching on Skype, you were teaching on Zoom before everyone.

[43:22] Donna Vivino: I you're right. Um, I have uh I had some private students. I do an advanced musical theater class. Um, and I had some private students as well. And um, you know, Journey to Broadway had started out just as a summer program, but it's gonna continue now because why not? And um, and so uh what happened was I got the national tour and I told my students there's something called Zoom. If you would like to keep working with me, please work with me. And I had a handful of them in January and February.

[43:50] Donna Vivino: I was teaching them, you know, while on tour. I mean, you really guys, just listen to Donna. She'll give you all the information a little bit before you. I'm always a little bit, yeah. Sometimes I hate that I can see what's coming, but yes, I'm I'm ahead of, I'm often ahead of it, you know.

[44:02] Marc Tumminelli: It's the Elphaba in you. Okay. All right. We need to do obsessed and we need to do questions. Donna, your career has been so exciting, and you've done so many musicals, obviously, so much film and TV.

[44:14] Marc Tumminelli: And we're so excited to see what's next for you. Um, that we get to watch either on stage or on television or somewhere. You are just truly the most special. So thank you so much for sharing some of your stories. Okay. So you get to go first with your obsessed before I get to mine. So, what is getting you through quarantine? Is there a book, a movie, a television show, a YouTube show? What's happening? I know you don't have time for anything, but I don't. But um, I was obsessed with Outlander for a little while, which embarrasses me because I'm not into romance novels and I really don't like soap property stuff, but I love science fiction, has a little bit of that. Um, I am oddly enough, like re-obsessed with the Hamilton cast recording because I'm gearing up for Friday for when they're gonna be on um Disney Plus, which will be last Friday when you're listening to this.

This past Friday. Sorry, it was so good, right, guys? Just kidding. Wasn't it amazing? It was amazing. But um, my son loves Hamilton, he is four years old, and um, before even these lockdowns happened, we were listening to it. And my teacher was like, he just said that Britain keeps on me endlessly, and I'm right. Okay. Um, and he also said Southern Mother Democratic. And I was like, Oh, okay, we have to we have to like we gotta talk about it. We talk about it, and I tell him those are not nice words, and well, why do they and then he said he goes so the beep, he says beep. So listen, I've heard kids say much more. I'm also obsessed with like this is gonna sound strange, but like watching people draw live on Instagram.

Um, like James Mulligan is an artist for Disney. He's also a former performer, and he draws like he just paints like Ariel from Disney and watching him do this, it's like so relaxing and so beautiful. So check him out. I love it. All right. My obsession this week, I talked about last in our last episode, but now I want to get official about it. It's a TV show called Game Face. It's on Hulu. It stars uh a British actress named Roisen Connetie. It's the funniest show I have ever seen, like in tears. So if you're looking for something hilarious, game face on Hulu. It's very British, it's brilliant. And if you don't think it's funny, I don't know what to tell you. I am looking for funny stuff. What about I haven't seen Flea Bag?

Everyone tells me to watch. Oh my god, yeah, it's watch flea bag. I'm also obsessed with British television. Um I just think they're just doing it better than us lately. But uh often. Um, are you ready for the Broadway workshop quick fire questions?

[46:37] Donna Vivino: Oh, okay. This is a list of questions put together by myself and some students at Broadway Workshop for you. Just go with the first thing that comes to your mind. Favorite city on tour, San Francisco. Favorite Fiero. Oh, Dean Massey. That's fine. Favorite Broadway. Oh, no, first Broadway show you ever saw. Me and my girl. Oh, did you have braces? Yes. And they were plastic ones, like the not the silver. If you can go back and do one performance of anything you've ever been in in your whole career, what would it be? Next to normal. If you had a yacht, what would you call it? Cassandra. Should all Broadway shows have a turntable? Yes. What would your superhero power be? Oh, um being able to understand every single language in the world, including sign language.

Oh, I love that. Um, how many Cosette merchandise things did you have at the height of Lamez? Ooh. Uh I want to believe you had a coat and a bag and a uh everything. I mean everything times two. How about that? And it was you. Um, what store do you shop in the most? Oh gosh, this is so hard because COVID. I know, non-COVID times. It's like Whole Foods. What was your most recent Broadway audition? Woo. Uh well, I don't know if you count cats. The national count it. You booked it. Booked and blast. How hard is it? Lies, lies. It was music man. It was music man on tape. Music man. Well, let's hope you get that. Um hard is it to get the green off? Kind of kind of hard. It stays in your hairline and in your so you can dig, but you get you have green hairline.

Cats or dogs. I love both, but I have a cat, so cat. So we're going cats, and you're wearing cats. Um, has the moon lost her memory? I I I think so. I think so. Yeah. Um, did anyone uh ever like stand you right next to the Cosette logo and say this is identical? No. As a child, I mean you look just like the logo. I mean, it do. But that was drawn years ago. That was not. I know, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, okay. What do you want on your bagel? Oh, everything bagel scooped out toasted cream cheese. So your uh favorite Margaret Hamilton inflection in your alphabet. Oh, um uh during no good deed. She crept in. I mean it wasn't her, but that was creeping in. Was it um um it's that's ah the D car? I thought it's so good.

Um pre-show ritual. Oh, um I um listening to music and going for a one mile run. That's wonderful. Strangest stage door interaction. Uh someone. Uh um, oh um, somebody made me um um what are they called? Rice Krispie Trees, which is awesome, and then followed me home and was like, No, you but you have to taste them. Oh no. Like you have, and I was like, uh, listen, I'm really tired. I can't nobody have to taste it. I'm sweating. Guys, if you're listening, don't bring food to the stage door. It's very creepy. Um we don't that's not a thing that you should be doing. Okay. I mean, don't follow someone don't follow them home. Favorite impression in Martin Short, you could do one other than uh Sargeska.

I mean, there was also Ritney Salmick. She's like, I have to tell you something. Oh my god, it's so good. Crazy. Did you see Judy? You know, Jordy Foster, but uh Mary Bird told that one, but I loved hers. Yeah, when she got it so good. Yeah. Okay. I can listen to you do that all day. Favorite alphabet you ever saw? Ooh.

[50:51] Donna Vivino: Julia Mernie. Oh. Um go to album for a car trip. Go to album for a card trip. Uh, this is really weird. I have two. It's Tupac or The Bridges of Madison County. And there's no middle ground. Okay. Those are those are the two ends of the spectrum, I think. They are, and I'm extreme. I'm an extremist. And I I truly listen to Kelly O'Hara and Stephen Castalik and Whitney Basher, like every time I'm in the car. It's the greatest past album ever made. So that might be why. Summe and that cellist, I always forget her name, and I it's just Jason Rabbit Brown. It's just unbelievable. Perfect. It's perfect. Um, you could can you play that role? Can you sing that soprano? That role. I actually um uh theater works, Silicon Valley.

I was out, yes, I can. I'm working on my I can sing opera now. I'm working very hard. Yeah, I want to hear that. You'd be brilliant. I auditioned for it, but I gotta play instead. But that was a there you go. Um wasn't ready. I had to keep working. So one show you'll never get over not being cast in. Jagged little pill. Fine, you should be in that best opening night gift. Um the okay, the concept album in French of Les Miserables on a cassette tape was given to us by one of the creative, probably Claude Michel and Alain Boubliau. They made cassette tapes for everyone with the demos in French of these French singers doing the songs. Oh my god, that's a great gift. Isn't that the best? That's I love that.

What role should Patty Lapone play in hairspray? Edna. Yeah. Um, okay. One job view. Oh no, we already did that. Um, if you can have dinner with one person, who would it be? Oh. Oh my gosh. Alive or dead. It doesn't matter. It's one any. All right. I have a crush on him. Um one word to describe Martin Short. Genius. Weirdest experience as a child star. Um gosh. I mean, I found I had a pretty good weirdest experience. Uh first thing comes to my head, and nothing weird is happening. Um, oh, my mother would probably, but um, someone called our house asking for me, a grown man. Oh, and she's like, who is it? Because our number, I guess, was listed. We became unlisted after that. He had seen me in La Miz.

He goes, I just want to talk to Donna. I was like, absolutely not. Okay. Um, how do you know her? Um, no, I just want to talk to her. Like I've seen her in the show a million times. My mom is Jody Foster and the, you know, like it was just bad. So we changed our number and yeah. Um, what is your son think of Castle on the Cloud? Oh, he beatboxes to it. My son's an amazing beatboxer, and he he does like a hip hop, he thinks he thinks he's in Hamilton, so he does it like hip hop RB style. Can you name two real housewives? Okay, I'm gonna try, but I'm really bad at this. Ramona. Yeah. And isn't there someone Taylor? Um, I don't think so. Oh, see how bad I am. Um, there could have been Taylor a long time.

I have to, I've no Taylor is jumping out at me. And I'm Desiree? Oh, Desiree. Okay. Name one musical you're okay with never seeing again. Oh, it's so mean. Um Jekyll and Hyde. That's fine. Um, if you go, if you can go back in time and see any Broadway show for any year, what would it be? I want to see the original Sweeney Todd. Oh, that's a great choice. I think mine would be MAME, but that is such a gayest answer ever, but that's what I'd want to see. Yeah. Okay. No one asked me, but I'm just jumping in there.

[54:55] Marc Tumminelli: So much fun. Have you ever left a show at intermission? Yes. Jacqueline Hyde. Okay. Back back to Jacqueline Hyde. What I just wanted, I was like, I'm gonna just go home and listen to Linda Edder. Yeah, that's the that's my queen. Okay. What movie uh could you watch over and over again? Um this is the weirdest answer, but it's the talented Mr. Ripley. Right. Um, and last question what is one thing you want people to know about you? Um that I totally get stage fright, and that I am can be super insecure like anybody else. Doesn't matter how many credits I have or how many, you know, people following me on Instagram or fans, whatever, I totally like uh can be insecure and have feelings too, and that um I'm I'm human and that uh uh nerves are normal. And um, and that's just it. Like I I I I still um work really hard and struggle too. That's what I want to know.

[55:57] Donna Vivino: That's great. Um, Donna, tell the people where they can find you and follow you and all that fun stuff.

[56:01] Donna Vivino: Oh yeah. Um you can follow me on Instagram at Donna Vivino, D-O-N-N-A-V-I-V-I-N-L. You can follow me also on Twitter, Donna Vivino. Um, I also have journey to Broadway.com. There we have some classes this summer. Come take a look if you'd like. And uh that's it, I guess.

[56:19] Marc Tumminelli: Oh my God, I love you. Thank you so much for joining me today. This looks so much fun. It was fun, right? Your story is incredible. And for someone to have this many years in the business and still love it and be hungry for it and excited about what's coming, is really a testament to your not only talent, but your heart. And uh I think that that comes through in all your performances and we just I you know you have a fan for life here. So thank you. And July 11th and 12th, Bristol Riverside Theater online. You can get tickets to that concert. I will be singing memory live. So and you just did a craziest to find gravity. What was that for?

[56:53] Donna Vivino: Okay, so my hometown, Fairlawn, New Jersey, uh, Larry Hockman, who's like a multiple Tony Award winner for orchestrations, is also from Fairlawn. And they um were honoring it was a performing arts, they were honoring people from the town and performing arts, and they asked us if we would do a couple songs, and uh we chose smile because that's a song that I love and it had a good one. It's on your album, right? And it's not on my album, but it's my granddaughter. I love that song. I just thought it was a good message now, and we wanted to do a concept song of smile. So we did that, and then they came back and they were like, Donna, will you please do? I said, Define gravity like in my bed, like I don't know.

I'm like, at first, I'm like, it's so hard without the whole ensemble saying, Look at her, she's right because you're holding out those. I was petrified. And they were like, it's just like, would you? And I'm like, all right. And so I did it right here in my bedroom, and they actually went up putting images and stuff in it. And I was um pleasantly surprised because what happened to me was I suddenly remembered what it was like to practice that for the audition. And I remembered what it was like to just sing in my bedroom for fun. And that's my my new thing now is I'm singing for fun, which is why I'm like working on my soprano and opera and all this stuff.

[58:04] Marc Tumminelli: This is a brilliant video. There's no thank you. There's no time like now, you know? Yes. Do that. There's no time now. Get the things you want, be nice, wear a mask, remember those things. Subscribe to the Little Me Podcast, rate and review it because it's wonderful. And uh follow us at LittleMe Podcast on Instagram. Donna, thank you so much. Thank you. I can't wait to see you on stage again.

[58:27] Donna Vivino: Me too. Thank you, listeners. This podcast is produced by Alan Seals, Dory Berenstein, and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[58:38] Marc Tumminelli: And edited by Derek Gunther. For more information on the Little Me Podcast, go to bpn.fm slash little me. And follow me on Instagram at Marc Tumminelli or on Twitter at that to Minelli. And for more information on workshops, classes, and everything Broadway Workshop, go to BroadwayWorkshop.com. Thank you for listening.