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[0:21] Marc Tumminelli: Hello, welcome to the Little Me podcast with me, Marc Tumminelli. Today I have two guests who have killed it on Broadway, on TV, and in the movies. And now they're coming together for a new podcast. So please welcome Eli Tokash and Sydney Lucas.

[0:36] Eli Tokash: Hi, friends.

[0:37] Sydney Lucas: Hi, Marc.

[0:38] Marc Tumminelli: How are you?

[0:39] Eli Tokash: Okay, before we talk about your amazingness, let me tell the people about you in case they are unaware. They've been living under rocks. Eli, you have appeared on television in ABC's Forever and Netflix's Friends from College, which I was obsessed with. And the Broadway companies of Pippin and Finding Neverland, the Madison Square Garden production of A Christmas Story, the National Tour of Mary Poppins.

[1:03] Eli Tokash: And you're a junior in high school.

[1:05] Eli Tokash: I am.

[1:06] Marc Tumminelli: And Sydney, you are the history-making child star, having created the role of young Allison in Fun Home at the Public, and then on Broadway, for which you received a 2015 Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the age of 11. Um, and also played Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden at Lincoln Center. You're a series regular on the AMC show The Sun. Um, and you can be seen in the films Dude, The Skeleton Twins, and a ton of other amazing things. Um, but now you guys have come together to create this Take a Bow podcast. So I want to start with talking about that. How did you guys meet each other? Give me the story. Who's kicking it off?

[1:46] Eli Tokash: Okay, so Eli was in the regional tour of A Christmas Story with my brother Jake. Um, Jake Lucas, who was in A Christmas Story, who's also in Newsies on Broadway and King and I on Broadway. And he was in King and I the same season you did Fun Home on Broadway.

[2:03] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so we did the Tony Awards together. Isn't that insane? Like, has that ever happened before? A brother and sister, do you know? My poor parents.

[2:13] Eli Tokash: But uh so that's how you guys know each other.

[2:16] Sydney Lucas: That's how the friendship started. Tell me what we're doing.

[2:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, we met when we were about like, yeah, and then um, you know, we kind of kept in touch ever since, and uh little did we know that we would end up in the same school when it was sixth grade and when we were about 12, and uh we reconnected there and we went through all of middle school together and we really leaned on each other during those three years, and then uh we went to high school for a year together before Sydney kind of went her own route online.

[2:48] Eli Tokash: Um and uh yeah, and ever since then we've stayed in really close touch and uh we have like mutual friends, so we always hang out when they're in town and stuff like that. And um one day I was like asked to do a podcast, and I was kind of like, you know, I want to start one myself, like I think it'd be a really cool thing. And I was like, but I want to have a co-host if I ever do it, like I want someone there with me.

[3:15] Eli Tokash: And I so I knew that I was starting this podcast and things were starting to like heat up, and I was starting to talk to more people about it, and um then I posted something on my Snapchat story, um, like exciting things happening, and like left a microphone and like but like kind of left it suspicious, and uh I knew that was clickbait for Sydney, and um and of course she's like no no no but like so Sydney you called Eli, no one calls anyone.

[3:45] Sydney Lucas: You texted Eli and you were like, what is this? Can I get can I get it?

[3:47] Eli Tokash: I swiped up and I was like, What what's happening?

[3:52] Sydney Lucas: And he goes, Well, I well, it took a little prodding because it uh whatever, but finally he told me, Well, I may be starting a podcast.

[3:59] Sydney Lucas: I was like, Oh my gosh, you should like invite me on sometime.

[4:02] Eli Tokash: And he goes, Wait, you like podcasts?

[4:03] Sydney Lucas: I was like, Well, yeah, I just started getting into them, but yeah.

[4:06] Eli Tokash: And then 20 minutes later, he texts me, being like, Hey, can I call you?

[4:11] Sydney Lucas: And I was like, Yeah.

[4:12] Eli Tokash: And so he calls me and he goes, I have been trying to find a co-host for this podcast, and I've gone through so many people, and it didn't even cross my mind to ask you, but will you be my co-host for this podcast?

[4:26] Sydney Lucas: And instantly I was like, Yes, of course. And then pretty much in two hours, we already made a business plan, and then we had already set a date for promotional picture shoots.

[4:35] Eli Tokash: And we took promotional pics, and then we got all the equipment within that week, and then yeah, we've just been pretty fast moving since then.

[4:43] Marc Tumminelli: Okay, but none of the episodes have come out yet, am I correct?

[4:46] Sydney Lucas: This week.

[4:47] Marc Tumminelli: No, but who is your first guest? Can you tell us?

[4:50] Sydney Lucas: It's actually just us that it's gonna be released this week. Um, and then our first guest is gonna be Broadway's Josh Lehman.

[4:58] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, how fun.

[5:00] Sydney Lucas: Love him.

[5:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[5:03] Sydney Lucas: Um you worked with him in Finding Neverland.

[5:04] Eli Tokash: Yes, I did.

[5:05] Sydney Lucas: Oh my god, he is wild.

[5:07] Eli Tokash: He's absolutely hilarious.

[5:07] Marc Tumminelli: Great, and so what is the premise of this podcast? Because you know, there are no podcasts available, no one has one, so it'll be real I'm being sarcastic. Um tell us what this podcast is about.

[5:21] Sydney Lucas: So this podcast is basically so obviously Eli and I are young, and we there aren't very many podcasts, uh marketed towards young, um marketed, first of all, produced by young people for young people.

[5:39] Eli Tokash: We we looked around and we really haven't seen that many podcasts um kind of marketed towards young actors or young theater fans or TV fans or movie fans.

[5:49] Sydney Lucas: And so we decided that we wanted to pretty much give people a new perspective on what life is like as a child actor on Broadway, but also bring on guests to talk about their experiences, adult and children alike.

[6:02] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[6:03] Sydney Lucas: And um, yeah, it's pretty much our kind of byline is we wanted to uh give people a peek behind the curtains of what life is truly like for a child actor.

[6:14] Eli Tokash: And um, yeah, so we pretty much talk a lot about that in our podcast.

[6:18] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I think the special thing about ours too is that like, you know, we have two young successful people that we can talk uh on behalf of kids, but also we can talk about uh people that are transitioning this at this age um to become a young adult actor um because we are at that stage where we're 16 and we don't have that high-pitched voice anymore, and we can't like, you know, we can't play that.

[6:44] Eli Tokash: No, it's like my baby cheeks can't like buy me an audition, you know.

[6:49] Sydney Lucas: Like I'll come in and be good now.

[6:53] Eli Tokash: Um so yeah, I think like just like giving people an understanding and like more appreciation for uh, you know, what actors do, both kids and adults, because what they go through on a daily basis is very different, but also very um demanding at the same time.

[7:08] Sydney Lucas: Uh so we're excited to bring both kids and adults and not just talk about all things Broadway, but also talk about a little bit about the TV and uh, you know, film industry as well, because there's many actors out there who've done both.

[7:21] Eli Tokash: And yeah.

[7:22] Marc Tumminelli: Well, I'm very excited for you guys, and I'm so glad you're on the Broadway Podcast Network. It's been uh really fun for me to do this little mini adventure. So I'm sure you guys are gonna have a blast as well.

[7:32] Sydney Lucas: Thank you.

[7:33] Marc Tumminelli: So let's go back to the beginning for both of you guys. How did it start? What was the thing that made your parents be like, we gotta get them to Ripley Career immediately? Um what was like the start of your for both of you? Sydney, we'll start with you.

[7:49] Sydney Lucas: Okay, okay. Well okay. So uh I got into the business pretty young. I remember really wanting to be an actor when I was about four, because I saw two things, I think, well, actually three things prompted me. The first one was I would see kids on TV or commercials, and I was like, How do they get there? How is that possible? And then I also saw um my brother Brock was in a lot of community theater, and I was too young to do the community theater that he was uh performing at, and I was so mad, I was like, just accept me. I just don't want to do this.

[8:28] Sydney Lucas: And luckily they did accept me a year early because I was so adamant. Um, but watching him really sparked and ignited a flame in me, and I was kind of badgering my parents. I was like, please, how do I do this? I want to do this. And I was four when that happened.

[8:47] Eli Tokash: So my mom was like, okay, four year old, chill out for a sec.

[8:50] Sydney Lucas: Um, because I could have just turned around and and I don't know, been obsessed with like you know, flying planes.

[8:58] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I don't know.

[8:59] Sydney Lucas: Two months later you could have been into something totally different.

[9:04] Eli Tokash: Yeah, like I wanna be an astronaut now.

[9:04] Sydney Lucas: Um but I wasn't. Two years go by and I was still so adamant about it. And my mom did some research about how to get a manager, what a manager was, what the difference was between a manager and an agent, and uh my two brothers, Brock and Jake, because I was gonna do it, they're like, well, we'll do it too.

[9:25] Sydney Lucas: So we all auditioned for a manager, and we all got it, and then we all started going on auditions, and then um my brother Jake actually was the first person to book a big thing. He booked Newsies when he was I think like nine or ten.

[9:40] Eli Tokash: He booked Newsies in 2012, I think.

[9:42] Sydney Lucas: And he was born in 2001, oh, was he eleven? It could have been like ten or ten or eleven. I don't know. But um, so that happened, and uh shortly after that, shortly after he booked Newsies, I booked the lab of Fun Home, which was the first time Fun Home was being stood up in front of an audience, and th that was this crazy, super fun, insane experience.

[10:07] Sydney Lucas: And then they kind of brought me along to the off-Broadway run, and then they brought me along to the Broadway run, and here we are.

[10:14] Eli Tokash: My God, so crazy.

[10:15] Marc Tumminelli: Did you ever think that you were not gonna continue with the show at any point? Were you worried about getting too old and not getting to do the Broadway portion of Fun Home?

[10:25] Sydney Lucas: I mean, I mean, I was I had just turned nine when I had started, and uh, you know, Janine had all of the all of the creative team and the the cast members, they were all very supportive of me, and they're they kind of made me not worry about that.

[10:44] Sydney Lucas: And I think it was I I don't really remember ever worrying that I wouldn't m move on with it, maybe just because I wasn't aware that that was a possibility.

[10:54] Sydney Lucas: Um but I guess maybe I was more concerned about like is this going to like Broadway? And I remember I was at a benefit with Jeanine Tesori, the the composer of Fun Home. I remember I was at a benefit, and I asked her, Is this going to Broadway? And she goes, on the down low, yes.

[11:10] Sydney Lucas: And I was so excited, and uh they just brought me along through the entire thing, and I'm so grateful for that.

[11:16] Eli Tokash: Cause it's brought me so much.

[11:18] Marc Tumminelli: Could you think of a better possible show like to get your start with?

[11:22] Sydney Lucas: I mean, yeah.

[11:24] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[11:25] Sydney Lucas: Fully obsessed.

[11:27] Marc Tumminelli: Um, okay, so Eli, how did it start for you?

[11:32] Eli Tokash: Um, yeah, I mean, pretty similar. I was on my way back from a hockey tournament and I saw my sister uh do this local community show that she saw an ad in the newspaper for and ended up auditioning and got it, and we made it just in time for her opening night, and I saw it and at intermission I turned to my mom and I was like, you know, this is something I want to try.

[11:52] Eli Tokash: Uh my sister and I would always do like skits and sing in the shower and sing, do performances and whatnot in our house. But I never thought it was like something that I could actually do.

[12:01] Eli Tokash: So when I saw Tessie do it on stage, I just was like amazed. And so my mom was started asking people in the cast, it was the touring company of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and in each city they had little orphans that they'd bring in for the uh finale number.

[12:18] Eli Tokash: And so it was just like a one week thing, and we saw it and they went to their next city, but while they were in Pittsburgh where I'm from, we asked around and we were like, What do we do?

[12:28] Eli Tokash: And they were like, Well, to get started, you can take classes at the Pittsburgh CLO and you can get involved with them and you can do these summer camps. And then I went and did the summer camp, and the principal there, you know, saw me and said you should audition for a show that's gonna be at the Benedom Center, and then from there I did that show, and um then a uh casting agency saw me in a Christmas carol and then represented me, and then they were like, Go to New York, and I don't know, everything just like and your family was totally cool with the idea of like packing things up and coming to New York City.

[13:02] Sydney Lucas: Um, no, they didn't, they they they didn't know it was a a thing, you know. I I because it I didn't move to New York, and we were adamant that we weren't moving to New York because we were like, There's no way, like our family's here, and my siblings are in high school, we have to let them, you know, live too. And um, so when I went to New York and got an agent in New York, I was living in West Virginia, but had an agent in New York and was traveling back and forth for auditions, and I auditioned for the Mary Poppins tour, and I ended up booking it, and that's when the real problem faced us, and we were like, Oh, I guess we're gonna have to like split up for a little bit, and then we were like, Okay, but only for six months, and then that turned into a year, and then after the Mary Poppins store, we got a Christmas story, so then we went back home because that was only like a three-month thing, and then we went to Pippin, and right after that I booked Neverland, so we never really got to go back home during that stint, and uh just ended up staying here, and we were like, listen, we I guess we're here now.

[14:01] Eli Tokash: And Pippin was your first actual Broadway show, right?

[14:04] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, yeah.

[14:05] Eli Tokash: What was that experience like?

[14:07] Sydney Lucas: Unbelievable. I mean, it was absolutely crazy because it's an unlike any other show that I've been in. I mean, I know I've been in only like two Broadway shows, but I've been in a lot of people.

[14:16] Eli Tokash: Oh, only two.

[14:18] Sydney Lucas: No, no, I know. No, but like I've been in a lot of shows, and there's truly none other like it, especially what Diane Paulus did with the revival and just um reimagining it into making it a circus and got to learn crazy circus tricks and just life lessons along those, you know, tricks and special messages that were in the show and uh the people that I met. It was just incredible, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this community. It was a really cool production.

[14:43] Eli Tokash: Sydney, did you see that production of Pippin?

[14:46] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh. I wish I did. I would have loved to see Eli balancing on balls and stuff.

[14:52] Eli Tokash: Um makeup.

[14:56] Sydney Lucas: You were in makeup?

[14:57] Eli Tokash: Great.

[14:58] Sydney Lucas: I was a clown. Send her some photos.

[15:00] Eli Tokash: You guys don't know each other.

[15:02] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, clearly.

[15:03] Eli Tokash: Clearly, someone has been stopped my Instagram.

[15:06] Sydney Lucas: We need to do some serious Googling, Sydney Lucas.

[15:08] Eli Tokash: Okay. So let's go back and talk about Fun Home for a couple more minutes, or I'm gonna fail as a fun home fan. Um, so doing that show at the public and then moving it to Broadway was a very different situation because you went from a proscenium theater to in the round, um, which sort of really changed the entire experience, I'm sure, of not only performing the show, but rehearsing the show and all that. Talk to me about this, you know, 11 year old girl who has a lot of a lot of people in the industry are talking about her and how great her performance is. Did you feel that pressure? What was that rehearsal process like? Talk to me a little bit about that.

[15:44] Sydney Lucas: You know what? The transition from off Broadway to Broadway, like you said, it was a proscenium transitioning into the round. We were scared. Not gonna lie. We're we're a little bit like, ooh, how is this gonna happen? But you know, we learned very quickly not to doubt the mastermind of Sam Gold. Um don't do that. Never ever, because he it just made the show so much more beautiful and so much more intimate. And I now I truly can't even imagine the show not being in the round. Um yeah, I really loved that experience, and I'm really grateful I got to experience it when I was so young because it is such an impactful show, and it speaks about issues that really weren't spoken about that much in theater and still aren't really to a high extent.

Um and I got I was exposed to a lot of um, you know, different people and different stories and perspectives and topics, and um I just it kinda I just grew up in the show and um and got to uh interact with the fans who as I growed growed as I uh kind of grew up a little bit.

[17:04] Eli Tokash: Well yeah, I know.

[17:05] Sydney Lucas: As I as I grew up a little bit, um, got more comfortable with, you know, telling me stor like there was a there was a mom whose uh child was part of the LGBTQIA community, and uh she came to the show and the show really helped her to come to terms with the child's sexuality, and I got to see that firsthand at such a young age. I'm so grateful for that. And you know, I don't obviously, for everyone, not you know, regardless of their age, they're gonna feel, you know, a little pressure, but I I think it was a good amount. First of all, the show is based off of an actual human being. So my main goal was to just make sure that I did her story, Alison Bechtel. I wanted to make sure that I did her story justice. And I did the best that I could, and I knew that that whenever I got nervous or got up all in my head, I was like, this is I have to do a good job for Allison, and um this is for her. And I think that that really helped all of us um does it.

[18:05] Eli Tokash: And when you got your Tony nomination, which is a pretty big deal at uh age 11, um, did you feel that that was coming or was it a shock to you?

[18:15] Sydney Lucas: Um, well, we my family and I got together to watch the Tony nominations. I was obviously hoping, you know, um, and you know, people would come to the show and they would be like, Oh, you, you know, all of you guys, you should get nominated, and you're like, oh, thank you. But, you know, I'm like, I'm 11. This is, you know, this is probably I part of me was like, I mean, it's possible, but then the other part of me was saying the opposite, like, you're too young, you're you're 11 or whatever. So I to be honest, I went into it with no expectations. And I think that really helped me. Um, well, to some extent.

[18:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah. You got to perform at the Tony's, which was and it was your number. Um tell us a little bit about that night, and then we'll move on to some other things.

[19:04] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I remember when Sam Gold told me that we were gonna be performing that at the Tony Awards, to be honest, uh before he told me that, I we all kind of knew that it was gonna be Ring of Keys, but I was hoping that it would be some like kind of bigger number from the show, because obviously having to perform a solo ballad at the Tony Awards by yourself is so terrifying. But deep down I knew I'm like, it's gonna be Ring of Keys. And uh he told me, and I was like, Yeah, I mean it makes sense, it's the anthem of the show, and it's impacted so many people. And so I freaked out for a sec, but uh pulled myself together and was like, okay, let's do this. And I spent, you know, the Tony season in and of itself is insane.

And I spent uh a lot of time going from the theater doing a show and then going to do rehearsal for the Tony Awards, and then going to do a benefit and then interviews, and at some point I just slipped into a haze and literally just let people carry me along and just like my mom would get to the point where she's like, You're being asked to do this, and I just say yes, and I just I just let it happen, and I to be honest, I almost wish I and this is something that Michael Cerberus, who played my dad in the show. This is something that he really helped me with, and also um Cheetah Rivera told me uh when we went to the first press junk on a Wednesday, she said, Savor this moment, look around. This is gonna go by so quickly, just enjoy it.

And Michael Cerberus told me that all the time because he had experienced it as well, and I re I did try I did that to the best of my ability. Um, and but sometimes it was just a haze and I don't remember it at all. And then I performed on the Tony Awards, which was the most fulfilling, exciting, scary, terrifying, just a dream uh of my entire life.

[20:59] Eli Tokash: Um, Eli, you uh came back to Broadway in Finding Neverland. That was your second Broadway show, yeah.

[21:04] Eli Tokash: Yes, yes. Yes, tell us about working on that thing.

[21:08] Eli Tokash: Oh wow. Um that was no joke. I mean, it was the first time that I had to do multiple roles, but also perform seven to eight times a yeah, explain that because this is unlike what happens in most Broadway shows where it's like you have a track and you play that track or you understudy a track. Tell us about how it worked with the Finding Neverland boys.

[21:28] Eli Tokash: Yeah, um, so I was actually the only boy that has ever gone on for all four roles in the show. And um I actually played the youngest boys for a show and a half, thank you.

[21:41] Sydney Lucas: Um Bravo!

[21:44] Eli Tokash: Well, thank you. It's quite a it's quite a big accomplishment. Feather in your cap.

[21:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. Um and uh so what it is, I mean, like we had six boys, and there was four boys on stage, and there were some of us that did only one role, and there were some of us that uh, you know, moved around. I played uh Jack for the beginning two months, I guess, that I was there. And um then they were like, our Peter's leaving. And at the time we actually had seven, and then when Peter, our Peter that we had um was leaving, they were like, listen, he's leaving, and we'd kinda like you to step into the roles. And I was like, uh, yeah, like of course. And um, so Chris Richards and I shared Peter for a bit, and then uh for Matthew's like two or three like final months, uh he he was like, I like let's not switch it up as much or whatever. And eventually Matthew Morrison, of course, is who you're talking about.

[22:49] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[22:50] Eli Tokash: Yes. And um, and he was like, let's let's have a let's do it. Um where we don't mix it up as much. And so they had me play Peter's six times a week and then I was doing my Jack one to two times a week depending on where they needed to be and what the other kids' schedule was like and we would find out in like a week in advance but like we all knew the show and we all knew each other's tracks so like we were all like a track um no but I definitely like did other tracks while I was doing my other track because I wait I'm supposed to be here Mark knows me he knows that like I of course I couldn't play four worlds but no I couldn't no I I don't see that for you but you're very talented I just you know we only want to put you in one place yes thank you um but that was like a huge Broadway show with obviously a lot of moving parts and um was kind of set up to be this really big new Broadway musical so I'm sure there was like a lot of pressure in doing a show that was so big in size.

[23:51] Eli Tokash: Oh for sure yeah I mean I the the just I mean I don't want to say like dancing that we had to do because like although it was like dance a lot of moving in the show um there was I mean that was the most moving I've ever done for two and a half hours we were always running around the stage and just being like crazy little boys while um trying to look good and elegant while we sing. But it was it was a dream it was it was definitely my favorite show should be called running around little crazy boys running around the stage.

[24:26] Sydney Lucas: Oh probably still be running today um so crazy. So after these like big Broadway experiences, was the thought I would like to do film and TV, or is that mostly managers and agents saying like this is the next step? Talk to me about since a lot of what you guys have done since Broadway is as film and TV, what draws you there?

[24:52] Eli Tokash: Well, for me, I Yeah, go ahead.

[25:01] Sydney Lucas: To be honest, I TV and movies and Broadway, all of them were things that I wanted to do from the get-go. I did some TV and some film and some movies. That's the same thing. I did some TV and some film before I did Broadway, but I knew that I wanted to do all three. And then, you know, I think maybe now my career is leading me more towards a TV path or a movie path, but then I'm totally gonna come back to Broadway. I'm just pretty much going. I've always been like, I'm just gonna go where the universe leads me and see what happens. But I've really always been interested in all three, like genuinely super, super interested in all three different aspects. And I truly don't have a preference.

[25:48] Eli Tokash: And you played Kristen Wiig's younger self in two different movies?

[25:52] Sydney Lucas: I did. That is like a very interesting fun fact. I know, right? That'll be like your Jeopardy category.

[26:06] Sydney Lucas: And I didn't meet Kristen Wiig until the second movie that I did, which basically just a very short rundown of how we met is we were doing a pool scene. I was with the person who was playing young Bill Hader, his name was Eddie, and we were standing on the side of the pool, and Kristen and Bill, they had just finished their pool scene and we were coming in to do ours. And then Kristen comes in and she starts talking to us. I'm like, oh my gosh, hey, so cool. And we were talking for a couple minutes, and the next thing that I remember is just being really dizzy. And then the next thing that I remember after that is coming to on the tile on the swimming pool right next to the swimming pool, and with like 20 people around me, I'd passed out, and I probably was like locking my legs or something, and like my mom was up in my head, and then I had a lifeguard holding my legs up, and then the first person, the first face that I saw coming to was Kristen Wiig, who was over to my right, rubbing my leg, trying to help me wake up.

And then the lifeguard like carried me out. I went to the hospital, I was fine, came back the next day, and we filmed it in a shallower pool just in case. But I was like, just in case I passed out. But to be honest, I think most I'm pretty much 99% positive the reason I passed out was because I was locking my legs, but it was so sweet. Well, first of all, there's no way Kristen Wiig is gonna forget that first impression.

[27:39] Eli Tokash: No, you'll always have passing out near a pool in the skeleton too as your story.

[27:43] Sydney Lucas: Exactly, exactly. It's a great, yeah, everyone should it is. I think it's our Netflix. Get on it, people.

[27:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Talk to me about working on doing some film and TV stuff because you've done a ton.

[27:59] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I mean, for me, it was more just like not even a thought that, you know, I was it wasn't even an option, I guess I could say. Because I was just like, you know, whatever I could get an audition for, I'm gonna go in for. Like, it was pretty much as simple as that for me. Whatever whoever wanted to see me was gonna see me. And my agents and managers didn't even like ask, but like I guess that I got my first like TV audition and I was like, yeah, like of course. Obviously like my first love was theater, and I just like theater, I didn't think that I could even like TV was a possibility. But then when it was, you know, I kind of rolled with it, and it was funny because the first like big movie that I auditioned for, I got and I wasn't able to do it because I was in Pippin at the time, and Pippin wouldn't let me film and be in the show because it had clicks.

I know it was really unfortunate. And then the first TV show I auditioned for was Forever, and I booked it, and I was on about like 12 episodes of the show, and I mean that's when I was like, wow, this is incredible. And actually I was filming that during Pippin, but fortunately they were able to work around my schedule. But yeah, it was just it was awesome, and now I do more and more of it. And I mean, as we transition, Sydney and I, and I'm 16 now, I'm too old to play young kids on Broadway, and I'm too young to play adults on Broadway. So this is kind of the route I'm gonna have to take for.

[29:33] Sydney Lucas: Oh, right. I know. I'm I turned three days ago. May 5th is my birthday.

[29:42] Eli Tokash: Happy birthday.

[29:44] Sydney Lucas: I don't know.

[29:46] Eli Tokash: Oh, guys. Sydney, how old are you now?

[29:49] Sydney Lucas: I'm 16.

[29:51] Eli Tokash: Oh wow guys, I'm really like nine, but it's okay. What kind of things come up? Because you guys are like child stars, which is a super weird thing to be, but what kind of things come up for you that like weird parties you get invited to or experiences where you're like, I cannot believe this is my life right now? Sydney, have stuff like that come up for you?

[30:11] Sydney Lucas: I mean, the Tony Awards after parties were pretty insane. I went, I stayed up till I think I woke up at like 6 a.m. that day, and then I stayed up till 4 a.m. just you know, going to all the different after parties. And I mean, I can't, first of all, I barely remember that night because I was running on pure adrenaline because that day was so long. But my dad was like, if we're I'm gonna take you, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you never know if you're gonna be able to experience this again. Any after party you want to go to, I will take you to. No doubt. We can go home whenever you want, but I'm here if you want to whatever you want to do. And we went to pretty we went to, I think like three or four different after parties, one of which was so packed you literally could not move around in it.

And at a certain point I was like, uh, oh, by the way, I at this point I was feeling a little claustrophobic because I was sewn into my dress. Long story. But I was feeling very claustrophobic. So I had at a certain point, I was like, okay, I want to go home and get cut back out of my dress. Get get me out of this.

[31:25] Eli Tokash: That is like so awesome about your dad. I mean, like, my dad wouldn't pick me up from play rehearsal on Long Island, so it's very impressive.

[31:33] Sydney Lucas: No, I'm just kidding. I'm exaggerating. My dad's I love my parents. And it's insane because my brother also performed in that Tony Award. So they were ranked, they were pretty much handling two different children, two different shows performing in the same exact Tony Awards.

[31:49] Eli Tokash: Do you guys like do your parents decide like mom's with him, dad's with you? Is that how you made all of that work?

[31:56] Sydney Lucas: Um I have to be honest, I was mainly focused on myself.

[32:01] Eli Tokash: You're like, I'm focusing on being a star. So everyone out of my out of my way.

[32:07] Sydney Lucas: I mean, I think in the morning, it was in the morning, actually, Jake left before I did, and then both of them, and then he went to his theater, and then to rehearse pretty much the rest of the day. Yeah, and then my both of my parents were actually with me for most of the day. And then at the end, it was my dad who was kind of taking me to all the different after parties while I think we dropped my brother back off at the hotel, and then my mom came back in at some point because my brother fell asleep at one of the after parties and does not remember getting back to the hotel.

[32:45] Eli Tokash: Great. He's so black out, blackout waste.

[32:47] Sydney Lucas: Two different two different people there. Eli, what kind of stuff have you been at or been invited to, or like experiences with celebrities that you're like couldn't quite believe?

[32:57] Eli Tokash: Um there's been a few, you know, little events that I've been like, wow. I did the Trevor Project event, Trevor Live.

[33:06] Sydney Lucas: Um you had been part of the Trevor musical for a long time.

[33:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I had. I did the out of town production in Chicago, and it's finally making its debut on Off Broadway as soon as this quarantine is over.

[33:19] Sydney Lucas: Um but now you're too old, is that what happened?

[33:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I am I'm too old, too tall, all of those fun things. But yeah. So I did that Trevor Live, and it I mean it had Imagine Dragons, it had like the cast of Orange is the New Black, like it literally had brought like Brandon Uranowitz. It had like Broadway people, it had TV people, it had so like radio people. It was awesome. And then I was invited to perform at the White House with Finding Neverland, and I met like Michelle Obama at Christian Borle, and like yeah, I mean it was it was crazy.

[33:54] Sydney Lucas: Also, I don't think anyone's ever said Michelle Obama and Christian Borle in the same sentence.

[33:59] Eli Tokash: So I'm glad that it's happening at 34 minutes into this I know I'm glad to be the first one too.

[34:05] Sydney Lucas: Oh my goodness. Do not cut that out. It's everything.

[34:11] Eli Tokash: Um he has like 3,000 dogs in his apartment.

[34:14] Sydney Lucas: Oh my god, that's did we lose him? Is he still alive?

[34:17] Eli Tokash: I'm here, I'm here.

[34:19] Sydney Lucas: I love it. Okay, how hard is it to leave these shows for both of you when you're doing a Broadway show and it feels like you're a family, and how hard is it to like say, I need to bow out, or I'm too, I'm getting too old for this, and things like that. Sydney, how hard was it for you to leave Fun Home?

[34:35] Sydney Lucas: You know, it was bittersweet because I had been in the show for a quarter of my life when I left. I started when I had just turned nine, and then I ended when I was 12. And that's a really, really long time to be in a show, and especially when you only have 12 years of experience, and then you've been in a show for practically like three, four years. Three and a half of those 12 years, yeah. Exactly. You know, part of me was like, I can't even ever imagine my life without this show. I can't imagine not doing this every single day. And this is my family, and I love them so much, and the thought of leaving them makes me really sad. But then on the other hand, I just felt like it was time to leave.

You know what I mean? There's a point where you're like, it's time for me to move on to a new chapter. I'm so grateful for it, and I loved it so much, but you know, I was I think I was ready to move on to new things, and yeah, I was so grateful for my time in the show. And it was definitely very hard, but I think I also felt ready.

[35:47] Eli Tokash: How long did you stay in Finding Neverland?

[35:50] Sydney Lucas: Um so I've actually never been in a show that I left by myself. Like I've always stayed until closing.

[36:00] Eli Tokash: You're good to have in a company.

[36:02] Sydney Lucas: Yeah. I'm trying, man. I mean, hey, anything to keep me busy. I love it.

[36:07] Eli Tokash: Um, but I was in Neverland. I joined a month after it opened, so I was pretty much there for the full like longer than anyone else in that show.

[36:17] Sydney Lucas: You're there.

[36:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[36:18] Sydney Lucas: And I'm sure it was very hard to say goodbye to and close it out after doing that, and also having that like group of boys together, you know, sort of creating a musical every night.

[36:28] Eli Tokash: Oh, for sure. I mean, when you have kids in a show, your bond is super strong, and because you have to be with each other 24-7, and you have to have that bond on stage as well as off stage. And you know, just being having those boys there unknowingly just made you more comfortable with not only the boys, but the adults as well. So it was super special, and everyone we got really lucky with the incredible cast that everyone just got along so well, and we had the best time on stage and off stage. We were so silly.

[37:01] Sydney Lucas: So, what happens now, friends? Like, what are we want to do? Obviously, we're gonna continue to do you know the things we love, but do we think colleges in our future? What does that look like for both of you?

[37:11] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I'm actually in the process of college searching now. I have NYU, Fordham, Pace, a few other colleges on my list that I'm looking for.

[37:21] Eli Tokash: Do you want to stay in the city so that you can continue to do it?

[37:24] Sydney Lucas: I do want to say, yeah, I do want to stay in the city. That's definitely like a must. That I talked to my manager, and I was like, you know, early on I was thinking about Michigan, and he was like, it's a great school, blah, blah, blah. And I don't want to take anything away from you if you're like dead set on it. But like, just know that four years you're not gonna be in the city, and you're not gonna get every audition that comes in for you, whereas if you stayed in the city, you could get a ton more auditions and be more available to work and stuff like that. So I was like, hmm, yeah, that's a good point. Didn't think about that. Um, so I think I'm gonna stay in the city for sure, and we'll see, we'll see where it goes. I mean, I'll do anything. My love is Broadway, but I also love the film and that area, and I even love voiceovers and stuff like that. So, really anything.

[38:16] Eli Tokash: And Sydney, what do you think your plan will be?

[38:19] Sydney Lucas: Um, I'm definitely I definitely do want to go to college. I am, uh, to be honest, I I've thought of a couple different colleges. I've thought of like NYU, Yale, Duke. Um, and I really want to go to college, not for acting, but I really want to go for law because law is something that I've always been, first of all, I'll always be an actor, by the way. But I've always known that I wanted to go to college for something else. And if for some reason my acting career gives me a big platform that I can use to help people in some way, I would want to be knowledgeable in that specific thing. So I'm very, very into, uh, I think I want to go into civil law. Um, and obviously I know that you know that requires law school and all that, but to be honest, I I'll do more research, but I think it's worth it.

And it's always been something that I've been really interested in. And um, yeah, but I'm always gonna be an actor and I'm definitely always gonna be in the business. That is most definitely my passion and my love. Um, I may try out different things other than acting, even though acting is most definitely my first love, but I'm also very interested in writing and directing.

[39:35] Eli Tokash: And um, well, do all of those things, please.

[39:38] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[39:39] Eli Tokash: Oh for sure. So, like, you know, I'll maybe uh, uh, be shadow a director just to see what it's like, or I'll maybe shadow a writer, or maybe I'll just write something. Who knows? And maybe I'll go into the singing business, or I'll, you know, go into TV and movie for some part of my life, and then I'll come back to Broadway. And really, I just want to do everything.

[40:03] Marc Tumminelli: How hard do you guys feel like it is to be a normal high school student and have this level of success and having done, you know, having done so many different things that these other kids would, I'm sure, die to have done? How hard is it to like just be a normal? And I know Sydney, you're not in regular school, but or no one's in any school at all anymore. But how hard is it to just maintain being a regular high school student and wanting to do the school musical or does everyone want to like burn you alive?

[40:34] Eli Tokash: I mean, we're lucky that we got to go to a performing arts school. So a lot of kids there were in Broadway and TV and movies. That's kind of what this school is known for. It's very flexible to working actors and probably like half of or a quarter of our class were professional actors. And there we luckily we also went to a school that didn't have much jealousy purely because you know everyone's just supportive of each other and each other's careers and it was something that we could talk about and uh we, you know what was required for us in the school was we had to do uh like on Mondays and this and like Thursdays, I don't remember, but like on Mondays and Thursdays we had to go to acting class and then on this day and this day we had to go to singing classes and then we had to go to dance classes and uh it was a very performing arts uh centered school so we really lucked out with that.

[41:31] Sydney Lucas: It's uh an amazing school.

[41:33] Eli Tokash: Um but you know to be honest I yes Eli get in there get in there Eli. Sydney that was the Miss America Anthony You did a great job with that you win Miss America.

[41:45] Eli Tokash: Tell us what it's really like Marc we get along so well.

[41:49] Marc Tumminelli: I know um no um that being said there's definitely a lot of jealousy that goes on at the school um we all definitely tried to I never experienced that um maybe because a lot of people looked up to you and like you were a Tony Nom and they just like wanted to be your friend. But like to be fair, I mean, there's definitely a lot of jealousy and um a lot of uh I don't know. I mean, I mean I'm jealous of both of you right now, and I'm not I'm not in high school with you, but I'm just you know, I mean anywhere there's hard to be a real kid.

[42:26] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, and anywhere that there's like a group of over 25 teenagers, there's obviously gonna be drama and jealousy and all of this. Um but as far as Sydney was saying, we definitely lucked out as far as going to a performing arts school and being able to uh the school was able to be very supportive with our schedules as far as working and going to school. They were lenient with um, you know, our class deadlines and work that we had to do, and they made that super they were super supportive in that aspect.

[42:35] Eli Tokash: But as far as you know, a school itself, it was definitely a regular school, and when you were in school you had to deal with being like a normal person, which I think is something that both Sydney and I really love because we're we are human, like we we do want to have this normal life and this normal, you know, daily basis that everyone goes through.

[43:19] Sydney Lucas: So yeah.

[43:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it it definitely was like a a normal school. It it like being a performing arts school, it still was uh, you know, you were a student and it you weren't, you know, I didn't feel like some whatever, some like hot shot, whatever. But um we we just to be honest.

[43:40] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I really walked around with my I think maybe I left out. I genuinely didn't experience any drama.

[43:48] Eli Tokash: Uh but to be honest, I I we I get that question a lot. Like, would you have rathered ha to having have would you around rather having a normal life? And my answer is 110% no. Absolutely not. I I really, really, really love the childhood that I had. I had so many opportunities, and I just lucked so lucked out so hard with my family.

[44:10] Sydney Lucas: And well, yeah, I was gonna say it sounds like your parents really took care of you and really made sure that you know that you came first before the performance comes first. And that seems like a really important way to get through that insanity.

[44:25] Eli Tokash: For sure. And they kept me grounded too. Like my entire family just, you know, kept me grounded. And also my brother Jake went to that same performing art school. So we got to experience that together. And luckily, you know, we were able to uh kind of figure it out with the school to when we were in Broadway shows because it's really hard to get home at midnight or one or two and then have to wake up early in the morning and then go to school. And you know, a lot what a lot of people don't know is Monday is the day off for theater, but obviously Monday is not the day off for school. School. So oftentimes kids would have no day off. But luckily we were able to work out with the school for us to come in a little bit later and then work in a classroom by ourselves, catching up on work, and then we would join the rest of our class later on. So that was really nice. And I had my brother to experience that with me. And um, I'm just so grateful for my entire life and my entire childhood. And I truly I wouldn't have changed anything.

[45:22] Marc Tumminelli: Well, I'm grateful that you had that experience as well because it made such a big impact. And Eli, you're a superstar. We did Sister Act together at Broadway Workshop. And it was a scream.

[45:31] Eli Tokash: Dream come true.

[45:34] Marc Tumminelli: Yes, dreams come true for every career.

[45:37] Eli Tokash: Of course, of course. Um anyway, all right, guys. We have two more sections and then we have to close out. So at this point, we're each gonna tell. I know it time flies, but it's the middle of the night. Um, I need each of you to tell me what your current obsession is. If there's something that's helping you get through our little bit of a lockdown, what is what are you watching? What is your your thing you want people to watch or read or listen to? Sydney, you go first.

[46:01] Sydney Lucas: Okay. So um I have pretty much in this quarantine binge watched. I I first of all, I've been pretty busy in doing uh fundraising uh projects for the actors' fund and also Earth Day and stuff like that. And I've been super grateful to pre- I've been like so busy during this quarantine. It's insane. And I haven't really sat down and been like, oh wow, what in the world is happening?

[46:25] Eli Tokash: Yeah, don't think about it. Just keep moving forward.

[46:27] Sydney Lucas: Don't think about it. Yeah, exactly. Um, but I pretty much binge watched five seasons of how to get away with murder. I can't even, it is so it is such a good show, Violet Day of the World. The first three seasons were so good, and then it does this, it jumps the shark a little bit and gets a little bonnie winter bottom. There is a twist.

[46:48] Eli Tokash: You have seen it. I'm gonna fangirl about this with you.

[46:51] Sydney Lucas: Oh my gosh, I stopped watching maybe last season.

[46:55] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[46:56] Sydney Lucas: Really? So did did a I I'm gonna do my best not to do any spoilers, but did someone important let's just say leave the show? Or like die?

[47:08] Eli Tokash: I don't I like don't remember this riveting conversation right now.

[47:13] Sydney Lucas: Um I think the last thing was someone died in yeah, someone died in a s it was snowing at a wedding, but I might also be confusing that with the different things.

[47:21] Eli Tokash: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[47:22] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I watch a lot of television.

[47:23] Eli Tokash: No, no, that that's it. That is definitely it, but there was someone who died before I I'm sorry, I watched it in such a quick span. It's insane. But I've also been working to get my splits back, and I'm almost there.

[47:33] Marc Tumminelli: Okay, those are your obsessions, splits and how to get away with murder. Eli, what is your obsession?

[47:39] Eli Tokash: Um, my obsession right now is I'm binge watching, well, not binge watching, but I'm going pretty slow with it. But uh the vampire diaries.

[47:48] Sydney Lucas: All right.

[47:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I mean, I thought it was really like stupid and I didn't want to watch it, but finally my girlfriend convinced me, and we're watching it on Netflix Party almost every night. And uh it's so good. It's insane.

[48:01] Sydney Lucas: Wait, what is Netflix Party? Is that something?

[48:04] Eli Tokash: Oh, it's incredible. It's the best thing Netflix has ever done. It's a free uh extension for Google Chrome. I said free because Disney Plus is not, and I'm kind of stuck out. And um, so yeah, uh, it's a free extension from Google Chrome, and you can watch and you can watch a Netflix show with your friend from that you're not like in the same house.

[48:26] Sydney Lucas: I love that.

[48:27] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you can like chat and like whenever you pause it, it pauses on their screen as well. Um, so like it's literally like you guys are watching it together, and like if you pay a little extra, you can have like video of them and Netflix going at the same time, but I I do the free version.

[48:46] Marc Tumminelli: All right, well, maybe they'll give you maybe they'll give you the free like a free pass for the expensive version now that you've mentioned it on my widely. Um okay, my obsession this week is the Housewives of New York. Thank you, Bravo, for the light of my life. Um, I just love those crazy drunk ladies. It's it's really my greatest joy. It's not your generation. Your young people are not watching Housewives, but it's it's for me. Um, and it's so special.

[49:12] Sydney Lucas: Okay, guys, ready?

[49:13] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[49:14] Marc Tumminelli: This is the Broadway workshop. Quick fire questions. I'll say who it's for. Just answer them the best you can. Okay, are you ready?

[49:22] Sydney Lucas: Yes.

[49:22] Marc Tumminelli: Sydney, favorite Broadway show.

[49:25] Sydney Lucas: Um, Newsies, wagers, uh, I feel like I'm forgetting something, but there you go.

[49:30] Marc Tumminelli: I'll take them. Um, Eli, favorite holiday.

[49:33] Eli Tokash: Christmas.

[49:34] Marc Tumminelli: Sydney, first Broadway show you saw.

[49:36] Sydney Lucas: Xanadu, I think.

[49:38] Marc Tumminelli: Oh my god, good one. Eli, first Broadway show you saw.

[49:40] Eli Tokash: Mary Poppins.

[49:42] Marc Tumminelli: Okay. If you had to be quarantined with one member of your Fun Home cast, who would it be?

[49:47] Eli Tokash: Oh.

[49:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Eli, did you have braces?

[49:53] Sydney Lucas: No. My teeth are.

[49:55] Eli Tokash: Really?

[49:55] Sydney Lucas: I like braces.

[49:56] Eli Tokash: Well, I got Invisalign. It's like a game changer.

[49:59] Sydney Lucas: No, they're not that bad. There's a little gap, but and I have vampire teeth, but it's fine.

[50:02] Eli Tokash: All right. Well, maybe that's gonna be marketable. Sydney, did you have braces?

[50:06] Sydney Lucas: Yes. I did.

[50:16] Eli Tokash: Sydney, favorite memory of doing a secret garden at Lincoln Center with my girl Sierra Boggess.

[50:22] Sydney Lucas: Oh, the entire thing. Ah, my goodness. Um, the entire thing was so magical. I also got to do it with my BFF Oscar Williams. So I guess that was there.

[50:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, there you go. Eli, something that we should know about Matthew Morrison.

[50:38] Eli Tokash: Um, he's a dad now and just shaved his head.

[50:41] Sydney Lucas: Okay. Um, Sydney, if you had a yacht, what would you call it?

[50:47] Sydney Lucas: Um the hmm hold on. I would call it uh I don't know. I would call ah I'm so bad at this. I need my brain to work on the city. When you're not good at it, but no. I would call it, okay. If okay, so let's just say I had a yacht and I used it as like a studio to sing at. I would call it Sydney Singdom Kingdom or the SS Kingdom.

[51:15] Eli Tokash: Oh, SS Kingdom is the winner. It only took 45 minutes to get to that.

[51:21] Eli Tokash: Eli, do you know how to drive?

[51:23] Eli Tokash: I do not. Um, Sydney, what would your superhero power be?

[51:29] Sydney Lucas: Um, ooh, that would be uh stop it. I am sorry. I I'm so indecisive. Uh my gosh. I can't, I can't. I mean, it's flying invisibility. I don't know. It could be like maybe reading minds or like I'll take reading minds. I feel like I feel that's great. But like, no. Like, no, I don't know. We'll circle back.

[51:55] Sydney Lucas: Um circle back, I'll think about it. Yeah, next episode. One thing um you one thing you would tell people about doing Pippin on Broadway.

[52:05] Eli Tokash: I was a I trained in circus for a year and a half because I was doing tricks with uh professional circus people.

[52:13] Sydney Lucas: Sydney, did you audition for Dear Evan Hansen?

[52:16] Sydney Lucas: No, I didn't.

[52:19] Eli Tokash: Um you're like, that was just a hard pass. Um, no, I'm trying to. This was not a question, but Eli, have you auditioned for Dear Evan Hansen?

[52:28] Eli Tokash: I have not.

[52:29] Sydney Lucas: Alright, we'll get you in on that. Um Eli, who's your favorite Disney princess?

[52:34] Eli Tokash: Oh, um, I'm gonna say Belle because my cousin, my baby cousin loves her.

[52:38] Sydney Lucas: All right, Sydney, can you name one show on TLC?

[52:43] Sydney Lucas: Oh, I can. Um, can you? Well, you can steal it from her. Come on, you got this. Uh my mom watches it all the time. Um I know, but 90-day fiancé is my show on that.

[52:57] Eli Tokash: So good, good work. Guys, if you're not watching 90 Day Fiancé, you are missing out. Big Ed. He's like a four foot eleven guy. It's hilarious.

[53:05] Eli Tokash: Okay. Um, Eli, what do you want on your bagel?

[53:08] Eli Tokash: Uh sausage and cheese. Sydney, favorite Broadway cast album.

[53:15] Sydney Lucas: Book of Mormon.

[53:17] Eli Tokash: Great. Eli, something you auditioned for and wanted and didn't get.

[53:22] Eli Tokash: Uh Stranger Things.

[53:26] Sydney Lucas: Sydney, I wish I could see Eli play fill in the blank.

[53:31] Sydney Lucas: Oh what are you doing? What? So that's tough. Give me a role you want to see him do.

[53:40] Sydney Lucas: I want to see you do Dear Evan Hansen, but I also want to see you do maybe like The King in Hamilton or Peggy in Hamilton.

[53:50] Eli Tokash: Peggy, why not? Um Eli, same question. I wish I could see Sydney play.

[53:55] Eli Tokash: One of the girls in Sideshow, I feel.

[53:55] Sydney Lucas: All right. Um, this is a question for both of you. Who's your dream guest for your podcast?

[54:01] Sydney Lucas: Kate McKinnon.

[54:05] Eli Tokash: Ben Platt.

[54:06] Sydney Lucas: Great. Um, Sydney, what movie do you wish was a musical?

[54:11] Sydney Lucas: Um, well, I was elf is already a musical. Um I'm so bad at thinking. Um Eli, can you help your friend?

[54:22] Eli Tokash: I can. She can help us.

[54:24] Sydney Lucas: I'm just kidding. I hate you guys. I feel so attacked right now. Um, is has Mulan been a musical? Is that the bad answer?

[54:31] Eli Tokash: No, that's a good idea. I mean, Mulan was like my Mulan was my favorite Disney movie. Um the business. Oh my gosh, this is the songs are so good.

[54:43] Sydney Lucas: They're good. Um, okay, so we'll go with Mulan. Um, all right, Eli, we're getting there. Least favorite costume you've ever worn.

[54:51] Eli Tokash: A clown costume because I had to wear these really tight, bright blue tights.

[54:55] Sydney Lucas: Okay, Sydney, what role would you like to see Patti LuPone play?

[54:59] Sydney Lucas: These are so hard. Oh. Oh my gosh. I feel like you're giving me the hard ones. Um, I might be.

[55:08] Sydney Lucas: Okay. Um gosh, everything. Great. Um, fill in the blank, Eli.

[55:18] Eli Tokash: What is the worst? The worst part about touring is being away from your family.

[55:24] Sydney Lucas: Uh Sydney, first audition song.

[55:27] Sydney Lucas: Um, I feel like it was a song that went uh together wherever we go.

[55:32] Eli Tokash: What is it?

[55:33] Sydney Lucas: Oh, I can't probably it. It's called Together Wherever We Go. It's from Gypsy.

[55:36] Eli Tokash: Um my God. Yeah, what was your first audition song?

[55:40] Eli Tokash: I bet everyone can guess it because every little boy does it. Gary Indiana.

[55:44] Sydney Lucas: Oh, good choice for you. Um, okay, we're getting there. Sydney, do you ever watch Fun Home bootlegs on YouTube?

[55:50] Sydney Lucas: Yes. Uh, yeah, I know I shouldn't, but like I never really got to see it. And I gotta like like the fact that I could see it afterward, but like also don't do bootlegs.

[56:01] Eli Tokash: But I have the same question for both of you. Um name uh a musical you're okay with never seeing again.

[56:11] Sydney Lucas: That's tough. I feel like all of the musicals that I've seen have genuinely been really good. I know I'm gonna get a lot of hate for this, but maybe Be More Chill.

[56:21] Eli Tokash: That's fine. I'm not giving you any no hate coming this way.

[56:24] Sydney Lucas: Okay. To be honest, I haven't seen that many Broadway shows. I know, don't hate me. But sometimes it's like, oh, I don't want to ever see Fiddler on the Roof again. Like if you've just had enough of that. But it's okay. I don't know, man. We'll come back to you, Sydney.

[56:39] Sydney Lucas: Okay. Okay, we're getting there. Um what Eli, what Broadway show would you like to be in that's currently running?

[56:47] Eli Tokash: With nothing's running, but you get it. Yeah, uh Moulin Rouge.

[56:50] Sydney Lucas: Great. Um, Sydney, do you want to be in Mean Girls?

[56:54] Sydney Lucas: Do I want to be in Mean Girls? I've never seen it, but okay.

[56:58] Eli Tokash: It's great. Um, Sydney, best gift you received during your Fun Home run.

[57:04] Sydney Lucas: Um, all of the fan gifts were really touching. Um I can't tell you. But also Alison Bechdel got me uh a so this is gonna sound weird, but my my uh understudy Gabby, who we shared a dressing room together, we really wanted to make this kind of art collage of Fun Home, and we really wanted in the background to be the wallpaper that they talk about in the show. And I was talking to Alison about it, and she sent me a little thing of the wallpaper, which is really cool.

[57:32] Sydney Lucas: But then also, my also Roberta Calindrez, who plays Joan, uh, on my birthday on my 12th birthday, she gave me there was a a uh uh this kind of not even it's almost a yard sale, but it's in the green room, so it's a green room sale. But not a sale. It was free. There were like he he here are some props that we're not going to use, but they're very pretty, and if you want to take them, you can take them. But I could only take like one, and so I got one, but there was one that I was just and I have it actually like very near.

[58:03] Eli Tokash: Quickfire.

[58:04] Sydney Lucas: Um I know. I'm so sorry.

[58:06] Eli Tokash: No, but I did you take Sydney.

[58:08] Sydney Lucas: I I had one, I had one very near, and um I have sorry, I have what you guys okay. So um there was one that I really liked, and it was so pretty. And Roberta was there when I was talking about it, but I was like, I'll just take this one. And then for my birthday, she got that thing. She got me, it was like a vase thing. Um, but she got me it with sunflowers in it, and sunflowers were my grandfather's favorite flower, and um he passed away, but that day I told myself um that uh I I would know that my grandpa said happy birthday to me if I saw a sunflower. And then so she came with this vase full of sunflowers, and it just about made me cry.

[58:48] Eli Tokash: I love that story.

[58:50] Sydney Lucas: All right, last question for both of you. Um Eli, you go first. One thing you wish people knew about you. And Sydney, that's the next question, so you could start thinking about thank you for the head start.

[59:01] Eli Tokash: Um thing I wish people knew about me. Um I have a really addictive personality. I don't know if that sounds weird or not, but like anything that I start on, like I obsess over it and I like have to do it.

[59:14] Sydney Lucas: Well, that's good as long as it's like puzzles and not drugs.

[59:17] Eli Tokash: So my god, no, stop. When people hear addictive personality, that's it.

[59:21] Sydney Lucas: I know that's what it's like oh weird. We're gonna let everyone know you're a good kid.

[59:25] Eli Tokash: All right. Sydney, what would you wish people knew about you?

[59:29] Sydney Lucas: That I feel very deeply, and I uh just whenever I love something or someone, and I love a lot of things, and I love so many people, I just, you know, I I would never ever, ever, ever want to let anyone down, including my fans and including anyone. So I just do the best that I can do, and uh hopefully that that's enough.

[59:53] Marc Tumminelli: Well, I think it's enough. You guys are so fabulous. You're gonna be such a good team together on your podcast.

[59:59] Sydney Lucas: Thank you.

[59:59] Marc Tumminelli: Hey Mark, I actually have one more comment. Just going back to the Matthew Morrison thing.

[1:00:04] Eli Tokash: Um he actually performed every show with like Grether's pastils in his mouth while he was like on stage. Just had a that is like a very normal. I did Gypsy with Patti LuPone, not to name drop, but um, she also does the same thing. There's always like a candy in her mouth.

[1:00:19] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[1:00:19] Marc Tumminelli: Um, whatever works for these superstars. We got they gotta get through those eight shows a week.

[1:00:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah, exactly. Um, tell the people where they can find out about you guys and where they can find out about your podcast.

[1:00:30] Sydney Lucas: Okay. Eli you can go if you want.

[1:00:33] Eli Tokash: You can find me uh at on Instagram at tocash underscore eli, and you can find us at take a bow podcast on Instagram, and we we're pretty active, so feel free to reach out whenever. And we also have our email for our podcast there, so you can reach out to us via email and give a listen to our podcast.

[1:00:53] Marc Tumminelli: And Sydney, are you on the social medias as well?

[1:00:55] Sydney Lucas: I am. Uh going off of what Eli said, you can DM us any questions you have for our guests. Um, and then you might be featured on our podcast. And yeah, I am on Instagram and Twitter, both with the name Sydney Lucas NYC. And yeah, that yeah, that's pretty much it.

[1:01:12] Marc Tumminelli: That's how you find them. Um, you both are so lovely, and I'm so thankful that you would spend a little time chatting on the Little Me podcast.

[1:01:19] Sydney Lucas: Of course.

[1:01:19] Marc Tumminelli: It's been really interesting to hear your stories, and I'm sure people are gonna love it.

[1:01:23] Sydney Lucas: Of course, um, to get find out more about the Little Me Podcast, you can go to the Broadway Podcast Network. You can follow me, Marc Tumminelli on Instagram at Marc Tumminelli T U M M I N E L L I.

[1:01:33] Marc Tumminelli: And uh thank you guys so much. We'll see you all soon. Good luck with your podcast. I can't wait to listen to it. And everyone, stay safe, wash your hands, and we'll see you soon.

[1:01:42] Sydney Lucas: Thanks, Mark.

[1:01:43] Eli Tokash: Bye bye.

[1:01:44] Sydney Lucas: Bye guys.

[1:01:46] Marc Tumminelli: Thank you, listeners. This podcast is produced by Alan Seales, Dory Berenstein, and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:01:53] 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 Tuminelli. And for more information on workshops, classes, and everything Broadway Workshop, go to Broadway Workshop.com. Thank you for listening.