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[0:00] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Hey, Odd Squad. It's me, Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo, your host of Odd Woman Out, a podcast where we talk to women artists about what it is like to be a woman in the entertainment industry, how to embrace our odd, and how we can hold space to lift one another up. Please enjoy this episode. Tell your friends to tune in, like, subscribe, and follow, and reach out to a woman in your life today and give her some love. Enjoy this episode. Hi, Hannah Cruz. Welcome to Odd Woman Out.

[0:33] Hannah Cruz: Hi, thank you for having me. I'm so happy that you're joining us. I know I've been already gagging to you about Chess. Guys, I saw Chess last night. Hello. If you don't know already, Hannah is playing Svetlana in Chess, and she's singing to the gods. Like unbelievable. So I can't wait to talk so much about Chess. But we have so many other things to talk about. The woman of it all, getting cut from movies, maybe. Who knows? We have a lot of things to touch on. But first, I want to talk about baby Hannah. And when you first found your love of performing and the arts, was there a woman in your life, maybe in your personal life, or somebody that you admired as an artist that inspired you to pursue this crazy, crazy life?

[1:16] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I mean, the first thing that comes to mind is my mom. I'm sure like a lot of people talk about their mothers. She loved to sing growing up. And we grew up with a lot of Carole King in the house, a lot of Gloria Estefan, a lot of Patsy Cline. And singing was always like, we were a pretty musical household. My uncle was a bassist in a band in New Orleans. And we would have him come up with this whole band, they would be on tour, and the tour bus would pull into our driveway. And they'd all be like cooking for each other. It was like very community based. And then I had a voice teacher growing up, Sabrina Post. And she was like the first one to like, discover that I had a voice. Yeah. And so she would come to my house and play on the piano and teach me voice lessons. And we would sing someone else's story. And we would sing a lot of Jekyll and Hyde, a lot of Jekyll and Hyde.

[2:11] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You're from Connecticut, right?

[2:11] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Where?

[2:11] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Newtown.

[2:11] Hannah Cruz: Oh, I'm from Norwalk. Oh my gosh, amazing. I heard that interview during my research. I don't know Sabrina though, but shout out to her.

[2:16] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, Sabrina is wonderful. And she had like a community theater outside of our school system. And so we would do like two, no, we would do a musical a year, two musicals a year at the high school. And then we would also do two musicals a year at the community theater. So it was like, and then also a play. So we were constantly working on stuff. And it was my life, like my life was going to school, and then going to rehearsals and just doing shows. Like every month of the year we were doing something.

[2:48] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: That's amazing. Yeah. And I love hearing about like the early influences, especially the women influences, because I think it's a huge difference, right? Growing up.

[2:53] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Okay. So now think about a time during your professional experience where there was like a woman who like showed you the ropes or like uplifted you and like taught you things that encouraged you to keep going.

[3:10] Hannah Cruz: I think about Jen Colella a lot. Shout out. Yeah. I love Jen. She's probably the most positive, genuine, a lot of people are like positive and bubbly, but there's like a veneer of falseness to it that I think is like off putting to myself. Jen is so genuine in her kindness and her, and her effervescence and her like passion that people really flock to her. And she's been like a really nice touchstone for me at different, cause I've known her since Suffs Off-Broadway and to get to have her as like a sounding board and a general person for advice and pep talks through navigating this business has been pretty invaluable.

[3:59] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Because Suffs was your Broadway debut.

[4:00] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Amazing. What an iconic Broadway debut. Yeah. Kind of crazy to think about, but yeah. Let's talk a little bit about Suffs since we're on it and it's, you know, so women focused. So for your Broadway debut, for it to be that and to be this cast of all women, what was that like?

[4:14] Hannah Cruz: It was pretty special. I don't, now that I'm back to doing like regular like casts of like everyone, like working with men again at first was kind of like, Oh, wow. It's just very different. I think the way you present yourself in a room with men is going to be different than the way you present yourself in a room full of women. For sure. And I remember rehearsing for Suffs Off-Broadway specifically because I was playing Ruja and that was very different for me up until that point. She was very grounded, very earthy, not concerned with her appearance at all. And that was super freeing for me and I really enjoyed it. And then to add on top of that, rehearsing in a room with no men, I felt like probably the freest I've ever felt.

[5:02] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I love that. Just to be able to like be in your body and like not worry about if you have mascara on.

[5:06] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Or whatever. Are we allowed to swear? Yes. It's like not worrying about appearing fuckable in any way.

[5:13] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Do you know what I mean?

[5:18] Hannah Cruz: Yes. It's just, I do. That's always there.

[5:18] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: A hundred percent. Especially like as a young woman playing young woman, I mean my thirties, but you know, like presenting as a young woman.

[5:24] Hannah Cruz: Yes. And this is like one of the reasons I started this show is to like get rid of that. Like how do we exist in this industry and not worry about like, like I'm not wearing a bra today because I didn't want to. I didn't want to. And like, I shouldn't have to, you know, it's things like that, that, you know, we don't talk about a lot.

[5:43] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. It just shouldn't be a big deal. Do you know what I mean? To not worry about looking fuckable.

[5:47] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Yeah. We don't always have to be fuckable.

[5:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Not always. Only when we want to be okay guys. Eat that. Um, shout out to Suffs and shout out to Shana because it was such an important show and still is. And I think it changed a lot for women. So shout out and shout out to you for slaying. I was like, who is this girl on the horse and why did she die?

[6:10] Hannah Cruz: I know. So sad. So sad. So we kind of touched on it a little bit. Not really, but can you tell me when in the industry working professionally or not, whenever you felt have felt like the odd woman out?

[6:26] Hannah Cruz: Oh, I, I find a lot of times I've been put in tracks that are very isolated. And so I feel like the odd woman out in that I am alone a lot, which is like only in one act. Yes. Yeah. Both, both of these shows act one act two. So there's a lot of camaraderie that I miss out on. I'm also not like a super social person by nature. So I tend to isolate. Yeah. And sometimes I need to like force myself out of that, but I really love the cast of Chess and we do get like little social moments here and there. And it is enough to like fill my cup, but sometimes it's like, you know, I show up when the overture starts. Oh really? Yeah. And I don't see anyone until my scene with Nick. And that's like the, I guess my scene with Bradley, but it's so quick. And then, um, I get that scene with Nick and then I, that's the first time I like see someone really other than my incredible dresser and, um, hair.

[7:29] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Has there ever been a time where like you were out of the show and they didn't know? And then Nick just sees like, I've only missed one and it was for a previous, like it was for the premiere of the TV show that I did. So that was like planned. Um, so I haven't missed yet, but that's definitely possible that they wouldn't know until she walks in. And I remember one day I was really not feeling well. And my dresser was like, you can still call out and the show was like happening. And I was like, can you imagine like somebody just walks in stage and like that does happen, especially like when you're in a run of a show for a while, you'll get on stage and be like, Oh my God, I had no idea that person was on.

[8:03] Hannah Cruz: I kind of like alpha buzz leaving like mid show as well. It happens to us all.

[8:09] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, it does. So you, you sort of feel like the odd woman out like with the roles you've been given sometimes.

[8:13] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. They just feel kind of isolating.

[8:18] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Yeah. Let's talk about your TV show to take a hard turn. You mentioned you missed because of the premiere. Um, tell us a little bit about it. It's not streaming on Peacock right now. And your role is that it's your first time being a series regular.

[8:30] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't, I'm not even technically I'm recurring. I'm in five or six episodes out of eight. Yes. But she is like fierce to the storyline. And like, I know I don't want to give any spoilers away guys, but Rachel is like, I, I, I didn't say the name of the show. Cause I don't want to butcher it. The Copen. Can you say it?

[8:48] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: The Copenhagen Test.

[8:48] Hannah Cruz: Thank you. Yeah. I want to fuck it up. I got you. But Rachel is like key to the storyline. Yeah. Where you, so you closed us and then you filmed that?

[8:58] Hannah Cruz: No, I was filming that during Suffs. I actually missed quite a few shows. If anyone ever came to the show between like October and January, I missed a good amount for filming Merrily filming Copenhagen and filming The Housemaid. I missed many shows. Oh, sorry. While I was on Broadway. No problem. No big deal. This is why I was out guys. Cause I was being an icon. And I also had the flu that also happened COVID protect yourselves. But it was a busy, it was a really busy season, which I was so, I mean, I have, that's amazing. Broadway is always every actor's dream by the way is, and for a long time, I think since before the pandemic, I have been wanting to be on television and wanting to do film for so long.

And I think, you know, I wasn't always sure if the, the Broadway skillset would transfer over to the TV and film. It's very different, but I've always thought I was maybe a little not better suited, but I, I like the small stuff. I like, like the, the facial work and like the, the little intricacies and scenes. And so I always really wanted to try that. And, but you never really know. Um, so I was really nervous about jumping into the TV and film world, but I had such a blast and I really, it's like, it's a different kind of fulfilling than Broadway is or theater is. It's just different. Um, and I feel like with what I've learned from filming stuff is it's like, you never get like a full satisfaction from it.

It's, you're always chasing like the feeling that you get in theater pretty, uh, consistently of like a story told, but since you film a lot out of order, out of order, you don't get that like finality. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Which it then kind of becomes like a high and you're chasing that high consistently.

[10:53] Hannah Cruz: Was it crazy then like watching it?

[10:53] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Were you like, Oh shit, I didn't even know how, like there was going to be like, well, even when we started filming it, I didn't know where we were going to end up for Copenhagen. So I had a lot of questions, um, that got filled in as we, as we kept going. Um, and I think there's still a lot of questions to be answered. So I hope that there's a season two in which we can answer those questions. If anyone's listening, can you please renew it? We love Peacock.

[11:17] Hannah Cruz: We do love Peacock. I do. I actually just been, I love Traders. Girl. Hello. It's the best show on television. Are you caught up?

[11:25] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes.

[11:25] Hannah Cruz: Okay. I'm submitting a video. You March 10th is the deadline. You're going to be, you want to be on Traders badly. I want to be on Traders too. Submit a video with me. Okay. It can be fun. We won't tell anyone we've ever met and then maybe we'll both be Traders and we'll fucking crush it. It's the only reality TV show I, I would go on tomorrow, tomorrow. How fun.

[11:47] Hannah Cruz: It's just so good. Did you watch last season with Bob the Drag Queen at Boston Rob?

[11:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I just started this season. I just picked up on season 5. I've got to go back.

[11:54] Hannah Cruz: There was a moment in last season that is, I swear to you, hands down the best moment that has ever been filmed for television ever.

[12:02] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I can't wait. Ever. It's hard for me to wait. Like now to the next Thursday.

[12:06] Hannah Cruz: I know it's really hard. It's like really stressful that Lisa. It's so exciting. Spoilers about Traitors 4. Lisa is overacting at breakfast and she needs to pull it back. She's not talking enough and she's over the love island guy.

[12:20] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, oh no. I don't know who's the love island guy. The traitor. Oh, Rob C.

[12:25] Hannah Cruz: Rob C. With his snake. He's killing it. He's killing it. Shout out to Rob. Oh, he's great. Yeah. He's a good traitor. It's hard to be a good traitor. And this is why I think we'd be great. I mean, you'd be great. You're an amazing actor, but I have some training and we, we would crush it. Sorry to completely get off topic, but I would, this could be a trader's podcast and I'd be fine.

[12:46] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Should we start it? Should we just pivot and change the whole cast right now?

[12:51] Hannah Cruz: I'd love, we need new merch. I'm a traitor.

[12:56] Hannah Cruz: I'm a traitor guys. So anyway, in conclusion, get Peacock. If you don't have it to the Copenhagen test and I love you all in coming. And season two of Copenhagen is coming to you soon. We're manifesting it here together. Okay. Let's talk about Merrilee.

[13:09] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh yeah. I need some tea on it because like I understand it a little. I love Merrilee. And I love Gussie.

[13:17] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, me too. So number one, what's so far because what have you filmed so far?

[13:24] Hannah Cruz: We filmed a Johnny, Jackie and Jack, Bobby, Jackie. Wait, what is it? What's the song?

[13:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Is it Bobby? Yes. Bobby. Yeah. Not Johnny. Bobby. Bobby Kennedy. Yeah. It's about the Kennedy's Bobby, Jackie and Jack.

[13:37] Hannah Cruz: Um, I don't sing in that. Um, and then, and so that is like the first time Gussie meets Frank.

[13:51] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Bobby Jack. What did I say? No, but then she switched. I never said Jackie though. Jackie wasn't in there. It's about the Kennedy's.

[13:58] Hannah Cruz: If I knew that, then I would say their names. Bobby, Jackie and Jack. The White House is under attack. Yeah, it's that song. We did that. Yeah. At the downtown club. It was, it was a year ago. Forgive me.

[14:11] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You're forgiven. And we're filming films, 900 things also in between. And we're filming again this coming December. Fun.

[14:19] Hannah Cruz: So we just had a meeting about it and I'm very excited. It's a big section. It's like the blob and Gussie's party and all that stuff. So, and we're in 1962 now. Um, it's just really fascinating, you know, I don't think anyone's ever experienced Merrilee in this way. And I think it's brilliant. Yeah. It's going to be really visceral.

[14:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: What's been your favorite thing about Gussie so far?

[14:42] Hannah Cruz: She's kind of a hard nut to crack. Although I was talking to my husband in the car about it the other day on our, we had a meeting and we had been talking about Gussie and all day and I was really thinking about her and I was like, she's just, you know, she's so dramatic and uh, she's, she says all these things like I'm going to open up my veins. I'm going to throw myself down the garbage disposal. And I was like, I can't, I don't understand how to tap into that. And then later that night we were cleaning the house and I was like, if you do that, I will throw myself out of the window. And he was like, see, when you said that you couldn't connect to her in that way, I didn't want to tell you this, but you are just as dramatic. And you say, I say, I'm going to throw myself off a building all the time. I know that's terrible to say, but I do, I know. And it's just what we say, you know, we don't mean it.

[15:29] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: No. Yeah. I understand it could be uncouth, but it's what happens. Right. And so now that I'm cognizant of that, I'm, I'm trying to like hold on to, to the, the cadence in which I say that and the context in which I say that. So then I can, because I think she can be hard to crack. I do. I think playing someone performative is difficult. Yeah. She's because she has so many layers. It is a tough character, but she has to be a person.

[15:54] Hannah Cruz: She has to be a person. Right. Right. Well, congratulations. I mean that is such an iconic gig. Thanks. And I can't wait. I mean, we don't get to see that for 10 years, huh? Wait, when does it come out?

[16:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: 2039.

[16:11] Hannah Cruz: Oh my God. Oh my God. That just stressed me out.

[16:15] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Me too. 12 years. I can't do math. Okay. Alan, I already can hear him telling me that my math was wrong without even looking.

[16:20] Hannah Cruz: Okay. We still haven't even dived into chess. I know we're having too much fun, but I do want to talk a little bit about the housemaid. Because I haven't seen it yet. It's not on my list to go see it. And then when I read your bio, I was like, Oh shit, Hannah's in the housemaid. And then I looked at IMDB and it was like, it's uncredited. I was like, Oh yeah. So, but then chat GPT told me you're the friend who like helps Cindy Sweeney.

[16:39] Hannah Cruz: It's true. That was in the script. Um, so Lexi is not, she's my character. She is not in the book and I was there on the first day of filming for the movie. And so I had a feeling, I remember even talking to my manager. I was like, this could be cut. There's like a big world in which this is cut. So my expectations were already quite low, but it was a scene with Sidney giving some exposition and uh, giving her an out of like the housemaid job if she needs it. And Lexi does get mentioned quite a few times in the film, but um, we don't, we do see her. I am in it for like a frame or two. Um, cause I ended up coming back and we filmed another like flashbacky scene. Um, but I don't speak. Um, the check cleared though.

The check cleared. And you know, Paul Feige, the director is a super class act and he sent me a really nice message to like let me know that it wasn't cause at first I was like, Oh my God, I must've been bad cause I didn't know what I was doing really. I'm still really learning about the TV and film thing. And this was like a major fucking movie. Yeah. My first, I'm like you're walking in with Sydney. Yeah. So I was like, there is a world in which I was just not good and that's fine. I'm still learning. I love to learn and I love, you know, uh, feedback. Right. But it was just like an extra storyline they didn't need. And I saw the movie and I agreed. So it's fine. Maybe one day we'll get a deleted scene.

But, um, and I've heard that there's a sequel, so maybe I've read all the books. They're really great. Shout out and shout out to that director. That is like so classy. He didn't have to do that. So classy. And that's really, and it made me feel so much better truly. But it was, I had a really good time. You know, they sent us all housemaid sweatshirts and housemaid blankets. We love swag. So merch. And I really did love the movie. I had such a good time. I think Amanda is absolutely incredible. I think Brenda's Klonar is amazing. I think Sydney's great. It's just like, it's a good movie.

[18:37] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It's been on my list. I actually can't wait to see it. Yeah, it's fun. Okay. We have to dive into chess again. I was absolutely gagged last night.

[18:45] Hannah Cruz: You did something in your first song where you're like crying and then you like snap out of it.

[18:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, did you see that? Yeah.

[18:52] Hannah Cruz: I never know if people catch that moment and it's my, okay. So I was with my friend Robin and he grabbed me. He goes, she's fierce because you are. Um, so congratulations. Number one, it is like just an incredible production performance. The performances are everyone's to die. How did chess come to you? Can you tell us a little bit about the process?

[19:14] Hannah Cruz: Yeah. I, um, I'd kind of told my team after seps that I was done with musicals and everyone's always like, Oh my God, why? Um, singing is not my favorite thing in the world. In fact, it's one of my least, but, and you're so absolutely stellar.

[19:36] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: That's very nice. Thank you. It's, I think it's just, you know, it's a thing that when it becomes your work and it becomes like singing eight times a week for me is not joyful. Right.

[19:47] Hannah Cruz: And it was going to be one of my questions. Like absolutely. You have to take such good care of yourself. Yeah. It's a full-time job.

[19:54] Hannah Cruz: It's a full-time job. And I'm only in 20 minutes. Like what Nick and Leah and Aaron are doing is and Bryce and Bradley and Sean, like everyone is just superhuman level. Um, yeah. Singing has just lost his luster for me. It freaks me out. It scares me and it stresses me out. And I find that a lot of times I get really frustrated because all I want to do is act. And I find that the singing gets in the way for me. Um, so I was like, I'm done. And then Katie, one of my agents called me and she was like, well, you know, they're trying to find a Svetlana. She's only in one act. At the time I didn't know that I even had a song. I knew someone else's story was going to Leah. And so I was like, okay, if I don't have a solo, then like, sure, let's go in.

[20:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And so we went in and I sent you, you have many,

[20:45] Hannah Cruz: I have no idea. Just one. I mean, just the one. I didn't mean to say jokes on you. That was kind of, but I went in like right after my, we had gone to Greece for two weeks. I was back from my honeymoon. I had already dyed my hair blonde. It was like a different girl. And, um, I went in for chess and I felt super relaxed about it. And I feel like the older I get, the more relaxed I am in auditions because it's less of like, I promise I'm good. And more of like, this is what I would do. And if you want to agree, if you don't, then amazing. Let's move on to the next. But, um, and it went really well. I sang, I know I'm so well with Leah. I've grown up listening to Leah pretty religiously. I was obsessed with glee. Fun fact, I was on the glee project season two casting episode, Oh my God. But I got cut. Um, much like the housemaid.

[21:40] Hannah Cruz: But I fucking loved glee. And so I know Leah's voice so well. So I can kind of intuit like what she's going to do and how she's going to sound. And so I think that's why our blend is really good because I can just, I know how she sounds. I, it's like, it's in my blood. Yeah. Um, so you tested with her? Yeah. We sang it together.

[22:01] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Okay. Like because you were like, I I've watched you another interview saying, you know, like I know your mom's fangirling and you grew up. So how did you like keep your chill?

[22:11] Hannah Cruz: I don't even know. I think it's just realizing that people are people and we're all like doing our thing. Like, I think you can be a fan of someone without, there are certain people though that I think would make me like fall out of my, like there are certain people that if they come to the show, I can't know. Do you know what I mean? Cause it would be an example. I can't know. Okay.

[22:28] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And I feel she's coming soon. I can feel the presence, but I, I just, I can't know what show. And until then I will perform as if she is there.

[22:36] Hannah Cruz: Great. Not that my hair, Kyle, my, who puts my wig on was like, everyone should get the same show. I was like, no, Patty gets Patty gets, she gets a special show. Um, but yeah, so I was obviously like very excited to meet Leah, but I w I don't know. I just, you were like, I'm not doing my job. I've gotten better about tamping that excitement down or tamping that like nervousness down more so. And just trying to meet them on the same level. Because you are. Yeah. Well you are in some ways and in some other ways. No, but, but we are people. Right. And so I try and remember that.

[23:19] Hannah Cruz: And then you booked it.

[24:05] Hannah Cruz: We all want work so bad and so to pretend that we don't is untruthful, but like there is a different air when you feel confident in yourself and like grounded in yourself.

[24:18] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, for sure. So speaking of Lea, like the internet, I've seen you guys have like a really beautiful...

[24:23] Hannah Cruz: She's a sweet lady and I love seeing that. Like again, we're on Odd Woman Out, the women relationships, because women get a bad rep, you know? There's a lot of chatter in this industry. It's a lot of like competitiveness and like fake bullshit. That's not true. So how is that relationship, you know, helps the process, you know, be more fun and chill?

[24:43] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, especially because we're the only two principal women, right? And we only, you know, I understand the show does not pass the Bechdel test. I'm not like I understand that, but I think what—and there's only so much we could change of an existing artwork.

[24:59] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, so I really like, I think it was important to both of us that—and I know her so well—we are looking at each other, even if it's what in my mind, it's us picturing the other in our mind's eye and like commiserating with each other and being like, "Oh, I see you as a woman and what you're going through, and you see me as a woman and what we're going through."

[25:23] Hannah Cruz: And there's some like understanding there, and we can walk away not being like, "You took my man. You took my man," like bitching at each other, that we can like walk away with some sort of like...

[25:37] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, exactly.

[25:40] Hannah Cruz: So I just wanted that because I think I know her so well has always been staged like opposite sides of the stage. We never get to actually connect, and I wanted us to—like we both did—we wanted us to connect. But Lea from the jump has been so kind to me and so welcoming, and I think like when you're as big a star as Lea is, like, I think it's really admirable and amazing to take someone under your wing like that and like make them feel like you're as much a part of it as she is.

[26:12] Hannah Cruz: And we connected very quickly. I think we have similar outlooks, and I really respect and admire how good of a mother and a wife she is, and I really look up to her in those ways.

[26:26] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, I love that. Um, and she always has really good restaurant recommendations.

[26:32] Hannah Cruz: Great. Can we get one? Can you give us a little bit?

[26:38] Hannah Cruz: She's always telling me Teresa is like the best restaurant downtown.

[26:45] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I'm good. Okay, let's go.

[26:48] Hannah Cruz: Okay. I heard you tell Joel Crump—shout out, I love him—gonna take over. I love all of Broadway.

[26:57] Hannah Cruz: I love him as well that you have a photo.

[27:04] Hannah Cruz: Oh, yeah, it's never gonna come out. Do you think we can have it?

[27:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We'll make a nice TikTok reel and we'll put it in right here. You and Lea, a shot this really busted stage door.

[27:12] Hannah Cruz: Maybe, okay, it will really—like I want to be in Jonathan Groff's sweet sweeties.

[27:21] Hannah Cruz: Oh my god, I was a port, the like women of it all, and like you actually don't look busted 'cause you were a kid.

[27:26] Hannah Cruz: I know, I was a baby. I was a baby, but I look back and just—I think I had braces. It's tough.

[27:31] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Okay, we'll think about it, but also it's fine. We all had a busted face, didn't we?

[27:37] Hannah Cruz: I mean, I still feel like I do have a major busted face. I look at what teenage girls look like now and I'm like, "You stop."

[27:42] Hannah Cruz: You stop on TikTok looking at all the trends, and I'm still trying to learn.

[27:45] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So am I to this day.

[27:50] Hannah Cruz: Oh, by the way, congratulations. You are crushing it on TikTok.

[27:53] Hannah Cruz: Oh, thanks. Shout out to your husband being right next door.

[27:58] Hannah Cruz: So fun.

[28:02] Hannah Cruz: It is really—it's pretty like once-in-a-lifetime bucket list thing if you guys don't like go in together.

[28:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I imagine no because he goes in so early.

[28:11] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, also, and he, you know, he's in both acts, but he like leaves so early on two-show days, and I'm like, "Bye."

[28:16] Hannah Cruz: And I stay home for like two extra hours with our little kitten, but we do go home together most nights, which is really nice to debrief.

[28:26] Hannah Cruz: And allegedly, there's a tunnel that connects both theaters. No one showed it to us yet, but we're waiting.

[28:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You have to find the tunnel.

[28:36] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, okay, out of all the roles that you've ever played or maybe just a role that you've been in a show with, who would you want to trade lives with for a week? And why?

[28:43] Hannah Cruz: For a week and why? I feel like Gussie is pretty fabulous.

[28:48] Hannah Cruz: I don't know, in the good times, in like the second act opening number when she's in the hit, I think she's like winning the Tony.

[28:55] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I would trade lives with that. That's fun.

[28:58] Hannah Cruz: Yeah, I love that answer or Rachel from The Copenhagen Test solely for her wardrobe.

[29:05] Hannah Cruz: Okay, the wardrobe was so good on that show. I wish I could have taken everything home with me.

[29:10] Hannah Cruz: I did get to take a bag.

[29:12] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I was gonna ask a Balenciaga bag.

[29:15] Hannah Cruz: Oh, hey!

[29:17] Hannah Cruz: Thank you. I love it. Thank you, Peacock.

[29:20] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Did you try to steal anything or was this like...

[29:25] Hannah Cruz: No, to you because it was my first time. I was like, "I'm not gonna be stealing something."

[29:30] Hannah Cruz: Right, you like hear these people say like, "I took so many things," but I would tell our costume designer Bernadette, I'd be like, "I really love these boots. I really love them."

[29:37] Hannah Cruz: Bernadette said, "Okay girl, you better still love them."

[29:40] Hannah Cruz: Love them. I do. They were like these really blue boots. We didn't even end up wearing them, but they were really—just her wardrobe was so good.

[29:48] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We all have to go watch it, everyone, again and go stream it as well as The Traders.

[29:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So as a Connecticut girl, were you a Gilmore Girls fan?

[30:00] Hannah Cruz: You know, yes and no. I never watched it all the way through, but sometimes it was on after school and we would watch it after school.

[30:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So you were not like so gagged about Danny Strong?

[30:10] Hannah Cruz: Well, I was for Buffy, okay? For Buffy reasons, but I've also worked with Sally Struthers from Gilmore Girls fame, and she is an icon, the most special person on the planet. Shout out!

[30:20] Hannah Cruz: She is the most special person on the planet. I did Young Frankenstein with her at a Gun Quit Playhouse right after the pandemic, and we did it like kind of outside under this tent because it was pandemic.

[30:30] Hannah Cruz: And we had the set piece that went up and down this like medical table, and it malfunctioned one night, and so we had to hold the show, and she went out there and basically did a stand-up set for half an hour talking about how she dated Elvis.

[30:43] Hannah Cruz: Like she was giving us all the tea.

[30:46] Hannah Cruz: Sally is—and I shared a dressing room with her, and it was just—she is very close to my heart. I love her so much.

[30:52] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, this is so fun. I could talk to you all day, like we're just gabbing, gabbing.

[30:58] Hannah Cruz: But if you had any advice for any odd women listening who are trying to pursue a career in the arts, but they don't want to look fuckable or like are having insecurities with whatever that means to them, what is your advice to the odd squad?

[31:10] Hannah Cruz: I think it's—I love the odd squad. I think it's been said. It's not something that hasn't been said. This isn't like a new concept.

[31:18] Hannah Cruz: But I really do think what's helped me a lot in this business—and I'm sure this can translate to others—is what is for you is for you. It's not gonna pass you by.

[31:26] Hannah Cruz: And a lot of times a no, that door closing is allowing you to walk through the door that you're supposed to walk through. And at the time it can be devastating, but you don't know what's happening next.

[31:33] Hannah Cruz: And so I'm not like—I don't really believe everything is written or like everything happens for a reason or anything like that, but I do think opportunity begets opportunity, and an opportunity can be a no.

[31:44] Hannah Cruz: So I think remembering that. And I also think like, I don't know, in terms of the like not worrying about being fuckable thing because I'm thinking about that a lot.

[31:57] Hannah Cruz: I think just like adding things to yourself that make you feel good rather than how you think you're gonna be perceived to others.

[32:07] Hannah Cruz: Like I love that, like dressing for your own joy instead of like trying to dress to fit anybody else's needs or wants or desires.

[32:17] Hannah Cruz: Because I think that once you start doing that, one, your personal style grows, and you become happier. I know this happened for me.

[32:26] Hannah Cruz: And also, I was just talking about to my stylist about this today. Nobody is thinking about you. Do you know what I mean?

[32:34] Hannah Cruz: Nobody's looking at me the way I do. Yeah, nobody is like, "Oh my god," and that is so freeing.

[32:39] Hannah Cruz: Do you know what I mean? Because when you can actually believe it—yes, which it takes a long time.

[32:43] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: It does take a long time working on it.

[32:46] Hannah Cruz: It does take a long time, but everyone's only really concerned about themselves primarily at like a very base human level.

[32:52] Hannah Cruz: We're all selfish, and that is fine because that can be freeing, and then we can actually move through the world as ourselves and not be like worried and being pressured down by like this outside force.

[33:05] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank you, yeah. Hope that squad took note.

[33:10] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Can you please let everybody know where they can follow you on socials, how to keep up with all of your projects, movies, TV?

[33:16] Hannah Cruz: Some people would be not—I was sad.

[33:20] Hannah Cruz: I was definitely sad, and we went and saw the movie with my husband, and I remember him being like, "I'm so proud of you," and I was like, "Shut up."

[33:30] Hannah Cruz: Which is also because sometimes you don't—you imagine you like took a whole crew?

[33:38] Hannah Cruz: Yes, I would be so embarrassed, and even seeing my husband, I was like, "Don't even look at it."

[33:43] Hannah Cruz: Like I'm not in it, and you know, I'm trying to learn how to celebrate small wins for myself.

[33:50] Hannah Cruz: But yes, but you can follow me, this is Hannah Cruz on Instagram, and that's it.

[33:56] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: That's it. I'm not on anything else.

[34:00] Hannah Cruz: You're not on TikTok?

[34:02] Hannah Cruz: No, oh, I've been seeing them all.

[34:05] Hannah Cruz: Well, that's through Chess.

[34:08] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, fierce, but I worry that if I get on TikTok, it will take up too much of my time.

[34:15] Hannah Cruz: So I just—I have to have a boundary there because Instagram reels already take up too much of my time.

[34:20] Hannah Cruz: I'm really trying to stop. I do want to hire AI to do all of it, but it's also controversial.

[34:25] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I know, that's the thing.

[34:27] Hannah Cruz: I know it's hard. We're doing the best we can.

[34:30] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We are day by day. Hannah, thank you so much for joining us.

[34:34] Hannah Cruz: You're now an official odd woman. You're part of the odd squad.

[34:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank you. I'm so appreciative of everybody that comes on this show. We're still so new and growing, and so when I have icons like you come on, I'm like fierce.

[34:46] Hannah Cruz: Thank you for having me. I had a really good chat.

[34:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So this is so fun. It was fun. Again, I could talk for another three hours even.

[34:54] Hannah Cruz: Look at this.

[34:56] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Needs it.

[34:58] Hannah Cruz: I don't need it.

[35:00] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Bye.

[35:02] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Hey odd squad, it's me again, Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode. Please like, subscribe, and follow. We will be releasing new episodes on most Fridays, so follow us on social media to keep up at Odd Woman Show on Instagram and...

[35:14] Sammy: And I'm done.