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[0:00] Jayke Workman: You guys, it's nearing the end of Pride Month, and not a single homosexual has bought me a drink.

[0:08] Jayke Workman: Chop chop, boys.

[0:14] Jayke Workman: Oh my god, did you hear? Did you hear? Did you hear? Oh my god, guys.

[0:21] Jayke Workman: Oh my god, that is a good guy.

[0:29] Jayke Workman: What's up, everybody? My name is Jayke Workman, and this is Oh My Pod, you guys, a musical theater and pop culture podcast.

[0:36] Jayke Workman: You guys, I am currently in the beautiful city of Washington, DC, and I am here working on the workshop of A Wrinkle in Time at Arena Stage Company.

[0:46] Jayke Workman: And you guys, it is so much fun. We're having a blast. It is like this crazy kooky amalgamation of music and storytelling and sci-fi and craziness, and Arena has been so, so wonderful to our entire cast and crew.

[1:04] Jayke Workman: So huge shout out to Arena Stage for making this possible. And huge shout out to our incredible creative team, Heather Christian, Lauren Yi, and of course our fearless director, Miss Lee Sunday Evans, for taking on this incredible project and bringing us all on board.

[1:24] Jayke Workman: It is so, so thrilling to get to be a part of a new work like this. But enough niceties. Enough about me for once.

[1:33] Jayke Workman: You guys, we have to dive right into this week's BroadwayWorld Recap brought to you by my amazing pals at Broadwayworld.com because girl, girly pop, we got some news on the Broadway.

[1:48] Jayke Workman: I mean, first, you guys, we of course just have to wish a huge Oh My Pod congratulations to all of the amazing winners at the Tony Awards this past Sunday.

[1:59] Jayke Workman: You guys, it always makes me so emotional to watch the Tonys, but this time it really feels like I am strangely more plugged in and more connected.

[2:10] Jayke Workman: I just have so many amazing friends who are in currently running shows, and so to see them, some of them even be nominated, but to see them up there on stage at the Tonys doing their thing, I was like, holy shit, I cannot believe that this is my life, and that like this broadcast that I used to watch as an 11-year-old in my, you know, living room in Kansas, is now I'm there, I'm part of it.

[2:36] Jayke Workman: These are like my actual friends. It just is wild. So congratulations to everyone who was nominated, all of the amazing winners. What a special Tony Award season it was.

[2:46] Jayke Workman: It was so the fight for the Tony was real. And of course, special shout out to my husband, Mr. Jonathan Groff, for winning his Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

[3:00] Jayke Workman: Next, you guys, we got a very surprising and sort of abrupt announcement that the Broadway production of The Heart of Rock and Roll is going to play its final performance on Broadway on Sunday, June 23rd at 3 p.m., which is just so crazy.

[3:16] Jayke Workman: This world, you know, of course, we talk about like the Pie in the Sky Tony Awards and how much we love this, but also this business is just that.

[3:25] Jayke Workman: It is a business, and so I just have to extend, you know, a huge congratulations, but also just a heartfelt, you know. I'm sorry that this is closing, but you guys did it to everyone in this show.

[3:38] Jayke Workman: At the time of closing, the show will have played 24 previews and 72 performances, which is an amazing accomplishment, but it's just such a bummer that these people, you know, whose livelihoods are this, just got so shorted, you know?

[3:52] Jayke Workman: I mean, like they found out literally with five days' notice. So just wishing everyone happiness and a congratulations on this show.

[4:00] Jayke Workman: Next, you guys, we got the very exciting announcement that the Avett Brothers musical Swept Away has set their Broadway dates and found their theater.

[4:09] Jayke Workman: And you guys, this is just so crazy, like how timely and small this world is because this musical recently had an acclaimed run at Arena Stage, where I am currently working in DC.

[4:20] Jayke Workman: And now they are transferring to Broadway, to the Longacre Theater. I'm so excited about this show.

[4:26] Jayke Workman: I am actually really bummed that I missed their run at Arena, so I'm so excited to see it on Broadway.

[4:33] Jayke Workman: It is going to begin on October 29th with an official opening set for Tuesday, November 19th.

[4:41] Jayke Workman: Next, you guys, we got another very exciting announcement of another show coming to Broadway this fall.

[4:47] Jayke Workman: Amber Gray, Jessica Hecht, and more are set to star in Eureka Day on Broadway, with previews starting November 25th and an official opening night of Monday, December 16th at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater on Broadway.

[5:03] Jayke Workman: You guys, I am so excited about this because not only am I a fan of all of these actors who have been announced, but I am currently working with none other than the Queen herself, Ms. Amber Gray.

[5:16] Jayke Workman: And you guys, she is amazing. She is a gem of a human and a force of a talent.

[5:26] Jayke Workman: I'm so, so excited that she will be returning to Broadway in this show. Eureka Day is a private California elementary school with a board of directors that values inclusion above all else.

[5:37] Jayke Workman: That is, until an outbreak of the mumps forces everyone in the community to reconsider the school's liberal vaccine policy.

[5:45] Jayke Workman: You guys, this sounds so relevant and hilarious. I cannot wait to see this show.

[5:54] Jayke Workman: And who knows, maybe I will just have to bamboozle Miss Amber Gray into coming on to this very podcast. Wink wink.

[6:04] Jayke Workman: And lastly, you guys, we got the thrilling announcement that Aaron Tveit and Miss JoJo, Joanna Levesque, are both returning to the Broadway company of Moulin Rouge.

[6:20] Jayke Workman: You guys, anyway, anyone who knows me. I mean, now at this point, I'm like, if you've listened to the pod, you know, I am just a total fangirl for Miss JoJo.

[6:32] Jayke Workman: I have been forever, but like, now that our paths have sort of quasi crossed in the Broadway world, I am so, so excited because my dumbass missed her Broadway run in Moulin Rouge the first time around.

[6:48] Jayke Workman: And that will not be happening again, darling. I will be seated at that theater to see her play Satine.

[6:56] Jayke Workman: You guys, they are both returning for a limited 12-week run, which will go from July 23rd to, uh, I believe October. Yes, October 13th.

[7:07] Jayke Workman: And I cannot wait. It also is so exciting because both of them are returning two days before the fifth anniversary of the opening of Moulin Rouge on Broadway, which is just so spectacular.

[7:20] Jayke Workman: And, uh, you know, huge shout out and congratulations to that team and that company for such an amazing achievement.

[7:26] Jayke Workman: But you guys, Miss JoJo. Oh, I am so ready. Get out, late.

[7:33] Jayke Workman: And you guys, this has been the BroadwayWorld Recap.

[7:38] Jayke Workman: Oh my pod, you guys, I am so excited to introduce my next guest on the show.

[7:44] Jayke Workman: She is a writer, an actor, and casually a Tony-nominated producer. Please welcome Miss Alexi Melvin.

[7:54] Alexi Melvin: What is up?

[7:55] Alexi Melvin: What is up with you? Thank you so much for having me.

[7:58] Alexi Melvin: This is so exciting. This is I'm so excited. When I when I saw the opportunity to have you on the pod, I was like, this is a perspective I think to have on the podcast that I haven't yet, and I'm so excited to.

[8:11] Alexi Melvin: When I started this, I wanted to chat with people from all facets of the creative world and not just performers, and obviously you have that background, but to then be on sort of the other side of things now is so exciting.

[8:23] Alexi Melvin: So I can't wait to chat with you. But before we dive in, I always ask my guests, where are you calling in from on this fine day?

[8:32] Alexi Melvin: I am calling in from Hell's Kitchen, which is where my humble abode is currently.

[8:38] Jayke Workman: Gorgina, a New York City doll.

[8:41] Jayke Workman: Yeah. How long have you been in the city?

[8:44] Alexi Melvin: Oh gosh, almost exactly a year.

[8:47] Alexi Melvin: Um, but I came here straight out of high school.

[8:52] Alexi Melvin: Um, I was here for like 10-ish years, and then I, you know, thought I was too cool for school and tried to like go to LA and San Francisco and see what was up over there.

[9:02] Alexi Melvin: Um, and then you know, the pandemic and all that, and uh, you know, spent some time with family, and then I was just like, yeah, no, I mean it took me doing that to realize that like this is where I'm supposed to be.

[9:14] Alexi Melvin: It's the spot.

[9:15] Jayke Workman: I feel like all roads lead back to New York for a true New Yorker.

[9:15] Alexi Melvin: For a true New Yorker, yeah.

[9:20] Jayke Workman: Yeah.

[9:21] Jayke Workman: Well, I am so excited to have you here because not only are you so entrenched in the current Broadway season and you know, producing, but your perspective and your identity as a part of the queer community is enhancing the work that is being put on stage, and I'm so excited to talk about your shows that you had a hand in.

[9:44] Jayke Workman: Um, tell me about your road to this, you know, this little thing called Illinoise, which is like sweeping Broadway.

[9:57] Alexi Melvin: Oh my gosh, I can't believe this all happened in less than a year. Like it feels like I jumped timelines or something.

[10:04] Alexi Melvin: It's crazy. It's crazy. Like I was literally kind of just like depressed in Arizona during the kind of tail end of the pandemic, you know, just going like, what do I do now?

[10:06] Alexi Melvin: You know.

[10:16] Alexi Melvin: Um, and a family friend introduced me to Clint Ramos, who was one of the lead producers on Here Lies Love, and he's a Tony-winning costume designer.

[10:26] Alexi Melvin: He's incredible.

[10:27] Alexi Melvin: Um, and I was like, all right, cool, you know.

[10:29] Alexi Melvin: I hadn't been back to New York in a while. I, you know, met with him and I knew he had Here Lies Love coming up.

[10:37] Alexi Melvin: Um, and that it was gonna be this crazy innovative thing. I didn't see it when it was at the public, but I'd heard all about it.

[10:43] Alexi Melvin: Um, and I thought he was just gonna, you know, give me some advice, you know, or like maybe have me be like an unpaid assistant or something.

[10:52] Alexi Melvin: I don't know. Like I was willing to do pretty much anything to kind of just get back into the game somehow.

[10:58] Alexi Melvin: And I've always loved Broadway and you know.

[11:01] Alexi Melvin: Um, so you know, we had a discussion about what my goals were as, you know, a storyteller, as an artist, as you know, somebody who has an interest in producing.

[11:10] Alexi Melvin: And um, he was like, you know, I think this would be an amazing fit for you as far as a first go at co-producing.

[11:16] Alexi Melvin: And I was like, okay, like really had no idea what that entailed.

[11:21] Alexi Melvin: Um, no idea. I had worked a little bit in the film industry with producers, but completely different animal on Broadway.

[11:28] Alexi Melvin: Um, and so he really kind of just walked me through it and what it would take, and it seemed very intimidating, but I was like, uh, what does it hurt to try, you know?

[11:38] Alexi Melvin: Um, so I did, and I made it happen and I was a part of this incredible, um, you know, uh, innovative historic show on Broadway, which, you know, obviously didn't have the longevity it deserved, but it was really amazing and I would not take it back for the world, the experience that I had with that show.

[12:00] Alexi Melvin: Um, and uh, it really kind of threw me in the deep end a little bit of all of this because it w it was such new territory and it was like all hands on deck all the time basically.

[12:14] Alexi Melvin: Um, so it was wild, it was really wild.

[12:17] Alexi Melvin: And so after I was involved with that show, I kind of felt like everything I was like, okay, I'm ready.

[12:23] Alexi Melvin: You know, I can I can take on I can take on pretty much anything.

[12:27] Alexi Melvin: Um, yeah.

[12:29] Alexi Melvin: And uh, let's see, after that, um, one of my other incredible mentors, uh, Kurt Deutsch is one of the lead producers on um, The Notebook.

[12:39] Alexi Melvin: And I had known him from the time I was like 20.

[12:43] Alexi Melvin: I actually did intern for him um for Shickaboom Records.

[12:48] Alexi Melvin: And uh, we just we had always kind of like kept in touch and he was really, you know, he always wanted to see me back here.

[12:54] Alexi Melvin: Um and uh so he brought me on with the Notebook. I worked with him um pretty much from I I had seen the Chicago production and had hoped that I would be involved with the Broadway production. Um and uh yeah, I worked really closely with him on the Notebook and and that show is incredible. Um stunning. It's really stunning. It's really I mean the things that it like I you know the even to down to the staging, down to the you know, the um the casting, the everything is just so beautiful, and I was really swept away by it. So um yeah, I was lucky to be a part of that. And um what's next? Um no, uh I had met, let's see, I had met LaShans, she was also a co-producer on Casually, yes, she's everything.

She was a co-producer on Here Lies Love, and um and we just got along just right away. She she saw exactly what I wanted to do and understood it, and you know, I think we were very much on the same page as far as like the shows we want to bring to Broadway and and all of that, and so she had the outsiders coming up, and so she um uh I helped her with her raise on that so I kind of got to see that that show evolve as well and um yeah right sort of at the end of the season Here Comes Illinoise um yes out of nowhere out of nowhere it was you know doing its thing at the at the armory and everybody was talking about it and I had heard about it and um Patrick Cattulo who um is an incredible producer who casually like I don't know I don't even know how many Tonies he has at this point but he's he did it he did so many things this season that were he merrily he won he just won for Marrily obviously um and uh but he really believed in Illinoise and he um I think at that point kind of knew what kinds of projects I believed in and wanted to to bring to Broadway and he was like listen I think this is something you need to be involved with and I was very lucky that it really kind of fell together quickly and kind of effortlessly like I had people that wanted to be a part of it and wanted to invest in it.

[15:18] Alexi Melvin: And um you know obviously the the queer storyline and just you know this new really different kind of way of storytelling on Broadway really interested me. And um so yeah that was that was incredible. It was it was really just like a blessing out of nowhere that that was um you know I guess my fourth show that that fell into my lap and and wild. It's fantastic. And I I I mean diving a little deeper, maybe you know, for for people who are listening who may not be as familiar with the world of producing and what it means to be a co-producer on a Broadway show. Would you would you talk about your actual task um in raising funds for a Broadway show? Like where is the personal um line drawn versus like the business thing, you know, like the quota that you have to meet?

Like, do you when you take on a uh sorry, this is a long-winded question, but when you take on being a co-producer of a show, are you looking at it as something like, okay, I I know this show, I understand this show, so that's what is driving you to be able to get investors, or is it mainly business side? It's like regardless of what show it is, your task is to raise the money.

[16:43] Alexi Melvin: Money always comes first. Um that's that's the thing you have to do to solidify your place in this show. Um, and it's really it's really an art to, you know, be able to just ask people for money for a piece of art. Um because people don't really want to do that, you know, they don't want to gamble on something that really, really may not work out. And and we've seen we've seen that happen, you know, like how many shows these days are actually recouping? Not many, you know. Um, so my driving force for sure is the show. And I think you have to you have to be able to really speak um confidently and passionately about the show and what it means to you, you know, as a producer, as a storyteller. Um, and I think that's that's gotten me the furthest, you know.

It's not really like look at all these statistics and look at all these numbers and look at how well it's gonna do. Like, honestly, for me as a producer, it's been people that believe in me as a as a storyteller. And um, and that's incredible, you know. That's that's that is a risk. And I've been very lucky that that has worked out, you know, with these shows. Um but yeah, the driving force is always the storytelling and and in you know, just believing that these stories need to be told, um, you know, regardless of of uh where they go, you know, like with with Illinoise, it was you know, it's it's a show that's designed to tour, you know. So I think that's that was a really smart kind of move on on on their part where it's like, okay, well, you know, it's a limited run, but like it has such a life ahead of it.

Um so you know, things like that factor in. Um yeah, it's uh, you know, that's you know the first thing you have to do is raise the money, and then after that, um you can, you know, depending on who you're working with, obviously and the team, um, you can lean into your strengths um with the show going forward. Like for me uh on Illinoise, I'm you know, helping a lot with the social media aspect of it and the queer representation.

[18:56] Alexi Melvin: Sure. Um, so that's a big part of what I've been doing going forward. Um with Here Lies Love, it was you know, I was there all the time. I was at the theater, I was, you know, um taking people backstage, I was, you know, talking about the show because I had been with the show for a long time, and you know, it's just it's uh that's a that's a fun part for me. And and you know, some producers don't really care to um be as hands-on, you know, like sure, you could just raise the money and be like, okay, cool, I'm done. Um, but that's not me.

[19:27] Jayke Workman: Cool. Well, I kind of love that, and I feel like do you think that like your your background in actual performance and being an actor contributes to maybe your like sense of ownership over a story that you're helping produce? Because like you said, I mean, you're you are a storyteller, even though you have not necessarily like written the book or or are performing it every day. Like your what you're doing for a show is help helping get the story told. So, like, where do you think that it it comes from that like acting background for you?

[20:03] Alexi Melvin: I think it I think it definitely helps, you know. I I have such a love for actors and for writers and um just creatives in general. I you know, I I'm such a I'm such a cheerleader and a champion for them, even if it's not something like you said that I came up with myself or performing in myself. Um I've always been I'm like I feel like I'm a professional fangirl in a lot of ways, you know. That's like that's kind of what producing is for me in a way, and and I love it. Like I just yeah, it's just I love championing these these, you know, these stories.

[20:42] Jayke Workman: Mm-hmm. So how do you I mean for someone who doesn't know myself, uh how do you first say uh I would like to be part of your show as a co-producer? Do you who do you even go to? I don't even know who you would like call up. Like, is it all just word of mouth and connections and you know, your sort of like web and network of people that you already know? Or do you hear of a show and think I want to be a part of that and reach out?

[21:15] Alexi Melvin: I think it's kind of it can work out either way. Like for me, I just happened to get connected to one person and that led to another person and that led to another person. And now I feel like I'm in the position where I know and have connected with enough people that if there was a show that I wasn't approached about, you know, first, um, I could be like, Do you know this person? Do you do you, you know, could you link me to this person? And it would be like easy enough to kind of find a path to that person, but it really does take um, you know, I've talked about this before, but I I like hate the word networking, it just sounds so like cold. Um, but I love building connections with people and um taking every opportunity to make um you know, meaningful connections with with artists, with producers, with directors, with people who have been doing really the things that excite me.

Um, I think it's important to not shy away from just you know, telling these people that you know what you're doing is incredible, and I would love to to do something similar or work with you one day, you know, and they remember that.

[22:20] Jayke Workman: That's so cool. Okay, well, switching gears a little bit, I would love to hear about your path to just the world of the arts in general, because you your upbringing is different than you know, many people in this industry having a history with the world of major league baseball and like traveling around the country. So, like, what is did you always know that you had an affinity for the arts? And also, like in tandem with that, how was your queerness um a factor in finding your way to to art?

[22:57] Alexi Melvin: Yeah, interesting. So um I was uh always into musical theater I was three and my mom had uh purchased the cassette uh for Phantom of the Opera yes the cassette um and she was and you know she played it and she saw me like literally memorizing it like I was three and running around the house like I'd memorized Phantom of the Opera um as opposed to like Sesame Street that's that was what I you know what I mean um yeah so she was like huh that's that's interesting so uh because my dad traveled with with baseball he's um he's the current manager of the San Francisco Giants but he used to play and you know um so the next time he was gonna be playing the Yankees I think it was I can't remember what team he was with but um she was like all right well I have to bring her to see Phantom I don't even know if they would have let me in the theater these days you know what I mean like I don't know like would they let a three year old into Phantom um but but they did and she took me and it was just I was enthralled and um yeah I still I think it I still have like a memory of it from when I was three.

It's just the chandelier went up and I was like okay. And that's it. Um that was it uh but yeah I really have my mom to thank a lot for that because she really was intuitive about my um affinity for all of that and she kept you know taking me to theater and um I saw a lot of shows really early on and it just you know stuck with me. Um and uh yeah, with with with my dad, you know, uh I sports never it was just never a thing. He didn't care. He was just like do your thing. Um But I did love, I will say I did love the sort of production value of like the really big important games like the playoffs and the world series. Of course, it's it's giving theater. It's giving theater. It's like shocker. Um when does the chandelier fall?

[24:56] Alexi Melvin: Yeah, is there a chandelier here? Um exactly. But yeah, from there I, you know, I was kind of um I was kind of a shy, reserved kid, even like through high school. I didn't really um explore, you know, uh drama. I did I wasn't really in the shows or anything. I was just kind of like, I don't know, I I always felt a little awkward. I went I went through a lot in high school, so I didn't really get to explore um being a theater performer early on or anything like that. Because, you know, when you love theater, it's like you don't really think, oh I'll produce something. You know, you kind of go straight to like performer, you know. Right. Um so I didn't really do that, but I was always, you know, my my love for it never wavered. And uh but I decided I wanted to go to New York right after high school. Um I went to the Lee Strasberg Institute, um for yeah, for acting and I I did the musical theater track.

[25:55] Alexi Melvin: Um and uh and then I got a degree at the new school, which was mainly for writing. Oh and um, yeah, so I had, you know, because I do I love writing. I've I've written um screenplays, I've um I've done some creative writing, I've done some journalism, uh, so that was a part of my path as well. And um yeah, that was kind of uh that was kind of my arts journey. Um I did some acting, I've done voice work in Star Wars films. I've Yes Um Yeah I've I I mean i it's you're you're such a multifaceted uh like creative that it's really it's like inspiring to hear that you're just like yeah yeah I did this and uh that let me it's like there there are so many things that you have sort of like managed to accomplish and many people I would say uh would look to you as an inspiration because a person could do one of those things and be satisfied.

But you're like, I'll do that. I would also like to do this over here, and I'll also just produce a Tony nominated show because I want to. Like it's it's so fierce. Like you just have this sort of air of like, well, why the hell wouldn't I do that? I want change.

[27:08] Jayke Workman: Thank you. That's it's very nice to hear. It's you know, it's kind of a lot of pressure, honestly, because you know, I wasn't somebody who just went, okay, this is the thing, and I'm just gonna keep doing this thing.

[27:18] Alexi Melvin: Right. You know, and that's kind of like uh we're conditioned to think that that's what we need to do, right? And like especially with you know, somebody like my dad with sports, it's like you literally start with little league and you just keep going.

[27:31] Jayke Workman: Yes.

[27:32] Alexi Melvin: Um, and so you know, he's he's had issues like kind of really understanding um that the arts can be, you know, like it is not a straight path. Just so not linear. You know, it's here and then it's here and then it's here. Um so yeah, but it was hard. It was hard growing up kind of being that way and uh just dipping my toe in here and then doing something like it was it was tough, but like now I look back and I'm like, oh okay, that all makes sense, you know, because it all just sort of led me here. Um but yeah, yeah very amazing very grateful for all the all the multifacets of what I'm doing.

[28:11] Jayke Workman: Well, and I I think it must only like uh enhance your ability to pitch a show to a potential investor because you have like you said you've you've dabbled in so many different areas that like no matter which way they could try to you know maybe like evade or like get around a project that you're really passionate about you could say but I know this about you and I have this connection to what you do it's just that's so that's so cool.

[28:43] Alexi Melvin: Are there are there shows that like you might not necessarily be as like personally passionate about but are still excited to to get on stage like what apart from like you know a queer representation yeah um or like queer storylines like are there things that you are specifically drawn to with the the pieces of art that you produce I mean here lies love was such a specific incredible it was so new that it was the first like all Asian American cast like how did you did you was that just happened to be the first thing that you got affiliated with and then it just sort of like exploded from there pretty much but it just it it immediately hooked me because I just want to be involved in shows that push Broadway forward in some way and this was certainly doing that you know and I'm I'm very passionate about giving giving a voice to any kind of marginalized community whether it be queer or or otherwise, you know, and this was obviously the first all Filipino cast.

It was, you know, the the David Corinne's design work was just what's the I mean friend of the pod, David Corinth. David Corins. I always have to shout out that ridiculous human being. He's oh my gosh, he's so talented, it's gross. Um but yeah, the things it was doing, it was just it's never been done before, and I was like, Oh yeah, I have to be a part of that. So I mean that's yes, that's um, and then as far as like shows that don't necessarily do that, you know, that they're not, you know, giving a voice to a career community or a um you know, all Filipino cast or anything like that. It's it's uh for example, I'm uh hoping to be on board with Queen of Versailles coming up with Kristen Chenwith.

[30:33] Jayke Workman: Of course.

[30:34] Alexi Melvin: Um and uh this is you know, it's for that project in particular, it's it's a very full circle thing. Um, because I've you know, I I knew Kristen when I was probably like 15. Like I was such an admirer of hers, and she was so kind to me as like a young, shy, you know, girl who didn't quite know who she was yet. And like I have amazing memories with Kristen, and you know, cut to like a year ago, we're reconnected because she came to see Here Lies Love, right? And we just sort of picked up where we left off, and she's so incredible. And she, you know, the I've seen the run throughs of of this show, and and it's she's a producer now, she's producing Queen of Versailles, and it's incredible to really see her where she is right now and what she's gonna do with this project. And you know, I really believe in the entire um, you know, creative team of the show. And like, so that's like a no-brainer for me. I want to be in hold with that.

[31:35] Jayke Workman: Totally.

[31:35] Alexi Melvin: So yeah, it's not always so cut and dry with like what you know, like I don't have specifics, like I don't have a bulleted list of like what sure I'm attracted to, but it just it's it's what works. It will it's what it's what feels in the flow of my life, and uh love that.

[31:51] Jayke Workman: Yeah. Well, in a similar vein to to you know, a Kristen or someone like her, do you ever have aspirations to produce something that you could also act in?

[32:04] Alexi Melvin: I do, honestly, I do. And that's uh it's a feeling I I have only recently kind of like revisited because you know, I was in like I tried to do the whole Hollywood thing and I hated it. I hated how it made me feel wing a roll. It's it's yeah, you know, it's it's at least when I was you know in my twenties and like really kind of going after it, it was such a toxic environment, and I was just like, this is not this is not the kind of storytelling I want to be involved with. Like I lo I do love acting, but like at what cost. Um, but now that I'm you know have these beautiful connections on Broadway and and you know, kind of the sky's the limit. I'm like, okay, well, what do I want to say? You know, if I were to write something maybe and and cast myself in it, and yeah, um, what would that look like? So I'm really kind of like on a you know, the beginning of that road. Um yeah, I'd love to. I would love to.

[33:01] Jayke Workman: And um, yeah, I guess going back to your queer the the queer part of your question before, I didn't really answer that. Um yeah, I've been I've been out since I was like 13. Um work. And I know, I I just I just knew, you know. Um I tell people that I saw Nicole Kidman and Moulin Rouge, and I was like, oh. Uh oh. I see. Game over. Got it. Uh yes, game over. And you know, that was that was a part of my, I think, you know, my being an introvert and being a little bit reserved um growing up. Because I grew up in Arizona in a in a very kind of like Rydell High. Like it was a very not diverse high school. It was, you know, it wasn't, yeah, it wasn't great. So I was just kind of like, all right, I I knew that like something was coming for me, but it wasn't here, you know.

Um so yeah, I kind of but I I got involved with the queer community as early as I could, you know, like maybe maybe my senior year of high school, I really started to explore the L word, and like you know, like um there was there was a website called after Ellen.com. Are you are you old enough to have to have known that website? Okay. So after Ellen.com, this was even before like Instagram, it was before any of that. And uh they let me do a uh video blog on fashion when I was like 19, 1920. My god, link below. No. Absolutely.

[34:43] Alexi Melvin: Um, but like, you know, bless them for letting me, you know, explore and have fun with I was I was very femme. I was I still thought I was very femme back then, which I don't like really feel I am anymore. But they're like, yeah, fashion. I'm like, okay, I guess fashion. Um so you know, that was uh that was my entry into like the queer community, and I still have friends that are I I feel like we kind of uh regard ourselves as like the elder lesbians at this point, because Gen Z is really a thing now.

[35:15] Jayke Workman: Girl.

[35:16] Alexi Melvin: But uh yeah TikTok.

[35:18] Jayke Workman: Yeah.

[35:19] Alexi Melvin: But speaking of TikTok, uh over the pandemic I did get into lesbian TikTok.

[35:25] Jayke Workman: And as you do.

[35:27] Alexi Melvin: That was a whole thing. I didn't realize. I didn't really thought it was so bizarre. TikTok is like uh you could put hours of time and energy into creating one TikTok for it to completely flop and then one 15 second video that you didn't even think was gonna make anyone laugh, millions of views. I'm like it's so crazy the algum the algorithms and all that shit. I'm like, I do not understand.

[35:55] Jayke Workman: It's pretty wild, and and you know, the the algorithms are different for each platform too.

[35:59] Alexi Melvin: It's like I I'll post my videos on TikTok and then I'll post them on Instagram and like one that will flop on TikTok will do great on Instagram and vice versa. And I'm just like, what is this?

[36:10] Jayke Workman: Yeah, um but it's like you know, you kind of learn like uh my TikTok audience um really they won't have it unless I'm talking about Kate Blanchett.

[36:22] Alexi Melvin: Um so that's like and that is what we have come to see.

[36:28] Jayke Workman: Yeah, yeah.

[36:28] Alexi Melvin: We need the Kate Blanchett content. Yes, they will allow for other things occasionally, like they do, you know, they they support my my theater career if I'm like simping, if I'm like hardcore fangirling over like Kristen or if I'm you know what I mean. They will love that. And Kristen is well aware and she loves it, so it's fine. Um but uh yeah, lesbian TikTok really did kind of like save me during the pandemic because I could create on my own terms.

[36:58] Jayke Workman: Right.

[36:58] Alexi Melvin: And um and yeah, and now that and now it's kind of this sort of um enmeshed in my theater world as well, and and uh yeah, but as long as there's Kate Blanchett occasionally, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna stick around on TikTok.

[37:13] Jayke Workman: Well in in a similar way, I think uh being a creative and and having the ability to create on your own terms, sort of without the the paywall and without a lot of like the gatekeeping that we experience in the world of theater. I I am so lucky to get to work on new things. I'm actually in DC right now, working on a new musical at Arena Stage, and um and then you know, I'm gonna do a show this summer, which I'm so excited to talk about soon. But um I'd love to know like maybe the difference in having a hand in producing a show that is already at the Broadway level and ready to go, and you're you're seeking investments for you know the biggest sort of iteration of it, versus getting in at the ground level as a producer and being passionate about a project that you don't know if if the path is going to make it to Broadway or not.

[38:12] Alexi Melvin: Like how do you how do you you know devote your your time and energy and frankly like the the money and all of it for a show that may not have a life you know that makes it to Broadway?

[38:26] Jayke Workman: Right, right. I mean, you know, as theater kids we're kind of conditioned to be like Broadway's the thing, you know.

[38:34] Alexi Melvin: Right.

[38:34] Jayke Workman: And and it is. It's it's fantastic. It's it's you know it's it's what you dream about.

[38:41] Alexi Melvin: Um, but on the other hand, you know, once you kind of get here, you're like, you know, but why?

[38:46] Alexi Melvin: It doesn't, it doesn't have to be, you know, it's like some of these stories aren't going to translate to these tourists coming in that just want to see, you know, like Back to the Future or whatever. And it's and that's like okay. It sucks that we're, you know, kind of not further along as far as you know acceptance of stories that are really kind of breaking glass ceilings. Of course. But we're not, you know, we're not there in a lot of ways and we're working toward it. But we want to give these shows the best chance they have, you know, if that if that's not on Broadway, then that's fine. You know, if it's um you know if it's if it's a tour, if it's in Vegas, if it's in California, if it's somewhere regional.

Like we just want to give these stories their best chance to reach the people it needs to reach. And there's never any limit to where the life that a story and that a show can have. So it's like even if you know like with Here Lies Love, it was at the public 10 years ago and then you know then it made it to Broadway and it felt like the right time and you know um so you know a piece of art it it never dies. It's always going to be there. And I think that's kind of like how you have to look at it and whatever kind of strategic moves you have to make to um yeah just give it its best life.

[40:11] Alexi Melvin: And I think too maybe your your background as a writer also allows you to understand how uh you can't be precious about something, like sometimes. I mean, I've I've spoken to writers and composers and everything, and uh they're uh they often talk about how like you know the project is never really done. It's just like, well, the deadline is here, so we're gonna we're gonna do it now. But like not being precious about something as a producer and being able to be like, fuck, okay, we have to wait. We have another iteration of this before it can go to the next level. You know, we have to wait for the the writing to be done. We have to wait for casting to be correct, and we have to wait for the people that we really want to be in the show to be available for it. Like having the patience must just be exhausting.

[41:02] Jayke Workman: My Virgo brain, I cannot compute. I'm like, I want it now.

[41:05] Alexi Melvin: I know it's hard. I'm I'm a Sagittarius and we're not super patient either. Um yeah, you know, I think The Notebook took some patience. Um, you know, I saw it in Chicago and I was like, well, when is it now, right? We're gonna go like right now. They're like, no, you know, it took it took a minute, and uh it was it was thrilling when it was you know ready and everything was in place. Um you know, you also wait, you have to wait for the theater, you know, you have to wait for the perfect space. Um it does, yeah, it is. It does take a lot of patience.

[41:36] Alexi Melvin: And I think it's like crazy bidding war for theaters.

[41:40] Jayke Workman: It seems that way, yeah.

[41:42] Alexi Melvin: It does. And it's uh wild. Yeah. Even, you know, I've you know, the stars of the shows I've been involved with are like, oh, but I really want this one, and I really want and I'm like, okay, well, you know, I I don't really you know, it it depends. I a lot of shows are just better suited for certain spaces in terms of like how many people, or like, you know, with with Sunset Boulevard coming, it's like I I understand why they're going to the St. James because it's like Norma has to be doing this and like playing to the you know what I mean it's just like yeah giving you beat up exactly um so I get it but it does it is it can be a bidding more for sure. Um wild but yeah a lot of that I I do have aspirations to be a lead producer um you know sooner than later and I think a lot of that will um take a toll on me when it when it gets to that point because yeah because that's like the lead producers are the ones that deal with the most of all of that um and it yeah yeah would you would you talk a little bit about that for the dumb dums like me who don't know anything because I I'd love to know the difference between having the title of co-producer versus saying this Alexi Melvin presents.

[43:02] Alexi Melvin: Right. So lead producers uh you know they we call them general partners and they're the ones that you know are from from inception you know and they you know have a certain raise um and they have to bring on and it's different for every show the number of co-producers and the number of associate producers the you know and even as far as like the um financial commitments for uh each producer and what title that gives them um is different but uh yeah so under each you know lead producer they bring on the co-producers and um you know with a show like Illinoise, we didn't really have that many, which was nice and it felt pretty intimate. Um with uh with like Here Lies Love. There were there were many of us and we were very diverse and it felt like a family um but uh yeah and then each co-producer has to raise a certain amount to get the billing um and you know they defer to the lead producers and you know it's it's really up to the lead producers to say you know like especially after the money's raised it's like what what they need what the show needs and and how each producer's gonna be able to contribute in a in a way that's not gonna be like this like butting heads um because there can be way too many cooks in the kitchen.

[43:52] Jayke Workman: Sure I would imagine I mean even just from like like a creative standpoint it's like the costumer really wants this and you're like we can't we cannot spend the money on that.

[43:52] Alexi Melvin: Yeah yeah so as far as like the input it and you know it really varies but um but yeah I I would love to be a lead producer and just have um you know say I want to do this you know I want to I want to make Fried Green Tomatoes the musical you know and like actually just make it happen myself and approach the right people and get yeah I know 2029 2029 yes Fried Green Tomatoes on Broadway yeah yeah yeah um beers but yeah that's amazing well Alexi you are just so delightful to speak to I I have so enjoyed getting to to sort of understand your world a little more before I let you go I have a series of musical theater rapid fire questions which I ask every guest are you ready?

[45:31] Alexi Melvin: I think so.

[45:34] Jayke Workman: Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber?

[45:36] Alexi Melvin: Andrew Lloyd Webber.

[45:38] Jayke Workman: Ooh.

[45:39] Jayke Workman: Sweatpants or jeans?

[45:42] Alexi Melvin: Sweatpants.

[45:43] Jayke Workman: Same. Do you have a favorite musical?

[45:47] Alexi Melvin: I have to go back to Phantom of the Opera every time because it just it started. It started all of this. It started it all.

[45:54] Jayke Workman: Do you have a least favorite musical?

[45:58] Alexi Melvin: Oh no.

[45:59] Alexi Melvin: Oh no. Um why is it Hands on a Hard Body?

[46:05] Jayke Workman: Oh my gosh.

[46:07] Alexi Melvin: I I plead the fifth.

[46:09] Jayke Workman: I think I have to play this. Would you ever like to do a Broadway play?

[46:14] Alexi Melvin: Yes, I would. I would actually like to, I would like to cast myself in a Broadway play, actually.

[46:19] Jayke Workman: Work. What play?

[46:22] Alexi Melvin: Do you know? Or is it a new play?

[46:24] Alexi Melvin: I think it might be a new play. I think it might be a new play that kind of um normalizes the queer experience, I think is what I'm going for.

[46:32] Jayke Workman: Love that. Uh are you a morning person or a night owl?

[46:37] Alexi Melvin: I'm a night owl.

[46:39] Jayke Workman: Meanwhile.

[46:41] Alexi Melvin: Cause theater. It's like it's in our it's in our bones.

[46:44] Jayke Workman: The theater of the battle.

[46:46] Alexi Melvin: Uh what is the craziest thing a director has ever asked you to do?

[46:52] Alexi Melvin: Ooh. As an actor.

[46:53] Alexi Melvin: As an actor or a producer, which might be an interesting answer. Um gosh. I was in a short film once, and I had to, I was playing like a prostitute, which was fun. Um but I had to, I had to sit there and straddle a guy, like for an hour. Like we we just we couldn't move. It was just like that was the shot, and I just had to like, and we were like nicknaming conversation. I was like looking down, and like it was just it was just so awkward. And uh like I was like, bathroom break, anything? Um but yeah, just this like random something, just random straddling casually straddling this man I don't know um that's what comes to mind what we do for our art I know uh golden age or contemporary contemporary do you have a favorite show that you have produced I think I'm always gonna have to go back to Here Lies Love because again it's similar to my Phantom answer it it started everything Yes and yeah and I just have such love and respect and fondness for my memories with that show and it just yeah it just launched it so I loved that show yeah um coffee or tea coffee me too what about the hardest show that you've ever done um as a producer yeah hmm it was Here Lies Love again it was you know I think it's it's always gonna be the shows that are new territory because you know like with like with the marketing like who do you market this for and who do you you know what I mean like it's it was it was very challenging and is that your is that part of what you have to do as co-producer is figure out how you sell it not only to investors but to to consumers to the audiences oh yeah yeah once once the show is kind of off and running it's like it's um it's a collaboration as to um you know keeping track of like the the financials and then and it's and the sales and the you know what's working what's not working what um what group of people aren't getting this you know and like how can we make this um palatable to them which is which is you know and it's usually like the tourists you know what I mean which right as an artist I always forget about the tourists those pesky tourists who put butts in seats damn it now it sucks well well my last question for you is a question that I ask every guest which is what is one thing that you would tell baby Alexi I would tell her to not be afraid of being a fan being a fan of like I was always such a little fangirl of of art and of musicals and of people and you know and I I always kind of was like kind of ashamed of it like you know what I should be I should be doing my own thing I shouldn't be just sitting here like fawning over Barbara Streisand and Olivia and John it's like honestly like that but that kind of enthusiasm like got me here you know right so that's and on a larger scale it's kind of like you said it's what you do as a producer pretty much yeah so yeah just tell her not to not to be afraid of it and not to not to feel bad about it and it's you know it's what brings you joy.

[47:25] Jayke Workman: Love it well Alexi thank you so so much for coming on the pod would you tell the listeners where they can find you on the socials and keep up with all of your amazing things.

[50:49] Alexi Melvin: Yes, you can find me on Instagram. It's uh the Olexie James, which is my stage name. And then on TikTok, it is the only Lex.

[50:57] Jayke Workman: Love. And I will put them in the episode description. But thank you so so much. You are such a treat and I can't wait to meet you in person sometime.

[51:05] Alexi Melvin: Uh yes please immediately. As soon as I'm back in the city we will play.

[51:11] Jayke Workman: Absolutely. You guys, that's it for another super super fun episode of Oh My Pod U Guys. Don't forget to rate review and subscribe anywhere you listen to the pod and you can follow the show on Instagram at oh my pod u guys. Thank you so so much for listening. Talk soon. Bye oh my god oh my god you guys.