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[0:00] Jake Workman: Good times and bum times. I've seen them all. And my dear, I'm still here.

[0:11] Jake Workman: Oh my god, did you hear? Did you hear? Did you hear? Oh my god, guys.

[0:26] Jake Workman: What's up, everybody? My name is Jake Workman, and this is Oh My Pod U Guys, a musical theater and pop culture podcast. You guys, you guys, I am so, so excited to finally be able to share that I have been cast in a new off-Broadway musical called Foul Play. And you guys, it is, it is a gay fantasia. This show is absolutely ridiculous in the best way. The music is stunning. The book is out of this world ridiculous. It's music, lyrics, and a book by Billy Ricci and Yoni Weiss. It's being directed by Ty Blue, and it is starring some crazy people, including myself. You guys, I get to do this show opposite friend of the pod, Mr. Danny Quadrino, and I am so excited about it. Also, casually, Miss Mamie Paris is in the show.

You know, a little-known drag queen named Sel Manila. Are you kidding? Also, Miss Jackie Cox of RuPaul's Drag Race fame. Max Clayton is in the show. You guys, it is going to be absolutely ridiculous. A gay fantasia. The show is being done as sort of a developmental showcase vibe, so we only have 10 performances at the AMT Theater off-Broadway on 45th Street, I believe. So it's a very limited run, so if you guys want to see it, you have to get your tickets now. I believe the website is attendthefoulplay.com, but you guys, it is going to be so ridiculous. It's being directed by Ty Blue, who directed Titanic. You know, just casually, my most favorite show I've ever seen. So I am over the moon. I cannot wait.

We start rehearsals so soon, and I will, of course, be reporting all things Foul Play on the pod. So go and get your tickets right now and come and play with us in this ridiculous gay chicken musical. You guys, you are going to absolutely fall in love with the angel on earth that is Jake Pedersen in this amazing interview. But before we do that, we, of course, have to dive into a quick little Broadway World recap brought to you by my amazing pals at BroadwayWorld.com. First, you guys, Broadway World was live on the red carpet at the opening night of Cola Scola's new play, O Mary, on Broadway at the Lyceum Theater. And you guys, these, I mean, the people who were there, unbelievable. Miss Patti LuPone, casual.

Laura Benanti. Everyone is coming out of the woodworks to see this new play because it is sweeping Broadway. It's a comedic sensation. Cola Scola looked gor-gina on the red carpet, this like fabulous black gown with this like gorge makeup. You guys, you have to see the photos and videos on BroadwayWorld.com because the entire cast looks amazing and I cannot wait to see the show at the Lyceum. So wishing everyone in O Mary a huge congratulations on opening on Broadway. Next, you guys, Broadway World shared a really adorable photo of Andrew Lloyd Webber visiting the cast of Cats the Jellicle Ball downtown. And you guys, I, I'm just so intrigued by this because Andrew Lloyd Webber is not necessarily considered the most like progressive forward-thinking person.

So for him to go and see his work reimagined by just this gaggle of queers is so thrilling to me. I still haven't seen the show, but I have heard incredible things about Cats the Jellicle Ball. So I have got to get my ass there and be seated for the gay shenanary. But you guys, you have to check out this photo of Andrew Lloyd Webber with the cast. It's so cute. I, I'm just so like, I can't believe, I mean, I can believe, but like, I'm so happy at this like explosion of queer representation in New York theater right now. It is booming. I mean, like between, you know, selfishly getting to do Foul Play now with all of these gays, but to see Cats and to see Cola Scola, like these people making their mark on New York City theater, it's just thrilling.

So you got to check out that photo. Next, you guys, Broadway World shared the very exciting casting announcement about the upcoming revival of Once Upon a Mattress, starring previously announced Sutton Foster and Brendan Urie. You guys joining these already just insane Broadway heavy hitters are Brooks Ashmankus, Daniel Braker, Will Chase, Nikki Renee Daniels, and Anna Gasteyer. You guys, this show, this revival is going to be cookie crazy. You guys, on the heels of its record-breaking sold-out run at New York City Center's Encores, Once Upon a Mattress is going to open on Broadway this summer at the Hudson Theater with previews beginning Wednesday, July 31st and an official opening night of Monday, August 12th.

And it's a limited engagement only through November 30th. So run and get your tickets, darling, because you know it is going to be insane. This cast is ridiculous. And lastly, you guys, Broadway World shared that Miss Alyssa Fox is set to return to the land of Arendelle to reprise her role as the Ice Queen herself, Miss Elsa, in the national tour of Frozen, closing out the run in September. Alyssa was actually the original stand-by for the role of Elsa on Broadway and, you know, has done it on tour, then took a little break to, I don't know, play Elphaba. So she's got it. She can handle Miss Frozen. She is one of my favorite Elphabas I've ever seen, and I'm so glad that she gets to return to the land of Arendelle and finish out this amazing tour with the cast.

So congratulations, Miss Alyssa Fox. I wish you all of the best, and happy early closing to the entire company of Frozen on the road. I gotta get Miss Alyssa on the pod. Okay, we'll work on that. And you guys, this has been the Broadway World Recap.

[6:35] Jake Workman: Oh, my pod, you guys. I'm so excited to welcome my next guest to the show. He is a performer currently playing the role of Boq in Wicked on Broadway. Please welcome Mr. Jake Pedersen.

[6:45] Jake Pedersen: Hey, thanks for having me.

[6:52] Jake Workman: Thank you for being here. I can't believe that we honestly haven't done this sooner, because I think you are the cutest little thing ever. But please tell the listeners, where are you calling in from on this fine day?

[7:04] Jake Pedersen: I'm currently uptown in my apartment in Hamilton Heights. She's an uptowner. Right, me and my dog, he's chilling on the bed right there. So if you hear anything, it's him.

[7:14] Jake Workman: No, we're a dog-friendly podcast.

[7:21] Jake Pedersen: Oh, my God. Well, thank you so much for being here. We have so many things to talk about. But we also have so many weird, random connections. I mean, of course, all of us are like, well, I know that person, and you did the show with that person, and they're my cousin, and whatever. But I feel like our paths have crossed so many times in silly ways. And I first met you when you were on the first national tour of Escape to Margaritaville.

[7:42] Jake Pedersen: That's correct. With so many of my darling dears, my bestie, best girl, Miss Emily Qualman, my darling diva, Miss Peter Jordan. Wild. But tell me, so before you did that national tour, had you toured before? Or was that your first go?

[7:59] Jake Pedersen: That was my first go. I was straight out of college, and I was like, I'm on Broadway. Let's do this tour. I love it.

[8:11] Jake Workman: Yes. I remember when I booked, I booked my first tour out of school too. And it was a non-act tour. It was Chicago, but it was the non-union tour. And I was like, this is the peak of everything. This is the height of Broadway, of course. I'm collecting a check by doing what I studied. I'm doing it, Mom. Period. I was excited. It was amazing.

[8:31] Jake Pedersen: Wait, so where did you go to school?

[8:31] Jake Pedersen: I went to Penn State, and I graduated in 2021.

[8:39] Jake Workman: Come on, baby. Oh my God. Wait, so did you have to deal with the shenanary of COVID?

[8:44] Jake Pedersen: Of course. I did. Yeah, it was right in kind of like the middle of my junior year. It started in March, and so we were on spring break. And we were like, oh, perfect. Spring break is just extended. And so I was auditioning regional theaters, and I was back at school doing a new show. And then they said, get out of the building right now. COVID is this. And I was like, what is this? And so, yeah, it kind of put a halt to a lot of things. But I don't know. I tell people that all the time that I went to school during the pandemonium. And they're like, oh, I'm so sorry. But it's all I know. So I'm kind of like, I love my experience. And so-

[9:18] Jake Workman: Well, that's lucky. That's lucky that it didn't completely derail. I mean, I have said it before, but I think if I had been a freshman, I would have deferred. I would have been like, I cannot handle. Because we didn't know how long it was going to fucking be. So it was like, you could have fully, like me tap dancing in my living room, no mama.

[9:37] Jake Pedersen: No, we made full-on tap boards. We full-on, like, I remember our tap teacher set up a tutorial video. We went to Home Depot or Lowe's, because they didn't have all of it somewhere else. Sorry, you can hear my dog. I'm trying to fix that.

[9:53] Jake Workman: No, I love her. Or him. Or them. I'm sorry.

[9:53] Jake Pedersen: But yeah, we literally would make like tap boards because our teacher gave us a tutorial video. We went to Lowe's and like set up this plywood in the living room. It was the most busted thing I've ever done in my life. We're like, period. But like literally, it was the time of our lives. We thought this was Broadway school on a budget and it worked, you know?

[10:15] Jake Workman: Broadway school. That's hilarious.

[10:17] Jake Pedersen: It was fun.

[10:18] Jake Workman: But that's the tea. I mean, you know, you can joke, but it is the resilience of the artist. It's the way of life. We have to just fucking make do sometimes, but I can't imagine. I'm so glad that you were able to then, you know, obviously go back in person and finish out your sort of collegiate career. But so when, how long was the jump from graduating to being like, bye, I'm on national tour?

[10:42] Jake Pedersen: Yeah. So I literally, we graduated in, what is that? I guess May. That's when that happens. And so me, my partner and my friend, we all were living together at school and we made these plans to like live in Brooklyn, New York. We're like, we'll make the move to Brooklyn. Bushwick, who is she? We'll find out together. We'll learn. We decided that, you know, you do the apartment search on straight easy and it's never a dull moment. We really didn't know how that works. So we moved, we took a beat. We took like a few weeks in state college, Pennsylvania is where we were. And then after that, we decided to move in July. So the beginning of July, I moved to Brooklyn, but literally on my way to New York in the U-Haul with my partner's father, I got a final like callbacks mission.

And they said, can you send us a tumbling reel? And so I was like, oh my God, I think I'm about to go on tour. I don't know. We'll see. So I sent them a video of me tumbling from freshman year. Cause I don't have like videos of like that of me tumbling anymore. So I quickly changed that. But anyway, the next week I booked it.

[12:00] Jake Workman: I'm so sorry. He of course found all this.

[12:00] Jake Pedersen: No, I love him. What's his name?

[12:03] Jake Pedersen: His name is Melvin.

[12:06] Jake Workman: Melvin. He's so big for a New York city dog.

[12:09] Jake Pedersen: I know he's 65 pounds of purebred good boy.

[12:09] Jake Workman: Purebred joy.

[12:09] Jake Pedersen: Yes. But yeah, so I literally was moving to New York in the U-Haul. I got the final callback to like send my reels and things. The next week I booked it and I had like three months in New York and then we were set to leave. So I really, it was fun to like play around in Brooklyn, if you will. And like, I did get like a job. I worked at Row House, the front desk in the Williamsburg location. And it was fun. I like tried to like make a little money there while I was trying to pay rent. And then we had a three bed, three bathroom. And so I was able to sublet one of the bedrooms, which was nice. And so I ended up making some money on that non-union tour, which was great.

[12:46] Jake Workman: We love to hear it.

[12:47] Jake Pedersen: Yeah. So it was great. And then I left. And so I was on the road and I really didn't return until after I, you know, a whole journey we can get into it, but I was on the road with another show, you know, Wicked. And so I went on the road for almost a whole year and a half. It was crazy.

[13:12] Jayke Workman: Different scale, I would say. I mean, we have to talk about the differences between these shows, because you obviously, you know, it's the difference between a non-Equity show versus an Equity show. And Wicked is one of the last touring shows that is a production contract, which is fierce. But it's also, you went from being in the ensemble to being a principal. And I would argue, honestly, that Wicked is a far easier track for you, madam, because in Margaritaville, you guys were dancing.

[13:46] Jake Pedersen: We were like doing so much. It was crazy. And I was the tumbling track. And so I was like, surely I can do this. Yeah. Oh my god, we were, I was tumbling and dancing almost, you know, eight shows a week, sometimes nine, sometimes ten. You never know.

[13:58] Jayke Workman: Exactly. Like one day, one city, the next day, a different city. It was crazy. And so, yeah, it's like, crazy to see the difference in terms of just like set and orchestra, all these things. And let alone, I mean, Boq is a beautiful, beautiful role. I'm so lucky and blessed to be there.

[14:15] Jake Pedersen: Yes, you do. During the ensemble moments of Escape to Margaritaville, I was in every other number, dancing, jumping, flipping, throwing girls in the air. I remember, I mean, I saw the show so many times.

[14:29] Jayke Workman: Yeah. And it's hilarious too, because I was talking to my mom and I was like, don't you remember? We met Jake after the show. We have a photo of us.

[14:34] Jake Pedersen: Absolutely. Well, I was absolutely drunk. And we, because we had those fucking margaritas during Margaritaville. And then I had to go after. But yeah, so that I would imagine is like a huge jump. I mean, obviously, you had sort of been used to living out of a suitcase, being on the road, finding your family in that regard. But what was it like to make that leap and to book? I mean, the biggest show you can book. It's fucking insane.

[15:08] Jake Pedersen: It was crazy. So I actually, I left Escape to Margaritaville. We closed in Buffalo, New York. And then I went back to pretty much start life in Brooklyn. But then I booked another gig that was a regional, my first Equity gig. It was a three-person show in Auburn Hills, Michigan in a Meadowbrook theater. It was called Writing Kevin Taylor. It's a three-person beautiful show. I think it's so funny. It's so fun. It's written by Will Van Dyke. We had a great time. And that was also like almost three months. So I really was gone. But while I was there, you know how it always goes. You get a callback while you're not in the city. So you have to fly in and out. My first callback for Boq was when I was in Escape to Margaritaville for the Broadway production.

Didn't get it. Went to Michigan. They said, Can you try again for the tour? Come on in person again. So I flew from Detroit, flew in for the day. And I did a final callback again with everyone in the room. And then the next week, I got the call while I was in my hotel room in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. And I was weeping. I was like, What the heck is life? Like, what is worse? I only had one suitcase. At that point, you get two things have changed already. But like, at that point, you were getting more luggage. I was like, holy crap, I'm gonna be living it up. And I got a beautiful, like, beautiful route sheet, we got to sit down in beautiful places. But literally, it was such a vast change from like what I was used to.

And I hadn't really taken my card yet. So it was my I was at my first Equity gig. But I did the thing where you can say no to the Equity status until I immediately said, Just kidding, I'm going for it.

[16:43] Jayke Workman: Yeah. So I closed that show in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and had one day to pack up my life in New York. And then because I was gone for the rest of the year. So yeah, I mean, I'm very grateful that I have the perspective I gained from Escape to Margaritaville, because it made me, you know, it humbled me in many ways, and also like, made me very appreciative for everyone around me and the ensemble in general. And so that was a beautiful thing. But the biggest shift for me was all of a sudden, I was joining a show that has been going for years. And so I, that's a whole different beast that no one really talks about in like, terms of making friends, finding your people.

[17:22] Jake Pedersen: Yes, it was pretty hard to like, just get into the swing of it. I, my first stop was Spokane, Washington, which I'd never been.

[17:32] Jayke Workman: I went there on tour as well.

[17:34] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, it's, it's a moment. And I, it was a moment. And I really didn't know, I've never been on that part of the USA. So I was like, Where am I? Who am I? At that point, they told us we were not allowed to tell people that we were in the show, Wicked likes to do their own press releases. So I couldn't tell my friends. But people had my like, location on their phones, like, why are you like in the Spokane? Like, Oh, family, you know, anyway, it was it was a little tough to like find friends eventually. But lucky enough, I did start at the same time as the woman Kimberly Emanuel, who was playing Nessa, we came close pretty fast, as well as some of the witches were new. The Wizard and the Morrible were also new.

So we had other to lean on, but we don't see each other throughout the whole show also. So it's a whole, it's definitely a shift. And I, there was a learning curve for sure. And I learned along the way and grew, I'm still growing through it. And it was a beautiful, beautiful tour to be on. But there were some vast differences between the two of those tours.

[18:35] Jayke Workman: Absolutely. How could there not be?

[18:40] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, well, and then how beautiful that you get to continue to grow in this role. Yeah, Broadway company. That's so special. And like, I mean, I have loved the show forever. I'm, we're seeing it tomorrow. So excited to come.

[18:53] Jayke Workman: And absolutely hoot and holler. But I've seen the show so many times. And I, you know, just it's, it's a very special one to me, as it is for many of the gays. But Boq is such a special role. It's fun that you interact with both of the witches so much. But my favorite scene is Governor's Mansion, bitch.

[19:08] Jake Pedersen: That's right. Fun! And okay, we have to, I mean, like, you obviously can't air all of the secrets of Wicked on my podcast, but I'm gonna try to make you do it anyway. I am always so in awe of the, the makeup, the Tin Man makeup. So do you, diving right in, do you go off stage after that scene and have to put on that full ass makeup to come out and say, with the witch!

[19:46] Jake Pedersen: So I'm actually not allowed to share a lot of like anything, because it is, I'm supposed to say, it's Broadway magic. And it really is. But yes, I do have a whole team that does help me. Wow. And I'm very grateful for them. And I think that's all I can really tell you.

[20:03] Jayke Workman: But then you don't bow in the makeup, right?

[20:08] Jake Pedersen: No, that's the whole thing too. Because for those listening, it's a big, big surprise of what happens. But basically the show, we don't want to ruin the surprise at the end of Bows, because everyone looks at their phones to take Bows photos. And so all the secrets to remain precious, Fiyero and I both have to do a whole change back into our original like looks just to make it like we are Boq and Fiyero. So.

[20:31] Jayke Workman: And before you ever become Boq in the show, are you in anything?

[20:38] Jake Pedersen: I am. I'm in opening number with everyone. I got this crazy disguise on. When you come tomorrow, look for me. I'm stage left on the like tower. So house right, stage left. And I have the best time. There's like this rule, I guess, in Equity, where like, you can be in the ensemble numbers if you're not established as your principal character yet. And because Boq doesn't exist yet, I can be in this, I have this, I call it my Lord Farquaad at the beach wig. I have this big hat, crazy coat. And so I have a good time in that. And I swing all around this ladder. But yeah, I'm in that number. And then.

[21:11] Jayke Workman: That's so fun.

[21:15] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, I get to become Boq after that. But I truly, my favorite moments of the show are being with this ensemble.

[21:21] Jayke Workman: Of course. Oh, it's great. Athletes killing. But I mean, and you, you understand that because you have the experience of what that means to do eight, ten shows a week in an ensemble. It's amazing. I also would imagine like, I mean, I've talked to many Elphabas and Glindas on the pod, but that moment for you as a cast member, when she comes down in the bubble for the first time, I can't, I mean, I cry as the audience member, but like, to make, was this your Broadway debut or was Parade first?

[22:00] Jake Pedersen: Parade was first.

[22:05] Jayke Workman: Okay, work, which we will get to, darling, don't you worry. But so like, to be in the Broadway company of and to your first performance, she comes down in the bubble and the audience goes up. Like, I just can't imagine that fucking feeling. It's just so magical.

[22:09] Jake Pedersen: It really is. And it never really does get old. You know, sometimes you do the show and you're like, Oh, I am tired. You know, it's the Broadway is a beautiful thing. Musical theater is an amazing thing, but it is still a job at the end of the day.

[22:24] Jayke Workman: Yeah, it's hard.

[22:25] Jake Pedersen: And no one really likes to talk about that. And I'm trying to be like, Hey, we're humans, you know, and so I am so grateful for my job. But sometimes it's hard to get revved up to be up there and want to be able to push through. But I do it anyway. I'm so grateful to do it. And it's truly so easy to whenever you see this magnificent bubble thing come down, the audience goes wild. I mean, truly, I've never heard anything like the screams and roars and applause that I heard on the 20th anniversary of this show.

[22:50] Jayke Workman: Oh my god, I can't imagine.

[22:56] Jake Pedersen: That was insane. It was. And you were the 20th anniversary Boq.

[23:02] Jayke Workman: I was. It was crazy. Like what a dream, you know, and so to be there in that room, the audience was filled with, you know, super fans of Wicked, but also so many alumni of the show. This show is 20 years old. It's got so many people who've gone through this halls. And so it was just every single person who has been in the show would like give an applause to someone's entrance or someone's kick or anything. But this bubble came down and damn, oh my god, I don't know. It's like Taylor Swift came in or something. It was insane.

[23:26] Jayke Workman: I'll never forget that day.

[23:30] Jake Pedersen: And so it's really yeah, it's all it's magical every day. And even tonight when we do the show, it's like fun to be able to scream with them. It's pretty authentic, you know?

[23:35] Jayke Workman: Yes, absolutely. I mean, I would imagine to like working with heavy hitters who have been in and out of that show, but also like freaking Donna McKechnie was there. Like, what the hell?

[23:45] Jake Pedersen: I mean, that's how I feel like, like, anytime I'm at Chicago while Jinx is there, it's bizarre because it's literally a rock concert. Like she steps on the stage and the audience goes up. And it's funny because it's in a similar way to Wicked. It's one of those shows that's been running for so long that the luster and the sort of lore about it appeals so much more to the tourists. And well, I've heard of this. I've heard of Chicago. I've heard of Wicked. I've never seen a Broadway musical, but I'm sure I'll like it because it's Chicago. It's Wicked. So we have people coming to see Jinx who literally may have never seen a musical in their life. So not only is it like the excitement to see Jinx, but it's like, we don't exactly know how to operate in a theater. It is like football game level hooting and hollering. It's wild.

[24:34] Jake Pedersen: It's so silly. It's crazy. I love that. And yeah, it's, I'll tell you what, like there are moments where Donna McKechnie makes her entrance as Madame Morrible and you can tell that there are people who appreciate this Broadway icon on that stage.

[24:48] Jayke Workman: The gays. The gays are here.

[24:50] Jake Pedersen: For real. It's like when she comes in, she's like, welcome, welcome students. It's only just like a gaggle of gays in the corner. It's like perfect.

[25:02] Jayke Workman: Do you have a favorite moment in the show as Boq?

[25:05] Jake Pedersen: I do. I really love Loathing. I think it's the most fun I have on that stage to be with that ensemble. That and Oz Dust whenever I dance with the whole ensemble. Truly, it's so stupid. I keep saying it, but I love dancing with them. They push me to be a better performer. Shout out to one specific performer. Her name is Maddie Love. She won the Cheetah Award. Girl. She is back in the skit right now. Miss Maddie Love.

[25:28] Jayke Workman: She is everything and more.

[25:34] Jake Pedersen: And so she was out on tour with us when I was there for a short stint and oh my God, I had to dance next to her and I felt like I was walking while she was in a full on sprint. I was the shittiest performer ever compared to her. She is everything. So every time I do Loathing now, I say I am Maddie Love and I do it.

[25:53] Jayke Workman: Oh, that's me doing my laundry, me in the shower. I am Maddie Love. I'm Maddie Love.

[25:57] Jake Pedersen: Yeah. I mean, she's getting a cute little shout out on this podcast, but girl, I saw her in Dancing.

[26:05] Jayke Workman: Yes. Oh my god. Oh my pod.

[26:08] Jake Pedersen: It's ridiculous. Wow. I'm so excited that I get to see her in the show.

[26:12] Jayke Workman: I know. She's got this beautiful wig too and she kind of stands out in a fun way. This got a new wig for her and it's like this gorgeous blonde with these two little braided ponies. Anyway, you'll find her. No worries.

[26:20] Jake Pedersen: Yes. Well, okay. Switching gears a little bit.

[26:23] Jayke Workman: We have to talk about the difference between being plugged into a huge, like massive, well-oiled machine such as Wicked versus you really getting to make something your own and put a huge stamp on it and, you know, now have proof of it forever with a cast recording in Parade, which won Tony Awards and was nominated for Grammys. And like, where did your road with Parade at New York City Center begin? And then, you know, cut to this incredible Broadway run with these huge, huge Broadway celebs. Like, what was that like for you?

[27:03] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, it was wild. So basically, I was on Wicked on the tour. And I was only on a certain amount of time there. I was there for a year. And so my contract was coming to an end. And I did get the notice that I was not going to be extended. And sometimes that's hard to hear because you're like, "Oh, I wish I want, I you know, I like this cushy job, I want to stay," but whatever, we got to keep auditioning. And so I was not originally involved with Parade at all. I had read about it coming to New York City Center. Originally, Gaten, who was Frankie Epps in this New York City Center, he left to join Sweeney Todd as Tobias. So they had this beautiful run at City Center. I heard all of the accolades about it.

I was like, "Oh my god, I wonder if it's gonna go to Broadway. Like I hear it's great, and I can't wait to see it." And then I heard about Gaten leaving. I was like, "Oh, I wonder who's gonna replace him. It's gonna be someone famous, I bet." Because this guy's like famous. And so I got a call from my agent saying Craig Burns wants to send you in for Frankie Epps on the Parade production of Broadway. What? Yeah, Broadway production of Parade. There it is. And so I was like, "Oh, okay." I was in DC. I submitted a tape. At this point, it was like December time, like around the holidays. And I submitted my first tape. And I was like, "All right, we'll see, you know, gotta let it go. We don't know what that means."

Right. That same week that I submitted, they were like, "Let's send them to final callbacks." And so my audition was Friday, the 13th of February, which feels crazy. And so I had a show that night in DC, but I didn't want to have a personal day. I had limited time at Wicked. I was like, "I don't want to miss any performances, baby. You know what I mean?"

[28:48] Jayke Workman: Yes, of course.

[28:49] Jake Pedersen: But I was like, "I'm gonna make it." I took a 4am Acela train from DC to go to my callback in New York City. Got there, it was 11am. And everyone was in the room. It was very stressful, but also like so beautiful to be a part of such a beautiful production for the first time. I mean, the material, if anyone knows it, you know it. It's just like very complex, very heavy. It's a real story. And you grow up, at least I did, learning about this story and hearing about it in musical theater school. And like, it's heavy, you know? And so I am then asked to do this crazy song called the funeral sequence. And I was like, "Okay, what am I going to do in the room?" And so I gave my first little take. And, you know, we did the whole callback thing where we take notes and all that jazz.

It was probably a callback from a movie, because I did all my stuff. We kept doing it. We were chit chatting. They asked us to do a monologue or a story in a Southern dialect. So I chose the story. And I said, I did a little story about my twin brother. We kept, you know, laughing and getting to know each other. I left and I was like, "Okay, I'm done. I didn't get it." They ran outside to get me down the street and said, "Come back. We want to see more." I was like, "This is crazy. Oh my God." I know. Came back, did everything again. They had me sight read the whole funeral sequence, which was really fun. Thank God I knew it already. And thank God for my BFA. And I read for that my life. I went back to the train station, literally sprinted there, hopped on the train, and I took a bike from the train station in DC to the Kennedy Center because they are not close.

It looks like they are on the map, but they are not. I stepped into the theater right when they said, "Half hour, half hour, everyone." I made it. No one knew I went. And so the next Monday, I got the call that I was going to make my Broadway debut. And I, in fact, had to leave early from Wicked. So that felt crazy. My God. So then flash forward to January 29th. I was in Florida, Orlando, Florida, doing my final show in Wicked. And we had rehearsal at 10am the next day on January 30th. So I took a late night flight, got in the next morning, the press release came out with who the cast is while I was in the air. So you know, the phone's blowing up. And so then we started our, I believe we had three or two, I think three, I want to say three, three weeks in New 42.

We did rehearsals. I was one of 15. I don't remember how many new people to the production. Yeah, there were only a handful of people who were new because everyone else had done it at City Center. So you know, it was kind of a fast-paced-ish process. But that being said, that whole team, Michael Arden, Jason Robert Brown, Tom, the music director, everyone in that room who touched it, Lauren and Creed, the choreographer, like literally, they gave me such grace. They handled the material with such care. I felt so taken care of. It was also this Broadway debut for me. So I came in expecting like beautiful things and they delivered and it was like insane to like have this beautiful journey. I mean, to make a debut with those people.

It's crazy, right? And alongside, you know, one Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond, like sure. Yeah. And like I had met Michaela through the grapevine. We have friends of friends. And so I was like, "Oh my god, it's fun to meet you." And like, she's of course, incredible. So it was starstruck. Yes. Also Ben Platt, I've always held on this huge pedestal and been a huge fan of. He was the host of the Jimmy Awards when I went the year. I've always been in my life. And now I'm like his coworker, right?

[32:21] Jayke Workman: Yes.

[32:21] Jake Pedersen: Also a lovely human. So, you know, down to earth and just a brilliant artist. And so it was just a dream all around. We got to move into the theater, wholly intimate. I'd never been in a Broadway theater like that before, really. And so I got so lucky with how everything worked out. It was a limited run. And honestly, I'm so grateful it was. It got its moment. Yeah. Everyone wanted to extend and me too, of course. But because of how short it was, everyone I feel like came and saw it. And yes, we got to really do something for that moment we could. And oh my god, we got lucky with the Tonys. We got lucky with the Grammys, Noms. And it's just the gift that keeps on giving really in my life. I have life friends from it too. So it's just absolutely it's I don't know, I tell everyone that's my peak. It's all downhill from here.

[33:12] Jayke Workman: Well, that it's so funny because, you know, like I said before, we have these sort of like random, like cross threads in our lives. But that show specifically, I had so many friends in that show from all different places in my life. So to be able to like, see you guys all on stage together, first of all, just that was like emotional for me. But the show is so, so emotional. Like I mean, even and you know, we have of course have to talk about the cast recording. I listen to that cast recording. And it's like a little weird to me. I'm always like, that is very weird that I know this person named Jake Pedersen.

[33:44] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, literally like singing in my ears. But like, hearing that score, I cry every single time I listen to the funeral sequence. It is so the dissonance of the, you know, crazy like, chord underneath the stuff that's being sung and the words and everything. It's wild. Like how my first question about this is, how did you manage to do that emotionally every single night? But then also, I have to know about the cast recording because that is so crazy.

[34:13] Jake Pedersen: Oh my god, a dream come true cast recording. I'll get to it.

[34:16] Jayke Workman: Yeah, duh.

[34:17] Jake Pedersen: We had one day off. It was Super Bowl Sunday. It was right before we teched. And so they're like, "Hey, we want to record this. But the only day we can do that is your day off before tech." So we only were three weeks in, I was still new. And it was fast and furious. We had one day and we got it done. It was it was crazy. I don't know how they did that. But it was cool. We went to Power Station downtown. It was such a dream to be there, you know, and so oh my god, I get that one big song funeral sequence, which I do with the whole company, but I was in a booth by myself could see the whole company. So I'm conducting I was like, "Where is my life?"

[34:55] Jayke Workman: You saw JRB conducting you singing the cast recording?

[34:59] Jake Pedersen: And I had notes from him every take. I was like, "Dude, this is for sure." Yep. So it was so wild. It was a dream come true, but also so nerve wracking. I should have like taken a beta blocker or something. Like, I'm glad we did the way we did because it was, you know, you couldn't think about it in a way but right right. I also remember I was in the booth by myself had my headphones on. I was like, "Alright, I'm Lizzie McAlpine." So I was pretending to be this recording artist. But honestly, yes, I'm so happy with how that song turned out. I don't know how I got so lucky. I'm so grateful for what they did in their magic board.

[35:34] Jayke Workman: But okay, but that song obviously a star turn for you. But you also did Picture Show which I listened to just as frequently because it's so damn cute. And every time you say "Hi, sunshine," I just I cry. It's so wild.

[35:41] Jake Pedersen: One too. We didn't know if we were going to get to do that because it was so turned fast paced and turned around, you know, so we got there pretty early. And they're like, "Aaron and Jake, let's just do it. Let's hop in." So we did three takes real fast. I don't even remember which one they took. But we're like, "Thank God we did that because it was so cute." And yeah, little moment. But yeah, it's a cute. It's a cute little reminiscent moment. And it's like fun to just, it's fun to play with the little kid aspect in the, in a sense of that, and then have to hop right into the funeral sequence. Screw up in that way. But it was fun to do, you know? So, so yeah, I mean, would you share a little bit about just like that, in terms of I mean, I'm assuming you worked a lot with Michael and the creatives to really get to a place of like, understanding how, yeah, how big the scale of the story is.

But like, when you I mean, I think you said it so perfectly. It's like that that innocence just stripped away and and the words like, "I can't believe that I'm not going to see my friend anymore." Yeah, you know, like the gravity of that story. How do you leave that at the theater every night?

[36:55] Jake Pedersen: You know, that is something I really struggled to do, if I'm just being honest. Sometimes I would like pride myself be like, "Yeah, I know what I'm doing." And then I'd leave the theater and I would, I would take it home a little bit. And I would have some moments that were not, you know, necessarily healthy here when it comes to like, just little mental moments at home. But talk to your people you got to talk to you lean on your friends, your family, your, your loved ones. And so thank God for them. But it was hard. It was definitely a struggle I didn't anticipate having and my toxic trait is so I'm so grateful that I had that struggle, you know, in a way I've always made something that makes me have to go through this crazy emotional journey.

Right. Oh yes, Michael, Tom, Jason, everyone was very kind and helped me. Michael specifically would like, come up to me and take me aside during rehearsals and be like, "Okay, in this moment, I think it's okay if you just give into these kind of emotions, if you will," but would kind of guide me but let me play and then tell me if I was going in the wrong, if you will, direction or not. Yeah, doing an eight shows a week was a whole different battle. And I needed to be authentic. I got very lucky with the content, the material, because that already just puts you in a mindset that's pretty down. And yes, no, you have to be in it the way that Michael's vision came to light was we were all on stage the whole time.

So we watched everything happen in real time. Yes, every night. So it was, it was easy to just kind of take that and run. But right before a funeral sequence, I hear about Mary Fagan's announcement of death. And I run off stage. So I have like maybe almost a minute to myself off stage while everyone else is singing, "There is a fountain," that one. And so I, I did the thing where I would go into a little corner, there wasn't much backstage space, but we had a little nook. And so I would put myself in the darkest corner, close my eyes. And I would just put myself in a place that was ready to sing the song, it would try, I would get myself to an emotional state that was healthy enough to get me to not necessarily tears every night.

It's okay if you don't cry every night, but it did work. You can get tears. Yeah. All right. But yeah, it was an emotional roller coaster. And I just kind of approached every night in that material, just being Jake and putting my others in my life in the healthiest way I can. And also sometimes just looking at literally a coffin and just feeling whatever I can in that moment, because life is precious. And you just got to respond to what you are given. And the show gives you a lot to respond on. And so I don't know, I wish I could say I have all the answers in terms of how to like,

[39:34] Jayke Workman: Manipulate your body and emotions, but I'm still working on that myself. I'm still experienced, but it's a hard show to do, eight shows a week. And so, yeah, I'm so grateful to be a part of it, but it took a lot.

[39:49] Jayke Workman: Yeah. I mean, I've had multiple cast members from that show on the pod, and I talked to Douglas a lot about the experience of being a Black actor in that show, and how gracefully Michael handled all of the dynamics of the Jewish actors and the Black actors. And I think I would say that you are very lucky to have had your Broadway debut not only be so glittery, you know, commercially and everything, but also to really get to dive into a piece of art like that, because it's all fun, it's all hard work, and it's all what we dream of, but to do a show like that with just, it's so meaty and delicious and beautiful. It's like a unicorn.

[40:37] Jake Pedersen: It is, it is. It's so special. And then I just have to say, I'm just so proud of you and of this entire company, because that, I listen to that cast recording all the time. It is so beautiful. And that's, I mean, I listened to the original one too.

[40:52] Jake Pedersen: Yes. My favorite thing about revivals now is that we get recordings with the modern technology, because I love being able to hear everything. I want to hear, I mean, especially with something like Jason Robert Brown, I want to hear all the nuances. I want to hear the crunchy stuff.

[41:10] Jayke Workman: It's crazy.

[41:11] Jake Pedersen: It's crazy. That is so wild. Do you have, like, I mean, I guess it's not really a show to have a favorite moment, but like, was the funeral sequence, did you feel powerful? Did you feel too charged?

[41:27] Jake Pedersen: I have never felt like that in my life. When you are full on, I am weeping and hyperventilating in a way on stage in front of everyone.

[41:37] Jayke Workman: That hitting.

[41:38] Jake Pedersen: Yeah. I was growling, screaming, trying to be so healthy, but there were moments where I was just letting it go. And I have never felt more like an artist in my life where I was just like, letting my soul shine through and just trying to be authentic to what I can do, who I am, and what I'm taught, like the story of how I'm taught, telling it. And so that is, you know, selfishly a favorite moment just to do every night. But the other favorite moment would be, I loved, it's such a sad show, but I mean, I loved watching Ben sing, "It's Hard to Sleep My Heart." I mean, we had cruel, cruel people. And we just had to sit there and like scowl at him and be like this asshole. But I literally would cry. I'm getting emotional talking about it. But I would literally like watch him and I'd have like a tear come down. I have to wipe it because it's like, I can't.

[42:31] Jayke Workman: No, I hate you.

[42:32] Jake Pedersen: Yes. But it was such a privilege to be so close and watch him do his thing, let alone who he is, but like have a performer just tell this beautiful story in such a beautiful way. And I think what is a cool part about everyone in this company is, I'm a part of a show right now, Wicked, which is very beautiful. And like, it's not the same every day, but there's some things that have to be very similar to the regimented every day. Where I feel like we never knew, with some actors, even myself, how it was gonna be said. And I feel like we were authentically talking to each other every day. And so that's my favorite part. It felt like we were real actors, you know what I mean?

[43:15] Jayke Workman: How special. Well, I mean, even just the few people that I have personal connections to, obviously like getting to talk to you and Douglas, but I had Harry and Sean on the podcast, love Beth. Like there's so many people who are just like angel people. Like you said, like it really, that show was like a unicorn cast.

[43:33] Jake Pedersen: Crazy. Like beautiful, beautiful artists, humans, individuals. I would work with every single one of them again and forever.

[43:40] Jayke Workman: And forever. Thank you very much.

[43:43] Jake Pedersen: Just an unending run.

[43:46] Jayke Workman: Yeah, I would love the check from that. But jumping back to Wicked, I would love to know, is there a favorite costume that you have as Sir Bok?

[44:00] Jake Pedersen: Yes, I have a favorite costume as Bok and it is my shiz uniform. I have been very lucky that the 20th anniversary came around and they wanted to make everything just for my body. So everything fits like a glove.

[44:13] Jayke Workman: Costume, honey.

[44:14] Jake Pedersen: It's crazy. Even down to the shoes, the Leduc boots are mine. It's crazy. And so—

[44:20] Jayke Workman: Those Susan Hilferty costumes.

[44:22] Jake Pedersen: I know. And also Susan Hilferty was the costume designer of Parade.

[44:25] Jayke Workman: Wow.

[44:26] Jake Pedersen: All these, and Tom Watson, who was the wig designer, same as Wicked. It's like, there was so much crossover. It's insane. So anyway, my favorite costume.

[44:35] Jake Pedersen: Joe DeLude, when he painted Ben Platt green, he also paints Elphaba green.

[44:39] Jayke Workman: That's correct. But yeah, I think my shiz costume is my favorite uniform. When it comes to a costume that I don't wear, there are so many beautiful things, specifically like the ball cross that happens for literally one scene.

[44:52] Jayke Workman: Oh my God, they're the best costumes in the show. And it's 30 seconds long.

[44:55] Jake Pedersen: 30 seconds long. It originally should be longer, but there's rocks on a costume. There's full-on crystals on a costume, and it just goes by. It's crazy.

[45:06] Jayke Workman: That would be the one that I would want to wear, other than maybe the bubble dress, but those giant ball gowns. Oh my God.

[45:12] Jake Pedersen: Beautiful, beautiful stuff.

[45:13] Jayke Workman: Insane. So what is it like to be a part of Wicked while we have all of this lore coming out to the mainstream universe about the Wicked movie? Do you guys talk about it?

[45:23] Jake Pedersen: We do. I mean, it's definitely two different companies in a way. I mean, we know it's still Stephen Schwartz. It's still a lot of the same producing teams and things, but it's definitely its own entity. And we are doing the stage production, which is where it all started, so that feels very special. But we watched the trailer the same time that everyone else did on Super Bowl Sunday. So it's cool to be like, whoa, it was during the show, we were all in our dressing rooms like, oh my God, oh my God. And so that was fun. But because this new hubbub of the movie is coming around, I feel like there's even more excitement growing, and there's more people coming to see this production. Because I feel like in a way, some people want their first experience with Wicked to still be the stage production.

There are inevitably going to be millions of people who are going to experience Wicked for the first time in the movie. And I think it will change things, but for the better. And so it's been very, very cool to like, even down to the merch. People are out at the stage door with the Wicked merch that's from the movie. And I'm like, that's the movie merch. They go, I know. So it's definitely cool to be a part of it. It comes out earlier than expected now. So yes. But yeah, five days earlier, truly. But yeah, originally, I was not supposed to be in the show when the movie came out. I was supposed to be done in August. And so I got extended in there for a little longer. So I'm there for the movie now.

So I feel very, very lucky to not only do the 20th, but now I get to like, experience the movie. And so there's definitely some sort of event that happens. And that's exciting. So that's all I'll share about.

[47:00] Jayke Workman: Well, and I mean, I can't even imagine like, being in the theater, ready to do your show at half hour or whatever. You're like, just this is any old regular day. And then they're like, oh, by the way, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are in the audience.

[47:13] Jake Pedersen: Crazy.

[47:14] Jayke Workman: What the hell?

[47:15] Jake Pedersen: It's like, okay.

[47:17] Jayke Workman: Oh, sure. That's completely fine and normal. And I am handling that well.

[47:21] Jake Pedersen: Literally, what the hell? The 20th anniversary, there were so many people there. I'm like, sure. All right. We're just going to do the show. It's craziness.

[47:28] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, you're like... People that come to this show, and I'm like, I forget. Like even all these celebrities bring their children and then they come backstage. You're like, hey, they're like, you look great. Hello, Mariah Carey.

[47:40] Jayke Workman: You're great. I actually love you.

[47:41] Jake Pedersen: Yeah, thank you.

[47:42] Jayke Workman: More than you love this. Well, and I mean, to be in the same room, singing Stephen Schwartz's music at him. That's crazy. And he's such a lovely, lovely human. And he actually, I don't even know if I've said this on the podcast, but once he found my video of "The Wizard and I" somehow, somebody sent it to him or something. And he wrote me this lovely email and was like, I just want you to know you have a new fan in me. I loved your video and your rendition of my song. And I was like, oh my God. And then of course, I was like, come on the podcast. And he was like, I'm a little busy doing The Wicked Movie. And I said, I absolutely understand. Then absolutely next time.

[48:22] Jake Pedersen: But like, next time, next time. Sorry. Sorry, Steve. But just wild.

[48:28] Jayke Workman: Yeah, he's a good guy. And he came to visit a few times on the road too. And he said, Jake, how are you? Like he, he takes time with his people. And I really appreciate that.

[48:37] Jake Pedersen: Love that.

[48:38] Jayke Workman: Yeah, it's amazing.

[48:40] Jayke Workman: Well, Jake, you are just such a delight to talk to you. Before I let you go, I have a series of musical theatre rapid fire questions that I ask every guest. Are you ready?

[48:49] Jake Pedersen: Yes.

[48:50] Jayke Workman: Oh my God. Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber?

[48:53] Jake Pedersen: Sondheim.

[48:55] Jayke Workman: Sweatpants or jeans?

[48:58] Jake Pedersen: I wear sweatpants more often. Sweatpants.

[49:01] Jayke Workman: Do you have a favourite musical?

[49:04] Jake Pedersen: Right now it's Little Women.

[49:05] Jayke Workman: Oh, do you have a least favourite musical?

[49:08] Jake Pedersen: Oh, unfortunately, it's Spam A Lot.

[49:12] Jayke Workman: Unfortunately for them. Would you ever like to do a Broadway play?

[49:19] Jake Pedersen: I would.

[49:20] Jayke Workman: Are you a morning person or a night owl?

[49:24] Jake Pedersen: Depends on the week.

[49:26] Jayke Workman: We love that. Could you think of the craziest thing a director has ever asked you to do?

[49:32] Jake Pedersen: Um, I think the craziest thing would be, funny enough, when I did Little Women at the London Barn Playhouse there, I was in the ensemble, and there is no ensemble in that show, so I did The Moors.

[49:50] Jayke Workman: Love that.

[49:50] Jake Pedersen: Like a Sasquatch crazy looking costume. It was the best thing I've done in my life.

[49:55] Jayke Workman: Oh my God, amazing. Golden Age or Contemporary?

[50:00] Jake Pedersen: Contemporary.

[50:02] Jayke Workman: Do you have a favourite role that you've ever played?

[50:04] Jake Pedersen: It's going to be Frankie Ups now.

[50:07] Jayke Workman: Frankie! Coffee or tea?

[50:10] Jake Pedersen: Coffee.

[50:11] Jayke Workman: Me too. What is the hardest show you've ever done?

[50:16] Jake Pedersen: The hardest show I've ever done? I think probably, probably Escaped Margarita though.

[50:23] Jayke Workman: Yep, because they had you up in it.

[50:27] Jake Pedersen: That's right.

[50:28] Jayke Workman: Um, oh, I already asked you about your favourite costume, but do you have a favourite costume you've ever worn, not just in The Wicked?

[50:35] Jake Pedersen: Um, hmm. I think I had this beautiful, beautiful robe when I did a year with Frog and Toad at school, and it was this custom robe. It was gorgeous, green.

[50:46] Jayke Workman: Frog and Toad!

[50:47] Jake Pedersen: Frog and Toad! I was Frog.

[50:49] Jayke Workman: Of course you were.

[50:53] Jayke Workman: Who is the silliest cast member in Wicked on Broadway?

[50:57] Jake Pedersen: Natalie Ortega.

[51:00] Jayke Workman: No hesitation.

[51:04] Jake Pedersen: Have you ever missed an entrance?

[51:06] Jake Pedersen: Heck no, and I won't, knock on wood.

[51:08] Jayke Workman: Heck no, period.

[51:11] Jayke Workman: Well, my last question for you is a question I ask every single guest, which is what is one thing you would tell baby Jake?

[51:18] Jake Pedersen: Oh, um, I think I would tell baby Jake to just truly trust the process. I had a professor in college who always said that, and I always hated it, um, because I didn't know what that meant. And now that I kind of do, I would say just lean in that every, everything in your life is going to happen the way it's supposed to, and to trust the process.

[51:42] Jayke Workman: Love it.

[51:43] Jake Pedersen: Yeah.

[51:43] Jayke Workman: Well, Jake, thank you so, so much for coming on the pod. Would you tell the listeners where, where can they find you on the socials?

[51:51] Jake Pedersen: Listen, I'm at, uh, jake.ped on pretty much every social, so see me there.

[51:57] Jayke Workman: Yay.

[51:57] Jayke Workman: And I will put it, of course, in the description of the episode. Thank you.

[52:01] Jayke Workman: Um, I am so, so beyond excited to see you in the show tomorrow night.

[52:05] Jake Pedersen: Right.

[52:05] Jayke Workman: I'm gonna get us backstage.

[52:06] Jake Pedersen: It'll be fun.

[52:07] Jayke Workman: Oh my God.

[52:07] Jake Pedersen: It's going to be so fun.

[52:08] Jayke Workman: My sister's first Broadway show ever.

[52:11] Jake Pedersen: Oh God.

[52:12] Jayke Workman: Okay.

[52:12] Jake Pedersen: We'll do it up.

[52:12] Jayke Workman: It'll be fun.

[52:14] Jake Pedersen: Yay.

[52:15] Jayke Workman: Okay. Well, I just adore you. Thank you so, so much for coming on the pod.

[52:19] Jake Pedersen: And IU, thank you for having me. Truly.

[52:22] Jayke Workman: It's been so fun.

[52:22] Jake Pedersen: Oh my gosh.

[52:25] Jayke Workman: You guys, that's it for another episode of Oh My Pod, You 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, You Guys. Thank you so, so much for listening. Talk soon. Bye.