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[0:00] Jayke Workman: Give baby Nessa Rose the Oscar. When she- oh my god- the best line reading of all time.

[0:10] Unknown speaker: Yeah!

[0:16] Unknown speaker: Oh my god, did you hear? Did you hear? Did you hear? Oh my god, guys.

[0:20] Unknown speaker: Jayke got hot. I can't believe Jayke got hot. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.

[0:25] Unknown speaker: Oh my god. Oh my pod u guys.

[0:32] Jayke Workman: What's up everybody? My name is Jayke Workman and this is Oh My Pod U Guys, a musical theater and pop culture podcast. You guys? You guys. At the time of this recording, I have now seen The Wicked Movie twice. Once in a regular theater and once in IMAX and let me tell you it's perfect. It's so perfect. It's brilliant. Cynthia, Ariana, Jonathan, everyone in this movie was superb. I loved it even more the second time. It- it is so long but it doesn't feel long. There is so much added that just helps someone, especially someone- an audience member who is not familiar with the original show. It is brilliant. And that baby girl, baby Nessa Rose, it's everything. I can't wait to see it again. There are weird rumors going around that apparently Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have signed like an eight-month contract to do the roles on Broadway, which I would be absolutely gobsmacked if that happened, mainly because they just made millions of dollars off of this movie.

Why would they do that? But, um, hey, stranger things have happened and I think that would be a wickedly fun time. So you guys, if you have not seen Wicked Part One, run, run, run to the movies and see this brilliant film. And with that, you guys, we of course have to dive right into this week's Broadway World Recap, brought to you by my amazing pals at BroadwayWorld.com. You guys, there is much to discuss, so we're gonna just plow right through, darlings. First things first. You guys, these past couple weeks I have been standing by for the role of Mary Sunshine in Chicago, and we just had a brilliant new cast member join the show and make his Broadway debut. Mr. Sebastian Yatra is in the show as Billy Flynn.

He is- you guys, he's a Colombian pop sensation, and he is the sweetest, loveliest human. He's so excited to be there. He is killing it on stage. He sounds amazing. Honestly, the role of Billy Flynn, in my opinion, would be the hardest to just be thrown into in the show because it's just so wordy. Billy Flynn has so many lines. But Sebastian is knocking it out of the park. He is gorgeous, darling. He is easy on the eyes and truly such an amazing performer. So we are very excited to have him in the building. It has been such a joy to get to perform with him and share the stage and, you know, see these amazing audiences come and support him. So welcome, Mr. Sebastian Yatra. Next, you guys, Broadway World shared the very exciting announcement that Ryan McCartan is set to replace for the role of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby on Broadway starting January 21st of 2025.

You guys, Ryan McCartan is a dreamboat! He was Fiyero. He's been seen as Brad in Rocky Horror. He is truly gorgeous and also a lovely human. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times, and he's just a gem. And I cannot wait to see him play Jay Gatsby. I've actually not seen the show yet, so I hope to be able to catch the original cast before the changeover in January. But I will most definitely be suited for Mr. McCartan's debut as Jay Gatsby in January. And speaking of Jay Gatsby, the original Gatsby, Mr. Jeremy Jordan, is obviously departing the show because he is joining the cast of Lincoln Center's production of Floyd Collins, which is thrilling. I am so excited to see the show, and I'm really, really intrigued by it.

We have Jason Gotay joining the show. Lizzie McAlpine is set to lead with Sean Alan Krill, friend of the pod, and Mark Kudisch. You guys, I mean, I haven't ever seen a production of Floyd Collins. It's like kind of never done, but the score is insane. It's beautiful, and it's also the story is crazy. So I'm very excited to see it, but congratulations to all of this principal casting that's been announced. Taylor Trench, I mean, come on. It's going to be so good. So you guys can already get tickets, I believe, to this revival, which will be playing in Lincoln Center. And lastly, you guys, Broadway World shared the rather disappointing news that Tammy Faye is set to close in December. It's always just such a bummer when an original piece of work finally makes it to Broadway, and the capitalism of it all, the industry, just kills it because so much love and energy and time and money has gone into a show of this scale, and I've heard that it's just lovely.

So it's just a huge bummer to know that all these people are losing out on this job, but that is not to discredit any of the amazing work that they've put into it. So wishing everyone a very happy closing at Tammy Faye on Broadway. And you guys, this has been the Broadway World Recap. Is this thing on? Is this my camera? Oh, my pod. You guys, I am so excited to welcome my next guest to the show. She's truly like a legend of the theater world, of the Fosse world. Please welcome Miss Dylis Croman.

[6:11] Dylis Croman: Oh, thank you, Jayke. Welcome to the pod. Thank you for doing this. I'm so, so excited to chat with you.

[6:17] Jayke Workman: Me too. You have been on here at Chicago the Musical. Oh, I guess we should start by saying, hello, where we are. We are recording live from the Roxy dressing room at the Ambassador Theatre. Ha-cha-cha-cha. Ha-cha-whoopie. You have been on, and girl, your Roxy is crazy pants, in the best way.

[6:37] Dylis Croman: Yeah, good. Well, she is crazy. She is cuckoo. I mean, like, before we even get into everything, I just have to say, I truly am so, I feel so lucky to get to do the show with you. Like, I've been on a couple of times, and you are just truly such a legend and part of the history and lore of this show and of, like, the Fosse world. So it's just such an honor to get to do it and to see you. I mean, my job is so simple, you know, compared to, like, the grand scope of Miss Roxy Hart, but to sit on stage and watch you do Roxy is so wild. It's just crazy. I always forget that, like, part of my track is sitting on stage and watching the number, Roxy, into Sister Act before I do anything else. And so, like, it's just crazy to watch you do it.

[7:30] Dylis Croman: Isn't it nice? I used to be, I used to love sitting on stage. I learned so much from the Roxys that came before me and that are still doing it now, like Charlotte Dumbois. Of course. And, like, you know, I used to sit there and just be like, I just, you know, you learn so much by watching people, you know, like your idols and stuff. And even though I might have stole a couple things before I could make it my own, you know, you got to start somewhere. So I was, of course, pulling from everybody I saw. And then finally, like, after years of doing it, I'm now able to kind of, you know, roll with it in my own way and my own, bring out my own stuff to it and my own essence or whatever. But yeah, I love sitting on those chairs because, well, first of all, you see everything.

[8:14] Jayke Workman: Yeah. You see everything. Quite literally everything. And the audience, which I love. You see the audience. I am peeping and spying on everyone. You get a moment to be like, hey, where are my friends sitting?

[8:24] Dylis Croman: But let me just say this to Jayke. You're amazing as Mary. Oh, my God. You really, really are. Your voice is spectacular. That is very, very. Yeah. And you're just so elegant.

[8:35] Jayke Workman: She's very elegant.

[8:40] Dylis Croman: Oh, thank you. Yeah. She's just like she's very dainty. She just came from afternoon tea, you know, at the plaza to sing.

[8:45] Jayke Workman: That is the goal. And then, you know, because the whole juxtaposition of the end is what I love. I want it to be like the teeniest, tiniest, dainty little lady until she's not anymore.

[8:57] Dylis Croman: Yeah. It's fantastic. Thank you so much. Very Fosse. I appreciate it. It's so fun. So before we I mean, we, of course, have to dive into the lore of Chicago, the musical. But before we do, I would love to know just about your personal sort of road to the world of art and dance. I mean, you started your career very young, 17, in New York City, working for a company. So before that even was there, did you know, did you always know that this was what you were going to do?

[9:30] Dylis Croman: Yeah. I mean, I knew that it was going to be in the arts. Yeah. Yeah. I definitely knew that. I grew up dancing. I mean, I started dancing when I was three, literally. I mean, you know, my parents just threw me in like they do, like you do when you're little. And then I just loved it. I just loved it. My teachers were like, wait, you know, your kid has a little something going on here, just so you know, you know. So they just kept bringing me back and I loved it. And, you know, so just it when I did competitions, I did, I did pageants. Hell yeah. I did pageants. We love it. I did a couple. And then I was like, OK, I'm good with that. I won. I won best talent. And I was good. Thank you. Yes.

[10:11] Jayke Workman: I was like, did your parents just ask or offer like, do you want to try this? And you said yes.

[10:17] Dylis Croman: Yeah. Basically, that's why my parents are really amazing when it came to that kind of thing, because like I went to performing arts high school. So, you know, oh, you did. Where'd you go?

[10:26] Dylis Croman: I went to a school in Minnesota called Perpich. But oh, wow. Yeah. But do you find I mean, it totally shifted. Not that I didn't want to do this already, but it just it just honed me to be ready to go. Oh, like a hundred percent as it was. It was also the community. It's it's the people who also know their purpose early on earlier than anyone else. Artists just always kind of, you know, they know. And you're surrounded by that.

[10:50] Jayke Workman: Yeah. So it's like it's inspiring at all. And yeah, everything, the diversity of it, all the diverse. Exactly. I mean, absolutely. You couldn't have said it any better. That's really and truly what I was so lucky to to go to a performing arts high school as you were, too. And then so when it came down to it, my mom always my mom and dad always gave me the choice. I said, like, for instance, when I moved here when I was 17, do you want to go to, you know, dance with this company that you just got accepted to? Or do you want to go to Juilliard? I got accepted to Juilliard, too. So I was I had these choices, these incredible choices to make, but they didn't make them for me. You know, they asked me, what do you want to do?

And I mean, to the point they didn't even really, like, give me any hints as to what they would rather me do, even though maybe I already knew, like, they probably want me to stay in the dorm. But but no, they just like really gave that floor to me to to think and marinate and meditate and say. And then I just decided, you know, I want to dance. That's what I want. This is what I want to do. So I've always wanted to dance, to go back to your original question. And then theater kind of came a little a little bit later in my in my thought process, like Anne Reinking, which, you know, I talk about all the time, because she was such a huge part of my life. So I met her when I was 14 at a musical theater, like summer program.

So once I kind of got introduced to dancing, singing and acting all in one fell swoop. Yeah, I was like, Hmm, I like this too, actually. But I was very much a bunhead before then I did. I mean, I did ballet, I did all kinds of ballet, jazz tap. I did different styles, but I

[12:30] Dylis Croman: I was very much trained in ballet. Yeah. It was like my foot, my focus was that. It shows. Um, thanks. It's very important and it's important with the Fosse style. I always say that when I'm teaching students, you know, dancers, I'm like, it's, it's, it's elegant, just like Mary Sunshine. She's elegant. That movement quality really looks the best when you have someone that has a little bit of training, you know, it's jazz, but it's easy. Yeah. And that's the point. It is not. That's right. But it looks just so effortless and floaty. Yeah. Yes. Good. So would you say that was the, no, it does. Are you kidding? I have, as you get older, you're like, I hope this is still looking effortless. I can attest to having fully witnessed it multiple times from the stage.

Um, but would you say, is there, um, like in meeting and ranking and, and getting to, uh, work with her, but also form, you know, such a strong relationship and friendship, was she influential in you deciding to join a company instead of going to Juilliard or what was that decision like for you? She, yeah, it, she wasn't influential in that way. I mean, in, maybe in just in the sense that she, she definitely told me, do whatever you want, do it, you know, do what your, where your heart takes you. And maybe she was influential subconsciously because I knew she had had that kind of a path. Yeah. But she danced with Joffrey, you know, so it's like, I guess maybe subconsciously I kind of, and what's kind of odd about that is I've literally followed in her footsteps in a lot of ways in my life.

Oh, not just in my career, but in my personal life, like little tiny little things that I'll look back and be like, my God, that's just like, just like, just like Annie. That's so, we got Annie. It was interesting. It's interesting to like go back and look at my life, how it's unfolded. Um, but um, yeah, so subconsciously some of that stuff has happened, but I, I guess theater kind of came from me when she, she became more influential when I was after the ballet company. Cause I reached out to her and I was like, I need, I need a job. I need a job. I need a job. Um, and she said, you know, come to this audition. She was, she was choreographing applause on the tour. And it's ironically right at the same time that, that Chicago was being put up the 19, you know, the revival, the one that we're just doing, the one that we just celebrated 28 years together.

That's crazy. Um, crazy. Um, but yeah, so I called her, she was like, yeah, I'm doing this. Um, come to the audition. And I've told this story a few times, but I never had really sung in an audition. I've had singing lessons prior to this, but singing an audition is a whole nother thing. Yeah. I mean it really is. And for a principal or like for like singing solo. Yeah. Singing by yourself. Yeah. In a room with people staring back at you. It's like the, I mean, as we know now, you know, but that first time I did it, it was like, Oh, it was, it was crazy. I mean my nerves, it was terrifying. My nerves was like just to the roof and I couldn't, my voice was just like, well that's the first thing to go when, when your nerves kick in.

It's like, you're like the first thing to go. Um, so I was like, okay, I got through the audition miraculously. And then, and then Annie was like, um, she, she told me, she said, you know, you did a great dance audition, but we're going to bring you back for a callback. But, but you know, because I, she's like, I did kind of do some work to get you back because you need to work on that song and just do it in front of your peers, do everything to get those nerves out, whatever. So I did. And then I came back and it was so much more relaxed. I was still nervous cause it was still, it was still very new. I was still green, but, and I got the job. So she and Greg Butler, yes, he was in that show with me.

Um, so, you know, Greg and I come like full circle in an amazing way. But yeah, so that was my first theater job was, was applause on the road. She's so, I mean it's, it's part of the sort of like iconography of you and your career and everything, but it's so wild to hear you talk about not having the vocal background in the way that you had the dance background because you, I mean, cut to, you know, 28 years of Chicago and it's so in your bones, but that voice, honey, thank you. Are you kidding? I appreciate it coming from you. No, I really appreciate that. I mean, I love the way you, I mean, the way you do funny honey and you have so many like little tiny vocal moments that you just add your little sparkle to, which I live for.

I think especially in a show that has run this long or, you know, has been done by so many different people. It, it often sort of, it falls through the cracks to, to, um, make it your own. Yeah. But you so do. And I would love to, again, you know, hearkening back to Annie and whoever else has inspired you in this specific role. I'd love to know. I mean, Gwen, of course, but I mean, she really, she really, she really was such an inspiration. How long did it take to find your, your Roxy? It took a while. I mean, it did like, you know, I found myself falling into these little pockets of, like I said, kind of doing other people's version, especially in certain sections, you know, the monologue it's such, you know, you're out there by yourself for however many minutes it is, seven minutes or whatever it is.

And it's just, it's, it's a lot of pressure just to be like, okay, can I just trust what I'm going to bring to the table? So it took me a while to like get to that place where I felt like, and you know what it is too. And I, I've said this before, but it really takes life experience, this role, you know what I mean? And so I started, I was covering it in 2007. I was Mona and sell what girl and I was, I was a understudy for Roxy. And then I didn't actually do Roxy like full time until 2015. So I'd had a lot of time to watch it, to go on, ran, you know last minute and go on a lot and just kind of find it slowly. But it was a slow progression. And then through the years I come in and out, right.

I'm not here all the time. So when I come back and I've lived my life and you know, as everybody in life, we go through different things. We go through ups, we go through downs and I'll come back and I'll just be literally blown away how much this material allows room for your real self and your real life to come in to play, you know? Um, and so I've just like let, I've allowed the older I get and the more I'm out, you know, and I still, and it's like, I'm still discovering things. I thought it was wonderful about this show. There's really is, you know, first of all, you have time cause it's been running for so long. You have time to like discover, keep discovering. And as long as you try to go back to that discovery and not get stuck in that, I'm, this is the way I do it all the time.

And I, I mean, I've gone through stages like that too, where I'm like, Oh, I'm in a rut. I can't get out of it. Like what do I do to shake myself? What's the problem? Like what's the solution to this weird problem? Yeah, because you just get like, ah, um, and you know, you do everything. I'm like, I just need to breathe more. I need or whatever. And then finally it's like something will click, something will happen. You're like, ah, and it's just like, you feel like you've just lifted off in flight. You know, it's like there's that fresh breath of fresh air, that breath of fresh newness or whatever. Um, and yeah, so that I've just found that just to allow myself to, to trust my journey with it and not feel like I have to be anything, you know, just try to follow it and see where it takes me.

And, um, and just be spontaneous as much as I can. And also just like, as we know, one-on-one acting, look at the actor you're with, work with them eye to eye, work off of them, you know, respond to them in real time. So that kind of stuff is, is, um, helpful when you're doing a show this, for this long, you know, you have to really stay in the moment and present for it to seem fresh and new to the people that are watching and, and to yourself. I was going to say, and, and for you, because I would just imagine, I mean, it is a huge role. It's a huge undertaking, even just like learning the role choreography wise and music wise, and then all of the lines and everything. But yeah, once it is in your bones, I would imagine there's like a part of you that's like, okay, this again.

Yeah. We got to, we got to find something new. It's a challenge. It really is to not allow it to become stale or just, you know, like I said, where you know what you're going to do at all times, you know? And, and it's, it's like, you know, going for me, what helps me is going back to the script, like going back to the script all the time. Sometimes when I come back, when they asked me to come back and I'll just open my script and just read it through again just to, because that way it's, it's, you know, you see so many different things when you read it, right. You know, it's different than having it in your head. Um, and then sometimes like for some, for some reason, this particular time I did not pick up anything.

I didn't read anything. I didn't go over anything. I just, I mean, I go went over the monologue just to make sure I have my words cause it's so wordy, but sure. But like for the most part, just like, you know what, I'm just going to hop on stage, see what happens. I'm just doing it. That's so my, my partner was like, um, he was like, are you sure? You don't need to go over your lines. I was like, don't worry, babe. I got this. Well, I mean, I do have to say you are no stranger to the world of not only this show, but the eight show schedule and doing this day in day out grind. I mean, I have to, we have to talk about the trumpet solo. Okay. Slash then cut to, I had the absolute pleasure and honor of seeing dancing this revival.

Um, I cannot tell you how many times I've watched that great performances recording of you doing the trumpet solo. It is so, I mean, it's just flawless, but it's also, I would imagine for you, it's like a special thing that it lives on. Like it, when we do this and we do theater and you know, there's the history and the lore and everything. And you know, when you're a theater person, you talk about the culture of it. And so names and history get thrown around, but you had the special opportunity to have it recorded on video, which is not always the case, you know, with what we do. So like to actually get to go back and watch it just time and time again, it must just be amazing. But what was, what was your experience?

Like that was your first Broadway show, wasn't it? Yeah, that was my debut. Broadway debut in Fosse. Unbelievable. So you had already sort of studied the, the vocabulary, the style. Yeah. And I was helping Anne Ranking set the tour. So I, my, my journey with Fosse was that I was in the national tour first. And then after Elizabeth Parkinson left the show, they brought me in to replace her. So that, so I had already been doing it on the road and I've been doing the style for a few years prior to that. And helping, you know, she trusted me and trusted me to like help her set the, set the tour, which was, which was an honor. And I was like, are you sure? I mean, I know this stuff, but I don't know it that well.

Then, you know, I really put my mind to the, I went to the show every night on Broadway and watched it, took like tons of notes and they had like a little bootleg copy that I would check out and look at it. Well, not check out, I lived pretty much slept with it every night and just took like so many notes and, and that I really learned so much about the style by learning it like that and teaching it. Cause really one thing, um, just to throw this in, because I think it's really important for any of you guys that are, you know, young dancers that are listening to this. I really think it's important to know it's good to teach. It's really, it's not only good to teach for you. It's good to teach for, you know, I mean when I'm saying it's not as good, just good to teach for other people.

It's good to teach for you. You learn so much about yourself and you know, you learn so much about the movement and that you're teaching and you learn how to command a room. You know, you know, you learn a lot about yourself when you are thrown into a studio to teach other people. So that was a gift she gave me. I didn't even realize how much of a gift it was when we, when I first started working with her in that way.

[25:01] Dylis Croman: But yeah, the trumpet solo and Fosse was a dream because obviously she had originated it and it was so iconic. And yeah, I mean, when she told me, you know, that I'm going to be the trumpet solo track, you know, basically Elizabeth Parkinson's track and Fosse, she said, this is you're going to be your track on the tour. And I mean, I just started crying because I had been watching Elizabeth on stage and of course knew Annie had done it. There's not a lot of footage of Annie doing it. So I hadn't really seen her, but I would watch her in the studio teaching it and stuff. I'm like, she just is, she just has, yeah, she just is. She is the essence. So, but I was watching Elizabeth's like, you know, when you see something that you're like, that's what I want.

You don't always have those little aha moments where you're like, I have to do that. But I had that. I was like, that is the, and I never asked, you know, sometimes as I get older now, I'm like, yeah, I'm going to ask for what I need because now I know that's okay to do that. It's okay to ask for what you need. At that time I was, you know, 20, 20, not even 21. Yeah. I think I turned 21 on the tour. So I was like, not asking necessarily for what I wanted, but in my head I just kept saying, oh my God, I hope she picks me for that one because that's my part. That's my part. And then when she told me, of course I just boohooed. I was like, oh my God, thank you for what I wanted. So yeah. And then when they came and then they transferred me to the Broadway cast and then when they said they're going to bring in PBS to film it, I was like, what?

Like this, oh my gosh. Like you said, it's very unusual for that time. But they had the cameras there, I can't remember, maybe for like a week or something. Um, and so they, you know, they took, they recorded a few performances of us, you know, and then we went to channel 13 to watch it and I was, you know, on the big screen for the first time. And I mean, I'm not, I'm not going to lie. I did, when I first watched it, I was like, why isn't my leg higher? This is horrible. I was like totally picking it apart. As a dancer does. Yeah. As a dancer, you can't help ourselves. But, but then shortly after that, when I would go back to it and watch it, and then now, especially seeing how much of an impact it's had on young dancers and artists, um, just like that whole DVD, not just the trumpet solo, that whole Fosse DVD was such a gem for a lot of dancers and, um, an inspiration.

And I was just, yeah, I mean, I'm, I'm beyond grateful that I, I was the one that got to be on the video, you know, and, and I, flaming locks of red hair, my curls, my curls. Oh, and, um, Frankie, who did our hair for Fosse, he teased that hair to within an inch of its life. Yes. And he would curl it, you know, like make my, I had curly hair, but, and I still do, but it had like, you know, curling iron to, to reinforce it. So he, Frankie sent me out there just ready to whip. And so, and it was called hairography. You have to land the last curl on the count of seven. And if you don't, you're late. But yeah, so it was, it was just such a joy. And like, it was such a wild abandonment kind of feel that solo, you know?

Um, yeah. And then now I'm teaching it, you know, I get to teach it. And I, and now like when I do it in class and I look at myself in the mirror, I'm like, you know, first of all, I'm like, Oh, I still got it. The second of all, no, but second of all, I'm like, Oh, speaking, going back like full circle, what we were talking about with Roxy, the life experience that I have now that I didn't have when I was 23, when I did it on for the PBS version is night and day. Yeah. I wish so bad. I mean, I'm not putting it out there because I'm not sure if I would want to do well. I could do, you know what? I could get through it a couple of times. I would not want to do it eight times. But you know, I just to like feel what it feels like now in my body is completely different thing.

Sure. And the, and the way I just feel it inside and the way it comes out is just like the lines are more like, just they're raw than they were when I first did it because I'm just dancing without thinking. I'm just like, I've been doing it for so long that I think the, yeah. And also the, the life experience just coming out through my fingertips, which is really cool to experience when you're teaching like truly the Fosse of it all is that it's oozing out of every little finger and everything. It's in the detail. It's so crazy. So I would love to know too, then about, um, you've had, you've done shows, multiple shows that have had longevity, not just in sort of like a commercial sense, but in like the fact that things come back around and sort of come back full circle with you getting to do dance in the last revival of dance.

And that was Wayne Salento. Yeah. Yeah. So things like, I mean, you didn't do wicked, but like in, in thinking of things that are coming back, you know, like we have, um, the movie of a chorus line and you did the revival of chorus line and you did the revival of sweet charity. Like there are these things that like have been done by some people, you know, icons and whatever, who've originated these things. And then they come back again. Did you find that watching someone new do the trumpet solo in this revival? How, how was that experience for you as someone who has done it, but also has taught it and sort of given the torch to the next person? Absolutely. Well, it was, it was, I mean, it was all kinds of emotions, to be honest with you.

It was, it was a little bit of like, it was that passing the torch and the feeling of passing the torch felt like it was my time to do that. So it felt great. Um, and then of course on the human, you know, the human side of it, it was a little sad because I was like, Oh my God, my solo that I, that I love so much. And I know what it's like to do that solo, you know, that feeling to get, to do that eight times a week. It's like, I'm, I'm, you know, the other, the flip side of that coin is I'm passing it off. And there was a little bit of, um, you know, nostalgia and sadness to it too, but Colton kicked its butt. So they were all over that honey. Ray Z. Oh my God. Colton is, he's an animal. He's like a wild animal and, and, but he's so controlled, you know, with his technique and stuff.

So, um, uh, yeah, I just, I remember the first time that Colton ran it in the studio the first time I saw. And I mean, he, we would just, I think it was like at the end of the day and I'm pretty sure of this because we were all, I remember myself being like exhausted and we had just run so much of the show already that day. And then for stamina wise, I think, you know, Wayne was like, had him do it again. Go do it. And cause that's what you have to have for that solo. You're dying. Um, and Colton just like, I was just blown away by the line, by the fire underneath. They are amazing. And, um, I just was like blown away by how, um, what is it? The, the, um, facility that he has. Oh yeah. It's, it's like, I mean, I remember I think the first thing that I saw them do was cats and not only just the, this sort of like Blankenbuehlerified original Gillian Lynn stuff, all of the technique was there, but they played tumble Brutus and they were doing like full gymnastics passes and then nailing the dancing.

I was like, good Lord. Yeah. This person just, yeah. And I've seen videos of Colton when he was like 12 and yeah. In like the competition days and everything. Yeah. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Um, but yeah, it was. And so after they finished the run of the trumpet solo in rehearsal, I was like, I just started clapping and I, I going nuts and then ran over to him and just slapped his butt on the ass, just like on the butt, on the butt and gave him a huge, huge, huge, huge squeeze because I just proud. I felt proud. Like, like a proud mama. Yeah, I know. It's just so fascinating. I mean, I have spoken to so many different types of artists on the podcast, not just performers, but you know, designers and choreographers and directors.

And it's so, uh, wonderful and exciting to me that someone like you who does have so many shows under their belt also still looks at this sort of like culture as something that you can, um, still learn from and still also pass on to other people. It's just, I, I'm always fascinated. I can't believe that I get to say that I'm in a show like Chicago where like there I'm literally looking at portraits of Anne Reinking right now in the dressing room. And it's like this, these were, we are one degree away from this, like just like the Titans of the industry. It's just so crazy. The legacy that we're continuing to, you know, lead and, and, and carry on is such a big deal. You know, when you really look at it and think about it, you're like, wow, I get to do this.

This is like, from my perspective to, you know, to basically, I just mean to say, thank you for being so open and excited to, you know, share it with other people because there are those people who are a little less, open with it, you know? Yeah. No, I understand. And that, and I go through stages where I'm not as open to share it as much, you know, in my life, but ultimately that's what I know is, um, what I'm here to do. You know, like Annie was a mentor and there's, you know, Gwen, Chita Rivera was a mentor. Gwen Verdon, Gwen Verdon also came to Anne Reinking's thing at a summer program and taught. So, you know, these, these women, these legendary women are coming and passing things down to the younger generation that really is, it, you have to stay open or else you just kind of become a bitter, you know, I don't want to, I don't want that for myself.

I, I, there's so much joy in watching, you know, people come up and play and see what they bring to it, because that's, you know, going back to dancing, that was the thing about dancing. We had such an eclectic cast. Yes. I mean, it was just so diverse and so different people coming from different training backgrounds. And, and, and that was what's, what was so special about this cast is because we all just gave it our own spin, this choreography and this style. And, um, I, I've been asked before because I did Dufossi and then did dance and later someone, so many years later, like, did it feel, did, did I feel like I was doing a similar show? And it felt completely different. I felt like I had never done this, this material before because, because of the way it was also set on us, it was just, everything was just a whole new experience.

Um, and so it really felt fresh and like I, and, and doing it this, in this stage of my life, it was like, first of all, I was so proud that I was like, I was mama bear. And I was just, I had so much fun dancing it, you know, and also dancing it with, with everyone in the cast. Cause we became very close family, you know? Well, and I, I was, when I saw it, I saw it a couple of times and I, um, I kept thinking, you know, of course I never knew Bob Fosse, but I kept thinking how amazing it is that the language of this choreography works on all of these different people. And I would imagine that Mr. Fosse and Ms. Reinking would be so thrilled that we were, we reached a point culturally where it no longer needed to be gendered in the way that it once was.

I mean, in actually, you know, talking about like the logistics of dancing a Fosse piece, he was always so feminine and so masculine and so fluid in the movement. And so to get to see people like Colton do a solo that probably wasn't as

[37:30] Dylis Croman: Considered for a quote-unquote man or male presenting person to do was just thrilling. Yeah, you know and like as a non-binary identifying person, I was like, wow, this reimagination and this iteration is only gonna inform the next one. That's right, which is, yeah, but it's different but it's exactly so cool. Yeah. No, it is. Absolutely cool. And I love what you said earlier about the fact that Bob Fosse was all of those things, you know, like all the feminine, the masculine, the androgynous kind of, yeah, like his work and who he is, like how he danced his own choreography when you watch videos of him on YouTube. Yeah, absolutely breathtaking to watch because, I mean, not it's he just no one can dance it like him.

I know it's coming from him. Anyway, the creation of it, but still you're just watching it and you're right. It's like there's so many different levels and different angles from which he comes from always a wink that there's always the tongue-in-cheek. It's always a little fun kind of satire thing underneath it with joy and bubbling, you know, it's got all of it. And so why not? Why it makes sense that his legacy would be something like this that would lend itself to that change.

[38:54] Dylis Croman: So switching gears a little bit, I would love to know about your experience working on shows like Smash and doing more like contemporary, you know, flashy quote-unquote like TV choreography. It was Josh Berg. Ah, so you did? But was did you find dancing in that way different than how you approach dancing eight times a week in a Broadway show?

[39:20] Dylis Croman: Yes, I mean dancing like dancing on film versus live is always a different feeling anyway, okay, because I've done a few little things on dance ways on film and yeah, it's a very different experience because it live. I mean, I like doing both because it mixes it up. It's always, yeah, to mix things up but live theater is really where my heart lives, you know, because it's something that's so, you know, magical. It's just like it's and it's so tangible. It's what's the word I'm trying to get for that tangible but like, I mean, it's so immediate. Yes. Yes. I'm like ephemeral. It just evaporates out of your fingers. Exactly. It's like once it's done it's gone. Yeah, and there's something pretty magical about that.

It's like you really are in the moment of life when you do live theater and anything can happen. But um, yeah, that's my first love but when it comes to dancing on film and stuff like that, it's fun and it's exhilarating in a different way because you're on set and you're like, yeah with, you know, a lot of times when you're doing dancing, you know, you've got people around you that are in the theater world with you because a lot of people usually are hired from theater to do those things and so, you know, and you've got like I just did Kiss of the Spider Woman.

[40:48] Dylis Croman: Yeah, so that was really, really awesome experience. Is it fully are you fully wrapped for that? Yeah, we're wrapped. Yeah, it should come out sometime next year. We don't know quite yet when but I was Jennifer Lopez's dance stand-in. Yeah movie and it was it started off with me just putting stuff on tape of tape. That's such an old-fashioned way. Yeah, you know where they recorded me to have like a little package just to have for her to refer to like, you know, when she needed to look at the movement and stuff and so, but I had the best time working with Sergio at Raheel and Christopher Scott was choreographed one of the numbers on in the movie who choreographed Wicked. So it was just, you know, to work with then there those two are such great choreographers and very different in their own ways.

They have their own styles and their own thing going on. So I was just thrown a lot of this material and knowing that JLo was gonna be looking at JLo's gonna do a pressure but you're in your living room like don't mind this.

[42:03] Dylis Croman: Yes, but yeah, it was a crazy came out of nowhere, you know for them to call me for this and it ended up being like it was gonna just be like a few days of work and I was ended up going in onto set and being her stand-in on the set. Wow, so it was a great experience. I learned so much from just watching, you know, well, watching her work is she's got a work ethic that's pretty major.

[42:28] Dylis Croman: Oh yeah, she works hard and I really respected that about her, you know, watching her work. I was like, wow, cuz that's that's a dancer mentality. Totally has a dancer mentality old-school, yeah, and so it was really cool to just watch her and so and watching her like her knowing that she knows her camera angles and knowing what she knows what to do. She's clocking at all and she and it's just come so natural to her but watching her do I'm like wow, see, that's what I don't have as much experience in so I learned a lot by just again like you said you're sitting on the chair watching.

[43:02] Dylis Croman: Yeah, it came back to that came back to sitting there in a chair watching, you know, what was going on in front of me and just learning so much watch and learn and if you don't if you don't watch and learn if you stop watching and learning then that's when maybe, you know, maybe we should give it up.

[43:24] Dylis Croman: 100% that's anytime because I also I've said it to multiple people in this show, but I don't dance a step in the show except for like a little Charleston here. They're like a balance a but I still feel well, hold on a second you in in Mary's number you do a cross well, first of all, you do a little flick with your, oh, you know a little flick.

[43:48] Dylis Croman: Oh yeah, yeah, and then when you make that cross you do something you do something with your legs. I think a little PK. There's a there's a PK. Thank you. I was like, wait a minute I haven't seen you do it in a few days. You do a pancake and then one day you did like a little jeté and I was like he did not.

[44:06] Dylis Croman: Well, I have to keep it exciting. Yeah, not as Mary. She did not that I loved it. Oh my god, it was just like some perfect for them for the style of the music. You're just yes, that is so I did okay, great. But I, you know, getting to watch this cast and especially the people who maintain it the dance captains and the people the swings and everyone who's been here for so long. It's just always I can't ever not do the breath in and breath out at the top.

[44:37] Dylis Croman: Oh, do the same thing in the dressing room? Yeah, you just have to cuz it's like almost it's a unifying everybody. Yes, we're all like here we go. And when Walter Bobby was here for rehearsal once he said the overture is crazy. It's all solos and everything and you don't know where to look and then when we breathe in and breathe out, we're two bourbons in. Oh, and I was like, oh yeah, and we're and we're what I love that too or one organism we're like, you know an amoeba about yes start, you know, the other thing when you're sitting on the chairs.

[45:10] Dylis Croman: There's something that Walter had said Walter Bobby and years ago in one of the rehearsals that we're actually in jail. I mean Mary Sunshine obviously, it's not but she's visiting the jail. Yeah waiting to be an interview her people. But yeah, I love that little bit.

[45:26] Dylis Croman: Yeah, oh yeah, are we was that a knock? Yeah, hello. Hello. Oh, okay. Come on in Cleo.

[45:36] Dylis Croman: Leo. How wow, um, before I let you go madame. Yes. I have a series of rapid-fire questions that I ask every guest.

[45:45] Dylis Croman: Okay, these are questions just for you. Are you ready? Okay, I'm ready. Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber?

[45:49] Dylis Croman: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sweatpants or jeans?

[45:54] Dylis Croman: Sweatpants. Oh, do you have a favorite musical?

[45:58] Dylis Croman: Lemons. Oh, do you have a least favorite musical?

[46:02] Dylis Croman: Oh gosh, Company, I'm sorry. Would you ever like to do a Broadway play?

[46:12] Dylis Croman: Yes, I would love to do a Broadway play and I hesitated I don't know why but my hesitation only is I like really do want to do a Broadway like badly. I want to I want to stretch that you heard it here.

[46:25] Dylis Croman: Are you a morning person or a night owl?

[46:29] Dylis Croman: I'm kind of in between but I'm more of a night owl. I guess it's a golden age or contemporary?

[46:36] Dylis Croman: Golden age. Do you have a favorite role you've ever played?

[46:40] Dylis Croman: Yes, it's a battle between Roxy Hart and Brenda in Moving Out.

[46:44] Dylis Croman: Oh yes, we didn't talk about Moving Out. Yeah, but a worthy battle what I would give to see that.

[46:52] Dylis Croman: What is the hardest show you've ever done?

[46:56] Dylis Croman: God, probably Moving Out. Yeah. I mean the dancing even though we didn't sing in it so it's kind of a different type of hard, but it was done. It was dancing. We were dancing our face off.

[47:07] Dylis Croman: Yeah. Uh, do you have a favorite costume you've ever worn?

[47:12] Dylis Croman: Mmm. Yes in Dancin' because I was so skinny.

[47:21] Dylis Croman: She's still skinny, but she was skinny when she was dancing. Um, I in Calypso I wore this white like unitard that was see-through in spots and it might have been like, you know, my cheeks were out. Hell yeah. It was it was hot it was cute and it was it was so hot that I didn't realize how hot sexy it was until people would like friends of mine would come see the show and the first thing was say to me that costume and Calypso that white unitard. I'm like, okay, she is working.

[47:54] Dylis Croman: But that was one of my favorites I've had so many amazing costumes through the years and different shows it's hard to pick a favorite, but that's most recent.

[48:02] Dylis Croman: Well, my last my last question for you is a question I ask every guest which is what is one thing that you would tell baby Dylis?

[48:09] Dylis Croman: Oh, I would tell baby Dylis to just to keep believing in herself even when she has her moments of I can't do this. I'm not sure first day of school. Always I'm always since I was in literally kindergarten I said to my mom I don't want to go to school because I don't know how to read and I just like was bawling and my mom said well, sweetie. That's what you're gonna go.

[48:43] Dylis Croman: But it's something in me that I've had my whole life of just feeling like oh the for the firsts of everything and I know I'm not alone in that. I know we talk about, you know that in this business because we're being so vulnerable in what we do. Yes, putting ourselves out there is such a vulnerable thing and so but I literally like it's like every time they call me back for Roxy or anything I do in life, yeah, it's like I'm about to jump off a cliff. You're like, whoa. I can't do it. I could I mean I can I know I can and as I've gotten older. I'm like, okay Dylis. Yeah stop with the drama you're fine. But like it's just something I've kept.

[49:19] Dylis Croman: So what I would say to her is just keep believing in yourself and you can do this. I love it. Not to worry.

[49:25] Jayke Workman: Wow, yeah, well Dylis, thank you so so much for doing the pod. You are just such a dream.

[49:30] Dylis Croman: Oh, I loved it. I love talking to you in the Roxie dress in the Roxie.

[49:36] Jayke Workman: Thank you so much for having me.

[49:39] Jayke Workman: Yes, you guys that's it for another 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.