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[0:00] Mason Bray: So we have Lexie Plath, who is the amazingly talented triple threat currently on THE PROM national tour as swing and co-dance captain. I'm so excited to be able to sit down and talk with her and to discuss THE PROM and her career. Hi, Lexie.

[0:12] Lexie Plath: Hi, thanks for having me.

[0:14] Mason Bray: Thank you for being here. How are you?

[0:16] Lexie Plath: I'm doing well.

[0:17] Mason Bray: That's great. I'm doing good. Can you start out by taking us through a short synopsis of how you got to where you are in the industry?

[0:24] Lexie Plath: Sure. I went to college at Western Michigan University, majored in musical theater performance. But before that, I grew up, my mom owns a dance studio that my grandma started. So it's kind of been in my blood since day one, I guess. But after college, I did the national tour of Anything Goes. And then I did the first national tour of Bullets Over Broadway the year after that. Then I did a couple of regional gigs, and then I did the Cats tour in 2019, I think it was, where I played Bombalurina. And then COVID hit and, you know, took a little break being at home, and then THE PROM came along, and here I am.

[1:05] Mason Bray: Yeah, starting off with THE PROM as the big topic today, how did you get your audition and get into THE PROM?

[1:12] Lexie Plath: So my agent sent me a submission that they had submitted me for THE PROM, and I had to send in a self-tape of the dance combo that they had sent, and then I had to send in, I believe, like a song of my choice. So I did that, and then I got a callback for that to send in some sides that I had to film, and my dad actually helped me. We were in a hotel in Florida, and my dad was my reader. And then I got called in for an in-person callback a couple weeks later. I went in and I danced in person, learned a new combo. Then I sang my own song again, and they asked me to come back with sides for Didi, Angie, and Mrs. Green. And then, oh, and I forgot, they asked me to stay later after the first dance with the next group.

So the first one was like the student group, and then the second group was like the mover adult group. So I did both of those combos, then sang, then got the sides. And then like a couple days later, I came back and I danced again, both combos, and I read and sang for Didi and Angie, and that was it.

[2:23] Mason Bray: Yeah, that's fantastic. And something that fascinates everyone in the theater world that I know for sure that everyone is here to listen about. So you're a swing.

[2:34] Lexie Plath: I am, which is fantastic.

[2:36] Mason Bray: Can you explain what a swing is and what they do? Because it's amazing.

[2:40] Lexie Plath: It's pretty crazy. So a swing is basically the understudy for the ensemble in general. So anytime anyone is out of the show, we are the ones that step in and do it. So for THE PROM, I cover 11 tracks. So I do eight ensemble girls, and then the three principal adult women.

[3:02] Mason Bray: That's oh my god, crazy.

[3:05] Lexie Plath: How that's what I'm gonna leave the question off. You know, sometimes I ask myself that question as well. At first, it was extremely overwhelming. This is my first time swinging. And as every swing will tell you, they just kind of throw you in and expect you to figure it out. There's no set method to learn how to swing. Everyone kind of has their own way of going about it. So for me, when I went in, I didn't know how many tracks I was covering. So first day of rehearsal, they told me I had 11. I was like, oh, okay, and I'm the only female swing. Awesome. Did not know that. So I started having a little panic attack, but I've always kind of known I had a swing brain. Like I remember my jazz dance from when I was nine. So I have the memory for it. And so once I figured out my method, now the chaos has calmed and it's actually really fun.

[4:06] Mason Bray: Yeah. So what is your personal process of keeping those 11 tracks in order so you're ready at a moment's notice?

[4:15] Lexie Plath: So I have my iPad, which has all of the charts and formations for like every dance number. So each person is color-coded on that chart so I can do a brief glance of like each different formation for each dance and kind of like see where my traffic is. And kind of just like what number am I on, what line am I on, who do I follow, who am I between? So I keep that backstage with me at all times. And then I also have note cards, like a stack for each person that I cover that I also bring backstage with me so that I can do a quick glance of like, and I enter and grab my prop from this side, or you know, follow this person on this entrance, that kind of thing, but just kind of like quick cheat sheets because at this point the choreography is so in my body that I don't need to like look over that as much as like the little minute details and backstage traffic is what makes it the most complicated.

[5:12] Mason Bray: Yeah, and I imagine that backstage, from what I know of THE PROM, everyone seems so supportive that it must be amazing to work with them to be able to fit yourself in those tracks.

[5:23] Lexie Plath: It is for sure. RCAS is amazing. I remember the first time I went on was a crazy whirlwind experience. And at the end, before like the curtain came down, everyone just came rushing to me and had me in a huge group hug, and it was amazing just to feel that kind of support and doing something new and scary.

[5:43] Mason Bray: Yeah. And I can promise you it was amazing. But so for anyone wanting to start swinging and be a swing in a more professional setting, what are your tips to get into that setting and get those type of auditions?

[6:00] Lexie Plath: I think the biggest thing, I mean, I don't really know this for sure because I've never been on the other side of the table, but I would think that when looking for a swing, you're looking for someone who is super versatile. So really focus on your dancing, really focus on your singing, and really focus on your acting. Like to be a swing, you need to be a true triple threat. And I also think that your pickup skills for choreography are really important, especially to showcase in a room because, you know, the rehearsal process is only so long, and when everyone else is learning one track, you're learning four or eight or eleven in my case. So I think showing that you can pick up choreography quickly, you can pick up details, is an important thing to showcase in an audition room.

And then also I think just in terms of practicing swing skills, reversing any piece of choreography you get just for your brain is something that I have found to be super useful because, you know, one night I'm on stage left and the other night I'm doing the exact same choreography, but on stage right on the completely opposite foot. So if you can have that mental practice of learning a piece of choreography and then maybe taking it home and trying to reverse it just to see what that feels like is a useful skill to have too.

[7:20] Mason Bray: Yeah. One thing that I want to know, everyone has them. What is your crazy swing story that you've gone on 15 minutes before or whatever it may be for you?

[7:31] Lexie Plath: Um, I think probably my craziest swing story. We had a COVID outbreak, and we had so many people out of the show. And we restaged the show. Me and my other dance captain restaged the show seven times in seven days, and I played five people at once at one point, including a boy track that I don't actually cover.

[7:55] Mason Bray: Brilliant.

[7:57] Lexie Plath: Um yeah, it was crazy. But you know, our cast really stepped up and pitched in to change formations and cover holes and take off extra props that they don't necessarily take off. So it was definitely a team effort, but that was probably the craziest I have ever felt. I was like, who am I? I don't know.

[8:17] Mason Bray: Who knows? Truly. So at what point was that?

[8:22] Lexie Plath: We've actually had it two times. We had it once right after Christmas in Hershey, Pennsylvania was the crazy restage seven times in seven days. And then we had it one more time towards the end of our two weeks in DC.

[8:39] Mason Bray: That's crazy.

[8:40] Lexie Plath: Yeah, but luckily it seems to be slowing down. Hopefully, fingers crossed. We can't jinx it yet.

[8:47] Mason Bray: Yeah, true. So you also are the dance captain for the show.

[8:51] Lexie Plath: I am.

[8:52] Mason Bray: What is your job there?

[8:55] Lexie Plath: Um, so my job is basically to keep the show with its closest integrity to how the creative team left it in our rehearsal space. So I keep the numbers looking clean. I give notes to people on choreography or spacing. I'm able to facilitate conversations between people if they're maybe having a problem with a lift or they're, you know, colliding with someone on stage. I'm the person who they would come to to solve that issue. I'm also in charge of teaching new cast members the show when they come in to replace or vacation swing or whatever that may be. So that's another extra layer. I know the show so well as a swing that it makes it easier to, you know, help other people keep it how it should be as well.

[9:54] Lexie Plath: I don't know if I'd have creative control necessarily, but um, you know, with all the COVID stuff, it was really just we're trying to keep our show open. So we're gonna do as much as we can to keep the integrity of the choreography and the story with, you know, three or four people out. Um in terms of like solving problems and giving notes and stuff, um, John, our associate choreographer, kind of gave me and my assistant Josh free reign to like make a decision. People are gonna disagree on things, and you are the one who has to just say, okay, you know what? Now we are doing it on and three instead of three and or whatever it would be, just to, you know, keep it clean or whatever. And then if there was ever a major discrepancy, then they would, you know, step in and give us what they think it should be.

Um, but yeah, so you know, it's our sometimes we have to make decisions and sometimes people don't always agree, and you just kind of have to keep pushing forward and remember that it's for the best of the show, and you know, take the note and move on.

[11:01] Mason Bray: Yeah, absolutely. So we talked about tips for being a swing, but would some of the same things go for being a dance captain, like uh memorization of dance or picking up dance fast?

[11:12] Lexie Plath: Definitely. Um, you know, because not only are you doing your assigned tracks, you're also in charge of the entire show. So every single person in the show that does a single dance move is under, you know, that's your job is to keep them looking great. So I think, you know, details is really important, musicality is important. Um, and I also think it's just an energy of openness and being able to be approached about a question or you know, give a note in a constructive way that doesn't come off in a bad way to someone, you know, it's like a hard balance of you're kind of a co-worker, but you're also kind of in a position of authority. So to keep that um relationship, I think you have to just, you know, be a good open energy in the room so that they can see that you could handle that with grace.

[12:07] Mason Bray: Yeah. And you mentioned notes. Um, so while you're not on as a swing, do you get to watch the show and take notes?

[12:14] Lexie Plath: I do. I've been on a lot, so I haven't gotten to do that as much as I think I would in a normal non-COVID situation, but I do. And I'm whenever I have time off, I try to sneak out into the house and watch from the front, because that's you know, then I get to see what the audience is seeing, which is great. And sometimes I'll just watch from the wing, kind of, you know, make sure there's no problems happening or anything crazy that we need to fix. But yeah, when I'm not on, I try to, you know, be as good as possible about sneaking out into the house and taking notes.

[12:46] Mason Bray: Yeah. So why do you think that The Prom is an important show to be happening, especially now?

[12:52] Lexie Plath: Well, I think the message of the show is so amazing. Um, you know, it's all about love and acceptance. So in this time where, you know, there's all these different legislative things happening, I think it creates a very um what's the word? It it like creates availability for people to see these stories and to relate to them and makes them more accessible to people who don't have those experiences in their lives to be able to see that and be like, oh wow, this is like true humanity that we are seeing. And I think seeing that humanity right in front of you and the story and the love, you know, hidden between, you know, crazy musical theater songs and hilarity and whatever, I think it really creates an accessible way for people to view the world in a different way than maybe they have access to based on their own experiences.

And the show is so, even with its deep messages, it's so lighthearted and fun. And I think people can use an escape right now. Um, you know, after the past crazy two years, I feel honored to be able to be a part of a show that brings so much joy to people. Yeah, it's just it's a very meaningful show and holds a very special place in my heart because there are so many aspects to it that bring joy and acceptance and make people feel seen.

[14:24] Mason Bray: Yeah, it's stunning. Oh my god. Still cannot get over it.

[14:29] Lexie Plath: And I saw it um two months ago. Almost two months ago. It's fine. Um so I also interviewed Braden from the tour.

[14:39] Mason Bray: Amazing.

[14:40] Lexie Plath: Um, and I asked him what's something unexpected that has that he has experienced on tour. Um, and he was talking about um being homesick and that kind of stuff. Um, so what is one thing that you found unexpected on tour, either with Anything Goes or Cats or any of those ones that you did before, or The Prom. Something unexpected.

[15:03] Lexie Plath: That's a tr a tough one. I'm trying to, this is my fourth tour, so I'm trying to think back to my first tour and what surprised me about touring life the most. I think it's like probably I had never done a show before touring that ran as long as we run. And I think like seeing how much I still loved each show after doing it eight shows a week for nine months. Like I think that was unexpected for me that I still loved going to work and I still felt fresh every night, even though you know, we'd done the show 200 sometimes. Um I think just really like hammered it home for me, like, wow, this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

[15:53] Mason Bray: Yeah. Does that answer your question?

[15:56] Lexie Plath: Yes, it does.

[15:58] Mason Bray: Okay. It does. And that brings up an important topic of um, have you ever had burnout with a show? Once you um are running it, not necessarily these tours because you said that you um felt fresh doing it, but what are the times that you do feel burnt out?

[16:14] Lexie Plath: Um with Cats, I tore my hamstring, so I physically got burnt out before my soul was ready to let go, so that was hard. And then I mean, traveling is exhausting. So when you're on the road and you know, you haven't had a single true day off that's not a travel day in three to four weeks, and you're doing the show eight shows a week and rehearsing and keeping it clean and you know, all that stuff. Like, it's exhausting. Um I have friends that like make fun of me for like waking up at noon, and I'm like, you don't understand what we're doing with our bodies every day. Um, so I think like in terms of like energy, I get more burnt out than like mentally or in my heart with each show.

[17:00] Mason Bray: Yeah. And I'm hearing that tours for me because I don't usually wake up till noon either. So I will be auditioning as soon as possible.

[17:09] Lexie Plath: Perfect. Um we can get brunch together when we wake up.

[17:13] Mason Bray: Perfect.

[17:14] Lexie Plath: We can, and then just go to the show. It'll be perfect.

[17:17] Mason Bray: Sounds like a perfect day to me. I'm ready. Um, I saw the show once. I think I can go on for any role.

[17:23] Lexie Plath: Yeah, you're ready.

[17:25] Mason Bray: Yeah, perfect. So, my big question that I asked everyone is education or experience in terms of either as a performer or just as a general human being.

[17:33] Lexie Plath: Ooh. I think experience is a form of education. I definitely needed both in my career. You know, my college, I didn't know anything about acting before I went to school other than just like watching TV. So that was really important for me, but I also at the same time needed that college experience to just grow up as a human before I went out into the world and started trying to audition and you know be a part of this industry. And I think I learned more about working in the industry from experience than I did from education in those terms.

[18:14] Mason Bray: Yeah. But they were they were both so useful to me.

[18:17] Lexie Plath: So that's perfect. I love stomping people with that question. It is my favorite thing ever.

[18:24] Mason Bray: It's a good question.

[18:26] Lexie Plath: Thank you. Um my mom came up with it um two years ago. I love it. For my first interview. So this was also a question that I had a long time ago. It was what were you doing during quarantine? But now that's kind of going to be irrelevant soon, I hope. Um so what was your first show after the pandemic?

[18:45] Lexie Plath: Because we are back. Um, my first show after the pandemic was The Prom.

[18:49] Mason Bray: That's exciting.

[18:50] Lexie Plath: Yeah. I did do um my sister is in a contemporary dance company here in Milwaukee. Um, and so they did like a fundraising gala kind of over quarantine, and I emc'd that. So if you count that, I was that was it. But and I don't think it counts for me.

[19:07] Mason Bray: And what about as a um audience member? What was the first show that you got to see?

[19:11] Lexie Plath: Oh, what was the first show I saw? Well, I I saw my friend in a production Big Fish at our community theater in my hometown.

[19:21] Mason Bray: Perfect.

[19:22] Lexie Plath: And I think that was like the first live theater I had seen in a year and a half.

[19:27] Mason Bray: Yeah. Um, well, is there anything you want to add before we wrap up?

[19:32] Lexie Plath: I don't think so. Come see The Prom.

[19:35] Mason Bray: Yeah, obviously.

[19:36] Lexie Plath: Yes. Go see The Prom. If you're listening to this, stop. Go buy tickets.

[19:40] Mason Bray: Yes, we want to see you. Wear your prom dresses.

[19:43] Lexie Plath: Do it. Um, well, thank you so much for being here.

[19:46] Lexie Plath: Of course. Thank you so much for having me. It was so fun.