This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Tori Bullard: Hi guys and welcome back to PS Meet Me at Stage Door.

[0:03] Eliza Gunther: You are here with your host Tori and my co-host here, Libby.

[0:07] Tori Bullard: Hi everyone! And we are back again to talk all things theatre, and this week we're actually going to be talking about we're talking about upcoming Australian shows.

[0:18] Eliza Gunther: Yes, exciting.

[0:20] Tori Bullard: We have some shows that are coming to Australia for the first time, some shows that are, you know, doing a rerun in Australia, shows like Secret Garden that are coming back. So we're super excited. There's a lot of new theatre and stuff that we haven't had a chance to see yet coming to Australia in the coming two years. It's very exciting.

[0:39] Tori Bullard: Hi guys, it's just Victoria here, just jumping in really quickly at the beginning of this episode. Uh, just to have a really quick moment just to um kind of chat about kind of what's just been happening um in the world at the moment. Um, uh, I'm sure as most of you are aware, currently, um, everything's a bit of a mess with the coronavirus and COVID-19 going around, and that has had a massive, massive, massive impact um in the world of theatre, um, and it really it's devastating the effects that it's that that it's having in general, and of course, that it affects something that we all just care so much about and is such a big part of our lives.

[1:26] Tori Bullard: I know um for Libby and I it's affecting our work currently, and for so many people we know, um, it's just affecting so many different facets and creative points in our lives. Um, so obviously, some of the stuff that we do talk about in this podcast with upcoming shows, right now that's all a bit up in the air as to are these shows going ahead, are they being postponed? Are they being cancelled? There's not a lot of solid information for us yet, because obviously those are all really big decisions that producers and stuff have to make in regards to the shows that we're talking about.

[2:02] Tori Bullard: But of course, uh the main things to focus on right now is just trying to stay positive, stay happy and healthy and safe. I know it has such a big impact. If you have bought tickets for a show that is no longer going ahead, we do urge you to, you know, donate those tickets, like the money from the tickets back to the theatre that you bought them from because theatres and production companies are going out of business left, right and centre because of this, and obviously we know this, you know, you can't control things like this viruses, but um yeah, I just know we're here for you. We understand everything's a little bit of a mess right now, but we will get through and we will overcome.

[2:45] Tori Bullard: So that's all from me for now, but uh enjoy the episode. I think we should probably start with the biggest thing to come to Australia this coming year, which I am very excited about, and I know some people can't stand to listen to it anymore because they're either parents and have listened to the theme song a million times, but that is Frozen.

[3:09] Eliza Gunther: I have to admit, you know, the cold never bothered me anyway.

[3:13] Tori Bullard: Oh my god.

[3:14] Eliza Gunther: Oh wow. So the casting has just really recently actually been released, and someone that I'm super keen to see in it is um Courtney Monsma, and I'm so sorry if I've butchered your name in the in trying to say it, but I I've actually I didn't even realise I just recently saw her in Six, um, at the Opera House. She looks completely different in that show, and she was amazing in Six, and I personally honestly didn't know a lot about her before seeing her in Six, and she just looks like such a cute little pocket rocket, and she has this amazing voice.

[3:50] Tori Bullard: And as soon as I saw the casting for that, I was like, Yeah, she's someone that for me seeing her in Australian theatre, she's a fresher face. I'm very excited about that. A fresh face like her is incredible. She is actually also from the Gold Coast, so yeah, so that's how I know her. Um, I've definitely seen her perform before, and she's incredible, and it's really awesome to see a new person, you know, break out. And I know that she's been in Six, which is huge. But she's taking on such a huge role as Princess Anna in Frozen Disney's Frozen. It's so exciting, and I think she's gonna do a brilliant job.

[4:27] Tori Bullard: She's definitely got the personality and the like effervescence and the stage presence. And the quirky and just like the joy that you need to play that character, like the positivity, but I can also see where the you know emotional hurt and like the connection of sisters is really gonna come into it for her. And Gemma Ricks is actually being announced as playing Elsa, which is super exciting. And I remember seeing her in Wicked, and she did a brilliant job, and she has the powerhouse voice that you need for Elsa.

[4:58] Tori Bullard: I think um, though, what I really love about Courtney being cast was that she was an unknown. So I would have actually loved to also see Elsa be cast as an unknown because I feel like Frozen as a musical It has its name, it has the name, so you don't actually need the name, which is what Gemma Ricks brings is her name. She's Gemma Ricks. She's incredible. She has the big voice. She has she has the queenly presence, and I totally agree. I'm super excited to see her play this role.

[5:24] Tori Bullard: Um, I've seen it on Broadway, so I've seen Casey Levi go on as Elsa. Um, and I think that she definitely brings the powerhouse aspect, but it's Frozen. Kids are gonna see Disney, they're gonna see Frozen, and that that's what's gonna draw them into it. Um, but no, I think it's a super exciting casting, and we're so excited to see Courtney Munsterman. Again, I've probably just ruined it. I'm so excited to see her because obviously, like I said, we've seen her in Six, you've seen her before on the Gold Coast. She is, you know, it's definitely whilst she's not quite an unknown, it's still such a fresh face to get to see on such a big stage.

[6:03] Tori Bullard: And in that role, it's an iconic role, and I think that she's gonna absolutely smash it out of the park.

[6:08] Eliza Gunther: Definitely is, and we're looking forward to seeing what the ensemble and everything like what who comes out in the ensemble. I have it was actually quite tough because uh I definitely know I I did apply for Frozen, but they were really looking for older people, which is really interesting. So a lot of the people that I know who did get in the room were a lot older because they were looking for a bit more experience.

[6:31] Eliza Gunther: So I'm really excited to see her. Because I guess they they really want that presence on stage that screams, you know, a bit more maturity, and especially when you think of Disney, it's so it's everything flows, but it's also really precise. Like they know exactly what they want.

[6:49] Tori Bullard: Definitely. It's also being directed by Michael Grandage.

[6:53] Eliza Gunther: I totally butchered that.

[6:56] Tori Bullard: That's okay. Today is an episode all about butchering anyway.

[7:01] Eliza Gunther: So he's directing it, and you've got Rob Ashford who's doing the choreography, which is incredible. And there's also music and lyrics by Christian Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez, who actually have power couple, which is incredible. I would uh I would die for that relationship. Like, don't get me wrong, I love you, babe. But to have that kind of like they wrote the original music for Frozen and obviously Frozen 2 to be able to write, like obviously, all Disney songs are memorable in their own way, definitely.

[7:32] Tori Bullard: But like personally, Frozen's one of those ones you just you remember all the songs. Let It Go is my jam, and I know that it's overdone. But I never honestly from being completely candid. I I've never really gotten sick of Let It Go. I know that so many people were like so over it, but to have the capability to write music that people hear so much that they ultimately get sick of listening to it. I love that.

[8:00] Tori Bullard: I love when little kids just are singing like crazy. I have a little cousin, and on the weekend, so for a little bit of context, both Tori and I ha do a bit of Disney princess work as being Disney princesses for a birthday party. For birthday parties and things, and so not Disney princesses, sorry, what are they called? Um, Princess Prince.

[8:21] Eliza Gunther: Well, party princess.

[8:22] Tori Bullard: Party princesses, anyway, and Tori actually does Anna, and so my little cousin, I was I guess babysitting her, and she is the most adorable little tiny thing you can imagine, and she was obsessed with Frozen. And so I told her that I was friends with Anna and proceeded to show her photos of my friend Anna, and we sent a video to Tori, and then on the weekend, Tori actually dressed up as Anna, and she sent a little bit more. Send me a little video back.

[8:39] Eliza Gunther: She sent a little video back, and apparently she uh in the video, she said, How about next time you come and visit us in Arundale? And now she will not stop talking about how she has to go and see Anna and Elsa in Arundale, which is very adorable.

[9:07] Tori Bullard: Which I just like seeing, like getting to like, I can't even imagine what Courtney must be feeling because kids are gonna look up at her now and be like, that's Princess Anna. Because I know for me, whenever I've done these events and I've um been Anna, the way kids react and they just they love you and they wanna like they want to be when they look up to you, and it's just it's a beautiful thing.

[9:28] Eliza Gunther: Oh, it warms my heart so much, and it brings me so much joy getting to do that. So I can't imagine how excited she must be to get to go on and play this iconic role, singing these iconic, beautiful songs written by this most amazing power couple that there is. And it's just that's what Frozen brings to the table. Kids are gonna just enjoy it, and that's the beautiful thing about Frozen.

[9:52] Tori Bullard: And it's a great way also because I feel like for me, my very first musical that I ever seen saw, sorry, the first musical that I think I ever saw was actually Lion King.

[10:01] Eliza Gunther: Oh, you know, it's a it's uh penny.

[10:04] Tori Bullard: Yeah, exactly. So it's a it's a Disney. Um, it's a Disney, and it's it's part of what got me into music theatre and got us seeing it. So I feel like for the next generation, this is a great way to get kids actually physically into a theatre, get them to see it, get to get them to see the art of theatre and music theatre and you know, sharing your emotions in the story, and it's just gonna bring kids more kids in the next generation of kids, and I'm just I'm so excited to get to see it and be, you know, part of it, even in a small way of being someone that gets to go and see it myself.

[10:39] Eliza Gunther: Definitely. And there's also Hamilton, which is coming to Australia, which I think everyone can agree is incredible. What a good year of music theatre coming to Australia. Very exciting. And oh my god, I can't I can't even wait to see what tickets are gonna be like to get the wait list has been open already for two years.

[10:58] Eliza Gunther: Two years.

[10:59] Eliza Gunther: Two years.

[11:00] Eliza Gunther: It's been open since I ended up in 18.

[11:03] Eliza Gunther: I will I will sell organs to get a ticket to see Hamilton just to see it and be part of that spectacle and the story it tells and the history behind it is just gonna be amazing to get to see.

[11:16] Eliza Gunther: It had such a huge impact in America and even in Australia, uh the music actually brought so many people who aren't into music theatre to be into music theatre.

[11:28] Eliza Gunther: I remember talking to someone recently and they said, Oh, you do music theatre.

[11:32] Eliza Gunther: I was like, Yeah, yeah, and they're like, Oh, like Hamilton, that's the only musical that I know.

[11:36] Eliza Gunther: And it's incredible that um 20-year-olds are so into Hamilton, even if they really dislike music theatre.

[11:42] Eliza Gunther: So it's exciting that it's coming to Australia.

[11:45] Eliza Gunther: And it's amazing how Lynn Manuel Miranda was actually able to uh create a show that involves history, it brings young people into theatre, it brings everyone together because there are so many different components that go into Hamilton that have brought so many people in like the subject matter.

[12:04] Eliza Gunther: It's it's you know, uh fun, funky fresh way to get history in there as well and show the full depth of history in a way that gets people listening and gets people's attention.

[12:15] Eliza Gunther: Because obviously he also did In the Heights, which, whilst is an amazing show, probably didn't get anywhere near as much attention as Hamilton.

[12:22] Eliza Gunther: As soon as Hamilton came out, it was like a sensation from the start.

[12:28] Tori Bullard: Wow, it definitely was.

[12:30] Tori Bullard: Another new show that's coming.

[12:32] Tori Bullard: Well, I guess it's actually not new, it's an older show, but something that I am so so so stoked to see is The Secret Garden is going to be uh returning to Australia in 2020, and it's being produced by Opera Australia and John Frost, of course.

[12:48] Tori Bullard: And it's gonna be for the 25th anniversary production, which is actually gonna be reuniting the original Broadway creative team.

[12:56] Tori Bullard: That original Broadway creative team included the director Susan Shulman, the choreographer Michael Litchfield, and scenic designer Heidi Eitenberg, with costume design by Catherine Zuba.

[13:07] Tori Bullard: And that's amazing that they're being reunited for the 25th anniversary of the show, and the casting has actually just come out quite quite recently, about a week ago, and I'm personally someone I'm just so excited to see in this production is Georgina Hobson, who of course she's been in Australia theatre for quite a few years now, and probably I'd say within the last two years, has been moving her way up the ranks.

[13:31] Eliza Gunther: Definitely.

[13:32] Eliza Gunther: And now she's taking on the iconic role of Lily in Secret Garden, which I think she is perfectly suited for.

[13:38] Eliza Gunther: And as soon as I saw that casting, I was just over the moon.

[13:41] Eliza Gunther: She's going to absolutely kill it in that role.

[13:44] Eliza Gunther: And I mean, obviously, I don't really personally know her, but it just makes you proud seeing someone that works their way up in it and being able to go, hey, I can do that.

[13:54] Tori Bullard: Definitely.

[13:54] Tori Bullard: And I saw the promotional video of her singing, and it was sensational.

[14:00] Tori Bullard: It was so stunning.

[14:01] Tori Bullard: And she's also from the Gold Coast.

[14:03] Tori Bullard: Crazy how many Gold Coast people here in Sydney just making a music theatre.

[14:07] Eliza Gunther: It's amazing.

[14:08] Eliza Gunther: I personally feel left out.

[14:09] Tori Bullard: Ah, I know.

[14:09] Tori Bullard: You should have been in the Gold Coast.

[14:11] Tori Bullard: That's where it's at.

[14:12] Tori Bullard: Um, so I actually remember meeting her a few times.

[14:16] Tori Bullard: She came to one of my shows and met her afterwards, and she is the most beautiful, like just generous person.

[14:23] Tori Bullard: And I saw her in what was the show?

[14:27] Tori Bullard: Mary Poppins in the at the Gold Coast.

[14:30] Tori Bullard: And she was phenomenal.

[14:32] Tori Bullard: And I knew from then I was like, she's got star power.

[14:34] Tori Bullard: She's gonna be incredible.

[14:35] Tori Bullard: And she just did rag time, and I saw videos of her singing in that, and it was insane.

[14:41] Tori Bullard: That absolutely broke me.

[14:44] Tori Bullard: It was insane.

[14:45] Tori Bullard: So I guess sitting on the side you can be so proud of someone when you're rooting for new up and coming people who are just purely talented doing well.

[14:55] Eliza Gunther: It's really nice to see.

[15:05] Eliza Gunther: Which is just it's great to see new faces coming up in popular theatre as well, like theatre that we know a lot of people are gonna be going to see.

[15:14] Eliza Gunther: Because don't get me wrong, independent theatre is amazing, and it's what's pushing us into the next generation of theatre, but being able to see fresh faces in theatre that's been around a bit longer and is very popular, it's just it's really inspiring to see because you know it just gives us that little bit extra momentum to know that if we keep pushing ourselves and we keep putting ourselves out there, it can happen.

[15:37] Tori Bullard: Definitely, it's it's it definitely gives you that drive to see that there are people who do amateur theatre that are in independent theatre, and that can skyrocket themselves into professional theatre, and it's it's a beautiful thing to see.

[15:51] Tori Bullard: You work hard, you keep going, and then you can really get there.

[15:55] Tori Bullard: Now, on the complete opposite side of things, there is also Friends, the musical parody coming to Australia, which is incredible.

[16:05] Tori Bullard: I'm just like, I'm so excited to see these.

[16:08] Tori Bullard: You know, they're characters that you already know and love, and not only is you know that context being put into a musical, but it's being made into a parody as well.

[16:19] Tori Bullard: And obviously, this has already been playing um in New York a few years ago.

[16:23] Tori Bullard: So they've already kind of they know what they want, they know what they're going for, they know the story that they're gonna tell.

[16:28] Tori Bullard: So I'm so excited for them to be bringing this to Australia.

[16:32] Tori Bullard: Um, they have an amazing director, Dash Crook, so I'm so excited to see what he can do, and the choreographer Cameron Mitchell, which we obviously don't know personally, but we've done some fantastic with him actually, and he's all about you know energy.

[16:49] Eliza Gunther: He's got such a great personality himself, and he's very captivating.

[16:53] Eliza Gunther: So what he brings to choreography, it's really dynamic, it's super fun.

[16:58] Eliza Gunther: And I'm definitely interested to see what he's gonna be choreographing for Friends at Musical.

[17:03] Eliza Gunther: But I think whatever he does, it's gonna be brilliant.

[17:06] Tori Bullard: Definitely.

[17:07] Tori Bullard: He's so good at capturing character and just bringing energy to it, and I think it's gonna be, you know, it's not gonna be your typical musical because obviously it's based off friends, it's a comedy, and it's also a parody.

[17:21] Tori Bullard: So it's gonna be designed for the diehard friends fans and those that also don't know friends, but it's you know, it's designed to really take you back to sitting down and watching season after season after season of Friends.

[17:34] Eliza Gunther: Because I know that that's what I personally do every Christmas, it's part of my ritual of sitting down and watching through the entirety of Friends.

[17:40] Eliza Gunther: Same with Gilmore girls.

[17:41] Eliza Gunther: Have to be honest, still waiting for a Gilmore girls the musical, but you know, I'll I'll put it on the world.

[17:46] Tori Bullard: We'll make that happen.

[17:47] Tori Bullard: I think that we should make that happen.

[17:48] Tori Bullard: But I'm so excited to see, you know, what the casting is gonna be for this musical and just to see what they're gonna be bringing to the table.

[17:55] Tori Bullard: Also, very excitingly, Moore Rouge is actually coming to Australia, and it's definitely gonna be a spectacle, and we're excited to see what they bring to it and what actually translates from the film into the stage show.

[18:08] Eliza Gunther: So that's an interesting one to watch out for.

[18:10] Eliza Gunther: Definitely, and I think that was a musical that was always as soon as it hit Broadway the next day it was announced that it was coming to Australia.

[18:16] Eliza Gunther: So I kind of I knew it was gonna be something that was gonna be coming and that we are super excited to see, and it's definitely, I have to agree, it's definitely gonna be a spectacle.

[18:24] Tori Bullard: Another show I'm super excited for that has actually already been playing in Melbourne, but they finally announced Sydney season is Come From Away.

[18:33] Tori Bullard: If you don't know what Come From Away is, it is a musical all about the tragedy of 9-11, but how it brought people together in um the small Canadian area of Newfoundland.

[18:44] Tori Bullard: So super excited to see it.

[18:46] Tori Bullard: I have gotta be honest, seen it on Broadway and seen it in Melbourne, but I'm gonna be seeing it again in Sydney anyway because it just this show warms my heart so much.

[18:53] Tori Bullard: And if you get the chance, you should definitely go out and see it.

[18:56] Eliza Gunther: So I think we're gonna change things up right now, and we're gonna move on to talking about our favourite musical track of the week.

[19:04] Eliza Gunther: Slash albums.

[19:05] Eliza Gunther: So whatever you feeling, what have you been listening to?

[19:08] Eliza Gunther: What should go to?

[19:09] Tori Bullard: Ooh, yeah, I think you should go first.

[19:10] Tori Bullard: I think we should definitely go first while I think about that for a second.

[19:14] Tori Bullard: I have actually, so my boss at work is very into music theatre, and she recently was like, you know, have you seen Josh Groban's album?

[19:23] Tori Bullard: And I was like, excuse me, what?

[19:24] Tori Bullard: Josh Groban has a musical theatre album.

[19:27] Tori Bullard: I did not know about this, and I think that the album came out.

[19:31] Tori Bullard: I'm like trying to check.

[19:32] Tori Bullard: It came out in 2015, and it has taken me until 2020 to listen to it.

[19:40] Tori Bullard: And I'm so disappointed in myself for first not being able to hear it.

[19:44] Tori Bullard: But there are mashups, there's a children can listen mashup.

[19:48] Tori Bullard: There's he sings, I think he sings Bring Me Home Bring Him Home as well.

[19:53] Tori Bullard: There's he does like a Willy Wonka, little beautiful, soulful song at the beginning.

[20:00] Tori Bullard: It is, it is beautiful.

[20:02] Tori Bullard: If you have not listened to it, he is absolutely incredible.

[20:05] Tori Bullard: And I do not know why he is not in more music theatre in America because his voice, and I also found out he is musically musical theatre trained.

[20:15] Tori Bullard: He went to school with Josh Gad, and I did not know that.

[20:18] Tori Bullard: Yeah, and he was um he played Pierre in Natasha Pierre in the Great Comet.

[20:21] Tori Bullard: Yeah, 18 years old when they did it on Broadway, and his voice, it just it's one of those ones that just you listen to it and it just gives you chills.

[20:29] Tori Bullard: It brings chills.

[20:31] Tori Bullard: Oh, can listen to that any day.

[20:32] Tori Bullard: So if you're out there and you have not heard this album, I implore you to sit there and watch.

[20:38] Tori Bullard: It's called Stages, and you can find it on iTunes, Spotify, literally anywhere.

[20:45] Tori Bullard: Go into the store, buy the CD.

[20:47] Tori Bullard: I'm really promoting him here.

[20:49] Tori Bullard: Just a free little promo for you, Josh Groban.

[20:53] Eliza Gunther: And you totally he totally needs our promotion.

[20:56] Tori Bullard: Oh, 100%.

[20:57] Tori Bullard: He's really a he's quite an unknown um artist.

[20:59] Tori Bullard: So he really needs the help from a help him out Australian theatre based podcast.

[21:05] Eliza Gunther: And how about you?

[21:06] Eliza Gunther: What is your go-to listen to?

[21:08] Eliza Gunther: I think the thing that I've been there listening to the most recently is Alice by Heart, which is another new adaptation um in the shape of a musical of Alice in Wonderland, and it's by some of my save um some of my favourite artists, sorry, which is Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik who uh did Spring Awakening.

[21:30] Eliza Gunther: It's just it's another it's a such such an interesting instream.

[21:36] Eliza Gunther: Oh my god.

[21:37] Eliza Gunther: It's such an interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland.

[21:41] Eliza Gunther: I love the feel of it, and it really it really has that same kind of feel of Spring Awakening, but it's completely different.

[21:49] Eliza Gunther: It's one of those ones that I find that I can just listen to whenever I don't have to be in a certain mood to it.

[21:54] Eliza Gunther: I can be listening to it while I'm reading, while I'm writing, while I'm on the train. I just honestly, if you have the chance, go and listen to it. Same as what Libby said, it's available on iTunes and Spotify. It came out last year. It's just it's this music is beautiful and quirky, and I can't stop listening to it at the moment. I guess while we're on the topic of shows that are coming to Australia, why don't we talk a little bit about shows that we want to come to Australia? I know that you have a couple that you're really keen on seeing.

[22:23] Tori Bullard: I definitely do. Well, actually, one that I do want to see come to Australia that was meant to come to Australia but has been put on a bit of a hold is Waitress. That one, I do really want to see Waitress. I also would love to see Dear Evan Hansen, because that is just an amazing show. I think Australians could totally do that really. I feel like Dear Evan Hansen is just one of those shows that no matter your age, your backstory, where you come from, you can relate. You can find something, especially in the character of Evan Hansen that you can relate to.

[22:54] Eliza Gunther: Exactly. And I think also I'd love to see Dogfight be a professional production of Dogfight. Obviously, there's been a lot of independent theatre being done with it, but I would love to see a professional production of Dogfight. I don't know how that would happen, but maybe the Hayes Theatre Company could do a good version of it. Hint and hint.

[23:14] Tori Bullard: Hint in hint, but not sure. And yeah, so that's what I would say. What about you?

[23:18] Eliza Gunther: Yeah, I mean, two shows that I would really love to see, and one of them is actually quite a bit newer is Jagged Little Pill, which is Alanis Morissette's musical. Um, so it's all of her music, and I was I wasn't sure initially when they announced it what the story was gonna be for it. But and of course, I don't want to spoil it for anyone because to tell the story, you kind of need to know what's happening.

[23:44] Tori Bullard: Right.

[23:44] Eliza Gunther: Um, but it's got all of her music and these really awesome interpretations of it, and just the way it's all been done. I would love to see it done in Australia. It's definitely a show that I think Australians would love. I don't know about you, I grew up listening to Alanis Morissette and loved her. So when I found out when my mum and I actually found out this was gonna be making its way eventually to Broadway, I was like, I don't care how, I need to see this.

[24:13] Tori Bullard: Yes, exactly. So that's a show that I'm super keen and would love to see come to Australia. The other one is a show that is very popular on Broadway at the moment, which is the beautiful, beautiful show, Hadestown.

[24:27] Eliza Gunther: I Hadestown is one of my favourite musicals. I actually started listening to it originally about two months before they announced that it was going to be making its Broadway debut.

[24:37] Tori Bullard: Really?

[24:37] Eliza Gunther: Wow. Yeah, so it just happened to be a coincidence. I saw it on my YouTube, listened to it, and then like a few weeks later it came up that it was gonna be moving to Broadway.

[24:45] Tori Bullard: So you've listened to it before it was popular.

[24:47] Eliza Gunther: So yeah, I was like in on the trend before it happened. Um I was a trendsetter.

[24:53] Tori Bullard: Exactly.

[24:54] Eliza Gunther: Um, but no, it's definitely a show I'd love to see. It's all about mythology and the lighting and set design for their show. It won 110% deserved to win the Tony Award for best musical, which it did, and like I I wasn't even surprised when I did because it is a beautiful, beautiful show, and I would love it. Please, please come to Australia. Hey, Dish Town, please shoot this town, please.

[25:18] Tori Bullard: To end things today, we're going to talk about our bedtime stories. So this is a section of our podcast that we want to regularly do.

[25:27] Eliza Gunther: Yeah. And if you are out there and you have an amazing bedtime story, so it's like talking about theatre, something wrong that happened, we want to hear it. So feel free to send it to our Instagram over at PSmeetme at Stage Door, or you can send it to us via email at ps.stagedoor.podcast@gmail.com because we want to hear about you guys and like your bedtime stories, you know. Did your costume fall off in the middle of a number? Did you miss your entry going on for a certain song? We want to hear it from you guys, but why not tell our bedtime stories?

[26:02] Tori Bullard: Alright, so today I'm gonna tell you a bedtime story about Heathers. Oh, this bedtime story happened on the last show of Heathers. It was closing night. Closing night. I was stoked. I um I guess if you didn't listen to our last podcast, I should probably say I was playing Veronica in Heathers, so it was quite a demanding role. But I was going so well that night, I was so excited. It was the last one, I was tired, and I was smashing it, and it was the end of the play, the musical, where she's dead, Dead Girl Walking Reprise. Where she's like, you know, like I'm gonna go kill this JD, like, and she I think she didn't have the idea of killing her, I think she was gonna stop him.

[26:48] Eliza Gunther: Well, yes, but I went to the extremes, you know.

[26:51] Tori Bullard: So I had you know, this mallet in my hand, and I was like, yeah, I'm gonna go find him. And I jump up to a second ledge, and it's basically in a second stage. So they had the bottom stage, then they had a second stage, and there was cheerleaders on the stage going, hey yo Westerberg, you know, all that stuff. And one of the cheerleaders, so I jump up on that and I'm supposed to run across it and down and around to the back.

[27:16] Eliza Gunther: So you're meant to jump back down to the bottom stage as well.

[27:19] Tori Bullard: And I'm supposed to jump back down and then I'm supposed to go around. So I was, you know, really, I talked to the teacher and I'm like, I'm gonna go find JD, and I go run up and I'm jumping on this like part of the stage, and then one of the cheerleaders puts her foot back. I trip over like a full-on clip her foot, and I go over the front of the stage. I do a full-on roll over the stage, and I get back up. It was crazy. I had a mallet in my hand, I fell over, did a like basically what do you call it? Um, a commando roll, back up and around to the side. I was in so much pain, and then I had to immediately come back out and the whole stage, and I was like limping, and there was blood all on my knees.

[28:03] Eliza Gunther: Yeah.

[28:04] Tori Bullard: And the whole audience goes, because we were there. I was there that night. I was there for opening and closing, and when that happened, I was like, I was like, Libby, no, it was so close. And I remember my partner was sitting with me, and he was like, Wow, she did really good. I was like, that was not meant to happen. Everyone thought she has injured herself. Everyone thought I was part of it because I just like rolled and just kept going.

[28:30] Eliza Gunther: Because you just got up and went around and came back on.

[28:32] Tori Bullard: Like nothing had happened. And it was like stage combat acting at its best without actually having training for stage combat. Guys, I'm just a natural.

[28:40] Eliza Gunther: Like she's just a nice day.

[28:42] Tori Bullard: So that is my bedtime story. Tori, please enlighten us on your bedtime story.

[28:46] Eliza Gunther: I mean, uh, the one that I'm gonna tell, look, it was really funny for me because I am someone that is very organized, very on top of my cues. I pretty much the story is I was in Sunday in the Park with George recently, and I was playing Celeste 2, and I have this scene where the soldier and I we walk on stage having a conversation about Celeste 1 and how much of a bad friend she is. Anyway, every every night of the show, I was like, I was on top of the soldier being like, okay, we need to get around to the other side of the stage now. Every night I was like, Okay, do you wanna come around to the other side of the stage with me? Have you got the flowers? Great. I was like on top of everything, I was ready, ready to go, and he would always have slightly annoyed at me because like I would bring him around super early.

[29:34] Tori Bullard: But you've gotta be prepared.

[29:35] Eliza Gunther: I miss you. I'm like, okay, have I got everything in place? I need to be where I need to be. I have my list, I have my list of my cues written, and I had it on the table, and then of course smart closing night. Closing night, closing night. All reveling and how well the show had turned out. How much we were gonna miss each other, and I was just sitting in the dressing room having a good old gaff with Louie. And then the guy that played Soldier came up to me and was like, hey, we're about to go on, and we're on the wrong side of the stage. And I just went into complete panic stage manager mode, being like, oh dear god, what have I done? How could I have let this happen? And literally just within a second, I was like, cool, we're just gonna enter from the other side. And he was like, uh okay, and I was like, it's fine. We'll just enter from the other side, do a slight little bit of a zigzag, no one will be the wiser.

[30:29] Tori Bullard: Um, but that's that's my bedtime story for tonight. Me completely being someone that is so like on top and so like anal about getting my cues right, getting my lines right, and of course, I just completely miss my cue. Like, almost missed going on stage as soldier hadn't have come up and been like, hey, we're about to go on.

[30:49] Eliza Gunther: It's always closing night, am I right?

[30:51] Tori Bullard: Always story. Always closing night. The other bedtime story that I have that I'm not gonna tell today has something to do with the fact that I didn't do something for entire run of the show until closing night, because I just completely forgot in the I've got another bedtime story, which I will say. We're gonna start in this one. It is the pièce de résistance of bedtime stories. I hope I'm not talking up too much, but you know what? I think it is hilarious.

[31:19] Eliza Gunther: I mean, I personally haven't heard it, so I'm super excited to hear.

[31:22] Tori Bullard: I am not telling her until we're on the podcast.

[31:24] Eliza Gunther: Oh, because like it's it's gonna make the wait worthwhile for me as well, not just for you guys. But we're gonna we're gonna save some of our zone. But like we said before, if you guys have any bedtime stories, show mishaps costume malfunctions, we wanna hear it. So send it to our Instagram, send it to our email address. And you could be featured on one of our podcasts because we want to feature you guys and what your bedtime stories are.

[31:48] Eliza Gunther: Yeah, we want to laugh, not at you, but with you about your bedtime stories. So thank you guys so much for listening to the podcast today and for your support with us doing this.

[32:00] Tori Bullard: Yeah, we're so excited and so so so thankful for all the love and support that you guys have been giving us and all the love and support you've been giving to Kate, who created our podcast art. So we talked a little bit about her in our last podcast, but you can find her Instagram over at another average art account on Instagram. Go check her out. She did our podcast art, and she is such an amazing and lovely human being. And we want to hear from you guys. What is the show coming to Australia or the show that you want to come to Australia that you're most excited about? Of course, don't forget to head over and check out our Instagram. Give us a follow, send us an email, tell us what you're thinking. But thank you guys so so much for listening today. This was PS. Meet me at Stage Door. And until next time, bye.