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[0:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi everyone, welcome to Survival Jobs: A Podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: My name is Samantha Tuozzolo, and this is my amazing co-host, Jason A. Coombs.

[0:19] Jason A. Coombs: Happy fall.

[0:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: All of a sudden I blinked and it was fall.

[0:25] Jason A. Coombs: Happy fall.

[0:27] Jason A. Coombs: Happy spooky season.

[0:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Happy belated birthday.

[0:30] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you so much, Jay.

[0:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you. So I had a birthday marathon this year.

[0:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, you know, I had a friend pass away this summer, and so when my birthday came this year, I was like, you know what? I am celebrating hard because you know, life is short and life is precious, and birthdays should be really embraced and celebrated.

[0:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I planned a three-day like I planned something Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and yes, life is short and precious, and we should love our birthdays, but next year I think I'll only do one day.

[1:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: I am too old. I am too old and tired. Like the recovery from the socialness and the wine of it all is just getting a little bit harder as we get older, but I'm doing okay.

[1:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm feeling good in my 34th year.

[1:21] Jason A. Coombs: Yay, love that for you.

[1:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thanks, Jay. How are you?

[1:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Can we just start off this episode so we don't forget because we have been forgetting in our mic checks doing our temperature check based off of a play?

[1:39] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, do you want to do yours since sure?

[1:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, so I'll see. Wow, no, but she uh company's 35 years old. So next year so close.

[1:48] Jason A. Coombs: So close.

[1:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: Next year it'll be company. I'm gonna do a funny. I'm feeling like Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, just a little bit older.

[2:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: The younger ones are getting all the attention. My mind's going crazy. I'm just kidding. I'm not actually feeling like that because if you do know the show, you would be like, girl, are you okay?

[2:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: But I did see Sunset Boulevard last week and Nicole Scherzinger. Oh my god.

[2:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god, people. Let me just tell you.

[2:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: What was that? The Queen Pussycat Doll.

[2:24] Jason A. Coombs: Oh wait.

[2:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yep. Loosen my buttons, babe.

[2:31] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, the Queen Pussycat Doll.

[2:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: And then also, I forgot she was in the live action of Annie as Grace.

[2:38] Jason A. Coombs: My god.

[2:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, was she?

[2:39] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, she was Grace.

[2:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: She is. I love PCD. Mark my words right now.

[2:45] Jason A. Coombs: What's PCD?

[2:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Pussycat Dolls.

[2:47] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[2:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: When I grow up, I want to be famous. That one too.

[2:52] Jason A. Coombs: I wasn't there.

[2:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: So many. I'm sorry. Keep going. I'm being so rude right now.

[2:55] Jason A. Coombs: You're not being rude. We love the Pussycat Dolls.

[2:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, it's October. It's too early for Tony predictions, but she'll win a Tony.

[3:03] Samantha Tuozzolo: I mean, that production is wild. It is so cool. I don't want to give much away, but I mean the pictures are all over Instagram of like the bows and the blood and the stage being bare.

[3:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's really, really cool, people. Yeah, just running out into the Hell's Kitchen alley.

[3:22] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, you saw this girl. Let me tell you this before I ask you your temperature check.

[3:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: So the night I went, a friend of mine works on the show, and he was like, this was a historic production. Like, it will never be like that again.

[3:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: The timing was a little bit off. And so when the actor, I'm sorry, I don't know his name, I didn't prepare, went into Schubert Alley to the in other words. Sorry, let me take it back.

[3:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: People, they bring a camera into the street of New York City and right in front of Hell's Kitchen into Schubert Alley, and he's literally singing Sunset Boulevard. And it is so iconic.

[4:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: But the night that I went, Hell's Kitchen got out at the exact same time they were doing the walkabout. So people were just getting out of Hell's Kitchen.

[4:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god, I wish I had it on video, Jason. You would have been crying. I know you because ladies were like I saw a video.

[4:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: There's a video on social media. Like they're like this catching people. I'm not sure if it was that exact night, but it was like the security was like pushing people.

[4:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: It might have been because just think about like what the crowd is like when a show gets out, and think about a camera coming through and someone literally belting ball. It was iconic, and I was crying.

[4:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Uh, but typically I hear that um there's not as many people in the street at the time, but it's really cool, and the technical aspect's amazing, and the vocals, my god, like she's not real. Nicole is not real. Those vocals are unbelievable.

[5:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: So, I mean, I cheated a little bit on my temperature check because I don't actually feel like Norma Desmond. She's just a little feeling a little old. I'm feeling a little old, but I just wanted to talk about Sunset Boulevard. You guys gotta see ya, you gotta get your tickets.

[5:20] Jason A. Coombs: I love that so much. Jason, what's your temperature check?

[5:23] Jason A. Coombs: Mine is gonna be In the Heights because um it's Hispanic Heritage Month, right? And the downtown Cabaret, the local theater in my city of Bridgeport, is doing that.

[5:37] Jason A. Coombs: So I've been like watching clips on their social media like every morning. They post like rehearsal clips. So that's been in that vibe, just in that that kind of like I don't know, that little dancy kind of Latin vibe. So that was my pick for today.

[5:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love In the Heights. Let's give a big shout out to that. Such a great show.

[5:54] Jason A. Coombs: Such a great show.

[5:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: 96,000.

[5:59] Jason A. Coombs: Dallas Hala.

[6:02] Jason A. Coombs: I literally, you know, shout out to one of our best friends of the show, Robin De Jesús. Um, when I was in high school, he was in In the Heights.

[6:12] Jason A. Coombs: So I yeah, it was back in the CD days. So I used to be in the CDs, yeah.

[6:17] Jason A. Coombs: Originally he was nominated for a Tony Award for uh his originating the role of Sunny, yeah.

[6:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: So as I came back, you know, as I grew up then in the Broadway community a little bit. Uh one time I was dating this boy, this man, and we had In the Heights on, and I did the whole rap of 96,000.

[6:37] Jason A. Coombs: And he was like, Hello? How do you know every single word?

[6:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: I was like, I just do. Well, because I saw it so many times, and like Robin was my friend and he was on Broadway, and so I had to know every word.

[6:49] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, but I'm not like rapping it. I'm like a white girl being like with 96,000. I'm just kidding.

[6:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, I'm not giving the I'm not giving the swag, but not giving the flavor. I'm not giving the swag, but I do know the words, and I will leave it with that.

[7:06] Jason A. Coombs: Love that for you. Jay, anything? Um, any survival jobs you've had recently that you want to talk about?

[7:12] Jason A. Coombs: No. But we had that one to be added together, but we talked about that already.

[7:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: We did talk about that.

[7:17] Jason A. Coombs: We did talk about that.

[7:18] Jason A. Coombs: So I was gonna sit in my water. Anything else? Any artistic things you want to share, Jay?

[7:23] Jason A. Coombs: Well, I do want to give a shout out to uh Gavin Creel. I don't understand why they didn't want to lower all the lights for him.

[7:29] Jason A. Coombs: He's like that's been like a thing lately. They're not lowering all the lights, but I think they're working towards it, and I think it's gonna happen.

[7:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, that's a loss, such a huge loss in the Broadway community, and just really, you know, sending love to his friends and family. It of course a sudden death, and like uh, you know, I don't know much about what happened there.

[7:55] Jason A. Coombs: I do know he was sick, and it's horrible. And so sending love to everybody who loved him and everybody who was impacted by his work, which is so many theater lovers are so feeling personal, like that's a personal loss because that's how bright his light was shining on those Broadway stages.

[8:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Seriously, and um it's just I was just reminiscing like I was so fortunate I got to see him in uh as the as the as the wolf, right? And the prince in in Yes.

[8:28] Jason A. Coombs: Uh, why is it escaping me right now?

[8:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Into the Woods.

[8:31] Jason A. Coombs: Into the Woods, yeah. One of my favorite shows.

[8:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, so yeah, that was you know, I hold on to that memory, and it was kind of um like it was kind of surreal to see so many people posting about that just because I think we've made so many like connections on our social media, so it was just like a constant outpouring of love to see how impactful he uh you know he was, and and such a huge loss, so we also can't forget that uh Ken Page also passed away.

[9:01] Jason A. Coombs: So much love to uh you know his friends and family and loved ones and fans as well.

[9:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: For sure, yeah, for sure. Sending everybody who loves um not to do a total pivot um from that somber moment, but the guest today we are gonna play for you is amazing.

[9:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: I just had the best time chatting with Jelani Remy, yes, iconic, so down to earth, so kind, so amazing.

[9:38] Jason A. Coombs: We woke up so funny, so funny. We woke up a little early today to record Jelani, you guys.

[9:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: So uh I feel like our episode Jay started off all of us were like starting off a little bit more mellow. It was earlier, and then we popped in and we got right to it.

[9:56] Jason A. Coombs: Um, he's so funny. He's currently in Back to the Future. So you guys need to go see Oh my gosh, get your t.

[10:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: He kept saying get your tickets yesterday.

[10:04] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, at the Winter Garden, yeah, at the Winter Garden Theater.

[10:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: We all barred Casey likes. Come on, thank you. Uh, past guest, Evan Alexander. Duh, yes, uh uh he left Marily and now he's in Back to the Future.

[10:20] Jason A. Coombs: So it's an iconic cast, and it's like an iconic story. Jelani is no stranger to the Broadway stage. He made his Broadway debut in The Lion King, he was in the Temptations, he uh also let us know he was in Cabaret at Goodspeed at Goodspeed.

[10:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Shout out, Connecticut. So, you know, he is a seasoned performer, and my god, is he talented? I mean, Jason and I always do our digging before we chat with guests, and he is just wow singing to the gods, y'all.

[10:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, definitely a must listen. And if you're someone who needs to be coached, he does coachings.

[11:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Let's get into that and not to be confused with Pascast Coach Crystal, who is coaching gymnastics.

[11:09] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, coach, I love her. I wish I could go see her show in Maine.

[11:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, let's wedding, right? Quick shout out to Crystal Joy Brown who is road trip.

[11:20] Jason A. Coombs: Oh what you might just go on a road trip to Maine to go see.

[11:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: I would love to, but there's just the month of October is so busy. But shout out Crystal Joy Brown, who is doing My Best Friend's Wedding at the Agunquit Playhouse in Maine.

[11:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: If anybody gets over there, I did go to Agunquit once and I ate a lobster pizza.

[11:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yep, to see my Kesslin.

[11:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: Who Mike Mike Kesslin who passed this summer? R.A.P.

[11:43] Jason A. Coombs: Shout out to him too. Like he was in Mamma Mia.

[11:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so I did go see Mamma Mia him at the Agunquit Playhouse, and I ate a lobster pizza and wow, it was good.

[11:53] Jason A. Coombs: Sorry. Now we're rambling. Back to Jelani, y'all.

[11:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: Goshi Back to the Future. Enjoy this episode. We had a great time chatting with him.

[12:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: If you're if you're watching the video, my god, he looks so cozy on this crisp fall morning.

[12:07] Jason A. Coombs: I know. You know. Love that.

[12:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: All right. Enjoy.

[12:12] Jason A. Coombs: All right, Jelani. Welcome to Survival Jobs: The Podcast. We're so excited to have you. Congratulations on Back to the Future. All the wonderful things going on in your world.

[12:23] Jelani Remy: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's good to be here.

[12:26] Jason A. Coombs: Of course, of course. So I was doing a little research. Samantha and I always like listen to their podcast and go on YouTube and everything. And I heard that you had a survival job at Abercrombie and Fitch.

[12:38] Jelani Remy: Wow. Okay. Got the dust off that one.

[12:41] Jelani Remy: Okay, yes. The answer is yes. Yes. I love that. Abercrombie & Fitch at the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey. Wow. Shout out to the Willowbrook. That's right. Willowbrook. That's right. Was that a positive? Was that a good survival job? Or I actually had a blast at that store. I had a blast at that store because they played like such good music, and I got to dance around the store and totally be like that theater kid. And then I say I stayed with the company for a few years, like a little bit. Um, and when I went to college, they like they they had me go to my college of recruits, so I was a recruiter, so I got to like go on campus and find people to work for the company.

[13:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, that's so fun.

[13:23] Jelani Remy: It was a blast. It was a blast.

[13:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so fun. And by the way, you're not our first guest to have worked at Abercrombie.

[13:30] Jelani Remy: Really?

[13:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Jonathan Bennett also worked at Abercrombie.

[13:33] Jelani Remy: He let us know.

[13:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: The Jonathan Bennett.

[13:37] Jelani Remy: Um, but he told us that he had to stand with his shirt off and greet people.

[13:42] Jelani Remy: I did not shirtless proportion. I I I I know I know the the track, you know.

[13:44] Jelani Remy: I know I know that the track that does that. Um I worked a register too. I loved working the register because it's like it's like you're playing store. Well, actually, we definitely are, in fact, playing store. Um, and it was awesome. And I they let me singing the sword and they let me spritz like the clothes and stuff every so often. I love the way that smell.

[14:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm glad you do because it is somebody's job, like mine, to go and spray everything every now and again.

[14:18] Jelani Remy: So you get that fresh, fierce scent.

[14:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's what it was called.

[14:22] Jelani Remy: Fierce.

[14:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Fierce, yes, fierce. Yeah. I super was not like for for going back to school, I was allowed one thing at Abercrombie. My mom was like, I'm not spending $45 for a t-shirt.

[14:32] Jelani Remy: That's a hundred percent girlfriend. But I used to be so hyped when I could go in there and get my one thing and smell the smell.

[14:39] Jelani Remy: Yeah, I like it so much. I was shopping there, I was like, you know what? What if I got it? My mom was like, get a job there. She's from Barbados, so she's like, You told me to get a job there if I like it so much. And the perks were great. The perks were really great.

[14:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes. Was it 50% discount?

[14:53] Jelani Remy: No. Oh. It was like I mean, every so often, like, you got something really deep discount, but like if you play your cards right and waited until something went on like sale, sale, sale, it was it was it's all worth it. Like hiding hiding it in between the racks for like months.

[15:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: I don't know what you're talking about.

[15:11] Jelani Remy: We love sale, sale, sale. Um great. So we love the Abercrombie survival job. Obviously, the show is called Survival Jobs. Do you have another survival job before you were literally starring on Broadway that you can share with us? Like a favorite story or like a horror story, a horror story in time for spooky season.

[15:31] Jelani Remy: Um, well, somebody stopped me on the platform the other day. I'm just kidding. Um, same platform and was like, Are you Jelani Remy? And I was like, Yeah. And they were like, You're like, no. I was like, Yeah. Um, why? And they were like, You were actually um my camp counselor. Um at Pioneer Trails Day Camp, and you helped me run the uh with my talent show dance, and now I'm a big lawyer.

[16:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh wow.

[16:02] Jelani Remy: So I that is I'm sprouting I'm sprouting lawyers from my camp counselor days.

[16:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh god, hey, that's honestly amazing.

[16:12] Jelani Remy: Yeah, it was it was really really humbling to see this sweet little girl named Samantha blossom into this grown woman and um you know.

[16:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: My name is also Samantha. Can you give me some more tips?

[16:25] Jelani Remy: Yeah, guys. Why don't you why don't you drink from your mug and then get back to me? Guys, I'm with for those just listening, I'm with my law and order mug. If you're a faithful listener know that I frequent this mug. If it ever breaks, I'll cry. Sorry y'all. It's like early for us, all of us, right?

[16:43] Samantha Tuozzolo: I don't know, Julani, maybe you're a morning person.

[16:45] Jelani Remy: So I am ADD rambling. Please forgive Jason. I'll I'll throw it back to you, Jason, to get us on track for a real podcast episode.

[16:56] Jason A. Coombs: Now this is my thing. Oh, go ahead. In between in between, like I I my favorite thing to do now is teach, you know, I teach a lot of musical theater workshops or audition master classes, or like uh a school group will come and I'll do some choreography with them. Or I I also like going to uh schools and and having a chance to like look at the musical and doctor it, you know, seeing what works, what doesn't work, or like just like yeah, leave my little thumbprint on the theatrical generation.

[17:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love that.

[17:25] Jelani Remy: It's just a good way of like giving back, right?

[17:28] Jelani Remy: It's like it's the excellent way to give back and to put a face to, you know, especially like where I grew up to show others that like especially people of color, can you know, they it it it's attainable for you to do, and then also for me, it gives me a nice you know sort of stab at directing and choreographing and and sort of you know getting better and better and better at it and um yeah is that something you want to do more of one day to get into directors chair?

[17:54] Jelani Remy: Hell yeah. Yes. Yeah, yeah. It's it's it's really exciting, and I'm I'm I'm fortunate for the opportunities.

[18:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love that. Well, let's go way back to to when you were a little youngster and your first role was Dottie in Greece.

[18:10] Jelani Remy: Duty.

[18:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Duties do not regal that name.

[18:14] Jelani Remy: It is duty.

[18:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: Why didn't you I I read it phonetically and it's I was like duty.

[18:22] Jelani Remy: Was that the is that the moment that you knew you wanted to pursue this as a career?

[18:28] Jelani Remy: You know what? It absolutely was. It was at my high school's musical, and I got duty, and he sings that one song, and I practiced that song like you would not believe. And um, we got to sing it for the school assembly, like we did our like our dress or for the school assembly, and like people clapped. And I never felt that sort of like Lady Gaga has a song I live for the applause, and like it literally sent a rush throughout my entire existence that I've never felt I never felt before, and I wanted to, you know, taste that and get good at that, and which led me to like want to tell stories, you know, because that's we have the opportunity as actors to like make people feel something for a little bit of time.

[19:07] Jelani Remy: So it became like it was it was amazing. So I'm really grateful to my teacher who pushed me to do that first musical, Jennifer Jesson. Shout out.

[19:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Shout out to Miss Jennifer.

[19:18] Jelani Remy: Yeah, yeah. It's and you sort of found your community and your tribe, and um, I wanted to to to find more of that. So she pushed me to do uh summer theater and and community theater, which led to um auditioning for my first show, which um I didn't get, and then that led me to another show that I did get. So yeah, you know, there's a lot of those like didn't get stories, and we have a lot of young listeners who are pursuing a career in the arts. You're teaching now audition workshops. I'm sure you've had your fair share of auditions. But can you share us an audition story that that was memorable for you? Maybe one that like you completely bombed and got it, or one that was like, I know I'm gonna get it, and then nobody ever called.

[20:03] Jelani Remy: I mean, there's plenty of those. Like we are professional auditioners, you know, we are auditioners first. Like, yes, we're actors, but like in the real world, we're auditioners because we have so many auditions we go to that we that we don't get. Um, but you learn from them, you grow from them, you have fun with them. I tell my students that no doesn't mean no, it means not right now.

[20:23] Jelani Remy: Oh yeah, right? No doesn't mean no, it means not right now. Like especially uh getting on the other side of the table, like with directing choreography, you get to see students audition. Like it could be the slightest thing that that you know that we can't use your wonderful talent, you know. It could be just you're too tall for some reason or like with the other person, like it could be a voice blending thing, like there's so many little micro things that don't necessarily mean that that you're bad, you know. It's just that's just the nature of the beast.

[20:49] Jason A. Coombs: Um yeah, the beast, the beast, but a fun audition story. Yes, I auditioned for a musical that I um thought I knew, and I was like, you know what? I'm gonna I I yes, of course I want it like this. And like I sang this like I sang it all up the octave, like like screlting, scruting, scrutin. And they were like, I finished it, big finish, and they were like, huh, you were really up there, huh?

[21:14] Jelani Remy: Oh no. They wanted it down, like they wanted it all down. Like they wanted my take on it, not what I heard and the number of four. Like, and so um I politely um melted into an Alex Mac puddle, and um and I didn't get the gig, but what a fun what I like I I left those in.

[21:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: Huh.

[21:36] Jelani Remy: Huh.

[21:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: Huh.

[21:37] Jelani Remy: Wow. I love an Alex Mag buttle.

[21:41] Jelani Remy: Melted, melted. They're like, do you do like do you sing in bass club? I was like, yeah, yes. Um I should go. I should go. Thank you for your time. Uh it's time for me to exit the building.

[21:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh. Well, you made your Broadway debut in The Lion King and performed as the iconic yes.

[22:06] Jelani Remy: It's giving Basquiat for Lion King. I love that. Love. Uh so for those who can't see, he's wearing this so comfy looking sweatshirt.

[22:16] Jelani Remy: Lion King is it a sweatshirt? It's giving hoodies, giving hoodies, ears.

[22:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: You guys, there's ears. I am so jealous of that outfit. I wish it was on my body.

[22:30] Jelani Remy: You too could own this outfit if you stop by the gift shop at the men's golf theater. Home of Disney's the Lion King.

[22:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: It looks so comfy.

[22:41] Jelani Remy: But it could be. It could be long. It's one of the longest running, right? It's like 26 years old.

[22:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's one of the longest.

[22:46] Jelani Remy: We're almost at 30, and the the show, like, it's just timeless. And yes, it did give me my Broadway debut, but for the listeners, like I didn't just get that role. I started as you guessed it, the butt of the rhinoceros.

[22:58] Jelani Remy: And I was the rhino's butt for some time and then became a and then it was a swing in the show and sort of worked my way up. So it was a it's been a uh it was a fun journey, and it was such a blessing to you know reach the pinnacle, which is Broadway. And then since I left the show, I got to do it again. Um I went back to Broadway, but then also went to Abu Dhabi and did the show overseas.

[23:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh wow King of Saudi Arabia.

[23:25] Jelani Remy: Like it was just a wonderful experience to to continue to tell this wonderful story with people I did not know. I was the only American.

[23:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh really?

[23:34] Jelani Remy: Yeah, it was it was awesome. So you you were you were with Lion King for like seven years or so, like all together?

[23:41] Jelani Remy: Uh a little more than that.

[23:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh wow, wow, that's pretty amazing.

[23:45] Jelani Remy: But who's counting, you know?

[23:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Can you share with our listeners uh maybe how like doing the national tour and maybe like I think you also did Vegas?

[23:55] Jelani Remy: That's right. I'm a show show boy. Yeah, maybe how that prepared you for your big Broadway debut.

[24:03] Jelani Remy: I mean, nothing prepares you for that, you know. Like it's just a surreal experience. But I had the experience and I had the the practice of of doing the show in Vegas and doing the show on the road, which which anybody who's touring, props to you because you have to do this show in different elements, you know, different oh yeah, different like even like if you're in Colorado, that's a different altitude. You have like you have the the dryness, the pollen, the whatever, like like you have it all all over this gorgeous country, and you have to still do your eight times a week. Yeah, you know, living out of a hotel and living in uh wherever you're living. So it it's the the warriors of the world.

Um but I then got the the call that I'd be coming to New York and still being able to do the show that I love so much that I've grown so fond of, and it's it's it's within me to do it now at home. And I had 75 people there at the first show. It's really so like I'm from New Jersey, right? So they all have came in droves to come see me. So it was it was really really really cool.

[25:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: How you remember?

[25:08] Jelani Remy: Yeah, go ahead, Samita.

[25:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, I'm just saying how amazing.

[25:12] Jelani Remy: Yeah, to have that oh, yeah, but like your record.

[25:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, yeah. Do you remember how you felt after you took your first bow? Like that first opening night.

[25:21] Jelani Remy: I like kept it together till I didn't.

[25:24] Jelani Remy: I like sobbed, you know what I mean?

[25:26] Jason A. Coombs: For sure.

[25:26] Jelani Remy: Cause it was like I can't I can't believe it. And even like we love this sport so much. We love it, you know. So so like these like feather in the cap moments like really stay with you for for quite some time, if not forever.

[25:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[25:42] Jelani Remy: So like you'll never forget that. And um I'm really it's even like now I'm getting nostalgic thinking about it.

[25:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so beautiful. I know you mentioned just now talking about like touring and getting the pollen and the altitudes, and that's difficult for the eight shows a week, but you know, now you've been on Broadway in multiple different shows, and you're doing eight shows a week. Can you share with us, you know, something that might be really challenging doing the eight shows that you know, a typical muggle who is not like not a mugger, not a mogul, not a muggle.

[26:13] Jelani Remy: Not a muggle, typical muggle is not like you know, drowning in the not drowning, but like inhaling the theater community one and realize is something that's so challenging about each shows.

[26:23] Totally. I mean, it's no joke. We do eight shows a week all the time. So it's and on top of that, like you have your schedule, you know. I have a lot of you know, podcasts to do and um different sort of meet and greets or teaching or or or doing readings or rehearsals, but you know, the show, the shows we do, it's every day, two shows a day on Saturdays, or sometimes on Sundays, but there's eight in the week and and yeah, Saturdays and Sundays when you all are going to dinner and like going to like parties and stuff, we're not doing that. You know, we are at the theater, so there's a lot that goes into it, and you have to come ready to go. You know, it's not like high school theater when I was playing Dottie wink wink. Um you get to come to the you get to come to the theater and there's a pizza party two hours before the show. That it's not like that. You're supposed to come ready to go. You have 30 minutes to get ready for the show. So that's that's all you get.

[27:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um I always find it fascinating, even for friends, sorry, even for friends that I have in shows that show up right at the 30. I'm like, I could never do like do you give yourself more time or do you show up right at 30?

[27:25] Jelani Remy: It depends on what I got going on. But I'm always I'm reminded now of this like ever this TikTok trend of New York saying, Do you know you have 30 minutes? 30, 30. Did y'all see this yet? This like TikTok thing. I don't know. I'm so bad at the TikTok, but thank you. I will check it out. That's what the kids are doing these days.

[27:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um but yeah, we're required to come ready to go. And um doing the shows you miss out on a lot because you can't you can't go to that wedding, or you can't really go to you it's it's tricky to navigate it. And then also, like new here the the seasons changing or the the poly here, or like there's there's lots going on, you know, and and we have to maintain this instrument and maintain your body, your voice, your mind, everything has to sort of be ready to go. And on top of like, you know, there's there's COVID. There's a lot of things. There's there's you have to make sure you stay healthy and you have to make sure you stay happy.

[28:21] Jelani Remy: Yeah. Your body's your job. That's it.

[28:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Wow.

[28:24] Jelani Remy: That's it. This is the temple.

[28:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: This is the temple.

[28:28] Jelani Remy: Okay, let's jump into back to the future. Which this is correct. Is that celebrated his third year on Broadway?

[28:35] Jelani Remy: No, we are on um a year and some change. We we're gonna get these backs wrong.

[28:41] Jason A. Coombs: No, but I love it.

[28:42] Jelani Remy: You speak to enter existence. We love it. I'm knocking on the road. I would hope so. You know what is three years? London just celebrated three years.

[28:48] Jelani Remy: So they're in their okay. But I I appreciate you.

[28:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: I appreciate you.

[28:53] Jelani Remy: Yes, we're listening to it. Follow right in London's footsteps, the West End. Here we come.

[28:57] Jason A. Coombs: Right behind right behind yeah.

[29:00] Jelani Remy: That's right. That's right. But this show there it's just it's a joy. You know, it's a really it's it's just I've done shows, but I've never done anything like this. It's so alive, it's so in the moment, and it's so it's so fun to to see the audience reaction. Like the tech is just insane.

[29:15] Jason A. Coombs: Sure.

[29:19] Jelani Remy: But then there's also this like spirit that this show has that is just joyous and and nostalgic and really special. And for me, it's it's so cool to originate. It's my first original role. So it's my first time, you know, being the first person to do this on Broadway. So it's it's a great, great, great responsibility.

[29:38] Jason A. Coombs: You're the foundation.

[29:41] Jelani Remy: Um but it was so fun to craft and to build and to really just do what I wanted to do.

[29:48] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[29:48] Jelani Remy: You know, of course, the d John Randall, our director, or Chris Bailey would, you know, hone us in, the choreographer. But we got to play and have a clean slate and and and build something that is authentic. And you know, I I get to do my thing.

[30:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so great. So you said, you know, it's your first time originating a role. Can you tell us um was there a moment in rehearsal that really shaped your performances that help you helped you find that like moment of like, oh my god, this is my character, or just a little bit about the rehearsal process of you know, doing an original musical.

[30:23] Jelani Remy: Or doing a lot of it. You know, the the real truth is like a lot of it is I'd be like, Roger, do you like this? Like Roger Bart, I'd be like, does this make you laugh? You know, or like I I'd because he's just amazing. He's shout out to Roger Bart, icon legend, fearless leader. Um it was a lot of things.

[30:39] Jason A. Coombs: That's literally in our questions.

[30:40] Jelani Remy: That's literally in our questions. What is it like working with Roger?

[30:44] Jelani Remy: He he knows funny, he really knows funny, and he he's such I think he's just such a fantastic actor. So a lot of it was like, what do you think about like I we have such a good rapport that I even even in previews things were changing and like just like finding new things or or the show is also just so alive that you're able to you know react to how you hear things and and be in the moment and it's really really cool. Um, but I trust John Rando with everything.

[31:08] Jelani Remy: So he he would be like, try this or try that, or you you nailed it, you know. So um it's it's it's it's really fun to work with great people and funny people because a the honesty of it all, but B, um it's it's a supported group. And also like the then they add like the layer of the most important thing, the audience, you know. You know, so in previews we got to see what worked, what didn't work, and I got to sort of grow or or ham it up or or really like like settle into the character.

[31:39] Jelani Remy: But I I based him off of like the text and and just like being I have this theory that every job has prepped me to where I'm at now.

[31:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's true.

[31:49] Jelani Remy: Do you know what I mean? So like like being connected into the community, it's kind of mayorly. It's kind of it's giving you know connected to the to the people. So playing Mayor Goldie Wilson seems seems a little fitting.

[32:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: But I also have this crazy theory.

[32:03] Jelani Remy: This is a side story that every dog I've had has predicted my future.

[32:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: What?

[32:08] Jelani Remy: What do you mean?

[32:09] Jelani Remy: So I had a dog in high school. My brother found him at the pound. He just my brother has this thing of bringing home dogs. My parents embrace it. He was a boxer. His name was Simba.

[32:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh.

[32:20] Jelani Remy: I love him. Okay. I didn't name him. I didn't name him. I was in high school, had no affiliation to the character, didn't name him, but that was a dog. And then luck.

[32:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, played Simba.

[32:29] Jelani Remy: Yeah. Okay. I then moved to Las Vegas for the Lion King after said dog. The dog I had to say goodbye to him and go to Vegas. And I was looking for a dog for myself. And a dog was found walking the streets. My makeup artist brought him into work. She had 13 dogs.

[32:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so I was at this one other story.

[32:47] Jelani Remy: For one person?

[32:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, and a monkey.

[32:50] Jelani Remy: Yeah, love. Did you not know about this story from Stanford, Connecticut? Anybody knows Juliet knows that Juliet loves her animals.

[32:58] Jelani Remy: But this poor little dog, this poor little dog was special. So I took him and um I looked at this dog and I was like, his name is Otis. I think he le I named him Otis.

[33:09] Jelani Remy: I then went on to play Eddie Kendricks in the Temptations musical. And the last living temptation, his name is Otis Williams.

[33:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh that's wild.

[33:19] Jelani Remy: This dog that I found was microchip. So I reported him missing. And so the microchip tells like you like his genetics, his name, and his name before I named him Otis was Goldie.

[33:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: No way.

[33:33] Jelani Remy: Yeah. I kid you not. And so now my mom has a dog and his name is Major, so I'm thinking like maybe it's a major motion picture that's next. I don't know.

[33:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god.

[33:43] Jelani Remy: But um, how funny are these animals?

[33:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, yeah.

[33:45] Jelani Remy: Kind of that's wild.

[33:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: That is wild.

[33:49] Jelani Remy: I love that.

[33:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: Do your listeners get pets and name them your

[33:55] Jelani Remy: Yeah.

[33:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Maybe I'll just get a cat and name her Olivia Benson.

[33:58] Jelani Remy: But Taylor Swift already did that.

[34:00] Jelani Remy: Oh, did she?

[34:02] Jelani Remy: Yeah.

[34:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, did she?

[34:02] Jelani Remy: Yeah.

[34:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love Mariska Hartel. I just want like one little scene with Marishka before I die.

[34:10] Jelani Remy: Swig that swig that mug.

[34:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: But Taylor Swift already named her cats Benson and Sabler, I believe.

[34:16] Jelani Remy: There are lots of names, you know, symbol. You know what I mean?

[34:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hey, don't hey, hey Samantha.

[34:22] Jelani Remy: Hello.

[34:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Dream.

[34:25] Jelani Remy: Dare to dream.

[34:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: These are their stories.

[34:28] Jelani Remy: So I'm gonna be I'm gonna be fully transparent that my my headphones went out for like 90 seconds. So you may have answered this when I was trying to uh to tech behind the scenes.

[34:43] Samantha Tuozzolo: But I want to know how like why do you think audiences are really resonating with Back to the Future?

[34:48] Jelani Remy: Because it's it's on for a year and a half, right? We're supposed to be three years. We're manifesting that. Like, why do you think audience keep coming back?

[34:55] Jelani Remy: I think audiences are loving this show because a Back to the Future was this iconic movie, right? Like it's it's it's sort of like an American pastime. Like it's it's like a rite of passage, you know. You watch Backstage Features, and it's a global phenomenon, but then you put on this like Broadway flair that you don't expect, and you get all the points of the fantastic movie with this like Broadway.

[35:17] Jelani Remy: And um, my favorite thing to do is watch a dad and their son and his son.

[35:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, yeah.

[35:21] Jelani Remy: And they share this memory together, and they get to point out all these characters and then be wowed by like how alive the show is, and how it's it's it's just like it's it's a different experience.

[35:34] Jelani Remy: Um, and also people come to the show. I've seen people there up to she's up to her 48th time, almost 50 times seen the show. And I will say that like the show is different pretty much every night because there's this like vaudeville comediale art that happens that that um is rare in a show than that that um Roger and Casey get to do, and and so I like to say that our show is sort of custom every day, yeah.

[35:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I think that's what people they come for that custom experience, and and they come for that like nostalgia, yeah. And like I said, it's it there's a spirit about it, there's a joy about the show that is just you're safe, you know, and it's it's it's for everyone, it's family fun, so any age can come and really enjoy themselves, and parents can just relax and drop their shoulders and get into the story.

[36:20] Jelani Remy: So it's it's it's great.

[36:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Shout out to that girl that's been there 48 or 50 times.

[36:27] Jelani Remy: Her name is Stephanie.

[36:28] Jelani Remy: Her name is Stephanie. We love her. She comes in costumes sometimes, and she's we always see her at the stage door. She's just a great supporter.

[36:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: Stephanie, if you're listening, big shout out to you.

[36:37] Jelani Remy: Yeah, we need more Stephanie's. Come on, y'all. We gotta support the live theater.

[36:42] Jelani Remy: We have friends that even like Megan, this girl Megan Moyer and her mom, they come all the time, they're on their 30-something. Like, the people um, and also it's great to see them at the stage door, like a stage door is back.

[36:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, can you play the applause emoji or whatever?

[36:56] Jelani Remy: Um, it's great because we get to connect with these fans too. We get to connect with these people and and and bring our faces out there and just and build build that connection. It's really really cool too.

[37:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: For sure. Um, so you obviously are coaching and teaching. Again, we've said this 12 times. I think we have a lot of listeners that like want a life in the arts, or as an actor, director, whatever it may be. What advice you have for someone who might be feeling stuck in their survival job, bringing it back and want to, you know, break free and and live that dream life with Olivia Benson.

[37:33] Jelani Remy: Oh go. Um, I think you should I always keep your eyes on the prize, and and yes, we have to work, but like carving out time to enjoy yourself, like that's like meaning like a night to see a show. Like, I have a matinee, we don't have a show till tonight. I'm gonna go see a matinee today and fuel myself.

[37:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: What are you gonna see?

[37:54] Jelani Remy: I don't even know, but I'm gonna go and see what's available later after um my obligations. But uh go go I never forget like the why, which is like I love the sport, I love to see musicals, I love this.

[38:06] Jelani Remy: And no matter what we're doing, carve time out to study and to learn and to go see a show and keep that fire alive. Um, and make your survival job fun. Like it's like you saw me dancing and singing around Abercrombie and Fitch. Anybody ask anybody who worked here with me, they will remember that I was singing, they remember that I was playing, I was having a good time doing it because it's in our nature, you know. And I'm not saying like sing to your customers when they are ordered. But maybe I am. Maybe I am, or maybe you are. Maybe I am, and also, if you stay ready, you never have to get ready. Ooh. If you stay ready, you have to get ready. Um, network is everything, and connection is everything, and reputation is everything.

Like, and like don't be afraid to like say hi, I do this. You know, you never know who you're waiting on. You never know, like, I mean, obviously be respectful, you know what I mean. But like there are ways to connect, and there are ways to put yourself out there, and you're worth it. You're worth it.

[39:06] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I hope y'all had your notebooks out taking notes, because that was a lesson. That was a lesson right there from a master right there. I saw I love Jelani. That you this is weird, but you were talking to Alan Seales about how you used to teach your stuffed animals as a kid, and I used to do the same thing.

[39:29] Jelani Remy: I cannot believe the source. Like, I can't, like, how did you get this information?

[39:32] Jason A. Coombs: I just listened to a lot of stuff about you the past week. Because you're all over the Broadway Podcast Network. We thought we were getting you as a guest, and then we looked, and I was like, he loves to do a podcast.

[39:43] Jelani Remy: I do, I do. Um, and I did. I was that kid that would play school, and like I was the teacher, I was stressed, I had papers to grade, I had assignments due, I had after school come on, and they were all stuffed animals. Um, it was my time to play, and like I can't imagine like what my siblings thought when they're listening because I was really hardcore on these kids. I was really, I mean, like midterms were coming up. Do you know what I mean? Like a red marker, you're just like going to the case. My mom got me this, like, I don't know what they call it, Lillian. I don't know what the company was, but she got me this like school set with like report cards, and like it was like I had I could like really do it. Um, midterms were coming up.

[40:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah, and I think that's so great. Maybe that's why I love teaching now. I don't know, it was always there.

[40:39] Jelani Remy: Hey.

[40:40] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[40:40] Jelani Remy: And my mom's a school teacher too, so like she was like, Oh yes.

[40:44] Jason A. Coombs: What does she teach?

[40:45] Jelani Remy: She teaches first grade.

[40:47] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god. So sweet, so sweet. I love that. Teachers are so special, I feel like uh yeah.

[40:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[40:55] Jelani Remy: Um, thank you for bringing that up.

[40:58] Jason A. Coombs: Of course, it was so cute. And I was like, oh my god, it like brought me back to like me being a little kid in my room with my stuffed animals doing the midterms as a kid. Stressed. Do not talk. Do not talk.

[41:12] Jelani Remy: What that's so funny. Anyway, uh last question before our really fun game. And we hinted at this a little bit earlier. Do you have a dream role or collaboration or project you want to manifest with us? Because Samantha and I are big manifestors on this podcast.

[41:30] Jelani Remy: Well, um, I don't know. Maybe I think my dream role hasn't been written yet. Like, and I might be the one to write it. However, like I keep telling people I would love to tell Ben Barine's story someday. Um he's one of my inspirations. Yeah. Um I just love to storytell. I don't, I this is all a dream for me, you know, because you never I didn't think all this can happen and to really be doing it for so long is a blessing. You know, it's really it's really a cool thing. So to be able to evolve and grow and and um still have that I'm still excited to see that matinee today. You know, you always go back to the why and enjoy and then and so the dream is to keep evolving and to keep you know and to and to keep happy. Keep happy.

[42:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: You know, you just said you're so excited to still see that matinee today, and I sometimes need to remind myself as now a jaded theater goer that I am. I'm a very jaded theater goer, like it's very accessible. We're doing the show very go and see. We can go and see like the what's it called, but like there's something about just sitting and just taking it in. Just remembering the excitement of like middle school us, you know, Jason and I are from Connecticut, so we you know are close by to the city too. The excitement of like getting the playbill or you know, doing going to stage door, yes. I went to the Kit Kat Club last week, and I haven't felt that excited to see a Broadway show in a long time.

[43:10] Jelani Remy: Well, the Kit Kat Club is fun if you can get there. Wow, that was the last show I saw on the Wednesday matinee when we had one. I went to go see Cabaret, loved it.

[43:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh how fun. We need to we need to get over to Back to the Future sooner than we have.

[43:26] Jelani Remy: Hello, get your tickets yesterday.

[43:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, we'll be there and we'll let you know when we're there.

[43:31] Jelani Remy: We'll be knocking on the seeds door.

[43:33] Jason A. Coombs: No, I'll put you on the list.

[43:35] Jelani Remy: That's not the list.

[43:37] Jason A. Coombs: That's right. I love that. So we're gonna end the show with a really, really fun game, like we keep saying, and this game watch it like he'd be he'll be like, it's not that fun after we said it's so fun.

[43:50] Jelani Remy: I know you're gonna be like uh womp womp.

[43:55] Jason A. Coombs: But this was a little brainchild of mine since you've been in multiple musicals that were movies first, Lion King, Back to the Future. We're doing a little bit of movie to musical trivia. So we have four questions and a bonus. So put your competitive pants on and let's go.

[44:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, I do. Are you ready?

[44:15] Jelani Remy: Wait, okay. No, wait, I have a question.

[44:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh yes, me playing the game. Am I bursting someone? Do I have to go ding? Like what are the rules?

[44:22] Jason A. Coombs: It's just you. Just you are a multiple choice, some of them are true and false. If you need to phone a friend, I'm really uh I'm known for cheating on these games. So I'll do a wink if you need it.

[44:36] Jelani Remy: Just wink back, and I'll get you. I'll get you going.

[44:40] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you, support.

[44:41] Jelani Remy: Thank you, support.

[44:42] Jason A. Coombs: Welcome. We're ready.

[44:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Number one. Which 1984 film about a teenager who dreams of becoming a dancer in a conservative town was adapted into a Broadway musical?

[45:00] Jelani Remy: Footloose.

[45:01] Jason A. Coombs: Ding ding ding. Wow, you didn't even need the multiple choice, so we'll give you two points for that.

[45:05] Jelani Remy: Cool.

[45:06] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you, Griffin Door.

[45:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes.

[45:10] Jason A. Coombs: True or false. The romantic drama film, The Great Gatsby, released in 2004 and starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams was adapted into a stage musical that premiered in 2023.

[45:22] Jelani Remy: False.

[45:23] Jason A. Coombs: That was the notebook.

[45:24] Jelani Remy: Yes. Ding ding ding.

[45:27] Jason A. Coombs: Number three, which 1994 animated Disney film featuring songs of Elton John and Tim Rice was adapted into a successful Broadway musical in 1997.

[45:38] Jelani Remy: A Lion King.

[45:41] Jason A. Coombs: Too easy. That was too easy.

[45:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay, last one before the bonus. Oh gosh, I purchased you that. It's multiple choice. So A The Wedding Singer. B Jagged Little Pill, or C, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion.

[46:11] Jelani Remy: Wait, can you repeat the question?

[46:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, question's so hard. Okay. Which 1998 film about a group of friends and their adventures in high school was transformed into a Broadway musical in 2006, featuring catchy tunes by Matthew Sklar and Chad?

[46:27] Jelani Remy: It's Romy Michelle. No, wait, wait. A The Wedding Singer.

[46:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay.

[46:34] Jelani Remy: B Jagged Little Pill.

[46:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: C, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion.

[46:40] Jelani Remy: Um I can I do. It's it's either A or C.

[46:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, super close. Super close with A, the wedding singer, or B.

[46:51] Jelani Remy: Okay, it's it's the Wedding Singer.

[46:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Ding ding ding!

[46:56] Jason A. Coombs: For the record, I was gonna say C because group of friends. Anyway, I digress.

[47:02] Jelani Remy: Yeah.

[47:03] Jason A. Coombs: I have to just say something. I loved the wedding singer in high school. I saw that.

[47:08] Jelani Remy: Sure, love will find you do go, dunko, dunko, do come on, yeah.

[47:13] Jason A. Coombs: Come on, Coreyo.

[47:14] Jelani Remy: That's right. Saturday night in the city.

[47:17] Jason A. Coombs: That's right. Wait, where in Connecticut are y'all from?

[47:20] Jelani Remy: Saturday night. Um, I'm from Norwalk, Jason is from Bridgeport. We're like sister towns.

[47:25] Jason A. Coombs: Wow.

[47:26] Jelani Remy: Yeah. My brother lives out there.

[47:27] Jason A. Coombs: Where really?

[47:29] Jelani Remy: I think he's in Norwalk, to be honest.

[47:32] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, that's great. Norwalk is cute. One of my favorite speaking of the Kit Kat Club, I did cabaret out of Goodspeed.

[47:38] Jelani Remy: Oh, really?

[47:39] Jason A. Coombs: That's right, yeah. I played the MC.

[47:42] Jelani Remy: You sure did.

[47:44] Jason A. Coombs: We need that bootleg. Can we get it?

[47:45] Jelani Remy: Can we get that bootleg?

[47:52] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. You have one more question. It's a bonus, but you pretty much have 100%, even though we did all cheat on the last question. Correct.

[47:58] Jelani Remy: Bonus. What 1985 film about a time traveling teenager was turned into a Broadway musical in 2020?

[48:09] Jason A. Coombs: Um Mean Girls.

[48:17] Jelani Remy: Back to the Future.

[48:15] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. I mean, your acting is so good because I was like, Back to the Future now playing at the Winter Garden Theater. Get your tickets yesterday.

[48:22] Jelani Remy: Yeah. This is telecharge.com.

[48:28] Jason A. Coombs: Jelani, this was so fun. Thank you so much for joining us. Congrats on getting a perfect score on the dream, as well as the bonus. Your prize is that you'll get an invite to our season four launch party at some time in 2020.

[48:42] Jelani Remy: We love it. I would love it.

[48:43] Jason A. Coombs: And to your listeners out there, don't think of it as a survival job. Think of it as a survival job.

[48:49] Jelani Remy: Ooh! I never heard that before.

[48:51] Jason A. Coombs: You know what I mean? Survival job.

[48:53] Jelani Remy: Sur thrival job to make sure that you will thrive. So because that job gives you the money for the headshots for the training for the you know it's a survival job.

[49:03] Jason A. Coombs: We love sur thrival.

[49:05] Jelani Remy: I couldn't even do it before.

[49:06] Jason A. Coombs: We love survival.

[49:07] Jelani Remy: I can't do it.

[49:08] Jason A. Coombs: We love survival jobs.

[49:10] Jelani Remy: Thank you because I'm so used to survival.

[49:13] Jason A. Coombs: Sur thrival.

[49:14] Jelani Remy: Uh, Jelani, before we go, can you please let all of our listeners know it's early. I can't speak. Can you please let all of our listeners know where they can follow you on the social medias and keep up with all you're doing? How to take your class, let us know where to find you.

[49:30] Jelani Remy: Yeah, that's right. It's at It's Jelani Remy at I T S J E L A N I R E M Y.

[49:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: We love that. And if you're tuning in because you're a Jelani fan and you don't follow us yet, please follow us at Survival Jobs Pod on Instagram and TikTok at Survival Jobs A Podcast on Facebook. Shoot us an email at survivaljobspod at gmail.com. Give us some feedback. Let us know what you think. Follow me at Sammy Toots. Where's the balloons, Jay? And follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs.

[50:08] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you. Thank you. And go see Back to the Future.

[50:12] Jelani Remy: Yes, yes.

[50:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you so much for listening to Survival Jobs: A Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, and even if you didn't, please like, subscribe, and follow. Leave us a comment. Share the pod with your friends on social media. We could use all the love we could get. Um and give us a give us a give us a five-star review.

[50:37] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, give us a five-star. Thanks for the love and support, people.