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[0:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hello everybody, welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:13] Jason A. Coombs: My name is Samantha Tuozzolo, and this is my boy Jason A. Coombs, and we are back.

[0:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: I feel like we've had a little bit of a hiatus with our regular formatted episodes, but we are here and we are thriving. Hi, Jason.

[0:27] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, Samantha says hello.

[0:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: How are you?

[0:31] Jason A. Coombs: Listen, I'm good. I'm exhausted.

[0:36] Jason A. Coombs: Real quick, just to recap what's been going on in my survival jobby life. You know, we talked about this on another episode where like I'm at this point where my event work and my event production work is like I don't really love calling it survival jobs anymore because I think it's just a part of me as well as my creative life. So I just came off of a music festival in Memphis called the River Beat Music Festival. And listen, I've never I've done a ton of events in the past 14 years in my life in New York City, and I've never done a festival. So going into it, I was like, what is gonna happen?

[1:12] Jason A. Coombs: Right. And I'll tell you, I'll tell you what happened. I had a great time. I really, really did. The days are really long, but like exhaustingly long. Um, but it was so wonderful and cool. Cool is like such a silly word to use, but it was so cool to watch this festival be built, this huge festival be built in the middle of this park in Memphis. And I had a and I was a pretty significant, I mean, like everybody's a significant part of it, right? But I felt like such a part of it. So it felt really, really wonderful, and I felt really accomplished to have been there and like been a part of building this, and like, you know, I was a part of the VIP and like design team.

[2:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Nice.

[2:01] Jason A. Coombs: So to see like things that I thought of like furniture that I thought of and whatever. Up obviously with my team, I'm that was not the head, but like I was a part of it. It was pretty cool.

[2:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[2:13] Jason A. Coombs: And Benson Boone performed.

[2:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh.

[2:16] Jason A. Coombs: Is he flipping?

[2:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes.

[2:17] Jason A. Coombs: I'll send you some videos. We can insert it here. He was flipping. And it was just amazing to be like, wow, I worked on this festival. And like Benson Boone is straight up here flipping. And now he's like selling tickets at Madison Square Garden. So I'm feeling grateful. I'm feeling exhausted. I'm hustling a lot in May. Um, it's just a lot going on, but I feel grateful.

[2:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[2:38] Jason A. Coombs: You know, I'm trying to really practice gratitude. Like the mornings I woke up at this festival and I was so exhausted and like cranky. I would sit up in my bed and say, like, I'm so grateful. I really am so grateful for the connections I've made and the life I have built for myself where I have so many opportunities and I'm working on so many things, and it's exhausting and overwhelming at times, but I'm grateful.

[3:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, yes.

[3:07] Jason A. Coombs: How are you?

[3:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm so bummed this year because I was in Memphis. I missed the Female Voices Rock Film Festival, which I've been at for the past three years or something like that.

[3:15] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[3:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: So how was that?

[3:17] Jason A. Coombs: Uh, it was so great. You know, we love a film festival. Obviously.

[3:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[3:23] Jason A. Coombs: Um, but that one's so special because it is, you know, the mission is to uplift female identifying voices, and you know, I love the tagline is, you know, um, I think it's we can forget the exact sideline, but I think it's, you know, stories by women for everyone, which is so important, and I think it's, you know, it's such a necessary thing to have those kind of, you know, stories that don't get talked about enough, you know. Like we need more women represented in media and TV and film and there's in y'all stories, you know. So that was super special. I'm sorry that you missed it, but I'm so glad you had a great experience in Memphis, you know, and chilling there. Um, so that's very special. I'm glad you're grateful because I think we need to be we have to have gratitude.

[4:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: We have to be more we have to be grateful for all, you know, the of course there's tough days, and there's gonna be days that things just don't go right, but you know, there's just so much darkness in our world right now. We have to be appreciative of the good things that happen and what we have, and yeah, and and and also really try to practice self-care too, because at times when we're exhausting ourselves and you too, you take on so much as well that like if we don't take care of our bodies, and listen, I'm not saying I do a great job, but I'm really trying to like stay hydrated and take my vitamins and sleep when I can and do yoga when I can. You know, our body is our tool, and when our body is not feeling good, then we can't perform, you know, at our best and succeed.

So that's all. Gratitude's important, y'all, and taking care of your mental health is so important, and right not letting things around you debilitate you is important, and hustling is important, and survival jobs are important and loving art and creativity. Female voices are important, female voices are important, so that is it.

[5:16] Jason A. Coombs: Speaking of female voices, I just need to touch on I just need to touch on the final season of The Handmaid's Tale.

[5:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh gosh.

[5:24] Jason A. Coombs: Well, so I was debating watching it this season because it's a little too early.

[5:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yep.

[5:24] Jason A. Coombs: It's a little too real. And I was like, ah, I don't like I've been following this show since it started. Um and I was like, I don't know if I can do it mentally. But I did it anyway.

[5:39] Jason A. Coombs: And wow, boy, I'm happy I did. It's actually it's actually not so s I mean it's fucking scary, right? The whole thing is scary and crazy, but it's not like affecting me the way I thought it would. But I just have to say the, uh again, the acting, the writing, all of it, the story, whoa, gosh, it's so good. And it's like, wow, it's so fucking good. I'm sorry to swear, but God, I can't help it. Like the story, the acting. I mean, they just tell it in such a way that is like scary of this crazy world that they live in, but then also the resistance and the revolution, and I don't want to give any spoilers, but wow, they're about to have they're about to get they're about to take these motherfuckers down. And I'm like, yes, like I feel like so passionate about what they're doing in this show.

[6:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: So people, if you have never watched The Handmaid's Tale, like you have no idea what I'm talking about. But if you have and you are scared to watch this season because of the realness of it, I wanna say, like, yeah, it is scary because of our administration and like things that are being talked about, and it's so scary how close it is to what they're telling in this show.

[6:55] Jason A. Coombs: But I mean, it feels oh sorry, I didn't even cut you off.

[6:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I was just saying, but like the opposite side of that of the people who are fighting against it and like what we can do is also kind of inspiring, even though it's not as intense in real life as it is in the show, obviously, and let's hope that we're not going there because that's crazy. But it's also just like so inspiring of like when we stick together and find people who believe in the things we believe in, we can take it down. But also the acting, oh, give them all the Emmys. I mean, they already all have won the Emmys, I think, but give them all the Emmys again and again and again. And the direction and the film, Jason, you should watch it because as a film guy, the camera work this season is taking my breath away.

[7:44] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god, this the intensity of the camera work and what it does to the viewer.

[7:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I also just want to say for anybody who does watch this show, Serena Joy. I don't know what this actress's name. Sorry.

[7:58] Jason A. Coombs: Oh yeah, yeah.

[7:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: Such an evil woman, if anybody's ever watched it. I just want to say though, this actress is so good because she makes me have empathy for her, which is crazy. Cause she's evil. But I just love when I when I look how passionate I am. When I see a show that has acting that eats down, I just can't stop gabbing.

[8:21] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[8:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: And the acting eats.

[8:24] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[8:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm not sure if people I've seen if you haven't seen it, uh, I think it's an incredible show. But you know, the first season reminds me, like when they do the flashbacks of like what the time before was. It's us. It's like now. It's now. When you're saying that's so true to life, I'm like, no, like that stuff is happening now, y'all.

[8:44] Jason A. Coombs: So y'all know me. Follow me on Instagram, you know, I'll go on our rant or I'll post some shit. But we gotta just go.

[8:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: Well, it is important to watch to know, like, okay, this is maybe not too far off. I mean, it's happening now. They're passing stuff now.

[9:00] Jason A. Coombs: I know.

[9:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: They're making it legal because yes, correct.

[9:03] Jason A. Coombs: And it's fucking scary. But then it's also like this show is also a reminder of like we can fight. And we have to continue to.

[9:14] Jason A. Coombs: And then I'm in a microphone.

[9:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. And also, while I'm on my rant right now about TV shows that are really making me gab and gab and gab and chat this whole time. The new season of You is amazing.

[9:30] Jason A. Coombs: That guy, Pen Badgley, his character Joe is a fucking psycho.

[9:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: Joe Goldberg, man.

[9:36] Jason A. Coombs: God, he's so so crazy. But um this new season is wild.

[9:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, I haven't watched this.

[9:43] Jason A. Coombs: Well, I started watching when he was in Europe. The last season, but then I didn't finish that one. He was like in London.

[9:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, I have to tell you, I have not watched it since season one, since Gwendolyn Beck was in the library getting killed. Sorry for spoilers. But I was just like, you know, rotting a little bit yesterday after I worked so much. And I just put it on. I was like, oh, surely I'll pick it up. They do a nice recap at the beginning. So you can just pick it right up, you guys, if you don't want to watch all the seasons. But wow, wow, Pen Badgley is so I love him. He's so handsome.

[10:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: And he's on our podcast.

[10:15] Jason A. Coombs: Let's figure that out.

[10:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: I don't think I could talk to him because I'd be too nervous about Joe Goldberg being a real person.

[10:21] Jason A. Coombs: And also he's too handsome.

[10:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: I don't think I'd be able to speak.

[10:26] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, you would.

[10:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'd be like, uh he's the best. But yeah, um, yeah, I gotta watch it. Happy Tony season, also, since I just rambled about TV shows.

[10:37] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, happy Tony season.

[10:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Let's chat about BOOP! a little bit because that's our special guest, Angelica Hale is playing Trisha in BOOP!. And the show is what we need right now. Like we're talking about how crazy this world is, and sometimes you just need to go to see a show that's gonna make you smile. It's gonna make you want to dance. It's just gonna just bring you joy because we need joy in our lives, y'all. Things are bleak. So when I saw that, I left just feeling good. You know, that opening number, the tap dancing, the acting. Oh my gosh, like you're gonna enjoy that show. I think everyone should go get a ticket to see BOOP! during this time when we need lightness, joy, joy, yes, and starring Tony 2025 Tony Award nominee. Yes, Jasmine playing BOOP! herself.

[11:28] Jason A. Coombs: So right, she's amazing, y'all. She's amazing. She is the definition of a triple threat. I was blown away by her and just to say, like dancing, singing, like yeah, A plus, A plus across the A plus plus plus.

[11:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: And coming into this season, right? Of leading ladies on Broadway and coming in and grabbing that Tony nomination because it's so well deserved. Like that's amazing, you know.

[11:55] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, not to say, but like Idina Menzel did not get a Tony nomination this year. And but it is what it, you know what I mean.

[12:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, not for me. I'm like, okay, cool. They're giving it to the people who deserve it, not for the people who are like, yeah, the names, yeah, yeah. It's alphabet, you know what I mean?

[12:13] Jason A. Coombs: Right, yeah. Yeah, so uh, and then it got nominated for two others for uh best choreography, which all the praise for the choreography, y'all.

[12:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh, yeah. Yeah, and then I'll say was it is it best? Oh my gosh, I feel so bad. Uh I can't remember I have it right here, and let me just double check.

[12:32] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, best costume design, yes. So choreography, Jerry Mitchell, and then costume design of a musical, Greg Barnes.

[12:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: So shout out uh I said I think I said Critics Choice Awards when I was talking.

[12:43] Jason A. Coombs: I was gonna say drama desk awards more ago.

[12:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so embarrassing, Trish.

[12:47] Jason A. Coombs: Uh oh my gosh. Angelica was like, What the fuck are you talking about?

[12:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: 11 drama desk awards, y'all nominations. It's amazing. And you guys, this episode is so great. Angelica is 17 years old, crushing it on Broadway.

[13:04] Jason A. Coombs: She's so mature, she's so talented, and this episode's great. It's just so talking about having like joy and disconnect from anything stressing you out.

[13:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: This episode will because she's just bubbly, filled with joy, and it's so nice to speak to somebody who is just living joy, and that's what I felt like when we chatted with her.

[13:26] Jason A. Coombs: So I hope you guys enjoy this one. You gotta go see Boop and happy Tony season.

[13:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Happy Tony season, happy Tony season and Angelica Hale, Angelica.

[13:39] Angelica Hale: Thank you for being on the show today.

[13:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Uh we got to see Boop a few weeks ago, and we enjoyed the spectacleness of it, how good it makes people feel.

[13:48] Jason A. Coombs: And you guys are nominated for three Tony Awards and 11 Critics Choice Awards. Incredible. Congratulations.

[13:53] Angelica Hale: Thank you so much.

[13:56] Angelica Hale: Oh my gosh, I know it's been a crazy past couple weeks. We've all been there's just been so much excitement around.

[14:04] Angelica Hale: You know Tony Nov's it's crazy. Um, but um thank you. I'm glad I'm so glad that you guys got to see it and you all enjoyed it.

[14:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: Of course, it's so fun, and you know, I'm I'm a stand for the balloons that were being given away during previews, okay? Those were so cute and they were like you can find a balloon.

[14:25] Jason A. Coombs: I was like, that's such a cool idea.

[14:26] Angelica Hale: Um I'd be at like the bar post-shows and there'd just be like Boop balloons floating around. I'm like this such a good idea, it's so iconic.

[14:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um we have so much Boop to talk about and so many fun things to talk about, including survival jobs, which is why we are here.

[14:44] Jason A. Coombs: So you're 17 and you got your big break at nine on America's Got Talent. Amazing. So have you ever had to have you know what we consider a survival job, or what little side hustles have you done along the way?

[14:58] Angelica Hale: I mean, you're so young, so maybe not. I mean, I wouldn't consider like the things I've done to be like very much survival jobs, more of just like you know, passion and you know, these types of I've been very grateful to be a part of.

[15:11] Angelica Hale: Um, I guess during I something similar to that, obviously not the same thing, but when during COVID happened, that was kind of crazy. I stopped performing like everything shut down, you know, and so I sort of started I sort of pivoted my platform to being like online, and so that was sort of and I tried to build that up, and so over the past few years that's sort of been like my main focus, and um, so now I get to uh sort of enjoy being here and also that's that's been pretty cool.

[15:45] Jason A. Coombs: Um I feel like everyone sort of had to pivot though during COVID.

[15:49] Angelica Hale: That was Of course.

[15:50] Jason A. Coombs: Um for sure.

[15:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: So if you weren't, you know, killing it on Broadway and like having such a successful career, is there a survival job that you would maybe like to dip your toes in if you weren't um if you weren't performing?

[16:05] Angelica Hale: Or even if it we don't even have to call it a survival job, just something else that interests you that you could see yourself doing?

[16:11] Angelica Hale: Absolutely. I mean if I if I'm being completely honest, I've loved just doing artistic things growing up. I grew up with my cousins making art and showing me a bunch of awesome things and growing up and and that's sort of been a huge part of my life, just like um making art, whether it be singing, whether it be like drawing or painting.

[16:34] Angelica Hale: Um so maybe, or like even graphic design, if I wanted to do something other than like Broadway or outside singing and music completely, maybe something like that.

[16:46] Angelica Hale: Because I think that would be very fun. I really do enjoy doing that.

[16:49] Angelica Hale: Um when I was doing online, I sort of learned how to do like Photoshop and make my own videos.

[16:56] Jason A. Coombs: Wow.

[16:57] Angelica Hale: Learned editing software, as long as um, you know, as well as like um, producing music, obviously it wasn't huge, but it was you know, I'm still you did it.

[17:08] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, listen, maybe maybe you can give me a lesson on graphic design and editing videos because we do all of our own stuff and sometimes it takes me so long because I'm so I'm so technically challenged sometimes.

[17:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: She does such a good job though. She's being modest.

[17:28] Angelica Hale: That's very valid. I get that.

[17:30] Jason A. Coombs: It's tough.

[17:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: It is tough.

[17:33] Jason A. Coombs: Well, can we go back a little bit to the early days?

[17:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like you're so young, some like the early days.

[17:38] Angelica Hale: Um I watched I watched lots of videos of you on America's Got Talent, and you were so adorable.

[17:44] Jason A. Coombs: I'm so sure you've heard that.

[17:47] Angelica Hale: You were like eight, seven years ago?

[17:50] Angelica Hale: It's crazy. Like I just thinking about it, I mean I'm turning 18 this year. I mean, that's really oh my god.

[17:57] Angelica Hale: But um I mean when I was younger though, even way before AGT, I'd love I just loved singing, I loved music, and I always knew it was passionate.

[18:07] Angelica Hale: I'm really grateful my parents they they put me in um lessons growing up.

[18:11] Angelica Hale: Um and it was like that sort of helped uh build up, you know, to what it is now.

[18:17] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, when did you realize you had such a big beautiful and dynamic voice?

[18:22] Angelica Hale: I I would always just sing around the house and my parents would be like that's kinda cool.

[18:28] Angelica Hale: Okay, well like Mike as well put you in voice lessons if you like singing songs.

[18:32] Angelica Hale: And so I actually started out doing piano lessons and then I started doing singing and I I went on YouTube when I was younger and post covers of like my favorite Disney songs.

[18:44] Angelica Hale: Like I remember one of my first ones was like Let It Go. That was like twelve years ago.

[18:49] Angelica Hale: And it was like something I love to do. My parents supported me and it was so fun.

[18:54] Angelica Hale: And then I went on America's Got Talent, and that was like the biggest thing that had ever happened in my career since then.

[19:02] Angelica Hale: And it was crazy because even even before that I had gotten really sick and I had just gotten a kidney transplant.

[19:09] Angelica Hale: And so being able to be on a stage like that after going through so much really meant a lot to me.

[19:16] Angelica Hale: Um and even still now, like being here on and doing Boop and is is I'm so blessed because I really this is something I absolutely love to.

[19:25] Angelica Hale: Like I like this was my job. Like I get to perform every day and and it's just so fun.

[19:32] Jason A. Coombs: But man, yeah, America's Got Talent was crazy and I really got a head start in my career.

[19:37] Angelica Hale: Something I never really thought would happen and I was thrust into performing so so week after week.

[19:45] Angelica Hale: Week after week it was crazy and my parents obviously didn't really know a lot about um the performing industry and how to really but they did and I'm so grateful that you know I was able to take so many opportunities and I got to travel all over the country and I even went to like Taiwan and it was so cool.

[20:06] Angelica Hale: And then obviously COVID happened and then we pivoted everything to be online.

[20:12] Angelica Hale: Um and that was really scary because um obviously I'm you know compromised meaning I can't you know get sick much more than other people and so that was that was definitely a a fear factor.

[20:25] Jason A. Coombs: We didn't really want to uh risk anything of course yeah yeah um but even growing up like I would always be involved in like uh just like theater performing arts and it was so fun I even did stuff uh with Broadway dreams growing up and it was just something too and so I never like just even being here now I mean if I told myself growing up I like you're gonna be on Broadway.

[20:51] Angelica Hale: I think I've flipped my topic I have to ask you one more quick question because my my best friend Sarah loves Kelly Clarkson and you got to perform alongside with her.

[21:04] Angelica Hale: So how was that experience?

[21:05] Angelica Hale: Oh my god I remember that I performed alongside her and one of my um one of my fellow contestants, Ketchy she's so nice and she's just so down to earth.

[21:15] Angelica Hale: Like you would never seeing her, like you would never guess that she was like like this huge star.

[21:20] Angelica Hale: Like she's just so grounded, and I I love people like that.

[21:23] Angelica Hale: And obviously, I feel like even just looking at her online, you can just tell like she's like a chill cool person.

[21:29] Angelica Hale: And yeah, no, I I still follow her today, she's doing amazing.

[21:33] Angelica Hale: I mean, she has her own show, like gosh, that's cool.

[21:36] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[21:37] Angelica Hale: It's so nice when you hear that, like the people you look up to are genuinely nice because it could go either way, you know what I mean?

[21:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I've been a Kelly Stan since day one at an American Idol.

[21:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Since a moment like this, you know what I mean?

[21:51] Angelica Hale: I love her.

[21:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh, yeah.

[21:53] Angelica Hale: I just want to make a little comment about what you said about you know, performing after the kidney transplant or and and how it was like so good for you to do that.

[22:01] Angelica Hale: And I love that so much because art is so healing and it's such an escape for us artists to have.

[22:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so there's no question there. I just want to make that comment about gosh, I love being an artist.

[22:14] Angelica Hale: It just is such a great escape for so many of us.

[22:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: So thank you for sharing that.

[22:18] Angelica Hale: I just want to go back to America's Got Talent for one more question.

[22:22] Angelica Hale: You already touched a little bit about you know things you learned and lessons and experiences that you had, but if you could pull one major lesson from your experience on performing on America's Got Talent, what would that be?

[22:34] Angelica Hale: I think it would be to really just savor every moment because I mean, especially even it's much it's a much different experience now because I get to perform every night, but it's still the same concept.

[22:47] Angelica Hale: It's like you you really never know what's gonna happen next.

[22:50] Angelica Hale: And I remember being on that stage and just being like, Wow, like I mean, even as I was like 10 years old, I was still like I can't believe I'm actually doing this and I I just remember like those moments before like going on stage and we're doing live shows and like this is like this is your one chance to really like prove yourself and it it was just like it's so powerful because the it really it's crazy to take in and I I really and I really think that that it should be like that for everything.

[23:25] Angelica Hale: Like you know even when I'm performing every night on stage it's still a chance to tell a story, right? Because you really never know what's gonna happen next and you know I obviously knew that when I was sick in the hospital my parents knew that too and it was just like wow it's really just come full circle.

[23:45] Angelica Hale: So I think that's one thing I'd tell people just you know take a moment every day to just be like this is I'm here now and this is I'm really grateful that I'm doing what I am right now.

[23:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love that. Thank you for sharing that. Let's dive into BOOP! You've been with the show for a few years now, right? You've been workshopping it. So what was that process like workshopping it and the rehearsal process? Did you know it was gonna go to Broadway or was that like a surprise, like icing on the cake?

[24:19] Angelica Hale: Oh man, when I first got this role for the workshop, I mean I was so excited and getting to like I’d worked with David Foster previously but like seeing that he was doing an actual like wow. And obviously, Jerry, I mean, crazy being able to meet him. I mean, the cast and the crew was stacked. I mean, I was like, hopefully this really does come to Broadway because that would be amazing. Obviously, when you're doing a workshop though, there's no guarantee that you're gonna be like the person who goes to Broadway. So when I did the workshop, and then after that I did a table read, and I was like, oh my gosh, and then finally opened the role to like open auditions, and I was like, gosh, okay, I'm gonna audition for the role again because I really at this point I've had such an attachment to this role since I started it.

[25:17] Angelica Hale: So I mean, I also feel like it's really special because I've sort of grown with Trisha, my character. I mean, I played her when I was like 14 years old, and now so it's kind of crazy. She's grown and at the same time she stayed the same, you know.

[25:36] Angelica Hale: Yeah, but oh my god, I remember doing the audition and there was a dance call and then obviously the singing call. And I wanna let you guys know I'm not primarily a dancer. So I remember going to the dance call and I was literally gonna cry because obviously I could not really dance. And I remember leaving the dance room and literally crying my eyes out. I was like, oh well, I'm freaking getting this anyway. Oh my gosh. I was like, you know what I'm gonna move on, I'm going to the singing portion, and that's what I do best. So I'm gonna do that.

[26:13] Angelica Hale: And then I got here. And then she bugged it, guys. Spoiler alert, she bugged it. So you did crap during an audition, but just like keep your hopes up because sometimes things turn around. Sometimes it'll come back.

[26:31] Angelica Hale: What I really love is going back to America's Got Talent. One of the first things you said, I'm not sure if you remember, was that you wanted to be the next Whitney Houston and then to now working with David Foster who produced some of Whitney Houston's biggest hits. Did you get that kind of full circle moment?

[26:50] Angelica Hale: Yes. I mean, it was crazy because before when I did America's Got Talent and I started working with him when I did events like Celebrity Fight Night, it was like oh my gosh, like I'm actually like I grew up listening to your music. Oh my gosh. And now you're playing the piano and I'm singing with you. Oh my gosh.

[27:12] Angelica Hale: Oh wild. So fun. Crazy. Now I get to sing a song that he wrote for the show. I mean, and yeah, create a character and tell a story that he's been, you know, they’ve put so much love and passion into this project. And I think one of the biggest honors is being able to portray that role, and you know, they're trusting you with telling that story, and I think that's in and of itself very special.

[27:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: So yeah, for sure. Congratulations.

[27:45] Angelica Hale: Oh, I got chills.

[27:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, when I heard you say that, I was like, oh my gosh, he's working with David Foster. That's so incredible.

[27:52] Angelica Hale: It's huge. That's huge.

[27:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, it's crazy. I'm so grateful. Crazy experience.

[27:59] Angelica Hale: So we loved BOOP! I mean, it's so fun, and it's such a good escape during these crazy times in this crazy world to just escape, go to the theater and just smile and have joy, you know, for that moment in the evening or matinee or whatever it is.

[28:15] Angelica Hale: You know, my friends in the theater community are obsessed with it. They're like BOOP! has so many bops. That's like the biggest thing going on in my friend group. It's like all of the bops in BOOP!, you know?

[28:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: The music is so good.

[28:28] Angelica Hale: It is. It is.

[28:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: So what do you hope as a part of this production? What do you hope the audiences are walking away from this show and this experience with?

[28:37] Angelica Hale: I mean, I hope that they—something very special that I see sometimes during the curtain call, I like to look out into the audience because I don't really get that opportunity to do so. Also, the lights are so bright on that stage. I'm blinded. So I finally go to the front of the stage and I get to see some of the people, and I just see so many people smiling, and that makes me so happy. And I hope they leave with that smile. I don't care how corny that sounds, but like really the show is just so—it gives that nostalgic classic slash modern feel.

[29:10] Angelica Hale: And it's like the same vibe as like when I used to watch those Disney Princess movies when I was little, and it was just so nice and so nostalgic and special, and that warm feeling inside. I just really hope that's what people leave with. And obviously, also leaving with playing the songs in their heads because those things had over so many years, and now it's like it never leaves you.

[29:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: It really does.

[29:37] Angelica Hale: Now you can share with everyone.

[29:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, exactly. Exactly.

[29:40] Angelica Hale: I love that. You talked a little bit about your character, Trisha, and she's just one of the amazing, one of the many amazing badass females that are represented in the show. What was it like bringing her to life? And also to report, what's it like working with other badass females on the cast, including Survival Jobs alumni, Anastacia McCleskey and Babe Friends, and of course Tony Nominee, Jasmine Amy Rogers? Shout out.

[30:07] Angelica Hale: Oh my gosh. It's crazy. I mean working with Anastacia and Jasmine has been so special because I’m actually—Stacy's room is right next to mine. So on stage we said hi. Yes, it's so early in the day though I came here just to like—I feel like this was a better place to do the interview than my apartment, but she has been so like both Jasmine and Stacey have been such huge role models to me just in even outside of Trisha and obviously they are huge role models to Trisha, you know, as their characters in the show.

[30:49] Angelica Hale: But it's so special working with them because they have this process of really getting into the zone and telling their character story and seeing that work every night, it never fails. Really, it's incredible. I mean Jasmine, I have one of my favorite scenes during the show is when I'm on the rooftop with her and we're sort of talking about Trisha's insecurities, right? She's not very—and I feel like that's very special because you know me as a teenager and maybe even the other people watching, I mean that's something that we've all gone through.

[31:31] Angelica Hale: And it really feels like every night she's like sort of talking to me about it and it's like oh man, and you can tell like gosh, I mean she's just an incredible dancer and singer but also an actress in storytelling and so I've learned so much from both of them and I'm so grateful to have such amazing role models in the show.

[31:31] Angelica Hale: And I mean they really helped grow my own character Trisha, give her depth and dimension and that's something really nice to see is that when some people, when I go to sign outside the stage door and then they tell me like oh I love how you portray your character and I love seeing you react to the scenes, like that's so cool because you don't know people are watching that. Like that's something that's like you're in the scene and you know you could just stand there to the side and let people, you know, the main scene happen, right? So it's really cool to see that people notice those little things.

[31:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: So you just talked about these women around you being role models. You're obviously working with some vets in the show who have been in the ground for a long time in the industry. Do you have advice that somebody has shared with you that stuck out?

[32:46] Angelica Hale: That's the biggest piece of advice that you're walking away with. One of the biggest things that I've learned just from being a part of the show is to just have fun. And I know something that I feel like a lot of people say, but like something—and that's something I heard a lot too growing up. It's like shut up, how do you have fun when you're stressing over high lines? How am I gonna hit this note? But like it has proved like I've proved to myself over and over again each night that what I have more fun, it's just like the show goes so much better than if I'm stressed about something.

[33:08] Angelica Hale: And it's especially easy though because Jasmine and Stacey, oh my gosh, make you bring it on backstage all the time. I mean this whole cast, not just evidence, is so fun and loving, and it's so—I don't even know if it's even that different backstage than it is on stage. I mean really I love that it really isn't hard to have fun, and it's so great.

[33:50] Angelica Hale: I think that's one thing. I mean, you already if you've practiced, if you've done the reps, you know you have it, right? This thing is to really be in the moment and enjoy it because there's a difference. Like when I'm leaving a show and I'm just like wow, I really had fun that day, you know? And it's yeah, so that's what I've learned. Just being what it's all about, you know.

[34:14] Angelica Hale: That's why we do this in the first place, because it brings joy. And so if you lose the joy, then what's the point?

[34:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: If you're having fun, people will have fun, yeah.

[34:25] Jason A. Coombs: Right.

[34:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: Also, right, and I think that's so remarkable. You're so young, but you're so gifted and you're so full of life, and it's so exciting that you get this opportunity. So kudos to you, props to you, I'm bowing down to you. You're phenomenal as Trisha.

[34:42] Jason A. Coombs: No, you really killed it, and your range is fantastic as an actor, as a performer, you should be so proud of yourself as well.

[34:50] Angelica Hale: Thanks.

[34:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes. We have one final question before we go into a really fun game.

[34:57] Angelica Hale: Oh my gosh, yeah, yeah, we always end with a really fun game.

[35:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, I heard that you’re making original music as well.

[35:04] Angelica Hale: Yes, yeah.

[35:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Can you tell us a little bit about that? And then also, do you have a dream role or collaboration you would like to manifest with us? Because Jason and I are big manifestors, we love to like really put good energy out in the world.

[35:15] Angelica Hale: I love that. Man, so yes, I have been working on original music ever since I was younger. Um, it's always been a big part of my life. I mean, again, I've loved doing all things music, especially songwriting. Um, but I feel like the past experiences, you know, just growing as a teenager, um, experiencing things for the first time. Um, it's been really exciting. I've written a lot about that. I mean, obviously there's a lot of music out there that's like coming of age, you know, experiencing things, but this is coming from someone who has really, I mean, I have never really, um, I've been homeschooled for like my entire life, and so, um, these firsts are, I’d say a little different. And so, um, I mean, just like writing about that and just like feelings and things that I was always afraid to talk about and really things I thought, you know, I couldn't ever talk about.

I can convey music now, and that's really special to me. I mean, even if I don't release certain, you know, pieces that I write, I mean at least I use it to really convey my own emotions, and I think that's really special because that's what in the end, you know, my songwriting is for myself, and obviously to share with other people, but in the end I wrote it for myself.

[36:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's your truth.

[36:38] Angelica Hale: Um, exactly. It's my truth, and there's really, I mean, I think that's the most effective way to give it to people. And so I really hope that um, I can start releasing some stuff soon. Obviously, I'm still working on it despite, you know, doing this right now. So um, that would be very, very exciting. I would really, really like that.

[36:55] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, we can't wait to hear it. We'll be streaming, we'll be downloading, we'll be shouting it from the roof.

[37:02] Angelica Hale: We'll get that too, you know, bring that back.

[37:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay, final coming.

[37:05] Angelica Hale: I'll keep that in mind.

[37:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: Angelica, you are so amazing, and this has been such a great chat. Thank you for sharing time with us and for like going to the theater to get a better vibe.

[37:17] Angelica Hale: That is so iconic of you. I forgot all my makeup here and I was like I guess I'll just go to the theater to do that.

[37:26] Jason A. Coombs: I get it. I feel that so hard.

[37:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: Wait, and then for those who are watching the video, is that your wardrobe behind you? Some of your pieces.

[37:34] Angelica Hale: My dressing room.

[37:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's so cute. I love the pink of it all.

[37:39] Angelica Hale: I know. It really matches the room. I love my costumes on the show. They're so fun. I've been reading a lot lately about how like space and the way you design things and space your furniture out can really change your whole vibe.

[37:53] Jason A. Coombs: Word.

[37:56] Angelica Hale: Yes, I've been like so particular about like where everything's going. I need to clean up because I got a lot of stuff in here though.

[38:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: So like Jason said, we always love to end our episodes with a fun game, just to bring it back to having just like you said earlier, having fun is so important. And so we love to have fun as well. So we're gonna play a quick fun game. Jay, you wanna give us the rundown?

[38:21] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so this game is called From Animation to Standing Ovation because we're gonna be doing some trivia about animated films or characters that are now or have been on Broadway. Similar to BOOP.

[38:35] Angelica Hale: So I know you, I hope you know your history of animation to Broadway.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: I've grown up watching a lot of Cartoon Network and so I hope I forgetful through here okay and listen I'm I'm famously known for cheating on our game so if you're stuck just look at me typically I uh typically I give the answer and it's it's multiple choice and true or false so we got you wanna take the first one?

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Yes, okay number one which of these musicals was Disney's first Broadway adaptation of an animated film A The Little Mermaid B The Lion King C Beauty and the Beast or D Aladdin.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god it's either The Little Aladdin, um so it might have something in it that rhymes with feast if I were to say.

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Oh no, it was Beauty and the Beast.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: I've never job.

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Oh my god, didn't do that.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: Wait, what? My gosh, I know you would think it was probably Lion King or something but yeah ding ding ding for me that's okay.

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Beauty and the Beast was my first Broadway show if anyone cares.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: Really?

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Yes, I love that.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: Great.

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Oh my gosh, okay true or false the musical originated from a Broadway play before being turned into an animated film.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: True.

[38:40] Angelica Hale: Oh that one was false.

[38:40] Jason A. Coombs: That one was false but I love the film first I love your enthusiasm in the answering.

[40:16] Angelica Hale: Thank you.

[40:17] Jason A. Coombs: Great. However, you're wrong. Anyway.

[40:22] Angelica Hale: Just always look at me if you're confused because I will tell you.

[40:25] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, number three. What Broadway show featured characters like Sandy Cheeks, Plankton, and Squidward? A Under the Sea Live. B Spongebob SquarePants. C Bikini Bottom Boogie.

[40:46] Angelica Hale: It's gotta be Spongebob.

[40:48] Jason A. Coombs: It is. Congratulations.

[40:52] Angelica Hale: Jason, all those other ones were fully made up, huh?

[40:52] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[41:02] Angelica Hale: I love it, I love the alliteration.

[41:04] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my goodness.

[41:06] Angelica Hale: So good.

[41:07] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. Uh number four. Your good man Charlie Brown. This is true or false. Your good man Charlie Brown was first a Broadway musical before the Peanuts comic strip was created.

[41:07] Angelica Hale: That's false.

[41:07] Jason A. Coombs: Yes!

[41:24] Angelica Hale: Crushing it.

[41:25] Jason A. Coombs: Number five. Which of these animated films did not get adapted into a Broadway musical as of 2025? A Tangled, B The Lion King, C The Little Mermaid, or D Aladdin.

[41:25] Angelica Hale: Rapunzel.

[41:41] Jason A. Coombs: Which Tangled.

[41:43] Angelica Hale: Yep, Tangled, yeah.

[41:44] Jason A. Coombs: Boom. They've gotta make one though.

[41:46] Angelica Hale: I mean, I was just gonna say, it's so good. And can Mandy Moore come to Broadway and do it? Like that would be iconic.

[41:54] Jason A. Coombs: She's the voice of Rapunzel in Tangled, right?

[41:56] Angelica Hale: She is.

[41:56] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[41:57] Angelica Hale: So cool. I'm a Mandy Stan. Bring her back.

[42:00] Jason A. Coombs: Bring her to Broadway.

[42:01] Angelica Hale: Very valid. This is a bonus, which you don't need, but we'll give it to you anyway. Our last one. Which cartoon character is a star of the 2024 Broadway musical BOOP? A Olive Oil. B Betty Boop. Or C Minnie Mouse.

[42:22] Angelica Hale: Oh man, I mean, this one's kind of tough, right? I'm gonna have to go with B though.

[42:28] Jason A. Coombs: Betty Boop.

[42:29] Angelica Hale: Yay! By the way, who is Olive Oil?

[42:33] Jason A. Coombs: Is that real?

[42:34] Angelica Hale: That's from um Popeye. The guy who ate the spinach. He had the muscles.

[42:40] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, his name is Olive Oil.

[42:41] Angelica Hale: Well, his girlfriend was Olive Oil.

[42:44] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god. I didn't even know that.

[42:49] Angelica Hale: Yay, Angelica. With the bonus, even though you did get one wrong, you still got 100%. So congratulations.

[42:58] Jason A. Coombs: Your prize is a VIP invite to the season four launch of Survival Jobs: A Podcast, which hopefully will happen before 2026.

[43:06] Angelica Hale: Oh my god, that just took my breath away. Is it 2025?

[43:08] Jason A. Coombs: It is, right?

[43:09] Angelica Hale: 2025, yeah. Wow, time is flying by.

[43:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yay, everybody go get your ticket.

[43:16] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, sorry, Samantha.

[43:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, go.

[43:18] Jason A. Coombs: I was gonna say go get your tickets to BOOP right now. It's playing at the Broadhurst Theater, right?

[43:25] Angelica Hale: Uh, it's open-ended. So you guys get your tickets ASAP. Go see this show. You're gonna have so much fun. You're gonna laugh. You're gonna dance. That opening number. Oh my god.

[43:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: So that's my favorite number, by the way.

[43:39] Angelica Hale: Incredible. It's incredible. You should be so proud.

[43:39] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[43:43] Angelica Hale: And even though you don't get balloons anymore, you guys, you gotta go. You gotta run. You gotta go. And there is a $30 Pudgy plushie.

[43:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: So you gotta get the merch, guys.

[43:56] Angelica Hale: You gotta get the merch.

[43:57] Jason A. Coombs: Gotta get the merch.

[43:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Angelica, before we let you go, please let our listeners know how they can keep up with you on social media and TikTok on all the things you have and keep up with your music, your amazing career, and all the things.

[44:09] Angelica Hale: Yes, you can find me on Instagram at I am Angelica. No, it's actually not the I have different ads on like all my platforms because someone stole my name. It's fine. Angelica Hale on Instagram. I'm Angelica Hale on TikTok and Angelica Hale on Facebook and YouTube. Um, but yeah, uh, thank you guys so much for following me though.

[44:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Give her a follow.

[44:32] Jason A. Coombs: Give her a follow, you guys. And if you don't follow us yet, because you're tuning in because you're an Angelica fan, as you should be. Give us a follow at Survival Jobs Pod on Instagram and TikTok. On Facebook at Survival Jobs: A Podcast, and shoot us an email, survivaljobspod@gmail.com. Let us know what's up. Follow my boy Jay at Jason A. Coombs.

[44:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: And follow me at Sammy Toots. Amazing. And go see BOOP.

[45:00] Angelica Hale: Sign it on. Good luck, everybody.

[45:02] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you guys.

[45:03] Angelica Hale: Thanks, Angelica. You're an icon and a queen.

[45:05] Angelica Hale: Thank you.

[45:10] Jason A. Coombs: Awesome.

[45:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank y'all for listening slash or watching Survival Jobs: The Podcast. We appreciate your support. We appreciate your love. We appreciate just you supporting us because this, like we always say, creating a podcast is hard, and we do it for y'all.

[45:18] Jason A. Coombs: We do it for just making these connections and talking to people we love. So we appreciate you all. Please like, subscribe, follow if you're not, and keep listening, y'all.

[45:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: And spread the word.

[45:38] Jason A. Coombs: Spread the word. Tell people to listen.

[45:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Bread in the news.

[45:40] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, okay I can't I'm not in the mood to sing bye.