This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Jason A. Coombs: I'm gonna I'm gonna improvise.

[0:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes.

[0:02] Jason A. Coombs: We're here on Survival Jobs.

[0:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: And we're here with Tony Nominee, Julia Knitel.

[0:17] Jason A. Coombs: I'm so glad that's a wrap for my improvisation.

[0:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh, Amanda.

[0:24] Jason A. Coombs: I add a reverb to you now.

[0:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: I tell you that right.

[0:32] Jason A. Coombs: Hey survivors, welcome to Survival Jobs the Podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: This episode is powered by WelcomeToTimesSquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day.

[0:46] Jason A. Coombs: Hey.

[0:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: You're a star for a day.

[0:48] Jason A. Coombs: You're a star for every day.

[0:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you so much.

[0:52] Jason A. Coombs: I'm a mirror to you.

[0:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's sweet.

[0:56] Jason A. Coombs: If you haven't done this in a minute, oh gosh.

[0:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, I know what you're gonna ask.

[0:59] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[1:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[1:00] Jason A. Coombs: What are you feeling?

[1:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Uh give me a show or a song, a Broadway song, relevant to the season.

[1:06] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah.

[1:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: What are you feeling?

[1:08] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, so the question is.

[1:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Jason's asking me for those of you who are just tuning in.

[1:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: He's asking me, he just said it, but I'm just gonna do it for clarity because I need time to think.

[1:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: He's asking me how I'm feeling this week, and I have to relate it to a show or a song relevant to this award season since it is the Thursday before the Tonys.

[1:30] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[1:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Gosh, Jason, I wish I had time to think.

[1:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: I actually don't know.

[1:33] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I just want you to be in the moment.

[1:35] Jason A. Coombs: Just give me something.

[1:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm feeling like really happy right now, and like today's been a really fun day.

[1:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: We've been at this studio with Alan Seales.

[1:42] Jason A. Coombs: We shouted him out so many times.

[1:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: I know.

[1:44] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, hi, how are you?

[1:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, and it's just been fun.

[1:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: We chatted with we had we did a couple of interviews.

[1:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I'm feeling like really happy and inspired.

[1:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um so I guess I'm feeling like Norma Desmond when she's invited back, when she thinks she's invited back to the studio when they only want her car, but she thinks she's gonna be like in pictures again.

[2:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: But that feeling she has, I guess in that moment is like I'm just feeling happy and inspired, like and feeling artsy.

[2:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I think that's probably what she's feeling when she's invited back to the lot with her sunglasses.

[2:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: Damn, I wish I had my sunglasses for to do a bit.

[2:20] Jason A. Coombs: That's a good one.

[2:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you.

[2:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: It just came to me.

[2:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you so much.

[2:24] Jason A. Coombs: What about you?

[2:25] Jason A. Coombs: How are you feeling in relation?

[2:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I'm not sure if this is completely accurate, but I was gonna say Audra and Gipsy when she's doing her 11 o'clock number, just because I feel powerful right now.

[2:36] Jason A. Coombs: I feel so good being in the studio.

[2:38] Jason A. Coombs: Fine.

[2:39] Jason A. Coombs: Like I feel so like energized and excited about our podcast.

[2:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's your turn.

[2:46] Jason A. Coombs: It's our turn.

[2:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, no, you know, it's called this rose street.

[2:48] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[2:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: But it's our turn.

[2:49] Jason A. Coombs: No, it's our turn.

[2:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's our time.

[2:51] Jason A. Coombs: Our time.

[2:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: I know.

[2:52] Jason A. Coombs: Sorry, that's last last season.

[2:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: Breathe it in.

[2:57] Jason A. Coombs: Worlds to change and worlds to win.

[3:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Our turn.

[3:03] Jason A. Coombs: Breathe it through.

[3:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: What do you do for it?

[3:07] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, sorry everyone for butchering Sandra.

[3:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: Every possible way we could have.

[3:12] Jason A. Coombs: Alan, you want to answer that question?

[3:14] Alan Seales: I don't even know what the question was.

[3:16] Jason A. Coombs: The question is twice.

[3:17] Jason A. Coombs: How are you feeling right in this moment?

[3:19] Jason A. Coombs: And you have to relate it to a show or a feeling or a character or a song from this Tony season.

[3:19] Alan Seales: From this Tony season.

[3:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so you can't do our time.

[3:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Guys, how does he not know the question when we just answered it twice?

[3:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like he's not listening at all.

[3:35] Alan Seales: Who are you guys?

[3:36] Jason A. Coombs: I said I was Norma Desmond when she gets invited back to the season.

[3:38] Alan Seales: No, who are you guys?

[3:40] Jason A. Coombs: Jason and Samantha.

[3:41] Alan Seales: Oh, nice to meet you.

[3:43] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, hey, how are you?

[3:44] Alan Seales: Okay.

[3:45] Jason A. Coombs: Um just like my real dad again.

[3:50] Alan Seales: You know, what's at me once a year?

[3:52] Jason A. Coombs: Oh God.

[3:53] Alan Seales: Happy Christmas.

[3:55] Jason A. Coombs: Uh I'm gonna get back to you on this one.

[3:58] Alan Seales: Let me get back.

[3:59] Jason A. Coombs: So thank you, Alan.

[4:00] Jason A. Coombs: We're having like guest inserts from Alan today.

[4:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's been pretty cool.

[4:03] Jason A. Coombs: We loved it.

[4:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[4:04] Jason A. Coombs: So, Jason, this has been a great season.

[4:06] Jason A. Coombs: We've had so many guests.

[4:07] Jason A. Coombs: We've been on some live events.

[4:09] Jason A. Coombs: What has been maybe your favorite guest that's in relevant to the season or show that you've seen or experienced that you've had through this Broadway season through this year?

[4:20] Jason A. Coombs: Well, I feel like I haven't had as many just because I don't live in New York, so it's a little bit harder for me to come in.

[4:26] Jason A. Coombs: So I don't only have a couple but to choose from.

[4:29] Jason A. Coombs: But um, you know, I think two very special ones was our Broadway con with the cast of English.

[4:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, a good one.

[4:37] Jason A. Coombs: Um, just because I was I just of course we talked about the show so much.

[4:41] Jason A. Coombs: We really loved the play.

[4:42] Jason A. Coombs: I really love the play.

[4:44] Jason A. Coombs: I thought their performances were so amazing, and then just getting to watch the play the night before and getting to meet.

[4:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, that's really cool.

[4:50] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[4:50] Jason A. Coombs: Um, but then also maybe Happy Ending was a really really fun carpet too.

[4:54] Jason A. Coombs: And I felt like that show was like the little show that could, you know, I feel like and it could, and it can be a good thing.

[5:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: And it can't be, and it yeah.

[5:02] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[5:02] Jason A. Coombs: Um, and the energy on that carpet was so fun, and and just that show also is just so beautiful.

[5:08] Jason A. Coombs: And yeah, you know, it was a lot of people there, you know, and yeah, you know, besides the amazing cast, Des and Chris and Hannah.

[5:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: And remember, she shouted at the Sal, she was like, I listened to your podcast.

[5:16] Jason A. Coombs: It was a very uh confirming, yeah.

[5:19] Jason A. Coombs: And then like Neil Patrick Harris was there with his like and he big dick robot.

[5:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, he said his robot name would be Big Big Dick 9000.

[5:27] Jason A. Coombs: And we were like, Neil Patrick Harris, did you just say dick to us?

[5:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like, what is happening?

[5:32] Jason A. Coombs: Right, right.

[5:32] Jason A. Coombs: But it was iconic if I could say that word for the first time ever.

[5:36] Jason A. Coombs: Jason Robert Brown told us that our podcast was not real.

[5:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, yeah.

[5:40] Jason A. Coombs: But I promise it is.

[5:41] Jason A. Coombs: And he didn't only talk to us.

[5:43] Samantha Tuozzolo: Remember, he like talked like two people.

[5:44] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah.

[5:44] Jason A. Coombs: And he did talk about it.

[5:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[5:46] Jason A. Coombs: He's like, I'm not doing this anymore.

[5:47] Jason A. Coombs: That then I worked an event.

[5:48] Jason A. Coombs: I was helping run an event, and Jason was there.

[5:51] Jason A. Coombs: And I said, Hey, remember me?

[5:52] Jason A. Coombs: I'm the fake podcast girl.

[5:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: And he did.

[5:54] Jason A. Coombs: It was pretty funny.

[5:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, I love that.

[5:56] Jason A. Coombs: He's like my favorite.

[5:58] Jason A. Coombs: Like Songs for a New World is literally like one of my favorite shows.

[6:02] Jason A. Coombs: I love that show.

[6:02] Jason A. Coombs: So getting to meet him and tell him that.

[6:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, that was cool.

[6:05] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[6:06] Jason A. Coombs: Anyway, what about you?

[6:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, you know, there's been so many, and I do feel so grateful.

[6:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Sometimes I'm really tired from you know, life and work and overwhelming things.

[6:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: And when I take a step out and I'm like, wow, like 10-year-old me would be so blown away by the things that I get to do, even if it's just like seeing shows.

[6:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like the amount of the volume of shows that I see every season is just so amazing, and I'm so grateful.

[6:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: But um, if I could pick one moment or like one day, I think I can't just pick one.

[6:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: The Smash carpet was amazing for so many reasons.

[6:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: Alan and I had a good time, right, Alan?

[6:53] Alan Seales: Yes.

[6:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: We had a really fun time.

[6:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, but then also we made iconic into a drinking game.

[6:59] Jason A. Coombs: We did make the word iconic.

[7:00] Jason A. Coombs: That's the day when Ellen was like, You say iconic a lot.

[7:03] Samantha Tuozzolo: Slurp, slurp.

[7:06] Jason A. Coombs: Whoa.

[7:08] Jason A. Coombs: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[7:09] Jason A. Coombs: This is became a different podcast.

[7:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Correct.

[7:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: To drinks.

[7:12] Jason A. Coombs: Survival jobs after dark.

[7:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh.

[7:14] Jason A. Coombs: Um I like specifically from that carpet interviewing Kristen Chenoweth was like absolutely, you know, wicked for me as a kid.

[7:27] Jason A. Coombs: I said this when the movie came out, and I was so emotional.

[7:29] Jason A. Coombs: I said, I think Wicked was such a pivotal moment in my life as a child.

[7:34] Jason A. Coombs: Like, I don't know if I would have followed the path that I did if Wicked didn't inspire and influence me so much.

[7:40] Jason A. Coombs: And I did see the original cast.

[7:41] Jason A. Coombs: So to like talk to Kristen Chenoweth was just a huge, like kind of full circle moment for me, going back to being like, wow, like if 10-year-old me could see the things that I'm doing, she'd be like, what the fuck?

[7:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: So, like so, like the that the Smash carpet was really special.

[8:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: And then the covering Just in Time as well was was a moment that sticks out to me because it was the first like opening that I've done solo.

[8:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: Meaning like I didn't have Alan Seales to tell me my hair was poking out or to talk into the mic.

[8:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm not saying that in a negative way, I'm saying that in like a like you know, a supportive second person or you there.

[8:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so I was just like pretty proud of myself or like my equipment, solo equipment's not the best, and I crushed it and I had a great time.

[8:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: And um, I just was like, wow, again, another moment of like wow, like I'm crushing this.

[8:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: I not in like an egotistical way, but in like a way of like, wow, look at this fun stuff.

[8:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: And just like the shows this season have been amazing, and I'm so grateful to have seen so many of them, and can't wait to you know, see what next season has to bring for us.

[8:58] Jason A. Coombs: And shout out to everybody who, you know, is involved in the Broadway community, as no matter how big or small that may be.

[9:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's just it's moments of like feeling so grateful and inspired, and today was a great day.

[9:06] Jason A. Coombs: Today was a great day, and here's why.

[9:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, Julia talked about like the community of the Broadway world, right?

[9:20] Jason A. Coombs: Shout out Broadway World.

[9:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[9:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I I I feel that.

[9:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: I feel like even if we're a small part of it, I feel part of it still.

[9:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I feel like we belong here.

[9:29] Jason A. Coombs: You know, we're Broadway volunteers.

[9:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[9:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: We still belong.

[9:33] Jason A. Coombs: Um so so uh you said about Julia.

[9:38] Jason A. Coombs: So our guest today is Julia Knitel, Tony Award nominee for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Dead Outlaw.

[9:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: I mean, her performance is so incredible in this show.

[9:49] Jason A. Coombs: She's doing she's she's doing multiple roles and crushing it.

[9:53] Jason A. Coombs: She's the only female in the show, right?

[9:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: Crushing it.

[9:55] Jason A. Coombs: I know, like, you know, the I I we talked to her about being the only female, and she's like, Oh, it's great, whatever.

[10:01] Jason A. Coombs: That can be with a wrong group of men, that could be very intimidating, could be a very different thing.

[10:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: Most men are trash, too.

[10:09] Jason A. Coombs: It's depending, you know.

[10:10] Jason A. Coombs: Agreed.

[10:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: You know, it just depends on who you're around.

[10:13] Jason A. Coombs: So, like, congrats to her.

[10:15] Jason A. Coombs: She's so amazing.

[10:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: This interview, you guys.

[10:17] Jason A. Coombs: I mean, Jason, we just had the best time.

[10:19] Jason A. Coombs: That's why I feel like Rose's turn.

[10:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: I feel like it's our turn.

[10:22] Jason A. Coombs: I'm so invigorated by it.

[10:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: We're just crying last year.

[10:25] Jason A. Coombs: So much and had such a good time.

[10:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: We called it Song Day on this episode because we just kept saying so much.

[10:30] Jason A. Coombs: We did, we sang some some tunes, and I'm pretty off key, but you know what?

[10:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love my vocal.

[10:34] Jason A. Coombs: We're auditioning.

[10:35] Jason A. Coombs: We're auditioning for the Broadway Podcast Network to keep us and renew us for next season.

[10:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[10:40] Jason A. Coombs: Season four.

[10:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Whatever that is.

[10:43] Jason A. Coombs: Hey, Alan, before we uh cut to the episode, did you think about your answer?

[10:48] Alan Seales: It's funny you mentioned Death Becomes Ruby, or that you were saying that you feel kind of beat up and but happy and all this.

[10:53] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[10:53] Alan Seales: I was equating that to Death Becomes Her.

[10:55] Alan Seales: I feel like I'm walking around with a giant hole in my body.

[10:58] Jason A. Coombs: Jeez, that's really good.

[10:59] Alan Seales: But I'm campy, happy.

[11:01] Alan Seales: Yeah.

[11:02] Alan Seales: I know who where I am and why I'm here, but God, I got a giant hole in my chest.

[11:07] Jason A. Coombs: Um that I gotta I gotta work through.

[11:09] Alan Seales: That's a really good one.

[11:10] Jason A. Coombs: You need the purple potion.

[11:12] Alan Seales: I do need the purple potion.

[11:13] Alan Seales: Shit, I need to.

[11:14] Alan Seales: Where's Michelle Williams?

[11:15] Jason A. Coombs: Michelle Williams.

[11:16] Alan Seales: Get over here, guys.

[11:17] Alan Seales: Come on.

[11:18] Jason A. Coombs: I'm a survivor.

[11:20] Alan Seales: That's right.

[11:21] Jason A. Coombs: That's right.

[11:21] Jason A. Coombs: Alan's a survivor.

[11:24] Jason A. Coombs: Well, happy Tony Thursday, everyone.

[11:26] Jason A. Coombs: Uh and please enjoy this episode with Julia Knitel.

[11:29] Jason A. Coombs: And if you have not seen Dead Outlaw yet, please run and go see the show.

[11:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's so unique.

[11:34] Jason A. Coombs: It's so great.

[11:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's so great.

[11:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[11:38] Jason A. Coombs: And she's great.

[11:39] Jason A. Coombs: Eight nine characters, y'all.

[11:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Shout out.

[11:42] Jason A. Coombs: Must be nice.

[11:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Enjoy.

[11:47] Jason A. Coombs: Enjoy.

[11:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Julia.

[11:50] Jason A. Coombs: Welcome to Survival Jobs a podcast.

[11:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: We're so happy to have you.

[11:54] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you for joining us here in studio at Welcome to Times Square.

[11:58] Julia Knitel: Ooh, there's Mug.

[11:59] Jason A. Coombs: We have Mug.

[12:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Cheers.

[12:01] Jason A. Coombs: A little branding.

[12:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Cheers with our branding mug.

[12:04] Jason A. Coombs: Who's like us?

[12:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: Damn few.

[12:07] Jason A. Coombs: Just a throwback to last Tony season.

[12:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: Speaking of Tony season, congratulations on your Tony nomination.

[12:14] Julia Knitel: Before we jump deep into this interview, please give us please let us know where you were when you found out.

[12:19] Julia Knitel: What did you feel?

[12:20] Julia Knitel: Tell us a step by step.

[12:22] Julia Knitel: All the deets.

[12:23] Julia Knitel: Well, I really was not expecting it.

[12:25] Julia Knitel: I was very, very, very surprised.

[12:27] Julia Knitel: Um, and then like the night before, I got this like slew of text messages from people being like, Are you gonna be a Tony nominee tomorrow?

[12:35] Julia Knitel: And it sort of like got me in my head and got me really panicked.

[12:38] Julia Knitel: And so I was up at six in the morning.

[12:40] Julia Knitel: Right.

[12:41] Julia Knitel: Uh panic cleaning my entire apartment, which future me really appreciated.

[12:46] Julia Knitel: But um, yeah, I was just like sort of pacing around and listening to some music that I think could could calm me and bring me down.

[12:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: What was the music?

[12:53] Julia Knitel: It was a little Patsy Cline.

[12:55] Julia Knitel: There was a little Patsy.

[12:56] Julia Knitel: There's always like a little like Gillian Welch, uh, Eva Donovan.

[12:59] Julia Knitel: I love the like the folksy girls.

[13:01] Jason A. Coombs: Um, but I we all were on a we were on a group text, and none of us could figure out how to watch it.

[13:07] Julia Knitel: I didn't even announcements.

[13:09] Julia Knitel: It was very complicated.

[13:10] Jason A. Coombs: The hardest year ever.

[13:11] Julia Knitel: Very hard.

[13:12] Julia Knitel: Every other year's been very straightforward.

[13:13] Jason A. Coombs: The instructions this year was not.

[13:15] Julia Knitel: And they were like running late too, I think.

[13:17] Julia Knitel: So, like five minutes into the hour when we they were supposed to be airing, everyone was just like, What?

[13:22] Julia Knitel: The link isn't working.

[13:23] Julia Knitel: And so we were all very scared.

[13:25] Julia Knitel: Eventually, uh, you know, Andrew had already been nominated, the musical had already been nominated, and we were all just so excited.

[13:31] Julia Knitel: And as each name rolled in, I started crying harder.

[13:34] Julia Knitel: And then they said mine, and it was really so overwhelming and so surprising and just so um life altering in that moment.

[13:45] Julia Knitel: And I felt the bigness of it.

[13:47] Julia Knitel: And you know, I've been in this business 16 years, and this is like this is the first time I've gotten to originate something on Broadway.

[13:53] Julia Knitel: And for it to be so tailor-made for me, and then to be celebrated for my weirdness and my uniqueness and and many of the things that have at many times across my career stood in the way of me getting other jobs.

[14:08] Julia Knitel: Yeah, to be celebrated for all of those things, and then to be recognized with a Tony nomination was just I'm still not over it.

[14:16] Julia Knitel: Maybe I'll never get over it.

[14:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: I don't know if you can I mean I don't know from personal experience, but I feel like I would never get over that.

[14:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: I think that's one of the moments in your life where you're like, whoa.

[14:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like you know something special is happening in the moment and you're like, This is this is the moment.

[14:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: And you did walk in on our mini episode of predictions and we did predict you.

[14:45] Jason A. Coombs: And we were not being biased because you were gonna be on the show.

[14:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: We genuinely were like, damn.

[14:50] Julia Knitel: Yeah.

[14:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you. That means a lot.

[14:52] Julia Knitel: Mic drop.

[14:54] Jason A. Coombs: Mic drop. Also, how cool. I always say this to people like how cool is it that you're gonna be like when they do this show in community theaters and regional theaters and I don't know, high school, like whatever they do it again, like you're the blueprint. Like people are gonna be listening to you to be like, how do I form this character? How do I get these notes? That's like really fucking beautiful.

[15:13] Julia Knitel: It's kudos. Thank you. In a show that's like a lot about legacy, it's something that I think about a lot because I was that kid, you know, I played Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

[15:23] Julia Knitel: There are those. There are Singing Days. Um, Truly it's singing day. We're gonna show you. But I remember like finding every bootleg I could of Sutton and listening to that cast album and just like doing Julia as Sutton Foster as Millie Dilmount. And so like the fact that there's a, you know, they're gonna be kids out there who do that with this role, hopefully, is so humbling and so cool and makes like the little me just absolutely freak out.

[15:55] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's such a cool honor. If I knew a song from Little Me, I would start singing it, but I don't.

[15:59] Julia Knitel: I don't even know that that's a show.

[16:01] Jason A. Coombs: It is.

[16:01] Julia Knitel: Yeah, it is.

[16:02] Jason A. Coombs: Is it like Gershwin or something?

[16:03] Julia Knitel: I have no idea. I just know it's a show.

[16:05] Jason A. Coombs: It's a musical.

[16:06] Julia Knitel: It is.

[16:07] Jason A. Coombs: Alan, do you have any history? Do you have any info on that?

[16:09] Alan Seales: He's Googling.

[16:10] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. I'm looking it up. Thank you. Let us know when you find it.

[16:14] Julia Knitel: Thank you so much. Onward. These kids have it so much easier now. Like before when we were younger, we had to like we have to find the actual CD, the cast album on a CD.

[16:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: What was the store in Times Goody?

[16:28] Julia Knitel: No, where you got the sheet when you got the sheet music. Like anytime I came into the city, what Columbia?

[16:35] Jason A. Coombs: No, Josh, what's the name now?

[16:36] Julia Knitel: No, it'll come back. Alan, can you Google that too and then let us know? Thank you so much.

[16:40] Alan Seales: Thank you. Wait. Where you would go by the like scores.

[16:44] Julia Knitel: I would buy from the early ops. I would buy like the whole wicked book of sheet music.

[16:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. But you could also buy like single songs.

[16:52] Jason A. Coombs: Was it Sam Goody?

[16:53] Julia Knitel: I think it was Sam Goody. It was like very big in Times Square. Sheetmusicplus.com. R-I-P Sam Goody.

[17:00] Alan Seales: So Little Me is a musical written by Neil Simon, music by Cy Colman, lyrics by Carolyn Lee, original 1962 Broadway production featured Sid Caesar in multiple roles with multiple stage accents playing all of the heroines' husbands and lovers. One of the better known songs for the musical is I've got your number.

[17:15] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. Thank you so much. We'll circle back. Five, six, seven, eight. I've got your number.

[17:21] Julia Knitel: And it is a good number to have.

[17:27] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you. Oh my gosh. Onward. Onward. So before we're having too much fun.

[17:33] Julia Knitel: We're having too much fun.

[17:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's actually so fun. I'm so happy. So wonderful. So you've been in so many shows. Beautiful. Bye Bye Birdie. Of course, Tony nominee for Dead Outlaw. Before all this amazing success, can you go back to a survival job you may have had? That was either the same memorable. I'll let you just see if it's a positive or negative experience.

[17:52] Julia Knitel: I gotta say, like I did a lot of child care. I love kids. And so babysitting was always something that I like would go back to. I love like just give me a little baby and tell me to sit in your apartment all day, and I'm gonna be the happiest version of me. I love that. But like memorable. I worked in a restaurant, my first and only restaurant job, because I was so bad at it. Which is crazy because I love food and I love restaurants. And I thought to myself, I'm gonna get a job as a waiter and I'm gonna be so good at this. Like I played waiter all the time as a kid. Perfect. Like, I really did think this was my moment to shine, and I was awful. I couldn't remember anybody's orders.

[18:31] Jason A. Coombs: Oh gosh.

[18:32] Julia Knitel: There was like a roach at one point, and it was a nice restaurant, but this was Brooklyn, and like in every restaurant. There's a roach in every restaurant no shade on Brooklyn, I do have to say. But I yeah, I like could not do it. And there was this one, we had to finish two different dishes two different ways. There was like a squeeze bottle of olive oil and a squeeze bottle of chocolate sauce, and one of the things was like a dessert calzone, and the other was this arugula pizza. And I'm like, I'm a chef. Like I full on am out here chefing in the streets. I'm so good at cooking. I'm a chef. I really am. And like I had these two easy tasks, and I mess them up all the time. Like more than once, I drizzled chocolate sauce on a pizza.

And I had to be like, what is it? 60, not it's not 69, it's like 59. No, on the fly. I'm not on the fly. I need another one. And they'd be like, 59. They'd be like, no, Julia, this is the you've done this too many times. So yeah, I actually ended up booking Beautiful while I was working there.

[19:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love that.

[19:30] Julia Knitel: And never went back for my final check because I was like, I'm embarrassed. I can't show my face. I'm about to make a production contract. Like keep my 200.

[19:38] Jason A. Coombs: Well, I think you can go to like the New York State government website, right? And they'll have it for you.

[19:41] Julia Knitel: Yeah, it's a good thing. They have money for you.

[19:43] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, in perpetuity. There's a site. Yes, there's a site for all your like unclaimed checks.

[19:48] Julia Knitel: I had no idea the site. Alan, can you Google it? Thank you so much. Alan's a researcher.

[19:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. It's gonna be iconic. Okay for the Tony make hair and makeup. By the way, like maybe the chocolate sauce on an arugula pizza could taste good. Maybe I didn't revolutionary.

[20:07] Julia Knitel: No, they threw it in the trash.

[20:08] Alan Seales: Osc.ny.gov slash unclaimed dash funds.

[20:13] Julia Knitel: Copy that. Will you send me that then?

[20:14] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, could you um that to Lisa Goldberg, please? She will let me know.

[20:21] Julia Knitel: Oh man. So can you tell us a little bit? That's so funny. Tell us a little bit about how this show came to you and what is what drew you to the role.

[20:32] Julia Knitel: Well, I mean, I saw I got an email from my agent. I had just come back from touring with Come From Away for like almost four years. Yeah. And I loved it. I had the time in my life and knew that what I wanted to do was an original musical. I wanted to originate. It was like time. And I wanted to go back into a Broadway show because it had been a little while. And so I was like, all right, this is what I want next. And then like in my inbox, there came Dead Outlaw. And it was literally every single thing I had manifested, everything I wanted. I mean, the team is just the most, I mean, one of the most brilliant teams on the planet. Hello. The music immediately captured me. The script. I put it down and I was like, well, that's the best musical I've ever read.

And that's saying a lot, because a lot of a musical is also how it sounds and just the script, which is a testament to Idamar, of course. And then I, you know, I got to know the character and just was like, oh, this is it. She gets to be the ingenue. She gets to be the character actress. She gets to be a weird little eight-year-old girl. It's like how fun. It is a perfect role. And I think I unfortunately put a lot of pressure on myself. Like I remember waking up the day of my callback and being like a little kid on the first day of school who like didn't want to go. Like I have a new class and I'm like so scared. Like I don't want to go. Because I knew I knew how powerful it was and I knew how magical it was going to be. And I just didn't want to like fumble the ball. And I didn't fumble the ball.

[21:58] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Thankfully.

[21:59] Julia Knitel: You sure didn't. Girl.

[22:00] Julia Knitel: You hit a home run.

[22:01] Julia Knitel: Thank you. Thank you. And it was cool. I got to do the workshop, which was really like one of the coolest experiences creatively I've ever had, just watching those men work.

[22:11] Jason A. Coombs: Right.

[22:11] Julia Knitel: And hearing the way that like, you know, a lot of people say like best idea wins, but then like egos get in the way. And what's so cool about that team is that they're for geniuses to have a lack of ego is so inspiring because it really is like best idea wins. And it doesn't matter where it comes from. We're gonna end up with the best thing on stage. And so the workshop was incredible. And then we got to do it at Minette Lane, downtown with Audible and here we are on Broadway.

[22:38] Jason A. Coombs: Seven Tony Noms.

[22:39] Julia Knitel: Exactly, seven Tony Noms. It's a critics pick. The critics are loving it, the audiences are loving it. What why do you think it's resonating so well with audiences and critics and people are chatting about it through the community?

[22:52] Julia Knitel: Well, I think like at its core, it's a human story. It's about humanity, it's about life and death. It covers themes that we all encounter in our lives. And it does so in a completely fresh and groundbreaking and form rewriting way. Like this is not your average musical. It is completely original. It is completely iconic.

[23:18] Jason A. Coombs: It really is.

[23:18] Julia Knitel: Like it takes this form that we all know so well. And it says, Oh yeah, you want a love story? Never mind. Sorry. He's gonna leave her. And then we're never gonna hear from her again for 25 minutes. And you want like you want a comedy? Actually, it's gonna talk about death. And it sort of like takes everything that comes up, we just spin it on its head, and it keeps you at the edge of your seat and it keeps you on the ride with us, which is a great metaphor because there's a train. Um y'all. Um it is really it's it's so unique and it's unlike anything else, let alone on Broadway that I've ever seen. And so I just feel so lucky to be a part of it, and I'm so glad that we all love it so much, and to have the audiences and the critics and the nominators all love it as much as we do is just it's so validating. It's like, yeah, this is good, isn't it? Yeah. We love this so much.

[24:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. And now I do have to ask about David Cromer because what an icon.

[24:17] Julia Knitel: Icon.

[24:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Literally, you know, I love the band's visit as well. What has been your biggest lesson that you've learned from working with him?

[24:26] Julia Knitel: It's impossible to say just one. I really he's the kind of director, and I'm so like he would be he would roll his eyes at me for saying this. He really would, but he is the kind of director who'd makes me a better actor every time I'm in the same room as him. And I know we all feel that way. Yeah, right. He has incredible taste and he has incredible skill in editing. Like he, you know, we come to the table with a lot of stuff, and it's a good director's job to like find what is at the core, because you can't always tell. And his ability, you know, it really manifested with Millicent a lot, which is the character that I play in the latter half of the show, where it's a very broadly comic moment.

And his pushing me toward the simplest, the most honest, the most streamlined version of every joke is what makes the moment human and effective. And he gave us this note to all eight of us, right before I think our first performance or something. And he said, You are not your flourishes, you are not your bits. Your artistry is in who you are, and you don't have to try. And I was like, like it actually hit me like a wall. And I was just like, oh, like it's a better more eloquent version of you are enough.

[25:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: Ah, I love that.

[25:55] Julia Knitel: Yeah. When you said he told all eight of us, I was like, is she talking about all eight of her characters?

[25:56] Julia Knitel: All eight of us. Imagine if I were to like talk like that, and I was like, that's kind of fun. And like I'm here for the method. I'm here for the method of all the characters. All eight of us.

[26:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: No, all eight actors.

[26:13] Julia Knitel: Yeah, yeah, no. Like I immediately understood.

[26:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's hilarious.

[26:16] Julia Knitel: I wish I talked like that. I feel like that would be way more interesting.

[26:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Eight of us.

[26:20] Julia Knitel: All eight of us. You do play eight characters.

[26:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: I think it's eight or nine. I really haven't counted.

[26:23] Julia Knitel: And it also depends on like how much weight you're giving each of them.

[26:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[26:28] Julia Knitel: There are 14 costumes, I think that I wear. So do with that what you will.

[26:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right. So I want to talk a little bit more about it. Shout out to your dresser.

[26:36] Julia Knitel: My dresser, Imogen, and Sarah Lux, our costume designer, who is a goddess and made me feel like a queen. So we stand.

[26:43] Samantha Tuozzolo: We really stand. Can we talk a little bit more about we have a lot of like young listeners who maybe just in college or you know, just out of college? How did you kind of prep for playing so many different characters? That's like the first part. And do you have a favorite character that you play?

[26:57] Julia Knitel: That's a great question. I have done a lot of multi-role shows. I've been really lucky in my career to do both plays and musicals like that. And I always kind of come at it being like, okay, how do I work really hard to make these people different? Right. And you know, that I found like a hindrance in the past. And it's like if you if you try too hard from the outside in, like, oh, this person has an accent, this person has a walk or a gate, or like I find that that gets very convoluted and complicated for me personally. And doesn't allow you to like live fully in the moment. And so what I have found, and it is like perfectly exemplified within Dead Outlaw, is that every character you play for the rest of time has to have a piece of you in it because that's that's what only you can bring.

So, like, you know, like we said earlier, my Millie and Sutton Foster's Millie, we're very different. But like what we each of us bring to it is our uniqueness, our artistry. And so on a show where you're asked to do multiple characters, it helps for me to connect personally to each one of them and to say, like, Maggie is my soft feminine. Is this like hopeful, hopeful, and hopeless, romantic who who like probably just like fills her house with flowers and like daisies in the sun. And like that's a part of me. That is a part of me that I wish I had more time to utilize.

[28:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: What's your favorite flower?

[28:27] Julia Knitel: Oh, that's a really good question. I love peonies.

[28:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh yeah.

[28:30] Julia Knitel: And I just love like a wildflower that I don't know the name of that just like stops me in the park on a walk. You know, I'm like, oh, what's that? And it's like blue and it's hanging like a little bell or something, you know. But then like, you know, Millicent is my inner child. Yeah, and I get to work with the weirdness and like the little bullied kid inside of me every night and like get to heal her in a little part. And the cowboy that I play is like my mask androgynous dream self. And so, like through if you bring yourself truly to your artistry and to your characters and authentically try to just express a part of you, I think that comes across really well. And it also helps heal those parts of you each night as you utilize them to tell the story.

[29:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's so cool. And did you have a favorite one?

[29:17] Julia Knitel: Oh, yeah. It depends. It really does change, but I think most of the time it's Millicent.

[29:21] Julia Knitel: I love her so a lot. My little weirdo. So you're sharing that.

[29:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, totally.

[29:28] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, totally. So you're the only female in this cast. What has that experience been like? And has it been like a significantly different experience from other shows you've been in where you're not the only female?

[29:42] Julia Knitel: I do miss like the feminine camaraderie for sure. Like backstage, because we have amazing, there's a lot of females within the stage management team and some on the creative team. And so like I always have, and our Rebecca, our MD and my understudy Emily, like I always find like little girl corners to hang out with them.

[29:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, I love a little girl corner!

[30:01] Julia Knitel: Yes! Our dressing room off Broadway was Girl Corner. And I mean, because it was off Broadway and there were two dressing rooms, one for the boys, one for the girls, and so we definitely had our little like kiki there every night with our girly music. But what's really cool about this cast is that we all are truly best friends, like truly, like truly we get along so well and everyone's just so wonderful and we just love each other. And I feel like everybody says that all the time, but it's really true. And so I never feel different from them. Like they just, you know, the boys are my boys, they're looking out for me, we're taking care of each other.

[30:36] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I love that because it could be completely different with the wrong set of men.

[30:43] Julia Knitel: So shout out to all of your castmates! Love them.

[30:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love my boys! I love them so much, I know, I love them. We all love you, all eight of you, if you're listening!

[30:50] Julia Knitel: All eight of you!

[30:50] Jason A. Coombs: The other eight!

[30:52] Julia Knitel: Oh my gosh! So the band is on stage the entire show. Does that influence, I guess, your performance differently? Because sometimes, most of the time, the orchestra's in the pit.

[31:07] Julia Knitel: Yeah, but they're on stage with you.

[31:09] Julia Knitel: It really adds a lot, I think, to the texture and the fabric of the show. It's a rock band, like they are rocking out, and to feel that energy just like orally is so exciting and so energizing. And unfortunately, a lot of my songs are like really quiet, so I don't really get to rock out with them. But one of my favorite moments in the show every night is when I do the first two verses of "A Stranger" down by Andrew as the dead body. And then Hank, one of our guitar players, he's playing the mandolin, and I like look up and he locks eyes with me and invites me into the band.

[31:49] Julia Knitel: And it's the first, it's like not the fourth wall, I guess let's call it the sixth wall or whatever, like that he breaks that for me.

[31:56] Jason A. Coombs: Wow.

[31:56] Julia Knitel: And when we look in each other's eyes, I realize, oh, there's a band here. And it's the first moment every night where I get to look at each of them and sort of ask permission to step up onto their bandstand and then do that last verse. And it's cool. It's a really cool moment and it just makes me feel so connected with them and they're all so talented. It's cool.

[32:15] Jason A. Coombs: What's his name?

[32:16] Julia Knitel: Hank.

[32:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: Shout out to Hank if you're listening!

[32:18] Jason A. Coombs: Stan Hank!

[32:19] Julia Knitel: We love you, Hank!

[32:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: We love you, Hank!

[32:21] Julia Knitel: I love you! So I love that you get that opportunity though to, I mean, not rocking out, but just to do it with them.

[32:28] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[32:28] Julia Knitel: Yeah. So we chatted about obviously "Dead Outlaw." We mentioned "Beautiful," "Come From Away." But take us back to little Julia. What was the moment in your life where you were like, I have to perform and like I have the talent too, but I have to do this?

[32:46] Julia Knitel: You know, I grew up in a theater family. My parents were performers.

[32:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love that!

[32:50] Julia Knitel: Yeah, they run a community theater in New Jersey. Shout out! We love community theater!

[32:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hello! Am I okay?

[32:58] Julia Knitel: We love community theater and we love arts for children. We gotta keep it alive.

[33:04] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[33:04] Julia Knitel: Do they still run it?

[33:06] Julia Knitel: They do! They just had their 30th anniversary.

[33:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: Wow!

[33:09] Julia Knitel: How cute is that?

[33:12] Julia Knitel: It's so cool. And I went to their celebration for it and I'm so proud of them. It's called Saint Anne's Stages. It started in the basement of a church, but it is a non-denominational, multi-generational community theater where grandmas and their grandchildren are on stage together doing theater. And it's so sweet. It's incredible. Thirty years is incredible, like especially over the past couple years we've had with, you know, COVID and the attack on the arts recently. So, it's more important than ever.

[33:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so important.

[33:40] Julia Knitel: And to instill in your children, wherever you are in the country, a love of it doesn't even have to be musical theater, just music or theater or art or movies or something that challenges us and expands our humanity is so important. And so I was very fortunate. I grew up, I like to say I did my first show in utero because my mom was like five months pregnant with me playing a pregnant Maria von Trapp in "The Sound of Music."

[34:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: Iconic!

[34:10] Julia Knitel: So yeah, so we, I just grew up doing their shows and I was not a professional kid. I hadn't auditioned for anything professionally, but I was like training and always just kind of knew that I would want to do this.

[34:23] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, and I never knew when or how, but when I was 16, I saw that there was an open call for "Bye Bye Birdie" on Broadway, and I went fancy!

[34:23] Julia Knitel: Hi Helen, go off!

[34:37] Julia Knitel: Singing day. Mine was Hi Margie, actually.

[34:39] Jason A. Coombs: That was my verse.

[34:40] Julia Knitel: Oh, I should have said that one. And I also got to go, "He's too tall," which was cute because I was very tall.

[34:46] Jason A. Coombs: But maybe she's too tall.

[34:49] Julia Knitel: I think that's what it was.

[34:50] Julia Knitel: Yeah, um, yes, so I asked them if I could go, and I thought they would say no, and they said yes, and then all of a sudden, like we were up at four in the morning, wrapped around 43rd Street, actually.

[35:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Fun!

[35:01] Julia Knitel: Like around the block several times. I ate like street pancakes from a vendor, and then I auditioned, and maybe nine or ten callbacks later, I ended up making my Broadway debut from an open call.

[35:03] Jason A. Coombs: From an open call. I love that story.

[35:16] Julia Knitel: Yeah. And you know, I think that's an important message for our listeners as well. Because a lot of times I think people who are just starting out are like, that doesn't, an open call is not gonna mean anything. Like they're not even gonna remember me. But look, example A, it works.

[35:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: And actually, a lot of those kids are still working. They asked for like real teenage kids, and like, you know, Ali, Ali Tram had done "13," but like Danny Quadrino had, shout out Danny Quadrino, also the open call. There were so many of us. It was like a crazy, crazy amount of people who are still working in the industry from that "Bye Bye Birdie." It was something like the Mickey Mouse Club of Broadway.

[35:51] Julia Knitel: Oh, it kind of was actually.

[35:52] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, J. Muller, Alison Strong.

[35:55] Julia Knitel: Yeah, it was a lot of people.

[35:57] Jason A. Coombs: It was a lot of people.

[35:58] Julia Knitel: Cool. Bethany Tessark, she still works too.

[36:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's iconic. Shout out to that "Bye Bye Birdie" open call.

[36:03] Julia Knitel: Go "Bye Bye Birdie" Open Call! Proud of you!

[36:05] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[36:06] Julia Knitel: So I can't believe we're at the last question. I was like looking at my notes. We're flying through this now because we're just having a lot of fun.

[36:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Let's keep finding something!

[36:16] Julia Knitel: Google us some questions!

[36:18] Julia Knitel: But Samantha and I are huge manifestors. We definitely believe in just telling the universe what you want, you know, and it's worked out for us for a couple of things. So let's do one thing real quick before we ask you. Hello, universe! We would like to book the Tony's carpet. Thanks!

[36:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, we want to be there on the carpet talking to all the nominees.

[36:37] Julia Knitel: They have to be there. They're my friends now.

[36:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Hello.

[36:40] Julia Knitel: Please, my emotional support needs!

[36:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hello, Universe! Are you listening? Bring it!

[36:47] Julia Knitel: We love you, universe!

[36:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: We love you so much!

[36:51] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, Alan.

[36:54] Julia Knitel: That was perfect.

[36:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Perfect!

[36:56] Julia Knitel: Did we just chef's kiss at the same time?

[36:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, we did!

[36:59] Julia Knitel: Because we're in sync and it's all gonna happen. We're gonna be there. The universe is listening.

[37:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay, sorry to interrupt your question.

[37:04] Julia Knitel: No, this is your moment. That was important. Thank you. Is there something you want to manifest with us today? Is there a role, a collaboration? You finally got to originate a role, but is there someone you want to work with?

[37:15] Julia Knitel: I will say, like, I don't know if I said this. I literally feel like I manifested "Dead Outlaw" in every aspect of it. Like I know that I did, and it is such a testament to the power of manifesting.

[37:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[37:29] Julia Knitel: I will say, because we talked about my chefing. I'm out here in the streets chefing it up. Alison Roman, I'm a huge fan of hers. And maybe the, well, I'm gonna say two things. One, Alison Roman. I'm a huge fan. I love all of her cookbooks. I make her recipes like at least once a week. She came out with a cookbook yesterday, and it is called "Something from Nothing," which is a song from "Dead Outlaw." And I literally, a year ago, we were doing this off Broadway, and I said, this is gonna be how I become friends with Alison Roman. Like "Dead Outlaw" somehow, somehow is gonna be the way.

[38:03] Julia Knitel: I love that.

[38:04] Julia Knitel: And here we are. Like she's got this cookbook. I immediately emailed our PR team and was like, can we make something of this? Right, right. I mean, that's crazy. That is the song name. It's crazy. It's the song name, but she's so amazing, and I just like I just want to like cook with her and be friends with her. But I don't know, I I've career-wise, I've been manifesting. I have put a pause on my manifesting right now because of all of my dreams actively coming true. Yeah, you're just gonna say you're busy. But I do think it's important to like keep your eyes on on whatever's in the future, and that is just like a continued a career in which I get to do the kind of work that I believe in. And I get to have a wealth of opportunities that I get to choose from.

Right. And I get to make art that speaks to me and speaks to the audiences. And I just I wanna, yeah, I wanna groundbreaking things are interesting to me. And I think that's what I'm in right now. I know that's what I'm in right now, and so I would love to continue down that path of like really cool, really interesting, really creative work.

[39:07] Jason A. Coombs: Love that. Um we do have a uh guest question from Alan Seales who sent us a text message.

[39:13] Julia Knitel: Okay.

[39:14] Jason A. Coombs: So we're gonna do that, and then we're gonna play. I don't know if we're calling this a game today. Is it a game?

[39:18] Julia Knitel: It's okay. It's an it's a game activity.

[39:19] Jason A. Coombs: It's an activity.

[39:21] Julia Knitel: Activity.

[39:22] Jason A. Coombs: We have a fun craft.

[39:23] Julia Knitel: Are we doing crafts?

[39:24] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Bring out the gimp.

[39:25] Julia Knitel: The supplies.

[39:27] Jason A. Coombs: Remember the gimp.

[39:27] Julia Knitel: You did not just say gimp.

[39:29] Jason A. Coombs: Is that what it's like? Do you remember GIMP?

[39:30] Julia Knitel: It was like a little plastic string. How old are you?

[39:33] Jason A. Coombs: I'm 32.

[39:34] Julia Knitel: Okay, you should. Yeah, I don't know. GIMP.

[39:36] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. I'll show you. I'll show you after I think. It was like plastic string and you would make a goal.

[39:41] Julia Knitel: Wait, wait, wait. Oh, did you go to like camps?

[39:44] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, wait a minute. That that was called GIMP.

[39:48] Julia Knitel: That was just called like lanyards.

[39:50] Jason A. Coombs: It was kind of a good idea. And you would do like the little like you make little box.

[39:53] Julia Knitel: Yes. No one called that GIMP.

[39:56] Jason A. Coombs: In Connecticut.

[39:57] Julia Knitel: So sorry. I'm from New Jersey and no one called that gimp.

[40:00] Jason A. Coombs: Lanyards.

[40:01] Julia Knitel: Lanyards, 100%.

[40:03] Jason A. Coombs: Alan, can you Google it? Where are you from, Alan?

[40:05] Alan Seales: He's from New Jersey as well.

[40:08] Jason A. Coombs: Oh. Not New Jersey.

[40:11] Alan Seales: He's from New Jersey as well.

[40:12] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, it's he lives in Jersey.

[40:13] Julia Knitel: Wait, when I said I don't know if this is the right one. I Googled GIMP the game, and there are zero results.

[40:22] Jason A. Coombs: Say GIMP there's a few.

[40:23] Julia Knitel: No, it's not a game. It's a connectivity.

[40:27] Jason A. Coombs: Absolutely not. It's called Lanyard.

[40:30] Julia Knitel: Oh, okay, okay, okay. A C R S I K R Act Sticker?

[40:36] Jason A. Coombs: String GIMP plastic lacing cords for bracelets and scoobadoo graft kits with snap clips hooks for the colors.

[40:44] Julia Knitel: You were using the technical term. And us and and the rest of the country were calling it lanyards.

[40:49] Jason A. Coombs: Jason's looking it up as well. Because we were a Connecticut, you know, Connecticut. They were like, you have to use the proper name.

[40:54] Julia Knitel: It's like string and tie it into boxes.

[40:58] Jason A. Coombs: I was always so bad at it though. I used to be very jealous.

[41:02] Julia Knitel: You had to get someone to start it for you.

[41:04] Jason A. Coombs: There was like somebody who knew how to start it. You had to go to Jessica.

[41:07] Julia Knitel: Right. And Jessica would get everyone started at recess. And then like we would all finish our GIMP.

[41:12] Jason A. Coombs: We don't talk about Jessica.

[41:14] Julia Knitel: Honestly, fuck Jessica.

[41:16] Jason A. Coombs: I'm glad you said fuck. I was worried that I said 69 before. And then you were like, we have some young listeners. And I was like, oh no.

[41:24] Julia Knitel: When we say young listeners, we mean like we're old at this point. I mean, we're not old, but we're old.

[41:29] Jason A. Coombs: We're very young.

[41:30] Julia Knitel: We're young. But I remember thinking like theatomages.

[41:33] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, great. Like theatomages. They know. I mean, I hope they're listening. We gotta get our downloads up.

[41:38] Julia Knitel: Okay, here's here's a guest question from Alan Seals, president of the Broadway Podcast Network.

[41:45] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, and our podcast daddy.

[41:47] Julia Knitel: Podcast Daddy, hi. What's something about working on Broadway that you think people outside of the interest industry would be surprised to learn?

[41:55] Julia Knitel: Oh, that's a really good question. Oh, there's a lot of things. Did you get these from ChatGBT? Because you just sent us 20 in one second.

[42:00] Alan Seales: I'm a fast typer.

[42:01] Julia Knitel: No shot.

[42:03] Jason A. Coombs: No shot. But that's the one. I think it's that like we actually do eight shows a week.

[42:08] Julia Knitel: Yeah.

[42:09] Jason A. Coombs: And like I think people are like, that's a lot. And it is a lot. Yes, it is. And I think it's like what people don't comprehend is the level of sacrifice required. And it's a sacrifice that we're all willing to make because we're living our dreams. But like you are working nights and weekends. So that means you're working when everyone else is playing. Which means if you have a majority of your people in your life that aren't in the Broadway sphere, that means you're missing a lot of birthdays and Christmases and the holidays. And like it's it's weddings and baby showers and those things that happen on Saturday afternoons, and you just kind of go, okay. I have a two-shower.

[42:47] Julia Knitel: Yeah.

[42:47] Jason A. Coombs: A do shower. What do you guys say?

[42:49] Julia Knitel: A do show day.

[42:51] Jason A. Coombs: A do. I don't love that. But it's called I think they say two do shade.

[42:55] Julia Knitel: Tudo.

[42:56] Jason A. Coombs: A do do.

[42:58] Julia Knitel: Yeah. I'm just sort of like it's a two-show day.

[43:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[43:02] Julia Knitel: She's like, it's not gibb, it's a lanyard.

[43:03] Jason A. Coombs: It's not gibb it's a lanyard. Use the technical term. Thank you, Alan, because I said do shote.

[43:06] Julia Knitel: Do shote.

[43:10] Jason A. Coombs: That's like that's like a nice thing.

[43:13] Julia Knitel: Do you mind bringing do you mind bringing that new phrase to the Broadway community?

[43:17] Jason A. Coombs: Do show too. Tell them it came by.

[43:19] Julia Knitel: Do shot. It sounds fun. I want a croissant.

[43:23] Jason A. Coombs: I do too. I always want a crissot.

[43:24] Julia Knitel: Oh my god, me as well. Okay, and before we go into our activity, leave us with what's your favorite part about being a part of the Broadway community?

[43:31] Julia Knitel: Favorite thing about being a part of the Broadway community. Oh man, I think it's the fact that it's a community. Like it really, that's not a a term that's used lightly. It's like you walk down the street, and having been, I've been in New York now full-time 12, 14 years. 14 years, I think. And the fact that, like, within though that 15 block radius, you there a day does not go by where you don't see someone you know and love and you don't have like a hug and hell's Kitchen. And especially at this time of year when the awards are going on and there's just like a million shows running.

[44:06] Julia Knitel: It's like it's like a neighborhood in a very big city. You have this little condensed area of just like happy, made up, pin curled, you know, let's stick whimsical. Yeah, it's just it's such a it's such an honor to get to be a part of it. And I'm I never, um, I always appreciate a moment where I get to remember that I am.

[44:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, and you sure are.

[44:31] Julia Knitel: It feels really cool. I feel that too, because I Samantha and I were obviously not on Broadway, we're on Broadway Podcast Network, which is the same thing Broadway World. Go off, yes, but huge, massive. I feel like I feel that's a good one. It's gonna make drop on makeup.

[44:46] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, we're like out of carpet and you see someone that you interviewed like multiple times, and they're like, they give you like Marzan. That's my supper. She's like, Oh, give me a hug, like so nice to see you. Like you feel part of a community, yeah.

[44:56] Julia Knitel: Bigger than us, you know.

[44:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, and I think sorry.

[44:59] Julia Knitel: No, no, I'll just I'm rambling.

[45:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: I agree. And I think that's why like I've been attracted to events as my survival job because you're a part of some events, producing events and planning events is the same thing as putting on a show.

[45:11] Julia Knitel: Yeah, you're part of something with a group of people. You make something and you watch it happen, and then you're like, Whoa, that happened, and it's gone, it's ephemeral, and then it's gone.

[45:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, and then it's done, and then you go home, and then you're like, wait, what just happened?

[45:22] Julia Knitel: Yeah, similar. It's a similar feeling and idea. Anyway, you're an icon.

[45:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh she's an icon.

[45:27] Julia Knitel: Thank you so much for being here with us.

[45:30] Julia Knitel: Oh my gosh, my pleasure. Like we mentioned, we love to end with fun games or activities, no gimp in sight.

[45:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Don't worry, an area gimp. You gotta come back and we'll do we'll do some gimp.

[45:39] Julia Knitel: We're gonna get some gimmicks. Honestly, you name the time and place. I am there. I could really use a craft hour. I feel like you would be really good. You're giving me like she's a starter really good I might be a I will see if my Jessica abilities can come back to me.

[45:52] Julia Knitel: I was not the starter but maybe I am in this mine was never like tight my my box is really loose but it's not too tight because then it's warped.

[46:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Warped can't have any work they should use this as like a commercial for this we should call GIMP I think but because I bet you like my seven year old niece doesn't do it.

[46:10] Julia Knitel: I bet you need we need to bring back GIMP but maybe it's dangerous.

[46:13] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's probably toxic yeah 100% like we were microplastics 100% that's horrible for you okay so we're gonna play would you rather Tony edition oh okay Tony and theater edition it's mostly Tony focused okay are you ready I'm ready are you nervous?

[46:29] Julia Knitel: I only slightly because we asked and now I'm nervous I'm sorry I just wanted to check in I want to make sure we're all feeling safe in this I do feel safe in the space do we need to do the fingers okay what are we doing oh feeling just vibes we love the vibes we got the vibes okay and action would you rather be a presenter at the Tony's and read the wrong winner or trip walking on the stage in front of everyone oh jeez I mean 100% trip because I probably will if ever I'm called up to a Tony stage would probably trip let's knock on what I prepared for that because we um as we said we predicted you to win so we don't want you to trip no trip I'm very quick but if you do we'll support you I'm tall and long so I fall a lot I do okay second yes would you rather perform your big Tony performance in front of an audience of all of your exes or an audience's or an audience of all the high school theater kids who think that you ruined their dream role?

[47:26] Julia Knitel: Okay, well, unfortunately. I am friends with a lot of my exes, so I'm gonna say exes. It'll be like a safe space for me. Supporting I would leave out like one ex and be like, you stay over there, but everyone else, you're welcome. And they would be like, oh Julia, congratulations, and it would be lovely. But um, I will say that like that second is is hard. I was the kid who like in the high school musical in that sphere. I was like not the cool girl. So like I didn't ruin anyone's dreams. My dreams were probably ruined by others. So, you know, I hope they're doing well.

[48:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. We hope you're doing well.

[48:01] Julia Knitel: I hope they're dream runners. Yeah, yeah. They're probably great. They're doing awesome. They're probably making GIMP right now.

[48:06] Samantha Tuozzolo: They are actually tying. They're in the GIMP factory.

[48:10] Julia Knitel: They're in the GIMP factory working on bringing it back to the children of today. Really good work. Alan, why are you looking at me like that?

[48:19] Jason A. Coombs: It's like stop with the gimp.

[48:21] Julia Knitel: The gimp, uh it's I just don't know how we're allowed to say that word in in 2025.

[48:28] Jason A. Coombs: So it is it is a bad word, right? When I was saying it, I was like, wait, is that a weird word we shouldn't say?

[48:33] Julia Knitel: I think I laughing, but it you know, it's not good.

[48:37] Jason A. Coombs: Well, well, we're gonna have to leave a film.

[48:42] Julia Knitel: We're talking about a brand. It's the GIMP plastic lanyard. Maybe they went out of style because it's an offensive. We're not what we're not doing is calling this episode GIMP.

[48:52] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah. Okay, at all.

[48:55] Julia Knitel: Lol?

[48:56] Jason A. Coombs: Who said lol?

[48:58] Julia Knitel: No, I wish I said lol.

[49:01] Jason A. Coombs: Please, please don't come for us, don't cancel us.

[49:03] Julia Knitel: Yeah, we're just talking about a we're talking about a child a treasured childhood memory. Thank you. Lanyards and square language onward.

[49:11] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, lanyards from now on. And would you rather back to the game? Would you rather completely I feel like I have all the mean ones? I don't know.

[49:19] Julia Knitel: Chat GBT gave me all of these.

[49:21] Jason A. Coombs: So don't have to mean Yeah, I said, hey, uh well, I edited somebody said, Hey Chat GBT, I'm playing this game. Do you have any ideas? Create it. And he said, Yeah.

[49:28] Julia Knitel: Yeah. And then, sorry to have so much ADD. And then they gave me specific ones to you. They were like, if you were interviewing Julia Knitel, here's some specific would you rather? And I said, now this is getting freaky.

[49:45] Julia Knitel: That's so weird. Yeah, they'll come up. They'll come up at the end. Don't worry. I'm scared. Okay. It's fun. Would you rather completely blank during your acceptance speech on live TV or accidentally curse and get believed?

[49:58] Julia Knitel: Oh, definitely the curse. Yeah. Yeah. That would probably again probably would happen. I'm gonna trip and curse. And then they're gonna cancel me. Oh fuck. I say fuck like all the time. It's really bad. It's a good one. But you know, it is such a good one.

[50:12] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. Would you rather have a wardrobe malfunction during your Tony performance on live TV or forget your choreography mid-number and have to improvise?

[50:23] Julia Knitel: Well, I don't have any choreography for this one. So that I'm safe. I think probably wardrobe malfunction. Like as long as it's not like a full nip slip. Right.

[50:31] Jason A. Coombs: Who had the nip slip at the Super Bowl, though?

[50:33] Julia Knitel: And it's like I Janet Jackson. That's iconic like for history. Like, fuck it. It's why YouTube started.

[50:39] Jason A. Coombs: It's how YouTube started.

[50:41] Julia Knitel: Unfortunately, yeah.

[50:42] Jason A. Coombs: What? Because like people were chat there was no YouTube before that. They like made a place to like replay that, unfortunately.

[50:49] Julia Knitel: Is that true?

[50:50] Jason A. Coombs: That is not true at all. Google it.

[50:52] Julia Knitel: Yeah.

[50:56] Jason A. Coombs: And let us know after the next would you rather question it? I believe you. Go ahead, Jay.

[51:02] Jason A. Coombs: Oh. Would you rather perform your Tony number first in the telecast or close a show with your performance?

[51:10] Julia Knitel: Close it. Yeah. I think it's an alley is always that's a hard one for me. I don't know, like, because will you be nervous the whole time? Or just like hyped that you're performing at the time.

[51:21] Julia Knitel: Yeah, I hate to be first. There is something nice about like getting it out of the way and like then being able to relax, but then I'm I'm gonna have to sit there on camera too. So I'm nervous. I'm actually more nervous about being myself than I am about playing the characters.

[51:34] Jason A. Coombs: I think I I understand that.

[51:37] Julia Knitel: Okay. Alan, do you have any info on YouTube?

[51:40] Alan Seales: Okay, so that happened February 1st, 2004.

[51:46] Alan Seales: Okay. YouTube launched February 14th, 2005. YouTube was not specifically created to upload the Janet Jackson Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. However, the incident and the difficulty in finding videos of the clip online after it played created a significant role in inspiring the creation of YouTube.

[52:03] Julia Knitel: So you were right.

[52:04] Jason A. Coombs: So we can thank Janet Jackson for the brain rot of our children.

[52:11] Julia Knitel: Thank you, Janet.

[52:12] Jason A. Coombs: Well it's not her fault.

[52:13] Julia Knitel: It's not her fault.

[52:15] Jason A. Coombs: It is definitely Justin's.

[52:16] Julia Knitel: Blame the white man. Thank you, Justin.

[52:19] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. Hello, this is uh well.

[52:23] Julia Knitel: There we go.

[52:24] Jason A. Coombs: Oh shit.

[52:26] Julia Knitel: Oh fuck!

[52:36] Jason A. Coombs: Supposed to be on my track.

[52:38] Julia Knitel: Supposed to be on my track.

[52:40] Jason A. Coombs: Stop so we were crazy.

[52:44] Julia Knitel: Is this the most chaotic episode you've ever done?

[52:46] Jason A. Coombs: I think so. I'm having the time of my life.

[52:48] Julia Knitel: I'm sorry. It was supposed to be a nice one.

[52:51] Jason A. Coombs: I know strollers. I was gonna come in as chat GPT and have a whole conversation with you.

[53:01] Julia Knitel: Oh my god. This is the most chaotic we've ever been. Happy Tony's this is so happy.

[53:13] Jason A. Coombs: Is that how we all feel on the inside? You're just seeing the truth.

[53:16] Julia Knitel: I mean, that guy's voice that he keeps giving me. Wow is freaking me out.

[53:21] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[53:21] Julia Knitel: It doesn't seem like some spooky like demon.

[53:23] Jason A. Coombs: I don't know. Have you ever played the Jackbox games?

[53:27] Julia Knitel: No.

[53:27] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god. During the pandemic, I played all these jackbox games, and there's one particular game that has that voice, and it's freaking me out.

[53:33] Julia Knitel: Oh no.

[53:34] Jason A. Coombs: She's traumatized.

[53:35] Julia Knitel: She's in my horror.

[53:38] Jason A. Coombs: I I'm here for it. That made me cry and Belly laugh. So thanks.

[53:42] Julia Knitel: You're welcome. It's good for the soul.

[53:43] Jason A. Coombs: It is, right? Are we all crying a little happy?

[53:46] Julia Knitel: Yes.

[53:47] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. Okay. It's very fun.

[53:49] Julia Knitel: It's fun. We love activities.

[53:51] Jason A. Coombs: Not gonna be.

[53:56] Julia Knitel: Okay, okay. Would you is this the last one? Do you have another one?

[53:59] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, okay. Would you rather have to switch between all eight of your characters live during your Tony performance or sing an entirely new, never rehearsed number that was added at the last minute?

[54:10] Julia Knitel: 100% do all eight. I used to have night. Okay, this is really funny. And oh no, maybe I can't say it. When is this coming out? The Thursday before the Tony.

[54:19] Julia Knitel: Okay. I can't I probably can't tell you what our Tony num number is. But um, okay, I guess I can tell you what it isn't, and it isn't me doing a stranger. But I used to have these nightmares for the entire year between off Broadway and Broadway, where I would have to sing a stranger on the Tony stage, like that was the number, and it would like send me into an absolute abject state of terror because like it's so many people, and I've never been on the Tonies before, and it was like, what if I just forgot all the words? What if like you just opened your mouth and there was no voice and like the truly like intrusive thought nightmares, and we are not doing that, and I have I'm I'm gonna be okay because it's not that. But um I was like so literally so scared. So the thought of doing a song that wasn't even in the show, never okay, would rather die.

[55:06] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, copy. Thank you.

[55:08] Julia Knitel: Got it. I'll do a solo on the next one.

[55:12] Jason A. Coombs: Next Tony.

[55:12] Julia Knitel: Thank you.

[55:13] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, the next one. Love this one. Love that. Last one. Would you rather forget to thank one of your dead outlaw co-stars in your Tony speech, or accidentally thank a character you played as if they were a real person?

[55:26] Julia Knitel: I mean, this kind of goes back to like all eight of us. Yeah. I refer to my characters as us, and I am them, and we are together. Honestly, it's it's like giving method.

[55:35] Jason A. Coombs: It really is yeah, I'm very method.

[55:37] Julia Knitel: Um I'm just so method that yeah, I'm gonna only thank the characters that I play as as real people. No. Love that. Yeah, definitely not. Um, I guess I I certainly will forget to thank someone, so of course, inevitable. But it's like what is I hear someone say, don't blame it on my heart, blame it on my mind, because you're like in the moment, you're just like it's a lot, but yeah, it's they're in your heart forever, so don't blame it on your heart.

[56:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, and if that's the thing, I think with all of those, anyone who gives an acceptance speech for anything, it's like it is so overwhelming, I'm sure. So it's like how whatever you can get out of your mouth, like good job. You did it, you stood up there, and that's like so much.

[56:15] Julia Knitel: It is. I mean, I mean, I agree.

[56:18] Jason A. Coombs: I agree. More empathy for acceptance speeches.

[56:21] Julia Knitel: More empathy for acceptance speeches, you guys. Julia, this has been a true blast.

[56:27] Jason A. Coombs: A blast.

[56:28] Julia Knitel: Happy back anytime. I love this. We'll come back to the studio after your win. Can you bring the Tony?

[56:34] Julia Knitel: If I have a Tony, I'll bring it here.

[56:41] Alan Seales: Guys, shout out to Alan Seals. He's been fucking with me all day, but we do love him. And he did want to check, and he's the best.

[56:49] Julia Knitel: So thank you. And Julia, before we let you go, please let our listeners know where they can follow you on the socials and keep up with all of your things.

[56:56] Julia Knitel: Yeah, all I have is Instagram. Um it's Julia Knitel. Follow me. With a K and I.

[57:02] Julia Knitel: Yeah, K-N-I-T-E-L. Thank you. And if you are a Julia fan and you do not follow us yet, 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. Let us know a dream guest. Uh follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs, and I am Sammy Toots.

[57:24] Julia Knitel: T-U-T-Z. Tuts. Tuts. That's Sammy Tzuts. My last name is Tootsolo. That's a great drag name.

[57:31] Julia Knitel: Oh my god. Sammy Tsutz. Maybe I'll um do some drag. I think you should. In at the Kennedy Center for the president.

[57:38] Jason A. Coombs: I love that.

[57:39] Julia Knitel: Thank you. And on that note.

[57:43] Jason A. Coombs: And on that note, happy Tony Sunday, you guys. Enjoy. And we're all overstar right here. We're all rooting for our girl, crushing it, not tripping, not forgetting her words.

[57:54] Julia Knitel: And would you rather listen? Survival jobs podcasts? Bye.

[58:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yay! That was so much fun.

[58:03] Julia Knitel: That was fun.

[58:04] Jason A. Coombs: That was iconic.

[58:06] Julia Knitel: That was nice.

[58:09] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you guys so much for listening. Please, if you enjoyed this episode, and even if you didn't, please like, subscribe, and follow. Leave a review. Follow us on Instagram at Survival Jobs Pod. Tell your friends to tune in. You know, we are so passionate about our show. We've been doing it for four years, which is crazy. But we love it, and so that's why we keep going. So thank you for listening. Happy Tony's Ta-Tah.

[58:36] Julia Knitel: Cheers, mates.

[58:37] Jason A. Coombs: Cha ta