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[0:00] Jason A. Coombs: We brought up Groff a little bit earlier today. We need a tea though. What is it like working with a Tony award-winning, you said he's kind, you know, he's mega talented. What is it like? I just, how do you stay away from the spit? The real answer is you don't. You just are part of it. You're a part of the Groff sauce that's happening in the show because, and he says it in the show, you know?

[0:24] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, survivors. Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and the Broadway Podcast Network. I'm Jason A. Coombs. This is my beautiful, lovely co-host, Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo.

[0:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh, you just took my breath away.

[0:44] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, take my breath away. Before we jump in, Samantha, I just gotta say this episode is powered by welcometotimesquare.com, the billboard where you can be a star for a day. I love it here. I love welcometotimesquare.com. I love this studio. I love my life. Cheers to you. I love your little jacket too.

[1:03] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank you. I love this blazer. I'm overusing it. But you know what? That's the way the cookie crumbles.

[1:09] Jason A. Coombs: So Samantha.

[1:15] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes, sir.

[1:15] Jason A. Coombs: This week was the Tony Awards 2025 Tony Awards. I am still your thoughts really quick. Give me.

[1:20] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: My first thought is I'm still so tired because I went to bed at 7am. I'm so lucky to follow my fancy friends around on Tony night and do fun things. So I just want to shout out our girls Marjan and Marjan Nishat and Julia Nytel. I ran into them that evening. I took some selfies because I love them. My thoughts on the Tonys was what a great show. I mean, Cynthia Erivo absolutely crushed it. She was so good with her Tony snacks. I mean, Oprah was at the Tonys like from the top. And I think I said this on this episode, but it was the most viewership of a Tony show ever, right? The most since 2019. And then I think ever. So I just think like it took a long time to say Broadway is back with confidence after the pandemic. But I'm here to say I think Broadway is back, baby.

[2:13] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. I think Broadway is back, baby.

[2:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Can we talk about the performances though? Slay. Go ahead. Performance of the night.

[2:22] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, Jason can't too hard. Come on. There's everyone else. And then there's Audra McDonald. I'm sorry. That was a revelation.

[2:58] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I saw it live. She crushed it. I saw it live. And I was reminded why she's Audra McDonald.

[3:10] Jason A. Coombs: She did crush it. That was a masterclass. Yeah, I'm so happy we have forever now.

[3:16] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Like, wasn't just amazing singing. Yeah, it was a masterclass. She was performing.

[3:23] Jason A. Coombs: Like performing like she was and she is she got chills mouth was on the floor. It was drooling, crying, drooling, sweating, okay, sweating and crying. And yeah, cool. I'm like, I want to be that I want to give a performance like that one day. I want to make people feel the way she made me feel.

[3:38] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, I mean, she crushed it. Right. But I also have to say our girl Nicole also was singing to the gods. She did fantastic.

[3:49] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, she did fantastic. I also want to give a big shout out to Buena Vista Social Club because that performance was iconic as well. Definitely. And I also want to give a big shout out to Maybe Happy Ending for their well-deserved win. I'm so happy for them. I always just think about Darren Criss on that red carpet saying look, look, look down the street. Remember he told us that?

[4:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes.

[4:32] Jason A. Coombs: And he said, if you look down 40 westward, we're currently on the what we in the industry like to call the east side of Broadway.

[4:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[4:42] Jason A. Coombs: On the opposite side of Broadway. East side. If you're looking down West 44th, you will notice there's a bunch of popular revivals and familiar properties. And this, and by no means am I poo-pooing that I love. I love so many of them that I'm so happy for the way that they can resonate with audiences well after they've come out originally, whether the revivals or original movies or books. However, we are in a rarefied space where this is a show that has no previous sort of connection to.

[5:11] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, there's no book, which is a bit of an obstacle.

[5:15] Jason A. Coombs: However, I think our biggest obstacles, our biggest asset, because people come in completely unencumbered by expectation or comparison. And so I feel that every night when people truly don't know what's going to happen, be what the songs are going to sound like. They're not like, oh, I can't wait to see how they do this. Yeah, I don't know anything. And so they're gain, if I'm using an amp reference, is like at like 12, it goes to 11. Right. So it's like they can experience something in a degree that they didn't even know they didn't know. And I get to feel that and watch that every night from the stage. And that's an extraordinary thing that rarely gets to happen. So that's a small, small piece of what has made this such an extraordinary singular experience for me. I'm constantly in a dream state and I'm so grateful I could just cry every second of the day.

[6:03] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: All these other shows and he wasn't hating, he wasn't being condescending or anything. He was just saying like, all these other shows are like, other IPs, you know, they did not like brand new. And he's like, we have like a show that's like never been seen before. So people come to this theater, they're experiencing this music, the show for the very first time.

[6:15] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[6:15] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And have that show win. I mean, I mean, it just is such a pure, gorgeous show that I, you know, we've had a couple of people on our show from it and we got to cover the carpet. So, you know, we love Maybe I'll Be Ending.

[6:34] Jason A. Coombs: We love Maybe I'll Be Ending.

[6:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Kara Young.

[6:40] Jason A. Coombs: Exactly. Exactly. Made history.

[6:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Right.

[6:43] Jason A. Coombs: Right?

[6:43] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Back to back.

[6:44] Jason A. Coombs: Back to back. I saw her in the evening too and she was just like chilling. She's like, I can't, she's like, what is life? Like, what is life? Like it is, she's so, it's so well-deserved and she's so amazing. I know on our Tony prediction bonus episode, Alan Seales did predict Kara. And so if there was a pot of gold to win, I guess he would have won the pot of gold. But she's just a force and now she's going to be in the Whoopi monologues at Lincoln Center.

[7:14] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh yeah, I saw that. With Kerry Washington?

[7:16] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[7:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Wow.

[7:17] Jason A. Coombs: So, you know, how lucky for us that we interviewed Kara Young before, you know, she really exploded because it's going to be hard to get now.

[7:28] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Right. Right. I just wanted to say a quick thing. We've been at Tribeca Film Festival.

[7:32] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[7:33] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And last night I went to a live podcast, podcast.

[7:38] Jason A. Coombs: Podcast.

[7:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: A live podcast recording with Lena Waithe and Phylicia Rashad.

[7:42] Jason A. Coombs: And I know that's huge for you. Sorry to interrupt, but I know that's huge for you because you are a Lena Waithe stan.

[7:47] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, I am. Don't come, don't like think I'm a crazy psycho. I just love her so much. Listen.

[7:52] Jason A. Coombs: But I also love Phylicia Rashad as well, who directed Purpose, which won.

[7:57] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Best play.

[7:57] Jason A. Coombs: Right. And to just see her and see her career and her talking about her career was just so special and iconic. And like, she's such a gift. And she just spoke so much life into me. Like this way she talked about like having dignity and like the responsibility of an artist was so I just got reinvigorated. I'm like, I need to like do this for 50 more years.

[8:21] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: For 80 even.

[8:23] Jason A. Coombs: Let's hope.

[8:23] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Let's hope.

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

[8:25] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Speaking of the Tonys, we saw an amazing performance from Just In Time with our boy Jonathan Groff. He absolutely crushed it.

[8:32] Jason A. Coombs: Groff sauce.

[8:52] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Sauce.

[8:58] Jason A. Coombs: He absolutely crushed it. And I think people were a little surprised that he didn't walk home with that Tony. Darren, obviously, Darren Criss and Maybe Happy Ending, obviously, but I think that was a bit of a shock of the night that I saw him in most a lot of the predictions.

[9:13] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So well, I think Darren Criss had such a specific type of role.

[9:17] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[9:18] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Which I think it's just different, you know, I mean, portraying a robot is not easy.

[9:24] Jason A. Coombs: You know?

[9:26] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And yeah, I think maybe that's why, like, I think we've seen kind of, we know Jonathan Groff can do the splashy, big, wonderful.

[9:34] Jason A. Coombs: Splash.

[9:35] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, I didn't think about that. I didn't mean it like that. That's so funny. Splish, splash, baby.

[9:40] Jason A. Coombs: Love him to death. But I think maybe people just maybe saw that Darren had to do something a little bit more specific, which is not saying one is better. I'm just saying.

[9:47] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Totally. And he won last year. So, you know, he's got his, he's got his trophy.

[9:53] Jason A. Coombs: Speaking of Just In Time, our guest today, Caesar Samayoa.

[9:56] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[9:56] Jason A. Coombs: Is an icon and amazing in this production. What a gift to chat with him.

[10:02] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Right. It was such an honor to chat with him and to like, just hear his experience of like working in this industry for so long and just the kind words he had and like how in tune he is with the world is like, you know, I love that people can like.

[10:16] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[10:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Get into that space and go there with me. So.

[10:19] Jason A. Coombs: I also was so mesmerized by his gorgeous eyes. He has gorgeous eyes. I couldn't stop staring at him.

[10:27] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Beautiful human being inside and out.

[10:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, inside and out. So enjoy this episode, y'all. Go see Just In Time.

[10:33] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Get your tickets.

[10:34] Jason A. Coombs: I think it's pretty much a hit. So get them, get them all.

[10:38] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Tickets are hard to get. So you better.

[10:39] Jason A. Coombs: Tickets are hard to get.

[10:41] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You better book them now.

[10:42] Jason A. Coombs: You better book them, booked and blessed them. I don't know. I'm still tired. Thank you.

[10:50] Caesar Samayoa: Cesar, welcome to Survival Jobs, the podcast. We're so happy to have you.

[10:56] Caesar Samayoa: Thank you for joining us. You know, we've been chatting about we're still recovering from Tony night.

[11:02] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, yeah.

[11:02] Caesar Samayoa: Jason's been crushing it at Tribeca Film Festival. Also tired. So we're just doing the best we can today, guys. Please bear with us.

[11:07] Caesar Samayoa: No, we're here. We're here. It's joyful. We're good.

[11:10] Caesar Samayoa: We're here. We're joyful. I think I did see we were talking about Lisa Goldberg. Shout out. I did see her. I was completely blackout drunk. Sorry, that's just the truth. And I saw her at the Carlisle and I was like, Lisa, thank you for organizing. Screaming at like 5 a.m. So cheers. Cheers to Lisa, guys.

[11:30] Jason A. Coombs: Cheers to Lisa. Happy Tuesday after the Tonys. We're doing the best we can.

[11:35] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I'm going to skip something. Cesar, what do you do the day after the Tonys? Like it's such a high, I'm sure. Right. And the next day is like a Monday. You're just like in bed.

[11:39] Caesar Samayoa: Do you really want to know what I did? I did not move from my couch the entire day.

[11:48] Jason A. Coombs: That's incredible. Did you watch anything good?

[11:51] Caesar Samayoa: No, it was all trash TV. All of it. Every single bit.

[11:55] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We need that sometimes.

[12:00] Caesar Samayoa: I kind of went to the gym to try to just get my body moving and sweat, sweat a little bit. But that was the entirety of the day.

[12:09] Jason A. Coombs: The efforts to go to the gym is amazing. To even attempt is iconic.

[12:17] Caesar Samayoa: I didn't want to walk three blocks. I ordered pizza.

[12:24] Jason A. Coombs: What kind of pizza? Like a margarita pizza where they put the cheese first and then dollops of the tomato sauce on top. The best. I always like to add like a little chicken to my pizza.

[12:36] Caesar Samayoa: Okay. Like either a chicken cutlet or a chicken girl chicken depends on the vibe.

[12:41] Jason A. Coombs: Depends on the mood. Nice. Thank you for the pizza and past post Tony talk. Hello, I can't speak. We have so much to talk about. Just In Time is incredible. You are killing it. The show is so amazing and so wonderful. So we're going to chat so much about Just In Time, your amazing artistic career because you are an icon.

[13:04] Caesar Samayoa: Oh, come on.

[13:05] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So we're so happy to have you. Yeah, but it's Pride Month, Caesar. So we're celebrating Pride Month. Happy Pride.

[13:10] Caesar Samayoa: Happy Pride. I feel like these days we need to shout it out.

[13:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Exactly. Now that's gonna be my first question to you. Why is it so important to celebrate pride, especially now when we know our community, especially our most vulnerable members of our community are trans women are so under attack in this country right now?

[13:31] Caesar Samayoa: Well, my gosh, if we don't step up at this moment in our history, what are we doing? Really? I mean, I remember starting my career where people actively told you not to celebrate pride or not to say that you were gay or that you were in a relationship or anything like that. And I mean, I remember the conversations I used to have with my management team, agents that I worked with at the time. And it's just all nonsense, right? They're just human beings. And if we can't be who we are and love who we love, what are we doing? Then what's the point of life? What is the point? So I cherish this moment right now. And I feel like we all need to step up a little bit and be as vocal and out front as possible, especially if you have just a little bit of a microphone to do that with. And today we have three. Actually, we have four. So shout it from the rooftops.

[14:27] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Pride to everyone. Happy pride.

[14:34] Caesar Samayoa: Resist everybody. We got to keep fighting. I was tempted to buy a ticket to Los Angeles, but I had other stuff to do. Can I say something about that? We were at our Tony party and I remember the telecast ended and all of a sudden it went right to the news. And it was just a reminder in the midst.

[15:28] Caesar Samayoa: It's so great to be here. Thank you for having me!

[15:30] Jason A. Coombs: Absolutely! We're excited to have you. So, you are currently in Just In Time, which is an immersive musical about Bobby Darin. Can you tell us a little bit about your role and what it's like to perform in such a unique setting?

[15:48] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, absolutely! I get to portray multiple real-life figures, which is both challenging and exciting. The immersive aspect of the show really allows the audience to feel like they're part of the experience, and it keeps me on my toes every night.

[16:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: That sounds incredible! How did you get involved with this production?

[16:27] Caesar Samayoa: I was fortunate enough to work with Alex Timbers before, and when this project came up, he thought of me. It's always a joy to collaborate with him because he brings such a dynamic energy to the creative process.

[16:48] Jason A. Coombs: Speaking of Alex, what’s the most valuable piece of advice he’s given you?

[17:10] Caesar Samayoa: One of the best pieces of advice he shared was to always stay curious and open to new ideas. It’s important to keep exploring and pushing boundaries in our craft.

[17:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: That’s fantastic advice! With the multiple roles you play, how do you keep the performance fresh for yourself and the audience?

[17:50] Caesar Samayoa: Each character brings something different to the table, and I try to find new nuances in their stories every night. It’s like a new adventure each performance, which keeps it exciting for both me and the audience.

[18:10] Jason A. Coombs: I love that! Now, let’s talk about your co-star, Jonathan Groff. What’s it like working with him?

[18:30] Caesar Samayoa: Oh, it’s a blast! He’s such a talented performer, and we have a great chemistry on stage. I always joke about how much spray ends up on me during our performances!

[19:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: That’s hilarious! It must be quite the experience to share the stage with someone of his caliber.

[19:30] Caesar Samayoa: Absolutely! He brings so much energy and passion to the role, and it really elevates the entire production.

[19:40] Jason A. Coombs: Now, shifting gears a bit, let’s talk about the recent Tony Awards. What were your thoughts on this season, especially with the high viewership and the representation of Latin-focused shows?

[20:00] Caesar Samayoa: It was a groundbreaking moment for the Broadway community. Seeing two Latin-focused shows featured was a huge step forward, and it’s important for us to continue building on that progress to champion more inclusive productions.

[20:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: Definitely! It’s exciting to see the industry evolving in that way.

[20:40] Caesar Samayoa: Yes, and I think it’s crucial for us to keep pushing for representation and diversity in all aspects of theater.

[21:00] Jason A. Coombs: Well said! Thank you for sharing your insights, Caesar.

[21:20] Caesar Samayoa: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure.

[21:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: We’re so glad you could join us today!

[29:56] Caesar Samayoa: It's really about leaning on, you know, my own skill sets when I'm doing TV and film and filling out the story as much as possible, because even the acting is a bit different. It's all about the detail. It's all about the reaction.

[30:14] Caesar Samayoa: And for the theater, it's just a little bit bigger. It's not that it's not honest. It absolutely is honest. But like they say, you have to play to the back of the house sometimes, you know, and it's a live shared experience. And your performance may change depending on the audience.

[30:34] Caesar Samayoa: And for TV and film, you are just on your own, hopefully with a wonderful acting partner, but sometimes you're doing reaction shots to a camera by yourself, right? You know, so all of that has to be in your head, and you have to kind of imagine all of it. It's another skill set I love because it's completely different. But it lets me really kind of delve deep into my own creativity.

[30:59] Jason A. Coombs: Love that.

[31:29] Caesar Samayoa: Right.

[32:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, I always think about that. Because it's like something like I would hope I can do one day, right? To know, like, just how to position yourself, right? Without being told.

[32:08] Caesar Samayoa: And know the confidence.

[32:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: And have the confidence to do that. And not have to rely on someone to be like, okay, Jason, you know, like, make sure your head's tilted like this, or, you know.

[32:16] Caesar Samayoa: It is so technical, you know, and yet you still have to be in the moment. And you still have to be honest. And you still have to tell the story. So it's a combination of skill sets.

[32:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, for sure.

[32:30] Caesar Samayoa: I wonder, like, I don't know, because you do both. So like, just being on set must but also be so different than I guess you get to be to play. It's like you play with like people in a room for weeks upon weeks, you know, so I don't know if there's a question in there, but I just I just love being on set. Yeah, I love it. It is just mesmerizing to me how, you know, the amount of equipment I mean, look at this studio. It's incredible.

[32:53] Jason A. Coombs: It's iconic.

[32:54] Caesar Samayoa: We have three, four cameras, we have four lights in front of us. It's really kind of amazing. And people don't understand what it takes to do something. And here we are recording, you know, a podcast when you're dealing with a TV show or films, just hundreds of pieces of equipment, hundreds of people working behind the scenes, even when it's one of the most intimate scenes in the TV show.

[33:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, the crew, the set, all of its props.

[33:22] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah.

[33:23] Caesar Samayoa: Oh, thank you, Alan. Alan's over there holding the tech down for us.

[33:27] Alan: You're welcome.

[33:29] Caesar Samayoa: Thank you for having a normal voice on that.

[33:31] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[33:36] Caesar Samayoa: Let's talk about playing. Let's talk Just In Time. You play multiple characters in the story about the iconic Bobby Darin. I've got a two parter. Can you tell us how this project came to you? And what is the most interesting thing you learned about Bobby Darin throughout this process? Were you like a fan before you got the script?

[33:55] Caesar Samayoa: You know, I love vinyls. And it's specifically I love vinyls of singers doing a live concert.

[34:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, yeah, because it feels like you're in the room.

[34:10] Caesar Samayoa: Yes. And we so rarely listen to an album from top to bottom these days, right? Because you could just go online and pick your song, you know, and go to a different artist. So I love hearing how an artist, you know, wanted an evening to go and then hear the audience's reaction to that.

[34:28] Caesar Samayoa: And one of them happened to be Bobby Darin at the Copa that I listen to all the time. And I just, that's how I kind of really was introduced to Bobby's material and Bobby's kind of artistry. And then Alex Timbers asked me what I've worked with before. I've done three other projects with Alex before. And he said, you know, we're doing a show starring Jonathan Groff. Would you be interested in coming doing some of the workshops for it? And that's really how it came across my way.

[35:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[35:02] Caesar Samayoa: And how I ended up in the show. And it was just an awesome rehearsal process.

[35:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: I can imagine.

[35:08] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah.

[35:09] Caesar Samayoa: It seems so fun. I mean, you've seen the show. Everybody on that stage is just a vet, you know, of this industry. They know exactly what they're doing. Some of the most kind, open-hearted people, you know, in the industry.

[35:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[35:24] Caesar Samayoa: And we pretty much get to play the whole entire night and watch Jonathan Groff do just an astounding performance.

[35:31] Jason A. Coombs: Absolutely crush it.

[35:32] Caesar Samayoa: Absolutely crush it.

[35:33] Jason A. Coombs: Absolutely crush it.

[35:34] Caesar Samayoa: Every single minute. There's something about being in part of a company and being in the room when you're watching your leading man step into the moment that he's being given.

[35:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[35:49] Caesar Samayoa: Because Jonathan has always been this open-hearted, kind, and extremely talented person.

[35:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: Right.

[35:55] Caesar Samayoa: But to, you know, to rise to this, to what this is asking of him and watch him do it so flawlessly. It's really, it's incredible to see.

[36:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. That's amazing. So you talked a little bit about Alex Timbers, which I think Alex Timbers is one of the best directors of our generation.

[36:13] Caesar Samayoa: Seriously.

[36:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: I feel so lucky to see him do this amazing work, piece after piece after piece.

[36:19] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah.

[36:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: So can you tell us a little bit about what it's like to work with him? I know it's not your first time working with him. And what is a piece of advice or something that you've learned from him that you implement into all of your work?

[36:32] Caesar Samayoa: You know, I love working with Alex because he really, I think he casts so well. You know, he really trusts his actors. And when he says it's a collaborative process, he means it.

[36:46] Caesar Samayoa: So, you know, if you have an idea or if you have a thought about it, sometimes we kind of squish them as actors, you know, or we're nervous to really say what's on our mind or lean in. And that is the opposite approach that you should take with Alex, because it is such a collaborative process. And you were cast for a reason. You know, he trusts you. He trusts why you're in the room and he trusts your opinion about your own character. Right.

[37:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: So that's an incredible part of working with him.

[37:17] Caesar Samayoa: I also feel like he leads one of the kindest and most open-hearted rehearsal rooms. So if you don't enter that room in more of a selfless mindset, you're in the wrong spot.

[37:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, you're in the wrong place and you're working with the wrong people because there's no room for it. You know, you're really there to support your other actors in that room.

[37:44] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah. And we've all been in all kinds of rooms. Right. Some of them could be tense. Someone could be a bit selfish. So it's wonderful to feel the freedom of selflessness and creativity in Alex's rehearsal rooms.

[37:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: It starts at the top. Right. He's really just giving it back.

[38:02] Caesar Samayoa: By the way, they announced today he's directing Bat Boy at City Center.

[38:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: A revival of Bat Boy is coming. I loved Bat Boy.

[38:11] Caesar Samayoa: That's going to be really cool. I remember watching that off-Broadway production.

[38:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: I just loved it. I could totally see him do that.

[38:19] Caesar Samayoa: Oh yeah. It's going to be incredible. So iconic.

[38:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Just zany. You know what else I love about because I just use the word zany and remembered.

[38:28] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, there's always zany aspects to his productions, you know, always.

[38:34] Caesar Samayoa: And it comes from the rehearsal room. There's so much laughter. You can be a fool. You can be like, what if I just tried this crazy, crazy ass thing, you know, during this moment? And all of a sudden it's in the show, you know?

[38:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Or the writer catches on to it and writes something about it. Right.

[38:51] Caesar Samayoa: So something like Just In Time where we're running all over that theater, you know?

[38:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Literally.

[38:59] Caesar Samayoa: Literally. All over the place. It really came from that rehearsal room where they recreated that set in the basement of a church here in Midtown. They recreated the entire set. So we were able to do, to know exactly where we were going at every moment and play. They built a playground. And it was to size. It was to size.

[39:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: So there was no spacing rehearsal when we got to the theater because we had been spaced from day one.

[39:23] Caesar Samayoa: Like we knew exactly how big the set was.

[39:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's amazing.

[39:28] Caesar Samayoa: With the stairs and everything.

[39:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh.

[39:30] Caesar Samayoa: Well it is an interactive piece of theater. How does this change the show every night? Or is it pretty consistent?

[39:35] Caesar Samayoa: I mean, our audiences are just awesome. It's no joke. There's been a lot. There's been some grabbing and talking from audience members.

[39:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm sure.

[39:51] Caesar Samayoa: Yes, which we were kind of warned about beforehand. But I love popping up in the middle of an audience and in the middle of a house and seeing people's reactions and being able to play off it. Because it's so interactive. I'm sure. It's like another character.

[40:01] Caesar Samayoa: Because the audience is like in the show. Literally. I always kind of secretly love when there's that gasp when they realize that. Oh, you're an actor and you're actually standing right next to me in the middle of the audience. And you're doing a scene right now.

[40:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: So cool. So we mentioned earlier that you're playing multiple characters in this show. All of whom are real people. This is not your first time playing a real person. How to Dance in Ohio as well. And Come From Away. So how is that process a little bit different for you than playing a fictional character?

[40:37] Caesar Samayoa: Well, I mean, I take a huge responsibility when I'm playing someone. Most of the characters that I've been playing are still alive. So they've come to see the work.

[40:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: How's that? That wasn't too much pressure? Or is it pretty chill?

[40:52] Caesar Samayoa: It's pretty. I mean, I get nervous. There's no pressure from the person coming to see the show. I get nervous about it. But it is pretty chill. And I've always worked with directors who weren't interested at all in doing some kind of imitation of whoever we're portraying. Just playing the scene honestly. And we were cast for a reason. So that's always been fun.

[41:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: It always gets me.

[41:20] Caesar Samayoa: Say like in Come From Away. When Kevin came to the show. And his friends came to be like, Oh my God, you got him down. That's exactly what he's like. And I was like, we've never met. This is the first time we've actually met. And there's no video of this man. So I guess that's a testament to our writers. The work that they've done.

[41:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: That's amazing.

[41:42] Caesar Samayoa: And the work you've done in your scripts.

[41:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you.

[41:45] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, of course. Do you have a favorite character that you're playing in Just In Time?

[41:49] Caesar Samayoa: I love Georgium. I love Connie Francis's dad.

[41:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[41:54] Caesar Samayoa: Really. He's crazy.

[41:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: He's crazy.

[41:57] Caesar Samayoa: He's crazy.

[41:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I based it off of something that I actually experienced once. That kind of rage over a daughter.

[42:06] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah.

[42:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: With her boyfriend.

[42:09] Caesar Samayoa: And I think I love it in the show. Because in a show that's full of such kind of lightness. It's kind of the one. I'm not going to say it's a terrifying moment. But a scarier moment in the piece. And that's really fun. To be able to do something so opposite from what's happening.

[42:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: For sure.

[42:31] Caesar Samayoa: It definitely seems fun. And Gracie and Jonathan and I. It's a struggle not to crack up the whole time.

[42:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, I can imagine.

[42:41] Caesar Samayoa: Because sometimes I pull out a gun in that scene, right? And it's fallen sometimes. I'm trying to be all scary. And I'm crawling through. I'm in the middle of the audience. So I'm crawling through people's feet and trying to grab the gun. You're like, excuse me. I'm looking for my gun. And I love when audience members react. And they put their hands up. They're being held up. It's so funny. I love that.

[43:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: You brought up Groff a little bit earlier today. We need the tea, though. What is it like working with a Tony award winning. You said he's kind. He's mega talented. What is it like? How do you stay away from the spit?

[43:21] Caesar Samayoa: The real answer is you don't. You just are part of it. You're a part of the Groff sauce that's happening in the show. And he says it in the show. He goes, I'm a wet man. And it is true. It is very true. It's like you're being baptized by Groff.

[43:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, you're being baptized on a nightly basis.

[43:42] Caesar Samayoa: But Groff is just awesome. I mean, from the first moment of rehearsal, his commitment to this. His kindness. His openness. I was just saying it's amazing seeing someone step into their moment. He just stepped into this moment like I've never experienced before. And a lot of us in that show have done a lot of shows. We've seen a lot of rooms. And he's just always led with his heart. Always.

[44:14] Caesar Samayoa: And not once has he shown us. And he must be exhausted. He's a human being. He doesn't leave. He doesn't ever get off the stage. He's never off the stage. He's never not singing. He's never not doing scene work. And not once. I was like, how are you doing, Groff? He's like, I'm great. Let's go. And not in like. I never feel like he's just saying the words because he has to. I feel like he really honestly is ready to go. He's just living kind of like this moment right now.

[44:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: How cool is that?

[44:47] Caesar Samayoa: It's so cool. Shout out to Groff. You can feel the energy. Big shout out. Y'all, you have to see him.

[44:54] Caesar Samayoa: It's one of those not-to-be-missed.

[45:08] Jason A. Coombs: She's my show wife. We love each other. I meet her at places every night, go through our day or go through something about the show, and we're fools on stage together. Yeah, really fun.

[45:20] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, I mean everybody on that stage is giving 10 out of 10 performances; the performances are stellar. Thank you, and you're in it the whole time. It's really phenomenal.

[45:32] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so we talked about, you know, the Tonys are on Sunday. It was like a historical Tonys—the most viewership since 2019. This Broadway season was the highest grossing season ever.

[45:43] Caesar Samayoa: That is facts. I think so. Hello.

[45:50] Jason A. Coombs: Right, but also this was the first Tonys ever to have two Latinx shows represented with performances, which is so amazing. So many Asian American actors won this year, too. How do we as a Broadway community keep everything inclusive and this representation? How do we keep that momentum going?

[46:07] Caesar Samayoa: Well, I feel like we're finally truly understanding that our audiences are made up of so many different people with so many different backgrounds, and there is a place for each of us, right? There's a place for our stories to be heard because they're mesmerizing. Yeah, you know, I certainly don't only need to hear stories about how I grew up and what my life was like. When I start hearing different viewpoints and different sounds from different parts of the world, it just enriches your own life, right?

[46:43] Jason A. Coombs: Right, and there was a lot of talk about this after the pandemic, and I feel like we are now really getting into that moment where this work is really starting to come forward in a major commercial way.

[46:57] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, you know, these stories have always been around, but maybe not as commercial ventures on Broadway. To see the diversity during those Tony Awards, it's really inspiring. It was so beautiful. You know, growing up, if I saw one Hispanic actor or actress, you know, it was shocking to me. My family's from Guatemala; we didn't see these stories, you know? I didn't have those aspirations of being able to portray these people on a major stage. Right now, I do, you know, and I have, and that is mind-boggling to me.

[47:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I just hope we—and I feel like we're just scratching the surface.

[47:42] Caesar Samayoa: Oh, yeah, hundred percent. Yeah, so let's keep it up, people. Keep it up. And that's the power of storytelling of theater and film. There's no choice for people who watch to have their hearts just busted open by story, right? It builds empathy for other people. So like when you go to Buena Vista Social Club and you listen to that music, and you know it's sung in Spanish, you don't need to hear it in another language; you need to hear it sung in Spanish.

[48:09] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[48:09] Caesar Samayoa: You need to hear these actors and actresses kind of bear their soul in their native language because it is a visceral and moving experience.

[48:17] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, and I have a friend who is not a Broadway girl. I'm starting to help her scratch the surface of bringing her around, but Buena Vista, she brought her whole family because they relate to it. And so then she and I went back together, and she's crying the whole time, and she's telling everybody, "You need to go see this show." So it's bringing people to the theater that maybe wouldn't be going to the theater because they can relate and they are inspired. So I love it.

[48:46] Caesar Samayoa: You know, the other part—I brought my mom to see Buena Vista Social Club, and this is music that was playing in our household, you know, music we grew up with, that she grew up with. And yet there was still a part of her like, "Is this real? Are people gonna like this? You know, is there gonna be an audience for it?" So then to be able to show her, yes, that there is an audience for it on a huge stage, and we can move past that kind of thinking—not saying there's not work to do because there's always work to do—but we have taken a step, and Buena Vista is a hit.

[49:26] Jason A. Coombs: It is a hit, and it should be.

[49:32] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, hundred percent.

[49:35] Jason A. Coombs: Cool, so we're coming towards the end. I feel like it just goes by so fast.

[49:41] Caesar Samayoa: I know, just getting to know you, Caesar. I know you're amazing. This is so fun. I'm so happy. You're so fun.

[49:45] Jason A. Coombs: So a couple more questions, and then we're gonna play a really, really fun game.

[49:52] Caesar Samayoa: Oh gosh.

[49:56] Jason A. Coombs: But I'm curious, do you have a dream role or a collaboration that you want to manifest with us? Because Samantha and I are big manifestors; we believe in it.

[50:03] Caesar Samayoa: I mean, I always say that, like I said, I love original creative work, so I don't think my dream role has been written yet. So I am very open to collaborating with people on that. I'm a huge fan of Michael Arden; I would love to work with him. But there's so many. I honestly, there are so many directors we haven't even heard of yet, you know? And I am a true believer that the right thing is gonna come when it's supposed to come, so I'm just gonna keep myself open to that and to make sure that I'm in creative rooms.

[50:36] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I am a big Mariska Hargitay fan. Love her. She says, you know, "Keep the doors to your heart open to the unexpected."

[50:47] Caesar Samayoa: Oh my, I need that written down. I love this so much.

[50:50] Jason A. Coombs: The unexpected.

[50:52] Caesar Samayoa: And I do love to do this. So in one word, can you let everybody know why they need to run and go see Just In Time?

[51:01] Caesar Samayoa: Light.

[51:03] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[51:04] Caesar Samayoa: Love that.

[51:06] Jason A. Coombs: Can you elaborate a little more? I do love the one word; it's fun.

[51:10] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, is it fun or is it just fun for me?

[51:14] Jason A. Coombs: I like it. Okay, but for me, light means that it's just gonna shine a massive light in your day and in your life.

[51:21] Caesar Samayoa: Definitely at a time where we need it. I hear it over and over again from our audiences that are just, you know, enthralled with the show. They said, "I needed this so much," and I think it's because we really fill their evening or afternoon with light.

[51:37] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[51:40] Caesar Samayoa: This has been amazing. Thank you so much for joining us. Like we said, we're all a little tired, so it's so gorgeous that we've got to all come together here at the Welcome to Times Square studio and chat with you. This has been an amazing conversation. Thanks for making time for us.

[52:03] Caesar Samayoa: Oh my gosh, thank you for making space.

[52:07] Jason A. Coombs: Pinky.

[52:10] Caesar Samayoa: Definitely the pinky before I thank you. We're gonna play a game called Bobby or Broadway.

[52:17] Jason A. Coombs: We're gonna read you lyrics from a song, and you're gonna tell us if it's a Bobby Darin song.

[52:21] Caesar Samayoa: Okay, so the idea of the game kind of overlaps because the songs are on Broadway, yes, right? So I can't go wrong unless you say Bobby.

[52:31] Jason A. Coombs: So we're gonna say a lyric to a Bobby Darin song, okay, or lyrics from a Broadway song, and you're gonna say Bobby or Broadway. All right, and we're gonna see what it is. Go ahead, J. Kick it off. I'm nervous.

[52:48] Jason A. Coombs: And by the way, I'm faintly—I say this all the time—but I'm famously known for cheating on our game.

[52:55] Caesar Samayoa: Okay.

[52:58] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, first I have the first one: "Someday I don't know how I hope she'll hear my plea."

[53:05] Caesar Samayoa: That's Bobby.

[53:12] Jason A. Coombs: Hey, that's Alan come through.

[53:16] Caesar Samayoa: That is Bobby, "Dream Lover."

[53:20] Jason A. Coombs: Hey, I love it.

[53:24] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, next: "That's it, a big event, fresh and exciting with colorful lighting."

[53:44] Caesar Samayoa: Come on, that's Broadway.

[53:47] Jason A. Coombs: "How to Dance in Ohio."

[53:51] Caesar Samayoa: Fresh and exciting.

[53:55] Jason A. Coombs: Come on, "How to Dance in Ohio." Shout out. Oh, that just filled my heart.

[54:01] Caesar Samayoa: Filled my heart, two out of two. You're crushing it, C.

[54:05] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, number three: "Gotta see her dance to the yellow dog balloons."

[54:13] Caesar Samayoa: Bobby.

[54:21] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[54:28] Caesar Samayoa: I just have to sidebar; I sat next to Seth Rudetsky when I saw the show, and he was just dancing and conducting the whole time.

[54:34] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my god, "Just In Time," because he just, you know, he can't get the music out of his body. Great shout out, Seth Rudetsky. Shout out, this—that was me sitting next to you.

[54:44] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, three for three. Great job, kind of.

[54:48] Caesar Samayoa: Okay, fine, everyone, I cheated.

[54:51] Jason A. Coombs: That it was Bobby because he looked a little stumped.

[54:53] Caesar Samayoa: Well, because I watched that moment from the house; my entrance is right after it, and so if I had—I was like, "I know this; I've seen it."

[55:06] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, next is: "You're the reason I'm living; I'd be lost without you."

[55:13] Caesar Samayoa: This feels like Broadway.

[55:17] Jason A. Coombs: I mean, it is technically about Broadway as well. I don't know if this is in the show; I don't think it is.

[55:32] Caesar Samayoa: Doesn't it feel like someone should be belting this out? "You're the reason I'm..."

[55:40] Jason A. Coombs: Let's hear it after the Tonys.

[55:47] Caesar Samayoa: Okay, where are we? Oh, I think we're—I don't know where this is, but "Fish and chips and shipwrecks."

[56:08] Jason A. Coombs: Come on, that's...

[56:17] Caesar Samayoa: Double points for that one.

[56:32] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, we were just having a dance break listening. Okay, next: "I bet she's missing her gigs. I bet she's missing her booze. I bet she's tearing out her hair."

[56:43] Caesar Samayoa: Bobby.

[56:48] Jason A. Coombs: Wow, that's from "Sister Act."

[56:54] Caesar Samayoa: When I find my baby, that's right.

[56:58] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, I sang this song.

[57:02] Caesar Samayoa: But it's hard when you hear the lyrics.

[57:06] Jason A. Coombs: So don't be too hard on yourself. We had the best time doing this show, and I have two of my "Sister Act" castmates in "Just In Time."

[57:16] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, that's Tracy Egan.

[57:21] Jason A. Coombs: That was awesome. Just that show was so much fun to do. Yeah, shout out to Lance. We love him from this show. He's been on the show a couple times through interviews, through like carpets and stuff. All right.

[57:34] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, this is the last one. Okay, so double points.

[57:37] Caesar Samayoa: So double points, okay.

[57:40] Jason A. Coombs: "So when that tingle hits you deep and you're tired, but you can't just sleep, don't you take my word; go and ask anyone who knows?"

[57:49] Caesar Samayoa: Bobby.

[58:03] Jason A. Coombs: That I actually say wrong.

[58:06] Caesar Samayoa: I know.

[58:07] Jason A. Coombs: That is iconic.

[58:09] Jason A. Coombs: So your prize for getting a perfect score is a VIP invite to the launch party for season four of Survival Jobs sometime in the fall.

[58:17] Caesar Samayoa: Yeah, yeah, October maybe.

[58:27] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I think we're doing October.

[58:31] Caesar Samayoa: This has been so fun. I just almost couldn't even speak. Thank you again for joining us. Everybody needs to go see "Just In Time." Before we let you go, please let everybody know your social media handle so everybody can keep up with following you.

[58:40] Caesar Samayoa: They don't already. My name on Instagram is @CaesarSamayoa.

[58:44] Jason A. Coombs: There you go. And if you are a Caesar fan and you don't follow us yet, follow us at @SurvivalJobsPod on Instagram and TikTok, on Facebook at Survival Jobs: A Podcast. Shoot us an email at SurvivalJobsPod@gmail.com. Let us know your thoughts, some dream guests. Follow my boy Jason at @JasonACoombs, and I'm Sammy Toots. Bye.

[59:06] Jason A. Coombs: Watch yourself when you were giving the outro.

[59:09] Caesar Samayoa: I did watch myself.

[59:16] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you so much for tuning into this episode hot off the Tonys, hot off the press. If you like what you heard, please like, subscribe, and follow. Give us a like on Instagram at @SurvivalJobsPod, as you heard previously, and tell your friends, tell everyone you know to tune in to Survival Jobs Pod. We're gonna come back hot for season four with a bit of a rebrand and maybe some film division. Like, you know, we got plans. We got plans, got big plans. We got huge plans. Thank you. Thank you.