This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, Survivors! Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and Broadway Podcast Network. It's me, your boy, Jason A. Coombs, with my girl, Samantha Tuozzolo, shining bright over there with the hair pulled back for those who can't see her, looking like a star. Hi, Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo.

[0:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi, Jason A. Coombs. How are you?

[0:29] Jason A. Coombs: I'm good.

[0:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm good. The allergies have taken me down.

[0:36] Jason A. Coombs: The allergies have taken me down. But other than that, the sun is shining. Things are moving and grooving. Things are happening. We're feeling good.

[0:43] Samantha Tuozzolo: But yeah, the allergies. We did have an exciting weekend.

[0:51] Jason A. Coombs: We had such an exciting weekend. For those faithful listeners, as you know, last Sunday, we participated in the first annual Broadway Podcast Network's PodFest. And we got to interview Issa and JonJon Briones. And that episode will be coming out as a bonus in the next couple of weeks. So stay tuned. Go see Hadestown. We talked a lot about that last week. These two were just so amazing to chat with. And we ended that interview and I said to everyone, I said, I feel like I could go run three miles. I was just so happy and energized. So it was a really great conversation. And how beautiful a father-daughter duo on stage together. It can't get better than that.

[1:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: And how beautiful that they adopted me as their black son slash brother.

[1:38] Jason A. Coombs: Come on. They definitely did. And we were pressed for time. We kept getting the wrap it up sign because I didn't even get my chance to get adopted as well. But Jason, I am happy for you. What an iconic family to be adopted into.

[1:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes. Yes. Yes. Wait, we cannot miss a week of the temperature check about what is your, yes. So for new listeners, Jason and I used to have this format where we just check in and see how we're doing. A few weeks ago, we switched it to say, what is your temperature check? But you need to compare it to a musical or play or like a song or moment.

[2:14] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Or play or show. Yeah. You have one? Or you want me to go first?

[2:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: I would like you to go first, if you have it ready.

[2:24] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. I am very, very feeling like, I think I've used this show before, but it's just like the way the world, it's just, it's ragtime again. But specifically, it's going to sound really kooky. But when a little brother is like, I know how to blow things up. Like that's kind of how I feel because the world is on fire right now. But there's so much change happening in the air. There's so much resistance. And it's just like, this is history in the making with everything that's happening with Palestine and whatnot. We don't have to go into full details. But it's like, this is what is going to be in the history books. When we look back, there's going to be plays and there's going to be musicals and there's going to be movies about what's happening right now.

So I'm just feeling very politically on fire. I'm always am, I guess. But this is the moments when you see stuff in the news and you see how like change is happening. And these young kids today, these Gen Zers, man, they're incredible. I'm blown away by them. So ragtime, little brother. Yeah. How about you?

[3:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: I feel like the poor in Les Mis.

[3:41] Jason A. Coombs: Which is also very fitting to 2024 because she is real.

[3:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. I am exaggerating a little bit for the bit. But I feel financially frustrated every week with the lack of pay for my survival job. I'm so underpaid. Hello, everyone just listening. Jason and I love our show and we're hustling out here. But both of us still have survival jobs that we hustle with.

[4:01] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I do. I feel like the poor in Les Mis. Don't steal no bread, girl. Don't steal no bread. Let's go. 24601. You know what I mean? Let's go corporate America. Pay your employees what they deserve.

[4:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: So we're not getting political today, but we are. We can. We can. But yeah, that's what I genuinely, every week I'm financially frustrated. And then I'm playing it in my survival job, except for when I step away for 20 minutes to record this podcast. But you know, that's just the way it is. And keep hustling. Keep marching. Keep marching. Keep marching. Shout out. Resist, y'all. There's lots of happening in the world. And we just gotta stay. I always say this. We just gotta stay vigilant and stay like aware because stuff is happening. And like, again, not to get too political, but like we're talking about how people are struggling. Everybody's struggling. We were hearing it from people in our world, right?

And we're hearing it from people who work on Broadway. We're hearing it from actors in film and TV. Taraji had this whole breakdown a couple months ago about not being paid what she's worth. And I'm hearing it from friends who are teachers and friends who work in mental health. Everyone is struggling. There's this kind of perception that is being put in the media that we're all doing good, and we're not. We talk to people. People are really struggling out there. So I'm always giving extra love and light to everyone because it's a hard time out there. But a revolution is happening, whether we want it to or not. And it's history. History is in the making right now.

[5:39] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, for sure. Not to pivot completely on the topic completely, but Jason, congratulations. You were on the Broadway World opening night red carpet for Hell's Kitchen last week. That's huge. Congratulations.

[5:53] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you, Broadway World. Tell us a little bit about it. How was it?

[5:59] Jason A. Coombs: No, I mean, I was fortunate to get to see the show Hell's Kitchen before, and I was blown away. I told you, Samantha, I texted you literally as soon as I got to the theater. I was raving about this show. It's so beautiful. It's wonderful. Shoshana Bean, as we all know, is incredible. So is the lead. I mean, it's a whole cast. It's a whole cast. And we can do a whole episode or a whole breakdown about this when you see the show, and hopefully we'll get somebody from the show on very soon. But it's a beautiful show. Right now, get tickets. It's probably my favorite show I've seen this season so far. I haven't seen all of them, but I've seen a few, and it's just really hit a personal-

[6:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, we've seen a lot.

[6:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it hit a really personal chord to me. It's about parents and about family and fuck the fathers. And we can go into that another day as well. But it just really hit a chord with me, and it's beautiful. And then I got to do the red carpet after, which was incredible. And it's the first time, I think, that we've gotten to see the show before doing the red carpet. We kind of always see it after, right? Unless it looks like you think of.

[7:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, kind of.

[7:02] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, actually. I'm not sure if I told you this, Samantha, but when I was talking to Shoshana and I was talking to the incredible, iconic, legendary Alicia Keys, it was hard for me to fully stay present because I was having memories of the show from the night before and moments I wanted to bring up. But of course, you have literally two minutes max. Not enough time. You don't have an in-depth interview like we do now. But I was very moved. And I wanted to cry a lot of times because I'm talking to Shoshana Bean about her playing a mother for the first time and how she felt about that. You'll hear it in the... If we get to release that audio, you'll get to hear how she feels about playing a mother. It's been challenging.

[7:38] Shoshana Bean: The beginning of the process, I was just wrestling a lot with my own ego of like, I'm a mom now. That's what we doing. I just played someone's daughter last year. So I'm like, now I'm the mom. And it just was like very confronting for my age, for my... It just was like hard. And I was really resisting leaning into it. But it's a great joy to love her and protect her and pour into her and comfort her on stage and more importantly, off. And I think the closer that we've gotten off stage only creates a more beautiful relationship on stage.

[8:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: When she was recently playing a daughter on her last show on Broadway, right?

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

[8:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: Or just hearing Alicia Keys.

[8:23] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, wow.

[8:24] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah. And just hearing Alicia Keys, when Alicia Keys was 23 years ago, when she released "Fallin'," did she know she was gonna be in that moment, having a Broadway show of her music 23 years into her career? I don't know. Huge story, full circle moment. A story about her essentially in her home neighborhood. Not just her home city, but her neighborhood.

[8:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: That is so cool. That is so cool. And those looks were giving. Okay.

[8:58] Jason A. Coombs: Everybody was channeling that spirit. New York is such a special place. And I think sometimes we forget, or maybe I'm gonna speak for myself. I forget how special it is because we're so close to it. We've gotten to go there. We've lived there. But it's a really special place. And that fashion was so New York City inspired, so 90s inspired. I was living, seeing these looks on the red carpet. It was the first time where the looks were just as exciting as being on the red carpet, right? It was so fucking cool.

[9:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Did you guys see some of the pictures? Did anybody send them to you?

[9:30] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. I mean, obviously a big shout out to our girl Shoshana Bean. Oh my God. She always serves her looks. She is always showing up ready to go in a look. The hair slicked back. The makeup is, the face is beat. You know what I mean? She always is serving. But that skirt, she had this custom New York City skirt with the Statue of Liberty.

[9:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. The Yankees logo.

[9:56] Jason A. Coombs: The sneakers, the white tank top. It just all was a big love story to New York on her body. So number one, always Shoshana Bean. But then I want to give a big shout out to Alicia Keys' son, Genesis, and his matching suit. He had a matching track suit on that was fly as heck. And then Alicia Keys' mom. Also, it looks like it was a two-piece. A few carpets I've been in the black and white polka dots.

[10:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: Always. I love a polka dot. And my friends sometimes come for me and they're like, Samantha, the polka dots, really? And I'm like, I always have loved a polka dot. And that's been getting older and I don't care about opinions or judgment anymore. And I just care about what I like. I'm rocking the polka dot.

[10:45] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. I love that for you.

[10:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Thank you. Maybe we can pan to me side by side with Alicia Keys' mom and our black with our white polka dots.

[10:53] Jason A. Coombs: Can we?

[10:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, we can.

[10:58] Jason A. Coombs: Do you think we can? I mean, Jason, can you edit that in?

[10:59] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Yeah. I love that.

[11:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: But I love the polka dot moment. So those were my standouts. I mean, everyone looked great.

[11:03] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. I mean, those are some great choices. I would just say it was kind of cool to see Alicia Keys and Maleah Joy Moon, who was the lead of the show playing Ali, who was essentially like the Alicia Keys in the story. And they were like, they weren't matching completely, but they're both like in these all denim outfits. And Alicia Keys was like a darker, a more like, more like casual denim outfit. And then Maleah had like this big rhinestones, like jacket. And they both just look so cool. They were like a yin and yang to each other, which I thought was cool because of the dynamics of real life. That was so cute.

[11:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: And of course, Shoshana Bean. And then Jackie Leon is part of like Ali's friends in the show. And she sings, spoiler alert, she sings "Girl on Fire." So when I saw her in this red outfit, I was like, oh my god, the girl is on fire.

[11:59] Jason A. Coombs: That is so good.

[12:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god, it's so iconic. She looks so fierce. She looks so fierce. Like, I don't know. I don't know. The fashion was just so exciting. I guess it just really, really excited me. She had those like really high boots on and with the gold trim. I'm like, you are a star girl. And I believe it was her Broadway debut. So I wanted to talk to her. Maybe she could be on our panel for, you know, Broadway, Broadway, Broadway Con. I hope she wears that outfit. If she does, get to come on.

[12:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm kidding. And then the last one, Joaquin Hart, he wore this like kind of black, it's like sexy sheer shirt with like a gold tie and a gold belt buckle. And these like white socks were like a little bit Michael Jackson inspired. But like it was so sexy, so classy, so like, like grown and sexy man outfit. I don't know. I just really loved it with like, it wasn't so like, it wasn't plain like a plain black. It was like sheer and cute. And I don't know, I was living. I was living.

[12:57] Jason A. Coombs: You know, I mean, you should have been it was amazing. How do I get so cool? How do I get to be so cool? Like, like them and like you polka dot girl, like, I need some style tips. Come style me.

[13:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: But I did appreciate this opening night because they, you know, sort of veered off from the traditional like Broadway opening. And yeah, and I feel like, you know, we've been talking a lot lately about women and the way we're perceived to look and be and like, the more we can break down the walls of like the perception of what should be and this is one of the moments of like, just be you, babe. Just be you. Just be you. And keep it moving and grooving. I thought everyone did that. They were just themselves. And they were so unapologetically themselves. And it just looks so stunning. Right? There was no like, oh, this is Broadway. I have to dress in a certain way. It was like, no, I'm gonna be gonna be me.

[13:54] Jason A. Coombs: Exactly. Well, Jason, everybody, everybody needs to go see Hell's Kitchen, but everybody also needs to go see The Great Gatsby on Broadway, which will segue us into our guest today. First of all, happy opening night to The Great Gatsby today. This episode is coming out on April 25. Happy opening. Our guest today, Samantha Pauly is so, so good in this show. I was living for her in this production. So you guys need to run and go see it. I also want to shout out, I thought the choreography in The Great Gatsby was so great. And the choreographer is from your hometown, Jason, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

[14:36] Jason A. Coombs: You told me that? I was like, we have to get them on this show. That's amazing.

[14:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Dominique Kelly is from Connecticut, represents Bridgeport, Connecticut. And I know you do so much work in Bridgeport for the arts. So this would be an amazing connection to me.

[14:50] Jason A. Coombs: And it's so funny, because Dominique is like, kind of like when I was younger, he was like someone from Bridgeport who like made it right, who was like on Broadway. So like, everyone, everyone knows Dominique Kelly, even if you don't know him personally, like we know him, we know of him because he was like the one who made it out. Right. So that's super cool. I would love to connect with them and get them on. So exciting.

[15:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, yeah, but so Jason, I were so lucky. We both got to see The Great Gatsby. I mean, the performances, you know, it's Jeremy Jordan, it's Ava, like, obviously, these people are going to be singing down. So, you know, they took a story that everybody knows and made it like you were seeing and hearing it for the first time. So definitely check it out. And definitely go support our girl Samantha Pauly. What an icon, what an icon.

[15:38] Jason A. Coombs: What an icon. And that show y'all, the mere spectacle of it. It's like, nothing I've seen in a long time, which I was so thankful for the opportunity to see it and support it and go, go get your tickets. Go, go, go, go, go. Run, run, run. So let's tell you a little bit about Samantha. And then we'll wrap up and enjoy her episode.

[16:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, do you want to go first, Sam?

[16:04] Jason A. Coombs: I will take it. I will take it, Samantha to Samantha. Samantha Pauly is a Grammy-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning actress, best known for originating the role of Catherine Howard in SIX: The Musical on Broadway, and now for starring in The Great Gatsby. In the summer of 2019, Samantha was hand-picked by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jamie Lloyd to play Ava Perron in Regence Park Open Air Theatre's critically acclaimed revival of Evita on the West End.

[16:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh, I wish I could have seen her in that.

[16:38] Jason A. Coombs: Bye, Sam. Powerful. She's such a fantastic performer in that role. Oh, my gosh. Okay. Some of her regional credits include Mimi in Rent, Betsy in Honeymoon in Vegas, Ava Perron in Evita, Jodie in Elf: The Musical, and Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray? Y'all know Hairspray is my favorite musical. In 2018, she also toured and performed her solo cabaret, An Evening with Samantha Pauly, and has performed in New York City, LA, Chicago, and more. Some of her TV credits include Chicago PD on NBC, and ads for Mike's Hard Lemonade, Purina, and T-Mobile. Holla. She is a gift, y'all. That bob was bobbing.

[17:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: The bob is bobbing, and she'll tell you something about hitting a golf ball in The Great Gatsby. So, see you at the theater, and enjoy the episode.

[17:32] Jason A. Coombs: Enjoy.

[17:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: Bye.

[17:37] Samantha Pauly: Hi, Samantha. Welcome to Survival Jobs Podcast.

[17:40] Samantha Pauly: Thanks for having me.

[17:42] Jason A. Coombs: I'm hyped to Samantha's. I don't know that that's happened before. Jason, has it?

[17:46] Jason A. Coombs: Samantha squared. I know. It's wild.

[17:50] Samantha Pauly: It's super exciting. Congratulations. You're about to be starring in The Great Gatsby on Broadway. Performances are on March 29th. So, how are we feeling?

[18:04] Samantha Pauly: I feel good. I feel I'm tired. But I'm excited. I'm happy that you know, things are coming together that we're like, that we finally have all of the elements and I can kind of hear everything the way it's gonna sound and they were, um, we all got to Smith last night and the orchestra stayed for like 20 extra minutes and they were playing through my song in Act One again, at like a faster tempo that I had asked for. So I just stayed behind and just like sat on the stage and listened to everything. So I haven't gotten to just sit and listen to it. And that was, it was very, very exciting. I got a little emotional.

[18:49] Jason A. Coombs: Well, we're all so excited. We have so much to talk about all the things Broadway. But before we do that, let's talk about why we are all here. Survival jobs. Do you have a survival job from your past before you were a literal Broadway icon that was a good one, one that like brings you joy to think about?

[19:10] Samantha Pauly: I had so many. I never, one thing that I never did was I never worked in the service industry. Because I just didn't think I could, one, handle people that like are dicks sometimes. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not so many. I will give it right back and then I'll get fired. So you have to also like coordination couldn't be me holding stuff with one. No. Mm hmm. Can't do it. I would drop. I would be fired immediately. But I worked in retail a lot. I went back and forth between Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister for like seven, eight years. Like when I was in high school and college because they were a survival job that was like, if you need to come back, come back. If you need to leave, leave. If you want to go to a different store while you're in college, work there.

[20:08] Jason A. Coombs: You're our second guest in season three that has worked at Abercrombie.

[20:11] Samantha Pauly: Really? Jonathan Bennett also worked at Abercrombie.

[20:14] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Oh my God.

[20:16] Samantha Pauly: You're shirtless though, so.

[20:19] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, he was one of the shirtless stand outside the store. Oh my God. What a thrill.

[20:27] Samantha Pauly: Yeah. Were you spraying people with the perfume and the cone?

[20:30] Samantha Pauly: Oh my God. No, but you know what? All of those rules about like, having to spray throughout the store at certain times from a certain distance, like it was wild. It was, can we all just relax? Like the things that you have to say when people come into the store, you can't say like, hi, everyone, how's it going? Can I help you? You say, hey, what's up? Very cool.

[20:59] Jason A. Coombs: You have to say, hey, what's up?

[21:00] Samantha Pauly: You have to say, hey, what's up?

[21:03] Samantha Pauly: Then you can ask them if they need help finding.

[21:08] Jason A. Coombs: I wonder if they still have to do that these days.

[21:10] Samantha Pauly: No, I, God, I hope not. I don't think. I hope not. But that was one that I had for a while. After I graduated college, and I moved, I lived in Chicago for like six years, and worked there. And when I first moved there, I worked at a dog shelter that I loved. It was like, very hard work, and very gross. But

[21:39] Samantha Pauly: you have to play with cute puppies.

[21:42] Samantha Pauly: Yes, I there wasn't really like, I mean, like, there were like times that we could take dogs outside and play with them. But between like, opening for the day, and then visiting hours later, and like feeding schedule and every it was like, there wasn't any time for that. It was so much cleaning and so much like dirty work that I think they, I think they had a hard time finding people to work there because they're like, this isn't like, you show up and you just play with the dogs like you are on your hands and knees, like quite literally knee deep in shit. And like clean and like some of the dogs and you have to deal with it. And like we get new puppies and dogs are like dumped outside. I would show up in the morning sometimes to like open the shelter, and there would be a dog like tied to the door that people just like drop their dogs off.

So it was hard, but it was very rewarding to like, see all these new dogs come in and then you know, like or do meet and greets with people and introduce dogs to people and then like see them get adopted. But it was hard and it was sad sometimes. And I ended up leaving that job because I booked a show in Chicago and I just had to leave. And then I was very lucky. I worked very consistently. So I didn't have to go back. But I also I dog walked for a while. I worked at SoulCycle for a little while. I was very like, calm down, everyone. You know, I mean, like, particular brands. Yeah. Do things a certain way, which like, I get it. But that and I was still in Chicago, like in a very, like affluent, like very rich suburb. So all the Lululemon moms were coming in. And that was like a whole other very interesting environment. I feel like I've done a lot of survival resumes. It's a couple pages, girl.

[24:51] Samantha Pauly: A lot of them.

[24:53] Jason A. Coombs: I mean, I guess you kind of have to. That's the kind of a common theme that we've seen through a lot of our guests and even ourselves, right? A lot of people have to have many jobs to survive in this industry.

[24:57] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, yeah. And podcast. No more. No more episodes.

[25:01] Jason A. Coombs: And it's hard. And it's hard to find ones where as an actor, you can be like, this is not what I primarily care about. This is I'm doing this while I have some free time right now. And if I book something, I'm gone.

[25:06] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, or jobs like that, that understand that, like, okay, well, if you have to leave, but if you need to come back, that's great. SoulCycle was also like that. They were like, yeah, if you need to leave and then come back, that's great. Which was nice of them.

[25:12] Jason A. Coombs: So Samantha, let's go back to the beginning. Do you remember the catalyst for you that was like, Hey, I think I want to do this professionally. I have a voice. I have talent to act. Do you remember what that was? How old you were?

[25:20] Samantha Pauly: Um, I was I didn't start doing theater until like the end of my junior year of high school. Um, I sang in choir.

[25:33] Samantha Pauly: Oh my gosh, I love that show.

[25:39] Samantha Pauly: Fernando, by the way, gets stuck in my head.

[26:02] Samantha Pauly: Wow.

[26:31] Samantha Pauly: Wow.

[26:46] Samantha Pauly: Oh my gosh.

[26:52] Samantha Pauly: She is unbelievable.

[27:01] Samantha Pauly: Wow.

[27:07] Samantha Pauly: Yeah.

[27:31] Samantha Pauly: I think it was, like, probably when I was in college, that I was finally like, oh yeah, I think I'm good enough at this that I could do this for a job.

[27:42] Jason A. Coombs: Clearly.

[27:45] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, I guess. But I still felt so behind because, like, I got to school and there were so many kids that had been doing it since they were three or, like, knew each other from work or—

[27:57] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[27:58] Samantha Pauly: All of this stuff that I was like, I don't know anything. I feel behind. I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. So I felt like I was working twice as hard to, like, get better at dancing. Like, I danced maybe when, like, from, like, the ages of three to ten. So college, I was like, oh shit, I have to be able to—

[28:12] Jason A. Coombs: Tap.

[28:22] Samantha Pauly: All these kinds of—

[28:23] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[28:24] Samantha Pauly: Styles of dance, I guess. And—

[28:26] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[28:27] Samantha Pauly: I was like, the first time I took a voice lesson and, you know, all the things that are required. So I feel like college was finally when I was like, yeah, I think I can do this. But I still have times where I'm like, can I do this?

[28:41] Jason A. Coombs: I can assure you, you can. And you are. First of all, I'd like to shout out Julia Murney, past Survival Jobs guest as well. She's a past—

[28:50] Samantha Pauly: I finally met her for the first time, like, maybe two years ago, maybe like a year and a half ago. And I had had a friend that saw her in Between the Lines.

[29:01] Samantha Pauly: And he texted me, like, one in the morning. And he's like, I just saw Between the Lines and sent me a picture of him and Julia Murney. He's like, she says she's a big fan of yours. I said, what do you mean? What are you talking about? I never met her. I always wanted to meet her. And then I finally did a concert with Ellery Ward and Julia Murney was another one of her guests.

[29:25] Samantha Pauly: And so I was like, I'm sorry, I just I have to do the thing that I don't want to bother you. But I want to say the things that I've always wanted to say to you. And you're the first person that I saw. And you're like, kind of why I'm doing what I'm doing. And when I first saw her before I talked to her, she like reached across the table and took my hands and she was like, I'm so glad we're finally meeting. I was like, what the fuck?

[29:53] Samantha Pauly: And she's like, Okay, make sure you text me if you're like stuck, you know, in the snow and you just I want to make sure you get home. Okay. I was like, Oh, yeah, Julia Murney. I'll definitely text you to come save me from the snow. No problem at all. That is so good.

[30:08] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, we have so much Great Gatsby to talk about. But before we do, we have to talk about SIX because my god, how iconic. I do just want to shout out and say I was there at the very first preview pre-pandemic. And I also was there at the first show back. I feel like I am—I was on the pandemic SIX journey with you. Can you just tell us a little bit about what that whole experience was like? I know we never want to talk about the pandemic again. But I feel like for this show in particular, you guys were about to open on the day of the shutdown. So can you chat a little bit about what that was like? And then how it was like to come back to that show after?

[30:49] Samantha Pauly: Um, yeah, the day the day that everything shut down was our was supposed to be our opening night and I had like planned a brunch for like my family and friends that were in town and went to brunch with everybody. Can you imagine a crowded brunch on March 13? I'm like, what were we doing? But went to brunch and then I was in a lift with my sister. She was like, gonna stop and go get her makeup done. And I was gonna come back to my apartment and get my outfit for opening night. And on the way home, someone sent me the Playbill article that was like effective tomorrow Broadway shutting down and I was like, Oh, well tomorrow so like we'll still open for sure.

[31:36] Samantha Pauly: And then I got home and all of the girls were kind of texting each other because some of them were at the theater already. And they were saying, you know, we're here and no one really seems to know if we're actually doing the show tonight. And I called our stage manager. And I said, I—she didn't even say hello, she picked up the phone and she said, Don't ask me what's going on. I have no idea. And I think the show was supposed to be at six and it wasn't until like 4:30 that we all finally got an email that was like, if you're not already in Midtown, don't come in. We're not doing the show tonight. And so I hadn't gone in. I just stayed at home and my family was still here. So my sister, I don't think she lived in my building. My sister and her boyfriend live in my building now. They're like four floors above me.

[32:30] Jason A. Coombs: How fun.

[32:31] Samantha Pauly: That's cute. I love her.

[32:57] Samantha Pauly: But it was such a weird time because then like I think the next day we got an email that was like, we'll be coming back in four weeks, no questions asked, April 13, that's when we're reopening and I was like, Oh, all of us were like, Oh, a month off. That's actually not that bad. That sounds really nice because we had been out on this tour the year before. Before we came to Broadway, we had like three weeks off, which for all of us that didn't live in New York, we were moving. So it's just been a whirlwind that I'm like, four weeks, that sounds great. I'll sleep. And then all these other things started happening that they're like, well, now they're saying it's eight weeks and now it's this and that.

[33:40] Samantha Pauly: It sucked. It was so weird because, you know, then there were some shows that like, were starting to announce they weren't going to come back at all. And so we, you know, we're so stressed and panicked and our producers were very nice that, you know, every couple weeks or months, we would have like a big Zoom call together so they could update us. But mostly to say like, don't worry, we're coming back. We're not replacing anybody. Everyone's going to have a job. We're going to rebuild all the costumes. Like, worry about if you have changed, if you think maybe this isn't for you anymore. Because there were so many people that that happened for too that they're like, Oh, I've been doing something else. And that's way better. And they just left the industry.

[34:26] Samantha Pauly: No one, you know, a part of our show, but I feel like in the industry in general. But even when they finally told us when we were coming back, you know, we started to figure out like, okay, it's probably gonna be July of 2021 or whenever it was. I feel like even then, I've still felt so nervous. I was like, yeah, okay. It's been so long.

[34:55] Samantha Pauly: Well, I'll believe it when I see it. So our first show back then after the shutdown was just—

[35:04] Samantha Pauly: iconic.

[35:06] Samantha Pauly: iconic.

[35:07] Samantha Pauly: like, I mean, we were, you know, we have our handheld microphones in the show. So we wear in-ear monitors to kind of because the band's on stage with us so that we can hear each other hear the band have the sound of the audience cut out so that we can hear everything else that we need to. But the audience was so loud that it didn't matter. We couldn't hear anything. We get like a count off before the first number and I couldn't hear shit. It was absolutely insane. Just so, so overwhelming.

[35:35] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, everyone was just so thrilled. And I mean, you know, you saw it with all these other shows too when Wicked first came back and Glinda first came in and that—I mean, I was in that video. I don't know how many times I just cried every time. It's crazy. But you know, it was a show that was a part of my life for like, three and a half years. So yeah, and we were all together for all of it. So yeah, we have a very— we all have a very special relationship with each other, especially having gone through—

[36:17] Samantha Pauly: trauma.

[36:18] Samantha Pauly: All of that.

[36:20] Jason A. Coombs: Congratulations on it. You're my favorite queen. You're my favorite queen. Don't tell anyone.

[36:28] Samantha Pauly: Thank you for sharing all of that. You know, it's so crazy to like, look back at it now. But I was like, SIX, I feel like everybody was affected in the shutdown. But SIX was like a thing to open.

[36:38] Jason A. Coombs: It was wild.

[36:40] Samantha Pauly: That is wild.

[36:42] Jason A. Coombs: So let's talk about—I want to talk about Gatsby now. But I have one quick question. So maybe I want to add in here.

[36:48] Jason A. Coombs: You said you were with SIX for three and a half years. How do you know when it's time to go? Like you want to move on when you're like, I have to put this character to bed now. I'm ready for a new opportunity.

[37:02] Samantha Pauly: So good question. Um, what they are doing now with the show is what they do on the West End is that they have cast come in and they keep them for a year and then they let them go and then they bring in a new cast and keep them for a year and then they let them go.

[37:22] Samantha Pauly: So I was not ready to go. I wanted to stay.

[37:33] Samantha Pauly: It was May of 2022. They had meetings with each of us individually and they said, so your contracts are technically up like August 7th. So you can leave then or we can offer you a 17-week extension to December. But then that's it. And I was like, Oh, well, I want to stay. Like I'm not, I'm definitely not the kind of person that, you know, I feel like unless something bad happens as a part of an experience, like, I will stay in a job until I book another job that takes me away from that current job. Because this business is so up and down. It's so nothing is guaranteed. I would say that all the time with Six. I'm like, well, I'm on Broadway now. I might never be on Broadway again. I have no idea.

This business is so crazy. And in my mind, I was like, well, you have an original cast like that's how Broadway works. Like you keep the original cast members for as long as you can. And they were like, December that that will be it. So Adriana was already leaving because she booked Some Like It Hot. Anna had already left because she was in New York, New York, and Joy Woods came in. And then Joy left because then she booked The Notebook. So then it was me, Brittany Mack, and Andrea Mackis that stayed and then all of our, the four understudies that we had also stayed and we had some new people, you know, coming in and all really wonderful. But the three of us really had to fight to stay and get what we thought we deserved.

So we were sad and you know, some people were ready to go. I honestly wasn't and I was so, and I was so, I was so, so sad. It really broke my heart to leave because I was still having so much fun. I felt like I was still kind of like getting settled and like finding new things with the character and I just love that show so much. So I really was heartbroken to go. So I'll go back anytime if they ever want me to. I love the show so much and it means so much to me, especially that character and telling her story and being a representation for other people that have gone through similar things. That was, that was, that's my favorite part of my job in general is to like be someone on stage or tell a story that people can be like, oh yeah, that also happened to me or yeah, I also identify with that. I mean, that's, you know, I feel like everybody loves that part of this job. So I was, I was, I was sad to go. I miss it a lot, but luckily another amazing production and project came right to you.

[40:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. And you know what? I'm also a very firm, so many weird things in my career. I'm a very firm believer that everything happens exactly the way it is supposed to. The thing that is meant for you will not pass you by ever. So everything has happened for me exactly the way that it was supposed to happen.

[41:04] Samantha Pauly: Preach. I love that so much.

[41:19] Jason A. Coombs: So did you have, can you maybe describe the audition process for Gatsby? Like, how did this role, how'd you end up in this role?

[41:29] Samantha Pauly: I got, when was this? Maybe March of last year. I got just an email from my agents asking me to go in for it. And I had heard about it, but I didn't know yet, like who, who the creative team was. And when I got the email, one of my managers had replied and he was like, I can see if they'll see you for Daisy too. And I was like, I don't think, no, I don't think I'm a Daisy. I don't think that's me. Like reading their description of Jordan Baker, you know, it was like, she's got a short haircut and she wears pants and she's a new woman and she doesn't want to be married and this and that. I was like, oh, that's me. Minus the short hair. But yeah, description. I was like, no, this is, this is the character that, that I would play.

Saw the creative team, you know, listed on the breakdown and we were given short snippets of music from the show. And I learned that and went to the first appointment. And one thing that I always ask, even if it's for a show that already exists, new, new show or, you know, old show, I'll always ask when I get into the room, what do I need to know? And do you want me to do exactly what's on the page for, you know, singing wise? Cause if you want me to do that, I'll do that. But if not, I'll add a little something. And I said, I had a little phrase on there. I said, what is exactly on the page? And Jason Howland is the composer. And he said, no, do what you do. And I said, great. Say less. So saying stuff, of course he asked, I, I don't really have like a book anymore, like an audition book.

There's maybe five songs in it. I have no idea where it is, but I was like, you know, I better, I better bring something just, just in case, knowing my luck, they'll ask for something else. So I sang the song from the show. And then he was like, what else do you have in your book? And I was like, God damn it. I knew you were going to ask me that. I said, that's a good question, Jason. I haven't really opened my book in forever. So saying something else then, you know, did the sides and I felt like it went great. And then got asked to go to final callbacks and just do the same thing. Sang the same song, did the same sides. And I went right after that and met two, two girls from Six for dinner.

And while I was at dinner, I got another email that like the subject line said, like private choreography session. And I said, Oh no, please. No, I don't want to do that. I hadn't, I hadn't gone to a dance call. I hadn't had to dance, but I, but I remember in the character description that said had to dance. And I was like, I texted one of my managers and I was like, Oh, I'm panicking a little bit. Oh no. And she was like, no, no, no, don't panic. We asked them. It is, they just want to see like what you can do. It's not going to be a crazy dance call. It's just going to be a one-on-one to see, you know, how they could build this number around you.

[45:01] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Oh, wow. All right. That's great.

[45:04] Samantha Pauly: So I went to that the next day and met with Dominique Kelly, who is our choreographer, who has become one of my favorite people on this planet. He's also from Connecticut, like us, like me and Sam.

[45:22] Jason A. Coombs: Wait, is he really?

[45:23] Samantha Pauly: Yeah. He's like a hometown hero for us in Bridgeport. His choreography is absolutely insane, but I, it was maybe 25 minutes in the room with him and his associate Cedric, who is also just absolutely incredible. And he was like, I, you know, I just kind of want to see what you can do. I'm going to give you a couple of phrases. We're literally just going to do like catwalks up and down the room. Um, cause I just, I'm going to build the number around you. And I was like, I said, the way you're talking, it sounds like I'm going to book this job. I was just like, okay, yeah, totally. Yeah. Yeah. Build it around me, whatever. So did that. And it was really fun and like very low stress. And then I didn't hear anything for a couple of days.

And, um, Jason Howland does this thing where, um, he just likes to share information sometimes. And I had a doctor's appointment at the end of the week and I'm sitting in this doctor's office, like just on my phone waiting. And he messaged me and he said, like, congratulations, I'm so excited to work with you. And I was like, what are you talking about? Cause I haven't, I'm, I'm texted my managers and I was like, Hey, do we have any kind of update about what's going on? Because Jason's talking to me, like I have booked this job and I haven't heard anything. And they finally called me and they're like, yeah, um, so an offer is coming, but you, you got it. An offer will come in early next week. So, um, that's kind of how I found out. I kind of love that. Cause it's like all, all pressures kind of off. Cause you're just, it's just casual.

[47:20] Jason A. Coombs: And like enjoy my weekend and, you know, concrete details.

[47:26] Samantha Pauly: So with Gatsby, you're originating this role sort of like you did with Six, not exactly. Like how do you, how are you approaching this? Do you approach it differently than you would say, like when you are Eva Peron or, or roles that have existed and people have, you know, laid the board in the past?

[47:43] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, absolutely. Um, what I, what I love about this creative team is that they are open to discussion and talking about the characters and, and what we think they would do or how they would act or what they would say. And, um, they're also really great, especially Dom and Jason, because they don't make you do anything that you're not capable of doing. Um, for a lot of my things, Dom would like choreograph it and shape it with the ensemble in one room. And then I would come into the room and I would watch the whole thing and someone would show me like, this is where you go and this is what you do. And then I would say like, okay, yeah, I think I can also do this thing that the ensemble is doing.

And I can do that. And I can do that. Can I also do these things with them? So I'm doing more dancing than I, than I thought I would be doing, which I love. Um, but Jason is the same way that if he writes something and I'm like, this feels weird that instantly he's like, well, then let's just write something different. Um, oh, that's great that it, you know, it's, it's what you want it to be. He's like, I know they never want to make our jobs harder. They want their material to be good and for us to also sound, you know, good or look good doing it. Um, so that's been really great because I feel like I am really putting a stamp on this character and making it my own and what I think she would be.

And also bringing a lot of myself to it because there's so much in Jordan Baker that I identify with. Um, so that's been really exciting. I think it's also kind of doing a reverse of like, she's kind of like inspiring me like in my everyday life and like how I approach things or how I think, or, you know, um, and I think sometimes it, it's, it doesn't get lost on me, but sometimes I, I really do forget that like,

[50:05] Samantha Pauly: There has never been a Great Gatsby musical before, and we are making it, and this is the first cast, and I am creating this character for the stage. I'm doing that.

[50:19] Jason A. Coombs: You're the blueprint.

[50:20] Samantha Pauly: Which is wild, and I would forget that in Six a lot, too. Brittany Mack would have to remind me, you're in the library. People go to watch it. They're not watching anybody. It's us, and on the cast album, that's us, and what you're singing on the cast album is what people are trying to emulate. That's the blueprint, and I'm like, oh, yeah, it is. I think all of it is so far beyond the scope of anything I ever thought I would do that I still have a lot of moments where I'm like, oh, my God, you're right. Yeah, that is what I'm doing. It's so hard when you're in it and doing it to recognize what you're doing, because you're doing the work, and you're just giving it, and you're like, oh, wait, what's happening?

[51:08] Jason A. Coombs: Absolutely. Yeah, it's so weird. It's so weird, but it's been so rewarding and really exciting. Even just doing the show out at Paper Mill and talking to people at the stage door, the number of people that have been like, I never really cared about Jordan Baker as a character, but now she's my favorite, and I'm like, oh, great. I love that. Our writer, Kate Kerrigan, has given the female characters in the show more of a voice and a presence than they have in the actual book, which is also really exciting and fun to play with.

[51:45] Samantha Pauly: Amazing. I love that. That is amazing.

[51:48] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, so if there's any Silly Billies out there who listened to this interview and have not gotten their tickets yet, why should people run and get their tickets to see The Great Gatsby right now, and what do you hope audiences leave with after seeing it?

[52:04] Samantha Pauly: I mean, people should get their tickets, because tickets are selling, and it is one of, I mean, Six is like a spectacle of a show. This is just as much of a spectacle of a show. I've been having to, I said earlier, I'm trying to go out into the house when I can and watch things and see them for what they are, because when we're in it on stage, I can't see outside of anything, so I still have moments where I'm like, I don't know if this is good. Am I good? Because I can't see, but watching it, there have been so many times that I'm like, oh my God, that's what we're doing? It's beautiful to look at the choreography and the singing, the vocals that are happening on stage are out of this world.

I mean, Jeremy Jordan hardly opens his mouth and his voice is like singing from the heavens. It's wild. And on top of that, I hope that when people see what we are doing on stage, they find a whole new love for the book and the story because, I mean, until I went in for it, I hadn't read it since I was in high school when I was required to read it. So I hope that maybe people fall in love with it all over again if they've never read it, that maybe now they want to read it. When my parents came to see it, neither of them had ever read it or seen the movies, and I was like, maybe don't. Maybe don't watch the movie before you come. There's nothing confusing. Just dive in and see what happens. Yeah, they loved it. They loved it.

[53:49] Jason A. Coombs: That's me. Just to be honest, I've never seen this film or read this book. Maybe in school.

[53:55] Samantha Pauly: Oh my gosh.

[53:57] Jason A. Coombs: Honest.

[53:59] Samantha Pauly: Yeah, just go see it. Just come see it.

[54:02] Jason A. Coombs: I can't wait. We will be there.

[54:04] Samantha Pauly: And you know what else there is? There's bubbles and fireworks.

[54:11] Jason A. Coombs: And you know what?

[54:13] Samantha Pauly: Like video screen fireworks.

[54:15] Jason A. Coombs: It's the magic of Broadway.

[54:17] Samantha Pauly: It's crazy.

[54:19] Jason A. Coombs: So everyone, in conclusion, go get your tickets to The Great Gatsby. Samantha, you are amazing. Thank you for taking this time to chat with us. I feel like we covered so much ground. Survival Job 6, Gatsby. We always love to end the show with a quick fun game, but before we do that, do you have any advice for any of our listeners that might be feeling stuck in their own survival job? Maybe at Abercrombie, maybe at Walking Dogs, that want a life in the arts? What's your advice to them to keep going?

[54:53] Samantha Pauly: Um, I would say probably what I said earlier that I have to remind myself of a lot still, is that you are always exactly where you are meant to be. And what is meant for you will not pass you by. And it can be so, I know I say that, and it's like easy to say, and it can be so hard in the moment to remember that and be like, yeah, but I'm still stuck here, or I'm not doing this thing that I wanted, or I didn't get this job. And someone else, you know, it's so easy for us to compare our journeys to everybody else. And I still do it all the time. But anything that you miss out on, you're not really missing because it wasn't meant for you right now. Something better is coming. So you just have to wait. And that sucks. But just be a kind person and work hard. There it is.

[55:59] Jason A. Coombs: You're amazing. I got confused this whole episode when you were asking Samantha, our guest, a question. I was like, what? You know, I'm like, wait, what? I need to answer that. Oh, my goodness. Anyway, so thank you again. In past interviews, we've heard you chat a lot about leading ladies, idols of yours in the Broadway industry. So we thought what better way to end this interview than with some Broadway leading lady trivia.

[56:31] Samantha Pauly: Oh, Jesus. Okay.

[56:34] Jason A. Coombs: Are you ready?

[56:36] Samantha Pauly: I'm so bad at trivia.

[56:37] Jason A. Coombs: You're a Broadway leading lady yourself now. So you're going to fit maybe our next one of our episodes in a few years. You'll be an answer. Jason, you want to take the part?

[56:50] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Okay. This is multiple choice. So this Broadway leading lady was the first to play Grizabella in Cats. A. Elaine Page, B. Sarah Brightman, or C. Patti LuPone.

[57:08] Samantha Pauly: Oh, is it A? Is it Elaine Page?

[57:14] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Ding, ding, ding.

[57:21] Samantha Pauly: Correct. I met her when I did in London. She came. She came to see the show. And they don't have you doing all eight shows a week, do they? And I said, Yeah, babe. And she was like, you should fire your agents. She was so pissed.

[57:24] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. You're like, Okay, I'm on it firing. Okay, number two. This Broadway leading lady won a Tony for her portrayal of Madam Rose in Gypsy in 1974. A. Bette Midler, B. Ethel Merman, or C. Angela Lansbury.

[57:55] Samantha Pauly: Oh, C.

[58:02] Jason A. Coombs: Congratulations. I do it when our guests get stumped and the video you guys if you're only listening to the audio. I do cheat sometimes and sorry. And I confess, at least I'm honest.

[58:12] Samantha Pauly: Honest. True.

[58:17] Jason A. Coombs: All right. Number three. This Broadway leading lady is a recipient of six Tony Awards. A. Vanessa Williams, B. Audra McDonald, or C. Victoria Clarke.

[58:27] Samantha Pauly: C?

[58:29] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Yes. Carousel, Masterclass, Ragtime, Raisin in the Sun, Porgy and Bess, and Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill. When I saw that she won six, I was like, and then I was like, perfect. Can I borrow one, Audra? Just for like,

[58:50] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, number four. This Broadway leading lady has won two Tony Awards for Song and Dance and Annie Get Your Gun. A. Bernadette Peters, B. Patti LuPone, or C. Shoshana Bean.

[59:05] Samantha Pauly: Is it A?

[59:09] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Congratulations. Perfect score so far. We have a bonus that you don't need. But this is the bonus. This Broadway leading lady has been nominated seven times for a Tony Award and has won for her iconic portrayal of Ava Perron in the 1979 original Broadway production of Evita. There's no multiple choice for this one. Sorry.

[59:35] Samantha Pauly: Yes. Patti.

[59:39] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, yes. Yes. That was a follow-up. What did she say to you when you told her you were doing eight shows a week?

[59:44] Samantha Pauly: She said. I was like, oh, I had another moment with her where I was afraid to talk to her because I knew I was going to cry. But I was like, Patti, I just I want to say that all the things that I've always wanted to say to you and this and that. And I was like, you know, I did Evita and, you know, it's the hardest thing I've ever done. And but like you were the blueprint and, you know, it was so hard. And she goes, yeah, but don't you feel so fucking powerful? And I said, yeah, Patti, I really did feel powerful. She was so nice. And then I before I left it, this was at like a birthday party. And before I left, I went back over to her. I was like, I just want to say bye. And, you know, thank you so much for taking time to talk to me.

And it's OK if you say no, but I was wondering if we could get a picture together. And she said, oh, my God, yeah, of course, because she was coming to see Six the next day with her husband. So we took a picture and then I went to go like give her a hug. Goodbye. And she kissed me on the mouth.

[1:00:53] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Yeah. You've been kissed by Patti.

[1:00:54] Samantha Pauly: She kissed me on the mouth. That is amazing. I mean, I love I love that story to end this episode. Kiss on the mouth by Patti LuPone. Thank you so much for chatting with us. This was an amazing episode. You are an icon. I've obviously told you you're my favorite queen and I can't wait to see. Can't wait to see Six. Can't wait to see Great Gatsby. Jason and I will be there shouting from the audience.

[1:01:24] Samantha Pauly: You have to tell me when you're there so I can take you guys out.

[1:01:30] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, we will. Before we go, can you please let our listeners know where they can follow you on all the social medias, how to keep up with Samantha?

[1:01:37] Samantha Pauly: Yes, on Instagram and TikTok. I'm just at Sam Folley.

[1:01:45] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Do you want me to do ours?

[1:01:50] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, Jason, take it away. Yeah. On Instagram and Twitter, we are Survival Jobs Pod. On Facebook, look for us under Survival Jobs Podcast and send us an email. Request a guest on Survival Jobs Pod at gmail.com. Samantha, thank you so much. And on TikTok, the TikTok of Survival Jobs has recently been activated.

[1:02:01] Jason A. Coombs: Our Survival Jobs Pod. You know, it took us a long time. Guys, follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs also and I'm Sammy Toots and Samantha, Samantha, Jason, Samantha Squared.

[1:02:18] Samantha Pauly: Thank you so much. We love you. Great Gatsby. Thank you.