This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:04] Jason A. Coombs: Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast in collaboration with Broadway World and Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Welcome, survivors. Thanks for tuning in.

[0:13] Jason A. Coombs: I am Jason A. Coombs. This is my beautiful, lovely co-host, Samantha Tuozzolo.

[0:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: And we're here, we're talking to artists we admire about their artistic journeys on survival jobs for those who are maybe tuning in for the first time. So welcome, welcome, welcome.

[0:30] Jason A. Coombs: Samantha Tuozzolo, what up, girl?

[0:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi, sorry, I couldn't get off mute. Lord, I have my all the time.

[0:40] Jason A. Coombs: I was stuck on mute.

[0:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi, Jason.

[0:43] Jason A. Coombs: Everybody on mute.

[0:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[0:46] Jason A. Coombs: Hi, I just wanted to say a quick thing. I'm wearing this t-shirt, Samantha.

[0:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay, let's do that. Can you see it?

[0:52] Jason A. Coombs: Hello to the listeners. Jason is representing his Bridgeport Film Festival t-shirt.

[0:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: And if you are new to our show, Jason is a literal icon and has created an entire film festival in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which he is now the artistic director of, co-founder of Slang, Crashing, doing all the things.

[1:13] Jason A. Coombs: It's super fun. It's gonna be in September. And I'm gonna let him take it away with the real details that I do not know that help telling you about.

[1:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: That was so sweet. You know everything.

[1:22] Jason A. Coombs: Basically, I don't know the dates. I don't know the submission dates. I don't know the guidelines.

[1:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, all that is available on our website, bridgeportfilmfest.org.

[1:30] Jason A. Coombs: But what I want to talk about really quickly was submissions are now open until mid-June, right?

[1:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: Around Tony time is when submissions close, June 16th.

[1:40] Jason A. Coombs: So we are looking for short film submissions, 25 minutes or under and short scripts. So if any writers, directors, producers, actors who've been in short films, submit your films. It's a really fun festival.

[1:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's like an 80-minute train ride outside of New York City. We have after parties, we have networking events, we have panels and workshops. And I think one of our favorite people might be coming back this year.

[2:05] Jason A. Coombs: I don't want to say officially, but yeah.

[2:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: So we L.

[2:09] Jason A. Coombs: L.

[2:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: And not cool, Jay.

[2:11] Jason A. Coombs: So yeah, we just have a lot of fun stuff happening, and it's really about supporting and uplifting and showcasing independent artists. So if you're an independent artist, submit your work.

[2:24] Jason A. Coombs: Submit it, and we'll see what happens. But this festival is September 13th through the 15th this year, coming up very soon, which feels like it's far away, but it goes by so fast.

[2:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: Literally May. I have no idea how. How is it May? Happy May.

[2:39] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my gosh, right? So yeah, I just want to say that. Thank you for letting me do a little plug before we get into our episode.

[2:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my gosh, of course. I love the Bridgeport Film Festival, and I will see you guys there.

[2:49] Jason A. Coombs: I will be there. Always kills it on the red carpet. She always has an amazing fit on the red carpet, and she always talks to our filmmakers and our writers and our actors on the red carpet.

[3:01] Samantha Tuozzolo: We have a good time.

[3:02] Jason A. Coombs: We definitely have an amazing time. So definitely submit and we'll see you there. So we just said it's May. This is a big week. It's May. It was a big week. The Tony nominations came out this week, Jason.

[3:16] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[3:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: So I want to do, you know, this was your brilliant idea to do our temperature check and then use a show from the history of Broadway or not Broadway, just a show of some kind.

[3:29] Jason A. Coombs: Um, but yeah, leading up to the Tonys, I think we should do our temperature check with a show from the season.

[3:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, maybe you can help me with mine when we get to me.

[3:39] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, so I'll go first. So if you're a new listener, Jason and I check in with each other, how we're feeling, what we're doing. So I'm picking Merrily We Roll Along for my show because I've been feeling really I've been dreaming a lot more lately than I have in the past.

[3:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, I'm sort of getting out of a hole that I've been in of like kind of defeated and like stuck in my survival job, and like my creative life was not moving as far forward as I wanted it to, or felt it could, and I've been dreaming again. And so that is so Merrily We Roll Along, you know. Dreams don't die, so keep an eye on your dreams. You know what I mean? So my temperature check, Tony show is Merrily We Roll Along.

[4:25] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. Nominated for Best Revival.

[4:28] Samantha Tuozzolo: Nominated for Best Revival.

[4:30] Jason A. Coombs: Among many other nominations.

[4:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: Among many others, seven total nominations.

[4:35] Jason A. Coombs: Yes. Um, yeah, seeing you today, Samantha, that I wasn't feeling um just good, you know. Um I'm really sad about the way that our country's has been treating these student protesters who are protesting against a genocide.

[4:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: And protesting is an American tradition. Like our country was founded on protest, right? Through the civil rights movement, through the war in Iraq. Like literally, that's what our country is about through Black Lives Matter in 2020. And I just it just hurts my heart to see these students who are young, right? They're 18, 19, 20, 21. They grew up on gun violence in schools and having to do gun violence training. And the fact that we're like having snipers on roofs and the police are coming in and national guard when they're being peaceful protesters just hurts my heart.

[5:35] Jason A. Coombs: So I don't know if there's a show that kind of... Yeah, I don't think we're picking it. I don't think there's a show from the Tony season that's gonna fit exactly with that feeling.

[5:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: But anything like that's just like the disappointment, sadness um that I feel because we deserve better as a country, you know. These are Americans, these are students, these is our future.

[5:59] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Um so I mean, if we're just picking like the feeling of sadness, not related really to what you're feeling.

[6:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, break it down for me. Come on, come on.

[6:12] Jason A. Coombs: But the notebook is really sad.

[6:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: The notebook.

[6:15] Jason A. Coombs: The notebook's really sad.

[6:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: So if you're just feeling sad, I would say the notebook is sad.

[6:21] Jason A. Coombs: Or cabaret.

[6:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay.

[6:23] Jason A. Coombs: I mean, cabaret is not set in America, but it is about a fascist regime, right?

[6:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Actually, Jason, thank you. So you didn't even need my help. Mine was way, way off.

[6:35] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, so you helped me. You helped me get there.

[6:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: I literally said the notebook, which is not even close to anything you're feeling, but cabaret is so okay.

[6:45] Jason A. Coombs: Your temperature check this week is cabaret.

[6:48] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes.

[6:48] Jason A. Coombs: And mine is Merrily We Roll Along, which are both nominated for best revivals.

[6:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love that for us.

[6:54] Jason A. Coombs: Best revival of a musical, excuse me.

[6:56] Samantha Tuozzolo: Best, yeah, best revival of a musical. So let's transition into the Tonys because like I think we said it's not a political podcast, right? We could do another Survival Jobs after dark one day and get into politics.

[7:03] Jason A. Coombs: After dark.

[7:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: But um, we can talk about the Tony nominations. It's a very exciting week for Broadway for many of our peers, many of the people we've interviewed and shows we've seen.

[7:20] Jason A. Coombs: So lay it on me. Come on.

[7:22] Samantha Tuozzolo: You know, I was feeling really excited this Tony season. And I think it's because this is the most involved I've ever been overall with the Broadway community at this level. Yesterday when the nominations came out, I threw together a little reel for us for everybody we've chatted with who maybe is involved in a show that's nominated or they're nominee themselves.

[7:46] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[7:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um or they're nominated themselves. And I even missed a few people, which is shocking. But you know, when these things are you're on a time crunch when the news pops and you gotta get something on social media so it's relevant, all those fun things.

[8:00] Jason A. Coombs: So I was feeling really excited and invested. Um listen, not a lot of shocks, you know, a lot of things were in line with the predictions, you know, it was a stacked season, so there were some actors missing from categories that you know I feel should have been, some shows that got snubbed.

[8:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um I talking about the notebook, it's me, Justice for the Notebook. And I know that's an unpopular opinion. I know the notebook, you know, opinions are very split, but I was shocked that they didn't even get best score.

[8:30] Jason A. Coombs: Ingrid Michelson. I've been listening to that cast album, that house recording. Oh my god.

[8:34] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, but yeah, you know, and I would love, you know, there's so many, so many categories to talk about and nominations to talk about, but you know, best new musical today's guest is starring in Water for Elephants, which just got nominated for Best New Musical.

[8:56] Jason A. Coombs: So we haven't seen it yet, but we're so pumped to see it.

[8:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: And we talked to Isabelle McCalla and had a great conversation with her about it.

[9:03] Jason A. Coombs: So you guys will hear all about Water for Elephants in this interview. And Samantha, I just want to say in a line with that, what of so I went to this when I was really young, when I was a little a fresh young spring chicken who was trying to sing and be on Broadway. I did a musical, I did a camp called CCY in Connecticut, and I was doing a musical theater program, and there was this wonderful girl named Krista Marie Jackson who was in my class.

[9:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Fast forward X Monty Years. She is a producer, a producer on Water for Elephants.

[9:35] Jason A. Coombs: So I was so excited for Krista, as well as Izzy, our guest Izzy, because I was like, that's magic. You know, that's magic.

[9:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Well, I didn't know that.

[9:45] Jason A. Coombs: That full circle moment.

[9:46] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah. Well, congrats to her.

[9:48] Jason A. Coombs: Exactly. Yeah, it's so exciting.

[9:51] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, I mean, the best new musical category is I think anybody's game.

[9:56] Jason A. Coombs: I think it's anyone's game. There's so many great new shows. Um, you know, typically the Tonys, you're like, oh, of course, uh, so and so will win or that show will win. And I feel like this year is just like unpredictable.

[10:10] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hell's Kitchen, Illinois, the Outsiders, SUFS, South Sierra Round Table, and Water for Elephants this season.

[10:16] Jason A. Coombs: So that's it's a lot of heat.

[10:19] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's a lot of heat, and I think all of the shows are very different, which is exciting. Um, so maybe odds be ever in your favor. We can't wait to see what's going to happen.

[10:27] Jason A. Coombs: Samantha, you love Hell's Kitchen and you killed it on that carpet.

[10:31] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm seeing it tomorrow, so we can kiki about that next week.

[10:35] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I really did. I think, you know, I know Hell's Kitchen is, you know, part jukebox musical, and a lot of people don't like or we're kind of tired of jukebox musicals or whatever, but that the new songs that are in that show are so fantastic, and I think they did a really good job of weaving the classic Alicia Keys songs into the plot, right? It didn't feel like they were shoved in. Like when you hear it, you're like, oh, that makes sense why this is coming up. This is like it feels like it was written for the show.

[11:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: So, and of course, and all the performances, and also like to see a female love story that's like not sexual, like it's really a mother-daughter love story, which is really beautiful. I can't think of another show in recent memories that has that kind of story at the front and center of it, as well as you know, the love story between like you know, um the lead Ali and her mentor as well, who's like this beautiful, wonderful black woman played by Kesia.

[11:27] Jason A. Coombs: Uh the last name wasn't Lewis.

[11:30] Samantha Tuozzolo: Lewis.

[11:30] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you. Sorry, I was trying to find in my notes really quick. Who's also I think it's Lewis?

[11:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, nominated for supporting actress in a musical, featured actress in a musical, yeah.

[11:41] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, so how exciting! How exciting is this whole season?

[11:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: Definitely such an exciting season, and how lucky are we that we got to chat with Izzy, literally starring in the nominated musical.

[11:54] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah. So when we booked Izzy on the show, I was so excited. I've been a fan of hers for years. I was like prom fangirl number one, and was obsessed with Alyssa Green and that whole I loved that show, Justice for the Notebook and Justice for the Prom. Like, bring the prom back.

[12:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, like give me a break.

[12:14] Jason A. Coombs: Um, so I was so pumped. I saw her in Shucked as well. We're gonna see her in Water for Elephants, and so enjoy this episode, you guys, and get your tickets for Water for Elephants immediately.

[12:25] Samantha Tuozzolo: Run, run.

[12:26] Jason A. Coombs: I heard it's a spectacle, it's a spectacle.

[12:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: So you like, you know, if you want to see something with good music and like a tour de force production, yeah.

[12:35] Jason A. Coombs: What are you waiting for?

[12:36] Samantha Tuozzolo: What are you waiting for? Jay, you want to kick off her bio?

[12:39] Jason A. Coombs: Um, I would love to kick off her bio. I'm gonna look this way for it.

[12:46] Jason A. Coombs: But um, yes, here we go. Isabelle McCalla can currently be seen starring as Marlena in Water for Elephants on Broadway alongside Grant Gustin.

[12:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Izzy, as she warmly likes to be called, holds a story of Water for Elephants near and dear to her heart as her ancestors emigrated to Haiti with the circus.

[13:08] Jason A. Coombs: Her role as Marlena is an ode to her ancestors. Prior to originating the role as Marlena, Isabelle starred in the hilariously popular musical Shucked as Maisie.

[13:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: No stranger to the stage. She originated the role of Alyssa Green in the groundbreaking Tony-nominated musical, The Prom, where she was also nominated for a Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Breakthrough Performance.

[13:32] Jason A. Coombs: McCalla made her Broadway debut appearing as the iconic Disney princess Jasmine in Disney Theatricals Aladdin on Broadway. Previous regional stage credits include Yvette in Clue at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Megan in Hercules at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Ariel Moore in Footloose at the Kennedy Center.

[13:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: On the TV front, Isabelle has made appearances on And Just Like That, HBO, Law and Order NBC, and Bull, CBS.

[13:53] Jason A. Coombs: Among others.

[13:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: And Just Like That. Justice for J Diaz, too, man.

[14:10] Jason A. Coombs: Justice for the Notebook, Justice for the Prom, Justice for J Diaz. You know what I'm saying?

[14:14] Samantha Tuozzolo: Didn't we say that J Diaz is an icon that we need them to come back?

[14:18] Jason A. Coombs: I can't believe they're not coming back to the show. But I saw them. I saw Sarah America at Jordan's, and it was very quick. But if I got to talk to them, I would have been like justice for J Diaz.

[14:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: Justice for J Diaz. Enjoy this episode, you guys. And happy Tony season.

[14:38] Isabelle McCalla: Hi, Izzy. Welcome to Survival Jobs.

[14:39] Isabelle McCalla: Thanks for having me. So happy to be here.

[14:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god, we're so happy to have you. Before we started recording, I was giving full fangirl of you know Alyssa Green, you know, prom circa whatever 2000, I don't even know.

[14:54] Isabelle McCalla: What 17, 18?

[14:55] Jason A. Coombs: 18, 19, yeah.

[14:58] Isabelle McCalla: That feels like 900 years ago, but also yesterday.

[15:01] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it was 900 years ago.

[15:03] Isabelle McCalla: And I'm still in green.

[15:04] Jason A. Coombs: So clearly she's with me.

[15:06] Isabelle McCalla: Perfect.

[15:07] Jason A. Coombs: Perfect. Well, we have so much to talk about about your amazing Broadway career and all of the things. Um, oh, and by the way, congratulations on your Water for Elephants opening to great reviews and your Drama League nomination.

[15:23] Isabelle McCalla: Hello.

[15:24] Jason A. Coombs: And the Outer Critics Circle Award. Outstanding performance. So we have so much to talk about. I have allergy head today, people, so just bear with me. But before we talk about all the things, we're here to talk about survival jobs, which is you know the brand of our show. So before you were a literal Broadway star, do you have a survival job you can share with us? That's maybe like a favorite.

[15:45] Isabelle McCalla: Oh man. I don't know if I have a favorite. I wasn't I'm not good at many survival jobs, but I did. I catered for a while and I babysat. I enjoy babysitting, but when I catered, I had some not great times. I was, I'm a very clumsy person. Um, so I'll never forget my last shift catering. I was catering this, you know, awards banquet for the science department of some university. And I was uh bussing the all the plates and glasses off the tables, and there was a giant tray on a tray jack that had probably like 20 glasses, 20 plates, tons of silverware. And I was just like, I'm strong, I got this. I pick up this very heavy tray, and I'm like, okay, I got it, I got it. I'm in the middle, I'm making my way through the banquet hall.

Mind you, it is the keynote speakers made big address at this point. And just before I hit the doors of the hall, I trip over my own two feet, and everything comes like cascading to the ground and shatters everywhere, and every eye in the ballroom just like turns to me. And this is a formal event, mind you, like gowns and tuxes are on, and just in the middle of this speech, and I just start like panicking, and I'm like, oh my god, I gotta I gotta clear this out. And so I try to start picking up the shards and everything that's like on the ground, and then people in the gowns and tuxes come up to help me because it's all that's happening. The speech just stopped, nothing is going on. Everybody's just looking at me and my mess that I've created.

To which point I start going, it's fine, it's fine, and I start kicking all of the glasses and plates out of the door. This went on for probably like three minutes until I finally got everything out. I closed the doors behind me. I hear just kind of like a laugh that ripples throughout the ballroom. And at which point I just walked into the kitchen, found my supervisor, and I said, This will be my last day. And I walked.

[17:47] Jason A. Coombs: You fired yourself.

[17:50] Isabelle McCalla: I fired myself. I had no chill. I was like, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I'm gonna go out so on this high.

[18:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[18:01] Isabelle McCalla: So that's my um, that's the peak survival job I had, I think for sure.

[18:05] Jason A. Coombs: Wow. Well, at least you didn't cut yourself.

[18:08] Isabelle McCalla: So I was worried that that's something like that was gonna happen next.

[18:11] Jason A. Coombs: I was very yes, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[18:19] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, I like I walked, it was my first day on that job, and I went into the walk-in fridge and it closed behind me, and there's no door handle. And my brain just immediately it immediately went to that I Love Lucy episode where she's stuck in the refrigerator in the basement. And so I start banging on the door. I'm like, help, help! I'm stubborn, somebody get me out. And my supervisor opens the door and she just goes, you know, you can just push it.

[18:43] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, you're like, thanks, girl.

[18:45] Isabelle McCalla: Mortified. It's I'm just like, no, I think I'm a fairly smart person, but it's it's amazing how I struggle to leave any evidence behind, you know, in some occasions.

[18:57] Jason A. Coombs: Oh my gosh, those are two fantastic stories. I'm sorry. Hope you're not so traumatized by those experiences.

[19:02] Isabelle McCalla: Oh no, I think they're hysterical.

[19:05] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's fine. Let's let's go back. Let's go back in time to little little little baby Izzy. I I read that you started ballet classes in third grade and you continued dancing until high school.

[19:17] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah.

[19:18] Jason A. Coombs: Uh what age did you discover that you had a voice as well, and what was the catalyst that made you want to pursue a life in entertainment?

[19:26] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, that's a great question. I um, well, I was always singing around the house and I did my school plays, and I think I had a stronger voice than people that I was up against, but I still wasn't great. Like I I had a lot of raw potential. Um but I I it was when I went away to a summer program in Martha's Vineyard, a musical theater summer program when I was 16. And I remember they staged America and I got to be Anita in that number. And um yeah, Charlotte Dambois was the one who said it on us, and she pulled me aside after she was like, you could do this. I said, What? She was like, You could do this as a career. And you should do it as a career. And I was like, Uh, okay. Um, I'm sure she has no idea of that this is even a part of my origin story, but it is.

Um listening. Maybe now she knows. Hi Charlotte, thanks for everything. But yeah, it was kind of like I was like, I got the validation from a professional that I admired so much in the business. And I was like, okay, well, maybe I do have the chops and what it takes. So like I just kept singing. I didn't take voice lessons though until I got into college. And it wasn't until I got into college that I was like, oh, I've got a lot of work to do. But I then I did it. And so I would say actually the the majority of my growth vocally happened after I left school because that's when I got rid of a lot of shame around practicing. Um, which is so silly, but I was um I was raised to be the best, you know, and I I was not, I don't as many, you know, ADHD A students can attest to.

We do not like being bad at things at first. So we we just like give up instead of try. Um, and so it wasn't until I left college that I was able to get over myself and and like accept that like if I want to actually be great, I gotta put in the work. I can't just be great at things that I'm naturally great at. And I was naturally um good, but not great. And I've since I left school, I've been I've allowed my like curiosity and like thirst for growth like fuel me more than my need to be great, you know?

[21:44] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, at least I try.

[21:46] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah.

[21:47] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's so interesting too. It's like the the insecurities about like rehearsing or like trying to be better because you're scared of judgment. It's it's so interesting as we get older, it's just like who cares anymore. We're just doing what we want to do.

[22:00] Isabelle McCalla: It's so funny, and I've been learning that a lot recently too. Like we're getting older and I don't care what anybody thinks. I'm just worried about me.

[22:08] Jason A. Coombs: Right.

[22:08] Isabelle McCalla: I I also just like I don't have the I don't have the time to worry about it. And also, it's frankly not my business what other people think about me.

[22:16] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[22:16] Isabelle McCalla: That's that's just like it's not my bus. You can think whatever everybody's got a different version of who I am in their head, and that's okay, but I cannot keep catering to all of those people's narratives. This is noise, it's just stupid noise.

[22:32] Jason A. Coombs: Um so you made your Broadway debut in Aladdin as Princess Jasmine, but you were on the tour first.

[22:39] Isabelle McCalla: Yes, yes, there is.

[22:40] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. So we have a lot of young listeners who, you know, want a career like this. So can you talk a little bit about how you booked the tour and then how the transition from tour to Broadway happened?

[22:52] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, it's um this very funny story. Uh I will try to wrap it up as quickly as I can. So I was doing um the out of town tryout of The Prom in Atlanta in the summer of 2016. And I was in the ensemble at that point, and um Casey Nicholaw was the director of The Prom and also the director of Aladdin. Uh so I was doing The Prom, and Casey approached me in the middle of previews and said, Hey, um, depending on what happens with The Prom, it might be while till it goes to Broadway. Would you be interested in going on tour with Aladdin and understudying Jasmine? I was like, Yeah, I would love that. And he said, Okay, cool. I'm gonna set up like let's set up an informal audition so I could just tell casting that I've seen you.

Also, I think it's important to note that I had been in for Aladdin thrice before that happened, and didn't really get anywhere. I got to like callbacks, but I never got like to a final callback at all. And so I had like I got the material, and we did an audition at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday before a rehearsal, I think. And it was just me, my friend Kevin and our music director, Meg Zervulis and Casey Nicholaw in a room, just four people, and I did the Jasmine material for him. And after I think Palace Walls, he said, Cool. So I think you might be able to play this part. Um, would you he gave me a bunch of notes and he was like, would you be willing to come to New York for the final callback in 10 days?

Um and then work on all of these things. And I was like, yeah, I okay, yeah, for sure. And so for the next 10 days, I lived like a hermit and I worked my butt off on that material. I just I wanted to prove that I could play the part, even if I didn't get it. And I remember going in and having so much fun and feeling like I nailed it, like I genuinely nailed it. And the next day I had to fly back to Atlanta because we were still doing shows. So that night I went out with my best friend and we were at this wine bar in the village, and I saw a number pop up on my phone, and I was like, I feel like I have to take this. And I opened my phone and I'm like, hello. And it's Casey Nicholaw. And he's like, hey, Izzy, it's Casey.

And it's like, oh, hi. Um, and I start running out of the bar. And he's like, Are you in a bar right now? And I was like, Yeah, yeah. And granted, my 24-year-old baby self at that point is not even 23. I was 23. Baby baby baby. She was she was so nervous. She was like, I'm not drinking, Casey Nicholaw. Like, he doesn't care. I was, I was like, Oh, I just I just because it was a day off. Yeah. I was like, I just wanted to sell it, you know, just because it's a day off. And he was like, Well, have another drink, girl, because you're playing Jasmine.

[25:42] Isabelle McCalla: Um, and that's how that happened. And um I ended up going on tour with Aladdin and playing Jasmine, and and about six months into my run, I got a text from him from Casey Nicholaw in September of 2017 that said, Hey, Izzy, give me a call when you got a chance. You're not in trouble, everything's fine. I just want to talk to you about something. Thank God. Yeah, I was like, Oh, okay. Um, so I called him and he said, Hey, um, listen, I'm not sure what you're looking to do after um Aladdin, but uh we're The Prom is going to Broadway, and we are making some changes to it, and uh I wanted to know if you would like to play the role of Alyssa Green on Broadway and I was just like I short circuited and I was like um what yeah yeah he was like okay great also because we're gonna need to build up we're gonna do another lab and we're gonna need to build a part around you but the the lab's in January so I've already squared it away with Disney and what we're gonna do is we're gonna switch you and Courtney Reeves so she's gonna go on tour for six weeks and you'll come to New York for six weeks and you'll make your Broadway debut as Jasmine.

So in the same phone call I got that Broadway debut and an original Broadway cast credit and I was just like that is such a mind was so blown. Yeah and I think it was because he'd watched you know my growth over the six months in the role my comfort in being a a lead and and my work ethic and and I just didn't expect it. Like all the kind of all the best things in my life came out of left field. I did not expect them to happen and I'm so grateful that like Casey Nicholaw has continued to be a champion for me and um I just I love him so so dearly so that's how that happened. It just goes to show you like if you put the hard work in and you're just focused and and focused on the work and not what's next the things will come yeah yeah yeah that's so good okay Izzy so now let's talk about Water for Elephants yes where you bring the character of can you pronounce this for me Marlena.

[27:53] Isabelle McCalla: I didn't want to fuck it up excuse me.

[27:55] Jason A. Coombs: You bring this character to life eight times a week um can you share a little bit about how this character resonated with you uh when you first started dishing for it? What drew you to this part?

[28:06] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, um I similarly got this came out of left field for me. I got an email from casting through my agents saying that um there was gonna be a 30-page workshop of um just the first 30 pages of the show, Water for Elephants, and direct Jessica Stone was directing, and they'd like me to read the like play the role of Marlena for 10 days. And I said, Jessica Stone of Kimberly Kimbo, absolutely I'll be there. Um and I didn't, I hadn't read the book. I I didn't read see the movie. I I actually knew nothing of the property at that point in time. When I got offered the workshop, I read the book and was just immediately taken with Sarah Gruen's like novel and the colorful world that she'd created. And I was so curious to see how this circus was going to come to life.

And when I got into that room, first of all, everybody was extremely warm and also very chill, just like good low-key vibes. The pig pen guys were just are just, you know, this like ragtag bunch of dudes who are just love. The writers, yeah, the writers of the music. Um and they were just all we were all just there to see what this could be. And it was just we were in a black box theater, we were in the Daryl Roth, and we just had some like lighting, some rigging, some little puppets, and a couple of a few acrobats. And it was the first day it became so clear that like I remember my entire body lit on fire. And especially when I heard the song Easy and I saw the Silk Aerial Act that had been constructed to go along with the song.

[29:45] Isabelle McCalla: And I the song itself fit in my voice so well, which hadn't happened in a while, where just like singing the material felt like it was coming from me. And I loved Marlena's connection to animals, her grounded nature, her compassion for every living thing. You know, I think she genuinely tries to see the best in everyone and tries to bring out the best in everyone. Um I also could relate to her need to fix everything, which is you know not something we can do. Um I I just knew that I could learn a lot from her. And I remember finishing that show, and I went to Washington Square Park and I sat in the fountain with my cousin Vip. There was no water running, but I remember sitting in the fountain, and she had seen the presentation we did of the first 30 pages, and she was like, Issa, I've never seen also she's the only one who's allowed to call me Issa, but I just for the sake of the story.

She's she says she's like, Issa, I've I don't I've never seen you do anything like this. I've never seen anything like this, and I think this could be something really special. And I remember sitting there again with my entire body on like lighting up from the inside, being like, I just know that I will do whatever it takes to bring her to Broadway and to to tell her story, and and I just feel so connected and drawn, and I don't it just felt kind of cosmic, my connection to her. And I I actually had never felt that before. Um, and so the fact that we're here doing the show and that I get to play Marlena eight times a week is just a dream.

[31:35] Jason A. Coombs: I love that so much. Uh, this story is an adaptation, like you said, of the classic novel by Sarah Gruen, and then it was a film in 2011 that was directed by Francis Lawrence and stars Reese Witherspoon as Marlena, right? Now it's a hit Broadway musical. Why do you think audiences have connected with the story through the last two decades at least? And then what do you hope they take away from seeing this production after leaving?

[32:01] Isabelle McCalla: Great question. Um I think people resonate with this story because it's yes, it takes place at in this fantastical circus world. So you get the spectacle, but it's really about the people who create it and the what happens when you lose everything that you love. Who do you become? And I think these characters are deeply human and deeply flawed and and are trying their best to survive at a time when there's not many resources to go around. Um and I think in in our world that we're currently living in, there's just a lot of strife and a lot of scarcity and abundance, oddly, and it's really hard to um find your place in that. So I think what's wonderful is seeing characters, you know, almost a hundred years in the past going through the same feelings.

And even though, like historically we're at a different point in time, these human experiences don't actually change. You know, we're all learning how we're all trying to make a buck, we're all trying to feed our families, we're all trying to keep our relationships intact. We're all fighting these, you know, impulses that we have that could be catastrophic, and we're all trying to create community in in places that are full of you know despair. Um and so I think audiences, when they come to see our show, they recognize themselves in that. And I they recognize their own stories in our story. And I think they see in Mr. Jentowski a man who keeps searching for what his life is supposed to be about even after losing everything.

And um what I love about our show is it's so giant and beautiful with these gorgeous circus numbers, and it's deeply intimate where you get these quiet moments with these characters, and I think it's kind of just got the best of both worlds.

[34:05] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. So if you're listening, yeah, yeah, exactly. We're on the same page, get those tickets.

[34:11] Isabelle McCalla: Yes, we need to get our tickets. Jason and I will face up and we'll be streaming. I mean, you are just playing iconic part after iconic part. We didn't even have time to touch on Shucked today. Really advantage. How amazing was that?

[34:29] Isabelle McCalla: I loved it. These amazing, like strong woman roles. So as a as a powerful woman in this industry with the platform you have, what do you hope to inspire for the next generation of women artists?

[34:43] Isabelle McCalla: You know, we were chatting a little bit about before about insecurities about like rehearsing even. And oh yeah. I feel like a lot of that, you know, as women, I feel like it's a little bit more challenging to succeed in this industry with confidence. So what what how do you want to switch the way things are for women in this industry?

[35:01] Isabelle McCalla: Oh, that's a great question. Um, I look, I want a woman to be able to walk into a rehearsal room, barefaced makeup, you know, like kind of how I am. I just don't care. Um, and able to bring their full selves to any room. And if that means that they fail in front of you, I I think that like this idea that we are let me start over. I think there's been a very unfair standard on women, especially when it comes to beauty, that you know, you have to look polished and pristine at all times, which I think there's value in that 100%. But I'm more interested in messiness. I'm more interested in the women who come in and say, I actually don't know what's gonna happen next. And something our directors, Jess Stone said, uh, which I love.

She was like, we can't be good unless we're willing to be bad, which I love. And so I want women to feel empowered to be to be bad and to be messy and to make mistakes and to like, you're not always gonna get a great review. Not everybody's gonna love you, but it doesn't mean that you are worthless if, you know, I I hope that women coming up in this field do not think they are tethered to one performance, one genre of storytelling, one look aesthetic. I what I think is great about my career and what I'm really grateful for is that I've been able to bounce between genres and I've been able to play, yes, strong women, but very different women. You know, I uh like luck like Shucked, I got to play a dewy-eyed farm girl who in an ensemble comedy, and I got to, you know, spar with Alex Newell and Kevin Cahun and Andrew Durand, and I got to make people laugh each eight shows a week.

And now I'm playing Marlena, which is the complete opposite, where I'm, you know, in an abusive relationship with Paul Alexander Nolan, you know, it's just it's yeah, wonderful that I I feel so lucky that I have been given the opportunities to expand and show my range as an actor. And I what I hope to inspire in the younger generation is that like there's not just one type of role for you. There's not just you're not just the ingenue, you're not just the character actress, you're not you're not just jasmine, you're not just Maisie or you're not just Marlena, you know, you you are you can be all of them at once or or not. And that's what I hope to inspire.

[37:31] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. Thank you. I love that. Yeah, right. So we always end the episode of a really, really quick fun game just to bring things back up to lightness and fun and excitement. But we have one more question, which is kind of similar to the last question in a way, but you've had such a groundbreaking, you have such groundbreaking moments in your career, such as your kiss with your prom co-star, and it was the first like LGBTQ kiss on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. And I guess this question um is have you felt like there's been a shift of inclusivity in this entertainment industry since then, since 2018, when that kiss happened and made such headlines, which is crazy to think that that happened.

And um, what can we all do? Whether it's you, a Broadway star, whether it's the Broadway producers, whether it's me and Samantha hosts of like a little Broadway podcast. What can we all do as members of this community to make sure there's more inclusivity and and diversity and inclusion of people who have been othered?

[38:27] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, that's a great question. Um, I think yeah, uh, in terms of the shift in the industry, I think kind of the pandemic reset a lot. Uh, you know, I think we were able to have important conversations as to what shows we're putting our money behind, what um representation, how authentic is our representation. I think there are conversations that still need to be have and I have have sorry, need to be had. And I don't think we're there yet. But what I will say is that I think there is a lot more diversity than I have seen in the past. I think that kiss on the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade was wonderful and it paved the way for many more queer stories that are coming through on Broadway and trans stories that are coming through, which I'm very excited about.

Um in terms of us in the industry, I would say just we need to keep uplifting new voices and and you know, paying, paying people who are it's it's so much really we live in a capitalist industry, and it's hard when like I don't I don't have the answer because you know, like a show like K-pop should have had a long, beautiful run, but it didn't have the audience. And the problem is is that like our audiences aren't reflecting the diversity we're trying to put on stage. And so there's we've gotta find a way to my modern economics professor by any means. And I don't know what the answer is, but I know that these projects need money. And I think the more we can fund uh projects led by diverse companies, led by diverse creative teams, the better chance we have at getting these stories out there for much longer runs. Like it it. It's just baby steps along the way, you know, but money.

[40:20] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. But number one, give us the cash.

[40:22] Isabelle McCalla: Give us the cash. You know, like step one.

[40:26] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, we are crunched for time, so we're gonna play this really quick game and let you go be a Broadway star.

[40:33] Isabelle McCalla: Thanks.

[40:33] Jason A. Coombs: Jay, you want to enter the game since it came from your brain?

[40:36] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, it's not a good title. I was trying to think of a better title, but since uh we wanted to fit in the the world of water for elephants. So we're doing all about circus musical trivia.

[40:46] Isabelle McCalla: Oh, okay.

[40:48] Jason A. Coombs: Four questions and a bonus, and we'll make it really quick. So the first one is Bob Fossey's original 1973 staging sent this musical among the members of a performance troupe. The 2013 Diane Polish directed Barbecue Revival, dope headfirst into the circus form. Name this musical.

[41:05] Isabelle McCalla: Pippin!

[41:05] Jason A. Coombs: I know whereen came to the show the other night. He was so lovely.

[41:13] Isabelle McCalla: A legend.

[41:14] Jason A. Coombs: Well, you can have double points for that because you did not need the multiple choice.

[41:17] Isabelle McCalla: I know.

[41:18] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, yeah. No, perfect. Double points.

[41:22] Jason A. Coombs: How fun. Okay, number two. The biomusical Barnum with Jim Dale as PT Barnum and the man credited with pioneering the circus industry premiered in what year? A 1960, B 1970, C 1980, D 1990.

[41:40] Isabelle McCalla: I'm gonna go with C 1980.

[41:43] Jason A. Coombs: Correct.

[41:43] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah, ding ding ding. Two for two. Crushing it.

[41:48] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, this 2013 stage musical adapted from Roland Dial's novel about a bookish, mistreated child of superpowers, takes one inventive liberty. The young character's psychic visions unfold as a tragic circus story.

[42:06] Isabelle McCalla: Correct, correct.

[42:07] Jason A. Coombs: Number four. Trivia boss.

[42:09] Isabelle McCalla: Thank you.

[42:11] Jason A. Coombs: Number four is true or false. The musical adaptation of the greatest show man starring Hugh Jackman in the title where it was supposed to roll was supposed to open on March 15th, 2020, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[42:27] Isabelle McCalla: I'm gonna say fall.

[42:29] Jason A. Coombs: Correct.

[42:30] Isabelle McCalla: Yeah.

[42:31] Jason A. Coombs: We would have been like that would have been big news.

[42:36] Isabelle McCalla: Screaming.

[42:37] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[42:39] Jason A. Coombs: All right. The bonus you don't need because you've got a hundred so far. Uh this 2024 music at musical adaptation of iconic novel and feature film about the behind the scenes of a circus at an out-of-town run in Atlanta before transferring to Broadway in the spring of 2024. Name that musical.

[42:59] Isabelle McCalla: Yes. Go get your silky at your kids.

[43:03] Jason A. Coombs: Izzy, thank you. This was such a lovely interview. It was so wonderful to meet you. Thank you for sharing space and time with us. Before we go, can you please let our listeners know where they can follow you if they're not already an Izzy fan?

[43:16] Isabelle McCalla: Yes, you can follow me on Instagram at Izzy McCala. And if you're an Izzy fan and you don't follow us, follow us at survival jobs pod on Instagram and Twitter and TikTok on Facebook at survival jobs a podcast. Shoot us an email at survivaljobspod at gmail.com. Let us know what you think. Follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs and follow me at Sammy Toots. Thank you. See you at the theater.

[43:43] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, uh can't wait to see you. Thank you.

[43:48] Isabelle McCalla: Bye.

[43:49] Jason A. Coombs: Bye.

[43:58] Jason A. Coombs: All right, hope y'all enjoyed the episode. We just want to send a reminder to you all that if you enjoyed this episode, so please like, subscribe, and leave us a review. Those really help us. We are trying to produce this podcast. We're independently run. So your love and your feedback would be greatly appreciated. And if you didn't like the episode, that's okay. Just don't leave anything. Don't leave a review. Thanks. We're independently run. And just to tie it into that episode, we're independently owned, just like in checked. Just like in checked. Just like we just talked to Izzy. Thank you. Thank you.