This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

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

[0:14] Jason A. Coombs: My name is Samantha Tuozzolo, and this is my amazing co-host, Jason A. Coombs.

[0:21] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi, Jason.

[0:23] Jason A. Coombs: I can't believe we're kissing episode 100.

[0:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: That is crazy.

[0:28] Jason A. Coombs: Buck her up.

[0:29] Samantha Tuozzolo: Buck her up, Jason.

[0:32] Jason A. Coombs: I just am really loving our temperature check game.

[0:35] Samantha Tuozzolo: Keeping in line, we're in the Tony season.

[0:37] Jason A. Coombs: So, uh, for you new listeners, welcome.

[0:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: Every episode, Jason and I like to check in with each other, see how we're feeling.

[0:45] Jason A. Coombs: But in honor of Tony season and this spring season of amazing shows, we've been checking in with each other and relating our feelings to a show from the season.

[0:55] Samantha Tuozzolo: So, Jason, what is your temperature check in relation to the spring season on Broadway?

[1:00] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, this one is easy because the sun is shining today when we recorded this, which is a rare thing these days.

[1:07] Jason A. Coombs: It happens once a week. Um, so it's our lucky day, I guess.

[1:11] Jason A. Coombs: And I'm gonna be in the city a lot this week.

[1:14] Jason A. Coombs: Um, gonna be in the city for a couple days.

[1:16] Jason A. Coombs: So cameras falling.

[1:19] Jason A. Coombs: Uh, so my temperature check is of course Hell's Kitchen because it reminds me of the vibrancy of New York City, and the energy is always palpable, and that's how I'm feeling very energetic and excited to be in the city for a couple of days, and it's been vibe and enjoying spring and being colorful and animated, and just that New York City vibe is calling to me.

[1:45] Samantha Tuozzolo: Get it.

[1:45] Jason A. Coombs: Get that New York City vibe.

[1:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes.

[1:48] Jason A. Coombs: Gonna start smelling like hot garbage soon.

[1:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: So get it before the hot garbage smell takes over the whole town.

[1:57] Jason A. Coombs: Ooh.

[2:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: It's coming.

[2:02] Jason A. Coombs: It's coming.

[2:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love that. Um, mine today is Merrily We Roll Along, I think.

[2:07] Samantha Tuozzolo: You know, dreaming a lot.

[2:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm working really hard in so many different verticals of my life.

[2:17] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I just am leaning into the dreams of what could be and what the hard work happening now will hopefully result in one day to keep me going.

[2:27] Samantha Tuozzolo: And you know, Merrily is all about dreams and keeping those dreams.

[2:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: Dreams don't die. So keep an eye on your dreams, you know what I mean?

[2:37] Jason A. Coombs: I do know what you mean.

[2:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Remember that Hillary Duff song?

[2:40] Jason A. Coombs: Hey now, hey now.

[2:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: This is what dreams are made of.

[2:49] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, those are more.

[2:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: I never know more than lyrics than just that online.

[2:53] Jason A. Coombs: I did not even just sing lyrics.

[2:54] Samantha Tuozzolo: I sung a lot.

[2:59] Jason A. Coombs: Oh yeah.

[3:00] Samantha Tuozzolo: I love that for you. The sun is shining and it is so nice.

[3:04] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, I got the honor to be a presenter at the Stephen Sondheim Awards.

[3:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: I saw that.

[3:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: You look so good, Jay.

[3:14] Jason A. Coombs: I can't believe I forgot to address this.

[3:17] Jason A. Coombs: Congrats.

[3:18] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you.

[3:19] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, they invited me, and quick funny story is they had a bunch of Broadway stars there, probably actors there, so we're also presenting.

[3:27] Jason A. Coombs: So they were like from Broadway Actor from this show.

[3:31] Jason A. Coombs: Like when you're announcing people, and it was like I was like the fourth person, and I was like, what are you gonna say about me?

[3:37] Jason A. Coombs: I'm not on Broadway, but you're on Broadway Worlds and the Broadway podcasts.

[3:41] Jason A. Coombs: They were like survival jobs co-host, Jason A. Coombs.

[3:45] Jason A. Coombs: And I was so surprised that they said that.

[3:46] Jason A. Coombs: I was like, okay, come through, go us.

[3:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: Okay, maybe you're not on the Broadway stage every day, but you are on Broadway platforms weekly.

[3:55] Jason A. Coombs: True, true, true. Iconic.

[3:58] Jason A. Coombs: It was very fun. Those kids are fucking talented.

[4:02] Jason A. Coombs: Like, I don't even know how someone could be so talented at such a young age.

[4:07] Jason A. Coombs: So the Sondheim Awards are like for teenagers in high school who are competing for musical theater scholarships as well, as well as like, you know, the best actor and actress and their musicals and best musical and sound design and all that good stuff, and then the winners, the best actor and best actress winner, get to go to the Jimmies, which are in June.

[4:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: So that's super cool to see that and be a part of that.

[4:29] Jason A. Coombs: No super fun.

[4:30] Jason A. Coombs: So just want to say a quick thank you to Black Rock Theater, the peeps there, Connor, and all of them for inviting me to do that.

[4:38] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, amazing.

[4:40] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, well, congrats, and what a fun thing to be a part of.

[4:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I just want to say you're a Broadway star to me.

[4:47] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, even if you're not on the stage and on the platforms, babe.

[4:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yes, we are on the platform, yes.

[4:55] Jason A. Coombs: So, our guest today, Kecia.

[4:58] Samantha Tuozzolo: Oh my god, you guys, I feel so lucky that we even got to interview her.

[5:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm sorry, Tony Award nominee, Kecia Lewis, currently starring in Hell's Kitchen.

[5:11] Samantha Tuozzolo: But congratulations to her for having an awesome kind of epic season for her, right?

[5:18] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so, so, so well deserved.

[5:20] Samantha Tuozzolo: I mean, she is giant incredible.

[5:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Um, this episode's so special, and she is a veteran in the Broadway community and the artistic community.

[5:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: And so I felt like so inspired after we spoke to her, and I feel, you know, so honored that we got to chat with her.

[5:41] Samantha Tuozzolo: And you guys have to see Hell's Kitchen.

[5:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: I just went again last week with my cousin, who has not seen a million Broadway shows.

[5:49] Samantha Tuozzolo: This was her fourth Broadway show, and she was crying.

[5:52] Samantha Tuozzolo: She was like, This is amazing.

[5:53] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you so much for thinking I would like this.

[5:57] Jason A. Coombs: I knew she would, and it's just such an amazing show.

[5:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: And oh gosh, Kecia's performance is beyond, beyond, beyond, beyond.

[6:05] Samantha Tuozzolo: A phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal performance.

[6:08] Samantha Tuozzolo: And she is such a kind person, right?

[6:12] Samantha Tuozzolo: Like her energy is so calm and soothing and encouraging.

[6:16] Samantha Tuozzolo: And I don't know. I just, I love her.

[6:20] Jason A. Coombs: I love a lot of people we have on our podcast.

[6:23] Samantha Tuozzolo: Me too. I love her as well.

[6:26] Samantha Tuozzolo: Just makes you feel warm and like you're her friend.

[6:30] Jason A. Coombs: So I appreciate that.

[6:32] Samantha Tuozzolo: For sure.

[6:33] Jason A. Coombs: You want to kick off her bio and I will kick off her bio.

[6:37] Samantha Tuozzolo: Thank you.

[6:38] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[6:39] Jason A. Coombs: So Kecia Lewis, who plays Miss Eliza Jane in Hell's Kitchen, made her Broadway debut at 18 years old in the original company of Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett.

[6:54] Jason A. Coombs: Her other Broadway credits include The Gospel at Colonus with Morgan Freeman, Big River, Ain't Misbehavin', where she was a standby for another icon, Nell Carter.

[7:06] Jason A. Coombs: Once on This Island, the original Broadway cast, The Drowsy Chaperone, original Broadway cast, Chicago, Leap of Faith, original Broadway cast, and Cinderella as Marie and the Fairy Godmother.

[7:18] Jason A. Coombs: And most recently, Children of a Lesser God, directed by Kenny Leon.

[7:22] Jason A. Coombs: Off-Broadway, she starred in the title role of Mother Courage, The Skin of Our Teeth, which she won an Obie Award, and Marie and Rosetta, which was a Lortel and Drama League nomination, an Obie Award winner for that as well.

[7:36] Jason A. Coombs: Her work on the last season of Mad About You was loved by fans and critics alike, just like her performances as Miss Eliza Jane.

[7:44] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hello.

[7:44] Jason A. Coombs: Further television credits include guest star and recurring roles on Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, recurring.

[7:53] Jason A. Coombs: Gosh, I love that show.

[7:55] Jason A. Coombs: Madam Secretary, Royal Pains, Limitless, Conviction, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Blue Bloods, Smilf, The Blacklist, The Passage as a recurring role, and the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, also as a recurring role.

[8:11] Jason A. Coombs: As a vocalist, Kecia has performed in Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Russia.

[8:17] Jason A. Coombs: Kecia can also be seen on Amazon in With Love and HBO Max's And Just Like That.

[8:23] Jason A. Coombs: Kecia can also be seen in Evan Parter's The Independent alongside Brian Cox, Jodie Turner Smith, and John Cena, which is now streaming on Peacock.

[8:33] Samantha Tuozzolo: Guys, no big deal. Like that bio is literally iconic.

[8:37] Jason A. Coombs: She's talented.

[8:39] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah, she's so talented.

[8:41] Jason A. Coombs: Enjoy this episode.

[8:42] Samantha Tuozzolo: Go see Hell's Kitchen.

[8:45] Jason A. Coombs: That's it.

[8:47] Samantha Tuozzolo: Love it.

[8:50] Samantha Tuozzolo: Hi, Kecia.

[8:51] Kecia Lewis: Welcome to Survival Jobs, a podcast.

[8:53] Kecia Lewis: We're so excited to have you.

[8:56] Kecia Lewis: How are you?

[8:58] Kecia Lewis: I'm great.

[8:59] Kecia Lewis: I'm great. I'm a little tired, but I'm good.

[9:02] Samantha Tuozzolo: Well, yeah.

[9:03] Jason A. Coombs: Well, we can imagine you're tired crushing at eight shows a week, giving your whole soul on that stage.

[9:09] Samantha Tuozzolo: So we can't thank you enough for taking time out of your eight show a week busy schedule, which in Hell's Kitchen, obviously, for those of you who don't know, which you should.

[9:18] Jason A. Coombs: Um, we're gonna talk a lot about Hell's Kitchen, but before we do that, we're Survival Jobs, a podcast.

[9:24] Samantha Tuozzolo: We talk a lot about survival jobs that artists and actors have.

[9:28] Kecia Lewis: Um, before you were a literal Broadway icon, or even during between gigs.

[9:33] Jason A. Coombs: Do you have a survival job that's maybe like a favorite that you can share with us?

[9:38] Kecia Lewis: Uh, the absolute favorite. I did teaching for a little bit.

[9:41] Kecia Lewis: I taught fifth and sixth graders, and that was a trip and a lot of fun.

[9:49] Kecia Lewis: Kids are a trip.

[9:51] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, they're a trip.

[9:52] Kecia Lewis: But I was teaching at a private school, so I had a little more leeway to be myself and do different things.

[9:59] Kecia Lewis: So I would often sing to them to get them to quiet down.

[10:03] Kecia Lewis: You know, I would just sing, would you please shut up?

[10:07] Kecia Lewis: Thank you. Would you please until they would laugh and they would sing it to each other?

[10:13] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[10:14] Kecia Lewis: That's so good.

[10:15] Samantha Tuozzolo: I'm gonna use that maybe for my niece who's acting up.

[10:20] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, my niece is too old. She's she'll crap me or something.

[10:23] Kecia Lewis: She's not, she's 18.

[10:25] Jason A. Coombs: So right, yeah.

[10:26] Kecia Lewis: You gotta watch what age you're doing this too.

[10:28] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[10:29] Kecia Lewis: Those kids did not know how lucky they were to have you singing to them for free.

[10:33] Kecia Lewis: You know what's crazy? One of the, there's a couple of those kids who found me on Facebook, and they're all, you know, like parents now, and they said, We'll never forget you.

[10:44] Kecia Lewis: It was the best fifth grade, it was the best sixth grade.

[10:47] Kecia Lewis: It was like, I was like, Oh my gosh, these kids.

[10:50] Jason A. Coombs: You were your Miss Eliza Jane to them.

[10:53] Kecia Lewis: That's pretty amazing.

[10:54] Kecia Lewis: I guess.

[10:55] Jason A. Coombs: Awesome.

[10:57] Samantha Tuozzolo: So can we flip it and reverse it?

[10:59] Samantha Tuozzolo: Do you have a survival job that was awful that you never want to ever do again?

[11:05] Kecia Lewis: Um, pay you enough to go back to something like that.

[11:10] Kecia Lewis: Well, the one that comes to mind is I was asked to do a little editing on a newspaper, uh, I'm sorry, a magazine, and I could not have been more bored by doing that.

[11:28] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, I want to talk.

[11:30] Kecia Lewis: I want to add words, and they're like, No, cut it down, cut it down.

[11:34] Kecia Lewis: I'm like, oh, this is just soul sucking.

[11:37] Jason A. Coombs: Oh no, those are the worst survival jobs, the soul sucking ones, the ones that suck your soul.

[11:44] Kecia Lewis: And I did a little now.

[11:46] Kecia Lewis: This was fun, but there were aspects of it that were awful. Um, as a survival job between gigs, I've driven Uber and Lyft using my car, and it's fun in that you're meeting all kinds of different people, and it's awful in that you're meeting all kinds of different people, and they're in close proximity to you. Especially if you're doing like late night runs and the drunk people are getting in the car, like absolutely.

[12:16] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, yeah. Should we do this in New York City?

[12:20] Kecia Lewis: Um, I did it out on Long Island, and sometimes that would bring me into the city or one of the other boroughs, but I lived in Long Island at the time, so that was my base. And the summertime was I think it was a sum, it was a almost a full summer that I did that. So summertime driving Lyft and Uber is good money, but ooh, some of the drunks.

[12:38] Kecia Lewis: Some of the drunks, literally, yeah, and you're literally like, are you gonna vomit? Because if you're gonna vomit, you're gonna need to call another Lyft.

[12:57] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, please report me because you're not getting in this car.

[13:02] Kecia Lewis: I need to ask, did that ever happen?

[13:05] Kecia Lewis: Um, I had it once where I asked somebody if they were all right. I pulled over because I was gonna jump out of the car, open the door, and let them vomit outside the car. But they were like, Nope, nope, I'm okay, I'm okay. And I was opening all the windows. I was like, breathe, breathe.

[13:22] Jason A. Coombs: Well, that is nice of you. Some people would not be that kind.

[13:26] Kecia Lewis: Oh my gosh, it's a trip. Um, first of all, I can't believe I didn't say this in our intro to you, welcoming you to the show. Congratulations on your Tony nomination.

[13:36] Kecia Lewis: Thank you. I mean, so well deserved, you know, years coming. So I just wanted to congratulate you on that and pivot from the survival jobs aspect of the show and talk a little bit about the things you did before you were killing it in Hell's Kitchen. So you made your Broadway debut at 18 years old in the original company of Dreamgirls, which is so amazing, and then you were in.

[14:02] Kecia Lewis: It was very surreal, actually. Yeah, you want to share a little bit about what that was like?

[14:06] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, it was kind of like, so. My Dreamgirls story is I was in high school, and one of my teachers in high school, I graduated in 82. So Dreamgirls opened in December of 81. And so one of my teachers saw it that winter. I don't remember if it's January or February. And she said, There's this new show that just opened, and I think it's gonna be a hit, and you need to see if you can get in there. There's a role for you. And I didn't get to see the show until after the Tonys when I saw Jennifer Holliday. Oh my gosh, that performance, I could not move. I could not move off of my couch. Wow.

[14:52] Kecia Lewis: And then fast forward two weeks later, my boyfriend at the time took me to see the show live for my birthday. And again, I sat at the end of Act One and could not move. But that was kind of when it sprung up in my heart. I want to play that role. I want to play that role. So I auditioned, I had no agent. I was a kid. Um, I graduated high school when I was 16, so I was in school. I was going to NYU, and I auditioned six times over two years, going to every single open call that there was, getting typed out. It was ridiculous. And then finally, one day, the casting director, Vinny Liff, God rest his soul, called me and said, Okay, Michael Bennett and Michael Peters want to see two of you for this role. And he told me what to wear because he had seen me so many times in open calls.

[15:49] Kecia Lewis: That's so good. He's like, wear that blue dress with the black heel and oh my gosh. And I went to that audition and booked it. They told us, well, okay. The funny story about that was it was two of us, the other lady and I auditioned, and Vinny Liff came out. He told us both to wait, and Vinny Liff came out and he said, Okay, they've made a decision. Would you like to know now or later? I said now, she said later. And he said, Well, I'm gonna go with the person who booked the job. Kecia, you got it.

[16:25] Kecia Lewis: Bananas. That is kind of bananas. And I went and called my mom on the payphone at work, and she was like, What? Because she's not a theater person. She was like, Dream, dream what? Dreamcast. What? What is this? Dreamcast. If we only knew. I love that your teacher was like, I think this is gonna be a hit. And now it's just like, yeah, wow. Unbelievable. That's an amazing story.

[16:54] Kecia Lewis: Thank you. I have lots of them. 40 years, I got lots of them.

[16:57] Jason A. Coombs: Yes, girl. So I was gonna ask, you were in the original cast of so many different Broadway companies, The Drowsy Chaperone, Now Hell's Kitchen, among others. What is unique and special about being in the original cast of something versus, you know, joining something or reviving something?

[17:17] Kecia Lewis: For me, the most fun thing is helping to create it to be a part of kind of the ground floor when the writers are eager and excited and want to hear what everybody thinks. And the first time that I felt that probably the most was with Once on This Island, you know, being a part of that from the first workshop to doing it at Playwrights Horizons to doing it on Broadway. I actually had another interview this morning, and they asked someone asked me, um, what was the craziest thing you ever said in a workshop situation? And I said the first thing that came to my mind was I remember being in the workshop for Once on This Island, and when we said a tree, I was like, a tree. No, no one's gonna buy that. No, you need to take that out, Lynn and Steven. They were like, No, we think we're right. I was the dummy going, take it out. That's actually, you imagine it's like the most beloved part of the whole show.

[18:24] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. I'm like, that's stupid. Nobody's gonna buy that. She came, she became a tree. Get out of here. That is so good.

[18:33] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah. We gotta take note of that question, Sam.

[18:40] Kecia Lewis: But it's so, but it's so fun. It was just so much fun. And it created lifelong relationships, which I still have with all of the people who did that show. I mean, just every single one of them. I had dinner with LaShance Monday night, you know. I talked to Jerry Dixon, I talked to Milton Craig Nealy, I, you know, all of these folks.

[19:01] Jason A. Coombs: I love that. That's just that's the power of theater. It's like once you make those bonds, it's hard to break. Like I'm friends of friends from high school still that we were in the trenches together doing that theater in high school. But let's transition to Hell's Kitchen. Both Samantha and I saw the show. I saw it before Samantha, and I was like, Kecia's getting a Tony nomination at the end of Act One. You were, I literally never felt that way, I don't think, um, watching something live like that. And I think I helped that was like, you know, close maybe, but you were phenomenal. You're so, so grounded, and your voice is just so impeccable. Sorry, I'm fangirling over you. So I just I guess the question is what was the drawing attraction for you for this part and for this role? Why did you want to take this character?

[19:55] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, I feel like it's a privilege when you get the right role and you're the right person. It's the right time in your life. The story that you're telling is important to you. When all those things kind of come together, and I have to honestly say I've only had that experience. I can count on one hand how many times that's been the case. But this character, Liza Jane was definitely that. From the time that I read it on the page, I thought she's a mentor, she's a teacher, she's funny, she's um trauma, she has some trauma, she has some tragedy going on, but she's pushing through, and most importantly, she's giving what she has to the next generation, to somebody that will receive what she has in her already and run with it long after she's gone. So that was the primary draw, and to sing that song, it's an absolute privilege.

[20:57] Kecia Lewis: Oh my gosh. I was a single mother of a young black son in New York, you know, so perfect way to die. That's part of our story, the training that you have to do when you have a male child in this world. A brown one, especially, how you have to walk and live and talk when you're outside of our home, you know. And my son would roll his eyes. He was sick of it. But it was like, it's the only way I can keep you safe is to drill you. I need to know what's gonna happen if somebody falsely accuses you of something. How are you gonna respond? What are you gonna do? You know, so being able to sing a song that deals with some of that, especially in New York City, where unfortunately we've seen so much of that over the years. It's a critical thing.

[21:48] Jason A. Coombs: Over policing, yeah.

[21:50] Kecia Lewis: All of it. All of it.

[21:52] Jason A. Coombs: I mean, as the other end of that, as being a young black whose mom had to have this conversation to do an eye roll is like it makes sense when she become an adult. Something finally clicks. You're like, you're my mom was correct.

[22:06] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. I'm sure your son appreciates you so much for that.

[22:09] Kecia Lewis: I think so. And you know, um, it's also I've had conversations with some of my friends who are not black who have children, and some of those conversations, you know, as we talk, sometimes they go, so you're like in stress mode every time he walks out of the house without you.

[22:31] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. That's absolutely right. And living like that affects your health, it affects your mental health. So just being able to give people a glimpse into that from a mom slash teacher slash mentor's perspective. I think it's a privilege because a lot of people don't get to feel it that deeply. You know, you see it and it's become old hat for a lot of us watching it, you know.

[22:59] Jason A. Coombs: So yeah, sure. Thank you for sharing that. Can I do a quick follow-up, Sam?

[23:04] Samantha Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[23:05] Jason A. Coombs: I just want to just also say, why do you think audiences and critics, right? Because 13 Tony nominations, like audiences are craving the show, going back multiple times. Why do you think it's connected with people so, so strongly?

[23:19] Kecia Lewis: I think because it's a story that just about everyone can relate to, any age, any ethnicity, which is the relationship between a mother and a daughter and the people in her community who imprinted her DNA.

[23:33] Kecia Lewis: I think we all can see ourselves in, you know, from the single mom to the absentee dad who's trying to do the best he can do, but it's not quite hidden, you know, the first love, the cranky neighbor who winds up being somebody that loves you and cares for you and pours into you, your friends, you know, ones who are misunderstood and assume that they're thugs and villains and they just want to live, just trying to live.

[24:05] Kecia Lewis: And play some music, yeah. Play some music and hang out and laugh and talk. And so I think everybody can find themselves in our show, and I think that's why people keep coming back.

[24:19] Kecia Lewis: We're coming, we'll we are both coming back. Literally, literally it's New Friday.

[24:29] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, so going back to Miss Liza Jane, obviously, you know, she's such a mentor to Allie artistically and, you know, getting through life. Did you have someone that was your Miss Liza Jane to sort of guide you as an artist and just through life?

[24:45] Kecia Lewis: And if so, did you pull from that person? Yes. So I have I've had many Miss Liza Janes over the years, but I've identified five of them. Uh, who I actually, my plan was to make a collage and put it in my dressing room of the five of them. And I haven't gotten to do that yet, but I'm definitely gonna get it done. Um, and so one and I have used different aspects of these people, uh, and what they gave me to, you know, create this character of Miss Liza Jane.

[25:25] Kecia Lewis: Uh, the first one that comes to mind that is still living and still mentoring me. Actually, all of them who are still living are still mentoring me. Uh, one of them is my acting coach from high school who is 79. I went to the high school of performing arts and I had him in the 11th grade, and I still use everything that he gave me. And he coached me for one of the scenes in the show. I reached out to him because I just needed a fresh take on it after doing it at the public. And then there's another one who's still with us, which is the incomparable Ben Harney, Tony Winner for Dreamgirls. He was somebody that when I walked in that theater at 18 years old, helped me to learn to navigate not just being a consummate professional and a performer, but also my life outside of the theater, which I try to integrate into my work, which is my faith.

[26:26] Kecia Lewis: He is somebody that I watched utilize his faith in a higher power, who he and I both call Jesus, and help us to navigate this business, number one, our own selves and our crazy number two, other people's crazy, you know. We all need, I feel that it's just easier in life if you're depending on something or someone other than yourself to get you through. And so, uh, Ben mentored that for me. And I still call Ben, you know, when I need some advice and when I need some counsel, you know, around the industry.

[27:04] Kecia Lewis: So I love that so much. Like, no matter what stage of life you're at as an artist or a human, these people who made an impact on you are still your tools.

[27:15] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, you're only award nominee, and you're calling your high school acting coach, which is so, so, so beautiful. And going back to like community with theater and art, I think it's so beautiful and powerful. Thank you for sharing.

[27:30] Kecia Lewis: Thank you. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and there's others, but for the most part, uh, there's one I have to mention in particular because I'm utilizing her speech pattern. I have a very distinct speech pattern, as you know, as Miss Liza Jane. And that is from my voice and diction teacher from high school, uh, Mrs. Ruth L. Kohler. So when I get into the, and she's gone now, God rest her soul, but she was somebody who early on she irritated me because I was a New York City high school student, right? So I'm talking like this, right? And I'm trying to learn how to do Shakespeare, and I'm trying to do this other thing, and I'm talking like this. And it was Mrs. Kohler who said, you are aware that you'll never work if you don't deal with that speech pattern.

And it was like, what? Like, are you racist? Like, what is happening right now, lady? But she taught me and drilled me and helped me. And she was somebody that when I started working, she would be at every show. She would be at a matinee. I would, she would be at the stage door. Bravo, darling. I knew that you had it in you all the time. You know, that kind of thing. She was amazing. She was amazing. So I have to mention her. And I have all of their pictures in my phone, and I have them parted. So when I need to look at them and remember or remind myself, I do.

[28:58] Kecia Lewis: I love that. I guess I'm gonna pivot a little bit. Speaking of strong women, this show is full of strong women, which is so awesome to see a show where it's like mother-daughter relationships that are front and center, and you like your character is like the heart and soul of it. Oh, so what has it been like to work with so many amazing women, like, you know, Malia and Alicia Keys?

[29:24] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, like it's, it's been beyond, you know. I think the whole season, if you look at the whole season, there are so many women driven creatively and storytelling-wise, pieces being done unprecedented, you know, from my perspective. I can't remember ever there being these many stories being told that are female-centered, but in our show in particular, it really starts with Alicia, her love and determination to see even a fictionalized version of her mom's story is so powerful. It is so powerful. And then to work with Shoshana, who has been a vet just like me, been doing this for a minute, and watching her create Jersey. I mean, it's been beautiful. We have one scene together, and it just keeps growing.

We're now in the second iteration of it from off-Broadway to now, and we're past opening, and we're in award season, and we're still doing new stuff on stage. We're still doing new stuff, and it's amazing. And that dog on Malia, she's just ridiculous. Ridiculous, just ridiculous. 21 years old. So this is her first theater piece. And she talk about a consummate professional. I don't think I've ever met anyone at that age who was so in possession of herself and recognizing that she's a leader and setting a standard, working the hardest, being there the earliest, leaving the latest, doing all the press and things that she's doing now, which she was doing before, uh, working with Alicia and not being intimidated, having that healthy respect, but really listening and tuning in to all the people around her, and she's always so concerned.

I mean, it's crazy. She'll come off stage and she was like, I'm so sorry, I didn't do blah blah blah. Um, did I mess you up? And it's like, what? What are you talking about? Who thinks like that at 21 years old? Right. Who was concerned about their scene partners or being in somebody's way or being on the wrong mark or whatever? You know, you can't beat that with a stick. You just can't. So I'm just grateful. I'm so on stage.

[32:02] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. Yeah. And to play such a character that can come across as like possibly a little annoying, right? Because she's so quirky.

[32:09] Kecia Lewis: Not possibly. Very annoying. Very annoying person. Yes, you absolutely do. Because we all know her. Yeah. You've all probably been her. And like that, I, you know, I had empathy for her, and she was being like such a little brat. I felt, I felt for her. Like she's just fine. Yeah, so beautiful.

[32:30] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. Y'all are doing such amazing work. I'm so happy for you all. Thank you.

[32:35] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, you just, you just said you were so grateful. I want to say I also am so grateful that you guys all have come together to create this for us. You know, it's just like as an audience and like theater goers and we're very involved in the Broadway community. Yeah, it's so special and it's so, so, so important. Um, and to see and I have, I have so sorry.

[32:59] Kecia Lewis: No, that's okay. I'm just saying different, different unique work coming. We're not seeing the same cookie cutter shows, and I think that's also so important.

[33:07] Kecia Lewis: Okay, thank you. I'm sorry to ramble.

[33:09] Kecia Lewis: No, no, no, no, no, no. When you said that, it, you know, jogged my memory of it's like I love some of these old shows, but child, if I see another Fiddler on the Roof. Like, Pruma Sarah cannot be flying anymore. The way I will pass out on the ground in front of that theater, it's like not another one. You know what I mean? Tell some new stories. Good lord. Please.

[33:35] Kecia Lewis: Um, but the other thing I just had to say when you talk about the women, Alicia. The thing I want to say about Alicia and working with Alicia, because everybody wants to know what that's like. Alicia, just as she appears, is who she is for real. Just as when you see her on an interview, she is down to earth, she is kind, she is generous, she's excited about everything, always positive. And what floors me is that I've worked with celebrities before, none quite at this level, like Alicia is. She's the first one I've worked with like that. And there's a lot of generosity that she really doesn't have to give. Right? 16 Grammys. She she's done the work, she's a genius, we're clear. So she could very easily say, we're gonna do it this way.

This is what has worked. But she has been the complete opposite. Sitting down with each actor, what's your perspective? What do you think? Bring your flavor. Why do you want to sing it that way? You know, or why don't you try it this way and see if it works? So if we can find something that's in between, she doesn't have to do that. Yeah, right. Exactly. These are my songs, these are iconic, these are already known in the world. Yeah, you know, so I mean, I just have to say that, and it makes the whole creative experience really, really special to know that you can let your guard down, you can relax your shoulders a little bit, and know that you're going to be taken care of by your lead producer and the biggest name on the call sheet, if you will.

[35:22] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, yeah. And by the way, it's you know what they say it starts from the top down, and like you can absolutely it you can feel that from the performances. You can feel that it's all like a community and like a collaboration, and it's not like stuffy or anything. You can feel that as the audience member. So shout out Alicia Keys if you're listening.

[35:41] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[35:43] Kecia Lewis: We love you.

[35:46] Jason A. Coombs: So, Kecia, we only briefly talked about your amazing career. We cannot get into all of it because we will be here for hours and we don't have the time, but you've done so much. Your body of work is so stunning. Do you have a favorite role or a favorite project that you've been a part of that you can share with us?

[36:06] Kecia Lewis: From the past 40 years, good lord. Um, the one the theater one that comes to mind was an off-Broadway show I did called Marie and Rosetta. Uh, and it was a two-hander with uh Rebecca Naomi Jones. And we did that at the Atlantic Theater Company. It was just the two of us, and we had two musicians, and we were playing. Uh I was playing Sister Rosetta Tharp, and uh she was playing Marie Knight. The Queen of Rock and Roll. The Queen, the godmother of rock and roll. That's the title. And the vast majority of people have no idea who she is, no idea. But that was a very magical production. It was frightening. I love challenges. So doing a two-hander where it's just you and one other person, that you gonna bring it, or you gonna just pass out. Just bring it or pass out.

[37:01] Jason A. Coombs: Bring it or pass out.

[37:04] Kecia Lewis: Yeah. So that's not a lot on this interview. We're passing out in front of Fiddler. We're passing out. Right. Absolutely. Just lay down on the floor until somebody gets called the police. Listen. But um, and I would say the TV one I have to mention was a little short-lived series that I did on Fox called The Passage. And it was based on um uh a series of books by Justin Cronin, and uh it was a show that had one season, and I played I played a woman who started off as a nun, got disgusted with the church, goes into the military, becomes a weapons expert, and then throughout the course of the show, she's killing vampires and quoting scripture. When I tell you, when I tell you the fun that I had on that show, the layers of this person, it was everything. It was so fun.

[38:00] Jason A. Coombs: I gotta find the show.

[38:06] Kecia Lewis: It was so fun, so fun. My first day on set, I had to shoot uh somebody in the face. And yeah, a vampire. No, actually, um a uh uh like an FBI kind of guy who was coming to get me and arrest me. And uh shoot him in the face. So I get on set and they're like, okay, so the first shot today is gonna we're gonna give you this rifle, we're gonna do some gun. I was like, I'm sorry, what now? A what? They said, Oh, you've never fired a rifle. I said, I've never fired a gun. They said, okay, great, we're gonna go in the woods. We shot in Atlanta. We're gonna go in the woods and you're gonna get a quick gun lesson so you can get this rifle shooting right on camera. I have never yeah, yeah. It was amazing.

[38:57] Jason A. Coombs: That's exciting.

[38:57] Kecia Lewis: Let's go to the woods.

[38:59] Jason A. Coombs: Let's go to the woods and get a shooting lesson.

[39:05] Kecia Lewis: Oh my gosh. Okay, so our last question before we play the really fun game.

[39:09] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[39:12] Kecia Lewis: Is do you have any advice for someone who wants to pursue a career in the arts, whether it's acting or writing, dance, filmmaking, and they may be feeling stuck in their survival jobs. Do you have any tips or words of encouragement for them?

[39:27] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, I would say if that's your dream and you know in your heart that that is all of us, I believe, are called to do more than one thing. All of us are multi-hyphenates. We like throwing that around now. So I think everybody is, right? And so if the thing that you're passionate about that you keep coming back to, and you're struggling, or it's just not happening, you have to find a new way to inspire yourself regularly, whether it's getting in a writing group or getting in a dance class or going back to coaching, um, getting together with friends and just doing readings of plays, doing whatever it is you can do to reignite and re-inspire yourself and don't give up.

[40:15] Jason A. Coombs: Facts.

[40:16] Kecia Lewis: Mike drop.

[40:20] Jason A. Coombs: Kecia, one more.

[40:21] Kecia Lewis: I should have asked this before though.

[40:23] Jason A. Coombs: Dream role. We were big manifesters. We had Joaquim on, and we were manifesting a role of ragtime for him. What is our dream role collaboration?

[40:32] Kecia Lewis: Uh project.

[40:33] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[40:33] Kecia Lewis: Um Dream Role would be me starring in a production of Hello Dolly.

[40:42] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[40:43] Kecia Lewis: Yes, Dolly.

[40:45] Jason A. Coombs: I think hello.

[40:45] Kecia Lewis: I think hello Dolly. Um, I've always wanted to play The Witch in Into the Woods. Um I think Mama Rose.

[40:57] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah.

[40:58] Kecia Lewis: Wow, all iconic.

[40:59] Jason A. Coombs: Hello for anyone listening. Can you make it happen?

[41:01] Kecia Lewis: Can you make it happen?

[41:04] Jason A. Coombs: Can you call Kecia and make it happen?

[41:06] Kecia Lewis: Thanks.

[41:07] Jason A. Coombs: Please, thanks.

[41:09] Kecia Lewis: Please end.

[41:11] Jason A. Coombs: Kecia, thank you.

[41:13] Kecia Lewis: Thank you, thank you.

[41:13] Jason A. Coombs: We can't thank you enough for joining us. You know, this has been an amazing interview. You know, you just shared in your advice. Find something else to keep you inspired, right? Whether it's writing or something. And for Jason and I, it's the show, you know, talking with other artists to keep us going and hearing others.

[41:31] Kecia Lewis: So thank you for re-inspiring us.

[41:35] Jason A. Coombs: Um, that's so great.

[41:36] Kecia Lewis: Thank you.

[41:37] Jason A. Coombs: Uh everybody needs to go see Hell's Kitchen immediately. And you better go before the Tonys because if I I don't know, I feel things gonna happen there, and then the ticket might be hard to get.

[41:49] Kecia Lewis: Yeah, yeah.

[41:51] Kecia Lewis: It's it's already sometimes a little hard for us to get tickets to get house seats for our people.

[41:56] Jason A. Coombs: Hello, everyone.

[41:57] Kecia Lewis: Try and get their ASAP.

[42:00] Jason A. Coombs: Come on, kids. Sell a pair of those sneakers. Do whatever you gotta do.

[42:04] Kecia Lewis: Come on.

[42:05] Jason A. Coombs: Come on.

[42:06] Kecia Lewis: So, like Jason said, we always love to end the show with a a little fun game. So today we're playing.

[42:10] Jason A. Coombs: Speaking of the queen, Alicia Keys herself, we're playing Finish That Lyric, Alicia Keys edition.

[42:18] Kecia Lewis: So we're going to read you some lyrics, and then we'll stop and see if you can fill in the blank.

[42:24] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[42:24] Kecia Lewis: Chase, do you want to kick it off?

[42:26] Jason A. Coombs: Sure.

[42:27] Jason A. Coombs: So this one is you and me together through the days and nights.

[42:33] Kecia Lewis: I don't worry because everything's gonna be alright.

[42:36] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, bing bing ding.

[42:39] Kecia Lewis: Yay.

[42:40] Jason A. Coombs: Okay, number two.

[42:42] Jason A. Coombs: Nights like this, they belong in the Guinness.

[42:45] Kecia Lewis: Nights like this never want them to finish.

[42:51] Jason A. Coombs: We should have got a harder game for you.

[42:53] Kecia Lewis: I know. You know what it was? I was trying to remember the uh the next lyric, but Malia riffs it. So I'm like, what is it again?

[43:03] Jason A. Coombs: Oh wait for the end.

[43:05] Kecia Lewis: That's what it is.

[43:08] Jason A. Coombs: Yeah, yes.

[43:09] Kecia Lewis: Thank you so much for giving us the riff.

[43:14] Jason A. Coombs: She got both the on the ground, and she's burning it down.

[43:20] Kecia Lewis: Down, yeah.

[43:21] Jason A. Coombs: Hey, yeah, my favorite parts of the show.

[43:24] Kecia Lewis: That was incredible.

[43:25] Jason A. Coombs: So good.

[43:26] Kecia Lewis: I wanted to stand up.

[43:28] Jason A. Coombs: I know.

[43:29] Jason A. Coombs: Okay. One more, and then a bonus.

[43:32] Jason A. Coombs: Okay.

[43:33] Jason A. Coombs: Sometimes I feel good.

[43:35] Kecia Lewis: At times I feel used.

[43:37] Jason A. Coombs: 11 darling makes me so confused.

[43:41] Kecia Lewis: I I keep eating falling.

[43:45] Jason A. Coombs: Yes.

[43:48] Kecia Lewis: All right. This is a bonus that you already have a hundred percent on this game, and you're gonna absolutely crush the bonus.

[43:55] Jason A. Coombs: So go ahead, Jay.

[43:57] Jason A. Coombs: Take it away.

[43:58] Jason A. Coombs: These streets will make you feel brand new.

[44:01] Kecia Lewis: Big lights will inspire you.

[44:02] Jason A. Coombs: Hear it for New York.

[44:05] Kecia Lewis: Hey!

[44:06] Jason A. Coombs: New York.

[44:07] Kecia Lewis: Yes, get your tickets to Hell's Kitchen, everybody.

[44:11] Jason A. Coombs: Hey.

[44:13] Jason A. Coombs: Thank you again. Can you please let everybody listening know where they can follow you on social media, how they can keep up with you. Drop your handles.

[44:20] Kecia Lewis: So on uh on Instagram, I am the real Kecia Lewis. And my spelling is a little different, which is K-E-C-I-A-L-E-W-I-S.

[44:34] Jason A. Coombs: Uh down here for people.

[44:37] Kecia Lewis: Okay, great. And then um I'm old, so I'm still on Facebook. Uh just my name. You'll find me there. And I'm on threads, which is connected to Instagram. And what else am I on? I I'm not on TikTok. I watch TikTok for entertainment, but yeah, I I I don't think anyone wants to see me carrying on on TikTok.

[45:00] Jason A. Coombs: I actually disagree. I think your TikTok would be so iconic.

[45:05] Kecia Lewis: Like I would follow the TikTok.

[45:09] Jason A. Coombs: Oh man. And if you all are tuning in because you're a Kecia fan and you don't follow us yet, follow us at Survival Jobs Pod on Instagram and Twitter and TikTok.

[45:19] Kecia Lewis: We just started our own TikTok recently.

[45:21] Jason A. Coombs: Excellent.

[45:21] Kecia Lewis: On Facebook. You know, I just copy paste from Instagram. You know, we gotta just keep it going for the kids.

[45:28] Jason A. Coombs: For the kids, yeah.

[45:30] Kecia Lewis: And the kids.

[45:31] Jason A. Coombs: We're on Facebook, we're at Survival Jobs a Podcast. Shoot us an email at survivaljobspod@gmail.com. Follow my boy Jason at Jason A. Coombs, and I'm Sammy Toots.

[45:40] Kecia Lewis: Jason, one favor before you go, if you wouldn't mind, just ending leading us off with the song you sang to the kids about shutting up. Please.

[45:50] Jason A. Coombs: Oh he's bringing it back to survival jobs.

[45:57] Kecia Lewis: You know, I don't remember the tune now. I sang everything, and it was however it came to mind. Can you please shut up? Can you?

[46:06] Jason A. Coombs: Oh, one of my uh favorite songs.

[46:10] Kecia Lewis: I've sung this at the theater. This is funny. I would say my business.

[46:20] Kecia Lewis: You need to mind your business.

[46:30] Kecia Lewis: Your business today.

[46:37] Kecia Lewis: Thank you.

[46:39] Kecia Lewis: So no more questions. We gotta mind our business.

[46:42] Kecia Lewis: Mind your business. Drink your water, mind your business. Everybody go see Hell's Kitchen. Kecia, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

[46:50] Kecia Lewis: Thank you. You guys are great.