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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 108 of Take A Bow. I'm your host Eli Tokash, and this week we have literally an episode unlike any other. It's super raw. It is with a wonderful guest who is literally making their Broadway debut as I speak. Um and of course, a little bit later as you listen, um, maybe last night, maybe a couple weeks ago, um, on Wednesday, June 15th, the wonderful Sean McManus made his Broadway debut in Beetlejuice, and we are here to experience the raw emotions that he is feeling right now. Um, and has a wonderful story of how he got to where he is. It's super, super raw. So it's like it's a wonderful episode to learn a lot about the industry, what it's like to be an equity member, um, what it's like to get to Broadway.

Just everything is happening right now, and it's so cool to talk to someone with that uh experience and that point of view, because usually actually in all the episodes so far, it's been mostly people reflecting on it, so they may leave stuff out, and uh it's just a it's a great episode, so I can't wait to share it with you all. But first, as always, let's talk about some Broadway news, shall we?

[1:13] Eli Tokash: Um, I want to start off talking about some Broadway news by talking about the Tony Awards. Uh the 75th Annual Tony Awards were a huge hit. The views of the Tony Awards were up 39% from last year, which is absolutely incredible. Um, shout out to Ariana DeBoes, who was an incredible host, the perfect host for the 75th Annual Tony Awards. Um, all the performances were incredible. It made me want to see the shows that I hadn't seen, um, which I'm very excited for. Um congratulations to all the winners, to all the nominees, to literally everyone involved, literally, even the people that performed, even the people that went. Congratulations. You all are very special, and you made this season so special in an incredibly hard season to do so.

Um, with all of the kind of obstacles that are being faced currently with Broadway. Um, y'all are plowing through and really just making Broadway proud, to be completely honest. So uh it's just incredible to see, and it was just so incredible to have a night of celebration because everyone deserves it because it's been just so such a tricky year. So, congratulations to everyone who performed um and who were involved in in the Tony Awards. So thank you so much.

[2:24] Eli Tokash: Um that being said, the reflecting on last week's episode with Gabe and I. Um, he did insanely well in his predictions. He got 12 out of 15 predictions correct. Uh for the musical winners, that is, because he did not do the plays. I got 15 out of 21 correct in total. Um, so not too bad, but like uh it was rough. Um, and that 15 out of 21 is off of my bracket that I submitted uh for like the Tony Awards challenge that they were doing that is not off of my predictions because I actually had Miles Frost on my uh bracket uh my thing that I submitted. Um, so I changed a couple of my answers, so I don't exactly remember what my score is from the podcast, but uh hopefully it was pretty good. It seemed like anything that company was nominated for won anything Lehman Trilogy was nominated for won with a sprinkle in of uh six and strange loop and um MJ.

So um it was pretty cool. It was really cool actually because it showed the the strength of the shows on Broadway right now. Usually, so a lot of the times at the Tony Awards, um, it's usually like one show really steals the show, steals the Tony Awards. There's a really just like one big standout that kind of sweeps all the categories and everything. But this year, it was incredible because the best musical only won one other award. It won two awards total. Um, and then MJ won a bunch, six won a bunch. Um, it was just really, really cool to see. And um, I think that just shows the strength of the musicals that are on Broadway right now.

[4:15] Eli Tokash: It is totally the next generation of Broadway because there have been a lot of legendary shows of that we thought were the next wave of Broadway, which were for quite some time, like Dear Evan Hansen and now Come From Away. And Come From Away actually gave and I kind of predicted this last episode. I had mentioned that they were not selling well. We weren't sure if Jen Kalella coming in was a thing for tickets to hopefully get that back up to get them back on track. Unfortunately, it's not gonna be doable. Um obviously it'll help, but uh it's not gonna be fully uh back on track to continue to stay open-ended. Um it will be closing on Broadway, unfortunately, on October 2nd. Um so sad because I love the show.

Gabe loves the show. It seems like anybody who goes to see it loves the show. No one has said a bad thing about it. A lot of people argue that it got snubbed because it was uh the same year as Dear Evan Hansen, which took a lot of the awards at the Tony Awards. Um, but it's still incredible that uh a show that didn't win many awards had this long of a run. It actually made history being the longest run in the theater that they are in. Um just great stuff. So it it's just incredible. But congratulations on her long run, Come From Away. And um we have a we have a Take A Bow friend in it, Q Smith. She's literally been in it from the beginning and she's gonna be in it through closing. Just unbelievable. It's just such a long run, but it seems like the cast just loves doing the show. It's a true community on in all stage. It's just incredible.

[5:48] Eli Tokash: So um that's all I kind of want to reflect from last week. And now it's the real Broadway news that's happened this week and on. Um of course Come From Away and out the closing, literally when we dropped the episode two on Thursday. Anyways, uh moving on. So the Brooks Atkinson Theater is going to be renamed the Lena Horne Theater, which is the first Broadway theater to be named after a black woman. And that is just incredible. So exciting to see. We there's not many theaters named after women, period. Um, so the fact that there's a Broadway theater going to be named after a black woman is just incredible. Um well deserved with all the well deserved with all the contributions that Lena has made to Broadway and the theater community as a whole.

Um, just super super exciting. And uh I just I can't wait to see like how that works because I I mean I know that that it's happened recently where sh theaters have been renamed and everything, but um with the Brooks Atkinson Theater, it's it's super like it's one of those theaters that you you see and you associate it and you kind of know the name and it's got this big billboard that says Brooks Atkinson Theater. So I'm excited to see like when that's taken down and when the Lena Horne uh kind of statue and tribute and everything uh of her name and everything on the theater is unveiled. I think it's just gonna be super cool, and I I'm excited to see like that day happen, you know. And I want to see it in person. So uh just incredible stuff.

[7:22] Eli Tokash: Um my tangent is done. Just uh just a wonderful um thing that was announced within the past week. And now for the not so great news. Unfortunately, it was announced that Beanie Feldstein and Jane Lynch are set to depart from Funny Girl on Broadway this fall on September 25th. Um there have been talks that Leah Michelle would come do the show. There have been talks that uh Julie Banco, the current standby, um, would take over the role full time. I vote Jessica Vosk, that's me. I don't know. I feel like she would be amazing in that role. It's not because I have any bias because I did a show with her or anything like that. Um, but I I think she would be awesome. Anyways, uh they're heading out of Funny Girl, so you have till September 25th to go see them.

This week was was incredible, and I'll get to that because Julie Banco was on like the whole week last week, um, because Beanie was out with COVID. Um, so really the understudies and swings are really just like unbelievable what they're doing and carrying Broadway. Uh huge shout out to Mallory Matke, who literally saved Six's performance at the Tony Awards, and so well deservingly got a special shout out on live TV from Ariana DeBoes, the host. Um, because she literally saved the performance. So what Swings and Understudies are doing right now is just incredible. Um it was so well done, the Tony Awards this year. It was it was so great, and I'm so glad that we had that audience tune in. It's such a higher audience because it was literally like one of my favorite Tony Awards. It was like the year to tune in if you've never watched it before.

[8:58] Eli Tokash: Um, anyways, the enough about the Tony Awards. I have to keep moving. Um, otherwise, it's gonna be a long episode because I could talk about the Tony Awards for like a whole episode. Um, anyways, so yeah, Beanie Feldstein, Jane Lynch, set to depart. You have till September 25th. Go see them. I think it's worth seeing. Um, even if you think it's good, even if you think it's bad. Jane Lynch is absolutely worth seeing. I l didn't mind. I really enjoyed uh Beanie Feldstein's um performance. It's not because I've talked to her here on the podcast before, and she's a future that she's a previous episode that you can listen to. Um, it just happens to be I actually did enjoy the performance. I kinda um I don't know.

I I really didn't have a problem with it. The way that she the and critics are are saying it in the way that the uh audiences are are some audiences are receiving it. Um Julie Banco, I heard is fantastic though. Her standby. Everyone who's seen it her has seemed to love it. So um that's very exciting to hear.

[10:00] Eli Tokash: Um, other news, uh speaking of like final performances, Skylar Aston is playing his final performance on July 3rd in Little Shop of Horrors. Um, so it was a quick, it was a quick run for him. It was about a month. Um, and Rob McClure, it was announced, is going to be taking over the role of Seymour. And honestly, if you ask me, it's one of those roles where I was like, oh my god, this makes total sense, but I never thought about it before. Um, he is literally gonna be perfect in this role. He starts July 5th. It makes total sense. Congratulations to him. The man's just not taking a break from Mrs. Doubtfire and literally already started a rehearsal for Little Shop of Horrors. Just incredible.

By the way, happy birthday, Rob McClure, because you literally just had a birthday yesterday. Um, Wednesday, June 15th. So just so exciting. I I'm actually gonna be at Little Shop like twice in like a month because I want to see both of them so bad. I want to see Skylar and I want to see Rob. So um I'll definitely be back. And it's just it's so good. That production is so good. And I I know it's an off-Broadway show. I just don't understand why they don't just transfer it already. I don't know. That's me. It's just it's doing so well. Like, why wouldn't why not get a bigger crowd, get a bigger audience? I don't know.

[11:17] Eli Tokash: Uh, anyways, moving on. Also, shout out to the Swings and Understudies again because after his performance at the Tony Awards this uh past Sunday, Hugh Jackman, it was announced that Hugh Jackman contracted COVID and he tested positive, and he's out for the next like 10 days. So huge shout out to Max Clayton, who is literally on doing Harold Hill all week, doing an eight-show week, and uh we'll be doing the show for the next 10 days until Hugh is cleared to come back. Um, just awesome, so cool to see. It's unfortunate because it's like Hugh Jackman. There's gonna be a lot of people that are mad, but there's gonna be so many people that are happy, and um I'm curious to keep an eye out to and I encourage you all to keep an eye out to see what the numbers of Music Man are like this week because they've been doing so well.

And with uh with when someone like Hugh Jackman goes out, you can actually get a refund for your ticket. And so I'm curious to see how this impacts their their future, uh, Music Man, just with they didn't do well at the Tony's, so that's rough. And then Hugh Jackman gets COVID, and you you're out, you're star for for the week after just not winning an award. Um, it's tricky. So I'm curious to see how this impacts the future. Maybe the numbers aren't great this week, and this implies something moving forward. Um, I don't know, but it it's gonna be interesting.

[12:44] Eli Tokash: But nonetheless, if you can go see Music Man, go see it. A tickets are gonna be cheaper, and B, you're gonna get an incredible performance by Max Clayton. He is unbelievable. He is a Broadway veteran, he knows what he's doing. He's been with the show since the beginning. Uh, just watching you uh and and learning literally not from the beginning of Broadway, yes, from the beginning of Broadway, but prior to that, during the readings, all of that, he was there watching Hugh and and learning the show and doing it all. So um, it's a performance worth uh watching, and he's Tony Award winner, newly Tony Award winner, Matt Doyle's husband, so like, or boyfriend. I don't know if they're married or not.

Um, but it's it's a performance worth going. So if you can go see it, I encourage you to continue to go see it if you already have a ticket and go see it if you don't have a ticket. They are doing a lottery for the week because Hugh Jackman is out. Um, that they're doing $76 lottery tickets because of the 76 trombones. Um, it's worth going, and apparently the rush tickets are easier to get this week. So highly recommend it if you're interested in seeing Music Man and just thought I'd throw it out there. Um, it's still gonna be the same show, I promise. It's it's great.

[13:56] Eli Tokash: Um, anyways, that wraps up this week's news section. We're gonna turn it over to Sean McManus. Otherwise, this is gonna be the longest episode ever. So, without further ado, Sean McManus curtain up.

[14:25] Eli Tokash: Buckle up everyone, because we have an absolute legend on the podcast.

[14:30] Eli Tokash: She is now a three-time Tony Award winner.

[14:33] Eli Tokash: She is the one and only Patti LuPone.

[14:37] Eli Tokash: No, no, no, no. I'm just kidding.

[14:39] Eli Tokash: One day though.

[14:40] Eli Tokash: Uh, today we have another legend on the podcast for many other reasons.

[14:45] Eli Tokash: This week's guest is another one of those names that will be the future of Broadway. He is currently in Beetlejuice on Broadway, making his Broadway debut tomorrow, but at the time that we're recording. Um, and you may also know our guest from going viral on TikTok, doing arguably the best impressions of Broadway legends, including Patti LuPone. So, everyone, welcome to Take A Bow, Sean McManus.

[15:12] Sean McManus: Hi, wow, Eli, that was amazing. That was a mouthful. I was like, I did not warm up my lips there. Wow, thank you so much. That was incredible.

[15:21] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, no, this is incredible because literally, I mean it. I love having on the younger performers like around our age, I guess, because I guess we're around the same age. Um, that are like gonna be the future of the next wave, you know, of these Broadway stars. And I totally know that you're gonna be up there. Um, it's so exciting that you're making your Broadway debut tomorrow, and we're gonna talk all about it. Um, at first, I like to start out our episodes asking our guests how they got involved in theater and kind of telling stories and everything like that. So, what's your story?

[15:57] Sean McManus: Yeah, my story is from New Jersey. Um, from Summit, which is like 10 minutes from Millburn, New Jersey, where Paper Mill is. So my whole coming of age was going to Paper Mill as well as the city to see like everything. My first big memory was like the Christmas spectacular, as I'm sure it is for a lot of people. And then yeah, I remember my parents just always bringing us to shows. Um, I saw, I think Mary Poppins was the first one I saw, and I was so hooked, like instantly mesmerized and was like, I need to do this, please let me do this for that was my first Broadway show too.

[16:38] Eli Tokash: No way, really.

[16:39] Sean McManus: Yes, twins.

[16:39] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I love it.

[16:41] Sean McManus: Twins, we're on the same wavelength, I'm telling you. Oh, is so yeah, and then Wicked was my second Broadway show.

[16:47] Eli Tokash: And of course, of course.

[16:49] Sean McManus: And I don't care how basic it sounds, I don't care because it still means like so much to me. I've seen it over 20 times, and that was the validation. That was like, this is not only a career path, but this is like a life, this is a life-altering experience. This is what changes people's lives. And then that was when I was like, oh, this is like this is something that can really like change somebody's existence, not just be a career path, you know.

[17:19] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[17:20] Sean McManus: Yeah, I'm so subtle as you can tell.

[17:22] Eli Tokash: Not at all. It's great. So, so what did you do? Did you get involved in Paper Mill? Did you, what kind of, how did you get involved in performing?

[17:31] Sean McManus: I did. So I started taking creative drama classes there when I was in fourth grade.

[17:35] Eli Tokash: Incredible.

[17:36] Sean McManus: After, yeah, their education opportunities there are amazing. Uh, so I was very, very fortunate to grow up here. And um, after that, I started taking dance lessons about a year later. So when I was in fifth grade, and then the ball started rolling. Then I did like the Paper Mill Summer Conservatory, which is their like summer training program, and that was very intensive, but like prepared you for college auditions. And I did the Rising Star program there, which is basically like the Jimmy's prerequisite.

[18:08] Eli Tokash: Sure.

[18:09] Sean McManus: And so I my whole, you know, performing arts growth I attribute to them.

[18:15] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh, how cool is that? That's a unique story. It's interesting because we actually, I had Jelani Remy on, and he kind of had a similar thing where he was taking those classes at Paper Mill and everything, and actually Rob McClure was one of his teachers there.

[18:30] Sean McManus: Can I tell you a funny story?

[18:31] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, please.

[18:32] Sean McManus: Both of them, Jelani and Rob presented at the Rising Star Awards the year that I won.

[18:38] Eli Tokash: I was like, no way.

[18:41] Sean McManus: That's amazing. And my, I got presented my award by Nikki M. James. Like casual.

[18:47] Eli Tokash: It was the best moment of my life.

[18:50] Sean McManus: Just a casual Tony Award winner just presenting you an award.

[18:53] Eli Tokash: Amazing.

[18:55] Sean McManus: Career achieved. Like that's when you know you've made it already.

[18:59] Eli Tokash: Um, well, so you literally, I mean, I guess not literally, but you recently just graduated from college from BOCO from Boston Conservatory. Um, and then you went pretty much straight into Cats on tour, it seems, right?

[19:15] Sean McManus: Yeah, three weeks later.

[19:16] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. So, so first of all, what was it like that you were about to make your like big professional like debut and go out on tour with the company?

[19:26] Sean McManus: I mean, it's something that's like so crazy to think about to like travel the country with the show.

[19:32] Eli Tokash: Absolutely.

[19:33] Sean McManus: Truth be told, because it was still in the pandemic, Broadway was still shut down at this point, because it's May 2021. So a lot of this was up in the air. It wasn't even really on my radar until until because I got an email from the casting director asking me to come in to they basically call it the Cats Boot Camp, which is going to do a bunch of the combos. It's very serious. And Kenny Craven, who was the resident on Broadway, was there the whole week. And they would basically teach you all these combos and then keep giving you all these random sides, and it wouldn't quite make sense in the moment. And then once we got the job, it made sense like how they were building us up. And then I remember getting an email from Troika, the production company, and I was in Florida at the time with my best friends taking like our little senior trip after college.

And they're like, hey, can you come to the city tomorrow and can you do a costume fitting? And I was like, oh, I'm in Florida. So I literally flew up to Florida. But mind you, we didn't have um like the offers yet. We didn't have a word or anything. So I remember so specifically, we're putting like on the unitards, getting everything on. And they all of the costume designers were like, are you excited to go on tour? Is your family so excited? And I was like, uh, I mean, I don't really know if I'm going on tour, but yes.

[21:00] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[21:00] Sean McManus: Then I got the call like two days later, but it was such a crazy process. Like literally up until the last second, I didn't know what was gonna happen.

[21:08] Eli Tokash: So, like during the audition process, uh, so eventually you went on and you played Tumble Brutus, and did you know that that's who you were auditioning for at least?

[21:18] Sean McManus: Yes and no. I had been called back in for Mongo Jerry.

[21:22] Eli Tokash: Okay, initially, because I ended up understudying while I was on the tour. Um, but as far as I'm as I'm know, they would call you back for more generic or featured roles, and then from there they would trickle down into the more specialty roles because they didn't want to call back like 15 Tumble Brutus's, right? They would have like 20 of us in for Mongo Jerry, and then from there they said, does anybody tumble? And then we would go across the floor and like show what we had. So I think after like the second or third, I was like, okay, this is the path that they clearly see me in.

[21:59] Eli Tokash: That's so cool. That that's fascinating. I love how I love like digging into the minds of creatives and the whole process of that. It's so cool. Um, I want to hear your experience because you know, tour life is not for everyone, you know, it it's craziness. So, as like a younger performer just out of college, what was tour life like for you? And do you recommend it to like people out there that are like listening and trying to decide what path to take?

[22:25] Sean McManus: That's a great question. What I would say is it depends on where you are in your life in terms of me recommending it to everybody, because like you said, it's not for everyone, it's not for everyone at specific times in their lives. You know what I mean? For me, I was 23. I had like just graduated college, and I've traveled, but I haven't seen the country. Like this show is literally bringing us everywhere. We were in Iowa and Nebraska, and I mean, everywhere. Uh, New Orleans, it was a surreal experience. So for me, I was really excited because I said I don't have anything tying me down. New York isn't going anywhere. So why don't I take advantage of this opportunity while I have the chance?

So in that way it was a no-brainer for me. But that being said, it was really difficult, especially in the beginning, because you are never quite settled anywhere you go. You're constantly changing climates and hotel accommodations and food options. And so the cast becomes your lifeline and the show is your only constancy. And that's difficult, right? Like when Cats the musical, which is already a fever dream in and of itself, when that is your only consistency. Yeah, you go a little crazy, right? But um, when you adapt to that schedule, just like anything, it becomes easier and then you learn what works for you. So I knew it for myself. I like had to be out and about for like a couple hours before doing the show because I couldn't just sit in my hotel room and then stand up and do Cats the Musical for two hours.

[24:11] Eli Tokash: Right.

[24:12] Sean McManus: Um, so it's all about like figuring out what works for you in that setting, I would say.

[24:17] Eli Tokash: Fascinating.

[24:18] Sean McManus: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's cool because like it's an experience that, like you said, like it gives you the opportunity to go see the world. Like otherwise you you necessarily wouldn't, but then you have to consider like, oh, for the next like six months or however long the contract may be. It's like you're not gonna have a day off because on those days off you have to travel. So, like it's just a crazy lifestyle, and it's constantly moving, living out of hotel rooms, maybe an Airbnb if you're lucky. Um, it's just craziness. So it's you're away from family, maybe for the first time, even. Um, it's so yeah, it's a lot to think about, and and you're totally right. I feel like it totally depends on like the person, where they are currently, um, maybe even experiences of their life, like not even in their career.

Um, yeah, it's just a it's a different, it's a different world. Um but now like the COVIDness of it all, yeah. That's the stressful thing to imagine. Like if you would test positive, you're stuck in that hotel room for 10 days by yourself. You know, so it is very challenging.

[25:19] Sean McManus: Right, and I can't imagine like the headspace that you must have been in because you found this routine of like, oh well, I have to get out of my apartment before I do the show, but like I have to be cautious because I can't get COVID. You know, that's crazy. Um fascinating. But now here we are. Uh, you're in New Jersey at New York at home, stationed in one, uh, you're not traveling anywhere uh for your show. You're gonna be making your Broadway debut tomorrow. And I by the way, I the first ever video I saw of you on like social media or on like TikTok, um, was you announcing that you were making your Broadway debut at Beetlejuice that you were gonna be in Beetlejuice. It was so cool.

[26:00] Sean McManus: I know.

[26:01] Eli Tokash: I was like, I have to follow this guy, and so like immediately, and then I was like saw all these other amazing videos, and I was like, this guy's amazing, like it's so cool. Um, so anyways, Beetlejuice, how are we feeling? Tomorrow's the big day. What is going on in your life right now? How are we feeling?

[26:20] Sean McManus: Yeah. We're feeling I think we're feeling everything. Everything. Feeling like fulfilled and so excited and hyper also anxious, and there's definitely nerves. But you know what? This is what I'll say, Eli. Like, if there weren't nerves, I something would be wrong, I think. Because this has meant so much to me for so long that I want it to go well. And I'm gonna give myself grace because you know it's a swing position, and I've never swung before, and I've always had appreciation for swings, but now being in this position, I like they're superheroes, and I'm very humbled by this experience.

[27:01] Eli Tokash: So you are a superhero.

[27:02] Sean McManus: Oh yes, you can say I am a superhero now. Thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah. But um, I'm so excited, but also like very grateful and like fortunate and blessed, and like I will not take this for granted.

[27:16] Eli Tokash: Right. So yes, I totally did not mention you joined the company as a vacation swing, correct?

[27:22] Sean McManus: Yes. So um talk to me, uh, for people listening, what exactly a vacation swing is, and kind of like I would say they're kind of even more important than like an actual swing and maybe even harder than an actual swing because you're not with the show ever all the time. Um, so talk to me about what it is, and then after that, I want to hear about what a rehearsal process looks like for a vacation swing, and like do you did you have any time on the stage or anything? Anyway, that's a lot, but go ahead.

[27:51] Sean McManus: No, those are all awesome questions. Um, let's see. So a vacation swing, the gist of it is that you are brought in because the show is in need of additional coverage on top of what's already in the resident company. So this is at times in traditionally, it would be more so like when an actor goes on vacation for a week, because most Broadway actors get two one week long vacations every year. So when they take their vacation, they bring a vacation swing on so that there's more immediate coverage. They're not down a man, so to say.

[29:23] Sean McManus: Most of the time on your own, especially in the beginning. So I've been with it now for like three and a half weeks, learning all seven tracks that I'm responsible for. Right? That's crazy. Essentially, um, they will only bring cast members in once, maybe twice a week to work on like partnering or work on prop handoffs, things like that. And then when I'm not in the show, uh, for this stint that I'm with the show, I'm backstage every night trailing. Which basically means you're shadowing the actor while they're backstage, seeing how they do their quick changes, where they put their props, because that's like even more instrumental to the process than like even your onstage tracking onto the backstage traffic is even crazier. So that's yeah, that's basically what my life is like. I'm like either in the green room rehearsing with the show, like standing in the recording, or I'm backstage with them trailing them as they're doing the show.

[30:25] Eli Tokash: Amazing. Are we allowed to say who you're going on as yet? Or is that a thing?

[30:31] Sean McManus: Yeah, okay. Um, I'm going on in Ramon Owens track, which is the one who gets his arms ripped off in Beautiful Sound. Oh my god. If you don't, I mean, if you haven't seen the show, that won't make sense, but if you have, then it's really funny.

[30:43] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah. That's amazing. It's so exciting. I love it. And it also this won't come out. So when this when you all are listening to this, um, he will have made sorry, are your pronouns he him, his?

[30:56] Sean McManus: Yes.

[30:57] Eli Tokash: Okay, good. I'm just I was I assumed and I was like, oh my god. Um okay, fine. So um where was I? Oh, so he will have already made his Broadway debut because when you listen to this, it's his Broadway debut is actually gonna be yesterday. Um, because it's coming out on Thursday, or even at midnight. So like he probably just made his Broadway debut. Um just covered up the stage.

[31:19] Sean McManus: Yeah, right. Um, so sorry for all of like the pretensing, but yeah, this is what we're talking. So um fascinating stuff, all these things you're going on. I'm so excited. Um, have you been like on the stage yet? Like, are you having put in or at all before you go on?

[31:40] Sean McManus: I have been fortunate to be on the stage a couple of times, which is a blessing. Beetlejuice has been very kind about that. What's what people don't realize is that so most of the time I would be rehearsing in Ripley Greer or in Girl Studios, the big rehearsal venues in New York. And then I get on the stage and the stage is raked. And for those that don't know what that means, it's on a slope. Wicked is like one of those infamous shows that's on a raked stage. And so just imagine, like I want everybody to picture in that Beautiful Sound number where your limbs are literally flailing, jumping up and down, you're doing triple pirouettes. I literally have no arms, like my arms are tied behind my back on a raked stage. Like it is insanity, but also like thrilling.

[32:29] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so I'm sure you had to practice that a few times, right? You have to get used to that.

[32:34] Sean McManus: Yeah, I haven't had an official official put in, like with all the lights and the costumes, but I've had a lot of the cast come in and work with me either on the stage or in the rehearsal studio. So, you know, I think we'll be okay.

[32:46] Eli Tokash: Amazing. And I mean, have you seen Beetlejuice before you were like in it? Are you a big fan of the show? Are you like this is like a show that you like dreamed of having your debut in?

[32:56] Sean McManus: Yes. Yeah. Yes. Like I in October 2019, I went with uh some of my Berkeley uh like colleagues and like fellow students. We took a Broadway bus trip from Boston to New York, and we either had the option of seeing Mean Girls or Beetlejuice. And I was like, I've seen Mean Girls. Like, I'm curious to see what Beetlejuice is all about. I didn't have that many expectations. I loved it. Like I just and a lot of the same casts are still in it. Oh, it's just so surreal to me. Like Alex Brightman being like, I love your TikToks, man. And I'm Stop it. I love you so much. Like it's insane. Like, the answer is yes. I am a huge fan of this show. I've followed all of them. Like, their journey is so fascinating to me.

Like how it started at the Winter Garden. Right. Struggled to find an audience. Then TikTok came about and like gave the show a new life. And then it closed with like the Music Man and the Winter Garden. And now it's back. Like it's just a crazy trajectory that it feels super like cool to be a part of.

[34:03] Eli Tokash: It's so funny because when you announced that this was the show that you were going into, I was like, this makes total sense. Like this is like the perfect show for him because of who he is and the videos that are being made and everything. It's just like so fitting, it seems.

[34:18] Sean McManus: Thank you. I mean, I like to think so. It seems like a good fit, a good mold for that.

[34:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah, like meant to be almost. It's so cool. And I'm so glad now that like the show came back because otherwise, I mean, maybe your Broadway debut doesn't happen tomorrow. You know, it's crazy.

[34:36] Sean McManus: Yeah, so like so. Thank goodness everything happened the way it did. Thank you, all you listening that supported Beetlejuice and bringing it back. So exciting. Like retweet, major retweets.

[34:47] Eli Tokash: Because, and can I just take a second to like thank those all of those?

[34:50] Sean McManus: Absolutely.

[34:52] Eli Tokash: They are the sweetest people and devoted and like die hard for this show. I've never experienced something like that. Even with Cats, we had a very devoted fan base. Uh-huh. This is like a whole different ball game. And you know what? Like, and this is this is not shade, it's just like as somebody who is a Broadway fan, sure. I never won's a bit of callousness, and there's a lot of, you know, I guess not cruelty, because that seems like a bit much, but there seems there's a lot of bias and favoritism, and sometimes like it affects a lot of performers, like, especially around like replacements or um, you know, new shows that haven't quite found their niche yet. And this is not the case with this show. Like, these people are just so sweet and love it and like see themselves in a lot of these characters, and that especially is very, very humbling and gratifying to be a part of.

[35:47] Sean McManus: You're so right. I actually I was lucky enough to be at the reopening of of Beetlejuice when it the first night Marriott. Yes, that night was like it was unlike any other theater experience that I'd ever experienced, simply because of the audience and the fans that came out. Everyone was in cosplay, like literally, I was probably one of the only people not in cosplay. Um still show up in cosplay to this day. It's amazing. I've never seen anything like it because usually like theater, like people dress up, they dress very nice, and nothing against the characters in the show or anything, but like it's not like they're ready to go to dinner or anything like that. So, like, um I mean, I don't know, I feel I feel like I am.

Beetlejuice, I mean, like, he totally like I mean, go for it because walking down the street with no arms, just like yeah, like it's fun and fabulous, and like go you, but I was like, it's so cool, and it's like that's just like the dedication that this show has, and it's just so amazing to see.

[36:49] Eli Tokash: So you're so right. Like, we retweet you. You totally have the one of the best fan base on Broadway, seriously.

[36:55] Sean McManus: It's wild, it's amazing.

[36:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so talk to me because is this show giving you your equity card?

[37:03] Sean McManus: Yes.

[37:04] Eli Tokash: So do you mind sharing what that kind of means?

[37:07] Sean McManus: So the Cats tour that you went on was a non-equity tour. And just like w so now you're in a show that that it's equity, you're on Broadway, and now you're getting your equity card. Talk to us about that process and what that kind of means and what an equity card can do for a performer.

[37:24] Sean McManus: Sure. An equity card is basically a an entrance to the union to an Actors Equity Association. And being a part of a union does give you good benefits. It gives you like uh health insurance and like 401k benefits, and it also gives you more protections. It's somebody who can advocate on your behalf if there's a conflict within the company, or if you feel like you're not being properly compensated. It basically is like a built-in representative representation or um, I guess like a cushion for you as an actor. You feel covered in a lot of ways.

[38:02] Eli Tokash: Yes, and so the way that you get that right is is by getting these points, I guess. They track it in and and you build up so many points that you can get the equity card, but then of course, once you hit Broadway, you immediately get it. Is that right?

[38:17] Sean McManus: That is right. So I was part of the EMC program, which is what you're referring to. It's essentially where those theaters um do give out equity contracts. But if you're s a student, for example, like a lot of people our age are like, you know, I don't know if I want to join the union quite yet, because as great as the union is, it does limit the jobs you can get. Like I wouldn't have never been able to do the Cats Non Union tour had I chosen to take my equity card.

[38:43] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:44] Sean McManus: So yeah, I I did have enough points to join the union. I think it's actually it used to be that you had to get like 25 weeks or 25 points to um achieve membership. Now I think it's changed and you can get your equity card if you've ever been paid to do theater, period. Like even if you I believe that is a change now. Um, necessarily recommend that. Yeah. Just because and here's the thing, this is just the world according to me. People don't have to take it as the gospel. But I do think that it's important to gain experience. Do you really want like after I I'm not bashing community theater, it's wonderful, but do you want to go straight from community theater to getting your equity card and then not being able to get another community theater job and just like hoping Broadway comes along? I don't know if that's the best um strategy, you know what I mean, in terms of like optimizing yourself for opportunities.

[39:43] Eli Tokash: Totally. And that goes back to to the student conversation where if you're a young performer in the industry and you want to get in the industry and everything, and you may have the the amount of points that you can get your equity card. Um, you know, people do hold off because it's also very expensive. You have to pay union dues.

[39:58] Sean McManus: Yes, dues.

[40:01] Eli Tokash: Sorry. Um, and uh that that can be hard, especially when you don't have the income coming in, because community theater, you don't have this six-month to year contract. You have a two-week contract, and that does that's not gonna pay your rent for two months, you know, um, let alone if you're lucky, one month. So it's tricky. It's just an added thing, and it's it's great, but it's also has its uh has its things that you have to think about. Um, so yeah, I thought that was a nice little rundown to to teach everyone. Um thank you for touching on that. Um and then I let me talk to you about uh your TikToks because you because they are amazing. I'm obsessed with them. You started going on viral. Is it because of Patti LuPone or was it because you just were transitioning to like theater talk?

[40:52] Sean McManus: It it wasn't actually the first one. I'll tell I'll quickly tell you the story. I I promise I'm gonna go to the phone. But um, I was so it was January 2021. I was a senior at Boston Conservatory. Okay, and um, speaking of COVID, I actually got uh I tested positive for COVID in January, right as we got back for our spring semester. So I was yeah, it was crazy. And I'm just like in my apartment in Boston, just like fooling around, bored out of my mind, right? And I just finished re-watching Schitt's Creek. Oh my gosh. And I think that was when Sour came out. Oh yes. And so I I was like listening to Olivia Rodrigo in my feels, you know, as you do. In my feels. Then I started doing it like, oh, I got my driver's lost son's lost work.

We always talked about like doing it like Moira. Oh my god. And like being so stupid. And I posted that of like Moira doing I love your Rodrigo, went to sleep, and then my roommate like knocks on my door at room and he goes, Look at your phone. And I was like, What? And I wake up and it already had like one and a half million views.

[42:15] Sean McManus: Oh my word. Yeah, that was insane. So it actually started with a Moira Rose stan account. Come on, shit. Um a little bit later, but now that's kind of like the most common thing that I do.

[42:29] Eli Tokash: So I'm dying to ask you, is this something that you've like always done, or did you just like start playing with it because of TikTok? Like have you always been really good at impressions?

[42:40] Sean McManus: I've always just been annoying.

[42:42] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[42:44] Sean McManus: No, I mean, no, I'm kidding. I mean, I've pulled I I don't know why, but I have like this really good like knack for mimicry. Like I that's how I learn best. Like if I listen or I like watch it, I I don't know why, like my mirror neurons, I guess. Like I can just do it. I'm very good at copying. Um I I just have an ear for it, like almost like somebody would have an ear for music and like really good like ear training. I just have it for like intonation and the way that people phrase things. Um, and it also just fascinates me. I'm very interested in like how and why people act the way they do. Um so I don't know, like the people that I that I focus on, I just like have an obsession with them.

Like I just love, I want to figure out what makes them tick. So like the two that I mainly do, Moira, Jennifer Coolidge, and Patti, like they're all so fascinating, and they're all iconic in different ways. So it's about me like wanting to tap into their iconicity, sort of for sure.

[43:48] Eli Tokash: And and recently, you you just recently posted a Bernadette Peters one. I also that was everything too. I was like, Yes, because you find you like you said you find literally all the things but just within with your voice.

[44:04] Sean McManus: It's not even like you're like embodying them because we don't even see your whole body. It's just like you there's something in your throat that you find and it's just right in that pocket. It's so fascinating.

[44:14] Eli Tokash: Oh thank you. I mean truth be told the first memory I have of doing this is when Tina Fey was doing Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. I think I was like 10.

[44:23] Sean McManus: Oh really so I was like 10 years old but I could nail that impression because like I so hard and I thought it was hysterical. So Sarah Palin was the first person I did and I at every family function I'd be like you want to hear my Sarah Palin. But this has been a thing I've always done. It's not okay was the catalyst but now people see it on TikTok and are like oh I love those impressions that you do. A lot of people don't even know I do musical theater come up to me and be like so do you just like do TikTok I was like oh no I'm an actor too but like you know what I mean like it's so it's so funny how it's worked out that way is like that's what's gotten the most recognition.

[45:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah it's incredible I mean literally blown up I mean these videos you have oh you have almost like a hundred and fifty thousand followers like it's just craziness that uh wild yeah and I love that like you know that we see these kind of like it's not like your average like TikTok like content that you that people just see. Like a lot of it's like drama or like weird funny videos like American funny vest videos kind of in ways like fails and stuff like that. And then we have like brilliant things like these. And like people that actually like show off their talents, you know.

[45:38] Sean McManus: Um there's amazing creators out there and and and for me, it's sorry to cut you off, but I just want to say like what I at this point, what it does for me, like if it just helps like one person like laugh or chuckle a little bit because of the absurdity, like that's what I like to see. Because it's this is still a very like precarious time for people and it's there's a lot of like anxiety, this and that. So I do it because it's therapeutic for me. And so I hope like my goal is that it also is a a moment of levity for other people.

[46:12] Eli Tokash: Do you have a favorite one that you do?

[46:16] Sean McManus: Um I like I like when different people sing like the end of defying gravity.

[46:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[46:23] Sean McManus: Because Jennifer Coolidge doesn't really sing but she like bring me down which I think there'd be an audience for right or like or like Megan the Stallion would be like eh like she wouldn't even sing the last note. She would just be like dun dun dun eh like like obsessed like I like that one a lot. I also like Patty singing um Adele.

[46:45] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah?

[46:46] Sean McManus: I don't know if I've seen that one.

[46:48] Eli Tokash: Is it like rolling in the deep no it's what was the first one she did it was right when um her 30 album came out. So she was doing like the now gone and that's the first one I did and it was like that's everything. I think even in the video I like broke twice being like because I I couldn't stop laughing. It was so funny.

[47:10] Eli Tokash: Do you do those takes like a lot do you or is it usually just like one and done?

[47:15] Sean McManus: One what you see is the first one I did, and I just post whatever it is. Cause I can't I can't be all like analytical about it. Yeah otherwise I'll just drive myself crazy. And plus, here's my thing. I honestly think the first one is usually like 80% of the time the best one. Because most organic, it's just what comes out in that moment. And otherwise, like they can tend to seem like contrived or I don't know, it they don't seem as organic. They don't come from an authentic place. So I find like the first one I do, even if it's crappy, like sometimes I'm like, eh, the mistakes are just as funny as if it went well.

[47:50] Eli Tokash: Right. I feel like that's a talent in itself though. Just like to be able to to just get over it and like this is having that mindset is like a talent. Um that's so good. That's so good. I love that like mindset of it all. Um I wanna finish off. I know I have to let you go. Um, but I wanna I want to finish off in asking you. So I saw on your website that you have like a big passion for politics and you actually have worked on a presidential campaign, which is like you're literally just graduated and you're like taking over the world. It's amazing.

[48:26] Sean McManus: But like I wanna I wanna ask you, like, more and more as I I get older and I start to see I I I continue to consume, you know, theater and movies and everything, like I see the the um impact that the two have on each other w bit with art and politics and everything, even though it's not like blatantly shouted out there that that's the connection. Um I wanna hear from you, like what is some of your what do you feel on that topic and like what are you what's your like would you ever like plan on like becoming like a person for the union or for like your show or like anything like that? Like what would you ever do anything with the two?

[49:09] Sean McManus: First of all, thank you for asking. Like, that's such a thoughtful question. Yeah. Um you know I first of all I'll preface this all with my dream even from a young age is I wanted to be Kate Schindle. I wanted to be the actor's president.

[49:25] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[49:26] Sean McManus: Oh my God. Yeah granted, you know, now I'd love to do some sort of leadership role in that capacity, but I also want to make sure that we have people who like whose various identities haven't always been in those positions. So I'm okay to defer that for right now, especially because I'm a little busy right now. No, but that's a great question because I am of the belief that the best actors and the best performers also are informed people. I think it's very important to be educated and to be thoughtful about the world around us because that's my job is to reflect what's going on in this moment. And yes we're there for escapism as well and I guess depending on the material sometimes promoting those messages become more important in some cases than others.

But as a general matter I just think it's very important to have strong beliefs and to advocate when you can a lot of us like do have platforms. Like what I've noticed in using a lot of TikTok and and Instagram is that people do sometimes pay attention to what you say. So it's important to think before you say things. It's important to it's important to consider how other people are affected by this. Like I need to look within, and I guess this has political connotations. I need to look within, and I need to notice and acknowledge the privilege that I have within my own identity as like a cis white man who is also queer. And I think it's important to hold that belief in one hand and then also hold the belief of like, well, what is going on within the business at this time?

How can I contribute to the progress that we want to see? The progress we see in this business is only as good as the people in it. So we have to be the change we want to see. And that means like being up to date with the policies that are being enacted. Because more often than not, a lot of the federal regulations that are being put forward directly affect us. Granted, not a lot of us work within the union, like in those leadership positions. So we don't know that, but we should know that. We should know, hey, it what do you think Kate Schindle will do about this if this, you know, I'm kind of like speaking hypothetically, but if this sort of mandate goes out or if this regulation changes. The industry is constantly, constantly changing.

So being up to date is like very, very important. And a lot of that starts with like at a grassroots level, like understanding the business in which we're in and understanding the wider world at large. How do we engage with people? How are we being considerate of the different populations that come to see our shows? How are we making it a more equitable space? All of these things are very, very important. And like working on that campaign taught me a lot of that because it's it taught me to like, it taught me how to respect opposition without giving in, like without sacrificing my own beliefs. It taught me to, it taught me to see the world a little bit wider than how I've seen it before, because I I grew up in a very homogeneous environment. So it's important to be aware of that. It's important to acknowledge those things and educate yourself as much as possible.

[52:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I love that. And I think that that's a perfect place to end. It was so great to hear that because just reflecting really quickly, like it's so true. Like theater and what we do in art in general is just such an escape. And it's so cool to, but really, like what we're doing is we're escaping into an environment that brings those issues to the table in a different and a lighthearted way instead of in a more like cutthroat way that we are maybe used to see, or like in a sad way, like we may see on the news or something like that. Um so what you said was so beautiful, it's just so fascinating to to see how the two really go hand in hand and and what we can do as actors and how it really does impact us and our performances and our well-beings uh as actors and in the industry. Um, but it's just it's great. So I appreciate that and I appreciate you touching on that.

[53:48] Sean McManus: Um, anyways, Sean, this has been amazing. Seriously, I can't thank you enough for for coming on here and sharing all your wonderful things. I'm so excited for you about to make your Broadway debut in Beetlejuice on Broadway. So exciting. You're gonna have to tell me all about it afterwards. I'm so excited for you.

[54:05] Sean McManus: Well, and thank you. This you're so fun, and you also do a lot of great work on here. So I appreciate you having me.

[54:12] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much. You're the sweetest. You absolutely deserve to take a bow Sean McManus.

[54:19] Sean McManus: Yay!

[54:20] Eli Tokash: Take about Sean McManus. And I love saying that right now because he's literally taking his first Broadway bow right now. And I'm obsessed with that. So congratulations. So well deserved. If if you weren't a fan and you didn't know Sean now, I or before this, I hope you are a fan now because honestly, I'm a big fan now. If you are not following his TikToks or social media in general, highly recommend that as well. So his Instagram is S McManus3, and then his TikTok is Shawnee underscore Mac. Um, and that's Shawnee as in S-E-A-N-I-E underscore M-A-C. Um, so everyone follow along. He's got such great content. His impressions are fantastic. You got a little taste of it here, which was really exciting.

I was really hoping he was gonna give us a little taste. Um, and he totally did, so it was great. Um, and that's a lot of what he does, and then of course the backstage of Beetlejuice and all of the fun things. He was just in cats on tour, so he's doing a lot of that. Um, it's just great to follow along, and it's so cool to have like a Broadway insider showing you how that particular show works, you know, and it's just incredible. So um, once again, this is a name to follow for for quite some time ahead, and I'm so excited to to go see him in Beetlejuice. It's gonna be amazing. I'm sure he was fantastic, and he is literally on Cloud9, so it was awesome to speak to him about it during all of this raw emotion during this process for him.

[55:55] Eli Tokash: So um thanks, John, for coming on. Uh, I really appreciate it. And I hope you all learned something because I actually learned a lot this this episode. A lot of the times I I enjoy like kind of reminding myself some of the things that are in the industry that we don't have to think about every day, such as getting a non-union, getting an equity card, and what the union means, and really what it does and how it works and all of that. And then, of course, talking about like the little things like a raked stage and and how to do all of this stuff that you don't necessarily think of because it's just like second nature at this point. Um, hopefully it's uh a reminder for you folks, or it's a learning point for you folks.

Um, but I thought this episode was a really great uh learning experience either way. So I really hope that you enjoyed it. There were I didn't do a drama dictionary word of the week this week because there were a lot in the episode that I feel like we could pull from to have. Um, and I didn't want to take away from that. So there's a lot of new information here. I want you to soak that all in. Don't worry about a drama dictionary. We'll do it again next week. So, with that being said, I really hope to see you all next week. Thank you all for tuning in this week with Sean. Incredible stuff. Congratulations once again, and thank you, Sean, for spending some time with me chatting. And once again, thank you to all of you listening for spending time with us and and listening to us uh have some fun talking about the industry that we all love. So, hope to see you all next week. And until then, bye everyone. Have a great week.

[57:25] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a vow. This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Barrenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seals, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to take the vow is Tessie Tokash, who edits the audio and all the visuals for this podcast. A special thanks to patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners at PCC, as well as all the other patrons for their continued support. If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to patreon.com slash T A B. And if you enjoyed this week's episode, don't forget to subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening to this on. Also, feel free to give us a follow on Instagram at TakeA Bow Podcast. Take a Bow's logo is designed by Giselle Bustos and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon. Bye everyone. Hope to see you next week.