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[0:00] Eli Tokash: So I recorded last week's episode before the brutal decisions of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and the, of course, horrific gun laws that allowed open carry in New York. I don't want to get too political because I don't like doing that on this podcast, because it's really a place to provide entertainment and take our mind off of daily obstacles that stand in our way. But like I can't stay quiet either. And I just want to say that like the Supreme Court, they aren't protecting their people anymore. It's a difficult time to be in America, and most of all, a hard time to be a woman in America. And then, of course, you know, this past couple years, you've seen shootings go up, you know, school shootings, mass shootings, all these things, and now they're making broader gun laws instead of like restricting them or limiting them.

It just blows my mind, and it's so scary as a young person in America because they are not only endangering lives, but they're simply turning Americans against each other. And I just can't see any good in this situation. I just wanted to come on here and say that really quickly before we turn it over to episode 110. Um, because it's real and this is stuff that will literally be in history books. Um, and I usually don't come on here to talk about politics and everything like that, but sometimes it's too hard not. It's too hard to stay quiet, and sometimes things need to be addressed and said, and I just wanted to address that really quickly. So with that being said, let's turn it over to episode 110 of Take A Bow.

[1:36] Eli Tokash: Hello, everyone, and welcome to episode 110 of Take A Bow. I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have an incredible guest featuring a very special person that is very dear to me. We have Jhardon Dishon Milton on the podcast today. I'm so excited. We talk about Trevor and being in the show together. And then, of course, now that it's on Disney Plus, everyone go stream it. It came out Friday. The cast album's out, it's great stuff. So we were able to talk Trevor and reminisce about that. And then, of course, he's currently in Tina, the Tina Turner musical. Um, so we talked about that show closing and all the things to get people excited to make sure they go see it within its final weeks.

And yeah, we talk about his career and all the things, and then I really hope that you all will stick around towards the end of the episode. We give incredible audition advice that I'm going to continue to abide by and listen to because just hearing someone say that really reinforces it that it's not only you that feels this way, and that it's just a good technique and it's a good practice to really further your craft and further your auditions and hopefully help you land a role. So stick around for that because it's incredible stuff and you don't want to miss it, especially if you're a performer or you're an actor or someone auditioning and are getting frustrated with why you're not landing roles.

I'm the same way right now, so it's not gonna be like the answer of why you're not getting roles and stuff, but it's gonna hopefully help and help your audition. So, with that being said, let's turn it over to some Broadway news, shall we?

[3:24] Eli Tokash: Um, lots going on this week. I want to say, first of all, congratulations and a happy first preview to Into the Woods, which is now open on Broadway for a limited run. You can go see it. It opened June 28th, which was Tuesday of this week, and very exciting stuff. I am praying that I get to go see it. Um, I have no plans for it right now, but hopefully I can get in to see it. They're so expensive, but it's gonna be amazing. So if you can go see it, you know, go for it because you don't want to miss this production. I don't want to miss this production. Um, and yeah, and they announced that there's a lottery for it. So I've been entering that all the time. That's $50 if you win for a ticket, and you know, sometimes that's better than nothing.

It's definitely a discount. So I know it's a little bit expensive still, especially for students, but it's worth a shot. Uh, with that being said, happy opening again to Into the Woods. Congratulations to all involved, very exciting. And of course, the ones that were in City Center to now come to Broadway with the show is just so cool. I can't imagine what that experience has been like. And hopefully we'll get one of them on to talk about it.

[4:38] Eli Tokash: So, moving on, COVID. Oh my god, our weekly COVID thing. Um, COVID is not going away, y'all. And um, with these mask mandates that we talked about last week, it's, I don't even know what to say. Just all of this is happening. Um, just a couple days before the masks are gonna become optional in the theater, which is crazy. But once again, we have some COVID interruptions in the Broadway musical theater realm. We have Sutton Foster, who is going to be out of The Music Man, I believe, until July 5th. I could be wrong on that. Um, but I believe they're just gonna bring her back next week and let her rest this week. Um, and then of course, A Beautiful Noise, which currently isn't on Broadway, but it's a show coming to Broadway, so it's always of course getting the coverage and the buzz and everything like that.

They are out with COVID until July 5th. So they had a huge COVID outbreak in the cast, also playing in a theater where I believe the masks are optional. So um, they were open for a week, and I didn't they already have to shut down for a week. So they are extending the run, which is great. They're extending the run for a week, making up for the week that's going to be missed due to COVID. Uh, but it's just, it's still here, y'all. And uh, we have to be extra careful. Obviously, like I know with The Music Man and stuff, like Hugh Jackman just came back with COVID and blah blah blah. Um, I don't know if that's a factor of Sutton getting it or not. Um, but we still have to be careful nonetheless.

[6:20] Eli Tokash: Um, American Buffalo actually announced that they are always going to require a mask coming into the theater for their audience members, um, which is awesome. I didn't realize the shows could make their own kind of, I guess, mask mandate. Um, they can make their own mask mandate, apparently, and I guess they had to get it cleared through AEA and the Broadway League and stuff like that, but I believe they are going to have their masks always be required, even following the July 1st kind of lift of the mask, uh, when they become optional. So, yeah, that's this week's little COVID wrap-up, I'm sure, because next week is going to be beyond July 1st. So I'm sure we will have some more COVID updates um next week for you all. Um, I believe it's gonna be a weekly thing again. So um moving on, moving on.

[7:16] Eli Tokash: We have uh Take A Bow fam Ryan McCartan is going to be returning to the Frozen Tour, uh, which is just so exciting. Because if you ever if you listen to the episode and you listen to Ryan McCartan, what he had to say about just being on the tour and doing the show on Broadway, and then of course getting it shut down early, and then of course going on tour to then getting himself COVID in his final week. So he couldn't really have his last performance in either production that he did of the tour and on Broadway. So now he gets one third time is a charm. He gets one he gets another try of hopefully getting a real final performance. And I just think that's so beautiful, and I'm so excited for him.

He's so excited. I reached out to him, and he was just so sweet and just so happy and excited about it. So thrilled for him. And uh if for if you know if you listen to that episode, you know exactly what I mean. Because you could literally hear it in his voice of how he like how sad he was, you know, during it, and uh it's real, and I hope that this time he really does get his final performance uh when it's planned, and um, yeah, hopefully no obstacles that he has to leap through.

[8:33] Eli Tokash: Um, fun stuff, fun stuff happening here. Um, Broadway Bears raised nearly two million dollars for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS this year. Yes, two million dollars. Broadway Bears is a really cool event, and it's one of Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS biggest events. Um, that helps raise money for their organization, and um, I think it's so so beautiful what they do every year and the artists that come together um for their night of performance and then of course like the month leading up to their performance of what they do to raise money to help Broadway Cares meet their goal and raise money for a wonderful, wonderful cause and organization. Thank you for donating to Broadway Bears to then of course help Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.

Um, these performers on Broadway do eight shows a week and then of course on their day off on Monday they choose to perform to raise money for Broadway Cares. They do not have a day off; they do 17 shows straight for two weeks, which is just nuts. But that's what they do to raise money for Broadway Cares. Everyone, it's just such a wonderful organization and it's so cool how Broadway comes together to help raise money for it.

[9:49] Eli Tokash: It's really beautiful, so thanks again all of you who contributed to that. Um, we have the Jimmy Awards that happened this past Monday making its first in-person ceremony in three years, and I must say it was a hit. Like these contestants showed up and these directors and choreographers and everyone just like they brought their A game. I watched it; I live streamed it. You can still live stream it, but it's only today. Um, they obviously had it open from Monday when it aired and then of course till today, Thursday, June 30th when this comes out. So make sure you catch it, uh, because it's a wonderful performance, and the opening number is absolutely sick. So uh, it's like a wonderful mashup of all of the Broadway shows that are on Broadway right now.

It's so cool. And then, of course, it's all these high school theater students that like, I mean, nobody really knows, you know. They're not like celebrities or stars or anything like that, but the talent is of that quality, and it's so cool to see them on a Broadway stage.

[10:55] Eli Tokash: Um, but before I move on, I want to congratulate the winners actually of the Jimmy Awards. Congratulations to Nicholas Barone and Kendall Bacera, who earned the top prizes of the Jimmies, uh, obviously, which then helps them pay for their college education. So awesome stuff. They get a wonderful scholarship. They get to say that they were Jimmy Award winners. Um, it's awesome. And these Jimmy Awards, I mean, Antonio Cipriano, Andrew Barth Feldman, um, Renee Rapp, all of these people, uh, all these young stars on Broadway that we kind of know um are starting at the Jimmy Awards and kind of get discovered at the Jimmy Awards. So it's wonderful what this award ceremony does for young talent and young artists. So everyone go check out the Jimmy Awards if you don't know what it is, and huge congratulations to all involved in the Jimmy Awards, just because getting there is just such a feat and accomplishment. So congrats.

[11:50] Eli Tokash: Um, we have a cast announcement. We have a cast announcement. Uh, a new show coming to Broadway is Tom Stoppard's Leopoldstadt, which the cast is including a Take A Bow family member, which is so exciting, and it's none other than two-time Take A Bow guest, Anthony Rosenthal is going to be returning to Broadway in the show with Casey Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, and more. Um, it's awesome because this cast was announced, and 23 cast members of 38 cast members will be making their Broadway debut. So that's way over half of the cast making their Broadway debut. Very exciting stuff. There's a lot of kids in it. There's a lot of adults in it. It's very cool. It's gonna be awesome. Um, so everyone keep your eye out on that.

It's going to be at the Long Acre Theater. And uh yeah, it's gonna be awesome. And huge congrats to Anthony Rosenthal. I'm so excited for him. He told me actually, uh, it wasn't at Take A Bow Live, but it was a couple weeks later, and I was taking everything in me not to like yell it on this podcast. So I'm so glad that it was announced, and now that we're able to talk about it. And then of course, I guess we're gonna have to make it a three-time appearance because I need to talk to him about the show. Very exciting stuff. We're gonna see our favorite newsies on Broadway once again.

[13:11] Eli Tokash: Um, all right, and uh that kind of wraps up this week's Broadway news, I guess. Um, I do have a very, very special announcement coming after this episode because it's going to be our BroadwayCon guest. I can finally announce it because I saw that BroadwayCon posted it on their website. Very exciting. So stay tuned till after the episode to find out who our BroadwayCon guest is going to be and who's going to be recording live for all of you to come watch and join us in the fun and maybe even ask the guest a question. So stay tuned for that. So with all of that being said, let's turn it over to this week's interview. Jhardon Dishon Milton, curtain up.

[14:09] Eli Tokash: Okay, so this week we have yet another name, a voice, and a beautiful talent that we will be seeing on Broadway for years to come.

[14:18] Eli Tokash: You may know this performer from originating the role of Jack in Trevor the Musical.

[14:24] Eli Tokash: Uh you may know him from A Bronx Tale, or even originating the role of Ronnie in Tina the Musical.

[14:31] Eli Tokash: Uh that you must, by the way, you must go see it because you only have seven weeks left to do so. So everyone, welcome to Take a Bow.

[14:41] Jhardon Dishon Milton: What's up, everybody? Hello, oh my gosh. This has been a long time in the making, and I'm so excited that this is happening. And uh we're doing it in such a timely, uh, I guess like a great time to do it because with all the news of you know, Tina closing, and then of course Trevor just came out on Disney Plus. Obviously, it's the off-Broadway uh version and it's not us, but we have lots to talk about.

[15:09] Eli Tokash: So the way I usually like to start all of these episodes is asking people, you know, how they got into this crazy world that we live in now in this crazy industry and what inspired you to tell stories.

[15:22] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my gosh. It's it's I love to tell this story, actually. So I didn't want to do theater. I knew I could sing. Uh-huh. Um, but that's like all I knew I knew. I didn't know if I knew how to dance or act. I knew I could sing and play the piano, but I actually wanted to run track.

[15:38] Eli Tokash: Really?

[15:39] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. My one of my older brothers was into sports his entire life. So, like, I was like, oh, I like track. I like to race. So I think I'm gonna do that. And then randomly, my mom somebody told her they were like, Oh, you should put him in a performing arts summer program. And literally, we the first show I did was Schoolhouse Rock Live, and afterwards, I literally told my mom on the way home, I was like, I want to do that for the rest of my life.

[16:08] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh yeah, and so I've just been I have I think I was she likes to say I was seven, I think I was ten, but she might know more than I do. Oh my gosh. Right, I've been loving this thing since I was a kid. And this was in Chicago, like the Chicago, Illinois area. I we met in Chicago because I lived in Chicago after graduation for like four years, but I'm actually from Houston, Texas.

[16:35] Eli Tokash: Oh, wait, what? How did I not know that?

[16:38] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, yeah.

[16:39] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh. So when was like the first musical that you saw? Like, did you go to theater in Texas or anything?

[16:46] Jhardon Dishon Milton: We saw The Lion King, the tour.

[16:49] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[16:49] Jhardon Dishon Milton: At Theater Under the Stars.

[16:51] Eli Tokash: Amazing.

[16:53] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Big one that I ever remember seeing.

[16:55] Eli Tokash: That's a good one to remember because I'll never forget Lion King seeing it for the first time. It's so beautiful.

[17:01] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god, it's iconic. And uh the way that they just do everything is it's so cool. I've always said that like I wanted to be in Lion King, but like that's not gonna happen. So it's all good. I've gotten over it.

[17:15] Eli Tokash: Like, you know, you could play Scar or Zazu, maybe.

[17:19] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I'm so down. It would be so fun. Just literally, just like it's one of those things where like what we do is yes, we play and everything like that, but we really just want to make people feel good and escape and give them a reason to like be happy and laugh and do all the things and make them feel yeah, and and it's crazy. Like every time you go see Lion King, it's either someone's first musical or it's someone is is experiencing these emotions for the first time, and you see people laughing, smiling. It's literally every emotion, it's literally like the perfect musical.

[17:53] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, and obviously it's been running forever, but um rightfully so, you know. Um but yeah, it's just amazing. So great one to see first. Um once again, so you you and I met and during Trevor. Is that like the first professional theater show that you kind of did?

[18:14] Jhardon Dishon Milton: What is what was your first one that you which was your first professional show?

[18:19] Jhardon Dishon Milton: No, actually, um that was I was like really getting my feet in the water when I did Trevor. I I was living yeah, that because I moved I moved to New York maybe a few months after we had finished. Right. Yeah, I was working in I was working in Chicago for three years professionally um before you and I met. But my first my first my first professional show was in Houston um at the ensemble theater.

[18:51] Eli Tokash: Wow, yeah. So was Trevor your first time originating a role?

[18:55] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Uh yes. It was okay. So what was that experience like for you in in finding all of that?

[19:05] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It was an absolute dream come true, honestly. That's I think I think so. When you're wanting to do this, you're like, oh, I want to make it to Broadway. I want to be in a Broadway show, and but like there was something so delicious and so warm about creating a role. So when I when I got the invitation, the appointment to do it, I was like, oh, this is cool. I would be able to, if I booked it, I'd be able to create something. Like it was my name on it, you know. And then when I booked it, I was like, wow, I want to create a whole person.

[19:41] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Right. You know, I'm allowed myself to come become in to come this person, and nobody else has touched it before, like in front of an audience. Um it was yeah, it's a dream come true. It still is. I think about Trevor all the time, you know, and that whole experience and creating such a wonderful piece of work, man, of art.

[20:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah. I mean, you could tell I I always say, like, one of my favorite memories about you is like just the devotion that you put to Trevor and just like working in the room with you, especially like a lot of my scenes were with the kids, obviously, and like it was great and all, but it really felt like playtime, like it really didn't feel like I I was getting into the work and to into the story and everything. I was kind of just like singing with friends, but like the second I had a scene with you or Selesha, like just the way that you two carried yourself and the way that you two looked at the work and how much it meant to you, it was like it was a wake up for me, and it was like such a change of pace that like a great reminder of like okay, I really need to to focus and get it into this character and into this story.

[20:53] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Well, it's funny that you say that because I and Selesha could we could talk about it all night long. How you guys, you guys actually set the bar for all of the adults in the show. Like y'all were, yeah, you guys were so prepared and so open to just doing the thing, you know. You know, I think when we're in a show full of adults, everybody is just like, last days are cool or whatever, like the work will be done because we care about the piece, but there was this this vulnerability that you guys shared with everyone in the room that was so infectious. And I was like, man, I'm gonna approach my work as a professional, but also like a child, like because you guys work, you're not kids anymore, are you?

That's crazy. Um I don't want to talk about it. Approaching the work like a child and allowing myself to be open, and I have it very bad. I love I am a perfectionist, and sometimes it gets in the way, you know. But doing the show with you guys and with you that scene specifically is just like, oh, I can just be open to literally everything that he's given me and be okay.

[22:04] Eli Tokash: Yeah, you know, and yeah, it was it was so great. Didn't do you remember, I believe it was you. Did you sneeze one day during our scene?

[22:13] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Probably. I probably did it all.

[22:16] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I'm pretty sure you sneezed one day during our scene, and I said, I said bless you. That was not in the scene.

[22:21] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god. And it was, you know, it's moments like that. It just made I'm like, wow, yeah, you guys are great. You're that's so cute, but no, it the the sense that we had in the room, like the the character in the room was just unbelievable. And that was without a doubt, like the leaders for sure of Mark Bruni, Josh Prince, all of those people, they really set the bar, and we kind of just like followed along and and everyone in our room, like we just loved each other and we supported each other, and even if we weren't in a scene, we went to rehearsal like four hours in advance just to watch each other.

[22:58] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Exactly. I would tell I would tell Mark that or ask him all the time. Like, I know I'm not called until much longer, but like, do you mind if I just sit in and watch his like yes? I sat and on a dance rehearsal when you guys were learning what too. Like, oh my gosh. I wanted to be present for it because it was just it was so beautiful.

[23:19] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So cool. The whole the whole thing, and and and a lot of it was because of the work that we were doing and and the beautiful story that was created. And now I'm so excited that it's now on Disney Plus, and uh it's a bit absolutely crazy to think about, right? Um, but I'm so excited because more people are gonna be able to to watch this story and and learn about you know the story of Trevor and people experiencing the issues of you know anti-LGBTQ and all of that kind of things and bullying and all of it, like there's not one person that's not gonna relate to this story, you know. And I think that's what's beautiful about it.

[23:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. Um, well, I'm curious because as it was your first time uh creating a role, you then went on a couple years later to to create the role of Ronnie and Tina, the musical, uh, which is what you're currently in right now. Um was it were you able to kind of look back on that experience and be like, okay, I created this and I I went through this process, and maybe this worked, maybe this didn't. Was there anything that you kind of took from from doing that before?

[24:31] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Um so yes and no. Well, because Tina had already even I created the role here in the States, but Tina had already been done on the West End. Right. So they kind of all learning the show, they kind of already had in their head who these people were. So while there was a little bit, I think I actually got to play more with my role post-pandemic. Oh in rehearsals then because I think we had an idea of who all of these people were. Um but I remember sitting down with my director and being like, yeah, so I thought, you know, pre-pandemic that this is what the role was, this is who this kid is. But I think he's actually this, and as far as like age and you know, how he responds to Tina, how he responds to his brother in the show. I had a lot more flexibility, a lot more space to do that. This go round, and I think the first round. I think the first round we were just trying to learn the show and get ready for tech.

[25:38] Eli Tokash: Right.

[25:38] Jhardon Dishon Milton: There wasn't there. I mean, there was conversation, but not as much conversation as we I feel like one would have at the start of a show. A for a role.

[25:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[25:49] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, I mean, that's real, like four months or four weeks in in creating a whole two and a half hour show. People think it's a long time, but it's not. It's not enough.

[25:59] Eli Tokash: That's not enough time at all.

[26:03] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Right. So I can't imagine what that whole I mean, I can't imagine what the whole thing is, and then of course, COVID hits, and then you doing it kind of again. Um, but it's kind of beautiful as an actor to be able to go through that process again and have that much time off of learning about yourself and who you are as both a person and a performer.

[26:24] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Exactly. One of my cast members during the pandemic, she and I were talking and she was when we found out that the show was coming back she was just like this is crazy because we don't get we don't get second chances you know in the industry with shows and we're getting a second chance to like completely redo our show. Like it's the same show obviously sure where we get to differently um and it's there's so much there's so much excitement in that you know to know like we can change it up a little bit and what we felt did it worked we can keep what didn't work we can change it you know well I'm curious because obviously like there's there's always gonna be some crazy things going on. It's live theater right and but with your show it's so special because it's for those of you who don't know I'm sure you do know Tina the musical is obviously Tina the T the Tina Turner the musical um oh my god mouth tongue twister um but with such an icon of like the the music industry is there ever any like crazy thing that happens with audience members where they're like getting up and like singing and dancing every single show oh my god something happening and we have this big mega mix at the end of the show so everybody's just on their feet losing their heads but my favorite are the people like the hardcore Tina fans who know every song in a row what I'm saying well we're at the top of the show and people are already on fire singing along with us.

[28:02] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god. It's so great. Just the other day, there was a little girl in the audience. She was maybe four rolls back, center center um center audience. And she the every song, she was just had her hands up, dancing, screaming so loud, she was so excited. And I was like, this is great. I love to do this for you. You know, you are having the best time ever. It was the last show of the week. And I think we started the show like with that amount like, who it's the last show, we might be a little tired. But as soon as we saw her, like all of that shifted. All of that new day. Yeah, it was the it was for her. We get to show yeah. But people are always losing it, going crazy.

[28:43] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I can't imagine. Are there people like dressing up?

[28:46] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[28:47] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Like Tina.

[28:47] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[28:48] Jhardon Dishon Milton: There is this one guy, he had a shirt that said, This is my 12th time seeing the show.

[28:57] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, they come in with fans with Tina Turner. Some people come in with wigs. Some of the girls come in with like their sequin dresses. Oh my god. They are they're ready to party. They're ready to have everything. Seriously. You know, it's interesting. I don't usually like the whole jukebox musicals, but yeah, they're cute. But the jukebox musicals like that are on Broadway right now between Tina and MJ, like they came to play. Like they're like next level stuff.

[29:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I think my favorite jukeboxes are Beautiful, Tina, and MJ. I didn't, I've never seen Jersey Boys. I know it was great. But those I'm I'm with you. I'm not a huge fan of jukebox musicals, but yeah, those ones are pretty solid. Yeah, and it's crazy that they're like all right now, you know, like all on Broadway right now.

[29:54] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Um, I'm curious because you mentioned this little girl in the audience and everything, and I think that that's I'm obviously familiar about the Fontaine theater. That's where I did Fighting Neverland. Um so I love that theater, and it's so true that it's one of the few theaters where I really feel like you can almost see the whole audience in a weird way. Like you can see deep back. Um it it's such a beautiful theater, the way it's just structured, both on stage, in the audience, off stage. Do you have like a favorite part of the theater? To have a favorite part of the theater, or like a favorite theater that you've performed in?

[30:35] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Um my favorite, I'll start with my favorite theater. I think my favorite part of the theater is one of the quick change areas. The hallway stage left where the hallway is. Yes, that that hallway leading up into the quick change area is I just love it. The hallway specifically it has like all of these different posters from previous shows. Yep, and I'm like, that is awesome. Like, so much history is in this building. We think, you know, these theaters have been around for years, like well before I was born, before, you know. So to know who was playing in these, like Carol Channing and James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson, like all of these people playing in this space before me. You know, I get on the same stage as them. I'm just it's just uh it's mind blowing. It's it's also just very much humbling as well. Like, I'm here, you know. I'm also one of these people who are gonna be remembered performing on this stage, you know.

[31:44] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, because your name's gonna be in the hallway too, you know.

[31:47] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, for sure. It's amazing. Um I don't do I have a favorite theater. I don't yeah, I I'm curious to see this because you've performed in some crazy theaters in the thrust and the round on like a Broadway stage.

[32:06] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, uh I think so. I think I think ART in Boston in Cambridge, I like their space.

[32:20] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Really? I like yeah, it's it's I think I like their space because I enjoyed the show so much. Oh so how they how they set up the theater for our show was just really I mean it was just a blank canvas, it was an empty stage the entire time. Um, but that's talk about being able to see the entire audience, like you know, their house isn't huge, but I could see literally every single person if I was just staying on stage by myself, I could scan and see every single person. And I loved I loved being on that stage for sure. For some reason, yeah, some reason I really loved being on that stage.

[33:00] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my gosh. ART, I would have never guessed that.

[33:03] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it's it's simple, you know. It's not this grandiose beautiful house, you know, it's just a simple, straightforward. I think, yeah, I was very attracted to that.

[33:15] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it's so interesting because it's like there's like tiers, I feel like, of theaters and stages and everything. And like, I feel like right under like Broadway and Lincoln Center and and all of these, like Carnegie Halls and all of that, like one of those theaters that you always that performers just always gravitate towards and think about is that ART space. And so it's interesting that you say that.

[33:38] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, they know how to conform, make their space do what it's supposed to do for a show. Fascinating. Just like a theater in Boston. Love it.

[33:52] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. Um, well, I'm curious because I want to talk to you about when you made your Broadway debut. I mean, I know we're like all over the place now that we talked about Tina and Trevor and everything. But yeah, I mean, you made your Broadway debut in Bronx, a Bronx Tale. You literally moved, like, so okay, I can't imagine. Take me through this whirlwind of like the cute couple months because you moved to New York, made your Broadway debut, then like closed the show a couple months later.

[34:18] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It was it was wild. Yeah, like even thinking about it now, how everything just lined up. I we did Trevor Mary Sugarman at opening, and um she told she told John Ambrosino that she had a project for me. I didn't know what it was, I didn't know what it was, but I remember him telling me like she wants you to go to New York for a project, but I told her she can't have you because you have to stay with Trevor. And I'm like, I want to stay with Trevor, right?

[34:52] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Um and so then I heard nothing else, and then I had booked um the Drury Lane Theater, Oak Brook in Chicago, was doing a section of Joseph, and I was in that. I was scheduled to do it, but then Mary Sugarman sent an email to my agents and saying that they wanted I had an appointment for a Bronx Tale and it was for an immediate hire.

[35:16] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Wow. And so I was like, am I about to book a ticket? And I looked up tickets. I wasn't sure. I looked up tickets. I got a ticket for like $150 round trip. Oh my god. And I was like, that is so cheap.

[35:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. So I bought a ticket and I went. And I did the audition and I did the callback and the final callback. And it was great. I was with Celisia. I went with her to the beautiful holiday party and I spent the night with her. And we just sat up all night. And she looked at me. She already knew. She told me before because I had planned on moving to New York March of 2018 already. And she had told me before we left for before she went back to New York. She was like, You're gonna be in New York in January. I just want you to know that.

[36:05] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. And I was like, okay, hold your horses. I'm not trying to move so soon, you know.

[36:11] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Right. Sure enough, literally the day after I got back from New York, I got a call from my agent telling me that I had booked a Bronx Tale.

[36:20] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Wow. And they were I was gonna be starting in January of 2018. Literally should say it. And so it was so many things were going through my head. I was like, I'm about to be on Broadway, like my dream is coming true. I have to move, my lease isn't up yet. I still have my car here. I don't know. I have literally basically like a month and a half to pick all of my things up and move. I have to find a place to live in the city, like all of these things.

[36:50] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It was while it was so exciting, it was also very stressful because I didn't know I didn't know what to do. So I ended up selling my car, which I'm a little sad that I ended up but I sold my car I picked up all of my stuff and I found when okay this is gonna sound weird and crazy I my apartment off of Craigslist and I moved in with two strangers.

[36:57] Jhardon Dishon Milton: No yeah, it was uh, it was weird but it it turned out to be great because they weren't crazy or anything and they were also very much supportive of me moving in at the time that I moved in but yeah a Craigslist move in that's what you gotta do you gotta do what you gotta do you know I had literally everybody that I knew you know they had roommates and they were like right you're about to be here you can't sleep on the couch for forever and I didn't want to do that either right I'm very so yeah anyway I it took me a month and a half to figure out all my stuff packed up and I came here and I've been here since January 2018.

[38:03] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Insane it it really is like Broadway can change your life you know we used to we used to play around during Trevor saying Broadway called yeah because I was always on the phone yeah and they would be darting is that Broadway is Barway calling and literally Broadway called me right.

[38:03] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my God and it's crazy how everything kind of like worked out for you like the cheap flight, you know, the way that everything was just it all lined up like it was meant to be, and it totally was, you know.

[38:39] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it totally was. And now you're here, and now Broadway's kept you because they just keep calling.

[38:46] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So, like, yeah, I'm like, keep calling me as long as you want. Come on, don't be shy.

[38:51] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. I'm extremely grateful, man. Because it, you know, it doesn't happen for everybody, you know. And every day, every day that I go to the show, um, I'm reminded of like, man, so many people have dreamed of doing what I'm doing right now. I'm on Broadway show number two, and people have lived in the city for years and still haven't been on Broadway. You know what I'm saying?

[39:15] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So it's just it's I'm very fortunate, very grateful to be doing what I love every single day. You know what I'm saying?

[39:25] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it's awesome. It's totally like right place, right time. There's a lot of luck, and there's a lot of there's so much that goes into to this industry and getting and having success in the industry, I guess you could say, um, because you know, like like you said, like if Trevor doesn't happen, like who knows? Like, what then you know, and it was crazy because we we all knew that both you and Salisha were destined for Broadway.

[39:52] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I mean, you y'all you both were stars. Salisha had already done the tour of Beautiful and everything, you know. Like, we both we all knew that like you two were gonna be the stars, you know, like seriously, and um sure enough, like during the run, you both kind of found out that Salisha found out she was going to be in Beautiful, like the week after we closed, you know?

[40:15] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Like after Trevor closed, so it's just crazy. It's crazy what this show has done for for our lives and and just like being a part of it and the people that it's brought into our lives, it's just been so beautiful, seriously.

[40:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Absolutely. Yeah. And I feel like that's why it was so special. And it always like has this special place in my heart, you know.

[40:35] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh, for sure. I have our I have our entire company photo sitting in my dressing room right now.

[40:41] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Do you really?

[40:43] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Absolutely.

[40:44] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god, stop it.

[40:45] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It is sitting on my dressing room station as we speak.

[40:49] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh that's stop it. Stop it. I'm gonna cry. I'm literally gonna cry.

[40:54] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It's so cute. Um I know just like seeing all this stuff with Trevor. I haven't I like I haven't even watched it on Disney Plus yet because like I haven't even like I feel like I need to like actually like emotionally prepare myself.

[41:08] Jhardon Dishon Milton: And I saw it when it was like off Broadway and everything, but like you know, it's just like one of those things where it's just like there's something in your life that that just brought you endless friendships and and just amazing opportunities, and it's just like it comes back in and out, and it's just like it's it's so much, you know, and so yeah, it is a lot.

[41:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it holds a special place. Um anyways, so I will say I did listen to I because can't wait is one of my favorite songs.

[41:39] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god. I listened to it the other day on the way to the city, and that was that's the only song that I've listened to on the on the soundtrack. It's like the only one that didn't change, like all the other ones like kind of change.

[41:50] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It's crazy. Yeah, it's awesome though. Like you the song that Jack sang is like totally different one of these days, like the reprise.

[41:59] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, it's crazy. Um, but it's so cool to like be a part of a show and to see these changes and to see how the show grew and kind of grew up in a way because the Trevor that you see right now is is definitely a grown-up version from writers because I was my guys, you are you're taller than me.

[42:18] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I I know you're taller than me.

[42:20] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh my god, stop it. No, I don't even mean it in that way. I mean like the language in the show.

[42:25] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Oh the story. Talking about you yourself. I'm like, no, yeah, you're grown.

[42:32] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I mean, I don't know. Again, I don't want to talk about it. I missed the voice, you know. Um it was just fun to like sing any possible thing.

[42:42] Jhardon Dishon Milton: But now sorry. Um, anyways, that's a whole nother conversation.

[42:47] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So your Broadway debut, right, in Bronx Tale. I mean, you were a swing, right? You were hired as a swing.

[42:54] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I was hired as a vacation swing.

[42:57] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So and then you joined the show in January, right? And then it closed like soon after, right?

[43:04] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, so I did the show in January for like three weeks. And the guy who I was covering his vacation, he came back. So I was out of the show until May. And I did the show one more time for one week.

[43:22] Jhardon Dishon Milton: And then I that's when I booked the show at ART. And while I I think, yeah, while I was in rehearsals for that show is when I found out that a Bronx Hill was gonna be closing. August had to close August that year. Insane. So when you're like when you're hired as a swing and you with the show for the short stint, how many tracks were you able to learn?

[43:50] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So I I was only I was only learning I only learned two tracks. Oh, okay. Which is which is great. Yeah. Because they were they kind of they were both in the same scenes so and the song the song that they sang together was just I sang the entire song by myself and my audition for the show so I knew when I walked into the process all I needed was just the choreography and the blocking I knew all of the lines the lyrics to the songs so it was great yeah um but yeah I had only learned I only needed to learn the two tracks that's fascinating because like swings man they are heroes I don't know he rolls right you're in that category though you have a swing I you know I I have uh I think I was I lucked up with that swinging that show I don't think I can bring another show and swing more than two tracks I would lose my yeah I can't imagine well I mean not that I mean not that you're swinging right now but you are you know two tracks in Tina.

[44:57] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I do know two tracks in Tina I know my own track and then I understudy one of the other roles in the show yeah right with Raymond who you're understudying uh Anthony Wayne and I absolutely love him he's such a king um so I want to ask you like when you go on for Raymond right and someone else is in your Ronnie role like the role that you created on Broadway like what is that like like seeing someone else doing your stuff um honestly I don't think I've ever I don't think I've ever really thought about it.

[45:33] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Or like yeah, I think because I'm solely focused on the Raymond track. Because it is it's so much more than what I do already. I think yeah, I don't I don't think I've ever just been like, oh, that's that's my track. Yeah. I will say there are moments Raymond and Ronnie, uh, when they're doing their ensemble stuff are kind of in the same area. Like one of the numbers and one of the dance numbers, I, Ronnie, am right in front of Raymond doing the exact same choreography. Uh-huh. And so when I go on for Raymond, I get jumbled up because I'm just like, I'm doing the same thing, but I'm like in a different spot. It's it's it gets weird sometimes.

[46:20] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Mind pretzel. Yeah, for real. That's hilarious. And yeah, like that, I feel like that's even more like impressive, I guess, from like doing what swings do. Because like, I mean, swings are so impressive and everything, but you know, they have the time off to kind of okay, who am I now? Like, they don't, they're not on every night where it's like in their body the way that someone's performing every night. And so, like all of a sudden you're doing eight shows a week, and then all of a sudden you're like, oh, I'm I'm someone else for just like a show or a couple of shows, you know, or for a week or whatever it may be. Um it's crazy. I just it's fascinating to to talk about because I had a similar experience in Neverland where I was doing like all four roles, and I was just like, uh, who am I today?

But like it never was like in my body because you would always be alternating. So it's just it's fascinating, but it's cool to cool to talk about that and because people don't realize that, you know, like people that go see the show.

[47:22] Jhardon Dishon Milton: It was fascinating. I had a conversation the other day, and it was like the best piece of advice that I had ever seen as an actor, and it was Brad Oscar who said this, was um the audience doesn't know. So what the audience sees is what they're gonna make out as yeah, it's supposed to happen. Even if something like breaks on the stage, they think that's supposed to happen, you know, like they don't know, they're just gonna make sense out of it. Exactly. So like talking to performers and talking about their experiences and what they do in the show is just like some so fascinating because like it's just not talked about, you know, and it's not thought about. Yeah, but it's so cool that you do that.

Um what's your favorite show part about like opening a show? Like with Tina, you know, you obviously were able to originate a role, but then you had all these fun events that come with it, like the opening night and all the press that you gotta do with it, like the Tony Awards and the Macy's parade and all that kind of stuff, and then cast recording and all that. Like, what was your favorite part of that?

[48:19] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Man, I think I you're absolutely right. Being a part of an original Broadway company is so exciting because you get to do all of that fun stuff. And I had never before getting to New York, I had never done any of that, you know. Um so I we did uh there was uh there was one one of our first big press events. We went to Saks Fifth Avenue, and they have this rooftop terrace bar area where we just did a some promoting the show, you know, so we could get some money in. Sure. And um it was just meeting meeting the producers and meeting all of these other other artists and other people at Sax Fifth Avenue, and I had never been I had never been to the bar area before, but it was just so great. Adrian performed, and um queen. She's so talented. Oh my god. She's great. Crazy girl. Love her. Um yeah, so I think that was that first big thing was one of my favorites because it's also we were dead in the middle of rehearsals.

[49:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Right. And everybody was so tired. But this was one of the first things that we were all able to go to and just like chill and just like really get to know each other some more outside of the rehearsal space. Right. And everybody put on a cute outfit. Hey, come on, Zach. It was one of my first. I think it was the one that really made me just be like, man, I am so happy to be with this group of people because they're so fun. They're so fun. I love that. It's cool. Yeah, like going to those things, like I don't know, like you literally run off of adrenaline. Because you mentioned like you're in rehearsals, then you go to tech, and then you have to do the then you open the show, and then you gotta do all kind of press the opening night, and then you gotta do the press to advertise the show, and then you gotta do all these like special performances. Like talk about more of like the whole oh oh my god, I I'm tired, and we're opening a show, and I gotta give my all eight times a week in six days.

[50:37] Jhardon Dishon Milton: We we we were doing um good morning America, and we did we did good morning America. Was it the day before opening, or was it opening time? No, I got waking up at like 4 a.m. No, no, no. That's exactly what it is. That's exactly what it was. No, I know. It's terrifying. I think it was us the day before opening having to do good morning America, then to do a preview that night. We have rehearsal also. Rehearsal, good morning America, pre rehearsal, preview. The next day was opening. Yeah. And I that entire week, we all were like, we were so excited, but we were like, this is crazy. Yeah. This is insane. We are so tired, and we are being beat to the bone. Right. Right before our opening night. And poor Adrian, she she had so many freaking injuries going on that that week. And we were all just like, oh, we gotta make it. So we were exhausted. We were exhausted. Yeah.

[51:50] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Um, but it was I think our adrenaline was just like on 1000. Yeah. We're just so excited to just do it, man. We have been working for so long, and our show is fun. It's a fun show, and we are in a company. I love to tell everybody this. My, especially the original original Broadway company is a company full of absolute stars. Like every single person is a star. Every single one. And I've I just being surrounded by that much talent, those many gifts, I was just like, overwhelmed, you know, because it was just everybody showed up. Everybody, every single person showed up. So I think all of that and that adrenaline preparing us that for all of it was just so great so great so exhausting so exhausting I can't imagine it's it's crazy time it's a crazy time I've never opened a show but like from what people say it's like I don't know how that works like I like physically like just talking about it that doesn't sound like it's humanly possible but somehow y'all find a way and it's amazing and we had to I mean because you know we were shut down right before the Tonies in 2020 right so we had to do all of that all over again in preparation for the Tonys right and I was just like by this time my body had been out of the show for so long I was just like who my goodness I'm tired all over again but my adrenaline my adrenaline isn't kicking in yet oh right still on pandemic mode no truly truly well I'm curious so for people listening who haven't seen the show they have seven weeks left what would you tell them to get them excited to go see the show uh I I don't even know I our show just doesn't stop just like as soon as that as soon as the curtain goes up you're on this you're on a two hour 45 minute 50 minute ride yeah.

[54:16] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah. So just prepare yourself for that. And they can sing along, right? Can they really dance? Yes. Who doesn't know that along and and I mean, you know, I told you we have a mega mix at the end of the show. And that's the that part of the show is just I even me to this day, I'm just like, we just did a whole show and now we're about to do another mini show. Yeah. Eight-minute show. Ridiculous. It is ridiculous. And that's why we do it. It's so fun. I love it. Um yeah, but I'm how did you find out that the show was closing? Like, do you remember where you were, like when you got the news?

[55:00] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I was standing in my kitchen, uh, getting ready to put breakfast. Yep. And um one of the GMs called me, and it was very kind, it was very sweet. Um, but he was like, How are you? And I'm like, I'm great, I'm doing okay. What's up? What you call? You know, I never got called my GM. Right. Um, and so it's one of those things of like, uh-oh, am I in trouble? Like, did I do something I wasn't supposed to or what? Um, but very he was very kind. He was just like, Yeah, the show's gonna be closing um in August, and which is also very great because normally people hear that they're closing the week before. Right. You know, they if that, you know, but they they gave us they extended grace and we're like, we just want you to, you know, do what you have to do to prepare, but in August the show's gonna be done.

[55:53] Jhardon Dishon Milton: And I think I think that also made me just feel a little bit more at ease versus you know, overwhelmed and anxious because there's still time, you know. At the time you told us it was 10 weeks, and so I'm like, 10 weeks is a a long time still, you know, that's not as long as we did Trevor you know so I there's so much that can happen right within the weeks at the theater and so I'm like great I have time to save money I have time to like create more memories you know with the show and I'm grateful that we've even gotten this far you know considering everything with the pandemic right and that's the thing like you you guys have had a successful show you know like shows don't last you know sometimes three months and y'all have lasted like three years kind of in and out obviously because of the pandemic but like without the pandemic it's probably like it it's over a year I would say like for sure so I mean that's a success on Broadway for sure and uh you were a part of that so so it's awesome it's awesome to to see it yeah I love seeing this show be a success because all my friends are in it so it's like yes come on uh it's so exciting and of course just Tina Turner is just like everything so she she deserves I'm ready for the Diana Rod musical to like come in right after yeah I'm ready I'm so excited now um anyways the before I let you go you've been popping up on my TV a lot recently and uh you you've just been popping in and out of like episodes of like four TV shows in the last year.

[57:49] Jhardon Dishon Milton: You know, what is it like to go from this crazy eight show a week schedule and then to like TV and film where it's just like a way different vibe, change of pace. It's a new world and kind of branch of the industry, I guess. Well, what is that like? Um, I don't know if I can I don't know how to put it in words, actually. It is different, it is a different type of beast. Um, there was there's a level of your attention has to be like you have to be you have to be attentive in theater, obviously, but you have to there is a lot more specific specificity that has to happen, I think, um, when it comes to TV and film, right? Um, even though you get so many opportunities to do the take, you know, if you can do the take like five different times, but like are you still married to this character and grounded in what the choices are?

Like, even if you say the line differently, does it still make sense? You know, kind of like theater, but you just you get more you get more opportunities to do it. Um, it's a little bit more relaxed too.

[59:06] Eli Tokash: Yeah, sure.

[59:08] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Which I appreciate. I like the chillness, yeah. I like to be like one-on-one with the director. Um, it's a note session every single scene, um, which is which is beautiful, right? Um, and then you never know what it's gonna look like until you see it.

[59:28] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[59:30] Jhardon Dishon Milton: So you decide to have it.

[59:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Do you feel like it's a different like type of acting? If that makes sense?

[59:36] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I do. Um, I d that does make sense, but I don't know. Uh, acting is acting. Like at the end of the day, you're still like telling a story and you have your actions and your your beats and all of those things. But it's more, it's more centered, I think. Um, it's not this, it's not big.

[1:00:00] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:00:00] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Uh, it's it's very more just like straight on and quieter. Um, I think I think it can be harder because especially as a theater actor, you we're so used to being big and we're so used to using our face to tell, and it's just like, no, you're just having conversation. It doesn't need to be bright, it doesn't have to be loud, um, you don't have to move your face so much. You know, it's very much more contained. Um, it's hard coming if like if I were doing film acting for forever, sure, but like coming from a theater scene to do film acting is it's hard.

[1:00:44] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:00:45] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Harder to tone down than tone up, you know.

[1:00:48] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[1:00:48] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Exactly. It's interesting. Um, the whole TV field. Um, I feel like as theater actors as well, with the whole like tone up, tone down thing, the other difference is with theater actors, you do the story from start to from beginning to end, and like with film acting, it's hard to oftentimes you film out of order, you film and and break up the the order, you know, you have like three hours in between the last scene that you just did, and like what was I feeling in that last scene?

[1:01:21] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[1:01:22] Jhardon Dishon Milton: You gotta keep up with it, you gotta keep up with it. What would you feel is like the what would you feel like is your way to kind of get back into that like how how what kind of practices can you can you share for for people listening that like or advice or that you could give?

[1:01:24] Jhardon Dishon Milton: I think it's just I think it's just really knowing who your character is so like you said you know you have this one scene if you've especially if you're filming out of order if you if they've given you a script it's just making sure you know the script making sure not and I'm not just saying just being memorized but just like knowing what's going on knowing who these people are and so if I am filming a scene that's I'm filming scene 10 before I film scene one right now making sure I know what happened in scene one like have that in the back of my head like okay so this is why he's acting out or whatever feeling this way in scene 10. So I just need to make sure yeah that I have that information and I keep it so that it the the storyline can make sense right going through not just like oh I'm gonna read this scene like this and then I get to scene one I'm reading it some another way but it's just like but these these are two different people they choose for it you know right how can we say that it's the same person.

[1:02:46] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:02:47] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Auditioning for TV and film and everything has taught me the importance of reading a script. I never used to want to read a script but that's a big mistake. So if you're auditioning for TV and film or even theater. I mean it's yeah special it's great to know to know your the script to know the story to know your character to know the little you know as this thing goes on you'll find like things about your character that's like oh he seemed outgoing but now he's shy or maybe he's more um I don't know you find little ticks and things about your I was the same way I I used to not love reading scripts at all yeah like I could not do it I just mostly because sometimes readings I I fall asleep and right I don't ever want to do that but um I over the pandemic I would get material and I had the time to read so I would read the script and now any time that I get an appointment and the script is included I'm reading it I do it immediately I'll read the sides if I want to do this if I want to do the audition I'll read the sides and I'll be like okay this seems great I'll confirm it and then I'll read the script and see you know where things I'm getting myself into what world am I in and it you know it's common I think it's common sense but you know like we said you know sometimes you don't do it sometimes I don't do it but it makes a world of a difference once you read that script right like I mean really know that character after that right and I mean sometimes you're gonna get auditions where it's like hey can you film this by 10 a.m tomorrow and we're like I'm sorry but and you just provided a script for me too right or you know the it's cases like that where I'm just like I'm not gonna read the script I'm gonna just film the lines right you know especially if I'm in a show.

[1:04:48] Eli Tokash: I'm like, there's no way I'm gonna be able to read.

[1:04:50] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, come on. It's ridiculous. But um, but if it's there, they're giving you the information for a reason. So take that information, take that in, allow yourself to have that and allow yourself to welcome that if you can. Um, but yeah, so I mean, Jordan, this has been so wonderful. This has been so great to see you again, even though it's through a computer. Um, and just to talk to you about your career because I learned things that I didn't even know about you today. I was like, what? You live in Texas? What um yeah, no, seriously, I'm just so happy and so proud of the work that you've been putting in, you know, the past six years. I mean, the grind has not stopped for you, and big things are ahead, and I just can't wait to follow along the journey.

[1:05:33] Eli Tokash: Uh, thank you so much, Eli.

[1:05:35] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Of course. Yes, me too. And so everybody who's listening, and go see Tina, the Tina Turner musical if you can go see it before it closes. Um, it's so it's so wonderful, it's so brilliant, and it's like one of those shows that you literally you're just gonna leave smiling and just feeling bad about yourself.

[1:05:53] Eli Tokash: So uh everyone go check that out and go see Jordan.

[1:05:57] Jhardon Dishon Milton: Yeah, thank you so much.

[1:05:59] Eli Tokash: Thank you. Of course, take a bow, Jordan Deshaun Milton. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I had so much fun talking to you again and catching up with you. Um, it was it was awesome to talk to him about um, you know, being on Broadway because literally I haven't seen him before uh the pre-pandemic world. I talked to him after he was in Bronx Tale. Um, I saw him in person, and then he was going into Tina, and I haven't seen him since he went into Tina. So it was cool to talk about opening a Broadway show and all the things. I hope you all learned some of that stuff and kind of have a new respect for like opening a show and what what it takes as an actor to open a show and the amount of um energy and work it is to open a show. So if you go see a preview of a show, I love going to the previews and I love seeing the performances during a preview because I know they're completely different from after the opening.

[1:06:56] Jhardon Dishon Milton: And um I love seeing both of those versions of the show because it's a completely different show, whether they've made changes or not. Um so hopefully that kind of gave you some awareness on that. And uh, it's just awesome to talk about all of these fun things. Now he's like a Broadway star. I love it. Uh I knew it when he was gonna be when he was in Trevor. Uh, he was going to be in New York in no time, and I'm so happy for him. He deserves it all, and he's literally one of the nicest people. I'm sure you all kind of got that from listening. But yeah, thank you so much. And please, please, please, if you haven't already, and even if you have, go back, go see Tina, the Tina Turner musical, go see uh Jordan Deshaun Milton in the show, and uh you're gonna love it. And I'm excited because if you go within the next seven weeks when it closes, um, you may see me at one of those performances. So stop by and say hi.

[1:07:50] Eli Tokash: Anyways, our Broadway Con guest. I'm so excited. Everyone, drum roll. That was my little drum roll. Um, we are going to be talking to Katherine Gallagher at BroadwayCon live in person. Please stop by. You may know Catherine Gallagher from um Jagged Little Pill, you may know it from Spring Awakening. And then, of course, she's like a big TV star now. She's on you, she's on all the things. Um, she's got music, she's got TikTok, she's famous on like everything. So I'm sure you know Catherine Gallagher, her dad is Peter Gallagher, and uh, we're gonna be having a great time at BroadwayCon. We're gonna be talking about Jagged Little Pill, we're gonna be talking about her experience on Broadway and in Spring Awakening and all the fun stuff. Um, it's gonna be unbelievable, unforgettable, and uh I hope to see you all there because it's gonna be super exciting.

[1:09:26] Eli Tokash: I love these live recordings, uh, mostly because there's an audience. So if if you're listening to this and you're going to Broadway Con, please, please, please come stop by. Um, it it's only good if there's an audience and if people show up. So hopefully, y'all will enjoy that guest because I'm very excited. She's someone that I've wanted to have on the podcast for a very long time. Um, I'm a huge Jagged Little Pill fan, so it's it's very exciting for me to get her on. And uh yeah, it's gonna be awesome. So please, please, please stop by and go look at the Broadway Con website. Uh, you can go to the about and then hit schedule, and you'll find us on Sunday in the 1 p.m. time slot where it'll have all the information.

[1:10:07] Eli Tokash: So check that out. Um, until then, I will see you all next week, maybe even in person, because kind of next week is Sunday, but I guess that's like kind of on the brink of the following week. Anyways, I maybe I'll see you next week at BroadwayCon. If not, um, at some point for Friday through Sunday, come stop by at the Broadway Podcast booth or come check out the live recordings that we're doing. It's gonna be unreal. I'm so so excited, and I cannot wait to meet all of you. And it's gonna be amazing. I have some really fun surprises for the event and for my recording, and uh it's gonna be awesome. So I'm very excited to meet all of you and hope that you all have a wonderful week in the safest travels if you live out of town to New York for Broadway Con. Until then, I will see you all next week. Bye everyone. Have a great week.

[1:10:57] Eli Tokash: For this episode's current 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 Berenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seals, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to take the bow 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 takeabout podcast. Take About logo is designed by Giselle Bustos, and the music is by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon. Bye everyone. Hope to see you next week.