This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode, really I'm gonna call this 11. This week's guest is so fun. This is a live episode coming at you from this weekend at BroadwayCon where we literally had the best time ever. I actually ended up doing two panels, so two episodes in one day. Um, I didn't say that uh on the podcast last week because I didn't know if the second one was gonna end up happening. It ended up happening, and we have a major guest coming up. Uh, she's actually already been on the podcast, but this it was just very exciting to get her back on to talk to her about all the new things that's going on in her career. Um, I guess I'll just come out and say it. Uh, Gabriella Pizzolo came back on the podcast, and we will be releasing her episode um next week, and I'm just so excited.

It was a great episode. We talked all about Stranger Things. She also has an HBO Max show coming out, uh, which is the Pretty Little Liars Original Sin. Um, it was it's part of the Pretty Little Liars franchise, obviously. Um, and that's coming out at the end of the month, so we're gonna push that one to next week to get some talk about it before it comes out. Um, very exciting stuff, and then of course, this week's guest is with Kathryn Gallagher, and we literally had the best time. This episode is so much fun with these live episodes, especially at BroadwayCon. It's just like everyone's geeking out about Broadway. Everyone's so excited to be there, everyone's excited to meet new people. Um, so just you really get a sense of that in this episode.

Um, there are some major fans of Kathryn's there. Um, and that was just incredible. I literally like I didn't know what to expect, and like that was everything that I ever wanted and more. Um, we have a bunch of fan interactions during the podcast. We have them yell out some questions. Uh, we're basically talking to them. You'll see in Gabby's episode, we really have like a full-blown conversation with one of the audience members. Um, it's awesome. These episodes, these next two weeks are so, so fun. Um, you guys are gonna love them for sure. Um, so I can't wait for you all to listen to it. But before we turn it over to the episodes, as always, we gotta talk about some Broadway news.

[2:13] Eli Tokash: More this week than ever. There has been some drama on Broadway, and like I'm here for it because I mean, why not? I mean, it's Broadway, so why shouldn't there be drama? Um, anyways, some major, major drama, but uh we're gonna break it down in a second. I just want to start off by saying happy closing to American Buffalo because I didn't mention it last week's episode. It closed this past week alongside Plaza Suite and Macbeth. Um, so wanted to mention that, and of course, happy official opening to Into the Woods. Very exciting stuff. This happened on Sunday. It was crazy. This weekend was wild, y'all. We had uh the opening of perhaps one of the biggest Broadway shows in a long time, or the most anticipated Broadway show in Into the Woods with the New York City Center buzz and everything that's been going on around it.

Um, and then we had BroadwayCon and we had Broadway Barks, and then we had all of this additional drama this past week. It's just been a week for Broadway, so uh I'm here for it and I'm ready to talk about it.

[3:12] Eli Tokash: Um, I guess we'll just dive right in now. Uh, Beanie Feldstein had heard wind that funny the Funny Girl team and the producers of Funny Girl uh were thinking about moving the show into a new direction, as she so claimed uh on an Instagram social media post. Um, unfortunately, she got wind, and before they really I guess went through like telling her about the new direction and everything like that, face to face, she kind of said, listen I'm done I'm not I'm I'm they they released without her knowing that she was going to be uh ending the show um some point in August September it turned out that she's actually was like nope I'm done she put in her notice she's gonna be done July 31st so for the month of August the role of Fanny Bryce will be covered by by the two uncurrent understudies Julie Banco and Effie Ardima um I may be pronouncing that wrong so I'm incredibly sorry if I am Effie um but uh both I've heard are are wonderful Fanny Bryce's and then of course in the month of September September 6th they are bringing in Leah Michelle to the role of Fanny Bryce of Funny Girl on Broadway and it's created a lot of controversy I don't know what to say about it because I don't know I have mixed feelings because obviously Leah Michelle has this history of being very controversial very she's made racist remarks and has had a lot of bad publicity just because she she has not been the brightest in interviews and the comments that she's made in the in in past um however you can't you her talent is is just ridiculous.

[5:08] Eli Tokash: Her she's incredibly talented she has this history of Fanny Bryce from Glee um so everyone kind of wanted to see her in this role. Everyone wants to see her do it live. Um, when the show was announced, it was always, oh my god, is Leah Michelle going to be doing it? It was always Leah Michelle. Beanie Feldstein never really came up, and then Beanie Feldstein was announced, and everyone was super excited about it. Well, now Beanie is getting tough reviews and and on all of these conversations around her performances in the show, and uh the the company just simply isn't making money. Um, if they continued at the rate that they were doing going, they were gonna be closing within the next month or two.

Um, now that they have kind of made a casting change and they they brought in two big names actually, which I didn't even mention because Leah Michelle isn't the only new uh cast member who's going to be coming into Funny Girl. Jane Lynch is also leaving Funny Girl the same date as Beanie Feldstein, and she will be replaced by Tova Feldshuh.

[6:09] Eli Tokash: And again, I I may be mispronouncing that. I'm incredibly sorry. I'm not great with names, and even when I hear them, I'm still like, oh my god, I don't even know. Um, but so exciting. Um, this is like a new wave, it's getting great conversations around the show again, it's got people buying tickets again, it's like sold out already for when Leah Michelle comes. So, like the show now has life and for a little bit. Um, and it's very, very unfortunate what's going on with Beanie and how it all happened. Um, it's it's not it doesn't look great on the company, it doesn't look great on the producers. I mean, obviously, like the company of like the cast has nothing to do with it, and the cast is actually pretty heartbroken because they are all huge fans of Beanie.

They've said nothing but great words about her, about her being a great leader and a great performer and all these things, and that the press is unfair and everything like that. Um, so they've had her back, but they're also very welcoming and excited, it seems, to join uh to welcome the new cast members into the show.

[7:11] Eli Tokash: Um, but it's been it it's been craziness, and it's just been unfortunate for Beanie because she even came on the podcast, she was one of the nicest people we talked to on this podcast. She was incredible, great episode. You should go back and listen to it if you haven't. Um, and you can just tell right away, she's the sweetest person, and for her to be going through something like this, it's really difficult. Like, I couldn't imagine, you know, all this stuff going behind the scenes, and she's still performing in the show, and she's still performing eight times a week. It's very I don't know how she's doing it, you know.

[7:42] Eli Tokash: It's um just to know what's going on and that she's kind of getting screwed, but she yet has to go out there the next couple weeks and and give a performance, you know, and and be a funny girl, you know. Like it that I can't imagine what she's going through. So I I'm thinking about Beanie a lot, and uh I wish her luck. I mean, she's not gonna be struggling. I she's gonna get uh something else in no time, you know, whether it's on Broadway or it's in TV and film, because she's a star. I mean, she is, she's Beanie Feldstein. So um, but very excited to see Leah Michelle. I do have to admit, I did already buy tickets to go see her.

[8:17] Eli Tokash: Um, I'm actually going with a loyal Take A Bow listener. Thanks. Um, very excited for that, and uh, I cannot wait to come on here and talk about it just because of how the expectations are set so high. I'm very curious to see if she meets expectations. Furthering this, this whole conversation with Leah Michelle coming into the show. It also came out um that the current understudy Julie Banco, who I mentioned, she will move up in the company as an alternate of Fanny Bryce.

[8:46] Eli Tokash: So she will be guaranteed one show a week, and that show is gonna be Thursday nights, and then she's probably gonna end. I I would not be shocked if she ends up doing Saturday matinees. Um, so if if you're currently if you want to see Leah Michelle and um you're planning on seeing Funny Girl, just know that Julie Banco is scheduled to perform on Thursday nights. Her performance is incredible, so it's definitely worth seeing. If you did buy a ticket for a Thursday night show, and you'll have no problem with it because you're still gonna love the show because it is a it is pretty good show. Um, but just know that uh Julie Banco is scheduled for Thursday nights, and Leah Michelle will be out of the show on Thursday night.

[9:22] Eli Tokash: So um just like a little mid-week break. Um, so yeah, we'll we'll see what happens and we'll see how this goes. But uh it's definitely created a lot of drama and a lot of conversations. I definitely wish I like had someone to talk about it with right now, just to go back and forth to talk about the the controversy and all that, but um, but yeah, I just figured I I had to report it because it's one of the biggest things that happened this past week.

[9:46] Eli Tokash: So um, anyways, moving on. Uh oh, oh, oh my goodness, more drama. Um, it was announced this past Monday, literally so today's Thursday, so Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday, so like three days ago, it was announced that Paradise Square is closing in six days on Sunday, July 17th. It's going to be closing, and it so the cast and and the stage crew and everyone had six days' notice that their show was closing. First of all, that is completely not fair to the cast members and anything like that. I mean, we had Jordan Deshaun Milton on the podcast a couple weeks ago, and like we talked about the importance of like knowing your show is closing so that it you have time to find a job, you have time to save up your money so that you can be able to survive for the next couple months without a job and all these things.

[10:42] Eli Tokash: So, so then it came out this week that Paradise Square is closing, and everyone's like, What's going on? Why are they just announcing that it's closing in six days? This is so unbelievable. This is not fair. What's going on? It just won a the it just won a Tony for best leading actress and was nominated. The Tony's and great and gave a great performance and everything. Um, however it it appears that actually the equities stepped in and closed this show.

[11:08] Eli Tokash: Um, Paradise Square, the producers of Paradise Square have failed to pay $350,000 worth of wages to the actors and stage hands. They have failed to um pay benefit contributions and many more um things that were guaranteed to in in people's contracts involved in the show, and they haven't met those contractual agreements. The Actors Equity Association and the local USA 829, um, actually is going to be taking the show and the producers to court for the matter. Um, it's very, very unfortunate thing, but uh I'm glad that the unions did end up stepping in before this continues and and and they get these actors are are performing without pay, and these stage crews are putting in all this time and effort and and they're kind of performing um without pay, you know?

[12:02] Eli Tokash: Like it's just it's so so wrong and it's very unfortunate, but uh glad the unions did step in to do their part to close down the show. It's unfortunate that these actors will not be having jobs or anything like that. Um, but I I I will say that I don't know the full story and the full extent on it, but I'm glad to say that I'm going to be seeing the show today when this comes out Thursday. Um, and I will be uh I have an interview lined up with one of the cast members to talk on this matter.

[12:31] Eli Tokash: Uh so we can learn more about it, um, know what it's like to to deal with this type of closure, the short notice and all these things with that that's going on with the show and all the press that it's receiving lately. So um it's gonna be really fascinating interview. Please keep your eye out for that. It's probably gonna come out as soon as Gabby's releases. So we're gonna probably do Kathryn Gallagher, uh, which is today, and then we're gonna do Gabriella Pizzolo, and then we're gonna have the Paradise Square cast member that I will be announcing that week because it's a very dear friend of mine that he was in shows with me. I'm very excited.

[13:03] Eli Tokash: Oh, I just gave you guys a hint, but that's okay. That's okay. Um and and so yeah, that that's happening. A lot of stuff, a lot of drama. That's what's going on on Broadway. Uh, those are the biggest stories. But then with every closure, of course, we always have um happy news with with shows coming to Broadway and shows that are planning on opening on Broadway. And we actually have two of those this week. We have Anne Juliet that will be uh coming to Broadway this October.

[13:29] Eli Tokash: And it was also announced that the comedy A No Mo will also be coming to Broadway this November. So very exciting stuff. Um, I'm looking forward to seeing both of those shows. Both of them have had these out-of-town tryouts that have done amazing and have gathered wildly successful reviews and all of these things. So um, it'll be very exciting to see these shows coming to New York and coming to Broadway. Yeah, so that's pretty much it. I mean, the last piece of news that I'll mention is that uh Cheyenne Jackson, star, by the way, um, absolute star. I'm very excited for this, will be stepping in to Into the Woods. We'll be stepping into the woods. Um, as the wolf and Cinderella's Prince. The roles uh he actually performed these roles at the Hollywood Bowl.

And uh this is because Gavin Creel has a previously announced commitment um and has to leave the show from July 24th to August 2nd. And Cheyenne Jackson will be coming in to cover that slot for for those roughly 10 shows, I would say, um, in Into the Woods. So uh another star is added to the cast, another uh award nominated winner, all kind of things, actors like Gavin Creel is. I mean, this cast doesn't need any more star power, but it just keeps adding it, so why not? Um, it's incredible. I and I still have yet to see the show. It's killing me every day. Um, but yeah, that's beside the point. So just a little heads up there. Big news, big two names that uh is going into a big show. So I figured I mention it.

Um, that's about it for the Broadway news this week. I just want to say before I turn it over to the episode, because I know this is like a full hour episode because it was at BroadwayCon and it was a full hour panel. So I don't want to go on too long, and I won't be doing any of the segments or anything like that today. But it was I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out because there's nothing better than doing this with like actual people because I know that people are actually listening, and I know if I'm actually like entertaining people or if I'm just boring people. Um, so it it's very great to have people come to BroadwayCon and come to these panels when they could be listening to Hillary Clinton or going to do the Broadway Con cosplay thing.

Um, people came and chose to listen to me and Kathryn Gallagher, and it was really really cool. And um, for that, uh you know, we had some fun giveaways, and it was cool to see like a bunch of people in the audience in Take A Bow merch and wearing these stickers on their costumes that they were already wearing or doing all these fun things, and it just meant so much, and it was really really cool. And um, I I can't get over the weekend. It was really just amazing, and it was wonderful for the podcast. I met so many wonderful people and wonderful listeners, and I just want to say thank you all for listening. And I want to say that if you were in the audience like at BroadwayCon, thank you because you're listening to this right now.

So thank you twice. Um, thank you a million times to be completely honest with you. But yeah, it was just it was incredible, and special shout out to Reese, which is an audience member. We have a lot of audience members that are involved in this week's episode, but Reese has a very special part, and uh you'll be listening to it soon. Kathryn Gallagher is an icon for this moment, and uh it was just it was sending us so um without further ado. I'm not gonna keep teasing it. Just I want to say thank you again for coming to BroadwayCon and for coming to listen to me, and we're definitely gonna be doing more live shows because they're just way too much fun. So, with that being said, Kathryn Gallagher curtain up how we doing.

[17:19] Kathryn Gallagher: Thank you all for coming to our live recording of Take A Bow Podcast. It's literally the second ever live recording of our podcast. Um, you did the whole spiel about BPN, right? Yes, you can take your mask off. Oh, yeah, I can. Yay, thank you. Masks are going off. Um yeah, today we have an amazing guest. She is a Grammy winning and Tony nominated actress. Yes, snaps. Um you know her from her stunning performance in Jagged Little Pill and Spring Awakening. Uh she was she most recently released a brand new single called Read It in the Paper, which was just playing, but when you guys were sitting down and coming in. Uh so everyone, welcome to Take A Bow, Kathryn Gallagher! Yay!

[18:06] Eli Tokash: Oh my goodness. Can you sit here?

[18:10] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, wherever you want to sit.

[18:12] Eli Tokash: I'd rather be cool.

[18:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, you can sit here, you can go there. There's waters for the coffee.

[18:19] Kathryn Gallagher: Hi everyone, you look so beautiful. Yay!

[18:22] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, so exciting. So um how this is goes, uh, we'll obviously have a little chat, and then we want it to be super interactive, so feel free to like shout out, woo-woo, do all the things. Uh talk to us. We're gonna open it up to your best.

[18:37] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes.

[18:35] Eli Tokash: Open it up to some audience questions and I have a question.

[18:41] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, let's go.

[18:41] Eli Tokash: Is it can if you don't can we Yeah, scoot. Do you guys want to come closer?

[18:48] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[18:48] Eli Tokash: I just see platinum reserve seating, but there's no one here. So I just figure Don't be shy. It's it's family style here.

[18:58] Kathryn Gallagher: Yay. It's so nice to see your faces.

[19:00] Eli Tokash: Yes, and thank you all for keeping your mask on because that's uh super important. So yay, thank you. My bosses will kill me.

[19:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes.

[19:09] Eli Tokash: Um, so the way I usually like to start my episodes is asking each guest, you know, how they got inspired to get into the theater to tell stories, all the things. What was your story?

[19:18] Kathryn Gallagher: My story was I didn't know about other job options, I feel like. Like I kind of I had this daydream of being like uh a vet by day and pop star by night. That was sort of like my earliest dream. Um but I really just like it it sort of always felt like the only thing I knew how to do and um it was the only thing I cared about doing I would be three years old and and putting concerts on in um like the lobby of my apartment building right up on 71st um my first show. And so I just was like I'd be sit standing on the tables in preschool singing Annie. Like I was really that kid who just wouldn't shut up. Obsessed so I and then when I realized it was like a viable career option I was like well obviously I'm not good at anything else so I was really glad this is working out.

[20:04] Eli Tokash: You didn't go to school for vet then?

[20:06] Kathryn Gallagher: No I didn't but I actually you know what I didn't when I was like 20 no like 19 when I was your age I had this moment where I was like I'm not amounting to anything and so I looked up pastry schools in France.

[20:19] Eli Tokash: What I don't know it was a dark month.

[20:22] Kathryn Gallagher: So was that just a thought or you actually did it.

[20:24] Eli Tokash: No I looked it up I didn't actually go I ended up actually what happened was I ended up getting a call from Michael Arden.

[20:29] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh so I guess I was 20 yeah and he was like hey I'm doing this tiny uh black box production of Spring Awakening and I love your voice and would you have coffee with me?

[20:38] Eli Tokash: Obsessed and I was like yeah I played a coup that not cool that's crazy but you made your real Broadway debut on 71st Street.

[20:38] Kathryn Gallagher: I did and it was really it was 71st and Broadway. So not gonna lie that's everything that was my Broadway debut but in all like technicality technically you're probably Spring Awakening.

[20:59] Eli Tokash: So talk to me about that experience. I mean, you did the Deaf West revival production of it.

[21:03] Kathryn Gallagher: So talk to me about that.

[21:05] Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, you kind of had to be like a voice of a character, you know, like what was that like?

[21:10] Kathryn Gallagher: Different.

[21:11] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[21:11] Kathryn Gallagher: Different. I mean I I was so lucky when I look back on, it's really interesting because I think that we get so set in in our minds about how things are supposed to go and what success is supposed to look like and what it's gonna what it means to be successful. We have this like we'd make this decision when we're like seven years old. That like if I haven't by the age of 21 found my soulmate and uh won a Grammy and sold out an arena, then I'm a failure. And I think I had this very certain idea of what success was going to look like. And part of that, when I first talked to um when Michael first talked to me, he said, I want you to be Ilse.

[21:47] Eli Tokash: Oh which is at that point was my dream role.

[21:50] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. There was like, yes, I would love to be Ilsa in my favorite musical of all time, singing my favorite song of all time. Like, yes. And then basically what happened was he was like, keep your summer open. So I was like, okay, this is an offer.

[22:03] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah and uh it wasn't. I misunderstood. Um, but I we'd like lost touch and didn't hear anything, and I saw this like open call thing online um for every role, and I was like, but this guy, my friend, yeah, you can't.

[22:18] Eli Tokash: And so what happened was like two nights later, um, what's like the age range of people that listen to this podcast?

[22:26] Kathryn Gallagher: I don't know.

[22:26] Eli Tokash: I don't even know the answer to that.

[22:28] Kathryn Gallagher: So a few a few nights later, I was with my friend, and we uh we wanted to get some ideas. We wanted to get some more, and so we were like, okay, well, we're too far, the pink berry was too far, and then we're like, there's a gelato place down the street that we can walk to.

[22:43] Eli Tokash: And so we're like, we'll take the dog, that's important.

[22:46] Kathryn Gallagher: And so um we we go down, and I'm wearing uh pink juicy track suit uh and hug slippers, so I look wonderful, and um, and she's wearing something similar, and so we're walking down and we go to the gelato and she's like, I'm gonna stay out here with Rocky, and you uh go inside and get me a lemon and vanilla.

[23:05] Eli Tokash: And I was like, you got it.

[23:07] Kathryn Gallagher: So I walk in, hood up, feeling myself, and um, and I'm standing in line, and I hear this tiny little voice go, um, Catherine, and I was like, It's in your head, Gallagher, obviously, relax. It gets louder, it gets out I turn around, it's Michael Arden.

[23:07] Eli Tokash: No.

[23:07] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[23:07] Eli Tokash: And I was like, oh no.

[23:25] Kathryn Gallagher: And I had just been mad at him in my head, which of course I'm afraid of confrontation, so I'm not gonna be mad at him out loud.

[23:30] Eli Tokash: Right.

[23:30] Kathryn Gallagher: And so I was like, I turned around and I was like, oh my god, hi, it's so good to see you. You look wonderful. What flavor did you get? Did you get the rocky roll because I would get the rocky road that looks like the rocky roll? I think I'm gonna get coffee because I love coffee. But anyway, it's like I gotta go to my room with the dogs, but I gotta go, but it's so good to see you anyway. It's great that I see you. And then I get back in line and I was like, oh no, my life is crumbling around me.

[23:49] Eli Tokash: And um, literally, like literally insane.

[23:51] Kathryn Gallagher: And so then uh I go back outside and I see my roommate, and I was like, So you will not believe what just happened. That guy, and she goes, Why did you get me lemon and vanilla in the same cup?

[23:51] Eli Tokash: And I was like, What?

[24:03] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm going through something.

[24:04] Eli Tokash: Like we have pal here, right?

[24:06] Kathryn Gallagher: And she's like, I have to go get another cup.

[24:10] Eli Tokash: And I was like, that's fucked up.

[24:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Like, okay, leave me here.

[24:15] Eli Tokash: She's like, hold the dog.

[24:16] Kathryn Gallagher: I was like, okay, fine. So I'm outside, and then all of a sudden she starts talking to Michael Arden.

[24:20] Eli Tokash: And I was like, I'm outside literally, like, that's the guy.

[24:23] Kathryn Gallagher: And she's like, oh and so she gets a hint, so she brings him and his friend outside who turns up is the associate director.

[24:29] Eli Tokash: No,

[24:29] Kathryn Gallagher: and then we're all four of us standing in a circle, and finally I muster up the bravery to say, So, what happened with that like production spring awakening?

[24:38] Eli Tokash: And he's like, Why didn't you show up for your audition?

[24:42] Kathryn Gallagher: What?

[24:43] Eli Tokash: And I was like, Stop.

[24:44] Kathryn Gallagher: Sir, what do you mean?

[24:46] Eli Tokash: And he was like, Well, your name was on our list, and we never heard back from you.

[24:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Stop.

[24:50] Eli Tokash: And I was like, I didn't no one called me.

[24:52] Kathryn Gallagher: Like, no one told me about it.

[24:54] Eli Tokash: I only saw the open call.

[24:54] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, I was like, no one know what to do.

[24:56] Eli Tokash: I didn't know what to do.

[24:57] Kathryn Gallagher: And so he was like, okay, well, our last day is tomorrow. Can you come in?

[25:00] Eli Tokash: And I was like, absolutely.

[25:02] Kathryn Gallagher: So I learned that, you know, monologue and blue-in. I go in, I do the whole thing, and he calls me after, and he was like, You're perfect. The team, like, every you're perfect, but you're not what we want for this production.

[25:14] Eli Tokash: And I was like, that's fine, I'm making a record, like, not meant to be.

[25:17] Kathryn Gallagher: And I was like, eh, bummed, but I was just like, it's cool. And then three months later, he calls me, my last day of the studio on the record I was working on, and he says, Someone just dropped out. I'm on my knees. I know you play guitar. Would you be interested in voicing Marta? I know it's not as big of a part, I know it's not this, but like, please, I I need someone, rehearsal start tomorrow. Would you consider it?

[25:38] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[25:40] Kathryn Gallagher: And I was like, have a turn tables of turn.

[25:45] Eli Tokash: So I go inside to the studio and we play the Tony performance from Spring Awakening up on the the screen and the monitors and everything, and I was like, This is my favorite show in the world. I'd be such an idiot not to do it because of my like ego, like fucking not gonna let that stop me.

[25:59] Kathryn Gallagher: So I call him back and I was like, you know, there's a tour that might be happening, which was true. There was like all these things that maybe were happening. I was like, if those things happened, like I have to go with them, but like, yes, I'm on board, let's do it, I'm in.

[26:10] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[26:11] Kathryn Gallagher: And that decision that like my ego was telling me not to do, we were making no money on this thing. I knew it was gonna be a ton of work. I didn't really think I was a good enough guitarist to be doing it. Like, nothing about it made sense, except for my gut was like, if you don't do this, you're gonna regret it forever.

[26:27] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[26:27] Kathryn Gallagher: And then that choice to do that and having a job that playing Ilso would have been amazing. It would have been but it wouldn't have made me, it wouldn't have given me the opportunity to become the guitarist I had to become. Sit in a room with Dunkin' Chic, writing out guitar parts on an electric guitar just for me on my favorite songs of all time. Like it wouldn't have given I had to shred guitar like for like eight hours a day after rehearsal every day just to get good enough. And so yeah, it was it gave me all of these reasons to become better in all these ways I wouldn't have been if I had let my pride or my ego get in the way.

[27:00] Kathryn Gallagher: And then when it comes to actually voicing for a deaf actor, you are a tool, you're the instrument. That was when I became the guitar. I was not the player, I was the guitar, right? And so everything I did had to be so connected, whatever Trischelle wanted that moment to be. That was the conversation that I was there to be her instrument, and nothing more. And that like it was such a lesson in like what happens when you like throw your ego out, and you become whatever is necessary at that moment. And then by the time we transferred to Broadway, I got to be the dance captain, which was then another level of like, I'm not ready. Oh my god. And Spencer took me out to lunch like that summer, right before we started, and he was like, Look, I need you to do this.

Yeah, no one else can do it. This it's your job. I believe in you a hundred percent. And I was like, and so I was like, Well, here's another opportunity. I'm not prepared, I'm not ready, I don't have the skills, but there's no choice but to be brilliant in this moment, right? And so I worked my ass off. I got like stage right, which is the iPad thing with all the stage plots, and I like did everything I could do to become the best version of that. By the end of the run, I staged the late night at Seth Myers thing. Oh my god. For Spencer. He was out of town and he showed me how to do it with like knives and forks at Glasshouse. Like, and then I'm on stage at the fucking sorry at the White House.

Being like, okay, no, Alex, you're there. Like out of the way. Spring Awakening was this total lesson, and like you're gonna end up doing what you you're supposed to be doing, and it's not gonna look like what you thought it was going to. Right. But if you trust that little, if you throw your ego out the door and trust that weird little voice inside of you, you're gonna end up doing something brilliant and exactly where you're supposed to be. Oh my god. So that was my Spring Awakening journey.

[28:42] Eli Tokash: That is everything.

[28:44] Kathryn Gallagher: So really was saga. Yeah. Really, what we learned throughout that whole story was you should be going to all the gelato stores in New York to bump into Michael Arden. Michael Arden will be a gelato. Yeah. And he will cast you in a musical. Oh my god, why are you saying this about me? Yeah, he's literally gonna come up to you and be like, Why weren't you at your audition? Literally, that's that's where Michael Arden finds the talent. Yeah, it's insane. That's awesome though. It's just like, what if I didn't get gelato that night? Yeah, no, literally. What if Pinkberry was open? Literally, what if what if we went to Pinkberry? Right. That's the title of my memoir, What if I went to Pinkberry? Oh my god.

No, that's insane though, but it's so cool how like you know, stars align and like things happen for a reason. Just trust your gut, you'll end up. Um I well, I want to talk more about this. You know, you kind of touched on you being a tool or an instrument for a deaf actor. I mean, how were you able because you had to be the voice? Yeah, how were you able to like you know get into that character and kind of embody that character as like a voice?

[29:42] Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, I was so lucky because Trischelle is such a force that being able to work with her and to see what she was doing, and you know, sign language, if you're not familiar with the language, it's the most expressive, most beautiful, most like truly entrancing language, and I I was so lucky to get to to learn it and be so immersed in in deaf culture because it's extraordinary. Um, and so I think just watching Trischelle really embody Marta so fully and and take what I could from the music and the script, and um just sort of before the show, we would lock eyes and we would hold each other's hands and we find each other and we'd connect, and we just trusted each other, just intense trust.

[30:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that's so really special. I love that.

[30:24] Kathryn Gallagher: So you guys really became like one unit, one of the things. She would find me every day before the show, and she would be, she did something. Oh man, I wish I remember what it was. We had some sort of like handshake or something that you do for every show, and it would just connect us. It was crazy.

[30:36] Eli Tokash: I love it. She's really an amazing, amazing girl.

[30:40] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. Well, I need to talk to you about Jagged Little Pill.

[30:42] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[30:43] Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, uh, go on and on about Spring Awakening. Wait, actually, I do want to talk about Spring Awakening. I love you.

[30:46] Eli Tokash: I will always have a game.

[30:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Well, because I did like Spring Awakening, everyone knows, or everyone should know that there was a new doc, like the documentary Spring Awakening.

[30:58] Eli Tokash: Yep.

[30:59] Kathryn Gallagher: Um those you've known Doc had dropped and there's been a ton of buzz around it and everything. I mean, have you seen it?

[31:05] Kathryn Gallagher: Absolutely, four times.

[31:06] Eli Tokash: Really?

[31:06] Kathryn Gallagher: Absolutely. I'm a super fan. I'm a guilty one.

[31:09] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[31:09] Kathryn Gallagher: I literally, I was saying this to Johnny Gallagher the other day. I I he's you know a buddy of mine, and he was like, I was like, you don't understand how important you are.

[31:13] Eli Tokash: Stop.

[31:13] Kathryn Gallagher: And he was like, Why what? And I was like, you're the original Moritz Schiefle.

[31:19] Eli Tokash: And he was like, We're friends. You don't have to be like this.

[31:27] Kathryn Gallagher: You're so important.

[31:29] Eli Tokash: My god.

[31:29] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, I love that. I'm buddies with all of it. Like Skylar, I fangirled him.

[31:33] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I'm obsessed.

[31:34] Kathryn Gallagher: He's one of my he's literally my brother, and I'm like, You're so low and touch me.

[31:38] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[31:40] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god. It's important to fangirl. I love it.

[31:42] Eli Tokash: I love when like friends can fangirl over your eyes.

[31:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god. I every time I work with Duncan, I'm like, so when you wrote Touch Me, did you be in front of me like I like always? Just like I can't stop.

[31:52] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[31:52] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. I'm sure the nostalgia like totally came in too while watching.

[31:56] Eli Tokash: Absolutely.

[31:57] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, oh my god. Come on. They're talking, they're plugging your song.

[32:01] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[32:02] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, I can't imagine just like being able to like relive those moments. I mean, it's a different production, but it's still Spring Awakening.

[32:08] Eli Tokash: It's a different production, but it's also the reason, like Spring Awakening is the reason Bonnie, Alex Bonnie Yellow, um started, I don't know, my baby.

[32:16] Kathryn Gallagher: Um it was the reason he wanted to do it. Like Spring Awakening for our generation is it was the most, it was our rent.

[32:24] Eli Tokash: It was like the most influential thing.

[32:26] Kathryn Gallagher: Seeing Spring Awakening on Broadway was the moment that I was like, I can do this. There's a space on Broadway for my kind of voice.

[32:32] Eli Tokash: Right.

[32:32] Kathryn Gallagher: There, like I it was it made me think that there was like a world in which I could really thrive on Broadway, which had been my dream forever. And so I think that getting to celebrate that legacy, and then also like there was a few cool moments. We were all there where we were like, oh, we're a tiny part of that legacy, but also just being able to fully be a fan of it and really realize how cool it was that we even got to go to the party.

[32:54] Eli Tokash: Oh, which was a great party.

[32:56] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, we'll leave it at that.

[33:00] Eli Tokash: Cut it off.

[33:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh but uh again, I want to talk about Jagged Little Pill.

[33:05] Eli Tokash: Because this this Jagged Little Pill is the first time I saw you on the stage.

[33:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Um yeah, I didn't get to see you in Spring Awakening.

[33:10] Eli Tokash: That's a sad face.

[33:11] Kathryn Gallagher: You were like six.

[33:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, pretty much.

[33:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh I wasn't even in New York.

[33:14] Eli Tokash: But um very inappropriate for you.

[33:17] Kathryn Gallagher: I probably wouldn't have understood anything, to be honest, though.

[33:20] Eli Tokash: These songs are cool.

[33:21] Kathryn Gallagher: They are really good though.

[33:23] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[33:24] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, sorry, fangirling over theater.

[33:26] Eli Tokash: You gotta do it.

[33:27] Kathryn Gallagher: We have to support each other, guys.

[33:28] Eli Tokash: Um so yeah, you originated the role of Bella in Jagged Little Pill.

[33:33] Kathryn Gallagher: Insane.

[33:33] Eli Tokash: You originated a role on Broadway.

[33:35] Kathryn Gallagher: Hello.

[33:35] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[33:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Grammy winner, Tony Nominee.

[33:38] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[33:39] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes, come on.

[33:41] Eli Tokash: Um what was that?

[33:44] Kathryn Gallagher: I don't know.

[33:45] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[33:46] Kathryn Gallagher: I don't know. Do you like remember any of it? Was it a few years ago?

[33:49] Kathryn Gallagher: I blacked out, yeah.

[33:50] Eli Tokash: Um it's so that's so that's a great question.

[33:56] Kathryn Gallagher: It's so funny because I it was the most meaningful experience in my life. From start to finish, Jagged Little Pill has had the greatest impact. Like, like the biggest transition or sort of transformation that I've ever had as a person and as an actor, um, has happened during the years from the moment I started Jagged Little Pill and the moment it ended. Like it, everything in my life that has happened over the past five years has been terrifying, scary, huge, exciting, and just big. There's been nothing subtle about the last five years, and there's been another great show.

[34:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[34:35] Kathryn Gallagher: Sorry.

[34:36] Eli Tokash: No, I love it.

[34:37] Kathryn Gallagher: It's so good. I'm a theater kid too, you guys. Guys, this is Broadway Cup. This is what we do. You have to have a safe space for us, you know.

[34:44] Kathryn Gallagher: And so I really think that like that whole experience, it's so funny because I was literally watching, I made this compilation video of like the vlogs that I did for Broadway.com, and I was watching yesterday to send to someone, and I and her response is like, it looks like you guys had the time of your life. And we did, and I and I think that phrase is kind of perfect because it encompasses everything. We, as a company and as individuals, experience the highest of highs and like truly sincerely the absolute lowest of lows. And I think that how can you not let uh it's it was crazy to think that a show that that dares to go there in so many ways was not going to be a show that didn't push us all individually and as a company to the greatest depths and greatest lengths of our our humanity, our personhood, our you know, I mean it it was a uh journey.

[35:37] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you did it eight times a week in six days.

[35:40] Kathryn Gallagher: Woo!

[35:41] Eli Tokash: Um and you went there eight times a week.

[35:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes, I know um it was it was one of the most unforgettable performances I've ever seen, literally. And I'm not just saying that no, literally, we my I went with my sister and I we walked out and we were like, who is Kathryn Gallagher? And like, can I be her friend?

[36:02] Eli Tokash: Um Yeah, no, seriously, it was everything, and that story is everything, and that cast is everything.

[36:09] Kathryn Gallagher: Um I can't imagine what it was like to do that eight times a week and go there. How d how were you able to stay like positive and kind of lift yourself up?

[36:18] Kathryn Gallagher: I didn't really I didn't. I think that that's you know, I I think when I was doing the show I was very careful to um, you know, be shiny and be glittery when I when I would speak about the experience because I didn't want anyone to worry about me because I could handle it and I wasn't worried about myself. But the truth of the matter is like I I just shifted the spectrum in which I viewed what positive meant, I guess. You know, when I was doing that role, it's a role that's was extremely personal for me. It has my own experience woven into every line on that page. Uh we would talk about, you know, uh when we were talking about the scene work, like every time I had a thought, it was coming from uh my own experience.

And so it it's a role, and and every word on those pages is something that I hold so tightly and so deeply close to me that there was no world in which I couldn't take that home every night. There was no world in which that experience, um, saying those words wasn't gonna be something that I it was never gonna be something I could throw off like a coat and hang up. I tried. I tried really hard. I would do these dance parties after the show, I would um, you know, had it at a playlist I would listen to. I was in therapy, I still am, like all of these tools. Yes, we love but I think it's important to acknowledge that like sometimes, you know, what we give as artists is not going to be um shiny. It's going to be rough around the edges.

And I think the thing that made it feel so um important for me to keep doing, even when like a hundred percent there were nights where I was like, if there was a night that I snuck out the back door and didn't stage door, it's probably because I was like couldn't. Like I could I c I had nothing left. And I think that it's so important to have moments um on stage, right? In the stories that we tell that aren't shiny and aren't polished and are coming from, you know, this place of mess, which is why playing Bella was so important to me, because it there is nothing about her that could fit in a box.

[38:40] Kathryn Gallagher: And there was nothing about her experience that was bulletproof, and it was all something that if you read it in the paper, someone would say she deserved it, and someone would say she asked for it, and that is a complicated place to go every night because you're going to ask yourself the same questions, and you're not going to be able to fit all of your feelings into a box at the end of the night.

[39:02] Kathryn Gallagher: And I think that hearing from people who, because of the mess that we dared to go into, felt seen and felt heard for the first time ever.

[39:11] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[39:12] Kathryn Gallagher: Because it wasn't tied up in a bow.

[39:14] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:15] Kathryn Gallagher: It's like I think that you know it it didn't feel shiny, but it felt important. And I'm really lucky. And a big shout out to my cast, um, Derek, Elizabeth, Lauren, the three of them, especially, made it possible for me to keep showing up because I always knew I had a place to go in them, um, where they would really keep me protected and feeling safe. And so I'm really grateful to that company and our creative team. Diane was like my rock. Uh Diablo Cody was my rock. Like, every single person really showed up for me in an amazing way, and so I'm I couldn't have done it without the family that we had, and so I'm just forever grateful.

[39:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[39:56] Kathryn Gallagher: Diane is literally one of my favorite directors ever.

[39:59] Eli Tokash: She's the greatest person in the world.

[40:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, the way that I love her.

[40:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah, like she like can actually like take care of her performers, which means a lot.

[40:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Like she really gives a shit.

[40:10] Eli Tokash: She's not gonna ask you to do something that you're not comfortable with doing.

[40:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Absolutely not. And I think that it's that it's not always that way. I'll say that. Um, and so to have that support, especially in a show like this, is like huge.

[40:24] Kathryn Gallagher: And it came from the cast and the creatives. They were that's everything. Yeah, um, I want to keep on this topic and say like that season alone, you know, Jagged Little Pill, there was like around that time a fun home, and like all these stories that were like we were Broadway's getting a place to again where we could have these conversations where we can open these conversations that we weren't shying away from the glamour and the shiny stuff, you know. We were really diving into it. And a show like Jagged Little Pill, I mean, was on the forefront of that kind of thing and led the way. Um, what did it mean just to like be able to have those opportunities to tell that story and kind of like, you know, at the stage door the nights that you were able to go, you know, I'm sure you heard stories, I'm sure you received mail. Like, yeah, what did that mean to just know that you were telling a story that someone could relate to and just change their lives?

[41:18] Kathryn Gallagher: Well, it's really interesting because it's a part of the reason why my role grew. Because when we did it at ART, I was an ensemble character. So I had one scene and one song, and even in the first workshop, no, didn't even exist until like the second week or something. Yeah, originally Bella was just singing Predator and had that one scene on the couch. Wow. And that was it. And then the rest of the time I like put my hat. And that was another situation where I had just booked a TV show called You, if you guys have seen it.

[41:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Never heard of it. And so, you know, we were all sort of like it was really important to me to get to work with Alanis, and I had this gut feeling that it was right, but at the same time, like doing a workshop that had no guarantee of a role in the out-of-town try-out, while it was also like an ensemble role, and you know, I don't know if you guys know much about Broadway workshops, but it's a lot of work and you can't pay your rent on it. So doing that meant that I had to potentially give up my role on You. It meant that it was up to the product because the Jagged Little Pill is, you know, at as they can, uh, basically said, like, all right, it's us or them, so pick. And that was a three-week lab.

And so I, you know, talked to Sarah Gamble and Greg Berlanti, and I was like, I want to do this, but what do I do? And so they very graciously and did not have to, uh, wrote me out of two episodes of You, and then wrote me back in so that I only missed like, you know, two episodes, which was also like well, that was a big leap of faith. They did not have to do that. That was a real thing. I look back on that and I'm like, I don't know if I would have made that decision. Very bold. Um, but you know, because of their graciousness, uh, I got to go back into the show and um only miss a few episodes when it was like truly a smaller role with no guarantee of even continuing on at the project.

[43:07] Kathryn Gallagher: And so um, but yeah, back to the original question. Sorry. Um just another like example of like why we have to trust our gut, you know. Part of me was like, this is important, and this story is important, even if it's you know, not the story of the show, even if it's this small thing. But when we brought it to Boston, even at in rehearsals for Boston, I wasn't even singing uninvited, like it was really like it really really grew, and because it grew because um they I started telling Diane after the first two, three shows, I was hearing from so many survivors, and I went to her and I said, Diane, I need help. I need training because I don't want to say the wrong thing. I don't want to. This is a vulnerable moment, it's a big moment in people's lives.

She got me training with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Wow. And um, and I said, and I think this is like really important. Look at these stories. Look at the look at what I'm hearing. This matters to people. This story really matters to people. And that was of the responses and the reaction we got from the fans. That was one of the big changes that we made in going to Broadway was how can we flesh this out? How can we make this story feel respectful to this experience? How can we, you know, help it grow? And um, and we did. We added that scene in the kitchen with MJ. We found it really important that MJ and Bella would meet, that she would be faced with her younger self, you know, with her own trauma. And um, and the show just grew so much because of the audience, because you know, I mean, thankfully, Diane was like excited and willing to hear what people were saying. So that was super cool.

[44:41] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, and it's also like a testament to like any performer, like if you're in the room or you're listening to this at home or wherever, um, like if you're a performer and an ensemble role is like it's not like it's not it, it it's just equally as important, and you never know what can come with it. And as a performer, coming into the rehearsal space every day, putting your best foot forward, and you know, just going for it really does a lot for a creative team and can help expand the role. Well, and also remembering, like, especially you know, that was my second ensemble role, and I think so. Remembering that, like, you're always being watched. If you're in the room as an ensemble member, you're not invisible.

In fact, you're really being watched. People, the more you shine, if you shine as an ensemble member and you're giving a hundred and ten percent, like everyone is taking note. Yeah, maybe not for that show, but while they're in that room, they're casting their next show. So the more you show up and you're kind and you're prepared and you're courteous and you're respectful, that's your career. That's you like building a reputation. And the one thing about your reputation is your first few jobs matter. You know, and showing up and showing that you're like really game to take whatever size role, whatever it is, and whatever you do, I mean, what's that uh how you do one thing is how you do everything, and that's really it.

It's like it doesn't matter how big your role is, it doesn't matter um how how sort of seemingly insignificant. The only thing that matters is that if you feel insignificant in it, everyone else knows. So if you think this doesn't matter because I'm just holding up this sign in the back of the stage, everyone knows that's how you feel. If you're like, this is the story I am fucking telling, and I am gonna tell it with every single fiber of my being, then you're still in the show. The only thing we can do is be in the world that we're creating on that stage, no matter who you are in it.

[46:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, you I mean, you go see these shows, you go see MJ, you go see a show like Jagged Little Pill, and all these Moulin Rouge, like these ensemble pieces, one of those ensemble members, you're not gonna be. Yeah, come on. Like let's fucking go. Yes, let's fucking go. They're like leading actors and performers, and they're gonna succeed, and you're they're gonna catch your eye if even if they're in the ensemble. So, like when you're bringing it, you you know, you're gonna be. Also, let's get a Tony for Best Ensemble. The fact that you can make it. What is going on? Understudies too, like understudies need to be. I'm glad that they're starting to get the recognition that they do. The show is only as strong as as every single person in it wants it to be.

Yep. You know? And every single person. If you were put in that role, you were put there for a reason, and that's because everyone on that creative team believes in you. And that is something that I think can be hard to believe. It's hard to believe in yourself. Totally. In those moments where you maybe feel small and you maybe feel, you know like that you don't matter. And I think that that happens in life too. You know, you can be in a room and if you decide that you don't matter that's how you're gonna feel but if you decide that you do, if you wake up in the morning and you walk into a room and you know what you're bringing into that whether or not you're doing theater, whatever you're doing, if you walk into the room knowing what you bring to the table, everyone will agree with you. Everyone. And that's a really hard thing to do obviously that's shifting your perspective but I think it's the only thing we can do.

[48:11] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. Absolutely. It's important this whole thing, this whole industry is it has ways of working and everybody knows everyone. So like that is true. Being kind. Be really nice and always hang up your clothes. Yes. Oh my gosh. Do not leave your clothes on the floor for your dresser. We had the same dressing once. Diana. Yeah so she did dressed me in A Christmas Story. I was like I saw all of her like posts while you're in Jagged and I was like oh my god she does this gadget. So I would always hang up my clothes but sometimes it would be quick changes and her favorite moment was I hung up my tank top once on two separate hangers. So one strap was on one and one was on the other and she was like how did you do this? I was like at least I hung it up I'm sorry.

[48:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Alright no well I mean there's nothing more collaborative than a musical like seriously like every person the dressers the backstage for everything the ensemble the understudies everything. Everyone's important. Everyone is equally important in making the machine run, I guess you would say. Um, but uh, I mean, you do a million other things other than Broadway, so I want to talk about it. Uh obviously, when you guys came in, I was playing her songs, so she has some songs out there. I mean, you talked about working on a record label and all the things. So, like, what is that like? What is it like to like be able to tell your story and not like a character?

[49:27] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, it's really fun. Yeah, it's therapy. Um, it's so funny. I said to my parents the other day uh that I'm a retired musician, which is a little bit how I feel. Um it was so my my primary um love and joy and determination since I was 11 years old. Yeah, I was signed to a label when I was 15, I had my first film placement at 16, I had a trance hit at 17, like there was a while where it was like really looking like it was going, and I went to college to study songwriting at 18, and um and it and it's it's so been the thing I've always wanted more, and it's been very interesting in the last few years how your ideas and your passions change, and part of that has been really freeing because um I used to think of music as like my main gig and everything else was sort of like really, you know.

Yeah, I mean, music was like writing songs was the most important thing in the world to me. Wow. And then I realized it wasn't anymore. But it was one of the it's writing songs is one of the most important things to me as a person, but not me as a like right now, the thing I'm really the most excited about is being a great actor. That's the thing that like I'm coaching multiple times a week. I'm really excited about like figuring out a scene and understanding a character. Like that wasn't my passion five years ago. And it really is now. And I will never stop writing songs, don't worry. Don't worry. Because it is, but now it's this thing that just kind of I do to bring me joy, which is a really exciting shift in perspective for me.

And um, and it's you know, I think it started during the pandemic when I had all these songs I loved, but they weren't produced and they weren't perfect, and I didn't know what genre they were and whatever, but I loved them. So I was like, why don't I just release them as demos? Who gives a shit? Like I don't, I wanna just like get it out because I wrote them and I've and I have to, and so I put those out, and like those aren't running to the top of any charts, they're not getting on any editorial playlists, but it was fun. Yeah, it was fun making it, and you know, these songs I'm putting out now, it's like I'm not pressuring myself to you know make it something and do something big with it.

I'm just like enjoying it, and I think that that freedom has been the most exciting part because now if I pick up my guitar, if I play a show, it's because I just kind of want to. There's no point A to point B, and it's been really liberating and exciting, and it's put this whole new um sort of shine on on me making music. It's been really cool.

[52:02] Eli Tokash: I love that.

[52:03] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. What is it like working with like Alanis? Because, like, I mean, she's a badass like you. I mean, like, you know.

[52:08] Kathryn Gallagher: She's a really cool lady. Yeah. Was she like kind of someone who's kind of always had a musical impact on you, would you say?

[52:15] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. I've been listening to her since I was five years old.

[52:17] Kathryn Gallagher: Really?

[52:18] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, absolutely. My mom would play her Jagged Little Pill in the car every time.

[52:24] Kathryn Gallagher: Stop it.

[52:25] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, it was like she is, you know, I wrote a paper on her in Glenn Ballard in college.

[52:29] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, like I was a fan.

[52:31] Eli Tokash: Did you give it to her? Were you like you?

[52:32] Kathryn Gallagher: I told I told Glenn, I was like, so Glenn has become a really good friend of mine, and we've been working on music together, and I told him uh he was like, Can I read the paper? And I was like, Not a chance in hell. I was like, I was a tired college student who wrote a shitty paper. You can't read it. You respect me right now. I'm not risking that.

[52:50] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god. Um, but no, I uh they definitely can't read it. Humiliating. Um uh too much self-respect for that. But uh but it's been really cool, um, you know, to get to see how her, you know, she was she changed the music industry for women.

[53:07] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. I mean she changed it for everybody, but especially for women. She broke all the rules and and paved new roads.

[53:13] Kathryn Gallagher: And so being able to just sit in a room with her and like dissect her lyrics and watch her rewrite a lyric and watch her listen and watch her interact with these songs that she wrote when she was like 19 years old.

[53:25] Kathryn Gallagher: Like it's insane.

[53:26] Kathryn Gallagher: Um just so inspirational.

[53:28] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[53:29] Kathryn Gallagher: She just changed the rules of what we thought was possible.

[53:31] Eli Tokash: Right.

[53:32] Kathryn Gallagher: You know.

[53:32] Eli Tokash: And she was brave to do it at that, at how young.

[53:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Um do you have like a favorite song that you wrote or like the most fun you had recording a song or writing a song?

[53:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, that's a really good question.

[53:48] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh well, my favorite song is always the most recent one I wrote.

[53:51] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[53:52] Kathryn Gallagher: So I wrote one like a week ago called Tip of My Tongue, which I really love.

[53:56] Eli Tokash: Um like, tell me more.

[53:58] Kathryn Gallagher: No, you guys don't know about this one yet.

[54:01] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[54:02] Kathryn Gallagher: But I'll be playing it on my show in a week.

[54:04] Eli Tokash: So you can hear it then.

[54:05] Kathryn Gallagher: Where's it?

[54:05] Eli Tokash: Where's it?

[54:06] Kathryn Gallagher: It's at Rockwood.

[54:07] Eli Tokash: It's sold out though.

[54:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh, I know. Sorry again. But oh, oh, I'm playing another one on August 2nd.

[54:11] Eli Tokash: I haven't announced that yet, but you guys know it now, so come.

[54:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, and I'm playing it with my friend from college, Caitlin Naughty, who's, uh, our LouRoy is her artist name, and she is just fucking brilliant.

[54:22] Kathryn Gallagher: And um, we went to school together, and we actually had this really interesting conversation, uh, the other day about how, um, when we were in college, she was just the coolest girl, and I was the loud one who loved Taylor Swift and was in a sorority.

[54:38] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[54:38] Kathryn Gallagher: But we were both songwriting majors, and um, and so, well, I always felt this pressure to be like, I was like, well, no one likes me and no one takes me seriously, which was, not that people didn't like me, but there was definitely a little bit of like your songs are simple and not good, and that was the, that's college, everyone has different thoughts, and um, my teachers didn't think it was so great, and that's okay.

[54:59] Kathryn Gallagher: They were jealous, they were just what it was. And but it was interesting because we had this really illuminating conversation about sort of like what this idea of like being cool does to a person, especially when they're young.

[55:13] Kathryn Gallagher: And for me, I ended up like rebelling and being like, well, if I'm not gonna be cool, then I'm gonna double down on what I love. But it made me feel like on guard all the time, and like I was always sort of, um, you know, fighting against something and proving, uh, myself time and time again, and which is exhausting.

[55:30] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and you shouldn't, you shouldn't have to do that all the time.

[55:32] Kathryn Gallagher: And but it was this really illuminating conversation that, um, I was just sort of like bonded our friendship in this way that I'm so stoked.

[55:40] Kathryn Gallagher: And then she wrote to me, she's like, do you want to play the show? And I was like, yes!

[55:43] Eli Tokash: I'm in a cool kids' club now.

[55:46] Kathryn Gallagher: No, now we are, you can be a cool kid, that's up to you.

[55:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah, that's the discovery.

[55:50] Kathryn Gallagher: We wait, you mentioned that you were doing a show next week, but you never said where it was.

[55:54] Eli Tokash: Oh, it's heads of Rockwood.

[55:55] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, it's both of them are Rockwood.

[55:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah.

[55:57] Kathryn Gallagher: Same room.

[55:58] Eli Tokash: Are tickets on sale yet?

[55:59] Kathryn Gallagher: I actually don't know, but probably.

[56:01] Eli Tokash: Okay, well, everyone's gonna check it out.

[56:03] Kathryn Gallagher: I'll let you know.

[56:04] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[56:05] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, check it out.

[56:06] Eli Tokash: We'll find out.

[56:07] Eli Tokash: And you're doing the new song, you say?

[56:09] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, I'll be doing it.

[56:11] Kathryn Gallagher: It's a cute one.

[56:11] Eli Tokash: It's a day of the year.

[56:13] Kathryn Gallagher: It's a day.

[56:13] Eli Tokash: She's making her debut.

[56:15] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god, it's so exciting.

[56:16] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, but yeah, so you mentioned like you're doing, you're doing TV shows now and everything, you're doing it all.

[56:23] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, it's ridiculous.

[56:24] Eli Tokash: I'm having a blast.

[56:24] Kathryn Gallagher: I know.

[56:25] Kathryn Gallagher: All the different industries of the entertainment aspect.

[56:28] Eli Tokash: You gotta keep it friends.

[56:30] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, but you've kind of combined the two, and you've had songs in TV shows like Younger and Covered Affairs, and there were several others.

[56:40] Eli Tokash: Um, so like would you ever consider like writing a musical?

[56:44] Kathryn Gallagher: Like really?

[56:45] Eli Tokash: Uh-huh.

[56:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Really?

[56:46] Kathryn Gallagher: I am a musical. I'm working on a musical right now.

[56:48] Eli Tokash: Is it like a movie musical or is it like a musical?

[56:50] Kathryn Gallagher: It's a musical.

[56:51] Kathryn Gallagher: Musical proper.

[56:52] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, one of my best friends is my favorite playwright in the world, Natalie Margolin.

[56:57] Kathryn Gallagher: And, uh, she and I have been wanting to do this for years, and so after I saw Tick, Tick... Boom, I called her, and I was like, it's time, we have to do this.

[57:05] Kathryn Gallagher: And so we are working on a musical.

[57:07] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[57:09] Eli Tokash: And would you like, are you like one of those people that like Lynn Manuel where you'd be like, oh, I want to be in my musical?

[57:14] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh yeah.

[57:14] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes, oh my god.

[57:16] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm here for it.

[57:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, guys.

[57:18] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm 100% in it.

[57:19] Eli Tokash: Kathryn Gallagher is returning to Broadway.

[57:20] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, just returning.

[57:21] Eli Tokash: She's a Broadway.

[57:22] Kathryn Gallagher: That would be so cool.

[57:23] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[57:24] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm obsessed.

[57:25] Eli Tokash: I'm your first front row with these two, because they're clearly your biggest fans.

[57:30] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[57:31] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, we're gonna hear it.

[57:32] Kathryn Gallagher: We'll meet up, we'll go to the show.

[57:34] Kathryn Gallagher: It's gonna be a good one.

[57:34] Eli Tokash: I mean, I know all of your faces.

[57:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Like, that's the beautiful thing.

[57:37] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[57:37] Kathryn Gallagher: It's my favorite thing about these events, is like I'm like, I know your handles, like it just means so much that like you guys are here, and you know, I love you guys.

[57:46] Kathryn Gallagher: It really is super cool for me.

[57:48] Eli Tokash: Oh, I mean, I think that's a great time to open it up to you guys then.

[57:52] Eli Tokash: Do you guys have any questions?

[57:54] Eli Tokash: Like, that's a great place to kind of turn it over.

[57:56] Eli Tokash: I know you two have like 14 questions that you want to answer.

[58:01] Kathryn Gallagher: Can we just reiterate that really quickly because it's a podcast, so I don't know if they can hear you.

[58:05] Eli Tokash: Um, she asked what your favorite, um, what your dream role would be if something that you haven't played, you've conquered so much.

[58:12] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, what would that be?

[58:14] Kathryn Gallagher: I really, this is sort of, there's multi-layered answers here.

[58:20] Kathryn Gallagher: So I really, I grew up doing traditional musicals, and professionally I've only gotten to do contemporary and sort of jukebox and folk musicals.

[58:31] Kathryn Gallagher: I really would love to, it doesn't happen very often, but I've been known to have a traditional theater voice as well back in the day.

[58:41] Kathryn Gallagher: And I would really love to stretch that muscle and do like a classic, uh, sort of traditional musical.

[58:48] Kathryn Gallagher: Sweet Charity is my dream.

[58:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[58:50] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, but I would really love to do Into the Woods.

[58:53] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[58:55] Kathryn Gallagher: Stop.

[58:56] Eli Tokash: Stop it.

[58:57] Kathryn Gallagher: So I was the baker's wife when I was in seventh grade.

[59:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Actually, Ben and I were Baker and Baker's Wife together in seventh grade at twelve.

[59:04] Kathryn Gallagher: And Baker's Wife is like kind of a, it's a professional dream role of mine.

[59:08] Eli Tokash: Really?

[59:08] Kathryn Gallagher: So if Sarah gets tired, give me a call.

[59:12] Eli Tokash: Why didn't they call you?

[59:13] Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, hello, because have you seen how good Sarah is?

[59:16] Kathryn Gallagher: I was like, holy shit.

[59:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I haven't seen Into the Woods yet.

[59:21] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[59:22] Kathryn Gallagher: I saw it the two nights ago and I was like, oh my god.

[59:24] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, yeah, I cried in Patina's arms.

[59:26] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, my god's a dream, by the way.

[59:28] Kathryn Gallagher: If you ever get to cry in Patina's arms.

[59:31] Eli Tokash: Woo!

[59:31] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, no, but I, uh, I would really love to do Into the Woods.

[59:35] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, I mean, uh, truly like any opportunity to get to do a traditional, really classic, uh, musical, I would, um, really just cherish and that opportunity.

[59:35] Kathryn Gallagher: And I would also really love to do a straight play.

[59:48] Eli Tokash: Um, I saw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Geffen not too long ago, and that sort of really, um, got me excited at the idea of doing a straight play, and so I'm sort of looking, um, I'm actively looking for that opportunity.

[1:00:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, yeah, so I really, I really am excited at, um, stretching my muscles as an actor right now, so I think that that would be a really, really cool exciting art.

[1:00:10] Eli Tokash: I've recently, I've never, like, I don't know, not to say like I've never enjoyed plays, but like as a kid, you grow up, you grow into plays.

[1:00:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, like, you know, like when you're a kid, you don't understand the stories that like musicals or plays are telling, so without the music and the glitzy costumes and everything that plays don't have, it's like, oh, it's okay, it's a little boring.

[1:00:30] Eli Tokash: But now, since I like voice change and learning the new voice, I'm like, I can only do plays, I guess right now.

[1:00:36] Eli Tokash: Um, also like the thrill of getting to do Broadway without having to keep your voice in check.

[1:00:40] Eli Tokash: I'm like, oh, yes, you don't need to do it.

[1:00:42] Eli Tokash: You can have a drink after the show.

[1:00:43] Kathryn Gallagher: Right.

[1:00:43] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:00:44] Eli Tokash: You can have some pizza, you can do all the things.

[1:00:46] Kathryn Gallagher: Come on.

[1:00:47] Kathryn Gallagher: Sign me up.

[1:00:47] Eli Tokash: That was a great question.

[1:00:48] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm obsessed with your costume as well.

[1:00:50] Kathryn Gallagher: I just needed to say, what is your name?

[1:00:53] Eli Tokash: This is Alex.

[1:00:53] Kathryn Gallagher: Allie.

[1:00:54] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[1:00:55] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm obsessed.

[1:00:56] Kathryn Gallagher: Are you, what are you, Belle?

[1:00:57] Alex: Yes.

[1:00:57] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes, oh my god, obsessed.

[1:00:59] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, we have Zoe Murphy here too.

[1:01:02] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[1:01:03] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, I thought it was real.

[1:01:04] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[1:01:05] Kathryn Gallagher: I have a really on a planet, and I thought like four people going to me and they're like, are you Zoe Murphy?

[1:01:10] Eli Tokash: You know, you were giving, you were giving Zoe Murphy, but you were also giving Kaitlin Keninen from The Prom?

[1:01:15] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[1:01:16] Kathryn Gallagher: Al, uh, what's, oh my god, what is her name?

[1:01:20] Kathryn Gallagher: Emma, duh.

[1:01:21] Eli Tokash: Okay, yeah, so you're giving me both of those vibes, so I wasn't sure.

[1:01:24] Eli Tokash: Strong.

[1:01:24] Eli Tokash: I, you two are itching.

[1:01:26] Eli Tokash: Uh, what would you like to ask?

[1:01:28] Eli Tokash: Pressure's on.

[1:01:31] Eli Tokash: There's one in the middle of the channel.

[1:01:32] Eli Tokash: Do it.

[1:01:33] Alex: Okay.

[1:01:33] Alex: So, um, I have a, I, my friend's name is Reese.

[1:01:38] Alex: And, hi Reese.

[1:01:39] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm not Reese.

[1:01:40] Alex: I know, but hi to your friends.

[1:01:43] Alex: Wherever they may be.

[1:01:45] Alex: I, um, discovered you about four years ago.

[1:01:48] Alex: Um, because my friend was like, look at this actress.

[1:01:52] Alex: She looks so much like me.

[1:01:54] Alex: Um, I was wondering if I can show you a picture.

[1:01:57] Kathryn Gallagher: That is the greatest question that I've ever heard of.

[1:02:03] Alex: I told my friend that I was a thing.

[1:02:05] Kathryn Gallagher: No, she's not.

[1:02:06] Alex: She's studying at Muhlenberg.

[1:02:07] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, I see it.

[1:02:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Damn.

[1:02:08] Alex: Okay.

[1:02:09] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[1:02:10] Alex: So I was gonna say, but do you want to FaceTime her really fast?

[1:02:12] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god!

[1:02:13] Kathryn Gallagher: Live calling.

[1:02:15] Kathryn Gallagher: This is everything.

[1:02:16] Eli Tokash: Pressure's on.

[1:02:18] Kathryn Gallagher: If he doesn't take it.

[1:02:19] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm really bringing the chaos.

[1:02:20] Alex: We'll just screenshot it.

[1:02:22] Alex: Here, wait, should I just hold it?

[1:02:23] Alex: Should I just be here?

[1:02:26] Kathryn Gallagher: This is legendary.

[1:02:31] Eli Tokash: Come on, Rita.

[1:02:32] Eli Tokash: Pressure's on, pressure's on.

[1:02:35] Eli Tokash: She can definitely hear us too.

[1:02:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, she's like, she's like, no.

[1:02:38] Alex: Middle of the day.

[1:02:40] Alex: A rogue FaceTime is my favorite thing to do.

[1:02:42] Alex: My friends hate it.

[1:02:43] Alex: If she doesn't pick up, I'll text her and then.

[1:02:45] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, I'm gonna take a screenshot.

[1:02:48] Alex: Yeah, come on.

[1:02:50] Alex: Okay, there you go.

[1:02:50] Alex: I have a screenshot for you.

[1:02:51] Kathryn Gallagher: That's so depressing.

[1:02:53] Kathryn Gallagher: She did not answer.

[1:02:54] Kathryn Gallagher: But great idea all around.

[1:02:56] Kathryn Gallagher: We love Reese for everything.

[1:02:59] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, my god, that is iconic.

[1:03:01] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, are you, do you two have a few?

[1:03:04] Kathryn Gallagher: Are you ready?

[1:03:05] Eli Tokash: Oh, there's another one if y'all aren't ready.

[1:03:07] Eli Tokash: Are y'all ready?

[1:03:08] Eli Tokash: Oh no.

[1:03:09] Eli Tokash: Oh my goodness.

[1:03:10] Eli Tokash: Go ahead, Martine.

[1:03:11] Martine: When are you gonna do it to wet with a lens?

[1:03:14] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh come on, clap.

[1:03:18] Kathryn Gallagher: Whenever she asks.

[1:03:22] Kathryn Gallagher: I would love that.

[1:03:23] Kathryn Gallagher: You know, Glenn and I wrote a song, uh, together the other day, and he just, we were messing around in the studio, and so the fact that I've gotten to work with him is like pretty fucking brilliant.

[1:03:32] Kathryn Gallagher: I said to my brother, I was like, we were driving in the car and Man in the Mirror came on and, um, which he wrote, and uh, which is insane.

[1:03:40] Kathryn Gallagher: And um, I was like, can you believe Glenn wrote this?

[1:03:43] Kathryn Gallagher: And he was like, yes, he's one of the all-time greatest songwriters on earth.

[1:03:47] Kathryn Gallagher: I can't believe you worked with him.

[1:03:51] Eli Tokash: Stop it.

[1:03:52] Kathryn Gallagher: So that's, that's how I feel.

[1:03:54] Kathryn Gallagher: But yeah, if Alanis wants to, you can just call.

[1:03:57] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm getting a FaceTime call.

[1:03:59] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, Reese is here, everybody.

[1:04:04] Eli Tokash: Stop it.

[1:04:05] Eli Tokash: Hi, Reese.

[1:04:06] Kathryn Gallagher: Hi, Reese.

[1:04:08] Kathryn Gallagher: Bestie.

[1:04:09] Kathryn Gallagher: Reese, are we twinning?

[1:04:11] Reese: Hello.

[1:04:15] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god, you're at Broadway Con right now.

[1:04:18] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, and I just wanted to say hi because we're twins.

[1:04:21] Reese: Yes, we are.

[1:04:24] Kathryn Gallagher: Say hi to everybody.

[1:04:27] Reese: Um, my god, she's crying.

[1:04:30] Kathryn Gallagher: You are so beautiful.

[1:04:31] Kathryn Gallagher: You really are.

[1:04:35] Kathryn Gallagher: I love you.

[1:04:36] Reese: I love you so much.

[1:04:38] Kathryn Gallagher: I love you.

[1:04:39] Reese: Oh my god.

[1:04:41] Kathryn Gallagher: I love you so much.

[1:04:42] Reese: Where are you?

[1:04:44] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm at my house right now.

[1:04:45] Reese: Oh, that's nice.

[1:04:47] Kathryn Gallagher: I love being home.

[1:04:51] Reese: She's like, I wish I would go.

[1:04:53] Kathryn Gallagher: Well, I should probably go because I'm doing a podcast right now.

[1:04:56] Kathryn Gallagher: But it's so nice to meet you, and I'm so happy we had this moment.

[1:04:59] Kathryn Gallagher: Did you take a screenshot of both of us?

[1:05:01] Reese: Yeah, okay, we got a really cute one.

[1:05:07] Kathryn Gallagher: It's so nice to meet you, and you have the best friend.

[1:05:10] Eli Tokash: Yes, Jake and Reese, everybody.

[1:05:13] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[1:05:15] Kathryn Gallagher: That was iconic.

[1:05:16] Kathryn Gallagher: That was awesome.

[1:05:17] Eli Tokash: Thank you for doing that.

[1:05:18] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god, of course.

[1:05:19] Kathryn Gallagher: So cute.

[1:05:20] Eli Tokash: I lost track of who was next.

[1:05:21] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god.

[1:05:22] Eli Tokash: I did too.

[1:05:22] Eli Tokash: I think, yes, you're ready.

[1:05:24] Eli Tokash: How's Willie doing?

[1:05:26] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes.

[1:05:26] Kathryn Gallagher: My little mouse.

[1:05:28] Kathryn Gallagher: Willie is my dog.

[1:05:29] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, Willie is doing so well.

[1:05:32] Kathryn Gallagher: He's, his grandma is babysitting him right now in the woods.

[1:05:36] Kathryn Gallagher: Because I'm working this week, and so he doesn't like to obviously be at home alone in my apartment.

[1:05:41] Kathryn Gallagher: So he's having, he's at a spa vacation in the woods with his grandmother who feeds him off the table.

[1:05:46] Kathryn Gallagher: So he's having a great time.

[1:05:48] Kathryn Gallagher: But I was with him this morning and I gave him a bath and a bully stick, and he's very happy.

[1:05:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah, to spoil it.

[1:05:54] Kathryn Gallagher: My little mouse.

[1:05:55] Kathryn Gallagher: I had to.

[1:05:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:05:56] Kathryn Gallagher: He has to know where his, that his mother is always his favorite.

[1:06:00] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:06:01] Kathryn Gallagher: I'm like bribing my son.

[1:06:03] Eli Tokash: Right.

[1:06:04] Kathryn Gallagher: It's important.

[1:06:05] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, it's all right.

[1:06:06] Kathryn Gallagher: I will buy his love.

[1:06:09] Eli Tokash: The last thing I got.

[1:06:09] Kathryn Gallagher: Literally, though, like dog owners do everything for their animals.

[1:06:14] Eli Tokash: Speaking from experience.

[1:06:15] Kathryn Gallagher: But yeah.

[1:06:17] Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, the puppy face is real.

[1:06:19] Kathryn Gallagher: Like they look at you and you're like, okay, anything you want.

[1:06:22] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[1:06:22] Kathryn Gallagher: My dog can, I'll do anything for him.

[1:06:26] Eli Tokash: You will become the veterinarian first.

[1:06:29] Kathryn Gallagher: I will become his vet.

[1:06:30] Kathryn Gallagher: Actually, well, because he, this was a great, so during the pandemic, uh, I had to obviously take him to the vet to the yearly checkup, but that you couldn't go in.

[1:06:38] Kathryn Gallagher: And so I had to just, they had to come to the car and get him, but he doesn't do well.

[1:06:43] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, getting shots.

[1:06:45] Kathryn Gallagher: And so they were like, you have to put a muzzle on him.

[1:06:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh-uh.

[1:06:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Which is safe and it's fine.

[1:06:52] Kathryn Gallagher: I don't know if you've ever tried to put a muzzle on a dog who acts like an iguana.

[1:07:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, don't know why iguana came out, but that's really where I went.

[1:07:04] Kathryn Gallagher: Just like wiggling around.

[1:07:06] Kathryn Gallagher: And so I'm like in the back seat, like at war with him, trying to get this muzzle.

[1:07:11] Kathryn Gallagher: Keep in mind, he's on the two sedatives the vet has given me.

[1:07:15] Kathryn Gallagher: And he's still like, and I was like, ah!

[1:07:18] Kathryn Gallagher: And so I'm like battling him.

[1:07:19] Kathryn Gallagher: He's 30 pounds.

[1:07:20] Kathryn Gallagher: No. He's not large. Oh my god. And I was like trying to get it on. I was like, I'm sorry, I love you. And he was like, I hate you. It was a battle to the death, and he won. I couldn't get the muzzle on, and we left, and uh, I tried again the next week. Like he won. I took him to the vet and he won. So Willie runs the time. Yes, really. What a question. I raised a strong boy.

[1:07:43] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my god, that's a good idea. Do you guys anyone else have questions?

[1:07:47] Audience Member: I have two questions. Um, what are your tattoos?

[1:07:51] Kathryn Gallagher: I know. I wanted to end it. How was it for born in the Jesse and Friends?

[1:07:55] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, Jesse and Friends is a show that my friend Jesse Thomas puts on. Jesse Thomas is uh one of my absolute favorite people. Uh I was a super fan of hers before I tricked her into being my friend. Uh back in the day. Um, we used to play these like uh room five concerts, songwriter showcases together, and like I was 17. Actually, and Phoebe Bridgers was the other underage kid. So it was me, Phoebe and Jesse, and Phoebe and I were like both had our moms drop us off. Like we were so young and not allowed to be there. Um, but so we uh would do these songwriter showcases back in the day, and Jessie's brought them back, and she calls them Jesse and Friends. So that is the most but she brings together like the best songwriters, and and she travels around with it in Nashville and New York and LA. And so that oh doing those is like my absolute joy, heaven, love. Jesse Thomas is the most important person. I love her.

[1:08:47] Kathryn Gallagher: Um, and uh uh my tattoos, okay. I have the lot. Yes, obviously. Uh an easy one, the moment I let go of it was the moment I got more than I could handle. This is what I got, yeah. Right after Jag and Clothes. Yes. And um, so that was that's the newest one. And then I'll tell you my favorite story. Um, this one is a little crystal ball. And I don't actually know if I've told the story publicly. Um, but so my dad, when he was doing the real thing at the Broadhurst with Jack Lemon. Oh my god. Um, the Broadhurst was where we got to do Jag of the Bowl. Um, he right before him and Jack would enter on the same side of the stage every day. And right before the show, Jack would say, Jack Lemon, if you don't know, um, one of the most iconic actors of all time, um, legendary uh genius, his gravestone reads Jack Lemon Inn.

Oh the grave. My guy that's the yeah, um so we're in the we're in the wing or they're in the wing, and every night Jack would say, It's magic time. And so before every show my dad has ever done, every opening night, my mom would always say to him, It's magic time. It's like the one superstition he believes in. And so before my Friday debut in Spring Awakening, I was sang with my parents. My dad leaned out the door and he was like, Hey kid, it's magic time. And so I knew I wanted to get this, and then the craziest thing, so I don't know if you guys know Sydney Lemon at all, but she's an incredible actress who is Jack's granddaughter. So Sydney and I met um years later, uh, and it was sort of like ha we had this magical experience.

I was sort of like meeting a long lost family member. Jack was sort of like a father to my dad, and we'd we'd grown up hearing stories about the other ones, like her grandfather and my dad and whatnot. And so I told her about this, and she goes, That's crazy because my brother has a tattoo that says it's magic time. And so it's really this phrase that is just meant so much to both of our families. Um and so this is definitely probably one of my favorite ones. And the craziest part of that was that they did that play at the Broadhurst where my dad got his first Tony nomination, which is then where we did Jagged Little Pill, where I got mine, which is full circle moment. Very full circle. That's amazing. Really special.

[1:11:01] Audience Member: Oh, that's so fun.

[1:11:03] Kathryn Gallagher: I know I'm trying to think of any that there's like I have a jagged illustration, a spring awakening illustration, I have my dead fish's initials, I have a quote from Just Kids, the Patty Smith book. I have my best friend's initial, I have a snake, which is another one matching one with my best friend. Uh I have I have so many. Um, what am I forgetting? Oh uh quote from my grandma. She's hold hold hold forever if you have to, and then the curtain closes and you can die. She said that to her, she was a dance teacher. Wow. And so she was talking about holding the pose at the end of the thing, but I thought that's sort of the greatest metaphor for life. Like, just keep holding on and then and and then you'll be done. And then you can rest. But till then, just keep holding on, keep fighting. That's what she did. She worked till the day she died.

[1:11:46] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh my gosh. Teaching ballet. I love how all of them kind of have to do with not only like your life, but also just like the industry and like what it means. Like I like going on every night, I'm sure it's just like friendly reminders, and it's just like, wow, I I needed that.

[1:12:00] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah, I think that especially Broadway, um, it is not for the faint of heart. It is not um easy. You’re never going on stage feeling a hundred percent. There is always something hurting, whether it is your brain or your ankle or your throat, you're in pain, sort of a little bit all the time. Um, you know, uh, it's not a career that is all too sustainable as a performer. It's not one that provides, you know, unless you're really out of at a extraordinary level of success, it's a career that like a lot of people have to take second jobs in the off days. It's a career that you do because you love it. And I think that, you know, there's so much that I would love to change about that sentence. But that's something for the unions.

Yeah. I don't need to get into that. But where we're at today, it is a doing Broadway is something that you do because you love it. It is what you do because you grew up in your town and you performed on your kitchen table, and you did community theater, and it was the only time you felt seen or heard, the only time you felt accepted. And I think that in order to show up eight times a week, it's that fire inside of you that is sort of the only driving force. And so having these little reminders from me of this community that I get the absolute distinct honor to be a part of, it's just everything. I mean, I I'm s I'm the luckiest person in the world to even get to step on a Broadway stage to get to tell that story, even once to get to do it in two different shows eight times a week. Holy shit.

[1:13:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah.

[1:14:49] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. And to then get to sit here at Broadway Con, the coolest group of people in the world in front of you. Like, I'm the luckiest person in the world. I really am. And it means the world to me that you guys are here and that you asked me to do this.

[1:14:57] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Well, we appreciate you doing this.

[1:15:05] Kathryn Gallagher: Uh I mean to nod in their heads, yeah. Um yeah, no, seriously. We’ve had an incredible time, and it just all these great reminders of what it's like to be in the industry and just talking about your journey and learning more about you has just been such a joy. So I appreciate you for taking the time and I know you're working and all the things, so she's got a film tomorrow and everything. She's like, She's a busy girl, so yeah.

[1:15:06] Kathryn Gallagher: Sorry, so sorry. I just wanted it on record.

[1:15:09] Eli Tokash: Um tell everyone you know.

[1:15:11] Kathryn Gallagher: Yes.

[1:15:12] Kathryn Gallagher: It's Le La Bon Noir. What's the perfect? When you said that you like it was a dream to cry in Patina Miller's arms, I was like, you just smell so good that I want to do that.

[1:15:23] Kathryn Gallagher: You can cry in my own.

[1:15:24] Eli Tokash: Okay, okay, okay.

[1:15:25] Kathryn Gallagher: Thank you. Many people have.

[1:15:26] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[1:15:27] Kathryn Gallagher: Oh, you made me cry. I had to go. Stop it!

[1:15:29] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[1:15:30] Kathryn Gallagher: Yeah. You're the sweetest. But yes, thank you all for joining us this today for this hour. Uh it's been so much fun. Thank you.

[1:15:36] Eli Tokash: Take a bow, Kathryn Gallagher. I mean, that it was just so much fun. And you can hear it from just the conversation alone. She was so beautifully candid in her storytelling, and it really meant a lot because everyone was invested from the moment that she started telling her story, you know, which is like the first question that I asked everybody. And then she got into Spring Awakening and how much it meant to her. And then she talked about Jagged Little Pill and what that was like for her. And and allowing to trust us and the listeners and the audience and me enough to say, no, I I wasn't positive and I I was struggling during that time of, you know, having to go on stage eight times a week and kind of be depressed. So it really meant a lot to to just have that c time kind of conversation.

[1:16:27] Eli Tokash: And so once again, I just really wanted to thank her. And she came on her day off from like filming a TV show that she's currently working on. And yeah, just like coming in and being that candid with us and just being real and just having a safe space and and being so sweet and of inviting a friend that uh felt like she looked like her, and just to FaceTime her and just like do all these things. Like she was just the sweetest, and I I had never met her, so she like totally didn't have to do any of this, and she did, and we had a wonderful time together, and she was so so nice to me afterwards and beforehand, just talking and getting to know each other a little bit, and uh yeah, I I just had a wonderful time and feel like her career is so fascinating and what she's doing now with the music industry and all of that.

Like it's just so incredible, and she's doing all the things, and she's gonna be such a star because she's still young, and we're gonna be seeing her for for years to come, both on the screen on Broadway in the music industry. She's already a Grammy winner.

[1:17:25] Eli Tokash: So, like, she she this is the beginning, and I'm just so honored to to be able to have her on and talk to her and uh just to have that type of conversation that we have because sometimes, you know, lately I feel like the the content of Take A Bow has kind of grown up a little bit because lately it was in the beginning, it was so much more of like uh oh yes, the happy go lucky stuff about the industry and all these things, but I feel like we're really diving into what it's really really like to be in the industry, and I that's what I want. Like, I want to provide you all with that type of content, the real content that you know what's going on in the industry, and you know, and being real and not sugarcoating anything as much uh as sometimes we we have feel like we need to, or or anything like that.

[1:18:09] Eli Tokash: So um obviously that's gonna depend on guest to guest, but just to to be able to get those special episodes where it's really like that to know what it's like to be a performer in the industry and to to know the mental the stages that you have to go through and being a performer in the industry and being with a character and taking on a character and knowing all these things, like it's just it's these lessons are invaluable, and um, I'm just really excited that I get to bring that to you all, and that's what's keeping me going.

[1:18:35] Eli Tokash: So um, I hope that you're enjoying them, and I hope that you continue to enjoy them because we're not stopping anytime soon, and uh this is this is great, and we are we are growing and we are doing all the things. Stay tuned because we have some amazing stuff planned, and um yeah, I just can't wait to to share it all with you.

[1:18:54] Eli Tokash: So, everyone, thank you for listening to this week's episode. Once again, thank you for everyone to coming out to BroadwayCon to watch these lives. The friend that I mentioned that is a loyal Take A Bow listener actually literally came to BroadwayCon for that day just to come see Take A Bow do a couple panels. It was it really means a lot, and so to ha to hear that and to share those stories and to share those memories with people, it's it's it's hard to put into words, but it it really does mean a lot, and I appreciate it all so much.

[1:19:24] Eli Tokash: So thank you again, and I will see you all next week with another great episode. So until then, I love you all and have a great week.

[1:19:31] Eli Tokash: For this episode's current call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow. This podcast would not be possible without the help from Dory Berenstein, Brittany Bigelow, Katie Rosen, Alan Seales, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to Take a 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 TAB. 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 Take A 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.