This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 121 of Take A Bow.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: Y'all, we have an exciting episode for you this week because I have a little guest co-host this week. Come on in, Martín.

[0:14] Martín Acuña: What's going on? Hi everyone. This is Martín Acuña from Backstage Talk Podcast here with Eli.

[0:23] Eli Tokash: Yes. And yeah, I'm excited.

[0:25] Martín Acuña: Oh my god, I am so excited. This is so good. He's repping his little Take A Bow merch for those of you who are gonna watch this on video. It's amazing. I'm like honored. I was like, wow, look at you coming prepared.

[0:39] Eli Tokash: But no, this is so exciting. I've never done one of these before, and I just needed to bring on my Broadway Podcast Network buddy, who has his own podcast, as he mentioned, called Backstage Talk. And we're gonna get into what that's all about in a little bit. But first, we always gotta start off with some Broadway news. Shall we?

[1:02] Martín Acuña: Let's do it. Bring that on.

[1:03] Eli Tokash: Okay. Well, I think we have to start off with Phantom of the Opera. I mean, that's probably been the biggest story of the week. Phantom of the Opera is officially closing. I truly can't believe it. It's the longest ever in history running Broadway show, which is just like crazy. And like, I don't know Broadway. A lot of us don't know Broadway without Phantom of the Opera. So this is kind of a big deal. What are your thoughts on it? Do you like, are you a Phantom fan? Because I'm kind of iffy on Phantom. Like, what are your thoughts and feelings about it closing?

[1:38] Martín Acuña: I have to confess that I never saw the production on Broadway.

[1:43] Eli Tokash: Um, I've never seen it on Broadway either.

[1:46] Martín Acuña: You have to go. Like you that have the chance to go, you need to go. But I remember that I think that was my dad's first Broadway show ever. And he was like, it was so dark, and I almost fell asleep. No, he wasn't, he didn't fall asleep. He had a fever that night. And this was like in the early 2000s, probably late 90s, early 2000s. But anyway, he was like, it was so dark, and I had so much fever that I barely understood a thing. But he recalls the boat and the masquerade dance sequence. And that was all for him. And funny story, when I was in fifth grade, my English teacher was obsessed with the Phantom of the Opera. So we saw the film version with Gerard Butler, I think it is. But that's how I got introduced to Phantom. And I know that a lot of people are really heartbroken about this production closing.

[2:54] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. Like I'm not even like a huge Phantom fan. And I like I've seen the movie, I've seen the tour. I saw it in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh CLO when it was on tour and everything. But I never saw it on Broadway. And honestly, I think what happened was like I saw it too young. I saw it when I was like six years old, and I think it just all went over my head. And I don't know. Maybe the opera isn't it for a six-year-old. Maybe he didn't want to like sit through that. So I you're right. I probably should see it before it closes. Um I'm not even a, as I was saying before, I'm not even like the biggest fan of Phantom, but like I still felt like when that's gone, it's kind of gonna be like a missing piece of Broadway, like just how historical it is.

Um it's gonna be weird walking through Times Square without seeing like a Phantom of the Opera poster. So I feel what the industry is feeling um as someone in the industry and what the fans are feeling, maybe not to the level of extent, but I do feel it, and I do see it and I hear it and I understand it, but I'm definitely wanna see it because I have to. I have to. It's one of the most musical shows.

[4:03] Martín Acuña: Yeah, yeah. Exactly. By the way, because this came up into my head while you were saying for those of you who can't see it, why don't you tell everyone where you're coming from today?

[4:15] Martín Acuña: Well, I am still in my hometown, Bogotá, Colombia, all the way down to South America.

[4:22] Eli Tokash: Incredible. So that is why he probably won't be able to catch Phantom before it closes. For those of you who don't know, Phantom is closing on February 23rd of 2023. And I'm hearing actually that another Andrew Lloyd Webber show is actually going to be replacing Phantom, and that's his new show, Cinderella. And it sounds like those people at the Majestic just have like a great relationship with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and they were like, okay, it's time to move on from Phantom, but we would love to have another one of your shows.

[4:56] Martín Acuña: Do you know something? It would be so fun if Love Never Dies goes to the Majestic and it stays there for like another 35 years instead of Cinderella.

[5:07] Eli Tokash: You think it'll be funny.

[5:09] Martín Acuña: It would be funny. It would be funny. I don't know if that'll ever happen. Like, I honestly I can't name you a show that's gonna ever beat that record. I mean, maybe Hamilton, but like I don't know. Like, I don't see it. I don't see it. You know, I don't know. It has to be like another iconic piece of musical theater.

[5:31] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I agree. And interestingly enough, I actually think, like, with all the buzz and everything, Into the Woods has like a potential of doing it, but I don't think the producers are willing to do it for that long. It's kind of like a short-term thing for them. But I love Andrew Lloyd Webber and I love Stephen Sondheim. But and I may get a lot of messages after I say this, but what happens to me is their style is so unique that you really have to be a die-hard fan of musical theater of Lloyd Webber or Sondheim, like independently to go through their shows. Like yes, I love Company, I love Sunday in the Park with George, I love Assassins, um, I love Phantom, I love like what they've done, right?

But their musical style is so dense that you really need to be a fan to go into it. That's why I think that lately kind of jukebox musicals have been more favored by people, and the same thing happens with Hamilton, because it's hip hop rap, uh kind of poppy music that you really need to first understand English really well, right? And second, really love the musical style of these shows. So that's why I think that maybe Moulin Rouge will run a little bit longer. Uh that's why bio-musicals are doing that well.

[7:07] Martín Acuña: For example, MJ. MJ was a hit, Tina was a hit, Donna Summer was a hit, so it's like it's not only music that people already know. But also they are more familiar with it. Because as you said, you as a six-year-old kid didn't want to be in an opera. Even if it was musical theater, right?

[7:30] Eli Tokash: Right.

[7:30] Martín Acuña: Um. So I think that the golden age of musical theater plus Lloyd Webber plus Sondheim are specifically for diehard fans. Sorry for that. Hot take on that.

[7:48] Eli Tokash: I honestly I actually agree with you. I actually don't think that that's a hot take. It's interesting to see how these audiences on Broadway have changed. Just in within like the past five years, 10, 5, 10 years, to be honest. Like it seems like you think of Broadway and you think of like all of these original, you you go to these new, you go to the theater to see a new story, and you just try to get lost in a story. Where now it's kind of like Broadway's turning into Vegas in a way. Where it's just like, you know, like it's just a show. Like, let's put on a show, let's put on something that everybody can like enjoy and like already knows and not have to think that much. And honestly, like that has a lot to do with like social media, because I just feel like these younger like generation of audience members, I guess, don't want to be like challenged when they when they go watch us something, you know, like they don't want to have to think about um the double meanings or the the underlying messages of musicals and everything like that, which makes those golden age musicals so beautiful, even though it's just like a simple love story in a way.

Um and I don't think I think we're moving on past that. So that's very sad to hear. Let's move on, because we could literally talk about this forever. Let's move on to to say Happy Trails to another iconic show on Broadway.

[9:09] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[9:09] Eli Tokash: And that's Dear Evan Hansen. Dear Evan Hansen closed this Sunday on Broadway. I mentioned it last week, but I just it deserves a double mention because it's just so good. And honestly in a way, like I don't think it gets enough credit that in a way it was like a revolutionary piece for musical theater and Broadway history. I know you loved the show. Do you want to touch on what it means to you and how you feel about it closing?

[9:35] Martín Acuña: I have to confess that it was on was kind of still is on my top five favorite list. I do think that's a couple of things need a rewrite on the show.

[9:49] Eli Tokash: I agree.

[9:50] Martín Acuña: But what it brought me to this specific piece was the music. And I know that we've both talked to Mateo Matilde Scano who was an understudy, an amazing performer um and right now I do think that this piece was meant to be for young millennials and Gen Zers. And it showcased the power of social media and how we we're all craving a sense of belonging which funny enough is one trait of the millennial generation. So I think that that was needed. And just I think that their take on mental health yes may be a bit mushy, but they did it and it's very valuable that they did it and it really a thought that comes to me is Next to Normal they touched on mental health deeply and they did it in a beautiful way. Does it need a couple of rewrites too? Yes. But same happens with Dear Evan Hansen.

[10:56] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I think it was a landmark for our generation.

[10:59] Martín Acuña: Yes and interestingly enough like okay for any show to talk about mental health and to just have a story surrounding mental health it's a very sensitive topic and you have to do it a right way. And when it's a show like Dear Evan Hansen and Next to Normal, you know, times change so fast, especially within the last five years of mental health that things that were appropriate back then that they get outdated. And honestly I actually mentioned it this last week I actually saw Dear Evan Hansen last week and they actually had a couple rewrites because that's great.

[11:38] Eli Tokash: Yeah like they were not willing to say certain things that may be triggering to audience members or offensive in any way like anything like that.

[11:49] Martín Acuña: So you're so right about the rewrites and I think that they they recognize that and they made those changes mid-run which is very um rare for shows. And like you said just talking about mental health on Broadway is just huge because it it's something that's not that doesn't happen much. And I think that uh this next wave of theater they're gonna be willing to challenge views a little bit, whether it's whether it is mental health or whether it is racial and sexual and all of that. All of those views, not sexual, but like sexuality views. So yeah, like I think that in a way it's changing a lot of things, and in a way it's kind of leading the way. And sure there are there may be a couple hiccups, I guess, here and there, but uh it they needed to be someone needed to do it, you know.

Someone really needed to lay the blueprint and uh to make it happen for the future of Broadway. And I'm a huge Pasek and Paul stan. I've worked for them many times, and so I'm just so excited for what is next for them and what they have coming to Broadway because they have some really exciting things in the work, and I cannot wait to see it.

[13:04] Eli Tokash: So yeah. That's exciting.

[13:06] Martín Acuña: Yes, yeah. They they're gonna be on Broadway for a long time. Like they I could absolutely see them being like one of the next like top duos. I mean, I think they already are, if you ask me, but I mean the greatest showman and Dear Evan Hansen. I think it's it's they're both brilliant, and they've done so much more. Dogfight, all that.

[13:25] Eli Tokash: Okay, so that being said, with one show closing, that obviously means that it leads the way for new works, and new works have opened just recently and played their first performance this week. So huge congratulations to everyone involved in Leopoldstadt and The Piano Lesson. I am so excited for both of these shows. Both of those are plays, by the way. I feel like there are a lot of plays this year. I just feel like there's a lot of new art in general. So both plays and musicals, there's so much coming to Broadway, and I'm so excited for this season. Martín, just out of curiosity, are you I mean, are you excited for either one of these shows, or do you have a favorite show that you're looking forward to most in this upcoming season?

[14:08] Martín Acuña: I do not have much information of these two shows that you mentioned, rather than The Piano Lesson having an amazing cast.

[14:16] Eli Tokash: Yes, oh my god.

[14:17] Martín Acuña: Which is gonna be honest both of them have amazing casts. Like Leopoldstadt has like 23 Broadway debuts, I believe. And leading the way is like Brandon Uranowitz, Anthony Rosenthal, Cassie Levy or Cassie Levy. Um they have like their stars, and then there's like a bunch of Broadway debuts.

[14:37] Eli Tokash: So very exciting.

[14:38] Martín Acuña: Anyways, didn't mean to interrupt. Go for it.

[14:39] Eli Tokash: No, no, no, not at all. I love Broadway debuts, but specifically for this season, I am excited for obviously musicals.

[14:49] Martín Acuña: Um with Almost Famous, yes, Kimberly Kimbo, oh my god, Anne Juliet, and one fifth.

[14:59] Eli Tokash: So like everyone thing stream.

[15:02] Martín Acuña: Oh yeah, that's a good one too. So like every musical that's gonna be coming this year.

[15:07] Eli Tokash: I actually I was like, when Angelia set a date for Broadway, I was like, oh my god, I cannot go a third time to New York during 2022, but maybe I will, but my wallet looks like own you dare.

[15:23] Martín Acuña: But I was like, but and Juliet. So I'm just like hoping. I have I know for sure that I have to go back next year in May.

[15:32] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[15:33] Martín Acuña: Um, and then we we we'll probably go back for Rob Recon in July.

[15:37] Eli Tokash: So I know that we'll I'll have to go next year at least twice again, but I'm just hoping that all of these shows keep open until May when I'm there, because my wallet is gonna hate me, but I'm seeing them.

[15:37] Martín Acuña: I'm seeing them. I'm seeing them.

[15:55] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[15:57] Martín Acuña: Yeah, I'm I'm so excited for Kim Ria Kimbo to come to Broadway. I actually think Take A Val is gonna be doing a lot of content with them in the cast.

[16:07] Eli Tokash: Um I have a bunch of friends in the show, and so I saw it at the Atlantic Theatre Company, and it was literally just so good. I'm so excited for more people to see that show.

[16:16] Martín Acuña: And I'm with you. I'm excited for Anne Juliet. I'm not usually excited for like jukebox musicals, but uh they have some I know I know.

[16:24] Eli Tokash: Don't judge I'm not really into them, but like I I don't know.

[16:29] Martín Acuña: I like Have you heard to that London Cathy coining?

[16:34] Eli Tokash: I actually haven't after Bob after Bob.

[16:37] Martín Acuña: Bob.

[16:39] Eli Tokash: Of course. I mean, there's songs that are already like made, they're not gonna choose bad ones.

[16:45] Martín Acuña: Um but yeah, no, I am I'm excited. I saw their like little performance on America's Got Talent.

[16:51] Eli Tokash: Um that was cute. They did like roar, super cute.

[16:54] Martín Acuña: But uh, I'm excited for that. I'm excited for that cast.

[16:57] Eli Tokash: I and I'm excited for 1776.

[17:00] Martín Acuña: I think that that's gonna be so fun.

[17:03] Eli Tokash: And has some take a vow family members in there, so uh we love that.

[17:07] Martín Acuña: We always love that when they come to Broadway.

[17:09] Eli Tokash: Okay, so yeah, congratulations again to Leopold Stat and the piano lesson for making their first performance here on Broadway, and they open up just next month.

[17:19] Martín Acuña: So very exciting stuff.

[17:21] Eli Tokash: And now we're gonna be talking about Leah Michelle in Funny Girl because uh there's so much happening.

[17:28] Martín Acuña: Um Leah Michelle is returning to Funny Girl this week on Tuesday, September 20th, when we are recording.

[17:34] Eli Tokash: How about that? It's her first show back from COVID, and funny enough, I don't know if you know this, but I actually saw her last performance of having COVID.

[17:44] Martín Acuña: Which was almost like basically her opening night.

[17:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah, facts. Because she literally did like three performances, I believe, and then got COVID.

[17:53] Martín Acuña: And that also means that like she was performing uh at the show that I was, probably with COVID.

[17:58] Eli Tokash: So we love that. But that's okay.

[18:01] Martín Acuña: Um, that's not like I don't know. That's it's a hard thing right now with the whole like COVID issues on Broadway and testing and all of that.

[18:10] Eli Tokash: So I don't blame her or anything like that, but a lot of people do blame her for a lot of things, and uh social media is having some craziness.

[18:19] Martín Acuña: It's it's been savage.

[18:22] Eli Tokash: It's savage, but she has been clapping back.

[18:25] Martín Acuña: Yes, which is funnier. Like her TikTok, like her coming to TikTok, like the last video I saw was her calling Jonathan Groff so he could read her messages.

[18:36] Eli Tokash: I was like, I mean, that was I don't know who her publicist is or who is managing her social media, or if she even has a social media consultant or whatever regarding marketing, but they are they they're doing their job.

[18:53] Martín Acuña: Yeah, they brilliant. I mean, these are these videos are literally getting over five million views, like they are blowing up.

[19:02] Eli Tokash: Everyone, literally 90% of you people who are listening to this right now know exactly what I'm talking about.

[19:09] Martín Acuña: Um, it's it's kind of iconic, but a lot of this Broadway uh stuff, I've mentioned it here before that TikTok, theater TikTok has kind of been on my nerves, and I've never mentioned the person who's on my nerves because I didn't want to give him the time of day or like the publicity.

[19:26] Eli Tokash: But I'm gonna come out and say it.

[19:28] Martín Acuña: This sweaty oracle guy, everyone in the industry despises this man right now, literally despises this man because he's literally creating rumors uh around Broadway.

[19:44] Eli Tokash: I mean, he he is dropping and breaking Broadway news, which is kind of cool.

[19:48] Martín Acuña: Um, and some of his is accurate.

[19:53] Eli Tokash: So problematic.

[19:54] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[19:55] Eli Tokash: Um do you follow this guy?

[19:57] Martín Acuña: Um, fortunately, no.

[19:59] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I don't follow him, but I do I do see his videos all the time, and I'm glad that I do because I want to know what's going on.

[20:07] Martín Acuña: Um, but some of these things, I'm just like, this guy's got issues, and lately it's been uh surrounding the funny girl cast, a because he's not excited that Leah Michelle's in the show, so he's literally tearing the funny girl cast against each other, like they're ripping them apart.

[20:24] Eli Tokash: Thankfully, I've I have a few friends in Funny Girls, and they completely disregard everything he says, they're not actually like affecting anything, but he is targeting Leah Michelle, and he's targeting Amber Ardino, who has a huge uh following on social media as a Broadway performer.

[20:40] Martín Acuña: She plays Vera in Funny Girl right now, and uh I've actually been texting close friends of Amber this week and been like, is she okay?

[20:49] Eli Tokash: Like, I like I feel for her because she's getting attacked, and I mean the things that she's getting attacked for is like playing roles that is not her background and all of that, and like I fully understand that, but that's like an industry issue.

[21:05] Martín Acuña: Like, that's not her fault that she's like trying to pay rent.

[21:10] Eli Tokash: And I don't know what your thoughts are on that.

[21:11] Martín Acuña: It could be it could be very poorly coming from me.

[21:16] Eli Tokash: Um, it could mean nothing coming from me, um, as like a white man, but like I don't know, like I that's that's my thought about it, and I think that the industry has had a long, long, long history of misrepresentation, and it's yeah, it's not cute.

[21:32] Martín Acuña: It's kind of the industry's fault.

[21:34] Eli Tokash: So if anybody hate the producers, hate the industry, don't hate them.

[21:37] Martín Acuña: The performer, yeah, exactly.

[21:39] Eli Tokash: Exactly. And at a certain point, because when it comes to like something really specific, I mean, what is the problem with performers performing, right?

[21:53] Martín Acuña: Because actors, we are trained to be in another fictional character's shoes for a certain period of time while we are performing, but also I do agree in the conversation about representation invisibility, which has been this whole huge thing, not only for Broadway, but for me lately.

[22:16] Eli Tokash: That of course it's better to have a background that is similar to the to the to the character, but we are trained to get into their shoes.

[22:29] Martín Acuña: Like, I've played straight white men, and neither straight neither white, only men, right?

[22:37] Eli Tokash: So I I mean it was Gomez Adams, and that's an actor, yeah, exactly.

[22:42] Martín Acuña: And the what what I could do is bridge the space between that character and myself through my experience.

[22:50] Eli Tokash: That of course, if I was a straight white male, it would have been another story playing that character, but it wasn't, and that's why it I made it my own version of the character.

[23:03] Martín Acuña: Right.

[23:03] Eli Tokash: So so yeah, I just think that the performers usually get hate because they are the face of things.

[23:10] Martín Acuña: Right.

[23:11] Eli Tokash: But the the conversation should be going deeper.

[23:15] Martín Acuña: Way deeper.

[23:17] Eli Tokash: All the way to the director, the producer, the the people that are in casting.

[23:23] Martín Acuña: But as you said, performance are just trying to be right.

[23:26] Eli Tokash: Right.

[23:26] Martín Acuña: Like any of us.

[23:27] Eli Tokash: The other thing is too, is that oftentimes, and and for the particular um show that she was getting kind of criticized for was playing well, was actually understudying Sateen in Moulin Rouge because she is like I I don't know if sh like I don't actually know what her background is, but they're saying like she's Italian playing like a Puerto Rican role.

[23:49] Martín Acuña: And fully understand that and like totally am all for like I think that people who should be representing themselves the right way and representing the story the right way, but that kind of starts with the producers, that kind of starts with the casting directors.

[24:06] Eli Tokash: Like, why call in a white person for a Puerto Rican role in a Puerto Rican story, you know?

[24:12] Martín Acuña: Like that's not a thing.

[24:14] Eli Tokash: And I sure the actors have the ability to be like, no, I'm not gonna play this role and or I'm not gonna go into the room because I I would be misrepresenting this character in this stor and doing the story on justice.

[24:29] Martín Acuña: Um they absolutely have that that right.

[24:31] Eli Tokash: But when it comes to being an understudy, oftentimes you're casted as an ensemble member.

[24:38] Martín Acuña: In her case, she was casted as a swing.

[24:41] Eli Tokash: All for all we know, uh because it happens all the time as someone who's been on Broadway and been in the rehearsal room.

[24:48] Martín Acuña: When rehearsals start, that's when they decide who the understudies are.

[24:52] Eli Tokash: You've already signed a contract.

[24:54] Martín Acuña: You've already signed your rights away.

[24:57] Eli Tokash: So it's a it's a tough conversation to have, and it there's so much that goes into it, and like you said, it goes so deep that uh people don't always understand that.

[25:08] Martín Acuña: But I am all for I I think that we need more uh representation on Broadway.

[25:14] Eli Tokash: Uh we need to hear uh more Puerto Rican stories, we need to hear more black stories, we need to hear BIPOC and uh everyone like disabilities, like we need more.

[25:24] Martín Acuña: I mean, Ali Stroker, I'm a huge fan of Allie Stroker. Why hasn't she been on Broadway for the past like five years?

[25:31] Eli Tokash: Cause like I want more from her.

[25:33] Martín Acuña: Like there are people who can play these roles, you know.

[25:37] Eli Tokash: It's just a matter of going and finding them and and taking the time to bring them in and be willing, because they're just like any other performer trying to pay rent.

[25:47] Martín Acuña: Let's give them a job and let's give them an opportunity to shine, you know.

[25:53] Eli Tokash: So sis on the Oklahoma tour, that it was like, yes, thank god, yeah, got this casting.

[26:02] Martín Acuña: Uh or a lot of the newcomers uh or Latin Latin Latino performers that are going on Broadway right now.

[26:13] Eli Tokash: It's like they're making their debuts, but they are being, or they've been on Broadway before, but they are making their voices heard as hey, I'm Latin.

[26:23] Martín Acuña: Um that you cannot take that away, even if I am playing the white character.

[26:27] Eli Tokash: Yep.

[26:28] Martín Acuña: Right?

[26:28] Eli Tokash: So, yeah, absolutely.

[26:30] Martín Acuña: It's a conversation that it's growing, and thank God it's growing.

[26:30] Eli Tokash: Thank God it's growing.

[26:35] Martín Acuña: And here's the thing too about the disability representation on Broadway, the disabled representation on Broadway.

[26:41] Eli Tokash: There is nothing in most shows that say a certain character has to be abled or disabled.

[26:50] Martín Acuña: You know, there are shows that like it is specific, but like, why couldn't a disabled performer go out there and play like Jared and Dear Evan Hansen?

[27:02] Eli Tokash: Or or even Evan Hansen for that matter.

[27:04] Martín Acuña: Like, what like what is stopping people from looking into that?

[27:09] Eli Tokash: You know?

[27:10] Martín Acuña: So there are so many opportunities to get more representation on Broadway, and it's not like oh, write a story for them.

[27:18] Eli Tokash: It's more just like look at them as a human and as a person because they have a story to tell too.

[27:24] Martín Acuña: You know?

[27:25] Eli Tokash: Absolutely.

[27:26] Martín Acuña: So yeah, that's that's that.

[27:29] Eli Tokash: I could rant about this all day, and this is what he Oracle has been it's uh this guy has been on my nerves, but uh I've mentioned it a lot, and it it's happening like you look on Playbill in Broadway World, it's like, oh uh rumor mill, um, this is rumored to come to Broadway, and it's from this freaking guy.

[27:49] Martín Acuña: Like, don't be dropping things unless it's like true, you know?

[27:54] Eli Tokash: Like, who is this guy?

[27:55] Martín Acuña: Like, what gives him the authority to be getting a playbill article?

[27:59] Eli Tokash: Rolling Stones freaking wrote an article on this guy and dropping Amber Artolino is being misrepresenting Broadway and everything.

[28:08] Martín Acuña: Like stuff's crazy, man.

[28:10] Eli Tokash: It's it's a mess, and it's because this guy is starting a bunch of rumors on Broadway, and uh that's just not how Broadway's done, you know.

[28:18] Martín Acuña: Broadway's the whole industry itself is a lot classier than that.

[28:21] Eli Tokash: And um, you know, people like the element of surprise where it's just like all of a sudden something breaks, and it's like, oh my god.

[28:29] Martín Acuña: You know, they don't like this whole, oh, allegedly, even Ozada is gonna be in Spring Awakening, and it's like, what?

[28:36] Eli Tokash: Like, I could do that too.

[28:40] Martín Acuña: Like, I could say I'm about to be in Spring Awakening.

[28:43] Eli Tokash: Oh, sorry, it didn't happen to be true.

[28:45] Martín Acuña: It was just a legend.

[28:46] Eli Tokash: Like, what?

[28:47] Martín Acuña: I don't know.

[28:48] Eli Tokash: Anyways, this guy's just trying to get views, and he's on my nerves, and uh sorry for my rant.

[28:54] Martín Acuña: Anyways, we're gonna move on.

[28:56] Eli Tokash: And uh, we're gonna be talking about uh the Broadway cares equity fights aids, Broadway flea market is this weekend.

[29:03] Martín Acuña: It's actually this Sunday, and it's gonna be in Schubert Alley.

[29:07] Eli Tokash: So stop by, you can meet me, you can meet some BPN family members.

[29:11] Eli Tokash: Um Martín, we will miss you deeply.

[29:13] Martín Acuña: I know I have a lot of friends that are gonna be there, and it's just like we're gonna miss you.

[29:19] Eli Tokash: But I don't know, maybe next year or the next one.

[29:25] Martín Acuña: Yeah, we're gonna do something soon. We're gonna do some like in-person stuff, and it's gonna be so fun.

[29:31] Eli Tokash: Uh, but for those of you who are in the city and are um planning on coming to the Broadway flea market, I can't wait to see you there.

[29:38] Martín Acuña: And I hope that uh I'll be in my Take A Bow merch so you all can find me.

[29:42] Eli Tokash: Uh stop by, say hi. We can make some videos together, do whatever, because we're gonna make now that we have a YouTube channel.

[29:48] Martín Acuña: Make sure everybody is subscribed.

[29:49] Eli Tokash: By the way, Martín, are you subscribed?

[29:52] Martín Acuña: Obviously.

[29:53] Eli Tokash: Yo, I'm wearing your merch.

[29:55] Martín Acuña: Serious, um honestly, you're wearing like better merch than me, so like go off.

[30:01] Eli Tokash: Um, but yeah, so we're gonna be at the Broadway Flea Market, so come say hi.

[30:06] Martín Acuña: Now that we have YouTube, we're gonna be doing a lot of video content and just walking up to strangers and talking to them about the Broadway and the flea market.

[30:13] Eli Tokash: So it's gonna be super fun. So come say hi. Moving on.

[30:18] Martín Acuña: Into the Woods is so excited for this.

[30:21] Eli Tokash: I know that we had it kind of talked about uh Sondheim and everything. Into the Woods is releasing a cast album, and that's gonna be released on uh-oh, Miss Feelings, mixed feelings, mixed feelings.

[30:32] Martín Acuña: No, not at all. I'm so excited for their cast.

[30:35] Eli Tokash: Oh, I thought you like you were like, eh, I don't know.

[30:39] Martín Acuña: Got it all. Okay, good. They're coming out with a uh cast album on September 30th, and it's gonna be with the original cast, not at City Center, but the uh revival cast that opened it on Broadway.

[30:51] Eli Tokash: Um so Neil Patrick Harris and those folks will not be in it, but like Sara Bareilles, Philip Asu, Julia Lester, like all of those fantastic people will be in it.

[31:00] Martín Acuña: Uh thoughts on this, Eli?

[31:03] Eli Tokash: I need it right now.

[31:06] Martín Acuña: I mean, the two cast recordings that I need in my life right now are this cast recording from Into the Woods and Off Broadway's Between the Lines.

[31:22] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[31:22] Martín Acuña: Well, that's coming too.

[31:24] Eli Tokash: Yes, it's coming soon.

[31:26] Martín Acuña: They already took the EP off, like the old version of the cast recording from platforms.

[31:31] Eli Tokash: Um which I'm sad because I I really listen to that a lot.

[31:36] Martín Acuña: Uh, but we're gonna get better cast recording, so I'm just like expecting it.

[31:41] Eli Tokash: Yeah, the both of them. Like I'm so excited.

[31:44] Martín Acuña: This show, and honestly, like for those of you who weren't able to like see Into the Woods with that cast, I am like, I genuinely am sorry because like it was it was ridiculous.

[31:59] Eli Tokash: Like it was one of the best pieces of theater I've ever seen.

[32:02] Martín Acuña: Like having that cast just like collaborate. They could have literally stood on stage and just like said hi, like, and I would have been like, oh my god.

[32:10] Eli Tokash: Like, you know.

[32:11] Martín Acuña: It would have been enough.

[32:12] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[32:13] Martín Acuña: Yeah, it would have been enough. So the fact that like there was like a whole show and it was a Sondheim show, you know, it's just amazing.

[32:20] Eli Tokash: And I'm so excited that this is gonna be on you know, all the things Spotify, Apple Music, and just you will have an album so that you can listen to it and really feel kind of get that sense of what was so special about it.

[32:32] Martín Acuña: Their voices are just ridiculous.

[32:34] Eli Tokash: The talent on that stage, it's it's stupid.

[32:36] Martín Acuña: It's literally stupid how good it is.

[32:39] Eli Tokash: Now we only need a pro shot.

[32:40] Martín Acuña: Oh my god, I would love to get a pro shot.

[32:44] Eli Tokash: I wanna I still want a Waitress pro shot.

[32:46] Martín Acuña: Um, we're gonna get it, right?

[32:49] Eli Tokash: I think we are gonna get it.

[32:50] Martín Acuña: But I'm obsessed with Waitress. I feel like that needed to live on forever.

[32:54] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[32:55] Martín Acuña: Um good.

[32:56] Eli Tokash: Okay, moving on.

[32:58] Martín Acuña: James Earl Jones Theater was unveiled this week.

[33:01] Eli Tokash: For those of you who don't know, the Court Theater was renamed the James Earl Jones Theater, and that's on West 48th Street.

[33:08] Martín Acuña: I'm so excited about that.

[33:10] Eli Tokash: More of that, please.

[33:11] Martín Acuña: Like, more representation across the theaters.

[33:15] Eli Tokash: Just the fact that, like, I mean, the Court Theater, I don't know. It's like some of these Broadway theaters, I don't understand the name.

[33:21] Martín Acuña: Like the Majestic.

[33:22] Eli Tokash: I don't understand that name.

[33:23] Martín Acuña: It's kind of just like, oh, it's a majestic show that you're about to watch.

[33:26] Eli Tokash: Like, I don't know. Like, I don't get it.

[33:27] Martín Acuña: Like, pay some homage to like the people that paved the way, you know.

[33:34] Eli Tokash: So that's my little rant about that.

[33:37] Martín Acuña: And the first show that will be in the James Earl Jones Theater, like officially after the rename is going to be Ohio State Murders starring Audra McDonald.

[33:48] Eli Tokash: The one and only amazing queen star of the universe.

[33:53] Martín Acuña: Literally, Audra McDonald is a legend. She'll probably get her like seventh Tony nomination for that show.

[34:00] Eli Tokash: It's ridiculous.

[34:01] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[34:02] Eli Tokash: Yeah, literally.

[34:03] Martín Acuña: It's so cool. Did you see like those videos?

[34:05] Eli Tokash: There were like so many people there for like that unveiling.

[34:08] Martín Acuña: Yeah, and I saw that they were giving out like this sippy cups with uh James Earl Jones' face on it.

[34:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[34:19] Martín Acuña: And I was like, I want a playbill.

[34:21] Eli Tokash: I want to care about what is inside.

[34:26] Martín Acuña: I just want the cover of that pack.

[34:29] Eli Tokash: Literally, I'm all for that.

[34:31] Martín Acuña: I love those little sippy cups and those playbills.

[34:34] Eli Tokash: I have a whole binder of playbills and like a whole collection of sippy cups.

[34:38] Martín Acuña: So that's awesome. I didn't realize they did that, but a cool idea for the general management on that theater.

[34:47] Eli Tokash: We have enough voice recordings from Darth Vader, from Mufasa, from any other James Earl Jones footage.

[34:55] Martín Acuña: We have enough to do a small recording.

[35:00] Eli Tokash: Like, imagine thinking, welcome to the James Earl Jones.

[35:04] Martín Acuña: But and move on.

[35:05] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[35:06] Martín Acuña: I would die.

[35:07] Eli Tokash: I would die.

[35:09] Martín Acuña: Make it happen, literally.

[35:11] Eli Tokash: We're about to make this theater into like a museum of James Earl Jones.

[35:15] Martín Acuña: Oh my god. It would be so fun.

[35:17] Eli Tokash: Could you do that though?

[35:19] Martín Acuña: That's so brilliant.

[35:21] Eli Tokash: That would be like a nice way to like as soon as you see on the theater and the lights dim and like the intro on the Hamilton Pro shot.

[35:32] Martín Acuña: Right.

[35:32] Eli Tokash: In which King George said, like, please turn off your phones.

[35:35] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[35:36] Eli Tokash: Like something like that.

[35:37] Martín Acuña: Like, welcome.

[35:38] Eli Tokash: I would die.

[35:40] Martín Acuña: Oh my god. You have to pitch that.

[35:42] Eli Tokash: You have to write them a note.

[35:44] Martín Acuña: That's so good.

[35:45] Eli Tokash: I want to shout out Kevin Chamberlain and Rachel Dratch, who is part of the Take A Bow family, who is going to be in Guys and Dolls with Jesse Mueller and James Monroe Iglehart, who is also a Take A Bow family member.

[35:57] Martín Acuña: And directed by my former director, Mark Bruni.

[36:00] Eli Tokash: So there's a whole Take A Bow kind of like family reunion happening at the Kennedy Center with Guys and Dolls.

[36:07] Martín Acuña: I'm so excited. Just wanted to shout that out there.

[36:10] Eli Tokash: And I like to shout out, support the performers who have been on the show uh already.

[36:16] Martín Acuña: And uh yeah, just exciting stuff.

[36:18] Eli Tokash: That show is gonna be ridiculous, by the way.

[36:21] Martín Acuña: That Guys and Dolls.

[36:22] Eli Tokash: I'm like actually thinking about like trying to make a trip down to see it to like DC or wherever it is.

[36:30] Martín Acuña: That would be so cool.

[36:31] Eli Tokash: Alright, that's I believe all the news that we have for this week.

[36:35] Martín Acuña: Because I mean, that was a lot.

[36:37] Eli Tokash: That was a like that was a lot, that was a long conversation.

[36:40] Martín Acuña: But I'm here for it.

[36:41] Eli Tokash: I feel like we had some really good conversations, and I think that you know, some valuable conversations, to be honest.

[36:46] Martín Acuña: Just talking about the representation in theater, talking about the James Earl Jones Theater.

[36:51] Eli Tokash: Come on.

[36:51] Martín Acuña: That's insane.

[36:52] Eli Tokash: And then just of course, like the new theaters and everything of Broadway, or the new shows coming to Broadway and all that, talking about the season.

[36:59] Martín Acuña: I love it.

[36:59] Eli Tokash: Anyways, let's talk.

[37:01] Martín Acuña: We've done all of that.

[37:02] Eli Tokash: Let's talk about you.

[37:04] Martín Acuña: Let's talk about Martín, and we're gonna wrap it up.

[37:04] Eli Tokash: So, Martín, you are the host of Backstage Talk, the podcast on the Broadway Podcast Network.

[37:13] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[37:13] Eli Tokash: My baby.

[37:15] Martín Acuña: What's that?

[37:16] Eli Tokash: My baby.

[37:17] Martín Acuña: Yes, your baby.

[37:18] Eli Tokash: Why don't you tell us about it?

[37:19] Martín Acuña: Uh, about what it is, when you release, and how people can listen.

[37:24] Eli Tokash: So, as you just said, Backstage Talk is available on all streaming platforms, but especially on the Broadway Podcast Network, which I joined in March this year, and it's been amazing being part of this huge family.

[37:37] Martín Acuña: I release new episodes every Thursday.

[37:40] Eli Tokash: I am actually this is my last week of my third season.

[37:46] Martín Acuña: My seasons have been 30 episodes each, and this last season, season three, has been a Latin in musical theater special showcasing Latin performers or people with Latin heritage that are working in the industry.

[38:03] Eli Tokash: I have, I think it's 10 Colombian people working here in Colombia, and then the other 20 are people in New York.

[38:13] Martín Acuña: So I've had people from Argentina, I've had people from Venezuela, Panama, um, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and it's just all about my Latin family on Broadway.

[38:26] Eli Tokash: And yeah, it started, it started in early 2020, like a month before shutdown.

[38:34] Martín Acuña: And we're having our third anniversary next year, like in literally four or five months.

[38:41] Eli Tokash: So it's gonna be I'm I'm excited about it.

[38:44] Martín Acuña: I'm so excited for you. Truly.

[38:46] Eli Tokash: I am so lovely.

[38:47] Martín Acuña: Why don't you tell us a little bit about the guests that you've had on?

[38:50] Eli Tokash: Because you've had some amazing guests.

[38:52] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[38:53] Eli Tokash: Um, so part of the mission that I've had with the show has been showcasing those voices that are not under the spotlight.

[39:02] Martín Acuña: Like, of course, I would love to have the big names on the show, but I've always been backstage.

[39:09] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:10] Martín Acuña: I've always been in the ensemble. I've um and I know that we are like the backbone of the shows.

[39:15] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:17] Martín Acuña: So yeah.

[39:17] Eli Tokash: So I've had guests from all over the place in every single profession in the industry.

[39:24] Martín Acuña: So I've had assistant directors, I've had uh Don Tian, she's a lighting designer, I've had Sharon Fallon, she's a producer, I've had uh composers like Jaime Lozano or like Jason Aguirre, right?

[39:39] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:39] Martín Acuña: I've had writers, I've had performers from Broadway, off Broadway, uh understudies, and it's been just amazing listening to those stories because I mainly concentrate on how they got to Broadway on their journey all the way there, because that's that's what I'm trying to do, right?

[39:58] Eli Tokash: Right.

[39:58] Martín Acuña: Uh that's what we are all are trying to do at some point in our lives.

[40:04] Eli Tokash: So so yeah, that's that's been it.

[40:06] Martín Acuña: And I've had a lot of fun.

[40:08] Eli Tokash: Episode 90, as I said, is is releasing this week with Sergio Trujillo.

[40:13] Martín Acuña: He oh my god, is an icon for me.

[40:17] Eli Tokash: He is the first Colombian performer that got to Broadway, so I'm just like mind-blown that I had him on the show to talk in both English and Spanish.

[40:27] Martín Acuña: So, yeah.

[40:28] Eli Tokash: And that's a lot of your episodes are available both in English and Spanish, correct?

[40:33] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[40:33] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[40:34] Martín Acuña: Especially for this season.

[40:36] Eli Tokash: Um for season three.

[40:37] Martín Acuña: Out of 30 episodes, 22 23.

[40:41] Eli Tokash: Yeah, 23 are uh on both languages.

[40:44] Martín Acuña: Incredible.

[40:45] Eli Tokash: Truly.

[40:45] Martín Acuña: That's so exciting.

[40:47] Eli Tokash: And just to like name drop a few people, um, you've had Telly Leung on, you've had JJ Neiman, you've had Mateo Liscano, some of those well, actually all of those are Take A Bow family members, so you all know who those people are.

[40:59] Martín Acuña: Uh but you've also had incredible people such as like Ilda Mason who uh you've actually had on twice.

[41:05] Eli Tokash: Um yeah and like there's so many other people the fact that you have Sergio coming on is like unbelievable.

[41:12] Martín Acuña: Like I'm fangirling for you and we can both fangirl about it together.

[41:17] Eli Tokash: That's huge.

[41:18] Martín Acuña: He he for those of you who don't know he is an icon.

[41:21] Eli Tokash: He is a choreographer and a director he uh choreographed and directed or I know he choreographed I don't know if he directed On Your Feet um was it also I feel like was he Tootsie no he was he in 2019 on the Tony uh I think it was for best choreography for The Temptations the Temptations but I know that he worked in The Temptations I was gonna say it was something there was something even like um more recent than On Your Feet but he he's a legend he's done like so many things so exciting that you get to to talk to him and release his episode and that's literally that's out now because when you listen to this, we both drop on Thursdays.

[42:03] Martín Acuña: Oh yeah.

[42:04] Eli Tokash: So yeah, it's out now.

[42:05] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[42:05] Eli Tokash: So like if you're listening to this and you're you love Martín like everybody else in the world, you should just stop what you're doing after you're listening done listening to it.

[42:14] Martín Acuña: Or like even during.

[42:15] Eli Tokash: I don't even care.

[42:16] Martín Acuña: Type in Backstage Talk wherever you're listening to this, literally on the VPN platform, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever, and type in Backstage Talk and listen to that episode because it's gonna be amazing.

[42:27] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited.

[42:28] Martín Acuña: I'll probably be listening to it on Thursday at the same time as all of you.

[42:31] Eli Tokash: Uh very exciting.

[42:32] Martín Acuña: I'm so excited for you.

[42:34] Eli Tokash: Um talk to me about you made history with Backstage Talk.

[42:38] Martín Acuña: Uh oh my god.

[42:40] Eli Tokash: It was like iconic.

[42:41] Martín Acuña: Yeah, it was still like reeling from it.

[42:45] Eli Tokash: A lot of my friends have been like, you're being really modest about it because what you did was big.

[42:52] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[42:53] Eli Tokash: Like effing big.

[42:54] Martín Acuña: And we're like, but I just did my thing.

[42:57] Eli Tokash: Like I just went there and talked about what I love with two people that also love the same thing that I love.

[43:06] Martín Acuña: Right.

[43:07] Eli Tokash: Right.

[43:07] Martín Acuña: But yeah, we we had this amazing opportunity, and plug thank you, BroadwayCon, and thank you to the Broadway Podcast Network without both of them.

[43:18] Eli Tokash: Uh we wouldn't be speaking about Broadway in Spanish.

[43:23] Martín Acuña: Uh, but that's what we that's what we did, right?

[43:27] Eli Tokash: Um we were the first ever Spanish speaking event uh and panel at BroadwayCon, uh, which has been going on for a couple of years now, but right now they opened the door to more representation and more visibility of other groups that are working in the industry.

[43:50] Martín Acuña: So they had a panel on K-pop, uh, and I also I remember like seeing on the roster of things, they were having discussions about AAPI, about black people on Broadway, but mine was the opportunity to showcase Latin work.

[44:08] Martín Acuña: So the episode is also recorded, so you can go back to episode something, something on Backstage Talk, which would be the live at Broadway con.

[44:19] Martín Acuña: But we had this opportunity to bring back Ilda Mason, which is another huge, amazing star from Panama.

[44:28] Martín Acuña: Um, she worked in West Side Story with both on both West Sides that occurred in 2019 and 2020, the Broadway revival and the movie.

[44:38] Martín Acuña: Um movie with Steven Spielberg, and I brought also James Bruinger Arreguin, who is um a director and writer that and it was just amazing to speak about what we love in our native languages, uh, which is not common and it hasn't been common.

[45:00] Martín Acuña: So it was just a great opportunity, and I'm just crossing fingers that we can do it again next year, which I'm hopeful we will.

[45:08] Martín Acuña: Yes, we actually have some news from the Broadway con that it's going to be at the Marriott Marquee next year.

[45:15] Eli Tokash: Would you think God?

[45:19] Martín Acuña: Oh my god, literally, because I thought the same thing.

[45:22] Martín Acuña: That setup last year was no bueno.

[45:26] Eli Tokash: No, it's no no good.

[45:28] Martín Acuña: Literally, it was just it was my first Broadway con, so it was a pretty good experience.

[45:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah, but I know that at the Marriott Marquee, it's gonna be even better.

[45:38] Martín Acuña: So I just I really cannot wait.

[45:40] Eli Tokash: Like, really cannot wait.

[45:42] Martín Acuña: Yeah, for sure.

[45:43] Eli Tokash: So everyone keep an eye out for that.

[45:46] Eli Tokash: Why don't you drop your um handles to to make sure that they can follow you?

[45:51] Martín Acuña: So like on Instagram and wherever you may want them to follow you.

[45:54] Martín Acuña: Sure.

[45:55] Martín Acuña: So on Instagram, you can follow the podcast at Backstage Talk Pod P O D.

[46:01] Martín Acuña: Um you can also you'll find there my personal, which is at the Martin Acuña.

[46:06] Martín Acuña: Um and uh Acuña being AC UNA.

[46:11] Martín Acuña: I'm also on Twitter.

[46:13] Martín Acuña: Uh I am starting to use TikTok.

[46:15] Martín Acuña: I just do like silly stuff, but I'm starting to use it because I'm not that friendly with that platform.

[46:24] Martín Acuña: Um but yeah, I'm mostly on Instagram and Twitter, so you'll find me there.

[46:31] Martín Acuña: Twitter is like my personal diary slash Broadway thoughts slash personal diary.

[46:37] Martín Acuña: Um and Instagram is gonna be just everything podcast, everything Broadway, and specifically this month, everything Hispanic and Latin heritage.

[46:49] Eli Tokash: So my gosh.

[46:54] Martín Acuña: I didn't even say anything about that.

[46:56] Eli Tokash: Yes, that's right.

[46:57] Martín Acuña: Oh my god.

[46:58] Martín Acuña: Y'all, it's been it's been a time, it's been a time lately.

[47:02] Eli Tokash: This yes, I'm so I'm so happy and I'm so excited with all the incredible content that you have coming out, and uh I mean you are just killing it, literally.

[47:12] Martín Acuña: I love listening to your episodes.

[47:14] Martín Acuña: I even in in like honestly, because the live at BroadwayCon is not in English, so it's only It is actually.

[47:22] Eli Tokash: Oh, it is?

[47:23] Martín Acuña: Yes, we um like the main panel was recorded in Spanish, but after that, I was like, Ilda James, do you have 20 more minutes with me?

[47:32] Martín Acuña: And we recorded it in the dream room.

[47:34] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[47:35] Martín Acuña: Is not the best because I had just bought a mic that I didn't know how to use.

[47:41] Martín Acuña: But if you wanna suffer through that with me, I would love that.

[47:46] Martín Acuña: Oh my god the episode is also available in place.

[47:49] Eli Tokash: I didn't realize because what I did was obviously like I listened to at BroadwayCon.

[47:53] Eli Tokash: And then of course, like the it's actually Broadway Podcast Network put it up on YouTube.

[47:58] Eli Tokash: And so that's in Spanish.

[48:01] Eli Tokash: Um so like even that was like entertaining, and like it was just like your your energy is just so so brilliant, and what you're doing is just so so good.

[48:12] Eli Tokash: And and bringing those who may be underrepresented to the spotlight, you know, you're really bringing them into the spotlight, and uh you are shining with them.

[48:22] Martín Acuña: So I'm very excited that I was able to have you on today and talk to you about all things Broadway and backstage talk.

[48:29] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited.

[48:30] Martín Acuña: I loved it, I love it.

[48:31] Martín Acuña: Thank you so much for this.

[48:33] Martín Acuña: And um, you know how much I love you and your show, and I mean, since I met you this earlier this year, it's like besties.

[48:41] Eli Tokash: I know.

[48:42] Eli Tokash: I literally like from day one, I feel like I've known you like my whole life, basically.

[48:46] Martín Acuña: It's so hard.

[48:47] Martín Acuña: Um we have been friends for just like a couple months.

[48:49] Martín Acuña: It's crazy to this.

[48:51] Eli Tokash: Um truly, is there anything else that you want to like talk about or plug or anything like with backstage talk or the Broadway industry or just like life?

[49:00] Martín Acuña: I don't know.

[49:01] Martín Acuña: Only to say that this industry needs change, yes, but change always starts small.

[49:12] Martín Acuña: So, like my biggest takeaway this season, in which I've had this Latin group of people telling their stories, like their their heart, their answers have been very similar when I asked them about what we can do to increase representation of visibility, specifically for Latin people.

[49:34] Martín Acuña: But this is this covers every minority, right?

[49:39] Martín Acuña: Our stories are beautiful, our cultures specifically are beautiful, and the best way that we can do to support them is going to those small theaters.

[49:51] Martín Acuña: Yes, we can go to the big Broadway theaters, but once you start seeing the talent that is going on off of Broadway, regional theater, and off Broadway, it's just amazing.

[50:04] Martín Acuña: And each time you have a playbill or the equivalent of a playbill, try to look for those names that I don't like this expression, but those names that aren't white, or those pictures that you know that they are not the traditional white American stereotype, and shout them out.

[50:28] Martín Acuña: Shout them out on your social media, post a story about them, um, follow them.

[50:33] Martín Acuña: And I mean, I've gotten friends and most of my guests sliding into their DMs, right?

[50:40] Martín Acuña: Yeah, just being like, hey, I know you are, I don't know, a small Latin performer from the middle of South Carolina, but I am interested in your work.

[50:51] Martín Acuña: So do you want to come over?

[50:53] Martín Acuña: And that means the world to them as it means the world to me.

[50:57] Martín Acuña: So just shout them out and show them love whenever you see a new show.

[51:02] Eli Tokash: Oh, I love that.

[51:03] Eli Tokash: It's so true.

[51:05] Eli Tokash: Well, I mean, there you have it.

[51:07] Eli Tokash: I mean, I I don't know.

[51:08] Eli Tokash: I don't think there's a better way to end the show.

[51:10] Eli Tokash: So thank you for for saying that.

[51:13] Eli Tokash: And uh everyone, check out Backstage Talk.

[51:13] Eli Tokash: And uh Martín, I can't thank you enough for coming on.

[51:19] Martín Acuña: No, thank you.

[51:20] Martín Acuña: It's been an honor, and I I've loved every single of this episode.

[51:24] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, stop it.

[51:26] Eli Tokash: You definitely deserve to take a bow.

[51:28] Martín Acuña: Oh, alright.

[51:30] Eli Tokash: Yes, there you go.

[51:32] Martín Acuña: Thank you.

[51:33] Martín Acuña: Bye, everyone.

[51:34] Eli Tokash: Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Take A Bow, and I will see you all next week.

[51:40] Martín Acuña: Bye.

[51:41] Eli Tokash: Okay, y'all.

[51:42] Eli Tokash: I just wanted to come on here and say another thank you to Martín Acuña for coming on this week's episode of Take A Bow with me.

[51:49] Eli Tokash: It was kind of nice.

[51:50] Eli Tokash: Like I knew Martín is a podcaster, he's a great podcaster.

[51:54] Eli Tokash: I love his podcast.

[51:55] Eli Tokash: Um, so it was nice to have someone like him on where it yeah, it was a guest and everything, and we could kind of talk about him, but we could also just like I could connect with you all a little bit more, um, which was lovely.

[52:07] Eli Tokash: It was kind of like a co-host kind of thing here this week, all about like the pop culture, Broadway news, and everything like that.

[52:15] Eli Tokash: And I love that kind of format just to switch things up a little bit, because then we have some very exciting guests coming out, such as Rachel Bay Jones, Laura Bell Bundy, Diane Paulus.

[52:26] Eli Tokash: We have some incredible, incredible guests coming on very soon to the podcast, and y'all aren't gonna want to miss it.

[52:33] Eli Tokash: So I wanted to to come on here, change things up a little bit, honor him and tell let him promote his story and his podcast and tell his story once again during the Hispanic Heritage Month.

[52:45] Eli Tokash: So we are celebrating you, Martín, and everyone who celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.

[52:50] Eli Tokash: It was wonderful to have him on the podcast, and I really enjoyed it.

[52:54] Eli Tokash: But I also wanted to come on here to say that we recorded this on Tuesday, September 20th, earlier in the day.

[53:01] Eli Tokash: So when we recorded, we didn't know that one of both Martín and I's favorite musicals announced that they were closing.

[53:09] Eli Tokash: And you probably guessed it.

[53:10] Eli Tokash: It was last week's episode with Dana Steingold.

[53:12] Eli Tokash: Beetlejuice is closing.

[53:15] Eli Tokash: We all kind of saw this coming.

[53:17] Eli Tokash: No one wanted to admit it.

[53:19] Eli Tokash: Um it's just such a fun show.

[53:20] Eli Tokash: And if you listen to that episode with Dana, you really get to know a lot about the show and kind of enjoy the show a little bit more, just in understanding how the actors feel who are in the show and how much respect they have for each other and the show itself and what they've been through.

[53:36] Eli Tokash: Uh the journey of Beetlejuice has just been absolutely insane.

[53:40] Eli Tokash: So I I just wanted to come on here and say, like, you know, congratulations to Dana, congratulations to Sean McManus, Elizabeth Teter.

[53:48] Eli Tokash: I mean, all of those wonderful, wonderful performers really kind of had that it was like kind of their breakout show, even though they've all done uh wonderful things.

[53:57] Eli Tokash: And Sean, I mean, he's been on tour and everything, but he made his Broadway debut.

[54:01] Eli Tokash: Like, so this is a big breakout thing for all of them.

[54:04] Eli Tokash: And uh, I'm just so happy for all of them and all the opportunities that the show has given them.

[54:09] Eli Tokash: Hopefully, we can have like one of them back on to talk about their journey, especially like Elizabeth, because when we talked to Elizabeth, she had just like done the first couple weeks of Beetlejuice, and we didn't want to announce that that was what she was doing because it was right before the pandemic, and then like the pandemic hit, and then it stopped, and we didn't know what was going on.

[54:27] Eli Tokash: So we kind of kept that under the radar.

[54:30] Eli Tokash: Um, but now I wanna to talk to her about it.

[54:33] Eli Tokash: So hopefully we can have her back on and talk about Beetlejuice and all the things before the show closes.

[54:38] Eli Tokash: So, anyways, huge congratulations to everyone involved in that show.

[54:42] Eli Tokash: Um, Alex Brayman is a legend.

[54:44] Eli Tokash: Uh, that role is so good for him.

[54:46] Eli Tokash: And uh I also have one more piece of news that I wanted to share with you all because I actually think it's pretty exciting.

[54:53] Eli Tokash: The Music Man is dropping their cast album.

[54:56] Eli Tokash: I mentioned Into the Woods is dropping their cast album, but now Music Man is also dropping their cast album.

[55:02] Eli Tokash: That's two revivals dropping a cast album, and Music Man is going to be dropped tomorrow if you're listening to this on Thursday.

[55:09] Eli Tokash: Yeah, too.

[55:10] Eli Tokash: If you listen to this Thursday, September 22nd, when it comes out, the Music Man cast album will be out tomorrow, September 23rd.

[55:18] Eli Tokash: So I'm very excited for that, and um hope that you all will give it a listen because the talent on that stage, I mean, there's just legends.

[55:25] Eli Tokash: I mean, that cast is stacked, you know.

[55:28] Eli Tokash: Like we say into the woods is stacked and everything like that, and there's no doubt about it.

[55:33] Eli Tokash: But Music Man is the exact same way in a lot of ways, because I mean, you have Hugh Jackman, you have Sutton Foster, you have Jane Howdy Shell, you have all of these incredible, incredible people involved in the show, and uh they get to all be on one cast album.

[55:51] Eli Tokash: It's fantastic.

[55:52] Eli Tokash: Jefferson Mays, Marie Mullen, all of these incredible Philip Boykin, all of these incredible artists, and uh we'll get to see our pals, Ryan Worsing, and Lance Roberts.

[56:03] Eli Tokash: So I'm so excited for this cast album.

[56:06] Eli Tokash: And Sean Montgomery.

[56:07] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, all these people.

[56:08] Eli Tokash: Sorry, I was looking at the Music Man cast list just to get a little refresh.

[56:12] Eli Tokash: So many incredible people in this show that it will be able to listen to and have their voices grace our ears for a very long time to come.

[56:20] Eli Tokash: So exciting stuff over there with cast albums, and unfortunately the Beetlejuice is closing.

[56:25] Eli Tokash: But hey, I think that we take this opportunity of the last months that we have Beetlejuice and really celebrate the run.

[56:30] Eli Tokash: So go check out Beetlejuice.

[56:32] Eli Tokash: Go check out Phantom, all the things Music Man's closing.

[56:35] Eli Tokash: So there you have it.

[56:36] Eli Tokash: That's this week's episode, fully done officially.

[56:39] Eli Tokash: And uh I thank you all for listening.

[56:41] Eli Tokash: And I hope to see you all at the Broadway Flea Market on Sunday.

[56:44] Eli Tokash: Very exciting, and I will be there.

[56:46] Eli Tokash: So come say hi, come find me, and yeah, I'll see you there.

[56:49] Eli Tokash: And if I don't, I hope that you all have a great week.

[56:52] Eli Tokash: And thank you so much for listening.

[56:54] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[56:55] Eli Tokash: Have a great week.

[57:00] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow.

[57:05] Eli Tokash: This podcast would not be possible without the help of Dory Barrenstein, Alan Seales, Kimberly Garrett, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[57:13] Eli Tokash: Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Gorren, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast.

[57:23] Eli Tokash: And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Gryner?

[57:27] Eli Tokash: And our final bow are extra special to the patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McMahra, the listeners of PCC, as well as all of the other patrons for their continued support.

[57:36] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash TAB.

[57:41] Eli Tokash: If you enjoyed this week's episode, make sure to subscribe on the platform that you are currently listening to this on, or go check out our YouTube where you can watch the episode.

[57:49] Eli Tokash: You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well.

[57:52] Eli Tokash: If you're more into the regular social media and want to follow us, you can do that at Take About Podcast across all social media platforms.

[57:59] Eli Tokash: The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos.

[58:06] Eli Tokash: And that wraps up this episode's curtain call.

[58:08] Eli Tokash: Thank you all again for listening to this week's episode, and I can't wait to see you next week.

[58:13] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[58:14] Eli Tokash: Have a great week.