This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 138 of Take A Bow.

[0:04] Eli Tokash: I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week we have such an exciting episode. Uh, for all of you who followed this weekly and all the things, you know, Parade was announced that it was coming to Broadway after its incredible run over at New York City Center. So I just was like, you know what? We have to get someone from Parade on the podcast for next week. And I'm so, so thrilled that we were able to do so. We have the lead of Parade herself, uh, the leading lady in Parade. Perhaps one of the funniest interviews of all time here on Take A Bow. She was so sweet, she was so raw and candid and was so willing and open to talk about the industry. Um, it was cool to talk about really being a kid in the industry and growing up in the industry as a kid.

Uh, it's wonderful for people that are around our age. Because, you know, Micaela, oh, oh, there's our guest, everyone. You know, our guest this week is still very, very young for the star that she is, and uh just so excited to bring her on today, and perfect for people who like are around our age and and still young and figuring out the business and going through all of the things. Um, so our guest I slipped, and you already saw the title of the episode, so I guess it's really not that big of a surprise. But our guest today is Micaela Diamond. I'm so excited for this episode. She was an absolute joy to have on the podcast. I'm so excited that I was able to get her on and and and be able to chat with her.

Um we have never met before, I don't think. So this was like the first time we really got the chance to talk, and it was just so fun. It was like literally, I felt like we were best friends already, so it was fun. I think you'll all enjoy this episode. So, um, with that being said, I'm not gonna take up too much time, but I'm gonna switch it over to the Broadway news. There's not too much Broadway news happening this week, honestly. Last week was a big week for Broadway news, and you know how it goes. It's like usually one week's really big, and then the next one's dead, and then it's like mediocre for a bit, and then all the things. So a little bit to talk about, not too much, but I'll start off with saying Eric Vate is back at Moulin Rouge, which is very exciting for a lot of people, especially all of the people that are attracted to him, which is probably everyone listening.

Um I know everyone is obsessed with Aaron Tvate, so uh very excited for him to be back at Moulin Rouge. He's so freaking good in this show. I'm sure that uh you hopefully you've all seen him in the show, and hopefully, you if you haven't, you get the chance to see him in the show. All of his groupies were at uh his reopening back at the show, which was hilarious to just watch on social media because some of his groupies are my friends. Um it's just so, so silly. But uh very exciting to have Aaron Tvate back uh in Moulin Rouge, and that's obviously because uh Derek Klena, who was playing the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge, is currently at the Kennedy Center doing Sunset Boulevard and is taking like uh a leave to do that, and then he'll be back in the show after Aaron's little run uh back in the back at the Rouge.

Um, very exciting stuff. Perhaps moving on, perhaps the most iconic non-equity actor. This is breaking news, non-equity actor Patti LuPone is going on tour, y'all. So uh you don't have to be in New York to see Patti LuPone uh do her next show. Uh hilarious. Uh so sorry. I'm I'm we're milking this little moment with the non-equity thing, but it's just so funny that uh it was even a thing, and she tweeted it out. So I have to say it. She's obviously I I would assume not non-equity. Does anyone actually know? I don't know. Anyways, I'm rambling here, but she's going out on tour, which is very exciting. Uh, for those of you who don't live in New York, you know, keep your eyes peeled because she may be coming to uh a city or a state near you, uh, which would be very exciting.

But she is going on tour at 73 years young. Uh her new tour is called Don't Monkey with Broadway, um, which is kind of iconic. But uh it's gonna be great. And it's got show tunes from Richard Rodgers, it's got Stephen Sondheim, it's got Stephen Schwartz, it's got Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, all of your favorite uh composers and uh and things. So I'm very excited for this. It's gonna be in California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, and more. So take a look at uh the tour dates and see if you're around any of them. I know we're a lot of New York listeners, a lot of California listeners, obviously back home in West Virginia, Ohio area. So uh, you know, she's also going to uh Canada, uh Ontario.

I know we have some listeners up there. Um, so everyone go check it out. She may be coming to a state or city near you. You maybe want to check her out in the show. I think it's gonna be uh amazing. It seems like it's a show that was literally made for her. So I'm excited to hear all about it. Hopefully, I can go probably to the one in New Jersey, but uh I'm sure it's gonna be amazing. She's gonna be playing State Theater in New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, but also she'll be performing at Bergen Performing Arts Center, uh, which is in Englewood, New Jersey, and um that's probably the closest one for us New York listeners and New York people. Uh, she obviously does one in New York, but it's in Brookville, New York, and I don't know where that is.

Um, I probably should have done a little bit more research before coming on the podcast, but I laid a little bit out there for you. So uh if you do feel so inclined to see her go see the queen herself in her new little tour that's going around uh just that's going on the road. Uh another news, uh Some Like It Hot is releasing a cast recording on March 24th. Very exciting. I've raved about Some Like It Hot many times. I did the opening night. Um I did see Some Like It Hot and I absolutely loved it. Came on here and raved about how much I loved it. I love this show. The music of the show makes the show, but also I mean, it there's so much to the show that there's to love. Obviously, the visual aspect is amazing as well, and the dancing is incredible.

But uh the music to this show is awesome. So I'm very excited for this cast recording. So again, Some Like It Hot's cast recording will be releasing on March 24th. And now, last thing of news this week. Uh we have the closing of the only closing show, actually, after a four-show weekend and a six-show closing weekend. We have the closing of Merrily We Roll Along at New York Theater Workshop this week. Thankfully, thankfully, we don't have to wait too long for it to come back, as it will be uh here on Broadway later this fall. So, I mean, if you were so lucky to get a ticket at New York Theater Workshop, then hey, I am jealous of you and I applaud you uh because that theater is just so small.

So I'm so thrilled that uh more people will be able to see the show because I was dying to see it, and I know a lot of people listening were dying to see the show. Very excited that it's coming to Broadway with more seats so that more people can see the show. Um, it's gonna be great. Uh, like how can you not love that cast? It's ridiculous. Not even the starring three, but also the supporting cast. Everyone involved is just so incredible and so talented. This cast is ridiculous. So uh I cannot wait to see that. And it sounds like most of the cast, if not all of the cast, will be joining it here on Broadway. So very excited for that. Check it out. We don't have dates exactly yet. Uh we have that it's coming later this fall.

But I will obviously keep you all updated when I get more uh information on that and and when we when they kind of announce it. All right, y'all. So uh that's what I have for this week's Broadway news uh of the week. And I think without further ado, I we just send it over to Micaela Diamond because this episode is one that y'all are just gonna absolutely love. So I cannot wait to share it with you. So without further ado, Micaela Diamond, curtain up.

[8:05] Eli Tokash: So this week's guest is a very exciting performer who is one of the future like staple leading ladies on Broadway and beyond. You know her as Cher, or perhaps as Lucille Frank in the Broadway bound Parade. Welcome to Take A Bow, Micaela Diamond.

[8:22] Micaela Diamond: Hi.

[8:22] Micaela Diamond: Blushing. Thank you.

[8:25] Micaela Diamond: Yes, oh my god, no, thank you for coming on here. I'm very excited to talk to you. You've been a highly requested guest from the listeners, so very exciting to actually have you on.

[8:35] Micaela Diamond: I love a little podcast moment.

[8:37] Micaela Diamond: I oh yeah, one of those odd people who kind of can talk about myself for a while. It's probably because I've done so many years of therapy, but this is where I sit, baby.

[8:48] Micaela Diamond: You know, it's something about you know being like a performer where it's just like, you know, we tell stories of like we we put ourselves into other people's shoes all the time. So when we can talk about ourselves, we're like, oh sure. Let me let me chat it up. I think I'm also just a theater nerd at heart. So like if people want to know process, all right, I'm down, you know.

[9:09] Eli Tokash: Totally, totally. And and so talking about being a theater nerd, I mean, how did this whole thing start? Like, how did we get here? What got you interested in the theater and and telling stories and all the things?

[9:20] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, I loved I loved theater since I was so, so young, but I think dance was really the kind of way in for me. I was a dancer first for many a year, guys.

[9:31] Micaela Diamond: Wow.

[9:34] Micaela Diamond: But anyway, yeah, I danced a lot when I was little, starting at like three, and then slowly got into singing lessons, and then um, you know, was doing the whole the whole thing for many years. But um, my mom created a little dance studio for me in my hometown in Margate, New Jersey, which is about five minutes away from Atlantic City, which is a little more well known than Margate.

[9:56] Micaela Diamond: And um, and uh and we just had such a fun time, like hiring the teachers and you know, you create such a community at a studio, and I will like forever love my mother for doing that. Um but so then we moved to New York when I was about 10. I did a show over the summer, like a community theater show in New York City, and we got back to Margate and in the middle of my seventh grade, my mom was like, should we just should we just go live in New York?

[10:25] Micaela Diamond: And I was Oh my god. Yes, yes.

[10:29] Micaela Diamond: And we picked up my set and we moved to New York, and then we got here and I was like, I don't want to audition. I'm depressed, I don't like the city.

[10:37] Micaela Diamond: Yep.

[10:38] Micaela Diamond: Which is funny because now thinking to all my friends who just graduated um college this past the past few years, they're kind of having a similar experience. Like they've wanted to live in the city for so long, they're finally here and not having to travel for auditions and all the things, and you get here and you're just like it's freaking overwhelming.

[10:59] Micaela Diamond: So I think I kind of had that experience, and thankfully my mom was so like not, she's not a theater person at all. So she was just like, Yeah, do whatever you want you want to do. So I just kind of you know did you know, tried to work through it.

[11:16] Eli Tokash: Amazing, and uh, and then eventually I got the pang again, of course, and I went to LaGuardia for high school, which was a school, and I majored in drama there, um, and like loved it so much, like did shows every single year. I worked with kids' theater, which is another community theater, like always doing. I just did like a massive like I peaked like my resume.

[11:39] Micaela Diamond: We were just talking about this the other day, but my resume in high school was like epic, like epic epic.

[11:45] Eli Tokash: For sure.

[11:46] Micaela Diamond: What high schooler what high schooler theater kid didn't peak in high school?

[11:50] Eli Tokash: I know you know, like do the best shit, and it's almost disappointing when you have to audition for new shows when you get out because you're like nothing is as good as playing Margaret in The Light in the Piazza at 16 years old.

[12:02] Micaela Diamond: Like I was amazing, so real, so real.

[12:06] Micaela Diamond: Um, I'm just kidding, I didn't feel amazing about that performance, but there were so many questions.

[12:14] Micaela Diamond: So you and your mom started like a little dance studio and just like up and left.

[12:19] Micaela Diamond: We literally did. We we ran up for three years.

[12:23] Micaela Diamond: She gratefully, like we kind of broke even with the studio. We didn't make any money, but um, but I loved it. I kind of had grown out of all the dance studios in my neighborhood.

[12:33] Micaela Diamond: And so she was like, let's make one that challenges you more. And so she hired all the teachers. She's not a teacher at all. So she taught yoga in the studio for a while. Period. Um, and so yeah, we just we had such a good time, and she's always kind of um we've like home for us has have always just been like us. So like I moved so much as a kid, like always kind of picking up and moving to the point where like I don't I don't think I um it it was one of those things where I just if I had her, I was fine, you know?

[13:10] Eli Tokash: Right.

[13:11] Micaela Diamond: So um yeah, we lived on Roosevelt Island for a year, like that's that's like legendary for like if you know what Roosevelt Island is, like no one lives there, but we lived there, you know?

[13:23] Eli Tokash: Totally.

[13:23] Micaela Diamond: Um, but yeah, we we've always kind of just um tried to be like what's moving us, what's like making our hearts happy? She's like kind of a totally hippies in that way.

[13:36] Eli Tokash: Um that's amazing.

[13:37] Micaela Diamond: I've kind of that's the best way to be too. Yeah, like during the pandemic, I was like, I'll go to cooking school, you know. It was like really I'm always like, what's the next thing? What's the next thing?

[13:48] Eli Tokash: Right, totally.

[13:49] Micaela Diamond: And then you said you went to LaGuardia.

[13:51] Eli Tokash: I went to PPAS, so uh Laguardia is like uh not a not a good taste now, just kidding.

[13:58] Micaela Diamond: The only reason you're gonna be happy about this is because I went to PPAS for middle school.

[14:05] Eli Tokash: Oh, okay, okay. I'll take it.

[14:06] Micaela Diamond: I went for eighth grade, and to be honest, like loved PPAS. I loved it. If you don't know, PPAS is a professional performing art school, and it's on 45th Street, like or 47th or something.

[14:18] Eli Tokash: 48th.

[14:19] Micaela Diamond: Okay, wow. Wow, it's been a second. Doing great. All I remember is it took me like approximately five minutes to get to Broadway Dance Center every day. So like it was fierce. Um, but anyway, I loved PPAS. And funnily enough, although LaGuardia High School is the fame school.

[14:39] Eli Tokash: I'm using quotes for all your listeners.

[14:41] Micaela Diamond: Oh, she's it was filmed at PPAS.

[14:45] Eli Tokash: Okay, she's she's clearing it. She's clearing it up for us.

[14:49] Micaela Diamond: I love it for everyone, okay?

[14:51] Eli Tokash: So true. And that's why PPAS is salty about LaGuardia, but it's fine.

[14:55] Micaela Diamond: I know it's totally okay. And it's true, it's it's hard because I left with all my friends. Like a whole friend group left and went to LaGuardia, which is cool because you're like going into a high school with all your friends, but like all of there were like probably like you know, there's like 10 out of 30 who like stay, and they're like so salty. There's such a there's not a rivalry because both schools are amazing in different ways, but I will say, like, some of my favorite teachers were at PPAS, like Mr. Parent.

[15:23] Micaela Diamond: Oh, for sure. Love King shout out to Miss Parenti. Um, Mr. Pleasant, like he's a path in shape. If you went PBAS, like you have abs, like below all of the other things, like you have middle school abs. Like he worked you, you know.

[15:38] Eli Tokash: It was just I loved it. I loved it.

[15:39] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, oh my god, stop. This is everything right now because could never relate to something more.

[15:46] Eli Tokash: Um so true. I'm gonna go see Mr. Pleasant and he's doing rent, and uh, we're gonna go see the main stage. My class, we're gonna take a little field trip.

[15:55] Micaela Diamond: So fun. What class are you in? Like, where are you with Drew Menard? Like, how old are you?

[16:00] Eli Tokash: Oh I so he was I'm I'm 19 so he was like Kyle's like little assistant when I was in middle school like he was like a senior or something and he was like my too Drew was a year younger than me I think.

[16:00] Micaela Diamond: Oh really yeah yeah yeah yeah he's an icon and it's just so funny but he was literally he was the one because I'm no I'm no dancer I wasn't a Micaela Diamond dancer when I was a kid you know like I was I was with Drew like every minute I had and was like okay I'm too scared of Kyle so like can you help me out you know it was yeah yeah no but Drew is he's so sweet um so funny that you that you have these experiences and then of course like I don't know like PPAS I feel like is so such like not like a joke of a school because it's not but like the performing arts is so serious that like the academics are just like not the best.

[16:57] Micaela Diamond: So like I'm curious to know what that flip was going from PPAS to Lagordia.

[17:02] Eli Tokash: It's funny like I had a similar experience academically at both schools.

[17:07] Micaela Diamond: Really I don't know I I think people would disagree with me but I I have never really thought of myself as um get ready to roll your eyes um as like a smart person or a talented person. I've always just thought of myself as a really hard worker so and and um and a copier if I'm being quite honest.

[17:28] Micaela Diamond: So like I don't mean like copying like answers. I guess I mean like you do.

[17:31] Eli Tokash: No, I mean sometimes.

[17:35] Micaela Diamond: But I mean, like, like I got straight A's, but I it wasn't because I was smart, it was because like I knew how to how to navigate the system.

[17:45] Eli Tokash: Like totally.

[17:46] Micaela Diamond: Like, you know, I would do homework in the class. Like, if they give you the homework, I'm obviously doing it while we sit. Like, so so then it was like I was never late. Like, you know, think like little things. Like, I just felt I knew how I I knew how to memorize for one. So English was easy. I don't know. And I I did love school, like I loved being a student, but um, I don't think I ever really um felt uh felt smart at either school.

[18:18] Eli Tokash: Yeah, no, felt that. I mean, you were too busy playing Miss Margaret in in Lights of Piazza to have time to do homework after class.

[18:26] Micaela Diamond: Surely that was my priority, yes.

[18:28] Eli Tokash: Yes, of course, no, literally. That is the priority, you know. Like that's why we go to those schools and they still want to give us homework. What is this?

[18:35] Micaela Diamond: No, anyways, loving it. Love I love that whole journey for you. And uh so tell me, I mean, you were like basically in high school, right? When Cher came into your life.

[18:44] Micaela Diamond: Was it a little after?

[18:48] Eli Tokash: Yeah, no, it was right towards the end of my you know, spring semester in senior year. Um, so I had like already known I was going to Carnegie Mellon and I was really excited, and um, and I did speaking of my resume from high school, I did um this is such a side note, but it's I think it's so funny. So the other day uh they were like requesting my bio information for like the parade press release. And and I like my manager wrote it or something, and I was reading it to like make sure it was okay, and I was like, oh my god, the last line was like from a very old bio that says like favorite roles include Louise and Gypsy and Margaret and like I was like no no cut cut cut cut like meanwhile Ben's resume it's like nine pages long like nothing's good and etc etc I was like we need to cut all the favorite we're doing what professionally like this is over um it was so embarrassing anyway that was like iconic so no you're doing great you're doing great I was just uh asking when Cher came into your life and what that was like to you the reason I thought I was because I was doing Louise in Gypsy my okay role apparently and um and so one of the agents from CESD came to see it and um we are you with them too we love C E S DS we work PPAS um anyway so she came and you know we started talking and freelancing over the summer which essentially is just like I wasn't signing with them because I was going to Carnegie Mellon um I was kind of BFA or die so I was like I don't need to sign like I'm I want to go to school um and uh I think this is I think I'm talking in the right tone for your listeners I couldn't tell you um absolutely oh my god and so uh so yeah so I started auditioning for them and one of the few auditions honestly I went over went into over the summer was the share show and it was just me and Pat Goodwin in a room take that off and and um and honestly like I didn't want to go in because I just was like so embarrassed like the m like uh you know you're like you know I'm not doing work that's character actressy like I was you know grounded close to self okay sure one semester of far away it was just like I don't know I don't want to embarrass myself with like a you know bad share impression like this feels crazy you know so I but I went in and like made a fool of myself to be honest I I didn't really do a share impression I kind of just like tried to be me with like you know slight little things and like sure yeah so I did it for Pat got a call back and was like oh my lord what's happening it's not this went in for this beautiful massive team like huge fan of Rick Alice like who wrote Peter Starcatcher I was just like oh my god this is crazy um and you know this is you this is a fun story maybe for your listeners but I had to sing song for the lonely which is the act one finale of our show I think oh my god it's been years um but anyway so I was singing this song and I have this kind of high belty note um that goes into the if I did it whatever so I I was having to sing the if you like know it you know what I'm talking about so I had to sing this like massive high note and like couldn't sing it and I told her I was like I can't like my voice doesn't do that like I'm I'm a soprano like I don't know what's going on.

[22:36] Micaela Diamond: Um and but you're like oh just try it so I sing that I sing it and crack like I can't sing it like it's just how my voice and the pianist bless his fucking heart. I don't know who it was, but like you saved my career. He turned around to um to one of the you know bigger higher up people who um you know were running the room and was just like why don't we just lower it a key?

[23:03] Eli Tokash: Oh and I was like, Yes, um and so they lowered it one key and I like sang the shit out of it. It's just like yes, we have a break, okay. Can we normalize this, please? I I am not an alphabet, like I I can't sing the whole my whole range.

[23:20] Micaela Diamond: Like I I pop off after like C sharp. Like I can't do that. So they made it a C sharp.

[23:27] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[23:27] Micaela Diamond: Yes. And um, and I sang down and they were like, okay, work. Thank you so much. And then I went to Israel for my birthright.

[23:37] Eli Tokash: Yes, and then I knew that I was gonna have like one final callback right after that, just a kind of work session with the director, did this amazing work session, which I was really excited about because I've always loved like playing and taking notes and being in a room with someone with kind of less pressure.

[23:53] Micaela Diamond: Um, and we had the best time, and then I got the job like 30 minutes later. It was a wild, amazing audition experience. Um it was also, you know, like is my e which happens every time. I'm sure everybody has said this on this podcast, but it's one of those things where you like fantasize about what your life will be like if it's a job, you know.

[24:14] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah, and you're like, oh god, like am I not going to Carnegie Mellon? Like, should I come home from Israel early? Like, what's the deal here? You know?

[24:21] Micaela Diamond: Um, but this one was real crazy. And I fantasized and it all came true, and I didn't go to school.

[24:30] Eli Tokash: And now we're here.

[24:31] Micaela Diamond: And now we're here, and now you're about to start in your second Broadway show. Not a big deal.

[24:36] Eli Tokash: Um amazing. That's so cool. Um was so this was all for like the reading, right? Or was this for the like production out of town or broadway or whatever?

[24:45] Micaela Diamond: You were in it from the beginning, right?

[24:47] Eli Tokash: Yeah, this was for the lab.

[24:49] Micaela Diamond: Uh-huh.

[24:49] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[24:50] Micaela Diamond: We did the lab. Um, and yeah, you're right. I didn't really, I like left school to do a four-week lab, not a production.

[24:59] Eli Tokash: Um, which is a little risque, but I think I just like I was never gonna pass the opportunity up to not room with Stephanie J.

[25:07] Micaela Diamond: Block, you know what I mean? It's oh my god, queen icon. Um, but also it's just like you know, you're young enough too, where it's like you can take those risks, you know, like you can still you you're still exactly exactly. So um, yeah, but I loved it. I had like the best time in that lab and you know, felt like over the moon and like I was living, you know, my dream.

[25:29] Eli Tokash: Okay, so real talk, because I couldn't imagine doing this. Was it like nerve-wracking when Cher came to like be Cher in front of her?

[25:38] Micaela Diamond: It's funny, everyone has always asked me this, and Okay, I'm sorry. No, no, no, no. It's a great question. I've like thought about it a lot, but I think for some reason at that point in my life when I was like stepping into those kinds of rooms without any experience. I the only way in my head I think I was like able to process it was just by like like jumping off of the mountain, you know. I was like, I'm not gonna show up and be like degrading myself or nervous all the time. Like I'm just I'm not gonna be able to do good work. So I just kind of faked it when I made it in a way. Um and so when Cher came, like Stephanie was more nervous than me.

[26:22] Micaela Diamond: Yeah. For the first time, I'm like starting to understand that because not to start talking about Parade, but it is this weird thing where like when you have such a such a like I've literally been in the business for like three years, but when you have when you have a history, like when people have already seen you perform and whatever, there's like there's so much more pressure for you to like deliver what your thing is. I think like I think that related to Cher in some way because it was just like Cher was new, had never seen Stephanie perform, etc. But like Stephanie was still trying to deliver, you know, it was many things, like so yes, I was of course I was nervous, but I also was like, I had nothing to lose.

Like I hadn't done this before, you know, I had no expectations, and so I was just like, I was just like, again, like work hard, watch as many videos of her as possible, try to like sing and blend with Stephanie, like do watch Stephanie and do what she's doing.

[27:26] Micaela Diamond: Like that's what I did with Margaret with Margaret, you know, just you just watch. I'm definitely like a copier when it comes to acting. Um, like I was saying, like I like to watch and take. So like this was kind of perfect because I literally could like watch my older self in quotes, take and then and then try and deliver what Stephanie was delivering, but in my body, right? And put some of my, you know, youth into it, which was exactly where what the character was. Um so uh and you know, I felt supported in the room, like Rick Ellis was such a is such a mentor of mine, and and you know, he wrote the show for me. Like he there would be lines and it would be like, I said that you I accidentally forgot the line, and now that's the line. You know, it was like little things like that, and I loved that. I loved being so supported by the team and they were they were good to us in during that lab.

[28:21] Micaela Diamond: Like I really felt like I was doing okay um and Stephanie was there for me since day one. So you know I just kinda tried to do my work but was I nervous for Cher? Not really like she was another she's on another planet.

[28:38] Micaela Diamond: Right. Like you ju you just can't touch her. Like I knew which is funny because I wish I knew this more now but I knew this when I was 18. I was like you you cannot control what she thinks of you.

[28:52] Micaela Diamond: Right. You just can't control it. And to be honest you can't control what anyone thinks of you. Um it is what the advice I'm giving myself is now Yes.

[29:01] Eli Tokash: Come on practice what you preach.

[29:04] Micaela Diamond: Oh yeah we're doing it. I love it. Um well that's crazy. I wonder too like if it's like kind of like a generational thing. Cause like I don't really I didn't know like I obviously knew Cher but I didn't know like all of her songs until the show came around you know.

[29:11] Micaela Diamond: Yeah that's how I felt too yeah yeah yeah. I d yeah I wasn't a fan to be quite honest.

[29:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[29:25] Micaela Diamond: Well yes.

[29:27] Micaela Diamond: Okay. Fair enough. Um so so with Cher too I wonder because you know so obviously like I was doing shows when I was very young and like I was a kid. You were very much an adult when you were doing Cher and everything. But uh you know there's times in this industry where it's like you know there's the kids and then there's the adults and there's like this weird like dynamic and shows and all the things. So I'm curious, like d were there any moments like through the industry as like a young performer where you've been like, oh, you know, where you felt like a kid or something like that, or you've been treated like one?

[30:00] Micaela Diamond: That's a great question. Um, I actually say the opposite. I got so lucky in the Cher show. We were we were directly our feeder in the Neil Simon was directly across the street from August Wilson where Mean Girls was.

[30:12] Micaela Diamond: Oh and I got close to a few people in that cast, and they did not have that that kind of experience because the whole cast was young.

[30:23] Micaela Diamond: Right. So it was it, you know, not that that breeds drama, but you know, in in our company, everyone had a family to go home to at the end of the night, they were married, no one was like getting drunk, like snobs at our in our company were like fun.

[30:41] Micaela Diamond: Right. But snobs are Saturday night on Broadway. Sometimes you'll like meet with your cast after the night show to like toast the week or whatever.

[30:51] Micaela Diamond: Um they were fun, but it was all like moms like heading out, like good show. Oh, you know what I mean? Like it was so sweet, but like everyone had lives, and I was like by far the youngest person in that cast, and so but I loved that.

[31:07] Micaela Diamond: I've always been friends with adults, which is strange. Um, but I do like I was really close with uh Stephanie and Teal and D and Jared. Like those were kind like I I loved hanging out with them all the time.

[31:20] Micaela Diamond: And um, and so and then and the reason why I loved it to get back to your question is I they never made me feel like a kid. They never they never in in a way that was like when I needed someone to be like give yourself a break, you're 19. That was helpful.

[31:39] Micaela Diamond: But then at any time else, it was like, you know, I was I was treated at the same level as the uh what do I mean by that? Like um like for press for interviews, it was like, yeah, you're you're waking up at 6 a.m. Of course. You know what I mean?

[31:56] Micaela Diamond: Like we were all we were all just like working really hard and beating the ground and I wasn't doing like extra work because I was younger, like yeah, it was all just like we were all in it together.

[32:07] Micaela Diamond: Um and I just I loved the way they mentored me. Like I had back on that experience and you know, I just learned so much just by watching them do their thing, and anytime I was anxious or you know, having a moment, you know, this is always what I go back to, but where I was forgetting my lines and was after like seven months, I was like, what's happening?

[32:32] Micaela Diamond: Or I had chronic hip pain, and they would send me to their healer. Like everyone was just like everyone had resources, and you just gotta ask for help because things happen to your body when you're under that kind of stress and HO week schedule, and I was like, What's happening?

[32:48] Micaela Diamond: You know, and they were all like, Yeah, welcome. Here are all these resources. And I like let I'm gonna take all of them and use them and show up the best I can.

[32:59] Micaela Diamond: Um, but yeah, they were amazing to me. I never really felt like I was treated like a little kid.

[33:05] Micaela Diamond: Um yeah, I like can't even give you one example.

[33:09] Eli Tokash: That's amazing.

[33:10] Micaela Diamond: So happy. I've never I've never felt that way.

[33:13] Eli Tokash: Oh, I love that. You know, like I don't know. I asked the question because there are obviously have been days that I felt that way, but it's never been like from the cast, you know.

[33:23] Eli Tokash: Like the cast has always been so welcoming, you know, like they've all understood that like, you know, we're one, like we're a team, we're telling this story together.

[33:32] Micaela Diamond: Um, but it more of like from stage management or the child wranglers that they would bring on, you know, like I because just like you, you know, like I tend to do better with adults, like kids' conversations.

[33:44] Micaela Diamond: I'm just I'm not into it. You know, like I can't I can't give anything, you know, because they want to talk about video games or something like that.

[33:51] Micaela Diamond: And I'm just like, so today's New York Times crossword puzzle or something like that, you know, like it's just the similar I'm similar, but I will say I taught a lot over the pandemic to kids because I knew income.

[34:04] Micaela Diamond: And um I at first like I didn't really like it. It felt like this kind of job and I just like needed money. But I have to tell you, like, I love it now.

[34:15] Micaela Diamond: I love teaching these kids. Like I've pulled back now because I'm getting a little bit busier, but I don't know, like helping someone choose their college audition song.

[34:25] Micaela Diamond: Yes. And you know, or just someone who like wants to sing for fun and I have like I don't do a lot of like one-offs. I have like students who stay with me for a long time.

[34:35] Micaela Diamond: I've got people who've been with me now for like three years and I'm just like they're doing great. You know, I love watching the journey of it and I love seeing their you know, it's like it's like me when I was in high school, like everything is so important.

[34:49] Micaela Diamond: This show, this audition is more important than anything in the world. And I've never of course I feel the stakes of real auditioning, if you want to call it real, you know.

[35:01] Micaela Diamond: But but the but the truth of those like big feelings when you're in high school and love theater so much, like they ne that it's they're incomparable, you know, and I love kind of being reminded of that as a as slightly older as a old woman.

[35:18] Micaela Diamond: Um you know what I mean it's just like it's so nice to remember how much people love it and now I'm doing it like in real time it's like it's such a beautiful thing to remind yourself of totally totally totally so here we are now and you're you're you just finished a run at uh New York City Center which I came on this podcast and raved about uh both you and Ben you know that you guys are just pros so good the whole cast was amazing at City Center and uh yeah talk to me about you know that experience because I you've been with that now for a couple of years in labs and readings or whatever uh before it made its way over so talk to me about you know your whole journey with Parade.

[35:58] Micaela Diamond: We actually didn't do much. So essentially the the journey goes we did I got a call the day after I opened the Cher show.

[36:07] Micaela Diamond: No. On a Monday and my agents were like how are you? The party was so fun last night I'm going on and on I'm like it was so fun and Kim Kardashian was there and Deka Dad was there and I had last time and they were like so Micaela it's Micaela Michael. Sorry I'm just sorry to interrupt um so so we actually aren't calling to just ch chat and congratulate you we we uh need you to audition tomorrow for Parade and I was like uh oh oh oh okay the work begins the work begins so they said like can you learn it like in that time and I was like oh my god, I am memorized.

[36:47] Micaela Diamond: Like I'm off book. Like I fucking love Parade, okay. Oh I go over, you know, I go over it. I'm like, I haven't sung this probably since some day in high school in like the basement of LaGuardia, like for fun.

[37:00] Micaela Diamond: But um with my friend Gabby, we always did that. So anyway, so we're like having I'm having like a field day with all the material. Essentially, my audition is like sing all the material. So I go in and and Jason uh apparently approves me, however that process goes.

[37:17] Micaela Diamond: And then the following day, we like or like the next week, we start. It was like whirlwind, like so fast. Um they're like Ben Platt's your Leo. I'm like, okay, I just shit myself. So if I come into rehearsal, the little girls get this. Here's a fun fact for your listeners.

[37:35] Micaela Diamond: Uh-huh. The the little girl was played by Renee Rapp.

[37:42] Micaela Diamond: Oh my god, really? Thank you. Crazy. Truly, truly crazy. This is a crazy fun fact. Okay. So anyway, I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, but it's fine. So we I knew she was involved with it, but I didn't realize she was the little girl. Crazy. Like I am, I'm 19 years old playing Lucille. This is unheard of. Like, so strange. So we do this workshop. Of course, you know, workshops are fast and furious. We're all standing at stands. There's no choreography or staging or anything of that kind. But we learn all the music and we do it once for like 30 people from Roundabout. Um, I don't know what that means, but this is what I was told. So essentially, essentially, Roundabout has to do a certain number of readings per year for all of their investors, aka rich white people sitting on the board to like do shows.

[38:39] Micaela Diamond: Okay. So I was like, I think people love this show. I think people just wanted to, you know, you know, it's beloved, it's beloved in the theater community and it's so it did not, you know, get its moment in 1999. It was like literally a flop almost, you could say that maybe, I don't know, you could totally say that. Yeah, it ran for like four months or something. It was like past it, it was like before its time, you know, like people weren't ready for it. No, and we can get into that discussion more too, but yes, I don't think America was like ready for this show. Right. So, you know, we did this fast workshop and um, and then nothing ever happened. Like I never got a call. Three years, four years went by, like literally it was just, I thought literally it ended up being like a passion project.

It was so strange. Like I know that's not true, but that's how I thought about it in my head. Like I never heard anything. Right. Granted, I loved doing it. It was like, it just didn't come back around, you know, and there's so many workshops you do as an actor. Like you just do workshop and lab and one comes back, one out of the seven you do come back around. You're like, okay, Parade is dead in the freaking water. Okay, sure. Then last year, uh in like March of last year, random, randomly get a call from my agent manager and they're like, hey, conference call, which means I booked something. I was like, did I audition for something like that? I can even book like it, you know, they so they put conference call and they're like, so Parade, we're back. City Center. You have the offer.

[40:26] Micaela Diamond: Wow. I was like sobbing. I was like, what's happening? Like, I was with Erica Henningson actually, and she was like, we were both just like, what is going on? Like it was crazy. Right. Wow. And I knew it was like, I knew people were gonna go ape. Like, this is such a great show, you know. It's like I couldn't believe they just offered it to me. I was like, you don't want to. Yeah. Are you sure? Like, what if I'm not good anymore? You know, exactly. Anymore, come on. Right now. Um, clearly pattern. Um, so anyway, we loved, we Ben and I were so excited. We like went to dream. It was just like, oh my god, this is crazy. And we waited. I it would which was great because I love having prep time. So I had from like literally March to September to kind of prep for this massive role.

We were also um now perfectly age-ranged for it. Like I was a little young before, and now we're kind of like exactly in the pocket. Um, which is awesome. So yeah, it was so exciting, and then City Center, if you don't know, is like a 10-day rehearsal process. Oh my god. Um, which is crazy, and usually they're not necessarily staged to the death, but Micaela Arden can't help himself and is a genius, and so we staged it to the death.

[41:54] Micaela Diamond: Um, and it was freaking beautiful. Um, I think easy because like literally Ben and I have known it. Like we know this show from our bones, and um, you know, came in day one, like uh this is our backstory. We're like, we're like, what's the secret? What is she waiting for at the beginning? You know, like we'll just like chalk it. Like it was so fun to um explore it with with Micaela and Ben again, and and to be able to share it at this time. Like, literally, anti-Semitism was crazy the weeks leading up to City Center, and we were just like, oh my god, like this feels like the right moment to share this story. Um, and I remember coming home from you know, our seven rehearsals, and then talking to my boyfriend, just being like, oh my god, I think it's good, I think it's good.

I'm nervous, but I think it's good, which is a great feeling to have as an actor. You know, you never know though, like the room can feel really good, and then it can just not translate to an audience. But um, but the dress rehearsal happened, and we were like, oh shit, like that was amazing. Like you can hear a pin drop, you know.

[43:07] Micaela Diamond: And if you can hear a pin drop at City Center, like you're really doing a horrible, like a horribly large theater for what we were trying to do. Um, and I feel you know, people in the balcony like literally had a different experience. What they've said to my face is they've had a fine experience, they just didn't see everything, which is fine, but you know, it's hard. You want it to feel so intimate, you want them to feel like you're a part of the trial in a way. Um, and so just I'm so lucky, I'm so excited we get to do it again for audiences. It makes me want to cry. I just am so happy and thankful that you know, people want to see it. And they were like, you know, once once City Center happened, it was just like so fast.

Like we knew right away. It was crazy. Everybody like we were like, oh my god, we're going. Like it was why. Right. Yeah. Yeah, it's so exciting. Um, first of all, for anyone listening, this whole story was basically to tell you that Micaela Diamond is now only off uh offer only. Um so thank you so much. Um Broadway's Micaela Diamond, everyone is only off only.

[44:10] Micaela Diamond: Um okay. Anyway, I I had that in there for a minute ever since you said it. I loved that. Um no, but I saw it at City Center, absolutely loved it, came on here, raved about you, and uh the whole show, like totally, totally with you. Cause I was one of those people in the balcony, and I was just like, I had a completely different experience, but it was amazing. Like, you know, like that makes me so happy. Yeah, like no, this this I mean, you guys did so much with so little. And you know, you had that tiny little like stage basically where you're like the platform was the stage, you know, and then the fact that like the orchestra was on the stage, and like, you know, the piece is just so strong that you don't need to distract it, you know?

Like you don't need to to make it busy on stage, and you don't need to do any of that, especially at that time with everything that was going on in the world, you know. Like it was just so real and so um intimate, like and and so uh just simple, and it just got the message across and it was just so beautiful.

[45:15] Micaela Diamond: Um I I always say the simpler the better. Um, but I mean that may be just me. Um, but uh yeah, it was it was amazing. And I'm so glad that more audiences are about to see this show and in a more uh intimate space, you know. I think it's gonna work really well. Um I'm excited. I'm very excited about it. Me too. Yeah, we go. I saw this incredible uh little promo that went around uh the day that it was released. So so then I think I've what is it? Michael Arden, he may have posted it where he was like this was like at 8:30 in the morning in Brooklyn and these they sung live, you know, like talk to me like what was that like? Was that actually you actually sing live there? That wasn't like a recording or anything.

[45:57] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, we probably sang the song like upwards of 30 times. But no, well because they had to get, you know, coverage for all the but I have to say it was free. It's funny because we both were like yeah we we have to sing live. I've just seen Ben and I have seen too many promos where you're like oh they're lip syncing. It's like we do it eight times a week let's just sing it live, you know right and um luckily Ben and I um not only love that song but it's easy for us to sing. Like that if we have to sing that duet at events for the next year fine you know like it's it's so much easier than like Song for the Lonely like Jesus Christ. Right. You know we're like sitting we're like topping at a C you know um so but yeah we we went and it of course when we fight for that like we get there it's like there's no heat because of the sound.

Oh god so it's like freezing in Brooklyn but you know it was like so fun it's such an experience it's like now a memory and I love it like they came out cool and everyone loved it so much and so beautiful.

[47:02] Micaela Diamond: It really is like this like cute little like factory in Brooklyn and it looks like a pencil factory. I was like this is amazing. I did see one comment that made me laugh so hard that was like someone was like isn't he in jail at this point? What are they doing? Or something like that was like, dude, it's a promo. Like, it's okay. Like, see the show, you know? Crazy. Right. It's just to get people excited, you know. Like people love love to have like the hot take. It's wild to me. Like, I Ben has been a part of that um like hot take situation for a long time. And I'm new to this to this, like, people want a hot take on our show. I'm just like, oh my god, like it's crazy.

[48:44] Micaela Diamond: It's so wild to experience it. I just have to like kind of laugh it off sometimes, but it is kind of wild. For sure. Yeah. No, people, it's just like, you know, the world that we live in now. It's just like the cancel culture, the uh the whole like hot takes. It's like everything's gotta be they uh they have to find something, you know, and it's just like let it be. Leo's in jail at this point in the plot, guy. Don't they know that? Like, he's in jail. Come on. I'm like, clowns, no, just kidding. Love you all. It's called unfighting moment, okay. Right, no, it's oh my god, just so too much. No, we love um hot takes. I'm sorry.

[48:57] Micaela Diamond: But and it's not limited, right? It's like an open-ended for now, right? No, it's limited. Oh, it yeah, we're doing it for we're doing it till August 6th. Oh, so y'all really need to get there. Um before then. It's in, and man, didn't yeah I'm so happy that people want to see it like we literally sold so many tickets the first two days that Telecharge was open it made us so happy we were like oh my god like this is a mistake people you know it makes me happy too for like Jason Robert Brown who you know if you know Jason's work like it's so beloved and and culty like everyone loves it so much but to be honest it hasn't necessarily gotten its due ever on Broadway.

[49:45] Micaela Diamond: And so I don't know I'm just I'm happy for him. I'm happy for for everyone who did the original because it's like you know they put in a lot of work and now it's like finally people want to listen you know it's beautiful. Right. So yeah I'm I'm really happy that people want to see it.

[50:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah for sure. Well I'm curious because you talked about you know like when you found out that Ben was your Leo you were like I just shit my pants so I like were you a fan of Ben before before joining Parade?

[50:04] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, I mean who isn't a fan of Ben you know I yeah I like love I loved his work I think he's a super special performer um and I think as a as an actor when you watch him like of course you're like oh my god it must be so easy to act with you because you can just kind of react you know but he um he's amazing and you know is is gonna be my rock throughout the process you he's like the kindest human being and we love the material and love each other so much.

[50:49] Micaela Diamond: It's like so I just, you know, I've said this before, but I have a crush on him. Like it's so, yeah, it's so easy for me to like slip into those eyes and all the waste of time. I'm like blushing, you know, every time you wrap the corner, but yeah, I love him. I, of course, I've been such a big fan. Um, I, you know, I think this is the perfect show for him to come back to Broadway with. Like, I think it's so brilliant. We went to the theater the other day and just to see the space and feel it, feel our dressing rooms out, and uh, it's wild because he was just like a boy in a candy store. Like he hadn't been in the theater for six years that he was, you know, on the stage for, and it's like that's a long time when it's what you do, uh, what you love best in the whole world, and um, I'm just like so happy he gets this particular role for the comeback, you know.

Yeah, you can see his passion for the role on stage. It's incredible. Yeah, we both love it so much. Yeah, for sure. The whole cast, I mean, I can't say anything more. Like that City Center cast was just ridiculous. Like, it really was. My goodness, I'm the luckiest girl. I know. Oh my god, I love it.

[52:07] Eli Tokash: Well, uh, huge congrats on it all and everything that you've done this far in your career. I mean, it's early, and I cannot wait to see what's next. If it's cool with you, can we play like a quick little one-minute game that's like a speed round question?

[52:20] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, go for it.

[52:22] Eli Tokash: All right, cool. This is called like a few of my favorite things, or a few of your favorite things, I guess you could call it. Okay, so fave Cher costume.

[52:32] Micaela Diamond: Oh my god. My beat goes on, um, when I chuck the Oscar up. Um, great. Yep, yep.

[52:41] Eli Tokash: Uh, fave Ben Platt song.

[52:44] Micaela Diamond: Oh god, I love so many. Grow, Grow as we go.

[52:48] Eli Tokash: Yes. Oh my god. So good. Um, favorite JRB song.

[52:53] Micaela Diamond: Ooh, baby. I think I have to say, I mean, forgive me, Parade, but I love One Second and a Million Miles.

[53:02] Eli Tokash: Is that the name of it?

[53:04] Micaela Diamond: Oh. One Second and a Million Miles Away.

[53:07] Eli Tokash: One Million Million Seconds. Million Seconds and One Mile. Which one's that from?

[53:14] Micaela Diamond: From Bridges. It's like the big love song.

[53:18] Eli Tokash: Oh my god. I always forget that he wrote that.

[53:21] Micaela Diamond: Makes sense. Wait, One Second. Yeah, One Second and a Million Miles. Oh my god. Killing it. You're doing great. It's me. It's me.

[53:30] Eli Tokash: Um, okay, so you're in Parade. So what's your favorite Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade performance?

[53:36] Micaela Diamond: Um, just because I'm a savage, and this is the only one I can think about lately. But Skye, what's her name? Macy's tapper. The woman who she's a dancer. She did the tap thing and like was not tapping.

[53:55] Eli Tokash: Oh.

[53:57] Micaela Diamond: Thank you. Paula Abdul, because I'm a fucking sap. I can't. I can't. I can't even speak right now. That is everything. That is everything.

[54:07] Eli Tokash: Um, great answer. Uh, favorite show of the season.

[54:14] Micaela Diamond: I know there's, it's hard. There's a lot of good ones this season.

[54:17] Eli Tokash: There are a lot of good ones.

[54:31] Micaela Diamond: I did love Kimberly Akimbo. I mean, I will say Downstate was the favorite thing I've seen in the past, you know, season. And that was a play at Playwrights. Um, but musical wise, I did love Kimberly Akimbo. I love that. Gosh, yeah. No, it's so good. There's a lot of good ones this season. So, so many, so many.

[54:42] Eli Tokash: What's your favorite role slash like what's your dream role?

[54:45] Micaela Diamond: Sally Bowles.

[54:47] Eli Tokash: Oh, I like that.

[54:49] Micaela Diamond: Like both are my favorite show, favorite role. Oh my god, amazing.

[54:53] Eli Tokash: Yeah, well, that's all I have for you. I can see it. Let's make this happen.

[54:56] Micaela Diamond: I say we make that happen. Sally Bowles would be amazing. Oh my god, that'd be so fun.

[55:02] Eli Tokash: Yay! Oh my god. Well, Micaela Diamond, everyone. I mean, go see her in Parade. I'm so excited for the show to be on Broadway and for more people to experience it and see it. Like Micaela, I can't thank you enough for coming on here and giving me your time today and chatting with us. So I know a lot of people will love this, so thank you.

[55:20] Micaela Diamond: Thank you for having me.

[55:22] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[55:23] Micaela Diamond: Come on.

[55:25] Eli Tokash: Yeah, of course. Oh yeah, I'll definitely be back. I'll definitely be back in Parade. Love the show. Uh, love everyone in the show. And, uh, especially now that you know you're doing this. I definitely have to come see you again now that like I've gotten a chance to chat with you. Very exciting.

[55:38] Micaela Diamond: Yeah, you definitely deserve to take a bow.

[55:41] Eli Tokash: Take a bow, Micaela Diamond.

[55:43] Micaela Diamond: Yay! So fun.

[55:44] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much. Take a bow, Micaela Diamond. I cannot thank her enough for coming on the show. Talking to her about being a kid in the industry was actually a question that I want to start asking a little bit more here because it's something that I've been able to talk more about with my peers, like with people my age, and she's like around my age, so I figured I'd open up the conversation to her as well. And, uh, just to get a, you know, a, uh, pus new perspectives on the topic at hand because it's not easy. I mean, we've said it before on here with a lot of the kids that I brought on, you know, it's a lot, it's a grueling schedule to be a kid on Broadway. And so to kind of talk about feeling like a kid on Broadway is a whole nother conversation in itself.

So, uh, definitely want to open up that conversation a little bit more. I'm thrilled that she has not had an experience of that nature to feel that way, um, especially as like a leading lady in a pretty much a full adult, like older cast. It's great to hear. Obviously, I've definitely had experience my own, uh, you know, feeling like a kid in the industry. You're not allowed to do certain things and whatever it may be, but also, you know, you can't perform all the eight shows and you can't do this. Like, it's just, there are things in this industry where you just like don't understand as a kid and you kind of take it out on yourself and you know, you start to question like, oh, what's going on?

Like, am I not good enough to do that and that many times a week or whatever it may be? And those are, those conversations are real and they kind of opened up with Gabriela Pizzolo. So, um, would love to chat more about that. And, uh, I know that there's a lot of kids out there that have felt like a kid and, and that's like a weird thing to say, but like when I say like felt like a kid, it kind of means like a less, like not like, I don't know how to say this because like it's not like you feel less important, but you also feel like it's like you're not fully included and you, you don't understand why. And as a kid, it's like, well, that's not fair. I'm just a kid. Like, who cares? Type of thing.

And then as you get older, it's like, oh, like I kind of understand like why I wasn't able to be included in this or I wasn't able to do this, or and all the things. So, I don't know. It's a large conversation that, uh, we'll definitely dive more into when someone else comes on the podcast and, and we'll talk a little bit about it. Because I just want to put out there that like that is something that's real. And that's something that like if you're a kid listening to this and like you're my age or younger, you know, that that's a possibility and a feeling that you could have. And, and I mean, that's anywhere in the world, not just in this industry, but, uh, certainly it is, uh, alive in this industry, and you definitely feel like a family, and it feels like, oh, you're in a fight with your sister or your brother or your parents or whatever because they're not letting you do what the older sibling is doing, you know, type of thing.

Where it's not like an, uh, end of the world or anything like that, but like, I don't know, there's just a, uh, um, a feeling of kind of like loneliness, you know, where it's just like, oh, you know, I can't do that, or and no one else, no one can relate to that type of thing. But there are people out there who can relate, so that's good. Um, anyways, I could talk about this for a long time, so that's that. Uh, but again, uh, Micaela, glad that you've never felt that way. Glad that, uh, I'm so excited for you to be, uh, coming back to Broadway with Parade. Very exciting. It is a limited run. I don't know why I asked if it was a limited run because I actually knew that it was a limited run and like just totally had like a brain fart, which is so silly, but whatever, it's fine.

[59:27] Micaela Diamond: It's all good.

[59:27] Eli Tokash: Anyways, so yes, it is a limited run. Previews will begin on February 21st, which is super soon. It's like next month, and, uh, a final performance is slated for August 6th. Opening night, the official opening nights will be on March 16th. So you have from February 21st to August 6th to see the show. I can't imagine if you do see it in previews, that much changes from previews to opening because, you know, they obviously just did it at City Center. And unless they're like adding more staging or something to it, but I think what they did at City Center, you know, like I feel like it's gonna be like an Into the Woods thing where it's like, you know, less is better, and they're gonna do it with what they did at City Center and kind of just bring that over and all of that jazz.

So hopefully you all get a chance to see it. Unbelievable show. You have to see it if you haven't. Uh, if you've never seen a production of Parade, please see this production. And then if you do, I mean, then you love the show. Like, if you've seen the show, you love the show. So go see it again and go see it with Micaela and Ben and, uh, the rest of the cast that's gonna be named shortly. So very exciting stuff. Micaela, thank you again for coming on the podcast. Cannot wait, uh, for you to be back on Broadway and to continue starring on Broadway. And, uh, hopefully this isn't the last time you come on Take a Bow because this was a blast. And I know everyone listening, uh, hopefully you all enjoyed this episode as well, as much as I did.

And, uh, until then, we have another great, uh, episode coming next week. We have some amazing guests, these next couple episodes. We're starting off January. We're starting off 2023 with a bang, uh, which is exciting for me. And, uh, hopefully y'all will tune in to them all. So, with that being said, I hope you all come back next week for our next episode and beyond. And, uh, until then, bye everyone. Have a great week.

[1:01:26] 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 of Dori Berenstein, Alan Seales, Kimberly Garrett, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network. Next in line to take a bow are our fabulous editors, Jessica Warren, who edits the audio of the podcast that you just listened to, and Tessie Tokash, who edits the videos and visuals for this podcast. And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Greiner? And our final bow are extra special to the patrons Brian Thompson, Pat McNamara, the listeners of PCC, as well as all of the other patrons for their continued support. If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash TAB.

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. You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well. 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. The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos. And that wraps up this episode's curtain call. Thank you all again for listening to this week's episode, and I can't wait to see you next week. Bye everyone. Have a great week.