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[0:00] Eli Tokash: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 156 of Take A Bow.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: I'm your host, Eli Tokash, and this week, I am so excited to share this week's episode with you all.

[0:10] Eli Tokash: Uh this episode has been a long time coming.

[0:13] Eli Tokash: Uh I I've wanted to get this guest on ever since he made his Broadway debut, leaving audiences literally falling in love with him night after night, holding his own against uh Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster and Jefferson Mays and all of these incredible, incredible performers.

[0:32] Eli Tokash: Um, and we have none other than the incredible Benjamin Pajak on the podcast today, the most adorable little child star on Broadway right now.

[0:42] Eli Tokash: And uh it was so much fun to talk to him about, you know, what it's like to be a kid on Broadway, uh a Broadway baby per se.

[0:52] Eli Tokash: Um, and uh yeah, it was it's been it was really cool to kind of live through that again.

[0:57] Eli Tokash: And he is such a well-spoken young man that uh I had an absolute blast talking to him today about his career and uh the shows that he did he's been in.

[1:08] Eli Tokash: And he obviously just finished up a run, uh late literally being a viral sensation uh for his role and performance of Oliver in Oliver.

[1:21] Eli Tokash: So uh we'll turn it over to that in just a second.

[1:23] Eli Tokash: But before we get into that, let's talk about some Broadway news, shall we?

[1:28] Eli Tokash: Um, lots of fun stuff to talk about and happening.

[1:31] Eli Tokash: Um, I'll start out with some good news.

[1:33] Eli Tokash: Peter Pan Goes Wrong is extending on Broadway before its Los Angeles run.

[1:38] Eli Tokash: Um, they are heading out to LA.

[1:41] Eli Tokash: Um, and they are they it was obviously just a limited run here on Broadway, but they've announced that they will be extended for another two weeks, which is super exciting for the show.

[1:51] Eli Tokash: Um, it's obviously a testament of how much audiences are enjoying these types of shows and the mischief.

[1:58] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, company or whatever whatever that is bringing those types of shows, you know, with uh the play that goes wrong and Peter Pan goes wrong now.

[2:09] Eli Tokash: Uh so fun stuff.

[2:10] Eli Tokash: Uh Neo Patrick Harris is not in it right now, obviously.

[2:14] Eli Tokash: Um, but still it's still kicking and it extended.

[2:18] Eli Tokash: Uh so very exciting stuff.

[2:19] Eli Tokash: You have some more time to see that before it heads off Broadway.

[2:22] Eli Tokash: Um, some other news, uh, and this kind of relates to some news that we talked about last week in the sense of the writers strike, the Writers Guild of America strike.

[2:33] Eli Tokash: Um there were discussions with Leopold Stadt.

[2:37] Eli Tokash: Um they are working on a series adaptation of the Broadway play that is currently on Broadway.

[2:44] Eli Tokash: Um, and there were discussions uh to bringing the play to the small screen.

[2:51] Eli Tokash: Um, and that was being worked on, and then of course the writers' guild began.

[2:56] Eli Tokash: Um, and the it kind of we're in a bit of a standstill right now.

[3:01] Eli Tokash: So no deals are like done, but the goal is that this is gonna happen.

[3:06] Eli Tokash: It sounds like it's gonna happen because it does say that it's gonna be executive produced by Steven Spielberg, um, which is obviously the biggest name in the entertainment industry, and anything backed by him uh will most likely be done and most will it likely be done in a very, very well put together way.

[3:27] Eli Tokash: Um so very excited about that.

[3:29] Eli Tokash: It's gonna be produced by him and uh Amblin Entertainment.

[3:34] Eli Tokash: So very exciting stuff, and uh it'll pretty much be a the show.

[3:39] Eli Tokash: Um, and they're just gonna put it into parts, which is super fun and super exciting.

[3:44] Eli Tokash: Um, cool.

[3:45] Eli Tokash: Uh another cool thing to announce is Ham for Ham.

[3:49] Eli Tokash: Uh, I can't believe for the past two weekends, they brought Ham for Ham back, and I literally have not been able to be there for any of them, and it's so sad.

[4:00] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, Ham for Ham is the best.

[4:04] Eli Tokash: If you haven't listened to some previous episodes or you're just unaware of what it is, it's literally Hamilton's version of their lottery uh to see the show.

[4:13] Eli Tokash: Um, and what it is is it's Hamilton for a Hamilton, which is the $10 because 10 Hamilton's on the $10 bill.

[4:21] Eli Tokash: Um, so very exciting.

[4:23] Eli Tokash: And then, of course, when they do the lotteries, they usually have a performance.

[4:27] Eli Tokash: So very fun stuff.

[4:29] Eli Tokash: Uh last week they did three Broadway shows.

[4:32] Eli Tokash: They did a doll's house, they did um Camelot, and they did Kimberly Akimbo.

[4:38] Eli Tokash: Uh, so it'll be interesting to interesting to see what they do this week because they will bring be bringing uh three Broadway shows together to do this week's ham uh ham for ham uh with Shucked Parade and Some Like It Hot.

[4:53] Eli Tokash: Uh so a doll's house is obviously a play.

[4:55] Eli Tokash: Uh Ariane Moyad and Jessica Chastain basically came out to host it, which is super fun.

[5:01] Eli Tokash: And I would think that parade is gonna be the host this uh this week, but it's interesting because you know there is no play.

[5:10] Eli Tokash: So I mean, parade, Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond have voices of an angel.

[5:14] Eli Tokash: So who knows?

[5:14] Eli Tokash: Maybe we'll get three different performances, uh, which would be super fun and super exciting.

[5:20] Eli Tokash: But everyone should go check that out.

[5:22] Eli Tokash: Friday, uh 4 p.m., I believe, Eastern time in New York, um, at the Richard Rogers Theater.

[5:28] Eli Tokash: Um, I'm very upset because I'm gonna be missing it for the third straight time.

[5:32] Eli Tokash: Uh, but uh hopefully you all will be able to go and you'll be sending me all of the things because I want to be there, but I guess I will have to be there in spirit.

[5:43] Eli Tokash: Um, anyways, moving on.

[5:45] Eli Tokash: As you all know, huge Miles Frost fan on the podcast.

[5:49] Eli Tokash: Miles Frost is going to be reprising his role as Michael Jackson in MJ in the West End.

[5:57] Eli Tokash: Uh it's that's right, MJ the musical is heading to London.

[6:01] Eli Tokash: Um, and they will be in the West End starting March 6th of 2024.

[6:08] Eli Tokash: Um, so very exciting stuff on that front.

[6:11] Eli Tokash: I wonder what that what kind of like went into all of that.

[6:15] Eli Tokash: You know, stuff like that always uh, you know, uh makes me curious and gets me thinking, you know, you leave Broadway and then you're gonna go do it in London.

[6:23] Eli Tokash: Was it just uh you want to do it somewhere else and like go travel?

[6:29] Eli Tokash: Was it more money?

[6:30] Eli Tokash: Like, I don't know, all of that stuff.

[6:32] Eli Tokash: It's kind of like the business side of it is just so fascinating to me.

[6:36] Eli Tokash: And to really know what is behind all of that is super intriguing to me.

[6:40] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[6:41] Eli Tokash: I don't know why, just uh thought I'd share it.

[6:44] Eli Tokash: It's kind of just rambling at this moment, but uh yeah, it's true.

[6:47] Eli Tokash: Miles Frost is going to be reprising his role.

[6:49] Eli Tokash: I would literally do anything to see him in an MJ again.

[6:52] Eli Tokash: So uh West End trip, anyone in 2024.

[6:57] Eli Tokash: I can't wait.

[6:58] Eli Tokash: Very excited, and hopefully I will be able to, you know, get out there and make my first West End trip, um, which would be super exciting.

[7:07] Eli Tokash: Um, so I do want to say before we get into this interview, um, you know, there has been some sad news this week that's come through.

[7:18] Eli Tokash: We have had the passing of Tina Turner, who literally was a titan of the music industry.

[7:26] Eli Tokash: She kind of changed the game for a lot of performers, in particular black female performers.

[7:35] Eli Tokash: So shout out to her.

[7:36] Eli Tokash: Obviously, she had that incredible show, the biopic musical.

[7:56] Eli Tokash: And you know, her story.

[7:58] Eli Tokash: And it's just an incredible story.

[8:00] Eli Tokash: So, you know, take about Tina Turner, rest in peace.

[8:04] Eli Tokash: You have so much to be um, you know, proud of.

[8:09] Eli Tokash: And we as humans and fans uh are well have been so lucky and fortunate to uh witness that in our lifetime.

[8:18] Eli Tokash: Um obviously I wasn't at the prime of her career, but uh to know her story and to continue her legacy um that's still happening um has been pretty cool to witness and be around for.

[8:30] Eli Tokash: Um and she lived a long life, 83 years old.

[8:33] Eli Tokash: Um it's just uh just incredible and and so sad to hear.

[8:39] Eli Tokash: Um, so shout out to Tina Turner, um, and of course, the entire cast of the Tina Turner musical, um, because I know they all had special relationships with her and honoring her legacy.

[8:52] Eli Tokash: Uh, it had to be pretty sad to hear the news.

[8:55] Eli Tokash: Um, I also want to say um, you know, I had some challenging news come through just today, Wednesday, um, where a good friend of mine, Aiden Duver, has passed away due to cancer.

[9:12] Eli Tokash: And um, I've had the honor of performing with Aiden in a little, you know, um company called the Broadway Star Project.

[9:23] Eli Tokash: And um my first ever time doing it with these groups of kids.

[9:28] Eli Tokash: Um, it was they brought in a couple kids that performed on Broadway to perform with kids who haven't been on Broadway, and we would do this album and everything, and it was just it was a really cool experience.

[9:39] Eli Tokash: And I did it a few times.

[9:41] Eli Tokash: Um, and I got to meet Aiden every time, and he was just such a bright light in the world, always positive, always kind, always curious.

[9:50] Eli Tokash: And and it was just a really just a special kid.

[9:54] Eli Tokash: Um, and he was around my age, uh, maybe a year younger than me, um, and passed away the today.

[10:02] Eli Tokash: Um, and we were able to sing, I was able to sing a trio with him at one of the concerts.

[10:08] Eli Tokash: Um, you know, we sang uh one foot in front of the other um from 13.

[10:15] Eli Tokash: And um, you know, it's on an album, and it was a really special time getting to know him and you know, continuing to work with him in other shows uh surrounding the Broadway Star Project.

[10:28] Eli Tokash: Um, but two years ago he was uh diagnosed with cancer, and he's been uh on this journey for quite some time ever since, battling it, and um, you know, had a couple scares, and today we found out the news that he did unfortunately pass away.

[10:45] Eli Tokash: So my heart goes out to Aiden, Aiden's family, Aiden's friends, um, the entire family over at the Broadway Star Project, who I know um really welcomed him with open arms always, um, and is so supportive of their um, you know, community and the children and uh kids that they continue to help develop in the theater uh industry.

[11:10] Eli Tokash: Um and uh, you know, I just want uh it just is a reminder of you know, life's precious and cancer is a bitch, and um yeah, there that's that's about it.

[11:27] Eli Tokash: So um tricky to say, but want to dedicate this episode to Aiden Duver.

[11:33] Eli Tokash: Um, obviously uh gone too soon and incredible performer.

[11:39] Eli Tokash: And I know that he um just adored and admired, you know, kids his age doing what he wanted to do and performing at the biggest stage.

[11:49] Eli Tokash: So to be doing it today with um an incredible performer, young performer, uh, as a guest on this week's podcast is just uh no better way to do it.

[12:00] Eli Tokash: So Aiden, you are and will always be a part of our community um here on Broadway and and beyond um and in the performing world.

[12:12] Eli Tokash: Um and uh yeah, so this this one's for you.

[12:16] Eli Tokash: Um rest easy, rest using my friend.

[12:18] Eli Tokash: So, with that being said, um, that's all the news I have for us today.

[12:23] Eli Tokash: Um I apologize for making it a little bit sad before we turn it over to the interview.

[12:28] Eli Tokash: Um, but with that being said, um, you know, here it is, and I hope that you all enjoy it.

[12:35] Eli Tokash: So without further ado, Benjamin Pajak curtain up.

[12:53] Eli Tokash: This week's guest is everybody's favorite upcoming performer.

[12:57] Eli Tokash: Audiences were falling in love with him every night for his breakout role as Winthrop in the Music Man.

[13:03] Eli Tokash: He then further showcased his incredible talents as the title role of Oliver in Oliver at New York City Center.

[13:10] Eli Tokash: So it is my pleasure to welcome to Take A Bow Benjamin Pajak.

[13:14] Eli Tokash: How are we doing, Benjamin?

[13:16] Benjamin Pajak: I'm great.

[13:17] Benjamin Pajak: How are you?

[13:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh, I am so good now.

[13:20] Eli Tokash: This is so exciting.

[13:21] Eli Tokash: I we we've been like working on this for forever.

[13:25] Eli Tokash: So to finally be able to chat with you today on here is super exciting.

[13:29] Benjamin Pajak: Yay!

[13:29] Eli Tokash: Um yeah, oh my god.

[13:32] Eli Tokash: Uh, I don't know if you know this, but obviously I'm a big fan of the music man, and uh we have a lot of mutual friends from the cast and everything.

[13:42] Eli Tokash: So you you've been mentioned a lot on here.

[13:46] Eli Tokash: So no pressure today, but the people are excited to hear from you.

[13:53] Eli Tokash: Um cool.

[13:54] Eli Tokash: So the way I usually like to start these things is just like asking people, you know, how did we get here?

[14:00] Eli Tokash: Like what inspired you to want to tell stories and entertain others.

[14:05] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, you know, um, so I started out when I was around five years old.

[14:10] Benjamin Pajak: Um, my mom, we we me and my mom, we would always go to see a Broadway show every weekend.

[14:16] Benjamin Pajak: And I started off with Finding Neverland.

[14:18] Benjamin Pajak: Believe this, uh, believe it or not, in my first Broadway show, I saw um Lance Roberts, who was in Finding Neverland, who was Music Man.

[14:30] Benjamin Pajak: Yes. I saw Finding Neverland first, then I saw Cats with Maria Briggs, who was with me.

[14:39] Eli Tokash: What?

[14:40] Benjamin Pajak: That's crazy. It was a week we would just go and see shows every weekend. And my third one was Scam of the Opera, and that was when I really, really started to fall in love with Broadway, and I told my mom, this is what I want to do. And I remember my first role that I ever played was Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. Oh, and I just I started doing regional productions from there, building on that. Um, and then a couple of years later, I got the part in Music Man, and yeah. Crazy.

[15:15] Eli Tokash: Um, how funny is that? You got to like see the people that you were like falling in love with, the people that inspired you, and then you got to work with them.

[15:24] Benjamin Pajak: That's super cool.

[15:26] Eli Tokash: That was amazing. So I don't know if you know this, but I was actually in Finding Neverland with Lance.

[15:33] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah.

[15:34] Eli Tokash: So I was in that was my second Broadway show that I did.

[15:40] Benjamin Pajak: Uh yeah.

[15:41] Eli Tokash: Fun fact. Did you know that?

[15:43] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[15:45] Eli Tokash: I played Jack, Peter, and George, but mostly Peter.

[15:49] Benjamin Pajak: Uh I never saw you in it.

[15:52] Eli Tokash: Uh maybe.

[15:53] Benjamin Pajak: So I did it, I did it literally. I joined the show a month after it opened. Um, yeah, so I was with it pretty much the whole run and then I stayed till closing. But with the child labor laws and everything, I wasn't allowed to perform as Peter every show just because of the role and everything. So I had to like go to Jack or take a night off and just be backstage.

[16:17] Eli Tokash: Yeah, so maybe you saw me, maybe you didn't. I don't know. But I see you on Instagram with like a Finding Neverland t-shirt, and it just warms my heart.

[16:26] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah.

[16:28] Eli Tokash: It's amazing. Um, but yeah, fun fact. So um I love that, and I love that we have like a full circle moment here today now too.

[16:36] Benjamin Pajak: Um so you mentioned, you know, you played Tigger in Winnie the Pooh, which is everything, and I hope there's a video out there somewhere that one day leaps.

[16:50] Benjamin Pajak: I think that it's either in one of my highlights or my god.

[16:53] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, I'm so excited to go back and watch it.

[16:57] Benjamin Pajak: Um and then you got Music Man. So talk to me about like do you remember when you found out that you were about to be on Broadway?

[17:07] Benjamin Pajak: I was like I mean, me and my mom, it was like maybe a year into the pandemic, maybe no, wait, no, it wasn't a year and it was like six months into the pandemic.

[17:18] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[17:19] Benjamin Pajak: Because the first rehearsal was the day that the first case of COVID actually came here. Um that was the first audition for Music Man. And then I got four callbacks later. I waited for about six months, and that was when everything was locked down.

[17:38] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[17:39] Benjamin Pajak: Six months after I found out I got the part, and me and my mom were like just sitting on the couch watching a movie, and all of a sudden my agent calls. Like, yeah, uh, she started off saying, Well, Benjamin did a great job in the audition room. And it sounded like I didn't get it, and then all of a sudden she goes, and you got the part. I'm like starting jumping down. And I remember I jumped on a Lego piece.

[18:01] Eli Tokash: I really?

[18:03] Benjamin Pajak: I really hurt my foot. But when I heard that news, I was like, this is crazy. This is so crazy. Because I had never really thought that this little tiny career that I really wanted to do would come to life this quick.

[18:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, right?

[18:22] Benjamin Pajak: Um, so did you say that you auditioned during the pandemic, or that you just like you auditioned before the shutdown?

[18:29] Benjamin Pajak: So I auditioned the whole process might have been like two or three weeks.

[18:36] Eli Tokash: Um, oh my mom's saying four.

[18:39] Benjamin Pajak: I think it was yeah, it was probably four weeks. Um, and it was like an audition every week. Um the first one the first week, the second one the second week, then the third one was a dance call.

[18:51] Benjamin Pajak: Um weird. I was like the only non-dancer in the I know the feeling.

[18:58] Benjamin Pajak: But it was like right after the final callback, they announced that everything was being shut down.

[19:06] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[19:07] Benjamin Pajak: It was yeah, it was a crazy I because I didn't know, and then after I found out that I got the part, they delayed it twice. So we didn't think that it was gonna happen.

[19:16] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh. What a crazy experience, you know. You know, that COVID, and then, you know, even is it gonna happen even when the world does open back up type of thing? And do I still have the part? Like, how does that all work?

[19:28] Benjamin Pajak: Um, yeah, that's crazy, and what a crazy time. But thankfully, we survived, and you did end up making your Broadway debut. Do you remember taking your first bow on Broadway?

[19:41] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god. I think well, it was so I I was like in during bows, I was like, oh my god, it was like the anticipation coming up to my bow. Like, how do I do it? Oh my god. Um, and when I actually got to just like step out and take a bow, I was like, when everyone started cheering for me, I was like, it melted my heart in a way that like. Um, and it was just I I'll never forget that feeling.

[20:13] Benjamin Pajak: Um we were all crying, we were all a hot mess on stage during my and but I just I just remember there was all these different emotions going through me, and it was it was yeah, it was just the moment I'll never forget.

[20:27] Eli Tokash: What you're such like a cool we're cool kid, you know, Broadway kid. You now have the title, you know. Welcome to the club.

[20:34] Benjamin Pajak: Um so yeah, oh my god, and you're so freaking talented. I love watching you on stage. I saw you both in Music Man and in Oliver.

[20:43] Eli Tokash: Um, as I mentioned, you know, Lance is a good friend of mine, Ryan Worsing is a good friend of mine. Everyone on Broadway, literally.

[20:51] Benjamin Pajak: Well, I mean, Lance has been in every Broadway show known to man, so it's like it's craziness.

[20:57] Eli Tokash: Um Broadway, literally, literally.

[21:01] Benjamin Pajak: Um, but you know, with all of those, you know, fun little, I don't know, like um intertwines.

[21:09] Eli Tokash: I g I don't know, interconnections, I guess.

[21:11] Benjamin Pajak: Um, I've had so many of them on the podcast, and they've kind of ran me through their day and everything. But as child actors, it's very different from adult performers. So I'm curious from your perspective as a child actor, what was your day?

[21:26] Benjamin Pajak: Well, I mean, it was defin I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna say if it was if it were a two show day because it it was much easier on just just one simple show. We had matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

[21:42] Eli Tokash: Uh-huh.

[21:43] Benjamin Pajak: Not like Oliver where we had matinees um Saturday and Sundays. But um it was crazy. I'd wake up, eat, take a shower, do all the essentials, then I'd go to the rehearsal room, um, and I'd sing for about 15 minutes, warm up my cornet, and then I'd do school for about an hour.

[22:03] Benjamin Pajak: Um, and then I do uh meditation, um which uh which Hugh gifted to me was like it's amazing. I love it. It's it's called uh transcendental meditation for looking up, it's life changing.

[22:15] Benjamin Pajak: Um but it's it's like I but we would go it was like go to this to that to this to that to this to that and then go to the theater. It was it was I mean it was it was easy to get used to, but it definitely was a lot in the beginning because I've never had that kind of I I wouldn't say stress, but like that like I guess like in a mindset almost walking fast every single second without um especially when you got to the theater because I I I had a nice track.

[22:47] Benjamin Pajak: I was off the stage for about an hour, but right waking up at 11 o'clock in the morning and going from this to that. But yeah, after going to bed past midnight, you know.

[22:59] Eli Tokash: It's you know, it's craziness.

[23:01] Benjamin Pajak: So are you homeschooled? Is that what you did school backstage and everything?

[23:05] Benjamin Pajak: So actually, yeah, going back to the pandemic. I started we did we started to because school started doing it remotely. Um we tried that for about two weeks.

[23:16] Benjamin Pajak: It just didn't work. Um, so it was just so much easier to do homeschooling because I could do it whenever I could.

[23:24] Benjamin Pajak: Uh first of all, and then it like I just do it, I do a certain amount of assignments, and then if I'm lucky, if I do enough of a day in a day, if I do more than I do in a day, I don't have to do it the next day, so that way I can just spend more scripts and stuff.

[23:38] Benjamin Pajak: Um that wasn't the case um in Music Man because we had tutoring every single day, and it was it was a big thing because and it's like you know, in child labor laws, you have to have a specific amount of time to think your hours and able to can't work actually, right?

[23:58] Eli Tokash: Homeschooling was just so much easier.

[24:00] Benjamin Pajak: I it's not like we're you have to be on a certain time.

[24:05] Eli Tokash: Right, totally.

[24:06] Benjamin Pajak: I totally understand. Um that's so cool though. What a cool experience it must have been for you to especially with the show like Music Man, you know, it's such a large company, you have you build such a big family, and you get to learn so much from all of these different people, and and you get to learn instruments.

[24:26] Eli Tokash: Did you learn the cornet for Music Man or did you already know?

[24:30] Benjamin Pajak: So here's the thing. The pandemic lasted about three years. A year into it, they told me, Benjamin, can you learn the cornet?

[24:38] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[24:40] Benjamin Pajak: So it wait, no, it was it was like, no, it was a it was a year, it was it was like the oh yeah, right before like a couple months before I went to I don't even remember this.

[24:50] Eli Tokash: Oh, okay.

[24:51] Benjamin Pajak: All right.

[24:52] Eli Tokash: So don't mind my brain phone.

[24:56] Benjamin Pajak: Um it's great.

[24:56] Eli Tokash: No, you're good.

[24:58] Benjamin Pajak: So six weeks before we went to rehearsal, they said, Hey Benjamin, can you buy a cornet and learn it?

[25:04] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[25:06] Benjamin Pajak: So that was like incredible that was like uh um and so we found we were so lucky we found the best teacher.

[25:16] Benjamin Pajak: Um my mom's friend, who's a fantastic trumpet player, hooked me up with an um with my amazing friend Anthony Fazio, who is a fantastic trumpet player.

[25:26] Benjamin Pajak: Um, and he got me ready in six weeks to play incredibly hard solo that I never thought I'd be able to play.

[25:33] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[25:34] Benjamin Pajak: And it I like it's been it was so fun. I was so stressful too, because I was like, ah, am I gonna learn it in time? I gotta impress Jonathan Tunick.

[25:44] Eli Tokash: Right.

[25:45] Benjamin Pajak: Right. It's it's such a blessing. Because I it it was actually much easier for me because I played piano before, and I had that I had that mindset of notes.

[25:54] Eli Tokash: Very cool.

[25:55] Benjamin Pajak: Of music. So but it was it was it's I love keeping it up and trumpet is a wonderful instrument.

[26:01] Eli Tokash: I love that.

[26:02] Benjamin Pajak: And and so you still like do it now that you're not even in the show?

[26:06] Benjamin Pajak: Mm-hmm.

[26:06] Eli Tokash: It's I I people I didn't know if I wanted to keep doing it because I I I thought that we had just rented the cornet, so I thought that's what at the end of the at the end of the thing.

[26:17] Benjamin Pajak: But when I found out that we were gonna keep it, I was like, oh, well, this changes things.

[26:25] Eli Tokash: Let's jump in.

[26:26] Benjamin Pajak: I still have yet to get a trumpet. I actually I love my cornet, but I wow but I I want to I I still do keep it up and it's an amazing yeah.

[26:36] Eli Tokash: Yeah so I mean you're doing all of these things on stage you know like this is just craziness. You're singing you're dancing you're playing the trumpet cornet all the things like I mean how does your brain like kind of just wrap it all in together and like does it become muscle memory was it nerve wracking the first few times like especially with the lisp on stage?

[26:41] Benjamin Pajak: It became just a whole bunch of muscle memory in my mouth it became a whole bunch of muscle memory in my body the choreography was just there the the the lines were just known cold so I didn't have to worry about the lisp I could just do it without having to think about it.

[27:15] Benjamin Pajak: And that made things so much easier especially with the lisp and dancing and talking and I can say go for it go for it knowing things cold knowing things cold are is just the best thing because then you have to worry about it.

[27:37] Eli Tokash: And like you know when new things happen you learn obviously you learn that but it you have it just known yeah it's you just gotta work it into your body almost um you I have to say when I saw you in Music Man I thought that the lisp was real like I thought that that's just how you and I was like wow this is incredible this kid's so good like one thing, the one thing with muscle memory is you can't get too comfortable with it.

[28:07] Benjamin Pajak: There were so many performances that I messed up the lisp and it was like there was this one set. I have to I have to go show Amarelis, my new life frog. I have to I went, I have to go show Amarelith my new life frog. I didn't, it just didn't come.

[28:22] Eli Tokash: Oh man.

[28:24] Benjamin Pajak: It was so frustrating. I come off the stage and like, that's not me.

[28:30] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[28:32] Benjamin Pajak: No one was supposed to see behind the scenes.

[28:35] Eli Tokash: But okay, we're gonna keep doing the show.

[28:37] Benjamin Pajak: Um but yeah, it's it was so so I know obviously Benjamin snuck into Winthrop a little bit. Did Winthrop ever sneak into Benjamin? Did you like ever start talking with the lisp off stage?

[28:50] Benjamin Pajak: Definitely.

[28:51] Eli Tokash: Really?

[28:52] Benjamin Pajak: I started, I started talking, it was actually the same thing for Oliver. I started talking and I started talking in the British accent all the time. I'm like, I'm like, this sounds the same as English. I don't know what you're talking about. But so I started talking with the lisp backstage, and people were like, wait, Benjamin, you're also, are you, are you like, you're still being your character or something on your tiny? Wait, right, right. I, oh, it was so weird. It's so I come off stage and I started lisping, and I'm like, that's yeah. I'm just gonna, I'm gonna zone out for two seconds and I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna be me.

[29:32] Eli Tokash: There you go. That'll do it.

[29:34] Benjamin Pajak: Um, that's awesome. That I was, I always wondered, you know, like then I obviously met you after the show. I think Lance introduced me to you actually when we were like, Lance and I were talking, you want that, and I was like, oh my god, wait, he doesn't have, he doesn't have a lisp. And I was just like shocked. Uh, because you did it so well. At least at the performance that I was at, there was no sneaking in there. Um, it was fantastic. I mean, it also, it was so nice because the fact that people with like speech disorders would come to the show and doctor would come and meet me, and I would be like, well, I don't have one, but I can only imagine how hard it is for you. And it inspired them so much.

And, uh, the fact that I got to actually do that was just, it was so heartwarming, and I, yeah, so hopefully that I had to actually have the chance to, you know, be on the stage and pretend, but then actually meet those people and, uh, make them feel happy doing their, yeah, you know, and, and kind of be that representation for them, you know. They probably don't see that often, you know, so that they can, there's not a lot of roles that have a lot of roles that are have a lot of, you know, like, uh, accents, but there's not a lot that are disorders, and right is the perfect one to do, and it just inspired so many people, which I love.

[30:51] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's awesome. Good for you. Way to be, way to be that guy, you know, to, to kind of represent, you know. It's great, it's, we've truly, it's amazing.

[31:01] Benjamin Pajak: So much, yeah, yeah, you got it. It's got, it's gotta be, uh, you know, pretty special honor to, to do that. Um, yeah, uh, so I gotta ask you. I mean, you Music Man, uh, we've talked about Music Man, and we haven't talked about the stars of the show. I've gotta ask you about Hugh and Sutton. Uh, what did, like, what was that like just to perform with them and learn from them?

[31:27] Benjamin Pajak: I mean, they're, they were first of all, they were the best mentors, the best leaders you could ever have. I mean, I always, I always say that in every single one of my interviews, like even with Oliver, I say they're the best leaders, but every thing is, it's, that's the thing with Broadway. Everyone tries their best to lead the company. It's be like the engine of a train to lead their company through this big storm that we have. I mean, even if it's for like two weeks or, uh, a year. Hugh and Sutton were just, they knew, they knew what they had to do. They led us through, they led us through an entire year, and they just so nice, tactful, so kind. I tried to model after a while, was like, no, it's, it's really so kind. So I tried to model myself off of them.

[32:12] Right.

[32:13] Benjamin Pajak: And both of them just taught me that it's taught me the ways, taught me, sound like a Jedi Master. They taught me the ways. They taught me the ways of being a good actor. Um, but they, they just, they, they were just the best people that I could have asked for to be friends with.

[32:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Did you know like who they were before Music Man? Like, have you ever seen Wolverine or anything?

[32:38] Benjamin Pajak: He didn't. See, I, I watched, I walked, I must have watched when I found out I got Music Man, I think I watched the Wolverine movies all in order, 75 times. I was to figure out who this guy was. I was like, wait, hang on, is Harold Hill supposed to be that muscular or I didn't know. I didn't know because I didn't, there wasn't, I could watch stuff about Hugh, but then there wasn't Sutton did stuff that wasn't obviously appropriate for me to watch, so I had to do something. And I, I came into rehearsal knowing everything about Hugh Jackman, but nothing about Sutton Foster, which I felt, oh my gosh. I felt so much guilt inside of it. I was like, I don't know you.

[33:24] Right.

[33:26] Benjamin Pajak: I felt bad because I knew everyone else. But it just, it just, it sudden Sutton and Hugh, they, I mean, they, they were like, I, I was like, it's little old me, and I'm talking to these people. I'm like, what do I say? What am I talking about? But they're there, it's so, I still talk with them to this day.

[33:46] Eli Tokash: And then see, that's so cool. Now I have to tell you a story of myself because when I was probably 11 or 12. So how old are you?

[33:58] Benjamin Pajak: I'm 12.

[33:59] Eli Tokash: I just turned 12.

[34:00] Benjamin Pajak: Okay, so like around your age, right? I had the opportunity to work with both Hugh and Sutton as well. I was in them. I did the readings for a greatest showman, and they were P. T. Barnum in charity. And when I walked in, you know, I was like, oh great, and like Sutton did that.

[34:22] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, not a lot of people do.

[34:24] Eli Tokash: Not a lot of people do. But, uh, she did the very first one, but after the final two, she didn't end up doing. Um, but while we were doing the first one, they were talking about Music Man and talking about how that was a project that they were gonna start working on together. And so even before the auditions came out that they were gonna do it, they knew for three years that they were gonna do this.

[34:51] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, it was crazy.

[34:53] Eli Tokash: And this was like pre-pandemic. Yeah, because pre-pandemic three years, so this had to be like six years at once it finally came, you know. It's crazy how long it takes to get a show, uh, you know, on its feet and everything, but I was like, oh, isn't it interesting? Like, I never knew anything about Music Man. I didn't know who Hugh Jackman was or Sutton or any of them. I literally, I was like walked out of a room. I called my sister, and I was like, oh, just got out of a reading, and they were like, oh, with you, and I was like, Hugh Jack and Sutton Foster. He was like, do you know who that is? I was like, no, you know, like it just, it happens, you know.

[35:27] Benjamin Pajak: We're too young. You know, yeah, it's, it's true. I mean, as I mean, like I knew, especially with Oliver. I, I mean I came into the room knowing who, you know, Raul was, but I didn't, I didn't know who Lily Cooper was. I didn't know who Tamboo was. I didn't know who Mary was, I didn't know who Brad Oscar was. And I felt I came in and like was researching on them. I'm like, okay, these are these people. This is actually really scary. This is like I better be on my best behavior.

[36:05] Eli Tokash: Um for sure.

[36:07] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah.

[36:08] So talk to me about Oliver and working with this cast because this production was out of this world, and you were the star of this show. Uh, what was that like?

[36:20] Benjamin Pajak: It was so, oh you're making me remind me of it. I'm sorry.

[36:26] Eli Tokash: You're good.

[36:27] Benjamin Pajak: Um happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Um, I mean, Oliver was so fun. It, everyone was like Lear. I mean, Lear, I mean, she just won the Drama Desk Award, she's nominated for a Tony Award. I mean, she's like, she, I, I actually got to see her show, uh, Into the Woods. Funny story about that, actually. I showed up to the red carpet, uh, on opening night. I should, yeah, I have a hang on, I have a playbook. I have the playbook of opening night. Funny story! I go, I go to the red carpet after a sh, uh after my final matinee of the, after my final matinee of the show. And, um, I go to the red carpet and our press person, I didn't realize that our press person, Marie Bashara, was doing press for Into the Woods. And she said, hey Benjamin, I show up in like a tank top in shorts.

[37:17] Eli Tokash: Oh my gosh.

[37:18] Benjamin Pajak: I'm out there, and people are like, oh yeah, that's sweet. That's Benjamin Pajak. And Marie takes notice and she comes, hey Benjamin, you wanna, you wanna come see the show tonight? I have two extra tickets. So me and my mom, we rush home, get dressed, come back, take two pictures on the red carpet, and the show starts. Oh, but I didn't, I actually, I go into, I go in and I go into the, the first week and I found out the first rehearsal that Lear was the director for that.

[37:44] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[37:45] Benjamin Pajak: Um, I was like, oh my god. I remember that show was like fantastic.

[37:50] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[37:51] Benjamin Pajak: Um going into Oliver and I'm like, these people are so, they're so important. I have to impress them. And I was like, after a couple of rehearsals, I was like, okay, it's better to just be yourself and not be, and not be like hyperventilated like that. Um, everyone just became, it was the nicest people. It was such a fun show to do. And I mean, in the end, I'm so glad that I got a chance to play Oliver in my lifetime because it's such a show.

[38:21] Eli Tokash: Well, you didn't just get to play Oliver once. You had to play it multiple times in like the span of like what, two weeks, you know, like of a month.

[38:31] Benjamin Pajak: I did. I got to play it there. I also got to play it down in Florida too.

[38:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[38:35] Benjamin Pajak: And we say, I got to do it there. I mean, that's another thing. It's like, it's incredibly difficult to change through the same production to go from the same production to change from another one.

[38:45] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:46] Benjamin Pajak: Different directing styles. It's different choreography. It's different. Everything. The only thing that stays the same is my character, what my objective for the show. My, what my, what Benjamin wants Oliver to look like.

[38:58] Eli Tokash: Right.

[38:58] Benjamin Pajak: Obviously, I'll be discovering new things during the process, but it's still the same Oliver that I want to see.

[39:05] Eli Tokash: Yeah. And, and how is that like for your process, you know? Like you, you, I know New York City Center was, it's a super short, you know, rehearsal process, like two weeks max, you know.

[39:16] Benjamin Pajak: Um, yeah, it was crazy. I mean, this is another thing about Lear. She is so, she knows what she wants because first of all, she had some of the, she had most of the leads, including like Raul, Lily, Julian and me, and Tam, we all came, we all came a week before the full company came to just go over the script, just figure, just figure things out and what we want. And Lear let us put, let Lear let us put our takes on into the characters and put our ideas into the show. He even asked me if there was like some things from Florida that I thought that were good that would be good for me. Everyone just knew what they wanted. But we all came a week, we all came a week early, which was fantastic because I was already so nervous because I never had a rehearsal process that quick before.

[40:04] Eli Tokash: Yeah. Did it help knowing the lines beforehand since you just did it in Florida or the songs even?

[40:12] Benjamin Pajak: I mean, it was the same script. It's, it's still, I mean, there were, there were different, there were differences, but it still was incredibly difficult to get back into it and like focus my mind. I came back and, and then in the next, I came back and I had three days before I had to start rehearsals for City Center.

[40:28] Eli Tokash: Wow.

[40:29] Benjamin Pajak: Um, and it was, but it, it, we had a week before then the full company came, we had two dress rehearsals, uh, no, we had two, we had two tech rehearsals, a dress rehearsal and we opened. Craziness, like absolutely crazy. I don't know, I don't know what it's like because some, some of them are only two weeks, right? I mean, we were incredibly lucky to have for the only, not even the full cast, just the principals to have a week, but it was, we put it together, it was a beautiful show and yeah.

[40:29] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and, and you mentioned these principals coming in a week or so early and being able to, you know, kind of, I guess get to know them and get comfortable with them and then a whole wrench in the program is thrown in when Gavin Lee ends up coming in to be your Fagan. I mean, what like, what was that like? Did you know that that was gonna happen? Was that kind of like day of moment?

[40:29] Benjamin Pajak: And like, so we knew, we knew that Raul was gonna do the matinee. We didn't know that we, we didn't know he was gonna do the night one. So we did the matinee with Raul and we get this email, um, saying that we have to come an hour early because Gavin's going on. And so we came, we came in an hour early. Everything with Gavin, first of all, the first thing I thought was wow, I'm gonna look tiny on stage because he's like six, he's six four and I'm like, I'm only, I'm four eight and going next to someone who's six four is gonna, that's actually, that's Tom Brady's height, and Tom Brady was really tall.

[42:09] Eli Tokash: I, I mean, I've seen life-size cardboard cutouts.

[42:12] Benjamin Pajak: And people like you see, you see Gavin, and he's like, Raul is like 5'11, like nowhere near him. And I'm like, actually, really nice. It's actually, it was really nice with Raul because I didn't have to like put my head up this far.

[42:27] Eli Tokash: Right.

[42:28] Benjamin Pajak: But Gavin, he came on, he was so professional. I actually didn't get to see him during the rehearsal process that much. A cool thing though is that I saw him at Paper Mill when he did, um, Lumiere.

[42:40] Eli Tokash: Oh yes, in Beauty and the Beast.

[42:43] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah. And I was like, I, I remember saying something like that, he's so good. I don't know who he is, but he's so good.

[42:51] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[42:52] Benjamin Pajak: A couple years later, I'm doing a show with him.

[42:54] Right.

[42:55] Benjamin Pajak: So I never really got a chance to actually say hi and like actually talk with him. But we, I mean like during this one hour we started talking and bonding and just doing this show. It was, and he's so, that was like the first time we met him when he was about to do the show an hour before the show.

[43:13] Benjamin Pajak: Crazy. Yeah, I mean I got to hear him singing during rehearsals at some parts, but I never got to rehearse it. I only did some parts with him, but I never really did one-on-one scenes with him and stuff. Wow. Oh my gosh. Oh, he was fantastic on stage, too. Right. He had like what four hours of notice that he was gonna go on. Crazy, and he was fantastic. The ultimate professional. Oh then the entire cast, it was full of professionals from the kids to the adults, you know. You all were fantastic. The show was ridiculous. I saw it and I was like, this may be my favorite show that I've seen at City Center. So it's such a big production show. It's actually here's one of my jokes. Um you'll enjoy this, I'm sure.

Um I can't wait. A lot of the musicals and plays at New York City Center, yeah, you know how they're supposed to be more of a stage reading? Yeah. Oliver was not a staged reading. It was an entire two and a half hour musical with a lot of dancing, a lot of lines, a lot of talking, a lot of singing, a lot of everything. Yeah. It was not a stage reading. Flipping, you forgot the flipping. Yeah. I mean, like literally, 12-year-old kids were doing flips on stage, doing backflips on stage. I'm like, how do you do this eight times a week? Right. And it was like, oh, I'll never forget it. It was it was and everyone was just exhausted at the end of the show. It's a lot of yelling, it's a lot of talking, it's a lot of everything.

So Oliver is just a jam. It was it's a jam-packed show of everything that you could have ever wanted in a show. Lear had a vision that we were trying to show throughout the story what Oliver tries to show everyone their love and what they find. Because I think Oliver, uh I think what she wanted to show was that Oliver wanted to show the world that there can be love even in dark times. And I think that's a beautiful vision that she had for this because it just I think that puts something in my mind of how I wanted to do it. And it just, I don't know, it gave me a new feel for it in a way.

[45:35] Eli Tokash: Absolutely. And not only like is it such like a wonderful message and everything, but it's also very timely with everything that you know has been going on for the past four or five years. It's just been craziness and you know some of us are still dealing with that and getting through it all. So to go see this like, I mean this show made me cry, you know it's just it's such a beautiful show. No, truly and your performance where's love forget it. Are you aware that you're like viral on social media with that video when that happened?

[45:35] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god, I must have, I was getting so, first of all it was like we had press day and there were 30 people in the room and they were all, if the hardest thing was they were all in the mirror so I had no place to look without looking at a press person. Right. So my phone, I was like okay I didn't prepare for this so I'm just standing there waiting, I'm like just give me a second let me figure out what I'm doing. And we started, um and you know we did this song, we did "Consider Yourself," right? And about an hour later, or not even an hour, a half hour later it all started coming out and I'm like wait I have a hundred new followers. But when that happened and everything started blowing up, I was like it started making me more nervous and I was like oh what do I do?

So my mom, kudos to her and kudos to Lear because my mom went to Lear and said what do I do because this is really making both of us stressed and we don't know what to do. And she said just get off Instagram. Just get off Instagram. And you should only go on if you have to. So I go on for a little bit each day, post something, respond to DMs and comments and it just got too crazy to actually experience that.

[47:39] Benjamin Pajak: That was wild. I saw that video maybe seven times in one day. It was like it's people came up to me like during rehearsals and they're like, it's popping up on my feed. I'm like yeah, more people.

[47:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[47:54] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[47:56] Benjamin Pajak: I love hearing nice things about me and I appreciate it. Like getting that 247 just is crazy. I've never had that before. I've never had that kind of recognition before so it just took me a while to get used to it.

[48:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure. And but it's also just a friendly reminder, just to be, you know, older brother here. It's just a friendly reminder of your talent. Like it's something that, no truly, like that would not have done as well if your performance was just not what it was. I mean like truly you're crying and you sound the, you have the voice of an angel like you sound amaz, like no, I'm being serious. Like it's just you're, no I don't mean to like boost your ego or anything but I'm saying you're very talented sir and you should be very proud of that. And tune out, you know all of the noise and the voices that, you know, may creep in.

[49:00] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, I know it's, it could be tricky at times, but um yeah and you and of course like you did the right thing because that could be a very challenging thing in going to someone and talking about it. I had never had a time where I got off Instagram. I was just, I was even, it was like I built my Instagram and I, well I, yeah it was mainly Instagram. I started building my page during the pandemic. I post things all the time, that's all I do and I built my page more off of that and it just started to grow more then and the fact that things can happen that sudden when you leave the tech, yeah like overnight in a day, you know, it's awesome. It's nice to, you know, it can be so addictive and it's just better to leave it alone.

[49:52] Eli Tokash: Absolutely, yep do it for yourself not for others, you know do it as a memorable, you know, no, no literally like Instagram is like a photo book, you know, like a memory book. It's just a digital thing that you can remember of like good times that you've had with friends, stuff that makes you happy, you know you don't have to do it for all of the other people commenting and liking but they can enjoy it with you.

[50:17] Benjamin Pajak: I love commenting on people absolutely, comments and your DMs please don't leave me.

[50:28] Eli Tokash: No, no of course, of course no everyone is a huge fan of yours, you know you've and and just talking to you today you have such a good head on your shoulders, you know it makes me even a bigger fan of just you know you have the talent, yeah this whole thing um yeah.

[50:46] Benjamin Pajak: No, seriously, it's fantastic. Um I'm curious to ask you because you know, you're talking about you know, nerves and kind of people reaching out and saying that you all these things. I know that you know they're friends and everything, but Hugh and Sutton and a lot of your Music Man cast came to see you in Oliver. What was that like? Were you extra nervous for that performance, or were you kind of excited?

[51:10] Benjamin Pajak: So I wasn't as nervous when Sutton came because I knew that she was coming. And she came, I don't even remember, but she came and it was like all, it's so sudden because my thing, I was gonna, I was actually gonna get her tickets. Oh, I didn't want, I didn't want her to waste her money. Waste her money? Give me a break. She's like, I'm coming to see your show tonight. She texted me and I'm like, Sutton's just coming. But it was just fun, it was it was a fun performance. I got it, I mean I, it was fun to see her again after.

[51:49] Eli Tokash: Right.

[51:49] Benjamin Pajak: I hadn't seen her in like a year. Um but it was just fun to see her again and see what she was up to and spend some time with her again. And like it's also fun when Hugh came because he flat out lied to me. I'm gonna say this straight to the camera. He texted me opening night saying, oh no, I can't come this entire these entire two weeks. I'll be in Arizona. And he flat out lied to me and came the last week.

[52:21] Eli Tokash: Oh stop.

[52:24] Benjamin Pajak: It was like I didn't, Crystal, one of the guardians who was on Music Man, and she gave me a hint during the performance. She was like, you never, you should always have a good performance. You never know who's in the audience. And I did, I thought, I thought, but she never says that. Is that mean something? I thought it was, I actually thought it was Warren Carlisle, the music vendor. Oh, William Foon, who was in our ensemble just at a show with him. Um and he was in New York. He was in New York, so I thought that it might have been him, but I, I didn't expect you. Um it was just, it was just fun to see him again. And he came with, he came with some of his friends too, so it was fun to meet them. And yeah, um it wasn't, it was so fun to see them again.

[53:07] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[53:08] Benjamin Pajak: Well, I mean, everybody knows the whole Hugh Jackman Benjamin Pajak video where he got you a Tom Brady jersey.

[53:16] Eli Tokash: So oh my god, that was one of the coolest things ever. Um I gotta ask you though, I gotta ask you though. This is the first full season of the NFL where we don't have Tom Brady.

[53:32] Benjamin Pajak: Oh yes.

[53:36] Eli Tokash: The one on the side.

[53:37] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, that one.

[53:39] Eli Tokash: Who are we rooting for this year?

[53:41] Benjamin Pajak: We're waiting for the Bucks, hang on.

[53:43] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[53:43] Benjamin Pajak: We're gonna do a quick, we're gonna do a costume change really quick.

[53:47] Eli Tokash: We're still a Bucks fan.

[53:49] Benjamin Pajak: I love this so much.

[53:52] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[53:55] Benjamin Pajak: Amazing.

[53:58] Eli Tokash: Still repping, still repping the goat.

[54:02] Benjamin Pajak: I love it.

[54:03] Eli Tokash: I'm gonna, I'm gonna, that's amazing.

[54:06] Benjamin Pajak: Still repping the goat.

[54:07] Eli Tokash: I love it.

[54:08] Benjamin Pajak: I still, this isn't the sign on, but Mr. Very intimately, ready. Even though we may not have Tom Brady, we are still a super team. You will not doubt us. I don't care what other people say. We have Baker Mayfield, we have Mike Evans, we have all the weapons, so do not doubt us.

[54:28] Eli Tokash: Lenny.

[54:30] Benjamin Pajak: I love it.

[54:35] Eli Tokash: I'm obsessed.

[54:36] Benjamin Pajak: I love it.

[54:38] Eli Tokash: Buccaneers still repping it.

[54:40] Benjamin Pajak: I like it.

[54:42] Eli Tokash: Royal fan, royal fan. Good for you. Um, what about the Tony season? Speaking of seasons. Do you, that's approaching June 11th, Tony Woods? Do you have a favorite show of the season?

[54:55] Benjamin Pajak: Okay, so I have, I have, I have, I'm splitting this up into categories, like the Tony's. My favorite musical is Sweeney Todd. I absolutely adored that show. It was fantastic. Annalie Ashford was fantastic. She was absolutely hilarious. And Josh was spot on. His voice was fantastic. It was an amazing show. And they did really well with the blood.

[55:22] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[55:24] Benjamin Pajak: That's my favorite print. That's my favorite musical. Actually, just got explained how they did. I'm not, I'm not giving it away because that'd be too funny. But uh one of the people on hair makeup on Oliver Subson on the time.

[55:37] Eli Tokash: Oh I love that.

[55:38] Benjamin Pajak: That's awesome. And my favorite, and my favorite play, it didn't get nominated. It didn't get, well, it got nominated for like two awards, I think. But my favorite play was Christmas Carol.

[55:49] Eli Tokash: Talk to me about it.

[55:51] Benjamin Pajak: What in the world? How did that man not get nominated?

[55:55] Eli Tokash: I don't know.

[55:56] Benjamin Pajak: He did such an amazing job. Unbelievable. He deserved, he deserved that. He deserved at least a nomination for it.

[56:05] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[56:05] Benjamin Pajak: And he did, he was that poor man. He did over fifty-two characters, I think. Literally. In that show. It was fantastic. And he, he actually, he wanted to do it. He was almost like his own director. He helped bring the show to Broadway. Because there's usually always a Christmas Carol every year on Broadway. Or some Christmas, there's usually always a Christmas show on Broadway every year. And he was, he played Mayor Shin on Broadway with me in Music Man. And he, I, he couldn't, I, he's, he wrote, he actually wrote to me and he was like, I can't come to see you in Oliver, but I hope you're gonna do amazing, Benjamin.

[57:46] Eli Tokash: Oh I mean, I love that.

[57:47] Benjamin Pajak: He actually got me my birthday, came he gave it to me a little early because he was like, I can't wait anymore. He gifted me, it's in some of the photos on my Instagram. He gifted me a boater, um, which is if you, if any of you don't know, it's a straw, it's like a straw hat from the nineteen hundreds, and we wore that in the show. And that's not the boater mom. That's not the, well, it's this is an example.

[57:35] Benjamin Pajak: Literally, and I saw him in Music Man, and then to see him in this, it was like completely different.

[57:42] Benjamin Pajak: Here's the thing. At the very very end of Music Man, the last couple months before he left the company, yeah um, he started doing something hilariously funny. Um I don't know if that's a word.

[57:58] Benjamin Pajak: And our director agreed to it. Um, so at the very end of Sha Poopy, the big number, the big yes. Come on. I don't know. You might when did you come and see it?

[58:09] Benjamin Pajak: Um the same time Oscar came and saw it. I don't we saw it together. I don't know. I think you it was it was right after Sha Poopy, and he came, he came, he comes on, and he goes, and he and uh he goes, Oh crap.

[58:26] Benjamin Pajak: Um it was the so it's right after um Harold Hill says something about Tommy Gilis, and he goes, Um by the time your band plays its first concert, the individual members will have to foregather in real tears on account of the broken legs they'll get from tripping over their beards.

[58:46] Benjamin Pajak: And he tripped, and some of the nights he actually tripped and fell on the ground.

[58:53] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god. And Hugh and him would play this game, and he he would like give it like up and down and like all around, and he gave it to Sutton, and Sutton would give it back to him, and then one night he actually threw it high up into the sky.

[59:08] Benjamin Pajak: Jefferson caught it and dove to the ground.

[59:11] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god. Put it back on his head, and his mustache came off, and he goes, I'll tell you something, my fine young feather, fine feather young never mind.

[59:25] Benjamin Pajak: Oh no. Oh my god. He's the best fight. He was yeah, oh my god, I missed the man so much.

[59:37] Benjamin Pajak: Oh, what a cast though. Like I I like there's not many casts that can do that, you know.

[59:42] Benjamin Pajak: Like, like I there's so much talent and everything, but to have to know that you can kind of play like that and have that sort of um, I don't know, I guess, discovering and and and you know, just I guess testing what you can do with the you with each scene, it it's gotta be it's something special.

[1:00:01] Eli Tokash: That's really cool. Do you have any moments like that that in Music Man or Oliver, maybe a mishap or something that you want to share with us before we let you go?

[1:00:10] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god. Um, on opening night.

[1:00:15] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah.

[1:00:18] Benjamin Pajak: Oh no.

[1:00:19] Benjamin Pajak: That laugh. One of the best moments I think that ever went wrong probably was this.

[1:00:26] Benjamin Pajak: So I actually I ate, I had a real apple in the scene before consider yourself, and I ate it, and and it didn't it didn't go down my throat the right way.

[1:00:36] Benjamin Pajak: Oh no. So my eyes started watering, and I was like, uh on stage during that entire scene.

[1:00:47] Benjamin Pajak: And like Julian must have been laughing his head off inside because I don't think he knew what was happening.

[1:00:53] Benjamin Pajak: So after that I started miming the apple from then on out.

[1:00:57] Benjamin Pajak: But it was like on opening night too, so I was really scared.

[1:01:00] Benjamin Pajak: Oh, it was okay. That's the good thing.

[1:01:04] Benjamin Pajak: But what that's one of the funnier moments. It's actually not that funny, but it's it's it's it's really one of the only things that that went wrong.

[1:01:11] Eli Tokash: Right. It's one of those things that like you know, the audiences may not notice it, but you definitely noticed.

[1:01:18] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah.

[1:01:19] Benjamin Pajak: Oh yeah. It was there's some there there was some fight.

[1:01:22] Benjamin Pajak: It's also really funny when you're doing fight choreography.

[1:01:25] Benjamin Pajak: Um you know what a real here's a funny thing that went wrong.

[1:01:28] Benjamin Pajak: So Tam Mootu who played Bill Sykes, um, there's this at the very end of the show.

[1:01:36] Benjamin Pajak: Um so what happens is he he's like all the kids are like I come in with really like with really really nice clothes, and they start in that time everything was worth something.

[1:01:47] Benjamin Pajak: So they took off my jacket, they took my bow tie, took off my shoes, and so they find the five-pound note that um Brownlow gives me, and there's this whole big fight scene, and Sykes.

[1:01:59] Benjamin Pajak: I say something about he'll be down here after you, and then Sykes comes in and we do this big fight thing.

[1:02:05] Benjamin Pajak: So he what he would do is I'm demonstrating this. He grabbed me, he'd grab me by my hair and just like go like this.

[1:02:11] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my gosh.

[1:02:13] Benjamin Pajak: And so then I pulled down his arm and I actually slapped him.

[1:02:18] Benjamin Pajak: Believe it or not. I didn't I didn't know that people actually are allowed to do that, but I actually gave him a really good slap on stage.

[1:02:26] Benjamin Pajak: Um one night I slapped him so hard.

[1:02:29] Benjamin Pajak: No, it was so loud, the audience goes, and he and he I come off stage and I'm like, I am so sorry.

[1:02:39] Benjamin Pajak: Are you uh I mean I yeah, I'm I'm good.

[1:02:45] Benjamin Pajak: I think I think that's Benjamin. That's actually keep keep it up.

[1:02:49] Benjamin Pajak: I was like, this poor man deserves a medal.

[1:02:58] Benjamin Pajak: I know, he's playing the villain of the show, and he's just getting slapped around.

[1:03:05] Benjamin Pajak: But at the same time, sorry.

[1:03:09] Benjamin Pajak: I love it.

[1:03:10] Benjamin Pajak: That's so that's so funny. It's stuff like that that you know it keeps things fun, it keeps things fresh, keeps you on your toes.

[1:03:18] Eli Tokash: What's gonna happen tonight?

[1:03:19] Eli Tokash: Um, listen, Benjamin. This has been an absolute blast.

[1:03:24] Eli Tokash: There's so much that you deserve to take a bow for, um, and all the things that you're doing in life right now, and I cannot wait to see what comes next because I know that it's not too far away.

[1:03:37] Eli Tokash: Um, and I know that you're just gonna keep you know entertaining others and blessing others with your craft.

[1:03:43] Benjamin Pajak: So, and hopefully, yeah, of course.

[1:03:45] Eli Tokash: And hopefully, you know, more people will get to see you in Oliver because I mean the trend lately at New York City Center has been parade went to Broadway, into the woods went to Broadway.

[1:03:55] Benjamin Pajak: So fingers crossed.

[1:03:57] Eli Tokash: Yeah, fingers crossed for sure.

[1:04:03] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, I hear you because I want to go back.

[1:04:05] Benjamin Pajak: I'll be there for sure.

[1:04:07] Eli Tokash: We're all open.

[1:04:08] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and uh yeah, you're just I can't wait to see what's next for you.

[1:04:12] Eli Tokash: So congratulations on everything that's happened so far, and uh can't wait to see what's next.

[1:04:17] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, I'm so happy that I got to be on your podcast.

[1:04:19] Eli Tokash: Yay, we did it.

[1:04:20] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god.

[1:04:21] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, we didn't even talk about only murders in the building, which we both are obsessed with.

[1:04:28] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, oh my god, that I mean that show is really inappropriate.

[1:04:33] Benjamin Pajak: It's fantastic.

[1:04:35] Eli Tokash: You posted Jane, I don't even know how I pronounced your last name.

[1:04:38] Benjamin Pajak: Jane Hootie Shell or how yeah, hootie shell, yeah.

[1:04:43] Benjamin Pajak: She's so good.

[1:04:44] Eli Tokash: So good people watch that now.

[1:04:46] Benjamin Pajak: Oh my god.

[1:04:47] Benjamin Pajak: I can't wait for season three.

[1:04:49] Eli Tokash: I can't wait.

[1:04:50] Benjamin Pajak: When is it?

[1:04:51] Eli Tokash: Do you know if it's coming out?

[1:04:52] Benjamin Pajak: No, but aren't they filming it right now?

[1:04:54] Benjamin Pajak: Or didn't they just finish filming?

[1:04:56] Eli Tokash: I don't think there's a release date yet.

[1:04:58] Benjamin Pajak: I heard I heard something about season three coming out.

[1:05:00] Eli Tokash: I don't know if it's official.

[1:05:02] Benjamin Pajak: Oh, it's definitely official.

[1:05:03] Benjamin Pajak: They were definitely filming it.

[1:05:05] Benjamin Pajak: Um I'll let you know if I hear what day it comes out.

[1:05:08] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[1:05:10] Eli Tokash: I love that you went to visit the apartment and everything.

[1:05:12] Eli Tokash: I was like, how is this kid watching this show right now?

[1:05:15] Eli Tokash: This is like not my mom would never, but uh I love it.

[1:05:20] Benjamin Pajak: You're in love.

[1:05:21] Benjamin Pajak: The only reason we watched is because of Jane.

[1:05:23] Benjamin Pajak: But like so like some moments she's like, my mom will go la la la la la la la la la la la.

[1:05:31] Benjamin Pajak: Uh we just started watching it because of Jane, and then we fell in love with it.

[1:05:36] Eli Tokash: It's such a good show.

[1:05:37] Benjamin Pajak: Yeah, for sure.

[1:05:39] Benjamin Pajak: Like, who else doesn't like a murder mystery show?

[1:05:41] Eli Tokash: Exactly.

[1:05:42] Eli Tokash: It's about a podcast.

[1:05:43] Benjamin Pajak: How funny is that?

[1:05:44] Eli Tokash: Of course, and we're talking about a podcast TV show on a podcast.

[1:05:47] Benjamin Pajak: So I love it.

[1:05:48] Eli Tokash: It's great stuff.

[1:05:50] Eli Tokash: Um well, Benjamin, I don't want to keep you any longer.

[1:05:53] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much again.

[1:05:54] Eli Tokash: And uh, you know, you have so much to take about for.

[1:05:58] Eli Tokash: It's been an honor.

[1:05:59] Benjamin Pajak: Thank you.

[1:06:00] Eli Tokash: Thank you.

[1:06:07] Eli Tokash: Take about Benjamin Pajak.

[1:06:09] Eli Tokash: Oh my god, what a kid, what an episode.

[1:06:12] Eli Tokash: Uh just such a fun uh interview with uh with the upcoming star of Broadway.

[1:06:18] Eli Tokash: I mean, really.

[1:06:19] Eli Tokash: Uh he he's so well spoken, and you know what?

[1:06:23] Eli Tokash: Well, what I will say is shout out to the Take About YouTube channel here.

[1:06:27] Eli Tokash: Uh you can go check it out at YouTube uh.com slash takeabout podcast or at take about podcasts on YouTube or whatever you may uh find it.

[1:06:36] Eli Tokash: Uh and then of course we'll be posting TikToks and stuff on social media and stuff.

[1:06:39] Eli Tokash: But he was hilarious because anytime we talked about anything, you know, he was prepped and ready.

[1:06:46] Eli Tokash: He had props.

[1:06:48] Eli Tokash: He would bring out his jersey.

[1:06:50] Eli Tokash: He would bring out some playbills.

[1:06:51] Eli Tokash: I mean the kid is uh just incredible and uh just such a bright kid that I can't wait to see what's in his future because you know his talent it speaks for itself.

[1:07:04] Eli Tokash: He's so good.

[1:07:05] Eli Tokash: But the fact that that he is the person that he is and he understands what it is to be in this industry um and he's been able to be a sponge in the sense of learning from literally the top the best of the best in the industry with Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, uh Jane Howdy Shell, Jefferson Mays I mean you name it he's worked and and Raul Esparza now it's been it's been an incredible uh start to his young career and uh you can tell he's making the most off that opportunity and learning the best way he can.

[1:07:34] Eli Tokash: Um so that's all you can really do and just a great kid so I know he's gonna go far.

[1:07:40] Eli Tokash: Um so it was an honor to to talk to him today on the podcast and uh talk to him about his young start to the career.

[1:07:48] Eli Tokash: It was really fun because you know like I saw a lot of myself in him you know especially when I was at the performing when at that age you know it's just you have to you be a sponge and you have to ask questions and you have to ask for advice and you have to see what's going on.

[1:08:03] Eli Tokash: And you got to deal with things that you like never think about you know with him getting on social media and then having to take a break and everything like I was totally there on that for a minute um not to his extent at the moment uh but yeah, it was just, it was it, you know, you're always looking for advice and you're always looking for for people to look up to and um he's doing it in such a familiar way.

[1:08:28] Eli Tokash: And it was it's been cool to you meet and see people after his performances and being like, this kid reminds me so much of you.

[1:08:35] Eli Tokash: So to now actually have a full-on conversation.

[1:08:39] Eli Tokash: Uh it's kind of a it's kind of an honor and it's pretty neat to to be able to see that, but also um, you know, really enjoy that now because I know he's just such a great kid and such a talent.

[1:08:53] Eli Tokash: So um it's been what a what a guy, you know.

[1:08:56] Eli Tokash: Like I don't know what else to say other than we're gonna be seeing Benjamin Pajak for quite some time.

[1:09:01] Eli Tokash: It's a name to remember.

[1:09:02] Eli Tokash: So um shout out to Benjamin.

[1:09:05] Eli Tokash: Thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

[1:09:07] Eli Tokash: Uh I know he loves podcasts and he's all into all of that.

[1:09:11] Eli Tokash: So it was cool to have him on.

[1:09:13] Eli Tokash: And um he's finding Neverland full circle.

[1:09:16] Eli Tokash: First Broadway show he ever saw.

[1:09:18] Eli Tokash: Uh he had no idea who I was.

[1:09:21] Eli Tokash: So it was it was a pretty cool thing to do.

[1:09:23] Eli Tokash: Um, so thanks again, Benjamin, for coming on.

[1:09:26] Eli Tokash: Hopefully, you all enjoyed this episode.

[1:09:27] Eli Tokash: I know I did.

[1:09:28] Eli Tokash: Benjamin's a hoot.

[1:09:29] Eli Tokash: Benjamin's a great kid, uh and a name that again, we're gonna be seeing for quite some time.

[1:09:35] Eli Tokash: So enjoy it while you can and and get on the Benjamin Pajak bandwagon uh uh before the it really takes off.

[1:09:43] Eli Tokash: Um anyways, uh that's all I have for you folks this week.

[1:09:46] Eli Tokash: Thank you all again so much for listening to this week's episode.

[1:09:50] Eli Tokash: Um I can't wait to have you all come back next week for another great episode.

[1:09:55] Eli Tokash: Uh this is just the beginning of uh an incredible lineup to our June and Tony Awards and beyond.

[1:10:01] Eli Tokash: So uh very exciting stuff.

[1:10:03] Eli Tokash: We're gonna have some great guests.

[1:10:05] Eli Tokash: We may even do uh a week or two of two a week, uh, two episodes a week.

[1:10:11] Eli Tokash: So stay tuned for all of that.

[1:10:13] Eli Tokash: That the social media we'll find out first.

[1:10:15] Eli Tokash: So follow us on Take About Podcast and then uh on TikTok, on Instagram, whatever.

[1:10:20] Eli Tokash: Um, and then we'll we'll be announcing it here uh if that does happen.

[1:10:25] Eli Tokash: So stay tuned for all of that information.

[1:10:28] Eli Tokash: And uh thanks again for listening.

[1:10:30] Eli Tokash: Until next week, bye everyone.

[1:10:33] Eli Tokash: Have a great week.

[1:10:35] Eli Tokash: Love you, Aiden.

[1:10:39] Eli Tokash: For this episode's curtain call, I would like to recognize a few people who also deserve to take a bow.

[1:10:44] Eli Tokash: This podcast would not be possible without the help of Dory Barenstein, Alan Seales, Kimberly Garrett, and the team at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[1:10:52] Eli Tokash: 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.

[1:11:02] Eli Tokash: And how about a bow for our executive producer, Chris Grimer?

[1:11:06] Eli Tokash: 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.

[1:11:15] Eli Tokash: If you're interested in becoming a patron, go to Patreon.com slash T A B.

[1:11:20] 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.

[1:11:28] Eli Tokash: You can also subscribe, like, and comment on there as well.

[1:11:31] 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.

[1:11:38] Eli Tokash: The music of this podcast was made by Nikki Torsha and Cormac Collinon, and the logo was created by Giselle Bustos.

[1:11:45] Eli Tokash: And that wraps up this episode's curtain call.

[1:11:47] Eli Tokash: Thank you all again for listening to this week's episode, and I can't wait to see you next week.

[1:11:52] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.

[1:11:53] Eli Tokash: Have a great week.